Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-12-18

stances could be done ; towards for,n,np
not merely probable, but the most certain
and correct estimates, the nature of ia,
case viii admit, by asceria,ning the chan
mel. ITS length. The exact depth OF waller,
ana The TALL al each sloaI all which do
most satisfactorily. appear, by the docn
ments a. companylng, and mad part Of
the JOINT report aforesaid. Whenever,
therefore, the states now concerned, as
individual states. or the United States,
snall have deteroiined the ii nth and
width of the channel to be opened, or
The draugbi OF water required by the
largest vessel destined 10 navigate IL. the
data nov furnished, applied to the sim
p'es' rules oi arithmetic, aided by
iIltle praciica al knowledge of the value of
certain labor, will exhibit the most infal-
ilDe estimates all that part Of he work
winch can be Subjected 10, or asceriained
by previous calculation. Bui, u any
thing Ike con jeciur were adm ssible an
Tins important subject, il would he uitfi
cult TO resist the belief thar the ohsiruc.
tions OF rock. timber, gravel aud sand,
beiwi&i Plishul9 ard The fails, might be
removed, and safe aud constant nayi
CATION OF SIN tret water procured, FIR
sum probably far inieriori0 that anuu
ally LOST by the wrecks, delays aud tisap
noinimeuis growing out OF lie presen,
Stale ot The river : AMI yet, after all that
can he said, the expense of the under
taking vill greatly drpend on tie for
innate selection OF The plans adopted,
and he Efficiency OF The machinery EN-.
pioyed.
As for The steam boat navigation, on
tins part OF the river, IL il, probably, on
two great scale, both as TO The siZ aud
number OF vessels, Tor any profitable
employment IN the present state OF cur
population and commerce. Ii must be
dIthculi, for any one who has examine, Il
tn, river IN 10" water, IN persuade him
self, thar those immense hniks, from 700
TO 300 tons burden, an drawing from
eight To three feet water, can run ,hi
part oil IT 10 advantage al all seasons
without expenditures In improvements,
far perhaps beyond the cal 'ulalIons OF
the states HOW concerned For, however
partial nature may have been to The west
EN- country, she hos evidently graduated
aud limited the navigation of The Mis-
sissippi and OHIO rivers THE FIRST di
vision, extending from New ORR aus
(sub divide il, If sou please. at the
mouth of tee OhIo)to lae tall, the ee
cond, from thence 10 Piilsburg and HAS
SUI ltii sufficient sCop, Tor buman inGus
Try. ~ deepening, Strengthening, wid sning
and otherwise improving 'hem mdIyIu
uaiy, and by facilitating The rommuni
| cation betNiXt them, without being
| supposed Ia cOunisnaEce a total pros
| lraiioR oi her views, and violation 81 rvery
principle q Pconom, governing iheu,.
II this yieW should b. correct, and this
section OF the rIvei iS 10 be nav gated by
steam, The boats must b. on different
! lie snd construction less hnks, draw
ing less alter, impeilad by machinery III
| p"sslble)les complicated, Dui al all evrn,s
less pondcrOus and expensive. Aud In
ihis way, u Is believed, The interests of
! commerce would be promoted, the AL
| vaniages OF steam Navigation extended
| and demonstrated, and The competition
| increased by enabling men of moderate
| capital 10 become adventures In tbs
way too, The repetition OF distressing
| scene, nON exhibiting on The river, mIaS
| be prevented; Of more than thirty boats,
| one or two on the stocks included, form
| Ing capital approaching two millions Of
| dollars, worse thar dead, Tuinously *
| penslve 10 their owners, lying III all iii
| reciions, chiefly high aud dry, some halt
| III aud halt out of wafer, all sustaining
| lncalculabIe injury from an exposure OF
six or eight months, waiting the return
ing food.
To The states Immediately concerned
IN this enquiry, the proposed improve
menis must be all important. Those
| parts Of Virginia and Pennsylvania, lying
west OF the AllCghany Mountain, cOns
| derable IN extent, rich in soil, and abound
ing III minerals, watered by The Monon-
/ Eahela aud Allegheny rivers al q their
branches, are entirely pTecluded from In
terconrfc by water, or barter Tor their
valuable productions, other than by the
| Ohio, and the rivers falling into II. liz
those fertile regions, lumber, bar iron,
| casting flour, salt, coal, whI,keS bran
dies, cider and apples are procured with
such ease, and ~ such abundance, as To
fern great surplus OF "a h, beI 0f!h III
! dlvidual wants, independent Oi the innu
mcTablc articles "a iron castings, copper,
tin, glass, aud cabinet work, tor usr, or
nainent oT convenience, fabricated by tlBe
| arIiZaDs and manufacturers Of PIitsburg
(tiie birmingham OF the wPsf,) aud other
! manufacturing towns and establishments
Oh those waters, forming important car
| goes tor The descending navigation, and
| imperlOu~iy demanding constant and
safe conveyance TO their several dcsiina.
tons; and The like tor tie retRrn Cargnes
OF iurs, peltry, cotton, sugar, coffee, lead,
hemp, and tobacco; with such other
manufactures and articles, not the pro
duce OF those regions, as may have been
received IN ex hang aud deemed neces
sary for comfort or ornament. Through
what other channel, than the Ohio, are
the people OF Kentucky, Indiana and
Ohio, IN addition TO most OF the articles
above mentioned, to vent their beet, pork
flour. hemp and tobacco, with other sur
plus productions Of the most benign eli
| "A In, a Al -
fabrics OF their extensive aud growing
| manufactured ar lrnn ,uhaf nfhn = rn,,r,n