of the great modern movement. A new destiny was opened before her. To this call she has nobly responded, and the State is alive with projects that promise, in a few years, to secure to every portion of it all necessary railroad accommodations, with the results which always follow

in their train.

Next in importance to the Atlantic and St. Lawrence railroad is the European and North American project, which is designed to become a part of the great route of travel between the Old World and the New. Under the above title is embraced the line extending from Bangor, Maine, to Halifax, Nova Scotia, taking St. John, New Brunswick, in its route. From Bangor west, the line is to be made up of the Penobscot and Kennebec road, now in progress; the Androscoggin and Kennebec road, with a portion of the Atlantic and St. Lawrence, now in operation. When the whole line shall be completed, it is claimed that the transatlantic travel will pass over this road to and from Halifax, and that through Maine will be the great avenue of travel between Europe and America. Without expressing any opinion as to the soundness of such claims, their correctness is at present assumed, and is made the basis of action on the part of the people of the State, and, to a certain extent, gives character and direction to their railroad enterprises.

Of this great line, that portion extending from Portland to Waterville, a distance of eighty-two miles, is already provided for by a portion of the Atlantic and St. Lawrence and the Androscoggin and Kennebec railroads. The portion from Waterville to Bangor, something over fifty miles, is in progress. From Bangor to the boundary line of New Brunswick, no definite plan has been agreed upon; although the subject is receiving the careful consideration of the parties having it in charge, and no doubt is expressed that such measures will be taken as shall secure complete and early success to the measure. The New Brunswick portion of it is already provided for by a contract with a company of eminent English contractors, who, it is believed, will also undertake the Nova Scotia division. Of the realization of this scheme at the earliest day, there can be no doubt. The plan meets with as hearty approval in the provinces, and in Great Britain, as it does in Maine; and on both sides of the water are the results claimed fully conceded. Such being the fact, foreign capital will be certain to supply, and is, indeed, now supplying, whatever may be lacking in this country.

Another leading road in Maine is the Kennebec and Portland, extending from Portland to Augusta, upon the Kennebec river, a distance of over sixty miles. This road it is proposed to extend, to form a junction with the Penobscot and Kennebec, by which it will become a convenient link from Portland east, in the great European and North American line already referred to.

An important line of road is also in progress, to extend from Portland to South Berwick, there to form a junction with the Boston and Maine road-thus forming two independent lines of railroad between Portland and Boston. A portion of this line is in operation, and the whole under contract, to be completed at an early day.

A project of considerable importance is also at the present time

engrossing the attention of the people of Bangor-that of a railroad following the Penobscot river up to Lincoln, a distance of about fifty miles. As the route is remarkably favorable, and easily within the means of the city of Bangor, its speedy construction may be set down as certain. It is much needed to accommodate the important lumbering interest on that river. From Bangor to Oldtown a distance of twelve miles-a railroad already exists, which will form a part of the above line.

The projects enumerated embrace a view of all the proposed works in Maine, of especial public interest.

NEW JERSEY.

Population in 1830, 320,823; in 1840, 373,306; in 1850, 489,555. Area in square miles, 8,320; inhabitants to square mile, 58.84.

The railroads of New Jersey, as do those of the State of Connecticut, derive their chief importance from their connexion with the routes of commerce and travel of other States.

The most important roads in the State are those uniting New York and Philadelphia, the Camden and Amboy and the New Jersey railroads, in connexion with the Philadelphia and Trenton road, lying within the State of Pennsylvania. Upon these roads are thrown not only the travel between the two largest cities in the United States, but between the two great divisions of the country. As might be expected from such relations, they command an immense passenger traffic, and rank among our most successful and productive works of the kind. They are much more important as routes of travel than of commerce, as the Raritan canal, which has the same general direction and connexions, is a better medium for heavy transportation.

Another important work is the New Jersey Central, which traverses the State from east to west. At Elizabethtown it connects with the New Jersey road, thus forming a direct railroad connexion between New York and Easton, on the Delaware river. This road, though locally important, is still more so from its prospective connexions with other great lines of road, either in progress or in operation. It is proposed to extend it up the valley of the Lehigh, and through the mountain range lying between the Delaware and Susquehanna rivers, to Catawissa, on the latter, from which it will be carried to Williamsport, to form a connexion with the Sunbury and Erie road, which is about to be commenced. Upon the completion of these, the Central would not only form a very important avenue between the city of New York and the coal-fields of Pennsylvania, from which that city draws its supplies of fuel; but would unite the city with Lake Erie, opening a new and direct line for the trade of the West, and placing New York in very favorable relations to the proposed Sunbury and Erie line. From Easton to Sunbury a large amount has already been expended for the purpose of opening the above communication, and no doubt is expressed that this project will be speedily realized.

A road is also in progress from Trenton, designed to follow the Delaware up to the Water Gap, for the purpose of connecting with the

proposed road from the Lackawanna valley to that place, and of opening an outlet for the latter in the direction of Philadelphia. This road has already been completed to Lambertville, and is in progress beyond that point.

Another important road in this State, possessing similar characteristics with the Ĉentral, is the Morris and Essex. This road is now in operation to Dover, a distance of about forty miles from New York, and is in progress to a point on the Delaware river, opposite the Water Gap. From the Water Gap a road is proposed extending to the Lackawanna valley, at Scranton, the centre of very extensive deposites of iron and coal. The importance of a continuous line of railroad from the coal-fields of Pennsylvania to New York has already been adverted to. The extension of the Morris and Essex line into the Lackawanna valley is of the first consequence, from the connexion it would there form. This valley is already connected with western New York and the great lakes, and will be the focal point of a large number of roads, constructed for the purpose of becoming outlets for its coal in a northerly direction. By the opening of a railroad from this valley to New York, a new and important route would be formed between that city and the lakes, which could not fail to become a valuable one, both for commerce and travel.

Through the northern part of the State, the Erie railroad is now brought to Jersey City by means of what is now called the Union railroad, composed of two short roads, previously known as the Paterson and the Paterson and Ramapo; the track of this will be relaid, so as to correspond to the Erie gauge. Through this road the Erie is brought directly to the Hudson, opposite New York-a matter of great importance so far as its passenger traffic is concerned. The former is leased to, and is run as a part of, the Erie road.

A railroad is also in progress from Camden, opposite Philadelphia, to Absecum Beach, on the Atlantic coast. This road will traverse the State centrally, from northwest to southeast, and will prove a great benefit to the country traversed.

Canals of New Jersey.

There are two canals of considerable importance in the State-the Delaware and Raritan, and the Morris and Essex.

The Delaware and Raritan canal, the most considerable work of the two, commences at New Brunswick and extends to Bordentown, a distance of 43 miles. It is 75 feet wide at the surface, and 47 at the bottom, and 7 feet deep. There are seven locks at each end, 110 feet long, and 24 feet wide, having eight-feet lift each. These locks pass boats of 228 tons burden. The canal is supplied from the Delaware river, by a feeder taken out 22 miles above Trenton. This canal connects with the Delaware division of the Pennsylvania canals, and is the principal channel through which New York is supplied with coal. It also commands a large amount of freight between New York and Philadelphia, and is navigated by regular lines of propellers, running between the two cities. This work is of very great importance

to the city of New York, as a means of supplying that city with coal, and as affording a convenient channel of communication with Philadelphia. It is also an important work in a national point of view; as, in connexion with the Chesapeake and Delaware and the Dismal Swamp canals, it forms an internal navigable water-line, commencing with Long Island sound, and extending south, and by way of the cities of New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Norfolk, to the south part of North Carolina, This fact was regarded of great consequence to the commerce of the country, prior to the construction of railroads, as it would have enabled our people to maintain an uninterrupted communication between the different portions of the country in the event of a war with a foreign power.

Morris and Essex canal.-This work extends by a circuitous route from Jersey City to the Delaware river, at Easton. Its length is about one hundred miles. Its revenues are principally derived from the local traffic of the country traversed, and the transportation of coal, which is brought to Easton by the Lehigh canal. Its relations to the commerce of the country are not such as to call for particular notice.

PENNSYLVANIA.

Population in 1830, 1,348,233; in 1840, 1,724,033; in 1850, 2,311,786. Area in square miles, 46,000; inhabitants to square mile, 50.25. The attention of the people of Pennsylvania was, at an early period in our history, turned to the subject of internal improvements, with a view to the local wants of the State, and for the purpose of opening a water communication between the Delaware river and the navigable waters of the Ohio. It was not, however, till stimulated by the example of New York, and the results which her great work, the Erie canal, was achieving in developing and securing to the former the trade of the West, that the State of Pennsylvania commenced the construction of the various works which make up the elaborate system of that State.

The great Pennsylvania line of improvement, extending from Philadelphia to Pittsburg, was commenced on the 4th of July, 1826, and was finally completed in March, 1834. It is made up partly of railroad and partly of canal, the works that compose it being the Columbia railroad, extending from Philadelphia to Columbia, a distance of 82 miles; the eastern and Juniata divisions of the Pennsylvania canal, extending from Columbia, on the Susquehanna river, to Hollidaysburg, at the base of the Alleghany mountains, a distance of 172 miles; the Portage railroad, extending from Hollidaysburg to Johnston, a distance of 36 miles, and by which the mountains are surmounted; and the western division of the Pennsylvania canal, extending from Johnston to Pittsburg, a distance of 104 miles; making the entire distance from Philadelphia to Pittsburg by this line 394 miles. The canals are 4 feet deep, 28 feet wide at the bottom, and 40 at the water-line. Its locks are 90 feet long, and from 15 to 17 feet wide. The Alleghany mountains are passed by a summit of 2,491 feet, and the eastern division of the canal attains a height of 1,092 feet above tide-water. The Portage road consists of a series of inclined planes, which are worked by stationary engines.

The cost of this great line up to the present time has been about $15,000,000.

The eastern division of the canal has an additional outlet, by means of the Tidewater canal, (a private enterprise,) which extends from Columbia to Havre de Grace, on the Chesapeake bay, in Maryland. It forms an important avenue between both Philadelphia and Baltimore, and the interior of the State, as the boats that navigate it are, after reaching tide-water, conveniently taken to either city, as the case may require.

The line of improvement we have described was constructed with similar objects, and bears the same relation to the city of Philadelphia as does the Erie canal to the city of New York. It has not, however, achieved equal results, partly from the want of convenient western connexions, from the unfavorable character of the route, and partly from the fact that the line is made up of railroad and canal, involving greater cost of transportation than upon the New York work. It has, however, proved of vast utility to the city of Philadelphia and to the State, and has enabled the former to maintain a very large trade which she would have lost but for the above line. The comparatively heavy cost of transportation over this route has not enabled it to compete with the New York improvements, as an outlet for the cheap and bulky products of the West; but so far as the return movement is concerned it enjoys some advantages over the former, the most important of which is the longer period during which it is in operation. At the commencement of the season it opens for business about a month earlier than the Erie canal-a fact which secures to it and to the city of Philadelphia a very large trade long before its rival comes into operation; so that, although it may not have realized the expectations formed from it, as an outlet for western trade, it has been the great support of Philadelphia, without which her trade must have succumbed to the superior advantages of New York.

In

It would be a matter of much interest could the movement of property, upon the two lines of improvement from tide-water to the navigable waters of the West, be compared, both in tonnage and value. The returns of the Pennsylvania works, however, do not furnish the necessary data for such a comparison. There are no methods of distinguishing, accurately, the local from the through-tonnage, nor the quantity or value of property received from other States, as is shown upon the New York works. The returns of the business on the former, however, show only a small movement east over the Portage road, which must indicate pretty correctly the through movement. the opposite direction the amount, both in value and tonnage, is much larger. A better idea, probably, can be formed of the value and amount of this traffic from the extent of the jobbing trade of Philadelphia, a very considerable portion of which must pass over the above route. Philadelphia, though it does not possess a large foreign commerce, is one of the great distributing points of merchandise in the Union; and the large population and the very rapid growth of that city, in the absence of the foreign trade enjoyed by New York, proves conclusively the immense domestic commerce of the former.