The New York herald., 1851-10-14
Our Canadian Correspondence.

Trade Of ByGaio--IntrcourSe uitA Camaia-IHe
Waloni Canai-Rosaes from Buffalo, and Hiep
ofthe Falls of fN,agdra-Ths;r Change of Locations
and Spstslations of Biologists upon the Subject.
Buffalo has become q pretty considerable place,
il was burnt in the Of 1872 by the British troops
during the operations on the Niagara frontier.
The imports from the lakes, in 1850, were
s22, ,525, ,7Sl, and the Erie canal having delivered
these during the same year, to be forwarded to the
Western States and Canada, to the amount Of
sS3 6i5 and exported for delivery In the city Of
New York, and that portion of the State on and
near Lake Erie, 1855, ,S25-,he amount received,
by the railroad between March and December, be-
ing &C. 1852, ,456. The total exports from Buffalo, in
1850, amounted to s67 OF ,5ls; showing an excess
over |, ,s49 Of Sc, ss7 ,456.
The intercourse between Buffalo and c anad a Is
chiefly via Port Stanley, distause up the Lake
on the British side, between which place aud
Buffalo steamer plies regularly, and Grand river,
that is navigable to Brantford, which are the out
let's of we'll cultivated and farming country.
Before the Welland canal was opened, the trade
of Western Canada, and Of the entire Western
States, was confined to Buff.lo and the produce Of
this wide extent Of territory transported to New
York by the Erie canal, the presen. dimensions Of
shipment; aud even had no other channel been
| opened. il must have taken another direction.
Brantford is reached by means of eight locks,
that have been constructed TO overcome the natural
obstacles in tn, river above Indiana, and which
rise to elevation Of Sc yenty-two feet. There
several hourishing villages Grand river; but the
produce Of the country for the most part shipped
at DuAnville, its mouth, and at the junction Of
the Welland canal and the river.
| The Welland canal, named after the Chippewa
or Welland river, where it was originally intended
that work should terminate, was projected by the
Hon. w. III. Merritt, native Of New York. in
Isis. but it was not commenced till 1871 The
banks Of extensive excavation, called the deep
cut" having caved in, it was determined to extend
the canal to Grand river, which forms feeder, and
| IL now terminates at Port Maitland. at its mouth.
| about thirty miles above Buffalo.
This canal Is twenty-six miles In length, passing
over an elevation Of three hundred and thirty.one
feet. The lccks are twety six in number, twenty Of
which are at the Thorod Ridge, and are called
Neptunes Staircase, which rises to height Of two
! buDdred and fifty seven feet from the base The
locks from one hundred and fifty to two hundred
feet in length, by from twentysix to forty feet In
width; and the entire work has cost the province
s6CO00C0; the public debt Of which, incurred for
various public works, amounts at present to
| $4,000 COO, on which an annual interest Of about
$4,000 is paid, exclusive of the sinking fund
| A splendid view Ia presented in the vicinity Of
the Welland canal, from the brow Of hill, near q
village called Fonthill, at the summit Of the Tho
rold Ridge, about midway between the Erie and
Ontario, where the isthmus Is only twenty-five
an immsnse pain. over which are dispersed numerous
| towrs and villages, interspersed among which are
streams and rvulets that appear like streams Of sill
yer, glitterirg In the MONDAY sun. Before him lies
the canal, filed with American and British vessels
| at o distance are the Niagara Fails, throwing up
| their clouds Of mist and spray, while the one
side be has q view Of the waters Of Lake Erie, and
| en- the other, Of those Of tine Ontario; and, when
the weather Is clear, Toronto may be seen, at
distance of forty miles For the qualification Of vi
siters observatory has beer erected this com.
msndiug position, and telescope has been pro-
| vided for their scccm modation
| But to return to Buffalo. II was nine In the
morning when left Buffalo for Lewiston, there to
take boat for Toronto, on my return There are
two routes which traveller can take to from the
| Falls He may either choose the cars from Bufa.
| 10 or a steamboat for Chippewa, on the Canadian
side, where he will End rail cars drawn by horses
which will transport him In that direction. and
which pass near the battle ground Of Lundy's Lane.
mouth Of the Chippewa, where the stream IL very
imI etuous was with the party last year, composed
Of the Governor General and members Of the 1sgis-
latrre, which pased through the Wslland canal,
| i'm mmediatsly after its enlargement.
The steamer in which We took passage, after
| crossing the Thorold Ridge, was very badly ma
psged-l thought Intentionally captain being
an old teiy, oprosed to the government, and who
seemed determined TO spoil their days sport aud
the result vas, that We did not reach buffalo till the
| following morning, vety much to the disappoiLt-
ment Of the good people Of that city who had made
| evtfy preparation, on the preceding evening, for
| TIE reception Of the Earl Of Blsin and those who
accompanied his lofdship.
After spending an hour or two there, the steamer
| took her departure for Chippewa, the approach to
which caused considerable excitement from its prox-
| unity 10 the rapids" Fortunately We had taken
| on board an American pilot, very necessary pre-
| caution. as owing to the bupgpg manner In which
| the boat was managed by her captain, the excur.
| sion might otherwise have terminated with trip
over the Falls ard Il was only by warpipg her by
ihroush the dock ~hich the tetter to ensure safety
| sxtepds for q considerable distance into the lake
Had the ropes pstsd, owing to the great strain that
vas on them, and the boat acted as she did when
RAISING through the locks Of the canal, she must
inevitably have been drawn into q position Of
dsrger, from which II wsuld have been difficult 10
have escaped destruction.
The ride from Buffalo to the Falls Ia most de-
ightful, tbJ road passing in sisht of tbs laks ana