Delaware journal. [volume] (Wilmington [Del.]) 1827-1832, 1827-09-04
From The Baltimore .aaaeric0a.
COMP RATIVE ADVANTAGES OF CANALS
AND RAILWAYS,

AND RAILWAYS.
We find on this subject very neat article IN the
Boston Daily Advertiser, the length ct which alone
prevents our inserting it entire. But the following
points of comparison between those respective
modes Of conveyance, indicated in reference 10 the
Railway from Boston to THE Hudson, may not bp
unnterestiny to our readers, all Of whom are imme
tliatc}y or indirectly interested IN the more extern
sive project on hand i'll our own quarter OF the
country.
| The transportation of heavy commodities says
the editor, by means of Canals we have long been
familiar with otherwise the construction OF Ca
nal through extensive country, would seem to be
an undertaking quite AS unpromlsing as that OF IA
railway does now. 'fhe adoption of the Canal was
the more natural, as more resembling naviga0le III
yer than railway resembles Il common road. Yet
were we now to choose for the iirst time. between
digging an immense trench, TO be filled with water.
and constructing bard smooth surface, on which
carriages might move with slight resistance. the lat
ter would appear the most convenient, the least
|cOstiy and the least liable to accidents and failure.
The Canal must pass over surface perfectly level.
of width of forty or fifty feet, including two
strong banks, one Of which is path and trench
filed with water to the depth Of three or four feet.
and wide enough to permit boats to pass each other
1t must have perpetual supply OF water, and IN
order to pass from one level TO another. costly APP
lpCkS Is neCcosdl thce 10
delay, and great expense OF water. Besides that
this water is thus distracted from other valuable
purposes. it is liable to fai! from drought, and be
rendered innavigab!e by frost.
The rail road, on the other hanh though it must
likewise pass over surface nearly level, yet admits
slight departure from level, which affords great
facility in making the road, and causes saving Of
expense The width of the surface to be thus level
led is required to be sufficient for single pathway
-
where it is double Thus there is great saving
both Of land and water in dwelling, excavation ard
en:bankman's. and. adds the writer. in tue whole
expense OF constructing locks. But II we subnti-
tutc inclined planes with stationary engines. for
locks the cost is still less, the repairs less frequent
and the delay greatly Diminished. And ii ~ ihc
consruction of rail roads, there be important
article Of expenditure not required in canals, name
y iron, it is obvious, at first view that the Cost is
less than that Of constructing. suppl ying, ard re-
pairing canal o, the necessary magnitude an i'm.
preston veriilc, both by calculation and expert
ment The rail way is subject to little comparative
wear or disorder, is mt interrupted by frost. nor
obstructed by a moderate fall of snow and from
the latter it is much more easily cleared than con-
mon road. The canal on the contrary must he clos
ed during several months of the year.
1t is true that heavy weight floating on water,
may be moved by the application OF a less power,
The motion be Stoc. than when placed in carriage
nm rail road. But if rapidity be sought the case
r is changed tine resistance OF the fluid increases
with the rapdty Of the nnton. and, if the mntion
be more rapid than three and half miles an hour,
the greatest weight can be moved with given pow
er, the railroad. In this there exists, therefore
more than an equivalent advantage. Nor must it be
forgotten tina, while rail road affords greater f,-
ci,y for transporting merchandise. it is still more
desirable for the conveyance of persons, by it
greater speed is practicable than either canal OF
| common read.
We will add, that while the actual difficulties and
cost Of Il rail way exceeding in length any hereto
fore projected remain as yet necessarily unknown,
these general comparative views are highly valuable
for this obvious reason Though railway exists of
like extent yet there are canals of equal and great
err and if, in every punt Of comparison, the adj
vantage seems. on calculation, to remain with the
former mode Of conveyance, it affords NEAR, of
approxmating the true cost and difficulty of the i'm
portant enterprises which are now on foot among
las.