New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-06-12
A TRIP FROM NEWBERN TO
NORFOLK.
Opening Of the Afbcmarie and Chesnpenis'
Canal-Gen. Burnside Visits Norfolk.


! Canal-Gen. Burnside Visits Noriolh.
! FoRr MONROE June 9. 1862.
The trip of Col. Hawkins from Roanoke Island u
Norfolk, which has been noticed in your columns
was made by way OF Currtuck Sound and the Viz
GINA section Of tie Abemare and Chesapeak.
Canal. The North Carolina section, leading from
the North River into Cnrrituck Sound, was then p
obsirncted with sunken wrecks piles, and rubbish
that there was no thoroughfare. Meanwhile, do
tachment of the Submarine Engineer Corps, il
charge Of Mr.. l.. Hayden, has been ri work will
dredging machines and blasting cans, to remove tho
barrier, and so diligently has the labor been prose
Gu ed, that Gen. Burrsides excursion boats passes
through from end TO end Of the section yesterday.
Tie first opening of this direct line Of communica
ton was q great event 10 the history Of Nora
Carolina for ii afforded safe and speedy outlet fo
her PRODUCTS and an inlet for the exchange cargoeI
from Norfolk The towns song the streams which
penetrate the cotton and turpentine producing dis
tricte were at once brought within easy reach oftb
Northern markets, and the delays apd perils Of The
passage by way of TIatteras and Ocracoke Inlets
once 50 vexatious and serious, were removed.
The route was opened by cutting through the
nec,,s OF land between North River and Curritucl
Sound. and between the Sound and North Landing
or Elizabeth River on which Norfolk il situate. Tns
former section Is FIVE miles long, the latter eight
and half; so that by making cut of only some
thirteen miles, line Of 100 miles was thrown opei
10 North Carolina vessels. The canal Ia sixty feel
wide from bank 10 bank, and the depth Of waite,
has been kept nearly AS possible ten feet by the
assistance OF dredging machines, rs fast as the sp
washed in from tue waters WIN when the scclioni
communicated. The North Carolina cut has ne
locks in 1t, but in the other there sa very substan
tai noe at the point where II empties into Eliza
beth River.
After the capture of Roanoke Island 10y the forcet
of Gen. Burnside, the Rebels, fearing that our gun
boats might penetrate 10 the reer VI Norfolk, OBJ
struoted tue lower section of the Alcen,arle ans
Chesapeake Canal, by sinking two large dredging
mechines at the UPPER end, and filling IN dirt ane
rubbish. More recently, our own people, thinking
that this baricadc might hot be sufficient TO stop tho
assage Of Rebel iron-clad gunboats, finished Tho
work by sinking some scIooners and placing othe,
distractions in the North River month of the cut
Cnil the capture Of Hatteras, ana In fact, for some
time subsequently, by way OF Ocracoke and Other
iuiets. supplies aud munitions OF war were freely
poured into Norfolk through this and the Dismal
Swamp Canal. Our blockade was laughed AT, an0
all tue while that congrstulatlng ourselves
on it's efficiency, the ReOes were importing drugs
aud muske;s clothing and ordnance, and reapne
enormous profits.
The North Carolina seaboard and lower Virginia.
IL, ~
i'm lance to Gen. Burnside that the canals should
be- reopened for in this way bis army supplies coald
be drawn in one.hrd less time, and with much
greater certainty than even by the easy port OF
Beaufort. The task OF removing the distractions
was given, rs before stated, 10 Prof. Maileiertt
Submarine Corps, and has been completed in very
bIef time. The corps has been OF great service TO
thee ezpcd ion, in the approaches 10 Washington,
Newbern, Roanoke Island, and Beaufort, having re.
moved distractions in Pauilico and Neuse Rivers, in
Croatan and Cove Sounds, and in the canal And
vet their work has beez % quietly prosecuted, With
SO little osentation and display that l doub. II one
man iu thousand connected with the expedition is
even aware that we have such corps with u. All
they know 10 that our boats pass through openings
made in the Rebel barbados.
The excursion party of Ma. .Gen. Burnside com
sisted Of Major Lewis Richmond, A. A. c.; DIR. w.
IL. Church, Medical Director OF the Department;
Cant. George b. Fearing, A. ID. e.; Mr. ID. Larned,
Military Secretary: Major w. Monroe, Allotment
Commissioner of Rhode Island; and three newspa.
per correspondents. The Rebel Col. Robinson, ID
y. c. Cavalry, wounded ana captured IN a'skirnnsn
with the 1881 n. Y ", some two months ago, was
brought up and turned over to the military authors
ties at Fort Monroe.
We left Newbern in the Generals hag-boat, Alice
Price ON Saturday morning, and reached Roanoke
Island in the evening. We lay here until daylight,
and then started across Croaan Sound-the fast lit
lie steamer Port Royal following to take US of il
the canal should be found too narrow for the Ahce
Price, Our route up North River to the mouth d
the lower section of the canal accomplished in
due course. The Port Royal entered first, and the
Price followed easily as far as the bridge,
where she got jammed hard and fast, and we werd
detained more than an hour until some of the side
timbers could be cut away with axes, and pulled oue
BY the hawser Of the Port Royal. We met with q
longer detention at the mouth OF the section, where
the large steam dredge OF Mr.. Hayden's working
parry, which was being lowed out of our way by the
Port Royal got aground, aud the little steamer hers
self met with the same mishaP. AT - o'clock, how,
ever, everything was set to lights and oar journey
was continued without farther impediment TO Noys
folk. w I've Sound We lett tho Alice Pnse ~ ~