Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1826-12-05


'oJusiy, with more liberal hand In regard to TIC
contemplated Improvement the fund for internal i'm
provement will be found competent 10 contribute its
quota without looking for aid from any other source
Along with this / have communicated the report o
The principal Engineer The further improvement q
James River From it you will learn that the sum Of
SiI5OOOO will be required 10 complete the canal,
originally contemplated from Aaiden's Adventure
ais TO Cnving;un. Y.u w, doubt, be struck
With This fact when the former report of Moore and
DriGSs Is referred Ia. Those gentlemen estimated The
whole cost al about 81 500 900 including the
meats already tece,ihut the cxpcnce already in
CURED has e9ualed $3.50 00O aud you will &c At no
loss 10 determine the of the inaccuracy Of
Their report, when YOU shall have examined thai now
iad beore you In prosecuting further mprov emenl,
on tins great central river you will have TO decide be-
tween the two measures Of continuance of an ndepen
cent cauai, and Tue Enpror e-eHt by locks and dams
lay out of view the improy emcn by sluiccs from the
iu CONVECTION that IN such stream, it would offer but
very 'nconsderable advantages which would be ser
ou.y counteracted by its disadv anages By OPENING
sinices of sufficient DEPTH the difficulties of ascending Il
would be greatly increased and OF the occurrence of
Slight iresIet might be found be entirely inyncble
EXCEPT by the application of steam porer-nor could
be reasonably calculated thai that power would ever be
introduced, since If could proiitabIy be appi
ed 10 the transporting of boats. with little load
winch alone would be employed on the ascending
navigation; and since laden boats would float with
sufficient velocity in descending by the mere fierce
vi the current without the aid Of any power. Be-
SIDES, the navigation would be attended with manifest
danger, both the and descent. The force of
the current in either would often be sufficient 10
battle the skill of the most experienced boatman and
subject him to certain wreck. The Improvement by
canang has heretofore been consider ed possessed
OF decided advantages any other mode, but con
sldcT'nS the immense expense attendant thereon,
paTison to the Improvement by locks and DAMS il
becomes matter worthy of the serious delber-
alton. whether il would not be advisable adopt the
latter without delay, and TO prosecute IL 10 IFS final
completion. The advantages Of the first mode of i'm
provement consist princpa in the fact that You
at all times still water, and OF a
CATION and enjoy the decided advantage of substituting
the power OF men, by the power OF horses. These
great advantagesbut is not the first nearly attained by
the ponds formed by dams Through the greater por-
ton of the year. the slight currcn; which would agtate
them, would be advantageous, since would assist
descent with the loaded boat--and when consider
the rapid advances which science every iay making
and has already made III the OF the steamboat
do hazard any thing in saying that steam might, and
would be introduced, and would thus furnish cheap
II not cheaper moving power, than would be found
tanaP Under all circumstances, in times even of
great freshets the steamboat would cnnroul the cur
rent and transport in safety its attendant boats. This
upon such occasions would be lis principal oiCe.-In
deciding upon the merits OF this mode Of Improvement
should not hastily reject it, because of the disap
pointments which have sometimes attended it, These
disappontments may be traced more to the mperfec.
tons connected with It's execution than any other
If the dams be constructed with care-v7h due
regard to permanently and IN such manner to admit
OF being readily repaired IN The event Of that decay to
which all the works of imam less subject
approximations need be entertained. Canals also
liable to sustain serious DAMAGE and time often be-
But admitting that the Canal would be superior the
Locks and Dams in respects, yet it should not be
overlooked, that in regard the James River the State
occupies the footing of chartered company, and it
should not fail to look to return of profit III the
Cution Of the work Having eye TO this result while
1t Is matter of great doubt whether any profit could
be expected upon large expenditure as a CONT
Ulfd canal weuid require yet that uncertainty wholly
vanhes IN reference 90 the other scheme. These cons
deraons then induce me TO recommend to your adop-
ton. this latter mode of improv ement-Wh this de-
no p1 baO
ed the Country watered by tins noble stream and
tributaries AT present with what great hazard and ex-
pence its navigation attended? How great the loss
which society sustan5 in the subducton of much of
lis labour and of much timer Let this inprov cInent
be effected and new relations will Immediately spring
UP between the Merchant and The Farmer. to the nu-
tual benefit of both Country far removed
from market scarcely to contribute any thing the
national wealth. 10 comparison with its actual and in.
trnsc capacity will be awakened INTO e and be made
10 develop all IFS resources An extensive portion OF
the State in measure alien In feeling from the tide
water country, will be broug h into closer union with the
latter, and admitted TO participation in advantages 10
which it is now almost stranger. These the high
considerations which should operate on lhe Legislature,
complete this Improvement; but there others of
great force and Of immense weight.
The General Assembly, in the exercise Of its lcgi-
innate authority, in the year 1884, granted the excu-
sive right OF improving the James River to Il company
composed of individuals, who in pursuance of their
charter proceeded 10 the accomplishment of their work
ny cutting canal of short extent and by partially
proving the bed Of the river far Lynchburg The
Improvement thus effected, justly considered
qualo the wants of large portion Of the State and
the State itself in the year 1890 purchased from the
company: IFS chartered rights at high premium, and
resolved to prosecute tie improvement scale at the
time magnificent and useful by that purchase il
not only restored itself to lis original authority the
subject but confirmed its exclusive title by the annex
alton ofBdiyidual and chartered rights. Thus ii would
seem to follow, that the ardent advocate of in
tcrnal improvement by the General Government, could
Jock for moment TO that quarter for aid in the achieve
Inen of this great enterprise. The right is eTectua y
vested in the State, and the improvement must be eff.
fectcd by State means. not at all BY these pro-
CecdiBgs, hopes have been created and Just expeca.
fions excited, which it would be than unwe 70
disappoint The extension of the Canal to Maden's
Adventure al large expeDce, while il has led TO the
position Of new buriheus the people residing in all
the Country above it, by Of the increase Of tolls
is attended with comparatively small advantages.
Whilst il is admitted that some few OF The risks Of