Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-06-23
The Canadian Canals.

sioners have addressed interrogstories for in
formation to gentlemen in the States and in Can
ada, who are experienced, or are interested in the
navigation of the lakes. We have been favored
with copy Of one Of the most able and reliable
of these replies, from the pen of the Hon. Alvin
Bronson, Of Oswego. The general Importance
Of the subject, and it's connection with the pro
jected Caughnawaga ship canal, will make
Mr.. Bronson's letter Of interest to our readers.
and we give it below.
Mr.. Bronson, We may say, for the informa-
tion Of those who 10 not know him, is the Nestor
Of the Lakes, and although in his s9th year, car
ries himself as erect, and with step light and
an eye as bright, as if he was but half that age.
Sixty-one years ago, he built his first vessel on
Lake Ontario, and he has been interested in the
navigation and trade Of the lakes ever since.
His name, and that OF his partner, Mr. Croker,
are q" household words - throughout all Of the
/ lake region. They we're universally respected
as men of enterprise and high integrity, and
were esteemed SIS public beneiactors for the ia
cilities they were instrumental in aiIoriing to
the settlement Of the lake regions, and Of the
| country west. No one IS more competent to speak
undersiandiDgly Of the navigation Of the lakes
than Mr. Bronson
The Canadian Canal Commissioner, IN their
report. take the sane general view Of the sub
isct as Mr. B. does, but in their recommends
tons to TIE Government as to the proper iimen-
/ - - 4a1l do ell
they differ ,omewhat from him. Both approve
Of a depth Of twelve feet water in the canals
Mr. Bronson recommends thirty-siz feet width
AMI two hundred feet clear length TO The lock
chambers The Commissioners propose forty
five feet width and two tundred and fifty feet
length but they evidently do rot consider the /
que,tion as altogether an open one, and they say
as much in indicating their preference for a |
width Of forty feet instead Of forty-ive feet.
Mr. Bronson makes frequent auusion to the
essay of Edwin F. johnson, C. E, On ''The Nav |
ieation Of the LIKES" 1866. Mr. Johnson
acquiesced in The size Of locks proposed in the |
Congressional Bill Of 1865 for the Niagara canal, |
viz. l5 by %, with II feet depth Of water ;
but We happen TO know ,hat he woul have pre- /
frred dimensions, particularly as TO tie width /
aud length Of the locks, less than there stated. .
In his essay, p D. he refers to the 90 very great
magnitude Of the internal A. compared with the 4
external commerce Of the country" and says .
that whatever system is the best for the inter
nal trade should not be interfersd with or sacri- /
feed in the expectation % tsnedt 70 be derived /
from making it conform 60 the ezigenc.es Of .
ocean navigation" He also speak of the effect .
Of too large locks ia '' liscouraziu- Individual 4
enterprise by rendering smaller class Of vet
.eis less profitable AMI thus exposing the /
country To the evil Of aonopoiies' He adds, /
p %, that ''in the cosstwse trade Of the country
vessels are eupoyei Of all sizes from 100 to 500 I
tons costing from $ 900 90 Si),000-fums
net so srge as to prevent masters from hecom-
ing s0le or ia great part owners. These vessels
would not be built if they were not required by
public convenience, and as the navigation in
which they are employed has q character similar
20 thst Of the lakes with ,he single exception
tha; they have 20 ooks TO pass, or hut rarely,
and sre not subjected 70 any los OF iuoon-
venienes in that respect, it is the more evident
thar vessels OF similar tonnage will continue
TO be employed in large numbers upon the
lakes
Vessels Of the smaller eitss viii doubtless con-
,iuue TO be employed on the lakes, unless they
AT compelled by the character of ,As improve
ments to abandon The field The dimensions Of
the locks, as proposed By the commissioners, viii
sllow the massage of wooden vessels carrying
o5 900 bushels Of wheat or 1900 tons Iron
vessels Of the same size viii carry 900 bushels,
and the t.a4e is proozbly not very iistsa; when
such vessels will be generally usei. 4 cargo Of
the latter sizs will not alvsys be easily made up
and must often De taken from different places.
4 vessel carrying $50 tons, tv0-thlrls loaded,
can pass TIE locks Of Mr.. Bronson. snl make up
the balsnce Of her cargo to 1000 tons 90 Montreal
for sn ocean voyage.
The question Of the proper size Cf locks is one
much debated among engineers, aad probably
can only be settled hya judiC us compromise. We
know thSt in the view % me whose opinions
We value, The danger is Of leaning TO 100 large
dimensions One thing is certain, that if trans
portstion by water is not made satisfactory, the
country has a resource in it railways, TO which
it vii. not fail 70 resort
Mr.. BRoNsoy's LITTER.
To as Canal C5nmissolcrs Of fis D5miaiy7
Of C1aafl, Gsancucl:
have not time to answer in detail and in
the orle- in which they are propQuudei the iu-
terrogatories you hsve addressed to me, and
propose therefore to treat in general terms and
in a desultory manner the commerce OF the
lakes, and especially Of The Welland s. ST. Law
renee canals. 10 doing this l shall ignore juris-
dictiOn, both Ne 10 the States aui Provinces. IL
is A msxim with me that commerce is the boon
snd Jurisdiction The lr-bea under the best gov
erument I shall assume that commerce should
psy in tolls for an the facilities it demands.
Thus cost and utility viii govern magnitude
and expenditure Popul,- feeling is strongly
in favor Of large and perfect nayi-sble facilities;
hence the danger Of mourning too large IN ex-
penIiture (which with It's tolls is equivalent tols
natural mpeiiment to navigation With these
preliminary remarks / address myself 10 the
character and dimensions Of the contemplated
work. and first, | sprrove sn enlargement Of
the Wellaad canal and locks to accommodate
vessels aal propellers Of about 80 tons
burthen Of the best models excluding side wheel
steamers and large armed Jvernment vessels
None bat emgraut and cheap travel will patron
ize said vessels and p-opel,ers Railways will
monopolize the rapid travel II the ;wo nations
should ever commit The folly Of making war
the better an Of opinion that a canal Of L.
feet Depth with locks 200 feet long, exclusive Of
the gates and 80 or 36 feet wi le would meet the
wants Of these 80 ton vessels, out l should
defer 10 the opinions Of sucn men So your Secre-
tary Samuel Keeper. his brother Thomas and
Edwin T. johnson, civil engineer. for the parti-
culsr form aal description Of lock and canal,
provided they sioptei my theory in regard To
magnitude Of structures and the wants Of con-
merce
Inasmuch as the St Lawrence locks slresiy
constructed Of some 45 or 50 feet in width, cover
about one-third Of the descents from the lakes TO
the ocesn, it becomes a question of some difficult
ty to solve, whether the new Vellsnd canal
locks shall be made to conform to them in
width, that is, shall be made 20 10 b feet
wider than the internal commerce Of the lake
region demands Believing as | do that $ lock
of 50 or 36 feet in width ia ample for the lakes.
the lower provinces snd New England, | an Of
opinion :hst it would be unwise to embsrrass
this vast internal trade by wide locks on the
Weland csnsl, - involving considerable ex-
penditure of money, delays in lockage and
greater cost Of repsirs.
1t is claimed, and generally conceded, thSt
the larger the vessel the cheaper the freight for
a long voyage. This ia true under certain
conditions, such as capacious and deep harbors,
unlimited amount Of suitable freight, like grain,
losded by its own gravity and discharged by
machinery, with emigrsnt and cabin passengers
without stint. Even the Great Eastern coupled
with these conditions would have been trium-
phant success but without them has proved total
failure, and has other value than that which |
results from her adaptation to laying ocean
cables. Sixty-one years ago | built lake
coaster Of 100 tons, drawing seven feet Of water,
larger by 20 tons than any other vessel or the
lakes and drawing more water by one foot than
any other. :
About a years ago the Wellani canal was
opened with locks believe 20 by 100 feet, the s
canal having seven feet depth of water. he
veseals of Propaen g 70 al tO0O b,,.bais 3