The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-06-21

4
and although the road thus laid out, be in dis
lance miles, two three s:.:ies shorter
| than tbatheretofsre in use.
| Although the distance from the sea to the prin-
cipal dividing mountain through it's whole length,
between the western sources of the Sus-
quehanna, and those Of the Savanna, be near
| ly the same, yet the Atlantic bays, penetrating
the coast at different depths, and to different d-
rections, the distances from the sea ports to the
nearest western navigable waters, vary consider
ably. Taken in straight lines from each port to
the nearest branch beyond all the mountains, of
each of the four great western rivers, they may
De stated as follows: Miles.
From Philadelphia to the confluence of
Conemaugh and Loyalhannon, branch
es of the Aiieghany go
From the City of Washington to the con-
huence of the rivers Monoagahcta and
Cheat, $50
From Richmond to Morris's on the Ka-
natpha, below all the falls of that ri
yer, s1o
From Savannah or Charleston to any ma
|. vigable branch OF Tennessee, the dis
lance exceeds 500
The distance from the same western points, to
the upper navigation of the corresponding Allan
tic rivers, be stated with precision, as the
upper points to which the navigation of those ri
vers may be improved, is not vet ascertainet-
The shortest portage between the waters of the
Potomac, and those of the Monongahela, in
their natural state, from West Point on the Po-
tomac, to Cheat river below the falls is about 1T
ty miles in straight line. But in orderto secure
toierable navigation, particularly on the Poto
mac, the route from Cumberland to Brnwnsvilic
Red Stone old for) has been preferred, and the
distance by the road lately laid out is 70 mics
The portage between the north fork of the Junia-
ia, a branch of the SusquchannalI, and the cor
responding waters OF the river Allegheny, is some.
what shorter. That between Pattonborourh on
James river, and the falls of the kanawha, ex-
ceeds onehundred miles
The most prominent, though not Ticrhaps the
most insuperablc obstacle in the navigation of
the Atlantic rivers consists in their lower falls,
which are ascribed to presumed continuous
granite ridge, rising about ICE feet above tide
'yater-Tha ridge, from New York TO James ri
yer inciusivcly, arrests the ascent of the tide ::
the falls of every river within that space being
precisely at the head of the tide Pursuing
thence southwardly direction nearly parallel to
she mountains, 1t rccedes from the yea, leaving in
each southern river, an extent of good navigati-
on between the tide and the falls. Other falls of
less magnitude are ftend at the gaps of the Blue
Ridge, through which the rivers have forced
their passage. Higher up the rapdtv of the
northern rivers, which penetrate through the in
terror ridges OF the great western chain, encreas
es as they approach the dividing or Allegheny
mountain; and their sources being nearly at the
same elevation, their rapidly encreases in pro-
portion to the shortness of their course For
that reason the navigation of the Susquehanna a.
bovc the Blue Ridge is better than that of the
Potomac, which affords has been stated, the
shortest communication from tide water to the
nearest western river. The levels of the last
mentioned river having been taken by the Poto-
mac company, the general result is annexed as
CRYING more correct idea of the navigation of
the Atlantic rivers, than could be convened I'm a..
ny other manner.