The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-04-24

HuHst I'tihi inc s1h"tHy " reconnaissance
lisa miles,
Probabie Distance ,i4o miles, ofwhich
81 ~ , deg. aud under, aud 3-8 at 3 deg.
and above tsg.
From this table we draw the following
conclusions with regard To the compare
tive m 81 of the three routes under cOnsI-
deration.
.Haieri1fs-The Mddlelronte and the
Western route are about equally provided
with materials. Ia this respect thy have
the advantage over the Eastern route.
SoI.-The soil along the western route
Is generally be- ter than that along the Md
die route. On the eastern route il is in
ferior to that ofthe other two.
Bridges.-The Western route will re-
qnre less bridging than the Eastern and
middle roules-these two latter about the
same.
CnuSe,Gdys.-Th Western sill require
less length of causeway than thr.other-
The Eastern less length than the mid
die.
Grndudtion.-It will be obtained for
less expense for the Eastern route than
tor The two others, but it will become more
expensive for the Western than for thu o.
Their routes.
Populdtion.-The eastern and middle
routes have nearly the same amount of
population, for the counties, districts, and
parishes which they traverse: but for the
Eastern rOute, the white population ls [,
that of color as one to one and for the
middle route, the white population is to
thai Ofcolor as three To two.-As to the
total population ofthe counties, Districts
and parishes, on the Western route, il is
about three-qnarters of the other routes :;
but the white populntion is nearly to that
OF color as two To one.
DtStance.-The length of the road will
be less in the direction of the middle than
In either Of the Eastern or Western route.
With respect to time, and with the ga me
graduation, we are inclined To give the
preference to the middle route.
Erpense.-Fhe expense of materials
for solid and durable construction will
be about the same for the middle and
Western route, but much greater for the
Eastern
10 bridging, the expense will be much
less upon the western than upon the other
wv routes.
In Causeways, much less upon the wes-
tern than upon the other two routes, and
less upon thu eastern than upon the mid
die.
To obtain the same graduation In both
routes, the expense will be less upon the |
eastern than upon the middle route, and |
less upon the middle route than upon the |
western route.
Tho ,f lnho,,r ,,,,II L l., Al
same along the middle and western di |
rectidn, though less for some sections p
long the latter but it will be higher along
thu eastern.
The Board then 60 on to submit at
large their views of the commercial consi- |
deratlOn5, accommodation of the popuIa- |
lion, political considerations, military CON |
sderat0ns, and transportation Of The mail. |
md sum mp their views of these consldera- |
tons, as follows;
Commerce. eastern route will en-
Joy the exclusive advantage of facilitating
the commercial correspondence betHern
our inland importing and exporting n1arts. |
TIN mIuuiv ana western VIII contribute |
more than ihe eastern To the development
of internal commerce and industry.
" Accommodation Of PopuIation.--The !
eastern and middle routes viii accommo- |
date directly more States than the west
crn but, taking into lew, and by antici- |
patton, the increase of population, perhaps
the three routes ought to be placed gu the
same footing.
Political considerations. eastern
route has the advantage to pass by the
Seats Of Government of the Southern
States-the Western to cross the chain of
mountains which separates the Western
from the Southern States.
Wor.-Thropsh the Western Route,
greater and more efficient assistance viii
be afforded in times of emergency to the
States. aud Naval Establishments upon
the Gulf, than through the other routes,
Transportation of the Ma As to tine
we are inclined TO believe that tho Middle
Route has the advantage over the others.
As to expense, they will be les, upon the
middle, and especially upon the Western,
than upon the Eastern. As to horses,
the service of the Mail will be better, aud |
more cheapIy secured upon the middle |
route, aud especially upon the Western, |
chan upon the Eastern.
Having thus Investigated, 20 tho best of
our abilities, the points upon which, in our
opinion might rest the selection for the |
most suitable route for national road
from Washington to Orleans, it |
would remain, in strict conformity 10 our
instructions. to recommend which of the !
routes should be preferred. But if certain
advantages pointed ont in this report can
be expressed by figures to help in the
comparison; yet the others being of a
moral kind, each ofthem is liable to re.
ceive unequal light from different minds
aud if to tins difficulty is added that of
comparing moral with physical advan-
tages, we must acknowledge that we can
not, without presumption, attempt TO draw
conclusion az to the ronte which is emit