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B. 3IAS0N, COXSULTL\(l EXGINEEIJ, AND KIVAS TILLY, CHIEF ENGINEER; AV I T n AN APPENDIX, PROFILE, AXD MAP. ^,4 CHICAGO: DAILY TRESS BOOK AND JOB PRINT, 43 CLARK STREET. 185S. w R K 1» OUT. I 7r) (rKOUdK StKKI,, TiIOMAS 1 {|( in[(1Nl), (nitJ WiM.IAM IIkoss, Coiiitn'tttacof Toroydo Coxvcntion^ held §>jit, l'|K)S('(l routr of tlie Toronto ami Gt'opjjian l>ay Canal, in company with Kivas Tui.LY, Es(j., of Toronto, who had then just commcnci'd its survoy. In the oxaminations made at that tinio, several routes prcsfiitcd a])i)art'nt facilities for construction nearly eles it has been assumed that there woukl be no transliipinent at Ibitlalo and Oswego, but that the Erie and Osweii'o Canals wouhl be enlarged to the dimensions now proposed for the Erie Canal, and that on all tlie other routes such improvements would be made as to eiuible tlie same vessel loading; at Chicago to deliver her cargo in New York or Quebec; and on the route where no transhi})ment occurs, the price by river is computed the same as by lake. This diftercnce in tlie cost of transportation in small and largo vessels is only intended to be approximate, the actual result would no doubt bo still more favorable for tlie largo vessel. .. 1 IPROJM CHICAGO 'rO ISTKW ^'OKK. ROUTK. u S3 i ifi C c u BJTE !N MILLS PER MILE. £ o h2 (5 1 800 ton vessel, Butt'alo & Erie Canal 910 304 145 3 8 5 10 80.49 450 " U t( l( ii u 910 3i;4 145 •>3. -4 8 5 10 0.30 600 " ii. t( 11 >( (( 916 304 145 2-.V 8 5 10 6,03 750 " l( <( U tl t( 910 304 145 H 8 5 10 5.S0' 1000 " U <( (( (1 u 910 304 145 2 8 5 10 5.57j 300 ton vcs.Wolland Canal & Oswego 1043 237 145 3 8 5 10 5.80 450 " 11 ti t( ti 11 104;; 237 145 2f 8 5 10 5.00 600 " 11 (1 11 11 i( 104o 237 145 2.V 8 5 10 5.34; 150 " i( 1. 11 11 i( H»43 237 145 H 8 5 1(> 5.08^ 1000 " 11 11 i( 11 (1 1043 237 145 2 8 5 10 4.82 800 ton ves.Geo'n Bay Can. il" Oswe 8 5 10 4.07 1 I 6 GEORGIAN EAY CAXAL. b 3rRO]M CHICi^GO TO ISTEW YOKK. KATB IN MILI,9 ROUTE. a PKR MILK. ^ . ^1 a c ci S > o " - 300 ton vessels Wellaiid Canal and Luke Champlain 1369 1369 167 167 145 145 3 2f 8 8 3 >!5 89 5 50 450 " " " GOO " •' *' 1369 167 145 H 8 n 5 16 750 •♦ " '* 1369 167 145 n 8 H 4 83 1000 » " " 1369 167 145 2 8 2 4 48 800 ton vessel Georgian Bay Canal and Lake Chiimplain 1011 239 145 3 8 3 5 38 450 " «' 1011 239 145 2f 8 2f 5 09 600 " «' " 1011 230 145 2i 8 2^ 4 80 7 no " " '* 1011 239 145 H 8 H 4 52 1000 " •' " 1011 239 145 2 8 2 4 22 300 ton vessels Ottawa Canal and Lake Chamrtlain 896 315 145 3 8 3 5 64 450 " " " 896 315 145 '2J 8 2f 5 38 600 " " " 896 31 145 2+ 8 2i 5 12 750 " " " 896 315 145 2i 8 2i 4 86 1000 " •' " 896 315 145 2 8 2 4 60 CHICAGO TO qttehec. BATE IN MILLS ROUTE. a " to C3 PKR MILK. ^ ii s £c t- "2 a «! : fc ^ = 69 X3 n 3 § i .b 8 ! ^ 800 ton vessels by Welland Canal, 1401 U 75 450 " " " 1401 69 2f 8 I.... 4 40 600 " " *' 1401 69 2+ 8 1.... 4 06 760 '' " " 1401 69 91 8 !.... 3 70 1000 " " *' 300 ton vessels by Gco'n Bay Canal 1401 1043 69 141 2 3 8 1.... 8 .... 3 35 4 26 450 " " 1048 141 n 8 j.... 4 00 600 " " " 1043 141 2\ 8 !.... 3 74 750 " " " 1043 141 H- 8 !.... 3 48 1000 '* '* " 300 ton vessels by Ottawa Canal . . 1043 976 141 200 2 3 8 |.... 8 !.... 8 22 4 53 450 " " " 976 200 2f S |.... 4 28 600 976 200 24- 8 :.... 4 04 750 " *' " 976 200 H 8 L... 3 80 1000 " " '* 976 200 2 8 .... 3 55 GEORGIAN BAY CANAL. CHICAao TO LIVKliPOOL, I\ 1000 Tox Ykssels. Chlcajro via Buffalo to Xew York §5 57 New York to Liverpool, 2980 miles at 1^ mills 4 47 §10 04 Chicago via Welland Canal and Oswego to New York' .*4 82 To Liverpool 4 47 9 29 Chicago via Georgian Bay Canal and Oswego to New York ^4 67 To Liverpool 4 47 9 14 Chicago via Welland Canal and Lake Cliamplaiu to New York 8 J -IS To Liverpool 4 47 8 95 Chicago I'ia Georgian Bay Canal and Lake Chaniplain to New York, >;4 22 To Liverpool 4 47 8 09 Chicago via Ottawa Canal to Xew York $!4 ()0 To Liverpool 4 47 9 07 Chicago via \Yelland Canal to Quebec sr; 35 To Liverpool, 2502 miles at 1^ mills 'i IS 7 10 Chicago via Georgian Bay Canal to Quebec 8-» 22 To Liverpool :s 75 6 97 Chicago via Ottawa Canal to Quebec f .3 55 To Liverpool 3 75 7 30 3d. Cost of the Canai, I'onnnfje and Mevcnne. — Of all the routes surveyed by Mr. Tully, Route Xo. 1, prcseuts the most favorahle features and is the one that is reconnnended. This route commences at the moutli of the Ilunibec river and ])arfscs through Lake Simcoe, torminatiug at tlic mouth of tlie XottaAvasago river on Lake liui.'>n. I entirely concur with Mr. Tully in his views of these ternunal points. ]}y reference to the profile, it will he seen that the ascent from Lake Ontario to the summit is quite uniform and gradual, admitting of a series of combined locks as shown on the profile, or in some cases of single locks with sufficient s])ace between them for passing vessels. The combined plan gives larger reaches between the locks and has some advantages in that respect for towing vessels. But these advantages are more than counterbalanced by the delay that nmst necessarily occur by such an arrangement of locks unless they arc double locks, particularly when the canal is worked up to near its full capacity. GEORGIAN BAY CANAL. Wherever it was practicable, therefore, I should advise the single lock, with sulHcient space between for the convenient i)assing of vessels, or, when combined, that they should be constructed with a ^■iuw to adding a double lock at a future day. No Avork of a difficult character presents itself until we reach the summit level; there we encounter a cut of nearly 200 feet at the deepest point, averaging about 90 feet for nearly ten miles. This is probably a larger and more extensive cut than has ever before been encouii- tered on any i)ublic work, but the examinations, so far as made, do not show any thing insurmountable in its execution. Such allowance has been made in the estimate for contingencies as seemed necessary from all the information that has been obtained. It would be desirable, however, as this is the only serious obstacle, to have a more thorough examination made at this point with a view to ascertain with more certahity the quality of material to be encountered in making the cut. The navigation through Lake Simcoc is favorable, with a suffi- cient depth of Avater for safety. The cut between Lake Simcoe and the Nottawasago river averages about 50 feet for several miles, but there is nothing that indicates anything nnfavorable or very formidable. From its entrance into the Nottawasago Valley to the -western 1k>rminal point it is exceedingly ftivorable, except a short cut near the lake. The most part of this distance would be a very considerable extra width of water surface, affording a fine navigation. The Notta- wasago river for some four niiles from its entrance into the lake runs nearly parallel with the lake and is from 300 to 000 feet wide, with an averge depth from 10 to 12 feet water, and at a very small expense may be made a perfectly safe harbor for a very large number of vessels. Mr Tally's estimate for the route described is .?22,l'i'0,'750 Six per cent, interest on this sum would be per year 1,330,245 )0 i)er mile or 100,000 For repairs and niaintainance of the canal, say $1000 i)er mile or per year 01,430,245 In order to pay ])er cent, on its cost and maintain it, we re(pure an income of 61,430,245 ; will the country tributary to it afibrd a business that will justify tliis expense for its accommodation? ]>y refering to what has been done in times past we may draw conclusions for the future. GE0K(JIAN BAY CANAL. 9 In Messrs. l*arkiiisnding it to the Ilocky IVfonntains, we sliall liavc within the bounds of the United States, east of the Kocky ^rouiitains and west of Lake Michigan, 700,000 S(inare mik-s; tirrilory enough to form fourteen stsites as larire as Ohi o. T lere IS inncii more territory than this, hut it is intended only to enihraee that which is valuahle and availahle for settlement and iirotitahle cultivation. The report of II. U. Ilhid, Esq., Naturalist and (4e(»logist of the recent Canadian expedition to the lied I liver of the North, gives the amount of territory availahle and valuahle i\jv setfh'ment, north of the boundary of the United States, and drained Ijy the rivers flowing into Lake AV^inipeg, at 400,000 square mih'S. It is safe to say, therefore, that the commerce of 1,100,000 scpiare miles of the great central valley of the American continent, would be tributary to the (Tcorgian Bay Canal. It has been stated by men Avhose judgment is worthy of respect at 25000,000 (»f scjuarc miles; but we prefer to be far -within rather than beyf>nd the true estimate. This vast territory is equal to one-third of the entire area of the United States, and, Russia excepted, is nearly cfjual to combined. that of all Eur ope COMMERCIAL FACILITIES. To illustrate this topic by particulars would rccpiire a much larger space than the limits of this report will permit. Tlie mag- nificent chain of lakes extending west far away towards the center of the continent, and aftbrdim; nearly all the advanta;.!;es of ocean navigation, is a most wonderful provision of I*rovidence to promote the connnercial, and hence the social, welfare of the millions Avho are soon to inhabit this vallev. So n-cntle are its slopes that the large rivers which drain it into the Gulf of 3Iexico and Hudson's Bay, the Mississii)pi and its tributai'ies, ami the rivers flowing into and draining Lake AVinipeg, are naxigablo for steamers for thousands of miles. No country in the world presents a finer field for railway enter})rise, and as it fills u]» with a vigorous, industrious, intelligent pojiulation, these advantages will be fully appreciated and im^u'oved. 12 GEORGIAN BAY CANAL. hi (LDIATE. Tlio (Timate of tliai portion of the territory in the United States that Avould be tributary to the Georgian IJay Canal, beloiii^s to the most liealtliy and inviting portions of tlie temperate /one. It is tlie range whicli, in all ages of the past, has nourished the most ])opulous and powerful e)ni)ires, and that sneh is the " manifest destiny'^ of the country under consideration all who liave studied its character and resources have entire confidence. Of the 400,000 miles of territory in the valleys of the lied lliver of the North, the Assinniboin, the Saskatchewan, and surrounding Lake AVinipeg, recent investigations have shoAvn that its climate is well ada]»tcd to promote the health and the vigorous development of the luinian family. Mr. Hind, Avhose rei)ort is referred to above, pays that " all the necessaries of life are found in the Ked i-iver valley. All crops cultivated in Canada succeed well, and often show an average yield far in excess of Canadian returns. The climate of the agricultural season is well adapted to all the operations of husbaiKby. Corresponding observations show that the summer temi>erature is three or lour degrees warmer than at Toronto." The winter climate, he adds, " is very severe." Though severe, all experience has proved that the winter is bracing, and not unfavorable to the ordinary out-door operations of this season in northern latitudes. The recent large and elaborate work of Prof. Blodgett on climatology has proved that the climactic lines, when they pass west of Lake Superior, bend lar away to the north ; and this eminent climatologist gives it as his well matured opinion that the climate of the region under consideration is highly fiivorable to the development of a great, prosi)erous and powerful peoi)le. AGRICULTITRAL RESOURCES. In agricultural resources it is conceded by all who understand the subject that no portion of the globe, of equal extent, contains so rich a soil, or so many elements of all that can contribute to GEORGIAN BAY CANAL. 13 tlio j)liysu';il coniOji't aiif)Ssossi()iis, tlio followiniij facts arc (iiiotod tVoiii an able and most valiialtle loctnrt' on "TIio l^ndcvclopcd Northern J'ort ion of the American Continent," delivered l>efore Hi'lPs Commercial Collet^e, Chicaijfo, February, 1850, by JoiixL. Scuii'i's, Es(]., editor of the Chicago Daily TjiHss. The lecturer (page 17) says : \ •'I iTiimrk in tlio noxt place upon tlio oxisteiico of conl in a large portion of the country, l-'ranchore and (fOv. Sinip.soii speak of its outcropping at (litrcn-nt places on the Saskatc'liowan. Lewi^ and Clark saw bituminous coal betwcon Fort Clark and the falls of the Missouri River. Culbcrtson also saw coal in the same localities. "Wyeth saw large quantities of it on the Yellowstone. Cov. Stevens' party found the whole counti-y from the falls of the Missouri westward to the mountains, nearly five hundred miles, underlaid with lignite. TJoinioville speaks of regions among the mountains near the head waters of the Yellowstone, which abound in anthracite coal. In fact, coal has been traced along the 47111 parallel of latitude for a distance of nearly ton degrees of longitude, with a southorn outcrop, rendering it more than probable, when considered in connection with the discoveries of coal in the Saskatch- ewan, the Alhabasca, Mackenzie's River, and Great Rear Lake, that a coal field of greater extent than any other in the world exists in the western half of the district of country included in our subject. Further evidence is found to support this hypothesis in the discoveries of coal nearly all around the northern rim of the Xorth American continent by the captains of whaling vessels, and by the hardy cxplo-jrs who have tempted the Artie seas in search of a north-west passage, by the presouto of both coal antl lignite inCJrcenland, upon Disco Island and upon the Faroe Isliwds, off the coast of Greenland — thus indicating the wonderful economy of nature, or rather the existence a beneficent Providential design, by which regions destitute of timber are supplied with an easily accessible fuel." Lead. — The extent and the resources of the Gaiona lead district are already very generally known. As in the ma_,(utude of her lakes and rivers, so in the bestowment of her mineral treasures in this vast country, Nature lias distributed with a most bountiful hand. There is here enough and to spare of this valuable mineral, for all the people that can ever find a home upon the American continent. In summing up the mineral resources of the northern portion of the American continent, Mr. Scripps, in his lecture above quoted, savs : "The most extensive systems of salt springs and lakes abound in this region, in diflferent localities, both within the American and the Rritish Possessions, and in some districts the mineral itself is found in great purity and abundance. " Considering the vast amount of minerals already discovered with scarcely any scientific exploration, the hypothesis is by no means an unreasonable one, that no portion of the continent excecdi this vast undeveloped north-west in mineral resources." (iKOIU;iAN HAY CANAL. li EXTENT OF TEURTTOTIY NOW UNDElt ( LT' v AT^ON. It is impossible to ostiiuato with any cortiiin a| , •' acli li> ci-u- raey, llio amount of tliis vast rcuiioii tliat is ii()\v actually lui'ler cultivation. Tho rai)i(lity of the growth of tlio North-west has so far exceeded all former ratios of increase that one scarcely dares to believe the tigures when the census returns show the acknowl- edged results from one decade to another. In ISoO the amount of land in that portion of the United States now under considi-ration which was then under cultivation, as shown by the census returns, was as follows: Illinois, r>,O30,r)t5 Wisconsin, 1 ,04r),t ',»>.) Iowa, 82 l,f;82 Minnesota, 5,035 Total G,^tll,7t'.l or This is an area of 10,804 square miles, only about one-fifth of the area of the State of Illinois. Since 1850 we have no returns to show the amount of land brought under cultivation, but the statistics of population, as will hereafter appear, show an increase of Go per cent, in five years, from 1850 to ISoo, in the states above named ; and the increase for the same period in these states, and Indiana, Ohio and Michigan, show a gain, of 29 per cent. With the ratio of 29 per cent., there would be 8,920,041 acres under cultivation in 1855, and at the close of 1857, 9,954,705 acres, equal to 15,554 square miles. PRESENT POPULATION, A?id its 2)rohahle increase^ and also that of the hmds brought v.nder cultivation^ Commerce, etc. The population of the district in the United States, now under consideration, in 1850, '55, '57, as derived from the government and state census, and other sources, was about as folloM-s : 1f IG OKOU(iIAN HAY CANAL. 1850. IlIiiiolH 851,. 179 AVisconsin, ;i()5,:;i»l lowii, lw:!,'Jl5 Mimit'sotn, fi,u77 NobrnsUft, I,:i55,162 is:.5. 1857. l,no(»,25f) 1,5(10,000 r..-) 1,1 09 C50,000 Slfi,!*^^ CiiO.oOO 40,000 200,000 4,000 30,000 2,241,344 :i,o7t>,ooo These figures, as above stated, sIioav an increase from 1850 to 185.'), of some 05 |icr cent. ; but if the States of Ohio, Indiana and Michigan be a(Med to the above, as they arc commonly iiichuled in si»eaking of the Nortli-wcst, the ratio is brouglit down to 29 per cent, which we prefer to take as a basis for future calcuhitions. Taking these figures as tlie ratio for thirty-seven years, which is a fraction more than the average lifetime of a generation, we pre- sent the following table, showing tlie probable increase of pojmla- tion, and the amount of lands to be brought under cultivation for every five years, from 1855 to 1895. From tlic very able and valuable rei)ort of Col. J. D. Graliam, IT. S. Army, on the commerce of the lake ports for 1855, we find that the total value of tlic commerce of Chicago and JSIii- waukee whicli passed over the St. Clair Flats for that year, was Si 30, .304, 092.72. Adding only the vaUic of the commcreo of jNIilwaukee for that of all the other ports on lake ]Michigan, we shall have 8159,100,130.55 as the total value of the com- merce from lake Michigan which passed over the St. Clair Flats in 1855. '.JilOIUilAN JJAV CANAL. 17 ^ V I 5 ^ ». I- t— ^ "S "5 .-/: .. •i lS '5 ■; < ? ^ &. .« v. .a: f i i"i 15 r^ H M i] t> >• Z 9 T >' ^ £ f •• ^ 91 91 ar •• 9 ■• ft ^ ij •••' ' *t "^ " s 3- a :: W 55 s « ■ ^ )* ,•» •", »1 \ i 7 ;J A w , " i ii ? n 'I u 'A o ^<^. Ph ^ ^s ?• ^ •$ g ! ^ o ~ % > 5- ^ "5: «*« •*«« .2 O s >' X C^ ^ ^ • ^ ^ CI .t» -- *^ ~ •- ^ V5 ? .0 9. ^ •» V. tv C .■*• •^ ■^' C I: "^ ^ ^ -J ^ -^ s ft ! fl \ ! »- %\ >0 ft n ;2 s 5 o V. ? ;i •- ". .* 3- ;* 3 V 1- C •• a 01 ^. T-< Cl - 30 V N^ % CI :5 V. -0 5 f- O' ■,: .£ •:? I i:;^ :V :| ■'• r. r= ^ - :r .it s D ^ tS "^ ^ = O '-^ ^ "i i 9 >. ;^ ^ — « a- H f- u: t: i 18 GEORGIAN IJAY CANAL. Let us discuss the f.-icts coutainod iu tliis talilo i or tew luonicnts; aud iirst, as to population. It may Ix' said tliat tlio ration of twenty-nine ]»er cent. >vill not be contimied through thirt y-sfven years. / \s above stated, tlie ratio of tlie increase of J. 01 ulat ion in the territory Avest of Lake ^Nliehiixan, for tlie last live years, has been sixty-five i»er cent. — more than twice the ii^ures from Avhich our results are dei'ived. Take another fact. The census retui-ns show tli.at the entire Xorth-west, endjracing Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, with the addition, now, of Iowa, 3Iiiniesota and Nebraska, in 1820, con- tained 792,710 inhabitants; in 1857 — the same i)eriod on which our results are based — they contained, in round numbers, 7,200,000 l»eo[>le, an increase in a little more than the avcra_L(c lii'e time of one generation of eight iiuxduI':i) peii cent. With railways and tclegra}>lis, and magnificent steamers on lake and I'iver, and withal, the knoAvledge of the agricultural and mineral wealth of this vast country, the beauty and magnitude of its i)rairies, and the salubrity of its climate, now matters of daily conversation and news[)aper comment in every portion of the civilized world, Avho shall say that the increase of po^julation in this broad, favored land will not e(pial, in the next thirty-seven years, the results of the same period in the past. Leaving out Ohio, ^Michigan and Indiana, that ratio would give, Avest of Lake ^Michigan, in 1895, Avithin the territory of the L^nited States, north of the latitude of Alton and cast of the Rocky Mountains, a population of 24,500,000. This result is truly amazing; but it is not more Avonderful than Avhat a large proportion of those now livirig, both in the Ignited States and in Canada, Inu'c themselves seen and realized. Take still another illustration. The old northern States proper have inci-eased in the last thirty-seven years in the ratio of eighty-tive per cent. It has been proved from the statistics of our railways for the ])ast fcAV years, and other sources, tiiat about 250,000 people have anmmlly emigrated into the country Avest of Lake IMiciiigan. Ai)i)ly the ratio of the increase of })Opulation of the old States to those already in the tei-ritory under consideration, and half the ratio for half the time, to this stream of human energy that is con- stantly flowing into it, and Ave still have, in 1895, a i)Opulatlon of 19,787,000. It is therefore deenu'd a moderate estimate to say that the i»ortif'i of territory in the United States tliat is tributary to the Georgian l>ay Canal Avill contain, only thirty-seven years hence, a population of at least taventy million's of soils. li B. GEOKGIAN BAY CANAL. 19 few t tho •ough ise of t iivo nurcs entire til tlie , con- ell our ()0,000 inc of ^'S and •, and ilth of md tlie >n and (1, Avlio I'd land of the m and n 1S05, ude of 00,000. il tliau Ignited ike still ercased er cent, lu' i)ast have eiiigan. ates to lalf the is c'on- ition of to say •ilnitary n years ^ The u next in ordei' is, what 'will he the jiopulatiun of the territory under consideration that is within the l>ritisln)Ossessions? There are no facts withit^ onr reach to shdw what tho present i>o[)- nlation of tho valley of the lied liiver of the Xorth, and :it tho trading posts ot the Hmlson's Ihiy t'oni]>any, is; ])nt several thousands, it is believed, are already there. Any calculations, however, hased upon their i>rohal>le increase, wonld fall far M-ithin the mark. For scores of years the Hudson l>ay C'(>in|>any have kept the world in ignorance as to the extent and the riehness of the country lying north and west of Lake Sui)eri()r, using all the means in their power to .strengthen the conviction that it was a cold, inhos[>it:d)le region, lit only for the residence o*' Indians and trappers, and the wild animals whose furs were the oidy ]>i-<)duc- tit>ns of this vast territory that could he made availahle for civilized man. The gigantic mono})oly of this company is now, or soon Avill be, broken ; the ignorance Avhich it so indnstriously fostered, is now dissipated, and tlic peojde of Canaerous empire ^\\\\ be laid there, numbering even then, at a moderate es- timate, from one to two millions of i»e(^[)le. It may be asked in general, and it is certainly a jiertinent question, where all these people to settle that portion of the United States ami the JJritish possessions are to come from ? We answer : Tliey will l)e the intelli- gent, tlie enterprising, and the^ vigorous sons and (huighters of Canada and tiie older states of the American Union. Innnense navies will be i)ut in eommission to transport to this favored land the same class of emigraiits from England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Holland, Germany, ami nearly all tli" other kingdoms ami em[)ires of Europe. Where land is cheaj), the soil rich and pro- ductive, the climate inviting, and withal, the government ii^'C and stable, and life and })ro[)crty secnre, there will the intelligent millions of our race congregate for the next half century. Let us canvass next tlie amount of land likely to be brought under cultivation. It may have been noticed in this, as in reii'ard to jtopulation, that the whole of Illinois is included in our calculations; but about half the state of Missouri lies noj'th of the latitude of Alton, and ha\ing no means to divide either state, if the f i: 20 GEORGIAN BAY CANAL. ponthcrn sootioii of tlie oiio Le taken for tlienortliorii section of tlic other, tlie results Avill he suHieiontly aecnrate for all ])raetical piir- poscs. The amount of territory likely to he under cultivation in the different ])eriods, as stated in the tahle, is far too lo\v. It is much too small no^v. The ])()pulation of the territory under con- sideration increased, fi'om 1850 to 1855, in the ratio of sixty-fivo per cent., instead of twenty-nine, the element used in the prepara- tion of the table. There can scarcely he a doubt that there Avas tAvice as much land under cultivation in 185V in Illinois, "Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota, as there was in 1850. We shall be disap- pointed if the census returns of 1800 do not show an increase of three hundred per cent, since 1850. .\t that lime there were 0,014,701 acres under actual cultivation, as shown by the United States census. An increase of three hundred ]»er cent, would uive, in 1800, 20,744,283 acres, or 82,413 square miles, and not 18,200 as sliown in the table. "VVc must wait for the result of the census of 1800, to learn the actual amount of land which the hardy sons of the west shall have l)rouuht under cultivation, but the figures which exhibit the com- merce of the hdces, as shown by Col. Graham's rejuut above referred to, and the statistics of the commerce of Chicago for the past few years as proved by the able and carefully prepared statis- tical articles of the Chicago Dait-y Pukss, afford one of the most important subjects of study to be found in the annals of modern coiumercial progress. Thirty years ago the connnerce of Lake ^lichiaan was uierelv noniimil, confined to an occasional visit of a small govermuent vessel with su]»j)lies to the forts in the adjoining territories. In 1855, its value, as deduced from Col. Graham's report, was 8150,109,131. To be more particular, Ave present the following table, showing the receipts and shipments of grain at the port of Chicago for the last four years: Total 1\Eckipts. 1S54. isw. isofl. isnr. ■\Vlioat., bush n,O:;S,0r)5 7,5r.5,OS)7 8,707,T»;0 lO.r.olJtil Corn 7, lltO,Tr>:'. 8,o;;2.:i77 ll,SSS,o'.iS 7,-("'.t, 1 :'■•» Oats 4,l'.i-l,:i8r) •2,Vtt7,lS8 2,21^8!i7 1,707,24.> Kvo 8.'),0'.il 08,080 4ri,7()7 87, '.'11 I5arley 2ol,7Gi 201, S^o 128,4.-7 127,0S'.i Total 15,011,518 10,284,(Vir. 2^,(1.^0,21',) 1 '.1.880,7 :;('. Flour into wheat. . 7'.t2,87r) l,2(i:;,;;]0 l,024,'ou,-i 1,060,070 Total 1.3,804,423 20,4S7,yoo 24,074,824 21,8.50,400 GEORGIAN BAY CANAL. 21 Wlicat, bush 2,'Jnn,7o,-, Corn 0,837, S'.tO (»at.-i ;!,2'2'J '.IS7 five •njr)7 li^irloy 148,4-21 ToTAI, SlUl'MEXTH, r..2SS,lo5 7,f)17,f,25 i,S'.tu,i>:>s 111,818 92,08-i 1-50. S,:]37,420 ii,i2'.i,t;(;s 1,(1 14,. -.4 8 lo,()r.l Total ]-2,:itl4,18r) Flour into Wheat., 038,135 1"), SIC, 718 i;n,r)(ii,i»7<) 8i7,iiyr) i,o8i.it4r) ',», 485,0/52 H, 8 14,015 410,778 17,U',»:! 10,7:'.4,438 l,'-i'.t8,',i4i» Total . rj,'.i02,3'iO 10,033,813 21,583,221 18,032, t;7S The lollowing tabic of tlie receipts of liiml)er, sIkmvs the steady and wonderful growth of that trade for the last eleven years : Lumber, ft. Shinsles. Latli. 1847 32,118,325 12,148,5(10 5,055,700 1848 on,001>,250 20,()()(),0(iO 10,i)2r),lo',i 1840 73,250.553 30,n57,750 10,281,733 18.50 100,304,770 55,423,7.50 10,800,700 1851 125,050,437 00,338,2.50 27,583,175 1852 147,810.232 77,080,500 10,750,070 1853 202,101,008 03,483,784 30,133,110 1854 228,330,783 28,001,250 32,431,550 1855 300,553,407 ] 58,77n,S0O 40,487,550 1850 550,073,109 135,870,000 70,235,120 1857 450,0ay,r.)8 131,832,250 80,130,0uO The followinp^ tahle sliows the number of arrivals at the port of Chicago in 1857, with the tonnage and number of men : A'lonber and Toniu«jc of vessels arrh'cd at tJic Port of Ch'icaijo for tlw Marcli April . May . . Juno. . July . . Augupt, Soptcniber. October . . . Xovoniber . Decenibor . Total 300 018 .Vrrivalrf unicported, (estimated). , Scaxoii ';/' 1S57 lir:5. Props. Sail. Total. Toiinas-'e. Men. , , 3 10 10 3.230 124 30 28 248 30() 10,813 4,705 50 50 SitO 000 208,51)0 8, soy 40 02 Oni) 1,041 218,108 8,032 41 00 023 1 ,000 22'-'.,70O 8,800 40 00 017 1,050 273,105 10,1 ;;.; 42 iny 785 881) 227,785 8,7:17 34 01 580 714 203,072 7.2S7 12 41 200 322 74,485 3,225 2 t'l 30 44 11.200 454 5,4 :;3 Total Total in 185i). Total in 1855. Total in 1854. 0,357 1,400,013 1,200 202,800 7,557 1,753,413 7,328 1,54 5,370 0,010 1, ('08, 845 5,021 1,002,044 01,458 7,200 08,058 t'i5,532 There were lai()pulation of Chicago at cliftorent periods : ]S40 '1,4'70 ]84:{ 7,r.8i) ISl.-) 1-2,088 184H M.ifiy 1847 l(),85y 1848 20,0^5 1810 2:5,047 ISoO 28.200 18r.2 38,73:'. isr)3 r)0,fio2 1854 05,872 1855 8:^,500 1850 110,000 1857 130,000 KAILWAY PROGl^ESS. In January 1S52, there Avas Lut one railway, the Galena, forty miles lont;, enterinuj Chieaijo. The list of roads whose business tends to swell the commerce of that city, now actually completed and in operation, is as follows : Miles- Cliicaf,'o and Milwaukee 85 Keiiorflia and llocklbrd 11 Kacineand Mi:->issii)|ii 80 Cliic:ij;o, St. rmil and Koiid du Lat- 131 Milwaukee and Mis.sissippi (Western Division) 1 :iO Galena and Cliicago Union 121 Fox irivcr A^alley 34 Wiseonsin Central 8 IJeloit Branch 20 Jk'loit and Madison 17 Mineral I'oint 32 Dubuque and Pacific 29 Galena ( Fulton) Air Line 136 Chicajiio. Iowa and Nebraska 36 Cliicaranch and extension lines 3,953 1 I a»f 'X GEORGIAN HAY CANAL. 23 The total oaniings of all those roads I'or 1850, were sS^l 7, 340,242. 8:1, in 1857 tlioy wevo .^18,500,520.20. Only six years jn-ov ions, the earnings of tlio forty miles in operation, were a mere nominal snni. The State of Illinois alone has now 2,775 miles of completed rail- way ; six years ago it had but 05. Comment u|)OU the ahove tables and figures, for whieli Ave are indebted to the valuable yearlv statistical articles of the Chicago Daily Pkkss, is entirely unneces- sary ; they show more clearly than language possibly can, the ra})id progress of the Xorth-West in wealth, poi)nlation and the means of commercial and social intercourse. Let it be ay Canal. But this is not all. J5y the time the canal can be comjtleted, thousands of miles more of railway, extending in every direction through this vast, fertile region, will be pouring the wealth of mil- lions of enterprising, energetic freemen into the navies of T.aUe Michigan, and the great majority of that commerce will flow through this magnificent highway, for the trade of the continent and the St. Lawrence to the ocean. An empire will by that time liave grown up north and west of Lake Sujjerior, which will con- tribute its traffic to swell the receipts and reward the enterprise of those who shall build this canal. . CONCLUSION. By reference to the preceding tables it will be seen that the Georgian ]jay route is nearly three hundred miles shorter than any other except the Ottawa route, that it is 90 cents per ton cheaper than via Bufl'alo, and 15 cents })er ton cheaper than vl<( Welland Canal and Oswego. That by the Lake Cliami»lain roiite, the Geor- gian JJay route is 20 cents per toncheaper than rtcj AVelland Canal, and "8 cents per ton cheaper than via the Ottawa route. That to Quebec the Georgian Bay route is 1 3 cents per ton chea])cr than via AVelland Canal, and .33 cents per ton cheai)er than via the Ottawa route. In pohit of time the Georgian Bay route would save about one day over any other. In comparing the Georgian ]biy route via Osw eu'o Champlaiii and 3[ontreal, we find that the route via ^1 i' 24 GEORGIAN ]JAY OAXAL. Cliniii|>l;iiii is 45 cents \)vv Ion olicapcr tliiiii via Oswo^o, and to Quelit'c is si. 45 jkt ton cIicmikt than via ()swo_i;o, and ^l.OO ])or ton c'lK'a|>ci- than via CMiamphMin. Tlierecan hardly be ad()id)t but wliat tliis n)argin is snlHcicnt to socurc at least a fair i)ro|M)rtioii ot the innnenso trade ol'the west throuuh the St. L.'iwrence, and I (.'an see no i^ood reason Avhy it should not secure niueh the laru'est share of it. Un the OttaM'a route, not havini!; very reliable intbrniation about it, but knowini; that over 40U miles of it would be close navi:i,alion, T have assinned 200 of it to be canal, or ecjual to a canal in expense of navitration. Several objecticnis present themselves to this route: 1st. Tiio route being so much farther north there Avould l)e a loss of from two to four weeks time each year in the navigation. 2d. It enters the St. Lawrence at a point Avhere the trade must necessarily go down the St. Lawrence instead of having a choice of routes, unless the Cauglmawaga Canal is l)uilt, and in that event it wouhl not have the chojce rla Oswego. nd. The trade would l)e more divided between tliat route and Ibiff'alo than it would be between the Georgian Hay route and IJurt'alo, for much that jKisses through the (Tcorgian IJay route "WOuhl be intercejjted at Oswego and pass through more than 200 miles of the New York canals. 4th. The entire l)usiness would be h>st to the St. Lawrence canals, and the direct benelit to Canada Avould be far less than by the construction of the Georiiinn IJav canal. The Georgian IJav route has the advantage of u;ood naviixation to and from it, avoiding St. Clair Hats and the dangerous naviga- tion of Lake Erie, and at a moderate expense may have safe and commodious liarbors at each env(iii(nt of navigation. It is })robal»k', tlicrcfoiv, that in tlic event <>f this route heinii; ini]>roveav and Caunhnawaixa Canals are con- .structed, the Oswego and Ghaniplain canals enlarged — the first e(]ual to the Erie canal and the last for tlu' ]»assage of lono ton vessels, and the St. Lawrence improved for the passage of the same sized vessels. "When this is done a direct trade will be oi)ened between Chicago and all parts of the Avorld. To doubt this wouhl be to doubt the intelligence and energy of the business men of Chicago, Milwaukee and the Lake Michigan cities. They have already hi fact, conmienccd the trade, and nothing is required for its successful prosecution but an impi'ovement of the navigation, so as to admit (jf a large class (»f vessels. Let us extunhie for a moment the cost of these improvements. Georgian Bay Canal $-J2,17t>,7."jO Cauglinawaira Canal 4,2'i7,8'jO Champlain Canal, Estimated G,(ien,iiiio Improvoniont of tlio Hudson, say 2,i/jO,(K»0 St. Lawrence Canal, Estiuiatod r,,(ioo,f»00 Total s1'M:js,G-10 But suppose they cost $50,000,000, where, T Avould r.'-k, among the hundreds of millions of dollars that have been spent in ]iublic improvements could you select the expenditui-e of .SoO,00<.t,<)(Hi, the benefits of which are so widely ditlused and promising such vast results in the future as Avonld the completion of these improvements under consideration? Let the cities of Canada awake to their true interest; let them unite heartily in this enterprise, and great as it confessedly is, it can certaiidy, I might add easily, be ac(om]»lishcd. It would st'cure beyond a peradventure, for the cities of the St. Lawrence, Toronto, Montreal and Quebec, a leading an^i a connnanding position u})ou the ^Vnu'rican continent. In this connection I (juoto the language of "Wm. IJross, Esq., e<]itor of the Chicago Daily TitESS, who from tin.' coiinnencement f: 20 CiEOllfJIAN r.AY CANAL. 'U of tliis iinjK)rtnnt C'xter|»riso, lias (lovotcil iiiuclitiino mid ciu'i-gy to bring it before tlic public, used in a si)ucc'h before the convention at Toronto, Sept. 13tli, 1855 : ♦'I onco licard Capt. Ilugunln, a veteran sailor of our city, who connncnocd his eventful career on Lake Ontario, in 1812, after referriuLf to tlic growth and endless prospective value of the products of the west, say, 'That the j^reat God, when ho made the mighty west, made also the lakes and the mighty St. Lawrence to floattheir commerce to the ocean ;' and, I might add, as well attempt to lead the boiling current of Niagara to the sea in hose-pipe, as to ship the products of these T00,000 square miles to the ocean by the Erie and the Welland Canals and all the railways now or hereafter to Ite constructed." The sanio gentleman, in an article in the l*iiKss, after showing the immense benefits which. the CTCorgian Day Canal Avould confer upon Toronto, closes with the following paragra])h in relation to Montreal, apjilicable, M'itli nearly equal force, to (Quebec : "For the purpose of direct trade with Eurojje, it matters little whether vessels (from the lakes) go directly through, or whether cargoes are transhipped at Montreal. Li our Judgment, certainly during the summer, transliipmeut there into very large ocean vessels and steamers woidd be found the most profitable. Li the winter, propellers and sail vessels, especially if they rated at one thousand tons, might find it more i)rofitable to escape from the embargo of ice upon the lakes, and spend the winter in the American or European coasting trade. But in any event, Montreal would hold the key to all the innnense trade of the west, flowing down the St. Lawrence to the ocean. Her merchants would furnish assorted cargoes of goods for the west from all parts of the globe, from w Inch full cargoes could not be made up to the lake cities. Li any event, she would be to the trade of the St. Lawrence what New York ia to that of the Hudson. It needs but the enterprise on the part of her citizens corresponding to the magni- tude of the interests at stake, to secure for her this proud position, beyond any contingency. It is true that national pride and innnense capital, anil the beaten track of connucrcc, arc on the side of New York ; but God and nature are stronger than all these, and let any intelligent man compare the " Erie ditch " with the mighty St. Lawrence, with a canal to pass vessels of 1,000 tons burthen from Georgian Bay to Toronto, and he cannot doul)t for a moment on which side the innuutable laws of commerce will decide the contest.'" I am much indel)ted to the valuable reports of Col. J. D. Graham, U. S. Army, John I). Jervis, and AVilliain J. McAlpine, Esqrs., and to AYilliam Bross, Esq., editor of the Chicago Dailv Peess, and others, for much im})ortant statistical information. Very respectfully submitted, li. 13. IMASOX, Consulting Enfjincer H E P O H T , 1)Y KIVAS TULLY, ESQ. CHIEF EXGIXKEirs OFFU K, ) Sir: On the 14tli f>f Scptciiihcr, 185"5,tli(' Cominittoc ;ii»i»oiiitO(l by the convention ot* deleirates from CliicMLjo, Oswet^o, Toronto and Barrie, instrnctecl nie '• to complete the survey (»t' a route fur tlie canal from Toronto via Lake Sinicoe to the GeorLjian J>ay on Lake Huron, and to report to this Committee, with ato])ograi)hieal descri})tion of the country, levels, heights, sections, and ai»i>ro.\i- mate estimates for the construction of a canal cai)ahle of ])assing vessels of one thousand tons burthen ; a ])rofile of the line to be furnished witli the report." Tiie Committee also arranged that the members of the Chicago delegation should secure the services of one of the most eminent engineers, to go over the ground "vvith ]\[r. Tully, and act \vith him as consulting engineer in the progress of the survey. In accordance with the tenor of the above resolutions, I here- with submit my report on the several proposed routes to which I consider my duties to Inive been confined, leaving to the consulting engineer. Col. 11. IJ, 3Iason, of Chicago, the important task of furnishinLT the necessary statistical information in reference to the extent of the anticipated tralans and profiles of the sanu', without which inforn\ation the ivport could not 1)0 said to liave been satisfactoi'ily completed. 1 have the honor to remain, sir, Your obedient servant, Kn^VS TULLY. Thomas Claukson', Es(i., Chatnnan of ihti Committee, (tnd Prei^itJentoftheBiiardnf Tnn/e, Toronto. RKrORT. The peculiar outline of the western portion of the Provhice of Canada, Avith respect to the nortlicrn boundary line of tlie United States, has often been subject to comment by several public Avriters. The short distance between the (4eori^ian B;iy and Lake Ontario in tiie vicinity of Toronto across this Avestern [)eninsula, compared with the circuitous route l)y Lakes Erie and Huron, lias hmg attracted the attention of those who have taken an interest in the proL;'res of this section of the province, and sugii;csteay on Lake Huron lias been known and nsed as a portage by the Indians and traders to the north-west, in preference to the routes by the Ottawa river or Lake Erie. I'he rapid increase, during the last ten years, of the population, and, consequent agricultural and commercial jirogress of the States of the American Union, lying immediately west of Lake ]\richigan, and the serious losses to life, property and shipping on the St. Clair Flats and Lake Erie, also, the limited facilities afforded by the Erie canal for the transport of merchan- dise to and from those western states, have directed the serious attention of merchants and sliipowners in the United States and Canada to the construction of the Toronto and Georgian liay Ship Canal, as an additional avenue lor facilitating the iuternal commer- cial transport between the west and the seaboard. . GEOlUilAN ]UY (ANAL. 29 It is MOW iicai'lv twelve' Ncars sinct- tliis nmti' w.is first I'xitlnrcd 1))' lilc, lit the r('<|ll('st (>(■ Dr. 1{('('S of tills city [sco ;ij>]»('ii'li\ to report |. Imt tin' |iro]t:il»li' cost of the projiosctl (•oiainiinlcitioii, coni|>;ir('il with tin- i»ros])oc'tiv(' tr.'idc, |ircv('iiti'il any sci'ioiis tlisciis- sioii on the sul))('ct. In fact it was cousidcrcMl altot^i'tlicr cliiiiu'rical at tlial tiiMc, and luyoiid tlic iiu'i'c oxiiioratloii, tlic (|tU'stioii was not (MitiM'taiiu'd. The cost of tlic extensive excavation tliat M-oiild liave to l)e iua(h' throniili tlie vid'4e of land Ivin-j; hctwi'cn T.akes Siincnc and Ontario, so as to ]»erniit tlu> use of the waters of I/ike Siincoc as a feech'r to the i)ro|tosed canal, was considered, at that time, to he beyond the demands of the western ti-ade; hut the nn|)aralleled I'Mpiilitv with which this trade has inei'eascd durinsi; the last ten years, and its undonhted future anLCJiientation, has forced the (jues- tion V)roniineiitlv on the attiMition of the mercantile c(>inmunitv, and tlie di-maud for an additional avenue is now seriously made. Tn a letter addressed hy me to John Ii. Rohinson, Esr|., ^I. ]'. P. for this city, a copy of Avhich accompanies this rejiort, T have endeavored to ]>oint out the failure of the "NVelland Canal in divert- ing the western tratle to the Jtiver St. Lawrence, as the cheapest route hetween tlie nortli-west portion of this continent and lCur(»pe; the conse(pient demand for the construction of tin additional avenue at a more northerly jjoint than La.ke Erie, and the superior a. .Mason, VNliich is now in course of preparation. The delay tliat has occurred in the completion of the survey was unavoidable. I was nuAvilling that any but reliable information should be presented to the public, as, i]i the absence of reliable data, the future success of the undertaking might bo seriously impeded, and the construction of the canal delayed. In order to present the reijuisite information in as distinct and satisfactory a manner as possible, the report has been framed under the following heads : 1st. Terminal Harbor accoinmodation. 2d. Water suj^ply to the canal. 3d. Cost of construction. -Ith. Comjtarison of the routes. 5tli. General comparison with other routes. Gth. Col- lateral advantages. Vth. Conclusion. .<■' 30 (iKOlUilAX UAV CANAL. I.- TKIIMINAI, IIAi;ii(tll A("i'(».MM(»|)ATI(>.V. At tlu! (!f»nv('nti(»ii licM in this cily <»ii tlic l.'Mh of S('|»t('ml)('r, IHST), tf) coiisidcf tlu' ([iic'stioii of the (•oiistriu'tiori <»t' tlu' (icorgi.-iii lljiy CiiMMl, il was mianinioiisly Jirsuhrd, Tliiit llic imirii'iirti' liMile from the Xoilli-WfHt (U'niiiinlM tin* imiiUMlinto coiistniclioii of 11 «'uii;il la'twoen llic Upper riiilvcs ami F-ako Ontario, of i-ullicioiit ciipaoity to pass vessels of lOOO tons Imrtlicu from Lalvo Huron to T<,iko Onlaiio at Toronto or its vicinity. Tn a<'('or(lan('C Avitli tlic iiistnu'tioiis of tlu* committee, Toronto Harbor was made the startiiiLT i»oint from Tiake Ontario. The survey ^\'as commenced inunediately wi'st of the oM Fort, and the ground between this point and Lambton on the Uiver Ilnmber was .lecnrately measured and leveh'd. From the (Jrand Trunk IJailway Uridine, where it crosses tlio Uiver Don, a line was also leveled alouL^ the l)anks of the river and a branch of the Don whicli crosses Yonge street, immediately north of the city, continuing along tlio base of the ])aveni)ort hill until it Joined the western line. Tho intention of surveying and leveling those lines was to ascertain tho n|»i)roximate elevation of the ground above the level of the I[und)er Uiver, and otherwise detei'iniiu' the feasibility of constructing both those branches, not only as termini, but .also as an available water power, the future advantage of which Avould be incalculable to tho prosperity of this city for manufacturing and ordinary mechanical purposes. I regret to state that Avithout the expenditure of a nuich larger amoimt than will be required to construct the pro])osed canal by another terminal line, this desirable result cannot be olitained. The principal difliculties to be overcome are the inca})acity of tho entrance to the harbor of Toronto to permit the passage of vessels of 1000 tons and drawing 12 feet of water, aiul the necessity of constructing a high dam across the ITumbcr and an a([tieduct acoss the Ulack Creek at a point about tAvo miles above Weston. At the h)west water level of Lake Ontario, which must be taken as the datum as far as regards a terminal harbor, there would bo only eleven feet of water in the channel at the entrance, and the bottom being rock, coidd not be deepened, except at considerable expense. As the proposed terminus of the canal Avould liave been to the west of Toronto, in moderate weather oidy vess( Is could enter or leave the canal without entering Toronto Harbor, but this is a contingency that should not be risked. ! ( f r.KOTjr.IAX I»\Y PAXAT, 31 Tlu' tcnuiiial lini'lntr :i<'('omiM()(liitii»ii I'or slii[»|)iii;;- sli(tnly wliicli Toronto Harhor i-ouM bu luatU' tlu' tt-rniinuH woiill lie to tlu' cast by tlit' valley ot' the ri\i'i* Doll, uluTi' tlu' rt'(|nisiti' (U'|itli ol' watcf coiiM he procuroil at a I'l'asonabli' cost. This line would rt'<|!iiri' tlu' construction ot' an eastern entrance at, Ashl»rid<'e\ IJav. To<'onstruct a suitable ter- minal entrance tor the )»ro|tosed Shi[» Canal, at this place, would re(|uire a nmdi larger anioinit than would be necc>savv at the mouth of the Humbci* liivcr tor a harbor ot a sui)erior (diaractcr. Even diu'ing tlie liiu^hest water level on Lake Ontario, which would ijjive 10 teot of water on the present entrance to the Toronto harbor, the passage of a vessel ot" loOO tons, and drawini:; 1- feet of water, during a south-westerly gale, would be attcmlid with great risk. For these reasons I have come to the conclusion that the necessary terminal acconnnodation cannot be alVoi'dcd at the liarbor of Toronto within a reasonable cost. The explorations and siu'veys of the several rtnitcs demonstrate that the valley of the liiver Ilumber is the most direct and jtracticablc line that can be nay. This 1)ay is ])rotected from the eifects of north-westerly, also easterlv storms, which aro the most violent on Lake Ontario, bv the Peninsula, south of Torontf>, about 4 miles distant ; but there is little or no ])rotection fi'oni south-Avesterly storms, Avhieh jirevail duriiiL!; the autumn, unless M'hen close to the entrance, which is sheltered by a i)rojectinu: headland to the Avcst. The distance to tlie o]»i>osite shore of the Lake being only 30 miles, the force of the wave would not be such as to materially endanger the safety of a large vessel running between })iers 200 feet apart, and in 20 feet of water, whilst smaller vessels of 500 tons can run into Toronto harbor in safetv, durini:: unusuallv severe trales from tliis quarter. During the period of low water, tlie Iluinber I Jay, with tlie jn'o]>osed piers, Avould be the only available terminal harltor for vessels of the cai)acity for wliich the canal is proposed to bo constructed. AVithin the line of shore, after passing between the ])Iers, the marsh is proposed to be excavated to the extent of eight acres, so as to afford sufficient acconnnodation for the anticipated tratHc, and is capable of being enlarged, if recpiired. For the terminal harl)or accommodation on Lake Huron two points have been surveyed — one at the mouth of ihe Xottawasaga River, and the other at ^Matehedash or (jloueester Ihiy. The selection of either of these harboi's will, in a great measure, be determined by the choice of routes, but, as respects the amount to be expended on each, the Xottawasaga Uiver requires a less outlay. l>y the construction of piers, of the same character as those recommended for the llumbcr l>ay, also 200 feet in length, a harT)or similar in many respects may be obtained. The mouth of tlu' X'ottawasaga Kiver would be exposed to the north-west gales of the Georgian l>ay, which are sometimes very violent in the spring and autunm, and would have a range of 100 miles to Cabot's Head. This woidd no doubt be a serious difliculty in a nautical point of view, but the I'isk would not ])e so hazardous if ordimu'v caution IS use< 1. >upi (Osincr n, vessel to be runninix for the enti'ance of the canal, at the mouth of the Xottawasaga ] fiver, the vessel would pass close to the Christian Islands, under the lee of which shelter could be procured until the severity of the storm had i)assed, when the entrance of the harbor, 20 miles distant, could be reached in safetv. t GEORGIAN BAY CANAL. 33 This course would not be iicecssary duriiiLC ordinary irales, but only in case of unusually severe storms. With this e.\ee[»tion, Nottawasaga l>ay others every facility for a suitable terminal harbor, the approaeli beinj,^ marked with bold heailhinds, and with dce]> water one mile from the shore. For the better explanation of the ca]»abilities of this river and the llumber as terminal luirbors, 1 have pre})ared di'tailcd charts of the same, which are herewith submitted. IJy reference to the chart of the Xottawasaga IJiver, whicli has l)een drawn from actual survey, it will be noticed that the river extends in a south- westerly direction parallel to the line of the shore for a distance of nearly miles, with a width varying from 22U feet to (550 feet, and an average depth of 10 feet, containing available harbor accommodation of over 150 acres, at a moderate outlay for deei)ening and improvement, the cost of which is stated in the general estimate. Gloucester Bay, through winch a vessel wouhl ])ass to IMatclio- dash Bay, being what is termed land-locked, would, in the case of sailing vessels, be objectionable on account of its being too much sheltered ; but this would not aftect steam })roi)ellors. In order to render Matchedash Bav available as a toi'minal harbor, it w^ould be necessary to dredge a channel one liundred feet Avide through the center, for nearly four miles, and also to remove a large quantity of granite bouldei-s. This latter work would be attended Avith a considerable and unavoidable exp( .ise, the approximate cost of which is given in the general estimate. On this account, I consider this bay inferior to the Nottawasaga river, as a terminal harbor, and am therefore strongly in favor of the latter. I am aware that strong c^bjections have been urged successfully against the practicability of forming and maintaining a harbor at the mouth of the Nottawasaga river. I cannot agree with such opinions, and would here mention that on my iirst inspection of this harbor, in company with Col. Mason, the consulting engineer, more than two years since, I did not hesitate to express my l)elief that a safe and commodious harbor could be constructed at this point, superior to many of the harbors 0'\ the lakes, with which Col. Mason agreed ; and 1 am satisfied he has not since changed his opinion. In fact, we were both fully convinced that an indus- trious and populous city would sooneror later spring up on the banks of the river and the narrow peninsular which divides it Irom the bay. 3 /■C ;^4 GEORGIAN BAY CANAL. 4 II. — WATER SUrrLY TO THE CANAL. Tlie proposed dimensions of the locks are 205 feet in length, 55 feet in -width, 12 feet lift, find 12 feet on the sill. Two locks of these dimensions -svould require 350,000 cubic feet of water, nearly, for each vessel passing through the canal. If 500 vessels passed through during the day, 17,500,000 cubic feet would be required, or about 12,000 cubic feet per minute. According to two experiments on the quantity of water flowing from Lake Simcoe into Lake Couchiching, at the narrows, the quantity of water at this point amounted to over 100,000 cubic feet per minute, making due allowance for the friction at the bottom and sides. The average rain fall of the watershed of Lake Simcoe (1,200 square miles), according to a statement procured from the JMeteor- ological Observatory, at Toronto [>See Appendix C], and extoiuVrng over a period of seventeen years, gives 30.04 inches; and allowing for evaporation, absorption and vegetation, say 24.94 inches, we have twelve inches available rain fall per square foot for the year. This would give 90,000,000 per day, or 00,000 per minute. The available su])ply would be greater than this, judging by the exper- iments at the narrows, which give over 100,000 cubic feet per minute. According to experiments in the county of Hertford, in England, the evaporative effecu was as 15 to 27, nearly, or a little above 50 per cent., leaving 33^^- per cent, additional to be consumed by vegetation. What the exact amount of loss from this cause is, cannot be ascertained; but the sum of both would hardly exceed two-thirds of the whole rain fall, which would be five times as much as would be required to pass fifty vessels, of 1,000 tons each, per day, as this would be the greatest number of vessels that could be passed through the canal conveniently in fifteen hours, allowing a little over fifteen mimites for each vessel to pass through the locks. There Avill still l)e a large available water poAver, which, along the entire line of the canal, after passing the sunnnit level, will form a source of considerable future profit, by renting the same for mills and manufactories. Immediately after passing the summit, an additional water ])0wer Avould be also available from the water sheds of the Ilumber and Nottawasaga rivers, amounting to 30,000 cubic feet per minute, and 52,000 cubic feet per minute respectively along the Unc of the canal, based on the same calculations of an average 55 GEORGIAN BAY CANAL. 35 of twelve inches persnpcrficinl foot ])er annum. Furtlier evidence is liiinlly necessary, and from the above sources tliere Avill not only be a sufficient supply of water to feed the canal, hut a larii!;e remainintr availahle water power; in fact, an inexhaustible sui>ply for the wants of a much more numerous population than can be aiiticipated at present. In order to store up the rain fall of the Lake Siincoe water shed, it will be necessary to construct one waste weir and three close dams at the branches of the river Severn, at the north-eastern extremity of lake Couchiching, the cost of which is stated in the general estimate. we III. — COST OF CO.VSTRUCTION. This question also embraces the practicability of the construction of the several proposed routes. The route, as originally f.greed on, commenced at " Toronto or its vicinity," passed along the valley of the Ilumber, in a northerly direction, through the township of Kings, to the Holland river and Cook's Bay, on Lake Simcoe ; from thenc(; to Kempenfeldt ]>ay, or :ho western shore of Lake Siuicoe. The startijig point from !■ rr, jyf ifeldt Bay was from the niouth of a creek about one mile fro,.i Barrie, at the extremity of the bay, thence in a Avestefly direction to the Kottawasaga river, about one mile north o+" the Ontario, Simcoe and Huron railway line, and following the valley of the river to the Nottawasaga Bay, the most southerly portion of the Georgian Bav, Lake Huron. ater the feet EOUTE XO. ONE. The terminal harbor accommodation having been already con- sidered, it is oidy necessary to describe the extent and character of the works to be executed between the termini. Aloncr the vallev of the Ilumber there are no engineering dillieul- ties of an extraordinary character as far as the 23d section, at the town line of Yaughaji and King, where the deep excavaticm through the ridges commences. This excavation extendsto the 33d section, or ten miles. The greatest depth to be excavated will be IDT. 76 36 GEORGIA]^ BAY CANAL. ^ i 1 i feet, oi' 2.24 under 200 i'eet. Tlii.s will be the greatest depth from the suiiiinit. The ridj^es present Ji griulual inclination north and south ; the slope to the north being or} miles in length, and the southern slope 4^ iniles; total length 10 miles. The depth of this excavation -will average 90 feet, and will contain nearly 48,000,000 cubic yards, and being composed, as far as can be conjectured, of light clay and gravel, will not cost more than 25 cents per yard, making a total of §12, 000,000. From the 33d section to the 48th, to Cook's l>ay, at Lake Simcoe, the canal would pass through the Holland River marsh, following the course of the Holland Kiver, e\ce}>t at the bends of the river, which are cut ott". A considerable l)ortion of this river is of an available capacity, and would require slight alterations, averaging 150 feet in wiilth, with a depth of water from to 12 feet. From the 48th to the 7 1st section, at the western extremity of Kemi)enfeldt]>ay, it will be lake naA igation "where there aix- no difK- cultiestobe encountered; Lake Simcoe being of sutilcient capacity to admit vessels of a large tonnage navigating it without any risk. At the 48th and 71st sections piers of timber crib work of a suit- able character ]»ave to be constructed. From section Xo. 1 to Xo. G there will be a deep excavation averaging 50 feet, the greatest de})th at section No. 2 being 78 feet, and containing a little over 0,000,000 cul)ie yards at twenty-five cents per cubic yard, the total cost of Avhich would be '^1,500,000 — the material to be excavated being of the same quality as described in the deep excavation in the ridges as far as can be judged from geological data, and other indications. [See Ajq^endlx D.] At section No. 8, the character of the work comprises a chain of combination locks six in number. From this section to No. 25, there are no enghieering difticulties, as the canal will follow the course of theNottawasaga IMvei", which, with slight improvements, can be rendered of sufficient capacity to answer the required pur- poses. This i)ortion, 10 miles in length, being liable to heavy floods in the Spring and Autunm, will reipiire a much higher tow- path than usual, which will slightly increase the average cost per mile. iJetween the 25th and the 27th sections, it will be necessary to cut a channel through the sand ridge which forms the south- eastern bank of the Nottawasaga Harbor, in order to save a distance of six miles, a waste weir being constructed, across the river to nuiintain the water at the required level. GEORGIAN BAY CANAL. 37 Tlic total quantity contained in this excavation will ho over 2,000,000 cubic yards, the n;rcatest dcptli bcini,' 100 i'oct, and the averatjje depth 50 feet; the cost of this excavation would bo i?500,000. From the 27th to the 29th section the work wouM consist of tlred<,dng the bed of the river of an average depth of two feet. The 29th section reaches the Nottawasaga liay, where a harbor is to be constructed as before deseribe(h The lockage on route No. 1 will consist of two sinule locks, eiLcht double locks, three treble locks, and three ([uadru})le ct)nd)ina- tion locks, being thirty-nine locks in number from Lake Ontario to Lake Sinicoe, having an average lift of a little over 12 feet, and the total lockage of 470 feet. From Kempenfeldt ]>ay to Lake Huron there will bo five single locks, and six combination locks, or altogether eleven locks, with an average lift of a little under 12 feet, or 130 feet in all — making the total lockage of route No. 1 to bo GOO feet. In nearly every instance Avhere combination locks have been provided, it was a matter of necessity from the nature of the sur- face. Though objectionable in many respects, it is of advantage in consequence of increasing the length of the levels, which on this route will vary froju 1 to IG miles, not including the long sum- mit level of Lake Simcoe of 50 miles. The total length of this route will be 100 statute miles. The canal, if constructed by this route, would cross the Great Western and Grand Truidc Railways, and the Ontario, Simcoe and Huron Kailway twice. ^Vt each of these points as indicated on the map, a railway swing bridge must be constructed. Accommo- dation swing bridges of an ordinary character will have to l)e con- structed at several points along the route. For crossing the deep excavation it is proposed to have four acconnnodation bridges 20 feet above the level of the water, with inclined approaches of 1 in 20, each bridge to be two miles apart for the entire length. ROUTE NO. TWO, Comprises the first portion of route No. 1, between Lakes Ontario and Simcoe. The continuation of this line extends from the tenniims on Lake Simcoe to Dr. Robinson''s creek, on the north-west shore of Lake I 38 GEORGIAN BAY CANAL. i Couchiching, jit the nortli-easteni extremity of Lake Simcoc, about midway between the "Narrows and the River Severn." The dis- tance from Lake Ontario to tlii.s point being eiglity-one miles, from s(!ction 48 to 81, conii»i'ises Lake Sinicoe, tlie only difficult portion of the navigation being at the Narrows, wliich consists of a circui- tous and lia/.ardous channel. The ]3oard of Public Works of the Province has ordered the necessary improvements, which have been in course of execution during the past year, rendering any additional expenditure unnecessary, except the contingency of deepening the eliannel still more, as the present improvement only contemphited accommodation for steam vessels drawing eight or nine feet of water. From T)r. Robinson's creek to JNIatchedash Bay the canal would be fourteen miles in length. Retween sections Nos. 1 and 4, a deep excavation will be neces- sary, principally through limestone rock, containing over 5,500,000 cubic yards, at a cost of the same amount in dollars, the cost of excavation being estimated at $1 per cubic yard. The greatest depth would ])e 138 feet, and the average depth 75 feet. From section No. 4 to No. 8, the construction is of an ordinary char- •acter; between Nos. 8 and 9 an excavation, also through limesto'^e rock, occurs, containing 500,000 cubic yards, and at section No. 13 an excavation through granite, containing 300,000 cubic yards, at a cost of at least 83 per cubic yard. Between sections 14 and 17 (iMatchevould be through granite, Avould be nearly 1,000,000 cubic yards, the cost of which would be 83,250,000, including the cost of the trackway and harbor accommodation. The lockage on route No. 2, consists of six single locks, one double, and one treble combination lock — 11 locks altogether, the lift being the same as for Route No. 1, between Lake Simcoe and Lake Huron, aneing 12.3 feet, and the average depth 04 feet. From section 32 of route No. 3, to section Xo. 10 of route No. 1, where No. 3 joins, there are no constructive ditHculties, as the fall in the valley of the Nottawasaga river is com})aratively trifling for the whole of this distance (eighteen miles). The line then con- tinues along route No. 1 to the terminal harbor at the mouth of tho Nottawsaga river. The lockage on this route will be the same as No. 1 (GOO feet), and the distance 84 miles. Several accommoda- tion bridges will bo required on this route. ESTIMATE OF COST. Subjoined arc tho estimates of the cost of tho proposed routes, route No. 1 behig the least, and route No. 3 tho greatest, the dif- ference between Nos. 1 and 2 being trifling. The cost of the harbor acconnnommodation of No. 2, is the largest, and Nos. 3 and 4 the least. It will also be observed, that in tho construction of route No. 3 a much larger amount of exca- vation would be required than in the other routes, and next in order Nos. 4 and 2. Tho size of the locks has been determined by the dimensions of the propeller " Iowa" of 1,000 tons, namely, 242 feet long, 31^ feet wide, and drawing 11^ feet of water when loaded ; making allowance for the necessary space for opening and closhig the gates, locks 205 feet in length, 55 feet in width and 12 feet on the sill, are considered sutlicient for the purpose. Two schooners of 400 tons each can also pass through locks of these dimensions at the same time. The canal is iutcnded to be 115 feet wide at the water line, and 13 feet in depth, except in the deep excavation, where the width at the water line is proposed to be 100 feet, and through the rock cut- ting on route No. 2, 90 feet at the water level and 100 feet above the level of the towpath. Tlic greatest width of the deep excavation througli the ridges in King, would be GSO feet at the surface level. GEORr.TAN BAY CANAL. 41 KSTIMATK OF ROUTE No. 1. in QUANTITY. DBrfcniPTioji or WORK. RATK. DOLLS. $15,825,000 4,000,000 20,000 1(10,000 4(io,ooO 2" '0,000 250,000 120,000 200,000 03,300,000 c yds. Eiirtli excavation 2.5c 880,f)OO 5,000 4,000 200,000 100,000 6,000 8,000 60 locks C()iiipl(,'te 4 dams 25 wasfi' weirs 2 harbor accoiiimodatioiis .... 2 harlior Lake Simcoe 60 uccoininodatioii hrifij^cs .... 15 culverts Land damages Eiigiueering and contiiigiincios §21,115,000 1,055,750 $22,170,760 ESTIIMATF: OP" KOTJTK No. !3 ■ QCASTITY. DESCRIPnOS OF WORK. RATE. DOLLS. $1:5,500,000 0,000,000 2,100,000 4,0(jo,ooo 20,000 100,000 GoO,oo() 200,0(H.) 200,000 100,000 200,' 'oO 64,000,000 c. yds. 0,000,000 " 700,000 " Earth excavation 25c i?l 00 3 00 Hock excavation, limestone. . . . Rock excavation, granite Locks Dams Waste weirs Harbor acommodation " " Lake Simcoe.. Brid<»e3 Culverts Laud damages Engineering and contingencies. $27,020,000 1,351,000 828,371,000 ESTIIMj^THS of route No. 3. QUANTITY. DESCRIPTION or WORK. RATK. DOLLS. $83,750,000 4,000,000 20,000 100,000 400,000 250,000 120,000 200,000 135,000,000 cy'ds. 1 Earth excavation including feeder Locks 25c Dams Waste Weirs Harbor accommodations Hridfes Culverts Land damages Engineering and contingencies. . 83S,S4O,O00 2,192,000 j 841,032,000 ' 42 GEORGIAN BAY CANAL. KSTIJMATK OF ROUTE No. -1. QCANTITY. DKSCIIIPTIOS OF WOnK. BATK. DOI.LS. 1^1 7,. "00,000 4,000,000 20,000 100,000 400,000 260,000 120,000 200,000 70,000,000 c. y'ds. Eartli excavation 25c liOcks Dams Waste Wclis Harbor accoiiiinodatlon IJi idges Culvertfl Land damages Engineering and coutlngenclos . . §22,n'.tO,OO0 1,12".»,50() ;8i2;3,71!t.500 ! COMPARISON OF THE ROUTES. Witli respect to tlie termin.il harbor accomnioclation, routes Kos. 1, 3 and 4 arc on an equality, and would, in my opinion, be superior to No. 2, tlic terminal harbor of which would be at Mateliedash Bay. Beside the difficulty of constructing a cliannel through Matchedash Bay, there woukl be a great risk to vessels drifting aground, not only on the west side of the channel, during easterly winds, but also in Gloucester Bay. On the east side there are several large granite boulders, to remove which, and construct a trackway on the west side of the channel, through Matchedash Bay, would add nearly ^1,000,000 more to the estimate. As a harbor of refuge, the west side of Gloucester Bay would be superior in every respect, and would aiford the most ample accommodation for all classes of vessels durhig the season of navigation. For sailing vessels it is rather too much sheltered, but for propellors it would be accessible at all times. In the early portion of the spring, and late in the autumn, its sheltered Avaters would also be frozen at least one week sooner, the entrance to the harbor being nearly half a degree further north than the proposed terminal harbor at the Nottawasaga liiver. For general traffic I Avould, therefore, recommend the other routes in preference to No. 2, for terminal harbor accommodation. The comparative cost of the route is as follows : No. 1 $22,170,750 No. 2 22,5<.>0,OOO No. 3 41,0;'.-2,000 No. 4 23,7 19,500 GEOr.OIAN BAY OAXAL. 48 side and [igh the stcr the the much The details arc stated in the ostiinato. With rei;ard to cost, No. 1 route is nioj^t favorahU'. The diilerenee betwein Nos. 1, 2 and 4 cannot ho consichrt 1 sntVieuiit to i;ive one route a very great advantai^e over the other in this respect ; hut the cost of route No. .3, heinuj douhh', prechides any t'urtlier argument in its favor. The coini>arison, therefore, hetwecn Nos. 1, 2 and 4 will he narrowed to the question of facilities of construction and economical working. The heavy amount of rock excavation encountered in route No. 2 appears ohjectionahle on account of tlie increased price, hut tlie (juantity heing nnich less on account of the side slopes heiiig decreased, the ditference of cost will not he 80 great as stated in the estimate. The limestone to be excavated heing of a quality that could he used in the construction of the locks on this section of tin; route, if not on others, would diminish the cost of this excavation. As this is, in a great measure, a matter of conjecture, no deduction has been made in the estimate on this account, ])articularly as it is probable that the stone required for building the locks on the remaining sections would be i)rocurcd from other localities. The question of terminal harbor accommodation and cost having been decided, that of economical working has next to be consid- ered. The lockage being the same on all the routes, the length of the routes and time occu})icd in passing through the canal, will determine the superiority. Tho respective lengths and time will be as follows : ROUTE. 1.KN0T1I IN MILKS. 1 TIMK IN lIOLItS. g E u 2 B S a CIS 33 30 23 2(5 •n o u o 4-t 35 <)0 58 1 ei ll l\ 100 98 83 SI a a 37 33 38 38 en % ■J "5 o H Route No. 1 23 33 16 16 16 10 53 49 54 54 1 Route No. 2 Route No. 3 Route No. 4 . . )0 00 00 00 In the above calculations, the rate of speed on Lake Simcoe is calculated at six miles per hour, on the summit three miles, and two miles on the other levels. Nearly twenty minutes is allowed for passing each lock. The comparison in time would be in favor of route No. 2. The terminal harbor accommodation, heing in favor of Nos. 1 and 4, will give them a greater advantage, according to my judgment. \ Tlio compfiriHon, tluM'oioro, will rcHt Ix'tweon tliesc two latter ronti'S. In jjoliit of time, then, the (liircroiuic is of no coiisidi'ni- tlon ; till' i)riiK!i|>al :ui(l liiial ol»j»'c;tioii to routes No. I would bo tlio prol)iil)K' dolay to N.iiling vessels passiiii,' through Lake Shneoi^ in conseiiuence of adverse winds, to which No. 4 would not be Bubjeet. AVonld this inconvenience, or conseijiient expense, be at all in proportion to tlie diU'erence between the cost of the routes, namely, ^1,500,000? I think not; and I am the more inclined to this decision from the certainty that the majority of the vessels jiassiui^ throufijli the canal wo»Uarison, the route as originally proposed, apjjcars to be the best, and I am not aware that any further local examination Avould alter this decision, as, in every instance, I am satisfied that the most favorable locality was selected. In any comparison, therefore, with other, or existing, or proposed avenues for the western trade, the route from the river Ilumher, west of Toronto, to Lake Simcoe, and from thence to Lake Huron, by the Nottawassago river, will only be considered. The estimated cost being $22,170,750 The Icngtii 100 miles. Aud the time 53 hours. V. — GENERAL COMPARISOX WITH OTUER ROUTES. The existing water communications between Lakes Superior, Michigan and Huron, and the Atlantic Ocean, are as follows : Xo. 1 — By Lake Eric, Buffixlo and Erie Canal. Xo. 2 — " " Wolland Canal, and O:?wego and Erie Canal. No. 3 — '* " " " and the St. Lawrence. The projected water communications, as ship canals, are : No. 1 — By Lake Erie, Welland Canal and St. Lawrence. No. 2 — By Georgian Bay, Toronto and St. Lawrence. No. 3 — By " " Ottawa River and St. Lawrence. GEOnoIAN ]\\Y CANAL. 4.' •ted To wliicli iniiyl)c atlilcd tlio |>rf)|i()S(Ml sliipcniial iK'twct'ii the St. Liiwrc'iicc, T.aki! C'liaiiniln'm, :iiiliM'4 rouli'S Iiavo NuNV Vork as thuir sea I)ort, and Mo, .i Montreal and Qni'lu'c, For the lu-ojoctcd routes, New York, Montreal and Quel ■would be the sea ports, in ease tlie pr<»jeete(l ship ranals hetue INIontreal and ()> d the IIu(U en d, and river were oon.stru the St. Laurence canal enlarged. Chieajjjo heing the center of hiternal connuerco at present, will, in every comparison, be made the starting point, and vice vtrn't. This city nmst be selecti'd as the starting point from the wi'st, for obvious reasons. The raj»id growth of Chicago in all those elements which constitute agreat commercial and enterprising eity, indicating, as it does, a i)rosi)erity and progress unparalleled in the commercial liistory of tiie world, justifies the well earned title of the *' Center of AVestern Commerce." The cities of ^filwaukee and Superior, also "NVaukegan, Iveiiosha, Sheboygan and Green Bay, are lu'oportionably interesteil in the construction of this additional avenue for their trade, and will no doubt unite with Chicago and Caiuula in ensuring its accomplishmrtit. A division of interests in advocating the construction of other channels for western trjide, until this is completed, would be fatal to the success not only of this project, but of all others which are designed to facilitate the transit of western conuuerce. 40 GEORGIAN HAY CANAL. It •r. t M H v*^ «iJ H • 2 V t^ ^ ^ "< ^ ^ H .■^ ^ fss. ^ < M •**- .."■C W ^ 5; t «c K ^ ^ R "O ■ C3 i Of 3 p c m c 1 'J 0) S eJ 5^ u 5 1— 1 2 ^ 3 .a H J >» n IS o « -t< »-H o> 00 CO (M 5 3 >; 3 >;« 5*-: • "■. "E r" 9 ^ i; •« Ts c: -r- ■"^3 "= «'~'5_3 . „- O — - - 3 ^ 3 3 o ;. :i '/J r J2 ■:« ♦J «S « 58 '/. 3 _5 'g j9 D 'tt-r "tb ^ T"-"! ■= .'^ == ." - I § i 2^ i = r« ! H M H « , (~ ^ 'ti u ra c f n 1 =; c sa •-— ^ 1 '* rs i 5 a> 2 1 D- T a j — — ' 1 1 « nn 03 1 t. l~ it u< 3 ^ X «s P- - ,. c C: CO ^ C4 01 CI ^ — t- f-H CI rH r "^ c C ! *^ -p 1~ ^ CI c* f 71 l-H t-H « IC --^ 'y; 10 00 «r K> 1 ^- -r Ti lJ I ^- r-^ i-H 0*' •«4« (^ »(? *^ CO cc • *l ^- '- •■^ '^ (M t- CI 1— ( CI «£ CO ^ c. X X a. S in o u .a u - a> c -0 e3 -3 .^ £1, — ' o « « § (S o 3 s s O "^ -= ci rt 3 «3 " to * 2: 3 ^ -a C O 3 3 ? O 2 -a c3 ■«-i 3 r rt P2 ?= O e i-l ci CO — • CI ><; I GEORGIAN BAY CANAL. 47 3J 3 rt O ^^ fS e3 g •:3 ci c m C3 O V T— ■ a p o To l; eS a e9 « « « J u C3 eu O ^ ;_! s 3 ci O ^ WJ > O ■D ;^, New York to Liverpool, 2,980 miles ; Quebec to Livcri)Ool, 2,502 iniles ; diftereuee in favor of Qiiel)ec, 478 miles. I5y the above table of comparative distances, it will be jiereeived that the Toronto and Georgian Bay Canal would not only be the shortest of existing or proposed routes in distance, with one excep- tion, but allowing for the increased lockage, would also be the shortest in point of time, Avhether New York or Quebec is the seaport, liy a comparison with the shortest of existing routes to New York, namely, liuttalo, Erie canal and Hudson rivei', tho Toronto, Georgian Bay and Oswego route would bj 405 miles and about four days shorter in i)oint of time, allowing fifteen working hours for each day during the season of navigation. Also, by comparing the "Welland and St^ Lawrence to Quebec, with the Toronto, Georgian Bay and St. Lawrence, the latter would have an advantage of 428 miles in distance and save over three days. In the above calculations the detention in })assing the St. Clair Flats are not taken into consideration, which, according to the argument, in favor of the construction of the Rondeau and Chatham Ship canal, averaged six days for each trip, or three days either way. The average annual losses to shi[)ping at this point alone, irrespective of detention, has been calculated at 81,000,000, which would be so much saved and in favor of the Toronto and Georgian 15ay route. On this basis a comjiarison may be formed between the above and any of tho other routes, and in every instance it will be found to be still more favorable. The difference, also, from Chicago to Liverpool by the Georgian Bay, Toronto and Quebec, is 452 miles less than by Toronto, Oswego and New York, and 857 miles than by the present route by Buffalo, Erie canal aiul Hudson river. If it is admitted that the time has now arrived when Sliii» Canals must be constructed to comiect the great lakes with the Atlantic Ocean, then the Toronto and Georgian Bay route jjossesses still further advantages over all others existing or proji'cted. The expense and difficulty of deepening St. Clair Flats from f).V to 12 feet, and, it may be added, imi>racticability, except at a consider- able expense, would be an effectual barrier which could only bo removed by the construction of the Bondeau and Chatham Ship Canal, at this point, at an estimated cost of !sO,000,000. The proposed lateral cut to the Welland Canal has also been esti- mated at $4,000,000. There we have a proposed expenditure of I' "'« 48 GEORGIAN EAY CANAL. \ 810,000,000 of Canadian ca])ital, wliicli, if expended in tlio con- struction of tlic Toronto and Georgian IJay Ship Canal, would leave but ^Sl 2,000,000 to comj)leto a work wliicli M-onld save 428 miles by the Quebec route, including the hazardous navigation on Lake Erie, -which is admitted to be the most disastrous compared with all the other lakes. The tendency of the construction of the Rondeau and Chatham Ship Canal, the most feasible and economical method by which the navigation of this portion of the St. Lawrence can be improved, would be to facilitate the existing trade to and from Buffalo and the Erie Canal; the pro[)ortion of the increase of trade to the Wei- Land Canal and St. Lawrence could hardly be expected to be at all commensurate with the cost of the undertakiui; as far as this Province Avould be concerned. Since 1847, "when the rivalry for the carrying trade of the great Avest was fiiirly begun between Canada and the State of New York," the cxi)ected trade by the St. Lawrence has been gradually diminishing in comparison with the Eriu Canal. During the approaching season the enlarged Erie Canal will ofter increased facilities for western tralHc, and the trade of the St. Lawrence will be still further reduced. It has been trnly remarked that "all the canals, railways, and other means of connnunication that can be made across the Canadian peninsula for the next twenty years, will not aftbrd sui^icient acconnnodation for the gigantic increase of the connnerce of the great West." Admitting the truth of the above remark, it wonld be inconsistent to oppose any of the projected im})rovements either by liuffjdo or Montreal, bnt the superior claim that this route has on Canadians should be first considered, and cm* energies directed to its early completion. If its construction >vill restore the trade to the St. Lawrence that has been lost, then we ought firmly to protest against Canadian influence and capital being expended on rival projects. "With respect to the capacity of the proposed Toronto and Geor- gian ]>ay Canal, in comparison Avith those of existing routes, it will be conceded at once to be superior in every respect. The passage of 50 vessels p«r day of 1000 tons each, or 10,000,000 tons in 200 days, which is the estimated yearly period of navigation, would meet the re(|uirements of the trade for some years to come, while the present traftic, about 0,000,000 tons, is quite as much as the Eric Canal can conveniently accommodate, GEORGIAX TiAY CANAL. 40 and the annual increase will continually demand further enlarge- ment until at length a ship canal of the proposed dimensions in this locality will be recpiired. Instead of this questionable method of occasional enlarge- ment, the most expensive that can be adoi)tod, would it not be more advisable to construct additional avenues, thereby creating increased facilities for interiial transports? This, mider all circum- Btances, would appear the reasonable conclusion, and which, it is to be hoped, Avill yet be arrived at by all parties interesteay Shii» Canal in opening a shorter and more expeditious route betAveen Lakes Supei'ior, iMichigan and Huron and the Atlantic Ocean, has been argued in the foregoing general comparison of routes. The collateral advantages may be considered as being of a strictly local Cuaracter, though their connection with the main project will become more evident as an auxiliary, w hen the work has been completed. According to the calculations of the available water supi»ly, it has been computed at GO,OUO cubic feet }»er minute ; this supply from the summit to the north and south would be augmented by the rain fall of the water sheds of the llundjer and Nottawasaga rivers, which is computed at 82,000 cubic feet per minute, making a total of 202,000 cubic feet per minute, or 90,000 cubic feet for the southern or llumber portion, and 112,000 for the northern or Nottawassaga water shed. These quantities multiplied by the height, 1:10 feet tor the northern, and 470 feet for the southern, would give the available water power of each, an unfailing somx-e of considerable ]>roHt, being in the vicinity of a populous i-ity, and of incalculable value for manufacturing and mechanical i)urposes. IS, IS date, LONCLLVIOX. In order to con\ey a clear idea of the position and advantages of the i)roposed canal, lithogra}ihed [)lan.s and proiiles are now in 50 GEORGIAN BAY CANAL. \ course of preparation, having been reduced from the original plans and profiles which accompany this report. The first maj) will represent the united counties of York and Peel, and the county of Simcoe, on whicli the proposed routes are indicated. The second plan will contain reduced profiles of the routes, and the position and number of the locks. The last will he a prospectus map, showing the general position of the proposed ship canal to connect Lakes Huron and Ontario at Toronto, in reference to Chicago, New York and Quebec, with the existing and proposed routes and comparative distances before mentioned. As soon as Col. R. 13. INLason's report is completed, it is proposed to have it printed, together with this report, appendix, and plans attached, so as to present tlic whole in a complete form, and con- vey tiie requisite information in as concise a manner as possible, consistent with the importance of the project. The advantage of having a correct representation of tlie topo- graphy of the country lying between this city and Lake Huron, with the lines of the water sheds of Lake Simcoe, and the Ilumber and Nottawasaga rivers, will be evident on the inspection of the plans, and has influenced the connnittee in incurring this additional outlay, which they feel certain will be reimbursed. The estimated cost of this undertaking will at first appear con- siderable ; but on consideration of the immense advantages that will result from its construction, in comparison with the other public works not yet completed in this Province and the United States, will on serious reflection justify the expenditure of a much larger amount than may have been anticipated when the i)roject was first contemj)lated. The cost ol the Grand Trunk Railway when complete, including that superior engineering Avork, the Victoria Bridge at IMontreal, has been estimated at ^48,000,000, more than double the estimate cost of the canal This railway, extending from Portland to Strat- ford, a distance of 714 miles, the remaining portion between Stafford and Sarnia, 79 miles, is expected to be com])leted this year in connection Avitha railway across the penhisula of ^Michigan, thereby forming another link between the Atlantic and Great West. The cost of this railway has ceased to be considered a serious matter in comparison to the anticii»ated advantages; it is now an established fact ; the voice of the Legislature having stamped it a notional undertaking, and as such deserving the active and zealous GEOliaiAN BAY CANAL. T)! )ject ing nous V an sujiport of the Province goiu'rally, to wliicli it lias already Itocii indirectly of incalculable advantai^e by incroasinuj the facilities of coniniimication ; it has promoted the ntjricultnral and coniniercial interests of the Ci)n)niunity, in some instances more than fiuadni- pled the value of real estate, and laid the foundation of future prosperity and indi'pendenee. If tliese are worthy objects of aml)ition to a new country like Cana(hi, they should be u}>held by the un:inimous voice of the Pro- vince ; if not, let us retrograde to our lojj^ shanties, corduroy roads and anti(iuated conveyaiu*es. l>y way of contrast, T would mention that the jom-ney between Toronto and Coburg, which was formally Avarrantedto be "through by daydight," a distance of 75 miles, occu- pied 24 hours in its accom[>lishment, under dithculties of no ordinary descri})tion ; to this I can ])ersonally testify having " gone through by daylight" by mail, and duly arrived next morning about the same time at which we started the previous morning. This occur- red in the Autunm of 1847; last Autumn I traveled to Cobourg and returned the same day in seven hours, having seven hours to spare for the transaction of business, and went " through l)y day- light " in reality, not by fiction. The immense tratHc on the Great Western Railway during the Autunm of 1850 [last year can hardly be considered even an aver- age by wliich this travel can be estimated], would imi»ress a careful observer Avith some idea of the extent of the Avestern trade. This railway Avas also constructed as an additional aveiuie, and its success as a profitable speculation is undoubted, audits advantages fully admitted by the stockholders. Several other lines are i)ro- jected to pass through Canada, as competitors with the above- mentioned railways ; and on the south shore of Lake Erie, in con- nection with the ^lichigan Central Pailway, also commands a large share of western trafii(\ These remarks may be considered foreign to the subject, but in every instance they are forcible illustrations of the magnitude of the western trade. It is needless here to refer to the extent and prospective increase of this trade; it is well understood and appreciated by those who are interested in its developements; it will be considered sutlicient to remark, and it is not unreasonable to sup[)Ose, judging by the past, thatbetbre the Toronto and Georgian liay Canal can be constructed, the trade of the west may demand a su|)erior capacity of locks, and greater facilities than those at present contemplated. The retention of \\ tlio trade of the west by tlio Erie CiuimI, iiotwitlistiindiuo- tlio eon- tinual expenditure aiid additional facilities annually afforded by the St. Lawrence route, is forcibly connnented on by the Hon. Jolni Young in liis letter to the Hon. F. Leniieu.v, Chief Connnis.sioner of Public Works. He states : "It \yould be easy to nniltiidy facts to establish tlie same general results ; but the ligures aboye given will sulHciently show that which Ave can neither deny nor controvert, namely, t/utt the trade hi the lorrer St. Lmvrence^ in the produce of the West^ is p(dtry find insif/n/p'cafif compared iru'th 'ichat it o\«jht to he^ and compared icith that by the Erie Canal; tliat our present facilities for transporting property are wholly inadecpiate to secure success- ful competition with the more southern route. It is in vain to overlook or undervalue the result; it is forced upon us every year more and more |)lainly, and was foreseen by every intelligent merchant acfpiainted with the Western business, and is corrol)orated by other facts." In tlie latter part of 1855, the ronte by the OttaAvaAvas i)rocured as a panacea for this sickly trade, al'ter the proceedings in Toronto liad become ])ublic. Lake Nipissing, the ])roposed feeder of the Ottawa Canal, being two degrees further north than the northern terminus of the T<»ronto and (Jreorgian ]}ay Canal, the ])eriod of trallic each season of navigation on the Ottawa route Avonld bo diminished at least 14 days in the spring and antunm, or one month on an average ; and to this may be added the inconv(;nicnces of a close navigation for 430 miles, between Lake Huron and the St. LaAvrence, as contrasted Avitli 77 miles by this route. For these reasons, and a Avant of sutiicient data in other respects, a com- parison may be excused. The terminus of the OttaAva route oil Lake Huron Avill be too far north to com]>ete Avith the Erie Canal, and, on the contrary, the Welland Canal is too far south. The Toronto and Georuian IJav Canal, being in a direct line between the direct points of trailic, namely. New York on the south-east, and the juncture of the three lakes, Superior, jNlichigan and Huron, on the north-Avest, AV(»nld, if constructed, possess superior advantages in this resj)ect. In tlu' "I*ri/.e Essay" on Canada, written by J. S. Ilogan, Esq., 3r. ]*. P. for the county of Crey, the comj)arison between the facilities of tlie St. Lawrence and Erie Canal routes is so clearly described that it is thy it in full, by ])ermissir>n : GEORGIAN BAY CANAL. 3 (I ho onth of a St. icse com- i.akc :uk1, •onto iroct tlio 1 the 'S ill J. S. irison oiites 1 liiU, "^Motisurino; the St. Lawrence, then, as a liiu'hway to tlie ocean, by the standard that if it can he snperHeded l»y more rajiid, cheaper, or more convenient routes, it cajinot he siiccessliil. If it does not fall into disuse, what ai"e its fiitin'e prospects*:' "Tile first thiniij that strillains Avatered by the St. Lawrence, being largely in the United States, have chiefly contributed to the Erie Canal's business. Their fruits were literally wooed away from their natural channel to minister to its prosjK-rity. The St. Law- rence, in so far as American ])olicy, and great restrictions upon commerce, could aft'i'ct it, has been .sacritieed to tli<' Krie Canal. Nature's outlet had navigation laws, Avhich drove commerci- away from it, to contend against. The Ki'ie Cauiil hail ail these disadvantages to the river converted into advantages in its fa\ or. Yet the laws of progress, whieh have swept away the obnoxious navigation restrictions, have, at the same time, established the failure of the Erie Canal. Not that it is nnprosj.erous as an enterprise, nor that, as a local tcor/,; it is not un^urpasserl ;is a speculation, but that, for the great purjioses of il-^ construction, namelv, to convey to the ocean the fruits and i>r<»ductions of the West and North-west, it is em[)]iatically a failure, l>ini>lckly overhnrthttietl ll ; it /s lit' ndlif .siir/i 'ifast, that twenty years lienco will lind the Erie C^anal again choked uji Avith business — again tnode fifffe hy 2})'or/)'css'/ When the magnificent tracts of country embraced in 3[ichigan, Wisconsin, the northern portion of Ohio and Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, jNIinnesota, and the west and north-west ])orti()ns of the State of Xew-York, which now wholly or largely use the Erie Canal as a higlnvay to the ocean, conu^ to l)e settled up, and to have, instead of some five or six millions of inhabitants, at least eighteen or twenty, what mere canal, witli its liundred locks, and its hundred other impediments, will be e(iual to their vast l)usiness necessities? will be in keeping with their splendid j)r()gress? will satisfy their craving for ra})idity, magnitude and commercial convenience ? Will not the Erie Canal then, enlarged though it be, be but another added to the numerous examples, in Amercia, of prorjretis utterly distancing oiterprise, and jn'osperity shaniiny the calculations even of talent^ Are any further arguments necessary, after the above almost proj»hetic demand for an additional and enlarged avenue for Western trade, which cannot be surfeited by progress ? As a demand for imjtroving and ii:isrr)ix jl LETTER FROM R. A. ROYS, ESQ. " III rcj^nid to any prospoctivo adviititaf^o for freiglit, I think you iiii};lit nieiitlon the iiiimt'iise quuntity of piiio timhi'r on tlie iiortli slioro of fiake Ilunm. Already liirgi! locations have l)(!on taken iip, and extonsivc mills will ho immediately erected. Tlie description of mills about to he erected will make 30,(iOO feet per day, which, for each mill, will mukc 13,500 tons per annmn, allowing one and a half tons per M., which is low. There will soon be about ten of these mills in operation, making iinnually lUTi, 000 tons of froij^ht, and with such encouriigemont as direct shipping to Liverpool, the West Indies, etc., the sawed jiino of liake Huron alone would employ 500,000 tons of shipping annuidly. l>eaide this freight of sawed lumber, there are the vast white oak tracts. It costs, at present, about ifSOO per thousand feet to take square white oak from the north of Lake Huron to Quebec, which is virtually a prohil)ition ; whereas, could it 1)0 siiipped direct, one quarter of that sum would pay the extra transport, making an enhanced value for the timber on Lake llmon of two hundred per cent. "With such a prospect, the amount of timber that would be manufactured can scarcely 1)0 calculated. Hut I should say that Canada alone, on Lake Huron, would require at least one thousand vessels, of one thousand tons each, to carry otf her manufactures of sawed pine, square pine, both red and white ; pine masts and spars, square oak, staves, etc., etc. Hesides, what a trade would immediately spring up in ship building. What better place could bo selected for this purpose than the proposed outlet of the canal on Lake Huron (Xottawasaga river). At the mouth of the river is a deep reach of three and a half miles long, where one hundred or two hundred of the largest class of ships might be built at one and the same time, and, when built and afloat, tluy could be in perfect security. "Tlic timber for manufacturitig them, both white oak, white and red pine timber, .«pars and masts, can bo cut up the river, where there arc some thousamls of acres of these timbers, of the finest quality, which can be floated down to the ship yards with the greatest ease. " Hoside, this is only a small item in the prospect for freight. The great west is the country from which the bulk of freight m\ist come. When we see what the making Lake Huron a part and parcel of the Atlantic is going to do, iu the way of freight, what must we expect from Lake Michigan, and that great and almost unexplored inland sea, Lake Superior ? OEOKOIAN BAY CANAL. r>l " Tlio impetus that the ship caiml would n'lvo to tlic timber, niinorul, (ifli niul priiin niatiufiictorica, would l»e iiicalculiilile It would ho the opcniiif; up to com- niorce of a ik-w world, already teemini,' with life, niid ready to manufiieturc to any amount, ho long as thcio is a demand, as tlie supply of the ahovi* mimed articles, namely, timber, mineral, fish and grain, and of the best deftcription, bein-,' practicably inexhaustible." ^PI^ENDIX 31. THE TORONTO AND GKoUGIAN HAY CANAL. Touo.NTo, January 20th, 1858. Dear Doctor : As the Report on the Toronto and Goorpfian Hay Sliip Catnd will noon be publisheil, I would feel obliged by your stating any particulars with which you may lie acquainted in reforcneo to the same, for the pur]K)H(' of jjublieation, being assured that for several years you have taken an active interest in its promotion, as Its original projector. Believe me to remain, yours very truly, KIVAS TULLY. Wm. RkkSj Esq., M.D., Toronto. TonoxTO, January 21, lS.j8. Deak Fir : In reply to your note, desiring any particulars I may possess with reference to the Georgian Ray Canal, I have oidy to .state, after having perused your valuable report, together with the opinion of Col. Mason, Con. K., one of the highest authorities in the L'nited States, that anytliing I could comnmnicatc must be of very little value. I may, however, observe, that having made several explorations suh.uMpicut to calling public attention to the project through the column-; of the ijour'irr, in 18.'j2, that I feel the more convinced of its practicability, whilst the rapid strides since made, both in Canada and the western States, has, I conceive, fully proved tiie justice of my numerous and very urgent appeals to government on that occasion, not merely with reference to the above, but also as to tl: ' tlaims of other important parts of the country to examination, in the direction of 'lie Trent,* Ottawa, and Ray of Fundy, with views to perfecting the St. Lawrence navigation, from our vast inland seas to the Atlantic ; also, to affording greater encouragement to emigration and settlement, for it must be admitted that the fertile shores of Lake Huron, and the rich valleys of the Ottawa and St. Maurice, have been judiciously laid out at the ♦On tliis suppcstion of mine, Sir John Colborne rl'ul cause an examination of tlie cliain of lulces between Lalie Siincoe, the Trent and Kimciit and pronperity of l\\'\>* country.* Tiiat otn- intcriiiil navij^ation will never he perfeet, or conimonsurato with Iho ri'i|iiiieinents indicated hy the progress of the la.«<'. few years, and tliat it is merely ii question of time (however nhmird the idea may appear), when both the fleorpan Hay and the (Utawa Canals nhail lie constructed, must ho Hoonfle lmrl)i>r, once tlie pride of (Juel)i'C, sliould at once lie proliiliited, («ul).stitutin^ U!« a Imllast pround, ttiroUKli tlie inedintn of liglilirs, llie river Pt. CliarlfS, a simple nieaiH of faeililatiii>:, at the same time, tlie extension, north-easterly, of tlie limits (loni^ adesiderutum) to tliat important city, + It having been ascertained that the finest and most approved quftrries exist on certain islands in the vicinity or inunediately on the line of the proposed canal, it may apjiear worthy of con- sideration how far, under such advantages, as in most parts of Europe, convict labor may not be employed. X In connection with the above, the Halifax and St. Johns Inter-coloninl Railway, both of which must sooner or later be constructed, deserve attention; and it would be well if tlie Governor of New ltrun.svvicl< at once sou;.'ht the possession of the land lying north of the St. Johns river, hy purcfuiie, wliicli was so unjustly ceded by the Ashburton treaty, a small an>;iilar piece of territory of no jtreat value or importance to the Uiiiteil States, but absolutely indispensalile to the construc- tion of a St. Johns and Quebec Uailway. If properly represented to tiie United States government, CIEOUUIAX IJAY CANAL. r>o TIiIh vnHt nixl iniport.mt iippjMi(ln;,'f to tli.- Hiitisli ("lowii, p(t.4jl, Toronto. conslilirliiK the very irniit cimcesjtiong mBiinilary, no iliml.t iMit that it I'niilil lie pniihiiHeil iit ii f.iir vnliialion. AlnmMt of r(|ii;il linimrlaiic'r to Cutiaila. U that aiNo C()iii|.rl.-4eil l.itwcon Ihc J<1. \.i,n\* Mini Jtiil \\vvTi at tliu htiwl iif X.wkv Su|.fri(ir. • A.'* lii«lii-atlc.n,M of |irn«r(S8, tlie pnpulallon i.f the Nurtli-wi'st Is already set down at lO/XiO.nOo, the city of Chlian" I-So.ihio. Ciiieinnuli, in iirndilcts, yldili'il in .,laii;:litor(,iiimi,(M)ii, and ;.-raln fr mi all iiait-" in iiroportldn, Lak.' Ii.«licri.-, -o t-) 1i«i.ni»» liari-rl"'. Wliil.xt thiTe art' no It-si tlian fliree I'ai'llic railways [irojictid, sliowluj.' thai Ihi- crcat EurdjKan hlnhway Is n prize worth ic.ntiiidliijf for. |&,000,0()(l, with as many aires of land and ttio lalmr i.f r»,(H)0 convli-ts, would aci-omiilish tin- work In (Ivf yrars. And It may !•'• di-irat>le at once to reserve for the hcnrtit of siudi iindcrtakiiif.', that amount of the Cnnvn lands throu^'hout the lini'. Nor .■ihonld any fnrtlu-r time ho lonthy tho Kovernment. Siirviys and roails throii>.'hout the wholo of that inter.' I'ctlntr part of the country, should he made. IlarluMN and enil>;r:itii>n depotii Bhnuld he provldfd, and thertdiy a more jruneraliy eidi>.'hteiieil and lihiral p'diey. Oturht we fiot to lie allowed nn opportunity of redeemiti;,' ourselves from the stigma of a late Lieutenant-(>ov- ernor, at that time somewhat merited, namely, that our iiDpiilation 'vas not that of th<' paridi of Mary le Bone, our revenue not that of an Kuk'HsIi Coinnioner, our hoasted eanals and harb<»rs niU» placed and hut imlilie patihwork, our enterprise and iiro-perlty likened to a ^'irdhd tree; wliilst the Westminster Utriiiv eharacteri/.ed the whole country as a workhouse. Thank", however, to tlie estahllshineiit of a Provincial Board of Works, and perhaps to the elrcum«fance of such a reluike, our ):eneral projrress and our natioiial works ho munKlceiitly endowed, will, at the present period. Well compare with those of the most favored of other countrh'S, whdst our ^r'-at natural and commercial advatila;.'es prove siijierior to any on the whole of this continent. Ttuti hf f.ur Provincial representatives he made scnsllile, that the greater interests of the country lie a little beyond their own doors or the mere frontier line of settlement, and the real and material source of wealth remains I > he developed, and are t i lie mainly souirlit in opening' up, settlin;,' the internal great thorout-'lifaie Indicated alio\e, and which will he fiUind as picturesque and fertile as the valleys of the Hudson and Mohawk, which it surpasses In the extent and magnitude of its water power. To succeed, however. In securiii;; the conlldence of caidtalists, and attractintf resiiectatde emigrants to our views, the- (rreat moral lMt;'rests must not he overlooked. Si'ctional jeal"n»'»-s and asperities, |iiirty feuds and party processiony, are as inimical to the peace and prosperity of a new country as they are degradintr to the whide community, and should, hy an appeal to the good sense, pride and patrii'tism of the people, he hy mutual coiueiit forever extiiiffuished. Tlie more comprehensive desijrns of a union with our maritime provinces, the Inter-oolonial Kailway and Ocean Mail service, when recehtd iti connection with our acces.«ions to the Northwestern territory, and the various Ainiricaii projected railway routes to the Piicific, cannot fail to favorably awaken the attention of the Imperial fiovernment to what has loiij,' heen foresh.idowed, the estahlisliitif,' at no distant period of a refrular I'acilic jiortaKc ; and it would he an eiiterprise worthy tilt Hudson's Bay Comjiuny, considerinj,' their deeji Interest and intiiniite knowh.dv'c of that hi}.'lily interesting ciuiitry, at once to ]ilan out on the south branch of the noble Saskatchewan, the foundation of a grt'tt viutrol vilij of the North-west, which would doubtless he f>.ll jwcd by a gretit military or governmental hij-'h road. 60 OEORCSIAN BAY OAXAL. \ H H H o 7,! Ph H o 111 Jl o o H <^ i-H d a i—i ;h o c. IT. r I - I - '^ ii -r " t ?i ^ :c '.c 'J *— i JU U«..J^ .* 1 - r. ^ I- 1 - 1 . -i u', -t -r f w o '-c »- > I s •*• • 'A cc C5 :c ••; — — Si c >■; T / ? c \ ^'iiif.z '- •- ^ i i r ^\- et ^ i» '-* ^ T -^ 1 - 1 - x. /'. y. y. y. y. y. y. y. y. y. J: i'- i~ .*: ^ ^ / ^ o -r vd i' I - ;o }inii[iis.iu li s 1- iT. '.r;t :■= c r..^ o ■MOOR t. \\ 1- .-. -i -f ?• ■r. '|||I!J f ji:...C CI '• 1 ?i Ti •• CO cc-M-r ^1 CC 'li '§1 IV y> Uti.lJ^ ^•A 'tl r-' iTi in ■ z. -z h ei » ■ C-. ?-. •• ♦". I -sjii.i.C 5 ii ,o uuore .- : 71 -t -. — I- ■^ -a 5 « sj -=■ s i' ." o ■= 'I :? =i if 7 1: ;? I ;i •►■""•^a h ^ -■ r-' ji :::' :: -A -m' t' il li - I o T 9U" UU'»W •fi-o: ^»c r^ / i-ii-f— ti — ^ d ' - '- 'i — ' ' I ~- 71 ->••— — = /■ i; S i tl A '>> r y la TO ^ ei « 'y, -^ cv •PJS.IA I 11 J*^ "<-''K u a as u »>^ 1- ■«l s 0. K w c r I- r-i ■>! r- -s I- i.t k-; r ?! o ^ ::> Tt -T ■- ..^ ■— •■; -c ■— •.•; -r :■: E' -f 5 V o ^ "5 "3 " o ?-. ■>! S". :. 1^ -5 I- ?t •-. r: A 71 1- — f ti /•■ (T. I - 1 - -T r? c I- 1 - — r. •.•: - -M r ri -f -f r-. ^. r. — .- r — . c •t I - fM *• » -f -T •— »- I- • * ^1 ^ o 'bV»lJ "«-'K I 5 1 il i" "«»K rt a C3 f I ,- ■^ — ,- , rr. I I ri ■-* • ' ™ '— - • '^ '* '"" T rl* ' *• ji M ?i ?i ?i Vi 5i li 5i 51 5i Ti • . > 1- >- J. .». < ^ -J -, <■ y. C i*. — ^Pl^ElSriDIX T). (GEOLOGICAL DKSCRII'TIUX. By reforcnco to Sir William Logan's map, ilhistratiiif:^ the pliy>iical struotiirc of tlic Wtvtern District of Upper ('aiiacla, it will \k' otiservcd that the proposetl oaiial, coniinLMiciiig at the ILiiiiher liay situati-il in the lluiUon IJivcr group, crosses the line of division l)etween this and tlie I'tiea slate ahout twi-nty-three miles from Lake Ontario, and the line of division of the Trentim limestone, thirty-three miles from Lake Ontario, comprising the "Hidges" in King, lloute No. 1 continues iu ihid groi.p to the month of the Xottawa.->aga River. The whole ol' the proposed routes jiass throngli the lower silurian form.ition, except fifteen miles of the northern portion of route Xo. 2, which crosses the lino of division between the lower silurian and Lanrenbian soried of the Geological survey. Route Xo. S would also eonnnence in the Hudson river group, crossing the lines of division of the Ulica slate and Trenton gi'oups, forty and fifty miles from Lake Ontario respectively, and continuing in the latter group to the mouth of the Xotta- wasaga River. lu Sir AVilliam Logan's paper on the physical structure of the Western District, etc., published in the August number [1S.")4] of the Canadian Journal, the position which refers to this locality is as follows: " Taking these roeks in the genera! groupings, it will be i)erceived by the map that the lower .«ilurian series, by a change in the strike from \j9t to nurth-west, sweeps round fioni Lake Ontario to the Georgian I?ay, and proceeds thence by the north side of the Manitaulin Islands, and the north shore of Lake Huron to the northern penin- sula of 'Michigan, gradually curving to (ireen 1'ay in Lake Michigan. The upper Bilurian follows them. The Xiagara limestone at the base aids in forming the mck of land separating ai\d holding up Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, and contiimes in a ridge along tin; I'diie Mttimtains, and the promontory ttrminating at Cabots Ileatl and Cape Ilurd, of which promontory the chain of the Manilaiiiin Islands is only an interr\ipted prolongation.'' The llud.-on river group isexposetlin front of the new garrison, west of To-onto, during i.he lowest lake level, and can be distinctly traced along the baidis of the river Ilnmber as far as Herwiek, on the south side of the ridges, a distance of four- teen miles, indicating an imliaation of abmit twenty feet to the mile in thi< direction ; on the north ,>-ide of the ridges no trace of this group has been discovered along the line of survev. 02 OEOUGIAK IJAY CAXAL. \ On Lot 21 in the iUli Ion. of Albion towiisliip, a limcstonu crops out, wliicli from gooil authority is stated to bo a portion of tlic Trenton group ; if this is tlie rase the line of division between this j^roup and the Utioa slate should be drawn ei^rht miles further west than is indicated on the f;eolo;:icul map, and the whole of the deep excavation in the township of King would be in the Trenton group. As the Trenton limestone, where it crops out on the river St. Lawrence, is proved to be very suitable for building purposes, the locks on the St. Lawrence canals having been constructed with this material, the work on the excavation will be con* eidcrul)iy lessened in quantity, and as the limestone can be used in the construction of the locks, a considerable saving in the cost would be effected. In connection with this question, the following description of the subsidence of "drift " period in Sir Charles Lyell's Manuel of Geology, page 135, will be interesting to the advocates of this important undertaking. From the distinct evidence of drift on the surface of the ridges, corresponding with Sir Charles Lyell's description, there can be no doubt but that the upper por- tion of the deep excavation will be through the "drift" descril)ed on the Trenton grouji, thereby redncmg the iiixijHrdfj/e difficulties to those of time and money. " By the hypothesis of such a slow and gradual suljsidence of the land, we may account for the fact that almost everywhere in North America and Northern Europe, the boulder formation rests in a polished and furrowed surface of rock, a fact by no means obliging us to imagine, as some think, that the polishing and grooving action was, as a whole, anterior in date to the transportation of the erratics. " During the successive depression of the highland, varying originally in height from 1000 to aooo feet above the sea level, every portion of the surface would be brough; down by turns to the level of the ocean, so as to be converted (ii-st into a coast line and then into a shoal ; and at length, after being well scored by the stranding upon it of thousands of icebergs, might be sunk to a depth of several hundred fathnms. " By the constant depression of land the coast would recede further and further from the successively formed zones of polished and striabcd rock, each outer zone becoming in its turn so deep under water as to bo no longer grated upon by the lieaviest icebergs. Such sunken areas would then simply serve as receptacles of mud, sand and boulders, dropped from melting ice, perhaps to a depth, scaicely, if at all inhabited by urtaeca and zoophytes ; meanwhile, during the formation of the unstratified and unfossiliferous mass in dei'per water, the smoothing and furrowing of shoals and breaches is still going on elsewhere, upon and near the coast in full activity. "If at length t'le subsidence should cease, and the direction of the movement of the earth's crust be reversed, the sunken area covered with drift would be slowly reconverted into land. 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