Chapter XXXIX: Letter XXXIII: Democracy (2)

In the large maritime towns, however, it is felt, that if bankruptcy is not a disgrace, it is at least a private and public calamity, which is to be averted by every exertion. The history of the great fire in New York in 1835 affords ample proof of this. The amount of the loss exceeded fifteen millions, and the insurance companies found themselves unable to meet their engagements. On the receipt of the news in Europe, there was not a merchant who did not tremble for his American debts; for in Europe, in general, and in France, in particular, such an event would have deprived the sufferers of all credit, of all means of repairing their losses. In France the singular custom prevails of offering you credit, if you do not need it; but if you stand in want of it, you will get none. In the United States, on the contrary, immediately after this disaster, the President of the United States Bank hastens to place two millions at the disposal of the New York merchants, and the banks in general give out that they shall discount the paper of the sufferers in preference.

Although the sphere of the public authorities in the United States is very narrow, the corporation of New York and the State government, rivalled each other in offers of assistance; the former offered an advance of six millions, not to individuals, as was done in France in 1830, but to the insurance companies, whose ruin would have led to a general bankruptcy; it thus strengthened the hands of commerce, by relieving its citadel. Even Congress, which is not allowed to take a step out of its little district, and is scarcely permitted to notice what is going on beyond the Capitol, was moved, and extended the term of payment of custom dues. The result of this admirable co-operation of individuals, companies, and public authorities was to prevent any considerable failures.

The Americans have a courage in presence of commercial disasters, like that of the soldier on the field of battle. In a critical juncture, they face bankruptcy, as old grenadiers march upon a battery under a fire of grape-shot. If it is true that commerce is to supplant war in the future, it must be confessed that the Americans are more advanced on the march than we are; for they have applied all their energies and qualities to commerce, whilst we still devote ours to war. They have discovered a new sort of courage which produces and enriches; we shine only by that courage which perishes or destroys.

The merit of this new spirit does not belong exclusively to the Americans; they had the germ in their blood, and have received the gift from the mother country. At the period of the late calamity, the English were no more subject to a panic terrour than their New York descendants.--It is within my knowledge, that American merchants established in Paris and having houses in the United States, having applied to London bankers for a continuation of credit, were immediately assured, that not only the former amount of credit should be continued, but that they should be allowed an unlimited credit in order to enable them to repair their losses. Some French bankers, on the contrary, similarly situated, hastened to cut off the credit they had previously given.

In a country organized for commerce, and having the proper institutions of credit, the money and merchandise of the merchant, are not his only capital; the most valuable part of his capital consists of his experience, his correspondents and connexions, the weight of his name. This constitutes a moral capital, which conflagrations cannot destroy, nor accidents of any kind injure. In New York, by the aid of this moral capital, on which a high value is set in commercial countries, a merchant who has not property to the amount of more than 50,000 dollars, operates as if he had five or six times as much. In Paris, the same man, with the same fortune, would operate with only about twice as much. Thus the wealth of the United States increases in a much faster ratio than in France.

NOTE 8--page 54.

The American newspapers are very numerous, but in consequence of their great number their circulation is comparatively small. There are few daily papers, whose circulation exceeds 2,000, and not one, which exceeds 4,000; that of most of the newspapers is not more than 400 or 500. The American newspapers have little resemblance to the French and English. They are chiefly mere advertising sheets; they do not direct public opinion, they follow it. This local character does not allow of their having much influence out of their particular district. In New York, only the city newspapers are read; in New Orleans, those of New Orleans are the only ones generally seen; whilst in France those of Paris, and in England those of London are read every where. The Globe and the National Intelligencer of Washington are, however, pretty generally circulated. Newspapers in the United States are not powers, they are mere instruments of publicity within the reach of all. They are consulted for the news, not for opinions. The profession of a writer does not stand so high in England as in France, and is less honourable in the United States, than in England. With the exception of a very few newspapers, at the head of which are the New York American edited by Charles King, and the Philadelphia National Gazette, edited by Robert Walsh, the American press occupies a low rank in the social scale.

Notwithstanding their large size, the American newspapers are low-priced; the cause is plain enough; the profits are derived chiefly from advertisements, and the expenses of editing are inconsiderable, as there is generally but one editor. There is no stamp duty; but the postage on them is higher than in France.[EH] The circulation of some of the French newspapers exceeds 10,000; and some cheap publications have lately had a circulation of 90,000 or 100,000.

NOTE 9--page 53.

In 1832, the transfer of funds between different points of the Union, or between the Union and foreign countries, effected by the Bank of the United States, amounted to 255 millions, of which 241,718,710 was for domestic, and 13,456,737 for foreign transactions. The Bank received only 217,249 dollars for commissions on this vast sum.

NOTE 10--page 64.

_Specie and Paper Money._

The quantity of gold and silver coined in France with the new die, amounted, up to 1836, to about 750 million dollars, of which three fourths were in silver. It is not probable that more than one fourth of that sum has been melted and exported; there would then remain about 550 millions. A part of this immense sum is out of circulation, and is buried in the coffers of individuals or in the pockets of the poor, who do not dare trust their savings to any person or institution.

In the United States, in 1834, the 405 local banks from which official or semi-official statements had been received, had 65 million dollars paper in circulation, and 14,250,000 dollars in specie in their vaults. There were beside, 101 banks, estimated to have in circulation 12,650,000 dollars of paper, and 2,825,000 dollars in specie on hand. The Bank of the United States had at that time a circulation of 10,300,000 dollars, and specie to the amount of 13,865,000 dollars. The whole currency of the United States, exclusive of the small amount of specie in the hands of individuals, amounted, therefore, to 88 millions in paper and specie. At this time, the banks had withdrawn a large amount of their bills from circulation, their issues before the war on the Bank having exceeded 100 millions. Since 1834, the amount of specie in the United States has been considerably increased, several of the States having prohibited the emission of bills of less than five dollars, a measure, which would tend to promote the use of the metals.

The following statement, showing the quantity of paper money in circulation in the United Kingdom at the end of 1833, is chiefly from McCulloch's Dictionary of Commerce.

Of Bank of England £19,500,000
Of Branches of do. 3,300,000
Of Private Bankers 8,500,000
Of English Country Banks 1,500,000[EI]
Of Scotch Banks 2,000,000
Of Irish Banks 7,500,000
-----------
Total 42,300,000

At the same time the amount of the precious metals in circulation and in the banks, was estimated at 45,800,000 pounds, of which seven millions were in silver.

NOTE 11[EJ]--page 96. _Cherokees and other Indians._ Omitted.

NOTE 12[EJ]--page 98. _Public Lands._ Omitted.

NOTE 13[EJ]--page 119. _Temperance Societies._ Omitted.

NOTE 14--page 132.

_Cotton Manufacture._

At the end of 1836, the Lowell cotton factories comprised

129,828 spindles and 4,197 looms, and employed 6,793 operatives of whom 5,416 were women. The quantity of cloth made was 849,300 yards a week, or at the rate of 44 million yards a year; raw cotton consumed 38,000 bales, or 15 million pounds yearly.

In 1831, the American manufacture employed 62,157 operatives, of whom 38,927 were women and 4,691 children. There were beside 4,760 hand-weavers, 40,709 persons employed in accessory labours, making the whole number of persons engaged directly and indirectly 117,626. The factories contained 1,246,503 spindles, and 33,506 looms, and produced 230,461,990 yards of stuffs, besides 1,200,000 pounds of yarn, which were woven in families during the winter. The consumption of raw cotton was 77 million pounds. The value of the products was 26 million dollars, eleven millions of which were paid in wages. (_Pitkin's Statistics_, 526.)

There were in England, in 1834, according to Baines, (_History of Cotton Manufacture_,) 100,000 power-looms, and 250,000 hand-looms. The difference between the number of the hand-looms in England and the United States deserves to be noticed. The hand-weavers in Great Britain form one of the most wretched classes of the population. The English factories employed 729,000 persons, or with the dyers, bleachers, measurers, folders, packers, &c., and all hands employed in building and repairing the mills, 1,500,000, In 1833 the English factories consumed 332 million pounds of cotton. The value of their annual products is estimated at from 30 to 34 million pounds sterling; the wages of the 724,000 operatives amount to 13 millions.

In 1834, the French manufacture employed 600,000 persons, and the annual value of its products was about 110 million dollars; quantity of cotton consumed 100 million pounds. If these statements are correct, it follows, that our operatives produce less than the English or Americans.

NOTE 15--page 186.

_Production and Consumption of Cotton._

In 1834, one of our most able manufacturers, M. Koekhlin, made the following estimate of the production and consumption of cotton throughout the world.

_Production._

In the United States 437,500,000 lbs.
In India 75,000,000
In Brasil 30,000,000
In Bourbon, Cayenne, &c. 7,500,000
In Egypt and the Levant 25,000,000
-----------
Total, 575,000,000

_Consumption._

In England 375,000,000 lbs.
In France 100,000,000
In the United States 45,000,000
In China 37,500,000
In Switzerland, Belgium, &c. 42,500,000
-----------
Total, 600,000,000

Several other countries not enumerated above yield cotton. China produces some which she consumes, or exports under the form of nankeens; Mexico produces nearly enough for her own consumption; Mr Koekhlin has meant to speak only of what belongs to the general commerce. He has somewhat overstated the consumption of England, and underrates that of the United States.

NOTE 16--page 154--_omitted._

NOTE 17--page 161.

_Trial of the Incendiaries for burning the Ursuline Convent._

The intolerant spirit of a part of the Protestant population was offended by the sight of the Ursuline Convent on Mount St. Bendict, within the limits of Charlestown, a town adjoining Boston. The sisters devoted themselves to the instruction of young girls, and many Protestant families had confided daughters to their care. Every thing proves that they were by no means devoured by a spirit of proselytism. In the beginning of August, 1835, a report got about in Charlestown, that one of the sisters, a young woman, was detained in the convent by force. The Selectmen of the town had a meeting, five of them went to the convent, which they examined from cellar to garret, had an interview with the sister who was represented as a victim of the Catholic discipline, and became satisfied that she was there of her own free will. This conviction was made known to the public. But on the night of August 12th, the convent was surrounded and attacked by a handful of ruffians, at the head of whom was one John Buzzell, a brickmaker, noted for his brutal character. The sisters were driven from the convent with violence; every thing was plundered; the tombs of the dead were forced open. The building was then fired; it was burnt in sight of the Selectmen; the Boston firemen hastened to the spot, but were repulsed by the populace by main force.

Several men, taken in the act, were arrested, and among others Buzzell; they were tried in Boston in 1835.[EK] The witnesses were afraid to bear testimony, a mysterious influence had changed their language; the public prosecutor, who had previously demanded in vain a postponement of the trial, until the causes which instigated the violence had been traced, pleaded the cause of order with a generous indignation. All the prisoners were acquitted, except one poor youth of the name of Marcy who was sentenced to fifteen or twenty years imprisonment; but public opinion soon after obliged the Executive to grant him a pardon. Buzzell and Kelly, one of his accomplices, became heroes; they were carried about in triumph, and a subscription was made for their benefit. The sisters petitioned the Massachusetts legislature for indemnity; the most intelligent citizens of Boston interested themselves in their favour, but the House of Representatives rejected the petition by a large majority. On the anniversary of the outrage, the populace of Charlestown celebrated it as a day of rejoicing, and got up a shooting match, the target being a representation of the lady superior of the convent. The Selectmen succeeded in suppressing the figure, but not the procession. Finally, to crown these deeds of impudence and savage violence, two of the incendiaries, in 1836, presented a petition to the legislature to be indemnified for the damages they had suffered by the trial. The committee to whom the petition was referred, reported a grant of 500 dollars to each of these wretches; but to the honor of Massachusetts, their report was rejected on the second reading.

NOTE 18--page 172. _Omitted._

NOTE 19--page 180. _Omitted._

NOTE 20--page 193.

_Taxation._

It has repeatedly been made a question of late, whether the United States were more or less heavily taxed than France. The subject may be considered under several points of view. The systems of Taxation in the two countries are very different. The taxes in the United States are less numerous than they are in France, and are differently distributed. The country population, that is the great majority, pay much less in the United States than in France; but in the large towns the inhabitants pay nearly as much as with us, except in Paris. The disproportion between the two countries becomes much greater, if instead of estimating the amount in money, we give it in day's labour, which is the most rational manner. The day-wages of a labourer being about threefold as much in the United States as they are with us, and other things being in the same proportion, it follows, that, in the former, a tax of three dollars to three dollars and a half, which is about the general average, is not more burdensome to the mass of the people, than a tax of one third that sum would be in France. The average tax in France, or six dollars a head, is equivalent to twentysix days' work in our country; while the average in the United States is only equivalent to four days' work in that country.

It is true, that, amongst us, all the public expenditures are comprised in the budget; all our taxes amount to 190 million dollars. But in the United States, there are various expenses supported by individuals and companies, which do not appear in the sum of the public taxes. Toll is paid on a very large number of roads: public worship is maintained at the expense of the worshippers; hence heavy charges on the rich.

It is important to remark, that the public revenue in the United States is almost wholly employed in a productive manner, in useful undertakings, in public works, schools, and various kinds of improvements. There is no Federal debt, that of most of the States and towns is inconsiderable, there are no retiring pensions, and the army is small; whilst more than half of our budget, or 118 million dollars, is devoted to the charges on the public debt, pensions, and the sea and land forces, we cannot expect to restore the balance in our favour, because we cannot dismiss our soldiers, nor declare a national bankruptcy; but we might diminish our present inferiority (paradoxical as it may seem), by adding some millions to our budget for useful and productive works.

The military service itself is a public burden and a very heavy one; but it is difficult to rate the amount of this in money. In France it takes one man out of eighty inhabitants from labour, but in the United States only one out of 2,300. This tax might be lightened, by employing the army in public works.

We may also notice the two following differences, which appear to me essential ones, between American and French taxes:--

1. The American taxes, whether it be from the mode of their assessment, or from the difference of conditions of the two countries, never press heavily upon the taxables nor give them any uneasiness; they never embarrass transactions nor interrupt business. On the contrary, amongst us the tax is often an oppressive burden; our registry dues, and excise on property changing hands, often occasion serious embarrassments and even insurmountable obstacles in the way of enterprise.

2. In the United States the treasury fears to incur the public odium; amongst us the most respectable citizens are subjected to the most vexatious treatment; our officers of the customs have adopted practices unworthy of a civilised people; our wives and daughters must submit to be searched in the most shameless manner by vile hags, and these brutal proceedings have not the poor excuse of being useful to the customs. Their avowed object is to prevent the smuggling of articles, with which, in spite of three lines of custom-house officers, the country is inundated, and which it is well known are brought in by dogs[EL] on a large scale, and not in the pockets of private persons. The branches of industry, which they are designed to protect, are altogether of secondary importance, and cannot be weighed in the balance against public decency.

NOTE 21--page 11.

_Construction and Cost of Steamboats in the West._

The western steamboats are on the high pressure principle, with a force of six or eight atmospheres. The boilers are on deck, in the bow of the boat; the cylinder is horizontal; there are two wheels, one on each side. Formerly, a single stern wheel was generally used. Only one engine is used to a boat. The pistons are not of metal, an arrangement which necessarily involves a great loss of power, but which renders repairs more easy, an important consideration with inexperienced engineers. The engines are of very simple construction and cost little; those for the largest boats cost from 10,000 to 14,000 dollars; the engines of the French government packets in the Mediterranean cost nearly 60,000 dollars. The cylinders of the most powerful engines in the western boats are of 30 inches diameter, and seven feet stroke. These boats consume enormous quantities of wood; the larger ones burning from one and a half to one and three quarters cords an hour; the rate of speed rarely exceeds ten miles an hour even down stream.

In the east a good steamer from 175 to 200 feet in length with copper boilers, which are necessary to resist the action of salt water, costs from 70,000 to 80,000 dollars, including the furniture. The carpenter's work of the hull costs about thirty dollars a ton, exclusive of the iron. The engine, when there is but one, costs from 12,000 to 15,000 dollars, exclusive of the boilers. The North America cost 100,000 dollars; a good boat, well taken care of, lasts about twelve or fifteen years in the east. The eastern boats are very fast and safe, and of late years, great improvements have been made in their construction, principally by Mr Stevens of New York. They move at the rate of fifteen miles an hour in still water, and generally carry nothing but passengers. Their usual length is from 180 to 200 feet, with a breadth of twentyfour or twentysix, without including the paddle-boxes; their usual draught of water about four or five feet in the rivers, and from six and a half to nine feet in the bays and seas. Their engines are on the low or mean pressure principle; the cylinder is vertical, and they often have two engines; the stroke of the piston has been carried to ten or eleven feet; the diameter of the cylinders, in some of the boats, is five feet four inches. They consume from twentyfive to thirty cords of wood an hour.

The number of steamboats in the United States, at the end of 1834, was 386 of an aggregate of 95,648 tons, of which 237, with a tonnage of 64,347 tons, were on the western waters. [In 1839 the number of boats was about 800, with an aggregate tonnage of 157,473 tons; of these about 300 were on the western rivers and 70 on the lakes.--TRANSL.] There were in France, in 1834, 82 steamboats, with a total tonnage of not more than 15,000 tons, beside 37 belonging to the government. The whole number of steamers in England is about 480.

NOTE 22--page 268.

_Summary Statements of the Public Works in the United States._

The six tables which follow present a recapitulation of the statements given in Letter XXI., with the cost per league in francs. [Many of the statements in the Letter are slightly varied from the original, in conformity with official reports, and the cost and distances have there been reduced to English measures and Federal money. In these tables the author's statements are given without change because sufficient materials for a total recasting of them are not accessible to the translator. In reducing federal money to francs, M. Chevalier assumes the dollar to be equal to 5.33 francs; the league is of 4,000 metres, and consequently equivalent to two and a half English statute miles.--TRANSL.]

I. LINES BETWEEN THE EAST AND WEST.

_Length._ _Leagues._ _Total Cost._ _Francs._

Names. | |Rail- | Canals.|Railroads.|Cost per
|Canals.|roads. | | |League.
| | | | |
1st Line, _Erie Canal_, |146-1/2| |} | |
Branches, |101 | |}65,000,000| |262,600
_Lateral Railroads_, | | | | |
Albany and Schenectady,| | 6-1/2| | 4,000,000|615,400
Schenectady and Utica, | | 31-1/2| | 8,000,000|254,000
Rochester and Buffalo, | | 29 | | 3,000,000|103,000
2d Line, _Pennsylvania |111 | |} | |
Canal_, | | |} | |
Branches, |131-1/4| |}95,000,000| |392,300
Columbia Railroad, | | 33 | |19,200,000|581,800
Portage " | | 14-1/4| | 8,550,000|600,000
_Bald Eagle Canal_, | 10 | | 1,000,000| |100,000
_Union_ " | 33 | | 13,870,000| |420,300
3d Line _Baltimore and | | 34 | |16,000,000|470,600
Ohio Railroad_, | | | | |
4th Line, _Chesapeake | 74-3/4| | 33,000,000| |442,800
and Ohio Canal_, | | | | |
_Georgetown and | 3 | | 2,600,000| |866,700
Alexandria Canal_, | | | | |
5th Line, _Virginia |100 | | 25,000,000| |250,000
Canal_, | | | | |
_Railroad section_, | | 60 | |15,000,000|250,000
_Old James River | 12 | | 5,300,000| |441,600
Canal_, | | | | |
6th Line, _Richelieu | 4-3/4| | 1,870,000| |393,700
Canal_, | | | | |
_Laprairie Railroad_. | | 6-1/2| | 800,000|123,100
|-------|-------|-----------|----------|-------
Totals |727-1/4|214-3/4|242,640,000|74,550,000|

II. LINES CONNECTING THE VALLEYS OF THE MISSISSIPPI AND ST. LAWRENCE.

_Length._ _Leagues_ _Total Cost._ _Francs._

Names. | |Rail- | Canals.|Railroads.| Cost per
|Canals.|roads.| | | League.
| | | | |
Ohio Canal, |122 | | 22,720,000| | 186,200
Miami (1st section,) | 26-1/2| | 5,227,000| | 197,200
" (2d section,) | 50-1/4| | 11,000,000| | 219,000
Wabash and Erie Canal,| 84 | | 16,800,000| | 200,000
Michigan " | 37-1/2| | 37,500,000| |1,000,000
Pittsburg and Erie " | 41-1/2| | 5,000,000| | 120,500
Beaver and Sandy " | 36-1/4| | 7,250,000| | 200,000
Mahoning " | 36 | | 7,200,000| | 200,000
Mad River Railroad, | |61-1/2| |10,500,000| 170,700
Welland Canal. | 11-1/4| | 11,040,000| | 982,300
Canals on the St. | 13 | | 20,000,000| |1,538,000
Lawrence, | | | | |
Louisville and | 3/4| | 4,053,000| |5,400,000
Portland Canal, | | | | |
| | | | |
Totals |-------|------|-----------|----------|---------
| | | | |
|459 |61-1/2|147,790,000|10,500,000|
| | | | |

III. LINES ALONG THE ATLANTIC.

_Length. Leagues. Total Cost. Francs._

Names. | |Rail- | | | Cost per
|Canals.|roads. | Canals. |Railroads.| League.
| | | | |
Raritan and Delaware |17 | |12,000,000| | 705,900
Canal, | | | | |
Delaware and Chesapeake | 5-1/2 | |14,000,000| |2,545,500
Canal, | | | | |
Dismal Swamp Canal, | 9 | |} | |
Branch, | 2-1/2 | |}3,733,000| | 324,600
| | | | |
2d Line, _By the | | | | |
Cities._ | | | | |
Boston and Providence | | 17 | | 8,000,000| 470,600
Railroad, | | | | |
Providence and | | 21 | | 8,000,000| 381,000
Stonington Railroad, | | | | |
Amboy and Camden | | 24-1/4| |12,250,000| 505,200
Railroad, | | | | |
Newcastle and | | 6-1/2| | 2,130,000| 327,700
Frenchtown Railroad, | | | | |
Baltimore and | | 12 | | 8,000,000| 750,000
Washington Railroad, | | | | |
Winchester Railroad, | | 13 | | 2,600,000| 200,000
Fredericksburg and | | 23-3/4| | 3,900,000| 164,200
Richmond Railroad, | | | | |
Petersburg and Roanoke | | 24 | | 3,470,000| 144,600
Railroad, | | | | |
Belfield Branch | | 6 | | 840,000| 140,000
Railroad, | | | | |
Portsmouth and Roanoke | | 31 | | 4,000,000| 129,000
Railroad, | | | | |
Charleston and Hamburg | | 54-3/4| | 6,400,000| 116,900
Railroad, | | | | |
Georgia Railroad, | | 46 | | 8,250,000| 179,300
|-- |-------|----------|----------| -------
Totals |34 |279-1/4|29,733,000|67,840,000|

IV. LINES RADIATING FROM THE LARGE TOWNS.

_Length. Leagues. Total Cost. Francs._

Names. |Can-|Rail- | Canals.|Railroads.| Cost per
|als.|roads. | | | League.
| | | | |
Boston and Lowell | |10-1/4 | | 8,000,000| 780,000
Railroad, | | | | |
Boston and Worcester | |17-3/4 | | 6,670,000| 375,800
Railroad, | | | | |
Middlesex Canal | 12| | 2,800,000| | 233,000
New York and Paterson | | 6-1/4 | | 1,100,000| 176,000
Railroad, | | | | |
Harlæm Railroad, | | 2 | | 2,000,000|1,000,000
Jersey City and New | |11-1/4 | | 1,800,000| 160,000
Brunswick Railroad, | | | | |
Brooklyn and Jamaica | | 5 | | 1,600,000| 320,000
Railroad, | | | | |
Philadelphia and | | 6-1/4 | | 2,500,000| 400,000
Norristown Railroad, | | | | |
Westchester Railroad, | | 3-1/2 | | 540,000| 154,300
Philadelphia and Trenton | |10-1/2 | | 2,133,000| 203,100
Railroad, | | | | |
Baltimore and | |24 | | 7,100,000| 295,800
Susquehanna Railroad, | | | | |
Santee Canal, | 9| | 3,470,000| | 385,600
New Orleans Canals, | 4| |12,000,000| |3,000,000
New Orleans and | | 3-1/2 | | 2,000,000| 571,400
Carrolton Railroad, | | | | |
New Orleans and Lake | | 2 | | 2,300,000|1,150,000
Pontchartrain Railroad | | | | |
Schenectady and Saratoga | | 8-1/2 | | 1,600,000| 188,200
Railroad, | | | | |
Troy and Saratoga | | 9-3/4 | | 1,800,000| 184,600
Railroad, | | | | |
| --|-------|----------|----------|---------
Totals | 25|120-1/2|18,270,000|41,143,000|

V. LINES CONNECTED WITH THE COAL MINES.

_Length. Leagues. Total Cost. Francs._

Names. | |Rail- | Canals.| Railroads.|Cost per
|Canals.|roads. | | |League.
| | | | |
Chesterfield Railroad, | | 5-1/4| | 1,050,000|200,000
Schuylkill Canal, | 43 | |16,000,000| |372,100
Lehigh " | 17-1/2| | 8,300,000| |474,300
Delaware " (see | | | | |
Letters) | | | | |
Morris " | 48-1/2| |11,000,000| |226,800
Carbondale and | | 6-1/2| | 1,600,000|246,200
Honesdale Railroad, | | | | |
Hudson and Delaware | 43 | |12,600,000| |293,300
Canal, | | | | |
Pottsville and Sunbury | | 17-3/4| | 6,000,000|338,000
Railroad, | | | | |
Philadelphia and | | 22-3/4| | 8,000,000|351,600
Reading Railroad, | | | | |
Various works, | | 66 | | 6,000,000| 90,900
|--- |-------|----------| ----------|-------
Totals |152 |118-1/4|47,900,000| 22,650,000|

VI. DIFFERENT LINES.

_Length. Leagues. Total Cost. Francs._

Names. | |Rail- | Canals.|Railroads.|Cost per
|Canals.|roads | | |League.
| | | | |
Cumberland Canal (Me.) | | | | |
Farmington and | | | | |
Blackstone Canals, | 67 | |10,400,000| |155,000
Mass. &c. | | | | |
Conestoga Navigation, | 7-1/4| |}1,000,000| | 95,700
Codorus | 4-1/4| |} | |
Muscle-Shoals Canal, | 14 | | 7,000,000| |500,000
Savannah and Ogeechee | 6-1/2| | 850,000| |130,800
Canal, | | | | |
Improvement of the | 11-3/4| | 5,000,000| |425,500
Hudson, | | | | |
Quincy Railroad, | | 1-1/4| | 180,000|144,000
Ithaca and Owego | |11-3/4| | 2,700,000|230,800
Railroad, | | | | |
Lexington and Louisville | |36 | | 6,000,000|166,700
Railroad, | | | | |
Tuscumbia and Decatur | |18 | | 3,000,000|200,000
Railroad, | | | | |
Rochester Canal, | | 1-1/4| | 160,000|128,000
Buffalo and Blackrock | | 1-1/4| | 50,000| 40,000
Canal, | | | | |
|-------|------|----------|----------|-------
Totals |110-3/4|69-1/2|24,250,000|12,690,000|

VII. SUMMARY OF THE ABOVE TABLES.

_Length. Leagues._ _Cost. Francs._

Table. Canals. Railroads. Canals. Railroads.
I. 727-1/4 214-3/4 242,640,000 74,550,000
II. 459 61-1/2 147,790,000 10,500,000
III. 34 279-1/4 29,733,000 67,840,000
IV. 25 120-1/2 18,270,000 41,143,000
V. 152 118-1/4 47,900,000 22,650,000
--------- ------- ----------- -----------
Total. 1,397-1/4 794-1/4 486,333,000 216,683,000
Deduct 144 105 72,500,000 21,750,000
--------- ------- ----------- -----------
1,253-1/4 689-1/4 413,833,000 194,933,000
VI. 110-3/4 69-1/2 24,250,000 12,690,000
--------- ------- ----------- -----------
Totals. 1364 758-3/4 438,083,000 207,623,000
\________ _______/ \___________ __________/
\/ \/
2,122-3/4 645,706,000.

If to these are added some unimportant works, about which I have not been able to obtain exact statements, the total length of the railroads and canals may be estimated at about 2,150 leagues, and the cost at 660 million francs. If we take into account a number of important works, which have been undertaken in the last part of 1835 and the beginning of 1836, it will be necessary to add 900 leagues and 300 million francs to the above totals, making an aggregate of 3,050 leagues (7,625 miles) and 960 million francs (180 million dollars). I do not include the Nashville and New Orleans and the Charleston and Cincinnati railroads, which, however, will probably be executed before long, and with their branches will make an addition of more than 500 leagues. The Americans have already surpassed in the extent of their works, and the rapidity of execution, the most active and wealthy European nations. Almost all the works above enumerated have been executed in fifteen years.

The following table gives a summary view of similar works in Europe:

_Countries._ _Canals._ _Railroads._

England 1,100 leagues. 313 leagues.
France 998 50
Belgium 115 74
Other States 400 50
----- ---
Totals 2,613 487
\_________ ___________/
\/
General Total of Europe 3,100
" United States 3,050

NOTE 23--page 281.

_Geological Surveys._

The legislatures of several States have lately shown a laudable zeal for geological examinations of the soil. Maryland has a State geologist (Mr Duchatel) who is engaged in preparing a geological map of the State, particularly with reference to economical purposes. Dr Duchatel has already made some important discoveries in agricultural geology, especially in respect to the use of marl. Tennessee has also its geologist, Dr Troost. Massachusetts has a geological map prepared by Professor Hitchcock. Congress has caused some examinations to be made on the upper Mississippi. Dr Jackson has been several years employed in making geological surveys in Maine, and is at present occupied in Rhode Island; he has also been appointed by New Hampshire to explore the geology of her mountains and valleys. New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Connecticut, Kentucky, Michigan and Georgia, have also engaged in the same enterprise, and partial examinations have been made in North Carolina. New York has in addition to a corps of four geologists, Messrs Vanuxem, Mather, Emmons and Conrad, a chemist (Dr Beck,) a botanist (Mr Torrey,) and a zoologist, (Dr DeKay.) It is principally to the efforts of the late Secretary of the State, General Dix, that New York is indebted for this great undertaking. Massachusetts has also organised a board of naturalists, to report upon the different branches of botany and zoology. In many of the States, a topographical survey more or less minute, has been connected with the geological explorations. Massachusetts has been trigonometrically surveyed.

FOOTNOTES:

[EG] In a later work (_Statistics of the British Empire_, 1839), Mr McCulloch estimates it at 26,188,000 tons.--TRANSL.

[EH] The postage of newspapers in France is two fifths of a cent within the department where it is published, and four fifths on any distance beyond it.

[EI] In August 1836, this had been increased to 3,600,000 pounds.

[EJ] These notes, with several others, have been omitted, as they contain merely statements familiar to most readers in this country.

[EK] The author is mistaken; they were tried in the county in which the offence was committed. Boston is in a different county.--TRANSL.

[EL] On the northern frontier there are from 500,000 to 600,000 dogs which enter annually; not more than 6,000 or 7,000 are seized.

Transcriber's Notes:

Simple spelling, grammar, and typographical errors were corrected.

Italics markup is enclosed in _underscores_.