Virginia Argus — Richmond, Va., 1810-11-20 00:00:00, page 2

-i-'.ii 'i-‘ h -1 .■■aiu.’-ii?. J’V
Cnce and of fashion among u?, are ad
dicted to this vice—their pernicious
c vainpie ex-ends the praciee through
t:e couutry—what pity is it, that the
lnoble motives of obedience to Gad,
rr.d regard to man, are inadequate re
el taints on a crime which does them
no good., but is the source of incalcu
lable mischief to their fellow crea
tures.”
Perhaps the publication of these re*
marks may by possibility, under God,
be oi some use.
A. 2.
W: have been favored with a small
Pam; blet from the pen of John STuoors
Ksq. one of the Delegnes from the
county of Culpeper—of which the fol
lowing is the title page ;
t% A small Treatise on the Improvement
oj inland Navigation oj the river
Rappahaunockf and Highways jrom
the town,of l 't edricksburg% through
the county of Culpeper to the Atloun
v tains ; with, some particular details,
demonstrating the practicability oj
each—by John Strode.7’
Being desirous to communicate to
the public all the information which
may tend to promote public inaprove
uv n% we shall with pleasure publish
this pamphlet entire in the present and
our two next papers.
When we reflect how far our State
is behind those at the northward and
eastward in improving the advan
tages of nature, we cannot help ex
pressing our satisfaction that a Gen
tleman of so much experience and
talents has devoted his thoughts and
• pen to this truiy important subject—
•For allho, the work is chiefly intended
for the Rappahannock river—the gen
eral remarks as well as effect must be
beneficial to the whole State.
INTRODUCTION.
All civilized countries, more or les°,
avail themselves of the advai tnges af
•fordsd by nature, ot improving their
Highways and internal Navigation ;
this Spiiit has been greatly countenan
’ ceri in different parts ot the United
St tes, and in some parts of iht S.ate
ol Virginia.
' The great advantages of nature have
been r.o where more neglected than
in that part ot the country connected
vrihthe towns cf Frctlricksburg and
Falmouth, where, from some sad fa
tality, the roads leading up the coun
try, and the internal navigation of the
Rappahannock and its improveable
branches, have been shamefully ne
glecti d.
1 o those who might have been,
fretr. proper improvements, largely
k< uefitted, this neglect, is a most se
rious calamity ! In order to firing
those matters into view, and to ob
viate, for the future, such calamities,
the following pages have been prepar
ed, and are now most respectfully sub
mit ed to public consideration,
liy
The AUTHOR.
A small Treatise, fe?c.
TH F, c-;rri,igf of produce by canals
and b lahil raviga:ion, in the state of
Virgin:?! i rjn r< necessary— vw uld he
more bet t’ciai to the adventurers—of
grsarer ti i ity to the inhabitant-, and
uouid lie more tvsily ncCoiv.plis 1 to.
( spreia ly on the south e st side of the
tnountau -} t!j n in any other part ol
the United States—let the n tvp cfiht
v.ho'i: Union, fir m the Atlantic to
the L.ak *s be examined—observe cri
finally that ot Virginia, with all the
rivers and watets thereof, and none
«.. i ! I U>. f. „ ,1 «wv.._ t 1 r •
-- - ~ onj'auic u | 1111'
prove, men t than the Kappah*rmo.k—
ti e f'prnirg and p rfecting ok (he in
t< ni; l tiuVigi'iion ol ituuj ivuf will be
less ext i i s ve in proportion to th
public utility aud benefit to be deri
ved Irolw i , than any other in the U.
S }*?CS.
I ioiu the mouth of Unppitharnock,
w'“«jfit empties into the b.tv ufChiae
the head of its tide, at tb*
toun ot Fair*/ u'h, being about 114
mile'’, is one continued gut or charnel,
wiiho. t *hbnl«, except for a smalldis'
Uncc in l\ rt T«.b;;g i ba> ; a; d tve )
• there, the channel, in the middle, or
rather nearest to the south shote is
very good lor vessels drawing from
twelve to fourteen fe et Water, and in
aro*her instance, about three milts
telow Frediiclc-iburg, where there is
a short bar ; over this bar, vessels I
drawing more than ten feet water!
rpcnot piss j thenre it is deeper un
t l wilhin a few hundred yards of
r’redricksburg, where tl ere is another
'* r, over whieb, vessels drawing
rt ore th.m nine feet water cannot rca-1
t'\ly » .-is—both these - b: rs are of
lb b&.utiCand may be easily t!e *pen
* ' ";'*e navigation in general is so
ai d safe that it is not unusual
I6r vessel suiting that depth of wa
'
ter to be navigated up by strangers,'
without a pilot.
In sailing up this river, there opens
to the view of the p i3scnger, the
| most beautiful rich lands and highly
! improved plantations, one closely ri
sing above another—It alto abounds
with excel!e >t fishing shores and har
bours for wild foul in abundance, and
every few miles appear, one nearly
following the other, the magnificent
stats of independent citizens j—on
earth there cannot be much rc'ore de
lightful prt spects, or a more beauti
ful, rich and highly improved coun
try.
The several trading towns oft this
river ; to wit : Urbanna, Tappahaiv
nock, L-eds, Portroyal, Frederick j
borg and Falmouth, once were (every
thirrg^considered) pfogrtssing rapidlv
in trade, wealth aud population / with
inhabitants consisting cf ntetchants,
mechaiycs and persons devoted to o
thcr laudable pursuits, and particular
ly at the two last mentioned places, at
the head of tide water. These towns
would command the trade of a coun
try, both rich and extensive, if the
want of inland navigation, good roads
and some othtr causes, worthy of in»
vestigation, did net in a great mca.
sure deprive them thereof. More of
this hereafter.
This river, above the tide, is about
180 to 200 yards wide ft r about nine
miles, where it branches, one extend
ing northwardly thro* a rich highland,
well cultivated country, meandering,
it forks again about twenty miles high
er up, making the G u cl Vin*, tic
Hazie and Hcdpeman >ivers. These
forks are again divided and subdivided
meandering and watering a large coun
try, diversified with low lands, rich
hills and some very fertile plains.
The other large branch extends
south-westwardly and fcrks also a
bout twenty miles up, making the Ra
pidan and the Robertson rivers ; affor
ding a vast body ol rich, well cultiva
ted land with wealthy, reputable in
habitants, possessing fine farms. Manu
lacturing towns and villages are with
in those large branches. Th s tract
of country is called the great fork of
Rappahannock, and includes the coun
ties of Culpeper and Madison.
This river, from tide water, up its
mein body, nr.d ther.ce up its mc,*t
northern branch as far as navigation,
most probably can be extended, (tra
cing its meanders,) will measure about
eighty-five miles, and at that place
may be computed to raise about 320
feet above the level of tide water ;
there are 215 feet of that full already
rendered smooth and eddy by different
: mill dair.s, as herein after described :
I'here are moreover, favorable situa
;i-<ns lor erecting four or five more
uiiil dams, which would render smooth
and eddy 50 or CO iett more of the
i tall—leaving only 65 feet cl unoccupi
ed fall, which, divided among the dif
ferent v tcancics, between the mill seats
would be los3 than one loot to the
mile : this would be an easy, gentle
ascent, free trom danger or damage
•n descending, for boats constructed
like tho-'c used on James liver,draw
ing about 18 inches water, and carry
ing loo to 120 barrels flour, See. &c.
1 he constructing and completing a
lock at one ol ihe*e mill d.'ms may he
coinputd at about § 400 each, one with
I another ; there are three ol those da . »
| on which locks should he made, in the
j neighborhood of the author, to wit,
I Fiaucis Martin’s, Hamock Lee’s and
I Munford ii-vtiley’s ; each of which
locks, he will whtn required, under
take to make for that sum of moue .
All tl e locks at the mill dams on the
main liver and up the .most norther*,
branch, to the mount .ins, can be m d ;
1 a. the sanys exp. toe or there about,
j 1 here are at ibis time, between the
; tide water ;.nd the meur tains, an rh<
m. in river and nc rthcrn branch, ter.
»’f 'h:^t kind of null dams, and thert
appears to be favorable situations for
« rLCting live more »n dir: rent places,
mitking in the whole, fifteen.—These
i siinmt. d at 8 400 each, amount to
6000.
Locks to ascend from mill mil ra
Ct* into the bead races, bu»gffa dif
lerent rot.su uction, will cca: more ami
i scrrr of them much inue ihan others.
Hie general average expense of them
may be rated at 8 600 each. Of this
description, there are already on the
river and northern branch, not less
than five with long races or tanals,
which, at the i>bnve sum of 8 600
each, will amount to g 3000.
I he next expense of importance
will be that, in most instances, of dee
pening the bott* m ot the river, and
clearing o-it th« different tail r ices be
'ow each ffl the I* (f-.«, &c» for a pas
•age for the ascending ho ms, the ex
pense of which may he computed at
g KX) each, amounting in the whole to
the sum 0: g 8000.
In some places <n the river it n. y
he necessary to blow and remove rocks
and deepen the channel, but that will
occur but in a few instances and may
reasonably be computed at a sum not
exceeding in the whole, more than a
bout S 5C00. All. these sums added
•ogeth-.r make In the whole B 22,000,
wh<ch may be. considered the sum to
tal or aggregate of the estimated ex
pense of opening that part of the na
vigation from the tide water up to the
utmost extent ofThe improvable parts
of the northern branch of the Rappa
hannock.
Thu southern branch of the rtver at
its confluence with the north branch,
is nearly the same size—about one
hundred yards over, and extends up
from thence nearly a southwest course,
ahou,t twenty miles, where it foj ks a*
guilt into two branches, the southern
most of which is called the Rapidan
and the other is called the Robinson
river. The navigation of the southern
branch up as far as it can be extended
will be much more easily effected on
the same principles, than that of the
northern branch ; because the highest
improveable point is not so much ele
vated above the tide, and consequently
is more smooth and favorable fcr in
land navigation, and therefore the o
ptning and improving of that branch
cannot, on a reasonable estimation ex
ceed S 8000 ; which, being added to
the foregoing sums, makes the total a
mount of S 30,000.
[To be Continued.’]
Nnw-Yonx, Nov. 10.
vY e are indebted to a highly respec
table commercial house,for the follow
ling communications, from Amster
I dam.
FRENCH DECREE.
I. That all American vessel which
may arrive in the ports of France pre
vious to the 1st of November, will be
(judged under the decrees of Berlin
and Milan only, and not under any o
ther.
II. That the decree of the 23d of
March, 1810, was repealed from the
moment that the French Government
heard of the expiration of the nouju
ter course law.
III. That all American vessels
which shall net have suffered their flags
to be denationalized by submitting to
the British orders in council, shall be
received hereafter without difficulty in
the ports of France, and depart in the
same manner. *
IV. That the Emperor has given li
cences to American vessels, and that
it is the only foreign flag that has ob
tained them Sic.
V. That American vessels shall he
admitted in France whether loaded on
account of Fienchmen or Americans.
Price* of Dutch Fund*, Aug. 4.
Betavian rescriptions, no price; 3
per cent. 12 a 12 1-2; 2 1-2 per cent.
12 1.2 a 15; 6 per cent, loan of 40
millions 1807,29 3-4 a 30; 7 percent.
d«. 30 millions 1 808 ; 25 3-4 a 26 1-2 ;
6 per cent do. 20 millions 1809, 30 a
30 1 2; 3 1-2 per cent old debt, lO a
11.
Philadelphia, Nov. 12.
We might reasonably have expected
that, the arrival of the Squirrel, from
Corrunna in 32 days passage, would
have enabled us to satisfy the public
curiosity, by some authentic informa
tion resp- cling the engagement said to
have taken place in Portugal in the end
of September, between the allied and
French armies. We have carefully ex
amin'd the file of the Official Gazette
of Corunna to the 8lh ulr, which capt.
Wing, was so kind as to hand us, to
our su ’p-ise we find they contain no
information relative to this transaction.
We are notwithstanding satisfied in our
wri minds that some important con.
flict did actually take place at the time
mentioned, of the extent and issue of
hich wc fhall soon be fully inform
ed.
The Corunna Gazettes contain nu
merous details of small affairs between
the Patriots St French troops in Spair. j
rb se although of small importance I
w!:en individually consid; r« d, inform, i
that the French have numerous and
very active enemies in the very heart
of Spain. It appears that the light
troops of the patriots approach the ve
ry gates of Madrid and of the capitals
t f the other Provinces—that the* con
voys and Couriers are frequently in
tercepted and that desertion prevails j
in the Fren h army to an alarming dc
gree.
A THIRD ACCOUNT.
Ar a !at • h>ur last evening, we were
informed, that a letter h is been receiv
ed in th'» city from Curiunna, by the ,
Squirrel, which confirms the account!
of the baltle louqht betwc n the Kn-j
glish and Portuguese combined arm\
•■jn<l the French under Masscna, in
which % el liter was completely rout
cl. We have not been able to obtain
a co' y o« the letter, butwc have learn* <
ed some of its contents are that Mas. i
sena began to press forward and the <
British to fall back, and he with an in
tent to cut off their retreat to btingthc
allied army between UVo fires, detach
ed a body of 25,000 of his best troops
to attack them in the rear while he wish
the main body should take them in
front. Lord Wellington being appriz
ed of this movement immediately at
tacked the main body of the French ar
my under Massena, and completely de
feated it.
I.The account of the great battle, re
ceived by the British Consul at Cor
runna, was to be published next day.]
MORE SEQUESTRATION.
Letters from Cape Francois of the
15th ultimo, received per Spanish brig
Dolly, via Baltimore, announce 44 That I
his Highness the President Chriuophe, i
had sequestered the whole of the Ame
rican property in his dominions.”—A
la mode de Bonaparte !
V PRIVATE LETTER.
44 London, Sept. 17—Our friend Mr
arrived from France, last Satur
day. He says that Bonaparte has be
come very unpopular with those old re
volutionists, to whom he is chiefiy in
debted for his supremacy. It v'as ’re
ported, that Sieyes, Ilarras, Gregoire,
Larvaunois, Roederer, Rcubel and
Fouche had been arrested, and that
Josephine and her daughter, the late
Queen of Holland, were placed under
a guard, and no body permitted to con
verse with them* The general opinion
was that Bonaparte would not be suf
fered to tyrannize over mankind many
months lonoer.
J*lr* W. the Hiberno American agent
at Paris, said in our friend’s hearing,
that in case the American government:
refused to join Bonaparte in war a
gainsVEngland, he had menaced to de
clare all the harbors of the U. States
to be in a state of blockade. At the j
table of an Italian banker, our friend !
heard also the Councellor of Sta e1
Real, say, that at the Empress's circle !
Bonaparte had, in conversing with the !
Spanish ambassador publicly announc
ed, that he would suffer ho longer the
existence of any republic, as dangerous
to his monarchical institutions. Real ad
ded, we :oay perhaps one of these clays,
see a French king ruling the ci-dcvum
British America. To our friends in
quiry if Bonaparte would not soon re
store the seized American property,
Real, replied in laughing: Bon a preu
dre, bon a garder.”
American property in France,
A letter from JBayonnr^Bated Sept.
29,1810, says :—“ Ary friend at Paris,
writes me,” “ I send on some co
pies of your case—tlfe view which 1
have taken of the subject, could not bt j
employed by a French lawyer, and ij
made ,use of a privilege which my si
tuationas agent lor prize causes affords
to present the defence in my own name
which is duly filed and registered. It
is sojust and unexceptionable, that the
court will have no motive to condemn
this propeny, except that of its being
American ; and I hope some favorable
change will soob take place to prevent
the employment ofthi3 argument—At
this time, it is in vain to hope for a fa
vorable decision, and it is prudent not
to press, but to endeavour to protract
the trial.”
We have seen a number of letters
[from France and Spain, all of
which uniformly state, that the variety
of duties and expences, which attend
even the sale of such cargoes of Ame
rican produce as have been free from
arrest in France, amount to such an
enormous contribution of fees, as to
swallow up the whole amount.
-.
Baltimore, O. t. 13.
NEWS BY THE HORNET.
We arc informed by n g-ntlem n
who conversed with an 'intelligent pas
senger in ihe fiornet, that Gen. Arm
strong was to have sailed from Bor
deaux, for the United State*, about
the 2 I of October—that Mr. Warden,
the Consul General returned in the
Hornet| and that G n. Armstrong,
previously to the sailing of the Horne-,
had suspended all the consular functi
on^—that great irritation subsisted in
France {’gainst the American character
—that the bjarcr of dispatche*, from
Mr. Finkrey to the French Govern- 1
mrnt was not permitted to remain in
lJaris,l>ut was compelled to return on
board the Hornet; that she would cer. '
tainly have been detained under a new <
decree, if'-he h^d not beeen situated l
without the light.house at Havre, by
" hit'll means sh: w is ei iibled to escape !
its op-ration.
I ha paacetiger supposed, the F.mp<’. -
ror would r.a* cam* into effect, the '
piomised repeal oi the Berlin and ;Vii
ian Decrees. 4
File Hornet encount..re l very
vere gale9 in the Gutph Stream, anr
on the 30th October was compelled to *
brow over 9 ©r"h"r guns ard an an'
;'ao • Fed. Repj
London, 0« t. 2.
We have received the iullowiug ve.
7 interesting letter this morning.
Dur affairs seem in a melancholy con
lition every wnere. Some will say
this is the work of chance. Alas ! it
* always thus * i h ignorant men-—
their affairs are so combined, that no
good can ever come out of them.
Statesman
Jr ™
Extract of a Letter, dated Hamburg, Aug. 31.
“ I have this moment heard the
news of the king's decree, issued the
26th iDst. putting a general embargo
upon all vessels, loaded or not loaded.
This decree extends from the river
Elbe up to the western coast of Hol
stein and Schleswick, as tar as jut
land ; in all probability this embargo
will continue for a* longtime."
Extract of another, dated S*tit. 11.
The embargo which has recentlv
been laid on all the western ports of
Holstein and Schleswick; still prevails ;
aud there is not much probability of a
ay favorable change taking place .* on
the contrary, the difficulties in trade
are (tety increasing. It was yesterday
repeafcd that all colonial produce,
without any distinction, in the ports
of Mecklenburg, will be considered
as enemy’s property, and as such, con
fiscated. It is the prevailing opinion
here, that this measure will be exten
ded to the ports of Holstein, and for
tharapresent, it is impossible to effect
It is to be remarked that the last
letter which^gpnuflccs these addition
al wrongs, anil restraints on com
merce, bears date upwards of a month
after the imperial French edicts which
was to release all our difficulties.
Extract of a letter frem M-dta. dated August
6ih^ 1810. b
Lucien Bonaparte and his family,
Madam B. sivfcn children, and a re
tinue, altogether' upwards of 40 per
sons, were brought here on the ^3d
inst* by capt. Joa: rtc, oi the Poitiuue
frigate, who found them on board mx
American vessel off Cagliari, in Sar
dinia, a few clays back, where they had
been 8 or 9 days endeavoring to be al
lowed to land, but which they were
peremptorily refused. It seems they
embarked atCiviia Vechia, in the Ro
man States, about three weeks ago. He
gives out, that j* he ha3 refused to di
vorce his wife, become king of Rome
and marry his daughter [about 15
years old, and now here with the rest
of his children] to Ferdinand VII, of
Spain, he has been exiled from the
continent of Europe, and that he in
tends proceeding to America.
Genefal Oakes waited on him yes
terday forenoon, and informed him,
that as he wished to land, he should
be provided with accommodations in
fort R iscasoli, where both himself and
family would be treated xvith every
attention, but that of course he must
be considered as a prison r of war.
He is, we learn, to remain here until
directions from home shall be received
about him.
From the Baltimore American.
GLEANINGS.
From, the London Courier of October 4.
General de VValtersdotf is the new Dax
rush minister to Pans. Letters <rom the
late Count Person H 1205 and l';05 ro *|;e
new deposed km* of Sweden, adminz to
return with his armies to Sweden and ^re
nomce h,s alliance w,th E .gland, wire
published .n Stockholm the latter end of
%V'pt. Jr letter frbm Gibraltar of Sent 7.
states that upwards of 1100 French d' ser
^ .1 a , 1 u,,t garrison .n one
month. A terrible eruption of Mount Vc
suv.us took, place on the 13th aud 14.h of
Aept, lust; the neighboring Village of He*
sioa nerfowly csc .p <1 desnuct.uo by the
lava flowing t ierelr. m. Lord G. Stuart is
expected tobe removed fiom the govern
n.e.it of Helgoland. Che French brig
200A'ivrnturier. burthen
cotton, cofl e anti Indigo, irom the I it* of
Houibor. lor France was canned into Fly*
mouth on the 1st Oct. a prize to a British
JL"?/ W* l ne prize sailed Irorn
Bourbon July 7, on which day t it Frenri,
captain sta caihatthe Kngliah had male a
descent or, the island. Fhe British tr> *ve
Lively of ;6 guns w.*, loat near Malta a
boot the 20th August last. The B..u>u
nga.e Unite, }s 6tutrd to have captured a
gun French frigate in the Me J*terr 1
fiean. Several s ore Homes at Corunna
were tired by an incendiary, which ihrca -
:ned the whole town wuh destruction. File
ire was extinguish t!, the nice -.diary e >ca
jet* ant* ,,J<“ ceuttnrl on duly was tried jy
1 court man hI and ordered 1.,r iu,u,rdt.ua
xccution. 1 wo .saiss ro-nents i, ,va
irrtved in FWigUud Imm Lisbon, v/ho had
/eru two y:* .r* in the French uerv ce, and
h verted for wunt 0; p a/ and clothing. Ac*
nunts in London from Tooottigrn of Sept,
'* * *ay lh;»t »he object in I tying the e-V^g
targo in the we,tern part of lbnm .fl;
i"g 1 uled, the measure wa* abandoned -
hat r,^wch garnsui s were expec.ei »t
-.envoi an:! K. at.$-burg-—and t.b »i ib king
ii Dennvur k had tefu-tjj-er nnimn to imss
• r u/:, j ,jy c| prc:)cl lr ,
’ ''1 ' *'* limn-.': , b>r the o»icn.v-'>te
iCrpose o. UlC Swedci ty regain