ninations of routes for roads and canals, the attention of the general government was directed to the following subjects, viz: Improvement of the navigation of the Connecticut river, from Improvement of the navigation of Kennebeck river, from Survey and level of the Androscoggin river, Surveys of the mouth of Black river and Conneaut creek, on Lake Erie, with a view to their improvement, Improving the navigation of the Tennessee river, Improving the navigation of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, Deepening the channel leading into the harbor of Presqu' Estimated cost. 35,223 18 Isle, on Lake Erie, of which the cost was estimated at Repairing Plymouth beach, 38,896 90 Building a pier at Steele's Ledge, near the harbor of Belfast, Maine, 1,200 00 Preservation of a point of land forming Provincetown harbour, 3,500 00 Removing obstructions to the navigation of Piscataqua river, 4,273 56 rimack river, 32,080 27 Improvements in the harbour of Hyannis, for the safe an chorage of vessels, 10,650.00 Building a pier, and repairing the old one, at the mouth of Buffalo creek, New-York, 49,000 00 Cleaning out and deepening the harbour of Sackett's Har bour, New-York, Improving the navigation of the bay and harbour of Oswego, 3,000 00 33,348 64 Building piers and repairing old ones, and deepening the water around them, at Newcastle, Delaware, Survey of the public piers at Chester, in the river Dela 25,000 00 ware, to determine upon the expediency of accepting Removing obstructions at the mouth of Grand river, Ohio, 14,755 11 Removing obstructions at the mouth of Ashtabula creek, Ohio, 14,403 50 Removing obstructions at the mouth of Cunningham creek, 3,517 76 9,413 35 3,977 81 Removing obstructions at Huion river, Ohio, Improving the navigation of La Plaisance Bay, Michigan, Survey of Sandusky Bay, to ascertain the expediency and expense of constructing piers, to improve the navigation thereof, Removing obstructions to the navigation of Saugatuck river, Survey of the swash in Pamlico sound, near Ocracock in- Survey of Cape Fear river, below the town of Wilmington, Survey of Roanoke inlet and sound, with a view of ascertain- Removing obstructions, and deepening the harbour of Mobile, Surveys of Marblehead and Holmes' Hole, 1,500 00 8,000 00 Erecting a pier at the mouth of Dunkirk harbour, New- 9,000 00 Improving Cleaveland harbour, Ohio, Improving the harbour at the mouth of Pascagoula river, 10,000 00 25,500 00 24,062 85 Surveys to ascertain the expediency and expense of erect ing a pier in Stonington harbour, 37,145 00 Examining the public piers at Port Penn, Marcus Hook, and Fort Mifflin, in the river Delaware, with a view to re pairing and improving the same, 91,689 33 Removing the Colbert shoals in Tennessee river, Removing the obstructions in the Kennebeck river, at Love joy's narrows, 6,500 00 Erecting piers and removing obstructions at and near the en 7,000 00 trance into the harbour of Saco, Survey of the harbour of Mill river, with a view to the erec. tion of a beacon, on a ledge of rocks, about one mile from the town, Survey of the shoal at the north end of Goat Island, in the harbour of Newport, Rhode Island, with a view to building a wall to the extremity of that shoal, Survey of the river and harbour of Warren, with a view to erecting a pier in Warren river, near the entrance into Warren harbour, Examination and survey of the 'muscle shoals in Tennessee river, with a view to the improvement of its navigation. The means adopted to preserve Plymouth beach and certain islands, in order to protect some of the eastern ports, by means of sea walls, were found, by the experience of the winter, to be effectual. The improvement in the navigation of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, by the removal of snags and other impediments in their channels, was this year prosecuted with great success. The obstructions were removed in the former river for 180 miles below the mouth of the Ohio. Besides these efforts made by the general government to improve the means of internal communication, the state governments devoted their resources with unparal. lelled zeal to the same object; and canals and roads were laid out 6,201 20 13,669 12 3,953 25 in various directions; plainly evincing that a new era had commenced with the American people, and that their views and policy would hereafter be turned homewards. The manufacturing establishments, which had been in a languishing state since the war, and which last year had given proofs of their ability to supply the wants of the country at a fair price, now furnished still stronger evidence of their stability, and assumed a high rank among the branches of national industry. They even began to enter into competition with European manufactures in foreign markets. In the year ending September 30, 1826, the value of domestic manufactures exported, amounted to $5,852,733, of which $1,138,125 consisted of cotton piece goods. The woollen manufacturers, from peculiar circumstances, which are detailed in a subsequent chapter, did not partake of this general prosperity, but continued to decline. Measures were "brought forward in congress for their relief, but they did not pass into a law. Notwithstanding this increase in the manufacturing capital of the United States, the unparalleled aug. mentation of registered and licensed tonnage at the same time, and the unusual activity among the commercial classes, after they had recovered from the check to enter. prise, consequent upon the wanton spirit of speculation which prevail. ed at the beginning of the last year, showed that the prosperity of the manufacturers was not owing to a subtraction of capital from the ship. ping business, but was caused by the increase of the population and wealth of the country. The in crease in the tonnage of the United States during 1826 was 111,079 tons, being more than double the increase in any one of the twelve preceding years. In conformity with the plan proposed to settle the remaining tribes of aborigines on the western side of the Mississippi, provision was made by the war department, for the removal thither of such Indians as chose to emigrate. Within the year, the Shawnees, about 1400 in number, emigrated from the state of Ohio, to a spot chosen by themselves; as did a portion of the Creeks, about 700 in number, from the states of Georgia and Alabama. Efforts were also made to induce the Cherokee tribes to remove to the same portion of the union, and commissioners were appointed to hold a council with that nation, for the purpose of procuring a cession of territory, to gra tify the claims of Georgia; but those Indians, who had succeeded, under the fostering care of the general government, in attaining a high degree of civilization, refused to cede another foot of land. The Chickasaw tribes, on the contrary, consented to remove beyond the Mississippi, upon the following conditions: that after visiting and being satisfied with the country, they should receive acre for acre, and similar improvements should be made there at the expense of the United States as existed on the territory they now owned; a territorial government to be established over them, with a suitable force for their protection, to be kept up at the expense of the United States. The number of Indian children educated at the schools this year, established at the expense of the American vernment, was 1291. go Whilst these arrangements were made among the southern Indians, the movements among the north western tribes required more energetic measures. In that quarter. Just previous to the arrival of the United States commissioners at a council held with the Sioux, Foxes, Chippewas, Winnebagoes, &c., to fulfil the treaty of pacification concluded between those tribes during the last year, (See vol. I. p. 47,) a portion of the Winnebagoes indicated hostile dispositions towards the whites, and finally attacked and murdered some American citi zens. As these movements were regarded as proofs of a powerful combination among those tribes, great promptitude was evinced in suppressing the evil. Gov. Cass at once applied to Gen. Atkinson for assistance, and that officer ordered out 600 of the army under him, and with a portion of the Illinois militia, moved to the scene of hostilities, when the Indians submitted and delivered up the murderers, eight in number, to take their trial according to the laws of the United States. With the exception of this disturbance, the domestic quiet of the country was uninterrupted, and the prosperity of the people evinced the excellence of their institutions, and the wisdom and prudence with which they were administered. |