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the shortest practicable route between the coal mines and 

 that city. 



The value of a direct communication across the State of 

 New Jersey, first struck an intelligent and public-spirited 

 inhabitant of Morris County, Mr. G. P. Mac Culloch. This 

 gentleman devoted much time and labour, and no inconsi- 

 derable amount of his private funds, to the examination of the 

 route, and the exhibition of the value it would be of to the 

 district through which it passed, as well as in a general point 

 of view. 



When, however, the ground came to be actually examined, 

 difficulties were discovered that must have caused the scheme 

 to be abandoned, had the investigation been entrusted wholly 

 to engineers acquainted with no other principle in canals than 

 the use of the lock. It so happened, however, that Mr. Mac 

 Culloch had engaged a friend of his to assist him in the preli- 

 minary investigation, who, as he afterwards expressed in his 

 Report, was of opinion, that '* it would be unreasonable to 

 suppose that, where no physical obstacle exists — where water 

 is found in abundance, to be used as a moving power — where 

 the wants of the country call for navigable communications, 

 and where the prospects of a lucrative traffic hold out the most 

 ample encouragement for the investment of capital, the science 

 of hydrodynamics does not possess resources fully adequate to 

 the removal of every difficulty." 



The difficulties consisted in the great deviation of the sum- 

 mit, which is 900 feet above the tide, and 700 feet above the 

 Delaware at Easton. But upon this summit is situated a lake, 

 having a surface of 1500 acres, and emitting a river that, in 

 the driest seasons, is more than sufficient to supply a lock 

 navigation. This river is a branch of the Delaware ; but as a 

 cut of no great length, and of small depth, would carry it 

 towards the Hudson, the engineer did not hesitate to pronounce 

 the scheme of the Canal practicable, and undertook to point 

 out practicable means for its execution. As locks were inad- 

 missible, not only from their cost, but still more so from the 

 delay they would have interposed to the passage of boats, he 

 turned his views to the principle of the inclined plane. 



In the infancy of artificial navigation, the simple sluice, and 



