before leaving that neighbourhood, ?*
uimne U e White Oak.
\'co will then examine the New river,
an-' the inlet at its mouth.
The Ik>?ic1 wish you, on your way to
the Albemarle, to visit the works now
in progress on the Roanoke; and to give
to the company incorporated for the im
provrmcnt of that river such advice and
ins: ructions as they may require; and,
if necessary, to lay out the line of the
canal yet to he cut at the Great Falls,
and determine the site of the locks: it
being a principal objuct with the board
to give to the several navigation com
panies every aid and facility in prose
cuting i heir works."
In pursuance of these instructions,
t?ie engineer proceeded to Roanoke is
land, and commenced his observations
r.nd survey, which he completed about
tne f. st of May. He has drawn up a
detailed report, accompanied with a
map of the Roanoke and Croatan sounds,
and jUo of the marshes and banks. In
thii map the soundings at various pla
ces tire laid down, with all the locali
ties which were thought necessary to ba
taken into view in forming an opinion
on ihb subject of making an inlet. The
result of his survey, has been a decisive
o{ h ion in favour of the practicability of
making an inlet at this place; and the
engineer has set forth, in his report, the
pi hi which he thinks should be adopted.
*1 his p ar. is illustrated b, several draw
ings. which accompany his report.
The board were desirous of obtain
ing upon this subject the opinion of the
board of the United S'.ates' engineer*,
wli i were la:eiy or. our coa?t. The pre
si.vr; of the United Stairs had instruc
ted i .em to fjive their attention to the
subject; and the secretary at war gave
no* i' c of this fact, and of the time those
engineers wouid be on our coa*t. But
t?.t hoard not being in session, it was
fjrnd impossiole, notwithstanding an
ert'>rt was made for that purpose, for
tie civil engineer of this state to meet
tic hoard ot U. States' engineers on our
*.oa->t. Copies of Mr. Fulton's report,
D?p and drawings, have been forward
ed to them, and their opinion solicited,
topics will also be forwarded lo Eng
> n and France, in order to obtain if
- visible, the opinions ot the most cele
inai d civil engineers of those countries
\ pon the subject.
As connected with a survey of our in -
ids, the engineer was instruct d to ex
a ?.ine the shoal in the Pamplico below
the (own of Washington, and report up
t i lite deepening of the channel of this
??>(>*.. It wili be seen by hi* report, that
tris channel can be deepened at a mo
d<-r%ic expense, 111 such way that ves
v is crossing the bar at Ocracock can
p-.?cred directly to Washington.
The report* of the engineer on our
ir.lcts, contain a mass of information
which is >iglily interesting. They pre
s nc to us the obstructions whioit exist,
V r rxtt-ut to wMC. ih.-y an be remov
c . >d t.-.e expense which must he in
rvirrri in thtir removal. Tne entire
*? .>j- c? is thus presented, and we are
/- r ? longer left in 'he daik in adopting
C t ?-iir: s as to any par o{ it.
During the presint year, the rngi
D (_r has examined Tar, the Cataw*
! . and the Broad rivers; and in his r~
; r:s, has given a detailed account of
t.'t obstructions in each, and pointed
0 t the manner of removing them and
c improving the navigation of each of
tl ose rivers. He has also had a survey
1 ade between the waters o! the Ntnsc
a; '? the Tar river*, by the way ol the
'I oss-not and Contentney crteks.
1 lie engineer has visited tne several
t **i.;?tion companies, and given mem
i - ructions for carry ing on their works.
1 ;tore the emplo> ment of an engineer
the staie, these companies weie
n.ostly without the assistance of any
{ -i on of competent knowledge to plan
. i ir works, or superintend their exe
rtion. ? The consequence' was, that
? ich rno' ey was very injudiciously ex
4 n.ltd. F.arly in the present yeai, the
t .a?d addr.-sscd a circular to the scvc
r ! companies, recommending to tliem
i place all their woiks under the im
: ediate direction and superintendence
the civil engineer to the state. This
? commendation has been in part ac
{ ? d* d to, and the engineer has drawn
? [ iuns and ^pecifv aUons of the work*;
''-.ere has been a gre*t saving in the
' cost of tne work, and, at the same time,
tie woik. has been much better exe
< itrd.
The piincipal works which are now
?ing on m tne state, a/e those on tne
oanoke, Cape Fear, Yadkin, and Ca
.vi>a. At the main obstruction to tne
<\vi g?uon of the Hoanoke is at the
L- eat 1 alls, the company lor the im
k^jjrovemeiit of that river nave concern
ted their cfl\>rt? at that place; and,
Hiig the next year, it it expected
|y will complete the canal and most
L.e locks. The most difficult and tx
nive p?rt of the cannalling i* com
I"*'. and two of the lock* are in pro
i. i lie civil engineer is now engag
lUyinfc oui the line for the residue
\ canal, an<J determining the sites
lb other lot ks. This company, be
E. lioemlly aHed by thr state ol
mia, ** well as by thin state, has a
led advantage ovtr ail the other
>anifs, in point of lunds, and their
itss progressed more steadily.
\e ( ape 1 ear com; any have tatri
itheir wo.\ bei'?w, at, ai.d above
Letilie IJrlow, they tiave been
Bd in oltaruig ?ut the logs and
sand shoals, and rendering the river na
vigable for steam boat*. Th? works pro
jected at Fayetteville, are intended to
accommodate both the ascending and
descending trade of the river. The
town is situate at nearly a mile from the
river; and the transportation of produce
from the town to the river, and of mer
chandise fron; the river to the town, is
carried on at great expense and incon
venience, in waggons and carts. Boats
descending the river with produce from
above Fayetteville, have to lie with their
cargoes nearly a mile from the market.
To avoid these inconveniences, the
company are making a canal through
the town to the river; and when com
pleted, boats either ascending the river
with merchandize, or descending it
with produce, can pass up the canal,
and lie aloi^side of the warehouses in
the to?n. As Fayetteville is the prin
cipal commercial town of the state,
this improvement seemed necessary,
not only for the accommodation of mer- I
chants, but of the planters and farmer*
who send their produce to this market.
The company have been under the ne
cessity of expending the canal several
miles from town, to get a feeder, and
this has aoded much to the * .pense of
the work. Nearly five miles of this ca
nal have been completed. One mile
more has been partially done. An em
bankment and aqueduct are to be made
at Cross creek, and the locks are to be
put in at the river. A drawing of the i
canal and locks has been made by the
| civil engineer, and accompanies his re
port!! on the subject.
Above Fayetteville, at the Buckhorn
falls, the company have executed a con
' sideiablf work. They have made a ca
nal neaiiy t> mile in length, and are now
cqga};ef. in erecting the locks at this
piace. One of the principal dams has
beei. mult, and another is in a state of for*
wardntss. From Buckhom to Haywood
the uavigation is good. The engineer
( has recommended to the company to
? improve the navigation from Buckhorn
j to Fayetteville, by dams and locks; and
it is believed that eight locks will be
sufficient for this line of the river.
The Yadkin company have contract
l ed for sluicing that river, from Wilkes
1 borough to the Bean shoals in Surry
county, a distance of sixty miles, and the
work naft been commenced. At the
Bean shoals, the Yadkin passes the
Btushy mountains, where the company
are canalling. They have here made a
canal about a miie in length, supported
on one side around a prtcipice of the
mountain, for 12oo feet by a stone wall.
A dam has been built across the river,
at the head of the canal, to pond the
water over the shoal above, and fill the
canal. From the Bein shoals to Bru
ncr's ford, a distance of ninety miles, it
is intended to sluice the river; and the
work nas been contracted for. A con
tract has been uiade for improving the
navigation of tne river from the foot of
gtnetai Smith's snoais, below the mouth
c I the L'iiaric river to the South Caro
tin* lint, a distance of sixty miles. At
t ne tails, ruai tne line ot South Caroli
na, the company has made a canai near
ly iWj m.ies in length, which will soon
he comp.eud.
Tu' C?tawtj* Company have been
engaged in improving the navigation of
tnat river by sluicing, by dams and
1' cks, and canalling. The obstruction*
in this river, and the wark which has
been done by tne company, are particu
larly detailed in the report of the civil
engineer, upon his late survey upon that
liver.
All the companies except the Roa
noke, are d ficient in tunds to complete
their works; anu, as soon as the state
of the fund for internal improvements
will anmit of it, the board recommend
to the general assembly to aid them by
additional subsci iptions of stock. Inde
pendent of tne general benefit to be
conferred upon the people by the com
pletion of those works, it is probable
that this stot k wnl become a profitable
source ol tevenue to the state. Some of
our sifter staies derive a large portion
ol the public revenue from meir inter
nal improvements, hoc] no rearm accns I
lo cxnt why (h- at nr. may not be cx
pecieu in t .is -.laic. I. requires time,
patience a-.d perseveia.i<?? 10 effect any
gie.t puoiic wuik. The prosperity ol a
s'.uie is not uie taUoi ol a day. It is the
.e-.ua ol a sysiem of policy wmch is
lounded m wisdom, and reared up with
toil aiiU tabor. Public works arc motiu
menis < t ti.e wisdom .<l trie people who
accomplish them, and remain Diossings
10 in* m and their posterity.
The boarJ vert directed by an act of
? he last general as?eui'?iy, to contract
tor opening a road through the Chero
kee country. As none of tlie members
of the board had a personal knowledge
of the country, they empowered the
three commusioners, who were ap
pointed 10 lay out the road, to contract
lor opening it. 1 hey declined tne ser
vice, and the board nave not been able
to contiact fortius wo.k. It is probable,
that in a short time, a contract will be
made.
The board hive received for the u?e
of tne state, from Jamea Monroe, Ksq.
president of the United States, Mont.
Ha^eau's work on the canal which
unites tne Rhine with the Maese. The
superb Atlas winch accompanies this
work, containing splendid drawings ot
every p?rt of the canai, locks, ku wa?
forwaidi u by geneial Stokes, one of our
?viiatuu in con^roM.
Hamilton Fulton, Esq. has resigned
hi* appointment as civil engineer to the
state. This resignation, according to the
terms of his contract, will take effect in
January next. The reports, maps, pro
files, plans, and various drawings of Mr.
Fulton, will be found useful to all who
are concerned in the internal improve
ment of the state.
The board have also given notice to
Mr. Robert H. B. Brazier, assistant en
gineer, that his contract will be consi
dered at an end three months from the
date of such notice.
The hoard have under consideration
the condition of the public highways,
and a plan for keeping them in repair,
and hope to be able to aubmit to the
present general assembly a report on
this aubject.
JOHN BRANCH
President of the Board of Public
Improvements.
J. Gales, Secretary.
HOUSE OF It /: I'RESEJVT. 1 TI YE &
Monday, December 4.
Mr. Smith, of Maryland, from the
committee of ways and mtans, reported
" A bill for enrolling, and licensing, and
granting allowances to ships or vessels
to be employed in the mackerel fishery,
and for the government of persons con
cerned tharein."
The bill was twice read and com
mitted.
Mr. McLean, of Kentucky, from the
select committee, to whom was referred
the petition of Matthew Lyon, made a
report thereon, accompanied by a bill
for his relief.
[The bill directs that there be paid to
Matthew Lyon, out of the treasury of
the United States, one thousand and six
ty dollars, being the amount of a fine
and costs recovered against him in the
circuit court of the United States, (un
der the old sedition law,) with interest
thereon from the 9th day of February,
1799, until paid. 3
The bill was twice read and com
mitted.
On motion of Mr. Darlington, it was
Rcnolvcdi That the secretary of the
treasury be directed to report to this
house the amount of fines certified to
the comptroller of that department, to
have been imposed upon the militia of
Pennsylvania, for neglect of duty, dur
ing the late war with Great Britain; the
amount of said fiaes which has been le
vied and collected by the marshals of
the respective districts in that state, or
their deputies; and the amount there
of tv hie h has been actually paid into ihe
treasury of the United States; also, what
proceedings, if any, have been instituted
for the recovery of the moneys thus col
lected within said districts, and not yet
received at the treasury.
Mr. Strong, of N. Y. submitted for
consideration the following resoluiion:
Retolv edy That a committee be ap
pointed to ascertain and report to this
house the amount of individual claims
upon the United States, in favour of
American citizens growing out of the
last war with Great Britain, the Creek
war, and the Seminole war; designating
the classes of the claims, and the names
of the claimants; together with the sum
or sums which, in their opinion, shall
be oquitaMy and fairly due to each, so
far as the same may he practicable: and
also upon the expediency of providing
for the same, by issuing scrip, receiva
ble in payments for the public lands,
or in such other manner as the com
mittee m.?y deem more advisable.
After some debate, the motion to lay
the resolution on the tabic was decided
in the affirmative, by a small majority.
On motion of Mr. Forreit the house
proceeded to consider his motion for
requiring ir. formation from the war de
partment respecting certain loans of
gun powder, See ? and the same having
been modified by striking out the pre
amble, was a^reeO to.
COM M KMC P. OF THE BLACK S T.K.
AJ r. Fuller, of 3/us*achusett?, offer
ed for consideration the following rc?
solwion:
Kraolvdi That the committee on
conimorce he instructed to inquire into
the expediency of providing by law such
means as may he nectssary to obtain for
the citizens of the United States the
navigation o* the Euxine Sea and a par
ticipation of the commercc of its porta
and dependencies.
Mr. F. after remarking on the expe
diency of ?(fording to commerce, under
present circumstances, all the facilities
in the power of the government to bes
tow, went on to say that our commerce
with Russia, it was well known, was
at present almost entirely carried on
through the Baltic sea, which it was
equally well known, was closed against
navigation lor the greater part of the
year by the severity of the climate. The
Kuxine sea, he said, afforded much
greater facilities, by means of the rivers
which fall into it, for cat rying on the
trade with Russia. But, not having any
i agent there, we have no means of pro
cu?ing the permission to pass the Straits
I of the Dardanelles. From the information
of others, however, Mr. F. aaid he had
no doubt, that the requisite permission
could he obtained by asking it in proper
forin and manner. The free intercourse
with the F,ua<ne would, he said, be of
much advantage to ui in another point
of tUv. At present, all our commerce
with Turkey is carried on through
Smyrna. Several ports of the Darda
nelles, Mr. F. said would be more con
venient for this purpose than Smyrna.
Upon the whole, he thought it qaite
advisable to have an inquiry made into
this subject through the medium of a
committee of the house.
Mr. Stevens, of Connecticut, said,
in reference to Mr. Fuller's intimation
that permission to pass the Straits could
be obtained if asked in a proper man
ner, that he presumed the agent who
asked it must go with something in
hand, and suggested the propriety of
ascertaining, before they went further,
what would be the cost of this project.
Mr. Rhea suggested that the mover
would perhaps get more directly at his
object by moviug at once to request the
executive to sead a minister to Turkey.
The motion of Mr. Fuller was thu?
agreed to without a division.
Mr. Mercer submitted the following:
Retolved, T..at the president of the
United States be requested to lay be
fore this house any correspondence that
he does not deem it inexpedient to dis
close, which may have existed between
the executive of the United States and
the governments of any of the maritime
powers of Lurope, in relation to the
African slave trade.
The question thereon, being taken
without debate, was agreed to without
division; and a committee wu ordered
to be appointed to present the same to
the president.
Mr. Eustis, of Massachusetts, after
some introductory remarks, in the
course of which he contrasted the old
system of the pertsion establishment with
that which had more recently prevailed,
, advantageously to the former, proposed
the following resolve:
Re?olved% That the committee on
pensions and revolutionary claims be
instructed to report a bill, providing
that, from and after the 4th day of
March next ensuing, no officer, soldier,
seaman, marine, or other person what
soever, shall be placed on the pension
list of th? United States, except by vir
tue of a law in which the name of the
pensioner shall be inserted, together
with the amount of pension to which he
be entitled.
The resolution being read
Mr. Lowndes rose, not to object to
the principle of the resolution, thinking
it probable that the long experience of
the mover would enable him to suggest
valuable improvements on the present
system, but to suggest, as the resolution
was affirmative, and not proposing in
quiry merely, that, with a view to deli
beration, it should lie on the table one
day.
Mr. Eustis assenting to this course,
the resolution was, after a few words
from Mr. Rhea, indicative of hostility
to it, ordered to lie on the table.
The speaker then laid before the
house a letter from the secretary of the
treasury, transmitting his annual report
on the state of the treasury; and, on
motion of Mr. Storrs, three thousand
copies thereof were ordered to be prin
ted for the use of the h >use.
And the house adjourned.
Legislature of North Ca rol i na .
SENATE.
Friday, December 8.
Mr. R. I). Spaight introduced a bill
to repeal an act passed in 1819, giving
to the county courts power to regulate
separate elections, which passed its
first reading.
The house resolved itself into com
mittee of the whole, Mr. L. D. Wilson
in the chair, on the bill to repeal an act
passed at the last session to create a
fund for internal improvement, and to
establish a board for the management
thereof. Alter some debate on a motion
to strike out the first section, the mo
tion was carricd, and the committee
rose and reported the t ill wnh the
amendment. The house took up the
bill, and on motion of Mr. A'kinson,
the bill with the amendment was inde
finitely postponed, 30 votes to 21
Mr. Wellborn, from the committee of
finance, reported, that the amount of
small treasury notes in the treasury,
unfit for circulation, amounts to 7,7 10
dollars. Ordered to be burnt.
Saturday, December 9
Mr. Locke, frotn the judiciary com
mittee, reported the bill to limit the
time of bringing suits against executors,
administators and guardians, without
amendment, which pasted its first read
ing.
Mr. L. from th? same committee re
ported it to be inexpedient to pass any
low on the subject of persons clandes
tinely removing their property, Jcc.
On motion ?f Mr. Walton, the judi
ciary committee were instructed to in
quire into the propriety of passing a
law for the general regulation of county
finance; of passing a law placing each
county t>n an equality in the payment ol
jurors and witnesses; and into the ex
pediency of taxing all suits for the pur
pose of paying jurors.
On motion of the same gentleman, a
1 select committee was ap|>ointed to in
quire into the expediency of altering
and amending the patrol law.
The bill to authorise the trustees of
the Milton fciualo avtclctny t j raise a
certain turn by way of lottery, was
sed the third time and ordered t0 k.
enrolled.
On motion of Mr. Calloway, ^
committee on internal improvemevj
were inatructed to inquire into the ex.
pediency of making an appropriation -j
aid in opening a road from Jonnhv,
Woody's blacksmith's shop to the Te&.
nessee line.
The bill to repeal an act passed q
1819, giving to the county courts p?,.
er, to regulate aepaiate elections,
taken up for a second reading and rt.
jected.
Mr. Locke, from the judiciary com.
mit'.ee, to whom was referred a resold
tion touching the duty of sheriffs, uxj
proposing to raise their fees, rtported
that it ia inexpedient to increase the
fees of sheriffs for the set vice of writs
and other process^ but that it is espedi
ent to increase the penalty on sheriff,
failing to make due return of all pro
cess to them directed; and recommend
ed the passage of a bill for this purpose,
which pasaed its third reading. -
Mr. Gilchrist introduced a bill fix
ing the sum recoveiable in any court tf
U? by slaves who may hereafter reco
ver their freedom; and
Mr. Shober, a bill to amend an art
concerning clerks of courts passed in
1819. Both bills passed their fip>t read
ing. The first was afterwards referred
to a select committee.
HOUSE OF COMMONS,
Friday, Dcccmbcr 8.
The following bills were presented;
By Mr. Cameron, a bill to require
sheriffs to settle with nirdeni ot tie
poor earlier thin they now do.
By Mr. M'Lean, a bill concerning
the public road* in this state. These
bills were read the first time ? the In.
ter referred to the committee cd inter
na! improvement.
On motion of Mr. Graham,
Resolved, That the judiciary com
mittee inquire into tlic expediency ot
making some provision that may se
cure infant female wards against bcin
drawn into premature marriage by the
interested views of unprincipled guar
dians.
Mr. SpeV.cer reported a bill, which
was read the first time, appointing
commissioners to fix on a suitable place
for the court-house in Hyde.
The house took up the order of the
day on the bill to divide Rowan. [Tht
blank for the name of the new county,
on motion of Mr. Henderson, was filled
with Davidson, in honor of gen. (leorge
Lee Davidson, a distinguished officer in
our revolutionary war.]
The bill was read the second time,
and rejected, 53 in favour, and 62
against it.
After some time spent in committer
of the whole, Mr. A. Moore in the chair,
on the revenue bill, the committee rose,
reported progress, and asked leave lu
sit again.
Saturday, December 9.
The following bills were introduced
By Mr. Roberts, a bill to compel tht
clerk of Sui ry county court to keeph;?
office in the town of Rockford.
By Mr. Poindexter, a bill to autho
rise John Frost, of Rowan county, \*
erect a dam across Mitchell's river in
Surry county.
By Mr. Pope, a bill to prevent tlw
fishing with nets at the mouth of Great
Contentnea.
By Mr. Hampton, a bill allowing ju
rora in the county and superior tomti
of Wilkes fo receivc pay for sei vices.
By Mr. B*ll, a bill to appoint a toni
mittee of finantc for the county ol Car
teret.
Karh read the first time and passed
The house proceeded to the order of
the day and took up the bill to amend
the art laying duties on sales at auction
of merchandize. ? Also the bill allow
ing addi:ional compensation to the at
torney general and solicitors fur the
state.
Head, amended, and passed the se
cond time.
A hallutting was had for a hoard of
commissioners for internal improve
ment. Alfred Moore, Thomas Turner,
Archibald I). Murphey, John L). Haw*
kins, Durant Hatch, and Charles D.
Connor, Esquires, were elected.
The bill to authorise county courts
to alter separate elections, 8cc. was re
ferred to Messrs. Hilltnan, Bateman,
M ? rtin, Blount and Carter.
The resolution presented on Thurs
day last by Mr. Iredell, to appoint a
committee revise the laws now in force
relative to executors and administra
tors, 8cc. was taken up, and the blank
filled with the names of Wm. (?as'on
and John R. Donnell, of Newbern. I ho
resolution was engrossed and sent to the
senate.
The bill for regulating the pilotnfce
at Ocracock. ? The bill prescribing the
time within which mortgages, deeds ol
trust, 8tc. shall be registered, and the
bill to provide for the payment of costs
when slaves are convicted of capital of*
fcnces, were each read the second time
arid passed.
Mr. Alston, from the committee ap
pointed to examine the public account*
ot the treasurer, made a report, which
was ttnammoutly concurred with
both bouses.
Mr. Mebane, from the committed
reported unfavorably on the propose"