A detailed look at early American internal navigation plans, with maps, plans, and real costs to connect rivers and markets.
This edition presents a focused view of the United States' internal navigation developments, corrected and expanded from the early 1826 edition. It lays out the scope, plans, and progress of canal and river improvements, with authentic materials and diagrams that illustrate how engineers envisioned a nationwide network. The work combines narrative with technical detail to show the logic behind proposed routes, the scale of the projects, and the practical costs involved.
Readers will encounter sections on the James and Jackson’s River canal, the Blue Ridge route, and other linked waterways around Richmond, along with profiles and measurements used to plan a continental system. The material includes historical surveys, engineering notes, and cost estimates that reveal both ambition and the realities of early 19th‑century infrastructure.
- Clear maps and engraved profiles that visualize proposed routes
- Descriptions of canal sections, lockage, and water depths
- Cost figures, notes on contingencies, and progress updates
- Historical context about aims to unify regional waterways
Ideal for readers curious about American infrastructure history, early canal engineering, and how 19th‑century planners imagined connecting the nation’s interior.