Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-05-20


from, pont 10 point, wherever the breaks are al an ao
rup The line Of coss, may be stated to be 500 miles IN
length. .
chain Of mountains separating the sources OF rivers
aowinu ON the one hand directly into the ocean, rHn
those Which run into the Gulf Of ST. Lawrence or Cult
of Mexico Even in the most lofty portion OF this cna'n
numerous gaps afford facilities for crossing by ROADS OF
railways:
Occasional expansions, at high elevations present SUI
cient SUFFICE TO afford the water required Tor cfosS"S
by canals and, in other Places the rivers thenSe,u
have severed the chain, leaving lpedlments u con"
municaiious Of either kind. On both sides oi tiest
mountains the country offers numerous natural c
INSTRUMENTATION, and facilities and Inducements ''
the creation OF artificial ones IN endless cud ,o,
From this general description, II may D: ut ,bn
not withstaiiinn the great extent oil our @
safety of each section Of it is mailer not so
rest to every portion Of the people, however
prauhically at least so long the nation sha eo,'
6.r COMMERCIAL relations with The rest OF tue wo!' ""'
indeed until she shall fnd her lHtcfes' 70 ctu @
circulation Of domestic commerce through ''' f
wbch patpre or art may have created; il cc'hhe'Ic %
nrs,;n,bc valuc At all limes and becoming more eceS
surv as well as more valuable, on every interruption VI
\ foreign traffic. . :. ;u Iva
convenient 10 describe briefly in this place, la inc
interior communication ON which, in time OF war. re-
lance must be placed substitute, In Part' 'ot 'c "
| terror coas,ng navigation "i peace. Cod
Beginning ~ the great bay 10 the North OF cape Eoo'
it passes over land either into Naragansctt roads or buz
cards BAY; thence through Long Island Sound to the
hurbor of New York; thence up the Rarltan, over ahu
to the Delaware, down this river some nc amp
ton Roads and Elizabeth river, through tn. Dismal
Swamp to Automatic Sound; thence through the 10"
lands swamps sounds of the Carol'nas and Georgia.
the head OF the peninsula CT florioa; hehce over
land TO the Gulf Of Mexico; thence through the interior
sounds and bays New Orleans, aud thence through
lew lunds swainps, and bayous to the Western bounda
~. Some of the few and brief natural interruptions OF
this extensive line have already been removed some are
rapidly disappearing before the energy OF local or Stale
enterprise and to the residue the pubic attention Is d.
eced with earnestness which leaves no reason 10
fear that they will not in due time, be overcome In all
casca where this line becomes much exposed 10 al ene-
nv from the difficulty Of fottyng broad waters, COM
munications inland even now afforded or are
in progress by canals or railroads. which Will be per-
! feclly sutc. . -
Proceeding now TO more minute examination of the
coast it will be convenient TO divide into four distinct
parts namely the Northeastern, extending from the
Engsh province Of New Brunswick to Cape Cod; the
Middle, from Cape Cod TO Cape uteras; the Southern
from Cape Hatcras to Cape Sable; and the Gulf OF
Mexico frontier from Cape Sable TO the Mexican bor
drs. They will be taken up in the order in which they
stand above
THE SoaruEAsTERN SECTION THE COAST.
The Northeastern section is characterized by lis ser
rated outline and its numerous harbors; and though
differing in these respects cnEely from the other sec.
tons is not less distinguished in its climate than by
the prevalence at certain seasons, of dense and last
ing logs The extent of this section, measuring from
point 10 point, wherever the breaks OF the coast
are abrupt about 500 miles; while straight line from
Cane tod 10 Quoddy Head, is hardly half that distance
The eastern half of this coast is sngulary ndrntcd by
deep bays the shores being universally rocky and having
numerous islands, surrounded BY deep water which not
only add to the number of harbors but afford BESIDES
an interior navigation, we'll understood by the hardy
coasters of this section and measuraby secured by ls
int.icaces, and the other dangers OF this toggy and boIs
ferrous region, from interruption by an enemy. The
western half though it has two very prominent capes
and few deep buys is much less broken in its outline
than the eastern. 1t is coveredby few islands, in COM
parison but contains nevertheless several excellent har
bors.
The Eastern harbors Of Maine exposed in pecu
liar manner They only tho flank Of our line:
but they also quite to public establishments OF
the greatest maritime Power: they are: moreover as
yet backed by sparse population only, and are con-
sequently both weak and exposed. The time cannot be
very distant, however, when becoming wealthy and pn-
pulous they will be the objects of full portion of the
public solicude Works designed for these halbors
must therefore, he calculated for the futurc-musl be
founded the principle that they are 10 defend places
much important than any existing there; that,
being very the possessions Of foreign Power,
they will be- particular manner, liable t. sudden aud
to repeated attacks and that lying at the extremity Of
the coust they can be only tardiy succourcd. The
works erected this part of the coast should be so
strong as resist cscaade and to hold out long enough
for the arrival of relief Fceber WORKS lian these
mrht be more injurious than benefcia their weakness
would in the first place, invite attack, and it being
great advantage to occupy fortified places advcrSa
ry territory the enemy would prepare iselft to
the military QcliClenCeS W THESE ny
porary works. by the force Of his garrsons, and The aid
Of his vessels.
No surveys have been made Of these harbors, aud
plans formed for their defence 1t may be well to OBJ.
serve here for all that much confluence Is not ask
ed for the lectures presented below as TO the
number and cost Of the works assigned tor the protec
ton of the harbors which have not yet been surveyed
in there will be mistakes to the number of
forts needed and in others, the errors will be IN The es
mued cost; but the will probably often lie on
side The other, that The sum total may be Il
sufficient approximation TO the truth.
This is the place state, also, that the cary estimates
furnished for the projected works. require considerable
augmentation. The explanation Of this is easy In pre-
pairing those estimates, the Board Of Eng neers obtained
lists Of prices from different sections Of the country, and
adopted them accurate Whether the lists thus fur
nshcd referred to materials and workmanship Of inferior
quality, because they drawn up ut period of
unusually low prices, it has been found by experience
that these prices We're almost all too low The Board
calculated with great and labor, and with perfect
honesty Of purpose, appying The prices just mentioned 10
all the quantities susceptible Of measurement and CAL
cuation; and they applied themselves with no less dill
gencc and good faith to the estimate OF expenses OF
contingent NATURE and for the greater part not to he
foreseen with accuracy either to amount kind
Having experience in large constructions, these last
were, at least but conjectures and the history of
constructions several parts of the coast has since
shown, they much too small. In consideration Of
these deficiencies, Of the present great elevation Of pr
and of the liability to great increase of cost from &C.
casona Interruptions of progress, and breaking up Of
systems Ol IL is aUoul
cent should be added to the amounts given in the cs
mates.
Eastport and Mach;as may be brought forward pla-
ccs that will unquesonabiy be thought TO need deen
Sve works by the tme in the order of relative impor
tance the execution of them be undertaken by the
Government. There are several small towns eastward
of Mount Desert island, that may, al that period, de-
equal attention: present, however, the places
named above, will be the only estimated for, and
100000 will be assumed as the cost Of each.
Mount Desert island, situated little east Of Penobscot
bay, and centrally as regards the Rennebeck and ST.
Croix rivers having apacious and safe roadsead. az
fodng anchorage for the highest class of vessels and