The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-03-31
Canal and Rail.

1 Tue ruling power Of the day 70 scotA-
i, ere.. IL az Rapid transit In com
snerca ~ tue agent Of success. Cnsapaess
and rapiaity Of transportation settle su n's
rIors.Iy and determine tue stfugs'e " ~.
petition. New York occupies tne pos.s'on
40 supremacy In commerce. New iorH
20 mai allowed 10 maintain her place WIN
sn,,t continued activity and enterprise. sne
srao,,rs ,bis. and all her vigilance and fnse'
unity ID essen,ia. to her continued supse.
] oacy. Her Erie canal has done us great
v,,ork in time past, aud yet 1t wants force
- ,,,n,.,ntain what Il has achieved. The wise
! men who direct the affairs OF the great em-
rorium are sharp enough TO see that Win
all Tho capacity Of her ways OF transpor.a-
ton she yet needs rapidity Of transit 70 SC.
c,,re her position. They look at Phiiaaei'
I mia. and even Baltimore, and, considering
s.sheir Facilities OF communication with Inc
great west, they determine that the routes
!. ~ TRANSPORTATION to New York must 1of
d, defence nc, be expedited and eheapened. ;,
Tho question is how these oo!ecsS sli"''
no secured. The latest proposition Is to In
4 .,s.ease 1he speed OF transit by the only sue
cesssul cafal in the country. How Is mat
10 be done? BY building railway on tue
hank Of the canal and Transferring the mo-
live power for the boats to that railway
/. e.. to move the beats in the wateE oY
( newer placed upon the railway track! Inc
D nroposition Is striking; but we may easily
perceive how much power may De olous"'
to bear upon the boat in the water from
locomotive upon the track on the bank. Inc
great obstacle presented 10 any motive:
power placed in the water is well unae'-
stood. There increase OF speed multipiies
8 amazingly increased difficulties, ana Inc
efforts to impel boat by an agent in The
water has resulted in something like despair.
Internationally the application OF motive
mower that is planted upon terra ttrma TO
the propelling OF boats must achieve the
greatest force that is possible i'll acceieia-
ting their speed. And this is the idea that
is now apparently favored by those who are
seeking the most feasible means OF strength
ening the commercial supremacy OF Ne"
York. Yet we doubt whether all that Is
eypected can be accomplished by the pro-
posed expcdicnt. A locomotive drawing
capaI-boat will not be altogether unlike
bird pulling bull along the road. There
will bc the danger OF too much OF cannter
and too little concurrent force.
: or railroads that wonderful city has made
them available in energy and cheapncss near
Iyds much as is possible. Yet it is cndeavor-
ing TO make the frcights upon them cheaper
still. How far she may succeed remains to
be seen. But it is certainly lesson to all
cities that are striving for the commerce OF
the country. There is no such thing as
clarifying by the way" allowable in these
days. Everybody must "move on now,
md the city that does not make all its adj
yantages available must drift to the rear.
And what shall we say OF the FLAMES
River and Kanawha canai'-(we have heard
that name .fe,r times in other days)-whcn
even the Erie canal needs tInIcrcement TO
make it serve the wants OF the people OF
New York 1t is no wonder that the james.
river canal should he utterly repudiated.
A matter OF especial interest to us is the
great stir that is apparent liz reference to
the competition between the leading north
ern cities for the trade Of the West. I'm
guestionably the most eligible route from
the western point OF productive concentra-
ton to the Atlantic is right through Viz.
ginia and through Richmond. Build the
Richmond aud Allegheny railroad and fin
1sh the connections between the Chesapeake
and Ohio road aud the western system OF
roads, and we here in Virginia and in Rich
mond will be able TO enter the arena OF
competition for the greatest trade on the
continent with an efficiency that may nc
successful Just in proportion to the energy
and enterprise Of our people.
ny