The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1876-02-11
VALLEY TRADING co.
Report of the EneIlSh Faets
Of Importance md Figures or
MagnItudC.

|
Our readers will remember that last
simmer Memphis was visited by dep
htation of Englishmen sent out by the
Mississippi Valley Trading Company
British association regularly organized
and chartered, with an aggregate capital
of one hundred million Of dollars, its
operations embracing a variety of manu-
featuring and mercantile interests, and
mammoth business of dealing i'll sup
plies. This deputation visited the
southern and western states for the pur-
pose eofreportipg upon the feasibility of the
association establishing direct relations
with the grangers for a mutual inter
change of products. The full report, as
published in the Cooperative News,
evidences that the deputation has been
both careful and precise in their inves-
tigation, great stress being placed upon
the enterprise of opening general direct
trade between Great Britain and this
country by means of the Mississippi
river; and "the removal of the bar Mt
the mouth OF this river is an object of
the greatest interest not only to the
United States but to England" as such
would cheaper the transportation of pro-
ducts between these countries. High
tariff rates." say the deputatiOn, "mean
for England dear bread and cotton, and
for the American farmer a smaller re-
turn for the products of his land and
higher price for the manufactutes he
wants. \ feT cents on each bushel of
corn will stop miliidhs tf bushels that
should find their way to English mar
kets II is further shown that the Mis-
sissippi valley is fitted TO be the granary
of the world. and 65ald be made to sup
port four hundred millions If people;
and if cultivated as it might be, this
population could be increased TO one
thousab1 millions. The corn growing
states of the Mississippi valley will pro-
million bushels of cereals, which would
find profitable outlet TO Europe by the
Mississippi river and the gulf streams.
Eighty per cent. Of the wheat surplus OF
the west is growing in localities costly
accessible to and bordering on the Mis-
sissippi river, while more than two thirds
(six out of nine million tOns) of the agri-
cultural products not required in the
states raising the same seek an outlet
from districts to which the Mississippi
and its tributaries would offer better and
more accessible transportation, if rem
dered available for cheap carriage. The
deputation report favorably upon the
Mississippi ictty improvements, which,
with the removal of distractions at
other places IN the river, would reduce
the cost of transportation to England on
grain at least ten cents per bushel !
This j. all the more important when we
see that of the five hundred and twenty
eight million one hundred and forty-One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one !
hundred weights of grain (Or its cquiva-
lent in fiour) imported into the united !
kingdom for the fifteen years ending
1872, more than two-thiTds was obtained
from the United States, and less than
One-third from Russia. This grain was
to the sea-board principally
bv the lakes and railroads, the export
on any great scale by the great natural
highway of the Mississippi being pre-
vented by the impOssibility ef bringing
large ocean steamers with safety to New
Orleans on account Of the impeachment
at the bar" The report says further:
" The conclusion at which we have
aimed. after careful review of all the
facts, is that when the channel at the |
mouth of the Mississippi is deepened to |
thirty feet. ana the impediments to its !
free navigation up to st. Louis are re- |
moved, there is no road which can COM !
pete with it for cheapness and regularity !
in the transportation of the heavy agri-
cultural products of the west. The re-
sources and trade of the south and west, |
the wants of the Patrons of Husbandry !
and the wants ofthe cooperative societies |
of the united kingdom warrant the |
formation of the Mississippi Valley trad |
ing company. In every town and city !
of the south and west which we visited |
we found the people and press favorable |
to direct trade with England. 1t is i'm
possible to doubt that the development |
of direct trade with the Mississippi val |
ley will give a great impulse to the |
movement in favor of free trade i'll the !
United States, and tend 10 promote |
more cordial and intimate relations be-
tween the two countries"