The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-11-27

Iexeeesins m the whole, more than about 3 5000
All these sums added together make in the
whole B $4,000, which may be considered the
sum total OF aggregate of the estimated expense
OF opening that part of the navigation from ithe
tide water up to the utmost extent of the i'm.
provcable parts OF the northern branch Of the
IRappah3nnock.
The southern branch Of the river at its coniiu
ence with THE north branch, is nearly the same
lsize--sbout one hundred yards over, aud extends
up from thence nearly southwest course about
twenty mites, where forks again into two BRAN
ches, the southenmost Of which is called the
NaP'dan and the other IS called the Robinson
river. The navigation of the southern branch
up as tar as It can be extended viii be much
more easily effected on the same principles, than
that OF the northern branch because the highest
imProveable poiHt is not so much elevated above
The tide. and consequently is more smooth and
favorable for inland navigation, and therefore the
opening and improving Of that branch cannot, on
reasonable estimation, exceed g 5000; which
being added TO the foregoing sums, makes the
total amount Of S $4,000
Thus the expense of opening and improving
the river and its two large branches, from tide
water up to its utmost improveable exuemitics,
as appears by the foregoing calculations 10 a.
ded into IS 100 each, will make 800 shares ;-of
these IL is probable that .h- a.s.s enc
hundred, leaving 200 to be divided among pri-
vate aJventurers TO he paid s 10 at subscribing,
or at least before the commencement of the
work, the balance quarterly, in proportion as
the work advances; under proper restrictions <
regulations to be considered and concluded on
after the company shall be organised, but
should our Legislature decline taking any part
thereof: notwithstanding, there will, no doubt,
be public spirited characters enough to purchase
up the whole
ff<.rF ,arf xtc zlx-
and perfecting the navigation up the river and
ITS two large branches, better estimate and
Judgment can be formed Of opening the inferno
diste branches thereof, we'll as any other
streams OF proper size, which may fail into them
ANY branch or run of water sufficient to turn a
grain mill ofone pair of stones il fully sufficient
TO support canal and its necessary locks.
The intermediate streams between those two
large, extensive branches of the river to wit.
the Coard Vine, the Halle river, the mountain
run, Cedar run, Crookedrun, the Robertson RI
yer, and indeed several smaller streams are all
capable OF being improved into useful navigation
IN every instance, up as high as before stated -.
Great advantages may BE- gained by opening the
Navigation ct the mountain run in particuiar--
because IN its course 1t passes very near the town
OF Stevensburg, and still more near to the grow.
ing town OF Fairfax, where the courthouse of
CuiPePer county is erected-No water of the
same size can be better calculated for inland ma
vigstion than this run; nor is there any that can
be Effected at much smaller expense-It wants
little more than lock at each mill dam ALREADY
erected thereon
The utility and advantages to be derived from
improvements by inland navigation. must more
or less depend on their local situation whether
tn ey pass through and extend to a sufficiently
large body OF rich lands they have ar
rived at proper state of improveme whether
the surplus produce thereof be of a bulky, heavy
kind, such as -four, wheat, tobacco, hemp, ship
and house timber, plank, scsntlns, lumber, lime,
slate for covering houses, tan bark, &c Whe-
Their it be OF more portable and precious kind,
such as potash, indigo, salt petre, powder,
kc, (Which could to large amount, be trans.
ported, at small expense, in Wagons, carts,
or by beasts of burthen) --and whether there
be trading seaport towns to which these inn
provements viii facilitate and cheaper the car
rage Proportlonabiy to the expense of executing
them.
In all these cases the products Of the Kappa
hsanock and its waters, fully answer the desired
purposes, and properly apply to the proposed
design. The country through which these wa
tiers pass, and reach to, is extensive, fertile and
in high state of cultivation and Improvement
Above the tide this river and its various BRAN
ches are bounded by the counties of Spotsylva-
MIA and Orange, on the south side, and by the
counties or stafford and Fauquier on the north,
entirely including the counties of Culpeper and
Madison. Besides the products these counties,
great quantity iniRht DC expected from other
adjacent counties, and particularly from those
inhabitants near the head of the navigation; SO
that at least division might be made as to the
surplus produce of that country with the naviga.
tion of Shenandoah river, to which, in several
instances, the projected improvements will make
near approaches, and in such case the navigation
Of the Rappahannock would have the advan-
tage, by more than half the distance, and conse
quently in saving, at least half the expense of
portage, which the people Of that country pay
for such part of their produce as is now convey
ed to market by the round about and difficult ma
vigstion of the Shenandoah & Potowmac rivers,
TO George. Town, Alezandria, &c.
The benefits arising from Improvements of in
land navigation are so generally believed and
experimeRtaly established, as to produce full
conviction on the unprecedented mind, and require
no further evidence of their reality. These be-
nefiis will be chiefly divided between the adj
Tenturers who undertake and perform the work,
and those whose surplus produce will be there
by conveyed TO market at cheaper rate than
they could otherwise procure it to be done -
In ths latter advantage the purchaser ofthe pro-
duce wiiltrequently share, especially with re.
gard to such articles as are consumed in the
mercantile town of delivery besides, it is very
obvious that every thing under the description
OF nsrkettRg, will flow into those towns, much
cheaper in price, in far greater variety & in much
more abundance.
The great advantages TO be derived from wa.
ter carrlsge, will not be confined alone to such
articles as are now carried by Wagons, but also
produce very large additional gam, by being
extended To- articles, which from their distance
4.