Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-03-18
,Iarue aud Rhine canal bets.en vn.y and Nancy; and

Maruc and Rhine canal between vitsy and Nancy and
6O00.00u he-,des for lateral canal % the Gsronne.
In Eog aud the old birmingham canal company opened
canal 10 miles ia length. the route OF which
does drvisc materially cn their old line. and The OBJ
cct which relieve the locks their work from the
pressure q" the boats which constantly throng the canal
There live snicent lines Of rail road leading
Birmingham, % which parsissd with this canal.
and each NJ which he regarded as the competitor al
at ITS great But these rail roads do
eos.erve the purposc vi relieving the trade which consists
mainly OF those coarse commodities that require the
my VI eaosl transportation.
In rcga:ln ia, mi,ria, but vcxed question Of tho
lai,o .e"aomy vt railway Nnd canal there
world be bat e diiiculty ia deciding IL the sa,-lse.
ton cf all minds could bring III. problem down
mere que son OF cNpcronceaud results actually obtained
But II J. rarely presented in tins way. On the one
hand We have thu known and admitted 81 fteishnc
on cena's and this have compat, with the
cast on certain works. which II l. esssnial aniost for
Their cNiS-ncc make tue estimate low. Ha c'uHsr
leon at facts viii, sufin-c On the other
lhavc heard oi bat rai TOAD company that
pretended TO he ae their actual expenses tr les
than cents nt- though there have been
several instances future Jay wnSk
cheaper than that unul the thing accomplished
compelled 10 assume two cents per per mile the
present minimum ot railway expenses. Hall cent per
ton per mile though below the average. not tue min
iniun o the cost oi freight on good CANA with horse
power.
But after a. pas; experience this head is of much
less value Than generally suppOsed. \ element
has been introduced the question vi canal navigation
The use at seam Oh sm' canals has set all our isT
mtr calculations lde aud Completely changed all the doia
oi this problem.
GA the Buin aud Liverpool Junction canal steam
iuss have been than IN constant operation
Tying the trade by the drawing boats in regular and
long trains The canal - oi small Gimenicns and pre-
sents npedmenis the of tine expert
meat The section is small ;hc locks narrow, the
Inc crooked. and the bridges frequent and low.
Your canal. ON the contrary. has all the advantages o
an ample depth and BREADTH capaeiuus lOeSs; freedom
from the obstruction al bridges, and moderate aud well de-
ve.oped heNures. Notwithstanding the impodimeui>
the English Inc Il compeIc and there can bc
doubt that with your advantages large and steady
trade IN addition twill be still more striking. On the En-
ish line from sx toten boats taken in ran;
two three wnulJ - Sufficient.
am welt informed in respect the tonnage of the
boats OF the Chesapeake and OHIO canal; but | PIE.
sumo that IN estimating Iheir capacity at about 80
tons ] shai be within the limit small engine
say II 20 horse power placed IN c these boat
will move with other boats ct equal bur,hen, ~ TOW,
at three miles per hour.
The capital required will he
For three boats at ) 600 each, $4,000
For ~ horse pow u engne al - 600 1000
Aggregate capita required for transporting $50
To convey ,h4 amour, OF reigh; On ral road will re.
4ure,
A 20 ton locomotive, al $4,000
10 cars OF tons each, al $500, Sl5OOO
Capital IN an equivalent Train, $4,000
The Of the boats simple that they
be kept almost Constantly running. No extracts
CURED change of engines; and double treble set
OF Bat leaving OF view all such considerations let
j
perfectly elastic cushionsnooh waier-be equal 10 tho
and tear OF locomotive engine and 30 ong and
humping along railway attho OF eight miles
per houri
steam tiny with train OF boats more ia
actually managed England by three men-an engineer,
a conductor and seersman. There certainly will ;hen
be required than three your canal take
charge OF Ii.soe boats.
On locomotive aud iis tain there required engi.
conductor, tTeGea and lou! bTeakman-aEd s
to as' the tniA proper command IT the grades
sep.
There needed the canal besides the
binary supe rinlt ndents and the iocktsnGers.
On the London aud Birmingham railway, 10 miles long
there employed 1875 persons. besides about 900 sway
men,, whose duty to keep the permanent way in repair
Ii that s the force required the performance
oi great duty But what IA v Guiy conveying 10000
o freight and million OF passengers. compared with
the future rspOEi1non Of the coal and with which
the mines Ul Mar land charged
The doubts that thrown upon the probable extension
vi the coal Trade this country remind iorctly the
wheh English fesrcd that tley might
day have coat IN Eng isHd, al wood be bei-
cherished than l. Ct the present." and that Goals
would be good merchandise IN 'hc city VI London,
wtereunio 81 them had already 2o!IGa ready passage
Tho ike fortune awaits the coal of PENNSYLVANIA aud
Mar land but With this d 5elos, thar yeTy few
IN this cuuay aecOmpiI.ncs the woT, .. an ElIVpcaH
century.
Tni- subject h.s eNteadsd much iaThe. ihal anc.-
pated wien commenced, though have endea yored 10
limit my remarks the opposite facts. cannot well
cOmpEuss Wlu.H narrower compass without wiring u
again, which Any present would pea
init.
have tie honor 10 be,
Ef-+CtiH'Iy your obeos servant,
CHARLES ELLET. Jr.