Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-02-11
The Niagara Ship Canal.

~ Our readers probably understand that
it is proposed to construct canal, on
the New York side, from jusShabove the
Niagara Falls to enter the river again
near Lewiston. The distance is about
eight miles, and the difference of level
between the two extremities will be not
less than two hundred and fifty feet.
Many surveys have been made of the
work, ap showing its entire feasibility.
. The estimated cost of the canal one
hundred and fifty feet wide at the sur
face, with locks two hundred feet long
and fifty feet wide, to pass vessels draw
ing ten feet, isabout six million dollars.
1t is urged that Congress ought to
make an appropriation for this canal, in
consideration of its military and its CON-
mercid necessity.
By the treaty of 1917 with England,
the naval force of each government on
the lakes is restricted to one vessel of
one hundred tons, carrying a single gun,
for Lake Ontario, and not to exceed two
vessels, of like size and armament, for
all the upper lakes. But the British
Government has been pursuing, steadily
and effectively, a policy looking to the
command of the lakes, by a sufficient
naval force, whenever she chooses to as
sert it. We have not room to go into
particulars, but this fact is notorious.
We have on the north a shore line of
three thousand miles, where are congre-
gated in cities, towns, and villages, a
million inhabitants. We have not a
fertilization on the frontier that an iron
! clad could not pass with impunity, nor
city on the lakes that their shells
could not speedily lay in ashes.
BY constructing the proposed canal
aud by charging the locks of the 0swe-
go Canal, and Erie Canal, gunboats
could pass from the Hudson River to
: Lake Ontario, and thence into all the
lakes, and we would have little to APP
prehend from foreign aggression.
Urgent as is the necessity of this great
work from military considerations, its
construction as channel of trade is of
little less Importance.
In 1852 the amount of grain, reduced
to bushels, that came east by the way of
Buffalo, was in round numbers 10000
600 bushels.
By Oswego 100000 bushels.
By Ogdensburg 2,O00, 900 bushels.
By Cape Vincent 100000 bushels.
In the same year at least 100000
bushels Of grain, including flour, to say
nothing of agricultural products, passed
through the Welland Canal and over
Canadian railroads. More than three
fourths of this grain found its way to
New York and New Engand-some five
million bushels going from Ogdensburg
over the Northern Railroad, through
Vermont. This commerce is annually
increasing, and will increase as the
great West becomes settled, and yet it is
under the control of government that
is none too friendly to us. The same is
true of the return trade. 1t is estimat-
ED that the price of freight per ton be-
tween the Western States and tide water
will be cheapened more than one dollar
per ton, to say nothing of the effects of
competition, which would result from
opening new channel of communica-
tion. This will of course cheaper the
price of the great Western staples. 1t is
clearly for the Interest of both the East
and the West that there should be as
many channels of trade as possible be-
tween the two sections.
On the score of patriotism, as well as
OF local interest, We cannot doubt that
the Senators and Representatives of
Vermont will favor this great measure.