Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-12-15


twenty-five miles, fall feet per mile average Scbo-
hare little falls SO miles, fall feet exclusive of
the rapids Little falls To Utica 22 miles distance
foot inches per mile. Utica TO Rome s miles.
fall one foot. The whole distance from Science
tady To Rome being 95 miles. A few miles be
yond Rome, the Mohawk takes its rise in a level
country, and the hey onl that turn the her
way TO the lakes. So tina, in great aud extensive
rains, and melting upon that river, the water
in the lower section, running sspidly than
that next above, is discharged before any accumua
lion take place. In like manner each successive
section is relieved from the torrent which elescen,ls
in its neighbourhood, before that which is coming
from above can unite with it.
g. On James river the circumstances are exactly
reversed In the first section from the old locks
the head of the falls) 10 Maiden's Adventure %
miles, the fall is foot six inches per nile aver
age and tor the next 50 miles 10 New Canio Il
foot III inches per mile. Alter that, it gratlu .Dy
increases till in the mountains it amounts in some
whole sections, to average of 2 feet per mile;
the whole distance from the old locks % Dunlop's
creek being 2i5 miles. Beyond this, the sources
oil the river extend IN many directions to a great
distance in mountainous country. Thus ia grea,
and extensive rains, and melting SHOWS, while the
water Is moving with comparatively slow pace
IN tn, first section, and for thirty miles above
Its velocity beyond that, increases and more
as we approach the mountains, whilst the dila,ory
motion below gives time for the increasing accu-
mua'ion from above TO overt.ke il, and 20 produce
a torrent which mandates the valley from hill 10
hll, and sweeps every thing before il that is not
firmly fixed, wherever the currenl prevails.
This will enable us 10 account for the exiraor-
diOary fresh OF III winch 10 feet above com
mon tide, and 1895 % feet. This last Is marked
upon the door "a the ierrs keepers house al ar
tersville; hat of III is said b all .bo were old
enough to no'iee it, 10 have been II feet higher
than that of 1895.
6 Those which have occurred since his, have va
ried from common high mark, 10 % ieel
above ordinary dc."
II appears here that il is not nendedhy the COM
missioner, that alparts OF the canal which are COW
cred with waer-w III be destroy ed bui ''wherever
the current Prevails" grea portion of it may
be located along the foo of tie hull, here it may
be ou' OF the Nay of The current, hich aitho the
trash and ligh, drift wood my fioa, lo IT, will be
secure against atrasion. But where il is located
along the margin of Iheriver and exposed 10 the
curren, it the river rise it 80 10 produce
current within the canal, the lining and puddle
leet broad at TOP, and OF Il breadth at bottom pro-
portione to the slope and depth where il is walled
with stone, mus give way, and the wall itself
must be idangered. AID where a current prevails
against al embankment OF earth, either upon the
margin of the river else here the whole must
go unless prevented by pavement, which will be
great additlon 10 the expense.
Without going back to the freshes of I'LL and
1875, the circumstances OF whirh cannot perhaps
be 40 well recoliectej ; altho' am warranted in
saying that of III at the rate OF lee, rel
hour, will relate The particulars of one which &C.
CARED In 1914, heca lse these particulars be
established by hundI eds ofliving Illnesses.
On The - day OF August, at 10 or IL o'clock
IN the morning, he river at Gainesville was unu-
suall' low, and so clear that dollar might be dis
unctly seen al the bottom. At abou that period
OF he day began o rise, and before the set,
reached ITS highest elev at!on, which 22 feet
above common tide. Not cloud had been seen
there for several days. have been told from GOOD
authority, thai II did noi attain gre a height
ia any OF he upper ions OF he river sitho'
there thar the rii fell All the wheat LEFT On
he loN grounds from Gainesville down 10 The
great falls carried awas. Indeed there was
scarcely spo Of land 10 he seen IA lie whole
valley while believe the losses sustain ed above
ere more considerable and mi isl.ed ~ " c i'd
vance up The river. This cannot out be admitted
10 he an inconIov ertibie Illustration OF the prin-
ciple lad do In the commissioners report.
Since this report was made, | have looked into
The European works To- if they can furnish any
experience on this subject.
The canals IN EnSland offer no parallel case,
because lie Island is but 800 miles broad from one
sea TO the other, and the tile flows far in the
country on each sidS Consequently the distance
from lie head ofIide water, o the dividing ridge
Is comparatvelY short, and the ridge itself only
about 900 leet high, and therefore lie the
experience be nothing like equal to those
which are known here. The canal OF Languedoc
bears slrong resemblance, and may be laid to be
case in point.
The object OF this TO connect by a canal, the
Mediterranean sea al the pot OF cite, with The
bay OF Biscay at Bordeaux. Fromthe Cette alo Q
the y'lley OF the river Ande, TO tue -ummi leve
the Black mountain is 40 1ies, and tn tall about
600 ieeI From thence down % Toulouse, ou the
other side 81 the mountain, where he canal enters
the river Garonne, Is 30 miles, AID the fall 2O7
feet From thence 10 Bordeaux along he Garonne
the distance Is / 30 miles and the tall 40S eel. Ii
was begun IN the year 665 and hnshed from Cete
to Toulouse in 1855 II was then located and
saked off from Toulouse to Bordeaux. Blu such
was the appreh nsion of hurry from feshes on the
GAronne, derived in great measure from the
perience OF their effects the valley of he river
Aude, along which tie canal passes, that il was
abandoned. and has never been extended any far
Their, but the bed of he river used ever since.
In a work published by De Lalande in i77S page
lo| Is the following passage g II has been pTOpo-
- sed TO extend the Royal canal as far the mouth
" OF the Farn, or even to Molssac, the navigation
" OF the Garonne being so far very difficult This
=" prolongaiIon of the canal Of LsngueIoc, lad
" been formerly projected the highest plain 10
=" the west and south OF the Garonne but for ONE
= years they have thought OF placing it on he low
" er plain 1t was even slaked out through it,
- whole length but in memoir printed at Alon-
tau0an II was supported that the canal could not
succeed on this side, when the ndndlton Of the
= 1Iaronne would nfallibly destroy it,
IL VIII be observed that the distance and fall from
Toulouse to Bordeaux, is about The same with the
distance and iail from Lyncbbdrg to the head OF
the falls above Richmond. Tie one being about
1873 miles with 400 feet fall The other sboi, 49,
miles with 40S feet fail. Ii viii he obsery ed TOO,
that aItho' ibis is stated 10 be case in point, yet
ours is 10 much stronger lhan there because