The New York herald., 1877-09-21

Abbott would u 10 estlmated cost $40 600 900 This
Is considerable sum Of money; but Southern msS
assert that the government would recover In few
years In tho increased vauo OF government lands st
heid there whiie they say, tho other hand. that
would establish on Arm foundation tho prosperity OF
very great and naturally very rich rosion aud would
enormously increase the production Of cotton, sugar
and rico, and thus add tho general wealth OF tho
country. They say that tho States along tho river
banks cannot do the work. shat the region has out
grown tho old patchwork system that 1t Ii useless
to mako small appropriations 10 repair crevasses;
that whatever Is now done should DO under
tho control OF eminent government engineers such
General Humphreys. and should bo done by the
federal government and on scientifically correct prn.
cipies When Congress meets Southern mon win
strongly urge the advisabilty OF such grcat and CON-
prehcnsivo Improvement, and the arguments for it
above stated havc already been presented Prcs
dent who understood " take the ground that while
he is totally and earnestly opposed TO such internal
improvement schemes tho usual river and harbor
omnibus, which is mado up by giving every member
and Senator Slice ho would favor somo great
and needed measure such this plan for scientific
eveeing Of the Mississippi Is represented 10 bc. ne
has committed himself to this plan, but it Is be.
cvsd from what he has said that while he would
of tho old fashioned river and harbor steals he
would consider favorably needed Improvement like
the In question
Meantime there is reason to believe that II the
Southern men get appropriation tor the cvees
they will not Tor tho Texas Pacific; in fact .
good many opposed to this, and many moro are
understood to hold that thoy cannot probably get
both and will readily give up the Texas Pacific II they
have the leyccs Georgia. North ana South Caro-
lima, Alabama and Florida and Virginia will be opposed
to the Texas Pacific in any Some OF the Texas
mon are Iv Ink liz Thov saw nj
all tho connections lead to 81 Louis, and that they
prefer to further help the
OF their own harbora 1t would not be surprising,
therefore, TO hnd when Congress comes together, that
the Southern mon arc united for Sufficient evce ap
preparation to carry out General Humphreys plans,
and are ready to compromise on that
The promised revival OF commerce leads to dis
cussion hore OF help for the establishment Of now
steam postal routes, to gve the country direct
nectlon with Brazil and with the countries OF CeutraI
and Western South America Prominent Northern,
we'll as Southern. men understood to DO favor
ablc to tho establishment OF number OF such lines
In tho interests OF commerce, but the condi-
tion is remarked that the assistance shall be mod
In amount, and shall DO (or purpose OF
couragng aud rowling trade with Brazil and Buenos
Ayrcs, and with Central and Western South America.
1t is alleged that England has now semi.weeky
steamer line between Valparaiso and Liverpool that
an American cannot send lctter TO Rio Janeiro Or
Buonos Ayres except via England; that tho South and
Central American trade is far moro important to us
than that with China and that white the Of SUBJ
sdy has become hateful, and justly SO. pay q
vessel for carrying an American mail 10 a foreign
port is way different in principle from
paying a railroad for carrying 1t between two
American cities But, say these people, It Is not pro-
tended that all postal routes pay most railroad COM
rec IA
mere postage and very few would agree carry them
Tor the postage Why, then, should this rule be ap-
piled to sea letters aloneg Especially when It IL
demonstrablc that our commerce absolutely depends
on regular steam communication with foreign coun.
tries. There Is doubt that these arguments will
appear Congress, and that effort Will be madc to
secure moderate support for carrying the mails from
New York and New Orleans to all prominent Central
and South American ports