Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-10-20
IN AND ABOUT Town.
xo. XII
A Nav DEPoT-ouR FoRE1ox CoMMERcE.
A NEW DEPOT.

9eh' Oepot IS disgrace to the Company,
and that new one should be erected. We
are pleased to learn that they have deter
mined to erect spacious edifce for that
purpose, and have made application to the
City Council, asking that body to vacate
Walnut Street between Front and Water
streets, as also several other Streets in the
same vicinity. The petition was referred to
special committee, and we trust that no
impeachment will be thrown in the way of the
contamination of the object. The Streets
referred to front on the Railroad property
and are used exclusively by the Company,
and it is little difference whether they are
closed or not, if the Depot faces on Front
Street. If our City Council committee find
on examination that it will be of no injury to
the property of others, nor an invasion of
the rights of the citizens generally we would
urge them by all means to grant the prayer
of the petitioners Let everything be done
to give the company the most ample room
to put up building that will be credit to
our city, and be commensurate with the
wants of the travelling and commercial pub
lie. Already they have done much to add
to the wealth OF our city, and if the proper
spirit is evinced towards them by our city
fathers, we are informed that they are deter
mined to make a grand improvement, and
one that will not be excelled by any similar
editice in this section of country.
OUR FOREIGN COMMERCE.
We doubt whether there is another city in
the United States possessing the same ad-
vantages of water communication as Will
mington, with so little foreign commerce.
In fact, we are not aware that we have q
solitary vessel trading to foreign ports. Our
city has sadly degenerated in this particular.
In 174O, "The Wilmington" the first vessel
for foreign trade that ever belonged to this
port was built, and made her first trip to
Jamaica, West Indies, the following sum.
mer. Historians tell us that this was the
commencement of trade which continued
with considerable enterprise down to the
Revolutionary War. During the struggle
for Independence this trade languished, but
in 1888 revived again. AT that period we
had eleven or twelve vessels engaged in the
West India trade and seven or eight in the
Irish trade, with both of which countries it
was very extensive. Wilmington then
boasted a number of commercial houses,
that supplied the country for fifty miles
around with the necessaries of life Teams
came from the lower end OF Delaware, from
Maryland and Pennsylvania, loaded with
produce, which they disposed OF to our
storekeepers, and took back groceries and
material to manufacture into wearing an.
parel Ships then left our port from three
to four hundred tons burthen. This trade
continued down to the war of 1912, when
the British armed vessels rendered it unsafe
for ships to go to sea, and the consequence
was that most of them were disposed of
before peace was proclaimed Since that
period to the present the trade was never
very extensive and has finally dwindled
down to nothing. Why should not vii.
mington still be the mart to supply the Pc
ninsula with merchandise? Why is it that
Philadelphia and New York are permitted
to carry off the great bulk of trader 1t is
simply from lack of energy on the part OF
our merchants, in not providing more exten.
sive wholesale houses importing directly
from abroad, instead of buying everything
from Philadelphia and New York. If oul
fathers found it profitable so far back as 1850
why could it not be made so againY We be
lieve it could, and we are firmly convinced
that twO-thirds of the trade that now roc
| IN hn lar f.fti
the expenditure of a small sum of money
in the building and fitting out of vessels
and railroads, and the display of propc
degree of energy on the part of our mcr
chants. Our citizens should arouse to th,
Importance of doing something in this behalf
We trust that a bright future awaits GU
city in commercial point of view. tn,
railroad affords our husbandmen ampl
means to improve their soil at a REASONABLE
cost, and soon our State will become n ricl
mart for commerce. II is for Wilmington
merchants TO say whether this vast trad
shall be diverted from us, or come here I,
enrich our people. If proper means ar
adopted we can secure it, but if we continue
on in the olden beaten track that has marke,
our career for nearly half century, Ncv
York and Philadelphia will reap the harves
that we should enjoy. Let us cover tn
hills that surround our city, with manufac
tories and marts of commerce. Let us hav
return to the good days of yore whci
vessels freighted with the rich products q
foreign climes came to our port, and in re
turn took back articles of handicraft, an,
we will soon extend our limits from tn
shores of the Delaware to our extreme Yves
tern boundary, and boundless wealth will
pour into the coifers of our nnnnln