The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-02-25
The Nicaragua Canal.

60 seven States such as Virginia--or that
California Is an empire in itself, or that
Alaska boasts % many hundreds OF thou
sands OF square miles Of territory, we are
apt 10 let the matter drop as one not con-
corning us particularly.
Again: II Il difficult 10 realize how dii-
ferent may be the subjects which engage
the attention OF statesman from Oregon
and those which engage the attention OF
statesman from Virginia or Maine. Ihe
Virginia congressman has been endeafor'
ING during the present session oil Congress
~ have the Intcrnal-Rcvenue Bureau aDol-
ished. or, failing that, TO get the tax on To-
bacco reduced. The Moline congressman
has boen endcayoring TO secure the pIotec-
ton Of the lumber and shipping and snip
building interests OF his State.
What subject has engaged the attention
q, the congressman from Oregon! We
have before us speech frem him when
has interested us no little, and whose con-
tents have surprised lis no little. The SUI
iect Of the speech is the proposed Nicaragua
canal. We take it up and glance over It's
,,araoraphs. We find that the said canal,
seen;noly TO us so far of and so unimpoT-
faint Is a reality to the people OF oregon
and n scheme which may challenge 'he az
fenfion OF Congress.
What saws Mr.. GEORGE, the congressman
in question, on this subject? He declares
that the wheat-growers OF the Pacific coast
care intensely interested" in it. why:
Because, first, in the last six months OF 1881
statistics are seldom as new as we would
like 70 have them 1913 ships Of various ma
t;opalitjes sailed from tho Pacific ports
laden with grain for Europe. Evidently
all those ships needed the Nicaragua canal;
FOR ..tbis magnificent feet, carrying from
1900 to 1000 tons each Or, from forty
tbousand 20 one hundred and thirty thou
sand bushels each-.' sailed distance OF
1910 around Cape Horn " in orderto
reach their destination. How much OF
this distance could have been saved II the
Nicaraguan canal had been in existence in
stead Of in posse? Nearly one hall, or an
average OF $500 miles to each Vessei.
Surely the Pacific-coast commerce demands
the construction OF Il trans-coltinental ca
nal by some Government or corporation.
More: The grain for expectation from
the Pacific coast amounted TO fifty millions
of bushels in the single year 1882. a
charge of only two cents bushel for pass
ing that quantity OF grain through the ca
nal would yield a million OF dollars; and
therefore, OF course, charge OF five cents
q bushel would yield five millions OF dol
lars. Not bad beginning. This one fact
shows that the scheme OF cutting canal
across the narrow territory in question has
merit.
Once more: The European freights to
and from San Francisco amounted last year
to over sixteen millions OF dollars, and the
foreign ocean-ireights for the entire Pacific
coast to about twenty-five millions OF dol
lars. We quote Mr.. GEORGE further as fol-
lows:
at has been estimated that in the NOV
ing Of n single wheat crop OF CALIFORNIA
alone canal would save over twelve MIL
ing nothing Of the present loss OF interest
on account of time in wheat Transports
tion. The cost of transporting our grain IL
n vital one TO our interests. Grave doubts
arise rs TO the continuation OF this now
leading industry--doubts growing solely
out OF the cost OF transportation. In addi-
ton to being compelled TO transport our
wheat and flour almost hall way around the
globe TO our only market, England, TO the
only consumers upon whom we can de-
pend, we are brought into a direct COM
petition with the Empire Of india. now
rapidIy being penetrated 10y railroads built
under the control of the British Govern
ment, and with opening wheat-nelds OF the
territory to the north and from the Red
River country.
"The port OF Bombay this last year ex-
ported GS0,00 tons, more than half az much
as we furnished England, and it is cacu-
lated that their surplus this year will equal
1000, 600 tons. At this rapid increase the
home food supply Of England will soon
prove ample, unless by cheapening our
transportation we can successfully COM
pete. The difference in the cost OF single
cent per bushel in laying down our grain
upon the docks OF Queenstown or Liverpool
may determine whether the food supply
shall come from us or be drawn from COM
netting fields in Hungary or Russia or India
or Manitoba. A trouble long and s0rely
felt BIZ our wheat-produeers is lack OF
tonnage to carry our exports TO market.
"The distance is so great that the time
consumed in calling for ships in the long
voyage TO our ports, and return to port OF
discharge, consuming the greater portion
OF year, operates as heavy burden upon
our productions, and vessels that do reach
us charge enormous rates because OF COM
petition, amounting TO millions OF excess
upon single crop. In the last two years
the charges have substantially consumed
the profits. With a canal available, the
distance and time decreased three-fouTths,
we could easily telegraph or cable for tom
mage, TO our great relief"
Grain is not the only product OF the Pa
cifc coast. Fine lumbcris there. Wool is
there. Many other articles are there. And
Mr.. GEORGE pleads cloquently for the aid
OF Congress.
Ours is surely magnificent country
The sun has never yet looked down upon
such one as 1t viii be fifty years hence
Railroads, telegraphs, and all the inven
tions now in use, Reinforced by inventions
yet TO be made, can make homogeneous
country OF whole continent.
-------------
We said the other day, in speaking OF Thy
necessity for Richmond to hold on 10 he
gas-works. that UNCLE SAM wouldn't ALLOW
anybody except bis own servants to carr,
fhe mails fhou0h they miVhf no cor,.ie,