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Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont film6s en commenpant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ^ signifie "A SUIVRE ". le symbols V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmds i des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6, il est filmd d partir de Tangle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le numbre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 .; y .. , I 1 .5,.*i- .^^ THB SOU LANGES CANAL BY THOMAS MONRO, M. Zatu Soc. C.E (H nil r- TTHB SOUIvANQKS CANAL. By THOMAS MONRO, M.Oan. Sr>c. O.E. At the close of 1888 the writer was transferred from the Welland Canal, and assigned the duty of determining the best location for a canal, having a navigable depth of fourteen feet, between Lakes St. Louis and St. Francis. After extensive surveys and examinations, he submitted a report, dated 15th June, 1889, addressed to the late John Page, M. Can. Soc. C. E., Chief Engineer of Canals, in which reasons were given why the new canal should be constructed on the north side of the St. Law- rence. Mr. Page died in 1890, and in June of that year a second re- port was addressed to the Secretary of the Department, confirming the views previously expressed. In that document the projected work was for the first time named the. " Soulanges Canal." In a memorandum dated 25th January, 1891, prepared for the Right Hon. Sir John Macdonald, by Toussaint Trudeau, M. Can. Soc. 0. E., Deputy-Minister and Chief Engineer of Canals, the scheme sub- mitted by the writer was approved of in general f-rms. This view was subsequently confirmed by the Government, and, in August, 1891, a sum of $300,000 was voted by Parliament towards the construction of the Soulanges Canal, Thich was then estimated to cost S4, 750,000, Plans and specifications of the work were subsequently prepared ; and in May, 1893, all the thirteen sections between Cascades Point and Coteau Landing were under contract. It is not intended to discuss in this paper the fitness or otherwise of the dimensions adoptnd for the Welland and St. Lawrence Canal'^. The writer's views on this important subject are full;y set forth in his ad- dress on retiring from the ofiice of President of this Society on the 15th January, 1896. The object now proposed is to briefly describe the Soulanges Canal as it is, and to draw attention to the fact that in many essential features it differs in design froji the other links of the St. Lawrence system. It may ba stated, at the outset, that more extended study of the question of the fluctuations of the St. Lawrence River led to the con- .>*^': elusion that it would bo unsafe to accept previous records as a guide in fixing the heights of fie mitre sills at each end of the caaal. The lowest water at Valleyheld (1849-90) was in October, 1872 ; when it fell for part of one day to 10 8" on the mitre sill of the guard lock at the liead of the Beauharnois Canal. Bat tae mean for that month wasir.S". Practically, 11 feet would therefore represent extreme low water during the navigation season. Adopting thii view, the sills of the guard lock at the hoad of the Soulangea Canal should have been placed 3 A feet lower to secure a fourteen feet draught. As u matter of fact, the sills of the Soulanges iiva five feet lower thau those at Valleyfield ; and it is due to this that, in November, 1895, when the lowest water occurred of which there is any reliable record, there was a depth of 14.55 feet at the upper entrance, and 14.83 at the lower end of the Soulanges Cauiil. In the stimo month there was only 13.50 feet at the lower entrance of the Cornwall Canal, and 13.08 at the head of (he Lachine Canal. Attention is drawn to these facts, because between the time when the estimate attached to the writer's report of June 18, 1890, was made, and the letting of the works, the bottom pUme of the sumn)it level (10;! miles long) and the foundations of the structures on it, were lowered about \h feet, largely increasing the quantities, and add- ing, at a fair valuation, about $500,000 to the estimated cost of con- struction, which, instead of ^4,750,000, should be placed at $5,- 250,000. It may also be stated that in previous canal surveys along the St. Lawrence, various datums were employed, making the results some- what confusing, or only intelligible after a good deal of trouble. An attempt has been made to avoid this by referring the levels of the Soulanges Canal to mean tide at New York. To do this, lines were run from a bench mark established by the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey at House's Point, N. Y., to the head of the Beauharnois Canal. In this way the mean level of Lake St. Francis was found to be 154.- 80 ; and directly connected with' the records at the Valleyfield lock since 1849. The U.S. Army Engineers have determined the mean height of Lake Ontario (18fi0-75) at 246 .'61 above the same datum, so that the difference between Lakes St. Francis and Ontario should be (to close the circuit) say 91.81 feet. Lines run under the writer's direction between Coteau Landing and Kingston confirmed these figures. But the previously accepted distribution of fall was found to bo quiL- erroneous. Tlie descent from Kiuj^ston tS Prescott was sup- posed to be three or four feet. It is now approximated at about one- third of a foot, pending the completion of the precisiou levels begun some years ago under the able direction of Mr. Kent Steckel, M, Can. Soc, C. E., of tlie Public Works Department. This work has not yet been continued iilong the St. Lawrence above Lachine. It may be stated, however, that levels recently taken by the Engineers of the U. S. Deep Waterways' Commission only differ 0.1 2 from the figures given «bove as representing the relative levels at Rouse's Point and Valley- field — about 47^ miles apart. Attention is drawn to the accomp;mying lithographic profile of tho St. Lawrence, prepared for the Canadian Deep Waterways' Commis- sion of 1895, as explanatory of the foregoing remarks. This profile shows the position and lenu'thof the various canals between Kingston and Montreal. The fall in the river is about 220 feet. That over- come by locks is about 204 feet. It will be seen that Lake St. Francis is 33 miles long. It is merely an expansion of the river— a pool above the rapids between it and Lake ■ St. Louis. The I'all between these lakes is 82h feet at mean water In this distance of about sixteen miles there are the Coteau, Cedars, Split Hock and Cascades Rapids. At some points on the river there is a depth of not moie than six feet in the channel at extreme low water. It is to surmount these rapids that the Soulanges Canal has been constructed. Its position is shown on the small sketch map which accompanies this paper. The canal is 14 miles Ions;, and leaves the foot of Lake St. Francis at Macdonald's Point, just below the village of Coteau Landing. Thence it runs straight 1,^ miles, touching the margin of the river about a mile from the upper entrance. From the end of this tangent the line sweeps round to the north-east behind the village of Coteau du Lac for about three miles on a curve of 14,324 radius. It is then continued by a second tangent of some 8^ miles long, passing about a mile inland from the Cedar's Village. At the termination of this, the line bends slightly to the north, and is led straight into the Ottawa River, about two miles from its junction with the St. Lawrence at Cascades Point. The canal ia, for all practical purposes of navigation, a straight line throughout, and is two miles shorter than the route by the river. The fall of 82^ feet is overcame by four locks :~ 70.50 feet of this is a :tlbraoch of *e OtUw. gw - « P° ^^ J, ,„„,. xhe o-g.- these in the first m.lo ; eaeh h vu., ^,y „,ade four and. Lther reduction to three. I" ^^^^ ^'^^ Government to advise n %b:?: "^a, of over .0 ^^z:^:^'i^t Js The latter is about 3 "'' - " " ^^J^.^,, „f LakeSt. Francs ,evel of the »uma>itoan be r^nlated w th ^ ^^^^ ^^ ^ „f^ , ^ .Inn Atperiodsot b.gh«'»f.™ .,, be t\.atoftbo ;:rC:inaf,lgosofthelaUe.ts^«- -'• ^^rt:a;C--f:;erieucewiiUd,nit.batsueha avransemeut. l^'ini^' " s , . . safeguard is indispens»ble ^^^ ^^^ ^ ^^, „f guard gates ,he distribution of ioeWage ^^^l^^^^^^^l^ Jos of «irs for tbe passage of the neecssaPV^^ ^.^^ ^,^^ „ ;:adoftbeeannlbasfouropeu.n.J^^^^^ ^., ,„ ,„h.erj.d the' Stoney" pattern. Hw top ;^ ^ j^jeway ot larfco *eo hoisted. Thisstrneture -^J^f „,, ,„ ,he guard lock dimensions formed '» 'J", 7* .Td isV'^bed on both sides. I This ehannel is about 650 leet ion, and P ^^^^^^^ ,,„ passes into the canal f '-8'" J^^o^ut creating objee.ionable enr- amply MM the rnt^nded purpose w _^ ^^,, eross.ng of rents About five m.les from the app . ,^,.„,„d havin.^ s« To River .Ma G"'-.a 'a'^re ^-H^' b°\he summit level of the . arched opemngs 6' . 6'. f "'/^'Im, emptied at this po.nt. „a„,,«hichcanbee,tber o.er r e„ J ^.^^_ ^^^ ^^^^ ^ conne:nion with this weir, a power-house is being erected which will be alluded to further on. The supply is passed by the guard gates above lock No. 4 through two 20' X 22' Stoney sluices; and at locks 4, 3, 2 and I the regulat- ing weirs consist of twin culverts through the dividing embankments between the various reaches, having submerged gates controlled from the top bank level through shiifts of concrete and masonry. It will be observed that the water for supply is not in any case passed over breast walls, tiie writer's experience being that such aa arrangement is objcclionable in this climate. There are seven road bridges and one railway bridge across the canal. The latter traverses the lower wings of the guard lock, and carries the Canada Atlantic Railway. It swings over the lock and raceway, and is about 180 feet long. The superstructure of this bridge was n)anufuctuied and erected by the Dominion Bridge Company, of Lachine, Que. At the head of this lock there is another swing to paf-s the main road between Coteau Landing and Cascades Point, A similar structure will bo erected at lock 3 in connection with the Quinze Chiens Road. The superstructure of these two small bridges is from the shops of the Weddell Company, at Trenton, Ont. The remaining five road bridges cross the full prism of the canal, and have been designed to permit a full and free flow for the water and so as not to impede rapid navigation. This is eflFected by building the pivot pier in a line with the toe of the south slope, between which and the foot of the north slope there is an opening of 100 feet. The bridges are 246 feet long, and the south half swings partly over the land and partly over a channel formed in rear of the pivot pier to give additional water section. It is believed that this is a considerable im- provement on the old method of placing the pivot in the middle of the canal with a narrow channel on each side of it where vessels have to slow up, and often find it difiicult to get safely past. The piers, abutments, etc., of these bridges are of concrete c^ped with cut stoue^ The superstructure was manufactured and erected by the Dominion Bridge Company in a quite satisfactory manner. To pass the drainage of the country, lying to the north, across the line of the canal, has necessitated a very large outlay. The first stream met with in descending is the River Delisle. This has its .# sources some 60 miles inland. Its catchment Dasin bus an :iroa of about 180 sijuare tiiiles, .'iiul during sprint^ floods the flow is soint'tiincs over 200,000 cubic feet per minute. Tiie river is passed under tlie canal tiiroujrb four linos of cast iron tubes 10 ieet in diameter laid in a trench fifty feet wide, excavated in the rock to the depth required. The tops of tlicse tubes are two feet below canal bottom. At each end there are masonry wells, and at the north end the macadam road is carried over by arches of masonry and concrete. This structure has been found to answer the required purposes satisfac- torily. At no time has there been, .so far, a greater liead than from 18 inches to 2 feet on it, whilst the [)Osition is such that no just claims lor backwater can arise. In connection with this culvert there has been excavated a channel of diversion of considerable lent^th and dimenf-ions, wliich secured a good foundation lor the structure and diminished the interruption from water which would have been inevit- able had it been placed in the old bed of tlie river. It is believed that this plan should be I'oUoweil where at all practicable. The next stream is called the Rouj^e Elver. Its flow during floods is about half that of the Delisle, and it is carried under the canal by two lines ol' tubes of the same diameter as those previously mentioned. The excavation for the foundation of this .structure was carried down to boulder clay through a stratum of soft blue material, which gave a good deal of trouble through sliding during the progress of the work. A diversion channel has been formed hero also, the sides of which are pitched with masonry laid in cement. At the River k la Graisse the water is carried by a single line of tubes 10 feel in diameter. The foundations of this structure are on piles driven some 2.') or 30 feet to hard pjaterial. There are also two pipe culverts of small dimensions towards the lower end of the canal which do not merit particular description. Now as to the dimensions of the canal itself. Ordinary prism is throughout about 100 feet wide at bottom with side slopes of 2 to 1. The banks or cuts are first formed to these and then a notch is cut to receive the stone protection lining. This reaches from four feet below to four feet above mean level in the summit. It is about 3 feet wide at the base, tapering up to about one foot on top, where it is finished by a rough coping. Between this coping (158 0) and the top of the bank (161.0) the surface of the slope is sodded, the , I soddin-i; being returned about five feet on the level. On the north side of the canal a macadam road, 15 feet iu width, will bo formed through- out its entire length, the centre of whieh ia 33 feet from the edge of the cut or bank on that side. This road was designed, not only for the service of the canal, but also to provide a moans of intercommunica- tion between the various farms cut across by the canal and the aide roads where bridges are built, and so, if possible, roduee damages — a result which has not, how(!ver, been realized, as the sums paid for right of way are very much greater than was anticipated. The total quantity of land taken is about 9i)0 acres, ample width having been secured throughout. Wherever practicable, material arising from the excavation has been used to widen out the embankments to give additional safety. The north side of the canal where in filling is fifly foet wide on top. On the south side it is generally thirty feet at least. The large amount of surplus nuiterial was spoiled either on land adjaf"^"t to the canal taken for that purpose, or wasted into the St, Law.-'^ce river at several points. ' The small profile will show the various kind,' r' soil travers'a by the can.'''. \t the Cascades' end the excavation is in n^.k of the Pf'tsdam formation, which affords a solid fourulatiou foi locks Nos. 1, 2 and 3. Th.e upper extension walls of the latter lock are, however, of piles and concrete. The reach between locks Nos. '] and 4 is in clay upon which the piers and abutments of the St. Autoine li'^ad bridge are founded. At lock No. 4 solid material is from 30 to 35 feet beluw the floor line. The lock walls are therefore placed upon a foundation of piles and concrete. They are 36.' feet high, and, from careful levels taken before and after building, they have not perceptibly subsided. The structures immediately to the west of lock No. 4, namely the guard gates, sluice abutments, retaining walls, etc., are all founded on the clay, which affords a sufficiently solid bearing. The road bridges at St. Fer^ol and St. Dominique arc also built upon similar material. It will be observed that the suiface of the blue clay along the sum- mit reach gradually rises towards the west and culminates at the crossing of the St. Emmanuel Road, where it is almost level with top bank, being only covered with a thin layer of sandy soil. Wherc- ever this clay was cut into by the prism, there was danger of slides roughly in proportion to the depth of the cutting. This danger was m 8 greater on the north side, -w^hich intercepted the natural drainage towards the river, so that in time the slope became so saturated as to break loose and slip into t'lS canal. In other words, by the excava- tion of a deep trench of such dimensions, a similar condition of things was set up as that existing along the bank of ,he St. Lawrence between Coteau and Cascades, where, from time immemorial, dihonlements have occurred, causing in many places a wearing away, which in some cases is measured by hundreds of feet. One of these slides took place on the 25th October, 1897; when, without any previous perceptible warning, the north bank of the canal, for over a quarter of a mile in length, slid into the prism, taking with it the abutment of the St. Emmanuel bridge, which was thrown bodily forward about fifty feet into the centre of the canal. This occurrence is considered to be of so much interest as to warrant its being made the subject of a separate pap?r. To discuss it in detail at present would take up too much time. Slides have also occurred more or less for a mile or so to the west of the St. Emmanuel Road, but a plan of repairs has been adopted whiclx will enable the north slope to be satisfactorily restored in time for the opening of navigation through the canal. Towards tlie crossing of tiie Kivcr Delisle, the surface of the blue cl;iy lowers rapidly. At the river itself rock of the " c;i!ciferous '' is encountered, and this alternates with the clays and sands of the drift formation for some two miles to the west. At the upper entrance the guard lock and surrounding structures are all founded upon solid rocks. There are about 6| million cubic yards of clay of all sorts, and 300,000 cubic yards of rock of various kinds in the excavations for the canal. • ' The level of the bottom of the summit reach at the foot of the guard jock is 137.00 above datum. Ordinary surfivce of Lake St. Francis may be taken at 155.50, at which time there will be 18^ feet of water in the canal, equal to a cross sectional area of 253-4 square feet. Pro- pellers of the type now being built on the upper lakes to navigate tliese canals will have a submerged midships section of say 42 x 14 - 588 square feet, or less than one-fourth of that of the water area at mean level. This will permit of a fairly high speed through the summit reach, which it will be observed forms 75 per cent, of the whole length of the canal. The bottom of this reach has an inclination of ■m 9 0.10, per mile. Top bank is level and 161.0 above datum. The cross section of the canal has, as before stated, been kept as nearly as possible uniform throughout. This will avoid the creation of cross currents, and facilitate the rapid nrivigation of the canal. The relation of the area of the vessel to that of the canal is a matter of much importance. Full depth under the keel is of great value, both for speed and safety. The vvliolc question of the gain in time in relation to the cost of construction affords ample scope for further investigation. It does not appear as if a slight increase in speed where tlie canals are short in comparison with the length of natural naviga- tion would warrant a largely increased outlay even where ample means are at hand. As to locks, it is believed that, as has been stated, " The *■ single individual lock is better than the fleet lock, and can be operated " more quickly- — and the maximum facilities may be provided by " duplicate locks. The lift of locks should be made as great as possible " where conditions permit, as time is consumed by the number of " locks rather than by the lift." To return to a description of the locks. It was the writer's in- tention thattliese should be constructed entirely of concrete up to the level of the surface of the lower reach. In this particular the design was almost wholly frustrated, lock No. 4 only having been built on this plan. The nature of the foundations of all the locks having been previously indicated, it will perhaps be as well to describe the gen- eral features of lock No. 2, and thus avoid tedious repetition. It will be observed that the lock is filled and emptied through culverts in the side walls, from which cast iron pipes 30 inches in diameter — ten on each side — lead into the bottom of the chamber. These pipes have about 40 per cent, greater discharging capacity than the culverts themselves. The lock will be filled in about five or six minutes, and this will be clBfected without subjecting the vessel to much surging oi" strain. At the head and foot of each culvert there is placed in a shaft (8'' x 4') operated from the coping a 6' x 6' sluice of the "Stoney" pattern. Those are for the first time intro- duced into a Canadian canal. Their operation is, as will be seen by the drawings, exceedingly simple. They are in extensive use in Europe, and have given the best satisfaction in controlling large bodies of water. They are used for that purpose on the Manchester ship canal. It may here be stated tl" t the details for these gates 10 It > ;, on the Soulangcs Canal have been worked out and modified by, Mr. Geo. H. Duggan, 3J. Can. Soc. C. E. This has been skilfully donei and it is believed that their operation tliroughoufc will prove quite satii^factory. The method of emptying and filling locks through tunnels in the side walls is considered to be entirely the best, and manifestly better than any system of filling from below the floor. The main object in adopting this plan was, however, to avoid that in vogue on the Welland Canal, where tlie filling and emptying is done through valves in the giites. This is objectionable from every point of view. It weakens the gates just where most strength is required, and weighs them down with cumbrous valve gear. Besides, it introduces the water for fil'ing so as to strike the stem of the vessel heavily, cre- ating an unnecessary disturbance in the chamber and a tendency to surge it on the upper gates. All this is now well known to practical men, and need not be dilated upon here. - It will be observed that each lift lock is provided with a heavy breast wall at its upper end, corresponding in height to that of the lift. These walls have been re-introduced for the purpose of removing the cause of about nine-tenths of the accidents which have occurred on the enlarged canals; namely, vessels carrying away the upper gates of the locks by striking them whilst entering from the lower reach. It is difficult to understand why all the four gates of each lock on the Welland and other canals were made the same height — but there is no doubt that the plan is defective. If a vessel goes ahead too far in a Soulanges canal lift lock, she will strike against the breast wall, and damage herself instead of the gates. The filling and emptying of the lock having, it is believed, been secured in a reasonable time in the way above described, it may now be stated that an attempt has been made to simplify the manner of working the gates by the use of struts operated in the manner shown in the accompanying drawings. An inspection of these will render further description unnecessary. It may, however, be noted here that the writer made a scries of experiments in 1894 at Lock No. 9 of the Bcauharnois Canal, which convinced him that this method would prove entirely practicable. Since then machinery of a similar kind, but on a greatly larger scale, has been and is now in operation on the North Sea Canal. The gates are built on what is called the " solid " plan, which con- sists of a number of superimposed timbers shaped to the required hori« Hi i 11 zontal pattern jind fastened togetlier. The method is simple, and in this cage the strength is superabundant. One leaf of the lower gates of the high lift locks at the Cagcades' end of the canal weighs over 90 tons in the air. The drawings were made by Mr. J. B. Spence, M. Can. Sec. C. E., and the gates have been constructed in a thoroughly workmanlike manner by the tinu of Messrs. J. & R. Miller, of Ingcr- soll, Ont., who have had very extensive e::perience in connection with the Welland and St. Lawrence canals. The timber used is principally Douglas fir, which was hauled across the continent for that purpose. A number of spare gates are also on hand in case of accident. It is proposed to work a lock from one point on the south side and about 20 feet back from the coping, wliere a switch cabin will be placed as shown. This will be connected with the motors actuating the sluices and operating bars previously described. Suppose u vessel to enter tho lock Irorn the lower level. When her stem is up to the breast wall she signals, and the lower gates are closed. The machinery will effect this in a perfect manner. The gates will shut precisely and synchronoui^ly, and avoid any trouble from over lapping, which often occurs now. This should be done in one minute. The lower sluices are then dropped and the upper ones hoisted, the lock being filled as indicated. When the water has risen tO the full height, the upper gates arc opened and the ves.'^^el passes out. The lockages should be easily made in from 12 to 15 minutes. But the saving of time at a lock, although of much importance, has been unduly magnified. The capacity of the canal at four lockay^es per hour on the basis of one- third westbound freight would be about 20 millions of tons in an ordinary season. Of course, this estimate is merely theoretical. But even, if one-half of it is rea- lized, it will require a good many ports like Montreal to handle such tonnage economically. In the construction of the WelL nd Canal looks, nearly every mitre sill on the line was forced up, causing great delay to na igation, annoy- ance, and mucii expense. The plan of mitre sill and bottom designed for the Soulanges Canal will, it is believed, fully obviate these difficult- ies. It will not be possible under any imaginable circumstances to disarrange sills held down as shown on the plan of lock No. 2 ; which is a type of all the rest. It will also be seen that the mitre sills i 12 ^ themselves are the only pieces of timber in or connected with the lock bottom, and these can easily be renewed when this becomes necessary. The extension walls above and below the locks and in immediate connection with their masonry should not be built on a twisting batter. Where those walls cease to be self-sustaining and become slope wails, tlicy are sure to crack — and besides the bases of those at the lower ends of the locks are liable to be washed out by the strong currents created when they are emptied ; and have a tendency to slide into the canal. All the walls connected with the upper and lower entrances to the locks of the Soulanges Canal stand upon their own bottoms, and are therefore not liable to failure in the way alluded to. The macadam road which runs alonjr the north side of the canal is carried past the locks by a series of ramps, the inclination of which does not exceed 1 in 8. To enable foot passengers to surmount the rise between the different levels, a flight of steps is provided on each side of tiic lower ends of all the locks. Concrete has been introduced into the construction of these locks to an extent greater than heretofore in Canada, Since the plans for them were made, the use of this material has rapidly spread. But a few years ago experienced hydraulic engineers looked upon concrete con- struction with suspicion, at least in this climate. This is not to be wonderd at, because the cement supplied (which is the life of concrete) was of very inferior quality and manufacture. Now, however, excel- lent Portland is obtained at moderate rates. On the Soulanges Canal the writer specified that cement of a certain (juality should be supplied by the Government to the several contractors — and should not be pur- chased by them at all. The benefits of such a course are obvious. There is no inducement to supply an inlerior article or to stint its use ; both of which may happen with the ordinary type of canal contractor. It is better to remove the temptation than to depend upon the virtus of the individual. The specifications for the preparation of concrete do not offer any feature out of the common. Some 70,000 briquettes have been made for testing purposes in a quantity of about 200,000 barrels. Good clean sand and properly broken stone have been insii-ted upon ; and so it is believed that this work is excellent throughout. Mixing has been done both by hand and machine, but in either case the pro- duct when carefully laid and rammed makes an unexceptionable hydrau- lic wall, whilst its cost per cubic yard is here less than half that of 13 masonry. Of course thia varies with circumstances, but on the Sou- langes Canal its use is clearly suggested by the tact that in the excava- tion for the prism about 300,000 cubic yards of rock had to be taken out, which is excellent for concrete, but unfit for masonry. This supplied the 150,000 cubic yards required for concrete — also about 120,000 cubic yards for stone protection, lining together with over 50,000 cubic yards for macadam, repairs etc., — leaving a large surplus to be thrown to spoil. It will be seen on reference to the plan of road bridges that these structures are almost entirely of concrete, the copings only being of cut stone. This remark will also apply to the retaining walls, regulating weirs, etc. A large amount of concrete was also used in connection with the culverts under the canal and in other positions too numerous to mention. . Time will not permit of more than a passing reference to the style of supply weir or regulating culverts designed for the canal. The plans will show details of construction. They can bo made to control the levels automatically if so required. It will be seen that the weir at Lock No. 4 is connected with its south wall, and differs in construction from those at the lower locks. ; - -. It is believed that the drawings and photographs will show with suffi- cient clearness the main features of the culverts under the canal to pass the Kivers Delisle, Kouge and k la Graisse. Tlie castins; of the ten foot tubes was done by Messrs. H. Ives & Co., Montreal. Tiie site chosen for a power house to generate electricity for the operating of the locks, bridges, etc., and the lighting of the canal throughout has many advantages, and will perhaps merit a brief de- scription, which must close this paper. At this place the River i la Graisse crosses under the canal, and joins the St. Lawrence about 400 feet to the south of it. The surface of the canal is as before stated at ordinary stage about 155.50 above datum. At such time the i\, la Graisse is tibout 135.00, or 20.5 feet lower. It is obvious that by drawing a sufficient volume from the summit reach and passing it through wheels, power can be readily obtained here ; and from this site a free discharge can be had into a wide tail race connecting directly . with the St. JJawrence on Government property where no claims for 14 damages can arise. Of course the above height of 20.5 feet represents the fall on the River St. Lawrence between Lake St. Francis and tho mouth of the k la Graisse. The amount of electrical power required to operate the locks, bridges and other structures and to light the canal satisfactorily tliroughout its entire length of fourteen miles was carefully determined by the officers of the Royal Electric Company, who also worked out the details of the distribution and application of this power. Tiiey also provided designs and drawings for the power house proper, and the switch cabins at the various locks, together with the necessary specifications. The hydraulic development was entrusted to Mr. A. M. Rice, of Dayton, 0., a gentle- man of acknowledged skill nnd experience in such matters. He pre- pared plans showing the number and position of the wheels, tail races, etc. These have been partly carried out ; and work will bo resumed in the spring. The power house is connected with a regulating weir previously referred to, and which is intended to control the summit level of the ca^^al without discharging a great volume of water through the Cascades Locks. The works for electrical power plant have been recently let, and the whole system will be in operation next season. The canal will be efficiently lighted throughout, and, considering J 5 position in the St. Lawrence system, this will be of great importance in securing safe navigation through it by night. The entrances at each end of the canal are wide, of full depth, and sufficiently commodious. It will be observed that there are concrete walls heavil}' coped with cut stone on the top of the cribs, forming a per- manent face work, instead of the timber generally used in such positions. There are a number of other matters of interest to canal engineers which cannot even be touched upon in this sketch. It will, however, be seen that an attempt has been made to provide an unobstructed channel of full dimensions for a fourteen foot navigation at lowest water, with a much less number of locks than has hitherto been deemed advisable to overcome a similar fdl on the other canals of the St. Lawrence system. In construction, materials of a practically im- perishable kind have been almost wholly used, and this fact, taken in conjunction with the improved methods of operating the locks and bridges, will, it is believed, largely decrease the annual expanditure for- maintenance and operation. 15 The writer sincerely hopes that the beneficial results which must follow the completion of the St. Lawrence Canals to dimensions capabla of passing vessels of 2,000 tons will be realized to the fullest extent; and that the immense expenditure so pluckily incurred by Canada with her comparatively small population and limited resources may at last draw to our national route the current of European trade for which we have waited so long. The writer may be permitted to state, in conclusion, tliat in his humble opinion, if such a large volume of truflBc as m;iy be reasonably expected on the completion of the St. Lawrence Canals has to be economically and quickly handled at Montreal, a very different condi- tion of things to that existing there must at once be established and maintained. If not, the expected benefits to Canada will bo largely neutralized or the point of trans-shipment for grain in bulk and whole cargoes will be transferred to Quebec. The thank'j of the writer are due to Mr. John L. Allison, M. Can, Soc. C. E., by whom he was materially aided in the preparation of the general designs for the Canal and its structures. He also desires to acknowledge the zeal and intelligence of Messrs. C. E. Coutlt^e and A. J. Grant, A. M. Can. Soc. C. E., to whom together with a staff of juniors, inspectors, etc., the superintendence of the principal works has been entrusted. \ fl^ * \ ^ ) \ \ ^ hi ' \ \ \ \ u w Be V "TT^. ^^ l/r^ioTiAu ou Lac / w ^^^ /.f ,\K' w ,»■ K7^ ;. • ^*^^ <^ n^^L.-^ Ojt / / To^ o^ 3AMfr BL. Ifcl.o 'S>'>>}^*>:>fflJ}:>}r > tkj: ^m^^??mm^:t^«! VV ' i.V^. ' ^V. Seen ON 6 V V ]3.o ssss?: LAKES CoTtAu LAnoirta Qvr AntiL. IS* /a»» . COTEAU DU LAC / t .. .v ^M" .*1n» 9° f'o^ / ./ /ER : LAKES ST. ERANCIS — ST. LOUIS CEDARS TRANSACTIONS CAN SOC. C. C VOL XII PIATC S CASCADES POINT / / // * X / ./ 7./ 7b^ >■ 3AA//r Bl. ifet.o / ^^ (a V <^ aO* <•' V V V i TRANSACTIONS CAN. SOCCC VOL. XII PLATE 6 I B-B .1.. .*:9:...jL..i*:..f.— .*-'>■'.■ -^ e CANAL -^ 13 I Weir Pi ft A. Sluices kllNG MACHINtRY THOKiAS MONRO Upper Recess a*M*i i mmmm .«,■«. %. .^*.ft t .!*»: *... «■»' ^>*...7j»-..4...7l«"..-U^^l4...V»:...^.l;»:.,...Z.«.../^ Upper Recess Ciktension Wall of Guard Lock for Roi ...4».X'. ...J... a:,.: : ..^^ TRANSACTIONS CAN. SOCCC- VOL. XII PLATE e riliiitfl JliB^ Kn Hnmmw an. imiT «fr(/r,faj: JUfr mf \ . Section A-A. Section B-B. 1. .le-t-....,. 3xa^a«frrucjrCK:7s*riaKE»KMTy .».«. f ) •f Section C-C SOIJLANGES CANAL 3ECTior4 13 SyPFLY Weir Showing "Stoney" Sluices AND Operating Machinery THOMAS MONRO i..i.. of Guard Lock for Road -bridge -'? It- M NTRANSACTIONS C*.,N. SOC.C.E. VOL.XII PLATE 7 1 SecTio/s B-B SecrioN A- A SMOWINGT STC