New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-09
R.fLLROAD HERSUS C1NAL.

R.1ILHOID tEHSto tI-'hI'
Tho couling season of navigation, unless
apoearanccs are unco,nmOnly deceptive. Will
sec a most desperate struggle between tho
railroad interests and those engaged in trans
polta;ion by the canal The quadrnple tracks
OF tie Now-YOrk Central Railroad are prac-
ticaly completed between Buffalo and Albany,
and it is now claloed in behalf OF the rail-
road that bOa-lOa of grain can he carried
at profit by rail from Blffll0 to New-York
cheaper than the actual cost of moving 1t by
water. though the canal tolls We're utterly
abolished. Whether this cclculntiOn is correct
remains, of course, t. he tested. There can
be 10 douot, however, that by using tracks
exclusively for freight trains great
saving of tiro AMI expense will be
made by Mr. VanderbiltS corporation.
7. may DC objected that between Albany and
Ncw-Yor the tracks are not yet duplicated.
and that no sufficient enlargement has yet been
made of the terminal facilities at EewYork.
There i, some force in the latter point. The
accommodations for receiving and transferring
freight Mt this end Of the route are not as
ample and inexpensive rs could be wished.
But so far rs an Outlct from Albany IL con-
cerned there is no difficulty. The major part
Of the freight is transferred at Albany to the
Boston and Albany road and goes into New
England. For the remainder. besides the
Hudson River line there is ample relief by
transfer at Athens into barSes which are tOWeu
to New-York, where they are on the same
footing IS canal boats.
There is an additional reason for antci-
patlng destructive attack on the canal boat
men in the state of the foreiga markets for
orr brcadsiufs and provisions. There will
not he cmD,0yment for the engine, and cars
of the railroad unlc ~ the latter again sue
cecds in diyerting freight from the canal.
Last wear it was successful in is efforts, and
this year, with augmented facilities, it Is
likely to be even more 50. Tho state Of the
foreign markets is not such rs to encourage
the hope that any addition can be made to
the article, of export which find an out
let at Ncw-York and Boston, and it
is the export trade which forms
the basis of much of the through
business of the Central Railroad and Erie
Canal. We are not here engaged in making
gloomy predictions which have no more sub
stantiaI basis tnan mere brain spinning" We
point to the state OF trade in England and this
country, as Indicated by statistics accessible 10
all who will take the trouble to consult them.
Europe is well supplied with brcadstutfs, and
the foreign demand for our grain will cOa-
iinuc slack until it is aSccrtancd that the
next European harvest is bad one and 1t IS
oultc as likely to be good az bad. The dul-
ness of the British manufacturing trades and
the forced reductions in wages in that coun-
try arc already beginning to tell on
our exports of provisions. In the first
three months of 1873 there were exported from
New-Y York 1j2,00o0o0 pounds of cuS meats,
go pounds Of lard, 1900 barrels OF
beef, and 5000, 900 pounds OF tallow. Ia tho
first three months OF the current year the
quantities exported OF the aforementioned
articles have been: 100000 pounds OF cut
meats, 4C,OO0O)) pounds OF lard, 7,0oJ barrels
of beef aud 100000 pounds OF tal!ow In
cheese and pork there is a slight Increase over
the exports Of 1873. bit considerable de-
crease as compared with 1874 The effects of
this fundamental change in the commercial
relations of Great Britain and tho United
States are also seen in the great reduction
in ocean frcights. In Dccember 1873, the
freight on grain to Liverpool was II! pence
per bll ,hcl, on cotton 1-1G pence per pound,
and on bacon to Glasgow, 81 shillinsS pence
pcr ton. The corresponding rates now are
pence for grain 7-32 pence for cotton, and 20
shilling, on bacon. A change in the same
direction mas taken place in through rates FROM
the Western cities to Ncw-Yosk, yet notwith-
standing that the freights on grain from Nil
waukee and Chicago to the Atlantic ports have
been extremely low ever since the close of
nayigation, only 100000 bushels of wheat
10 Nn- Nnrl- 1.,r no
first quarter of the year. against 100000
bushels in 1874
We are of opinion that Gov. Tilden is
fully Justified in anticipating very consider
able reduction in the tonnage OF the canals
during the coming season. anl such a reduc-
ton will naturally be attended with unproiit-
able rates for the owners Of boats, and Il
reduced income from tolls to the State. The
present outlook for the canals should ilcite
all these who are in any capacity responsible
for the cost of their maintenance to use every
effort to bring expenditures within the
narrowest limits consistent with keep
ing them III good navigable condition.
Under the provisions of the Constitution as
amended, the expenditures nert year for
ordinary and extraordinary repairs, toll COL
lection and superintendent of the Erie. Os-
wcgo. Champlain, and Cayuga and Seneca
Canals, must not exceed their gross receipts
during the season of navigation now at hand
Il will therefore not be safe, either to neglect
the canals this year or TO reduce tho tolls. 1t
is certainly to be regretted that the prospects
are not better for the canals and tho interests
connected with them. including those of the
State, but what is ever gained by lodging u