Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-12-28
From the Boston Atlas
RAILROAD INTERCOURSE WITH
CANADA

Canada, according to " Martins British Colo
nes,' in 1888, had ga population of s7O,IO4-
The property yearly created was s I35, 200, 600
and the valuation of their real and personal es
tate was S5e0,S00,000." This valuation and this
population have, since that time, very greatly in
creased.
The Canada trade, until very recently, was
fastened to Great Britain, by high dlscrlminat.
ing duties, in favor of that Colony, in its inter-
course with the mother country. At the very
same iime it was repealed by the United States
by our drawback law, which did not allow the
reimbursement of duties, on expectation 10 Cana
da.
The tie to Great Britain has been cut loose by
Great Britain, by her abrogatlon of the discrm-
ination duty and the United States now attract
the trade, instead of repelling it. They allow
the transit of goods, for Canada, without any
charge of duties.
The Canada trade, therefore, is left free, by
the legislation of both countries, to flow through
the channels pointed out by the general law of
commerce.
The St. Lawrence, through which that trade
has flowed, is iettered or inpeded by ice for
eight months in the year, and during the other
four months the navigator has to Crope his way
through an atmosphere liable 10 fogs, and amidst
long succession Of innumerable shoals and
breakers and sand banks and islands in the river.
A mere inspection Of the map will suffice 10
show the utter ahsurdity of adhering to this nav
igation.
If vessel sails hom Montreal for either the
West Jpdies or the East Indies, or for South A
merica or for the Pacific, through this intricate
navigation, she will, latter having proceeded
5000 miles upon her voyage, through tedious
passage of 80 to 60 days. find herself abreas. OF
Boston lighthouse, at distance 10y Railroad)
OF thirteen huors from Montreal as to persons
and of twenty six hours as TO goods.
Such will be the striking contrast which will
exist as soon as the line of Railroads, now in
progress, is completed to Montreal; and when.
ever that line is completed, the whole intercourse
between Montreal and the West Indies, the
East Indies, South America and the Pacific
must be through this Railroad channel to the At
lantic, with the single exception of products o.
great bulk and little value, such as the lumber
and timber trade.
Dry goods and other articles OF value, going
from Europe to Montreal, will also, inevitably
cease to be sent by the river ST. Lawrence, anC
will reach Montreal by the way OF this Railroad
channel for it would be absurd for any houst
in Montreal to receive such supplies, at the e
leventh hour through the st. Lawrence, while
their intelligent nelghbors had already secured
all the sales, by supplying the market at mucl
earlier day, by the Railroad channel.
| iHese idcls sHoW Tue great hDpoIIthce Vi gu
completing, at an early day, the line of commu
nication from Boston to Montreal. This line il
opened from Boston to Mortified, distance o
| leg miles; and the Vermont Central Railroad
have Just made railroad and stage arrange
ment, by which the traveller from Montreal il
enabled to reach Boston in 81 hours, over 20l
miles of Railroad, Including the Railroad at Ii
Praire,) and is also able to reach New York CT
ty, over go miles of Railroad, in AZ hours, lex
elusive of time for rest
This is but the beginning of the forth comm,
tide OF persons and of goods between Canad
and our two great Atlantic ports.