The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1838-12-14

ioo 10 @oo miles south, when their destina.
e"', generally Is north. Col. Kearney, u.
;. Enquirer, who has recently he'd charpe
VI survey OF that country, reports tha,
ocracoke Inlet is closing, and expresses a
nehet ihat ere long 1t will close entirely.-
10 winch event vessels will be compelled TO
seek an outlet still further south through tho
sound at Beaufort. This of course will
'hro" our trade TO still greater extent in
10 The markets of Vrginla-Can we sub.
init TO this
| ihis section is composed of Iauds Of the
highest natural fertility, but II is So level.
mat to render IT fit for cultivation. il re.
CURES the most expensive dichng and ca
| hating. This defect IN country where
iaho so much abounds and capital rs so i'm
ited has been the cause Of its aeglee..
The difficulty of the Navigation of tho
SOUND and OF the outlet TO the ocean is
no doubt superadded cause but ,cmove
these and there is no doubt that these
ands with become the garden-spot of the
State, instead Of wilderness Of worthless
a land and fertile soure: e ses''lence and
Nagsbead, a, the foot of the Alhenarle
Sound, seems designed BY nature for the
outlet. 1t is formed by a very narrow strip
oil beach, which divides the sound from the
ocean, and which is Of very little elevation
above high water mark. Ii has often been
surveyed by very distinguished engineers:
and Tor the practlcability of opening It,
beg to refer TO their reports. The verv
circumstance of IFS having been so often
surveyed, and SO often alluded to as the
subject OF Improvement, proves the value
and the prac,icabIthy of the enterprise. 1t
is difficult TO explain why it has not before
been undertaken. The reason NAV pE.
haps be found IN lis magnitude, as a State
work, and to the impression that il should
and would be executed by the general go.
vernment, as coming properly within The
class OF works belonging to it. II is now
too essential 10 US TO be longer delay ed, aud
must be accomplished By sore power.
Nagsflead is greatly more ellgiby stu.
ated for an outlet, If Croaion Sound was
closed, than was the New Inlet on the Cape
Fear. which was opened within the recolec-
ton of persons now living, and has already
IA feet of water and gradually improving.
The Aibemare and tributaries probably
discharge five times the quantity of water
which the Cape Fear does, and It's course
Is directly for the ocean. un:H II approach.
IS some hundreds of wards, when II turns
"h at right angles, and seeks an outlet leo
miles distant al Ocracoke. The Cape Fear
ocean TO about the same distance, a similar
beach intervening then turned off less alb
ruptly, ard found an outlet (the main barl
IN ten miles; and al the turn of, a storm
washed over the beach and cut gu, the New
Inlet. The Croatou Sound intercepts tho
water and draws II away before reaching
Nagshead. Closing that sound, i; appears
to me, would force the water on Nagshead
IN such body and power and with some slight
assistance by cutting the strip of beach to
give il a passage in The FIRST instance, as
would make the outlet.
This however, IS matter for tho sci.
enco of engineering. That the work is
practicable all have ugreed-that it ought
to be accomplished none will deny who will
reflect upon its immense importance TO the
State, both as TO character and profit.
Congress in 1882 yielded the power to
the State to impose tax on all vessels
which might pass through an outlet TO be
made at Nagshcsd. The undertaking IS
evidently one which belongs TO the General
Government, where the power is lodged 10
regulate commerce in the States, aud be,
cause IL would be source of revenue 10 her.
Ii would De OF more consequence to trade,
industry. and commercial enterprise, TO say
nothing of lis greater cheapness, than tho
Deiaware Breakwater, aud many other
wor KS which hive been promptly underla-
ken by The General Government.
From the Chesapeake to Ocracoke, a DIS
lance of from 200 to 800 miles, there is
not an I;det or Harbor for vessels. driven
10 the coast by stress Of weaiher--under
such circumstances dull saller cannot be-
KEEP, a aaS the consequence is that the
coast is lined with wrecks and covered With
the graves of our seamen-should Ocra-
as anticipated by Col. isrsrney,
the inaccessible cost is increased some thir-
~ or fWsy miles, and with it our maratime
dangers and losses.
The public prints in Virginia have alrea-
DIV directed the ai!ensien of her statesmen
to the feasibility of drawing the trade. of aas ;
State, even as far as the o.