The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-10-14
The Lower James River.

rrorv citizen must have been pleased
with the report Of Major WHircose 70 'os
committee or the Council upon the WORK o.
d,epeniug the channel of the lower 'a'n
r;vcr There are now no bars to ohstrae'
the ordinary navigation from koeket's 10
90. - a denth OF fourteen and hall teet III
h,rb water. Coastwise vessels can ai"as'
6nd c.sv access to our wharves. ine ne"
W.T. steamers now come aud 60 without
a.l,v In places where few years ago
mere was not more than ten feet OF water al
hich tide there are now eighteen.
The work goes bravely on. and should
Congress mike liberal appropriation to 1t
next winter we shall soon see channel elgh'
teen feet deep from Richmond to sea. There
| Is no good reason why it should not 60 to
twenty feet.
Major WRlrcoXs has been diligent stu
dent and close observer 10 hydraulic engl.
ueering. His mission to Europe as one OF
the committee appointed by the President 10
inspect the public works railroads ana
canals-enabled him to acquire mucn
Information that is Eow Of great value
TO him. He satisfied his mind entirely
with regard to the best means OF deep
ening the channels of rivers. In part nc
adopts the plan of removing bars oy
narrowing the channel and making the river
of uniform width. The volume OF water
being confined within bed OF un'lor"
width moves with steady force, ana app''es
its force to the securing out oil Tue OARS.
This will diminish the cost Of deepening the
r channel. and the work done by the natural
flow of water is more permanent and success
e ful than that which is done by dredglng-a
a nrocess which must be continued to MAINTAIN
f depth of water over bar, to remove
which dredging is the only means employed
Major WELCOMES theory is well sus-
tanned by results in the river Navigation OF
continental Europe, and We are happy 10 say
that the very partial experiment mace ID
.Iames river has resulted to the Majors salts
faction. bikes have been formed as YET
, nnon a limited scale. But wherever they
. have been built-narrowing the channel ana
cutting of the waste Of the rivers force oy
, expansion the scour has been emphatic anu
the increase of depth decided.
We may congratulate the city that at last
we have So engineer upon the lower James
river who brings to the work large eNp-'
!, rience. extensive observation, ana pract'cal
good sense, as well as professional accom-
pIisbmen,s that insure to US solid and admit
r,ble results. In the United States engineer
Colonel GRACEFULLY we have man OF great
ability and energy and above these qualit-
cations even, he possesses an integrity and
proper feeling towards Virginia-hs native
S,ate-that assure US of fairness and justice in
day when we have so much reason for dis
trust. Aided ia the Government work by
such man AS WH1TcoAB lie may expect the
most valuable results for the money eX'
peIded.
Major WBITcoMB, speaking with reference
to bis theory, contends that there IS no
earthly reason why we should not bave a
depth of twenty feet from Richmond to
Hampton Roads. He is satisfied that we
may have greater depth; but that would
be sufficient for all the preset purposes oil
commerce here. 1t would be sufficient to
give exit to every pound of produce of the
eleven southern States. Vessels drawing
more water would seldom or never be
needed to come to Richmond.
We may indeed congratulate our people
upon the progress of the work of deepening
the channel of the lower James. Upon d
sufficient depth there our commerce manly
depends. Give us that, and we shall have
the interior commerce that will make the
river Navigation active and prosperous
, That we base a fee cbaRpel now is true, and
that we shall have one of yet greater capacity
In few mouths, provided the Federal Con
gre>s and the city of Richmond continue
their appropriations to it, we have the very
best reasons 10 know,