Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-11-12
Canal Between the York and James.

patch from n SuDscflDeE NJ N'"NNN e
ing II route for canal between the
York and James rivers in Virginia had
ever been surveyed. and II so. what route
was deemed the most desirable. has led us
TO seek some Information on the subject,
ard 10 inquire II such a canal Is needed
and whether n could be built with any
sum Of money likely TO be COMMANDED oy
us through the help OF the Federal |oV-
eminent or by our own raising
Ship canals are VIGOROUSLY costly. Inc
latest case in point Is the canal between
Manchester and Liverpool, England. ms
was the enterprise OF Manchester. Liver
pool looked upon the scheme with ill-con-
cealed hostility. liverpool now does but
will soon lose the shipping for Manchester
which IS a city OF $4,000 people Whiie
Liverpool has but 10000 The distance
covered by this canal Is only thirty-hve
miles hut the expense Of construction has
been enormous. The engineers estimates
were nowhere" 1t was thought year
or two ago that the Manchesteflans anu
those who aided them would have 10 aoah-
don their work through inability 10 raise
more money; but those who entertained
,bis balief knew not the pluck or the busi-
ross men of Manchester. Their canal cost
them vastly more than they ever uIeaH''
that # would, but they never once loS'
hone or faltered in their determination.
Nov, II IL announced that the canal VIII
no onened on the ist Of January. ship
ners Of cotton are urged to ship II mere
after direct to Manchester
We admire the courage and energy us
nIoved BIZ Manchester. and hope that the
money invested by It win prove 70 De
,,ood Investment; but whether 1t VIII or
NOT remains to be seen. We refer 10 TINS
canal not only as a matter OF Interest
% tho poople Of the cotton States but 10
show that Virginia's experience as 10
cost with the old Kanawha canal mas
boen the experience Of Manchester ana
4. ,n,el,, IN no the experience Of all other
canal-bullders.
Dr 1afertv. we believe. IS the latest
of the latter-day advocates OF q canal 10
connect the waters Of the James ana
York rivers; but though he has gwen val
,,oble advice on the subject, we do not
understand him as being willing 10 lalher
tho financial part Of the scheme nor 40
we know Of any one else VINO IS "h'i's ~
invest in that direction.
The only inducement for such c'"''
appartnt 10 us, IS the avoidance Oh '''V
shoals in James river. By far the mus
Troublesome OF these shoals are within
,,uoe Of Richmond. and will require Iully
c,o-t,lf the EXPENSE OF the Improvement
now in proqrcss: which is intended 10
provide o feet depth Of water at ORDINARY
Iow-tide from the city 10 the sea we are
,nf,rned that less than 10000 have been
evranJed M TO this time. below Dre"rys
pinee including the cost Of Dutch Gap
cutoff.
The shortest distance between tn YORK
and lanes rivers is from POI q 1e"
miles above Yorktown TO point oppo-
s,to Hog Island. below jamestown ms
measures about miles on the map. Such
q canal should be % feet in depth.
The total estimated cost Of improving
the channel Of the James below this
point. 20 the same depth and $40 Feet "'u''
Is less than $4,000.
,rr. cost Of "A canal 50 feet wide at the
bottom at that point would be very many
fines that sum, and clearly It wouid
not pay. II would cost three times as
much as to make the same depth by the
river with at least 200 feet width. to
within miles OF Richmond.
There is probably no point on the PENN
su,a where canal could be less costly
ord vs. ara forced to consider the only
remaining conuection-a cut from Rich
nond to the Pamunkey at say. the WHITE
House.
The railroad from hore 10 West Point
probably occupies the lowest SUBMITS be-
tween the James and the Chickahominy'
and between the latter and the waters OF
the York.
Fair oaks station is given as 1863 feet
above tide. Ada q feet FOR the
depth OF the canal and we have 80 feet
OF cutting. and perhaps more. at this
-urornit. The cutting would be ~ feet
perhaps more between the Chickahomny
and Pamunky, and the canal-bed would
be perhaps from ~ 10 30 feet below the
Cbickabonnny, which Il must cross. The
amount OF material 10 be moved would be
enormous. and its disposition very costly.
II no rock should be encountered tsome
would be near Richmond the cost Of
canal 50 feet wide at the bottom could
not be less than $4,000 900. exclusive OF
the right Of way and structures for eH-
listing roads TO cross It, This We are told
by an engineer Of high reputation.
II IS very safe to say that the channel
Of James river from Richmond to the
SET could be made p feet deep. with a
minimum bottom width Of 200 feet. ana
that every bend could be cut of with a
canal 30 feet wide for one-f0urth Of this
amount, including the amount expended
in tie past eight years. These cut-ohs
would save perhaps eight miles in distance
from Richmond to the sea.
The cost OF maintaining this improve
ment would be less than that Of maintain
ing the canal. The speed OF steam vessels
would be double that practicable on
canal.
4 canal, with locks. to avoid the very
deep cuttings must be fed from about the
height OF the basin In Richmond, where
the surplus water in summer IL any. can
be more probably employed by our
manufacturers. =,
We have been told by the assistant
engineer in charge of the James-river i'm
provement that the present appropriation
is considered sufficient to secure a channel
IS feet deep at low tide-nowhere less
than 50 feet wide-from the lower city
limits to Hampton Roads in about year
from this time.
When the James-river improvement was
| begun I'm 1870 the depth on Richmond bar
! and In the bend at Dutch Gap. as well
as at some other points. was only feet
at low tide. The rise and fall OF tide is
about l-2 feet.
SO we may conclude that there Is really
no need for a canal between the York and
James rivers; that II there were the cost
OF It would forbid the enterprise, and that
| so far as the interests OF this section OF