JULY, 1813.

in behalf of the same, three hundred and seventy-five shares in the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal Company, if the United States shall subscribe seven hundred and fifty shares, the State of Maryland two hundred and fifty shares, and the State of Delaware one hundred shares, in the same company. That the utility and importance of a navigable canal over the isthmus which separates the bays of Chesapeake and Delaware, is so well understood, and so universally admitted, your committee have deemed it unnecessary to say anything in addition to what already appears in the various reports and communications hitherto made to Congress on this subject. The cause which suspended the operations of the company, the extent and nature of the canal, the progress and state of the work, the annual saving to the community, the probable revenue of the canal, and the expenses of the whole work, are so ably stated and estimated in the report of the Secretary of the Treasury on the subject of public roads and canals, of the 2d of March, A. D. 1807, that your committee have taken the liberty to introduce here that part of the said report which relates to this particular subject.

"III. Delaware and Chesapeake Canal. "A company incorporated by the States of Delaware and Maryland for opening this canal has commenced its operations, now suspended for want of funds.

"The canal will commence at Welsh point, on Elk river—an arm of the Chesapeake-and terminate at a distance of twenty-two miles on Christiana creek, a branch of the Delaware. At low water, the depth of water in Christiana is nine feet, and in Elk twelve feet, within one hundred feet from the shore. The tide rises four feet in both rivers. The canal might, without increasing the distance, be conducted to Newcastle, on the Delaware itself, instead of ending at Christiana creek.

"The highest intermediate ground over which the canal will be carried, on a level of thirteen miles in length, is seventy-four feet above tide-water, the descent being effected by nine locks on each side. The digging is generally easy; no expensive aqueducts or bridges, nor any other obstacle, but those which have already been overcome in digging the feeder through a very rocky soil.

"The supply of water drawn from Elk river, by a feeder six miles in length, (already completed, which is itself a boat canal three and a half feet deep, united by a lock of ten feet lift with the main canal,) is calculated to fill daily one hundred and forty-four locksa quantity sufficient, on an average, for the daily passage of twenty-four vessels. A reservoir covering thirty, and which may be increased to one hundred and fifty acres, will supply occasional deficiencies, Other reservoirs may be added; and Christiana and White Clay creeks may hereafter be brought in aid of Elk river, if the supply should prove too scanty for an increased navigation.

"The canal (twenty-six feet wide at the bottom, and fifty at the top, on the water line, being dug at the depth of eighty feet) is intended for vessels forty to seventy tons, drawing seven and a half feet water; but the banks (twenty feet wide for towing-paths, and one of which may be converted into a turnpike road) being raised three feet above the level of the water, will, by increasing the height of the lock-gates one foot, admit a depth of nine feet of water in the canal, at which depth it would perhaps be eligible to dig at once. The locks (eighty feet long, eighteen feet wide, and eight

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or nine feet deep over the gate-sills, containing each eleven thousand five hundred to thirteen thousand cubic feet of water, and with a lift of eight to nine feet each) will be constructed of hewn stone, laid in tarras. Those dimensions, both of the canal and locks, recommended by Mr. Latrobe, the engineer of the canal, may be adopted in all the other canals for sea-vessels on this line of communication.

"The present annual carriage across the peninsula, which would be drawn through the canal, is estimated at forty-two thousand tons, exclusive of passengers. This will be greatly increased by the facility which the canal itself will afford to the commercial intercourse between the two bays, and to the conveyance of articles now carried through other channels, or too heavy for transportation at the present expense of carriage. The coals wanted for Philadelphia, and which, brought down from the sources of the Susquehannah and Potomac, but principally from the vicinity of Richmond, would naturally pass through the canal, have been alone estimated at more than one hundred thousand tons a year. The annual carriage of all articles may, in the present state of the population, be fairly estimated at one hundred and fifty thousand tons, and the direct annual saving to the community at three hundred thousand dollars-being at the rate of two dollars a ton for the difference between land and water carriage across the peninsula, after paying the tolls. These, at the rate of fifty cents a ton, will give to the undertakers a revenue of seventy-five thousand dollars, leaving, after a deduction of ten thousand dollars for annual repairs, and of ten thousand dollars more for attendance and contingencies, a net income of fifty-five thousand

dollars.

"The interest on which sum, at six per cent., is fiftyone thousand dollars.

"The capital originally subscribed amounted to four hundred thousand dollars, divided into two thousand shares of two hundred dollars each. One-half of these has been forfeited, after a small payment of five dollars on each share. One hundred thousand dollars, paid by the other stockholders, have been expended in preparatory measures, in the purchase of water-rights, and in digging the feeder, which was considered as the most difficult part of the work. Seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars are still wanted to complete the work; of which sum, one hundred thousand dollars is payable by the stockholders, and the deficiency of six hundred and fifty thousand dollars must be drawn from other sources.'

From this report of the Secretary of the Treasury, it

A sum which will enable them to recommence their

operations, and, according to the estimate of the Secretary of the Treasury, nearly sufficient to complete the digging of the main canal.

Should this public aid be afforded, your committee feel a persuasion it would give a new impulse to the work, reanimate the company, inspire the community with confidence, induce the aid of individual capitalists, and insure, at no very distant period, the completion of an undertaking of great national as well as local advantage and importance.

The lateness of the session, however, and the nature of the business which at present engages the attention of the Senate, renders it inexpedient to bring this subject forward during this session of Congress. But, your committee, while they advise a postponement of the subject, earnestly recommend it to the early and attentive consideration of the Senate, at the next meeting of Congress.

They therefore submit the following resolution: Resolved, That the further consideration of the President's Message of the 5th ultimo, with the communication accompanying the same, be postponed to the next session of Congress.

TUESDAY, July 13.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the report of the committee to whom was referred the memorial of John Gooding and others; which was adopted; and the petitioners had leave to withdraw their petition.

The Senate took into consideration the amendment of the House of Representatives to the bill, entitled "An act for the relief of Alexander Scott." On motion, by Mr. GILES,

Resolved, That they concur therein, with the following amendment; strike out "five thousand," and insert" nine thousand."

The bill, entitled "An act to provide for the widows and orphans of militia slain, and for militia disabled in the service of the United States," was read the second time, and referred to the committee appointed, on the 27th of May, on so much of the Message of the President of the United States as relates to the Military Establishment, to consider and report thereon.

The bill, entitled "An act to continue in force, for a limited time, certain acts authorizing corps of rangers for the protection of the frontier of the United States, and making appropriations for the same." was read the second time, and referred to

JULY, 1813.

the committee last mentioned, to consider and report thereon.

The bill, entitled “An act for the relief of Edwin T. Satterwhite," was read the second time and referred to a select committee, to consider and report thereon. Messrs. TURNER, HOWELL, and ROBINSON, were appointed the committee.

Mr. KING, from the committee to whom was referred the bill, entitled "An act laying duties on sugar refined within the United States," reported it with amendments. He also reported the bill, entitled "An act laying duties on carriages for the conveyance of persons," without amendment.

Mr. ANDERSON submitted the following motion for consideration:

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That a joint committee of both Houses wait on the President of the United States, and request that he recommend a day of public humiliation and prayer, to be observed by the people of the United States with religious solemnity, and the offering of fervent supplications to Almighty God for the safety and welfare of these States, his blessing on their arms, and the speedy restoration of peace.

BRITISH LICENSES.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill to prohibit the use of licenses or passes granted by the authority of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, together with the amendments reported thereto by the select committee.

On motion by, Mr. GILES,

To strike out of first section, line 20, the following words: "And any ship, vessel, or merchandise, owned in whole or in part by any citizen or inhabitant of the United States, or of the Territories thereof, which shall be found in the waters or within the jurisdiction of the United States, having or using a license, pass, or other instrument, as aforesaid, shall be forfeited, the one half to the use of the United States, and the other half to any person or persons who shall give information thereof, and produce or procure evidence of the fact; the duties, if any, which may be payable on the importation of such merchandise, being previously paid or deducted from the proceeds of such forfeiture:"

It was determined in the negative-yeas 13, nays 20, as follows:

YEAS-Messrs. Daggett, Dana, German, Giles, Gilman, Goldsborough, Gore, Horsey, Hunter, King, Lambert, Mason, and Wells.

NAYS-Messrs. Anderson, Bibb, Bledsoe, Brent, Brown, Bullock, Campbell, Chace, Condict, Fromentin, Howell, Lacock, Leib, Morrow, Robinson, Tait, Taylor, Turner, Varnum, and Worthington.

And the bill having been further amended, the President reported it accordingly, and it was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time as amended.

WEDNESDAY, July 14.

The PRESIDENT communicated a report of the Secretary for the Department of War, on the memorial of William Tatham, referred to him on

the 18th of February last; and the report was read.

The motion made yesterday respecting a day of public humiliation and prayer was read, and passed to the second reading.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the report of the select committee made the 12th instant, on the subject of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal Company; and the further consideration thereof was postponed to the next session of Congress.

The bill to prohibit the use of licenses or passes granted by the authority of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was reported by the committee correctly engrossed.

On motion, by Mr. GILES, the third reading of this bill was postponed until to-morrow.

The bill, entitled "An act to establish the town of Mobile a port of entry," was read a third time as amended, and passed.

The engrossed bill authorizing the payment for wagons and teams captured and destroyed by the enemy at Detroit was read a third time, and passed.

LICENSES TO DISTILLERS.

On motion, it was agreed that the several orders of the day be postponed, for the purpose of taking into consideration the tax bills. Whereupon, the Senate proceeded to consider the amendments reported by the select committee to the bill, entitled "An act laying duties on licenses to distillers of spirituous liquors," and, having in part agreed to the amendments reported, on motion, to strike out the seventh section, as reported by the select committee, which goes to the limitation of the act to one year after the termination of the war with Great Britain; it was determined in the negative—yeas 14, nays 20, as follows:

YEAS-Messrs. Bibb, Brown, Daggett, Fromentin, German, Giles, Gilman, Gore, King, Lambert, Mason, Stone, Taylor, and Varnum.

NAYS-Messrs. Anderson, Bledsoe, Brent, Bullock, Campbell, Chace, Condict, Dana, Gaillard, Goldsborough, Horsey, Howell, Hunter, Lacock, Leib, Morrow, Robinson, Tait, Turner, and Worthington.

On motion, by Mr. VARNUM, that the bill be recommitted to the original committee, with instructions to amend the act, so that instead of a tax upon the capacity of the still, the same shall be laid upon the quantity of spirits distilled; it was determined in the affirmative-yeas 21, nays 13, as follows:

YEAS-Messrs. Brown, Chase, Daggett, Dana, Fromentin, Gaillard, German, Giles, Gilman, Goldsborough, Gore, Horsey, Hunter, King, Lambert, Leib, Mason, Robinson, Stone, Turner, and Varnum. NAYS-Messrs. Anderson, Bibb, Bledsoe, Brent, Bullock, Campbell, Condict, Howell, Lacock, Morrow, Tait, Taylor, and Worthington.

THURSDAY, July 15.

A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that the House concur in the amendments of the Senate to the bill, enti

SENATE.

tled "An act for the assessment and collection of direct taxes and internal duties," with an amendment, in which they request the concurrence of the Senate." They have passed a bill, entitled "An act to regulate the allowance of forage to officers in the Army of the United States," in which bill they request the concurrence of the Senate.

The bill last brought up for concurrence was read, and passed to the second reading.

The Senate proceeded to consider the amendment of the House of Representatives to their amendments to the bill, entitled "An act for the assessment and collection of direct taxes and internal duties." Whereupon,

Resolved, That they do not concur therein.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill for the relief of Elisha J. Winter; and the bill having been amended, the President reported it to the House accordingly, and it was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time as amended.

On motion, by Mr. DANA, the Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill concerning suits and costs in courts of the United States.

On motion, by Mr. BIBB, to postpone the furDecember next, it was determined in the negather consideration thereof to the first Monday in tive. And the bill having been amended, the President reported it to the House accordingly, and it was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time as amended.

recommitted the bill, entitled "An act laying duMr. KING, from the committee to whom was ties on licenses to distillers of spirituous liquors," reported that, owing to the advanced stage of the session, the length of time that will be wanted to obtain information, and to modify the bill according to the instruction given to the committee, it would be impracticable to report the bill so amended during the session; and therefore moved that the committee be discharged. Whereupon, consideration of this bill. the committee were discharged from the further

and the bill concerning suits and costs in courts The bill for the relief of Elisha J. Winter, of the United States, were, by the committee, reported correctly engrossed.

Whole, the bill for the remission of certain duties The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts; bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third and, no amendment having been proposed, the

time.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill, entitled "An act to establish the office of Commissioner of the Revenue," ," together with the amendment reported thereto by the select committee; and, having agreed to the amendment, the President reported the bill accordingly, and it was ordered to be read a third time as amended.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill, entitled “An act laying duties on sales at auction of merchandise and of ships and vessels," together with the