The Sun.
London, England, 1825-01-14 00:00:00

GRAND CANAL OF AMSTERDAM.

Great Britain may be justly said to have taken
the start of every country in Europe, as regards
the construction of national works, combining
utility with vastness of design. The Plymouth
Breakwater, in magnitude of conception, utility,
and laborious execution, unquestionably surpass
the celebrated Cones of Cherbourg. Our Cale-
donian canal we have been in the habit of con-
sidering as unrivalled in extent and dimensions,
berg capable of bearing a large frigate from the
German Ocean to the western side of Scotland, but
the new oanal of Amsterdam, forminga communica-
tion from the ocean to that great commercial city,
exceeds in depth and dimensions any similar work
in Great Britain. We have been favoured with
copies of the following letters from one of the
most eminent mercantile houses in Europe, de-
scribing the course and extent of this canal, with-
the estimated rates and charges of navigation, &c.
A 44-gun frigate appears to have already made
the passage with success—and from this state-
ment, it also appears there is sufficient capacity
for even a ship of SO guns. The projected canal
from Ptirtsrnouth is calculated for ships of the
line, and if executed, might vie with this canal
of Amsterdam, in depth and width, and in length
would exceed it in the proportion of 100 to 50
miles.—(Morning Chronicle.)
"AMSTERDAM, DEC. 21.—The canal from this city to
Nieuw Diep (the harbour of the Texel roads, and a most ex-
cellent one) was opened last week, and his Majesty's frigate
Bellona, of 44 guns, performed the voyage in 4s dark, short,
and cleady days, drawn by horses. At the outset she had
twelve horses, hut afterwards less. She drew sixteen feet, but
was neither-masted nor tackled, as she is to be fitted out at the
new arsenal at the Nieuw Diep. During her voyage she met,
in the canal, a Dutch Bataviaman, the Christina Bernadina,
Captain Zyletraa, coming up to this city. These vessels passed
each other without the slightest difficulty. The latter was,
on Saturday evening, at Purmevend, a town at three leagues
distance from this, where she is still detained by continual
storms; she has been: drawn by six horses. This first essay
has succeeded beyond the most sanguine expectation, and
has proved to demonstration that the said *channel will be of
the greatest benefit to our trade anti navigation, as, in the fa-
vourable season, the largest merchant ships, drawing fifteen
or sixteen feet and more water, will be enabled to come into
our harbour, at a very small expence without any risk, and
in two or three days, without breaking bulk. Even in the
worst season the passage will always he practicable, but of
course with some more detention and trouble. At present
one horse pada only is ready, and not even well finished, on
one of the banks. Next spring there will be one on both
sides; and there will be in attendance two powerful steam-
boats to tow up vessels, so that every facility will be afforded.
You know under what disadvantages we hitherto laboured, by
the expence and trouble attending the lighterage from the
Nieuw Diep, and the general complaint of the captains to be
compelled to abandon their vessels, in order to transact their
business here. All 'those obstacles arc now removed, as also
the almost unavoidable risk of pilferage, when a cargo is to be
transhipped by lighters. The navigation on the canal, which
has, at the narrowest place, a width of 120 feet, is liable to no
risk whatever ; and it passes through a low. and populous.
country, where all sorts of assistance can be procured, if wanted.
—There are in it 5 large luck; having the dimensions of. an
80 gun man,of-war. The length of the canal is near 50 Eng-
limit miles. The tariff of charges net yet positively fixed, but
is estimated at 100 f. far a loaded ship of 300 tons."
" A atsTEß:iiaai, Jas. 7, 1825.—The tolls on the channel
to the Nieliw Diep are not yet positively fixed, but we have full
reason to hope that they will not exceed :10f. to 35f. for a vessel
of 300. tons ; shortly-a tariff for the hire of horses will be pub-
lished, and the cosi of one from the Nietiw Diep to this will not
exceed 9f. In the good season we think that a vessel of that
size will want traly five horses, and easily perform the distance
in two days. Foreign vessels will most likely want a pilot, or
rather a man accustomed to the navigation in a channel, and ec-
quainted with the locality. his wages are as yet undetermined.
but cannot exceed 10f. to 20f., so that the charges will stand
thus:—
Surmised amount of tolls -35 f.
Five horses, at OE each -45 f.
A pilot -15 f.
Small charges, fees, &c. sf.

About -109 f.
" The tolls of the locks are to he taken according to the ton-
nage of the vessel, without any distinction as to the nature of
the cargo, the construction, or the draught of water.
Towards the latter end of this summer, a large steam-boat
of 60 horse power will be in attendance at the Nieuw Diep,
chiefly destined for towing up large vessels from the Texel
Roads into that harbour, and likewise for bringing them out
into the North Sea. This will afford a great facility to all sorts
of vessels, and in some instances this steam-boat 'nay likewise
be employed for towing large ships through the channel, but
for those of middling size-horses arc evidently cheaper.
" It is eccessary that foreign Captains should guard against
the interested information and advices they will get at the
Helder, respecting the navigation through the channel. It is
evident that all the inhabitants of that place will do the utmost
to persuade the Captains to stay there with their vessels, and
therefore it is essential they should be instructed not to take any
determination, nor to engage lighters before having received
instructions from their correspondents in this city, as well as
not to place too much confidence in the information they will
get on their first arrival at the Nieuw Diep."

LEGAL CONSEQUENCES OF A MINOR SERVING
ON A PETIT JURY.—A discovery has lately been
made, the effects of which will be to let loose
again upon society two noted thieves who were
tried and convicted in the High Court of Justi-
ciary in Scotland in the month of December
last, viz.:—Hugh Moses and Alexander Mackay;
the former of whom was ordered to be trans-
ported for fourteen years for theft ; and the
latter to be executed for housebreaking. We
are credibly informed, that neither of those sen-
tences can be carried into effect—inasmuch as it
has since been discovered tha one of the Jurors
who sat on both trials was at the time under the
age of twenty•one years.

Chows.—The American farmers have the fol-
lowing refined method of destroying their crows.
—Soak a few grains of Indian corn till they be-
come soft, then with a needle run a long horse-
hair through each grain, and strew them about
your fields ; this will, in a short time, rid you of
the crows' melodious notes, together with their
depredations. They swallow the grain, but the
hair being long, one end remains in the throat
and mouth, which causes such a titillation, that
they scratch out their own eyes in the exertion to
extricate it. Gray Peas, probably, would be
round to answer .the same purpose in England.