Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-01-15
FOR TIE ENQUIRER.

The system Of internal navigation by canals WINS COM
menced in England about ie year 1860 that time the
population of England Wales Scotland was sOs9 ooC
souls tue exports OF H. Britain amountedto 7OOOooOO
her commercial tonnage TO e47478 british 5o24
foreign io7237) The projectors of the first canal were
loaded with ridcne and denounced as visionary fools
anu every species OF opposition from the
people owning the lands through the canals were 10
| be made.
once i'oo there has been expended upon in Eng
anu TWO hundred millions of dollars her exports
nave grown from 10 TO 223 millions per annum
Notwithstanding the success of the New York Canals
there are still TO be found Virginia many of the same
sort OF wise men who denounced friends of canals in
England and in New York. According TO these pocaI
economists we about commencing such works
ny TOO soon and little excite the preu
dce and hostility of the people, whose benefit canals
are proposed to be made The public mnd however is
becoming more and alive the importance of such
works and although the real enemies their country may
delay, they cannot prevent their execution.
have shewn above what WINS the population exoort
trade and tonnage Of Great Britain when she
her glorious career Of internal Improvement let us now
see how stand the United States in relation to the same
| subjects.
The population Of the United States ee25oOO or one
and half million was that of Great Britain n,
the period mentioned
According Seyberts Statistical Annals our e.pors in
1917 amounted to S8767 oOO which seventeen and half
millions more than that of Great Britain in 1850.
Our tonnage (American) 1.972,2s tons which is more
than double the tonnage British foreign employed bv
Great Britain In f7GO.
1t appears therefore, that in all those particulars from
which estimates be made Capacity of country IN
engage in works Of internal Improvement our eouptrv Is
now much superior TO what Great Britain was when .be
commenced her system.
The Immense Importance Of not sufficiently TN
derood by the friends Of the system in This
To them, chiefly must be attributed the rapid increase of
the wealth Of Great Dritain aud her ability 10 endure the
most enormous system Of taxation ever known As stated
her tonnage in 1850 e47 tons and from the pro1im
~ othe European markets with which her Gorepn trade
was carried on, II may reasonably be supposed that her
ships made least three voyages annually This would
hew export Of 1882 49, tons But her writer's on po
teal economy rate her foreign commerce. rs forming opi,
one-eghth Of her whole commerce which, If true - M
slew that the material forming the subject of her forei,,
and home trade, equal $3.50 az tons II IL lie sun
posed that the produce, manufactures &c forming the sui
ject Of this commerce, was, upon nm average
by land fifty miles, of FIVE dollars per ton III.
whole Of transportation would amount 10 the sun, q,
s 1887 $50 per the substitution os canals c
roads would reduce the Of rnnsportation ncn,o,
tolls TO dollar per for so miles thus cnusur to i
owners an annual saving Of : e21s7sse which wi,hou
any addition to the wealth of the country, might annna
be paid in axes be otherwise appropriated ,Sihon
adding IN the burbens Of tho people. ADD here i. YER
simple solution Of that prober which has so much pu1zle
politicians viz. how the people Of G.. Britap were able
pay Che enormous taxes imposed on them.
'su1rif., who published his work on Canals in 1915
computes that ibs expenditure between i7e9 ans, fpfs ga
10 millions Of dollars