Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1828-07-19

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Ient cheapness of labour is peculiarly aus2cious
| TO the prosecution Of great public enterprises
Ihe accomplishment of this important part Of
the work willie enlarge the fund applicable to o,he,
~ ~"
F, Unless the calculations submitted by thos. wha
Deen selected Tor their professional skill ba
iallacous the tolls after its navigation shall have
been improved will be sufficient to liberate tho
iund winch has been appropriated to this obiact
from Its present burthens
Cur observations have been applied more par.
.'cuiariy 20 James river, because we consider n
a. Ia,a,nS eminently the immediate attention Of
the legislature for several reasons
PASSES in lis whole extent through nh. ess.-
| ,re or the State. and, accoinn,odaless areaierJ
Humber of our fellow ctizens than INV 'a,bsrN
river. - @f
IT Is the exclusive property or the State and
"e "h"ie produce OF The tolls may either DO
oroaght into the treasury or applied 10 other
improvements. -
1t promises more than any other, to he aux.
I'iary 10 the extension Of the commerce or Viz
sinia and the West. -
The Improvement of its navigation will CON,
merciai capital. I,
And lastly, it will save q large sum ALREADY
expended on That part Of the work which has
been aeon ;,lishcd.
Ii we persist in almost Infinite subdivisions
OF our funds, nothing great will he completed.
IL we apply them first TO the most Important
objects, they will be accomplished anJ their
pshmeut will enable US 10 proceed viii
others Ii cannot, VIC think, be doubted that
by rendering each work in which we engage
productive, we shall be enabled 10 move nm nro-
excessively until The whole shall become so.
Although then the patronage of the IeSisla-.
'nre should he directed 10 James River, il does
not foIlnw that the improvement of other rivers.
should he out Of Vie
The Potomac and the Roanoke having their
sources, well as the James, in the Allegheny
mountains, affords facilities to the inhabitants of
a vast tract of country. and the means Of inter.
course between the Atlantic and the Westorn
states They arc all Of them rivers of the FIRST
class, and the strongest exist for the i'm
provement of their navigation.
The Roanoke is understood to contain, mora
water than the James, and its navigation between
the falls near Halifax and the Blue Ridge, is not
supposed to be difficult or so dangerous 1t ia
also nnasr stood that fund is obtained fora canal
lower navigation. The report to which reference
has frequently been made shows, that the Dismal
Swamp canal will be completed this summer, after
which the same vessels may pass in safety from
the falls of Roanoke to Norfolk. The legislature.
we think, cannot be charged with neglecting tho
interests of this river, if farther advances in tho
Improvement OF its nasigation, be postponed for a
| short time.
slight attention to the map of Virginia.
demonstrates, indeed, that as the Allegheny rc-
cedes from the Ocean in its extension from North,
to South, the Southern rivers which rise in that
| mountain, are heightened i'm their course TO tho
Atlantic But increased length which enable.
river to accommodate greater extent of countrr
serves, in some degree, as the measure of the
ProoaDie Productiveness of the capital vested in its
| improvement; and, the more especially wben
penetrating successive ranges of mountains and
| crossing deep vallies, well as elevated tabIo
| lands, 1t derives additional Importance from tho
| number d variety the productionswhicb il be,rs
to common market. 1t thus assures more &C.
dy employment to the capital of that market a.
well as more stable profit upon its own nayiga.
| ton.
Among the great rivers of Virginia new IN.
terest has been recently impaired to the Roanot.
ny the discovery OF the practicabity of nnt;nn
Its waters, with those Of James River and ~
rivers with the waters of Greenbrier land NJ.
lSSer, and by their nstrnmentality, with those NJ
tne grea. henaWha. West Of the Allegheny, tbi.
river and the Monongahea occupy the Free ,. ,l'
and it is fortunate for the union Of the re.o,,r
OF the Commonwealth, in promoting their ;ro'
Proyement, that 1T connects itself with that of a.
three great rivers ofthe Atlantic. - '0
The Potomac, considered apart from ;ts nr;n-
clPal branches, is border river, but the Shcnan.
doah, now imperfectly nayipable for t,vo b,,rJs
| miles, and the South branch for ore bundrod
| give to the Potomac the character of , w.,
river It's branches bearing towards its stem IN.
relation OF all the commercial channels of ,h
Commonwealth, to their great estuary. the Cbo,n.
pcake. N O'''@'
Happily for the early improvement of this rive,
continued canal is now in progress, from its
TIDE towards the base oftheAllegbany Mountain 80
that contribution to the capital employed in hi.
enterprise, not exceeding that Of sister and bor
uerinS stale, VIII iulhl, at cost easily prov;dod
the correspondent obligations of the Co.., $500,
wealth to her own citizens. Indeed, COMPARES,
OF the relative interest of Maryland and virgin,
IN TINS great work, establishes, incontestbly tho
superior importance to the latter Of its J
and speedy accomplishment. Expedited as the
PROFESS OF TINS s canal viii be, by the present sub
scrlPuon OF $4,000, 5000 to its stock the r,r,
proposed to be added to that amount by the Cor.'
rnonwealth OF Virginia will ensure its speedy Corr
Picuon and render its stock imtnediately nro-
| The monongahola will constifute - H. ~,