Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-01-05
, COMM N1cATEp. !

-HT. Eai!CF.-t have read with some iutcre>r
an article on Internal improvement, in the las,
number OF the Quarterly Review, to which
would direct the attention Of that portion of vour
readers who are in search of information on the
subject of Roads, Railways and Canals. 'rho
public need no illustration of the advantages a,.
tending all works calculated 10 facilitate the
cheap and rapid interchange of commodities
Their value, in developing the resources and in
adding to the wealth and prosperity of the conn.
try, is properly estimated. The question Will
most deeply interests the public mind. and Ibs
only question with respect to which any diyer.;
" of opinion exists, has reference entirely to ~.
mode Of communication that should be a;ortaI
hv means of which convenience, utility and cco
nomv may be best promoted. And on t,,is .nI,
iect much valuable info, matIon NAV be deri,et
from the article IN question. The mschan;c.i
principles which are brought into operation. and
the difficulties which are 10 be encountered nno,
Roads and Canals are clearly and accurately nv
planned. and the conclusion 10 which the vr;isr
brought. after full view Of the subject. i ,ba,
Canals. except under peculiar c;rcumst,rcos
possess a decided superiority above Rail Ro,d<
i Is not nv intention To anaIyze the ,r,;,Ia
referred to. or TO make an abstract Of il. M,
wond ask Your readers oexamne the princ;cIes
aud tacrs here deoi;ed, and the effect will ha,o
, confirm nc opinions which they generally ertsr.
tain rs 70 the comparative value of Rail Ro,J,
aud Canals. Both modes of communication ,ro
attended vitIl maay advantages. and where ,rrrG
Is OF great Consequence, aud the articles 10 NO
transported Of great value compared with their
bulk. itaiI 3'oad should most certainly be- nrc.
TERED. foiIHS'ancc, IN the contemplated ron.
ncXion Gctw a. the :taiitan and Delaware rivers
IN or"er 10 iI" - communication between the
two great cId's OF New York and Phi!adcIpbia.
a Rail Road ao"Id be profitable in spite Of rho
CONSTRUCTION parallel Canal" The writer
concludes his ohser'at!ons upon this subject as
follows:
- TO sum o., we conceive that, at the present
moment, Canss still possess, except under pc.
cuIiar circum tances superiority over R.n
Roads, and th;t the former arc suscen,;hIa or ;n
pro>ements whcI may keep up this superoritv
These advantages. however. cease. when time T
becomes an lnoriant consideration. and steam ,s
the moving pOer, IN which case Rail Road. ar.
to be preferred How Far the Improvement Of !
carriages, anl onseqvcnt diminu,ion of friction
arc likely toke carried, II /, hHrdl, possible q
predict; sul,S o"c'ci, Sc 'ainot set abandon
the lmpreSSn although It has ceased Ia he lash
ionabic, thaY ne Cn@m rW rcaaip tie greo,
mote o. WfFm communication, to which Rail
| Roads VIII elerey accessories, unless In few
peculiar cases.whtre local circumstances or the
species of transportation will cause them to be
! preferred
Now, as I aspects the L" iocal circumstances"
OF the county hroush which the Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal pass, there is certainty. derry
| ed from the pervatIons of practical engineers,
and tAm actui experiment, that a Canal i, prac,
| ticable, "hile remains undecided whether the
| obstacles aren't OF too formidable character TO
admit OF thacnstructOn OF a Rail Road And
with respectt "Me species Of haiSporiaiion,"
the productsNlch will be brought To market are d
of such ei3hhnd bulk as to render Canal the
most econopld mode of conveyance The Va
lue of these ~ modes of communication will.
however. bfffly tested in the course of one or
two years, ~ good sense and common policy "A
would requHehat one mode or the other should n
be prosccus dccordlng AS experiment sail de-
monstrale whl! would be attended with the hI.h. W
est advantage 4 CITIZEN ~