CANAL NAVIGATION. 



York and Pennsylvania, for the purpose of constructing a 

 system of canals. These enterprises were accordingly com- 

 menced, but on a scale too limited for the attainment of the 

 ultimate objects ; and as the United States advanced in com- 

 mercial prosperity, more extensive plans were adopted. In 

 1807, the senate charged the Secretary of State, Mr. Galatin, to 

 prepare a project for a general system of intercommunication by 

 canals, based upon the geographical character of the territory of 

 the Union. 



A system of artificial water-communication was accordingly 

 projected, which, with some modifications, was at a later period 

 adopted and carried into execution. 



These projects, however, suffered an interruption from the 

 renewal of the war in 1812 ; and it was not until five years later 

 that the vast works were commenced, the result of which has 

 been a system of inland navigation which is without a rival in any 

 country in the world. 



3. On the anniversary of the declaration of independence cele- 

 brated the 4th July, 1817, the commencement of the great line of 

 canal connecting the Hudson with Lake Erie was inaugurated. 

 The river Hudson presented a navigable communication for vessels 

 of a large class from New York to Albany. The object of this 

 line of canal was to open a water-communication between Albany 

 and the northern lakes, so as to connect, by continuous water- 

 communication, the North- Western States with the Atlantic. 



In less than eight years this work was accomplished by the 

 state of New York, with its exclusive resources. 



That state alone executed and brought into operation the largest 

 canal in the world. As first constructed, the Erie canal, with its 

 branches, cost 2,600000Z. sterling ; but its magnitude and pro- 

 portions being still found inadequate to the exigencies of a con- 

 tinually increasing traffic, its enlargement was decided upon in 

 1835, and it was finally completed, at a cost of upwards of 

 5,000000?. sterling. The total length of this canal is 363 miles, 

 and its cost of construction per mile was therefore about 13700Z. 



Meanwhile, the other states of the Union did not remain 

 inactive. Pennsylvania especially rivalled New York in these 

 enterprises, and became intersected with canals in all directions. 

 In short, these works were undertaken to a greater or less extent 

 in most of the Atlantic and some of the Western States ; and the 

 American Union now possesses a system of internal artificial 

 water-communication amounting to nearly 4500 miles, executed 

 with a degree of skill and perfection rarely surpassed by any 

 similar works constructed in the states of Europe. 



4. According to M. Michel Chevalier, whose work on this 



02 19 



