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tain the practicability of making improvements inthe navigation, as far as that place. Being wellsatisfied, from my own observation, of the practica-bility of making extensive improvements, by means ofcanals, &;c., through the western parts of the state, andconsidering the incalculable advantages that wouldresult from the completion of such a magnificentwork, my mind was devoted to its accomplishment.As I was active in the prosecution of the improve-ments made by the Western Inland Lock NavigationCompany, the geography and topography of thewestern parts of this state were very familiar tomy mind, and having been very intimate with Mr.Weston, when he was in this country, employed bythe company as Canal Engineer, and having accom-panied him in exploring the country, from Rome toCayuga Lake, in 1796, and being repeatedly withhim, whilst he was employed on the canals on theMohawk river, my knowledge of the whole face ofthe country fixed in my mind an ardent desire to extend a complete canal navigation, from Rome toSeneca river. Occasionally, for many years, I urgedthe Western Canal Company to extend their im-provements further west. A vast sum of money hadbeen expended by them in improving the navigationof the Mohawk, which, for many years, absorbedthe tolls, and prevented a dividend being madeamong the stockholders. Under these circumstances,no importunities of mine could prevail on the com-pany to make advances for further improvements.In March, 1810, I was at Albany, and it occurred tome, that probably the Legislature might be induced to appoint commissioners, to examine and explorethe western parts of the state, for the purpose ofascertaining the practicability of extending canalnavigation, and to estimate the expense, and report thereon. 1 was pertectly convinced, that if commis-sioners should be appointed, they would make avery favourable report. My friend, Jonas Platt, (now