Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-04-17
nnr River and Harhor.


The subject of the necessity for SUI
fcient appropriation for the improve
ment of our r1ver and harbor is being
presented to Congress with so much zeal
and ability that it will be almost impossi-
bic for that body not to give it favorable
consideration. Not only are our special
committee of citizens doing their utmost
in this matter, but every member of the
Georgia Congressional delegation is, in re-
Spouse to the desires of his constituents,
taking an active interest therein, and these
efforts, we read, are being ably seconded
by General Gilmore, the competent and
experienced engineer in charge OF the
work.
There is no subject connected with
the problem of inter State commerce
which at present is more worthy OF
Congressional consideration than this.
We have frequently called attention to
the commercial importance of this port,
and to the fact that Savannah is now the
first cotton and lumber port, the second
rice port, and is rapidly coming to the
front as the first naval stores port OF the
South Atlantic. And further evidence that
she is still maintaining her position IN the
commercial world is presented from the
fact that, since the list of January last to
date. there have sailed from our wharves
260 vessels carrying full cargoes, against
24O during the corresponding period last
year.
This, however, is not by any means
the principal claim which Savannah can
present as port of national importance.
Senator Brown, in his recent speech on
the subject of our harbor improvement,
it will be remembered, alluded to the
railway systems of which this city
is the centre, as sffording, in connec-
ton with our ocean steamship lines, the
most desirable route between the Western
and the Eastern cities. This route is,
when the difference between land and
water transportation is considered-and
in computing distance by water four
miles are, we believe, allowed
for every one by land-as short as
any between the great cities OF
the West and North, and is besides,
during the winter season especially,
when the Northern canals and water
courses are blocked up with ice, the
most available. AS practicable evidence,
too, of the fact that this is
becoming the favorite shipping point
for New York and other CONNER
cial centres of the Northeast, we
were informed few days since by Gen.
G. III. Sorrel, agent at Savannah of the
Ocean Steamship Company, that, not
withstanding the short crop, and cOnse-
quently reduced receipts of cotton at
this port this season, 5000 more bales
had been shipped over his line up to
date than during the same period last
year, and that throughout the season the
ships of his line, both leaving
for and returning from the North, had,
without exception, done a fine business
both in passengers and freights. AS fur
Their evidence still of the growing pOpu-
larity and imp ortance of this line, we
learn that the new and enlarged steamers
now in process of construction are
already needed to take the places of the
smaller ones at present employed, and
that they will, from the first, be run to
their full capacity. We also learn that
the lines running from this port to
Baltimore and Philadelphia are doing,
and have, during the entire season, been
dong, a prosperous business, which is
steadily and rapidly increasing each
year.
These are facts which can be substan-
tiated by official figures, and they speak
volumes for the commercial importance
of our port. The improvement of oul
river and harbor then is a subject in
which not the State Of Georgia, or even
the section of country Immediately tri
butary to Savannah are alone interested
but it is of great importance to the
business of the whole country. This
is the view which Congress should
take of this matter. We trust the Fed
eral Legislature may give this subject
the consideration to which it is entitled
and that we may soon be able to an
nOuuce that an appropriation of at leasf
$500, 000-the sum recommended by
Gen. Gilmore for this work this year
has been decided upon, and will be re
ported to Congress by the Commerce
| Committee of the House.