The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-08-19
TI.ecamai.

4hoes ststsspa Ga Of yirgiaia who pronouncs the
cAnal more ditSh--which highly of's'os' p''0e
Of Mt ives rss ussd Ia Tesssspes TO the Erie csaa
a.. ,h.e nroisot vss urguod In the New York
,..,.l.,ere--end who hayo expended upon con-
e,cttsr and uno aisLed iiaas Of railroads, which
sA.v .avr conlass tAeir inability 10 complete Tor
usrv ,aar.. more money than would have ex.
To-. the James Eiser aud ksaawha ditch" 70
-. ,,h,o. and made Virginia the Empire State OF
q. soush. may read with soas advantage late
.ddrs,s delivered at BuidAio, N. Y, By Mr., Rug.
,.. oas Of the Canal Commissioners OF that State.
In that address, Mr.. Ruasles said that "New York,
tssoss the construction Of the canal, was city Of
1on coo inhabitants, with commercial advantages
NO batter than those Of many other sesports. I'm
aer the impulse of canal communication il had
crown M 70 metropolis Of 600 people, and its
taxable property had increased nearly 100000
GOO and he had no hesitation in asserting that at
iaass ONE half Of that sum WAS due to the Erie
nal. During the same period Buffalo had grosa
from mere hamlet to great and splendid city
The inausnces which had increased the one bad
called the other into being. Their interest was
identical. Growing space with them was range
OF prosperous cities scattered along the line Of
canal the direct outgrowth ofits prosperity
aDuriug the last twenty-five years the canals
have carried upon their waters the etupenooos
amount Of .fpe millions n tc'is having saine
exceeding fsco thousand fce hundred MILLIONS o. dot
lars Il 10 difacuit for the mind to comprehend
amounts 20 enormous, but some idea may be form
ed BY rejecting that IL exceeds BY nearly IOco,-
600 the value Of our assessed property OF every
description. movable and immoveable, between
the ocean and the lakes. The paseage Of such a
golden stream has produced its legitimate results
10 strewing its banks with splendid cities. And
what do We SEQ when We look out upon the In
nuH - Ia khA~ Naf,f IN
sncircIsd with great and prosperous centres
Of trade, all dependent for their prosperity upon
this great continental artery OF trsffc MI kng
giles said be never looked upon this mAguincent
chain of waters without recnrriug 10 . singular
compact aud Characteristic epithet, once applied
to them BY that greatest OF American slatesmen
Dsoisi Webster. Upon certain occasion Mr.. kug-
slcs had vsutured to urge upon Mr.. Webster the
importance Of the Mississippi as an indisso'ubie
bond OF national unien. asserting. perhaps Win
some extravagance that 1T was the GREAT FACT OF
this country!' 70 which tn. states man. after a
sight pauss. replied: Sir II may be great TACT;
but, let me tell you, the great chain OF lakes Is
very BROAD HINTp'
Now. when New York is threatened with the
gigantic capital and competition Of Great Britain
In the North and Northwest, she relies upon her
great ally, the CANAL and seeks to render it more
efficient. in order to set at defiance all her rivals
Mr. Rugglss showed, 10 his speech, the great su-
periorty of the business Of the Erie Canal to that
Of the greatest public works and natural channels
Of Europe. Steam 10 now to be called 10 to give
new impetus to the enormous capabilities Of the
New York .ditch," and experimental trip, al
ready noticed in this paper has tested the capacity
Of that great artificial communication for steam
navigation. This experiment, the National Iutel.
ligsncsr says
s'seems to have beeeu 10 all respects successful
one. and may be Justly regarded a confirmation
OF the wise policy which oflate years has dictated
the enlargement Of this magnificent internal i'm
rovement--a policy for whose establishment the
people of New York are msi1ly indebted TO the
foresight aud perseverance, OF Ex-Governor VASE
INar0N HUM, who, while occupying the executive
chair of that State the consistent advocate Of
measure desired by it to secure channel of SUM-
eient depth and breadth to test the power OF
steam applied to canal navigation. For its full
d. veiopment depth OF seven feet was deemed in-
diapeusaLle and the State appropriations made for
this purpose having already completed the neces-
sary locks Of the work, aud having furnished a
volume Of water ak feet in depth. it is now pro-
posed to continue the prosecution OF the enlarge
meut until the ultimate aim OF its patrons shall be
reached"
Referring to the late steam experiment, Mr..
Ruggles said: my friends, q steamboat has gone
down the Erie Canal from the Lake to the Hudson.
For one shall hail the return of that boat to the
LEES intense than that which was felt by myself
and others, who had the good fortune to witness
the ascent Of the first steamboat up the Hudson
river, nfty years ago In the magnitude Of its pos
sible consequences this great event stands next to
the completion of the Erie Canal itself.'
Abiding to the light thrown by the remarks of
Mr.. Ruggles upon the great utility of public inn
provements when wisely devised and prudently
the National Iatellige,scer remarks:
ait can hardly fail to to readers that the
Southern States Of the Confederacy. if entering
later upon the taak Of developing their internal
resources by such means of communication, may
yet 10 the end promise themselves proportionally
the Same bens6cent results from the ultimate
completion Of similar works The energy and zeal
which they are now bringing to bear in this drec
tion sufficient indication of the fact that they
are determined hereafter to be no aggsrds 10 the
race Of improvement, and they may confidently
hope 10 due time to reap the fruits of their WELL
directed endeavors."
We trust that their practical wisdom may prove |
- greatss their energy.