The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-07 00:00:00

(From Simmondr's Colonial Magazine.)
Sines the remission of the duty on Canadian flour,
combined with the known aptitude and fertility of our
Canadian provinces, and their admirable adaptation to
the growth of the finest wheat, the cessation of the
ravages caused by the fly in the extensive fields for-
merly covered with that grain, in the eastern portions
of Canada, and the construction of a ship canal round
the rapids of the St. Lawrence, to facilitate its trans-
port to the ocean, the commerce of the lakes has be-
come an object of transcendent consequence and the
greatest value. 'When the long chain of water com-
munication, intersecting countries of unbounded fer-
tility through the whole American continent, from the
Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of Labrador is being
traversed, without interruption, by every description
of vessels—ships, brigs, schooners, steamers, steam-
propellers, barges, and boats—it will be admitted'
that this branch f commercial enterprise is highly
interesting and deserving every attention. Chris-
topher Colles was one of the first individuals who
directed his attention to the inland navigation of the
huge waters of the western world, which, at a very
early period of American enterprise, naturally riveted
the attention of the mariner, the merchant, the me-
chanic, and the farmer. Jesse llawley wrote many
valuable essays, demonstrating the practicability of
connecting the lakes with the Hudson river, and,
thus, with the Atlantic Ocean. De Witt Clinton, a
Governor of the State of New York, was the first
who put the plan into execution, amidst every de-
scription of opposition, ridicule, and reproach. The
canal, named after the vast lake which it connected
with the ocean, the Erie canal was termed Clinton's
ditch. The natural valley of the St. Lawrence, like
that of the Mississippi, being the proper outlet and
channel for these worlds of waters, was not long
before it became the object of attraction, and, not-
withstanding the impediments to its successful explo-
ration, by the numerous waterfalls and rapids in its
course, more especially that hugest and grandest—one
of the wonders of the world—the mammoth cataract
of Niagara—the vast importance of vanquishing these
obstacles of nature became every day more apparent,
and ultimately eventuated in the construction of the
two canals—the Erie canal from Buffalo, at the
eastern extremity of Lake Erie, with the Hudson
river, and the 'Welland canal, on the Canadian side of
Lake Erie, commencing at Gravelly Bay on that
lake, and entering Lake Ontario, at its western ex-
tremity at Port Robinson;
.these canals forming, to-
gether with the lakes and the river St. Lawrence,
an inland water communication of upwards of 2,000
miles. The rapid increase in the value of property
along the whole line of the Erie canal, particularly
through the beautiful valley of the Mohawk, soon
convinced the most sceptical of the forethought,
wisdom, and prudence, of De Witt Clinton. The
timber of the majestic forests skirting its banks, in-
stead of being burnt, as the preliminary step to culti-
vation, was soon borne on its bosoms to those markets
on the Atlantic coast where it was in great demand,
and of inestimable value. The hydraulic powers, fur-
nished by the various streams falling into the Mohaw k
river, were soon required for manufacturing purposes ;
and the gloomy wilderness—the haunt of the savage ,
and the lair of the beast of prey—becam e
the site of cities, towns, hamlets, homesteads, orchard s,
fields, gardens, and a large, and happy, and pro s -
perous population. From Albany, on the Huds (n
river, to Buffalo on Lake Erie, a distance of 3 70
miles, the whole country is now one continued suc-
cession of farms, with numerous populous towns an d
villages intervening; and the Erie canal has been o r. e
of the most useful and lucrative public undertaki rgs
ever carried into execution. The great value of this
gigantic water communication arises from the boun B-
less fertility of the extensive country it traverses.
Our present concern is with those portions pertaining
to the British Crown, and in immediate connexion
with the river St. Lawrence. The lakes bounding
that territory are lakes Superior, Huron, St. Clair,
Erie, and Ontario. These majestic lakes were first
navigated by the French; and the earliest description
given of these vast waters was by one of the enter-
prising and pious missionaries who accompanied the
spirite La Salle in his first interesting and perilous
voyage. During the summer of 1679, a vessel was
constructed on the shores of Lake Erie, called the
Griffin, commanded by La Salle, having a crew of
Frenchmen, and a humble Flemish recollect, La Pere
Hennepin, the spiritual director of these navigators,
and the faithful chronicler of their toils. These lakes
never having been traversed before but by the frail
barque of the red men of the immense forests that
skirted their shores, they sounded as they went.
Their first anchorage was contiguous to those beauti-
ful islands at the western end of Lake Erie, near the
entrance of the river Detroit, the scene of warfare
between the British troops and the American brigands
in 1837 and 1838. Many portions of Canada still
bear the names of these early pioneers, Tonti, Charle-
voix, Marguette, and others. The great Cardinal de
Richelieu, whose chalice, vestments, and other per-
sonal effects, are still treasured up with great care in
Lower Canada, was the first statesman whose powerful
mind was directed to the commercial importance of
the lakes. He devised a system for the collection and
shipment of the furs obtained in the north-west
regions for France, and established a line of forts
from Quebec, through the lakes, to the remotest
regions of the west. At the Sault de Saint Marie,
Green Bay, Michilimackinac, Detroit, Niagara, Fort
Stanwix, and other places on the lakes, trading ports
were established by the early French merchants, who
acted as agents for the French Government. Within
the memory of the present generation, the annual
collection of voyageurs assembled at Montreal, in the
early summer months, and departed amidst great
ceremony and pomp, in their numerous canoes,
on the Ottawa, to carry on the North
American fur trade. In 1668, the Hudson's Bay
Company obtained a charter, and afterwards the
north-west Company monopolised the trade In furs.
After many conflicts with the Indians and the French,
the English became possessed of the north-west re-
gions, and during the whole progress of the American
Revolution, until the declaration of peace in 1795,
warfare continually interrupted the settlement of the
borders, and arrested the commerce of the lakes. The
western posts on the lakes were surrendered in 1796,
but it was not until after the contest on the lakes.,
during the war of 1812, that this important naviga-
tion may be said to have occupied any real attention.
In reality it was not until the introduction of steam

into these waters that their trade and commerce may
he fairly said to have made much progress. Lake Su-
perior, the vastest and largest of these inland seas,
1,116 miles in circumference, has yet but one steam-
boat on it ; but the boundless mineral wealth on its
shores will, doubtless, soon give an impetus to the
navigation to this great inland sea. From the rapid
settlements on the borders of Lake Michigan, and the
country beyond it, that lake has many steamers and
schooners constantly plying on it. With the excep-
tion of the steamers that are constantly passing
through Lake Huron from Buffalo, and the steam
propellers from Oswego, on Lake Ontario, to Chicago,
there is but one steam boat on Lake Huron. On
Lake Erie there are nearly 100 steamers of various
sizes, many of great magnitude, conveying from
1,200 to 1,500 passengers at a time to the settlements
on Lake Michigan. On Lake Ontario there are
nearly forty steamers, those on the Canadian side
carrying the mails between Kingston and Toronto, of
great size and power, and commanded by most expe-
rienced and excellent captains. Those who have once
had the pleasure of making a passage with Captain
Colclough, the obliging and able commander of the
Princess Royal, will soon find an excuse to make a
second. It is impossible that anything can surpass the
attention and arrangements to be met with in these
excellent vessels. There are numerous lighthouses on
the lakes, and every assistance has been afforded to
their secure navigation. The practice of towing barges,
which had been generally and successfully carried on,
on the Hudson river, was found impracticable on the
lakes, in consequence of the severe storms to which
they were frequently subjected ; but since the introduc-
tion of the screw propeller into schooners and large
vessels, the necessity has been obviated, and a vast
deal of merchandise is now carried on by this mode.
The celerity, convenience, and safety with which
steamers may descend the rapids of the St. Lawrence,
has been found to be one of the most useful and suc-
cessful experiments made in that new application of
steam 'power. During the month of June, in this
present season, the fine schooner Adventure, the pro-
perty of the Toronto and St. Lawrence Steam Navi-
gationer Company, made the quickest direct run ever
known between those large and populous cities.T The
distance distance is 470 miles, and she wenttwofrodma
clays and a
to Montreal, laden with' froiethet, in
entire satisfaction of
adaptation of this class of
the quarter,
Company,det
these waters. To extend
vessels for the navigation of
were advanced by
the commerce of these seas,t loans.
ontisletraadtimngir,abtole h
i4,geosiernmen , 1841,. to incorporated
r in the promotion of the trade of
1842, the gross amount of collections of
ctthuheseto lakes.pmr companiesos'vidnucettngls in Canada was 278,930/. is. 3id.; the
nett amount collected at Quebec was 68,087/. ; at
Montreal, 149,491/. ; at St. John's, 16,864/. ; at Bur-
lington Bay, 7,263/. ; at Kingston, 6,510/. ' • at To-
ronto, 8,053/. ; other ports, smaller sums. The nett
r olr
leef
sBnt
1841
le de ri
onnbceyasnbN
(:)•c
Canada
f 9nl
a4g7ir frothcustoms,
rptt
siN:‘a2r
,d2s3f.
increase in 5
aT5tl
h 3824
Quebec26t
0,1. l
lexceededsa ona nnd dMont-
real othatLa-
chine the ei
chine canal produced during the year 16,322/.

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THE OTAHEITAN VICTORY.—The French Protec-
torate at Otaheite may be considered as at an end. The
natives have decided that point. The "Battle of Ma
-
'menu," has been a murderous one, and it will not have
added to the glory of France. It appears that the
Otaheitans were the victors ; and when offers of peace
were subsequently made by Governor Bruat, the answer
returned vas, "Before any propositions would be con-
sidered, the French Governor must rester, to life their
murdered countrymen."—Patriot.