New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-10-27

The New Orleans Pscayt''c, in alludinS to
fine fact that an iron steamer, with water
tiobt commandments, is now being built at
C,incip,ati for the Red river trade in Louis
lana and Arkansas, says that it is the first
sign of vitality exhibited by steambOatmen
on the lower rivers, and it intimates that
these are the only vessels that are fitted to
encounter the dangers of navigation iii the
narrow, shallow and crooked streams of the
Southwest.
The PicaWtpc intimates that the rich
States of the Southwest now depend almost
entirely upon river transportation, and that
the Red. the Arkansas, the Ouachita and
other streams bear upon their bOsoms the
richest portion of the commerce of New
Orleans. The same journal adds that river
transportation has made very slow progress:
that there has been a want of energy and
inventive genius among those engaged III
conducting orr river marine; that costly
boats, so fragile as to last only a very few
years, have competed with each other, but
no bold capitalists have come forward to
carry out new ideas, and revOlutionize tie
whole system of river transportation.
There can be no doubt of the truth OF all
this and the mystery is how so enterprlslng
n people as ours at the West and South
west, should lave SO long overlooked the
peculiar advantages afforded by the Eng
llSil system OF iTUH bt.ilt III YUM
partments. which seem almost exactly cut
out to supply the wants of the river trade
in that section. The Pjcdy,tne takes alarm
at the immense progress made by the rail-
WAYS leading from the great cities OF the
North into what the Crescent City has al
WAYS considered as her own inalienable
province. and, in despair Of reforming the
river marine, cries aloud for railroads trlDu-
tary to New Orleans. Tins is wise III It's
way, and we should he glad to see such a
railway system created, since the prosperity
CT that city is Indispensable to tile com
merce Of the great valley.
But in region where the navigation is
never closed by ice, and where navlgabe
waters are universal, it seems the height o.
folly to give mp cheap water transportation
in order to take to railways. Our Northern
cities use the railroad to supply the def
cheney Of water transit. We have no rivers
that cut the mountains, and if we had they
would be closed by ice three months in the
year, so that here at the North the railroad
is our natural highway. New Orleans has
risen to greatness as the depot of the river
trade nearest the gulf, and as such she must
continue to prosper. The war destroyed
the river marine and ruined the trade for
the time. Since the return of peace both
are gradually rccog efing, and the Oppor-
tunty now seems to be excellent for sub
stituting iron for wooden steamers.
We are glad to see places like Cincinnati
and Dubuque entering upon the constitute
ton of iron steamers and bargeS; and if the
movement does not make sufficient progress
there we can build on the Delaware all the
iron steamers that may be wanted at New
Orleans, and send them thither by sea. We
have here all the advantages OF experience,
skilled mechanics, and cheap iron and coal,
as well as abundant capital; and as we are
building iron steamers constantly tor New
York, we can at the same time do it for
New Orleans. We commend the matter to
the attention of the iron ship builders at
Philadelphia, Chester aud Wilmington. and
trust that they will send their agents at
once to attend to it. The opening offered
by the entire reconstruction of the western
river marine is too great a one to be lost.
As we have been making considerable
sacrifices in re-esta blislling a profitable and
direct trade with New Orleans by sea, it
will be worth while to devote some atten-
ton to the building of iron steamers to sup
ply the wants of the Mississippi river trade,
since that would give us at once the much
sought basis upon which to carry on our
intercourse probably. New Orleans is
amply able to pay tor these vessels, but If
she should desire to employ her capital in
active trade at home, she can pay i'll cotton,
which is always a saleable article here. By
giving such an immediate development to
our iron shipbuilling interests on the Della
ware we would greatly increase the market
for Pennsylvania iron, and so benefit the
whole State. OF all points in the West or
Southwest. New Orleans seems to be the one
most fitted to exhibit the advantages of
iron steamers in commerce, and We can not
doubt that if she had hundred OF these
vessels now employed in carrying on her in
tercourse with her tributary regions, her
commerce would go ahead much more rap
idly than it now does, and that city would
soon distance rivalry in the West.