Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-12-05

bat, the maintenance OF these pgineip.sr Ue-
vo,ves high duty on the Legislature. A pa
r~ossl care is demanded a, its hands, and the wants
OF the State should be supplied by that care.
Uesrsh the people and improve the country -iet
the citizen be laugh, look only to this govern
uaent for aid tow ards the Improvement of his con.
jion, with the certainty that where it l. deserved,
il will be bestowed, SO far as the means OF the
safe will allow. Then will be furnished another
ssatantee of his fidelity to the Constitution. and
| formidable breasi,vork be provided against ihe en-
efoachments of the Federal Government. All To-
cal prejudces shouldgiv way before this great
wsrk. The country below Underwater requires. it
is true, but little the hands of the government;
cat it will be too well convinced of it's own III
orest (for, what is interesting t. one part must
10 SO to every other part Of the State, since
il is the common property of ALL no. to extend
| Helping hand TO more distant portions requiring
and loudly calling for aid. 1t will also guard the
advances which il may thus make from the public
chest in the light of loans, yielding, when judcious
~ made, an interest upon the expenditure, and
holding out the certainty OF ultimate reimburse
ment. -WhileI depreca,e an ill-direcied enthusi-
ssm, as having done more mischief in the world
than almost every thing else, cannot fail to in
woke that spirit of libarality which when well reg
ulated, is productive only of benefit.
Works are already in progress, OF great benefit
and Importance to the State. The Dismal Swamp
Canal, connected with the Improvement of the
Roanoke river, opens the prospect of extensive
utility, presenting an improved navigatson of up
wards of four hundred miles. This Canal, when
shall have bean enlarged TO enable the
sels, navigating Abemarle Sound, TO pass through
il with facility, will open new prospects on Nor
lolk, our principal seaport town; and will offer inn
mense advantages to the citizens of North Carroll =
Ia and Virginia. This State has evermore cher
ished this Improvement, as is fully testified, no,
only by her subscriptions to its stock and that Of
the Roanoke Company, but by loans effected with
the Canal Company; and it cannot, therefore, fail
TO be subject of much regret that she should be
deprived by the inter position OF the General Go
vernment, of the honor OF having completed it
when it required but the mere finishing hand.
| The Improvement of the &ppomattox above
Petersburg, while it has opened and impor-
ant facilities to the trade of fertile country bs.
not realized 10 the stockholders, yet, any thing
of profit. II has been considered juilcious by til,
Company 10 enlarge their Subscriptions, and The
Legislature directed further investi,ure of funds
but ON conditions which the Company deemed un.
equal and oppressive, and therefore rejected. -
Whether sound policy would not dictate sucl
changes in those conditions, would be calcula
ted more fully to meet the views of the stockhod
-ers,will no doubt be deemed worthy your enquiry
Should it be thought advisable 10 open commu.
nicaton between the waters of the Little Roanoke
and the Big Butfaloe, as seems TO be wished and
desired, and which can be effected by means of ar
intermediate portage Of eight miles less, strong
hopes are entertained by many that it would in pro.
cess of time have most important bearing on the
improvements which have already been consum.
mated. At present il is only contemplated TO i'm
prove the Butaloe to the distance of some 1e
cniles, the greater portion of which work is effect
ed, and TO mark out and improve the connecting
-oad, and from the effects thus to be deduced,
probable estimate may be formed of the success oil
The whole scheme. So far it would propel
to give encouragement to it; which encourage.
H..
aeem 10 justify, with more liberal hand. In re-
gard to the contemplated Improvement, the Fund
for Internal Improvement will be found compe-
tent to contribute its quota without looking for aid
from any other source.
Along with this have communicated the Re
port of the Principal Engineer on the further i'm
provement OF James river from it you will learn
that the sum of 81 $50 900, will be required &c
complete the canal, originally contemplated
from Maiden's Adventure Falls to Covingion
You will no doubt be struck with this fact, when
the former report of Moore and Briggs is referred
10. These gentlemen estimated the whole cost al
about S. 800 ,0U0 including the improv enents al
ready effected; but the expense already incurred
has equalled SsI $50 ,000 and you will be at nc
loss to determine the causes OF the insccuIacy
OF their Report, when you shall have examined
tina: now laid before you. In prosecuting farihei
improvements on this great central river, you will
have to decide between the two measures OF a con-
men,s by locks and dams. lay out of view the
improvement by sloices from the full conviction
that in such stream, it would offer but very
uncomfortable advantages which would be seriously
counteracted by its disadvantages: BY opening slut
ces OF sufficient DEPTH the difficulties of ascending
il would be greatly increased, and on the occur
renee OF slight freshet might be found to be
entirely invncible except by the application oil
steam-power. Nor could ii be reasonably calcuia-
lated, that that power would ever be introduced
since it could not proh,ably be applied to the
Transporting of boats with little or no load, which
alone would be emp!oyhd on the ascending navi-
cation; and since laden boats would float with
sufficient velocity in descending by the mere force
OF the current without the aid of any new power
Besides, the navigation would be attended with
manifest danger both on the ascent and descent
The force Of the current in either case would
often be sufficient to battle the skill of the most
experienced boa,man, and subject him to certain
wreck The improvement by canslling, has
heretofore been considered possessed of decided
advantages over any other mode; but considering
the immense expense attendant thereon in compar
ison to the improvement by locks and dams, ii
becomes matter worthy of the most serious
deliberaton, whether it would not he advisable to
adopt the latter without delay, and to Irosecute IT
to its final completion. The advantages of the
hrst mode Of improvement consist principally in
che fact that you have ali times still water and
OF course secure navigation, and enjoy the
decided advantage of substituting the power of
men by the power Of horses. These are
great advantages /; but is not the first near
ly attained by the ponds formed by dams?
slight current which would sgisie them would
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