He was of opinion that if the canal were so enlarged as to admit of the use of
boats carrying 600 tons, and if steam were introduced, as to the practicability of
which recent experiments left no doubt, freight could be transported from
New York to Chicago at $3 per ton, and within ten or eleven days. The sub-
stitution of steam for horse powier would alone increase the capacity of the
canal, to 12,000, OOOJ tons per season of 210 days; and if the locks were in-
creased to twenty-five feet in width, there would be a further increase of
24,000,000 tons. He submitted that this demonstrated the ability of water
transportation to meet the requirements of internal commerce.
ANOTHEB BID FOR NBW YORK EXPORT TRADE.
Mr. SouTHAiiL continued :

" I invite your attention now to another great water line recommended by
the Committee. The Central Water Line traverses the heart of the Union and
connects the waters of the Kanawha and the OHesapeake. It reaches, in-
to Mississippi, for it embraces 1,600 miles of river navigation up
the Missouri. As the Erie Canal gave a mouth to the Lakies, so the James
River and Kanawha Canal offers an Eastern outlet to the great and growing
commerce of the Ohio River, as well as to that of the Mississippi and the Mis-
souri. The abundant waters of the James traverse the State of Virginia, while
the New River and the Kanawha, running in an opposite direction, mingle
tUeir waves with those of the Ohio. It is only necessary to unite the upper



46

waters of these streams, which are divided by the Alleghanies, tp have a con-
tinuous water line from Hamptou Roads to St. Louis and Yankton and St.
