Roads and Canals in the United States. We scarcely deem it neceffary to apologize to our Irish Readers, for devoting fo many of our columns to American fubjects, as we know the Irish mind will be highly gratified at the rapid progrefs, which free America exhibits in arts manu→ facturers and commerce. If America is, not the land of our unfortunate ancestors it may truly be faid to be the land of our children, as it is on its free and xtenfive bofom, they are to repofe, whenever civil or religious perfecution, renders their own foil intolerable, or when commercial monopoly, would impofe the refraints which pride and averice, prepare to fufficate Irish industry. THE general utility of artificial roads and canals, is at this time fo universally admitted as hardly to require any additional proofs. It is sufficiently evident that, whenever the annual expence of transportation on a certain rout in its natural state, exceeds the interest on the capital employed in improving the communication, and the annual expence of transportation (exclusively of the tolls,) by the improved route; the difference is an annual additional income to the -nation. Nor does in that case the general result vary, although the tolls may not have been fixed at a rate to pay to the undertakers the interest on the capital laid out. They indeed, when that happens, lose; but the community is nevertheless benefited by the undertaking. The general gain is not confined to the difference between the expences of the transportation of those articles which had been formerly conveyed by that, route, but many which were brought to market by other channels, will then find a new and more advantage ous direction; and those which on account of their distance or weight' could not be transported in any man-' ner whatever, will acquire a value,' and become a clear addition to the national wealth. Those and many other advantages have become so obvious, that in countries possesedof a large capital, where property if sufficiently secure to induce individuals to lay out that capital on permament undertakings, and where a compact population creates an exten sive commercial intercourse, within short distances, those improvements may often, in ordinary cases, be left to individual exertion, without any direct aid from government. There are however some circumstances, which, whilst they render the facility of communication throughout the United States an object of primary importance, naturally check the application of private capital and enterprise, to improvements on a large scale. The price of labour is not consi dered as a formidable obstacle, because whatever it may be, equally affects the expense of transportation, which is saved by the improvement and that of effecting the improvement itself. The want of practical knowlege is no longer felt and the occasional influence of mistaken local interefts, in fometimes thwarting or giving'an improper direction to public improvements, arifes from the nature of man, and is common to all countries. The great demand for capital in the United States, and the extenfion of territory compared with the population, are, it is believed, the true, causes which prevent new under · takings and render those already accomplished lefs profitable than had been expected. 1. Notwithstanding the great increase of capital during the last fifteen years, the objects for which it is re quired continue to be more numerous and its application is generally more profitable than in Furope. A small portion therefore is applied to objects which offer only the prospect of remote and moderate profit. And it also happens that a less sum being subscribed at first, than is actually requisite for completing the work, this proceeds slowly; the capital applied remains unproductive for a much longer time than was necessary, and the interest accruing during that period, become in fact an injurious addition to the real expence of the undertaking, 2. The present population of the United States, compared with the extent of territory over which it is spread, does not, except in the vicinity of the seaports, admit that extensive commercial intercourse within short distances which, in England and some other countries, forms the principal fupport of artificial roads and canals. With a few exceptions, canals particularly cannot in America be undertaken with a view solely to the intercourse between the two extremes of, and along the intermediate ground which they occupy. It is necessary, in order to be productive, that the canal should open a communication with a natural extensive navigation which will flow through that new channel. It fol. lows that whenever that navigation requires to be improved, or when it might at some distance be connected by another canal to another navigation, the first canal will remain comparatively unproductive, until the other improvements are effected, and till the other canal is also completed. Thus the intended canal between the Chesapeake and Delaware will be deprived of the additional benefit arising from the intercourse between New York and the Chesapeake, until an inland navigation, shall have been opened between the Delaware and New York Thus the expensive canals completed around the falls of Potamac, will become more and more productive in proportion to the improvement, first of the navigation of the upper branches of the river, and then of its communication with the Western Waters. Some works already executed are unprofitable, many more remain unattempted, because their ultimate productiveness depends on other improvements, toa extensive or too distant to be embraced by the same individuals. The general government can alone remove these obstacles. With resources amply sufficient for the completion of every practicable improvement it will always supply the capital wanted for any work which it may undertake as fast as the work itself can proceed, avoiding thereby the ruinous loss of interest on a dormant capital, and reducing the real expenfe to its lowest rate. With these resources, and embracing the whole Union, it will complete on any given line all the improvements, however distant, which may be necessary to render the whole productive, and eminently beneficial. The early and efficient aid of the federal government is recommended by still more important considerations. The inconveniences, complaints and perhaps dangers,which may result from a vast extent of territory, can no otherwise be radically removed, or prevented, than by opening speedy and easy communications through all its parts. Good roads and canals will shorten distances, facilitate commercial and personal intercourse, and unite by still more intimate community of interefts the most remote quarters of the United States. No other fingle operation, within the power of government, can more effectually tend to strengthen and per petuate domeftic petuate that union, which fecures external independence, peace, and internal liberty. With that view of the fubject, the facts refpe&ting canals, which have been collected in purfuance of the refolution of the fenate, have been arranged under the following heads: 1. Great canals, from north to fouth, along the Atlantic fea coaft. 2. Communications between the Atlantic and Western Waters. 4. Interior canals. Should this great work, the expenfe of which, as will hereafter be fhewn, is estimated at about three millions of dollars, be accomplished a fea veffel entering the firft canal in the harbour of Boston, would, through the bay of Rhode Island, Long Island found and the harbour of New York, reach Brunfwick on the Rariton; thence pafs through the fecond canal to Trenton on the Delaware, down that river to Christiana or New Castle, and through the third canal to Elk river, and the Great Canals along the Atlantic Sea Chefapeake; whence failing down Coaf. The map of the United States will thew that they poffefs a tidewater inland navigation, fecure from ftorms and enemies, and which, from Maffachuffets to the fouthern extremity of Georgia, is principally if not folely, interrupted by four necks of land. Thefe are the ifthmus of Barnftable: that part of New Jerfey, which extends from the Rariton to the Delaware; the peninfila between the Delaware and the Chefapeake; and that low and marshy tract which divides the Chefapeake from Albemarle Sound. It is afcertained that a navigation for vef fels, drawing eight feet of water, may be effected acrofs the three laft; and a canal, is alfo believed to be practicable, not perhaps across the ifthmus of Barnftable, but from the harbour of Bofton to that of Rhode Inland. The Maffachuffetts canal would be about twenty-fix, the New Jersey about twenty-eight, and each of the two fouthern about twentytwo miles in length, making altogether less than one hundred miles. that bay, and up Elizabeth river, it would, through the fourth canal, cater into the Albemarle Sound, and by Pamptico, Core, and Bogue Sounds, reach Beaufort and Swanfborough, iu North Carolina. From the last mentioned place, the inland navigation, through Stumpy and Toomer's Sounds, is continued with a diminished draft of water, and by cutting two low and narrow necks, not exceeding three miles together, to Cape Fear river; and thence, by an open but fhort and direct run along the coaft, is reached that chain of islands between which and the main, the inland navigation is continued to St. Mary's, along the coaft of South Carolina, and Georgia. It is unneceffary to add any comments on the utility of the work in peace or war, for the tranfportation of merchandize, or the conveyance of perfons. The following table is a recapitulution of the distance to be cut out and the whole line, and of the cfti mated expence. Communications between the Atlantic and Wfter Waters. The Apalachin mountains, to use an ancient generic denomination, extend in a direction weft of fouth, from the 42d to the 34th degree of north latitude, approaching the fea, and even washed by the tide in the flate of New York, and thence in their foutherly courfe, gradual'y receding from the fea fhore. Viewed as a whole, their breadth may be eftimated at to miles, and they con. fift of a fucceffion of parallel ridges following nearly the direction of the fea coaft, irregularly interfected by rivers, and divided by narrow vallies. The ridge, which divides the Atlantic rivers from the western waters, generally known by the name of Allegheny, preferves throughout a nearly equal diftance of 250 miles from the Atlantic ocean, and a nearly uniform elevation of 300 feet above the level of the jea. Thofe mountains may, however, be perhaps confidered as confifting of two principal chains: between thefe lies the fertile lime ftone valley, which, although occafion lly interrupted by tranfverfal ridges, and in one place, by the dividing of Allegheny ridge, may be traced from Newburgh and Efopus, on the Hudfon river, to Knoxville on the Tenwice, The eastern and narrowest chain is the Blue Ridge of Virginia which in its north east courfe traverses under various names, the ftates of Maryland, Penfylvania, and New Jerfey, forms the high lands broken at Weft point by the tide of the Hudfon, and then uniting with the Green mountains, affumes a northerly direction, and divides the waters of the Hudfon, and of lake Champlain, from thofe of Connecticut river. On the borders of Virginia and North Carolina the Blue Ridge is united by an inferior mountain, with the great welern chain, and thence to its fouthern extremity, becomes the principal or dividing mountain, difcharging eaftwardly the rivers Roanoke, Pedee, Santee, and Savannah, into the Atlantic ocean; fouthwardly the Chatahouchee, and the Alabama into the Gulph of Mexico, and weftwardly the New river and the Tenneffee. The New river, taking a northwardly courfe, breaks through all the ridges of the great western chain, and at a fhort distance beyond it, unites under the name of Kanhawa, with the Ohio. The Tennefee purfues. at first,, a fouth-west direction between the two chains, until having reached, and in a westwardly courfe turned the fouthern extremity of the great western chain it affumes a northwardly direction, and joins its waters with thofe of the Ohio, a few miles above the confluence of that river with the Miffilippi. The western chain much broader, and generally more elevated, is known under the names of Cumberand and Gauley mountains, from its fouthern extremity, near the great bend of the Tenneffee river, until it becomes in Virginia the principal or dividing mountain, Thence in its northerly courfe, towards the ftate of New York, it difcharges weftwardly the Green Briar river, which, by its junction with the New river forms the Kanhawa, and the rivers Monongahela and AMegheny, which, from their confluence at Pittsburgh, affume the name of Ohio. Eastwardly it pours into the Atlantic Ocean, James river, the Potomac, and the Sufquehannah. From the northermolt and lefs elevated fpurs of the chain, the Genefee flows into the lake Ontario; and in that quarter the northerly branches of the Sufquehannah feem to take their fource from amongft inferior ridges, and in their courfe to the Chefapeake to break through all the mountains. From the Sufquehannah, the principal chain affumes a more eastwardly direction, and washed on the north by the lateral valley of the river Mohawk, whilft it gives rife fouthwardly to the Delaware, it terminates under the name of Catfkill mountain, in view of the tide water of the Hudfon. This defcription has been introduced for the double purpose of pointing out all the rivers which can afford the means of communication, ard of the wing the impracticability, in the prefent flate of fçience, of effecting a naval navigation across the mountains. The most elevated lock-canal of which a correct defcription has been given. is that of Languedoc, and the highest ground over which it is : The |