American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1823-08-12
FOR THE AMERICAN wATcHMAN.

| FOR THE AMERICAN Waterman.
Mn. WILsoS--rn your paper of the 22Dd ul
1.-The sarcastic "Cadmus" has reused his inventiy
genius into action. Although he says he has not de
voted more than attention to the subject
the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, yet he wi
lgivc few concise statements Of facts, which wer
lexctsd merely to inform A. L. that his remark
lwerc not unanswerablc. This truly, is hattering
the genius oil A. L., to think that the celebrate
Cadmus, who was famed for his enterprising an
inventive genius, has condescended to address th
public upon subject that don't demand scarcel
common attention" to say, where one or two mil
lions oil dollars shall be expended upon work, til
success Of which, in my opinion, depends solely up
on its proper location.
But without commenting further upon the geniu
of Cadmus, will endeavor to examine into thi,
|" concise statement of facts" and try If cant prov
that his facts as he calls them are but falIacious
and entirely devoid of sound argument and correc
calculation.
| would suppose from first sight Of the style am
lapparent case of the writings of Cadmus, that h,
was perfect adept at canalIing but upon little clio
ser examination, find that his fruitful imagination
scars him beyond his proper sphere In attempt
ling 10 present his few facts original or not as they
may be- he orsakes entirely his primary object ant
is carried by his expanded genius into the gulf o.
error and falsity. In his crticsing review of A. Z
essay, he commences upon the proposed haTbor al
the entrance of the canal at the Delaware. Hi,
IDEAS upon this part of the subject expanded in.
deed. He says, "thst if A. Us proposed bason oil
So acres Vas multiplied by ten, it would then be
much too small TO accommodate the trade of the
canal. This sum multiplied by ten, would make
i've hundred acres space large enough TO contain
all the boats, RATS, SC that would pass the canal for
three months, il they were all collected together,
and space much larger than is required for all the
shipping OF Philadelphia and New York A space
OF five hundred acres would be equal to 10 or 5
miles OF the Chrisiana creek, the one fifth of which
he would allow to be sufficient for the accommeda-
ton OF all the trade Of the canal. In order to rene
dy his objection upon this point would inform bin
that independent OF the so ecre bason, the Dragon
and 81. Georges marsh, half a mile back from the
mouth OF the canal, would in its present situation,
It inundated, form harbor of any size, with but tr-
ding expense, the surface of that marsh is four
teet below high water mark. which covered with
water al high tide, would be sufficiently deep for all
the rats, small boats, &c. that would come on it,
The canal itself would be harboY for the larger
vessels.
But IN passing on TO an examination Of Cadrnus's
further comments, find that his mind has expand
ed in proportion with his 500 acre bason. In the
same ratio with his bason are his calculations upop
the removal OF the earth from the deep cutting Of
this canal. Whether we may attribute his error in
calculation to his own perverted genius or to the
deceptious reports of MIR. Ldtr0be and Others, do
not undertake TO say--but think can prove that
nc is incorrect. From what have been informed,
the distance OF Mr.. Randel's route from the Della.
ware shore to eight feet water in Back creek is hr-
teen miles. Four and ono fourth miles of this, az
Cadmus has informed, will make As feet cutting.
This, would beg leave TO state, is wrong, as il is
out an average OF thirty tive feet cutting, TO make
eight teet water, through The canal. Admitting
there to be four and one fourth miles to be cxcaya-
ted IS feet deep and sixty feet at the wster line
instead OF, as Cadmus says, 70 feet at botton-rna-
KING the slope OF the sides ascent of one foot to
base OF one and half feet, there would be 2SS-
o90 cubic yards OF earth 10 be removed, instead of
o,ol9,oO0 as Cadmus states, the removal of this
quantity OF earth at 10 cents per cubic yard his
own calculalion,) would be S422,35 instead of
DO $50. The distance remaining of the IS miles
siter deducting the At is 81 miles. Having exam.
ned the stakes as placed and marked bv MIR. Ran
del, discover that this distance will not ayerare
more than six feet cutting, to make eight feet wa
er IN the canal This distance consists entirely oil
marsh and low ground easily cxcavated--and which
every marsh holder knows can be done for cents
per cubic yard. AT this Gale ulaon, eight and three
fourth miles averaging six feet deep, by 60 feet
wide at water line, would make about 5S3795 Gu
DC yards to be removed: this OF cents, would be
o-""| o2,o0. by this II appears that the excavation
d inc whole distance, thirteen miles, vould be
0Aooooi add to this sum 1855, 939--which would
10 my opinion be luy adequate for the formation
d sufhclenty large harbor, two tide locks, and
other contingencies necessarily accruing on such al
WORK. This would make the cost of a canal, loca-