A line to the Lakes in competition,--not with the Boston and Albany Railroad, as that is dependent upon the New York Central Railroad in a great measure for its Western freights,--but an independent line, so organized as to guard against any combination, that will force by competition the New York lines to give to the Boston and Albany and the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroads less rates, making Boston a competing point, thus securing the advantages of four competing Western lines, including the great Northern line, which must bring to our seaboard the products of the great West, and thus secure an exchange of trade that will increase the growth, and prosperity of Massachusetts, that will equal the prophecies of those who are called _visionary theorists_. It was by competition of the three great trunk lines running to New York--discriminating against Boston--that forced the removal of the sale of Massachusetts productions to that city; and it is estimated these sales amount to more than two hundred and fifty millions of dollars per annum at the present time; and the golden opportunity is now at hand to restore in a great measure the advantages lost by not having a strong and efficient line of railroad leading to the great West, in the interest of the State. THE RELATIVE ADVANTAGES OF BOSTON AND NEW YORK. The great advantages of New York arise from the fact that it is a great emporium of exportation and importation. A very large proportion of the exports of the country have been made from New York. She has gained control of the export trade--and the export trade governs the import trade. Ships go where they can find a return cargo, and merchants follow their goods. The possession of the great bulk of the export trade, has given to New York the great bulk of importations, and equally the control of the domestic trade. How can we, in Boston and Massachusetts, get our fair share of the importing and domestic trade of the country? There is but one way--by reducing the transportation tax. In many respects Boston has great advantages for the export trade. The chief exports of the country are to Europe. We are two hundred miles nearer Europe than any of the other of the great seaboard cities. We have a harbor unrivaled on the American coast for easy entrance--for depth of water--for protection from storms.