The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-04-19

uDout lHItc hundred anu lily 1illts 10 bulI,
which again it has to cross ere 1t enters upon the
open sea- from between Newfoundland and Cape
Breton. The cargo shipped al New York, on the
other hend, is launched at once upon the open sea
on IT'S way to its destination. There can be no
doubt that regards this the latter portion of the
two routes, the natural advantages are with the
New Yorker. But the question is, do these adj
vantages so greatly prepondera,e in his favor be-
tween port and port, as to counterbalance the dis
advantages under which, as compared with his
rival, he labors throughout the overland portion of
the route!
In considering this branch of the subject, we find
md that 1t Is the misfortune OF the Canadian to
have to combat, on proceeding from port to port
not only with difficulties of "a natural kind but
with others OF artificial creation. He has not only
the lower portion OF his and the Cult beyond
1t to traverse ere he gains the open sea, but his
movements are clogged with imperial restrictions
which tetter him, in the form of navigation laws
Just at the point at which his triumph over his
greatest obstacles Is complete, and when he is
called upon to contend with some remaining diff
fcuties of an eradicabe character, he finds his
further progress lmpeded, not by natural obstruc-
tlons, but by acts of Parliament. 1t thus appears
that it Is where the advantages of the Canada
route end that those of the American begin; or, to
view the case from the other side, that the disad
vantages OF the Canadian route commence precise
ly where those ofthe American termnate-at tide
water. In the race hitherto we have seen the Ca
madam by far the more agile ofthe two-an advan-
tage OF but little avail to him so long as, for the
u
Let us examine into the difficulties which beset
HIM from Underwater, with view to ascertain how
far they are natural and lnsumountable and how
far artificial, and therefore removable.
Though starting from different points, vessels
from both ports by the time they have accomplished
about one-thlrd of their respective voyages, fall
into almost the same line in prosecuting the re-
naming two-thirds. The point at which they thus
tall INTO a common course is in the neighborhood
of Cape Race, the southeastemange of Newfound-
land: AT this common point of departure, the COM
petition between the two routes In point of advan
tage, terminates the natural difficulties with which
the Canadian has to struggle, lying between Que
bee and Cape Race. The great advantage which
the American possesses is that in making this point,
he can avail himself of the open the whole way;
whereas for five-slXths of the way to it, from Que
bee, the Canadian is confined to his river and the
Gulf. Although the line is a little circuitous, the
distance from Quebec to Cape Race is considerably
shorter than that from New York to Cape Race
But this advantage is neutralized by the delays
which frequently occur in the navigation of the
river Unless the wind is favorable, a vessel as
cending or descending the st. Lawrence has to
drop anchor with every adverse turn of the tide
but with fair wind there is no reason-there be-
ing good sea-room the whole way, for the channel
OF the st. Lawrence from Quebec to the Gulf is,
why vessel from that port should not make Cape
kace In i've days. 1t is only under the same pro-
pltlous circumstances that ship from New York
can gam the same point; the chief difference be-
cumstances more frequently favoring it, ship pro-
ceeding by the latter does generally make Cape
Race In less time than one descending the st. Law
renee, But, IN point of time, we have already
seen that the Canadian has gain at tide-water of
fully nine days over his competitor. IT, therefore,
he took fourteen days to gain Cape Race whilst
the American only took five, it would but put the
two parties on an equality with each other so far
as time was concerned. But in general, ship de-
scending the st. Lawrence does not take fourteen
days to gain TINS point: 1t viii! be making ample
a. owance for the difficulties of the route if we as
sign vessel ten days as the average time required
to reach it. This is double the time in which, I'M
der tavorlng circumstances, ii be reached from
New York This still leaves balance of four
days in favor of the Canadian route from Lake
Erie to Liverpool.
Another natural obstacle in the way of the Ca
madam is that, for six months in the year, the ST.
Lawrence is impracticabe, on account of the ice
with which its channel is blocked up But the
same may be said of the Erie canal, not that its
channel is blocked up with ice, but that for nearly
i've months In the year it is without water. 1t is
not prudent to remain so long in the st. Lawrence,
but vessel may safely leave it as late as the 7th
or 10th of November. About the beginning of May
it is once more practicable and vessels from Europe
frequently arrive at Quebec during the first week
injury which would be effected by ice, the Erie
canal is drained in the month of November, and is
not filled again with water until April There is
Ihus not more than a months difference between
the time for which the st. Lawrence and that for
which the canal is impracticable. In both cases
the chief transport business of the year must be
within the time for which the routes
capable of being used.
But the chief obstacle in the way of the Cana:
diam after reaching tde-water is that which is of
artificial creation. We have seen that, as regards
time in transporting produce from Lake Erie to
If the balance of advantages is not ac
tually with him, it need not be against him. The
same, cannot be said with regard to cost; for in
he r,ndap cftrr ctrn tt,sfn tho
American has on the whole route the decided adj
vantage. The ground gained in point of cheapness
by the Canadian between Lake Erie and Quebec
is more than lost by him between Quebec and Ii
verpool. Various reasons contribute to this, one
of which u.s. that the navigation of the gulf being at
some rather precariOus, the rates OF lnsu-
rance on sea-going vessels and cargoes proceeding
by the st. Lawrence are considerably higher than
on those crossing the Atlantic from New York.
But the chief reason is to be found in the high rate
of freight charged between Quebec and Liverpool
by those who monopolize the navigation of the
river The whole trade of the st. Lawrence is
confined by the navigation laws to the British ship
tage of exorbitantly high feghts, and delay in the
of produce to its destination. 1t fire.
quenty happens that the quays both of Montreal
and Quebec are overladen with produce for ex-
but which remains sometimes for.weeks
the open wharves for want of sufficient tonnage
to convey. it to Europe: 1t not only thus incurs
the risk of damage but has to pay for its transport
almost any price that the !ship-owner chooses to
impose. So great is the disparity in this respect
between Montreal and New York, that have
known Is. Cd. sterling asked at the former for
every barrel of flour to be conveyed to Liverpool,
whilst forty cents, or about Is, 3d. was the ruling
price at the latter. 1t is of this monopoly and its
ruinous consequences that the Canadian so loudly
and SO bitterly complains Such indeed is some
times the want of tonnage in the Canadian sea-
ports, that produce forwarded to. tde-water,
with view of being conveyed to Liverpool that
season, is not unfrequently detained until the open
ing of the navigation in the following year The
inconvenience of this is great, especially as wheat
and flour are perishable commodities, and the ex-
porter loses all the advantages which the English
market may in the meantime have offered him.
The remedy for this evil is obviously to throw
the navigation of the St. Lawrence open to the
shipping of the world. This will at once break up
the monopoly which is now so serious drawback
to the trade and agricultural prosperity of the pro-
vince, at the same time that it will give it every
chance of securing to itself that great and growing
carrying trade, to secure which was the chief OBJ
ject of the construction of those expensive works
which line the st. Lawrence, from Kingston to