Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-07-02


Dear Sir.-Your letter of April 25h was received by
me this morning in New York, where am temporarily de-
ained by business aPperiuiaing the Schuyl Navisa
ton Company.
am saiiGed by the evidences have receiy
ed OF the appreciation Of facts stated commu.
ncaton the President Of the Chesapeake Ohio Canal
Company, by parties interested works OF public improve
meni. Your inquiries again show how extensive
this system Of Internal Navigation by may become
and how essential it is that all who have control over the
policy Of lines OF Canal should be made sensible
Of its importance.
The difficulties your way, things now stand are The
inadequate size OF your locks and the insufficient ee,h of
the the upper part OF the Navigation. In ether
respects your line is well adapted the OF sesm-for
between the dams it's open river.
GA the English Canal, which you refer, think the
locks but feet wide The depth intended TO be
feet, and believe ii ia pretty well maintained. may
oyer-sate the with oil the locks htte-no having my
notes by but they ess than "a wide Tue
width of the Canal the surface is IS 40 feet only
Under the bridges which generally brick arches the
waterway IL bat about feet.
But the Navigation OF these Canals is maintained on
system which is applicable your case They have
large and pretty steady trade which enables the company
10 place tug every level, and send the boats
through in trains The tugs wider than the lock CHAM
bers, and do therefore, pass through them. This ar
rangement would in like that of the
freight, be economically carried, be ON board
the Steamer itself
The slow rate Of progress the English Canal adverted
10 in papers, TO 81 miles per hour-does proceed
much from the lsnsto the train. from the resistance
due TO the swelling Of the a channel be-
fore the bow Of the forward bout You may force steam
boat at a certain rate-say miles per hour-throueh
given canal; and then yOu may attach two or three
other boats Of the size, and the tug will still
Ike 2 nt The unie bnnr
There will be reduction Of the velocity of course
but it will be very inconsiderable.
This fact shows that steam traction canals Of ordinary
dimensions b adapted the conveyance Of heavy
burdens low rates, than the transportation passen
gers at high speed.
But your case these considerations do not appy and
if your Locks larger-such those Of the james
River & klnawka Cans-or were less than those, and
the depth OF in the Riyanna could be med
ways feet, you could navigate that improvement
speed vi from to miles per hour with gle boat
and at or miles with boats in tow The
Steamboat would carry from 20 81 TONS besides fuel
and machinery and could be used for the transportation Of
ei ther passengers or freight, or both.
The boats used on the English Canals, generally carry
bur22 % oBs-but this Is the fault Of
ton, ard result OF modern improvement was
ned om my examination u those canals, that all the great
lines England OuEh; ~ be Reconstructed, and adj pied
the OF larger bats, and power the iane boat
with the lregbtbe conveyance Of heavy tonnage
and the more rapid transportation OF passengers and vaua
bic goods.
doubt much the expectancy OF obtaining n greater
depth Of water by oxcavating tie rock. THIS Psn might
certainly be adopted where the obstruction OF little
and particularly II the could be partially drained
off through the dams below But IL Is always cxpen-
siye process and Of which tie expense il difficult
estimate. In certain positions, where the wner IL shallow
and cheap copper dam be easily thrown around the
obstruction that plan may be adopted 10 extent.
To reply directly TO the points which you appear be
chiefly Interested would say that Steam toys be used
successfully tue Ryanna with five feet depth Of
or even less and locks such those feet
long and feet wide-the tug being made to through
tue locks but the cost OF transportation will be greater by
that system such wore, than a well proportioned
Canal with horse power: That they will be worked great
disadvantage such improvement and rather than go
O the expense Of building this purpose, which would
be applicable to other duty, and obiinng this depth Of
waie and correcting, perhaps other imperectons Ut your
present work, would at once look the economical
O steam and prepare tho work for boats Of the dimensions
The question will then arise-Will the Trade
which you command, justify such expenditure
as this would requirei This you will have to determine
from the facts which you doubt have Ia your posses
sion But before engaging ia any such enterprise pru
donce would point 10 tho proprey OF spuatDg Tor pro.
per connection with the James River Kanawha canal
Columbia, aud for the maintenance by that Compiny OF
constant depth VI east4I eotffon the Ryauna Rich
mondso that boats might proceed directly 10 their dcs
tnoton One other point also deserves your sttenon
tho connection at Richmond ought 10 be made between tho
Lower Level and the Dock; and both your Company aud
the James River Company, would then be relieved IN
great measure Of the necessity Of putting steam boats
ALL
There last yea Canal steamers plying between this
city, by the way Of the Hudson TO Albany, 80 mes; the
Ere aud OswogO Canals ssy 200 miles 10 buke Ontar0;
and between this city and ST. Johns in Cansds by the
way the Hudson. the Champsin Canal Lake Chapsin
a. the River ST. John making altogether $50 miles,
which, when stopped by the ice, seored south, through
the Delaware and Rantan Canal. the Delaware River, the
Chesapeake and Delaware Canal and Chesapeake Bay,
Norfolk aud spend the winter trading through the Dismal
Swump Canal and running up the rivers Of North Carolina
These steamers much smaller than could be pass
through the Locks of the james River e. KsnaWha Co
/ nal.
Here there is route Of nearly 1000 miles norh and
SOUTH with bfanches leading the heart oi Virginia. up
u tic cool mines u Maryisndto the Allegheny IN Penn
ylvaHi, 10 the Great Lakes ~ New Yotk end the ST.
Lawrence IN CsnaJsj where boats nov burn
| roy PennsylyaDis coal.
Why does Virginia then construct these few Locks
at Richmond, and maintain proper dcnih Of
Canal, and participate in the advantages Of this great line
Of open navgaoni n they would mako these locks and
keep up Tho depth Of water, and you would adapt your
navigation TO H. neither your Company the James Ri
yer Ksnswha Company need be any expense for