Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-07-30

province.
Mr.. Keefer, in his Prize Essay upon the
Canals Of Canada, says:
"a wise and liberal policy was adopted with
regard to our exports previous to 1922. The
products of either bank Of the ST. Lawrence
were indifferently exported to the sister colo
MES, as if of Canadian origin; and those mar
share of American breadstuffs and provisions.
Our timber was not only admitted freely into
the British markets, but excessive and almost
prohibtory duties were imposed upon importa-
tons of this article from the Baltic for the pur-
pose of fostering Canadian trade and British
shipping. The British market was closed, by
prohibition, against our wheat until 1914,
which was then only admitted when the price
in England rose to about two dollars per bush
Ella privilege in great measure nugatory |;
but the West Indies and lower provinces gave
a sufficient demand SO long as the free export
of American produce was permitted by this
route. AS early as 1898, our exports OF flour
and wheat by the st. Lawrence were as high as
100000 barrels, and rose in 1902 to 100000
barrels. The Berlin and Milansdecrees, and
English orders in council thereon, of 1907 /;
President Jefferson's embargo of 1903, with in.
creased duties levied upon Baltic timber, gave
an impulse to the trade of the st. Lawrence, so
that the tonnage arriving at Quebec in 1910
was more than ten times greater than in 1900.
The war Of 1912 and 1915 naturally checked q
commerce so much dependent upon the Amer
leans; and we therefore find but little increase
of the tonnage arrived in 1920 over that of
1910. In 1922 the Canada trade acts OF the
imperial parliament, by imposing duty upon
American agricultural produce entering the
British American colonies and the West In
dies, destroyed one-half of the export trade of
the St. Lawrence and the simultaneous
abundance of the English harvest forbade our
exports thither.
"As recompense for the damage done by
the trade act of 1922, our -four and wheat, in
at fixed duty of FIVE shillings sterling per
quarter. The opening of the Erie and Cham
plain canals at this critical juncture gave o
permenent direction to those American exports
| which had before sought Quebec, and an
amount of injury was inflicted upon the ST.
Lawrence, which would not have been reached
had the British action of 1925 preceded that of
1922. The accidental advantages resulting
from the differences which arose between the
United States and Britain, on the score Of re-
ciprocal navigation, (which differences led to
the Introduction of the United States export
trade to the West Indies, and reduced it from
value of $2,000,000, in 1926, to less than
81 900 in $780, restored for time our an
cient commerce. The trade of the st. Law
renee was also assisted by the readmission free
in 1926 latter four years exclusion) of Ameri-
can timber and ashes for the British market,
and by the reduction of the duty upon our -four
for the West India market, and therefore ra-
pidly recovered, and in 1880 far surpassed its
position of 1920.
In 1881 there was return to the policy
| which existed previous to 1922. United States
products of the forests and agriculture were
admitted into Canada free, and could be ex-
| ported thence as Canadian produce to all coun-
tries, except the United Kingdom and an ad-
ditional advantage was conferred by the impo-
stion Of a diHerential duty, in our favor, upon
foreign lumber entering the West Indian and
South American possessions. Our exports of
-four and wheat by sea in that year were about
| 100000 bushels-chiehy to Britain, where a
scarcity then existed, and for the first time ex-
| ceeding the -four export of 1902. This amount,
| in consequence Of demand nearer home, and
| the ravages Of the fly in Lower Canada, was
not again exceeded until 1874. Between 1882
| and 1889 scarcity and great demand for
breadstuffs arose in the United States, and the
crops in England being unusually abundant
between 1881 and 1896, the order of things in
I the ST. Lawrence was reversed, so that in 1888
wheat was shipped from Britain to Quebec. A
| farther supply came also from Archangel
| These imports in 1885 and 1886 amounted TO
| about 900 bushels. A similar demand in
| 1929 had turned our expectation Of breadstuffs
inland to a very large amount, yet, notwith
standing these fluctuations of our exports, the
! shipping and commerce of the St Lawrence
rapidly increased in importance and value, with
no continued relapse, down to the year 1912.
| The revulsion in 1912 was general, being one
| Of those periodical crises which affect COM
| merce, but was aggravated in Canada by rep
etition of the measures of 1922, not confined
| this time to the provision trade only, but at
lacking the great staple of Quebec-timber.
! The duties on Baltic timber in Britain were
reduced, the free importation Of American
| -four was stopped by the imposition Of a duty
| thereon, and our trade with the West Indies
annihilated by the reduction of the duty upon
American -four brought into those islands. By
imposing duty Of two shillings sterling per
barrel upon American flour imported into
Canada, and reducing it in the West Indies
from FIVE to two shillings, an improvement
equal to FIVE shillings sterling per barrel was
made in the new position Of American -four ex-
ported from the Mississippi, Baltimore, and
| New I ork. The value OF our trade with the
West Indies in 1880 during the exclusion Of
the Americans) amounted to $500, 900 and
in ls46, it was 1900.
"our exports to the lower provinces Nova
Scotia, New Brunswick, Cape Breton, &c.)
was at its highest point in 1885, since which
time it has fuctuated, but never reached its
position Of that year. 1t will be remembered
that at that time the Americans were import
ing breadstuffs, and could not therefore, com.
pete with Quebec in the supply Of these provin.
ces. The act Of 1912 was nearly as destructive
our trade with the gulf provinces as with the
to West Indies; but since the opening Of our
canals, there is marked increase in this trade
In 1871 before the passing of the Gladstone
act) our export trade with the lower provinces
was worth $456,000 annually, which amount
fell off to S204, 900 in 1874. In 1916 the en-
larged Welland and Beauharnois canals were
opened, and since that period il has gradually
recovered, SO that, since the opening Of the en-
larged Lachine canal, II has exceeded its DO
sition of l84l, and is now increasing every
year. As the interruption Of our trade with
the West Indies by the Canada trade act in