1^ 



UNITED STATES. 



The James ^ 



James River affords harbour for vessels of any 

 size in Hampton roads, but not in safety through 

 the whole winter ; and there is navigable water for 

 them as far as Mulberry Island. A forty 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 War* 

 wick; those of 125 go to Rockets, a mile below 

 Richmond; from thence it is about seven feet water 

 to Richmond; and about the centre of the town, four 

 feet and a half, where the navigation is interrupted 

 by falls, which in a course of six miles, descend about 

 80 feet perpendicular. A company has been incor- 

 porated to cut a canal round these falls, and to clear 

 the river through the mountains. The canal which 

 terminates in a large bason in the city of Richmond, 

 is completed, and much has been done tov^ards 

 clearing the river through the mountains, so that 

 a great part of the produce of the country as high 

 up as Lexington, which formerly was carried to 

 market in waggons, is now transported in boats to 

 the great accommodation of the inhabitants. The 

 expense would not be great when compared with its 

 object, to open a tolerable navigation up Jackson's 

 river, and Carpenter's or Dunlap's creek, to within 

 25 miles of Howard's creek, or Greenbriar, both 

 of which have then water enough to float vessels int© 

 the great Kanhawa. In some future state of popu- 

 lation, it is possible that its navigation may also be 

 made to interlock with that of the Patowmac, and 

 through that to communicate, by a short portage. 



