American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1827-07-20
EIGHTH GENERAL REPORT


ives. that, BY thi, time, they might congratulate
SIC Stockholders the full accomplishment OF that
york. Ent the, have been disappointed; and as IS
$40 common in undertakings o! this nature and mag
fltnle. they now fnd that they have erred not
iii rely as to time. but that the cost OF execution
will considerably exceed the amount originally sup
posed. This latter circumstance IS tile more NOR
IifyinS and unexpected. as all the contracts hau
been formed at an early pcrind. on terms below the
estimate of the examining engineers; so that there
appeared no room TO doubt its suliclency. But,
although the labors and events of the past year
have been neither 50 prosperous nor satisfactory as
the board had reason to hope, nor as circumstances
ut its commencement seemed to warrant; yet 1t
will be seen that much has been done that the at
FAIRS of the company are in Furnishing condition
and that the prospects for the future are both
cheering and substantial
Uelamcre Harb0r.--Two hundred and twenty
feat Of wharf On the north. and the like number on
the south, together with five hundred feet on the
shore, connecting these two sides of the harbor
finished as to the timber work, and are filed up
with stone and earth. within about three feet, or
less. Of the top. The filling is going slowly with
clay. taken from the bntom Of the harbor in order
10 deepen rs and in this, so much progress has
been made, that the dredging machine can now work
only Al very low tides.
Tide Lock.-Ihe tide lock on the Delaware has
.0ng since been completed.
Section I.Ihis section is finished.
Section lI.--lhis section Is likewise finished
With the exception Of few Yards at the bottom of
.hc sank placed near the first pivot bridge, 70 keep
cut the tide while that work was going on. These
few yards will be removed by the dredging ma
~ =.
Bridge The pivot bridge at Newbold's is
a. and in use.
VI liI.-ihs section, which has proved 50
nd expensive in IFS execution, has at last
t.1. = the efforts OF labor and perseverance.
Lhe Wl.rf OF the river Delaware has been let into
it: AMI he beard have the satisfaction to report
that ot ne 18Th ut scye al OF their number passed
in .h-!lop f,nm the tlde-luck on the Delaware
30 TIL ..itock at st. Georges, followed by a
sIoop laden with stone, and some smaller craft
4 atse portion Of the banks is finished. and the
residue viii be completed in few weeks, as will
also the back dtains.
The expense Of this section has been very great
Upwards Of $4,000 cubic yards of solid upland
eartn have already been carted to form the banks,
which have sunk in some pacs to the depth oil fifty
and SIXTY feet, and perhaps even morc,-a circum-
stance wholly unlocked for at the commencement
lhs sinking Of the heavy material has occasional
" forced up the fluid mud the bottom Of the ca
nal, from the depthof forty and even fifty fect-so
that tie wp~.'aan have in many instances been
compelled t. ~ that number 0i feet, in order to
procure six feet Of canal. These difficulties are
believed to be conquered, although there ma,
stil be some slight settling OF the banks in parcu
lar spots which can be filled up at leisure. Ex.
pensiye and troublesome as this sinking has prov
cd, the board are confirmed in the opinion, that of
all the various projects which have been suggested
tor the formation Of these banks, none but that
which has bden pursued would ever have proved
etect1a or led to any satisfactory issue and that
consequently, this Will in the end be not only the
most permanent and durable. but the most econGm-
seal.
The tow-path over these marshes bounds the ca
na on the north: on the sound, the water is per-
tntted to spread considerable surface of
marsh land, TO the depth Of from three to six feet
presenting TO the eye broad sheet, limited in part
cy the guard-bank, and 10 part by gravel hills.
covered with forest trees and other native verdure
This body Of water will be Of great service in ma
ny respects. 1t will be valuable reseryOir-pre-
serye the banks from abrasion--and greatly accele-
rate the motion oil craft; It being settled familiar
principle, that boat encounters less resistance in
moving through an expanded than confined space
ct water. This fact has been. We understand, nc
narkaby verified on the works OF the SchuylkilI
Navigation Company. Boat, on their pools are
m0yed by horses at the rate Of seven or eight miles
an hour-bnt no sooner do these same boats enter
one Of their canals. than their progres IS is checked
and II is found impractlcable 70 urge them bcyond
three Or -four miles an hour. The reason is obvious
80 q H1ilVW CIdUHtis tHc nttIu uIhEs, anu the wa
ter piles up in front Of the boat in ratio proper.
toned to the iocc applied to drive her against it
while the reaction OF the water on her bows, op
poses most powerful obstacle to her speed. al
these difficulties are lessened. and Of little com
pa alive moment, in large pool Of water.
he actual surface which will be constantly over
flowed, between the delaware tide-lock, and tn,
st. Georges lit lock, is found to be $50 aG.1o(
In ordinary tides the water in the channe
t the canal vii be ten feet: but in snrinv ,ides
Y will occasionally rise to twelve and upwards.
To thc westward Of this section (that is on the
summit lcler the actual space covered for cana
purpnses has not been accurately nscertainal hn