The New York herald., 1851-09-27
Our Canada Correspondence.


MONTREAL, Sept. FL, 1851.
The Opening cf 81. Peters Lake NaUisation-
Fr" Ndrigstion Of the 81. Lawreace-1 Boston
JHnles-1he JYeather, &c., &c. N
The lssdabls ambition OF the merchants of Mon.
trea to render their city approachable by ships of
large tonnage, prompted them to urge upon the
government the duty Of deepening the channel of
communication between this port and Quebec. The
shadows Of Lake St. Peter have hitherto compelled
vessels drawing more than eleven feet to transfer
sufficient portion Of their cargo to lighters to ena
bio them to pass the bars during the summer sea-
son, when the waters are low. In the month Of
May, when the navigation opens, the depth of water
Is often sixteen and seventeen fee.-gradually
lessening until 1t declines to eleven feet, in the
months Of August, September, aud October. The
government entrusted the Harbor Commissioners
with the authority and the funds requisite to carry
into effect the wishes of the Montreal mercantile
body, and report has just been published by G.
S. Gzowski, the engineer employed by the Com
IN issolers
The character of Lake St. Peter, (which com
mences forty. five miles below Montreal, and ex-
tends forty miles in anortheasterly direction, with
breadth varying from ten to fifteen miles,) is that
Of sluggish stream. 1t is, in fact enlargement
ofthe River St. Lawrence, which spreads over the
depressed alluyial bottoms The bed Of the lake,
where the operations of deepening have been con.
Quoted, is yellow, adhesive clay, with occasional
deposits Of sand
The machinery employed to excavate the bed,
consists Of dredging machines, and harrow,
Iished with two hundred and fifty iron teeth, four
inches long; all worked by steam power. They
have been found efficient instruments, nasmuch as
the engineer predicts tina; tho channel will contain
4. H. - Al
vorable season. The channel operated on extends
q distance Of three miles, and there are some
grounds for an. n.iciPating that the channel can be
excavated sufficiently deep to enable large ships to
approach this port without discharging their
carrgoes
The funds provided for these various ameliora-
tions OF our navigation, including quays, steam
dredges light houses, &c are secured by animpost
upon shipping, calculated at a rate which will, in
the course ofa few years. liquidate both principal
and interest.
We have all the appliances for conducting trade
commensurate with the gigantic outlines of the
country; but do not possess that trade, and the
waters of the st. Lawrence murmur their reproaches
at our supineness. We reproduce the fable of the
dog in the mapger-wc cannot furnish the traffic
ourselves, and we assume the right to exclude the
Americans. The assumption, in this case, may de-
the literal Interpretation Of the word; for MIR.
Boulton, NJ. p. p for Norfolk, and formerly Chief
Justice of Newfoundland, asserted in the Assembly,
last session, that the Americans had legal right
to navigate the waters Of the st. Lawrence. lie
did not communicate the grounds upon which he
based his opinion, though he expressed his willing.
ness to defend any legal issue raised and promised
victory to the defendant
IL were more decorous that this question should
receive its solution at the hands oil the American
and English statesmen. The present juncture is
sipgularly favorable to its amicable settlement in
asmuch as the wings now in Office boast their devo-
tion to liberal principles and free trade. On the
part of the Americans they have more than color
Of right to navigate the st Lawrence. They own
skoA I<of E. L.
and if they have littoral rights where they own the
land, and can make use Of the river, the Law Of
nations must be perverted from lis legitimate mean
ing to excuse their exclusion from the same
water and same river few miles lower down
the stream. The negotiations which have
hitherto transpired respecting the free navigation
of the St Lawrence, assumed the exclusive use Of
the waters, where the river flows between the terri
tory of Canada, to belong to England. The Ame-
rcans have tacitly tolerated this assumption,
though may be surmised that the interests which
clustered round the Erie Canal diverted the public
mind in the United States from great national
object. Another generation may grow up ere the
question be set at rest but it may be accepted as
political axiom, that powerful nation will ever
suffer themselves to be shut out from the free nav
CATION OF river which flows along their territory,
though 1t subsequently passes through q foreign
soil on Its way to the ocean. Tne American. will
continue excluded, until they too formidable to
be resisted or refased.
The Boston Jubilee sensibly diminished our small
population this week. 1t at.racted all our diguita-
ries, including the civil and military authorities.
1t is presumed that those who ac,ept invitations
from the Bostonans will be pre- pare to recprocate,
at q convenient season, when, doubtless, the mill
tary will discharge their obligations gracefully
as the civilians The vsiters to Boston speak of the
pleasures and civilities they have experienced as
being unaccompanied by any drawbacks; and 1t is
easy to perceive that the jubilee is but the begin
ping Of process Of determination which must end
by imbuipg this colony with republican doctrines
and ideas.
The month of September will be memorable in
the annals OF atmospheric phenomena. We have
bad Temperature moro scorching than the tropics
-scorching dry heat during the day, with the
Thermometer indicating 95 in the shade, at noon
We have bad q sudden fall in the temperature of
80 degrees in three hours, variation so rapid and
unexpected that 1t destroyed many persons ex-
posed TO its influence.
The cholera has not entirely departed from
either Quebec or Montreal. In the former city,
several soldiers and At leas. one officer have fallen
victims to the disease. The recent cold weather,
the physicians say, has not checked the malady.
IL would be singular If 1t did, rs it was sudden
enough TO Kill strong man.
Two Of our artists are occupied preparing n m.
norama OF the 81. Lawrence, including the Upper
Lakes, the + alls, the Thousand Islands, and away
northeasterly to the Gulf. The labor will be ar
duous and prolonged. but the men who have entered
upon the task-Mr. Duncan ard Mr.. KrekroG-are
competent to its performance. The taste Of the
age iLclines towards these representations Of ma
tnIe, They convey sound geographical impress
Of animated lie. Bayne's panorama Of "A Voyage
to Europe" is exhibiting in town, and has been
numerously attended. The town is otherwise de-
void ofany public amusement. Il.
TORONTO, September 20, 1851.
The Abolaicn ConrmfiOn--Ren'orai Of the Seat of
Gorunmom - Probable Formation Of Nee
Cobind, by Lord Elgin.
a negro convention, claiming TO represent the
whole Of North America, has just been held in thi,
city. The delegates we're all of the genuine ebony
stamp. They hailed from the States Of New York,
Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, and Vermont,
and numbered about forty, all told. The sittings
Of the convention continued three days; but some-
how or other, negro eloqusncc has proved to be at
a sad discount in this, the most cautious city in
British America; and while the convention talked,
nobody listentd. Even that eminently philanthro-
pic body, the Canada Antislavery Association, did
, - t.Ira L.. l.. - =