Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-11-06
The Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal.

l8bOrS
To keep them pure and holy.
The Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal.
Among the other public works which are destined
to assist in the great problem of Southern develop
ment. one of the most remarkable as we'll as i'm
portant is the whose name stands at the head o.
this article This work is important for the i'm
mense amount of its prospective accomplishment,
and chiefly remarkable in the enormous difficulties
which lie in the way of its execution
An observer of the geography of North Carolina
cannot avoid noticing the great mass of inland wa
tiers that lie stretched along the entire ocean front of
the State. This line commences on one OF the arms
or bays of Currituck Sound, some ten miles north of
the State line and runs south through Currituck,
Albemarle, Pamplico, Bogue, Core and Sunny
Sounds, to the very southeastern county OF the
State The whole of this extended line of waters is
separated from the ocean by an attenuated strip Of
sand. bank, varying from quarter to mile and a
half in width and penetrated only by few inlets,
which alone separate the pent-up waters OF these
sounds from that of the ocean. Many interesting
theories have been started to the cause of this ex
traordinary formation, which, however, We leave to
those who have made themselves better acquainted
with the mysteries of the subject.
The portion of these waters to which this article
has more immediate reference embraces the Curri-
tuck, Albemarle and Pamplico sounds, which col
lect,yely extend as far south as Newbern and with
which flow into them form an aggregate of water
line nearly eighteen hundred miles in length, and
drain the lands of twentysx of the most fertile and
productive counties of North Carolina. These coun-
ties lie principally in the eastern portion of the
State and embrace the district visited by the feet Of
Sir walter Raleigh, in 1854, and whose beauty and
fertility is SO glowingly described by the great and
gallant pioneer of colonization.
The territory embraces some IL, 000, 900 acres Of
land, or an equal to double the States Of Mas
sachusetts and Rhode Island combined, the major
part of which is of almos. unparalleled fertility and
when its agricultural capacities fully developed
BY improved cultivation and drainage, must be q
region of immense production. Hundreds of acres,
in single body, have, for decade after decade pro-
duced from fifty to seventy6 five bushels of corn to
the acre, annually, and almost equally produc-
tive in wheat and other cereals. The various lakes
and small ponds which interspersed over the
district need only to be drawn of, in the plan of
contemplated drainage to make excellent rice fields
Cotton grows we'll in every part Of the district. Po-
tatoes have an early growth and abundant yield,
and great part of the less fertile soil is finely ad.
apted to the raising Of early vegetables for Northern
markets, branch of trade which is already of great
and is Of growing importance. The various fruits Of
temperate, well as the warmer climates, succeed
well, especially the latter The grape culture is
destined to be matter of much value two or three
kinds, of large size, being indigenous to the SOIL
and growing wild, with a righteousness and abund-
cover an acre OF ground, drawing their sustenance
from single root, and have, for a century, produc.
ed their annual yield of from fifty to one hundred
bushels. This is, indeed one of the few countries
where every man. may literally sit under his own
vine and fg-tree.' Considerable wine, and that of
excellent quality, is now made from these natural
Vineyards and there is to suppose the seat of
the wine manufacture of the United States will,
eventually, be found in eastern North Carolina. A
large portion Of this district is covered with heavy
growth of valuable timber, which has remained I'M.
cleared, partytbecause the difficulty and expense of
getting produce to market has greatly retarded az.
ricultura enterprise, but chiefly because from the
same causes, this timber could not be cot to mar
ket except at cost that nearly absorbed its value.
With mode of navigation which will give this tim
Der the cheap transportation enjoyed by the coun-
try bordering upon the navigable waters of Virgin.
49, ITS local value will be increased five fold, and it
will alone furnish immense trade, and be a source
OF magnificent income to its owners
But these advantages have hitherto been in q
great measure withheld from this otherwise favored
country. The only outlets of its trade until now,
have been the Dismal Swamp Canal, connecting the
Elizabeth with the Pasyauatuck river, the latter
narrow, tortuous stream, inadequate to the extend
ed commerce such an outlet ought to command
The other is Ocracoke Inlet, some of the disabilities
OF which are OF an equal, and others Of worse
character. This inlet is eighty miles south of the
centre OF Albemarle Sound, SO that vessels going
'su hoso " mdAe QOuOIe OF one hundred and
sixty miles to get back upon the same parallel on
which they started. Another great difficulty lies in
the shallowness of the water on Ocracoke Rar
which allows draft of only six feet of water and
obges vessels of any size lighter three ourtbs 81
their cargo over the bar, at an average expense in
Guiding detention, of over one dollar DER ton ,
sum which forms an aggregate tax of nearly half ,
million upon the products of this portion of The
State. - Wv
The worst feature, however, of the route by Ocra
coke lies in its exceeding DANGER From the inlet t.
the ca2es of Virginia, including the rounding o
cape Hatteras, stretches the attenuated striD O
sandbank before mentioned, without single omen
ing into which vessel may escspe in time of dan
ger The whole of this wreck strewn coast ia on,
maritime graveyard. There is scarcely A HUNDRED
yards OF the fearful strand that NAV not boast II
own wreck; and the conspicuous objects which
meet the eye Of the mariner, while coastinp alon,
the dismal shore, are the bleaching ribs or half buri
60 auiks OF former vessels whose mu te but imnres
Hve eloquence tells the fearful story of shnwreck
suffer ing ard death. Many of these s.d nene,.e,
have beer buried out of our sight bv the sh;fs;n'
sands, {. have mouldered in decay. bnt the co.st
never without abundant evidence to its i3re.d ~.
acter for scarcely q storm RACES upon the Atl.nti
WAT does not give its quota Of fresh victims to tn
numerous beach. Sir Walter Raleigh must h.v
discovered its dangers in his early visits for We An
sketch which accompanies his account of his Az
voyages to this region which represents wreck