458 
APPENDIX, N" II. 
impedes commerce. Still greater benefits 
would accrue from the Marienshy Canal, if the 
favourite plan of Peter the First were put into 
Project for 
establish- 
ing a com- 
munication 
by water 
between St. 
Petersburg 
and Arch- 
angel. 
The Cata- 
racts of the 
River Voi- 
chof \ and 
towing- 
track. 
execution ; viz. that of establishing a commu- 
nication by water between the ports of St- 
Petersburg and Archangel, or the Baltic and the 
White Seas. In 1800 , by order of the Emperor, 
its practicability was examined into, and found 
feasible, by means of the River SheJcsna, and 
the Lake Kubenskoy. The proper arrangements 
were made, and the Department of Water 
Communication has it in view to put it into 
execution in due time. Giving this advantage 
to these two principal ports of the Empire 
would be of the greatest utility, not only with 
regard to trade, but the easy means of supplying 
the Admiralty of St. Petersburg with timber for 
the navy, from the abundant forests of the 
North of Russia. There are other inconveni- 
ences attending the navigation through Vyshney 
Voloshoh ; viz. the Cataracts of the Volchof, and 
the Outlet from the Ladoga Canal into the 
Neva, where vessels are at times detained for 
a fortnight by contrary winds '. Measures 
were taken to lessen the danger of the Falls; 
and proper roads or tracks for towing vessels 
(1) For clearing the cataracts, 1 18,000 roubles were allowed ; and 
for the towing road, 60,000 roubles j ninety versts of which are done- 
