The New York herald., 1872-11-18
Steam on the Canals-Is the Problem
SOlvcdl

Solveds
Readers of the HERALD will not have for
gotten its frequent exposition of the para
mount importance to this State and city of
more rapid transit of freight through our
great waterway between the metropolis and
the chain of northern lakes. BY this route we
have direct and cheap communication, ex-
tending from the seaboard nearly to the centre
of the Continent. In addition to the lakes
and the rivers falling into them we have
canals connecting with the Ohio and the Mis-
sissippi, SO that the canals of New York and
the Western States form most important sys-
tenn by which o vast, fertile, prosperous and
rapidly developing empire is enabled to dis
charge at the commercial centre of America
its agricultural, mineral and other products
for the crude and manufactured productions
of other parts of the country or imported
from oil quarters of the globe. Before the
railroad era these canals were the almost
sole channel for the movement of freight be-
tween tidewater and the West. Bnt the very
much greater speed Of railway transit has di-
verted large share Of the carrying business,
while it has also made the slower movement
by the canals odious and unpopular. 1t has
been generally voted behind the age to con-
sumo fourteen days in the passage of boat
load Of corn from Buffalo to this city, when
seventh part of that time. Still the canals
could bring freight for less money than the
railways, and the figures show that, in spite of
their slowness, they have continued to carry
the greater portion Of the heavy freights, and
to yield the State most satisfactory revenue.
1t did not need the generous offer of the
Legislature-a prize of one hundred thousand
dollars-to incite attempts to produce an
adaptation of steam to the canals in such man.
ner as to give increased speed without injury
to the banks and locks. For years
this problem has received careful study
attempts have heretofore failed to answer the
necessary conditions. But now we have a
steam canal boat leaving Buffalo on her sec
ond voyage, laden with two hundred tons,
over seven thousand bushels, of corn, propel-
ling herself through the canal and down the
in five days and seventeen hours from Lake
Erie. Besides the saving in time her owners
claim that she effects decided reduction in
the cost as compared with the expense of pro-
pulsion by two horses. Whether this steamer is
the model Of the canal boat Of the future can
not yet be decided. Her construction may,
perchance, be susceptible Of improvement; but
she has, apparently, answered the question Of
the possibility of increasing the speed and
probably reducing the voyage by more
than one-half. This is equivalent to
multiplying the capacity Of the canals,
while, no doubt, it would far more
than double their business When the steam
system shall be perfected, the horses and the
slow boats being out Of the way, there will be
for less hindrances in passing and meeting on
the levels, all boats going in the same direc-
ton keeping to one side Of the canal, and no
time need be lost waiting for tows. This prac-
tical multiplication Of the capacity and use of
the canal, and the shortening Of the trips in
SO great degree, will not fail to produce
results most satisfactory to New York and to
all the wide Western territory which here
seeks market. If the present steam canaller
tionizing canal freightage it is safe to predict
that she is the forerunner of that desired con-
summation. Two weeks are not necessary
for the trip from Lake Erie to New York, nor
need it take one week. Yankee invention is
competent to make the transit quick and
cheap and yet without damage to the canal.
Wealth awaits the genius who shall accomplish
this, and when it comes New York and the
whole country will be advantaged thereby.
OUR WESTERN DIAMOND DF1ELDs-ExcrrEMRNr
AT SALT LAKE C1TY.-On Saturday last quite
an excitement was created at Salt Lake City
on the report Of some New York lapidaries or
connoisseurs in precious stones upon some
specimens brought to Salt Lake by H. F.
Berry, twenty-six of which were pronounced
genuine diamonds. Berry says he found them,
not in Arizona or New Mexico, but in Western
Colorado, and that he is ready to pilot any
party to the locality. Upon these represen-
tations number of capitalists at Salt Lake
are organizing an expedition for the new
Golconda. We have had now so many reports
of these discoveries of diamonds, rubies,
sapphires, &C., in Arizona, New Mexico and
Colorado that we can hardly resist the con-
clusion that these statements are founded upon
facts. But as oil the districts in which these
precious stones are located are uninhabited
except by Indians, and unexplored except by
occasional prospecting miners, we shall prob
ably have no reliable reports concerning them
until we hear from Lieutenant Wheeler $
scientific exploring expedition, the main body
of which at last accounts was heading for
those mysterious regions of Colorado, New
Mexico and Arizona. From this expedition,
and from our special commissioner accom-
panying it, diamonds or no diamonds, we