The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-11-05
IMPORTANT ENTERPRISE IN EUROPE.


The Vienna Austria publishes an article on an
important project for connecting the Seine win
the Rhine. The protector is M. de Laveleye,
man. The plan itself is very feasible, and of
enormous importance to the continental trade.
The article in the Austria deals with 1t In detail
Charemagne having progressed 10 the eastward
with his victorious arms, and having enclrcled
barbarous races with civilizing powers OF COM
merce, his great mind perceived that the most ad-
vantagsous means of accomplishing. his extensive
plans was to facilitate and shorten the avenues by
which men traficked with one another. The
two greatest water roads in Germany, the Danube
and the Rhine, gave living force to his idea, and
he commanded that the two streams should be
united by means of canal. The necessary works
had but been commenced, when the great emperor
died, and with his death the empire fell. The
history OF Germany mentions many celebrated
princes in the centuries which followed; but the
glory of war outshone the arts of peace, and it
has been reserved to modern times to execute the
magnificent idea Of the Emperor Charlemagne.
Ludwig, king of Bavaria, possessed the noble am
bition to connect his name with the completion of
the work. After twelve years labor, the Danube
and Main Canal was opened on the 30th March,
1916; and in August of the same year vessels
arrived in Vienna direct from Amsterdam. Du-
ring the thousand years which interviewed between
the conception of the plan and its execution,
traffic had arisen amongst the nations OF Europe,
which was carried on by various modes OF com,
munication. This explains why the Ludwig Canal
did not attract attention in the degree which 1t de-
served, since on Its completion an un6roken water
communication was established between the North
and Black seas. The construction Of railways al
occupied public attention, and water roads were
most undeservedly neglected Justice and better
judgment are, however, returning. Greater atten-
ton is being paid to the riversIthe natural roads
of the creation; and there are hopes that the well
founded reproach to us Germans, that we wanton-
ly neglect our fine rivers, will at last be listened to
and removed Germany is decidedly poor in ca
mails, and care must be taken not to fall into the
error that railways equally efficient. Good wa
ter communications are of the highest importance
TO the produce trade of every country, the
increase and cheap sale of which is necessary The
oversee trade enables thesquarers OF the globe to
exchange their produce. II then becomes the
duty ofthe internal trade to circulate them in each
quarter and to carry them with facility to those
parts of the continent most distant from the sea.
This article is devoted to the consideration of this
question, practical view of which has been taken
by the peculiarly enterprisng spirit of Belgium,
and laid before the public for examination
We have before us a memorial of M. de Lave
leye respecting the project to connect the Seine
with the Rhine, and thus to establish toater
nlSmicatsom bet,oeen the port of Hawe-so ertraor-
northern halfOf France, and eastern Europe, par
ticsStdrty the austrian empire. 1t needs COM
ment to prove the importance of such an under
taking The Seine is connected by canals with
the other rivers OF France, and the whole internal
navigation OF that country; the Rhine and the
Danube, by their numerous branches, connect the
whole navigation of Germany to the borders Of the
Black sea. To connect the Seine with the Rhine
MEANS then, TO unite the river and canal navigation
of France, Germany, and Austria. Such a union
must produce results to trade beyond ali calculation
Nj de Laveleye gives us clear survey ofthe existing
and wanting natural as well as artificial communi-
cation on which his plan is based. Ii appears from
this that the whole line from Havre to the Black
Sea already exists in practicable condition, with
the exception of a distance of 20 German miles (95
Englsh) between Sedan and Trer, through which
a canal would need to be cut. The Seine, the
Rhine, and the Danube are, in measure, the main
streams on which the great continental river nav-
ba m hp INN
and the Danube are connected by the Ludwig
canal; there remains, then, only the Seine. As
cending this river from Havre to the mouth of the
Disc, the navigation is in the best possible cond
ton. There are no impedlments in the Disc as far
as Pontoise. From Pontose to Compeigne, where
the Aisne joins the Disc, the bed OF the river
has been artiticially adapted to navigation. The
same is the case with the Asne, which is perfect
canal, and reaches to Vreux-les-Asfeld, where the
canal of the Ardennes joins it, The latter flows at
Donchery into the Mas, which is perfectly navi-
connect the northeast OF France with the seaports
but at the time with the interior of the coun
try, its southern and western provinces, and to.
Seine the canal Of Briaire flows into the Loire, and
the canal of Burgund inlo the Saone On the other
side the canal stretches from st. Quentin, with IL
different branches, into the further departments
the.north, and into Belgium; lower down the canal
of the Aisne towards the Marne connects the wine
fields Of the Champagne with the circle, and the
Mas leads TO the coal beds Of Belgium and to the
dusiry. Along the whole of this line, which, from
its connection with the Seine is of artificial crea-
ton, there exists the most active traffic. IL we
turn our eyes to this side Of the Ardennes, at the
foot OF which the canal terminates, at a dis
lance Of not greater than % German miles, an-
other river territory and system of navigation, still
larger and more extensive, for II spreads to the
Black Sea since the completion of the Ludwig
canal. The Moselle, which already beloags to
this territory, also touches the foot of the
Ardennes, but on their eastern side There, as
well as on the French side, navigation is hemmed,
and its movement interrupted.
We have but 10 imagine the connection between
the Mosee and the Mas established by canal
through the Ardennes, and the two systems are
united. II is Ineligible 10 the meaneBt under
standing that both must gain immeasurably in va
lue. The immediate benefit would be the direct
increase OF the transport traffic, on the one hand,
on the French canals, and on the other on the Mo-
selle, the navigation in both of which vegetables
merely al the present day in fault of an exit aud
which would suddenly become the main arteries
of ntenational traffic. The whole OF the produce
ofthe north-corn, metals, wood, the mass OF arti-
ces peculiar to the Rhine trade, aud wanting IN
France-would journey by this canal, together
with the wines and other articles produced by the
milder climate Of France, and required by the
south Of Germany. The importance OF Rhine
and Seine canal, however. would be still greater
10 continental Europe than TO those localities.
The lower Moselle, into which the canal would
debouch at Wasserbg some hours distance
above Trer, Is in very navigable condition.
From Cobleniz to Mayence the Rhine will be used.
At Mayence the navigation turns into the Maine,
and following its course passes through al meal
cuably rich and fruitful country TO Bimberg, in
the neighborhood Of which il joins the Ludwig ca
nal, which entersthe Danube at kshlheim, whe0ce
the path to the Black sea Is open. M de Lave
leye with justice calls this water road the central
axis of European river navigation. Everything
iusthes the name II would be $50 German miles
in length q, 400 English,) length equalled by no
other nver navigation IN the Old world The i'm
porance Of its termini. too, is uneqUalIed on the
one side the Atlantic ocean and the North sea,
and on the other the Black sea aud, finally. the
numberess streams which run into IL, would rem
der Il above all comparison. II would carry US
too far, il we entered into details respecting the
interests and advantages which the execution
of this plan would open up. IL is well known that
the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg isuch IN minerals;
Its territory would be traversed by the projected
canal, and the treasures OF the earth, which have
until now remained partly neglected 10 consequence