Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-06-15

plcati0n of the mole could be more beneficial than
that proposed, either to the community at large,
or to its opponents themselves, as can easily be
demonstrated.
An attempt has, indeed, been made to repre-
sent the sale of the mole, thus early proposed, as
some consolation to the stockholders for its GER
tain and heavy cost, as vitiating altogether, the
right to construct it, for its avowed and obvious
use.
If this Board be correct in their views OF both
these subjects, the only loss which the Company
can sustain, from the delay of the other part to
their charter, in recognizing the justice and WIS
dom of the amendments proposed to it by the
Pennsylvania aud Virginia acts, will be, the loss
of interest on the dormant capital.
Even this loss admits of tie consolation, that
the capital itself, though Inactive is daily appre-
ciating, as the value of the canal IS developed by
the use of its navigation.
The present funds ofthe Company will certain
ly carry it twenty miles above the point, necessary
to the preservation of their charter; and these,
and other resources for the completion OF the en-
tire canal will not be lost sight of, in the estimate
of its ultimate success.
From topics less soothing, the Board turn with
pleasure to the recent manifestation by the Pari-
otto Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania of her con-
tinued interest in the prosperity Of enterprise
deeply interesting, not to herself only, butt the
whole American Union. The lberality with
which the Legislature of Pennsylvania have re-
commended the appropriation, BY Congress, OF
d million of dollars to the construction OF the
Western section of the Chesapeake and Ohio Ca
nal, is the more honorable to this commonwealth,
since she is, herself, seeking to secure to her
great eastern emporium, that commerce, which
every effort to connect by inland navigation, the
eastern and western waters of the United States,
has a tendency to divide.
Another source of qualification is opened to
the stockholders of the Chesapeake and Ohio Ca
nal, by this recent vote, rs we'll as by other late
proceedings of the Pennsylvania Legislature
Il is, that in a cOmmonw ealth so distinguished
for the number and excellence of its highways,
designed for intercourse both by land and we
ter, rail roads have not superseded all sense OF
the superior utility Of canals, where water cx-
lists in sufficient quantity for their construction.
and other circumstances conspire to give to them
decided preference. The undated zeal with
which New York and Ohio are completing their
magnificent system of canals, strongly fortif!es
this authority.
1t must be gratifying to the liberal friends OF
internal Improvement every where, aud especial
~ to those who would avail themselves of the be-
ne6t Of uniform transportation. in States already
intersected by many navisable rivers, and
Astounding with streams that can be readily made
subseryient to the same end, to learn from re-
cent experiments on the canals of Scotland,
that the established theories which limited the
velocity of navigation on canals. are giving
place to the lessons OF practical know edge; the
sure corrective of false philosophy in all physical
science.
The compass of this already extended report
into its text, OF all the We
to Thomas Grahame, Esq. Of Glasgow. from
which the following extracts are made:
They prove beyond the possibility of doubt
that velocity of Is miles an hour has been AZ.
tanned on the Forth and Clyde Canal: which. al
though ten feet deep, is In width but three feet
broader than the Chesapeake and Ohio canal
'hat. on the Ardrossan canal, one Of the narrow
est IN Scotland, velocity of 10 miles per hour
mas been attained, and that .'eight persons and
the steersman OF boat accomplished distance
OF two miles with one Horse in ten minutes, with
out any surge Or agitation Of the water ipiurops
to the banks"
The summary of the results from the first ex.
perIments on the Forth and Clyde canal, EN-. |
,raced three objects worthy of particular no.
Ice as tins authority very justly afilrms: First.
he ease with which the boats were brought IN.
= ''"PPeu, "heh moving AT high rate OF yelO-
ity; secondly, the little additional labor. in
lraw'ns occasioned to the horse, when drawing
he boat at this high rate, as compared with q
NV rate OF velocity: and thirdly the apparent
ANIMATION OF the surge, or agitation in The wa.
er. at high rate of velocity"
Since these experiments, boat has been rep,,.
'riy "riyns between Glasgow. Paisley and +,
ohnston, on the Ardrossan canal" carryino :
from Forty TO fifty passengers. at the raie IF 6
'om nine 10 ten miles an hour" II
Other experiments have been made. on tbe
ionkland, the Union. and the Forth and CLYDE
inals OF Scotland; to two of which. made on the
st OF these canals, as far back as the tn and 0
IN OF July 1880, the attention of the stockholJ. u
5 rs particularly invited, as they show that the }
'loclty of the passage boats on the Chesapeake {,
Id Ohio Canal, will not encounter peculiar and n
distractions from its numerous locks e
has, as yet. but one permanent bridge above a,
georgetown, in distance of AZ miles. and that &
not only very elevated, hut designed to be pro- Of
ded with suitable draw 20
Son Wednesday, the 9Th Of July. the Swift. p,
boat 90 feet long and s feet 6 inches broad co
In built, and fitted to carry from fifty to six, q