The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-06-26
The River.

The Ravcr.
Tho reader Of the Dispatch must h nav S..'"
in that PAPER Of yesterday the report 81 wv W.,
Ts.,cs from tho Joint Committee on 'He i.'
-s.o,,,o,, of James River, that It ~ 'ue
g ,oons.ra,ed beyond question t'M we ,""
" obtain eighteen feet Of water " IN a',e .Ha"
-, ern,, richmond to the sea. This must
h.ve been delightful intelligence 70 every
h,,s,ness man and to every gentleman "n'
onrretiates the importance Of James river a.
an artery for the movement OF the u"u
which we hope TO concentrate at R,c"'ho""'
Mr., IsAAcs pays just compliment y
Colonel CRAIaHILL, Of the Un,tea '1''''
gineer corps, for the efficient i''''''n., -
wh;ch he has cooperated with the aty Oh
feers and force in clearing away ''e oD
c,.u % navigation in the river. he Is q Sei'-
t,e,oan Of solid ability and decided iorecats'
and Judgment. We have so much iai'" !"
h,,, that we are ut ease a. long az tue al
,.;-s connected with his branch OF service
in Virginia are in his hands. tie mas ho'
only bcan of invaluable assistance 10 us III
the matter of cleaning out the port al Rock
etts. and removing the debris IN the river
below but he has thrown much light upon
the great Improvement OF the James i''e'
and Kauawha canal in his reports |" Inc
Government: and should the United States,
~ we hone it will, undertake to in'>h the
work. we shall be much indebted 10 Coioiei
CKA,oHlLL for it. He fully appreciates the
importance of that enterprise, in which ' IL
g;n;, has invested 30 much money, anu II
b;s advice were followed, thousand mei'
xpould now be at work upon IL AZ natiohai
enterprise-an enterprise stretching anu
spreading out so that it would so Tar eHcees'
the borders of Virginia as to cover the Union
in the interests, commercial and politlca''
which il would represent and cherish.
TO return to the lower James river: we re-
r.ea. that the announcement made by the
Joint committee must be grateful 70 all the
neoplc of Richmond. We have assumed III
those columns. and sustained the assumption
oswelI rs We could, that deep water " cannot
of itself make cities, and that great cities may
he bult without deep water ilr from
the seaboard. We cited cases to prove DON
assertions. and to show that there were other
elements. such rs salubrity Of climate, drain-
noe. running streams, hills, and all the con
comitants of health and comfort, which went
to make ND the suitablencss of river locality
for the concentration of large population and
vast trade. These are rarely found com
biued with "deep water" Such localities.
however, to meet the deficiency of the want
of deep water, for purposes OF commerce
must resort TO the help of art to secure for
themselves navigation to the sea equal to the
movement OF their trade. This is illustrated
the world over by some of the greatest OF
cities.
Richmond must copy the numerous exam
ples before her. II she does she has nothing
to fear. There can he no great city eXceflng
her, or even impairing her trade, between
her and the ocean In Virginia if she is true
to herself and makes the best uso of the
nats:ral advantages she enjoys. The Council
never did bolder aud wiser thing than
when it determined to deepen the channel of
James river; and it is Indeed gratifying, in
view of the importance of the work it then
undertook, that it is announced to be in
state of progress with such success as to
make its final accomplishment Il matter he
yond doubt. That is the great work for
Richmond Give us the water to convey
our commerce, and the fortune Of Ricli-
mond is made. For all practical purposes
the ireights of all the railways to this
city can be promptly, and securely, and
economically conveyed to their destination.
We shall see this in short time. We shall
see it especially in the active business that
will spring up upon the wllarvcs Of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Company. As
great as that company's road is, ~ great as
may he its business, the vessels that ply to
and fro on james river will take oil its great
burthen and distribute it in all directions
with an ease, cheapness, and facility that will
most happily illustrate the vast power OF
water as medium Of cheap transportation.
Let us cling to the great work Of deepen
ing the river, and see that after it is accom-
plished it shall never deteriorate from neg
lect
Mr.. HEREFORD, the member of Congress