The New York herald., 1863-03-30

The former win remain the line only until the great
steamer Dictator rs completed. The Daniel Drew and
menia will be the day boats.
The river is quite free Of ice between Pough-
keepsie and New York, and steamers and barges are
| making regular trips between those points.
There 10 bill before the Legislature appropriatng
hundred thousand dollars for the Improvement Of the
navigation Of the river. The measure being Of such
vast interest to large number Of people, will be likely
to meet with very little opposition. and will doubt be-
come law. 1t has already passed the Assembly.
NEW YORK CANALS.
The day for the formal opening Of the canals of this
State has yet been announced although it Is stated
that it will not be earlier than the 26th Of April We have
yet heard given for deerrng the opening till
SO late day, when nearly all the canals be made
ready to receive the water the ice will permit
which viii doubt much weakened If it does
entirely disappear by the 15h to make It safe to
let in the water.
Preparations making for doing extensive bust
during the coming season. and doubt the capac
ty Of canals will be put to much greater test than
they last year. have been completed
line packets for passengers and freight
between Utica and Syracuse Thirty-three new boats
have constructed in Rochester during the winter,
and will be ready for launching the canal s
open. The Rochester Union says
From actual survey recently taken, are enabled
to lay before the public reliable statement Of the capa
city of the canal fleet for 1888 There building
at various points this State, 2l4 boats, which will be
ready for launching the opening Of navigation These
boats will average In capacity two hundred tons, thus
adding Thousand to the carrying capacity
Of the fleet There 85 boats good bad and indi!
fcren aoat OF navigation last fall and with
the new will make total OF 3,39s Something two
thousand Of these boats suitable Tor carrying grain
Just how many matter OF question If each OF these
two thousand grain boats makes eight round trips in the
season. and carries cargo hundred TONS the total
amount moved would be ons over one hundred
millions Of bushels OF wheat.
THE LAKES.
There is less certainty the time navigation be
resumed on the lakes than there rivers and
canals When the ice in the bartors the lakes
s forced TO wait the slow process Of melting, it
| often occurs that navigation is not opened until
May WHILE the other hand after the ice has become
little weakened strong gale Of wind breaks 1t up
The latest earliest dates of opening since 1929 have
been the 7h March and 10th Of Mayover two months
| difference.
Lake Michigan is already partially open; fact
Of the have not been closed during the winter
Boats are running the lake from Milwaukee
to Grand Haven the having started the 18th
inst The Marquette Journal says: More difficulty than
usual will be encountered this spring in obtaining sup
ply Of ice for summers The bay, from which an
abundant supply the best quality has heretofore been
Obtained has positively refused 10 freeze over this
| winter
IL is thought that the Lake Ontario boats will be all
running by the 1st Of April. daily line will be estab
lished between Toronto, ogdensburg, Rochester and
| Lewiston, touching at other Canadian ports.
The Chicago Times says that lake freights will open
much lower last year, and will probably rule low
during the season. largo number of vessels intend
going into the Lake Superior carrying trade, grain
freights do not afford satisfactory compensation.
| The steamers Lake Erie will soon commence their
regular trips The Detroit Free Press Of the 25th inst.
| Says
| The marked change OF the weather which has taken
place during days has doubt produced
telling effect the ice and as consequence we may
predict general breaking with free navigation with
in the next few days The rain which el SO unceasngy
tanning that OF July than the keen searching
winds which usually prevail during the month OF March
and already the which is gradually passing down the
river begins to present somewhat backened appear
ance which evident symptom that II rapidly going
to decay without Offering any further predictions rea
tive 10 the prospects OF the resumption navigation
will for the present leave the subject until some future
time when we shall know positively whereof we
write There s however stopping Moores Merchants
Exchange committee Of some forty vessel captain who
this mattel and from n1 whom ws n sSs Saa
season The Olive Branch and Clara the former
for Trenton Gibraltar tho latter for Maiden left yes
erday afternoon with view Of reaching their respective
destinations The mild weather has again opened
the channel and h thought tho passage is clear 90 az
20 enable them get through with but little dnculty
II successful they win continue plying leaving here every
afternoon at three O'Clock
The Cleveland Herald OF the 23d warm weather
south wind and spring have done much towards
opening navigation The Ice Hed has disappeared from
in front OF the city and gone the lake. The river
presents Of busy activity preparing for an imne
date opening riggers and samakers having their handi
FUN Of business The scow Haynower left Black
on the 23d.
letter from the Straits OF Macinaw dated March 10
saysThe ice at this place only about foot thick
which very light for thsplsce. II 10 all open below tht
foot Of the island all above st. Helena Is open. There
are therefore only about twelve fifteen miles Of Ice
break The weather cold and II SHOWS almost every
day. and IL looks more ike winter than any time before
this season. It Is impossible to say what time II may
break through
CONNECTICUT RIVER.
Navigation between this city and Hartford Ia nov
fairly Open and tho Granite State and City d
Hartford have resumed their daily trips. The propeller
parthcpa arrived up the 2ith instant and reported
the river clear.
| PAssAIC RIVER.
Navigation between New York and Newark open, ane
freight boats regularly making two trips day Th'
steamer Thomas p Way will be taken Oh the passenger
route and the Chicopes substituted.
MORRIS CANAL
win soon be ready for the passage Of boats. Water
was let 10 last week and operations will probably
, mence during the present week.
UPPER MISSISSIPPI.
We published information last week that the river was
open Lake Pepn and that steamer had gone through
from In Crosse Paul there rs strong anticipation
Of an early opening the merchants putting things
in order for a resumption Of river business
MISSOURI RIVER.
Tho ST. Joseph packet Emcle worked her way through
10 Council Bus on tho llh nst and avisstion 70 tha
point may be considered open.
, ILLINOIS RIVER.
The heavy rains Of the last few days have swollen th
Illinois river La Sale feet, overfowing the bot
toms The freight the warehouses had to DO transferred
70 boats In order from damage by water 0win
10 the pressment Of boats into the government servc
there great scarcity OF tugboas. and II Is smos, i'm
possible 10 send freight forward 70 81. Louis
wELLAND CANAL.
Tho ST. Caiherines (Canada) Journal Of the cath
, says;-