The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-08 00:00:00

ILLINOIS AND MLSSISSIPPI CANAL.

We make the following extracts from the preliminary
report of J. 0. Hudnutt, chief engineer of the Illinois and
Michigan Canal Extension :
" Hitherto Chicago has looked in the main to her mag-
nificent system of railways for her channels of traffic to
the West and North. Nor has she looked in vain, for they
have accomplished wonders for both country and city.
" The shipments of grain to Chicago over the line of the
railroads reaching the Mississippi River during the year
ending March 31, 1866, were as follows :—Total, flour,
barrels, about 1,000,000 ; wheat, bushels, 8,000,000 ; corn,
bushels, 17,300,000; oats, bushels, 9,000,000. Reduce the
flour to wheat measure, and wo have a grand total of about
37,100,000 bushels of grain, a saving of five cents per
bushel on which would amount to $1,850,000. Add to
this a like saving on rye, and barley, and grass seed, and
the total would fully amount to $2,000,000.
" The export eastward of grain for the time before
named was—By lake, 6,500,000 bushels wheat, 21,400,000
bushels corn, 8,700,000 bushels oats. The amount by rail
was-1,000,000 bushels wheat, 617,000 bushels corn,
1,087,000 bushels oats.

"The export of wheat was 2,000,000 bushels less than
the year before, on account of the short crop.
"A glance at our map of the State of Illinois will show us
another interest almost forgotten in our hurry-scurry for
railroad developments, and that is the lino of the Illinois
and Michigan Canal, which begins in a very good place,
viz.—in ono of our rivers, but unfortunately ends nowhere.
Notwithstanding this disadvantage, it has been quietly
doing its work, and has assisted in no mean way in build-
ing up the commerce of Chicago.
"In 1865 the canal opened ten days later and closed
nine days earlier than any of the preceding five years, and
yet the tolls amounted to more than double those of any
other of those years, owing, as the superintendent says in
his report, to the wet summer, causing high water in the Illi-
nois River. If a few thunder showers can do this much
for the business of this canal, what might it become were
the river made navigable through the entire season of open
canal. The city of Chicago has appropriated $2,000,000
to cut down the summit lever of this canal. Aside from
this interest that the city owns in this public work, the
whole improvement will belong to the State of Illinois in
a few years. The State, wo may say, then, is virtually
owner.

" In order to obtain a reliable supply of water For the sum-
mit between the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers, it was
found necessary to Lap the Rock River at Dixon, taking
from thence a feeder across the summit at Devil's Slough,
near Sheffield. By making this feeder navigable, it will
relieve the wants, long felt, of water communication from
the valley of Rock River, for that river could be improved
to its source, and, by the feeder, the whole trade of the
Rock River Valley be opened to the markets, either at St.
Louis or Chicago. This project need not interfere with
the improvement of Rock River, but may be made the
ready means of forwarding that enterprise to early com-
pletion.
" Suppose this canal completed to the Mississippi rtiv°r,
wheat could be loaded upon barges from the ware hohiso at
oog
M'Gregor or St. Paul and sent in bulk to the c
River,i
s
and
this
alloft ; heroelevateden
areh
tate boats ready to be la
oncof from barge tepdreof
Nor owl lietro
h•
merchandise for return trip.
tedcOnstruction until the
feasibilitystra"tTedhebyetnhtieresurveysOf hasoo
übreseon
ndootmh
ioung-
can be definitely told of the ofcostttoa ;
but enough is known
estimates shall have been comlipnec
just ofoo
oltih)lee ro u to
can be had. The length
by the survey that a cheap
sixty-five miles ; length of
of main canal will be aboutpronouchneemaepdileebssirilo3 miles total. The profile
feeder thirty-eight
moreo than one competent engi-
neerloo miles to construct that they
has boon
11 be very liitle rock excavation,
ever inspec •
k will all be light. The locks will be the
and the earthwork
principal
thel
Illinois to the summit the rise will be
• l part of the cost. Of those there are none on the
odr. From
erbototaho
There
fabout-e e '2lO feet Fromi the t summitfeet theo ufaltlhwu
eu
west to ocAalui Mis-
sissippi l
o-
*ppi will be pigt y-eig h
of 100 miles the lockage is about 140 feet. The Erie of
Now York has a lockage of 688 feet for 360 miles, while
the Goneseee Valley Calla], 105 miles, has a lockage of
1,067 feet. In conclusion," says Mr. Hadnutt, " let me
call attention to the fact that energetic men are about
building elevators at Cairo and at New Orleans, and
l e a
a cargoes
rapid
g
ora transit,
New
w propose to ship grain in bulk from the Upper Missis-
sippi,
move ahaovirnlegaubs,oatsthruosadyto
tnide by
pre-
venting
the heating heretofore encountered in that
hot and humid atmosphere. Now should this project
prove a success, as there is little doubt it needs no pro-
phet's vision to foresee the influence upon our commerce.
For wherever the grain trade centres, and especially at a
point of so many commercial advantages as New Orleans
Possesses, there will centre also the whole commerce of the
Mississippi.

"These facts are submitted for the candid consideration
of the people of-Illinois as well as to the citizens of her
commercial metropolis."

WEST LONDON Rowtxo CLUB.—TIIO next athletic meet-
ing of this club is fixed for Saturday, 3d November, at
13rompton Grounds, when, among other events, the club
present a valuable prize of £l5 15s. for competition in a
quarter mile handicap race, open to members of amateur
rowing and athletic clubs, the civil service, the Universi-
ties of Oxford and Cambridge, the public schools, and
officers of the army and navy. All entries clove on or
before the 27th inst., to the Secretary of the West London.
Rowing Club, 44, Pall-mall, S.W.
THE FORTHCOMING GUARDS' EIGHT-OARED MATCH ON
THE THAMES.—Friday next has been selected for tho
Eight-oared contest between the non-commissioned officers
of the Royal Horse Guards and the Scots Fusiliers, for
which the crows have been for some time in close train-
ing. The course selected is the fine reach of water from
Bray to Maidenhead Bridge. They are both fine crews,
and each deserves to be victorious. The Royal Horse
Guards' crew are the favourites, the betting being 7 to 4
upon them. The expected race is exciting great interest at
Windsor and 3, large amount of betting.