The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-04-19
abridged from Mackay's western world


down as Lake Erie, will form the common high
way tor all parties inhabiting their shores. When
population greatly increases along the Canada
coast Of Lake Huron, the northern portion OF Mi
chlgan, the shores Of Lake Superior, and for some
distance down both banks of Lake Michigan, it
Is not Improbable that the exgenceso OF the trans
port trade Of these regions will then lead to the
opening Of canal communication between the
Georgian Bay, on Lake Huron, through Lake SIM
coe To Lake Onlaro, III the neggborhood of To-
ronto. The whole distance from Penetangushine,
on Georgian Bay, TO Toronto, on Lake Ontario, Is
not over ninety miles; Lake Simcoe, which Is thlr-
ty-five miles long, lying In the direct line between
them This would limit the cutting to about fifty
hive miles, nearly forty miles OF land intervening
between TCIonto and The southern end Of Lake
Simcoe, and but little more than fifteen dividing
ITS northern extremity from the great arm OF Lake
Huron alluded to. Lake Ontario will then be ac-
cessIbie to large portion of the Northwest, with
out resortlng to the cIrcuitous navigation of the
southern section of Lake Huron, the river and
Lake st. Clair and Lake Erie. But for the pre-
sent we may regard the lakes to the foot of Like
Erie as the common and most practicable highway
for the who e region, the foot of Lake Erie being,
therefore, the point upon which, for long time to
come, ITS accumulated products will be poured
This will always be the case regards the pro-
ducts OF the great bulk of Michigan, the northern
section of Ohio, portion of Pennsylvania and
portion of Upper Canada 1t is here then-at the
foot of Lake Erie-that the rival routes to the
ocean commence.
Whilst it is. the object of the New Yorker to
purpose, that OF the Canadian Is to do the same by
the st. Lawrence. Let us now consider the adj
vantages which these rival routes respectively
offer, the transport OF produce to the seaboard,
and OF imports TO the interior. The question be-
tween them turns upon the saving of time and ex-
pense The route which can accomplish its object
at the least sacrifice of both, will carry all before it,
whereas, If one has the advantage only in point of
time, and the other only in point of expense, the
issue may remain doubtful for time yet to
come, unless the advantage possessed by the one
nllsp he
other. There can be no better mode of showing
how the case stands between them than by follow
ing cargo of produce from the interior to the sea-
board, first by the route and then by the other
noting IN either case the time consumed and the
expense incurred on the way. Let us, in the first
place, take the route OF the Erie Canal
The lake navigation terminates at the foot of
Lake Erie. The produce conveyed to Buffalo from
ether shore of that lake, or from the regions Dor
derlng the lakes above it, is carried thher either
in sloops, schooners, or steamers The last men,
toned are generally employed in the TRANSPORT Of
passengers and the lighter kinds of goods the
great bulk of the produce which descends the lakes
being conveyed by, means of sailing vessels On
the navigation OF the Erie canal being confined to
boats built for the purpose. This, sunpposing the
schooner to be of 800 tons burden, will occupy at
least two days. The cargo, being distributed into
different boats, then proceeds on its tedious canal
journey of nearly 400 miles in length Three miles
per hour IS the maximum rate of speed authorized
by law for freight boats a greater speed being UNI
aitainabe without injury to the canal banks. Ma
king proper allowance for stoppages at locks, and
for other detentions by the way, the average speed
along the entire length of the canal will not exceed
two miles per hour. Taking the canal as 375 miles
long, and supposing the boats to continue moving
at this rate day, and night without intermission,
they would occupy seven days and nineteen hours
IN reaching Albany, say eight days, which, with
the two consumed at Buffalo, make ten days as the
shortest time in which cargo reach the Hudson
after arriving at the foot of Lake Erie. AS the ca
nal boats 90 not navigate the Hudson, another
90 MI af Infnh ar
constructed to descend the river This will occu-
py at least another day, whilst the greater part of
two days more will elapse en- reaches New York.
Here, then, we have thirteen days consumed, at
the least, in the transport Of cargo from Buffalo
by the Erie canal and the Hudson, to New York.
So much for time-now for expense.
shipment at Buffalo This, upon barrel of -four
or bushel of wheat, may be but trifing; but it is
of trlfles that the largest aggregates are made up.
Then comes the cost o. ,ranspoi.. along me canal,
which is materially enhanced by the heavy canal
dues which have to be paid. The ordinary rate at
which barrel of flour and bushe of wheat can
be conveyed from Buffalo to Albany, s 2s I'd. ster
ling, and Sd; serng,. respectively, There is then
freight to New York. which is rather heavy, mas
much as the barges which descend the river have
to be towed by steam. The entire cost from Buff
falo to New York, including all charges, may be
10d. sterling for bushel of wheat. Such is the
sacrifice, both as to time and money, at which
cargo descending by this route to the seaboard, Is
brought to the point from which it starts OH its
ocean voyage. Let see how the case stands
with regard to the st. Lawrence.
We are once more at the foot of Lake Erie, on
board steamer propelled by screw, laden with
produce from the upper country. But we now
take the route to the left, instead of that to the
right, as before, and at once enter the Welland
canal
difference which exists between the internal inn
provements of Canada and New York. The Erie
canal is unsurpassed in length, but even on its en-
larged scale, it is small, both in width and depth,
as compared with the Canadian canals. These, as
already shown, are exceedingly short, occurring
at intervals; and, as their design is to render con-
tinuous the navigation OF a vast river, they are on
scale, to their other proportions, comnensu-
rate with their object. They are, in fact, ship ca
nails. This has an important bearing upon the
question at issue between the parties. 1t renders
unnecessary, In pursuing the Canada route, the
delay and expense OF double transhlpment, such
as | have shown must necessarily take place at
Buffalo and Albany. The consequence is, that
the vessel which descends to the foot of Lake Erie
with produce, can pursue her journey by the Ca
NADIA line either to Montreal or Quebec, without
once breaking bulk. Much of the traffic by, this
line Is already carried on by screw propellers,
some of which are, upwards of 300 tons burden;
and there is little doubt that ere long they will
entirely supersede sailing craft, in the direct tran
sit trade by the Canadian waters between the in
terror and tide water
Having emerged into Lake Ontario from the
w eHdHu SaHdl, Tie pIoPcHfI PoCeeus uoW VIC
lake to Kingston, whence she descends the ST.
Lawrence to Dickensons Landing at which point
she takes the St. Lawrence Canal to Cornwall,
from which she descends Lake st. Francis to the
Beauharnois Canal, through which she passes into
Lake St. Louis, at the foot of which she proceeds
by the Lachine Canal to Montreal, from which she
whole distance from the foot of Lake Erie to Que
bee is not over $50 miles, which good propeller
can accomplish, if well managed, in four days. 1t
thus takes but four days to bring cargo from the
e IL Ly IL, tSt l,.,
point from which it starts upon its ocean voyage.
In point of time, therefore, the Canada route has
the advantage, by no less than nine days, its
rival.
The cost at which cargo is forwarded at present
by this route is no criterion by which to Judge of
what it will be when all the capabilities of the line