Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1847-01-08
roR TIE WING.
Mr.. CnbcII,. RcnarI.

| ~
ing the waters of the James and OHIO River.
poitanee, not TO those only who have embarked much
their capital IN that undertaking. but every citizen of
commonwealth tor upon the jadicious projection and
cessiu completion Of this Improvement depend in great
M assure the prosperity and interests of the whole State
While, then, the Report and its Supplement- are address,
ed primarily TO the Company trust that no citizen wbo
has the leisure and capacity make himself acquainted
with ther merits will fail TO give both them pacn,
aud careful petusal. Especially would such a neglect be-
cupabe IN those who aspire direction Of pablo
ment IN this as well other OF
" OF Legislation.
The Supplement- which is designed to advocate the plan
OF continuous waiet-lnc rs the between
the eastern and western Rivers in opposition 10 railroad
and to vndcae the proprc the policy heretofore ndop,
ed by the Company, paper OF ndent ability Ia
is remarkable for the extensive range tht,ushout
well authenticated facts nave been sought with ye ~
make them bear upon the topics scussedor the
pe'sPieuy with which they have been analysed and pre-
sehea-or the ngour oi the by which conclu
sons have been drawn from the data upon which they a,e
ioundedand tor the imparaly and candor every where
exhibited Throughout the performance Mr. Cabell seems
to have made himself infinitely acquainted with the srgn
progress and results OF every Improvement of importance
whether IN America Europe Those results are fairly
anu IN AL cases where possible, officially reported Their
modification, arising from peculiarly of construction or h
caon or from other causes and
their application the plan and conduct of the lanes r.
yer and hanawha Improvement made with n force and
cearness that canot tail re adcr of the inst
ness OF the authors conclusions Ii be document
OF permanent value; and is the ables vndcaon of the
upero'i'y ct water over land carriage which seen
The vast advantage ct continuous canal over railroad
Tor All the purposes OF internal and for trans
porauon at the heavy articles trade which are TO be
drawn from tie farm the forest the quarry and the mine
must be settled question with every one who will have
me patience and candoF TO study this Report and Sup
pemcnt.
The writer OF this notice was never OF those who be-
eNed IN the supcti ry OF railroad n canal for the
transportation OF such articles, whether light or heavy as
are not affected by time was not that account that
nc was oEce skcpuca in rcgafd the splendid results
Claimed Tor ihe James river and hanawha Improvement
tie has been tor convinced that distance must he
annhiasd on our line, not by Tapiiity OF transportation
but BY ehsspReSF II would become successful corpr-
uors with the North, for the traffic OF the great Valley NJ
the OHIO lie has felt all along that dscontnuty of
orr ne, by the substitution, in part it, of railroad
Tor the canal, would by enhancing the ranspota
non, prove fatal the whole scheme. And accordingly
" was not unal the adoption OF continuous water lac
was resolved upon n meeting OF the company in -
that he entertained any rational hope Of drawing the trade
oi the western Naliss 70 Virginia. But even then he
doubted upon the that would be found
eie u sUTmluni the Allegheny by continuous water line
Bu al doubts upon ihis point nre removed by the SupD
men To the Report We a'c too much disposed 20 rlcp,
tic idea OF supplying the level great canal BY
artificial reservo'rs, without making cuaion founded
the exten, u surface drained and the annual deu
OF the water that falls IN oar mountainous region.
few hSu5-s will show that aes making liberal al
owanee Tor evaporation, and leakage the supply IL annie
Tor n tie purposes 81 active trade. Nor this mere
speculation When consider tho experiments which
have been made the Ono, tic Union Chesapeake and
Delaware SANDY aud Beaver canals This country and the
straw 5rogc, the Birmingham snd Worcester she Grant
hau toe Sl- I'd ana Worccs e. the Ercw,sh the Roch
dale ana utdsh FIELD. and The Oxford canals IN Europe
t Of suu
ing The ADcsUany summit level; especially since 300
square miles OF surface may b. made suberye1t to this
purpose.
Bl, confess tina, until the reading Of Mr. Csbcil,.
Report, a1o'aes difficulty had pressed upon nv
mind, which consisted want OF some vest enp,riur,
OF Uac NJ ic eastern terminus of the lag, contest with
Baltimore, Fl.aic.paln and New York, Tor the traffic of
Tue Western States. Bu' have o.. altogether mistaken
as 70 tnt terminus tt tie line had placed ii, at Rief-
In'nd But p.'cc II where you peassai Bliiimure-at
Pnuadc.5 hl--a' New fork-or at Boston, and Mr.
Tlzsfl nl
lty that either VI those regarded a. tue final
defamation products of the Oao Valley th.T tram
p-E'aL'n hlth-T BY the through V,rrn,a will he
cheaper and safer than by any routes farther
Nolil.
Blt not %: she least benefits expected to he
derived from IHe completion OF The work. that will create
wH.n she limits o: State, emporium OF trade
wnich wall Tya those oil the Northern States; and al which
the direct I'M oing aud exporting business will be estab-
iished upon scale commensurate with 80 magnificent
scheme o. inland navigation. | without doubt
whether Richmond, remote is from the board
be such CITY. But the other hand when we con-
sde lis vast waterPoweF the cheapest prime
chiney-Is proximity back cou.try. Astounding with
every product o; the SOIL with coal and salt In i'm
mensa qu1ntu.F and Of the finest quality, know not
where 20 III O,lnd 10 the gniude aud wealth of Rich
moud.
Bu,i,is not fo- Richmond that the Canal is made bo,
ever large are Ac benefits may derive And 10 be-
evc TINS, y 10 take very partial and contracted view Of
tbs great WORK IL u perhaps under this exclusive view OF
Us oenthi . Richmond that uch prejudice exists against
ln eastern and southern Virginia It's however empha.
caly nauoG.l enterprise AL interested in its final
resutsnot all To be equally, yet u I, an extent
which III IuiI induce its cougt-nance and support
1t IS to teyeupe the wealth and resources Of Virginia, un-
bounded a these last conesssdy her to
her former proud position in the sserhood States. Now
1t one half o Mr. Cabrs expectations be realized founded
a. hey are upon experience and sober deduction, the
| wii. be ruiy brilliant.
Il j. remarkable, that there persons. protesting to be
iHcucy % the eItpuZe, wh', without le knowledge and
experience, o. NUT believe necessary the formation of
upon this subject are the yh IL
object by an attempt 10 change the mode of inor1y,o,
fIgv. ucfn ar-. rFrfigg Il
mcnt 10 Mr. CabtI Report aud " they not convinced
oi cr'r by the iacs and arguments Of that powerful
let them favor the public with position the ancy Of
ne conc'usi'ns Upon subject vitality important Vir.
GINA, We do not want mere conIcc speculation
we wantact5-we want deductions logically based upon
the unquosionabc daiawe want the results of Irs
fcnceand 10 whatever conclusions these shall brng us
Tor one, vii. give ny ad5esipa them Now let the ad-
v1eass Of the railroad sy'tem gausy tho positions and
subyef; ie conclusions Of this Report They will nor do
10. They do IT, They will do nothing more than
reicfats tho old objections the bankruptcy Of the Com
panythe unexpected cost Of the worA ia completed
ahd 10 Huuy thus Tar 10 me public; objections which
any COnvc55ant with tho history Of the Company may
oiue and which fully and satisfactorily mot in the
port before To away with subject IN the frs,
ovefsl excita ion of the public mind in regard 10 ito
sink u into u1mered oblivion novelty ha
subsIdcd-snd 10 damn it As chmerca because the maxi
mum bent not realized al once, has been ths
.uc Of virginia IN respect TO internal improvement.
whereas our plans should Ia adopted with caui0n-and
then prosecuted h perseverance their fullest compile
ton Thcu and only then, be reasOuab ia
realization OF hopes. Now what brilliant result could
be- looked Tor from work crippled aud Murdered By un-
wso legislation. the James River & Kanlwha improve
-ni ms been eytrll which only
ole-oIrn Of BE- contemplated tisiluce-s hich hla not vet
entered into The coal and cal; AMI region IT Virginia
whence a o DE derived i greatest sugp. end which la
NOT yet 81 ctd junction with the waicr that diam the
val ,y 10 a Ohio, and for the lfadC pl which We
| poct successfully fD compete.
And granting that the canal hls cost moro than wa.
cH1omp a'cd-yct, has it MT c''t loss thln rairold
would n1yr done And cannot continuous water ~,
be- carried % completion for greatly lcss than tho pro
posed ulsuu'.d rsIo1d would cost But ~, tho con
iuy ci at ihi7, tho continuous waicr-Ho should cos
tvica as much IN i,s construction railroad, yet IN,
cbca9nes 1nd freedom Of carf1go the former woul,
| give % preference over tie lauc-.
Lei the canal be- completed The enlarged scale con
ten lated by the Report. and 81 tie magnificent results
prom rF are not thon realized, % will be- time enough q
snyr.'zs Oh" scheme elucrc1l. AID n rlch % stou,
ultimately Prove 10 be. 10 viii fgrnsh anomalous instance
II uo boo efficiency OF reason end experience 20 guido
90 correct C. uciue.Yuf
b. my o9J &C vas 10 daw attention o, VIZ Cehrir' Re