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in the accomplishment of this important work, andwhose contributions are comparatively little knownto the world, or have been but imperfectly acknow-ledged. So far, therefore, as laborious inquiry hasenabled me to ascertain the facts now to be related,distributive justice, the suum cuique tribuito, shall be most strictly and impartially observed. Amicus Plato—amicus Socrates—sed magis amica veritas. The contributors to canal navigation in the stateof New-York, may be considered as consisting offour great classes: in the first, may be enumerated,those foreseeing and predicting from the generalface of the country, the union of the lakes, the creeksand rivers of the west, by measures calculated toremove obstructions, improve the natural navigationthen existing, and ultimately, by different outlets, toconnect the same with the ocean. In this class, thenames of Cadwallader Colden, Sir Henry Moore,George Washington, George Clinton, and Gouver-neur Morris, are prominent. In the second class, areto be noticed, those who proposed, by artificial navi-gation or canals, to form a connexion between thewaters of the Hudson and Lake Ontario, Lake Erie,or both. Christopher Colles, Jeffrey Smith, ElkanahWatson, Philip Schuyler, Jesse Hawley, and JoshuaForeman, deserve the most honourable mention in thisplace. Thirdly, those who, in the year 1810, havebeen chiefly instrumental in effecting a direct inter-nal communication between Lake Erie and theAtlantic. In this class, Thomas Eddy, Jonas Platt,and De Witt Clinton, stand conspicuous. Fourthly,another class of benefactors to this great work, iscomposed of numerous members of both Houses ofthe Legislature, who took a prominent station in devising and sustaining the measures necessary tocarry the same into effect; the various canal com-missioners, engineers, surveyors, and many privatebut public spirited citizens, in various parts of the