New-York tribune., 1867-10-01
THE EMPIRE or TRADE.


between America and Europe is destined to
| go on increasing for many generations. The I'M
prOvements in the arts and industries during
the last thirty years have given to this trade life
and stability. and so great is it about to be-
| come that nations, sections. and individuals
through the whole world will feel its influence.
| We have already reached transition period.
A future of new, of imperative and unknown
wants is before us. Frivolous and weak sys-
tens of education and of thinking must give
way before actual science and facts relating to
commerce and mechanics; and our legislators
| and young men, seeking for a pathway, mast
awake to the new conditions if they would be-
come actors in the Immediately approaching
scenes. In connection with this foreign trade is
the trade across our continent, which, of itself.
already excels the trade of the whole world III
the most prosperous days of the Roman En-
pirc Some have supposed that railroads have
inflicted deadly blow upon the commerce OF
the Lakes. So far from this being the case.
the runnage of Chicago exceeds the tunnage of
the City of New-York. When we add to this
the traffic of our railroads, and of our Western
rivers, navigable through an extent OF at least
O,OOO miles, we must see that we are III a new
age, and we shall realize that that the weak
Past is incapable of guiding the vigorous
Present.
A commercial center always reaches out to-
ward the fountain of supply. Situated at the head
of deep, beautiful ba2, and locked by islands.
green hills, and many shores, with scenery and
soil unsurpassed and in a climate which gives
vigor and health. New-York can have no supe
rior. Only one other city on the globe has
similar natural advantages; this Constanti-
noplc, the grave of buried Umpire. There,
on the east, is a mountain region similar to
New England beyond is one similar To Penn
sylyana, New York and Ohio; on the west is
n varied country not less valuable than Nir-
pinia and Tennessee; and on the north are wide
districts which even to-day rival in productions
Illinois and the great Northwest The City
of Brooklyn originated when New York heean
to reach a hand to the home trade Of New
England. of Europe, iand the Islands OF the
Ocean. While there no West, the East
River side was the center of activity. Until
the Erie Canal was opened, the North River
side had no more consequence than what the
trade of Ncw-Jersey and the river counties
created. When Western Ncw-lork and ONO
could be reached, the trade gravitated toward
the Western piers. When the Erie: Hudson
River, and Harlem Railroads were built, Court
landt became rival of PcaIl-st. Next, the
West finds entrance by the Pennsylvania and
the Ncw-Jcrsey Central, and III these very
DAYS Newly is going forth on tins line
building villas and towns. Thus III giving
hand to the West, the trade of tins city has
moved like the hands on DIAL and, having
nearly made a circuit, il stops. facing toward
the West Chicago now builds five houses west
ward where she builds one in any other direction.
The attempt has often been made to build
commercial cities OH the eastern banks of our
Western rivers. Alton has better location
than ST. Louis. and it has the advantage OF
being nearly opposite the mouth of the Mis-
souri,, and just below the mouth OF the Illinois.
When the Michigan Central Railroad was
building, st. Joseph, on the eastern shore OF
Lake Michigan, expected to be the terminus;
everybody suddenly became rich, and lots were
immensely valuable. The plan was to have
ferry of sixty miles across the lake to Chicago;
but the road ran clear around the lake TO reach
more insignificant town on the western
shore. On the lower Mississippi, towns are on
the eastern side because the western shore is
an unbrOkcn swamp.
On the western bank of the mighty ocean
stream stands the City sof New-York. Ii is the
realization of Phenican, Carthagenian, Vene-
tian, and all later dreams of commercial great
ness More than this, it is a chief jewel III
girdle of surprisingly fruitful country, extend
ing, three degrees wide, from the Atlantic TO
the Pacific. Here the grasses are the source of
perennial fertility, and they will lay the founda-
ton through all ages for unfsing supplies of
fruit and grain, and whatever is required Tor hu-
man food On our whole continent, between the
Arctic and Antarctic Seas, no other rcgion Is
so favorable for the sustaining of human exist
ence. 1t is also in the gold and silver
belt of Colorado, Dakota Nevada, and
California. Neither France, Spain, Italy,
Germany nor Russia has such natural wealth;
and in all Europe, only England has similar
meadows, orchards and mines TO show.
Outside of this belt we still have cOun-
try richer and more extensive than Europe,
which modern agricultural skill, combined
with patriotism that Twill kdisregard hu-
man complexion and parallels of latitude will
develop, by building lines of traffic from the
Gulf of California and the City OF Mexico to
Norfolk Then, and then only will lines OF
deeply laden slips sail to Havre and Malseilles.
In these passing days, a mighty struggle Is
going on to secure, IL il may be, u monopoly OF
the rich trade growing out OF the grass belt,
out of the mines of the mountains, and out of
the tea gardens and mulberry plantations OF
China aud Japan. On one hand, we see the
Ilaacin>. the Hudson River, tue Eric the Cen