APPENDIX, N 0 II. 487 
The commerce of the fruitful provinces of Th° o g m- 
A ^ sky Canal. 
Lithuania, Podolia, Minsk, See. even in the time 
of the republic, engaged the attention of the 
Polish Government. The Hetman Oginsky began 
a canal, by which, and the rivers Shara and 
Ghatzolda, a communication can be opened 
between the Dnieper and the river Niemcn, con- 
sequently between the Baltic and the Euxine 
Seas; but the work was abandoned. Count 
Sievers proposed a continuation ; this was re- 
sumed in 17Q8, and it is supposed it will be 
finished in 1 803 2 . By means of this canal, the 
commerce of these provinces will be greatly 
facilitated, as also the transporting of warlike 
stores less difficult from the interior of Russia, 
for the use of Government. This communication 
would produce still greater advantages, were 
the Niemen and the Dvina joined : a plan and 
estimate are already made by General De Witt, 
and the junction is to be effected by means of Project for 
the rivers Nevesha and Lavenna. A cursory Niemen 
with the 
view of the map will soon convince every one D vina . 
of the benefits that would accrue there from, not 
only to the adjacent country, but to Livonia and 
Lithuania; as also Courland, and even the country 
beyond the Oginsky Canal. The products of 
these rich provinces would be then naturally 
( 2 ) The estimate amounts to 250,000 roubles. 
