The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-12-25
CANADA'S CANAL SYSTEM
An Important Series OF Artinclal Water
ways TO tif6 Great Lakes.


ways to th6 Great Lakes.
OTTAWA. Dec. 24.-At Hamilton last week Mr..
II. B. Wilton. Government Inspector Of Canals.
read an interesting paper on the subject Of
Canadian Canals and Waterways" He said
the extreme length OF tho Canadian st. Law
renee and lake routes from the Straits OF Belle
Isle to Port Arthur on Lake superior was
2.228 miles. The level Of Lake Superior above
the river level at Three Rivers. the point where
tidal Influence ON the st. Lawrence Is first
noticeable. is 600 feet, Except the Sault
Ste. Marie Canal. ono mile long. with
its single lock. the deepening OF the
st. Clair fats. and some blasting Of
rock near Detroit. in the st. Clair River. all
the locks and works to overcome natural OBJ
stacles in the long stretch Of inland navigation
from Belle Isle to Lake Superior have been
constructed ut Canadian expense. The Do
minion Government has at present under con-
struction q lock on the Canadian side OF Sault
Ste. Marie at the entrance OF Lake Superior.
channel has been dredged through Lake St.
Peter. enabling ocean vessels OF deep draught
to reach the port Of Montreal: but the canals
which properly belong to the st. Lawrence in
land system Of navigation are those from the
western entrance Of tho Welland Canal. at
Port Colborne on Lake Erie. to the eastern
basin Of the Lachine Canal. at Montreal.
The distance from Port Colborno to Montreal
is 375 miles: proceeding from the east west
ward. the chief distractions to navigation Of
the st. Lawrence are: the st. Louis Cascades.
Cedars. Cotenu. Long Sault. Farran's Point.
Plat and Galops rapids. between Montreal and
Lake Ontario. ind the fulls and rapids of
Niagara between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie.
canals, seventy and a quarter sI miles long.
which have tYtw1 9sks With total rse q
Erie n S:I0 fpaf hiuhar fhan ha riy ~ al M
lockage a declIvity Of, seventeen feet In the
The Welland Canal. By which the falls and
miles long W. and has twepty;sIx iocks With a
total loekage q S2y feet. the difference Of Ieve!
cured Government aid for their undertaking;
ssyessel 81 eighty-ave tons burden passed
made IN 1883 lew years iater Lord Dur Dsr.
country. and aiterward the Government bought
up the stock held by private owners. and de-
aeq tie Gppsr n
ana supba t vS n5e feet Feet Ss5th e ss
feet. In 1883 other improvements. which had
pss s0fhs e nss
canal New locks 270x45 feet were construct
ed. and tho cannl was wideped. deepened, and
made to feed from Lake Erie. rs the Grand
River-the source Of supply for the former
canal-fell short toward the end Of the season.
This new Welland Canal VIZ opened In 1883
for vessels drawing twelve feet OF water. and
since that date the be- canal q banks haye been
sells OF fourteen feet draught. depth Of water
The Welland Canal is built throughout in
substantial manner. Its masonry Is massive.
and its locks and superstructure embody In
their construction the teachingo of yearsOf actual
experience in operating the earlier Welland
Canal. The lockage OF the canal UP the Mag
ara escarpment. it's passage through the
deep cut near Port Robinson. and the con-
struction of tho canal aIueduct over the
Weland River are works Of more than ordi;
accomplishment brought credit to the Cana
chief engineer OF tho Government canals. and
his stat, The cost Of the Welland Canal was
Last Year 5o2. 2ol tons Of agricultural prod
ucts passed through the Wcllnnd Canal. In
1850. before the great development OF tho rail-
ways. the canals carried 10 per cent OF the
whole freight moved. The proportion OF
freight that now goes by water Is only IA per
cent. The value of all cargocs carried on the
great lakes in 1890 is estimated at more than
S3OOOOO.OOO. Before the st. Lawrence can at
whole series Of st. Lawrence canals must be
improved to the lock Dimensions and depth Of
water carried out on tho Weland. BY general
consent the Dominion Government adopted
that policy years ago. and most OF the work Is
either doing or Is under contract