Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-01-07

nr,ot tho level in consequence Of which the sub
,eot was postponei; and it has since been deter
mined TO accomplish the object in another mode IN
January next, by the process OF excavation from
the bottom Of the canal.
In the month Of April, the state OF the water IN
the canal was ascertaired By actual measure
meni under the supervision OF committee Oh 'he
Board of Directors.
The Committee for this purpose, proceeded IN
boat all the way from Richmond TO Lynchburg,
and caused the depth throughout the whole dis
lance to be tested by close soundines with Sra-
dua,cd staff the instrument being used as FAST as
! man could dip ii in the water The sonndings
were recorded as far as practicable, al The lime
none being omitted which indicated tcplh ol
less than four feet below the top-water Inc. IN
making this record, no allowance was made Tor
the displacement of water By the motion OF The
boat. The result was, as may be seen by REFER
ence 10 The record, which is on file in the Com
pany's Office, that, with very few exceptions,
embracing The five points which have already
been designated, the water in the canal exceeded
the depth of four feet required BY the charter OF
The Company--ranginy generally between four
and five feet
In the month OF November, another examlna'
lion was made under the supervision oil MessrS.
James a. Turner, Thomas Mckinney and
Alexander Moseley, gentlemen of high respecia-
bility and in no way connected with the adini-
nis.ration Of the Company; and, on this occa-
sion the measurement was made with an lns'fu-
meut of iron dragging on the bottom OF the canal,
furnished with an index at its upper extremity,
which asccrtained the depth al every point OF the
line The Joint examination embrace the whole
extent OF the li6 miles OF canal, with The eXcep-
ton Of about three and half miles upon The
10Th level. where in order TO stop dangerous
leak. The water happened TO he drawn down at
the time the boat passed; but the depth upon this
level, also, was subsequently, asccrtained by The
scparate examination OF one of The commits
soners The report OF the commissioners is
herewith communicated, marked A.
Upon the reading of the report, it will appear
that the commissioners deemed il proper in order
10 ascertain The actual and true depth of water in
the canal at the time Of this examination, that at
least two inches should be added, on account Of
the displacement OF water BY the motion of the
boat, to all the measurements which are stated in
the report. This addition being made, il will be
seen hy reference TO the report, that the legal
depth OF four feel was found every where upon
the line, with the exception OF lew points or
short spaces, situated on The Sd, ith, lh, 18th,
10Th, l1lh and 18th levels, the lasI mentioned
space, which is the only one of any material dill
Gcully, being The one already spoken o. as the
point at which the improvement was postponed
and the plan afterwards changed, on account OF
difficulties inerposed in The spring OF the year.
feel authorised by the arrangements which
are now in pro.Tess 10 state 10 The stockholders,
thai by The hrsl day Of February next, the whole
Of these slight defects will be corrected and re-
moved from the line and that there will then be
not less than the depth OF four feet required by
the charter in all parts OF the canal, from The foot
of the basin in Richmond 10 the head Of the guard
lock above the town oil Lynchburg
In addition TO The more important woiks ana
operations. of which detailed account has been
rendered, various detached ard scattered Jobs
have been executed in the course OF the year al
sunjry points upon the line, OF which brief and
SUMMARY notice NAV not BE- inappropriate.
Oh this class Of secondary and inferior works,
there is Pori'en which is more Immediately con-
nected with The dams across James river, Of
which specimens may he cited in the replace
ment ofthe slopiag crib which had been carried
Of b. the late reshes from lis location near the old
southern abutmenl Of The Joshua falls darn; in the
compleion OF the extensive and costly riprap
placed upon the south bank of the river, near the
same spot for tie protection Of the lands Of the
adjacent land proprietor from further damage
from The action of the dam at the time of high
floods: and in The annexation TO Boshers dam of
.wo extensive s!opins cribs, having an average
breadth OF atou; lG lee,, and an aggregate length
Of $40 feet.
There l. also another portion ol 'hesc MINOR
works, which are more Immediately connected
with the canal itself; and Of these, examples may
he found in the completion Of the entertainments
around The new lock al Sampsoa's farm, and in
the raising and finishing OF the protecting mound
across the low grounds Of Basil r. Peasants near
the Malcn's Adventure dam, in SunGry minor
repairs and Improvements in the form OF
new lock strips, cap sills, balance beams
or wing walls which have been added or replaced
at the Joshua falls guard lock, and al locks No.40,
IL. &c. L., -, 10, 80 and 81; in new far .
bridge placed across The canal, upon the lands
Of John Perciva rear the town Of Lynchburs, a
brick chimney annexed 10 The lock house al lock
IL. and a carpenters anj blacksmilh's shop
erected al lock 40, for occasional mechanical jobs
under the supervision OF the superintendent, OF
The upper section; in z large amount OF new and
heavy ditching al divers places on The first divi
sion, and especially upon the lands OF John Ro-
bertson, George Booker John B. Pemberton and
John Rutheilorl and r grass seed sowed, where
ever not already sowed, on the canal banks
ihroughou; the upper section; and likewise, in
line OF about % miles ofripra1 in both the up
pcr ana the lower sections Of the division, which
has been placed along The inner slopes of the
entertainments oprotect them from abrasion.
ITO he continued