The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-27

contemplate when we look back through half @
century of its history Forty years ago there
were but few stores to be seen even in the lower
part Of the city. Not half dozen carriages
represented the style and fortune of the citi-
zens. To-day whole blocks Of buildings are
being erected, even in what is called the fash
ionable portion Of the city, rifth avenue,
where two years ago moi so.::ary seuse stood
and they command exorbitant prices. In view
of these facts it would be idle to make any cal
culaton as to what New York will be fifty
years hence.
We can fOresee, however, the extent to
which its commercial resources must reach ere
long. When the Pacific Railroad is completed
to San Francisco and lines of steamers and
submarine cable are established to China, New
and Omega of American commerce. These
two cities, standing on the eastern and west
ern verge of the American Continent, and
holding in fraternal embrace all the great
States of the West, must become the recpi-
ents of the trade of Europe and Asia. The
most expensive articles of commerce, the silks,
the teas, the precious woods, the finest fabrics
and jewels of Asia, will find mart with us. We
will, in fact, become the commission merchants
Of the world. All the rare products of the South
the government is only wise enough to adopt
such policy as may divert that valuable trade,
amounting, in imports andexports, to nearly six
hundred millions annually, from its present des
tination, England whence it is conveyed by at
least twenty-five British steamers, while there
is not single American steamship running
to-day on the Spanish American coast With
the removal of the present odious restrictions
upon American ships and shipbuilders the
evil can be corrected.
In speaking of the growth and future pros
poets of New York we cannot omit to notice
the evidences of its present prosperity and
the promises of its prospective greatness, as
exhibited in the advertising columns of the
HERALD 1t is not too much to say that
very large proportion of the business of the
city is indirectly transacted through these
columns The HERALD is, as it were, mirror
which reflects the commercial and social life
of the community. All interests are repre-
scented in our pages, and all the wants of the
public are made known, and in thousands of
instances are supplied through that medium
The extent of our advertising this
fall has exceeded anything previously
known at the same season of the year. Even
during the comparatively dull months of sum
mer we were compelled to issue triple sheets
two or three times a week, and now, with an al
most daily issue of triple sheets, we find our
selves reluctantly obliged to leave out column
or more of advertisements occasionally, in
order to get in the amount of news which it is
important to furnish to our readers. We
should not be surprised lift becomes necessary
next spring to issue quadruple sheet daily.
Looking, then, at all the evidences of the
growth of New York, the multiplication of its
the advance in the value OF real
estate and all the rapidly developing advan-
tages for the increase Of commerce which are
opening up everywhere throughout the coun-
try, especially towards the Pacific and the
Asiatic countries we can foresee that before
many years have elapsed the rate of exchange
with Europe will be in our favor instead of
against us, and that instead of sending millions
a year to meet our indebtedness in the Old
World. the balance will be the other way.