Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-12-31

600
The I'd instalnlent OH the Roanoke stock. ne .OsO
The ith do. do. do. l6 900
The last instalmcnt ON the Dismal Swamp
49, cana' Sto' k.-....... ...15 500
The ist in>ia,nent upon the stock Of the
Monomgalia Navigation Company.
which will probably be subscribed at
an early PERIOD. .............. .l5 900
S0I5oo
Leaving ofihc income of the present wear.
about sol GOO unappropraied.
I'm April hast, Liitleton W. razcweN.
Esq. By his letter (marked A, } declined
To accept the office of a Director orthc
Board of Public Works, and the Board.
at their meeting in July last, appointed
George Newton, Esq. of Norfolk, 10 sup.
ply The vacancy, who has accepted, and
acted under the appointment
The period for which Mr.. Baldwin, the
former engineer, was engaged, expired on
the 5ill OF May last, and lac could not be pre-
vailed upon to continue longerim The service
of the Board. Atameeiing of the Board
early in July, Mr.. Thomas Moore was
appointed the successor of Mr.. Baldwin.
After the passing of the resolution of the
Goth of February last, directing survey
of James River and lis branches, the res
idue of the period for which MIR. Baldwin
was engaged, was too short to enable him
10 execute the duty prescribed by The Ie-
gslaiure; but Immediately upon the APP
poiutment of Mr.. Moore, he was instruct
ed TO proceed i'm the survey of the James
River and lis branches, according to the
directions contained in the resolution of
the legislature, aud he has since been dill
| igenily engaged i'll executing that duty,
which he has completed as TO James Ri
yer and part of its branches his maps,
| surveys and report are moi yet prepared
but they will be prepared, it is believed,
| IN good time TO enable the legislature TO
| act upon them during the present session.
! The highly interesting subjects of the
James River navigation, and the contem-
| plated connection between the James Ri
yer and Keniawa, will be presented 10
the legislature in a supplemental report.
The experience ofthe Board of Public
Works has shown, that the period pre-
| scribed by law for the annual meeting is
inconvenient. The engineer cannot make
his reports TO the Board at that time with
out abandoning his work in the field, al
a season most convenient in all respects
for making surveys. 1t is, therefore. res
pectfully submitted, whether it would not
be proper to provide that the annual
meetings of the Board shall hereafter take
| place on the I'd Monday in December.
4
MES connected with the Board of Public
Works, and from the President of the
Shenandoah Navigation Company are
herewith submitted, from which may be
ascertalned the present condition and
future prospects of these companies.
| The report and extract (marked b. }
| shews the progress made by the James
| River Company during the present year
| IN improving the navigation of the river
and canal, together with the amount and
| appropriation of the income of that COM
| pany.
The conditions Of the act requiring the
| Board of Public Works 10 subscribe
S $4,000 to the stock of the Roanoke
Navigation Company, having been fully
complied with, the President Of the Board
in pursuance OF a resolution TO that effect
in March last. subscribed that sum to the
STOCK of that company, and appointed
Benjamin w. 5. Cabell proxy on the part
OF the Board TO represent their stock in
the general and other meetings of the
company. The report of the Roanoke
Navigation Company (marked c. and
Mr.. Cabelrs letter (marked D. slew sa-
iistactorily that the company are pursuing
their object with zeal which must spec
dIiy verify all their expectations.
The report of the Dismal Swamp Canal
Company, (marked E.) shews that work
| also To be earnestly prosecuted and with
| Just expectations OF full success. Indeed
so confident are the Directors in the sue
| cess of li,e undertaking and great value of
the stock, that although the stock is now
at, or above par, and there could be no
difficulty i'll selling new stock TO any ex-
tent: they believe il to he more advanla-
geOuS TO the present stockholders TO Dor
row money for completing the work, to be
| repaid out of the profits, rather than TO
| admit other stockholders. They have
accordingly made an application 10 the
! Board of Public Works for a loan of
5 $4,000 as will appear by their resolu-
| lions (marked F. Such an arrangement
IS not within the power of the Board. But
| this work ~ recommended TO the patron
| age of the Legislature as worthy Of any aid
which The Legislature can give il CONSIST
emily with the existing claims upon the
fund for Internal Improvement, and such
| appropriations as The legislature may
have in view. This is a'.rost The only OBJ
Ject of Internal improvement which The
lower district Of Virginia presents, and
although the Board ofPublic Works have
not the means of aseeriaining whether
the sangulne expectations ofthe company,
that the trade of the Roanoke and Abe
marie sound will pass through this chan
mel, yet if this expectation which does moi
appear 10 be unlounded, should be disap-
pointed, il is still (n,t TO say any thing of
It's value in a national point of view,) an
important work to Norfolk directly, and
indirectly 10 The greater part oflower Vir-
ginia. To Norfolk directly, by conveying
10 that market great quaptiiles of lumber,
naval stores and materials for ship build
ing. To tile lower paris of the State in
directly, by giving them in tie increase