New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-12-17
INLAND COAST NAVIGATION.

The completion OF the North Carolina ship
canal survey is announced. This proposed work
is intended TO provide continuous waterway
through the series of inland sounds with which
the coast Of that State is skirted AS defined
by the survey, the route is from Norfolk Va
through the Dismal Swamp canal to AlbemarIe
Sound thence through either the Scuppernong
River or Croatan Sound to Pamlico Sound. and
thence TO Beaufort through either Core Sound
or the Neuse and Newport canal. The opening
of this route to navigation would give a more
direct passage from Norfolk to Beaufort than
that afforded by rail, and much more direct
and far safer than the outside water route
around Cape Hatteras. 1t would also tan the
ChOwan. Roanoke Tar and Neuse rivers. and
thus gridron the northeastern quarter of the
State with waterways.
Such a system of inland coast navigation
could not well be extended much, if any to the
south OF Beaufort. Possibly Bogue Sound might
be improved and utilized to Bogue Inlet. but
beyond that point there are no inland coast
waters that offer promise of navigation until
the Indian River in Florida is reached. True
there are numerous lagoons between Bopue
Inlet and Cape Fear River, and the land is
low, so that canal between Beaufort and
Wilmington might be constructed; and il wouId
not be impossible TO continue il by yyav of tho
Waccamaw and Pedee rivers to Georgetovp
and thence by way of the Wando to Charleston
and so on to Savannah There have even baop
proposals TO construct a canal across North
eastern Florida from the ocean to the Culf
But II Will probably be long before any such
routes are actually opened below Beaufort
Northward from Norfolk however there &c
clearer sailing. The Chesapeake Bay affords n
superb waterway almost up to the Pennsvlvanio
line, and from the head Of its navigabla wa+ore
1t is only short distance by canal across sand
flats to the Delaware River. The latter is navi
gable by all craft to Philadelphia and for VOC
sells of considerable size 10 Bordentown From
the latter city there is canal navigation 70 IT,
Raritan, at New-Brunswick, and thence &c
course. there is a fine inland waterway -
New-Iork. From this city there is a cross -,
try waterway by the Hudson River and TT
Canal TO the whole system of Great LaIaS Ga
the st. Lawrence River. There is also tho mo-
up the coast, by Long Island Sound TO Ruzzo,s,s
Bay, and thence. by the construction of y sbor+
canal, to Cape Cod Bay and Boston.
With comparatively little cost and labor +horo-
fore. an inland coast waterway might he onanod
from Boston, Mass. to Beaufort. \. q ,r,.h
only two or three points of exposure to the bioh
seas, and passing through New-York and phil
/ delphla and close by Baltimore and Washinqtor
Such route, safe and sheltered, would he 81
great value TO certain classes of commerce and
might be OF especial use in time of war. both for
coastwise commerce and for the passage of
! hght draught coast defence vessels which 10,
| ter might thus he moved from point to noip,
| without the enemy's knowledge 1t is won
within bounds of possibility that one day sucb !
| waterway Will be opened, toward which con.