The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-12-13
NEW ORLEANS AND CANALS.

To say, as is truthfully to be said, that the
commercial destiny of New Orleans is identi-
fed with its future history as a seaport, is to
indicate as one of the indispensable condi-
tons of its ultimate prosperity and grandeur
| as the Southwestern metropolis, the adoption
of some effectual plan for removing or obviat-
ing those causes which have SO long obstruct-
ed its communication with the deep sea. We
think it may be assumed without fear of contra
diction that any such plan, to be successful,
must embrace, as an essential, and indeed as
its chief element, the construction of canals
leading from the Mississippi to the sea road,
and giving ingress and egress for merchant
shipping by a shorter, easier, cheaper and
safer route than that which has hitherto been
used. We do not purpose to argue this general
proposition. We are satisfied that every re-
fecting mind earnestly solicitous of pros
porous future for the city, is not only prepared
to assent to it, but eager to act upon it. And
that it may be seasonably acted upon. no time
should be lost in bordering and discuss
ing the relative merits of special projects
all of which look, or profess to look,
to the accomplishment of the des-
liberated improvement The thing is, just
now, to make commencement, to make it at
once not to stand upon the order of COM
mencing This is what demands the atten-
ton and the energy of all earnest and working
advocates of the commercial redemption and
progress of the city for it looms, at this mo-
ment, above all other considerations practical
or theoretical. And hence it is that the pro-
ject of the New Orleans and Ship Island Ca
nal Company would seem to stand before
others, at present, in its appeal to the numer-
Gus and great interests-interests embrac-
ing in their ramifcations the whole trade,
actual end potential, of the Mississippi val
ley-which are to be subserved by the i'm
proved communication between the river and
tide water, aimed at by the above mentioned
project The parties engaged in this enter
prise propose to commence at once, or with
the very least delay possible, the construc-
ton of a ship canal from the deep wa
ter of Mississippi Sound to the Missis-
sippi river at point conveniently
near the city. The general and distinctive
features of this undertaking will be found
forcibly and lucidly presented in an admira-
BILE essay from the pen of Mr.. Durant Da
Ponte, contributed to DeBows Review for
January, and which we are permitted to take
from advance sheets of that periodical In
this essay, published elsewhere in the Cries.
CENT, the reader will see, happily combined, a
brief review of the photographic and geo.
logical conditions of such works as the one
referred to, and a vivid sketch of the rufnous
commercial disadvantages which have ex-
listed, and will continue to exist, by reason of
the absence of the better shipping facilities
which it is proposed to supply.
An absurd attempt has been made by per-
sons blindly attached to the old fogy system
of obstruction and stagnation to complicate
the question of commercial canaling with the
question of city drainage. There is not the
least reason for connecting the two questions.
But this, by the way may be said to relieve
all possible apprehension as to the effect in
that relation Of the New Orleans and Ship
Island canal: if it would not greatly as
sist-which is very probable-it certainly
would not impede the work of draining the
city. The same persons try to impress the
public with the idea that the canal is, in the
nature of things, impracticable. Of course,
to them everything is impracticable that con-
templates taking the commerce of the city
from the old, WORKOUT grooves where friction
has been constantly increasing, and motive
power and grease have been constantly de-
creasing, and the whole commercial ma
chinery, with its rickety CHATTER. has given
louder and louder premonitions of dead
halt in the future unless the spirit of en-
lghtened and progressive enterprise should
take hold with the resolute and invincible