C 59 ] 



On internal Improvements, by Roads, Canals, ^c. 



[The two following letters are taken from Mr. WiU 

 Ham J. Diiane's pamphlet, referred to, page 273, of 

 this volume, and should be read in connection with 

 Mr. Church's letters, page 23, Sec. of this appendix.} 



LETTER XII. 



I have shown that the most important internal im- 

 provement would be, a water communication between 

 the eastern and western rivers ; that on this object the 

 legislature ought to bestow immediate attention ; and 

 that it is not necessary for the state to expend a cent 

 of public money upon that part of the route between 

 the Delaware and the Susquehanna, which is more than 

 one fourth of the whole distance, and the most difficult 

 to open ; I say the most difficult to open, because it is 

 now ascertained that a canal must be opened the whok 

 way, and that even that part of the Schuylkill between 

 Norristown and Reading, which it was at first suppos- 

 ed, might be used, will not answer. n:^^ 



As, therefore, no money is necessary for the east- 

 ern part, there ought to be the less difficulty in going 

 on with the remainder, that is, the improvement of the 

 west branch of the Susquehanna. But before any thing 

 of this kind can be attempted, accurate surveys, esti- 

 mates, &c. will be necessary, and these should be ob- 

 tained from able engineers, aided by watermen of ex- 

 perience, and from no other persons. 



The next object, most worthy of legislative atten- 

 tion j and which can be effected without any impedi- 



