The Virginia Gazette

The following piece was designed for last week's paper, but came too late to hand.

To the PRINTER.

I HAVE seen, in the Gazette of the 27th ult, a piece signed A Planter, wherein he hopes to be excused for an endeavour to throw light on the subject of moving Shockoe and Byrd's warehouses. Here I cannot help observing, that had he thrown light on the debate that may arise, it would have been commendable, but all impartial men must apprehend that the way to convey light is to declare truth only, and never to urge erroneous representation, or fallacious information; or truth is the light. But to endeavour to mislead the community, to the disadvantage of a considerable body, for the interested views of perhaps the planter, or a few of his particular friends, is darkness. And as I look upon myself entirely disinterested, except that I live above those warehouses, I think it my duty to set forth facts as they really are. I agree with the planter that all expenses on the exportation of any commodity, either depreciates its value to the maker, or enhances it to the consumer.

He tells us the warehouses may be set above the creek, on higher ground than we have hitherto known the water to flow, though, says he, at a great distance from the river; but at Rocket's, he observes, there is land sufficiently high to build any kind of house out of danger from water. In the first place he intimates that the land at Shockoe is not equally out of danger with that at Rocket's. In the next place he is mistaken in the land above the creek being at a great distance from the river, and forgets to mention the distance of the high land at Rocket's from the wharf, that never yet could be made to stand. The land at Shockoe, where the warehouses may now be set, is as much out of danger as any land on the river, where there are warehouses; and instead of being mountainous, broken, and difficult of access, the case with Rocket's, it is, after an easy ascent, level, and near the river. I think it very necessary that the planter should produce his authority for tobacco's being carted to and shipped from Rocket's, for want of water at Shockoe wharf. I have made trial enquiry, and cannot learn any such thing, but on the contrary, that tobacco has been carried off from that wharf in twelve hogsheads fast as usual: and from the wharf to the channel of the river, where there are eight warehouses that there are less carting or difficulty from fleet water, is not above 300 yards. There are few between which and the main land runs a large sluice of the creek. Opposite those warehouses is an island, between three. I shall say a little more of the water and though and, in time of an unparalleled fresh, water, in the driest season. This water causes the creek, should lodge in any part thereof, as soon as the river falls to its ordinary height, the stream washes away the mud and below low watermark, as at present, and leaves at least four feet water to the wharf, where the tide rises. I understand his relation of the merchants offering security to keep the creek open, proceeds from hearing some one make use of the expression in common conversation made use of from a sense that the passage to the wharf (it being an expression frequently used) and was then and will always clear its passage to the river. He informs us the greatest objection to the warehouses being fixed at Rocket's, is the extraordinary expense that would accrue by the land carriage, which, to use his expression, though he tells us the river freight will be proportionably less. I suppose it never occurred to the Gentleman, He may make the observation that one of the few of his opinion has best said, that when a planter is bringing down his tobacco, a mile further makes little difference; but if we reflect that the greatest part of the tobacco brought to those warehouses, comes down the river within 6 miles of Shockoe by water, and that the maker employs waggons to bring it from thence to those warehouses, the moving of which one sixth further will certainly add to the expense of bringing; but listen to the waggoners. They say they cannot carry it to Rocket's for one sixth more; for the road from Shockoe to Rocket's is difficult. They can make two loads a day, or one load, and bring three hogsheads, but if they go to Rocket's, they think it out of their power (as there are hills in the way) to bring three hogsheads, or make two loads a day. This additional expense, in my opinion, will be one shilling per hogshead, which the planter must pay, and effectually feel. But what will those planters say who bring their tobacco by land, to the warehouses, suppose at Rocket's, and when they get to Shockoe, where they might do their business if the warehouses were there, they are stopped by the creek, if a high tide is therein, or a fresh in the river. They must remain on expenses until it subsides, pay ferriage, or go 5 or 6 miles round to head it; and it often happens that the creek is impassable, but in boats, several days together. When he told us the river freight would be proportionably less, I think he ought to have mentioned the usual freight of goods to Rocket's, and to Shockoe; but what must he think of himself, or the public think of him, when it can be made appear by those concerned, that the freight of goods to or from Shockoe and Rocket's, is the same. With the same degree of propriety he might have urged their being moved to Warwick, and there a ship could have taken tobacco from a wharf; but had the legislature considered the convenience of ships only, why did they erect warehouses at Petersburg, instead of City Point? Or why did they build them at Cabin Point, and cause them to be moved from Hood's, on the river, to Noble's, up a creek, and many other like places? Why? Because it relieved the planters from land carriage, which is, as I before observed, far more expensive. A great saving to the country. I will make another observation on Rocket's, with its advantages. As there is no restriction where a person shall ship off any kind of commodity, except tobacco, why has so little been shipped from thence, or so few goods received there? Houses for the reception and delivery of every kind of commodity were at Rocket's, until the late fresh carried them away, and yet the quantity received or delivered there was very trifling, in comparison to those received and delivered from Shockoe, owing to the expense and difficulty of getting them to or from there, The merchants are satisfied with the warehouses at Shockoe, from a knowledge that were they at Rocket's, the freight between it and any where below, would be the same as from Shockoe. The planters are well pleased that they should be set in safety there, from a sense of their getting as much for their tobacco, &c. there, as at Rocket's, or any other warehouses on the river. Then how can that planter expect to be excused who attempts to injure, I presume to think, better planters than himself, and more especially should he persevere in petitioning the House to move them to Rocket's by a few who, perhaps, do not carry 200 hogsheads annually, to the warehouses, while they avoid setting forth the sentiments of the makers of upwards of 4000 hogsheads who live above. I am, also,

A
PLANTER.