Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-05-11

TFE port of Norfolk is u~nezcelled as
a harbor by any In America. tt viii
hold ships enough to transport the
products Of the whole South, and those
ships may draw thirty feet watere each.
1t Is land locked and secUrefrom gales,
and is situate south Of the region
which ships so much dread in winter
on account OF ice. As a mere port it
Is, for all seasons and under all cir
cumstancas, the very best in America.
But the possession of natural advan-
tages alone viii not make great
cities, draw commerce and create
prosperity. Human enterprise must
have a share in the work, to which
we would now call the attention Of
cur Norfolk neighbors. A rumor
comes here today, which we are slow
to credit, that the Allan steamers de-
eide not to receive freight at Norfolk,
but viii take itat Baltimore; in other
words, the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road has succeeded in forming a COM
binationwith the steamers, by which
Baltimore becomes their point Of de-
parture and arrival, and Norfolk re-
mains, as formerly, a good harbOr and
an excellent place to enjoy fish and
game in. This does not meet our
wants and hopes, however. Norfolk
must make an effort, and in the direc-
ti0n we have intimated in u pre-
yiOus articles. First, let us labor to-
gether to the end that a consolidation
Of the railroads between this city and
Norfolk shall occur, and then move
everything to induce the railroads to
lead OF in the enterprise Of putting on
a great f-rst-ciass line to Europe, and
let the nducement be an offer
from the city Of Norfolk to
take o~ns-fourth Of the S2,OOO,-
600 stock required for the undertake
ing. 1t Is worse than folly TO wait
for English capitalists to come aud do
for US what we are unwilling to do for
ourselves Would money invested in
such a line OF steamers be profit bly,
employed? Undoubtedly 1t would in
several ways. As a mere investment
it would pay forty per cent. per D.
mum, and as a means of Increasing
the trade and commerce Of the place,
and thereby raise the value Of prop
srty, it would soon be returned sew
eraldmes over. How paltry a sum is
q half million Of dollars compared to
the grand achievement Of direct
trade. Why have the Baltimore
ans, situate at the upper end
Of q series Of mud fats, made such
efforts In the present case? Simply
because a lire of steamers from there
direct TO Liverpool viii pay Now,
if it wiz pay Baltimore, it viii pay
Norfolk; andif business can be found
at Baltimore f1r aIine, more business
may be drummed up at Norfolk.
This we feel certain and sure of, and
it only needs the experiment to prove
ths our assertions viii be entirely
sustained 16e railroad companies
need ID be reminded that HghJering
ships over tbe bar at the mouth of
the Mississippi by floating docks as
proposed by Colonel GoWan, is By no
means problemstical and the moment
it is accomplished, steamers Of 1000
tons viii offer exceedingly low rates
cotton from New Orleans to Eu-
rope. Now the moral is this: In or
der to compete successfully with such
vessels, you must, in salEdeiense,
seek g connection with equally good
at as near a point as posi-
bic on the Atlantic seaboard. Such
steamers you VIII never have until
you build them, and you cannot build
them without consolidation Of interest
TO secure entire concert Of action.