Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1870-10-21
EhO.N CHEC.sGO TO zFu.BRPOOE.

The Mercantile Journal keeps a sharp
eye on the great movements of the age cal
culated to advance the progress Of civiliza-
ton. The following article from that pa
per of last week describes great move
ment in which cur intelligent readers will
take an interest:
To sail from the scacoast directly to for
eign ports, is ono of the most familiar of
all undertakings, but the first time one
hears the proposition gravely made to ac
compish voyage from n town thousand
miles inland to a far distant seaport in an
other country, the suggestion has II curious
sound. In our day and region, however,
such trips are now made without exciting
any apparent surprise in the mind of the
multitude.
Mr.. Capreol, the President of the Lake
Huron and Ontario Ship Canal Company,
has recently made most interesting report
to the Chicago Chamber of Commerce on
the II dvantages that would accrue to the
West from the completion of the great
work that he represents. His estimate of
the whole work is that it would be 60 miles
in length, and cost Si0,00O,00O, and when it
is completed, vessel could by way of the
upper lakes, Lake Sincoc and the river st.
Lawrence, reach Liverpool from 10 to 30
hours earlier than by way of the Eric Ca
nal and New York. While we can hardly
admit the eXactitudc of this computation,
We perceive plainly enough that the extent
and rapidity of navigation from our inland
centres to foreign ports would be vastly
enhanced by the proposed great enterprise
New York transportation, particularly
along the Erie Canal, will have to be large
ly facilitated in order to maintain its lead
ing position, but no one will object to that
Trade will be the gamer in every point of
view.
MI Capreol, in fortifying his sanguine
belief in the success of the Huron and on
tario Ship Canal, said that the Canadian
Parliament would probably grant 10000
600 acres of land to encourage it, and that
he hoped to stand, within ten years, on the
deck of l 200 ton propeller that will have
arrived directly from Liverpool or Havre
at the Chicago docks. In support of his
practical estimates, the following figures
are adduced by Western journalists. The
distance from Chicago TO Liverpool by the
Erie Canal and New York is 1900 miles,
and, by the Welland and st. Lawrence
route, Also, while via the Huron and On
tario it would be but 3,736 miles. The
| transportation of II bushel of wheat to Liv-
erpool from Chicago now costs "a cents,
| but by the new route it would only cost 10
cents, going by sailing vessels. This diff
ference of IS cents per bushel on one sin
gle article Of export would soon make
| revolution in the trade The carriage of
wheat to Oswogo that now costs Il cents
would be reduced to 8. Thus it seems
| quite safe TO predict that tic Canal would
| pay, and the Chicago Chamber has passed
resolutions approving it, and recommend
ing it TO the favor of local and other capt.
alists.
Although, for the moment, this fresh en-
| tcrpriso might seem to conflict with some
of those that already exist in our State, the
broader and better view of the case is ON
tho contrary, that it will ultimately help
them, and New York is too impartally in
terested in the progress and welfare of the
whole Western trade to have any other
wish than for tho utmost success of overy
work that can possibly benefit them We
therefore hope that this great undertaking
may go on, and may be speedily carried
through. One Of the most important good
effects that it will have will be the stimulus
it will give to other internal improvements
inevitably linked with it. There is room
enough on the broad expanse Of the Union
for dozen ship canals, could we only find
easy and appropriate routes for them, and
readily bring to bear the capital to sustain
the first expense Of their construction.