The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-08-22
The Navigation of James River.

HG Navigation VI AS-HOA'
A good point is made by Colonel FRANK
&. RUFFIN i'm his able paper in our issue of
the 10Th OF the peculiar claims OF the James
river to the consideration OF Congress in
the Improvement Of its navigation. Colonel
RUFFIN says:
The river and harbor bill gave Virginia
$500, 900 TO promote her commerce 10y deep
enlng and cleaning out her rivers. Oh tins
sum James river, on which the United
States Government has already spent nearly
5000, 900, gets only $4,000. But a late sur
yey by the United States Engineers Senate
Executive Document No. i47, p. Is, Forty
seventh Congress- estimates that the river
can be deepcned from the sea to the rocks
n few miles below Richmond to a clear
channel way of % feet at a cost OF Sl,3GO,-
4l3.3g. This point, distant l2jmiles inland
from the canes due west, Is the deepest
western indentatiOn on the Atlantic. When
deepcned TO % feet will be practically the
Atlantic. and nearer to the Pacific by 1913
miles than any other route.
The nature OF the work Of dredging and
the importance Of the speedy completion
of the depth of James river, as indicated by
the survey, would indeed have justified a
much larger appropriation by Congress
at its late session than the $4,000
made TO James river in the river and
harbor appropriation bill. But it should
be explained that our faithful represents
tive, Hon. GEORGE ID. WISE, could not OBJ
tain more 1T this time, from the fact that
the estimates OF the engineers in charge OF
the work only called for that amount fol
the expenses of the ensuing years opera
tions. lie could not well go before the
committee i'm behalf of larger amount
than had been so recommended without
endangering our cause when so much was
being demanded bv others Sin favor a
court"
A word now in behalf OF this great work
The tendency Of trade is to emplo
larger vessels, both steam and sail, than il
former years. Navigable waters general
have been much improved to that end
answering the increasing demand 70
economy and speed OF transportation
The Federal Government has expende
considerable sums in the work Of drede
Ing out our rivers and shaping their chan
nels to give greater safety and facility f.
trade by them, from which vast benefits 4
commerce have resulted. The seyera
States and corporate cities immediately in
terested In such works have also expended
considerable sums for the same object
and Richmond, considering the weight O
her mlsfortunes in the last twenty years
has done her share OF work OF natona
commercial character, like that OF deepen
ing James river.
But there Is yet much to be done, and
the work necessary to complete what has
been begun is all the more important from
being the only way left us TO secure the
fruits OF what has been expended ever so
prudently. Left TO its quiet but inevitable
chances OF working out its own grand
contamination OF our commercial tri-
umph, we shall have perhaps only delay;
but the work deserves especial favor from
the Government for the reasons cited, as
giving TO IL even national Importance.
a. In this connection we have noticed with
Interest the discussion by our correspond
ent "C.," In bis two articles OF the 2lst of
June and 10Th Of july last, IN this paper, Of
the question OF the improvement OF our
harbor and facilities for shipping at Rich
mond. Without investigating ourselves !