The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-07-14

have to be broken up into sections to
meet the contracted space Of It's locks
and locked through in parcels. This Is
very tedious and expensive process
and would reuire q loss OF hours.
In the same way, by means OF 'thr
level a long tow Of bargcs and vessels
can pass through in a few minutes,
when several hours would be required
for the usual way OF locking.
The lock on the canal is a fine piece
of work, built OF seDlid masonry, 10 feet
wide and go feet long. This was Tie
largest lock in the country until the
ones recently built by the government
for the Sauit st. Marie.
The largest locks In use on other ca
nails were ~ feet wide ana 900 feet long.
With lock or these large dimensions,
Inc design was q saving IN time In ac-
communicating several vessels at a time
II locking when there was no level"
Before this canal was built the com
Incrce of all that section of North Car
DINA reached 1t by sound and river nav
iGatton, was restricted 10 its own home
markets, mostly because the risk of loss
and the dangers Of the sea route around
Cape JlatteraS were so great as to be
almost prohibitory.
This canal avoids the dangerous pas
sage of H0ttCraS
With this canal built an easy and sa fc
outlet was opened up to this commerce
TO exchange and communication with
other sections, ana which, by having
this favorable route has grown to It's
present Importance,
Thirty years ago a canal vessel car
,ryng 10000 feet Of lun.ber was consider
ed large vessel. Today single ba:scS
carrying 300 900 10 $50 600 are common,
and it Is quite Il usual sight Ia soc five
or six Of them in one tow, carrying ~
to million feet Of lumber.
AS one measure OF the r:ipacy Of this
canal, we will mention that recently Il
large English built dredgc, Sc feet wide
ana Lay feet long and drawing seven,
four inches all over, passed through
without detention.
The commercial Importance of this ca
nal and It's Importance to the trade of
Norfolk is not its only importance.
It's greatest Importance lies in is being
sure means of coast defence in time of
war. If ever such deplurdbc calamity
si.ollld fall upon us.
The trip so successfully made last
year by the torpedo boat "Cusllny" has
proved that point beyond all question
Other canal; might afford the water
way for such craft TO pass, but one
other can have so short q distance. of ar
titcial waterway, can be s. free from
delay, can be 50 easily maintained ana
| protc as the AlhemArie aud Chesa-
pcake Canal
III any blHcr canal DG!ii or It's ends,
with It's locks, and al! the unucrlynt y
works. must he protected through ali
Its length to avoid the loss OF water.
while on the Alhcmarlc and Chesapeake
canal the only WI her able point would
be its tidal lock- w c.l ona snail force
could protect. And even here, rs lac
fore explained. II damaged it woui.l he
an opcn waterway, Of r. iucai l-,u2ilt
perhaps foiil til s. 4 day ordinarily.
Having no water above IN. level Of the
land on either SD. rs IS The case in
other canals II has 10 baIl: 10 be
BLOWN up ana SO d"ail the canal which
would happen iii is. r'!ilitry canal ana
could easily be done by one man with a
small piece Of dv,4",i'c tn, L.. could
easily conceal about him and Ia guard
against. when ihCra Wnu,d ne require i
large force extending over ;he many
miles of bank t1 either side