The New York herald., 1863-12-28

year To all the water courses woaid require
well nigh a column Of space The psmy days Of steam
boating from 1850 20 1887. when the river 49,
made 10 bear upon ills surface wealth il would be I'M
possible estimate. Numerous the that took
place. 10 the annhilaon OF time safety aud often OF life
itself Ia 1883 the famous between the Eclipse
and Shotweii, on which a wager OF seveaty i've
thousand dollars besides nnnmerable side bots Three
hundred and sixty miles up stream the first of
twenty four hours. The Atlantic. plying between
this port and vicksburg recently beaten this by
running three hundred aud seventy two miles in the
same time. Races common nova days. though
there occasional trial or speed between Cairo aud
Memphis The CITY Of Alton, the G. 4. Hillman and
that The class OF travel the pre-
time not such as TO cause steamboat TO
pend as much money as formerly In making quick trips
DESTRUCTION on STEAMBOATS, BY Taa vAa--PRofirs or
srEAMDoArS0
Tho majority OF the best steamers tho river were
10 the rebel limits when the broke out. The most
OF them have been destroyed by ourselves or by tue
rebels 10 prevent their failing into hands. From
none OF them OF the best Tho boats that remained
lay idle at st. LOUIS for the rst months OF the
war and many OF their mourned that they were
not Dixie With the fall OF Fort Donolson de-
maud for steamboats, Tor army transportation and their
value suddenly rose. The amounts OF money made by
some ats almost fabulous. | have In mind
q small sternwheel boat that could have been
bought for 5000 three years ago she was
running constantly during the and brought her
ets no less than $4,000. On trip OF two weeks
IN length she a cleared ar sts .e as Mssy sorsy
after she brought out. The Julia. and fast
boat and the Minnehaha, cleared on single trips from
ST Louis to New Orleans, The former twenty and
the latter twenty six thousand dollars Tue sth beioe
she burned had paid for herself and gvea her
ers dsoue advance the Investment. The owners
OF hoRuth mye recently brought out another the 0ve
Branch which has just made its FIRST trip TO New Orleans
Two magnificent boats. the new Ruth and the levathan,
are now building at New Albany. They are larger than
any yet launched for the Mississippi and when
pleted there will be some Interesting trials OF speed.
like all thing; hun else Of the Mississippi has
.ngures i have given above show that 1t s
not altogether dependent upon the full rcsump.
uon OF the cotton and sugar traffic for its gains
CONCLUSION.
Ny attempt TO give the situation tho Mississippi
grown TO great length and the subject Is stl frut
u After being closed for twenty four months the great
river in July last opened 10 navigation throughout
its entire length. few irregular still liugor
banks but Tor all practical purposes tho passage OF
boats Is unobsucted Two and ha years ago Cairo was
most Southern point twelve hundred mlcs from the
mou Of the river. Columbus, in rebel possession STOOD
front General Grant removed this obstruction by
the capture Fort Doneson flank projection Next In
our way Island No Ten, speedily captured by tho
combined efforts Of Gen. Pope and Admiral Footo Stimuli
tancousy entrance effected from the Gulf Fort
Pillow captured by the;al OF Doneso0. succeeded
by the brilliant naval victory at Memphis which gave
us tho river 10 Vicksburg Here for than
our downward progress was stayed The stronghold
finally taken by the splendid strategy OF General Grant
Almost simultaneously Port Hudson surrendered to Gone
Banks These points captured the Fsthor OF Waters
went unvexed TO the sea.
Not only have we opened the river, but we have
covered OF territory Parts OF Missouri
aud Kentucky with all OF Tennessee, Mssissppi, Ala.
bana, Arkansas and Louisiana, were in the cnemy's
hands thirty months ago Missouri and Kcutucky have
been cleared OF armed rebels and all but small portions
OF Tennessee Arkansas and Louisiana under our
Gag. We hold portions of Mississippi and Alabama-of
the former all that is valuable In the aggregate we
have than seventy thousand prisoners with
four hundred pieces Of light and heavy artillery.
largo feet Of transports and another OF gunboats
little loss TO ourselves. All this work has been
80 efectually accomplished that have sent
tho army elsewhere for employment, and the
n a.
tans its habt OF victory West Of the great river tho
foe is nearly vanqusheG. few moro blows aud we
shall have Texas have already recover
cd Arkansas louisiana East OF the river Il Is neces
sary TO before any respectable rebel force
found To-day brings that the main force OF tho
enemy been put IN retreat towards Central Georgia.
Should this be true the whole region drained by theNis
ssspp with the exception OF single tributary is freed
from the presence OF an organized robe force We have
and OF soldiers and leaders who have brought
such glorious results