Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-03-10
FOR THE ARGUS.
CONCERNING THE. JAMES RIVER ca
NAL.


so many respectable signatures and affida-
Wits, ought, and without delay, to commu-
nicate with tide water by the means of
Locks. The book lust alluded to has been
published for a different purpose. The
reader has seen in the last paper the ar
guments which are therein relied upon, and
lie shall presently see what are my rea-
Isons for supporting contrary opinions.
1t ought to be a sufficient answer to say,
that the charter, by which the company is
constituted, requires the communication.
THE company, or their agents, therefore
have no reasonable pretence for soliciting or
cxpecting from the Legislature relinquish-
Iment of any part of their contract, unless
they will also relinquish correspondent be-
Inefts. They saw that it would be cheaper
TO remove the articles of trade from the
Basin by the means of drays-than through
the locks which will be necessary to COM
plete the communication and they have
! endeavored to support this delusion by some
detailed calculations, as to time, water, hire
of hands, Sc. in passing through so many
locks; and then they crown the whole by
Ideclaring that such boats, as are used in
bringing produce down James River, cannot
/ be employed either with safety or profit in
! the navigation on tide water. Now as this
is the only thing relevant to the question in
which we agree, it is proper that the di-
rectors should have, for it, all the credit
which it merits. We agree then that the
! long sharp boats which will contain from
six to ten or twelve hogsheads of Tobacco,
ought not to be used in navigation lower
than the Basin and they Immediately draw
conclusions upon this unanswerabie hypo-
thesis and say-thdt therefore, The coDsmu=
nication with tide zvater by the means Of
h, he nd
strate (perhaps truly that it will, in the
lend, cost less to remove the Tobacco, Flour,
sc. by drays than through the locks in these
small boats.
The Legislature of Virginia have acted
upon this subject at several times, and al
though they have not yet ventured to reln-
quish this inestimable right and claim, yet
they have given IL years of respite, so that
the directors might in the mean time fatten
upon the gains obtained by the sacrifice of
public interests.
4 Ii is not here my intention to controvert
the accuracy of these statements-but
will ask, by what rule of reason or Justice,
the COMPANY can require of the Amherst
and Bedford planters, certain rate per
lhogshcad, for the benefits of passage IN
tide water, when it shall cost, for remov-
ing each hogshead from the stopping place
l.
question, the law contemplated water carri-
age all the way--aDd if the defective work
Operates against every hogshead of Tobacco
at the rate of 2s. each, then the rate oftoll
d. for the use of the Canal ought to be redu-
ced accordingly.
But ] am not only opposed to these chan
ges, or any others which may tend to des-
troy the original design-but firmly be-
lieve, that the communication with tide
water may be made by the means oflocks
and boats in way which viii render those
Ideluding calculations, which have been AL
ready noticed, entirely nugatory ard Chi
merical.
The calculations of the directors have
been made in relation to the boats which
are used in bringing the produce over the
Shoals, and TO suit the narrows and cur
rents of James River. These boats are long,
sharp and light, and generally carry ten
lhogsheads of Tobacco, so or 90 barrels OF
Flour or equal weight in something else
The size and burthen of these boats cannot
be increased to advantage. They sill there
, fore be continued as they are. These boats
. are totally disqualified for encounterins
winds when they can operate upon large
body of water, nor would the small freight
which they contain compensate the hire o.
hands on tide water. No calculation there
fore onght ever be made upon the passage
of these boats into tide water. The Car
goes which they carry TO the Basin ought
to be there delivered and otherwise dispo-
tsed of.
So far agree with those, who oppose
the communication by locks with tide water
but agree in nothing more they say that
1.-THE produce ought to be thence conveyed
by drays and carts, and endeavor to OBJ
scure every other mode which has beer
suggested. plan has been proposed OIL
conveying the property by an inclined plain
commencing at the Basin and terminating
at some place convenient to tide water
but this has been successfully opposed by
the many difficulties which will attend it
but there is another plan, which appears tc
me, not only practicable, but will fully an.
swer all the objections of tie opponents &C
further communication, and satisfy the
desires Of those who insist upon its fulfil.
ment.
The Locks ought to be constructed so a.
to receive and give passage to boats or ilat
= bottomed vessels, which will carry 100 OF
/. 40 hogshcads OF Tobacco-these vessels
3. might be brought with their Cargoes intC
e the Basin, where they might be dsChar
4 ged, and received into the adjacent lumber
t houses they might also receive, their re
= tuTn-cargOes at the same time. BY these
means 100 hogshead Of Tobacco, could b'
p conveyed to tide water, ut no more expense