New-York tribune., 1899-03-27
CANADA'S GREAT CANAL.

Tho recent announcement in The Tribune Oh
mans for the construction Of great elevators
and other terminal appliances for the gram
trade nj Montreal by American capitalists Is
highly interesting and significant. Taken alone
il u.ould mean a mena 20 10 the grain trade Oh
\eU-York and the other Atlantic ports OF the
T-nltod States. For the distance from Montreal
IN Liyerpool is 80 miles less than that from
NewYork. Bot taken in connection with Cah-
oda's great canal scheme, it is immeasuraDiy
more significant.
We have already told of the improvements
that have been made OF the Welland ana ~.
Lawrence canals and their vast superiority
over the canals of NewYork State. But the
Dominiou is not satisfied with them. 1t mas
entered upon the construction of a shortcut
waterway from the st. Lawrence to the pper
Lakes without entering Lakes Ontario ana Erie
at all II now has canal from Montreal 10
Ottawa. II Will extend it along the line OF the
Ottawa River TO Lake Nipissing, and thence
olon., French River to Georgian Bay ana Lake
1Iuron II has indeed actually begun this VAST
entornrisc. and expects TO have it done and the
whole waterway open to traffic within three
voors At first this canal will be not more than
tvice thc depth of the Erie Canal. Even that
will nerIpi; large lake barges and steamers 10
mass through it directly from Duluth, Fort
Arthur and elsewhere on the lakes to tide
wafer or to the great terminal which Ameri-
oons oro to huild at Montreal. But it is in
tended in time u deepen it 50 as to give pas
sooo IN ocean steamers Then the latter VIII
bo ohio tn take on cargoes on Lake superior
ond On straight across 10 Liverpool without
breaking bulk.
This directnCss or route will in itself give
Canada great advantage over the United
ctotes Rut the route is also much shorter
than any of ours. 1t is 375 miles shorter than
The ST Lawrence River route and 4oO miles
shorter than that by way of the Erie Canal
The distance from Chicago to Liyerpool Dy
way Of the Ottawa Canal will be 700 miles
shorter than by way Of the Erie Canal More
over while the Erie route includes 800 miles
Of artificial waterway. and the -. LaWrehC@
route Il miles. the Ottawa route Will have only
20 miles. all the rest being natural waterway
Il is calculated that the ottawa route viii be
IN point Of time four days shorter thah tle
r,jc and a day and a half shorter than the
81. Lawrence.
Srcb is tbc rivalry which Canada backed by
all the resources Of the British Empire, IS about
II offer to the grain and other trade OF 'he
Northern United States. 1t is idle to suppose
that the merchandise which comes through the
Sault ste Marie and the Strait of MacklhaW
vii, come to New-York on its way TO Europe
with costly ard tedious transshipments at Bur
! falo and New-York, when it can 90 by way OF
/ Ottawa and Montreal without single trans
/ shiDmcnt and in four days less time or rather'
with the transshipments on the Erie route a
wool less. When il is possible as it VIII be
in ,broc wears. TO send cargo from any point
/ ON Lake Superior or Lake Michigan clear Ia
/ 7 ivernool by wav of Ottawa as quickly as IT
/ can he sent 10 New-YOrk by way of the Ene
Canal all the European trade of the Upper
aros both Canadian and United States. VIII
90 Inv thc WAY of the Canadian canal. That is
the interesting prospect which confronts Ameri-
! can commerce.