Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-01-10

gravey or sandy SOIL, II 10 A"o"" wv H.,
duce, less fruit, but Of better favour. nc
vineyards in France are generally on an arsL
iaceous soil, such as those OF Montpener' anu
Bordeaux, as we'll as many others IN Germany
Italy, Spain, and Portugal, and with the same
kind of coil, and the same temperature oil Gil
ma,e. we have reason to expect corresponding
results.
There can be no doubt that the culture Of
silk. which has lately attracted public attention.
and has been made The subject Of Congressloh-
al inquiry, can be as successfully carried on, as
that lucrative branc Of manufacture ana com
nerce is in the south Of France or Spain. Ex-
periments have alteady been made which de-
mons,rale the adoption Of climate 10 the grown
of the mulberry tree, and the prac!Icaoility o'
producing the silk worm in as great abundance
as thew have it in Languedoc and Valencia
I will not. however, detain the committee win
specuations upon the advantages OF these iruit'
full subjects Iol public and individual enterprise.
They are too obvious 10 escape attenuoh, ana
have only been referred to, in connexlon with
the subject, to presen: miniature view OF the
advantages tine Government would derive from
such work This channel would not only re-
turn TO the public treasury ten times the d
mount Of The sum expended in its improve
men, in the increased value Of the pu olic lands
suited to such valuable staples, but would open
fine field for enterprises Of different charac-
Ter. the fisheries OF the Florida Keys, the ma
nufacture Of salt, and wrecking, all oil which are
objects of great importance, worthy OF, and
have received the attention Of our Government.
II viii afford the means Of transporting the
live oak, and other valuable timber, 10 our ma
w yards, and TO market, from every quarter oil
the coast of East Florida. Whether the ship
canal shall enter the ocean at St. Augustine, 81.
Johns, or St. Mary's, it will leave the whole
coast north and south of it the bartering ground
for the trade Of the Mississippi. ST. Angus
line, which was pronounced by Mr.. Volney The
finest climate on the continent, and Fernandina,
will become great depots, and acquire conse'
uuence which their natural and local positions
give them elevated claims to, and the public
property in their vicinity will receive cores
bonding improvement in value.
Upon the subject of the other branch OF the
resolution which proposes an examination into
the propriety Of opening the communication be-
tween Appalachicola, through ST. Andrews Bay
to Chac tawhachie. beg leave to refer 10
letter addressed at the last session Of Congress
TO the Committee Of Roads and Canals in the
Senate, to be found among the printed docu-
ments Of that body, for detail Of the situation
of that country, which has become more inter-
esting from its contiguity 10 81. Jose2h's Bay.
\ cut of two miles would unite the waters Of
the a ppaIac nicola, which is navigabe for steam
boats several hundred miles, and St. Andrews
Bay, and from thence to Chactawhachie anoth-
er cut of four miles only would connect them
together From the point Of connection west
ward through St. Rosa's Bay and Sound, by
Pensacola, to within one half mile Of Perdido,
there is an open steam boat navigation, & from
Perddo to Mobile Bay, cut Of four miles fur
Their would make the whole communication O.
pen 10 New Orleans. II is believed tina, the
whole work Of excavation from the Mississip-
pi to Ap3aao nicola, being only about twelve
miles, might be accomplished for one hundred
thousand dollars, and the one the more imme.
diate objec, of this inquiry, FOR abou, twenty
thousand. The accomplishment OF this work
would open an interior steam boat naviga-
ton, Of about three hundred and fifty miles
coaslwise, in almost direct line from the
Mississippi 10 the Atlantic, which would be
necessarily connected with the ship channel
across the Peninsula, which has not only al
tracted the attention, but enlisted the support
Of the abIest men OF the Union, an object which
claims pre-e OIL all OtneTS, LOT the pur'
poses Of universal national benefit, as saw.
ing 10 the Government, as a source Of incalcula-
bic prof, to every commercial and agricultural
Citizen Of the Union. 1t would save the gov
ernmen, the annual naval appropriation for the
suppression Of piracy Ilwould save half the
amour, in the transportation of naval and mill
try stores. II would save thousands in the
article of mail carrying To the merchants Of
the north it would save an annual loss Of two
millions Of dollars arising from wrecks and pi.
racies, besides the expenses Of insurance. TO
the people Of the west, il would save The heavy
loss they now incur by their unnatural trade Of
selling their produce at NewOrleans, and buy
ing their goods IN the Atlantic cities, when their
merchandise should he returned to them ,hro'
the same channel in which their productions
are transported to market. 1t would, in yord,
shorten the dangerous navig alton of four weeks,
avoid the Scylla Charybdis Of the United States,
and succour our exposed frontier in time OF 70.
reign invasion, give an outlet 10 our local com.
merce, and an inletlo our foreign, safe from the
dangers Of the sea, and the periIs Of warfare,
opening by a cheap route, ship, sloop, or
steam boat navigation f. ON the Atlantic 10 the
Mississippi, that would bid defiance to the Bri.
fish navy, lessen our dependence and solicitude
about Cuba. These are some Of the advaniag-
es Of work have ven,ured to pronounce, in