The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-08-01

natl, but the same is true in respect to all the
great centers of trade in the Mississippi Val
ley. Indeed, this remark may include, also
Chicago and Cleveland, each Of which is near
or by railway communication to Norfolk, than
to New Yerk--or will be, when the Virginia
line shall have been completed.
Now draw circle from Norfolk whose
circumference shall take in st. Louis, Louis
vile, Chicago, Toledo, Cleveland, and Cincin-
natl, and Norfolk will be found nearer to
each of them than New York, and, looking
at the map, it would seem she would become
the best port for expectation and importation
for each of these great cities. And yet, as
New. York has already subjected to her i'm
perial sway the commerce of the continent
centuries, perhaps, must elapse before Nor
folk could ever rival her in commercial i'm
portance. Better days, however, are in re-
serve for the Ola Dominion, when once she
awakes to the importance of her situation, "a
having her Atlantic coast indsnted with the
best roadsteads, bays, and harbors Of the
ULion, and by far the best highway for com
munication with the whols West and S)uth
West
NEW YORK VIA NORFOLK
New York is not only interested in the
growth and prosperity Of Norfolk as the open
ing of great thoroughfare into the valley Of
the Ohio and the Upper Mississippi, but as
also afordng her highway to the cotton
fields Of the South West portion of the Union
The great Virginia and Tennessee Railroad
brings Norfolk in direct communication with
Memphis, the great center of the cotton mar.
kst This important thoroughfare had been
but recently opened when the war COM
n,enced and its bearings upon the commerce
OF New York have been but little appreciated
Cotton and tobacco will both bear transport
alton over this road to Norfolk from Mem
phis and the valley of the Tennessee river
A bale of cotton, sent from Memphis over
this line, would reach Norfolk some Is or 20
hours after one would reach Mobile or New
Orleans by the Mobile and Ohio Railroad,
and it would be placed upon the wharvss of
New York some 10 or II days sooner than
if sent to the Gulf, and mig ht even be landed
in Liverpool about as soon as the bale sent
down to Mobile would reach New York
The facilities for placing at Memphis, and
of collecting at Chattanooga and other points
along the line of this great railway from
Norfolk to Memphis, the great staples of the
SOUTHWEST, are little understood A glance
at the map will show that from any portion
of this great thoroughfare, the attraction of
the noble seaport Of Virginia upon its freight
and travel, would be equal to, if not greater,
its eastern destination, than that
of Savannah Charleston, or any other Allan
tic city, and that this advantage in favor of
Norfolk must therefore draw this trade to the
~ ->
But the most important consideration of
the value of Norfolk to New York, as denti-
fed with her trade, is the fact that the grand
harbor of Norfolk is, beyond question, the
best Atlantic terminus for the Pacific Rail-
way, for the reason already given, the short
est easiest, and most direct route of this
gigantic railway, from St. Louis, is over the
line of the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad to
and thence up the valley of the
Ohio 100 miles to the great southern bend of
the river and thence over the Central line
through the Old Dominion t, the mouth of
the Chesapeake. There can be no gainsaying
this fact,nor can the importance of it be over
in its bearing upon the future of
Norfolk and New York. The completion of
this Virginia line of railway cannot long be
delayed and when accomplished, a barrel of
-four could be sent from Cincinnati to New
York cheaper than by any other route,
and especially would this be true, both of
Cincinnati and St. Louis, when once the
Ohio river is improved by a system of wing
dams, so as to give good navigation for stea-
mers the whole year except few weeks
when prevented by ice in the river. ~. .5
Few persons have reflected upon the iden-
tity of interest between Norfolk aud New
York, not Only as concerns the present and
future trade Of the Mississippi valley proper,
mr. in, IL al.
Great Pacific Railroad, the immense trade of
which will find an easier outlet to Norfolk
than to any other Atlantic city. Baltimore, as
a terminus, cannot compete with her more
fortunate rival at the mouth of the Chesa-
peake, both because of the heavy grades of
the Baltimore and Ohio Railway, the incapa-
city of her harbor for large sea going ships,
and from the fact, also, that the monumental
city is 200 miles from the ocean, and so much
further from New York, the great center, to
try must tend. Indeed, should the Old Do
minion come under new auspices and shake
off the aocurssd and blightng influence of
slavery, Norfolk must become before long
period, the second Atlantic city of the Union,
to which rank her great natural advantages
entite her. The commercial relations of New
York and Norfolk will become more and more
important, comforting mutual advantages
upon each The genial climate of Norfolk,
and the fact that she is not so far South as to
hazard the safety Of large stocks of merchan-
disc, give her decided advantages over every
city on the seaboard further South Indeed
there can be no reason why she should not,
under the impulse of free institutions, rise to
commercial greatness second only to that of
the Empire City. 3G