CHAPTER XLIV.

Commercial Facilities-The Navigation-The U. S. Ship Pennsylvania—The Harbour-Streets, &c.-Wharves - Public Buildings-Churches, Banks, Schools, Papers, &c.-Companies and Societies-Packet Lines-Marine Railways-Manufactories-Wealth, Usefulness, and Influence-Merchants, Warehouses, Capital-Commercial Experience and Ability-ImprovementRailroads, Steamships, &c.-Commercial Advancement.

THE facilities for commercial operations in Norfolk, as before stated, are very great. The warehouses are large, commodious, and well adapted to the storage of produce. The water front is spacious, well sheltered from the northern and eastern winds in winter, and open to the southerly and southwesterly breezes in summer. "The navigation is not obstructed by ice for a single day once in half a century. The great ship Pennsylvania, the largest vessel in the world, is now riding at her moorings, within a stone's throw of the shore, and, if equipped for service abroad, could be at sea in a few hours without the aid of steam. The eastern and southern branches of the Elizabeth River, in uniting, form the harbour of Norfolk-a basin some four miles in circumference, with a width of seven-eighths of a mile. The City of Norfolk occupies the northern and eastern shore, with a water front more than two miles in extent; while Portsmouth, Gosport, and the Navy Yard, range along the southern and western banks.

"The outlet is sufficiently capacious, and yet the harbour, in sailors' phrase, is so 'land-locked' as to afford entire security to vessels of every class, from the small oyster boat to the ship of the line. The bottom is composed of stiff mud to hold the anchor, and is free from sand bars, rocks, and all other obstructions. A fine anchorage extends from the basin down to the roads, distant seven miles; indeed, the harbour of Norfolk may be said to terminate only at the point where Hampton Roads is merged into the Chesapeake, being composed of an inner and outer haven, where the fleets of the world could lie in perfect

security in all kinds of wind and weather, ready to embark on their ocean voyage, whenever the mariner chooses to lift his anchor and spread his sails to the breeze."

There are in the city about one hundred and thirty-five streets and lanes, very many of which are well paved. There are also about a dozen squares, courts, &c. The wharves extend from Town Point on the west to the Drawbridge on the East,nearly one mile,—are forty in number, and mostly in good order. There are about 60 public buildings, including 14 Churches,* Mechanics' Hall, Ashland Hall, the City Hall, Norfolk Academy, &c.

The number of Banks is 7; Hotels, 5; Seminaries and High Schools, 9; Daily Papers, 5, with which are connected Triweekly do., 3, Weekly do., 3; News and Reading Rooms, 2.

There are 5 Fire Companies, 2 Volunteer Companies, a Canal Company, Drawbridge Company, Insurance Company, Gas Company, Telegraph Company, and Hotel Company; a Mechanical Benevolent Society, Seamen's Friend Society, Provident Society, Humane Society, Female Orphan Society, Philharmonic Society, Concordia Society, and several Debating Societies. The secret societies are: The Masons, Odd-Fellows, Sons of Temperance, Rechabites, United Mechanics, Druids, and Red Men.

There are regular steam-packet lines from Norfolk to New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Richmond, Hampton, Old Point, Eastern Shore, Matthews, &c.; stage line to Edenton, Elizabeth City (N. C.), &c. There are three Marine Railways and Ship Building establishments,† extensive Iron

* 2 Protestant Episcopal; 3 Methodist Episcopal, including 1 coloured; 1 Presbyterian; 5 Baptist, including 3 coloured; 1 Catholic; 1 Methodist Protestant; 1 Mariners' Bethel.

It is especially worthy of note, that the dock-yards of Mr. Nash, Mr. Ferebee, and the Messrs. Graves, of Norfolk, with their well-constructed marine railways, afford great facilities for building and repairing vessels of every class. And some of our merchants have had in contemplation the construction of a dry-dock, of ample dimensions.

Messrs. Page and Allen, of Portsmouth, are very extensively engaged in ship-building, and have acquired celebrity in this important line of mechanical

Works, Carriage, Furniture, and Cotton Manufactories; Cordage and Oakum Works, &c., &c., at which work can be done as well and as cheaply as at the establishments of the northern cities. The capital invested in Manufactures is about $570,000, and the probable annual product $1,140,000. Real Estate about $5,000,000.

There are here, as well as elsewhere, instances in which industry, fidelity, and persevering effort, amid discouragements, with small pecuniary means in the beginning, have been amply rewarded with wealth, usefulness, and influence. The population of Norfolk includes individuals whose business capacity and commercial information will, it is believed, compare favourably with those of other cities. A gentleman of intelligence and observation, in alluding to the various facilities for trade,—our deep river, extensive wharves, spacious and well-built warehouses (more than enough to store the produce of the Roanoke Valley), the large capitalists, rich landholders, &c.,-calls attention to the fact, that by far the greater part of a million of money was, within a few weeks, subscribed by the citizens, to form part of the capital of an independent bank, before the charter was granted. He alludes also to our able professional men, as well as to merchants of skill and experience, who have been devoted to commercial pursuits from their boyhood,-regularly trained in the school and counting-room for extensive mercantile operations. And yet "the wonder grows," that Norfolk should even now begin to advance in wealth and importance. Truly, the greater wonder should be, that she has not long ago given evidences of a more mature growth; that her progress in the onward march of improvement has not been much more rapid. The truth is, there has, for a long time, been too much talk and too little action. But, thanks to the energy and enterprise of some of the knowing and influential gentlemen of this and other communities, we hear now of additional railroads and canals, large packet ships and ocean steamers; and they are

pursuit. A splendid clipper-built ship of 1,500 tons, the largest vessel ever constructed south of New York, will be launched from their yard, and, probably, careering on her rapid course upon the ocean waves, before the close of the spring of 1853.

spoken of in good earnest and with commendable zeal. Some of these enterprises, of great prospective benefit to Norfolk, Portsmouth, and vicinity, have already been commenced; and, now that the public mind has been turned to the subject-now that strong men are beginning to shake off the shackles of lethargy, and are determined to take hold of and urge forward to completion, these means of wealth and advancement, no opposition, from any source whatever, will be sufficient, it is believed, to prevent success. And it is hoped the bright day is not very distant, when commerce and her attendants will flourish here according to the original design of nature. But, there are some who object to all schemes of advancement, who grumble at every praiseworthy attempt to redeem the place from the charge of slow movement and supineness, to which it has been amenable.

CHAPTER XLV.

Talent and Literary Taste-Light Reading-Cheap Literature-Its Injurious Tendency-Evidences of Literary Capacity-Literary Works-Mr. Maxwell's Poems-Letters by a South Carolinian-H. B. Grigsby, Esq.-Dr. Alexander Whitehead, an Accomplished Teacher and Scholar-Beautiful Inscription -C. A. Rodney-Thomas Blanchard-His Ode on the Death of Washington 'Rosehill," by a Virginian-Poems by Quilp-"I Hear thy Voice"-"A Child's Burial."

IT is quite reasonable to suppose, that in a city as limited in size even, as Norfolk, there should be manifested no small degree of talent; and that in a place where the culture of the intellect is generally quite well attended to, and the advantages of a liberal education are much appreciated, there should be a considerable share of literary taste; although it may be remarked here, with regard to the education of youth of both sexes, that there is not sufficient effort put forth, either by them or their parents, in many cases to bring out, cultivate, and mature, a taste for solid and useful literary pursuits and acquisitions.

There is, also, among the young, as well as those of mature age, a vast deal too much of light, chaffy reading here, as well as elsewhere, at the present day.* Numbers of either sex are leaving the schools, and passing out upon the stage of active life, with fair promise, and often with striking evidences of mental capacity, which, if properly cultivated and encouraged, might reflect honour on the place and prove a blessing to the country. Sketches, essays, dissertations, &c., in prose and poetry, of solid merit, would be frequently written, put in the form of books, and sent out to aid in enlightening and evangelizing the world. But instead of this, the youthful mind, just ready to bloom forth into strength and beauty, is, alas, too frequently diverted from the pursuit of useful knowledge and real wisdom, by the injurious and debilitating, aye, and demoralizing cheap literature of the day, from the presses of the Northern and Eastern cities of our own country, as well as from those of England and elsewherereprinted, "got up" in the cheapest and most saleable style, and published (the trashy stuff is) to the world, to satiate the morbid appetite of thousands

"Oft crammed full

Of poisonous error, blackening every page;
And oftener still of trifling, second-hand
Remark, and old, diseased, putrid thought;
And miserable incident, at war

With nature, with itself, and truth at war;
Yet charming still the greedy reader on,

'Till done, he tried to recollect his thoughts,
And nothing found but dreaming empuless."

There are many individuals in this City and vicinity who can write well, and who do occasionally give abundant evidence of their capacity in this respect. Suitable incentives and practice only, are required to mature the taste and judgment of many who hesitate to give publicity to their productions. The papers of our City, and the literary periodicals of other cities, occa

"It produces a feverish imagination, prevents the improvement of the mind, unfits it for the pursuits of business, induces a dislike to religious subjects, benumbs the conscience, and prompts to deeds of licentiousness."-Dunn.