New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-12-11
viGYJFICENT PROGRAMME.

.cbcme Of National Internal Improvement whlch
throws into the shade all that has hiIhei'o
been devised. We are not at liberty 10 hi'o
the name of the author, nor is 1t material
SufIice it that such views are gIaveIy e"to '.
taincd in influential quarters, and may u' i
matcly he realized, though not now: 70 mus,
yeSstobIish Order and Solvency in the Nalona,
FINANCES by returning to Specie Payments anu
furdinc our National Debt at lower rate Oh
fnto,ost beforc we can think OF embarklng the
National Credit in any such Stupendous under
81, Meantime. it will do lis no harm 10
81 look at the mastOdOn. Here IS the
Skeleton: ,,-..,,,,.oro>, n n Nov o. 1858
Tb. demand for cheaper method OF transport
zion of agricultural products and other heavy =
shno the absolute cost even of that by IllIOdu' Is
one of most urgent and constantly increasing nects
sy There is but one method py w ,1Sicy 'I viz fSo
improvement Of eriSiing Wdte-c0nSeS az" "'" '"'"''
tor BIZ canals. ~, -. NADIA novi
gable nv husbanIing their natural supplies OF WateI.
q The connection of the rivers OF INC heet Ny
es Ms' ooceticns of the great lakes by canals
with the Atlantic. through the ST. Lawrence Iiuu'
son, Delaware and Chesapeake. A.. W. ~,
4 The connection Of the rivers or the Ncst pS
canals with the Atlantic, sOuth of the Chesapeake.
The Connection of the whole seaboard, from
Boston to tie Rio Grande by canal S ANA "i pnd
f S svste,n giving the very cheapest tranSPor-
taton FOR the largest amount OF ma'eIlal moNcui AZ
Inc necessity for water transportation is shown by
{he fnc that last year the freight on wheat rom Fan
FancscO to NswS By By R sda sS ProPse
can transport freight along the coasts OF SIeS'
Britain at one-sixth the cost by parallel lallloHd'
The first immediate demand IS undoubtedly cdia,s,
from the Mississippi TO the lakes, and thence 10 the
Atlantic The second, almost equally urgent is sae
Interior navigation from the New-England coast TO
Rio
exist 10 the almost continuous bays sounds creeks
and bayOus which border our coast. -. -
The whole distance from Boston 10 the lilo OIahde
along the coast aud across the head of Florida Is
2S5 statute miles OF this distance. CSC miles are IN
deep water of bays and sounds; l,41O IN creeks,
DayCus, and sounds requiring Improvement anu 10
miles of cutting varying from to % 1eet above the
water These distances are appronlil'sUnS oiS,
channels should be not less than III feet deep and V
feot wide capable of floating vessels carrying 5000
tons This may appear cXtraNaSmt; but We must
ronslJeT the plest fact that, population doH-
1its-which il does every thirty yearS-onr wealth
auadrupleS as shown bV statlSticS siucs low; Inc
bnsiaess of that quadTupled wealth Is also probably
doubled: 30 that II - safe 10 assume that III MnB
yeas the business of the country increases eight
= The several engagements of the Erie Canal
even now demanding anOther-demOnstHtes how
useless ii is TO trY Ia measure the business oil even
There Is no question that the sea losses-and pre-
euinently In our cOasting trade-wonid lar exceed
0et cent net on the amount required TO construct
coast wise channel o the size named, requiring but
an occasional tdelock fed from eoeean absolutely
free from sea dangers, giving unriyaled means Tor
national defense, and through which the transpOr-
fatOn Of ght cond be rs accurately tmed as now
upon tlo Hudson River. The main cause OF present
delays is the totally inadequate size OF the canals Tor
the amount of business.
Nature points TO these Inks IN the great system as
Immediate necessities: o.. -.
l. TO connect the Mississippi with Lake Michigan,
via the Illinois River;
. The construction OF The Niagara Callai, ana en-
larpeInent of the Erie:
g. 10 connect the Mississippi River, BY coastwlse
channel with the Rio Grande. OF these, II Is dti-
cult 10 ssy which is the most important
Cheap and healthy meat is certainly a most instant
necessity to the population OF New-Iork and mme-
diatc vicinity. Estimated at 100000, and that the
average consumption Of meat is rs per day each, we
should have $4,000 10. If this meat can be reduced
in cos5 cents per ID, there would be a saving of
$4,000 per day. or $5475 900 per annun-the interest
on slOOOO0 600 What amount would be saved TO this
lhe graziers of Texas with safe water transpOrta-
ton all the way, can afford TO do this, and double
the present value of cattle at Rome at that.
That Railroads of more importance TO the gen.
era interests of the country than Canals. there can
be- OF course, questions but they have so absorbed
The attention and capital OF the country that the IN
portance of water channels for agricultural Interests
End free 10 full competition, have been entirely
crowded out of sight.
TTho time has now arrived when these interests
more important than all Others combined, and upon
which all others reStdemand the means OF reaching
The markets of the world, at cost which VIII enable
CAPITAL and Labor TO obtain the returns now mOnop
Oiled BY Commerce and Manufactures, No greater
That Of which cheap and healthy meat be deliy-
AIRED 70 the labOrug Masses and probably no work
would accomplish this more etectuay than the con-
psctiOn OF the Mississippi with the Rio Grsnae Dy
water channel. open and absolutely nee from osn-
ger aud secure at all seasons Of the year. VI the
1nnbcr, Salt, Cotton Sugar and other products OF
This prolific region, i say notblDg-thelf amount
,wouId necessarily be enormous.
A ameans OF National defense, for concentrating
Iron clads &c. at the shortest notice, at any gwen
point entirely free from the attack OF knowledge OF
fho eusmY the Importance Of such system OF water
channels Is self-evident: With such channels Also
every consideration of economy and nationality
would demand that the great constructing yafd for
sippi-absputely secure from the enemy az is the
great arsenal OF Rock Island. In addition private
yards would be established at me poihts Tnete ma
vond the transportation OF ship material to Eastern
ports DO saved, but cargoeS could be taken IN the
vessels built and TINS the vessel make pL9nt on mel
ewu transportation. BY proper system OF NATIONAL
&rde6ack upon exported vessels the Mississippi VAL
isy could become the great center VI the iron ship
building interest OF The worid.
Information should be collected under the follow
Z Cost Of construction OF Canal to connect the
Mississippi River and Lakes; .
: 2 cost Of construction OF Canal to connect the
Lakes with Hudson and 81. Lawrence; ,
g. Cost Of construction Of Canal 70 connect the
OHIO with Delaware and Chesapeake
a. Cost Of construction Of Canal 70 connect the
Tennessee and Savannah Rivers;
Nb. Coastwise Channel from Boston 70 Rio Grande,
10 Absolute annual losses of aud premiums paid on
a. ECONOMY in delivering of Meat and Salt by secure
r~Rtcr channel from Texas to the seabOard from
washington north;
g. Amount of all values. foreign and domestic,
received at NewYork in 1858 and 1865, to show IN
crease of business in ratio TO increased population
oven with war intervening;
o. Amount of value of foreign trade;
{ TO- Amount of valne OF coastwiSe trade, along the
Atlantic and Gulf coasts.