THE CONNAUGHT JOURNAL Galway, Monday, July 5, 1824 STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH AMERICA We gave, in our last, an account of a very interesting Meeting at the Crown and Anchor Tavern on this matter, of which men of high rank and talent- namely, the Marquis of Landowne. Mr. Rice, and others, and Mr. Nimmio too, the Government Engineer, took a prominent part.- Of the practicability of the plan the public will judge, and it must derive high sanction from the above names; it must also be obvious that, if practicable, the importance of facilitating the communication with the New World must be of the greatest interest both to Government and the Commercial interests of Great Britain. But what we wish now more particularly to remark, is, that Galway, not Valentia, is unquestionably the Port most suitable on the Western Coast for such communication, should it take place. A noble Bay, without any bar to clog its entrance to the largest vessels-deep, extensive and well sheltered by the islands of Arran, secure of ingress and egress at all hours- a populous town and neighbourhood, with a Trade capable of great increase- the Harbour extending to the very bosom of the Atlantic, yet distant only, one hundred and four miles from Dublin, or less than a day's journey-with a Mail Coach Establishment, a Canal Coach too, and the Grand Canal extending within 30 miles of it, and likely to be continued to Galway-these are some of the advantages possessed by this place. As to Coals, it is will known they are at a cheaper rate then at almost any Port on the Western Coast, for this reason, that the exports of Corn so greatly exceed the imports, that Coals are necessarily brought in large quantities instead of ballast, to cheapen the outward freight of Corn. Hence, at a pound or a guinea a ton, or less, any quantity of Coal would be contracted for and supplied by the merchants here. Neither should we forget the opinion of the late RICHARD KIRWAN, that the County Clare is, in many places, a great land of Coal, and, in point of fact, at this moment a great deal of culm, which is believed usually to be contiguous to, or the superstratum of coal mines, is brought from Malbay to Galway, even in the rude manner of working it at present. In this age of mining, therefore, why should not this attract attention in case of such an arrangement, and be made, perhaps, to supply abundance of fine coals? Would it not, at least, be worth the trial? However, even without this, the advantages of Galway are so obvious beyond any other Port, that they must, even on the map, strike the Committee, and with such men as we have mentioned, fair play cannot be doubted. We are happy to learn the Chamber of Commerce are about to make an immediate and strong representation of this subject. Galway has already, a tried and eminent friend on the Committee in Mr. Spring Rice. We need not observe on the many advantages to this Town of making Galway the point of communication. It would make it a thoroughfare for business-create trade-give life, intelligence, activity, to all our resources- develope our natural advantages- and, aided by the other measures now happily in progress to restore their rights and the management of their own affairs to the people of Galway-would conspire to make the present auspicious time a new era, indeed, here. Cathy Joynt Labath Ireland Old News http://www.IrelandOldNews.com/