On the Inland Navigation 



the inclined plane, were both used, according to circumstances. 

 In China, they are used even at the present day ; but both are 

 rude, and require much labour in their use. The lock (pro- 

 bably an accidental discovery) was an improvement on the 

 sluice ; and, as the difference of level in the navigations then 

 in use, or which were for a long period planned, was small, 

 it superseded the inclined plane also. Still partial attempts 

 were made, from time to time (and some of them eminently 

 successful), to make the inclined plane, as well as the lock, a 

 self-acting machine. 



All these plans, whether actually carried into effect or merely 

 projected, were in turn examined ; and the result showed that 

 no one of them was applicable to the circumstances of the 

 Morris Canal. The engineer was therefore driven to his own 

 resources, and was successful in proposing a plan for over- 

 coming the great altitude of the summit of this canal, which, 

 in the opinion of the persons to whom it was submitted, was 

 entirely adequate to the purpose. It being considered of the 

 greatest importance to convince the public of the certainty of 

 the means proposed for the execution of this canal, the Com- 

 missioners appointed by the State of New Jersey took every 

 means of obtaining the opinions of men of the highest know- 

 ledge and experience. Among these were the late De Witt 

 Chnton ; Benjamin Wright, the most successful of the engineers 

 of the great New York canals ; General Swift, formerly at the 

 head of the Engineer Corps of the United States ; General 

 Bernard, a French engineer of high reputation and rank in the 

 ** Corps de Genie," now in the service of the United States ; 

 and Colonel Totten, of the United States Engineers. The 

 opinions of all were favourable. The two last-named officers, 

 being ordered to examine the scheme by the War Department, 

 made it the subject of more detailed investigation than the 

 others, and reported fully, comparing the inclined plane pro- 

 posed by the engineer of the canal, with all other modes of 

 passing from one level to another that were known to them. 

 Their Report concludes in the following terms : — " To us, 

 however, whether we consider the economy, the utility, or the 

 durabihty of these inclined planes, all is certain; and we 

 look confidently forward to the day when their introduction 



