The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-11-22

,,n.r. A. satisfy the exclusive wnter-line men
;has The railroad would not dry mp the river
below Richmond; and when the charter was
o o,aa os ao,On and the New York merchants
refused to touch Il. In fact, while we were
debating, they had established the steam hne
with New York, tchfch gaze them a monopoly
,chich they ,oere ua,ofilfngto s,.rre,'dsr."
ternity OF the York River railroad ITO termi-
nate ut Yorktown or Elhdm," ana inen
insinuates that certain New YORK snip.
owners refused to have anything TO 90 Win
the road because 1t was carried up the river
instead of do,cn. The fact is, West Point. the
present terminus, IN some six miles lo,cer do,on
the river than Ethan, yet the New ioIx
merchants refused to touch 1t because IL was
carried up the river instead OF doton. TT ~,
Lyons's original idea was to terminate q. IL.
than, and this satisfied MS WeaItny Nsm i L
ship owners; but point some six miles toioer
do,on the river was selected as the terminus,
and this was too high up for the same parties
as our friends, the Yankees, would say, we
don't see IT, The real reason why MI.
LYONS 3 wealthy ship-owners refused to touch
Il is furnished by himself in the closing SEN
tence Of the above quotation. lin TACT, wnio
we were debating, they hadsestablished the
steam line with New York, winch gave tnen q =
monopoly tohfct they toere untcifng to SURRENDER.
The surveys made for the purpose OF de,
terminipg the best route for the Richmond ana
York River railroad were numerous ana ex'
haustiye. Mr.. Lyons's favorltes were SUB
jected to examination, and, after fnil discus
sion of the subject, by the ADVICE OF CnMIis ss
II, Fisk and Lieutenant M. +. Maury, west
Point was chosen as the terminus OF the road
lieutenant Maury pronounced Ehham imprac-
ticable for various demonstrating too hlgh up
the river, however, ought to SATISFY MI
I,yons-and said Of the present terminus:
From West Point there is water enough 10
nm "a right out to sea any merchant ship in the
country except the Great Republic. Two or
three miles below the Point is q bar OF sou
mud with 1874 feet at low water. It's est,
mated that vessel, with the force OF the wind
alone, may easily plough through this mud 70
the depth of II or Is inches suppose we say
IL. This will make draft of 20 feet avaliaDle
under canvass at dead low water, with Tise
IF three feet in the tide. The keel OF large
shin is from 90 to % inches deep by 10 thick,
ali of which no doubt can be dragged with
steam straight over the bar, which gives ~ II
for large clippers o practical tug capacity OF
NJ least q feet ut low and 25 at high water
The effect of the requisite wharves for the ac-
commodation of the shipping would be 10
scour out this bar: and of ships ploughing
through IL, the effect would be to wear 1t
away. So I consider it capable of passing
any vessel that the business OF commerce
shall require of 1t. But ISL feet AT
low water is four feet more than the Mlssis-
sippi admits to New Orleans without plougn,
ing. and two feet more than can be dragged
through the mud on its bars. 1t is more by
two feet at least than Baltimore, and pract-
cally as much as Philadelphia can boast o.
II will admit vessels that cannot 60 TO VII
GnISestone or apy other place of trade south
Of Virginia, either along our Atlantic or Gun
coast At low water but eleven feet can De
carried into Liverpool, and but up 10 Lon
don Docks. At the two last named Por.s ttie
mean your West Point beats them both, and
with it's soft mud is superior to the q feet OF
the Sandy Hook bar, with its hard sand and
heaye Of the sea-"
should be very glad II the DiSpi'cn. To '1
nublish the whole Of the able report OF LIEU
tenant Maury, from which the above extract
is taken. 1t accompanies this note.
In conclusion, would say that yield to no
one in an earnest effort to secure the speedy
completion of the airline to Lynchburg.
Very respectfully yours,
ALEXANDER DUDLEY.
The papers publishing Mr.. Lyonss letter
will do me the favor to insert this. A. ID.