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

KEPORT.
Ihe secretary ofthe treasury. in obedience 10
me resofa'fon Of he senate oftbe I'd March,
1907, res1'ectfxAy submits he foAoq,ine.
reforf on roads and canals.
ne general utility Of artificial roads and
canals, IS at this time so universally ad.
mI'ted, as hardly TO require any aGdiiionai
PROOFS. II 10 sufficiently evident that,
whenever the annual expense Of transpor.
'aiion on certain route in its natural state,
exceeds the interest on the &c pi al employ.
"a IN Improving the communication, and
me annual expense of transportation lex
c'us'Veiy OF the toils,) by the improved
route; The difference is an annual additi-
onai income II the nation, Nor does N
mat Gaze the general result yary, although
the tolls may not have been fixed at ars tes
Sui''Cieh' 10 pay 10 The undertakers the in~
'efest on the capual laid out. they ins
Decd when that happens, lose; bu the
community is nevertheless benefi,ed by
Inc Undertakings ne general gam is not
confined 10 The difference between the ex,
PcnseS OF the transportation of those arti
cleS which had been Formerly conveyed bv
mat route, but many which were bruuphr
10 niaikeib By other channels, will then Gnf,
new and more advantageous direction .
and those which on account OF their dis.
lance or weight could not be TRANSPORTED
IN any manner Whatever, still acquire va.
Tue, anu become clear addition IN the ma
'iohai wealth ~ hose and may other adj.
VahtsSes nave become so obvious, that in
countries possessed Of a large capital,
! where property is sufficiently secure to in.
duce individuals to lay out that CAPITA! on
permanent undertakings, and where com.
pact population crea IS an extensive com.
mercial III, ercoufse, within a sbor, distance.
nose improvements may often, in ofdinaA
~ cases, be left to individual exertion, with.
OUT any direct aid from government.
mere are however some rcumsiances.
"hlcn' whist they render the facility Of
| comm unIcatIons throughout the u. States
an object of primary importance, natural.
y check the application of private caDi.
al ana enterprise, TO improvements on a
large scale.
he price Of labor is not considered az
formidable obstacle, because whatever r.
may be, 1t equally affects the expense of
u ansporlalion, which is saved by The i'm,
ProVement, and that of efFeeiing the i'm.
provement ITSELF The want Of practical
EMO Wedge IS no longer felt: and the &C
casional influence OF mistaken local infer
es's, IN sometimes thwsrting or giving an
Improper direction to public improve.
menis, arises from The. nature of man.
and IS common to all countrten-.Tbe
great demand for capital in the u. States.
and the extent of territory compared with
the population, are, it is believed. the true
causes which prevent new undertakings.
and render those already accomplished,
less profitable than had been expected.
l. Notwithstanding the great eocresse
OF capital during the last fifteen years. the
objects Of which it is required continue To
be more numerous, and US application "a
generally more profitable han it is in Fu.
rope a small portion therefore is applied
% objects which offer only the prospect Of
remote and moderate profit. And il also
happens that less sum beng subscribed
at iirsi, than is actually requisite for com.
Dieting the work this proceeds slowly 4,
ne capital applied remains unprodu9ive
or much longer time than was necessa
" and the interest scctuine duripe IN AZ
'eriod, becomes in fact an iniuriou, adj.
ION TO the real expense Of the under,sk-
ug.
| 2 The present population oFthe United