Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-11-23
THE COMMERCIAL IMPORTANCE OF TIE ST.
Fn.m the London G...,tr, oe,

bAWhsNCs.
-. Fnm the London Gsxe,te, Oct. 81. ..-s-.-
The great hkos Of Canada aud the river ST. L,~sencs
form properly the natural cutie, TO tho ocean for the
countries situated their waters and afford grea, advan
agcs for commercial Communication with distant coun-
tries Is the Northern enbose.re Of tho ST. Lawrence
which has thrown discredi upon its capabilities Tor
evng and supplying the upper districts which drans
aud for the commerce we'll tho Of which I,
should DO tho outlet Hitherto been In state
nature obucted by falls aud rspds whist great
rival the mississippi naturally uavigsbc almost its
soufcea The opening also Oi artificial substu
Albany TO buffalo. nearly 20 years before tho Improve.
ment OF the st. Lawrence undertaken, has with the
concurrent advantages of greater population aud wealth.
caused temporary diversion Of Western trade hom s
proper channel This great rivcr-which Tor commercial
purposes may DO said comprucc in Lake Superior the
largest body of fresh water tho gooo-ieaves tho
valuable mines upon tho coasts Of that iuand sea- aud
descending through sx do. Of ards, embracing
extraordinary extent OF coast and rcsh fishery
IN the Huron archipelago, which is Only surpassed by the
astonishing one at Its mouth, pcnetratcs the nut bearing
zone OF Ohio Western New York, and Western Can ada
tho garden OF North America for the variety aud excel
lence OF its products and the OF which
no limit be assigned From Lake Erie this outlet
takes course almost In direct line to tho Atlantic
ocean, ascending to tho latitude from which il took
its departure the Northern shores Of Lake superior
The lake aud river trade OF North America extremely
comprehensive, and rapidly Increasing aud demands
Of public attention.
Tho great ST. Lawrence as tho outlet Of Quo province
has been left behind by smaller Hujsop the outlet for
many States. But that by improved policy the
ransit of the St. Lawrence has made free by all Who
inhabi, its shores-sone 10000 in number-the trade
Of the valley of tho ST. L,~rence, without national dis
tiuctou, with Britain, With tho lover British provi
the West India Islands, aud the ~ori-~i DO the trade
OF IN empire aud tho secoud 10 other river on the
American continent
While the British trsdc by the ST. Lawrence il consd-
cradle, is not extensive might For In.
stance tho trade Of Moatca has scarcely increased
in the past ten years. The arrivals Of chipping from sean
1915 2lU ves,els aud b2 900 ton last year thoy
but e52 ships, and 81, sl3 tons. The assessed
OF property in OF Montreal had only increased
per in years. and that OF Quebec rs per ceu
while the principal towns in Western Cinad,; the
Lakes had Increases. $50 10 per ID o same pc.
rioi Toe merchants oi lossr Cinada blanc the govern
ment Tor nescctng for nr:icctg for many years to
construct ship canal connect the s.: Lrwteacc with
Lake Chnmrain-a canal which declared hp the Fro
vncial government il 1913 to be- Comparatively called
tor which the Board oi Tralc of Non,rc, has re-
Peisdy declared to be essential u the prosperity OF the
city II vessels OF 5UV barrel. hurthcn allowed
compete freely by way Of the s. lawrence they coli
do by the aid OF such canlasSnst the small vessels ut
200 parcels by OF the Eric Canal the bulk OF
:hc great ralh, tho latte. canal would Inevitably be
Through ST. Lirrcnc., to tn, manifest adv intl.s
II the people OF Ganaa The results from the cons,rnc-
ton OF the Wciiand Uiaal are tho best Ia Of TIE
miIcnce Which chip can, connecu ;be 1T. Laurence
,ai Lake Chnmpaiu wVili the shipin. ut
the Wcs:. The Erir GiIi j. the ir.iii Lb, COM
petitor with the ST Lawrence Tor ia, trade Wvst
The acreage annual amount at timber ln'ic. paid upon
the OltSi Tar the last live las To-! clJ ulO
4 suliceul 10 t,c interest
proposed canal A. lar back the Year 1899 comnis
ioncrs appointed 10y the Canadian Legislature
determine The pricticIolity uf sscng navig able
nunca,iou between the Ottawa aud Lake Huron, AMI
ascertaurd that the lowest line of conntr betwcr
them their point OF approx itio the
country about Like Nipssng being BOUNDED by much
higher land.
Tho rapids Of the 81. LAWRENCE between Prescott and
Llchinc, susceptible of Improvement At a compare
uv.y triug cost, permit the by the
OF vessels drawing twelve feet water and Messr- Mil
ccIt and Rasuf have recently reported the govern.
men, the pracIicabiuy Of improving thrm Lighthouses
also about 10 erected in the u oi 81 iwrenc-
Cape Roster, Aucost, Belle lie. and the Straits
Belle Isle Tn. ship channel in Lake ST. Peter being
carried by the laroor Commissioners depth Of
~ feet at o~ With these various compile
tel the :; Lwscn:e will prove b. cheapest rou
between the and the lake, aud the Ancri
people will be brought to it freely. the great
advantage Of Montreal admirably situated the head
Of ocean OF navigation AM nj the foot Of inland navgi
ton IL may be stated that the tolls received the Wei
aud Canal irc. times greater than those received
The 5: lawrence canals The participates in the trade
.! the ives; {; the Others do not.
The proposed canal between the s.. Lawrence and Like
Champaign would DC OF great importance the ,ple trade
Of the valley Of the Ottawa In commercial point OF
view, the timber trade is by far tho important in
Lower Cinada from the number Of persons employed il
It's manufacture and transport and the grea. tonnage
luired Thua, while the arrivals OF sea-gong vessels
Montrell are, the average ab )n 200 annually, liz
lie $4,000 tons NJ iebec there 200 arrivals
With than haf-i-milon oftons. Besides the exports
ueighboring STATE of America from the Ia sdl shores
Lakes Ontario aud Erie With good water comnunic.-
tioa the Ottawa and Hudson rivers Canada would
At become formidable competitor TO the State Of
New York in the marAe OF the latter The Ottawa river
drains Of 5000 square miles, comp
the richest aud timber district in America
in the world. About IL 900 SQUARE miles Of the
nnsurveycd portion is licensed tor numbering purposrs-
Toe supply from this quarter has ucuci according to
Of the Quebec market but the average annu
product Of the Ottawa for the last nine years may be
Is OO0 900 cubic feet Of timber besides about
100000 pieces 10000 900 foet board OF
FL timber There is unfortunately want Of appreciation
the AID importance of the lumber trade OF
Cinadi. A. ships winter in the ST. Lawrence, fol-
lows that the staple export trade By dependent upon
ibsent shipping which may DC diverted any tnr by
reigat from the G.ii-etrng large "a nifty Of
timber tho hands OF the producers
The atteuon OF the Cinlii,n government has pcain
been directed recently to survey Tor the purpose OF
cerianinE whether il is practicable connect the
u! the Geog gan Bay Like Huron, by ciua with
those Of the Ottawa bounicss field for commerce
would thereby hs opened up with Montreal as its
raj terminus the side o! inland nav Atom
should bc possible connect Montreal with Like SUI
perior by such canal, there is nothing prevent it
FROM being the enttpof Of the trade al the uncisc
country lying Lakes S.pcror, Michigan, Huron
.ni the Georgian Bay; WHILE the other hand. tne
nal into Lake Cbanplaiu already referred would
DHly comm lud the trIln destined for the Es,.rn United
States markets by route four hundred miles short
than through the Wcland Canal but would Ai,o com
maGd tho bulk of the trade OF the Countries lying around
lakes Ontario aud Erie.