Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-01-14
ON 'UHATG-.

A contribution appeared Ia the APPEAL sew
srsl weeks ago, discussing at great length emo
with marked ability, a proeet for shortening
the Mississippi river. 6nd thereby redeemine
withoat the aid Of 3 ieyee system, its ersBd@l-
lnvisi 5asin. The article was copied. ia an
spltornised form, By many Of CTR exchanges.
and In the verdiets passed upon It, he objection
was universally urged, that the proposed short
ening would 80 Increase the current or The
river, as TO make navigation tedious, and even
Impossible.
The immsnss interests involved, make any
plan, which proposes "a phgsic them from the
paralysis which periodically prostrstez them.
an object Of general solfeitade. fine scheme IN
6iscussisn, rOmize 20 medicine an these inter-
ests. into perfect and permanent health, ard
out ef friendly regard 10 its author. We cannot
taeitiy permit the currency OF OBJECTIONS, which
40 not Gppeat to US warranted by facts. That
the plan r. perfect IN ali Is Features, and sus-
ceptibie or being pot at once into practical OPP
GRAFTON, IL h not designed 70 advo1ate. But IL
Is proposed 70 show, thar the objections pre-
fsrred are net soundly taken, ana even n they
were, that the ultimate purposes contemplated,
reduce such objections into subordinate iao-
ment.
The argument that an sbridg1uent ofLhe Ms
sissippi must in pair, II not destroy rs nayira-
ton, proceeds On a partial view. &c takes iato
confederation the increase OF current but ~
nores the cnrtailmsnt OF distance from which
the augmented current is derived. Il forzsts.
thar the -ecouonJzed space 20 be passed over,
Offsets the superior obstacles to bs-ageTcouae.
and that the general result, is thus not appra-
ciably disturbed. Tie history OF cut-0ns % the
Mississippi, yerlhes this Assumption Each cut
OF which has occurred, has increased 20 O. GER
tain degree, the swifiucss Of current. but 10 las
also ia An equal degree, lszsened the distance
% be travelled. me Is an exact compenestiou
oft other, 80 that on iEe whole. The equation
Of current and distance, IS imperturbabIy rrs-
served. This is practically Illustrated. in he
transit Of boats from New Orleanst TO yieksburz
for example, before, and after the period Of a
cutoff between those points. A comparison q
the respective time tables, exhibits no dlGer-
snee whateverin the duration 90 trips.
In former times, quite a division OF opiulon
obtained among steauiboatGlen, ia regard 70
the effects Of a cutoff. One opinion held. that
the great saving OF distance would enable boat |
10 make their trips in quicker time. The other
argued, that the additional rapidity OF currrnt
would considerably prolong the upward oyaze.
This resalt discounted both theories. Tor the
time made BY the boats was sboutJLe same
after, as 10 was before the cut-,ns.
Now there appears 20 be no good reason, why
the principle disclosed IN these examples.
should nst apply with equal force if the river
we're subjected to a general system Of cgt-oGs.
r. however, the relations Of distance AND eur
rent heretofore observed, should be disturbed
BY more extended application OF cut-ofs. md
Il should prove that beyond a certain increase
Of current, the economy OF distance would not
be a comparative equivalent, a familiar rem
edy Is az hand. We have only to multiply the
power, and alter the modelof our boats. end
we adapt them at once TO Ibs Increased cbate-
cles they are called upon to encounter. Il may
be further remarked, thai this isfn no wise a
matter Of doubtfui experiment. The successful
stemming OF the st. Lawrence, owe. the region
Of its rapids, Offers iupedineuts, in Wow Of
which any difficulties that will probably arise
IN the shortening OF the Mississippi, must SINK
into comparative trides.
IN conclusion, It may be said, thatif The sue
cess Of the proposed scnems were even 10 shear
the Mississippi Of fye-terths OF its nsvigabis
value, yet the prodiglous revenues sccruing
from the redemption OF its great valley, wo1lL
compensate the result, Tor It would sushorLzs
the construction OF railways on each hank or
the river, reaching with iron arms from 81
Louis 10 the Gulf OF Mexico.
Exchange.
New York sight has much improved IN re-
quest since yesterday, and furnishes IN It's pres
ent alscrity OF movement, q suggestion OF its |
former activity. A cheerful number Of trans
actions are reported, al Of them eruIy fus-
tanning the prevalent rates. buying 1T Z OH.
and sailing AZ par.
New Orleans Sight has relaxed hcm The *.
treme striugeucy it has lately exhibited, and its
movement to-day is decidedly easier. lis hold
ers show less reluctance TO deal, and the result
has been a very fair amount Of business. at
quotations buying al par, aad selling
ut 4 per cent. premium.
Time Bills.
The only transactions in New York Time re
10 Us, we're fer 81 DAYS dare, OF u dis
and a single operation foTs choice sixty
day Dill, as 2z per cent discount. The other
descriptions Of New York fine are quoted
nolainaiIy. Flye-day bills p OF, Ten-days
per cent, and FIftcen-daysl Ia oh.
4 very Eair-demand expresses itself for New
Orleans Time, but as IN the case OF New YORK.
ii has shown no sign OF life, save in a moderate
OF Thirty-day bills, AT II discount
Its Five, Ten, and Fifreen-day bills, are reststed
nomtnally, at i, q, and per cent. on
Leans.
The market for Discounts isbUt q syereotyped
reproduction OF yesterday, both ssto movement
and rates. only The current demand, from the
usual source, presented Itself, and this was
promptly accommodated. We continue to
quote prime FIve-days Paper at = OF, Ten days
at Z OF, Fifteen-days at / OF, aBd ThLuy-asys
I per cent. of.
Oily Scrip
City Scrip has again come satisfactorily 70
life, In "a neat buying operation, al rs cents
Its selling rate Is declared uominaly, at S.
stocks
Government Securities have accumulated
nothing to-day, which could redeem them from
Nominal quotations. Rather an setiVe demand
itself Tor Seven-thirties, bat it met with
no practical response. They are therefore, quoted
noIninslly at 9S buying, and % selling. with
accrued interest. Fiye-twentIes are iudoIeutly
nominal. at l0l3i. Compound Int. notes begin
10 show symptoms Of being despairlngly MONT
nal, at the annexed quotations.
unnnd Int Entaa Inra ~ ~