Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-08-20
STEAM ON The CANAL.

cumstances, advocate the nomination Of Edmundson
Brockenbrough, or come other man. N. T'-.
STEAM ON THE CANAL.
Our convictions have long led us 10 regard the
James River and Kanawha Canal, as The GREAT
Improvement not ouly of VIRGINIA, but of the SOUTH
Suppose this canal had been completed before the
| Erie canal-which was opened in lS24-before the
trade of the Lakes had arisen and while the greater
part of the country souh of and adjacent to the Lake,
was vet in the possession of the Indians Can any
doubt, that Norfolk would now have been the New
York of this country And who at this day, will un.
dertake to say what would have been the effect upon
the world, OF having 80 great commercial emporium
| in slaveholdng Stats Virginia then, would un.
doubtedly have exercised the same influence commet
caly and financially, that she has always done polltl.
caIly she would have been the great centre OF trade
as we'll of political power-and would have directed
and controlled the opinions of men in every part Of
the world. The power welded by her commerce,
would have enforced respect for her peculiar" nst'
tuition, both at home and abroad; the voice of the
Abotionist would probably, never have been raised
against her and slavery, instead OF being held up as
an incubus upon the State, would in all likelihood,
have been e1oled of the elements of her sue
cess Virginia would have been the "sheaf' to which
all other "sbeaves" would have made obeisance."
Bot it is useless to regret the pas business il
with the present and the future; and, having read
with deep interest the various accounts of the sue
cessfu application of steam TO the navigation Of he
Erie canal, we naturally ask the question, can it not
be made available upon our own canal3 We trust it
may be. At least, we would respectfully call the at
tenton of the president and directors OF the company
to the subject in order that they may adopt measures
TO determine 30 interesting question. Our canal is
not SO wide or deep the enlarged Erie CANAL
but il this be an impeachment to the use of stesm, as
10 which however. we are not advised, il s one that
can be and ought 10 be removed. 1t could not cost
great deal to deepen the canal say two feet al TO
give it general depth of six feet This, We appre-
bend, could be effected on many levels, by merely
raising the locks and adding two feet to the height OF
the bauks; on other levels the dams would have to be
raised or the bottom e1csvated. 1t certainly could
not be very difficult or expensive job, compared
with the great benefits that would arise from it's exc
cution.
Our thoughts have been led into this channel by
the receipt yesterday, of courteous communica'
ton from an eminent gentleman OF this State-one OF
whom il is no little commentator to say that be was
the colleague. if not the peer, of Joseph q. Cabell,
in founding the University OF Virginia and in estab.
lishing and conducting the present James River and
Kanawha Canal 1t gratifes, while it does not sur
prise ne, to see such man, now we'll advanced in
life still vigant in the great of internal i'm
provement. The communication to which We refer,
enclosed note addressed TO the President Of the
49, x,a tha
Utica "Herald' on the subject Of steam navigation
upon the Erie canal-all of which We subjoin:
To Co.. Thomas II. Ellis, President of the
James Rr1cr and kona,oha Company
Dear Sir-Knowing the deep interest you take in
every thing relating to canal navigation. and not
knowing where TO address letter TO you your ab-
sence from Richmond, have determined to send
this, with it's accompanying items, OF general well
particular interest, 10 you, through the columns OF
the Enquirer
Yours respectfully, JOHN ii. COOKE.
BREMo, August IA, 1853.
From the Utica Herald.
The CANAL STEAMER.-The steam canal boat
Charles Wack passed this city yesterday afternoon
on her return Buffalo, having discharged her cargo
at Albany. From one of her crew We learned that
the trip had been satisfactory to all board and
although the little steamer had met with some ob.
struc,iOne which do not ordinarily occur, aud ber
passage had been protracted in consequence yet, all
things considered, the experiment WAS regarded a
success. The W0ck is the largest sized boat that
I4U tons of freight. She makes under ordinary cir
cumstances four miles per hour as an average epeed.
She consumes ten tons OF coal a. cost of S55 the
trip from Buffalo to Abany.364 miles This is
regarded cheaper than horse flesh, considering the
apaed attained, which is double that of loaded boat
propelled by horse power.
Whatever may be argued OF the success of the
Wack, practically, We think it may safely be said
81. &c ka I'D h,
steam, and that loaded boats will bs propelled from
Buffalo to Albany in three days. We no prophet
yet we venture that prediction as conclusion drawn
from the experiments already made, and estimating
what the inventive genius OF man 10 capable OF
accomplishing.
ANOTHER STEAMER ON THE CASAL-Stil an
other boat propelled by steam has reached this
city and lies at anchor below Pine street,
The boat is called the Lone Star, and was built at
East Greene, Chenango county, by Reuben Jane -
She was lowed hifher for the purpose ct putting IN
her machinery, which has not yet been completed IN
the satisfaction of the proprietor The Lone Star has
two paddlewheels at each end of the stern, 40 con-
tved that they may be- raised or lowered at pleasures
the buckets throw the water from the boat not
to retard its speed and the wheels constructed
that the boat ia steered by them. The Lone Star hae
not yet been thoroughly tested, and no opinion can
be given OF her merits as sailer. The proprietor IL
confident that he has hit upon the true theory OF pro
polling boat with small amount Of motive power.
He ia to re model her wheels by which the power is
applied to the phuuies, alter when 10 VIII make
trial which will rest the capacity Of his invention
BUFFALO, August 3.
The new eteam canal boat p. L. S'erDberg, being
the second one out left this p M for Rochester, with
load OF wheat She makes about tive miles hour.
She Will return Friday, with Governor, Canal Com
missioner and other officials.
The largest load OF Hour ever hoated on the canal,
arrived at Troy IRON Medina on Monday. The boat
had fifteen hundred and fifty barrels on board
since ths trip Of the steam canal boat from Buffalo
to Albany, several parties are making arrangements
to put steam at work on the canals. An Oswepo ca.
nal bostmaa is having propeller built for canal
navigation, which he claims will be perfect success
ARRIVAL OF THE NIAGARA-MR. FIELDS
OPINION IN REGARD TO THE ATLANTIC
CABLE.
New YORK, Aug. ls.-The United States frigate
Niagara anchored Of the Battery this afternoon at
O'Clock, and w,s greeted with sautes. Mr. Field
says he has not the sghtsst doubt of the entire sue
cess OF the enterprise BY the steamer Persia to-day
he wrote to the directors to prepare another cable al
once as II Is evident that the present one, which in
snort tme, WI transmit messages rapily air
Ine, VIII not be sufficient for the business Until the
nrst OIL September the line will be closed to all mes
cages excepting hose from the governments of Great
Britain and the United States.
&~
ILLNESS OF LIEUT.. SCRERMERHORN.
I'm.