What I ask is, information from the Company as to their own works solely. It will suffice for all purposes connected with the location of the road. Be pleased to address me at New Castle, and on any matter relating to the section of the road near Cumberland requiring immediate attention, a copy of the communication forwarded to Lieutenant Pickell, at that place, would prevent any delay; Lieutenant P. being the officer to whom I have assigned this particular section of the road. Respectfully, your obedient servant, RICH'D DELAFIELD. Captain of Engineers. Brig. Gen. Charles Gratiot. Chief Engineer. * * * * * WASHINGTON, D. C., May 10, 1832. _Sir_: Your letter to Mr. Ingle, the clerk of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company, has been handed over to me, and I am authorized, on the part of the president and directors, to express to you our thanks for the considerate regard you have paid to the location adopted by the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company, for the part of their work which will pass through Cumberland. The location adopted is that recommended by General Bernard, and the Board of Internal Improvement, over which he presided. When the proposed change of the Cumberland Road immediately above the town was under consideration of the Committee on Roads and Canals, I suggested the very precaution you now practice, which was to see that no conflict would arise in hereafter conducting the canal over its long established route, by a conflict with the location of the improved road, the value of which I know well how to appreciate. The hill above Cumberland, which it is proposed to avoid, was the worst between that place and Wheeling, if reference be had to the inclination of its surface. General Bernard proposed to feed the canal at Cumberland, and for some distance below it, as far, at least, as the mouth of the South branch, by means of a dam to be erected at a ledge of rocks crossing the Potomac about a mile above Cumberland. The dam was to be elevated so high as to conduct the canal over Wills creek at Cumberland, with an elevation of twenty-one or twenty-two feet above ordinary water in the creek. This was to be effected by an aqueduct across the creek. I presume at this season of the year the ledge of rocks is visible above Cumberland. Enclosed I send you extracts from General Bernard's report, which accompanied the President's message to Congress of December 9, 1826, and is now a congressional record. From that you may perhaps infer all that is essential to your purpose of avoiding a collision with the rights of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company, who have adopted for the location of the canal General Bernard's report.