In addition to these two great publick works, there are several lateral canals extending from the main canals to the most prominent commercial business points in the adjacent country. The lateral branch, which terminates at Columbus, is 11 miles in length. The Dresden side-cut, and the slack water navigation to Zanesville, is 17 miles in extent. The Lancaster lateral canal, and the one leading from the Miami canal to Lebanon, are in a state of forwardness, the former nearly, or quite completed.

We have already more than 400 miles of finished canals in the state, and when the Miami canal shall be extended agreeable to the provisions of the act of the legislature for that purpose, and that of the Wabash and Erie line shall be completed, we shall have nearly or quite 550 miles of canal in Ohio. These indelible marks of Western industry and enterprise, are flattering to the pride of all who love their country, and rejoice in its prosperity.

Our publick highways, too, are rapidly improving, through the agency of a wise system of internal policy. A laudable public spirit has been infused among the people. Many important turnpikes have been constructed within the few past years, and that great national work, the Cumberland road, as it is familiarly called, extending through the centre, and the heart of the state, from east to west, affords incalculable advantages to the business of the state, and furnishes the finest facilities for travel, of any work of its kind in the Union.

It is computed that Ohio enjoys, upon our northern borders, about one hundred and ninety miles of ship and steam-boat navigation; and nearly or quite four hundred and thirty-six miles of steam-boat navigation on the Ohio.

These great local advantages, united with a soil abounding in every production and luxury of life, must inevitably give Ohio, at no distant day, if not the first, at least the second rank among the states of this Union. She already holds a conspicuous place in the confederacy. Although, in 1830, the fourth in point of population, she is now the third state, not only in number, but in wealth and resources; and for her rapid advancement in population and improvement, she is mostly indebted to her admirable form of government, to the spirit of industry that pervades her citizens, and to the mildness and freedom that marks her laws and institutions.

The form of the government of Ohio partakes of the nature of the other members of the republick, varying only in some unessential particulars.

The General assembly of the state consists of a Senate and House of representatives, the former of 36, and the latter of 72 members. The members of the Senate are elected once in every two years, and those of the House are chosen annually. A senator, to be eligible to a seat in the Senate, must be 30 years of age, and the members of the House of representatives of the age of 25.

The first territorial legislature met at Cincinnati, as early as 1799, when there were assembled only five members of the Council, and about sixteen or eighteen representatives. The names of these individuals may appear in some portion of the following pages. Judge Burnet, of Cincinnati was one of the members of the Council, and Wm. H. Harrison the first delegate to Congress ever appointed in the territory. Allusion is here made to those minute

particulars, with no other view than to show the rapidity with which the population and improvements of the state have advanced, and to cite the reader to the first grand impulse given to the spirit of emigration and enterprise that has characterized the settle ment of the West.

The organization of the territorial courts, as well as the other civil institutions of the country, gave a sudden impetus to those changes and improvements which followed the tread of the early adventurer to these Western wilds; and the citizen of the world, he whose observations and researches have led him to a general and comprehensive view of our present state of civilization and wealth, must look with no ordinary amazement and wonder, on the mighty revolutions effected in this important portion of the American Union. Ohio Annual Register

CASTLE ROCK,

ON THE BIG PRAIRIE, UPPER MISSISSIPPI.

A sketch and description of this curious rock, were found in the Philadelphia Saturday Courier, of October 10.

It is situated, we are informed, on the Big prairie, about ninety miles southwest of lake Pepin, Upper Mississippi. It stands upon a small rise of ground, at the first sight it appears like a castle or a church without a cupola, and can be seen twenty or thirty miles.

"The base-rock is about one hundred feet in circumference, and in height about sixty; the rock on the top varies in circumference, from three to fifteen, or, perhaps, twenty feet; the height of this rock is, at least, thirty feet, and it appears as if the least puff of wind would blow it over, it stands on so small a foundation, a mere pivot, and on so elevated an eminence. The rock is called by the Sioux Indians, the Standing stone, or Castle rock;-they have tried frequently to get on the top, but havo never succeeded.

BOUNDARIES OF EMPIRES.

The limits of empires are controlled by two causes, the physical geography of the soil, and the power of man; the first is eternal, and the last variable; thus, in examining history, we find that the first produces the most permanent effect.

banks. France has fought to obtain the boundary of the Rhine; she must either advance to the mountains beyond, or retire to the next range of hills in her present territory. The reason of this law is obvious; the fertile banks of large rivers are usually inhabited by numerous tribes of men, the calm and tranquil surface of the river invites them to cross over, the interests of commerce keep up a continual interThe Turks and Persians have, in modern times, course, the river is early passed, and both banks renewed the ancient contest between the Romans must be united under one government. Never has and Parthians, and have fought for several centuries, the Ganges, the Nile, the Danube, or the Rhine, without gaining permanently one square mile of ter-seen hostile nations in possession of the opposite ritory. shores.

Nations often war against those eternal limits, which are pointed out by nature.

The ancient Grecians fought for a thousand years, and their small republicks, at the termination of the contest, retained their original boundaries.

England and France have amused themselves by wars, which may continue to the end of time, without joining, under one sceptre, the vineyards of Burgundy and the valleys of England.

Alexander invaded the east, but he could not enlarge the confines of Macedonia.

Bonaparte subdued Europe, but France is not now more extensive than formerly.

Tamerlane overcame Asia, but it was not in his power to unite the fire-worshippers of Persia with the sons of Confucius, nor could he join under one empire, the shepherds of Tartary and the agricul

Prussia must be bounded by new acquisitions, or she | yet arrived at their full power, and which have be

must recede. This is the reason why she is constantly armed.

2. Small natural kingdoms in the vicinity of those which are larger, often lose their independence.

Small islands are always subdued. No one could now erect the standard of empire on the island of Ithica, or become king of the Fortunate islands. We see this rule exemplified in the history of Great Britain. The British islands contain five natural kingdoms: England, Cornwall, Wales, Scotland, Ireland. Wars took place among the Saxon monarchs of the heptarchy for four hundred years, until the valleys of England were united under one monarch. She then united to herself the smaller natural kingdoms, by which she is surrounded in the order of their respective strength.

The powerful empire of Austria has subdued the smaller divisions by which she is surrounded.

3. Where natural kingdoms have a certain size, it is difficult to conquer them.

Nothing but the fury of religious dissension could have subjected Bohemia, with her circular rampart of mountains, to a foreign power.

Let us now consider how the power of man modifies these laws. There is scarcely any law known among nations but force. The power of empire ebbs and flows like the tide. The savage tribes of Britain were easily defeated by the cohorts of Rome. At another period, their descendants conquered the veteran troops of France, led on by their emperour.

"Nations melt

From power's high pinnacle, when they have felt
The sunshine for a while."

The legions of Rome, the peasants of Switzerland, the infantry of Spain, the chivalry of France, the crossbowmen of England, and the battalions of Sweden, have, in succession, given law to Europe, and then retired to their native land.

The process of conquests is usually this. Nations become luxurious-they are invaded by a neighbouring tribe; some of the vanquished fall in battle, and their place is supplied by the conquerors. The kingdom retains its ancient boundary, and has merely sustained a change of inhabitants, together with the havock and distress which a state of war occasions.

Fears have been expressed that France and Spain would be united under one empire! Europe was in arms many years to prevent it. The Pyrenees have made it impossible. The union of Russia and Siberia is dreaded! When Siberia possesses a large population, she will no longer be under the dominion of Russia.

The empire of Rome may be cited as an instance against this theory, but, on examination, will be found to yield it support. It required all the ferocity of the Romans, aided by their naval power and their permanent national council, to subdue the nations around. On the decline of their high fortunes, their empire was broken into its original limits.

NAVAL POWER.

"War is the trade of barbarians." "The whole art consists in assembling a force superiour to that of your adversary." A great naval power is enabled to do his by seizing on the small detached portions of the world, and on large kingdoms which have not

come imbecile. This is easier, to such a power, because all countries are easily approached by sea; nature has made few impervious coasts; she intended that man should make use of the ocean. This produces the somewhat anomalous appearance of countries the most distant under one sceptre.

If we examine the reason of this law which binds nations within certain limits, we shall find it arises from similarity of habits and feelings, which at the same time leads them to hostilities all around. The Indians of America war with all but their own tribe.

In the highlands of Scotland, each clan was accustomed to combat all those who lived in the neighbouring valley.

Denon has given a correct and vivid description of the combats which take place between the villagers of the Nile. On inquiring the reason, "They know not; but their ancestors had been accustomed to fight, and it would be improper to break so laudable a custom."

Even in civilized countries, this hostile spirit is shown. Whereever two villages, of nearly equal size, are situated within ten miles of each other, rivalry takes place, and they would occasionally combat, but they are restrained by the laws. within one hundred miles of each other, have the same spirit of enmity.

Cities

If we examine the map of Europe, we perceive that Great Britain, France, Spain, Holland, Switzerland, Bavaria, Denmark, Sweden and Austria, ars natural kingdoms. Norway has always been in vas. salage, because her population is much scattered Turkey, Asia Minor, and Egypt, are joined by the power of a fleet, as they were under the Greek empire. Persia has its ancient limits. China has had the same from time immemorial. The Arabians subdued Asia, but they retain their sway over nothing more than their original sandy deserts. Hindostan is a natural empire, too weak to defend herself. America is arranged in natural divisions.

Thus, on the surface of the world, man has done little to change the decrees of the Almighty Power whose fiat governs the universe.

BIOGRAPHY.

ROBERT FULTON.

We

MR. FULTON is acknowledged to have been among the most distinguished men of his His age. successful exertions to furnish a means of trans portation which "brings the inhabitants of the world nearer each other," have shed upon his name a lustre that must be visible to the latest posterity. do not propose here to examine how closely the efforts of his genius are connected with the happiness of mankind, even where they seem most remote, but simply to afford a brief sketch of his life as an accompaniment to his portrait.

Robert Fulton was born in the town of Little Britain, in the county of Lancaster, state of Pennsylvania, in the year 1765, of a respectable though not opulent family. He was the third child and eldest son. His peculiar genius manifested itself at

of experiments with his torpedoes. He found Mr. Madison, then secretary of state, and the secretary of the navy, Mr. Smith, much disposed to encourage his attempts, the success of which Mr. Fulton, by his ingenious models and drawings, with his lucid and engaging mode of lecturing upon them, made appear so probable. The government authorized a certain expenditure to be made, under the direction of Mr. Fulton, for this purpose. In the mean time, anxious to prepossess his countrymen with a good opinion of his project, he invited the magistracy of New York, and a number of citizens, to Governour's Island, where were the torpedoes and the machinery, with which his experiments were to be made; these, with the manner in which they were to be used, and were expected to operate, he explained very fully. While he was lecturing on his blank torpedoes, which were large empty copper cylinders, his numerous auditors crowded round him. At length he turned to a copper case of the same description, which was placed under the gateway of the fort, and to which was attached a clockwork lock. This, by drawing out a peg, he set in motion, and then he said to his attentive audience, Gentlemen, this is a charged torpedo, with which precisely in its present state, I mean to blow up a vessel; it contains one an early age, in an irrepressible taste for drawing hundred and seventy pounds of gunpowder; and if and mechanism. At the age of twenty-one he was I were to suffer the clockwork to run fifteen minutes, intimate with Franklin. He had previously painted I have no doubt but that it would blow this fortificaportraits and landscapes in Philadelphia, and deriv- tion to atoms. The circle round Mr. Fulton was ed considerable profit from it. Soon after he sailed very soon much enlarged, and before five of the fiffor England, with the view of seeking Mr. West's teen minutes were out, there were but two or three assistance in the prosecution of his art. That great persons remaining under the gateway; some, indeed, painter took him into his family, where he remained lost no time in getting at the greatest possible disseveral years. In 1793, Mr. Fulton was actively en-tance from the torpedo, with their best speed, and gaged in a project to improve inland navigation. did not again appear on the ground, till they were Even at that time he had conceived the idea of propelling vessels by steam. In 1804, he had acquired much valuable information upon the subject, and written it down, as well as much concerning his own life, and sent many manuscripts from Paris to this country, but the vessel was wrecked and most of the papers destroyed. About this period the subject of canals seems to have been the principal object of his attention, although he made many valuable inventions, and wrote numerous essays, characterized by strong talent and deep knowledge. His works were not indeed confined to scientifick topicks, but he furnished other essays which were greatly praised. At what time Mr. Fulton's mind was first directed The characteristick features of his mind were ardour to steam navigation, is not distinctly known, but even and perseverance. When Napoleon held the power in 1793 he had matured a plan in which he reposed of France, Mr. Fulton engaged in several schemes great confidence. No one previously to Mr. Fulton, under the auspices of the first consul, for an account had constructed a steam-boat in any other way than of which, we refer the reader to the Memoir of Mr. as an unsuccessful experiment. Although many disCadwallader D. Colden. In 1806, Mr. Fulton em-pute his right to the honour of the discovery, none barked at Falmouth, and arrived at New York, by have done so with any semblance of justice. way of Halifax, on the thirteenth of December. Among those of his own countrymen who had Upon his arrival in this country, he immediately previously made únsuccessful attempts to render the commenced his arduous exertions in the cause of force of steam subservient to practical and useful practical science, and among other subjects which purposes, was Mr. Livingston. occupied his mind, was that of steam navigation. He had been long engaged in Europe in an attempt to introduce a vessel or torpedo to be used in war, for the purposes of destroying the marine enemy. Here is a curious anecdote of him at this time:

"He had not been landed in America a month, before he went to the seat of government, to propose to the administration to enable him to prosecute a set

was, among other things, agreed, that a patent should be taken out in the United States, in Mr. Fulton's name, which Mr. Livingston well knew could not be done without Mr. Fulton's taking an oath that the improvement was solely his.

would be the great advantages of steam-boats, on the large and extensive rivers of the United States. He had applied himself with uncommon perseverance, and at great expense, to constructing vessels and machinery for that kind of navigation. As early as seventeen hundred and ninety-eight, he believed that "In the American Medical and Philosophical he had accomplished his object, and represented to Register, there is a piece published under the title the legislature of the state of New York, that he of An Historical Account of the Application of was possessed of a mode of applying the steam- Steam for the Propelling of Boats.' This was drawn engine to propel a boat on new and advantageous up by Mr. Livingston, and addressed to Doctors Hoprinciples; but he was deterred from carrying it into sack and Francis, the editors of that journal. He effect, by the uncertainty and hazard of a very ex- very candidly acknowledges that all his efforts had pensive experiment, unless he could be assured of been unavailing. He explains the nature of the conan exclusive advantage from it, should it be found nexion between him and Mr. Fulton, and shows successful. what part that gentleman performed in the experiments which led to the accomplishment of their object. As this account, from Chancellor Livingston himself, must be very satisfactory, we shall present a part of it in an extract from the learned and valuable work we have just mentioned.

"The legislature in March, 1798, passed an act vesting Mr. Livingston with the exclusive right and privilege of navigating all kinds of boats which might be propelled by the force of fire or steam, on all the waters within the territory or jurisdiction of the state of New York, for a term of twenty years from the passing of the act; upon condition that he should within a twelvemonth build such a boat, the mean of whose progress should not be less than four miles an hour.

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"Robert R. Livingston, Esq. when minister in France, met with Mr. Fulton, and they formed that friendship and connexion with each other, to which a similarity of pursuits generally gives birth. He communicated to Mr. Fulton the importance of "The bill was introduced into the house of as-steam-boats to their common country; informed sembly by Dr. Mitchell, he then being a representa-him of what had been attempted in America, and of tive from this city. Upon this occasion,' says Dr. his resolution to resume the pursuit on his return, Mitchell, in a letter with which he has favoured me, and advised him to turn his attention to the subject. 'the wags and the lawyers in the house were gener-It was agreed between them to embark in the enterally opposed to my bill. I had to encounter all their jokes, and the whole of their logick. One main ground of their objection was, that it was an idle and whimsical project, unworthy of legislative attention.' A venerable friend, who was a member of the senate at that time, has described the manner in which this application from Mr. Livingston was received by the legislature. He said it was a stand-scale, on models of his own invention, it was undering subject of ridicule throughout the session, and whenever there was a disposition in any of the younger members to indulge a little levity, they would call up the steam-boat bill, that they might divert themselves at the expense of the project and its advocates.

"Mr. Livingston, immediately after the passage of this act, built a boat of about thirty tuns' burden, which was propelled by steam; but as she was incompetent to fulfil the condition of the law, she was abandoned, and he for the time relinquished the project.

Though Mr. Livingston, previously to his connexion with Mr. Fulton, had done more than any other person towards establishing steam-boats, and though his experiments had been more expensive, and more successful, than any we have heard of, yet he was not among those who founded, on their fruitless attempts, a claim to be the inventors of navigation by steam, and whose opposition to Mr. Fulton has been very generally in proportion to the variety and ill success of their schemes. The worst project has generally been the most expensive, and on that account the worst projector seems to have considered his claim as the highest.

"On the contrary, Mr. Livingston availed himself of every opportunity of acknowledging Mr. Fulton's merits; and when he was convinced that Mr. Fulton's experiments had evinced the justness of his principles, they entered into a contract, by which it

prise, and immediately to make such experiments as would enable them to determine how far, in spite of former failures, the object was attainable: the principal direction of these experiments was left to Mr. Fulton, who united, in a very considerable degree, practical to a theoretical knowledge of mechanicks. "After trying a variety of experiments on a small stood that he had developed the true principles upon which steam-boats should be built, and for the want of knowing which, all previous experiments had failed. But as these two gentlemen both knew, that many things which were apparently perfect when tried on a small scale, failed when reduced to practice upon a large one, they determined to go to the expense of building an operating boat upon the Seine. This was done in the year 1803, at their joint expense, under the direction of Mr. Fulton; and so fully evinced the justness of his principles, that it was immediately determined to enrich their country by the valuable discovery, as soon as they should meet there, and in the meantime to order an engine to be made in England. On the arrival at New York of Mr. Fulton, which was not till 1806, they immediately engaged in building a boat of, what was then thought, very considerable dimensions.

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This boat began to navigate the Hudson river in 1807; its progress through the water was at the rate of five miles an hour.

"In the course of the ensuing winter, it was enlarged to a boat of one hundred and forty feet keel, and sixteen and a half feet beam. The legislature of the state were so fully convinced of the great utility of the invention, and of the interest the state had in its encouragement, that they made a new contract with Mr. Livingston and Mr. Fulton, by which they extended the term of their exclusive right, five years to every additional boat they should