The Portland daily press., 1868-04-22
Boston and Portland.

The laws of trade have no local or partial
application. II is not in the interest of Bos-
ton alone that the younger Charles Francis
Adams has discussed the commercial position
and prospects of that city in the last two
numbers of the North American Review
The principles which he has unfolded with
reference to his special problem, if correct,
are equally good for any other, and are es-
pecially applicable to the case of Portland
which in so many respects corresponds to
that OF Boston. In his first article Mr.. Ad-
ans carefully traced the history of the COM
mercial decline of Boston. The withdrawal
of the Cunard steamers has since furnished
conspicuous Illustration of the decadence of
which he wrote. In the second article, Just
how Boston, without attempting to become
again great market, can recover her impor-
tance as port of export and import. New
York will remain the great market of the
country, as Boston will remain the great mar
ket of New England. The only question is
how Boston Tor Portlandj lying twenty-four
hours nearer Liverpool than New York, can
best improve that advantage.
This question involves first of all consid-
Grafton of the geographical conditions affect
ing our domestic traffic. Mr.. Adams divides
the United States into three zones-the Gulf
or southern zone, the middle or railroad zone,
and the northern or Lake zone. 1t is obvi-
ously impossible that the products of the
southern zone should come to Boston for
shipment abroad. So far as they are con-
sumed in New England factories, they will
come naturally to Boston as distributing
point, but that is all. The middle zone in
Mr.. Adams's opinion, is equally beyond the
reach of Boston. The great through rail-
roads OF Baltimore and Philadelphia, and the
canal and railroads connecting New York
with Lake Erie, and all beyond the reach of
successful competition at any point in New
England. Twenty years of bitter experience
have shown that successful competition ends
where the Hudson begins to be navigable-
The distance from any point on the Hudson
to New York by water is in the first place
less than the distance from the same point to
Boston by land; in the secord place, while
Hudson River freights average only five mills
ton per mile, railway freights can hardly be
less than one cent mile and are now nearer
two. So long as the Massachusetts railroads
strike the Hudson at any point from Troy to
New York, it is perfectly plain therefore that
they can only do, as heretofore, way busi-
ness. So long also as Lake Erie remains the
receiving basin of Western products, it is
equally plain that not much is to be expected
from the Lake zone. Lake Erie is drained by
the feeders of New York and by them exclu-
sively. New England cannot pass the Hud-
son, except at q fatal disadvantage.
There is however a strong pressure along the
line of the Lakes for better and cheaper out
let. The Grand Trunk railway is daily wear
ing channel of traffic in that direction. The
Weland canal, mere ditch as it is, is coming
into fuller use. In 1850 only 900 tons
passed through the canal; in 1864 the aggre-
gate had swollen to 1882, S37. The prod
ucts of the West are increasing out of all
proportion to the increased means of trans
portation. Close upon the Mississippi corn
is burnt for fuel, because the expense of send
| ing it to market is more than it is WORTH
| From Illinois it costs the farmer three
| bushels to get the fourth to New York.
! From all the Lake States it costs half O
| all the flour and wheat to the farmer tc
| get the rest into the markets of the
| world. Under these circumstances the West
| is almost angrily demanding the construction
| of ship canal around Niagara Falls, on
| American soil. 1t is estimated that such q
cents bushel on the cost of transporting
| wheat to tide waters. The break in the lines
| of transit through New York in the spring ol
| 1865, for three weeks, is said to have OCCASION
ed greater loss to the holders OF Western
produce seeking market than the Niagar;
canal would cost. Under this growing pres
sure it is evident that the Niagara Falls mus
| soon cease to be an obstacle to the nayiga
ton of the Lakes. BY steamer produce car
now be pro6tably moved from Chicago tC
Buffalo for $3.50 ton; by Iail the cost can
not be less than $3.50 and is now considers
bly, more. The West will unquestionably in
sist upon the extension of steam navigation
through Lake Ontario.
With this change, the whole problem
changes. The eastern terminus of Lake nav
igation is transferred from Buffalo to Ogdens-
burg. From Buffalo 10 New York is 42S
miles by rail. From Ogdensburg to Boston
is only 400 miles by rail. Here then at last
competition is possible. The peninsula from
the lakes to the sea is no greater for Boston
than for New York. How is the opportunity
to be improved? The present plan OF Massa
chusetts seems to be, to push through thu
Hoosac tunnel, and then, avoiding the navi
gable waters of the Hudson, to strike Sara
toga, 80 miles north of Troy, and thence
build a road of $50 miles through the Adiron
dack wilderness to Sackett's Harbor, between
Oswego ana Ogdensburg. To this plan Mr.
Adams objects with great force, that the prox-
unity Of Troy and the navigable waters OF tne
Hudson is sufficient to raise grave douo's
| whether such line would be OF any especial
service to Boston. 1t would narrow tue pc
4 ,,;,.,,i a. oeo ,,,las Init he believes 1t better