Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-12-20

English tour The important Improvements in the
Steam Engineby our countryman Mr.. Perkins,
and the new lights on the subject of Railways,
have however induced some views in which eau
not help thinking you will concur with meat
any rate am anxious 10 communicate them TO YOU.
Al present the expense of navigation by siean,
boats is about equal 10 that of track boats The
former however are not used on Canals, because
the injury 10 the banks would be too great MIR.
ferkiLs's Improvements will occasion a dminuiiun
IN tine expense CT steam pow OF l-3l-possibly of
LIZ, and lie has invented means OF applying this
power TO boats so that the agitation occasioned
by the paddles is not greater than that OF common
track boats. The experiment was made few
months since on the Regents canal, and no differ
ence was perceived. In his application of steam
power to boats, Mr.. Perkins probably had nothing
farther in view than TO cheaper the expense o.
transportation on canals. His improvements will
1t seems to me, be productive of much more i'm
poitant result Continued canals will give ,yay
to an Improvement OF tie beds OF rivers, by locks
and dams, and short canals, because such an i'm
provement will be less expensive both in the first
cost and IN repairsthe ommCdation will be more
general, and no private injury will DO sustained
WIN 1t not be advisable to adopt such a system on
James River: Some objections will no doubt occur
TO YOU. believe however none that are serious
exist, and will endeaveur to anticipate such as
strike you that our locks between Richmond and
Maidens Adventure are too small; that to make
use OF steam power To advantage, we must have
large boats, and OF course large locks. II this were
necessarily the case, the system would probably be
abandoned, since livery large locks we're requisite
wide and deep canal would he equally So There
Is no difficulty however In attaching three or four
boats 10 leader propelled by Steam Engne, a.
three or four carriages drawn on the ,iKr in
m nm rio of
hand on each boat would probably be wanted TO
keep clear of difficulties, and to assist i'm conduct
Ing through locks; but the expense OF two hands
Oh each boat would still be saved.
" How, perhaps you will say, will private farm
ers who will scarcely hay ;nore or be able to load
more than single boat, take their produce to
market. To this it may be answered, that as
transportation by common carriers will be effected
more advantageously, it will become, as in this
country, regular branch of business, and no one
will wish to carry his own produce Should an
individual be disposed to do so, il will be requisite
merely TO have his boat in readiness, and TO pay
something to the FIRST carrier who passes for the
privilege of being lowed by him.
The general objection 10 a lock and dam navi-
CATION is founded on apprehension of inunda-
ton OF the adjacent country by dams. This objec-
ton however 10 general system IL founded in
error. Dams which erected for mills, or 10
feed cansl- are often attended with this evil They
must be high in the case 10 gain a head OF
water, in the other to raise the canal out OF the
reach OF ireshets, and TO pass il orents-but
1.-THE object were merely TO overcome the lail of
stream, they might be made high or low according
to circumstsnces--if low more frequent. The
expense oil overcoming certain quantity of fall
would not be encreased, and perhaps nigh, be
somewhat diminished by low dams, because the
dams might be made narrower and slighter. The
closing them would be less expensive, and the abu-
ments anc lock-walls might be lighter
" In navigation however long az that OF
James River would be, double locks should be
erected. The only danger of much delay in such .
navigation, would arise from some of the locks
being out OF order. This could hardly be the case
with both locks Of dam at the same time; and
with such provision should regard an improved
river navigation possessing en- more than the
boa-ted certainty of canal.
To effect lock and dam navigation ON James
River, constructing in each dam double lock, and
building every thing in the most secure manner,
would not beive cost ore third of the amount oil
| canal. For this expenditure we should have an
improvement on wbish transportation would be
effected at a rate much lower than it could be by
track boats-a navigation equally advantageous to
both sides OF the river, and comforting its adyan-
iases on the whole country bordering on ~ tribu-
tary streams An improvement kept in or r al
but little expence, liable TO but few uncertainties
and productive of no private injury.
"The trade On James River which would not
believe have kept in order canal, will have nc
doubt justify aud pay well for tins improvement
As a local object l would execute it, but shoulc
hope for something farther from it.
E" am far from thinking tina, the trade betw eer
the east and west can ever be great as some per
sons have supposed The west will, after lime
manufacture much for itself, and be in a very grea
degree its own consumer-but / am disposed Il
believe that such an improvement as have suggest
| ed on James River, would with well constructed
railway from Dunlap's creek TO the falls of Ken
awha, commend for us, all the trade which thu
Valley of the Ohio will ever carry on with the At
lanIIc. believe limited 10 you my impressions
on this subject in my letter from Paris. An ex
animation OF some of the Railways of England
and information the subject form many source
since have arrived here, have confirmed my
| pinions. Transportation by horses on well con
slTucted Level railways, or where the decliviy il
very slight, is rather more than twice as expensy,
as by track boats canals--presuming the velos
ty in each about three miles an hour the ordi.
nary rate OF transportation on canals and railways
At a low er velocity canals would have AN advan
| age rather e eater; at very high velocity In
advantage would be in favour of the railway
Though We could not the line of the new Turn
pike construct railway sufficiently level 10 b.
OF use, yet we have only TO adhere TO the valley
first by Towards creek, and then by Greenbria
and New rivers, to construct one of The most per
feet order. Since there would be no accession il
any place, an inclination greater than the fall o
these rivers, and few inclined planes, 80 common
III every part of England, would carry US over IN
AIieghany-Let US suppose that such railwa
has been CONSTRUCTED and the James River mprov
ed, would barrel of whiskey OF bale of hemi
on the Ohio, travel by the Ohio and New Yorl
canals, or by the Kenawha and James Rivers!
| sc If at the mouth of the Ohio Canal, and thi
superstition is tile most advantageous for the nor.
thern route, it must travel the length OF the Obi