United States of America. 7 



practicable at no great expense. It is intended that it shall b^ 

 made a navigation for large sloops, but no active steps have 

 hitherto been taken towards its execution. 



Long Island Sound, the Bay and Harbour of New York, and 

 the Rariton River, afford an uninterrupted navigation for large 

 sloops as far as New Brunswick, in the state of New Jersey. 

 From this town to the navigable waters of the Delaware, the 

 distance is no more than thirty miles. The country is remark- 

 ably favourable for a canal, which might be executed on a 

 level sixty feet above the tide, and requiring, in consequence, 

 about six locks at each extremity. A want of public spirit 

 and liberal views in the government of the state of Jersey, 

 has hitherto prevented its accomplishment. It would not be a 

 difficult matter to show that the tolls, on such a canal, would 

 yield a profit greater, annually, than the whole revenues of that 

 state. Still, however, no argument has been found sufficiently 

 powerful to induce the legislature to take the execution upon 

 itself. On two different occasions, acts to incorporate private 

 companies have been passed, but both have been so clogged 

 with restrictions, as to prevent capitalists from investing their 

 funds. Nor is there any reasonable hope that the object will 

 be speedily effected. The state unluckily labours, and must 

 always labour, under the original defects of its position. Sepa- 

 rated from the proprietary government of New York, while the 

 latter was still the apanage of James Duke of York, the limits 

 had no reference to any other object but ease of demarcation. 

 The Hudson separates it from New York on the one side, and the 

 Delaware from Pennsylvania on the other. However definite 

 these may be as territorial limits, they operate, by their facilities 

 of navigation, rather as bonds of union, than as divisions of the 

 inhabitants in their vicinity from those of the two adjacent 

 states. Hence, the citizens of East and West Jersey have 

 different feelings and views upon almost every question of public 

 interest, nor does it appear possible to unite them in exertion 

 by the force of public spirit. It is, therefore, hardly probable 

 that this, perhaps the most important of all the links in the 

 chain of the coast navigation, will be speedily effected, unless 

 the power of undertaking such enterprises be recognised to 



