Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-02-07

rortation oy adopting this route, rs 10 give il the
preference lit is said TO that OF sending by wagons
directly 10 Baltimore or philadelphia III is
said, that vessel load OF the Mineral Coal OF the
Muskingun Valley, has already been sent by way
OF the Canal and Lake Erie, Ia the Island of Ma
kina-and calculations are formed, that it will
hereafter supply the CRATES Of Montreal.
The same causes tina, retarded the Ohio Canal
Technically so called) have affected the compile
ton OF the .Af,dnii Camel Yet the ''entife Ca
nal, from Cincinnati to Dayton, with feeder from
the Miami river, short distance above Middle
town, and one from Mad River near Dayton, is
now complete. As early the 27,h Of Septem-
Der last, the water was intro !uced into that part
nearest Dayton bnt owing to the great absorption
OF water by the graveliy plains thro' which the
canal is constructed, the water has but lately
reached the head of the lower division of the Ca
nal. This portion of the line being filled with
water, the navigation is now open from Cincinnati
TO Dayton The length of the Miami canal
now constructed, from accurate survey of il,
since lis completion, including side-tut and feed
ers, Is 81 miles, Is chains, and 90 links.
- he cost o! this canal, side cut, and feeders,
including the sums paid for repairs, for strength
ening and securing the banks, FOR lock houses, reg
ulating wears at the locks, Sc is S7i6,S52 70cts;
or an average cost per mile, on 6S miles, (nearly,)
OF Sl0,9S3 l2cs. OF this sum there have been
paid, up to the lst of Dec, ST45,5I5 2Octs. leav-
ing al that date to be paid, the of 3 1877 80.
The amount Of tolls collected on the lower di-
vision, UP 10 the 3lst OF Dec, exclusive of the
sum received at Hamilton for the FIRST weeks Of
Dec, is 1892 70cts.''-Cominssione are also
appointed to construct Canal if physically posi-
bic, from Drayton TO Lake Erie, by way OF Fort
Defiance.
These are stupenaous works-but fortunately
for themselves, and for too, if we choose 10 fol-
low in their footsteps, they are surpassed by
the enterprise OF her Citizens. There are sian;s
even in these days
These things set mems minds also 10 weak In
genious men excited TO discover better labor
saving machines. The FIRST steamboat of Fulton
aecended the Hudson at the rate OF or miles an
hour; and now they have attained the velocity Of
Ia or 10 miles In new country, where labor is
scarce and dear, time saving machines are great
thing STEAMBOATS, on rivers have advanced won
deriuly-but there seemed to be difficulty in
bringing them upon canals They raise a strong
ripple, and wear out the sides of the canals; and vet
the polling, and next the horse towing, are II is
evident, very awkward and the ntiatory steps in
the art OF canal navigation. The Cincinnati En-
porium of the ODD says, that Daniel French " has
overcome the great objection of steamboats, navi-
eating canals. that Of washing the sides occasioned
by the agitation Of the water produced BY the ac-
ton of the propelling apparatus. To overcome
this, III the most perfect manner, Mr.. French has
invented several newly constructed propelling
wheels, that produce hui very little agitation ai-
rectly behind the propeling wheel, and as the wa
ter put in motion by the same and is discharged at
the stern in It's passage, II moves under floating
board or boards resting on the surface of the wa
ter, hung by hinges 10 the sides of the boats, or
parts that form OF leave space between them for
the propeliiDg wheel; by this means the little aei-
'a'ion of the water is entirely Ieveied, and the
water i discharged in uniform, even, smooth
stream, without the least injury 10 The canal. OF
the most important Of Mr. Frenchis new system,
/ Of canal savie alton, we believe that not any no.
tice has been heretofore taken through the ine,li.
um o! the public papers, which is t0tcing and irir-
ing other boats by the steamboats,.
| q AS 10 the diminished speed Of boat by tow
Ing another OF the same depth and breadth in the
I ,ta hot Ourir, L1rt I-tsa \.
found by experience 10 be about one fourth, and
MIR. Erencb's opinion Is, that ii the steam boat
alone moves at the rate of miles per hour, il
would tow ten or twelve, perhaps more, 1T the
rate of 4 miles per hour, at average, and when
moving IN a strait line much more; each boat be-
ing the same depth and width as the steamboat
| To steer the boats, Mr.. French intends 10 use
.udders at the bows we'll as the sterns, as also
lrndders the sides Of the boat, to fold in even
with the sides of tie same when running directly
| forward. These are to be situated at or near me
bows sterns of the boats con, led togethe He
has also conrive another perfectly simple plan for
steering the boats that coupled together with
J out rnddeTs, the boats themselves performing the
| Office of rudders and steering each other. When
the turns or bends short in the canal that i,
becomes difficult 10 manage and get round Wit:
the whole line tina, is joined dision AMI take apart
I at a time when all are past, join again and pro
| coed on.''
! Pennsylvania is not behind her sister State-Sat
TOO Is soaring in her brilliant career, with an eye
that never winks. and wing ihat never tires
| Her canals, and her turnpike roads, are beginning
| t. be the admiration OF other states. She EMPLOYS
distinct Engineers and Commissioners for each OF
| her works; and she does not withhold her purse
and her loans, in any safe and use ful unde
| We have now before us an elaborate and sceDti-
he "Report on the survey and railway routes he
| tween the waters Of Delaware and SuSguehanna,
! by .Moncue Robinson, EnginscT"-a young
Virginian, who commenced his first lessons in
! Civil Engineering on the banks OF Our own Jam. 5
| River and after viewing the New York Canal
| visited Europe for the purpose OF improving his
! art; he studied on the spot the best canals and
roads in Holland, England and France; and upon
his return to his native state, sought employment
and bread in Virginia, and found both, with honor
TO boot, in the state Of pennsylvania When
the spirit OF the Old Dominion is more fully
! awakened, she may succeed perhaps, in bringing
back her accomplished TO their own homes
| Maryland is advancing IN one line Of iinp,o.e
ment, with more rapidty, t3an any other. There
is TO bp tried, on gigantic scale, the experiment
! OF rdi-ronds. Since public attention ha: been So
/ ntenty fixed on this mode Of conveyance, aot
1 principally in this country by her bold attenlp pit
| new plans have been struck out which prom.
ise immense Improvements. MIR. Ross Wy
uaD OF n. Jersey, has invented Rail road Car
riage; which moves with so much ease, a. in the
opinion Of some, TO solve the dispute between ca
nails and railroads and give the preference 70 til,
latter. or il succeeds, il must accelerate ths di-
covery Of canal steam boats) He has tried hi
experiments IN Baltimore with astonishing cciuf.--
| A gentleman from Baltimore writes: F." We have
now finished one OF Winans wagons which was
put on trial yesterday afternoon, in the presence
several hundred persons, aud we have now ar
rived at the gratifying evidence that This wager
will, without the shadow Of doubt, accomplish gu
most sanguine expectations. Two gentlemen
| each separately pushed with great ease, upon
road FAR from perfect, in this new wagon 500
potnfie. and 7 am perCectlv satisfied uuon a vol