contain upwards of 300 ships. The channel is from 

 150 to 200 fathom wide, and at common flood tide, 

 affords 18 feet water to Norfolk. The Stafford, a 60 

 gun ship, went there, hghtening herself to cross the bar 

 at Sowel's Point. The Fier Rodrigue, pierced for 64 

 guns, and carrying 50, went there without lightening. 

 Craney island, at the mouth of this river, commands its 

 channel tolerably well. 



JVansemond River, is navigable to Sleepy Hole, for 

 vessels of 250 tons ; to Suffolk, for those of 100 tons ; 

 and to Milner's, for those of 25. 



Pagan Creek affords 8 or ]0 feet water to Smithfield, 

 which admits vessels of 20 tons. 



Chickahominy has at its mouth a bar, on which is only 

 12 feet water at common flood tide. Vessels passing 

 that, may go 8 miles up the river; those of 10 feet 

 draught may go four miles further, and those of six 

 tons burthen, 20 miles further. 



Appamnttox may be navigated as far as Broadways, 

 by any vessel which has crossed Harrison's Bar in James 

 River; it keeps 8 or 10 feet water a mile or two higher 

 up to Fisher's bar, and 4 feet on that and upwards to 

 Petersburg, where all navigation ceases. 



James i?irer itself affords harbour for vessels of any 

 size in Hampton Road, but not in safety through the 

 whole winter ; and there is navigable water for them 

 as far as Mulberry Island. A 40 gun ship goes to James 

 town, and lightening herself, may pass to Harrison's 

 bar ; on which there is only 15 feet water. Vessels of 

 250 tons may go to Warwick ; those of 125 go to Rock- 

 et's, a mile below Richmond ; from thence is about 7 

 feet water to Richmond ; and about the centre of the 

 town, four feet and a half, where the navigation is in- 

 terrupted by falls, which in a course of six miles, de- 

 scend about 80 feet perpendicular; above these it is re- 

 sumed in canoes, and batteaux, and is prosecuted safe- 

 ly and advantageotisly to within 10 miles of the Blue 

 Ridge ; and even through the Blue Ridge a ton weight 

 has been brought; and the expense would not be great, 

 when compared with its object, to open a tolerable navi- 



