the United States of America, 21) 



In the state of Massachusets, the Middlesex canals are by 

 far the most important artificial navigation. This work was 

 commenced in the year 1793, under the direction of Mr. 

 Weston, an English engineer, and in 1804 was opened for the 

 passage of vessels. The canal enters the Charles river at the 

 town of Charleston immediately opposite the city of Boston. 

 From the tide it rises one hundred and four feet to the summit 

 level, and descends thence thirty- two feet to the Merrimt^ck. 

 These changes of level are effected by twenty locks. 



But one other artificial navigation has been actually com- 

 menced in this state : this is a canal from the town of 

 Worcester to Providence in the state of Rhode Island. The 

 most important advantage to be anticipated from the comple- 

 tion of this canal is the conveyance of coal, which is said to 

 exist in abundance at Worcester, to a port whence it may be 

 shipped. 



Connecticut is without any other canals than those men- 

 tioned in speaking of the system extending parallel to the 

 coast : and in Vermont, although various projects have been 

 entertained, no canal has been actually commenced. 



As New York was the state that furnished the first great 

 example to the rest of what might be done by a well-combined 

 system of artificial navigation ; so this large and' populous state 

 has been more prolific than any other in the Union. Surveys 

 of no fewer than sixteen, were ordered to be performed at the 

 expense of the state by the Legislature at its session of 1826. 

 Three of these routes have been more recently pressed upon the 

 attention of the public ; and to them we shall confine ourselves. 

 The counties bordering upon the St. Lawrence possess a fertile 

 soil, and were not behind any part of the state of New York 

 in prospects of wealth and population, so long as the natural 

 outlet of the St. Lawrence was open for the export of their pro- 

 duce. They even competed with the western counties, on more 

 than equal terms, for the swarms of the New England hive, 

 until the opening of the Erie canal. Since that period, they have 

 been upon the decline ; the tide of population is no longer directed 

 towards them ; and even those families that have settled, fre- 

 quently leave them in pursuit of a more advantageous seat. 

 So short, however, is the distance from the Erie canal, that ai^ 



