roads across the mountains, with the nearest points from which a permanent navigation can be relied on, down the western rivers.

The principal considerations in selecting proper directions for those communications are, the distance from the navigable western waters, both to tide water, and to the nearest navigable Atlantic river; and the extent of navigation, either natural or susceptible of improvement, which may be afforded by the rivers. Distance alone is mentioned so far as relates to roads, because the mountains, however insuperable for canals, offer no important impediment to land communications. So far from being an unsurmountable barrier to commercial intercourse between the two great sections of the Union, it is now ascertained that those mountains may, almost in every direction, be crossed by artificial roads, as permanent, as easy, and less expensive, than similar works in the lower country. For congress having, contrary to current opinion, directed that the road from Cumberland to Brownsville should be laid out so that its ascent should not in any place exceed an angle of five degrees with the horizon, no difficulty has been experienced in effecting the object without cutting through hills, and although the road thus laid out, be, in a distance of 72 miles, two or three miles shorter than that heretofore in

use.

Although the distance from the sea to the princi-. pal dividing mountain, through its whole length, between the western sources of the Susquehannah and those of the Savannah, be nearly the same, yet the Atlantic bays, penetrating the coast at different depths and in different directions, the distances from the sea-ports to the nearest western navigable waters, varies considerably. Taken in straight lines from each port to the nearest branch, beyond

all the mountains, of each of the four great western rivers, they may be stated as follows:

From Philadelphia to the confluence of the Conemaugh and Loyalhannon, branches of the Alleghany,

MILES.

220

From the city of Washington to the confluence of the rivers Monongahela and Cheat, 150 From Richmond to Morris', on the Kanhawa, below all the falls of that river, From Savannah or Charleston to any navigable branch of Tennessee, the distance exceeds

210

300

The distance from the same western points to the upper navigation of the corresponding Atlantic rivers cannot be stated with precision, as the upper points to which the navigation of those rivers may be improved is not yet ascertained. The shortest portage between the waters of the Potomack and those of the Monongahela, in their natural state, from West Port, on the Potomack, to Cheat River, below the falls, is about fifty miles in a straight line. But in order to secure a tolerable navigation, particularly on the Potomack, the route from Cumberland to Brownsville, (Red Stone old fort,) has been preferred, and the distance, by the road lately laid out, is 72 miles. The portage between the north fork of the Juniata, a branch of the Susquehannah, and the corresponding waters of the river Alleghany, is somewhat shorter. That between Pattonborough, on James River, and the falls of the Kanhawa, exceeds one hundred miles.

The most prominent, though not, perhaps, the most insuperable obstacle in the navigation of the Atlantic rivers, consists in their lower falls, which are ascribed to a presumed continuous granite ridge, rising about 130 feet above tide water. That ridge, from New-York to James River inclusively, arrests

the ascent of the tide, the falls of every river within that space being precisely at the head of the tide. Pursuing thence southwardly a direction nearly parallel to the mountains, it recedes from the sea, leaving in each southern river an extent of good navigation between the tide and the falls. Other falls of less magnitude are found at the gaps of the Blue Ridge, through which the rivers have forced their passage. Higher up, the rapidity of the northern rivers, which penetrate through the inferior ridges of the great western chain, increases as they approach the dividing, or Alleghany mountain; and their sources being nearly at the same elevation, their rapidity increases in proportion to the shortness of their course. For that reason the navigation of the Susquehannah above the Blue Ridge is better than that of the Potomack, which affords, as has been stated, the shortest communication from tide water to the nearest western river. The levels of the last-mentioned river having been taken by the Potomack company, the general result is annexed, as giving a more correct idea of the navigation of the Atlantic rivers, than could be conveyed in any other manner.

The papers marked (C) contain the information which has been collected respecting the works executed or contemplated on the great rivers already enumerated. It has not been understood that any improvements of importance have been yet attempted on the Savannah and Pedee, nor on any of the tributary streams of the Ohio; and the communications received under this head relate only to the Santee, Roanoke, James River, Potomack, Susquehannah, and Ohio.

I. Santee.

The Santee, or Catawba, is said to be occasionally navigable for near 300 miles, as high up as Morgantown, in North-Carolina. Two companies have been incorporated by that State, and that of SouthCarolina, for the purpose of improving its navigation. The lower falls are above Camden, and not far from the arsenal of the United States at Mount Rock. A canal had been commenced there, but either from want of success in the commencement, or from want of funds, the work appears to be suspended. The market for the produce brought down that river is Charleston; and the river boats were obliged at the mouth of the river to enter the sea, and to reach that port by a navigation along the sea shore, for which they were not calculated. To remedy that inconvenience, and to insure a permanent navigation, a canal has been opened by another company, uniting the Santee with Cooper River, which empties into the harbour of Charleston.

The distance between the points united is 22 miles: the highest intervening ground was 52 feet above Santee, and 85 feet above the river Cooper; but it has been reduced 17 feet by digging; the descent to Santee being 35 feet, effected by four

locks, and that to Cooper 68 feet, effected by nine locks.

The principal supply of water is afforded by springs arising from the marshy ground at the bottom of the canal, and by several drains which collect and bring from an adjacent swamp the sources of the river Cooper. The quantity is said to be seldom deficient; yet a steam engine has been contemplated, as perhaps necessary in order to raise from the Santee an adequate supply.

The canal was carried over some small streams by means of aqueducts; inconsiderable ravines have been filled, and the ground was dug in some places to the depth of sixteen feet, in order to preserve the level. But it appears that the roots of trees were the greatest obstacle encountered in digging the canal. Its breadth is 20 feet at the bottom and 35 feet at top; the depth of water is 4 feet, and it admits boats of 20 tons. The locks, made of brick faced with marble, are 60 feet long and 10 feet wide.

The capital expended is stated at 650,667 dollars, including sixty negroes and some tracts of land belonging to the company. The canal has been completed six years; the annual tolls had never exceeded 13,000 dollars before the year 1807, and the annual expenses are stated at 7,000 dollars. The want of success in this undertaking which, though completed, is very unprofitable, may be ascribed to several causes. The expense, compared with the work, is much greater than might have been expected, and probably than was necessary. The locks are too small for large boats, which are therefore obliged to pursue the former route down the Santee, and by sea to Charleston; and want of water is alleged as a sufficient reason for the size of the locks. But a canal in that situation cannot, in America, be profitable, unless the