LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
29 i 
the canal in a state of submersion, and both the gravel and the 
labor were lost. It is however not unworthy the consideration 
of those, who wish to increase their stock of knowledge of the 
extraordinary shades and diversities, which distinguish the 
character of man, and by which he becomes invested with the 
claim of being placed in the rank of human beings, as a sage, 
or a fool; we repeat it, that it is worthy the serious reflection 
of every one, who is in the least interested in the affairs of the 
great family of mankind, that it is possible, in despite of all 
that the Stagyrite has said upon the subject, for two men to 
accomplish the same design by measures in themselves directly 
opposite and contradictory. Mr. Brindley accomplished his 
canal by taking the gravel away; Capt. Ross accomplished his 
by bringing gravel to it; the former obtained a princely fortune 
for his employer, the latter lost his own, and also a good portion 
of his employer’s. Nevertheless, there is scarcely an evil in this 
world, but what has its attendant good, for although the canal 
which was projected by Capt. Ross, brought not any emolument 
to himself, nor to those who w r ere employed in the undertaking, 
yet it had this good effect, that it invalidated one of the principles 
of Miss Martineau’s political economy, which states that the 
value of an article is to be determined by the labor which has 
been bestowed in the production of it. Great and incessant was 
the labor bestowed by the crew of the Victory in the construct¬ 
ion of the canal in Felix Harbour, and therefore according to 
the principle of Miss Martineau, the value of the canal ought to 
be great in proportion. It so happened hovrever that the canal 
turned out to be good for nothing, and therefore it is expected 
that in the next edition of Miss Martineau’s work, on the autho¬ 
rity of Capt. Ross, and with the advice and concurrence of my 
Lord Brougham and Vaux, an alteration in her opinions will 
appear, and that she will quote the apposite case of the canal in 
Felix Harbour, to prove scientifically, philosophically, and eco¬ 
nomically, that Adam Smith, Mr. Mc’Culloch, and herself, have 
all been in the wrong, when they promulgated the hypothesis, 
that the worth of Capt. Ross’ canal was to be estimated accord¬ 
ing to the labor -which was bestowed upon it. 
