Informs Knox that his son, William Gray Cobb, "thou by a wrong name" has accepted a military commission offered to him by President George Washington. Says he hopes to build a canal and believes that it may interest Knox as well. Asks Knox to send an engineer to survey the county for the project. They are competing with other canal companies in New England. Says, "what makes it a matter of greater consequence at this time, is, that the Company at Hartford have now, on the Files of our Genl Assembly, an Act, to empower them to clear the Falls on Connecticut River within the Commonwealth, which will pass at the next Session of the Genl Court in spite of all opposition, and unless the Canal from this Town to Connecticut River is soon undertaken, the commerce of Vermont, New Hampshire &c will infallibly pass down that River to New York..." Would like Knox's input on the various calculations and plans for building the canal.