Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1823-12-04
From the Philadelphia Register.

been raised against the system OF Ca
mails in many parts Of the United States,
has been, in great measure, from the
incompetency and Disqualification of
persons, who, through their ignorance
and superstition have endeavoured to
propagate such reports as would be in
furious to the Improvement of our
country. 1t would be difficult, if not
impossible, to find an instance where
nayigable Canals have, in any way what
ever Impoverished or been detrimental
in any country through which they have
been cut
The Netherlands, and especially the
United Provinces. are allowed to be the
best cultivated portion of Europe. They
are as full of Canals as the human sys-
tern is of veins and arteries. The rug
ged surface Of Switzerland viii scarce
ly admit of artificial navigation. Eng
land has a number of Canals, and Scot
land has some likewise. The sdvanta-
ges which have been derived from them,
have exceeded the most sanguine cal
culotions made by its original authors of
these projects. Large fortunes have, in
the end, been the result of their labours,
where the shares were, for many years,
reckoned worth little or nothing. Every
Parish in England is Familiarity acquain-
ted with details of this sort.
For instance, China is sixty times as
pcpulous as this country, for it contains
between two hundred and fifty and three
hundred millions of inhabitants. One
half of its wealth and prosperity are de-
rived from its nunberless Csnals-They
are in fact, the adAiretion of every one
who travel in that country. The largest
is said to extend upwards of eighteen
hundred miles, still it does not in any
way iojure the prosperity Of Canton,
nor has Canton ingulPhed the wealth of
Pekin.
See Holland, that prodigy of industry
and perseverance,; lock at England, that
mistress of agriculture and manufac-
lures, that metropolis Of commerce, and
China the garden of the world. Is there
in one of these three countries, prov
ince, or even village, that has been
rsined by the vicinity of Canal? You
might as well try to find out the Philoso-
piers Stone, or the perpetual motion.
1t is useless to cite further instances
where Canals have been of such emf
nent benefit; but let us appeal to the
experience of intelligent and great na-
tions; to the English, the Chinese, or
the Dutch--Why an Englshman would
laugh in your face, if he were asked
how many B"roughs in that country had
been reduced to poverty by the neigh
bourhood of Canal. Any one who has
ever seen Dublin must be acquainted
with the undesirable conveniences re-
sultng to that Capital, from an artificial
water carriage. IF Dublin was depriv-
cd of Canals, its two hundred thousand
inhabitants would in the space of four
teen days be either dispersed or extir-
pated by famine.
Peter the FIRST of Russia, was an en-
thusiast in this kind of improvement. In
the end of the last century, he formed a
plan OF an inland navigation from Persia
to Petersburgh; he was assisted by ma
ny men of eminent talents from difIe-
rent parts Of the continent, TO complete
this noble work, but,he design was frus-
trated in consequence of the death of
Peter, and even during his life, it was
checked by the ferocious superstition of
the Muscov;tes; for they regarded the
project as a kind of sacrilege. The Gov.
Of Astracan told one of the persons who
was engaged in the work that COP had
made the rivers TO run one way, and
ti,at, it was iusolence in man to think OF
turning them another way"
u Frisad 10 improvement
Nosrly thirteen thousand head Of cattle have
s-r5s,1 tha s. sJt aaaEash on tie Cuii.pbia