Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-02-09

OF FRANCE, UNDER INSTRUCTIONS Fkuh ulS
GOVERNMENT, RELATIVE TO TdEJAhES RIVER
AND KANAWHA CANAL, JUNE ., 1850.
Printed By joiat order Of t6s Committees Roads aud
Ea,srnal Navigation, ef t.s S,aGte and House Of
DelCgacs.
RICHMOND June Ssh, 1860.
NoxslErR Is MINISrRE:
Ry a dispach dated the Goth Of April last your Ex-
eeiencv did me the honor inform that petition
had ocen presented His Majesty the Emperor, by tbe
Ns,s-s B.llot des Minieres concerning project for
junction OF Jtues River Nith the kInaWha Cna in
order from the French g0vernmen IN idvof OF
their company evidence Of sympathy, the nature of
uhich however, they DO not pr. cisey explain.
Your Excclcuey dcsires TO be informed "A well upon
he orgaaizton OF this company upon the object OF
che enterprise and Tie Advantages which might result
from it Tor the commerce Of France.
.t oace ser to work Monsieur e Muis're, collect
from the best aad the most approved documents
he necessary iuorma lou for calculation Of this ques
zion which, moreover bad already studied | Hil Gu
davor 10 give exact an idea possible OF the nature
a. The project question and Of the queCccs which
nav reul. from execution in favor of commercial re-
"a ions hstseyn France aud This country
c1mmsuce hv rc-aiirm.ug sl tina. / have previously
sd in nv corte pOLdeuce upOu the situation Of the State
o. VIclii, particularly ia nay ports concerning Tue
prsmare pr, Tor direct trade and direct lines OF
us.ig4Icu with EuJepa.
In my di.ptch,s relative to the public works Of Nir-
gn4 Will, indicating the natural advantages possessed
by this State account OF IL geographical position, s
mineral wealth the resources OF is agriculture aud the
or rs ClInAte nave s4t becu OF OpllAu,
N1G.pur le Nr'3trc, tNat there could De little done Ia
this pir o. the Union long the great routes OF
raurieaton OF ruciioo not completely
hli-htd especially those from east 20 west.
Bu while remtlbeIiag Nhat / have written and .d-
ya1.ed during many years without tojsy retracting
sisge word declare that diac my conviction,
b.sei npoG knowledge OF the country and the opinion
o. competent Who haze studied all these great qucS
tons when the works above mentioned shall be finished
aI the James River and ,nawha Canal which eons;i-
tu.e h OF cc OF this report mus De placed ia the ST
rank Virginia will become toe point OF the United States
Waca must attract seriously the attention Of France
Il is with view 70 commercial advantages and even
interests Of higher order that shall endeaVor to pre-
s;l. the question OF the completion OF the canal.
s5tSDAr.oN AND DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATIONS or Tx
CONPANY.
think Monsieur e Ministre should give insight
into the different phases through which the sHlir has
passed from its origin up 10 the present time
The fist company, James river company, called now
the 'Oii James river company established in l7Sj
~h capi,ai OF 20 UUu dollars, divided into sh=Ies
OF 100 dollars each
Tbs company did no. accomplish a great deal After
oug time he necessity felt for reyving the wOks
upon other basis.
TIE l7.h OF February, 1920, the first company was
dissolved, and the alaTs placed IN the hands OF the
Safe.
TIE l6,h of March. 1882, after twelve years of cIpe
r,uce proving that The Sa:c could neither administer
construct iG found necessary 10 form another
company.
According 20 Ne" tC uNt i4ii ~ til-
people each had par; in the affair The S.ate became
a.l1scrlsr fO- hces-6f.hs The capital establish
el % hye millions O. dl'7rs v.h the privilege OF in-
crels.rg this capital indefinitely. The company tbcn
took the name OF james river and klnaWha company.
The old works accepted by ;his company, al a
valuation OF one million Of dollars
FtOm lS32 20 1872 the works pushed forward
With vigor bat the Latter epoch tie project Tor rail-
roads 10 which numerous personal interests we're Gu,
gsgSj, brough. about notification IN the course OF
ideas and thng5 The progress Of the works oi the ca
ul, were plrayzed by the impulse given 70 the eo1suc
t0u Of the pxus OF railroads, and particularly to the
great Central railroad hae nearly parallel TO the 1a-
u.L
From this time. the hopes Of the James river and Ha
ntwha company we're limit 10 csfa5lhus The canal as
fr Cogingoa only, II being contemplated 70 run a
raroid irou the latter place 70 the Ohio nyer dis
tsucc of 2Ss 2a miles
Ll-., Monsieur le Ginistre AZ the beginning OF this
vetr the company found itself very much embarrassed
bci1se OF the crcumstlnees above related, TO which
De added natural iudulereLc Of the Virginia p o.
pie iuug-Sinied a,irs and want OF Impulse, OF ac-
uyty, iu certain things.
Besides 500 Oo1 dollars OF floating bt the company
osei the State more than millions OF dollars -
Tl-eessvelths of ths bad been leut by capitalists,
but being guaranteed by the State, the STATE has paid
I. wss on the 23i Of March las; The Legislature Of
Nugina released On, canal from the mortgages Ct The
safe Besides this, he Commonwealth assumed tue
payment Of 2oO.uO0 dollars Of the floating debt aud
the sane amount Of the stock Oi the canal
The ca1al is then increased from i've millions 70
twelve millions Of dollars Likewise divided nto shares Of
one huRdrtd dollars.
Ttis last trsnsactiou releases the company from its
d,b.s aud relieves 10 OF a disabilities. l. 5 this event,
hch enables it tl,at with tr,uch company, Nbeih-
er with fusion a transfer OF this great un-
dsrtaking into the hands Of capitalists having means
20 found a coma y cOmpeteut TO bung the works
Of the caral 10 u succt ssiul termination.
The sacrifices shca the Sta has sui 'cted her
self up % the present time, and the legislation OF the
General Assembly Of Virginia IN favor OF the enter
Prise, prove, moreover, in name more than suhsout
that il is one OF great importance.
LENGTH AND DIVISION Oy THE CANAL
The route known by the nsme Of th, l rsinis Water
due extends from the Capes Of Virginia 10 The olio
river, GOVERNS < a distance of $50 miles.
The lsnsth Of this is divided "a follows.
The Jane, rver from IFS mouth TO the city OF eamond
capital Of Virginia, lol miles
Tie works called the Richmond dock and
Tide water connection" that is 70 say, the
Inc which connects the riger With the canal
a, Richmond itself aid which occupies
distance OF
Tr.t division of the canal, from Redmond
to Lyuelbarg. Hat "
S.,oad DIVISION from Iyaghburg to Bu,haaan So "
.rd iiysou from Buchanan 10 CoyiustOn, 40 q"
Iy.r. '''''''D' '''. '''s ''l go! "
70 the banks OF LouP crSek on the kana"ha
S1,h division, frOm this latter point to the
0aio river, So
Total without the fractions. 6SG miles
TIE works Of the canal are finished from Rich
n0ui 10 Buchanan, over distance Of ls7 miles.
Distance trayersed by James river, l5l
Total distance open. S4S
&. remains then 70 construct the works
u 22s
% complete the canal. which will make the
total above giyea Tor the continuous water
line, Of G26 miles.
Nov. Monsieur le Ministre must say here tbst the
!smes River aud Karawha Canal Company has nothing
70 90 With The navigation Of James river is only busi-
ness j. With the line termed canal which begins al
kctsOnd Itself and ends AZ she Ohio river, and viii be,
according 70 cslcuAon So miles ia length, CT which
ls5 open and free to navigation.
have Only mentioned James river IN order to give an
tsa OF the continuous ue called Virginia water line,
including within is compass from the Ohio TO the At
luc the length Of the canal first aud thea 0i The nFeI
" SorfoA
EXFKNsEs.
lhe ~orks finished up 10 the present. comprising 1le
kiet@ond dock. road, tow paths ADD latera eln'-.
have cost SO $50 Il
Ks9airs and teePing in order from the
I-'erss' expense. OF administrations sIoziss o5
TOa ID us2 sSs O9
esy abou; nnsy millions Of iraEes with the ,EPensss
oi TIE 4 fhfial