The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-11-28
4 Great National Worik-Ehe Trans-
Allegheny Canal.
From the New York Herald

4 few DAYS ago the telegraph informed us
of The visit Of Virginia delegation 10 Presi-
den; Grant 10 solicit his interest in behalf OF
the completion Of the JamcS MycT and ka-
nawhi canal by Government. The two
STATES Virginia and West Virginia. anxious
to secure 4 cheap and capaciouS trlnSporta.
lion o. western produce 10 The se&bord, offer
10 surrender their interest in the work 10 the
United States. pro;idcd It be completed and,
after il has paid for the Government cNpendi-
tire. he made 4 highway tree Of all tolls eX-
crp; >uch rs are Necessary to keep it in re-
p,i.. This wise and liberal proposition Net
The Endorsement of the President, and, il is
sad. will be laid before Congress With his re-
commentator for legislative action. 1t is
harlt0 overlook the immense importance Ola
water passage for the Ohio Valley hy which
/ may reach The sea aud now that the long
a-tstcd problem of the steam navigation OF
canal. las been almost if not fully solved
il i evident that the contamination of the
Virginia scheme is the part Of timely and
saSaclCns craftsmanship. The James River
waterway hl> long since been in operation
for about two hundred miles from Rich
mond. and WAS constructed ut an expense Of
SI0,iGG,SG9 10 Buchanan, leaving about two
hundred miles 10 be completed. 1t has 4
sources. i've feet deep, thirty feet at the bot
tom and fifty feet on the top, with locks one
hundred by fifteen feet in the clear, and lis
projected terminus is the head Of canal navi-
cation on the rich. ccal-heddcd waters OF the
kHuawha. II WAS designed rs an outlet for
that immense trade Of the West which can
not have access 10 the Erie canal or the
ilS"> % the noble bosom OF the Chesapeake
H1E, The completion Of this work would
tra telling blow against The rapidly SoIiditt-
sn% railroad monOpolicS which now hamper
ia" c0Dfmercc and relard the growth of some
III i.Ic finest and most fertile sections OF tn"
UHn>-A Allegheny country. The development
Of these sections has long ian@ui>!!cd for
want Of Il cheap and convenient outlet to the
ocean, from the fact that the Erie and New
York canals are already taxed TO their Ut
Wu>t capacity. and there is no way OF send
.u- of their increased production except at
tie ruiEpuS rates Of railroad transportation
uvrT 4 thousand miles. Unfortunately, the
annual closing of lake Notwithstanding
fhc average frost and ice period Of one nun
dr"d and eighteen dayS--iS serious draw
back to the business prosperity OF the Allan
tic >rahoard, While for twenty years past the
average annual closing Of the James River
ctnal has been only fifteen days, and in
this time for ten years ii WAS not closed Il
single day. The cquin9ctiaI gales which
T;,Yage The lakes and impcrii its snip
ping ncCcSSitate for several months OF
the year the large increase OF tolls and
!rc-htS by nearly sixty per cent. while
shipments are often frozen i'll for the whole
winter. During thls dangerous and icy Pc
rod the only water avenue for the trade OF
thc Mississippi Valley also i By sea frcm
and attended with delay and danger. c>pc-
riHIIy in the Florida Pass and thence to
sandy Hook. The population OF the inland
states. which are cut OH from the corn mar
kcl> OF New York and the world by the
heavy cost Of railway carriage, is estimated
by Poor, for 1867. 1T not less than fourteen
and half millions. There can be no doubt
That the opening up Of this great and free
water highway would greatly increase the
prodlciyeneS, aud prosperity OF the ONO
and Mississippi valleys, aud would also i'm
mcn-cly enhance the trade Of New York ano
all our scahoard cities. In time Of war such :;
WORK az II Is now proposed the Government
shall take free of cost and complete Wout
lie OF the greatest military value, and in this
view has long since attracted the attention:
Of our chief military engineers. in TIN
event Of hostilities with any naval power q
The world, the Chesapeake bay would be TO!
u> magazine of exhau>tlcss military sup
plies from the great West, and its entrance
between CapcS Henry and Charles-a dis
lance of only nine mi!cs-cou!d 30 easily
commanded by small naval force. AS 4
great national enterprise the completion o!
the trans-Allcghany canal must commend
Itself 10 the Judgment Of the whole country
2ud As an admirable initiation OF the new
progressive policy Of the Government, as
lclcshadowcd ny presidential! suggestion.