American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1824-04-06

tors, yet have not single reason lot deCi
ding on project which is TO cost double the sum
at first proposed, and for which the subscriptions
were obtained, except indeed we call the recon
mendaton of the examining engineers reason ;
but if we look at the report of those Engineers
believe we shall find it entirely destitute of any
son lChy they Recommend the project they do,
and so tlinng in itself not to deserve even the
name of Report. 1t was expected they would have
given very lucid account OF all the advantages
which the route they might propose would have over
every other, but alas What a falling off was
there the lahoring mountain at last brought forth
mouse.
The Directors seem inclined to shroud all their
proceedings in veil Of darkness, and to con
slider the Stockholders as having no other business
with them than TO pay their instruments as they be-
come due-but certainly, as the money of the Stock.
holders is 10 be expended they have right to de-
mand that all the Transactions OF the Board should
be faithfully laid before them; and il the Directors
consider they had acted for the interest of the Stock
holders, it is natural to conclude they would not
have turned deaf to the repeated requests which
have been made through different channels FOR such
information lit therefore full time this hitherto
lmpenetrable veil rent asunder.
We will now examine the nature of the project
which is adopted, and endeavor in few words, to
show the destructive consequences Of preserving in
"a measure which must inevitably result in the ruin
of the company, without etfectng the object con-
templaed, and we may rest perfectly satisfied. if the
present plan is pursued, another century will pass
away without seeing Canal across the Peninsula
The examining Engineers have recommended a
Prgject, which if completed for the estimsted cost,
II is understood will amount to about one million,
three hundred thousand dollars but il is altogether
speculative scheme, most undoubtedly will 60 far
beyond that sum If we admit that il is possible toll
complete the Canal for the sum proposed what have
we then accomplished II thee is not water enough
in the Elk and White Clay Creeks, it will be admit
ted by all, that there is much less in the small
creeks which are intended 10 feed the Canal.--The
large pond Of St. Georges, which we are Wanting /
" told contains some hundred acres, will not serve
the purpose Of Reservoir, as il will be no higher
than the Canal itself. No supply can be received
from The tide except by the piiul expedent of i
Tide pump, the Galacy OF which will be seen az once
by considering what very great quantity of water
must be thrown up by this pump to raise the Canal
Qncludlng the Mil Pond) few inches, or even to
supply the immense evapor tatlon large a /
space. What then ! say, will we have attained, BY
expanding not only all the money subscribed by the
Stockholders but more than that amount borrowed
from the monied part oF the community Whyl
truly we shall have very wide and deep ditch-the
Canal being located on the beds of two Creeks and
through the marsh Of ST. Georges with two locks
at each end, will be liable to injury from every food
or rise in those Creeks-and the banks in the deep
CRt upwards OF seventy feet continually tumbling
down and filling up the Canal.
1t may be said ali these things must have been
BY the examining Engineers, and if there
had been SO many obstacles and difficulties in the
way, they would not have recommended such pro
lect, neither would the Directors have adopted il l.
such an observation would only
show that the Stockholders have been kept in com
pete ignorance of the manner in which the whole
business has been conducted. The Board of Drec
tors gave up their judgement entirely, and were
predetermined 10 abide by the opinion Of the four
examining Engineers, let that opinion be what it
woodland one, and the principal Of these umpires,
Y now appears, interested in the decision of The
Board 70 the amount Of Ave thousand dollars per
annum. Was he in this case suitable person to
Recommend any one Route in preference to anoth-
cr? But how will the Stockholders be surprised
when they are told, that the object Of the Directors
IS not to have continued canal, but to commence
at each end, and from il far as the Deep Cut ard
men pc satisfied with Two pieces Of canal and
Portage between them
Admitting that all had been conducted fairly and
honoraby, ought not the Directors 20 have made
solemn pause before adopting scheme such as
ms (no matter by W}tOm reccommended) which
exceeds the present amount Of subscriptions BY the
enormous sum OF seren hundfed thousand dollars !? !
because II the scheme practicable with plenty
O money It is very certain il cannot be done with
out, and II was a duty which the Directors owed
The Stockholders, to decide on Route for the Ca
nal which might be completed for The money alrea-
dy subscrlbed-and that a complete Canal could be
made with full supply Of water, for about half the
sum which this deep cut is 10 cost, would be exhibit
ted 70 the establishment Of The Stockholders, if
the Directors could be prevailed on to publish the
able Report which they received from a respectable
Engineer employed ny them. Butthat is more than
we can expect them TO do, as we understand they
have received no Report on the Route and Proiect
which they have adopted
Under all these circumsan will the Stockhol-
ders sit quietly down and pay their nstaments, Ger