The civil and military officers of congress in the city. With these were drank the following toasts, announced by the trumpet, and answered by a discharge of artilleThe supreme executive council of Pennsylvania.-ry-a round of ten to each toast, and these were in like [His excellency the president was too much indisposed manner answered by a discharge from the ship Rising Sun, at her moorings. to attend.]

Twenty watchmen, with their flams decorated, and inerties. their proper dress.

Twenty silent watchmen, with their staves. Watchmen, calling the hour ten o'clock and a glorious star light morning.

The hour and stars alluded to the ten states who have adopted the constitution.

LXXXIII, The street commissioners.

exhibited on that day, was completed between Monday morning and the Thursday evening following.

The military in general, horse, artillery and infantry, were completely dressed and accoutred, according to the uniforms of their respective corps, and made a most martial appearance; being distributed in various parts of the line, they gave a beautiful variety to the whole, and evinced that both soldiers and citizens united in favour of the new government.

The whole of this vast body was formed, and the entertainment of the day conducted with a regularity and decorum far beyond all reasonable expectation. The footways, the windows and roofs of the houses were crowded with spectators, exhibiting a spectacle truly magnificent and irresistably animating. But what was more pleasing to the contemplative mind, universal love and harmony prevailed, and every countenance appeared to be the index of a heart glowing with urbanity and rational joy. This pleasing idea was much supported by a circumstance which probably never before occurred in such extent-viz: the clergy of almost every denomination united in charity and brotherly love-may they and their flocks so walk through life!

425

dows of the houses. This must be ascribed to the sublimity of the sight, and the pleasure it excited in every mind; for sublime objects and intense pleasure never fail of producing silence!

In the course of the morning, many speeches were made by different gentlemen, that arose out of the incidents of the procession. Mr. P. who walked with the farmers, just behind a man who was sowing grain, upon passing by the lawyers, said, "we sow, gentlemen, but you reap the fruits of our labours." Upon the procession being detained for a few minutes by an accident having happened to the carriage of the black-smiths' shop, it was said, "that this was all in order, for it was an emblem of the obstructions and difficulties the constitution had met with in its establishment, from the arts of bad, and the ignorance of weak men." "Tis done! We have become a nation. America has ceased to be the only power in the world, that has deri ved no benefit from her declaration of independence. We are more than repaid for the distresses of the war, and the disappointment of the peace. The torpid resources of our country already discover signs of life and motion. We are no longer the scoff of our enemies. The reign of violence is over. Justice has descended from heaven to dwell in our land, and ample restitution has at last been made to human nature, by our New Constitution, for all the injuries she has sustained in the old world from arbitrary governments, false religions, and unlawful commerce.

It is impossible to be precise in numbers on such an occasion; but averaging several opinions, there were about five thousand in the line of procession, and about seventeen thousand on Union Green. The green was entirely cleared by six o'clock in the evening, and the edifice, ship, and several machines being withdrawn, the citizens soberly retired to their respective homes. The But I return from this digression, to relate one more weather was remarkably favourable for the season-fact, from which I derived no small pleasure, or rather cloudy without rain, and a brisk wind from the south during the whole day. At night the ship Riring Sun was handsomely illuminated in honor of this great festival. Such is the account we have been enabled to give of this memorable exhibition-it is very probable there may be some omissions; if so, the committee can only assure their fellow citizens that no neglect or offence was intended to any individual or company whatever-the shortness of the time, and the complicated nature of the task, they have undertaken, must be their apology.

As the system of government (now fully ratified) has been the occasion of much present joy, so may it prove a source of future blessing to our country, and the glory of our rising empire.

Published by order,

FRANCIS HOPKINSON, Chairman
of the committee of arrangement.

Extracts from observations on the Federal Procession.

The Procession gave universal pleasure. Never upon any occasion during the late war did I see such deep seated joy in every countenance. Foreigners speak of it in the highest terms, and many of them, who have seen the splendid processions of coronations in Europe, declare, that they all yield, in the effect of pleasure, to our hasty exhibition instituted in honor of our Federal Government.

The first thing that struck me in viewing the procession, was, the occasion of it.

It was not to celebrate a victory obtained in blood over any of our fellow-creatures.-No city reduced to ashes -no army conquered by capitulation-no news of slaughtered thousands brought the citizens of Philadelphia together. It was to celebrate a triumph of knowledge over ignorance, of virtue over vice, and of liberty over slavery. It was to celebrate the birth of a free government, the objects of which were to lessen the number of widows and orphans, by preventing the effusion of human blood; to save human nature from the disgraces and desolations of war, and to establish and extend the blessings of peace throughout the continent of Amer

ica.

The order of the procession was regular, and begat correspondent order in all classes of spectators. A solemn silence reigned both in the streets and at the winNo. 27.

triumph, after the procession was over. It is, that out of seventeen thousand people who appeared on the green, and partook of the collation, there was scarcely one person intoxicated, nor was there a single quarrel or even dispute, heard of during the day. All was order, all was harmony and joy. These delightful fruits of the entertainment are to be ascribed wholly to no liquors being drank on the green, but beer and cyder. I wish this fact could be published in every language, and circulated through every part of the world, where spirituous liquors are used.

A small anecdote connected with the effects of the procession, shall finish my postcript.

A worthy German who carried the standard of one of the trades, when he came home, desired his wife to take care of the flag till the next time he should be called upon to carry it, "and if I die, (said he) before I can have that honour again, I desire that you would place it in my coffin, and bury it with me.

building wing walls, &c. the benefit derived from such trifling and frequently pernicious labours, was scarcely perceptible. In the year 1793, a company was incorporated to make a canal round the Conewago falls on this river; on the east side of this river; which work extending 13 mile, and overcoming a fall of 21 feet, was soon afterwards executed at an expense of 100,000 dolIn the year 1813, an act was passed authorising James Hopkins of Lancaster county, to make a canal for the same purpose on the east side of the river; accordingly in 1814, two dams, one of 800, the other of 500 feet were built. The canal is one mile in length, excavated in rock. The ascent of 21 feet is overcome by one guard and three lift locks, cach 110 feet long and 18 feet wide. The cost of this work was $120,000. The water power obtained from these two canals was the chief inducement which occasioned their construction.

In 1826 the legislature commenced the execution of the Susquehanna division of the great Pennsylvania Canal, which will extend from the New York line, on the North Branch of the Susquehanna, to Columbia, a distance of 244 miles, exclusive of the length of the branches, &c.*

We will briefly mention a few of the works which are in progress, or in contemplation, and which may be considered as the branches of this canal.

We regret extremely, that in the communication pub-pended in removing rocks, deepening channels, and lished in our last number on the subject of canals, some expressions were used and statements made, particularly in respect to the Chesapeake and Delaware canal, which our better judgment, and a more deliberate examination would not have permitted us to circulate; and which, we understand, have justly occasioned some un-lars. pleasant feelings on the part of those more immediately interested in that important work. We have carefully, and conscientiously endeavoured to preserve the Register from being the medium of communicating any matters, personally offensive, or of a party nature, or calculated to create a prejudice against individuals or companies; and we are mortified, that notwithstanding these fixed principles which we had established, we have, from the circumstances under which the last number was published, been, innocently, the cause of producing the effects, against which we have always intended to guard our work. But as it has gone forth to the world, we deem it but justice to ourselves to state, that, owing to the manuscript being furnished to us at the very moment when it was actually required by the compositors, and in detached portions, we had not the opportunity of perusing it, previously, with our usual caution; and after being printed, (the time for issuing the paper being arrived,) and confiding its correction principally to the author of the communication; we did not notice the objectionable portions. The circumstance, too, of the author sanctioning the communication by his name, and of course assuming upon himself any responsibility which might attach to it, operated, in some considerable degree, to render us less particular than usual in revising the proof sheets. After making this candid statement by way of apology for ourselves, and expressing our regret for the occasion which renders it necessary; we hope, that any censure, which might otherwise attach to us, will be removed. After all, we presume, that the mere opinion of an individual, on points of policy and expediency, in opposition to those of engineers and managers interested deeply in the ultimate success of the undertaking, cannot prevail, to the prejudice of the work, in the view of the public. For ourselves, we deem it one of the most important improvements of the present time; and we hope the day is not far distant, when a practical demonstration will be afforded of the fallacy of the author's views upon the subject.

NOTES ON THE INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT
OF PENNSYLVANIA,

BY G. W. SMITH, ESQ.-CONCLUDED FROM PAGE 416. We have now described all the works which are intended to connect the Delaware with the Susquehanna. We will proceed to describe the works in the vicinity of the latter river.

1. A company has been incorporated to improve the Tioga river, for the purpose of transporting the valuable bituminous coal, which abounds on its head waters, to market. The plan of the improvement has not been decided-if a rail way can be made at less expense than a slack water navigation, it will probably be adopted: a survey has been made, but the company have not commenced operations. The future operations of this company will depend on the measures which may be adopted by the legislature of New York in relation to some projects which are connected with the plans of the company in that state. Much will depend on the connexion by rail ways or canals. of the Cayuga and Seneca lakes with the Susquehanna, We have not the means of deciding whether these connexions, which have been aathorised, will soon be effected.

2. We have previously stated that a company was auand dams, &c. Nothing has hitherto been effected-but thorised to improve the Lackawannock by canals, locks, we have reason to suppose that operations will be commenced before the completion of the state canal, and the Lackawaxen rail way, which are situated at each extremity of the projected line of improvements.

the state.

We have given in the table, in page 407, the length, lockage, estimated cost, and some other particulars respecting the canals, now being executed by order of Susquehannah and North Branch are 90 feet long by 17 We may here mention that the locks on the broad; on the Juniata, and on the canals west of the mountains, the locks are 90 feet long, and only 14 wide: a deviation in the width which will occasion much inconvenience; the reasons which have been assigned for this variation are very unsatisfactory. On the Delaware the locks are 90 feet long and 11 feet wide. 55 miles on the Connemaugh, and Alleghany, and 24 miles on the Susquehanna are finished, or will be in the course of this month. The whole 780 miles of canals, and about 140 of rail roads,* now in progress, at the expense of the State will be finished in 3 years from the present.

This beautiful stream is the largest river which empties into the Atlantic, within the United States; and, with the exception of the St. Lawrence and the Missis- * Viz. 1st, one of about 41 miles in length over the sippi, is the largest stream on the eastern coast of the Alleghany mountain-from Johnstown to Frankstown. union. It is the only river which at once stretches out 2d, the railway extending 84 miles from Philadelphia its arms, if we may use the expression, to embrace the to Columbia, (thence to York, about 15 miles, which is streans which are the tributaries of the two great kin- not yet located) Major Wilson is the engineer of the dred rivers which we have just mentioned. Columbia rail way. His talents and scientific attainMany efforts have been made to improve the naviga-ments are too well known to require our commendation of this river; but although large sums have been ex- tion.

has been a complete developement of the capacity of the whole country between the branches of the Susquehanna, and those of the Allegheny and Youghioghany rivers. From the Portage Branch of the Mahoning, in the northern part of the State, to Wills creek, a tributary of the Potomac, in the south, every route which offered the slightest prospect of furnishing a continuous water 4. A connexion, by a rail way, between the Susque- communication, has been thoroughly examined and surhanna near Nescopeck, and the Lehigh above Mauch veyed; and we regret to state that such a communication Chunk; via Nescopec, Black, Cranberry and Quacake is impracticable, even if the enormous tunnels, which creeks, by a railway. The surveys are under the direc-were formerly proposed, be resorted to. tion of Mr. Robinson.

zinc, copperas, limestone, marble, salt, and many other invaluable minerals are diffused throughout our territory. Nor have the exertions of an industrious population been wanting to reap the rich harvest which is offered to their acceptance. Pennsylvania at the present moment, contains more of the means of wealth and physical greatness, than any State in the Union. May she never forget that these attributes, when unaccompanied by moral pre-eminece, only render the degradation of their possessor the more conspicuous and humiliating. Let her remember that the most splendid and most important of all the "internal improvements" in which she can be engaged is promoting the inoral amelioration of her population.

The following are some of the errata which have been discovered in these notes. We have mentioned the existence of two tunnels on the Connemaugh: the word route was omitted after Connemaugh. One of these tunnels, it is well known, is in the vicinity of Pittsburg. In page 415, 8th line from the bottom for 17 read

7.

We mentioned that $1,600,000 had been expended on the Union Canal 'including the sums received by the company from the lottery; it ought to be excluding. The loan of $300,000 which we mentioned, forms part of the $1600,000, and is not in addition to it as we have stated. Credit ought also to be given to the long continued, laborious, and useful exertions of Samuel Millin, esq. to promote some of the most important improvements of the State. His name has been accidentally omitted in the 14th line of page 405, 24 column.

We ought also to mention, that the first survey for a canal to connect the Chesapeake with the Delaware,

was made in 1764.

The early and indefatigable efforts of Mr. Gilpin, to attract attention to this project, and his valuable publications on this subject, at different periods, ought not to pass unnoticed.

Hypothesis on the formation of the Water Gop, in a letter to the Editor, by Samuel Preston, Esq. of Stockport.

The Water Gap, or passage of the Delaware river through the Kittitany or Blue Mountain, is perhaps the greatest natural curiosity in any part of the state.

as to science and general knowledge. Ninety-eight years ago he was on Depui's Island, and from the vast size of a hollow buttonwood tree and apple tree, he concluded that the water must have been gone one thousand years or more for trees to have grown to such an uncommon size.

We may reasonably suppose, that before the dam sunk, the bed or channel of the river was of the same alluvial quality as the shores and islands, and that the water has worn the channel or bed of the river by carrying the alluvial matter or materials down stream. It is well known that all such particles as float in swift running water will sink in eddies or still water; and there is no such other still eddy on the Delaware as the Water Gap.

It is an obvious fact that I have observed, when passing on rafts, that the river is always abundantly more muddy, (or riyly as it is called) above than below the Water Gap.

Now let us consider what may be the probable depth filled with alluvial material in the bottom of the Water Gap. For the first 1000 years after the dam sunk, considering the wide channel that has been washed for the bed of the river from 40 or 50 miles above, two feet per year on an average, may be a moderate conclusion; and two feet a year for 1000 years is 333 fathoms on the top of a dam 150 or 200 feet high, and 98 years ago no bottom to be found by the longest cords that then could be procured-then what must have been the depth of the subterraneous cavern into which the dam sunk?

That the dam sunk in such a cavern, I take for granted, or how came such vast deep water in the very place where it stood. Stones would never wash out from such a depth.

Another circumstance that I consider as proof that the dam sunk-the rocks and stones of which the mountain is composed, are a hard granite peculiar to that place, and no stones of a similar quality are to be found in the

river below.

If any persons think my hypothesis erroneous, the Water Gap will not run away, they may go and examine for themselves. It is within 80 miles of Philadelphia; good roads; a spacious tavern on the south side. There, perhaps, the mountain may be too steep to ascend. On the north side is a village called Dutotsburgh, with one or two taverns, a post office, &c.; from thence it may be ascended, and a morning's walk from Dutotsburgh to the summit of the mountain would be a promenade of the highest order.

From every appearance of so much alluvial or made lands, above the mountain, there must in some former period of the world have been a great dam against the mountain that formed all the settlements called Meenesink From the pinnacle is, perhaps, the most extensive cominto a lake, which extended and backed the water at mand of prospects of any place in Pennsylvania. It least 50 miless, as appears by the alluvial or made land. would be a profitable and instructive employment for some What height the dam was, is quite uncertain; had it been of the young engineers to make an excursion there, take as high, or half as high as the mountain, the water would their observations as to heights and distances, make their have run into the North river, on or near the old Mine estimates how many millions of cubic inches have caved road or Hudson and Delaware Canal. From the water out of the mountain to form that chasm; draw their permade land, and distance that it appears to have backed spective views and landscapes. Then they would unite over the falls in the river, the height must, on a mode- | in my opinion, that the Water Gap and vicinity is the rate calculation, have been between 150 and 200 feet-greatest natural curiosity in Pennsylvania, which would have formed a cataract, in proportion to the quantity of water, similar to Niagara.

By what convulsion in nature, or in what age of the world, that dam gave way, can never be known: but in my opinion, from every observation that I have been able to make, in so frequently passing through the Gap by water and land, it appears that the dam must have been sunk into some very tremendous subterraneous cavern, and to a depth that cannot be known or estimated. I will give some idea of the size of what the raftsmen call the Water Gap, and then my reasons for that opinion.

Stockport, June 20th, 1828.

SAMUEL PRESTON.

Brief Account of the Schools established in this City, by the late Dr. Bray, and his Associates of Great Britain, for the gratuitous "Education of NEGRO CHILDREN. In the year 1696, Dr. Bray was appointed by the Bishop of London, Commissary of Maryland, for the establishment and better regulation of eclesiastical concerns in that province. He was eminently useful and The distance through the mountain is called two successful while in this employment, in obtaining assistmiles, and say, the river will average near half a mile wide, ance and encouragement of the English Bishops and oththe water apparently as still as a mill-pond; so that a rafters, towards the establishment of parochial libraries in will float either up or down as the wind blows. As to the depth of the water, I have been told by old men, that formerly they could not find any bottom by sounding with the longest ropes or cords they could obtain.

Nicholas Scull was esteemed a first rate man of his day

the British plantations, by voluntary donations in money and books, in which benevolent purpose a number of respectable individuals were associated with him.

Another branch of the trust assumed by him and them, was "the conversion of adult negroes, and the education