Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-02-07

ways predisposed TO cling with tenacity, TO that
state Of things which is, and has been-how in
cow nient soever il may berather than to rlsiue
a change. And, as in the material world, great
bodies are hard TO move; so, in this case, perhaps
great an exertion is necessary TO create an TIM
| petus sufficient TO overcome It's ciS inertia, as
Subsequently TO keep 1t in progress.
Man, in n savage state, roams up and down
with the beasts of the foreSt abides in dens and
caverns--and subsisis by hunting, fishing and ga
therng the spontaneous products OF the earth. In
barbarous state, his subsistence Is chiefly deriv ed
| from pasturage, and rude agriculture. In halt
civilized state, agriculture and OF the arts,
carried on, in considerable perfecton; although
science, literature, and commerce compare
lively unknown. In a civilized state, agriculture
is conducted skilfully; manufactures and in,ernal
impro vements exist i'll every variety OF perfection;
commerce is carried on with every part OF the
world, and science and literature, with the line arts
propnquate to perfection.
| / do not mean TO say that we are not civilized,
by saying, that the science and art of internal inn
provement, are jus, emerging from the GERM in the
new world. The signs of the times, however in
dictate the cheering prospect OF its eer long becom-
ing important feature in the internal character
oil our country. Internal improvement Is not a
new subject in many other counuies--to prove
this. lie, us peep over, for moment, at the other
SIDE of our orld.
passing the great river Euphrates either entirely
, through, half around each side OF, the an
cent city of Babylon: besides several reservoirs.
And the famous hanging gardens were watered by
!hydrons, and acqueducts.
| An immense causeway built, aud rebuilt,
from ancient Tyre TO the continent of Asia. And
1900 miles long, % feet high, and sufficient
~ wide the top Tor two chariots, or six horse
men to pass abreast, is yet standing, the divid-
ing line between the empires OF China, and that of
'Thibet, Tartary, and part Of Siberia II consists
ofbrcks and stone, built many ages ago, and con-
Quoted over mountains, rivers, valleys SC. One
Of the first and best Turnpike roads that ever was
made, is yet In existence, extending from Delhi TO
Lahone.
China surpasses all other countries in the num-
Der and excellence of her roads and canals. Per
haps the aggregate lengths of all her canals alone,
| - uld exceed y 900 miles. That one extending
from Pekin to Nankn is eight and half fee, deep;
eighty feet vide, aud upwards OF FIVE hundred miles
long. About 100000 OF her inhabitants live in
, boats, and movable towns, which float upon the
surface of. her internal waters. Her agriculture,
manufactures, and internal commerce, conse
quently in the highest state of perfection Japan
is not much inferior 10 China in those respects
The same remark will apply TO Cashmere, and
some other parts OF Ilindostan and Persia.
canal o. i6 miles length. severing the cont
nents of Asia and Africa, at the isthmus of Suez
would unite the commerce of Asia and Europe
from the Pacific and Indian Oceans to The Atlantic
without the danger and delay of sailing twice ac oss
the Equator, aud once around the continent o.
africa.
in Africa the delta of the Nile, is permested by
canals from town TO town. in every direction: not c
mention immence reservoirs, lsbyrinths, ca,acombs
and pyramids, OF Upper Eg pit.
Who can enumerate The internal improvements
of Europe' In Sweden canal is made from
! Ill. y 7
and Weiner, connecting the North sea with the
Baltic.
In Denmark, canal ten feet deep, passes from
the Baltic to the n forth sea, by way of the bay al
Keyle aad the river Eyder.
In Russia, canal unites the rivers Voga and
Neva; by whjcl All internal water communication
; is opened between the Baltic aud Caspian seas
Upwards of 5000 vessels pass across the Empire
on this route annually, between st. Petersburg and
Astrachan.
In Prussia, the cities of Berlin, Konigsburg,
Dantzic, Posa, Warsaw, Breslaw, Frankfort, Ste
tin, Hamburg, Halle Sc united by canals along
the rivers Elbe, Odyr, Psego, Vistula, Rhine, Sc
and from each one OF these one or more of the
; Others.
In The other states of the Germanic confederacy
the canals, roads, and other internal impro ement.
are innumerable.
E In the eighteen provinces fthe Netherlands tn
/ roads in other countries. The provinces on thu
gea coast low, that the inhabitants hav,
erected immense dykes along the whole sea shoi 4,
prevent the inundation OF the country by the ocean
: The general face OF the interior is that OF vas
n marsh, which has been drained by canals TIL
city of Amsterdam, the Zuyder Zee, is enc O
a the largest and most splendid cities in the world
its settle is lower than the surface of the ocean
the sadthouse there Stands l6, 600 wooden pEe
: the city being surrounded by dykes, is the focu
o Of numerous converging canals. These observa
t lions would also apply to the cities of Antwerp
f Hague, Rotterdam and many Others In aqricul-
ture, manufactures and commerce, that country
o rvaled only by Lombardy, China and England
e nor Is IT surpassed by any in civilization these
indeed, going hand in hand with internal improve
ments, are the characteristics which distinguish
4 the civilized Europeans from the cannibals o
= New Holland, and from the tawney sons of TIL
= American forest. Skating is favorte custom O
the inhabitants here; in winter the canals are cover
I ell with men, women and children, who pass or
skates, with great rapidity, from one town to an
other. The ladies of Client will skate to Brussels
I A miles, in considerably less than day. How
different the customs of these people from thos
! OF the unimproved regions OF Sumatra, where on,
OF their favOrite customs is that of eating each
y other! Complete the James river canal, and If
winter, il it cannot be navigated, ii can be passed
on skates, which is much quicker and cheaper than
any other mode of travelling If lady ofBuchan.
I non, for example, wishes to visit Lynchburg OF
Richmond, she wraps on a fur pesse, brought there
PEI haps by water from Michillimacnac or IJniiiab
she buckles her skates, and steps upon the chrys
tai surface Of the canal, and anon, like the ghos
| of CTeusa--
Swift empty d. ean at break Of day.
Or As passing breeze she gdcs aSaym
In France The Canal nf 7 ,,ng,,o. Ioc .x,o,i. 49,.