Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-01-15
SPEECH OF MIR. G. F. MERCER.

On The subject az The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, de-
hreTei in he Convention Of Delegates, held at tie
C'fY Of Washington, -N,rsmter Z, 1923.
. (Contiuuei)
Eagl'nd compared witi The Gniled States has \
ie'riuTy oil narrow dio,eusioGs /, is no where ,ii-
vided, by a barrier, resem aiing the AlI.phauy Re-
tore the middle oil Tie last century, the era Of Ia.
canal system her territory, botdered on three sides
oy me oce"h was '",erSec'ed IN every direction, by
excellent roads, provided at convenient stages, VITA
me bsst possible accommodations iur eiers IL
IS nol therefore, matter II surprise, that few OF
hrr canals are, ike those of Holland, France and
Ch,nl, calculated Tor comfortable passage boats I;
'HI, "heh te'r capacity for other is regarded
,he'r namber supplies the Advantage Of increased
bresdIh.
When we cast our eye upon the map of our own
rodhiry, and compute ih'popuiatnn now separated
ny repeated Ciaius oil lofty including the
Allegheny VIXEN We anticipate the numbers which
i'ie mast add 20 This population when q perceive
now very lew are the channels of water comnuni-
cation ti can ever a eXie,ed across those na,ura
barriers, II hehove ns, before surrender to on
licorpurnled c"npiny, the direct, and, there
i0Te, tie best OF hnee possible connections, 10 make
certain IT'S judi cioUs Improvement Tor tho pu . be re-
tat. How uany Ih0usurd engrants wiib all their me-
eess,'ry out-ils, Will The Union Canal herenlter pour
fnio The truilfui hosOm OF the West How many
THOUSAND Ut Ms present inhabitants will avail ,hem-
selves of this easy re-yisi; The ioue-ior-
shken, hut still remembered, haUns Of their youth
What arn'Ies, What naval and military SUPPLIES
i1r the land aud The sea, will IN, channel of uaiiun-
al intercourse wait aud fro ioI The future defence
and safety OF Ibis wide empire Aud shnll this
path at tenf have not added cunnnt coust the
ihn""erable natural and artificial prnduriions, To-
reigh a"d doaeNIic, which are 20 swell the inter-
change at commodities heiweeu immense regions
embracing every variety oi soil aud Climate, and
millions OF the same active, istellisent, aud enter
ptzing people.
M country in Europe excepi Russia could fur
niSh an example Tor our imitation and despoiic
pnwer there supplies the place of ie social moral
eommerc'ii, and political influence, which we seek
Ny genie means, Z" cherish and perprfuaIe. Bni
If
length is, ~ widih rs feet and its mean depth ut
lot" water, IL seven. Four thousand nine huudred
i,"d '"enty-seven vessels passed hrough this Canal
the year after rs complexion.
!he Canal oi Mel, al Denmark, which uRiles The
Bhuc wiki the German Ocean, Is 100 feet broad,
a'd lis least depIh is 10 feet. The Canal Of he
Eorth and Clyde, in Scotland, which u,riies GIas.
sow aud Ed'nburg, IS IS feet at its surface, aud 0
feet.deep.
TIE Canals OF Holland, with the exception of
somc lew ~ LuslaDd, are the prof able in Eu-
rgPe, Lecans they almost entirely super, sede the
vi roads they are, generaliy, sixty feet widv aud
afford six feet depth Of water. (Z)
The celebrated Canal of Lang uedor, in France
Including its Io"ios pals, Is, in Width, III feet and
in dcph SIX feet FfIy-six feet is the width Of The
greatest Canal IN Spain.
The longest Canal 10 China, the longest prolnbly
IN the world. fly ieeI wide and nine ieet deem
mIgbi nIaiupy HE number Of those foreign au-
t0THics 10 nay suppOTI---but io return home " c
have, nearer 10 Us, one, Of which have just ea-
snnJ as Americans, TO be proud | mean tie two
Canals OF View York, one Of which L. finished, and
the other nearly so, and which, taken together are
4jJ mhes long, aud throughout their whole extent,
are VI Abe dun ahsuns required v the resolutions ~
your table small part sc the Erie Canal is uuhn-
islIed. a great part of it has hccn, but very ie-
cpsiily, opened TO public use, and serious doubts are
already entertained, whether IL Le Or sufficient
bieadi.
Sill nearer to us, - Confederation Of all that have
VfninIed to say on this brunch Of our inquiry, is fur
niSl'd by relefence To one of die oldest CanAs
tie United States, and which Is, also tle most profit
ahie mean that Of James River, 10 Virginia. d
WIS deeuieJ eNpedIeni, il nos necessary, IN The las
suumeT, 10 thT0w down Use lower bank Of this ca
nal, which passes i0ug the face Of rd'ge Of ahrnp
hill ~ order ~ cHirgs is dimensions The breadtl
snd drpih winch the resolutions pIeactibe Us tbs
limits of the Union Canal. H~re, too, We have H.
iusiratcd, Ivy experience, the esuen,c ,mpUllcy o
sntJecting 10 similar neecssIy, the extensive vol
WlttcH we lave ~ contemplation. Part ul lie new
emhaukiucuf Of the Jones river can4 Whicb had no
tune 10 serte before the waer let ~, 80 resor,
the suspended n1t iiinn, gave way, understands Z,
tie sudden pressure. Tire on ission ~ double tow
i"g I'ah m'y he hereafter sappi'-c without suspend
inf Tue navigation Oi The Canal ADD, therefore,
single towing path any suffice, rntii experience shal
demonstrate the necessity OF rnOihef. BUtto ihros
down tic em'iaukm~nt 0f Ctnai, furmcd, Tor giea
distances, along tlo steep scclSuies Of hill Ant
mOGrtans, ~ order 10 widen Us dimensions, " delay
81 ~ fhe iurtcase OF u naVig,ti0A requires II
would he, then, attended with Inconvenience,
scarcely ~ b. tonne. Ind expense greatly exteeJ
jGg The cost Of bGs;OWing, on us original suuLiuf,
the be-, f. ~.
~ addition To 'hs otjrrfiou TO M increase Of III,
hFff1it 90 we NiHNf WHICH, may It kfounJrd on w
asgH'eai"d Cost, ome ha- heen aiiniatcJ, which, i
sfl'i'c4hie seaiity, would se ficnlt 10 ObViatc
man ,rr vtni VI suiieitni supply Ol waer Tor ,s'
Co respopdiog isrks.
1bs' IT. P5ouac would furnish adequiie sup
piy, thiOughDuf g." eas'cF section Oi the canal, Il
no AID ctnurt be questioned
lje only doubt Ifany exists on this subject, mus
apply Co. iar shoe pnriOl' 81 Inc western section 81
thu a., which eubtaces Tire summit level between
CrA cfeet = branch ~ Ss,aee, and Deep creek, a
irtneh 81 tJnshoseoy. o. ne comPci1ncy Of tie