61 L^^] 
valley of Lawrence brook. From the Assunpick to Millstone livcr. it 
crosses the ground which divides the waters of tl\e Ilaritan IVoiu 
those of the Delaware. Althougli it is lower than the ground bctuien 
Millstone river and the head of Lawience brook, at Loiigbiidge. 
farm, it joins the valley of that brook and descends il, tiiiiiing loinid 
the foot of Sandy hill, and crossing from its right io its left sho!<', r(»l- 
lows it nearly to the spot, v.here it is crossed by the road fjom ^^'ash- 
ington to New Brunswick. 
The terminations of this canal were not yet fixed upon at tije pe- 
riod of our co-operation nlth the Commissioners. If it is to be 8 
feet deep,, and navigable for sea vessels, its eastern tenniuatinn 
should join the Rariton, if possible, below the obstructions whicit. at 
low water, impede its navigation for ships drawing more tiuui 8 fret: 
for this purpose it should run eastwardly, and by tiie most favoi nbie 
ground, to I'each a spot on the right shore of the Raritan, below 
which it may present, through its wliole channel, from eight to iiiiit^ fict 
of water at low tide. It will, j)erhaps, be necessary to depart, in 
consequence, from the line which we have indicated, south of thelicad 
of Lawrence brook, and turn, more eastwardly, towards South liver. 
As to the termination of the canal in the Delaware, that river is 
obstructed below Trenton, by shifting banks, which are covered by 
only 2^ feet at low water. I'hese obstacles extend to Botdcntown, 
and are formed by the deposite of the waters at the meeting of the 
rising tide and descending course of the Delaware. It is not pio- 
bable that they can be remedied by any works performed in the bed of 
the river. This circumstance will comj)el to descend Irom the 
heights of Lamberton into the valley of Conwick's creek, to join the 
Delaware at Bordentownj and< as this creek j)resents a bar at its 
mouth, it will require a dredging machine to keep its channel open. 
From the poij)t where the canal joins Conwick's creek, to Borden- 
town, the right side of its valley is perpendicular, and 60 oi- 70 feet 
high. Its left shore is a meadow, whose surface is higher than the 
waters of the Delaware, and is never flooded by the ice which the 
Delaware drives down in the winter. The canal might be run along 
this prairie, during this part of its course; and the widening of the 
creek at its mouth, would afford, in every season, a safe harbor for 
the boats and vessels navigating the canal. As to the nature of the 
soil, it consistsj generally, of a mixture of light sand and stony 
gravel, and will compel, not only to give a great slope to the sides 
of the canal, but to puddle both them and the bottom, in order 
to diminish its leakage and filtration, especially where the line of the 
canal will require it to be raised above the natural soil. Ifidependently 
of the water required for its lockage, on a route so frequented as that 
between the Delaware and Raritan, this soil will also render a laige 
supply necessary, to provide for losses from filtrations and evapora- 
tion. 
The heads of the Assunpick, Millstone, and Lawrence brooks, 
will certainly furnish a great deal, amounting, from the measurement 
taken in 1816, by Mr. M. .1. Randal, jr. to 8,2.'54,444 cubic yards a 
