Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-07-03

The following highly interesting Letter, the sub
ject OF Canal Navigation, will attract should think
II Letter to the Editor Of the Rail Road Journal
SWIFT CANAL BOATS-STEAM CARRIAGES
ON COMMON ROADS.
When at Glasgow visited the Paisley" and the
Forth and Clyde Canals; and country is very
much interested in canal navigation, some memoranda
relative to the s'cU passage boats those canals
nay not be uninteresting TO your readers.
FIRST, of the Paisley Canal" which has been the
longest known and is sill most successful regards
and COS through Raeg leiGh' ,ines distanp John
ston, v Eliminates, twelve miles long; lock
ip~ae whoe distance The boats of iron, of one
sixteenth of inch thick 40 feet long, five feet nine
inches Broad and weigh 16 cwt. Ia lbs This is the
weight of the iron part alone The total weight the
boat, including the wood work. uhe cabins are of this
materially fxturcs &c is 80 cwt and with 100 passeii-
gers, draws l9 inches aft and lS inches forward Two
horses draw the boat in stages of four miles eac the pair
OF horses go only IL miles per diem. There four
Douts, whch make SIX journeys each, or twenty-iour
journeys for the whole, each day These boats have
been running four years They generally full They
meet INC greatest encouragement and are very profitable
to the proprietos notwsian ding the fare very mo-
derate The charge is sxpence in the after cabin and
ninePence IN the forward to Paisley eight miles, John
ston, IL miles, the charge in the after cabin
and IL pence in the forward cabin. The time usually
employed between Glasgow and Paisley is so muntes
or 8 23 miles per hour. This is the nafrowest canal
saw generally 30 feet wide and five feet deep The
captains ot the boats board of which travelled told
me that on narrow canal such this the horses can
pull boat easier achen trGUoRg Tdid than on one OF
greater section This paradoxical it may appear is
yerlfieu tdct That the 'Forth and Glide
nal which IS OF nine feet DEPTH and &c feet BREADTH the
boats which nearly of the dimensions OS feet
long, and l2 feet broadly those the Paisley Canal
drawn by three horses with 40 passengers on board
and yet travel at about bssane velocity ON the nur-
rover and stayg---z ked these capiuins, and
enoInecr -, some cninence ,vhon mot on,
board returning from Johnston how they could account
for this circumstance Their reply was as follows: On
narrow canal say 30 or 40 feet wide, the boat passing
swiftly through the water throws the wave against the
Shore which being thrown back again against the boat
raises ituP, and thus Propes 1t The wave strikes the
boat about two-thirds OF its lcngthom the bow But
the canal were much wider the boat would pass by be-.
fore the reflected could reach the boat and thus
give 1t aid. give this explanation nearly in the words
OF these captains and responsible only for
ness OF the report Of what they told me- hope this will
meet the eye ofour distinguished counirynan General
&. f. Mercer Chairman OF the Committee az lrtc,oal
Improvements in the House of Representatives who adj.
yocaes with much ability Lroad and deep canals for
sssssi.on, as far more economical than narrow ca
nails 0ssezzyr finish what have to say RESPECTING
the fast travelling the "Forth and Clyde Canal
This canal as have said above, is G5 feet broad BY
nine feet deep and the iron boats 65 feet long aud
ieet broad, and when light draw eight inches water
with 40 passengers, draw 20 inches. This is when in
state ofrestwhen in rapid motion they draw less There
arc three horses employed each boat and the passen
gers who get into the boats Port Dundas (Giasgow,
set down at Port Hopetown (Edinurgh) in Id hours
distance OF % miles, nearly nine miles per hour IL
10 necessary TO explain to you that the passengers 70
II part OF tine distance the Forth and Clyde Ca
nal They start from Port Dondas and 20 to Port Dow
ME, (ie commencement Of the "Union Canal - a dis
lance of n 2 miles, which includes ourlock In the
next half mile eleven locks which are avoided by the
passengers being conveyed IN omnbuscs 10 boats the
"Union Canal, which carry them on a level of 81 miles
TO Port Hopetown (Edinburgh) regret that did not
take memorandum ofthc Of these iron boats which
light and beautiful vessels and being fearful OF m
ing mistake, do not quote from memory On the Ian
caster, Carlisle and Kendall Canals there are rapid boats
but not having travelled by them do give you an,
details But IL any Of your readers feel an interest in tn,
above remarks and wish further Information can with
facility procure it, and will with pleasure communicnt,
it 70 you Since my return from The north have c,
on Mr.. Hancock, in company with Mr. r ono Of the
engineers OF The Boston and Providence Railway. We
found that for the last two months the ezra" and the
"Auopsy have Discontinued r0nnnq, owing to the alb
scnce Of Mr.. Hancock n Ireland whittier he went will
The Era for The purpose Of oscertaning If he conl,
prohably Introduce locomotives the roads Of thai
country. lie Is now returned TO London, and will I an
informed, recommends running these engines on
the metropolitan roads 10 few days. Mr. r and also
went 70 see Mr. Russell steam carriage recently arrived
from Glasgow, which WILL ia few days ply regularly
u conjunction with others Of this genicmans make BE-
tween Hyde Parkc Corner and Hanmersmith Hhe corn.
menccment OF the great western road Of London
This Carriage is by far the tasteful Of all the steam
carriages have seen Il s built exactly like the Stage