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J ; ^ ' : ••> ( > i IffK ]!f\NO(;A:' i8Gi' ^n->^ ST PI n' ■ «^ ti/S^'i*- ;<*"« filV^L ROUTES FROM THj^I WEST TO THE OCEAN. AND DOCKS AT MONTREAL: v& A SERIES OF LETTERS f. BY THE HONORABLE JOHN YOUNG, iN RRl'LY TO LETTERS Ob' " A Mh^llCUANT," WRITTEN BY WILLIAM WORKMAN, ESQ.. \ .. MONTREAL: SALTER & ROSS, PRINTERS, GREAT ST. JAMES STREET. 1859 RIVAL ROUTES I'ROM THE WEST TO THE OCEAN. AND DOCKS AT MONTREAL. LKTTSn NO. 1. To the Editor of the Montrial Gazette : Sir, — In concluding my letter to the Harbour Commissionera of the lOtb December last, in reference to the Report of .Mr. Trautwine on Docks at Montreal and on the comparative merits of the St. Lawrence with other routes from the West, I stated that I did not regret the discus- sion which had already arisen, and will yet arise, on the merits of the projects of our harbour im- provementB,and I trust also that "some cf the gen- tlemen of large commercial experience and habits of close observation," who agree with Mr. Traut- wlne's views, would be induced to support these views before the public, and point out the errors iu the opinions expressed in relation to Docks at Point St. Charles, and as to the trade of this port, in the many fikcts and Qgures by which these opinions have been supported. The hope thus expressed by me has been realised to some extent by a series of eight letters which appeared during tiie months of March, April and May, in your journal, over the signature of '-? Merchant,^ which are iutended as a reply to my let'er of 10th December, on " Rival Routes to the Ocean frcni the West and Docks at Montreal." These letters have since been published in pamphlet form, with a Preface, by William Workman, Esq., dated 23th May last, acknowledging himself as the author. Mr. Workman states in his preface that he ";iaiply desited to present the question on its own merits, quite free from any personal con- siderations." However sincere in this desire, Mr. Workman has certainly been most unfortunate in carrying it out, for the letters are remarkable for a bitterness of spirit, and an evident and charac- teristic anxiety to attack, not only my views on the questions at issue, but my motives and con- duct. They are filled with the most reckless and therefore harmless statements, and shew an ignorance of the argnments connected with the questions discnsaed, which is not a little snr- prising from sach a source. Evidence of this will abundantly appear in the extracts which I shall make in the coarse of my remarks, and nothing would have been easier than to have replind in a similar spirit. Mr. Workman deserved it, and no doubt some of his friends and mine may have expected it ; but it is rot to my taste to indulge in such a style of discussion, and Mr. Workman's best friends regret the most, the temper he has shewn. He may depend apon it, that however much the public may relish an occasional bard hit given to an opponent, it will not do to make ill temper, rash assertions and personal detraction the staple of an argument, especially on such a subject as that under discussion. The letters, however, have afforded an oppor- tunity, which I am not unwilling to embrace, of bringing those important subjects again under public notice, being satisfied that the more they are examined and discussed, the more will they recommend themselves to men of information and candour. Between Mr. Workman's views and mine on our geographical position, the natural capability of the St. Lawrence, and the means necessary to attract a large share of that vast Western trade, which now flows in another direction, there is a great difference. Mr. Workman is supported by the solo opinion of iAlr. Trautwine, a Civil Engi- neer f.'om Philadelphia, whose residence in Can- ada only extended over a period of seme two months, who had never been in the Western States, and whose opinions on the St. Lawrence route and of its power to compete for the trade of the Western States and Western Canada, har- monise so completely with the opinions expressed by Mr. Workman, that we are not now left in doubt as to the source of his information, and that Mr. Workman himself is evidently one of the gentlemen of " large commercial experience " and habits of close observation," alluded to by Mr. Trautwine. How far Mr. Workman deserves such praise remains to be seen. In the mean time it is only proper I think for me to say, for the information of parties at a distance, that he has never been engaged in, and has bad no expe- rience whatever In the Western trade about which be writes so authoritatively — that his only experience as a merchant has been in the im- portation and sale of hardware. In my letter of lOtb December I stited that it was impossible, with our present means of tran- sport below Oswego, that either the bulk of the II products of Canada West or ot tlio Wcsturn States could pass below Oswego, (or tbe reason that if they did there were no means of transport from Lowei Onnnda to compete in cheapness with what exists from Oswego an'l I3iifl'.»lo lo Albany. And with tbo view cf changing this state of things, I held it to be imperatively neces- sary for Canada to secure an enlargement of the Wellond Canal, and a Cnnal from the St. Law- rence into Lake Champlaia, so that vessels of 750 tons could proceed from any of the interior Lake PortP, without bre^^kiog balk, either to Montreal, or on to Lake OhamrilaiD,— that thij would give to th'j route of the St. Lawrence a superiority over all other routes from tbo West, which never could be disturbed, and that ihe success of our lailroad system depended on the St. Lawrence route having this .superiority, and that without this our railways iu Ca; ada would prove ruinous investments. Mr. Workman, in reply to this, Bays not one single word again: t the enlargement of the V/elland Canal. As to the construction cf the CaugJiaawaga dnul he is perfectly ''urious, pronouncing that woik 'visionary and so o'.viously absurd," — "its c:on8truction a species of commercial suicide," — "unjust," &c., Ac, and "that no single mer- chant besides Mr. Young approves of it." It may be worth while, therefore, to enquire whether Mr, Workman is warranted by facts in making such assertions, as an opportunity will be thus given for bringing under public atten- tion the views entertained by competent parties :a relation to this Canal. And first, as to what hcs been done by the Montreal Board of Trade, whose action on the subject has been as creditable ns it has been con- sistent. la 1846, it was suggested by me that the con- struction of a canal from tbe St. Lawrcnc: into Lake Cbamplain wns necessary for the success of the St. Lawrence canals ; and that without this it was donbtful whether western trade could be attracted down the St. Lawrence below Lake Ontario. Mr. Workman will please remember that this was iioo years before the St. Lawrence canals were opened for general traflSo. In the spring of 1847, 1, in company with Mr. Barrett, Civil Engineer, and a man of great professional ability (since deceased), walked from Gaughna- waga to St. Johns, and satisfied ourselves that there were no engineering diflSculties to encoun- ter in construction. The public became inte- rested in the project, and a petition, numerously siKiieJ by tbo cllizsns generally was presented to the Oovernmen*, praying for a survey. This was granted ; and in October 1847, J, U. Mill?. a gentleman of much practical talent in ills pr:- feasion, was named by the Governmonl to sur- vey the same. Early in 1813 he did so; and in a valuable report, recommended a line from St. Johns to Caugbnawaga, with tho Lake Champhiin level. In thi; Report Mr. Mills states—" It seems to nje that, " with reference to this enterprise, the direct in- " terest of Montreal to give every facility an 1 "aid to its prosecution upon that rou;e and Ic- " cation that will best serve the prominent con- " considerations and interests which have in- "duced its proposition." Mr. Mills again says — '' C.-ii the Goveriiment rxpect lo ^ct a revenue ''from the existing improvements of the St. Lav- *'rcnct!, depending only and alone upon "tin biisiness cf Canada, svjTicieat to pay "the interest of iv^t of said ivorks, to- "gether tvilh the anrnial fxpenses of fupcnii'.j.i ".'/.■.(/ 7nu''ilcnancc." Mr. Mills also gives an ex- tract, in support of this work, from a R'port to the Provincial Government in 1833, which 3tat«a — "It is in the powir of the Canadian Govern- " ment to say iu what direction the people (of " the north west) shall go to market It is g?- '' nerally known am ng commercial men n "North Am?rica, that the portion of the United "States called New England is ripidly bccom- "ing a manufacturing country; and I believa it " would be lajpossible now (in 1833) to estimate " tho extent of commarcial intercourse which " will take place between the West and New " England, as all estimates of the advancement "and productive power of tho north-western " States, even relating to periods and limes al- " ready past, have proved themselves to be riiii- " culous failures." Tho Board of Trade, in April 1848, asked tbe Government for copies of the Report and plass as made by Mr. Mills, " for the construction of ci " canal from the St. Lawrence into Lake Chara- "plain, in tho neighbourhood of Caugbnawaga. ' In July, 1848, a valuable memorial wrs presente i to tho Government, which so fully set forth th? great objects of the work, and is so clear in its statements, that, emanating, as it doei?, from a gentleman so universally esteemed in this city and throughout Canada, it cannot fail to be o!' interest to the public ; ~ 5 Th'. Meinnyiitl of llit>. Mo:il.i(d Board c/ Trale Huinbly t'liuoeth,— That your momormliata Irivc for boruo time l;een 'Jeoply lrn|>rc3jed with the deairabhnesa of 'onnecting the waters of tlie S'. Lawrence with Lake Champlain by nx-nns of a Giuml. The i ■ommerciftl ndvnntftfjes which would rcs'illfrnm ' :uch an iinderifiliinff ir;? nunicror.s lUiJ highly i importaLt. { Istly. liy m.'iin.! of cnuh n vni.l Pioviilons ' ^'ai nreftditullH, which are ti*. iirrsfiiU imported into the non-|)rodiicing S'atra of Mn33nchi:sett8, New Hamj'3hi;c, Vermont nud Connecticut from TbeWcs' l)y th2 route of iho Eiio Ciinfil, would undoubtedly ho brouRht by tho St. Lawrcnco, :be superior c!ieapnc33 of s!:ch a route boing such .13 to defy competition ; eo that thui not only H transit trade of considerable maptnitude would be secured, but a new and valuablfi lairket > would be opened for the prciuclionsoi'' this Pro- 1 vincp. I 2ndly. That such a c^nal would prove of Jm- ' menso advantaga to tho lumber distric!.i on the I 'jttawa and its tributaric;.', inasmuch fia it would , open lip ;. now and permancntiuarketfor timber, besides bringing into I'biy the water power so : largely available on >il the streams for the' manufacture of wood stu'Jd adapted for a South- ern market. j 3rdly. Thi* it would be llu means of complet- i ing the chain of water comtnunicatioii frcm tho 1 Upper LaXes by the 8t. Lawrence to New York, : aud tbui materially nssijt, under the system (f ^ rree nnvigjlion contemplated, in rendering that ' river the greu thorou:,'hfa;e to the ocean of the produce of Western Canada and the Western ' Siatcs of America. ! 4thly. The Financial results which would, accrue from such a canal would be of the grrat- ■ est edvantaga to the Governm'^ut, if its tlTecti would be, as it is justly nnticipated, to increase ' incalculably tho traflic in tho St. Lawrence, by '■ lbs power it would place ia our hands of com- j peting successfully with the Erie Cfi.nal, the j tolls arising from" tho Provincial Canals could ] not fail to be largely increased, and tl:e public revenue proportiouately nugmenttd . | 5thly. The canal in question will prove ofi great advantage to the city of Montreal, not only by the direct trade it would be the raeanaof opening up, but by the growth in wealth by a population resident in her rear, which, by natural necessity, would resort to her market for sup- plies. By the contemporanecns completion of the Portland Railroad, Montreal would also become the centre of three great routes to the ocean, a situation most favorable for the growth and concentration of commerce. Lastly. A canal connecting the waters of the St. Lawrence and Lake Champlaia would bare the effdct of neatralizing in a great measure the present contemplated railroad from Ogdens- burgh, whicL otherwise would draw the traffic of the St. Lawrence at a point above all our Public Works, thereby inflictioe a serious loss on our revenue, but an incalcalable injnry on the iaterests of the Lower Province. Tour memorialists are also aware that repre« Eentations on the subject of such a canal were ma!e hst year by ft number tf the cithens of Montreal, and that nccordmg to the prtyer of their petition Your Excellency was pleased to direct ft survey of a line for the proposed canal, comnoncing at the St. Lawrcnco side, at or near thn village of Caughnawaga. It appears to your memoriilists expedient, under any circumstances, before deciding the line of tho proposed canal, that the country lying betwuon Longueuil and Laprairie should also be surveyed, so that tho final preference be given to that line which, after niinuto investigation and consideration of r.ll tho interests involved, shall be deemed to pooscss a prcpondorauce of advan- tages ia its favor. Your memorialistj cannot help regarding the selection of tho terminus of such n canal, in the construction of which a vast expenditure must be ineunoJ, and any miatako regarding which may bo looked upon as irremediable, as a matter, of the very highest importance, nnd not to bo decided on without tho utmost deliberation And tho examination of competent and unbiassed authorities. Wherefore your tutmoriuliats would humbly pray your Excellency, ai a preliminary step, to direct tho furvey of tho country lying bcenLon; gueuil and Laprairie, so thut a choice of a route for the proposed canal may subsequently be made, after a due balancing of tho various cir- cumstances pro. and rnn. nlfecting-" each' line respectively. And your &c , &c. (Signed,) PETER McGILL, Preat. M. 13. of T. F. A. Wilson, Secretary. Montreal, 26th July, 1843. Such ft memcrial is worthy of being preserved as part of the history of the proposed Canal, and will be possessed of much greater interest, years hence, when the advantages to be derived from tho work shall have been demonstrated by actual experience. A word or two as to tho action of the Legisla- ture on this subject. In 1849 a bill was carried through Parliament authorising a Company to construct this canal. In the same year a meeting of American gentle- men interested in the subject met at Tro7,who au- thorised a survey by Mr. Olazton, C.E.— and the same year also a Convention was held at Sara- toga Springs, where delegates from Canada and different parts of the United States were present, who heartily approved of the utility and neces- sity of the work. In the same year the Hon . J . B. Robinson brought the subject before Govern- ment in his Public Works Report. In Public Works Report of 1851 the Hon. Mr. Killaly and myself alluded to the work, and recommended its immediate construction. In 1853 a special 6 (I i;incral meeting of the Uoard of Trnilc wns called iu rcferenco to tliU Canal, a.d Ihe mpotiuK was unanimous hb to its neccasily. The poin* of departure from the St. Lawrence wng not dig- puseed ; while nonce of the mombeia exprt'sacd a desire to haro \u location so thut the Ocean and Western vessel might meet at the s.tme place, — yet, all felt that tho point o"" (irparturo wms a matter for lOnKincerH to decide. Dn ihi> point Tho.Tiu3 Ryan, E?m., (a gcnllennn who has uni- formly and itom tho first taken au active part in promoting this work,) expresoed the feeling of the majority in making tho following remarks :— " That the expression of ' the C.mai' ho had not "liked, but oa a suggestion this had been "changed to ' a Canal.' This had shown him '' the willingness of Mr. Youug to meet the views " of tho meeting. He did not doubt that such " a Canal aa that proposed, if contiguous to the "city, would be of great import.incc, at the " fame time he fhonld be sorry to sec any such xcl- '• fishncss shewn as would oi^s^randise the city at " the cxpente of the country. The city would " extend itself widely, and in a few years a mile " or two one way or the other would make no " great difference with the terminus. But still ' the Board would do its best to prevent a wrong " location. lie had heard of wrong locations, " and while h; would not say that the interests " of Montreal should defeat the clear reports of " approved Engineers, he thought th.it in the " event of there being two or three different re- " ports, the Interes's of the city should come in " and havo their weight." I shall conUnuo this subject in my next letter. YourObdt. Servt. JOHN YOUNG. Montreal, 23rd June, 1850 LETTER NO. 2. To the Editor of the Montreal Gazette : Sir, — In continuation of my last letter, I beg to remark that, in 1853, the House of Assembly passed a resolution lecommending the construc- tion of a canal into Lake Ohamplain by a vote of 37 to 6. In the Anr-'il Report of the Board of Trade in 1855, the .lole subject is discussed at length, and its bearing on trade pointed out. It is there stated — "With such a canal, it appears to us " that the immense trade that is new diverted " away from this city, by Oswego and other "United States* lake ports, would be brought " to our very )er, 1854, stiitcs that in the I{pi)ort of the Chief Cotuniissioiur of Tublip Worka, stating that in rouspquence of iietlliona from various localities ill Upper and Lower Canada for the construolioii of a canal to connect the St. Lawrence with Luke Chauiplain,— that by the vote on (Jih April, 185f», of the Legislative As- sembly, as well as by the petition of tbo Montreal Hoard of Trade requesting tliata survey be made of said canal, — that he hail carefully perused said petitions and resolution, - that a survey was made in I947atliie rtq'eit of certain individuals, who conteniijlate constructing a canal as a i»riva e enterprise ; but that such survey was conlioed to a particular line, with its terminus at Caughna- waga, nnd that, from the great importance ci the subject, a new survey should be made, &c. This survey was ent.usted to John U. Jaivis, tv civil engineer of New Vork, who rejiorted strongly in favour of the work, and rccomnieuded a line direct from Caughnawaga to St. Johns, with a navigable feeder from tiio lie'xnharnois Canal. After receipt by the (jovtramert tf Mr. Jar- vis's Report, iin opiiortunily was all'jrdod of ub- taining the opiaijn of Cnptuin N. U. S«ii't, a Civil Engineer of great eminence, and who for some years had bten Chief Engineet to tlie State of Massachuretts. Mr. Swift had before him Reports of John D. Mills, John tJ. Jarvlj, E. B. Tracy, and S. Gambh', b;it did not concur with Mr. Jarvis in feeding the Canal at Caughnawaga frsm the St. Lawrence at the Beouharnois Cnnsl, and dwelt at considerable length on the v tIous lines proposed, and concluded by statitj^r that " the cost would not exceed $2,080,00-i,— !;!id 1 " have no iicsitation whatever in eiprejsin.:^ the "opinion lliat I'l-i proper line for the proposed " Ounal is from St. Johns to Caughnawaga on " the route known as the Champlain level ; in " other words, that the Canal should be supplied "with water irom Lake Champlain, ns lei'om- " mended by Mr. Mills.' In 1855 and in IS5G, Samuel B. Gamble aUo run several lines, which resulted in a strong recommenuaiiou of the line from Caughnawaga to St. Johns. T. C. Clarke, Esq., also reported on the subject, giving the dame opinion. The Ilonble. Messrs. Lemieux and II. H. Kil- aly, in their Public Works Report ofl85C, state " That after attentively rxamining into the rn- '' pective merits of the several llnee— some ilx or '•seven in number— and '.ho arKnm:>nts of the " Kngineora thereon, the undersigned are deci- " dedly led to the conclusion that the only con- " Irastor comparison necessary to dv/tll on, i», " that betwcin the ' H'.auharnols hue' having the " Beauharnoia Canal as a feeder with its branch "to Caughnawaga, as recoramerded by Mr. Jar. " vis , and the Caughnawagu lino having L»k',> "Chsmplaiu for its Dupply, represented l)y " Messrs. Mills, Swift aud (Jamble, as the one to " be prelerred, are deserving cf the deepest con- "sideraticn, cont.iining, as they do, a v.tst " amount of valuable statistics, and a number of " important nnd ingenious tables, .i/'ter i< pii- " lifiit uKil. inittHii' roiisii/i'rnlioii of the nilire, tht *' wdenis^ntd are of oniuiun Ikul the lino, follow- " iiiij the. Chitmblij Canal andthnncrofsbti:; laLahe " St. I.oui'i, i'i Ihiit irhirh W3uld combine anl a_D'ord "in the If realist decree, all theailvanlw^ei^ ronttm- " /dalfd from this iiiiprovtmtnl," And again, " The absolute necrs'iilij for thin ronueflini; link in "the chain of the immense Inland Naviiiation " thruui^h this Pi evince ami the United Stalest be- *^ cointt more urd more apparent (rcn/ sttccecditu; " near." Now, I was not wedded to any particu- lar point for the divergence of this Canal from iho St. Lawrenec. la Ifiol, in a letter to a Committee nam^'il by the Electors of Mon- treal, I stated that, aj regards the Cannl to fcuuect Lake Champlain with the Saint Law- rence, "I shall bo iirepared to con'ider " i'jip;irii.illy the reasons which may be ad- " duced in favor of the several rouf.'S ;ugge3t- "ed. Only one route h.is yet b en surveyed " (from Lake St. Louis),, and nntil c.:mparative " surveys are miide ofoiher routes, and the merits " of each duly weighed, I shall defer expressing " a deD-- ,• opinion as to the best point of depar- " ture fr», u the St. Lawrence." * Witli I'.ese facts, I now leave it to the public to judge how far .Mr. Workman is justified in writing That " You should also Itur in mind " that you may search in vain for a cingle Mon- " treiil merchant, besides himaelt, who r.pproves " of tbo Caughnawaga Canal prijtct' "Mr. " Young, by the influence ho wields ;i3 a l.u'ge ''prjiiuce dealer through certain parties who " are members of the Board of Trade, has snc- "eerded, if I mistake not, in having Lis Caugb- " nawaga Canal approved of, orfavorauly iioiic- " ea." In point cf fact, tho Board of Tiadf) while il ey have laboured to direct Governinent 't 8 and public attention to the necessity of a Canal, have never expressed, or u.ive been called on to ex- press, an opinion as lo site, or on the numerous surveys made since 1854. So tint Mr. Workman ia once more mistaken. Kia assertion, as t( the influancc brought to bear upon his fellow merchants, scarcely deserves notice, were it not that it affords another proof, amongst many offered in his letters, of his readiness to impute the lowest motives. It might have struck Mr. Workman that " certain members" of the Board of Trade might have acted from conviction or a sense of I duty, and not from the influerce wielded by a large produce dealer. j But here again Mr. Workman is mistaken as ' to the facts, for there ia not a member of the Board of Trade who will state that I ever used any such influence, t even solicited a votp, at i the Board of Trndb. In so far as nn expression of opinion, or argu- ments in favour of ouch a canal, are likely to influence my fellow merchants or fellow citizens, Mr. Workman will not And fault. He seems in one place to bealmost convinced himself that for the Province at large the Cauehnnwaga Canal 'jaight perhaps be benelicial. He says: — "For " whatever may be said in favour of coastruct- •'ingacaaal at Caugbiiawa[;,a, as a means of '• adding to the revenue of our other canals above ■'Rt point, yet its construction by any '' wjund ihiaking Montreal Merchant must be " regarded as carrying aosurdity on its very face " as in fact the most aggravated species of com- "mercial suicide.'' Mr. Workman does not say in direct terms that the canal would bcr.-litthe Province, but he evidently leans tn tie mnsim which ia qui'c pre- valent enough, :.m1 which one wotild not have espctied in such :i ijuarter, that local .ind not general interc!;'s jhauM control the location of such a work. But he goes further, and gives another reason against the canal ;— The St. Lawrence and Lake " Champlain are already united by two excellent " railways ; that with these means of communi- *' cation, coupled with the more circuitous route " of the Chumbly Canal, he does not see that " any insuperable obstacles exist to the most "extensive commerce between the two points in "question." .Mr. Workman says—" It will be evident to any " unprejudiced mind, that along with the Oangb* " nawaga Canal must spring up a rival to the " port of Montreal— a bleeder, rather than a feed- " cr— at Caughnawaga." "That the proposed Caughnawaga Canal '' would injure the trade of Montreal, and divert " from, rather than draw produce to, Mr. Young'5 " docks." "Unite thesa two points" [the St. Lawrence and Lako Uhamplain] "and a BrJtieb bottom in ' the great Western carrying trade would be as " rare as a woodcock in summer, or a swallow iu i' winter." "But although n largo majority of the mcr- " chants and inhabitants of INIontrcal, from the " very absurdity of Mr. Young'a projects, have " hitherto regarded them more as harmless " ' will o' tbe-wisps' than as actual realitie3,thero " 13 danger in carrying this apathy too far." These are gri/e assertions, and require to be answered. In my next letter I shall have occa- sion to examine fulij the merits of Mr, Work- man's two excellent railways, as a means of com- piling with the canals aad railways of the State of New York. But ia proof that we have now no means of such competition below Lake Onta- rio, let me direct public attention to the returns of the trade for 1858, when n larger amount of produce w.ts received at MontroU than in any previous year. Reducing flour to grain, at the rate of five bushels for a barrel, the total exports from the lake regions in 1858 were considerably in tscess of 1856 and 1857. The average amount in 1856 ^ 1857 was, ia bushels 51,218,510 Amount ia 1858 59,872,566 This 8ho';vs an iccrcise m 1858 of 14 per cent. Now, let us see where this property went, and th? relative importance of the different ports receiving flour and grain from the lake regions. I fini'., from tables prepared "y the Buflfalo Commercial Advertiser, and which I have cart- fully examined, that of all the grain and flour moving eastward in 1856, '57 h '58, each point as follows received the per centage set opposite its name : — Locality. 1856. 1857. 1858. Buffalo 45.5 44.8 47.1 Oswego... 23.5 1C.3 19.2 Montreal 10.6 11.8 9.2 West. Ter. Jtuf. & 0. RR. . • . 4.6 6.3 6.5 0^den8burtter of j any way be lessened by the gieat stream of West- i.Tterest, to have as many vessels passing throu^^h | era traffic passing by the wa/ of Caughnawaga, our c-inals as possible. Neither wo'ild we be insf^nd of by the w.iy of Osweg) and Buffalo, compelled to allow Americaa vessels o pass This, surely, must be admitted. Now, my posi- through the Caughnawaga Canal, except on the tioQ in reference to this sta'e cf things is simply 3ime ground ; nor do I believe that the State of i this : — I have shown ii to be impossible, with our New York would refuse the free navigation of j present meacs of transport, to attract any con- their cinala to our vessels, for the same right | sjderable part of the trade of Western Canada granted to New Yoik craft, for through fr ight; a^,\ the Western States for the Eastern States nor that the General Government of the United below Lake Ontario. I have next shown that, States would refuse us the right to navigate the ' to do so, the Welland Canal must be enlarged, Hudson, if, in doing so, the vessel were oound direct from a Canadian, to an American port. Now, as to the " ruin of our foreign trade." Mr. Workman throughout his letters seems to be impressed with the idea, that our foreign trade, is that trade only, which consists of imports and exports by sea. I differ from Mr. Workman entirely on this point, and believe that to increase our imports at Montreal from the Western States, and to increase our exports, either of those imports from the Western and the Caughnawaga Canal built, to enable vessels of 750 tons to navigate the St. Lawrence ; that, with these works, it has been demonstrated that trade will find its cheapest outlet via Caugh- nawaga to Lake Champlain ; and no one has yet attempted to deny that this will be the result of those works. Then comes the question— How much of this trade can Montreal secure?— or can the secure any of it ? At present, the port of Montreal does not begin to compare with Oswego, Buffalo, or Albany, as to facilities for IG ill • •.otiag and Imndling grnin, llutir, piovisiin?, 4c. Without machinery for (Idinp ?o, iicd storc- iiOU3C3 cl03o to the water, thia is irapoDaibie ; mid in tlieic reapectf!, Montretvl, ns an ir.lnnd port, is very inferior to thoso jilacfa. l)y the l^rciit water power wilbin our control, c.nl by the construction of dock?, we have it in or power to malte Montreal superior in facllitits for receiving, delivering, storing, and holding West- ern produce to any inland port on the Continent. Again, we have seen that if tliia can ho d nc th trcfll to make our port r great commer- cial depot for Western produce at all seasons of the 3 car, for on the termination of navigation produco of all kinds could be shipped in winter by railroad, as produce is now cnnicd from Oswego and UulTalo in the same season, nnd by a tr uch loss distance. This state of things, how- over, ca'iuot be even hoped for, unless docks bs eorif tiucted. Now this matter of docks at Mon- treal, is one about which there has been so much (and it has not jet been doubted), property can discussion, ihat it may bo well for me briefly to b3 brought bore, held here, and sent on to the i 8t.^t.> what action ! as been taken by the Hrtrbor Eastern States, or to New York, if; cheaply as if I Commi;sioner3,— the Board of Trude and citizens il had criginolly been shi[i!icd via Oswego w on ihe subject. BiiflFaloto Albany or Troy. When the remarkable succ-sa wliich attended ButMr. Workman may nsk, why should such! t,,g operations for deepening Lake S:. Peter property come here at all? I reply that Mon treal is not only an inland port equal to Oswego bccama evident, it was perceived that the i: c eased sizi of the ships coming to the per: lowest water for ships drawing 20 feet, nd is 300 miles nearer Liv rpool than New York. Again, New York is 350 miles more distant from Chi- cago, than !Mon;real— by the route of Lake Champlain, und even by the shortest route via Oswego the difference ia distance is 140 miles in favour of Montreal. Produce then, shipped hcra v/ould not. only bs in a position to be sent ;o L.ake Champlaia and Boston, the Hudson or New York, but would also be at a point where the State of Maiue, and New Bruns- wick, could be supplied, either during the period of navigation, or in winter, by means of the Vic- torir. Bridge, and where shipments to Great Britain or other coiinlries could be made as ad- vantageously as from New York. As a pomt of distribution, then, Montreal may be made supe- rior to any other. The consumption of the State o f Maine alon of grain, flour, p oviaionr, Ac , is over one mil- lion of barrels. The trade of that State is now almost exclusively carried on through New York. The completion of the canals alluded to, and of the Victoria Bridge, would so chea eu inland transport as to enable our railway to Portland and othtr places ia Maine as well as Mr. Workman's two excellent railways to compete successfully with an' othsr route, but whi:b cannot be done now with proCt to the railways. Mr. Workman, who seems to understand so little of the matti^r in question, m'lst admit, or Bufl'dlo for storing, &c , but \i superior to would soon render nee. ssury greater Sj ace in the these lakt) ports in having an unlimited | harbor for their accommodation. Impressed supply of water for raill!ii?aud manufucluring ^yjiij tbis co -viction, I brought the subject before purposes It is also a seaport, accessible at the Commissioners in a letterdated 7th Jan ,1852, when Messrs. Kecfer and Gzowski were autho- rise! to examine into the best means of provid- ing ample acsommodation for ships drawing 17 feet water ; and these gentlemen were also instructed to e.vamioo "puriicularly thu ground "lying between thi foot of the Current •' St, Maryand the Lachine Canal at or " near the St. Gabriel Liock, with the " view of ascfrtaining the possibility cf " constructing a ship-caual to connect these " points, and thui afford the means of building " on both sides.'' These instructions were writ- ten by me, and shew, that long befoie Mr. Work- man had become interested in the Craig-street scheme, I Lad brought it up for consideration. Messrs. Gzowski and Keefer reported on 23rd January, 1853, in favor Ci' docks at Point St. Ohirles. Up to that tirno this location had not been noticed, so that Mr. Workman honors me too highly ia raiki: g me the "projector' of that enterprise. On the 23rd of September, by reso- lution of th; Commissioners, I laid before them a Beport on the necessity cf increased harbor ac- commodation, "and not to delay making such pro- " vision until a pressure for it should arise," and " that this was the more necessary, from the fac " that there is now abundant evidence to shew " 'that it is J racticable to make a sbip-channe "between our harbor and the sea, twenty fee " deep at low w>itcr,' and that each vessels as the " Sarah' and ' Water Lilj,' of 900 and 1000 tons I *' bnribeD, will prove to be the tnlDimum sice of ' the re$(ular traders, and that the number will ''increase trom ye^.r to jeor.' I concludrd a long paper on the 8ubj>>ct by staiiD{{ " that a "very large extension of the present wbar^^age " accommodation should be made in the direction ''of Hoch-laga Bay, and that this point must 'become a large shlppir g place for t'mber nnd "lumb^^r of all kinds," but that the extension of the wbar'age Hccommod'\tion to the East in no way detracts from the necessity of docks. I was compelled, by a careful txamination of the sub- ject, to iib&ndon the Graig-strect scheme, and to appr ve of the Point St. Charles prcject. My Report was reterred to the Board of Trade and to the public for diacu^tion, but the iuggestion did not excite much public interest On the 17Ui April, 1867, thi' subject was Bgaiu brought before the Hirbor Commissioners ia a Report which urged action as to increased accommodation by docks, and the following resolution was ptissed : " That in view of the augmenting trade of the Port, and of the prnximatn compl>'iion of the '20 feet Channel in Lake St. Peter, the Board are ol opini on that the time h' s arrived fur taking into consideration the 'uestion (f increasing the ca- pacity of the Harbour; and that, in order to attract public attention to the subject, and to elicit an expression of public opinion, the Report this day hauded in by Mr. Young bo published, and the pi ns cf Docks, prepare 1 by Mr. For- syth, bo left for public inspection in the Mer- chtnts' Exchange " A general meeting of the Board of Trade was called by advsrtiaemcnt, as usual, to consider the above, at which meeting it was resolved : — •' That the Cnnncil of the Board be instructed to suggest 'o the Harbour Commissioners tbe propriety of placing the wholp Euijcct of Har- bour enlargeciienl btf():e two or more qualified Rogineers, to obtain estimates, and an opin on as to the jtlace where increased accommodatinn can be secured at the least cciat and with thi g-eateat facilities to the commerce of the Port.' It will be seen by this resolution, that it was at the intance and su3;gf^tion of the mcrchantfi of Montreal, called speciitlly for thepwpnse, that the Barbour Commissioners were indui:ed to place the whole subject of Htrbour enlargement before two •or more qua'i/ieU Eiigineers, The Engineers selected were Messrs. Ctilde, McAlpioe and Kirkwood. These gentlemen, •fter much deliberation and consideration of tbe subject, reported at length, and concluded as follows : — " Tbe conclaaions to which the Board have ar- rived may be briefly stated as follows: " 1st Tbat tbe natural advantages of the rente between tbe western interior and tbe sea-boaid B by the way of the St. Lawrence are sufficient ta warrant the exjenditurea which have been made, and also these which are propoaed to complete the improvements along that route ; and that when thus impro' ed it will present the cheapest mode of comraunii aiinn not only to the sen- board, but aljo to New Er.gltind and N w York. " 2ud. That the amotint cf Ijusiness which will be dr:iwn to tliif route by the advantages which it will posspsa when so im[irnved, will bu sufii- cient to warrant the expendi u:ea necessary in making them. " 3rd. That the port of Montreal is the proper place for transferring eargoes from the interior to sea-going vessels ; and therefore that the Hur* hour Commissioners are riyht in their planp for deejcning the channel below Montreal so us f^ allow veseels drawing twenty feet to come to li.e latter port. ''4th That the present harbour fncili' leg of Mor- treal are entirely inadequate to accommodate the present trade ; and that such an increase as may be expected on the completion <;i the improve- ments already mentioned, will require a larga add! ion thereto. ' 5ih. That 'he location ff an enlarged harbour at Point yt. Charles is the best site that can Ijc found at Montreal ; and that the fMciliiies which a harbour at this plac<', upon thn plan suggested, will amply accommodate the trade in q'lestion ; and final'y, that in our opinion the improvements in the channel of the St. Lawrence at and near Montreal, ami the c nstructi-n of the proposed harbour, are not local qdesiions hut of national importance, by which the final success of the seheme of Canadian puhlij works will be mate- rially influenced." This Report was Hdopted by the Ha bonr Com- missioners on the lOtb April, 1858, and the lol- lowing resolution pasfet : — "That t»ie Report of the Enginecs, Mcssr?. Jjlin Childe, Mr. J. McAlpine, and ./as. P. Kirkwood, on the enlargement o the Harbour of Montreal, be trariEmitied to the Board ot Trade with a req lest that the s»me may be taken into consideriiiiou at as early a d-^y possible, with the view of elicitir.g from that itody an ex rts- sion of opinion on the Rport ; as to the expp- i ncy of further measures being taken to en- able the narb'ia- Comtnissionera to carry out thu recommi ndation of the Engiueeis." At a special general meeting of the Board of Trade, held 28th Apiil, 1858, it was resolved by a vote of 66 to 33: — " That th'8 Bo'ird hereby tender their thanks to the Harbi ur ("omrai sioners, for their prompt attention to t; e important subject of a survey of the various loealitits, with the view of provid- ing increased accomm idation at this port, as suggested in the Resolution of this Board on tbe 7th July last; and, after a caretui exumination >f the Report, by Messrs. Childe, McAlpine, and Kirkwood, on that part of tbe subject, the Board concur in opinion with the Harbour Commis- sioners, that the best site for the improvements alluded to, is tbat part of tlie river lying betweea If 18 the font of the foot of tie Canal and the Vlcturia Bridge. " That It be an instruction to tlie Minril of this Board to request a conlerencc wi
  • ) open up the wliole subject of proposed sites, and invited the Commilteo to 8 lect an Engineer to take the necessary levels, and alio to name a Chief Engineer, to be upjiroved by the Comniias'oners. On the 28 h June, 1858, the Uointnitteo named John C. Tniutwine, Esq , of Philadelphia, aad on the 30lh the Com- misaiou'ra approved the nomination. A joint letter of inatiuciions was drawn up and signed on the part of the (kmmiasioners and the Corn- roltiee. Mr. Trautwine reported in Octobi-r, igainst the pKJect suggested by the Committee, also agaius: the Vig"r Square and Hochelaga orojects ; and, although in soma respecta he though' highly of the St Charles prcjr-ct of Messrs (Jziwski and IveefiT, and approved of by Messrs. Kirkwood, McAlpine and Childo yet, he rejected that,f r a r^ite he recomraeriiied as preferable, run- ning from tbe front of .VIcOill Street, past and beyond the Wellington Bridge on the LacLine l&naX, Mr. Trautwine not only ditf-red w th .Messrs. Gzowaki, K*;efer, McAlpine, Kirkwo d and Childe, aa to the beat site for Docks, but enied the power of the St. Lawrence to com- pete with the routes through the Stale of New York, and advised the citizens to give up all idea of conalructing Docks for years to come. In my letter to th; Harbour Commissioners, after sta ing Mr. Trautwine's opinions as to the superiority of the New if, rk route over the route through Lower Canada, ihat the mercba;its of Montreal were not fit judges of what was requi- site to obtain a share in that trade, and that it was useless to make further efiforts at present for ?uch aa object. I addel :— •' In such a policy, " I, as a Canadian, and especially as a Lower " Canadian merchant, cannot coincide." 20 il^ Mr. Workn.nn mifqiiotrs ihoo word.i ngbritip " a rebuke inU'tidfd lo bf < rusliinn" to Mr. Tr 'ii'- wiiic, bfciiujo " Ilia ndvlce wiih il trimt'nlHl to " tlin sncrcra of fxtruvununt iloch filiemt^ " Thv truth i;i, iho wnrlg w«rp not.usfii In nffroncc h' •locks (it nil, iini Mr. Workman kmw lliii, but bu c'>ultl tidl ir!i[ion.' Now ft \v(ir;l or two in riftrenoo to Mr. Tiftut- winn. Mr. Workman fltiiles tlmt " Mr TrRUtwine wne " ch. Ben miilii .lly bj Mr, Y )iinff and a Corarnit- " tee tf cilizi'n8 " This ia not ui accordnDci' w th facti. : nfillicr the Hvibour Comnii aioneri* nornajfielf Imd anjlliiiift •<> •''' with tlie dioof- in ; ( M . Tniuiwiut'. .Mr Woiktnn knows, that by tbo ri'iulnii n of 2.}ili May, the Cliiet Engineer was lo bo named by the Oommilt e, and tie Cb>int Ht. Cliarles nar- rowB itself down iuio a mere queatiun of conji' denre ? I.i it a q'les'ion oiani fide nee, or reli mco i 1 the piofe8iion!il reptituion of Messra (Jhll Je, McAlpine, and Kirkwood on the one I and, and of Mr. Trautwine on th > other? or confi lence in Mr Worknr.-in't) opinions luid his p rsonsil charac- ter on tliH one ha id, and in mine on the othi r ? Uoes Mr, WorkuMn mean ihut the public is to spil.ict a site for docks from its cnnfl lei.ce in C' r- t.iii men, and to follow their leader without he- sitation, " be thai deciaion what it may. ' Even in auoh a view, the di cka at Point St Charha I ight, perhaps, nut com;pare unftvourably v.ilh .Vtr, Traiitwine's seh ine. For the former, wo huve the expressed aid published opinions of the fill iwing competent authorities at least — Messrs Keefer, Gzowski, Childe, McAlpine, and Kirk, wood. Engineers ; also of Commander Orkbar, R. X. (now surveying the St Lawrence) ; for the other, wo have Mr. Tr.utwino and Mr. Wo k- man. But the q'Kstion as to the docks is not one of ronfide.nce. It is susceptible of the teat of arKU- mcnt and discussion ; for whether they should be built at Point St. Charles depends on the question whether Point St. Cb^irles ia the best location or not. To settle this question involves m my considerations, among which may he men- tioned the cost of construction, the accessibility, extent, and convenience of the docks, taken in connection with the existing facilities for trans- port of property, and the new facilties of ware- houses, elevators, &c. Indirectly, this is the question, as to the kind and amount of trade to be attracted to the docks. These questions all admit of discussion, and of difference of opinion, in which even Mr. Woikman "gets edging in • 21 word ;" (iml tbe moro dlecuss'on tho less of cnn- J'l Ifncn w'll bo nprrs^iry, for tin' public will cotnii to un lermind thcqucBtion upoo t/s mr ri7», rtiul will jiiJfjn of a sclu'm'', ml by llnj men wIki )iUv ciitn It. ao ranch k!) by tlie Ar^tinicntB und acta lliiy biiii^ forward. Hu tbivt Mr Wccknvin inig'if do wff3diouftl 'acquireraeDtai univnnuilly mi^'unud, iiiid tbi> *' wondi'r is that ho hes cd: ai'jK J to intorf^io in ''audi a V(Xnd aud Riirpud quusiion." Wliy, then, Bhould Mr. Shialy iffurj to tuk'? up u qut'stion pn-i'ls'ly b ■longi i(r to his prof.'aairn, Mid to n K*'ntlenmii of such high ? rof-'.^aional at- tikinniPiila? Surdy, it citiiiot be bcciusft oilier rtctive and biruje-miodtMl " j^Hiitleruea (if lirgf cojnmerclHl fxperipnc" and clou> obiorriiiinn,' have looked iuto it nnd bi tiled i', and becHUSc Mr. Workman saya " tho Montreal public wou't havp it there." In reference 'o this gentlemnn, it is only pro- per for me to aay that, before Vlessrs. MiAlpine, Kirkwood, and ChilJe w re mimed as a i'o iri], the Harbour Conimiaaioner.^ were unaaimous iu desiring Mr. Sbunly to act, but at that time he could not do ao. Tbe Oommiaai' nor;?, thiretore, deemed tbcmselvea fortunate in having the opportunity of placing 'bo whole subject of doeka before Mr. Shanly, and for the first time requeating an opinion as to that site for docks by which tho great railroad intere.Mtaof thee un- try and of thf city, c in be beat promoted, in con- nection with tbe interests of the Hnrbour. In relation to the Harbour Gommiaaionera, Mr Workman doej not hesitate to make disparaging remarks i coidcd : — "The rapid pro^rt 13 of improvementa In tL» dcci'i'tiircr (•( Ii!>l" ' S> IViiT, *n miic.'fHfu'If coiidui'ii'd liy I n> H irlioiir Conini')n',.inirfl, wlieri'by vcrdcU of 2,000 tdrii are n pi'(")iMi* avaihiblt' t>|iiice ; Mil ns ti w Ir tic'. fa of trkj', now u. eking thid point, rapiiro jiro- i'i.iri n( n Diciili'ir chiirnctrr, 'letuia n:;.{fr.t •le'-eniiiy fxitii!' for at once prccc'ihrig with woikf* involving long diliiy in coMunuiii 'n.' '' Your I eiifiinera are not iiiiaw.ire lluit slri i»- niiiis flfiria ore now h' in^c m •. !c liy |iiitiii< in iliij ciiy in oi'p'i^ilion t'l tlio ptisjirii; (T I'u.i l!i!l in qnraiidn. Tlu-y (yoor p^'tiiioiur;') li ive givi'ti nil coirjile niidn to .ill tin- HrkC'inimi.i (liiiiecd, •ind the pcii'i n pri'sentfd, and t.til to [iciccive toy reason f)r cliiinging their own iitng-i'stab- lisiio '■ vil•w.^ and opinion!!, n'l now iiciiin fxpiivsi'd iiiion this tiMlJ'ct,or w iilihohlirg troni the Com- fnidjioners ill requiri'd powrr to act "The pe'i ion •( ferred to, ctiarpes tiia Oommia- sioners with regleoting the improvement ot the pri'St'Ot H>irb()ur. " Your p' tiilonerfi, on tho contrnry, nr • awnra that con»inuoi'9 eiyirta iu this diinction have been mule by the Commi8sion>ra, and with the nioai Ba'isficlory reults. I: is, however, mani- I'eat to those practically acquainted with the sub- ject, t at whiitfver ex'ension or i'liprovi'iacnt niaybeiffi^ct d in tho Bite of ihe pr B"nt Ilnrbour, ihnForei^fO and transit trade wo df.'fire l.> attra'/.i, C'^n ni'ver be ihcro ace mmodaied. Ounipoti- tion with the great depots of Ani'Ticnn iride ncceasitiitrs the construoiion of inliuid Docks, with pennanect warelviusea, clev.itors, and alt th'> modern appHancea for econom'i" ha diincfof property. No a eh facilities can be secured in the present Hurbour site, subj'ct to periodical iesiruction by ico, nor should the avuiluide ^'pHca in front of the City bo prepared to any great extent for large vessels, at o"ormong < xpense, when Docks must be constructed in adiJi'ion ; Mud the constantly increasing unmher ( f vessels of light draught frequfntingihe Port, will much more jirofitably occupy the present v/h irvs with- out any serious outlay being required for their accommodation. "As regarig the question of site for new Docks, Ufion which forae difference of opinion f-SiSts, your petitioners believe ttiatthe Harbour Co nmissionera have, like ourse'ves, .oiniidy iha desire to select whatever locality be, by compe- tent authorities, pronounced the best, irrespec- tive of any other consideration ; and as en- quiries, investigations, and conlen ncea are now going on upon tho subject, your petiiiomra con- sider the provision of the Bill, leaving the ulti- mate decision to His Excellency the Governor- w 22 Cft'neral in Counril, should be entirely Sfttiefac liry to nil partieB. '■[ri coucliisinn, your petitinnpra Jesiro to hi>iir witui'88 to tlie energy, inielliii'ticp, and en'irn Biiccesa which huve alwnys chartuitor z-d thf procevdinps of tho ITmbour Ci inniisHiDiurs m the fxccution of tlitir important triisi, iiiVolvin^' prPHt liiboui' withoiu t'ln iliimcnt of miy liinJ ; tlipy believe th"t thi Cnniniisjionera j)08se?p the entire eor.h'ience of the ureiit body of the ilercanliie c uimimity, and th;y, therefore, earnoBtiy ririy thnt this Bill embod.inf? their recommetidrttion,-), m y receive the eauc ion ot your llorionible Hoiiso. " And your (letitiouers will ever prny. •'(•igned) Thomas ("iump, '• Chairmiin." llr. Workman, in pspe 14 of his pamphlet, " argues as if I overlooked or denied the fact '• tlmt New ^ork and the other porta on the sea- " b3 ird, (./ all seasons of the. ye.(:r, ciin holil direct " iiiterc)ur»e by Ki:a with joreis^n naVwus.''' Thia disparity every candid and impartial mind will acknowledge, with Mr. Trantwitie, renders the supremacy of Montreal over New York as a great shipping emporium impossirle. Now, such supremacy m*y mean a superiority in mim'erof jjhips, &c , or in many other things. It depends not ttlune oi having open sea comm'-.^Ications nil the year round, but on ir 17 and most com- plex c nsiderations. But such a supremacy was not the question ; the question was a question of routes of transport from the West, whether the improved St. Lawrence rou'e has not the supre- macy over the American, but could compete with it — whether it could not get a large share of the Western trndi, — more than our present 9 or 10 per cent. That wa^ the q'lestion which Mr. Workman should have arj^ued. But he fuils to do this, and shifts the question on the general snd very different one, as to the supremacy of the Port of New York. I have not lime to discti'S the question of this supremacy just now, but I acknowleige, in the most unequivocal manner, (in order that Mr. Workman may not again represent me as deny- ing) that New York has open sea communication all the year round, which ivlonlreal has not. As bearing on the compa-ative advantages of the St. Liwrence route to Europe, I shou'd say that it should be borne in mini that it is only ten years since the rcBtrictive laws of Great Britain allowed foreign ships to enter the St. Lawrence ; that the entire abrence of lights in some parts cf the Lower St. Lawrence only tended to increase ' he bad name of the naviga- tion ; that our railway communication with the jntciior baa only beei open three years ; that oar Canadian canals hp.ve never been completed, and cannot be said to be complete, nntil a canal is opened into Lake Ghamplain. Nor ari there any means of receiving and deflvering pro- duce, at onr inland and shipping porta, capa- ble of the least comparison with what exists in American ports, and nnless we as C.mi dians are prepat d to provide these means, wc cannot expect to obtain a shure of that trade, which it is In our power to command. Before considering Mr. Wi.rkman'3 remarks on the coat of Docks, I shall allude to some other statements in my letter, which it were well had been alluded to by hitn, cither to be approved, or to meet with his "crushing reb ike." It was stated in my let er, (Ist. That accord- cording to Mr Trautwine's scheme of docks " a " vessel \^ouid require to come out of the docks "stern first the beadth not being sufficient for "them to turn round" (2) " That for the exten- " aive mill sitej and elevators, laid out on the " plan (Mr. Trautwine's) there is no water. 3. That all the water that can be spared frona the Canal is leased out already. (4 ) That trhen the Canals were enlarged, " the present .srater '• space in the Canal wouM be t tally insuflScient " to accommodate two-thirds of the present •'number of vessels of double capacity." (5.) That it w.as this land bo necessary for Canal purposes, " that Mr. Trautwine proposed to take," in which to 'construct his dock for ocean vessels." These statemects. one would have thought) might have been favoured with some remarks // Ihey are well founded, then it is Mr. Tiautwine's scheme to which jVir. Workman's e.lioic • and polite epithets of " visioniry" and ''obviously absurl,'' "unjust and inconvenient" "wilio' 'he wisp" and "folly" should be applied. A dock in which ?» vessel could not turn; mills without water? docks to be built on land imperatively required for our inland navigation. Surely when Mr. Workman entered upon what be calls " this most disagreeable task, these were the statementa which, to quote his own words, " in justice to " Mr. Trautwine and the commorcial interests "of the city deniindedareply"f om some quarter, more especially when, as he says in h'n preface, " he was so desirous to present the question on "its own merits, quite free from any personal " connderaiions." But Mr. Workman prudently remains silent on these (loints. It is not alone to Docks, however, or the Oaugh- nawaga Canal, that Mr. Workman has bo great •^^ 23 ma ADtipathj. His oljections extend to tbe location of tbe St. Lawrence itself, and be evi- dently tbinks that a great mistake has been made in loca'ing it where it ia. Mr. Workman statig that "in addition to tbe utideniiiblc objections " already leferred to as inseparaHe from our " climate, our geographical and political rein- " tions there still remain unnoticed many other "still more conTinciag arguments against tbe " possibility of changing, to tbe extent imagined " by Mr. Young, the current of the Great West- "ern carrying trade, in ita pro. ress towards the ■'■ beat markets for cocsumpiion. Of thfSf we "will briefly notice one not previously men- " tioned, and which arises out of iiur very exist- " ence as a. Colony," In this opinion Mr. Workman i^ quite con- sistent for in 1849 he wrote, that — " The killing defect, produced frum its ex- treme northern course, which the great St. Lhw- rence Resumes just as it disembogues into th ocesin, only adds to thitae other insurmountable ditficiilties, and dearly points out to the eye of common sense the inevitable destiny of th(- ■country. Icebound as this great outlet \s, for a large portion of the year, tbe commerce of the country is forced to find a highway through a foreign territory to the ocean, under many dij- advantagea which nothing but annexation lo tie Onited States can remove." Now it seems to me that, whether the people of Canada should remain subjects of Her Ma- jesty the Queen, or citiiens of the United Slates, it would be equally their duty, whether as Cana- dian British or Canadian Yankees, to develope and make availabL^ to the greatest possible ex- tent — the various advantages — tf their position ; aor do I believe that the climate of Canada would be any less rig rous under American than ijnder British rule. I shall resume the cO' sideration of Mr. Work- man's objections to the Docks in my next letter. Your obedient servant, JOHN YOUNG. Montreal, 12th July, 1859. LETTER NO. 6. emains silent To the Editor of the MoNTEK.Mi Gazbttk *. Sir,— It will not, I think, now be a matter of wonder to your readers, why Mr. Trautwine should have written so adversely on the St. Law- rence ever being a successful comretitor with the State of New York for Western trade, when a gentleman of such large commercial ex- perience us Mr. Workman pointed out to him the "killing defects" of its northern course; the badntss of tbe "climate," " out being a colony," kc. Theso were serious objections, which "nothing but annexation to the United States could remove." But it is a matter of little con- sequence to eLquire into the origin of these desponding views cf the St, Lawrence route. The question is rather ns to the truth and sound- ness of the views themselves. Mr. Workmiin, it will be seen from numerous extracts already quoted, seems to have aimed more at calling names, ho|)ing to damage the motives and con- duct of his opponf-nt, than in meeting his arguments and supporting his own views. Had he been addressing the least infjimed of the elei tors of the eistern part of the city, and his avowed objuct been to ixcite their passions by any means, fair or un- fair, as liostiie to their interests, he could not have used a more a; propriate style of address. Hence, in the remarks I have to m^kc, I am obliged to bring forward, over and over, the pitiable personalities, because the little of argu- ment there is in his letters is mixed up and con- cealed iu a mass of words, intended doubtless to be severe and annoying to myself, but which I should have allowed to pass, were they not su blended aa to render it diflicult to consider them apart. I now refer to another instance of this kind, where Mr. Workman seeks to contradict a state- DQent made by Messrs. Mc Alpine, Kirkwood and Cbilde, and confiimed by me, that in the aver- age of the lest t'n yeas, from 1843 to 1858, the Welland Canal was opened for naviga- tion twenty days earlier, and five days later, than the Erie Canal, and th;tt the St. Lawrence was open to sea hve days earlier, and was closed one d>iy later, than the navigaticu on the Erie Canal. The tables from which this data was obtained were given in detail frc m official sources, and if erioneous could have been lefuted. But this was too much labour for Mr. Workman, ar.d he prefers ta throw a doubt on the whole statement by sajing — " There is, indeed, an amount of illusion in the entire statements of ,Mr. Young on this head r ally astobishi g in such a treatise. It may, indeed, be true that the Port of Qiebec is occa- sionflUy open as enrly ms the end of March or beginning of April, t'Ut it is equally true that orriigesh ve traversed the St Lawrence opp 3- -iite Q lebec on solid ice on the lOih of May. (Tdod cmnot ensue from such distortions as Mr, Young's parjphlet abounds in on this head, dis- lortious which tbe recollection or experience of Muy one engaged in commerce or navigation amply refutes." 24 The dales io the tallies, referred to tlie first ariivala from ue^, in the tr n yenra allndtd to, and were tak^n from the Excliai.ge Register at Quebec. Thinkinsr, howiT r, thi^t the ice bridge may hare prevented a riv.\lH frnm Montreal, and that Mr. Workui in might he corrfct, I prccu;cd a copy of t'e da*e of the arrivals of steamers from Moutrpftl at Qurhec, f'uritig the ten yenra bejjinning with 1S48, and inclnditig 1858, and find that the earliest arrival was on the 6ih April, and the latest ou the 6ih Mhj-, and that, therefore, my stat'.me' t is in eve-y respect correct. Mr. Workman in ft!terij)!iiig to ttirow doubt on it — by stating thfit some tim^ or other carri»g?s traversed the i:e on the lOtb of M'ly, is, to use his own wori's, "real'y astonishing," and "good cannot ensne from such distortions." I aha 1 now proceed to examiue euadry ob- ject! 23 raised against the Dock project. These however, are so numerous, — a;;d my remarks commenting on Mr Trautwine's opinions are so unfairly represented, that I find it difiScult to contrast Mr. Workman's opinions with my own, without entering upon the discussion of ihcKe at too great a length I s'lall, however, be as brief as possible. Mr. Workman says ; — "It is well, therefore, that Mr Young has shewn the cloven foot, and proposed the two projects as an entirety since, by that means he has, as he will discover, the entire public voice raised against hiii. The inhabitants entertain higher hops 8 of our future, than to bslieve it is contingent or dependent upon the construction of seme 33 miles of Canal nine mWea above our port, and across a peninsula already traversed by two rajlwiiys." Why Mr. Workman should see the " cloven foot" m my statement, that it is by rnd through the Canal into Lake Champlaiu alone, that I expect that increase in the trade of Montreal, which will render Docks for the accommodation of the trade necessary it would be difiQcult to say, for lo so fair and candid a mind as that of Mr. Workman's, such an avowal might have commended itself, espe ially as it gave him an opportunity to re- fute the statement. It is stated in Mr, Work- man's third letter, that if the Uanal at Caughna- wag& was completed, property would be stored there rather than at Montreal, and he asks : "would any man in his senses, having before " him the above choice of markets (Boston, New " York, &c.), incur the risk and the cost of dea- "cendi- g, with his produce, rapids or canal to " Montreal ?" Would he not say from this point, " Canghnawaga, I have Boston, New York, 4rc , "and from these, Liverpool and all Europe." A^aio, " if I dt re my prodaee here, I escape the "contingency of eighteeen miles travel— d uble "canal dues, and all other expenses cf moving "np Mnd down. This is the reasoni g imd the " course of ai iion which unquestionably any "sane [.ro'uee raercbint would follow.' Therefore Mr. Woikman concludes that instead of (jivi ;» ; any proper grounds for Mr, Young's strong opinions " that it is by "and through this project alone, that "beexpcta th.; trade of Montreal to incrense, " Of that he atill urt.'e3 the necesjity if dotks.-" " The very reverse would be the issue and that " tliO proposed canal would injn o the trade of " Mon;real and 'kter from rather than draw pro- "duco to Vt. Young's docks " In reply to this I would obseive that notwithstanding " the Chi.mbly Canal and tlie twi excellent railways" which traverse the peninsula between Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence, ninety per cent (.fall United SiRtes and Western Canadian trad© passes by routes 200 miles above Oaughi;awaga. How ihen is it poi aible for the produce merchant of Lower Canada, sane or insane, ever to be in the position of standing at Caugbnawaga or any other place in Lower Canada to " reason upoa the adjantagps offered by the markets of Mon- treiil, Boston, or New York, without other meana of transport being provided, than now exist. One of the main points in my letter, was to shew that without water communication from the St. Lawrence by a shin canal, the trade of the West couH net <*o:i e below Oswego. Tbe fai t is un- doubted, that but a mere fraction does come dowc the natural outlet below that point. Even Mr. Workman can not deny that fact. It stares u» all in the face, .'ind it seems to me to indicat& but too cl> arly, tb'it as the' trade hasgoie for 7 years past it will continue to go in future, un~ less some such Lcheme as that I have been urg- ing be adopted for securing a cheaper route to the Aa.erican sea-board. It remained fur Mr. Workman to prove that the Chambly Ci.nal and ihe two excellent railways" are suflScient and do compete successfully with Oswego, BuflTalo, &c., for Western trade, or to point out the er- rors of Messrs. McAlpine, Kirk wood and Childe's calculations, as to the power of the Caugbna- waga Canal to ehange *hi3 state of things ; ^' in f^ct to enable Mr. Workman's " sane produce merchant" to stand at Caughnawaga, to reason upon and decide, whether he will take his pro- duce to Montreal, or to Boston, Albany or New York. But Mr Workman must know that practically, 25 nnd as a matter of fact, the " two excellent rail- ways" have not enabled ub to compete for the bulk of the Western trade. His fi^jures as to the cost of transport were shown to contradict actual facts, na proved by the existing lates of fprryage and rail- way transport, exclusive of all wharf dues, cart- age, Ac. The Western trade has continued to te diverted from Montrenl : it does not come within 200 miles of it. It is impossible for any " sane" merchant to shot his eyes ti that fact. I en- deavoured to show, that with the Cauijhnawaga Canal firjidhed and the Welland Canal enlarged, a different state of things would aiise ; and, if proper f.icilitii-s by docks were created «t Mon- treal, property might tie stored there, and yet could be sent to New York, Albany, or Boston, or to any ot the interior towns in the Er.stcrn State , as clienp as if thnt produce had been ori- ginally shipped at Buffalo or Oswego; aid that a powerful incentive for so storing - nd holding at Montreal would b-> offered to the proprieto of such produce, by knowing that at Montreal the ex|)ense of storage, Ac. , would be as low as at Buffalo, Oswego, Albany, New York, or even CaughnawHga. 1 have shewn al?o that produce, when so stor- ed, would be at a point where itcould not on y be moved by water or by rail to New York, Boston, Albany or Portlnnd.or to all parts of the Eastern States without increase of expense in transport, but could be shipped into theocpan vessel direct to England or other countries, nnd that the ocean ship, in the cost of transport from Chicago or other interior Ports to Liverpool and othtr places, via Montreal, would have a margin of $ 1. 7 -^ by sailing vessel and $2.27 by steamers, over the chiapest route from the interior via New York Ti is is shewn by Messrs. McAl- pine, Kirkwood and Obilde, and I invite Mr. Workman to shew the fallacy of the statement. The cumparison of the distance and cost to Liverpool will be as follows ; — UIIiBS. COST. By sail. By steam 1st. Frr.ra Chicago to Montreal 1278 $2.78 $4.69 Prom Montreal to Liver- pool by Straits of Belle Isle 2682 2.68 5.36 Add for Towage on St Lawrence .30 3960 $5.76 $10.05 By sail. By steam. 2nd. From Ghicaeo to New York, viHOiweKO 1410 .$4. 46 $6.36 ?iom New York to Liv- erpool 2980 2.98 U.96 4390 $7.4i $12.32 Difference in favor of the St. Lawrence rcute... 430 $1.78 $3.27 Mr. Workman Jigain says : — " What, according to Mr. Young, ia generally our relative poai-ion to New York for the fupply of Europeitn mftrketg wiih Western proiluoc? Vir. Young says, page 16 : — ' Freiehr ar, Montreal to 'Livtrpod, up to 1854, has geneniliy Hveraged ' 100 per cent over the ratts at Nc-w Y( rk, so ' that, although the cost of frtight fr. in 'he inte- • rior to Montreal is less than to Npw York, yet 'the gain on ocaan f.tigbts from New York ' brings the choice of routes for extiort neuily ' to an fqareij;ii trade, would not that tr>id l>e nnnihUiltd by a scheme vh'ch would cause u< to fores;o theie aiivavt ie;ei? Ill other words, if ,f rumour rheuyn inlaud fre'^hts, we have so much advantuge over Jimerican routes as to bureiy c'im/iensute us for the diffeience of ocean fnight ai;ainsl us at i\ew Yoik, would it not deHroy Ihti a'tvatitiige to contract any canal or work thai would place the Jimerican f rwnrdir on an equal fooling with ourselves with their inland freights ?•' I am here quoted to show, that for nine years, ending in 1854, the ocean freights were 100 per cent higiier at Montreal, than at New York, and that the choice of routes for exports are nearly equal, and, Mr. Workman asks, — " Would it not "destroy this advantage to c nstruct any canal "or WLrk ihat would place the Amtricun for- '' warder on an equal tooting wiih ourstiviS " with their inland freight." .My n p'y to this is, that it is estimated that the proposed en- largemrntof the Welland Canal would cheapen transport^ 1. 00 per ton, or 10 cts. per bbl. But, it may be said, that the American route to Oswego wiilreaptheaivantageof thistq tally with Mont- real. Very true. But ul Oswego — the 750 ton vessel has to discharge into boats one-sixth of this siz% wh:le this same ves3>'l may con- tinue on direct to Montreal. Tie saving which would thus be effected in cost of freigh*, and in •iine f transport, would be very considerable, and of course such saving, coupled with the reduction of those heavy charges at Montreal, arising frcm the want cf docks and those facili- ties which are to be found at Oswego, Buffalo Ac, would increase our pouer of competition with i 26 I! ' ( New Yoik, for the export trade by sea. If the St. Lawrence route for export of jroduce waa about equal to the route via New York, with ocean freighta 100 per cent higher than nt New York, up to 1854, (but since dccreaainp) it is too plrtin for Mrgument, that our power of competi- tion for that export trade would be increased by any canal or work, which reduces inland freight, and whch would lessen charges at this port. What Mr, Workman saya about our b ing sub- jected to a close and keen competition with New York in our own foreign tr..de, and about our being annihilated, cannot be well founded, un- less cheaper inland freights would tend to anni- hilate our foreign trade. I really think it [must be " clear" to your readers that Mr. Workmnn doea not understand what he is writing ab ut. To prove his views to be correct, and lo bo well founded, Mr. Work- mnn mu3t be prepared to shew thafthe enlarge- ment of the Welland Canal, would not cheapen but increa e cost of trtmsporf to Montreal ; otherwise there can be no ground fcr supp sing that our trade would be nnuiliilated by any Bcheme which had for its object the increase of the "superior f-heapness" of our inland transport. Mr. Workman thinks the Caughnawaga Canal an absurdity, a folly, a will o' the wisp scheme, ruinous to Montreal, and pretty plain proof of tlie insanity of those who support it. On this subject Mr. Workman and myself must agree to differ. But put the Caugbnawagv Canal out of the question for a mumetit, and let as 1 ok only at one of the ''schemes," the enlargement of the Welland Canal. Is it not evident that our power to compete f r the export trade by sea, would be increased by the greater cheapnesa of freight from the i:jlerior to Montreal, by the increased size of the veasel navigating the inte- rior waters V\ oulJ nut the Canal also diminish the cost of freight, destined fir the Foreign Mar- ket inth". Uiiled Stdlesl Would the bene6t of such increased cheapness be lessened by allow- ing the same large vessel t(» proceed to Burling- ton or Whitehall? Wou'd Canadian vessels be ruined by a voyage some 400 miles longer than to Oswego ? Would Montreal be turned into fields, by bringing evf n were it only another nine per cent of the Western Trade within nine miles of it? Mr. Workman evidently thinks so, and he has a right to enforce his views as energetically as be pleases, but it was scarcely worth his while to attempt to convince the public that any produce merchant that entertained diflferent views conid not be of sane uind, bat deserving of "crushing rebuke." Mr Workman next tells us thet he has been carefully perusing "Hunt's Merchants Magazine" to find out the exports from New York, and the result of his labour is the important statement, {bat a little more than one-fifth of that large accumulation of "produce, which Mr Young " describes^ as collected at the various ports on " Lakes Erie and Ontario is exported," that "the " other four-fi(ths are of course either taken for "consumption, or shipped to other foreign mar- kets "It would have been a much more interesting labour for Mr. Workman to find out the amount arriving at tide water on the Hu Ison, and ascer- taining the amount shipped from all the Ameri- cin ports on the Atlantic, east of New York. If he had don,- S), he would have found that only about three-ei^hlha of the cereals arriving at tide water arc exported, while five-eighths are con- sumed. This stut'ment was made by me in 1S55, in a Utter addressed to the Hon. F. Lemi- cux, 80 tbiit Mr. Workman is again mistaken when he says : " Th it Mr Young loses sight of " 1 he circumatance, that of the entire quantity of " breadsiuffj received at New York, but a small " fraction is shipped from New York." Again Mr. Workman states : — "It will, therefore, be eeen that alike in error is Mr. Vouiig in grouping togetht r the fifty-two millions of bushels, which he gives as the total receipts at the ports of Dunkirk, Buffalo, Sus- pension Bridge, Rochester, Oswego, Cape Vin- cent and OgJensburgh, with a view of shewing th'it Montreal in o'ltainiog only 10 per cent of this grand aggregate, is a great sufiTerer, or, that any sys'em ot docks or canals could materially change this." My remarks already made will show that Mon- treal and the country are great sufferers m not receiving more than 10 per cent; and that the proposed "system of docks and canals" will com- pletely change this. iVlr. Workman seems to think he is supported in his opinions by a West- em miller, who states that " There is one controlling principle, he says, " which it sems to me Mr. Young, and, indeed " all ycv Montreal people overlook, which is, " that along all this Erie Canal route there are " multitudes of very important streams which " Western produce hns the chance of flowing " into at good consnmptive pric a, before U reeds " to take the last chance of New York. This one '' thing gives our route a great advantage over ' others, even Oawego. Buffalo is undoubteily ' from its position the very best grain market in " the country, that is, it will s^r^r.^;; a larger ar- " rival of g ain at one time without breaking " down than any other place." 27 viog And Mr. Workman adds tbatl "The fifty-two millionB of bushels then, which "Mr. Youn • gives as entering the ports of l)un- "kirk, Buffalo, Suspension Bridge, Rorhesler, Os- •'wego, Cape Vincent, and Ogdenshurg on their "way to their various deatinations (lieatinations ''which want them and must have tliem for local "consumptiDn), could not be attracted from the "natural groove of supply and demand by any sya- "tera of docks at Montreal, New York, or else- "where. The average shipments at New York to '"Great Britain and Ireland, and theContinent of "Europe, fjr the last year, nfier adding all that "reachts that port from every other route, 's, as "will be seen by the aboveextrtct, Ofi/j/nftout o/,c- "fifth oj this quantity." The above quotations from the " Western Miller," and Mr. Workman, are in direct contra- diction to what I stated in my letter of lOtb December. I then pointed out the error into which Mr. Trautwine had fallen, of taking the receipts at Oswego Buffalo, Ac, as any crite- rion by which a comparison coull be made of the probable receipts at Montreal. In my letter of the 10th December it is stated : — "It is true that \ht estimate of the receipts of " grain and flour at the lake ports in 1856 was " 12,000,000 barrels, but I never stated that "grain and floor were the only articles received " at Lake ports ; nor did I state that the 12,000,- " COO barrels were received at tide water in that "year. J knew that a vast amount was distributed "a-'onif the. line of the Canal, before it reaihtd tide "water." Yet Mr. Workman, with ibi3 state- ment before him, drags in hi^ friend, the West- ern V.iller, to make it appear that I was " obli- '' Tious to all such contingencies ;" and that my estimate of the probable receipts at Moiarenl being equal to five millions of barrels was ridi- culous, inasmuch as tbit amount was "a supply " more than double that shipped from New York " ta the British Isleo, and ail Eur pe, out of all "the produce that reached New York from the " said 62 000,000 above named, and from every "other quarter, during the same year.' In my letter of 10th December, I stated repeatedly, in reference to Mr. Trautwine's deductions of pro- bable receipts at Montreal, that the exports from NewYorkwere no criterion bywhich to judge of the receipts at Montreal ; and that it was not cereals alone to which he should have confined h's esti- mates, but that it was " for a share or proportion " of the amount arriving at tide water in the " Hudson," for which Montreal might be a com- petitor ; aid that, " as the receipts arriving at " tide water on the Hudson could b? conveyed to " the same point, via the St. Lawrence, quicker " and cheaper than they are now take n there, "even when the Erie Canal ia enlarged, I claim* " ed 'hat, whether for export or distributicn " through the Eastern States, Montreal would " be a belter point than Albany." So that it is not alone for what may be exported by sea from New York, but for a proportion of the amount received at tide water at Albany or West Troy, that Montreal may become a competitor. Mr. Wurkmau overlooks all these statement', which are before him in my letter of the 10th December, f r the purpose of ahewing^ " that Mr. Tr<»utwim.'a very liberal estimate cf "2,666,066 barrels, or two-thirds of the quantity "of wheat and fljur ixporteJ from our nortii- " eastern ports," ia all that can ever b^ expect* >i at Montreal, with all our improvements coin- pleted as pr -posed. If Mr. Workman hid fairly met the a-gument as put by m", it would have bet'er beci^me l.iJ position and standing ; but he does not do ed. Mr. Trautwine fell into tha error, and it wi.j puintfcd out plainly; Mr. Workman repeats Di^i error without uotici g the explanation. As to the amount of increase to the tr.ide to be derived from tije Completion of the great works referreil to, I do not pretend to speak positiv ly. Indeed no one can speak detiuitely as to probable re- ceipts at Montreal, with docks and other pro- posed facilities in operation. I only again re- peat, what has already been sttted, h.»t it; is not for what arrives at the Lake Pons, bat for a share of what arrives at Albany or Troy oa the Hudson, after th^ whole of thu interior of tho State of Ne-v York is supplied, the Port of Montreal may become a compelitur. The magnitude of the priza aimed at is im- mense. In 1858, the total receipts at tide water were 1,985,142 tons From thia, if we deduct 223 5f8 tons, the gross amount of the products of the forest, agriculture, manufactures, and other articles of the State of New York, wc have 1,761,541 tons arriving at the Hudson from the Western States and Western Canad i, or equal to seveiitien million barrels, against something over one million and a half it Montreal. If Mr. McAlpine and other Engineers are cor- rect in stating that, with docks and the Welland and Lake Champlaiu canals completed, Mon- treal can compete with ail other routes for this trade, in cheapness and rapidity of movement, not only for holding here and distributing to tho Eastern States, but also for export by sea, it becomes a mere matter of opinion, not resting on actual experience, bow much of this amount 1 • 28 * can bb attracted here. Mr. Workman may be lieve with Mr. Trantwiao, who is equally well informed on the Bubject, from an err^necmg view of the dfttfi furnished, thU we could never hop for more ihan equal to 2,fiC6,666 bbla. My own vlewg wouli lead me to go far beyond their limit. But whether the quantify be, or be not, greater than the limit mentioned, and no one can pretend to absolute cettainty on Buch a sub- ject, the ar;i;Hment8 I have advanced for thf execution of the works in queatio'i will still hold stood. Tl)e amount of the benefit is uncer- tain ; the fact of a lar^e iocreaHe *o our trade U, to my mind, clearly to be expected. Indeed, bo far as c.refully conside-ed atatistira, drawn from the experience of the actual trade of the West for msiny years, and cilculations as to reduction in cost of transport, based on experi- ence and known fficts can prove th-? matter, the necessity of the works has been sbnwn. However much merchants may difF'r as to the point just meatioaed, one thing is quite evident our present share in the vast and ev"r in«refis- ing trade of the West is most unsaliafactojy I am more and more convinced of this every year. Without the canals a' d dock; we have no reasonable prospect of attract- ing any considtrable part of that great trade which now arrives at tide water on theHudso 1. Even our Chambly Canal and Mr. Workman's "two excellent railways" and Victoria Bridge will fail to help UB. The reason ia plain, we shall then have no means of carryiup produce via Montreal from Luke Ontario to the Hudson so cheap by 15 to 21 cents per bbl, as it is now carried through the 'itate ot ^ew York. Mr. Workman may lay the blame on Provi- dence, on the location of t'ae St. Lawrence being too far north, on our clirjate, our geographical position, our political infAitutioos, and it may be "absurdity," "folly," "commercial suicide,' "vanity" or " insanity" to diflfer from him, but "as hard words batter no parsnips" so they do n t convince me that my views rohlly deserve the epithets referred to. In my letter of the lOth December I went at considerable length into the financial question of the docks, and gave figures to show, that with the Lake St. Pete • debt assumed by the Govern ment, it w^s quite possible for the Harbour O.m- missioners to go on with the work without in- creasing harbour dues beyond past rates. I also then stated that it was of the greatest import I ance to make the charges on shipping and goods coming to the port, as light as possible. And | that the most efifaclual mrde of doing this was to provide conveniencies for reducing the pre- sent high rat^a of charges, and by increasing the tra'eof the port. Moreover, I a'atel that I would be adverB>< to proceeding with the docks, without it was first disticctly understood that the Government would proceed with the Wet- land and Obamplain Oanals, and the improve- ment of the rapids of the St. Lawrence. All this seems to me to indicate a considerable de- gree of camion, yet Mr. Workman says tiiat " ia " the entire advocacy of this dock queatioj, at " public meetings, as Harbour Ooramisaioner in " conference with the Committee of citizens, and " as m- mbi'r of the Boaid ot Trad;', at thI^ various " meetings of that body, Mr. Youn(» has ever " evinced the same impatisnca and reckless de- ■' termination to 1 lunch unconditionally into tbe " enormous expenditure which the immediate "construction of his scheme of docks would en- " tail ui)on our trade." Hard woida again, Mr. Workm.in, but ari THEY THUS ? Agaii', I stated that tie charges at iVontr^al on liroperty received herefrom the interior, were qual to 6 cents par bushel, ov r ad above all wtjarfages, which six cents might be taved if fa- cilities were created in docks by mHchincy, and otherwise for receiving and delivering property. I gave several tables, by which this was demon- strated. Mr. Workman does not attempt to re- fate any ot these table, but contents himself with a far more easy mode of argument by stat- ing that "It is in vain you endeavour *o reason with him, and to sbew that an increased servitude upon the revenue of our port, equal to the bur- then of the Point St Oharle? Docks, must inevi- tably increase, to a damaging extent, ih' cost of shipping both flour and wheat in place of lower- ing ii." Again, Mr. Workman says in reference to our facilitaiing trade between Chicago and Montreal by branch houses, Ac. : — " And what would be said of any other city adopting such a course — say of the city of New York — should she, for the mere purpose of giving HT ificial sup; ort, or brin.>ing tr ide to some pet d ck scheme, or to the Hudson River, or tbe Erie Cana', send the young blood and ca ital of her commerce to some distant rity, whether " Chi- cago, Milwaukie, rove the ".supremacy" uf New York over Miintrfcal, but to take advantage of the na- tural and, lis I believe, the quickfst, cheapest, and be- 1 r; u!e to New York city, t > the Eastern States, or to the ocean. Let the merchaniB of, Montreal lo. k to the matter, and do io its bujjii.esB men, without the ''extaiic bursts" that Mr. Workmau charges me with. Tl e p iz-,^ is a part of the jjreat trade re/irred to. iJy argument is, thnt Montreal ouph to secure, mid can secure, , 586,000 (n 1840 do do do 94 5^1000 In 1850 do do do !79,.'>25,000 3hewi:;g that hotween 1840 and 1850 there was an incieaae of 90 per cent., while ii the ten pre- c ding yett'B the rate of increase was only 53 per cent. I give these statements to shew the intiraate connection between the growth of aei* ports on the Atlantic and such worki as tend to fiicilitato trade with the interior. Hi eilar redtiUs are likely, in my opin on, to tak^ pi ice in tbe popu lation and wealth of Monreal, whenever htr advantages as a sea and inland port can bo fully developed, the great water power at her command m ido available, and the route of the St. Lawrence to the interior perfected. But to return to Mr. Workman's viewa He agrees with Mr. Howland in believin,': that so long 88 the Americ-in Oovernmtnt per- sist in charging a;l valorem duties on impo:tsat t'eir value whence they are brought in the last place, Western States pvojile cm nevrr buy at Montreal, and th it consrquently we cunuot com- pete with New York. " Mr Uowlind said a great dea' of truth in a very small sp.ice here, indeed, it ia too evident ihit this one difficulty alone, «ere there no other, renders it impossible, so long ns tin; two coun- tries remain under different Goveruraents, to attract the cirryintr tra lo of the Great West to our Canadian waters in preference to ih° New York route— and here again Mr. Young's argu- ments crum le to the ground." Mr. Workm:in's views a^ to the effect of the two countries being iirder different governmenis, I shall not stop now to discuss, as a politic il ques- tion, but w )uld state that in form-r 1 tters, I pointed out that so far as respects the Navigation Laws of the two countries there was nod.fBoulty. In regard to customs' duties, both countries at present collect these on the ad va'or m princi- ple,— that is on the vilue at t'ae place whera goods were last p rchased. As a merchant I have ttie right to send goods to Chicago from Cuba, Pr nee, Poitngal, or any other country, through the St Lawrenc i direct, or by transhipping here, and such goods, with Ame icin Consul's certifi- c.ite of v»lu^, are entered at Chicago on such value, in tbe same way ns if tbe goods bod been landed at New York. In Canada we have exactly tbe same right of bringing goods through tbe United States in bond. I am awar* that in either case the goods must go direct and that they cannot leave (irst bands ; but In tbis there is noibiof; to prevent the greatest acnpe fur di- rect imports into the Western States in the same way that Upper Oaoads merchants formerly im- ported, and now import largely from Ortat Britain through the United Stntes. If it id f;>und thrttbeSt. Lawrence is a cheaper route tban vift New York, nothing can prevent this being done. Again, the Montreal merchant can im- port and place his goods in bond, and sell to Western deders, just as the New York merehant must now do, to Canadian dealers Even in such a cise, is it not clear after all, that the extra duty to be paid by the Western or Ca nadian dealers buying in Iwnd, is merely the Tariff rate, on the cost of freight nnd the mer- chants profit. I would huve thought that aM tbis mu3t have been evident to Mr. Workmm and to A'r. Howliind, but it seems to have been overlooked, I must defer further remarks on Mr, Work- man's objections till my next letter, and am Your obedient servant, JOHN YOUNG. Montreal, July 20th, 1859. LETTBR NO 7. To the Editor of the Montbbal Oazbttb: Sir, —In continuation of my last letter on Mr. Workman's objections to docks at Point St. Charles, it may be well toallule t) a f ct which I daresay is not generally known, and edpecially among thu residents of the eastern part of the city, that the scheme of docks to which Mr. Workman and the Committee have given their cons ', extends about l.OOOf et ftrther west, than the Poi it St. Charles schema I ileed about the half of the whole area of Mr. Traut- wine's plan is located beyond the Wellington Street bridge over the Lachine 0.>ni 1. Yet Mr. Workman says — "Thse men [the committee] "d^8erve every encouragement; they are bat. "tling against an attempt to do what? To " plant the business of our city remote from its " present centre, from the spot which nature "pointed out to its primeval founders, and " which hitherto has been found to answer everv "purpose, to turn fields and pasture grounds "intocltv lots, and city property into fields." Again, Mr. Workman says — '* To the population "of the eastern part of the city, the construction <' of docks at Point St. Charles would be as f.ital " to their interests as would be the building of " the Gaugbnawaga Canal to the gtntral inttrtttt 30 "of the ciiy." Here, we have Mr. Workman stating that he and the Committee deserve every encouragement from the residents of the eastern part of the city, for bai tling against docks at Point St. Charles, when he gives \\\i assent to a jchemf, which is still further " from the spot " which Nature pointed out to its primeval " founders ' as the great centre. Besides, Mr. Workman ia no doubt aware, that by the Point St. Charles project, a space in the river is pro* prsed to be enclosed, which is [lublic property, and " that the 'fields and pasture grounds,' which are to be turned into city lots and city propertj, nro only enibracid in Mr. I'rautwine'a scheme. It is to be presumid Mr. Workman wnB quite awaro of this, but tlie opiio: tuniiy of ieavin^r It to b ■ in- ferred that pucuniiiry interest was nt tho bottom of my advocacy of doclts at Point St. Charles, was too attractive to be lost. I am, however, cot fident that Wp. Workman, in his efforts to promote eastern intertsts, having already given bij a8:ct, agree to the loci- tion at Point St. Charles, should that be found, after the final surveys, to bo best adapt d for the trade of the port, espi cially, as ho sajs that — " The Committee, however, not blindly wwlded " to any scheme, but anx ois to have the qii»*f- " tion settled on amicable grounds, saw much " merit in Mr. Trautwine'a plan of docks, and "expressed th m^elves willing to accept it." Indeed, the readiness with which the Committee yielded their opinions as to the site through the property of the ladies of the Grey Nunnery, shows they were not wed led to any scheme. Mr. Workman says — '' At the first projt'Ciion of " this notable scheme for removing our trade " from its prosent centre, and for rendering un- " productive the enormous sums expended for "docks, building), and other appliances in and "opposite to onr present harbour, and for no " other purpose than to increase the v lue of '• property in another locality, it seemed too '• ridiculous to attract notice." Mr. Woikman may think thn scheme ridicu- lous ; but that circumstance will not make it so, for Mr. Workman may be mistaken, and his zaal to dpcry my (fforts, may have carried blm too far. It would serve little purpose to retort upoo \fr Workman, the charge of vanity, dogmatism, &c. But sure y he ought to be willing to admit that one may dififer fr^n his views, 'tnd not merit the appellatijoa and iDsiuuations scattered 81 alt ttirnugih his letters. Mr, Workman's special aim was to excite thf residentaof thecantern portion of the city agrtinsi the ▼ ewB iosiated on by mo. It would uot be diffi- cultto shew tb'it no one h-is dotio more than my- self in advocatioK those meHsurea upon which the growth of the eastern part of the city depends. It will not be deiitd that the txtei si >n of the general trade of lie citv must bt-ni fl*. h11 parts of it, ntid my action in havnp; ihe harbour limits extended to Hocht^letjii I3ay, nnd the various works since completed witbia that limit and still going forward, and which could not have been completed, or Bcted tipon bnt for my sug- gestion and action in recommending the Hnr- bour Commissioners to extend the Harbour limits, ought to satisfy even Mr Worlim'in that! have never sought to act in my capacity as Har- bour GommissioDer, from any sectional prediltc- lectioas. I am not afraid bit that my fellow c'tizena in the eastern part of the city will yet do me full justice in (his respect. I believe that the city wi.l extend itself in the d]rP''.tioa of Hochelagu Bay, especially if that locality is made a depot for the shipment and hold- ing of all kinds of timber, a work ensilv car ied out, and for wiicb the plice is admirably adapted. Mr. Workman again says : — " No one, it is presumed, doubts that with money enough docks could be constructed at Point St. Charles. It needs not engineering talent to tell us th^it. Bit tbe Montreal public (that is to say Mr. Workman) won't have ibem there. They won't consent to a proj -ct that will sink our port irretrievably in debt, burthen our trade, and remove fiom our present h rbi>ur ( ur A'lantic and sea-guing c mmerce, leaving tht hay and wood craft in undisturbt.>d possession ol oar present harbour." Mr. Workman wrote th's when he had before him the following printed memorandum given by the Commissioners to Mr. Triulwine : — "The Oommissioners, therefore, have found it n*ces:ary siooe 1843 to extend their wharfage accommodation, and to make extensive excava- tions in the harbour, by emoving shoals, widen- ing Had extending tbe entrance to the harbour, &c I ita. Since that time, wharves in Bonsecour Basin, Mnn uqae Street, and Hochelaga Bay, also Victoria Pier, have been constructed ; and such is the rapid increase in steamers trading with various places adj^ic-nt to Montreal, and in tbe local trade generally, that tbe Commissioners are now constructing a new wharf 3U0 feet long (which can hereafter be extended), and 10t> feet in breadth, in tbe Bonsecours Basin, and are also constructiog a wharf 1600 feet long below the Yiotoria Pier, as far down aa tlie Military Hos- pital. " TUs will enable them to remove the wood tr de Irom the Bonsecciiraand Bariins nbove, to the w! urves below the Victoria Pier, and to im- (>rnv»« and Hilapt that spac" between tiie (irand I'lunk whitrf for vessels drawing not over 16 feet Hi low water The Hpace lying between the Island VVhiirl and Victoria Pier will then in no place have a les-i depth at low water iban 12 feet tv hile about half of the whole space can be Htied up for vessels of 16 teet, wiilioiil any excessive Hxpo ititure; thiia atl'ording accommMdaiion for ihel cil trade, for which, from its proxiinily lo the principal market of the city, this purl of the harbour Las hithurto been, iiud can most ad- vantageously anil convenietitly continue lo be uBimI, And for vessels (f moderate t'urthen, trad- ing wi'h the Lower Ports imd \\w West Indies, to provile 20 feet of water would, in the opiu- iou of \.hifi Commissioiiers, entail a useless ex- penditure of a lurce sum." Frcm the above it will be seen with whit truth Mr. Workman charges the Harbour Com- missioners with seeki .g to remove the trade from our present barb )ur. Then, again, observe tbe fullowing,— " And '•yet so far as settliag the question of Mr. '' Young's determination, to conviTt Point Si. "Charles' fields iuto city lots, tho whole has " been lab )ur in vain," " Where a man's trea- "sure is. there his heart will be a'so ;" and, " whether pasture grounds, or pnjudice in " Mr. Young's case, it is synonymous." Of course, the public are aware that no land what- ever is requisite in the Point St. Charl'.'s scheme, but the im[)lied insinuation here, is, thrit I am a proprietor of land adjacent to the proposed docks, and hence my advocacy if the sch, mo. I have been long awa e that there were parti?' in Vloatre.il, like Mr. Workman, who believed that tny advocacy of this project, was dictated by self interest, and to the advancetnent in value of uroperty, which]I was supposed to bold there. I once contrail ted this statement in public, and about the same time I personally explained to Mr, IVorkman, that I never owned any land uhatev r at foint St. Charles, nor do I now own one cent's worth on the South bank of the canal, within the limits of the city, so that when he jought to detract from the value of my exer- tions and labours, by the above qiotition, Mr. Workman knew, while he wrote, that he was making insinuations contrary to facts. If self-interest gnided me in my action respecting docks, I migbt well advocate Mr. Trautwine's plans, which would add immensely to the value of my property, whereas what land I have on the north bank of the canal, wonld rather be lessened in value, by afifordiog dock accommodation at Point St. Charles. .'(«(' 32 I nllid ' to this matter, bfcauso It is time thnt persona in Mr. Workmin'a posilion, should c«'tBP ti hint at, and to try to net Itsa informed pt*r- aons to believe tbtit pecuniary and selful) perso- nal intfreata, nro connected witb my ndvociiey ol tbe public w ikd in aueaiion. Mr. Woikmiu kaew hotter ; but he knew also tb-it if ha ci^ul J make th" reaideula in thd eastern ■ art of the city believe tbit I waa act'tig from persona', and atdtiah enda, to adl va! ic to my own property, ho would injire tbe effoci of niy exerti na in fuvor of Poi;U St. Obarlea. The truth is, that the arguments in favour of Point St, Charles would m-t be in tlie least weaker if I owned £150,000 of real istate in that vicinity, instead of noi owning a farthing's ivorth. Hut to answer arguments ia one thing and to impute Belfish views another. Mr. Work- man chose the eaji^r if not the more honorable course. Mr. Workman occupies half of one of his letters by a critique o j the number of Draw- bridges propoa d to be placed over Mr. Traui- win^'s Di;ck, the merits of which can be ju ;ged of b} tlie (oilowing : — '■ Now wilhout disturbing Mr. Young's calcn- ••lations let us simply tisk, — if a projeci having ''fourteen g eat ihoroughfarts 'to and from it •' woulJ obstruct in Common Street 10 foot paa- "sengeiaatid 90 vehiclea in htilf-an-hour, how " mnuy woul i be obstructed at Windmill poin' " where tliere id but one thoroughfare. " Again : — "In ih's comparison we are ^.iving Mr Young tbe advMnia;.;e of hla concealim; as be does tlie possibility of the said foot pass"nger3 and vehi- olf3 findiiig their way over some of the other 'ftuneen great thoroughfares.'" It' Mr. Workman will examine Mr. Trautwine'a plan, h ^ will finl that ten of the " fourteen Iho- rouf^h fares" are stopped up by the Docks ami not proviiled with bridges; that there are only four drawbrilifcs ; — that the distance between each of these fourteen thoroughfarsa is only 180 feet, and t'.'at drawb idges could not be erected for the:e "fourteen thoroughfares " for tbe reason that 180 feet wo Id not allow s .fifinent space 'or a vessel to lie, and instead of there being only one bridge across tbe Canal at Windmill Pol .t, there is another at Wellington Bri ige, and th?re should also be two more constructed at the foot of McGill Street, and on tbe same level, across the Oanal there, to comtnunioate with the Docks, by filling up tbe water space around Windmill Point. It is a mistake, however, to suppose that the Docks would increase cartage across tbe Oanal. Property, whether merchandise or pro- duce, intended for city aae, would thinbe landed j at now on the city side of the Canal and in the Hatbiiur. The Docks would BTve, and are intended to serve a purpose similar to that of tbe Atlantic Docks ct New York, for receiving and leliviiiug produce, provisiona, nierchandue, &c., intendeded for export, by sea, or inland to lb) K-istern or Western States. Mr. Workman next tikes exception to my stuteiucnt, that if Mr. Trautwine'a Dock scheme was carried out, the water would have to be " drawn off the Canal in winter, and for such withdrawal of wate every factory on the Canal would have a claim for damages." Equally unfortunate with the •'fourteen thoroughfares." Look at the lease ■ig.in, Mr Workman, and you will find that the withdrawal of water " for repairs, improvements or alterations" refers to Canal improvements, and thnt the lessees have no right to demand damage for any withdrawal of water for such repairs or improvements 0/ the Canal ; but tbe withdrawal of water to cun4ruct a Dock, ia n«t a with- drawal ot water for Canal repiirs or improve- ments, and that therefore my atatement that tbe lessees would ba^e a claim for damages ia correct in every particular. Again, if Mr. Workman will look he will Had that [ am al o correct in stating that the water level o; Mr. Trautwine'a scheme of Docks " ia 6ve feet higher than McGill Street, " or any of the a-reeta in Qriifintown, and that "tbe Dock wharves will bo fi'c feet higher than '' tbe water, hence no point of the wharves could •' be reached from Wellington or McGill (^Street, except by an ascent of 10 feet." An amusing instance of Mr. Workman's acuteness will be found in hla reference to the value of tbe land rtq ired for docks according to the various schemes. Ila says :— " I next com:^ to .Mr. Young's objection to the valnitlona of the land required for Mr. Trautwine'a scheme of docks. In page 47 Mr. Youug says:— 'But again, according to Mr. Trautwine'a scheme, I find that a gross error has been committed in estimating tbe value of the land proposed to be taken for the dock project.'" The error referred to was sinply this : Mr. Trautwine'a scheme was compared with wbe Point St. Charles scheme, as to its cost ; one element in tbe cost is tbe extent and value of the land. Mr. Trautwine'a docks required an area of 120 acres, and tbe estimate of the value of the land only covered eighteen acres. The land at Point St. Oharlea formed pirt of tbe barbor, and would not reqaire to be paid for. ^hs land for Mr. Trautwine'a scheme to a great 38 «itent, lay nearly 91 aorei waiod the Bonlta aide of the canttl. Tbia w la clt'arly aUted in my Iflfpr, and the cost of the 91 acrea put down at $309,400 ua xn item to be addud to the cost of Mr. TrHUtwin'a acbcniH of docks. The error eonsiated in I miitinx this item, on the ground that the Innd b Inn (ted to the QeTernmentor th> Grand Trunl{, and therefore need not bt paid fitr tit. Worlcmau appe^ra to misuiideratand what the error waa. He produces letters from Messrs. Bfiers k Son, which shew that the land at their ▼alaation was put at 28 3d per foot, and in Messrs Brown and Watson's at 2a 2i^, malting in land and buildings on the north tide of the canal a difference of $65,805 l:«tween the esti mates, and adda that, from Meisri. Spier k Son's note, " it appears that the groaa error which he charges Mr. Trautwine with is hia own, at it arises simply from Mr. Young's Taluators, Messrs. Brown and Watson having taken more land for Mr. Trautwine a project than Mr. Traut- wine himself asked " '■ Here, then, is the extent ot the gross error committed, $65,806." If Mr. Workm in had shewn, either that the cost of the 91 acres should not have been added to Mr. Trnutwine's estimate, because the land belonged to Oovernment or to the Orand Trunk, he would have met the argumeat. But this would have been a d<£Qcult task, and it waa easier to avoid the real point, and demolish a supposed argu- ment, and then coolly fix the "gross error" upon me, giving the " Canadian I " a slap, and at the same time patronizing and patting on the head, Messrs. Sp!ers k Son, by adding, "those ac- quainted with Messrs. Spiers k Son's high char- acter for such judgment and correct business talent will have little apprehension as to where the error lies." There are many other points in Mr. Work- man's letters in relation to docks and the trade of the Port, on which I might touch, but the subject has become wearisome, and I shall pro- ceed to notice a charge which I deem of graver importance. In my letter of lOtb December I stated, in reference to the dock and other pro- jects having been stamped as "visionary," and as " vague dreams of the imagination " by Mr. Trautwine, that "it should be remembered thit other projects advocated by me, which at first were conaidered as unfavorably as the dock at Point St. Gharl b, have been carri d out. I allude to the deepening ot Lake St. Peter in the old channel, which was recommended by me in a Report to the Board of Trade in 1846, and which wag at Srgt coyered with ridicule, but which was lina. / I. ..i the works co.i)aionc(>d by (}o- vfrnnmnt, (iiid ibiii lonivi nfter nn i-xjiendituro of £7.), 000." Tli«ie n'tunrkd were tu'.ly jugtifiid i)y the f'lict't of thu ca urmriince of' tl)"He fiicls, Htid wiUi hij iihuhI rt'cklpaancss, Mr Workman seizes iifo-i lhi» stit'.envnt as nri asautnptioa ou niy purt uf merit, wliicb bo thinks does not l>"li)ni{ to mu. Ou tbo ooutrary be be- lievrg that my cond ict In reftr^nRe to the Li)kr li(;hthoii8>' from Burlington Bay to Belleislo Htrmts, lnifi been thrown, by the nctioii of Mr. yountr, hIhcp the year l«45, on the trutlt* of llio ijij ol Mon- treal solely. About the period m^ntim.pd, the GovornmPi)' hid niado considerable prnnress in mrtl»nuil 100 f.ei wile tind 14 feet deep it required only about 152 diivs additional work to cumpli-te tbif rhsnod, bu the opposition was so aii'il and circuitous chtit'Uji; "a'd that the Chairman of ttio Board is ' illy "borna out in the adoption of thia liin^ by the "valuable tesumony of U plain Buyttehi anU " itherscieniiticmea in England. ' Notwiihstanding this decided Report of ihe Coram ssioners in lavor of 'lie auaigtu ctmn el, Mr. Young and h'\3 piuty kepi uo th • opposition to it, and, rather than it should bo comptet:'!!. I they consented to an net plucing the eniire cost of the liepeninq of Lake >/. J'eler upon the trade of our Port insieiid of co::tinuhig it «« a PruvincuU wor/f lit the public cost, as it had been by the pre vious Jet whuh Mr. Young destroyed. The enti e expenditure in constructiug the airaight channel so near to its corapletiou, itus became a deud loss to the country, and the tutuic cost of the work was thrown upon the city of Montreal Who, upon perusing these facts and turning to Mr. Young's self-laudation on tbu "deepening of Lake St. Petei'' and the fp' qu'-nt hUu ion he makes to it, in c«nuectioi< witn the bendiis (?) \i» has bestowed on Uuntreal, can repress h smile? In the pamphlet bnfore us Mr. Tonng say I : — " fin frfaininp; these viewn, it \n not to be won- "deri'ii HI if I h'iv • ('(Tdi-tted jrikee()lng th m be- ■' fori' tlit^ public, iiltli'iiigli I' py nhould be stamped "hb ^ iiiiiuary. i\- d us VHgueilt(^>n)S of theimagl- "nation. It sli'itiM hIho \w r(>inembered that •'other pirojt'cia Hdvocaieii by ine, which ut first " W.tre coiittiderni i>rt uufuvoiable as the Dock "tti Point Ht. Charle^<, h>vf liceri carried out. "I allude to the (leepeniiig nf Lake St. Peter "in the old channel, which was recommended " by tne in 1"4(5, and was at (irat covered with " riilii-'ule, bii' wbic'i Wuh (iiiiilly adopted, and "thi- Goveiiimetit workt iiiiandonod after aa "(Xjuniliturt' of about £7ri,(IOO " " Hoventy-five thouHaiiU" poundsl Don Quixote again I The «'i/irf eximndiiiire, as may be neea by the Ri'port o( the I'oriiuhbionerfl, wa» £'i9,- nit4 lit. Od.,— but of this there were £37,937 Os. S I expended upon dteaniers mid dredging boats, scow^ mui ou'lit. wliicli uppaiatua being avaiU atile f;ir the work.i on the erooked channel, leave! he actual exfieMdiiife for deepening the stralglit channel only £22, OM; 11 j. 7.I "Covered with riilicuie"— what ridicule? The entire diHcnaeion was coufiued to the question of ll ling up )iy drifting sand biuks, and the time it woula require to make the straight channel. The Gonimisaioueie report "That they bad " scarcely entered upon their duties when their "a lenlion wasdireciei to the works in quei« "tion, by persons prijferinx their testimony to "prove that tlie straight line ado|ited by the •' Board (d Works for the new channel would " never answer the purpose intended, that it "would n quire fifteen or twenty years for its " completion, at a great outlay of money, and "that it would till up nearly as fast as it was ' made." The impartiality of this evidence may be ap- preciated, by allusion to the two points it aima it. ThofUlins; up and the ttme needed to com- plete the straight line. I The Commissioners shew, at before observed, that an excavation of 35i,()00 yards, requiring ' 162 days tim", would complete the channel ; and, ! if the iJovernmeni had been allowed to proceed, ' we would h:ive h.id the chiinnel in 1846, instead I of 15 or 20 yoapH later, ftnd for a comparatively j small oailtiy over auo abov^ what then had been j expended ; and, to use the words of the Commis- I sionerdi, " the irade would ilm^ be in possession j " ot two cbimne'e, of whi^h one might be made to j''sei''e for vessels for whr.se draft of water it 1 " might be suitable— the other to serve for ves- I " sets (fa larger dr^^lt. The risk of collUion I " woula thus be very much reduced." As to the I q'testious of hlling u[i, the Commissioners took great pains t" obtain reliable information on that point, l)y causiug soundinas to be taken in the ! fill and tpriug, witn a view of a certaining if the spring floods uad any < fT ci upon the new cut. The result was, that '" they found that no " perceptible fillicg up had taken place, but that " the cut reinainea iu the same state as when the " dredges Ufi it " There is no question but the straight channel «ould have answered every purpose, and could 36 bftT« bmn omlly dropf nr, wbiob *>uit« niucii licticr. Whi-u iliu lutTuhnnis, ■bip-ownerti atul Htcunihnnt proprietora of Mon- treal, anil tlio poor liulnlimH who uroea with ihrir loaded vebiclps on thune ttfrry-bimtH, coiidldtr I bo cxurbitHDt wb (bt-y art) ooinpflbd to pay, a larifH portion (d which goc* tomi't't ihu coat of Mr. Young's Lnkf St IVicr folly, nod to eniiblc Upper Oiinada nidrchnn'H to IrioK their ((oodH by oce m craft IHO mlicj nearfir ihi ir own d or, at our expeoBB. in placu of ut tho public (^ogt, \\» it would buve been, hnd Mr. Vouiift stood back, tbey can appreciate the bi-m cotivcypd by " th»' "deepening of Lnki' St. Fittr in tbo oM channel, "wbicb was recouimeuded by luo (Mr. Youn({) "in 1840." So much for Mr. Workman's viewo n3 to the "deepening of LuUo Si. Peter." NuW for the facts. From 1832 to 1810 the merchants and c'ticpnt of Montreal at Tarious times bronuht before the attention of tho Governmf;nt, by petitions, the great injury wbicb rrsulted to the trade of the Province from the sballowueas of Lake St. Peter, and tbo imperativo necessity which existed fur deepeniu^ it. These represen- tations induced the Qoverument of the Pro- Tince, in 1836, to rtfer the whole subject to a Committee of tbo ITonso of Assembly, which Committee reported, in favour of the worli beinii; undertaken as a Provincial work. Gapt. I aj field, B.N., was called before tbia GommittM, and was asked :— " From your knowledge > f " that part of the St Lawrence (Lake St. Peter), " do you think it would be practicable to deepen " the channel, so as to allow vessels of a greater " burthen to proceed to Montreal than its depth '* At present admits ?" Capt. Bayfield said that — "It may be done by excavating the present " channel through the St. Francis shoal for n " distance of two miles, by which, however, only " six inches, or at most one foot, increase o' " depth would be gained. To obtain a greater " depth, a channel roust be excavated through " the flats of Lake St. Peter four and a half nau- " tical miles in length, a work which would re- "quire BO much time and labour that, with the "means contemplated, it is not impossible that " the end first excavated, might be filled up by "sand washing in, by the time the other was " reached. The magnitude of such a work will " be best understood by the statement that, if it "were contemplated only to obtain an addi- "tioaal increase of two feet in depth, and to " limit thft rxcaTaMon to 300 feet— and it could " nut w^ll bo less, to allow vpsiels to turn la " and to \u\n each other without risk— no IciB *' than uievin mil Ion of cubic feet uf soil would "bavn to bo removed to rfTi'Ot it." Nothing, however, was dwue till 184), when authority was obiaiiu'd from Parliiimant to begin the work, III 1R41 and \HU, Ulns. Atbciton, Btq , who had thiMi groat exporienc) In tbo Clydo works, and ia now ii dotinxuiiibud Uivll Bngmoer in n.M.H Ht Woolwich, was employed by the Coard of Works iu Ouna la to survey tind report upon the best meana of doopcniug Lake St. i'oior. Tbi.1 bo did, ia a Report dated August IH4:S. Tids (lucuinont is too lot g fur insertion in those letters, I ohall, therefore, quote only the principil points of it Mr. Athcrtun says — " The iionrd ia in posseaeion of other surveys, but it isi nt-ceaflary to (is upon some one survey Hi tho iM.i|) of Kiferenco, hud it ia my duty to recommend that ISayt'iHld'a be taken furlhat pur« jiose, wbicb I think admirably coirett On the geueral subject my previous correspondence has already npprlEcd tho Hoard Ihal, in my opi- uion, the only mtans ofnttaming the object in view — a iiiistacic for deep-ilnift vexirln — is by selecting ilie rxi4iiig channel ai the hne of operations, limit- tug our Works to the dredging out a narrow cut — 1 may call it a sunk c*nal— whereby the Im- proved channel may be indicated day and night. But, on tho present occasion of final decision, tlie Board may be desirous of bav.ng before them the various views wbicb bavo been promulgated, and I may britfiy adduce tho reasons which have led me to recommend a strict adherence to tho improvement of the old channel, in preference to Hdopting other plans which have been brought oefore the public notice : 1st. It has been proposed to form a straight channel through the Lalie, taking advantage of tb 5 stretch of a pool of 13 feet of water which extends from oflf the moutb of the River St. Francis into deep water at Pointe du Lac. I oinnot concur in this project because it involves tbe neceesity of cutting through the main body, (not clipping ofiF the extremity) of the St. Fraa- oia bank, which bank extends out into the mid- dle of tbo Lake oppobite Riviere du Loop. Tbe width of tbe bank to bo cut through would be about two and a half miles, and after all tbe chan- nel thus proposed to bo attained by cutting through tbe St. Francis bank gives only 12 to 13 feet water, and would therefore require dredging over a further extent of about 8} miles before it meets tbo 14 ieet water opposite Ma- cbiche. 2nd. It has been aho proposed to close several of the minor channels between the islands at the head of the Lake. I cannot concur in tbia view, for although it be granted that tbe main body of tbe St. Lawrence might be confined to one of the main channels, still tbe scouring effect thuB produced would bo lost as soon as tbe water would have liberty to spicad, and a sboil would 36 I ffn(?OTihledly be forme.i where the scorning effect 3rd. Another plnn hug bppD the corgtruction of H Dam ncrosa thn oiit'si of ihe LKkf ncdr Pi'inte du Luc, wlipr^tliy tln> siufuce of ihe Ltltf may hi* rnisi'd to !-iicli height, hh niiiv ho n'c^■s• Stiry for the pnrpfse of tlip naTifZiUion. Kveri ndniitiinff hII this were eff.*ptoJ, the Liike would be converted into Ji Borl of ce&opool, h-ivlng n gradual teudency to cqinlioatidP tbroiigboui." In October, \S43, the Secretary of the Bjnrd of Works wro^a to Mr. Atherto.i "that the Board " propose, durinpf the iati'rval betwern the pre- "sent and oponinp; of the working aeHSon next " Bpring, to collect from all quarters, whore " knowledr;e of the Lake and other nquisites " may appear to them to exist, the fullest advice "and information, by the peneral resnlt ofwl ich " tl ey will be gui led in iheir decision as to the "channel to be adopted." In January, 1844, the Board of Works dispatched Capt. Viiuc;hHn, with a letter from .Mr. Killaly, to Captain Bay- field, then in Prince Sdwa^ds Island, but witboui sending to that ofBcer the Repo.ta of Mr. Ather- tOD. Mr. Killaly aska for Captain B^y field 'p opinion, stating that his " idei would be first to ' obtain a direct channel of mod "rate breadth " and 11 feet deep throughout, and subsequently " to bi gcTerned in adfilng to its depth and "breadth by circumstances. The t'acilit that " exists for directing a column of water from two " or three of the present channels iato toe new "one, is, I think, much in favor of adapting the " straight channel." In the representations m ide to Capt. Biyfield, through Captain Vaughan and others, it will afterwards be seen that this able ofiBcer felt himself deceived, in giving the follow- ing opinion tinder date of 12th February, 1858 : •• My opinion has never been decidedly adverse to the attempt to deepen Lake St Peter, as you have been informed ; but I have always viewed it, ami still do view it at a toork of too great magnitude, importance and difficulty to be lightly undertaken, or proceeded on without all that cautious regard to the effect of the work as it proceeds. I qnite agree with you that the old channel, shewn by the blue line on the trace, should be abandoned, and the attempt made in the direction indicated by the red line, because it would require only about two nautical miles of excavation to give a depth of 12 to 13 fiet at low water, if the depth has not diminished since our last Burviy, and if oven the advantage gained should bo limi'cd to iho atiaioment of a depth of 12 or 13 'ee*, in a direct instead of a circuitous channel, the benefit to the navigation would, I corcsive, be very great. But it woud rtquire no less than fivn mitis culling by the old rvi/ts, a:\ iavuur of the abandonment of tbe work had been disre- garded, the works in Lake St. Peter would bive been stopped nevertheless, as all other roads and works were then stopped, from want of funds to carry them on. Beyond my examination in 1846, and my Re- port advising tbat the work should be disconti- nued, I h^d nothing tu do with the matter until the Spring of 1850, when I was appointed a Harbour Commissioner. In 1847, 1848, and 1849. tbe Board of Trade on various occasions brought tbe e ibject of tbe improvement of Lake St, Peter before the Government, and nrged with vigour its great importance to the trade of the country, and pointed oat tbe ^aat ex- pense of lighterage between Quebec and Mon- treal. In tbe Public Works Report of 1S4R, signed by the Hon. lUalcolm Cameron and SirE. P. Tache, these gentlemen state " that they had "examined the two channels, and that bat " few persons now refuse to acknowledge that if " the money which has been employed in exca- " vating tbe new channel (still incomplete) had " been expended in improving tbe old and nata- "ral channel, the commerce of the country " would have been in possession of a navigation "through Lake St. Peter, equal at all seasons " of the year to the depth which can be obtained "at other points of the river." - In April, 1850, 1 brought the subject of deep- ening Lake St. Peter before my ooUeaguesIin 39 the Harbour Commission, (Messrs. John Try and Lonia Marchnnd,) and my plans for f-arry- ing out the worlt were submitted to tho Provln- cittl Secretory, th? Hon Jai. Leslie, The mode of doing eo was entirely different from anything which had been pievinusly suggested, and may be stated as follows : — That the Harbour Commissioners of Montreal should be authorised to undertake the work and to borrow a certain sum of money for the pur- pose, the interests or the sums borrowed as well as a sinking fund of two per cert, per annum to be provided for ns follows : First, by a ton- nage duty of not exceeding one shilliug per Begister ton, on all vessels drawing ten feet of water and npwarda, such duty to be levied for each titre of passing the Lake ; secondly, by the p'lrplus revenues of the Harbour of Montreal in cise such tonnage duty should prove insuflBcient lor the purpoaa ; and thirdly, that the Governor General should have authority to empower the Harbour Gummiasioners to levy such additional per centage on all their Harbour and Lake dues as would in his opinion afford them a sufficient revenue to meet pvery legal charge upon it. This plan was adopted by the Government, and an Act of Parliament procured in accord- ance with it. The first step taken was, at my suggestion, to appoint a Board of Engineers to examine Lake St. t'eter and report apon the best courise to be pursued for the puroose of obtain- ing therein, a ship channel of 16 feet in depth at low water, being two feet deeper than the chnn- nel contemplated by the Commissioners of Pub- lic Works or by any other parties. The gentle- men selected for this imp rtaat duty, were Messrs. McNeil and Child, eminent Civil Engi- neers of the United States, and Mr. Gzowski, a well known Civil Eugineer of Canada, and these gentlemen, accompanied by Sir W. S. Logan, Provincial Geologist, who kindly lent his services to determine the nature and the origin of the materials constituting the obstacles to be re- moved, made a minute survey of the old and new cnannels, and after mature deliberation thereou, recouamended the Harbour Commission ers not to resume opera'ions in the straight cut attempted by the Commissioners of the Public Works, but on the contrary, to follow the chan- nel already formed by natural causes, which they reported, presented no obstructions but sand and clay which could easily be removed by dredging. That course was adopted by the Harbour Commissioners, and the most complete success has been the result. It m»y te well hero to refer to n ciiargo of in- accuracy made against me, with his usual success, of giving ii to bo understnoJ that vhe works in Lake St. Peter, aliaTidoneil by the Gov- ernment, cost the country £75,01)0 Mr. Work- man states that after deducting dredges and scows handed over to the Harbjur Commission- ers, that the actual loss was only £22,066 lis. 7d. If Mr. Workman will examine the public accounts, he will find that " Lake St. Peter' stands debited with £73,551^ 153. 5J. without any interest. The two dredges banded over to the Harbour Commissioners, bad been in use four seasons and were eight years old, and took so much to put them in repair, that the engines only were worth anything. The same m -y be said of the two old scows — so that my remark 18 strictly correct. The progress of the work may be again brought before the public in the following statement : — The Harbour Commissioners commenced operations on the 12th June, 1851, with one dredge and the Harrow, and on the 3rd uf No- vember in the same year a channel 75 feet wide, two feet deep, and four miles in length was cut through the highest part of the flats. On the 8th of November the ship ' City of Manchester' was loaded down to fourteen feet, the depth on the flats then being twelve feet, and taken through the Lake without slackening speed. Thus in less than five months two feet were added to the draught of sea-going vessels trad- ing with Montreal. In the Spring of 1852 the Harrow was employed during high water, in May and June, upon the upper bar, the depth upon which w»s thereby increased about three feet, leaving a channel one hundred and fifty feet wide and fifteen feet deep, at low water, or four feet deeper than the flats. Two dredges worked on ths flats from the latter part of May until the 16th of Nov,, by which time they had widened the channel (from seventy-five) to one hundred and fifty feet, and deepened it (from two) to four feet. The length of the channel of 1831 was aleo increased (from four miles) to five and a half miles, — this additional length of dredj;ing being required in consequence ot the increased depth. Thus at the close of the second season, or in less than eleven months of actial work, a channel one hundred and fitly feet in width, and four feet of additional depth was cut through the ' flats' and the upper barat a cost of £47,250 for operations and outfit, or in other words, a channel of the same width and one foot grea'ei' depth, than that which the Government At/ri failed fcvtrr 40 to secure ia the netr route with a far greater ex- penditure of time and money. The Harbour Coramidsioners were notifitsd in November, 1852, b} the Superintt^ndt'Dt that he was then pre- pared to take a Teasel through the Lake draw- ing four feet more water than any which had hitherto left Montreal at that season of the year. Throughout the Eeaaon of 'fi2 the sea-going Tea- sels made use of the new chanuel and many of them were loaded down two feet deeper than the water on the fiats. A Teasel of sufiSuient capacity could not be ibtained at that laie season of the yenr, to test (be capacity of the channel, in NoTemher, 1852, but this was done on the 24th of August, 1853, by the barque ' Oalifornia,' which was loi^ded down to sixteeii feet two i, ,i'' when there was only tweWe feet on the flnu o taken from Montreal through the Lake, v at delay or difficulty. At the close cf the season of 1853 the chan- nel of 1863 was deepened throughout, one foot six inches, giving sixteen and a half feet at low water, and a part of it wos widened (from one hundred a- d 6fty feet) to two hundred and fifty and three hundred feet." HaTing anticipated the remarkable aaccess al- ready stated, the Harbour Commissioners, in 1853, thought it desirable to ascertain whether any and what obstacles existed in the RiTer St. Lawrence to deepening the channel to 20 feet at low wa'er, being satisfisd that carrying their operations in L ke St. Peter to that depth was merely a question of time and money that conld easily be determined. They accordingly di- rected their Engineer, Mr. T. 0. Keefer, to make Buch a BurTey of the RiTer and Lake between Montreal and Quebec as would enable him to re- port what impedimenta did exist thereto, and what the probable cost of removing them would be. By the end of October, 1853, Mr. Keefer (assisted by Gap'ain Bell, under whose superin- teQdi'Gca the operations had hitherto been con- ducted) bad made such progress that he was able to report the entire practicability of deep- ening the channel to 20 feet at low water be- tween Montreal and Quebec, proTided that a channel on the south shore of the RiTer 3t Lawrence between Var^nnes and LaTaltrie (to which Captain Bell had preTiously drawn the attention of the Harbour Commissioners) was adopted for improTcment instead of the old chanoel hitherto used by pilots on the north side of the river. The Harbour Uommisaioncrs re- solved ihut it was expedient to adopt the course recommended by Mr. Keefer, and to c irry on the deepening to 20 feet at low water, ' rovided the Board of Trade of Montreal approved of their doing so. A resolution to this (ffct was ac- cordingly submitted to the Board of Tr^de, which was unanimously approTed of. The citizens also, at a public meeting specially called to consider the subject, sanctioned it without a dissenting Toioe. Mr. Keefer says " that althongh the straight "channel would have shortened the route " through the lake, yet, as it was wholly an ar- " tificial one, there was a greater amount of work "to be done in it. Captain Bayfield tn 1846, " (after 3 years dredging in the straight channel,) " estimated the dredging then to be done in the " straight channel for a depth of only 14 feet at " low water, itt 260,000 cubic yards more than " that required to produce the same result in the '' old channel. In extending the work, howeTer, " to a depth of 20 feet, the economy of the old " channel is much more apparent. In order to gire " three hundred feet in width, with 20 feet of '' waiter in the ' straight' channel would now re- ''guise no less than one million eight hundred " and ten thousand and eight — '>-c yards to be "be removed more than is requisite to produce " the same result in the old channel." This, too, let it be borne in mind, that when so deepened, the old channel for nearly half the dis- tance would be 1500 feet wide, while the straight channel for the same distance would haTe been only 300 feet wide. My fdllow-citisens, and the public generally, can now judge how far I am justified in taking to myself credit lor these great results. It ia true that my Report in 1846, recommending that future labour should be done in the old, and not in the new channel, contributed largely to the abandonment of the work in the latter ; but, with the facts, and opiaiona of professional men of the highest standing, and by others, will any one pretend to say that but for the stopping of the new out we could hitTe had to-day a chennel 18 feet deep at the lowest water, and 300 feet wide, with the prospect of a 20 foot chancel in two years. I hare shewn that the valuable opinion of Mr. Atherton, in faTour of deepening the natural channel, after a careful and elaborate survey of two seasons, was disregarded- -an opinion too, which was supported by every Bcieniifia man who after- wards examined the subject — and that this all- important work wna proceeded wiih in the straight channel, by the Departmeuw of Public m^^ 41 Works, against the advice and report of itsby selecting a new and straight channel tbrongh own officer. It is true that Oaptain Bayfield's name was drawn in to support the conclusions of the Department of Public Worlts, bat I have ■hewn that this opinion was obtained from Oapt Bayfield by unfounded representations from, as that officer states, " an authority the competency " of which I could not doubt." The results con- firm in every respect, the correctness of the va- luable opinions of Mr- Atherton and of Messrs. Ohilde, Gsowski, McNiel, and Keefer, which is rery creditable to those gentlemen ; but at the same time the bungling and blundering of the Department of Public Works is equally a..>parent, and I may well ask whether my conduct in 1846, in exposing this blunder, deserves praise or censure 7 But I must defer my further remarks, on what Mr. Workman is pleased to desitrnate "Mr. Toung's Lake St. Peter folly," till my next let- ter, and am now. Tour obedient servant, JOHN YOUNG. Montreal, 2nd August, 1859. ^ ■ ■ ■ ^1 L«TTBR NO. 10. « To Ihe Editor of the Montbbal Gazbtts : Sib, — It has not, I b:lieve, been questioned that the general public interest would be pro- moted by such an improvement of the naviga- tion, between Quebec and Montreal, as would enable the largest class of vessels to ascend the latter port from sea without breaking bulk. I have shewn that as early as 1830, the merchants and citizens of Montreal were unanimous in pointing out to the Government the enormous annnal loss to the trade of the Province, which resulted from the necessity of lighterage over the shallows of Lake St. Peter, — and the una- nimity which prevailed, in urging upon the Gov- ernment, the necessity of removing as speedily as possible so great a drawback to the interior and city trade. I have shewn also, that Govern ment and Parliament in 1840 acknowledged the correctness of these representations, by the adop- tion of measures to deepen the channel through Lake St. Peter — that Mr. Atherton's advice was discarded and a plan adopted by the Department of Public Works, and Oaptain Bayfield's sanc- tion thereto was obtained by false representa- tions made to that officer — that after three sea- sons' work, and an expenditare of £75,000, it was shewn by my Report to the Board of Trade in 1846, that a great blander had been commiUed the Lake, ins'ead of deepening the old or natural channel, and that it was in every way preferable to abandon what had been done and begin anew. This opinion, as has been stated, was confirmed by the Oommittee of the House of Assembly, and by all the scientific men, who afterwards ex- amined the subject. The work was, therefore, abandoned. Moreover, it has been shewn, that had the work not been so abandoned, it would have been almost impossible, from the great cost, to have obtriined the proposed channel of twenty feet at low water. Before I took the matter in hand, as Harbonr Commissioner, no one had suggested a greater depth than 14 feet. Captain Bayfield, it will be seen, in 1836, looked upon the work as almost impossible, because of the magnitude of deepen- ing it only two feet, and of removing 11,000,000 cubic feet. Yet, to-day, upwards of fifty mil- lions of cubic feet of soil have been removed, and the channel deepened seven feet. To enable your readers to form an opinion of the amount of labour necessary to produce such a great re- sult, I may state that Captain Bayfield, in a Re- port dated 1844, says " that to deepen the channel " to 14 feet only, and 300 feet wide, for a " distance of nine miles, seemed to him a " hercu- -' lean task." Yet it would seem that after this " herculean" work was accomplished, a work is progressing to successful completion, five timea greatei than that deemed " herculean" by Gap- tain Bayfield. Again, a channel of 14 feet would not have allowed the large sized sailing vessels to come to Montreal without breaking bulk, neither could the magnificent steamers, which now arrive in port, have come here. I have it in my power to shew that the present depth of water and the proposed depth is not only benefi- cial in the highest degre to Montreal as a port, but lies at the very foundation of the future greatness of the city. It is also equally benefi- cial to the country, inasmuch as it lessens the distance from the interior to a sea port 180 miles, and by cheapening transport enhances the value of every agricultural commodity exported. I have labored for several years, and have suc- ceeded in obtaining the acknowledgment of this and forjier governmenti that the works in Lake St. Peter and the. St. Lawrence are not local in their character, but should be considered as Pro- vincial Public Works. Already, indeed, the Gov- ernment have so far acknowledged this, that a sum of £16,000 baa been advanced by Govern- 42 neat for the Lake St. Peter operatlonB of this 7«sr. But Mr. Workman, a wealthy and loading cittEen, Bees no merit in my having bren the means of patting a stop to the progress of the blander of the Board of Works ia Lake St. Peter, nor in my labours during the Inot ten years, to make Montreal a port accessible for vessels and steamers of 2,400 tons burthen. The slightest investigation of the subject will satisfy any one, that bad not the straight channel been disoontinued, it would have been impossible to obtain a greater depth than 14 feet of water, because to have made the channel equal to tbc natural one, and of only 14 feet deep the expense would have been upwards of £400,000. Mr. Workman finds pleasure in detracting from those public services, and would do his best, even by assertions which ho cannot sustnin, to hold me up to public opprobrium ; nor does he hesitate to describe a work, unequalled in the world, and which he, as a oit'zeu of Montreal, should be proud of, as " 31r. Young's Lake St. Peter folly." Against Mr. Workman's opinions, however, I bave the great satisfaction of knowing, that the great majority of my fellow merchants have a full appreciation of my exertions in carrying forward to its piesent position the important work of perfecting the channel of navigation between the Ocean and Montreal. BelieTing that I am »o supported, 1 shall be very slow to believe that any considerable number of my fellow citizens, in any section of the city,do sanction Mr. Workman's Tiews in reference to my exertio'is for improv ing the navigation between Montreal and Que- bec, nor have I any doubt, that some time or other, the importance of these exertions, c n the growth and prosperity of Montreal as a sea and inland port, will be duly recognised and ac- knowledged. It should be borne in mind that the expendi- ture on the Clyde, in Scotland, to the present time, to secure a channel from sea to Glasgow of twelve at low and eighteen feet at high water, bas cost upwards of £2,000,000 sterling. To effect this about six million cubic yards of soil bave been removed, while a twenty feet channel at low water will be secri/ed to Montreal, by the removal of about five iiiillion cubic yards, at • cost not exceeding £190,000 1 Mr. Workman, with bis usual inaccuracy, taunts me with having by my action thrown the burthen of this work ou the trade of Montreal ■ince 1846. Now, ia luc £r?» plnre, the work was not begun till 1850, aod tonnage dues vrert tirst collected in 1852 ; and secondly it is a mis- take to suppose that harbour or lake dues art paid by the city of Montreal alone. The people of Western Oanada, who export flour, wheat* &c., or import merchandise for consumption, pay their proportion of harbjur and lake dues ag much as the people of Montreal, and are equally interested in every improvement, the tendency of which is to lessen these, and other charges ia our port. Mr. Workman is quite right in saying that the improvement of the navigation below Montreal is as much a Provincial work as any canal, lock or lighthouse, from Burlington Bay to Belle Isle Straits. This view of the matter has for several years been represented to Gov- ernraeut by the Harbour Commissioners, and the principle has been conceded, as I bave before stated, by an advance from the Govprnment oa the plant of the Harbour Trust of £15,000 for the operations of this year, which is rather in contradiction to Mr. Workman's assertion that th3 " cost of the work," by the action of Mr. Young, " was thrown on the city of Montreal." Mr Workman may not be able " to repress a smile" at my weakness in supposing that a great " benefit" has been conferred on the cit/ and trade of Montreal, by so improving the naviga- tion, as to enable the largest vessels to ascend from sea instead of stopping at Qatbec. This is Mr. Workman's ■^fl'air. He may smile if he pleases, but he should not try to solace himself with the belief that every "sane" merchant coincides in his opinion. Mr. Workman assumes to speak for the hoij of merchants — he doeB speak as if he were their accredited organ ; but givrs no kind of proof that he is so. For my own part I should believe that Mr. Workman has exhibited some of the *' vaniy," " absur- dity" and " folly" which he so liberally attri- butes to me, rather than believe that the intelli- gent merchants of Montreal would look upon the Lake St. Peter improvement as a •• folly," or approve of Mr. Workman's views in respect of it. Mr. Workman, on a cool review of the whole subject, irrespective of personalities, will change bis opinions on this point. When be docs, he will be better able to appreciate the anxiety and labour which, as Chairman of the Harbour Com-' missioners, the accomplishment of this great result has cost me, not only in th arrangeme:ita with Government, but in carrying on so large and extecsiro a work, for so long a time withoat 13 OoTernment aid or security, and in placing the credit of the Marb,0Ji «),irj,'ts Ave age I'.noi. !« 1850 t9'5,"nt 4,S'n 'J'^.llfi 77!.M7 '''2,U0i,i> ii IK.i? 'ili'.i.liiil -ili-J 1-0, H bo-VU^ ■.,iU,4'.)h 1858 107,742 l,o!-2 4:;o,01S 6t.u,2U i(W7.'-19 Average of last 3 years 'J/ll 134 Let it be borne in mind that the espons in IS45, 1846, and l'-47 were g eater than in any previous yesrs, and alao that they pri'coded 1848 —when for the flrst liin'i the Unitfd Stutcs, by the Bonding, or Warehousing, Bill, admitted the products of Western Ounada, to p ^ss through the United States in bond. Previous to 1*^49, no exports from Weswrn Canada could be made to the United States. In that year, shi) meats from Western Canada through the United St.>ites to Great Britain wer : com- menced, and from that time to the present, the question of routes has merely been one of cast of transport. The superiority of the route via Oswego, mfiy be estim;ited by the fact that the iivurage exports of flour and grain from Cana- da West to the United S ates (or 1856, 1P57, and 1858, was equ .1 to 5,r>&6,670 busheU, beiug nearly three times greater than the whole exports by eea from Montre>l, against no exports ia r'48, anJ only 124,600 tu?he!s ia 1 849. These figures conclusively shew, that what Mr. Workman and the " Constant Reader' call a 40 ill:: foreign export trndo from Montrcnl, haa In ten je&Tadecreantit forty per fc«<, — while in tho same peritid the ytiite of Nnw Yorlc haa gained a tradi! frum (Jiinad)t Weat, in tiour and grain alone, averitKtnK ^^^ the three yeara ending with 18r)« of 5,5r)t;,070 bushela. Yet. ••a Constant Ueider" joina with Mr. Work- man in whining a^out ^^ di'iitroyiii^ our advan* tages, and ruii.ing onr foreign trade," when theae gentlemen uiighf. to be awure that our ex- port trade from Monlieal by aea, ia not only not keeping pace with the progreaa of Weatern Oa- Dada and the Weaiern blafa, or of iho Atlantic U. States porta, but ia actually leaa by forty per cent, than the uvtrnge of the three yeara ending with 1847. Tilt ae ore, no doubt, dianereeable facts, oui it Mr. Workmin or "a Constant Reader" cannot con'radict them, then I contend that their cry as to " our foreign trade being ru- ined, is only applicable to the present system ot thinga, under which Western trade iinda a cheaper outlet through American ports on Lakes Erie and Ontario, and can hive no reference to those prcjecia advocated by roe, which the high- est authorities assert will secure for the lower St Lawrence a share of that ever increasing inte- rior trade, but which, as I have shewn, now passes from us through American routes from Lake Ontario. I have not thought it worth while to allude to *' A Constant lieaderV charge against me, for inconsistency in reference to ray estimate of the transport of heavy freight by railroad being li cents per ton per mile. If " A Constant Reader" will again examine my remarks on this subject, be wilt find that I stated that this rate at least, was ue.essary to provide against actual loss. I assumed this rate as a meana of comparison, with the rates of transport by water, knowing that no one would attempt to contradict it, and in order t" give the railway the gnateat poasible advantage in the comjmrison ; but while I did this, i was at the soma lime aware, that the official j returns of the State of New York ahewed that the average cost of moving freight by the "New York Central" and th'' New York and 'j.rie Rail- roads, in 1P5G, 1857 and 1858, wed 2 66-100 cents per ton per mile. In closing this correspondence, on t^e compa- rative merits of the St. Lawrence with other routes from the West, and on Docka at Mon- treal, I may aay, with ?jr. Workman, "that •' there are still a number of matters unnoticed " which at some future period may claim my "attention." In my previous letters I have avoided, as far ai poaaible, giving my owa opinions of the probable future of our trade, and have supported the views expressed in my letter of 10th December, by facts and figures taken from uffluial sources, as well as public documeoti emanating from the merchants of this, the largest C'ucmercial city in britiah America, from Bngi- neera the moat eminent in their profession, and from the highest olFioerB in the Qovernment of the country. It remains for Mr. Workman, or other gentlemen, to impeach the correctneai of the opinions expressed in these various docu« raenta, as to the necessity of the enlargement of the Wblland and the construction of the Oaugb« nawaga Oanal, and of Docks at Montreal, and also of the opinions so confidently expressed of a vast increase to the trade on Canadian oanala and railways, and of our city, which would follow the construction of those works. The discussion of aubjects of auch general public interest cannot fail, if properly conducted, to be advautageoua and useful. How far Mr. Workman baa succeeded in bis letters in placing " in their true aspect the wild projocts advocated by Mr. Young," the public will now be better able to judge. It must be evident to Mr. Workman himself, that these wild projects, both as to canala and railwaya. Lake St. Peter and Dock improvementa. have been mainly supported by a grea: majority of Mr. Workman's fellow merchants, and, I think are also supported by a great majority of the citizens of Montreal ; at all events they are supported by the frequently repeated opinions of every officer and engineer in the Government service, as well aa by every other engineer who has yet been called upon for an expression of opinion ; always excepting Mr. Trautwine. Leaving now the diacuasionof Mr. Workman's letters, I am tempted to transgress a little further on your space, and on the p itience of your rea- ders by bringing together a few of the important views to which I have bad occasion to advert during the several discussions of ibe Public Works referred to ; but aa your columns will be suffic'ient'y occupied by what I have already written, I shall conclude my further remarks in another letter, and am now, Your obedient servant, JOHN YOUNG. Montreal, August 22ad, 1859. J^ 1 47 LITTBR RO. 12. To the Editor of the Montrbal Oazctti : Sir, — The results and opinions to which I have been led in my previous letters, on the subject of the advantages wLich the St. Lawrence route from the West to the Ocean and to the Eastern States possesses in comparison with other routes through the United Stales, and in reference to the facilities /or trade and manufactures which m»y be created at the Port of Montreal, may be ■ummed up as follows : — Ist. That DO adequate means of transport at present exist or will exist in Lower Canada, even when the Victoria Bridge is completed, t.> cumpete in cheapness with the routes through the State of New York, from Lakes Ontario and Erie, for the trade of the Western States and Western Canada. 2nd. That without an enlargement of the WeN land Canal, and the construction of a Canal into Lake Champlain, that trade must continue to flow as now through American channels, leav- ing our Canadian canals and railways compa- ratively deserted and consequently unremuner ative, and an annual tax on the people of this country. 3rd. That the amount of interestwhich has now to be paid annually, and which has to be raised by duties on imports, on the money borrowed to build those canah and to aid the construction of railways, exceeds two million, four hundred thousand dollars, over and above all receipts from these works. 4th. That the interests of the canals and rail- ways are almost identical, and the prosperity of each must add to the business of the other. 5th. That the completion of the Welland Ganal and the construction of the Lake Obamplaia Ganal from the St. Lawrence, of a siee commensnrate with the magnitude of the capabilities of the St. Lawrence navigation,would give a decided superiority to the route of the St. Lawrence over every or any route which it is possible to have through the State of New York between the Western States, Western Canada, and the Eastern States, and render highly remu- nerative those canals and railways which at pre- sent are nnprodactive, and an annual loss to the Province. 6th. That with the navigation so improved and perfected, as to make the St. Lawrence route, through Lake Champlain, the cheapest, quickest and best for the great and ever-increas- ing trade of the Eastern States from tho West, the Port of Montronl from tliP vnst wnter power at command for milling, and from the faciiitiea for receiving and holtlin)^ iimpcrty, which could 80 easily be created, anil from tliw fact thiit such property could bo held hfre, citlier for sLlpment direct by ocean vesaol or for (ll^tritnition to the various Eastern Htutes, can be miid(t tbit greatest and most convenioat intorior depot for Western trade on this Continent, wliilr it would rapidly rise in importance aa a receiving and shipping port between England nnd other coitntiies. 7th. That while the iateresia of tho City of Montreal would bo vastly promotefl by the adoption of such a policy, a revenue would be 1 obtained from these greiit piib'ic caniild and railways, which, combined, do not at present attract more than nine to ten per c iit. of that tr«de, — to secure which wua the uvowed object of their construe ion. 8th. That there is nothing in the Nnvigation or Trade Laws of the United Staiea and Ca;inda which cau prevent tho lurprst comraorce b'^Hrfien both countries, and na that route which offers the greiitest fucilities aa to coat an'! rapidity must, in the nature of things, ultimately cowiniind the largest share of that cdiirnorce, there is every inducement to proceed ua rapid'y aa possible with thoue works, by which alono such a result can be attained. These points might be increased in number, but too much apace haa nlrra'iy been oCiUpied in the discuaaion. I may add, however, that one of the main objects 1 have had in view haa been to give prominence to tho facta and arguments upon which ray opiniona are based, ao as (o in- vite public attention to the subject. If these opinions are dlacuaaed and criticised, I can have no reason to complain, for the more that they are discussed the more likely it ia that truth will be arrived at in the end. The personal turn given by Mr. Workman to the discuasion has rendered necessary allusion to points wholly unconnected with the real matters at ia?ue. This is a matter of regret, for there is sufficient ground for diflference in the subjects of discussion them- aelvea. I would fain hope that Mr. Workman's example may not be followed in future diacus- sions on these points. I refrain from giving a numerical list of the many statements which Mr. Workman, in his letters, has ss recklessly miide without proof or foundation, and which it has been my unpleasant duty to contradict. Mr. Workman's experience as a merchant, and especially his knowledge of Western trade is fully understood and appreciated here, but, it pi' 18 WKFi b^caiiio pnrtiM at k rliatnnce would not have tbn tiime m<>RDN or Judging, that I have at bo BiiKih leri>;th dwelt on hit lettera of " A Mtr- chrtnt." I urn quite awiire of Mr. Workni«n'n ability asamia of btiuineso nnd ui a binker, Btill, wli«n I tiiidhim in bid learned K tnk RpporiB advooalinK frn> tnule in money and in bia letters of "A Mprclianl" pri)toatln« apjiMnat free trade in niKrchandiao, it cannot be fxppcled that I can ri'speot Ilia knowledge of Political Economy any raorH thHt) bis opinions on a branch of trade in which he baa never been e imaged. Mr. Work nun tplls "8, and I receive tl:e informa'ion I must coiiffsa with some aiirpris , that of lato years Eutoiie has had " a buccob- Bion of difi iont bHrvcaia,'' which has nfforded a mirket for our Burplua cereHls, and that very m ideratc B'ppliea will be need' d from us for some lira ^ to oorae, in conaiquence < f pur- ch iSPS hiAvitig bpin made in Europe for thia country. Now our short supply of cereals from the crop of 1858 waa only temporary, and the probrtbility in, that the exports from thia con- tinent in the year 1)^60 will be greater than ever before, in con;radlction to what Mr. Worhrnnn would wish to bo bcllr'ved, that my cxpeetdtion df a great increnae in our future trad'.- is fallacious. Mr. Workman should remember that only a mall part of the laud in Caniidu or the Western States ia yet under cul- tivation, a;d that the North Western region of British America has an area l;Iiig west of the »8th meridii.n and above the 431 parallel which la not inferior i i size to the whole Uuited States east of the Mississippi, and is perfectly adapted to the fullest occupation by cultivated nations. If this is borne in mind, and also the fact that a great trade must inevitably flow from the great valley of the Ottawa, it seems to me to show a want of furesight to doubt the future vast increase of our trade and the policy which should adapt itself to that future. The increase of trade in the Uat 25 years will fail in my opinnion as a comparison with the probable increase of Western trade in the nfxt 25 years, and, therefore, I think an examination of the subject will afford good grounds, even to the most cautious, for entering upon the construction of these works calculated to attract to Lower Oanada a share of that vas. trade which even now exists, but which flowa past us and must continue to flow past us except the works lecommended in these letters are coQBtiucted. To the OoTernment of this country, And indetd to all who exrneBtly desire to see Britlah institu- tionn perpetuated on thia continent, it ta of the grealeat moment, to prevent the poBaibllity of m'^y unfavorable compariaons being Justly mad« between Briti-th America and the United States. If it is seen that our canals, railways and material advnncement do not keep pace with tboan interests in the American Re- public, dissatiiifaction and disaffection will g'-adually but surely grow, and the in- ferlority of our progress and position will be ))8cribed to political causes, instead of to our own want of energy and foresight in developing our great natural advantnges. In this great contest of rivalry with the State of New York for the interior trade, it will notfjr one moment^ [ think, be admitted that the people of Oanada are inferior in energy and entrrfrise to our aeighbors on the other aide of the line. But at present, from the absence of those works to which I have so frequently alluded, we, aB Cana- dians, can have noopportunity for competition in the Western trade. Indeed, the prosp of our being able to attract any large si ** that trade over our railroads or through ..i^nals, even when the Victoria Bridge is completed, is most unsatistactory ; and the rosponsibility of the Government of this country, considering the vast interests now involved and the disastrous reEults which must inevitably flow from a longer inaction as to these works, calculated to pro- duce a change, is a very grave one. Believing as I do that the views 1 have endeavored to point out are sound, I have, as a Oanadian, only done my duty in urging them on public atten- tion. I repeat that it depends entirely on the energy and enterprise of the merchants and residents in Lower Oanada generally, and especially of Quebec and Montreal, to say, how much of that vast interior trade can be attracted to the St. Lawrence ronte, either for export to the Eastern States, or for shipment to Europe. Familiar as I am with all the various routes from the West to the ocean, by a long and active experience in the trade, and knowing all the advantages and capabilities of the different receiving points on the lakes and the Atlantic, I have no hesitation in stating that I know of none which posaessea the extraordi- nary advantages which may be made available at Montreal, as a great entrepot for trade. With an unlimited water power at onr command, with docks completed, and every facility therein 40 for MTlog Urn* and oluurgM bj m»ohlD«rj,— wllb • 20 footolManel to tea nt lowMt w«t«r, and with the Viotorl* Bridge affording aa «uj niMni »t •II MMou of the year for traniport tbrongboat Wew Ingland, there !■ no place on the oontloent laperlor to It. But none of thtit rttuHt art pQuibU wUA»«/ th* tiUargtmtnt of the WtllanU and CaMgAnaum; a canalt, on a ica/« /br ««ii