410 



FARMERS' REGISTER, 



[No.? 



route to Ward's landing, on the south-west 

 branch of New river — length 25 miles 1,639 yards. 



Thence the line coincided with the navigable 

 waters of New river and its branches — the south- 

 west and north-east — lor a distance ol 10 miles 

 616 yards, viz.: to Ball's landing; hence, it was 

 traced by the way of Eihridge's mill to the head 

 of Grant's creek, and with that creek to Whitock 

 river, at Lee's iandiug, a distance of 9 miles and 

 1,683 yards; thence one mile and 100 yards with 

 the river to Haywood's landing. From Hay- 

 wood's the line passed through E. Jones's planta- 

 tion, and along the north bank of Hunter's creek, 

 by the southern shores of Big lake and Ellis's 

 lake; thence down Spaight's canal and Slocum's 

 creek to Rial's landing — 20 miles and 1.012 yards. 

 Rial's landing is one mile above the lorks ol' Slo- 

 cum's creek. From the forks to Neuse river, lour 

 miles, Slocum's creek is a broad navigable 

 stream; it joins the Neuse 17 miles below New- 

 bern. 



The entire length of the line surveyed by the 

 party is 67 miles and 1,429 yards, including the 

 river and lake navigation; exclusive of these, 53 

 miles and 22 yards. The highest point in the ex- 

 perimental line between the north-east branch of 

 ■Cape Fear and New rivers, was 41| (eet above 

 the surface water of the river at the point of be- 

 ginning; but this may be materially reduced by 

 ioiiowing the course of Haw's rim. Between 

 New river and Whitock river the highest point was 

 43 feet, and between Whitock river and Slocum's 

 creek it coincided with the lakes — Bia: lake being 

 38 feet, and Ellis's lake 33J leet. These lakes 

 were surveyed for the purpose ol' ascertaining ap- 

 proximately their capacity as reservoirs (or the 

 supply of the summit and lockage of the canal; 

 and we are warranted in assuminir 'hat a suffi- 

 ciency of water may be found for these objects 

 upon the summit-level. 



The survey now described between Cape Fear 

 river and Slocum's creek serves only to manifest 

 the practicability of uniting the Cape Fear with 

 the Neuse. Other surveys are required prelimi- 

 nary to the definitive election and location of the 

 line of canal. These would probably be traced 

 (one of them at least) between the north-east 

 Branch of Cape Fear and Trent rivers; and ano- 

 ther, departing from Muster landing on the 

 north-east, would follow the course of Haw's run 

 to Shepard's mill, thence to Onslow Court-house, 

 Moss's landing on ihe western prong of the 

 north-east branch of New river, thence to Lee's 

 landing on Whitock river, thence to Big lake. 

 Ellis's lake, and Spaight's canal, to Rye landing 

 on Slocum's creek. This line would be about 

 56\ miles long. Its summit-level would coincide 

 with one or other of the lakes, or, being separated 

 from them, it would be placed in a plane suffi- 

 ciently low to enable us to command for the sup- 

 ply of the canal as much of their water as might 

 be deemed requisite. The summit-level would 

 cross the navigable streams at points the least 

 prejudicial, and it n;ight be prolonged to any de- 

 sirable extent between the points of termination 

 of the canal. 



Surveys should be made also to ascertain the 

 practicability, the best means, and the cost of 

 uniting the main trunk of the canal with the har- 

 bor of Beaufort by a branch traced in that direc- 

 tion. Its connexion with navigation on Whitock 



river and Neuse river would be directly effected 

 by means solely of locks constructed at the point 

 of passage of those rivets. 



To the north-eastward of Neuse river it may 

 become advisable to make other surveys, that we 

 may have the means of presenting to Congress a 

 view of all the routes by which a navigable com- 

 munication might be established between Albe- 

 marle sound and the Neuse. In examining the 

 relative merits of these, and their several claims 

 to attention, the professional views which would 

 most probably influence the mind of the engineer 

 in his selection might not possibly be those to 

 which the legislature would be disposed to attri- 

 bute the greatest force. There are other reasons 

 which may render it expedient not only to carry 

 the surveys between the Neuse and Albemarle 

 sotmds lariher inland, and which may even re- 

 quire us to examine more minutely than we yet 

 have done the two great sounds, Pamlico and Al- 

 bemarle. The result of such examinations might 

 possibly even affect seriously the character for 

 stability of a portion of the route by the sounds. 

 How far the causes which have operated to close 

 the inlets formerly existing in front of the sounds 

 may have tended also to aflect the depth of the 

 sounds themselves, or whether they have had 

 any influence, deserves to be investigated. If 

 we compare the chart of Lawson with that of 

 Cole and Price, we are led to believe that the 

 depth of water ofi' the shoals, at least, is much 

 less than it was in Lawson's time. Neverthe- 

 less the soundings given in one or the other of 

 these charts may be erroneous. It is desirable, I 

 should think, to have this question settled before 

 the adoption of any particular project involving 

 great expense in its execution. A careful compa- 

 rison of the present depth of water in all the na- 

 vigable parts of the sounds I am now speaking 

 ot; with the depths noted by Lawson, Price, &c. 

 will enable us to determine whether or not the 

 depth is lessening in them, and if so, the period- 

 ical rate of diminution may also be ascertained. 

 The solution of this question might possibly in- 

 fluence the location of the north-eastern debouche 

 of the Cape Fear and Neuse division of canal; 

 and however desirable it might otherwise be pre- 

 sumed to be to carry that as low down the Neuse 

 as practicable, we might find it expedient, under 

 the influence of the facts to be developed by the 

 hydrographic survey, to carry it in the direction 

 of Newbern, Washington, and Plymouth, 



The line of canal, 56^^ miles in length, between 

 the Neuse and Cape Fear rivers, which has been 

 described, would suffice to open an inland commu- 

 nication for steamboats from the southern de- 

 bouche of the Dismal Swamp canal to Wilming- 

 ton, N. C, and to the ocean. 



The proposed route, via the sounds and SIo- 

 cuiTi's creek, would lie parallel to the coast, and, 

 crossing the principal navigable streams of the 

 State of North Carolina, would be found to pos- 

 sess all the advanlafjes of a general line of com- 

 munication for the trade of those rivers; the rivers 

 themselves not having usually such outlets as 

 would enable the produce of the interior to find 

 an exit by the way of the ocean to other parts. 



The same observation will equally apply to the 

 other divisions of the work, viz. : that of the 

 Brunswick and Red-blufi' division, as also that 

 from Winyaw bay to (Jharleston. 



