Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-08-26
Little Falls Of fhe Mohawk Ri !
ves, July l4th, 1917. {
pE.R SIN

sm py WY 10 Utica. To attend :.
meeting Of ihe lanai Commissioners ard being the
i7tsin az ihe Or a. secondary nr'Hacn which extends
Vest ard om t:sto the Rpck, Mountain. feei great
Interested ia III" geological appearances Of the rlace.
This was tile great Eastern rampant against the progress
o Tire Western waters and the huge rocAs, which N tine
cortsr of tfue down aud Frustrated Nv the vi
olccr ct :he waves EXHIBIT, altitude 81 hun
dd re, IN tir Spacious and followed cavities, the
ton OF tie rotary motion OF stones Under the power of
| water.
The appearances here aud he object of my have
brought 10 my i,d subject OF great Importance, and
shOut which have o't'n wished 10 consult You. And
| ~ Won ate the Del hc oracle of New Work. to whom
thc vctares Oi Science resort Om I'll with their
offerings and their petitions Il shall without further apollo
ey solicit you~ ,sronsss The questions which Shall
noN pr0pound:o you.
Il well known that the most approved water cer,cns
are Taras and Puz7olana the litter is composed OF
vocanc production and lime. The former is a mixture
OF cellular basat and lime and has Ion. snccess-
fully used ~ Holland in the erection OF mounds
riefs 7canst the threads OF the ocean AS lime be
pEOcacd ~ this country good the famous Abertiaw
lime. the lime used in HOLLAND which is the blue ar
siaceous ne o the banks nf the Schedt the great
Sldera' "a obtain The other substance here The vol
caic paTt o. YuylNana Is ont OF the quest On hut do
not despair OF obtaining basat ora Substitute equally eff
GcacoUs.
Tie wcsd Trap, as applied to rocks has h,cn =. d as
generic term To designate several species as
green stone, oasalt amy scaoid whn sio"e grey waTke,
&C.
Tine conrnsar masses called the ralisado Rocks, on
the West sid. of the Hudson River few miles from
York, belong III all probability the trap genus. Rocks
OF similar description in the vicinity OF New Haven
aud OVERLAPPING like them red sand stone were If
rot considered ~ Professor S!iman basaltic-
On the other hand Professor C,t.yeand has excel
lent tsca on mncraoay and geology considers il ex
renely doubtful whether any hsalt, strictly speaking
has yet been discovered ~ the United States and suD
poses that the co.umrar and prmac which
t IN various parts, only secondary basac, from
green stone, which in some cases may perhaps be pas
sing into bGsal.
With reference 20 creation Of water cements il
important TO ascertain whether tile Palisado Rocks
basaltic aud, II whether hey THAT sort Var
ety Of which IaTTas be made ADVANTAGE intreat
YOU 10 institute an experimental enquiry on this subject
and also invite yonr attention aual, SIS OF
which found in the vicinity of this place and which
trans Knit The rocks from which taken lie IN
coumnar masses and EXHIBIT at their feet lie same cTnm
bang RUNS which 10 he at The PaIsado Rocks
with you, but did perceive base The red sand
stone In my present situation only ioin con-
lecture the nature of this substance May NOT
stone called CIR? II these or the Pa,isado
Rocks shood out be the appropriate baalt OF wa
ter cenens, the discovery would he invaluable
spect the construction Of locks for
mails
fnvestgaton in this respect should disappoint our
hopes, twill be well TO turn attention some oher
objects of equal efficacy Coal and wood asss the black
oAyu % non aho Oh ores ana species OF
grey clay, have been recommended, and in
successfully used. But composition called tie RO10
Cement Is represented as OF superior utility HE pT
cipal Ingredient said be nOdues of clay by
which IS meant certain stones concretOus of clay
cont hiil VEINS oil cacaFeohS mater, having frequently
(bu not always water inIbs ccnue the cavity which
is covered with small clysta OF the above cacareous
matter an'i the nonule agreeing very nearly colour
with the bed Of cay where thc} found. see that
imported Roman Cement is advertised sale in tile
New York papers, andis recommended as highly useful
for all sub-aqueous operations that require cement.
Can tic materials of which this composed be
procured in ts country And Vi not they he I'M
ported sufficiently cheap for purposes
Connected with this eUquiry, il may not be amss TO
ascertauthe dement's used by ingenious mechanics
forreserg"irs baths cistens &c their views
on this Interesting subject.
am certain. Sir, that you viii duly appreciate the
great public dement's which will he derived from the sue
cessfu prosecution OF this Investigation at this
consideration will be sufficient snuns TO your most
animated eXeyrions
am, sir very respectfully,
ICnr most ObCdeHt servant,
DE WITT CLINTON.