Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-06-07

wi'.io short distances, which, In England
ali some o.her countries, forms the prin
c pai support OF artificial roads aud canals.
With few exceptions, canals particular
iy, cannot in America be undertaken with
a view scleiy 10 the intercourse beiweeD
the Two extremes of, and al,ng the inter
media,e ground which they occupy. 1t S
Necessary. la o, der 10 be productive, thai
the canal should open a communication
with natural extensive navigatior which
will Cow through that new channel. i,
follows that whenever that navigation re-
ouires TO be improved or when it might
a. some distance be connected by another
canal TO another navigation, the first canal
will remain comparatively unprodu6tive,
until he other canal is also complete d..
Thus the intended canal between the Oh !.
sapeake and Delaware, viii be deprived f
the additional bench! arising from he in.
tercourse between New York and the Che
sspeake, until AN inland navigation, shall
have been opened between the Delaware
and New York. Thus the expensive ca.
pals completed around the fails of Poo
mac will become more and more produc
tive in proportion TO the improvement, first
of The river. and then Of its communication
with the western waters. Some works al
ready executed are Improbable, many
more remain uninterrupted, because their
ultimate produchvens S depends on other
improvements, ,on extensive or too distant
10 he embra ced BY the same individuals.
The general government can alone re.
mGVc these obstacles,
With resources amply sufficient for the
completion of every practicable improve.
ment, 1t all! always supply the capital wan
ted for any work which il may undertake,
as fast as the work itself can progress, a
voiding thereby the ruinous loss of inter.
est OH dormant capital, and reducing the
real expense 10 its lowest rate.
With these resources, and embracing
the whole union, il will complete on any
given line all The Improvements, however
distant, which may BE- necessary to render
the whole productive, and eminently be
neficial.
The early and Efficient aid of the fede
raj government is recommended by sill
more important considerations. The in.
conveniences, complaints, and perhaps
dangers, which may result from vast ex.
tent of territory, can no otherwise be rEdi-
caily removed, or prevented, than by open
ing speedy aud easy communications thro'
AL It's pa,ts.--Good roads and canals, will
shorten dsta ces, facilitate commercial
and personal intercourse, and uniIe by
still more intimate community, OF in
terests, the most remote quarters of the
Uoited States. No other single operai
on, within the power of government, can
more effe9dally tend to streng hen and
perpetuaie that union, which secures ex.
ternal independence, domestic peace, and
internal liberty.
With that view of The subject, the facts
respecting canals, which have been collec
ted IN pursuance of the resolution of the
senate, have been arranged under the fol
lowing heads:
|. Great canals, from north to south,
along The Atlantic sea Coast.
Q. Communications between the Allan
tic and western waters.
8. Communications between the A la. |
tic waters and those of the great lakes
and river ST. Lawrence.
a. Interior canals.
GREAT CANALS, ALONG THE ATLANTIC |
SEA COAST.
The map of the United States will show
that they possess tide water inland navi.
ga,ion, secure from storms ard enemies,
and which, from Massachusetts 10 the |
southern extremity Of Georgia, is prime !
pally, if not solely, interrupted by four
necks Of land. These are the isthmus of
Bsrns:abIe that part Of New Jersey, which
extends from he Rarilon to the Delaware
the peninsula between the Delaware and
the Chesapeake and hat low and mar
shy tract which deyides the Chesapeake |
from Albemsrle sound is ascerlained
that navigation for sea vessels, drawing
eight feet of water, may be effected across
the three last; and canal is also believed |
to be practicable, not perhaps across the
isihmus of Barnslable, but from the harbor
Of Boston to that of Rhode Island. The
Massachusetts canal would be about 26, |
the New Jersey about %, and each of the
two southern about 30 miles in length |
making altogether less than 100 miles.
Should this great work, the expense Of
which, ss will hereafter be shewn, is est
mated at about Three millions Of dollars,
be accomplished, sea vessel entering the
FIRST canal in lhe-harbOr Of Boston, would
through the bay Of Rhode Island, Long
Island sound, and the hafbor of N. York,