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

Nc QlSdSttrS al IAcy w COZ, tOi tuO ooakC Col
were about fifty in number, and on the upper
St. Lawrence, between Lake Superior and Mon.
treal two hundred and sixty-three; where, says
the reporter, q five steamers, three propellers,
and thirty-seven sailing vessels went out of ex
istence entirely"
Six hundred and eightyeight sailing vessels,
numbering l25,726 tons, and four steamers,
giving l,462 tons, form the list of wrecks of ves-
sells belonging to the United Kingdom for
1850.
Such an extent of landlocked navigation as
the st. Lawrence presents between the pilot
ground (nesr the Saguenay) and the Atlantic
would be, in thick weather, or snow storms,
considered hazardous, were it not for the great
width of battle-ground, nowhere less than
twenty-five miles, and averaging over fifty, the
absence Of all shoals or reefs in or near the
channel, and the admirable soundings dis
played by the charts. H2t-aA
The trend of the Atlantic coasts ofNewfound-
land and Cape Breton converge upon ST. Paul's
island, lofty and picturesque rock, for which
a vessel may stand bold in fog. Inside of
st. Paul's, a bank, with sixty fathoms, leads, by
a direct line on its outer edge, clearing Anti
cost, into the chops of the st. Lawrence !;
northward Of, this line is deep water; south
ward, regular soundings; so that, in thick or
fogpy weather, the lead is an unerring guide.
On entering the river the south shore gives uni.
form soundings all the way to the background,
the water shoaling so regularly that vessel
may at any point determine her distance from
the shore within mile by the lead alone, while
at all points she may approach this shore with
in this distance. The admirable position of
Pointe des Monts, with lighthouse one hum
dred feet above the water projecting with a
bold shore several miles from the general
of the north shore, forms, with its anchora re
on both sides, common point of departure for
inward and outward-bound vessels.
The recent application of steam to ocean
commerce greatly enhances the value Of this
navigation; particularly with reference to COM
munication with Britain, the great centre OF
European steam navigation and commerce.
The two great drawbacks to ocean steam navi-
CATION are, the quantity of fuel which must be
carried and the resistance which heavy sea
offers to progress whether the wind be fair or
foul On the ST. Lawrence route these are re-
duced to minimum. The distance from the
coast Of Ireland to ST. John, Newfoundland, or
to the straits Of BelleIsle, is under 1900 miles,
and coal is found in abundance, and Of excel.
lent steaming qualities, at several points in the
Gulf Of st. Lawrence. The remainder of the
voyage to Quebec will be made in compare
lively smooth water, ss the steamer will run
under the shelter of either shore, according to
the direction of the wind.
This notice of the position Of the port of
Quebec with reference 10 steam navigation
with Europe has been deemed essential at this
time, inasmuch as the government Of Canada
are now receiving proposals for the establish.
ment of a line Of screw steamers to ply upon
this route during the season of navigation, and
to communicate with the terminus of the rail.
roads from Canada, at Portland, for the pre-
sent, and Halifax as soon as the scheme Of a
grand intercolonial railway from Quebec to
Halifax shall have been carried out.
It may now be proper to allude to the in
ducements which lead to this course-in other
words, to the
2 SrAJrRADE OF CANADA.--The great staple of
Quebec is timber, and hitherto her trade has
been chiefly confined TO this staple, Montreal
being the point where the agricultural exports
of the upper province are exchanged for the
supplies Of foreign goods required for the same
districts. The timber is chiefly supplied by
the Ottawa river, (which, with its numerous
and important tributaries, drains an area Of
over ten thousand square miles Of the finest
pine-bearing land,) and also from the north
shore of Lake Ontario, which is drained by
remarkable chain Of lakes emptying through
the rivers Otonabee and Trent, into the bay Of
Quinte, thus escaping the open water Of On
tario,) from which the RATS are noated TO Que
bee. Thus, by the simple and inexpensive pro
cess Of rafting, timber is borne by the current,
at q cost Of three or four cents per cubic foot,
to Quebec, from q distance Of six hundred
miles---even from the lands drained by Hud-.
sons bey and Lake Huron. The annual sup
ply varies with the export, but seems capable
Of almost ilhmitabe extension. In 1916 the
supply ofsqnste timber r exceeded tnirty-,evsn
sixty millions Of feet, board measure; besides