The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-03-04
paooan;no James River.

, mart of the committee appointed by
the Council of the city of Richmond are In
Washington urging the petition Of the city
for an appropriation from Congress for
deepening the channel of James river upon
the attention Of that body.
The memorial prepared by the committee
Is brief and comprehensive document,
that will command the attention Of Con-
gross. 1t asks for $500, 900, and considers
that sum quite sufficient to secure depth
of water from Richmond to the sea of eigh-
teen feet. With the 1922 500 appropriated
in 1852 depth of thirteen feet was Sc
cured to the Richmond harbor at Rockets,
where there was only ten feet depth before.
The appropriation now asked will assuredly
give us eighteen feet.
This will be quite sufficient for the coast
ing trade and some of the foreign trade.
The coasting vessels never want more, few
Of them as much Us eighteen feet. And
the fine vessels (thirteen of them) owned in
this city and employed in the South Ameri-
can trade before the war did not draw 80
much with cargoes Of 5000 to 1000 barrels
Of -four. The larger vessels, should such
enter the river, may, with the facility of
towing, load at nominal cost with great
expedition at City Point or some higher
point.
But the big ocean craft will in all time
seek their cargoes at that great Atlantic city
which shall be the settling point and the
point Of concentration of the staples for
foreign shipment for this nation. New York
is now that city, and must always be until
the supremacy it enjoys is transferred to
some other. We suppose We may hazard
the opinion that as to when such transfer
is made the present generation need not
pcrplcx itself.
Yet Richmond is fortunately situated in
one respect il u foreign trade is very desir-
able. We have here two articles which are in
such accumulation at particular seasons as
to furnish full frcights for foreign ports
viz, tobacco and -four. Middle-class sea
vessels, and, indeed, vessels somewhat
above that calibre, with the dcepened CHAM
mel, can easily come to Richmond and re-
ecivc these cargoes. And those taking the
Hour can bring to this port return cargoes,
as they did before the war. Those that
larry away tobacco viii not bring back car
goes to our wharves for many years, if
ever. New York has the importing business
from Europe. 1t would be hard to give
ships full frcights to James river of such
assorted goods as are chiefly brought to
this country from that part of the world.
1t is possible. in course of time, combining
the orders from the Ohio and Mississippi
Valleys with our own, that vessels from
Liverpool and London may set sail for
James river with full cargoes. But that
will require time. At any rate, it will be
II Great accommodation to sea-going vessels
to take their cargoes direct with as little
handling and trans-shipment as possible !:
and with the eighteen feet of water to Rock
cts, those that can find cargoes here will
easily come here and take them away.
1t would be great advantage to national
commerce for this Improvement to be made,
and if Congress properly appreciates it in
connection with trade and transportation of
the South aud West it will not hesitate q
moment to vote the sum asked for. The
great West is deeply interested in it /; for o
large part Of it's trade with the sea and
scaports must find this james River route,
and the best route, by which it can reach
the Atlaatic.