The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-02-04 00:00:00

•' ~.iV..i'S~. - _

AMRRJCA.

The followin: is an ncegunt of the progress and
consequences of the internal navigation of Ame..l
riot, so interesting to the geographer and states-I
man of that Republic :
" The middle section of the Wegteru Canal, including
a lateral can,' to Salina, and rouipt4ing a distance of
more than ninety-six wiles' lus been completed. On'
thet3croTiVtober last, IteCOtiainissloners navigated it
from Utica to Rowe, sod found their must sanguine ex-1
ecteitions redized in the celerity, economy, and excel-
knce of the execution ; and on the 34th November, the
Champlain Canal was also, in a navigable state. In less'
than two years and fire months 120 miles of artificial
navigation have been finished ; and thus the physical, as
stiff a 1 finakeldi practicability qf waitiag the waters oil
the Western and Norther* Lakes with the Atlantic.
fteeaa,has been established bsyiad the reach of doubt *r
earl!.

• • • • • • •
" Under a full persuasion that the honour and pros-
perity of the State imperiously demanded the completion
of the whole of this great wear, atsd that if we are just to
ourselves and to posterity, it will be effected in five years.
I am happy to assure you that the decided and prudent
measures of the Canal Commissioners in October last,
are its full arcordauce with these impressions. At that
Meeting they directed that portion of the Western Sec-
tion which extends from the Seneca river to Rochester 1
on the Uenesse river, and that portion of the Eastern ~
Section which commences at the eastern termination of '
the Middle Section, and reaches to the east side of the i
Little Falls, to be markeduut as part of the Ureat Wes-1
tern Canal, and to be contracted for as such; and con-
siderable progress has been already made in these Im-
portant operations.
" The whole length of the Western Section is about
one hundred and sixty-three miles, and of the Eastern
about ninety-seven; and notwithstanding the disparity
of the distance, it is estimated that the expellee of each
will be about the same, making, in the aggregate, four
:millions of dollars. 'I he completion of the Middle Sec:.
tiou has already opened markets for a fertile and exten-
sive region. 'the expense of carrying a barrel of flour
hy land to Albany from the country about the Cayuga
' Lake, was more than twice as much as the exportation
of one from New York to Liverpool ; and the difference
between the former and the present cost of conveyance
will not only remunerate the manufacturer, hut afford
.in inrreased compensation to the agriculturalists, inde-
pendently of the rise of the commodity in value, front
its being fornislwri with a good market.
" It is believed that our Atlantic country will soon he
supplied with salt front the west, damper than from
.broad, and the revenue from the salt-works, appro-
,.riated to the construction of the canal, already exceeds
Ws most favourable estimates, and 'hews conclusively
, .ie importance of this communication to the acrommo•
istion of a vast country. In the progress of the canal,
x)psutu of the best quality has been discovered ; anti it
. ascertained that this region contains a sufficient
tiantiti of this invaluable mineral for the supply of the
1 bole United States. Ifevetofore, the principal itigre-
tient' of hydraulic owner were procured at a great ex-
sense from abroad for the construction of locks ; but a
' species of linieMosie has been fonnd, dispersed over the
aholtreowntec. admirably adapted for water cement, and
entirely superseding the necessity of a foreign supply.
Stone for the construction of leeks, culverts. bridges, and
aqueducts, is also found in abundance: and it is confidently
believed, as well from the geological character of this rm
giou as from.iarions other indtcations, that coal will be
iiimeoevisil nesply sufficient for domestic uses and menu-
facturiog establidwaents. The animation which this
eovii, In its present unfinished state, has given to our
uteri**, trade, cannot be •duly appreciated without the
iiiyantagesdf personal observation ; nor can all its bless-
•ngs be realised or displayed, until years of experience
have passed away.
" It is a ,abject of high felicitatiod to observe the
•nergies of our sister States directed in a similar way
o the pr. motion of the general prosperity. The Ca-
rolinas end Virginia have adopted wise and vigorous
iteasares for the advancement of inland COMIIIOIIjO4.
•ion ; and some of the western States have been equally
leaded and public-spirited. An union of the waters of
the Illinois river and Lake Michigan, anti a coonectioh
between fake Erie and the Ohio, in the direction of
Sandusky and Scioto rivers. are seriously contem-
plated. While measures so honourable to our si•-
ser States must always command our best wishes,
. mil secure our highmt approbation, let us be deeply
impressed with the importance of attending to improve-
ments of a similar character. Communications between
the waters of Lake Ontario and the Western Canal : be-
tween the River St. Lawrence and Lake Champlain ; and
between the Sesquehannah River and Seneca lake, will.
accommodate important and respectable portions of ,our
*puiation, deserving, as well front their enterprising
industry as public spirited character, every attention from
the Uovernment. The improvements of the Oswego
River; the establishment of a harbour at Buffalo; and
the draining of the Cayuga Marshes, Imre received that
consideration which was due to subjects so worthy of the
favourable attention of the Canal Coinniiesioners ; and
the remits of their measures will be communicated to
you as loon as possible."
The above flrittering account of the advances to-
wards perfectioninz the commerce of North Ame-
'riot, n.ade part of the speech of his Excellency De
'Witt Clinton on opening the Session of the State
!Legislature, at Albany, the 4th ult. Governor
Clinton perceives defects in the Constitution of the
State, and therefore recommend; e reform in the
-Council. He acts in a manner diametritally oppo-
' site to our Statesmen, and in conformity to an old,
vulgar, but excellent maxim, viz. that " a stitch in
, lime saves nine." Governor Clinton is of the opi-
r f pion of the Marquis of Beeearia, that a mild system
of criminal jurisprudence is the best preventive of
crimes.
" We have (lie says) the satisfaction of knowing, that
oar mild system, with all its imperfections, is better
adapted to promote the ends of criminal justice, than
the sanguinary code which formerly disgreced our I
Country. In no country in the world are there fewer
'tubbenes, armies and murders. than in this: and our
.observation has shown, that while it is impossible to
extirpate crimes. it is possible to diminish their number,
end to mitigate their fetocity."

argaritta, that the Independent frigate Victory, of 32
guns, Brine's Aag ship, sunk at Panapata, while i. the
.►ct of heaving down, and carried along with her a brig
of war into such a depth of water, that it is thought
they cannot be hove up again.

Dec. s.—The Governor-lleurral of Cararcas has this
morning arrived here from Li tiurra in an open boat.
cronot conjecture the cause of fiis arrival.
J ssi sica, (Port Royal), Nov. 13.—The Rover touched
at Tnrk's Island on Tuesday, at which piare Captain
Harvey learnt, tbat the brig Navigator, Shea, from Hali-
fax to this port, with a cargo of fish, had been lost about
14 slays previous on Bottletreek, ((hand Caicos.) Part
of the cargo was saved and taken to that island, where
Captain Shea was at the time the Rover sailed. Capt. Har-
vey was also informed that a brig, "opposed to be the
Aurora, from Bermuda to St. Vincent', with a cargo of
lumber, had been upset, as part of the stern of a vessel.
with a letter A. had drifted on shore at the north-east
point of the brand Caicos.—The brig Susan, Terre, of
this port, was lost about six weeks ago, in Mumfingo
Bey, near Porto Bello. It is said, that her stores
were plundered by the Spaniards. while her crew were
distributed on the different keri in that hay ; three of
them arrived in the Bearer ; they state, that the Susan
being leaky, was hove tlown, when the Spaniards at-
tacked her, and •tbe crew deemed it necessary to sink
her. Captain Terry had previously gone to Porto Bella,
to procure some pitch. and other articles to repair his
vessel, where he was detained, and two schooners sent
to hiring the brig in; and on their attacking her, she
was accordingly destroyed.—The schooner Toting Bril-
liant, Crissou, which sailed from Nassau, N. P., for
Atiatto-hay, on the 4th ult. unfortunately went on a
bank, oil Stocking Island, ten days after; crew saved,
and the vessel, it is expected, will be got off.—The Jane,
Brown, from this island, for tilasgow, got on shore
about a mile to the westward of Nally-head; the cargo
Is expected to be saved, but the vessel will be lost.—The
Libertatlor, and a Spani.4h brigantine, her prize, were
taken possession of on !Wortley morning last, by the.
Wasp. without any resistance being made. The privateer
is in a very crippled state, her main-mast being shot
through, and her fore-mast much hurt, in attacking
Muasinello de Cuba.