, 1873-01-03


una create tho atmosphere which will give, ant
force, the needed action.
It is not our purpose to do more than presen
q few inches square Of our engravers work
which will save columns OF description. Il
shows the route to tho sea from the upper lakes
shortened by saving the long detour to the
eontlwasd through Lake Erie. By this route Z
feasible ship-canal sEyESTY-sIx milea in 1engtt
will save FOUR HUNDRED MILES to gra;n-bearinE
vessels from upper Lake ports seeking tias
water. The eye Of the most casual reader will
take in the subject at glance.
This measure WAS first given shape in 1856
and tue prominent Engliah aud Canadian capi-
tAlists it's projectors, found q strong eentimen'
instantly in its favor On both sides OF tho line
It has had its different phases Of revival, mover
OF reaction It has received on several occasions
attention and cooperative support from Boards
of Trade in the West. On one occasion, Lieu
aenhnt Governor Bross, and the late Georges
Steel Esq, were commissioned formally to re-
present the Chicago Board Of Trade nta great
meeting in Toronto. At this time our excellent
e1-Mayor, h. B. Mason, Was appointed in behalf
OF American interests, to be associated with Hon.
Myas Tully to present sketch and estimate OF
the route and cost Of construction. This work
.7as faithfully performed, and the report deepen
ed and justified the enthusiasm Of the pro-
iectors. It Was shown to bo more feasible in
every way than tho Canadian reckon" and tho
Yankee 1'guess" had made it-appear.
The canal and it's route may be described as
follows, mud can be seen at d glance on the map:
1t will connect Lake Ontario with Lake Huron,
having Lake Simcoe, situated midway between
:.aaesa, fcc sts summit level aud feeder. The dis
tnnce between it's southern terminus in Lake
1+u%7
gian Bay OF Lake Huron, is 100 miles, Of which
~ miles are dcep water navigation through Lake
Eimcoe. nnd 16 miles slack Wnter navigation in
the Notawnsaga River, leaving 60 miles OF canal
proper so miles Of which will be summit level.
The canal will be, therefore, in two divisions !:
one south Of Lake simcoe, Al miles in length,
through tne valley OF the Humber River tho
other Qnc1uding the Hlackwator narigation)
twonty-ni miles in length In tho Valley OF the
hotawasaga River. On the southern division
effected by means Of thirty-one locks. On the
Northern Division thero is descent from the
eummit 1evel Of $50 feet, to be effected by eleven
locks. all of which will be detached to prevent
that loss Of time in transit which would attend
tho grouping Of them together. The width Of
the canal viii be 100 feet at the water surface,
and Of tue depth of thirteen feet, with lockage
admitting the passage OF vessels Of 1900 tons.
Tho estimated cost Of the Works, including steam
tugs for towage through the long reaches, is
LIT,
The local advantages in the creation Of an al
most unlimited water-powor along the line, With
ita influences in the development OF the Cana
dian territory a1o all ably set forth in the Gov
ernment documents relating to this enterprise.
But the great advantages that will accrue to the
ceed in magnitude anything that has over en-
gagged our attention. A glance at the map will
show that the St. Lawrence River and the chain
OF Likes are tho natural outlet Of all this terri
tory, ind If this water way has failed hitherto to
secure toitse]f the immonse carrying trade OF
the West it is only for the want Of this improve
ment, which would place it beyond the reach Of
rivalry or competition.
The effect Of this canal will be to diminish the
distance between the upper lakes md tidewater,
whether at Quebec OF New York, over four hun
dred miles. The mariners course by this route,
on leaving the straits Of Mackinaw. ia the by
pothenusa OF the right angle by tho old route
ga Detroit and Toledo, avoiding the extensive
aetour and tho dangers Of Lake Erie as well as
the = , SLOW, tortuous, hnd shallow navigation Of
The completeness Of communication with the
sea, however, requires TINT the st. Lawrence
and that portion OF tho New York syBtem Of
canals which lies between osweso and Albany
oe enlarged; but es these works will
II may be- assumed hat they vii immedi. .
ately follow the construction Of the greater en-
terprise. From the report Of select Committee
Of the Candian Parliament, to whom was referred
the petition OF 20, 600 Of tho citizens Of the DOM
1nion for the construction Of this canal, we find
1he toFern1nent ready to eudow the charter With
grant Of 10000, 600 acres OF lands to aid in
Carrying on tho project to completion.
4 most important and crowning advantage Of
1ha route, is that its general direction gives the
GEasn laden vessel seeking the sea the adEant-
age OF the prevalent southwest wind Of summer,
7nsut1ng rapid and prosperous trip. Again, |
the temperature Of the higher latitude and the I
colder water will remove tho danger Of heating |
eatgoes OF grain, the dread OF the summer ahip-
Not word is to be said in depreciation Of |
.ne Welland Canal, or the enlargement OF the ]
canaia OF New York. Those must all he accom- /
pushed, and the sooner the better. But the |
ereat fact Of distance would bo- unaffected aud |
n0 1he west must save this four hundred miles.
.seaides tue natural fact remains that in the caae
u1 me Ne" i2rk canals it is g1avely doubted
Hhether the watershed OF tho region will Justify
lne material enlargement Of the channels al /
seaay %: taxing it's full capacity OF supply. t
h. 1nls Il the state Of affairs to-day. The West
oasslde world as the market for its
tRhtoaects, and, moro than this, is suffering
throughout all its mercantile and industrial
.nse1ests, at, and in its best sources Of deyel-
ob'1nens, Tor the lack OF the rery relief the
Ihe eap 1esnsn felghts Of this shortened route to
tant T. i thoroughly aroused DO able to accomplish
g9r cousins in the Nov Dominion arc united
a.u ,ao =. eatne1t On this question. Three years
e 1i T a. great meeting in the Parliament House,
~ y. toronto, sFhen Committee Of our Chicago
aE1t,zaans, nmong them Mr. Bross and Alderman
n:o.iaen, met with the Railroad and Canal Com
Lstees III @ OF Parliament the discussion waa earn
s;s eno q Strong, without Z murmur Of dissent,
MI oeofse Cartier: Sir Francis E1mks,