The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-08-17

mood, We win briefly consider the most g.
seutial auxiliaries to its construction, and me
most judicious mode of securing ifs com
pietion.
The Covington and Ohio Railroad, one Of
| its most essential aids, may be considered as
| the strong arm Of giant, which is to help
the Canal across the Alleghanies.
While the railroad win not interfere with
the right Of way of the Canal, it will form a
connection with the navigable waters of the
Kanawha At Charleston, and by means of the
transportation of tonnage across the noun
tains will contribute to the revenue of the
Canal, to an extent sufficient to ensure d.
vidend in few years. The value of the ca
nal, as chesp mode of transportation, will
| be demonstrated, and the benefit it will de-
rive from the railroad, will not be greater
than that which it will confer. The extern
sion of the railroad to the East will not inter
| fere with the success of the canal; they Will
not be rivals but co laborers. The railroad
gives velocity to the movements OF the mer-
chant, and the canal furnishes safe and
economical transportation for his merchan-
| disc.
The cost, per mile, of the canal, may be
assumed at an average of $4,000. The in
terest on the cost, per mile, will be s2,4oo'
| and the cost of maintenance per mile, $500 +;
making the total annual charge, per mile,
s3, 900.
The transportation of 100000 tons per an
mum, over the entire line, would give. at one
cent per ton per mile, the sum of $4,000 per
mile.
The distance by water line from the Capes
| of Virginia to Point Pleasant is GLE miles;
| from Point Pleasant to Cincinnati, l94 miles;
| from Cincinnati to st. Louis, $50 miles-ma-
king a total of LAOS miles from st. Louis to
the Capes of Virginia.
| The cost of transportation for this distance
would be about SIS per ton.
The distance by railroad and steamboat
lines from the Capes of Virginia to Balti-
MORE will be 100 miles; from Baltimore to
Cincinnati, via Parkersburg, $50 miles; from
Cincinnati to st. Louis Gag miles-making a
total of LAC miles from st. Louis to the
Capes, via Baltimore; or about so miles less
in distance, but with double cost of trans
portation, or about $50 per ton.
With distance from the ocean to the Ohio
of only SO miles more than that of the short
est line of railroad that can be constructed,
and an expense of transportation about one
half that of any other mode of Improvement,
who can doubt that continuous water-line
would command the trade of the West p
structed, and the canal completed to Gov
ington, and then let the energies of the State
and of the company be directed to the i'm
provement of the Greenbrier and Kanawha
rivers. The continuous water-line will be.
come fixed fact; and the commercial pros
perity of the State and of its metropolis be
established upon an immovable basis. With
| her enlarged system of internal improve
ments completed, Virginia would soon occu-
ply her former position of influence and pow
er among her sister States, and Richmond
would rival in wealth and magnifcence the
greatest commercial emporium on the CONT
| nent
| Such then would be the proud position of
Richmond. She would bs advantageouslysit
uated upon great highway of commerce, ex-
| tending in an unbroken line of navigation
throughout the whole valley of the Mississip-
pi and its numerous tributaries. She would
reach with her iron arms in the most direct
| line, New York and N. Orleans to the North
| and the South, st. Louis and Memphis to the
West and Southwest,-and with her strong
hands she would grasp the rich and varied
products of the great eonfederacy of States.
Citizens of Richmond, bright destiny
awaits you, if you will but be true to your
selves. Let enterprise and liberality as here
tofore characterize your public policy, and
you will soon reap the rewards of prosper.
ity which nature with lavish hand has pla
ced within your reach. Let art combine with
nature to render our city the pride of the
commonwealth, as Virginia has been and
should ever be the pride of the Union
RICHMOND IN A STATE OF SIEGE.
In all the suburbs of Richmond, the Wa
termelon and Muskmelon Powers are drawn
up in formidable array, and have closed all
the approaches to this doomed metropolis
A strong besieging train occupies 18th street,
and several companies of flying artillery.
drawn by ferocious looking chargers. who
would do honor to grand parade of the 8.
A. b. G.'s in Petersburg, e in active mo.
ton from point to point raining death and
destruction upon all quarters From heavy
mortars, asphyxiated bomb. shells are con.
stantly hurled into our camp, laying low their
victims on every side. The enemy exhibit
the greatest coolness and determination, and
have been heard to express their fixed pur-
pose to keep up the fire as long as there's a
shot in the locker. The audacity, we might
say impotence. of the besiegers is intolera.
bic. They drive their steeds to the very
walls Of the city, SO that the extreme end NJ
the animals nose isprecisely aver the line he.
tween Richmond and Henrico, and in that
position they bid us defiance. What !. e.
be donel Would it not be better r. c.n;.,,
late at discretion and permit their armv ~ ON
ter in triumph? We know of but one o.ha.
course, and it is one which despair alone sua
gests. Let the City Council, headed h,.
few able and athletic cholsr.