Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1873-10-16
DIRECT TRADE WITH THE SOUTH.

For more than twenty-five years we
have persistently advocated the policy of
direct trade between Europe and the
Southern portion Of the United States.
We have always found innumerable
arguments in favour, and not one against
this policy Some twelve years ago., in
a speech at St. James's Hall, in London,
while discussing the "causes and con-
sequences of the war" then raging, we
made the somewhat startling statement
that every bale Of cotton raised in the
South was clipped thirteen times on its
dwindling way to Manchester. And
we gave this as one of the causes of
Southern discomfort, which eliminated
in the Secession War. We have always
contended that a protective tariffs had
more to do in bringing on that great
sectional conflict than abolition. The
South was a producing, aud the North a
manufacturing and trading country. A
large portion Of every bale of cotton
went into the pockets of Northern COM
mission merchants, bankers, and ship
owners; while the goods that came buck
from Eerope IN exchange were taxed all
the way from the mill abroad to the
plantat on at home. And thus Indirect
trade burnt the planters candle at both
ends. Strange as it may seem to the
practical political economist, this most
impolitic state Of things still exists, not
withstand ng the feeling of hostility that
still remains in the South against their
trading conquerors in the North. But
the feeling in favour of direct trade with
Europe, as we chance to know, every
where exists south of "MAsoN and
DlXoN's Line" and is daily growing
more and more intense. The people are
fully alive to their own interest In this
respect, and they are giving it practical
expression in the shape Of cotton mills
and other manufactures, which are
springing up in all Southern States. The
difficulty has been want of means to
establish regular intercourse by steam
with Europe. They have some of the
best ports in the world, but no ships,
and no money to build them. We are
glad to see that an energetic effort Is
being made to induce line of ships to
run between Liverpool and Port Royal,
one of the finest ports on the Atlantic
coast. In fact, there can hardly be con-
ceived a more attrctive port for COM
merce than Port Royal, where the largest
ships in the world can enter at all states
of the tide aoithout a pilot. We will
quote brief description Off from high
authority :-"Port Royal is one of three
frst-elass ports on the Atlantic coast
south of Newport, r. l., the others
being New 7 ork and Chesapeake Bay.
By.u frst-class port [ mean one into
which any vessel yet built cap enter.
I The entrance is easy, and is now well
marked by buoys so placed that 1t Is
only requisite to sail from buoy to buoy,
leaving each on the side indicated by its
colour, to enter or leave the port without
pilot. | have lately had opportunity
to know by personal inspection that
these broys are correctly placed
Port Royal is so situated. holding the
position marked out for it by nature as
the true port roy',l Of the South, that
vessels of all nations may safely repair to
it Sithout fear or inquiry into their size
or draught." This beautiful haven is
in the State of South Carolina, bordering
on Georgia, where grea. city is destined
to grow up, and that rapidly. The fol-
lowing facts and figures will show that
Port Royal cannot fail to become Il great
centre of commerce. The location com
pcls it. For example, the distance from
Atlanta to New York is 9S2 miles, while
from Atlanta to Port Royal it is but 2Sl
miles. From Chattanooga to New York
it is S44 miles, while to Port Royal it is
less than half the distance-but AIS miles.
From Nashville to New York it is l,l53
miles, while to Port Royal it is but 56S
miles, again less than half From ST.
Louis, the centre of convorging roads
from the West, embracing vast terrific
ry not surpassed. if equalled in produc-
tivcness by any in the World, the distanc
10 Port Royal is $50 miles shorter than
to New York. Even from the high
northern point of Omaha, the junction of
the railway to the Pacific coast, the route
to Port Royals 223 miles shorter than
that to New York. The following table
shows the distances Of the important
fieighting centres named, from the two