The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-11-22

COMMERCE Is K1Na."-Two very significant bu-
siness announcements are made in our issue this
| morning, and we call attention to them in the
hope that the lesson, taught by each, will not be
lost sight of even at this period of commercial de-
preston.
The freight circular Of Mossrs. Courtenay &
Trenholm, an extract from which appears in our
market report for the week, goes to show that as
regards expense and time, cotton can be trans
ported more advantageousy from as distant
point as Memphis o,a Charleston to Liverpool,
than by the old route down the river and from New
Orleans; and figures are given from actual infor-
nation to prove the proposition. And why should
it not be So? We know many will say that
railroads cannot compete with water transporta-
tion but is this argument not refuted daily? Does
not Boston enterprise draw the -four Of Michi-
gan and Missouri from the depots of Detroit and
St. Louis to her doors, and has she not, Ia this
single article alone, become strong enough to have
150, 1000 bbls. figure 'stock on hand" on single
day?
Does moi Baltimore, too, send her fast freight
trains Of coffee, sugar and molasses to Cincinnati,
st. Louis and Chicago, and fill those same cars on
their return with the bacon, flour, grain, &C., of
thai teeming country, to be sent from Baltimore
to all parts Of the world These are hard truths,
and there must be reason for such movements
overland, when for South American and West In
dia produce, New Orleans fails to be the port of
entry for these articles and fails again in control
ling the produce Of the Northwest for expectation,
even with the Father of Waters flowing by her
levies. ''.''''-'
Some Of the controlling reasons are set forth in
the circular We refer to; the difficulties and dan
gers Of guilt navigation make freights and insur-
ance higher than from Atlantic ports and again In
+,e matter OF time saving, there is an admitted
cain Of two to .ree weeks in favor OF cotton ship
ments from even as western point as Memphis
cia Charleston, as over New Orleans.
What is wanted is the enterprise to do what
Boston and Baltimore have done, and it must be
private enterprise. The railroads meet the wants
Of the situation by prompt delivery and low rates
that is all that business men can expect. VIII our
merchants take up the movement and push the
cotton of the Mississippi Ryer across the Atlantic
to Liyerpool2 And this brings Us 70 TIE second
al-importeat matter we have referred TO, and that
is. to the simple advertisement of the British
screw steamship Pioneer, on the berth, for Liver
pool direct. Steam tonnage is controlling the
commerce of the world. English steamers keep
time to and from the distant East; the Atlantic
Ocean has got to be great tri-weekly ferry, and
American steamships, with clock.ike provision
keep up rapid and certain intercourse to China
and Japan. li ---'.
II Charleston is ever to recover her commercial
position, one Of the means to that end is steam
ship communication with Liverpool and some
available German port. We may write and talk
of trade with Europe, but it will signify nothing
without direct steam facilities We may build
castles in the air about immigration, but if the
sturdy Teuton or Celt are to come among us and
seek home, they must come directly to us, for
they are sought for and asked to go to other in
viting fields, and the emigrant organizations OF
rival sections will not allow them to turn from their
Western Land Companies to come to the South, if
they can prevent 1t.
We see in the transportation facilities we now
have to the banks Of the Mississippi river reason
for hope and encouragement, and we are also
pleased to notice that the commercial flag Of old
Charleston has been raised in the States OF Ala
bama, Mississippi. and Tennessee, by the sh piping
house ALREADY eliuueu VV' We Couimeuu tno az
tempt Of Messrs. Courtenay & Trenholm, at least
to direct attention to the matter. There must be
beginning somewhere, and data being furnished
we hope to hear soon of good results. To Messrs.
W. B. Smith & Co. the business community are
under obligations for q practical demonstration Of
direct trade with Europe. Last winter this house
brought the steamship Pioneer here, in ballast
(being foreign vesse), loaded her with cotton,
and accomplished successful voyage to Liver
pool "Mrs. Grundy" thought it wouldn't pay,
&C., but as the experiment is now being repeated,
we think Mrs. Grundy's opinion is obsolete. OF
one thing we arc certain, thus same Pioneer" has
been plying between some colonial coal port and
New York, moving Goals I! It must be admitted
that Goals rarely pay very large freghts, hence the
inference is reasonable that she can sustain her
self with cotton at the fair rates offering, and if one
steamship, not particularly built or adapted for
cotton freights, can move cotton frem Charleston
to Liverpool, what shall we say when foreign cap-
tai develops the business constructing steamships
on suitable lines for this trader
'eWhere there is a will there is way" and We
are glad to notice that the old groove in which
Charleston has seemed to have been propelled for
some years past, is wearing out and that newideas
are taking root. .-......---'