The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-08-07
Cumberland Gap and Bristol Railroad.
rRenort of Colonial Hu0hanI

mrable seaport on the Atlantic seacoast; and
Cairo, in the same latitude, is the great trade
centre of the Mississippi Valley. A study of
the map will show that the Junction of the
Ohio and Mississippi rivers is the grand con-
verging point of the Kansas, Nebraska, Mis-
souri,, Des Moines, Mississippi, Illinois, Ohio,
Cumberland and Tennessee rivers-the geo.
graphical centre of their trade, and the con-
verging and diyerging point of full five thou
sand miles of inland steamboat navigation
a vastly greater amount of navigation than
concentrates at any other gathering point in
the world SO, likewise Norfolk is the great
central seaport of the Atlantic; midway be-
tween the Canadas and the West Indies on
the finest, most convenient, safe, and capa-
cious harbor on this continent; open at all pc
RODS of the year; accessible from any point
with any wind; and better calculated for a
mighty trade than any harbor in the world
of this city and harbor, Lieutenant Maury,
the highest authority on these subjects, thus
wrote long ago:
CAS- to the natural advantages Of position,
depth of water, and accessibility by land and
sea, Norfolk has no competitor among the
seaport towns of the Atlantic. Midway the
Atlantic coast line OF the United States, Nor
folk is the most convenient because the most
central point, where the produce of the inte-
ror may be collected, and whence it may be
distributed, North and South, right and left,
among the markets of the seaboard
It's climate is delightful. is exactly of
that happy middle temperature, wfere the
frosts Of the North bite not, and where the
pestience of the South walketh NOT Its
harbor is commodious, and as safe as can be.
1t is never blocked up with ice, and as to the
egress and inSress between it and the sea, it
possesses all the facilities that the mariner
himself could desire. 1t has the double adj
vantage OF an outer and inner harbor. The
inner harbor is as smooth as any mll-pond;
in it vessels lie with the most perfect securi-
ty, where every natural facility imaginable is
offered for fading and unlading. Being ready
for sea- the outward-bound trader, dropping
drown from his snug moorng, and approach
ing the sea- finds a storm rag ing from the
outside. The outer harbor then affords
shelter until the fury of the gale is spent,
when the white winged messenger trips her
anchor, trims to the breeze, and goes forth,
rejoicing on her way, to the haven where she
would be. Moreover, the prevailing winds
In the parallel of Norfolk are westerly winds,
which are fair for coasting, and for going sea-
ward In any direction. A little to the South
oil that parallel, you find the northeast trades,
which are fair winds for the inward bound
Norfolk vessel. Then, there is the Gulf
Stream-that mighty river in the ocean
upon the verge Of which Norfolk stands It
flows up with a current, which, without the
help of sweeps, sails, or steam, will carry the
European bound vessel out OF Norfolk at the
rate of nearly one hundred miles day, di-
rectly on her course. Then, at the sides of
this, and counter to it, are eddies which favor
the same vessel on her return to Norfolk.
These h4wse her along and shorten her voy-
age by many mile, such are the natural adj
vantages OF Norfolk, seward"
But these are not all the advantages Of
Norfolk, or of the eastern harborS of Virginia,
as receptacles OF continental commerce.
The trade OF the West is growing into such
immense proportions as imperatively to re-
qnlre the opening of the shortest and most di-
rect lines OF transit. In the infancy of the
West, and during the sparsity of settlements
and the scarcity of capital, its trade was sus-
ceptible of control, and could be diverted
from It's natural and most direct channels by
artificial means. But the case is now changed.
The shortest lines of transit must be sought
and Will be preferred; and this, not only with
reference to the land transit, but to the ocean
passage.
In regard to the passages Of the ocean, it is
to be observed, that the old routes Of steam
navigation have been modified with the pro-
Sfess OF improvement in steam naval archi-
lecture. At first, the narrowest passages of
the Atlantic were sought; and, as both Liver
pool and Halifax Were British ports, British
steamers enjoyed almost a monopoly of ocean
steam navigation. But of late years, this
state OF things has changed. Steam naval ar
chitecture has been carried to such perfection
that the great vessels no longer hug the shore
OF either continent until reaching the narrow-
est passages, before striking out upon the
main; but boldly steam forth directly into
mid-ocean, regardless of the breadth Of the
passage pursuing the most direct lines of
transit. The direct passage from New York
Is preferred to the circuitous one which took
Halifax in the way; and the broad passage
from Norfolk to Liverpool OF ST. Nazaire, in
spires no more awe than the narrow one from
Newfoundland to the Irish Cliffs Already
direct line of ocean steamers is established be-
tween Norfolk and ST. Nazaire
But the case does not continue the same
with respect to seaports south of Norfolk.
Indeed, the general course of the ocean
winds and currents, renders northward
curve even in the passage from Norfolk to
Europe, desirable and sometimes necessary,
for both sailing vessels and steamers. In the
admirable charts Of navigation prepared by
Lieut.. Maury, and published in his Sailing
Directions" the truth of this observation is
plainly presented to the eye, and it is made
obvious that the trade of all ports of the
United States, south of Norfolk, must coast
the continent until it reaches the latitude of
that city before striking out across the main
Even if the trade Of the Mississippi Valley
could reach seaports south of Norfolk by a
shorter overland route than the route to
Norfolk, it would gain nothing by going to
those southern ports, for the reason, that
after embarking upon the ocean, it would still
have virtually to pass Norfolk on its passage