The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-05-31
Riohmond as a Seaport

| Richmond has 80 often been told that beI
river Is better than was the Clyde at Gias
gov before its deepening that her people
attach less importance to the statement than
lie is worth. Yet II is one that cannon
be too often repeated so long as James river
has not twenty or more feet OF water at this
port. We reproduce with pleasure from
the Winchester NewS the following excel
lent article, aud commend it TO the atten'
ton Of our people. Richmond Is capable
OF being made large city. The Ne,ns says
With two railways. the Allegheny and the
Chesapeake and Ohio, uniting her by con-
tinuous line, as they soon will, with Clncin'
natl aud Chicago, and third great system
that under the headship Of the Richmond
and DanviIle, extending through the Sou'h
and Richmond ought 10 nave u
brilliant commercial future.
| We trust her utmost antcip9tions may be
realized. The whole State, as we have often
remarked, has direct interest IN the build
| inc m within its limits OF first class city.
II would not only aid the State Treasury.
but il would give conference, unity, and
manageability to all the Interests OF the
Commonwealth. A business centre OF our
own is an imperative need, and Richmond
appears to be the spot at which such a CEN
| tire can best and most naturally be estab-
| lisbed.
But the fact must not be lost sight OF
| that Richmond is not seaport. The time
when that designation could be applied TO
barboI or estuary Boosting only twelve or
fifteen feet OF water has passed. The i'm
mense vessels OF to-day, long and narrow,
carrying three or four thousand tons OH
draft OF from twenty-five to twenty-six feet,
determine the standard OF modern harbor.
At that standard all the great ports OF this
country and Europe are aiming. The clyde
below Glasgow was forbade at low tide be-
fore improvements were made which have
raised her TO a rivalry in the cotton trade
with Liverpool. Baltimore could receive
bur very few years ago no ship OF over
sixteen feet draft. Now the operations at
Canton and Sellers Point have brought
10 her wharvcs The largest transatlantic
steamers.
The channel at Richmond is about in the
condition rs TO depth OF Baltimore's at that
time. Eighteen feet at high.water. we be-
lieye. is the present limit up to Warwick.
four miles below the city. twenty-five feet
at Iow.water from that point, II not from
Rockets, 10 Hampton Roads, is pronounced
attainabIe at no extraordinary cost-say
little more than Glasgow pays every year 10
maintain her harbor. Not less than this
depth ought TO be sought by Richmond II
she is really to reap the vast harvest offered
Der by The new railroads, and not see that
tide of wealth swept by her doors in search
Of an outlet on York river and at Newport
News. This done, there is no reason In the
world why she should not enjoy as tremen-
dous an increase in her grain trade as that
which has beiallen New Orleans since the
deepening of the Mississippi pissts by
Captain Eads.
The deepening of the James would bring
European steamships one hundred miles
farther into the land. She cannot safely
depend on the Federal Government to do
all the work for her. The SIS 900 year 1t
now gives will not suffice. She must put
her own shoulders TO the wheel. IL is not
necessary to call in Captain Eads, her
problem being much simpler than that OF
New Orleans. The able engineers already
at work are fully equal to the task. They
are competent to make Richmond great
grain port iu two years. They should be
empowered TO do it.