Norwich bulletin., 1921-09-21
oDD INCIDENTS IN AMERICA1
 HISTORY
WHEN BRITAIN BLoCKADED OUR

WHEN BRITAIN BLOCKADED OUR
 COAST
 During the war of 1872, when our navy was of very small proportions and Great Britain had long held command of the sea, it was an easy matter for her to blockade our ports, and it is not difficult to imagine the great inconve-' nience to which we were placed: The long stretch of country between Florida and Maine depended entirely for the transportation of goods back and forth by water. When the sailing vessels could no longer follow their trade prices took a big juAnp and it became most serious affair for the country.
 For years the trade had given occupa- ton to thousands of coasters and tens of thousands of sailors. The shoes made at Lynn, the Yankee notions of Connect icut, the produce of New England, the flour of the Middle States, the East India goods brought in from abroad, had found a ready market at Charleston, Savannah and Augusta, whence great quantities of rice and cotton were brought North.
 On the arrival of the British fleet this trade, no longer to be carried on safely by water, began of necessity to be car ried on by land. At first some merchants in Boston, having chartered a few Wag- ons, dispatched them with loads to Phil adelphia and even to Baltimore. This was enough The hunt was taken. A new industry sprang up, and by the early summer the roads leading south ward exhibited one continues stream of huge canvas covered wagons tugged along by double teams of horses or of oxen
 No distance was then too great and
 
 Salem and Boston to Augusta and Saw annah. An estimate made toward the close of the year places the number of wagons thus employed at 4,O00, and the number of horses and oxen at 10000. 1 Nor does this seem excessive, for a traveller who drove from New York to Richmond declares that he passed 260 wagons on the way.
 | Such was the stream that the good people of New England towns along the i post road from Boston to New York, scandalized at the wagons that went creaking through their streets every Sab bath, cried out that the tithing men must do their duty. In Fairfield and Wethers- field this protest was especially marked and these two towns soon became the | dread of every wagoner whom fate 1 brought to them on Sunday.
 Delays of this sort, coupled with the more serious detentions caused by the unfitness of the wretched ferryboats or the great rivers to do the work they were thus suddenly called upon to per form did much to Trolong the journey which must at best have been slow Even at New York, which boasted of g steam ferryboat at Paulus Hook, as many as eight and fifteen wagons were ofter l41 at AI,, waiting a chance to cross.
 On several occasions the wagons stood for three days in the street, and so ob structed travel that the teamsters were arrested and fined ten dollars each fo, blocking the highways. During the sum mer, when the roads were at their best the trip from Boston to Baltimore wal made in twenty six days, from Balti more to Richmond in ten days, and iron Baltimore to Augusta in thirty thre, days. Two months were thus consumed on the road between Boston and Augusta l That merchants who cargoes of boot and shoes, and other freight were thu intrusted to the honesty of unknowl wagoners should be most anxious to fol low them in their sIow progress wa most natural. It was seriously suggest ed, therefore, that the owners of tn wagons should name them as in the cas of ships, keep a rough log in which t enter the names of other wagons the, met on the road, and report to the news papers of each town they passed througI
 This was done, and in a few week every wagon had name, serious or hu morous, according to the temper of tn owner Great as was the trade carrie on in this manner, it was impossible t keep down war prices This condition existed during practically the two year of the war and the tension was only re lieved as to high prices and convenienc of carrying when the conflict was fnaI1 brought to an end.
 Tomorrow-Royalty Entertained at
 White House)