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□i 
 
 REPOnT 
 
 OF 
 
 W. H. TALCOTT, ESQ. 
 
 ON 
 
 THE WORKS, ETC. 
 
 OP 
 
 ©hi} Jiilimd ItHtiijgiitbir ([[om^unij. 
 
 ANJ) 
 
 EXTRACTS FROM LAST REPORT 
 
 OF 
 
 C. W. FAIRBANKS, ESQ. 
 
 HALIFAX, N. S. 
 
 PRINTED BY JAMES BOWES AND SONfl, 
 
 1856. 
 
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It E r O R T 
 
 01' 
 
 W. H. TALCOTT, ESQ 
 
 i 
 
 I I 
 
 To THE Shareholders of the Inland Navigation Company 
 
 01' Nova Scotia : 
 
 Gentlemen, — 
 
 At the request of the President and Directors of your Com- 
 pany, I have examined the line of your proposed Inland Navi- 
 gation, for connecting the waters of the Harbor of Halifax with 
 the waters of the Basin of Minas, for the purpose of ascertam- 
 in-, as near as possible, th- cost of completing the said Naviga- 
 tio°n upon a scale which will accomplish the objects intended to 
 be accomplished by the making of such a work. 
 
 The general plan of your works, as recommended by your 
 Chief Engineer, Mr. Fairbanks, and approved by your President 
 and Directors, is as follows : 
 
 L An inclined plane at Dartmouth, with 55 feet lift above 
 medium high tide, connecting the Harbor with a small artificial 
 lake at the head of this plane. 
 
 II A lift lock, of cut stone masonry, laid in full cement 
 mortar, with 11 feet lift, connecting the said artiQcial lake with 
 Dartmouth Lake. 
 
 HI. A canal, 660 feet long, bringing the waters of Dart- 
 mouth Lake to the foot of lock No. 2, which is called Port 
 Wallace. 
 
 % '• 
 
 ** *k 
 
IV'. lioek No. li, which is ti lock of 13 feet lift. This is 
 ;in old lock, now standing, originally faced with cut stone and 
 laid up with lime mortar. It is proposed to let all the walls of 
 this lock stand, except what extends above the upper lock gates, 
 and to line the chamber of the lock with timber and plank, and 
 till the space between the plank and walls with concrete, making 
 what is called a " composite lock," constructed partly of stone 
 and partly of wood. 
 
 V. A canal, 1,000 feet long, extending from the head of 
 lock No. 2 to the foot of lock No. 3. 
 
 VI. Lock No. 3, which is to be reconstructed upon the site 
 of the old lock, at the west end of the summit level. It is to 
 be a " composite lock "of 13 feet lift. 
 
 VII. A canal, 2,640 feet, being the summit level of the 
 proposed navigation, and bringing the waters of Lake Charles 
 to the head of lock No. 3, including also a stop gate at the 
 entrance into the lake. 
 
 VIII. Porto Beilo inclined plane, with a lift of 33 feet, 
 connecting Lake Charles with Lake Thomas. 
 
 IX. Lock No. 4, with 9 feet lift, connecting Lake Thomas 
 with Lake Fletcher. This is a cut stone masonry lock, laid in 
 cement mortar, and nearly completed. At this lock there is a 
 dam and large overfall or weir, with gates to discharge the 
 surplus waters. 
 
 X. Lock No. 5, with 10| feet lift, connecting Lake Fletcher 
 with, the Grand or Shubenacadie Lake. This is also a cut sto? e 
 masonry lock, laid in cement mortar, and so nearly completed 
 as to admit of locking boats through it. At this lock there is 
 also a large dam and a very extensive weir, completed, with 
 gates to discharge the surplus waters. 
 
 XI. Lock No. 6, with 6 feet lift, including river dam No. 
 1, and a short canal of 700 feet, reaching from the dam to tho 
 lock. This lock is situated about 1^ miles below the natural 
 outlet of Grand Lake. It is to be a " composite lock." The 
 dam is built with crib work of timber and stone, having suitable 
 openings to discharge the surplus waters. 
 
 ••• 1 
 
 
I 
 
 ! 
 
 
 to river clam No. 1 
 the dam to the lock 
 
 „ — v^^x.onuuiuu similar in nian 
 also, a canal, 500 foot long, rcaoLing liZ 
 
 end J/Lke Wmfa™' '^Ite tr\"T ™''' "="'• «"= I""" 
 
 BrS^o1r:,„''S''"Thirkor- "'' f •"" "/"• ftomNelson.^ 
 present, as the river. nav.r I""., ''"™'''^'' "> ''« <"»"« "' 
 ent state, until the tndo lln ""?""^ «^ym^M, in it, pres- 
 at which time the elrnin^ If .t''"');" ^'"'"'" ™P™™n,ent_ 
 means of making it! ^ "^ ""= "™l"'»y ''"' P™vide the 
 
 Extreme length of boat, . , . QQ feet 
 ^"' ^^^t^ lexfeet.' 
 
 of the countrj- through which yonr wor7msrs aL T ""' 
 with truth sav fiirthoi- tu.t ii.- passes. And I can 
 
 detailed plans for ca„vi„' ft nf «?""^' P'^""""'' "'^ "-e 
 thorough''acquatU:ertl' „TUr„r tr Svl^ °'' " 
 
 And^ma, al^drSlLrSelri'-ra^^^^^^^^^^^ 
 

 
 o:.ccca anvAing of the kind that ha» ever before fallen undsv 
 
 ■"feuiira^ttt^^^^^^^^ 
 
 tions in water couimunications, it may Dc cxpccit^a t i 
 r Xrucc .houUl be made to ^V^^^^^ ,, 
 
 There i« always, and wisely so a ht,,ta^^^^^^^^ i/untried 
 
 capital, in adojp^ jny -^ nX^ — fin this plan, 
 cxpennicnts f ^^^^"SV^t'; ^e either novel or an experimenL 
 still It cannot no^v De sam lo ut. several years in 
 
 Such planes have been in «'^f'^^f^';^";%*,"^r,'7„the^ United 
 
 Ta TLt :S ti„,e of abeut <^f^'^^;^Vri one 
 
 ^pt:L^>;r;r ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^p- -- -- 
 
 on the level canal. v^nwf^r which is the 
 
 Those piano, are all "PfJ f,,^'' ^iS Id ' fte plan and 
 
 same power as is proposed for > o"' P'^""'' ™ ^^^ „J„ ;„ „se 
 
 must refer again to the f^f^^^.f*:''" The total length of 
 t httTt tt tt Sriith ICJ feet, and the 
 
 ^'^M?^nt tL^'^roJe^^^^^^^^^^^ %^^t^^ 1"et "of 
 
 *° tLo boat may be estimated at i or 25 tons, and the cargo at 
 
 75 tons. 
 
anda;Zto°B lot" '? ';"™.ani„oli„aUo„„. . ,_, 
 
 piano and down tlie Dartmoun, J ''%"P *» Porto Bello 
 
 5fce,sary to provide the rope of ™ffi ' /" "'="''°™ '"' 
 Porto Bello pl„„e. Tl,„ 5u^° "L"*'™* '"•™gU> for the 
 stated as follows : ^ '"''""'^ °'^ '■'<' "pe may be 
 
 I I- The gravity of 127 tons on an ineline of 1 in 
 
 ' le, a „e,ght of 17,780 lbs., \"' 17,780 lbs 
 
 "• ^Tsts'trl*" r."""^ ^^ «^«"»'«d at 
 
 iJ los. per ton, which equals . .1905 „ 
 
 1,275 '« 
 
 Good wire will break nt n , - , ^^'^^^ ^^^• 
 
 square inch of cross sTctio^. ''''^" '^"^^ *° ^^'^^^ ^bs. per 
 This will give ("mQ\ ~ o "13 ^v 
 
 in strength fo thhiigit o^l loT'' "''' '^ "^'^'^ "'^^"^^ 
 
 te square inches of LJld niltal ^ ~ *^'' ""'"^^^ ^^ ^^^"^^ t^ 
 p/Lr^':^^^^^^^^^ diameter is 23 lbs. 
 
 of rope and this is eqS to an ar" o'f T^'^'^ ""'^^ ^^^^ 
 solid metal, providing the rope was all 'l!f ^^f 1"^^^ ^n^hes of 
 IS hemp ; if I be deducted RZl ^^^ 'n^^^"* ^ ^^ *be rope 
 of solid metal, and ther; l Ip- '" ^'^"^ "^^^ ''^"^'' ''''^'' 
 hemp parts of the rope It r/tr^'^u^ ^^ tl^« 
 
 to ^dopt ropes of l| fnchel rmtf °" '^ ^^^^^^^^^ ^^^ 
 
 l/oinche?rdilVerTut1f\'^ operated with a rope only 
 ;opesofthesamedLLter/atwS^^ of having 'all thi 
 the same form and pattern/ w 11 nofeL "^^^^^^ery to be of 
 savmg in the first cost nAhl ,, t*^^" compensate for any 
 
 And besides this the dutv T^"' ''^'' ^'' '^^' PJ^«e- 
 Planebeingmuchtl greatSt Itt '%' '* ^^' ^'^^o Bello 
 that plane will fail fir^t If fh. I i,-'''^""* *^^* ^he ropes at 
 nrst. If the machinery and fixtures of both 
 
8 
 
 planes shall be of* the same dimensions, the ropes of the Porto 
 Bello plane may be traaslerred to the Dartmouth plane when- 
 ever they show si^ns of being too weak for the duty required at 
 that plane ; and in that way more service can be obtained from 
 the ropes, than could be expected if both planes had beeu made 
 with the same inclination. 
 
 It is therefore evident that the present arrangement of the 
 planes is judicious, and that it is best to liave all the ropes of 
 the same diameter. 
 
 It is more than eight years since the first introduction of 
 wire ropes on the planes of the IMorris Canal, and the experi- 
 ence of their use up to this time, indicates, that with proper 
 care the ropes will last at least seven years. 
 
 The form of the rail used on the Morris Canal was adopted 
 after long experience, and it is believed to be the best form you 
 can have for your works. It is 3 inches broad on the bearing 
 surface, and weighs 70 lbs. per yard. The estimates for the 
 planes have been based upon the adoption of ropes If inches in 
 diameter, and a rail of 70 lbs. per yard, and the use of the same 
 kind of a water wheel as that which is used on the Morris 
 Canal, called " a Scotch Motor." 
 
 Also, on the use of the same form and general dimensions of 
 machinery as that which is used on said canal. 
 
 The aggregate estimated cost of completing all your works, I 
 make as follows : 
 
 I. Dartmouth plane, . . $21,945 79 
 
 II. Lift Lock No. 1, . . 1,293 80 
 
 III. Canal at foot of Lock No. 
 
 ^ tlone, 00 
 
 IV. Lift Lock No. 2, . . 1,200 00 
 V. Canal from Lock No. 2 to 
 
 Lock No. 3 done, . 00 
 
 VI. Lift Lock No. 3, . . 2,787 40 
 VII. Canal from Lock No. 3 to 
 
 Lake Charles, . . 526 62 
 
 VIII. Porto Bello plane, . . 18,150 00 
 
 IX. Lock No. 4, ... 490 00 
 
 X. Lock No. 5, . . . . 240 00 
 
 XI. Lock No. 6 and river dam 
 
 ^^_ ^^0- 1 2,500 50 
 
 All. Lock No. 7 and river dam 
 
 No. 2, 4,745 91 
 
 £5,486 9 
 323 9 
 
 
 300 
 
 
 696 15 
 
 131 13 1 
 
 4,537 15 
 
 122 10 
 
 60 
 
 625 2 6 
 1,186 09 6 
 
9 
 
 the Porto 
 ane when- 
 jquired at 
 ined from 
 leeu made 
 
 nt of the 
 J ropes of 
 
 luction of 
 e experi- 
 th proper 
 
 3 adopted 
 form you 
 e bearing 
 i for the 
 inches in 
 the same 
 e Morris 
 
 msions of 
 
 works, I 
 
 86 
 23 
 
 
 
 9 
 9 
 
 
 
 
 
 t)6 15 
 
 n 13 1 
 
 37 15 
 22 10 
 50 
 
 25 2 6 
 
 ^6 09 6 
 
 XIII. 
 XIV. 
 
 XV. 
 
 Drawbridges and other 
 
 ^''•■•'Jges Sl.iiOO 00 
 
 tleanrig out the 8huben- 
 aeadio river from outlet 
 of (iraiid Luke to Nel- 
 son's Bridge, . . . 
 
 Improving the river below 
 Nelson's Bridge at present, 
 
 5,274 33 
 00 
 
 X*3U0 U 
 
 J, 31 8 lU « 
 
 
 «?U0,354 35 ^15,088 11 l» 
 
 Contingencies, Superinten- 
 ^^"«'^' '^^ 8,045 65 2,161 8 3 
 
 Making a total of 
 
 ^69,000 00 i:17,250 
 
 r},nli\^"°''n*° "^;"'^ ''^*^^^^^^^*^°lJ«'-« tbat the time which 
 what lin it'L? ' *° \'T "^^^" '^'''' '''''"^^''^ ^^^ '^^^"" «ome- 
 n P, fliT/ T'"]'! T*'^* '°"'^ ^^^« ^«*^« desired. Conse- 
 rttlV.n?% ''f^'^' '^^'''"^ '^'^' the results will prove 
 that the cost of each structure has been accurately arrived at. 
 
 It IS proper therefore to state, that as a general thin, (such 
 bemg myrule always,) I have in all cases of uncertaint/leaned 
 sWl .t 1 "1' "'k'"''"' ''''^'' *h^" ^» »"der estimate. T 
 Comnanv Tn'Tu ^' '""?^ f «^^PPointed if the works of the 
 amZT^nf ^' completed for a less sum than the total 
 
 tf^theworl 7n'f^'^ ^"* \ '^'''^^ ^' greatly disappointed 
 it the work should cost more than the sum stated above 
 
 first stearr;tr'''P''r ""'!} ^'"'^'^ '^"^ ^^"^"g*<^ Provide the 
 sn h In! tug, at so early a day as it will be desirable to have 
 such boat provided, it may be necessary for your Company to 
 
 KTorto'2750: "'"' ""^ ^^^^ '"'" ^-''' *« «"^"^' - 
 
 makp°tJl ^^\7'^ ^' completed for the sum estimated, it will 
 make the total cost of your works about £33,000; hereby 
 
 fenitg r '^' ,^'"^^* °^ ^ "^^">tion abou 00 miles iu 
 per mi°e. ^"''' ^'' *^'^ '""^' ^^'"^^ '' ^^^^ ^'^^^^ 
 
 with'onfv Tfpi^*^^"^;. ^'/'"'''' r^ ^'" "«^ ^" *h^ ^'"i*«d States, 
 Teast $40 000 n J^in nn^*''' ^^'^^^^ '°«* ^^^ ^^^^ Proprietors ai 
 tflilTtt^leta^^^^^^^^^ ^^' '''''' - ^^^^ P- 
 
 2 
 
10 
 
 The same rate of cost in this case would swell your work to 
 thosumof£6i)8,025. ^ x .• • *t. 
 
 Experience has shown that the cost of transport^.ion in the 
 trtatcs on a canal with 5 feet water is about 1 cent, per ton per 
 mile, exclusive of the tolls; and that the cost of transportation 
 on the rivers and lakes does not exceed ^c. per ton per mile. 
 
 As your navigation may be said to be entirely river and lake 
 navieation, but subjected to the passing of 7 locks and 2 planes 
 and a circumscribed channel in a portion of the river, it may be 
 safe to calculate that the cost of transportation will be a halt- 
 penny per ton per mile for distances over 00 miles, and one cent 
 per ton per mile for distances less than 30 miles ; thus naakmg 
 the entire cost of transporting a ton from the Basin of Minas to 
 Halifax Harbor, only two shillings and sixpence for the fi-eight, 
 and whatever the tolls may be in addition thereto, probably not 
 to exceed, in al\ three shillings and ninepcnce per ton. 
 
 In other words, for all practical purposes to_ Halifax, the 
 Basin of Minas will be brought as near to it as is the farmmg 
 country at ten miles distant from the town ; and consequently a 
 very laro-e propo) tion of the trade of that large Inland sea 
 would b? secured to Halifiix, a trade which must otherwise 
 Srally centre at St. John, New Brunswick. . , . ,, . 
 
 I trust that it will not be considered improper, in closing this 
 report, to refer to the large deposits of gypsum, limestone, 
 brick, clay and sand on the banks of the Shubenacadie River, 
 and the extensive quarries of granite and other good building 
 stone on the lakes, and also to the forests that line the shores ot 
 the lakes and parts of the river and its tributaries, from which 
 may be obtained almost an unlimited amount ot timber, lumijer 
 and wood ; and to the large water power on said tributaries, 
 and along the Company's works, and also to the extensive and 
 fertile agricultural regions on each side of the river, this side ot 
 the Bay of Minas, as evidence that a large trade will seek the 
 advantages of the use of your water communication, almost as 
 soon as it shall have been completed. 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 W. H. TALCOTT, C. E. 
 
 Halifax, N. S., May 19, 1856. 
 
11 
 
 EXTRACTS 
 
 FROM TUB 
 
 REPOUT OF C. W. FAIRBANKS, ESQ. 
 
 C. ENGINEER, 
 
 SUBMITTED TO THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COMPANY, HELD ON 
 THE 6tu day of FEBRUARY LAST. 
 
 The work remaining to be done on the river will not 
 
 cost over, at present prices, £'2,600 
 
 To finish the locks at Fletcher's and the Grand Lakes, 
 
 with three drawbridges and sluice, . . ' . . . 350 
 
 Say to finish the canal to Marshall's, or to within six 
 
 miles of Halifax Harbor, i:2,850 
 
 If this part of the navigation be put into operation, the Com- 
 pany will derive some revenue, and it will also aid the railway. 
 If the Directors would accept of one of the offers made by 
 John F. Ward, of Jersey City, and Mr. Greig, of Dartmouth, 
 for the construction of the water wheel, pulleys, and other works 
 connected with the planes at Dartmouth and Porto Bello, the 
 
 two will cost £5,200 
 
 The fliune wheel-house and other works on the Dart- 
 mouth plane will cost 1,000 
 
 The rails for one track at Dartmouth and Porto Bello 
 
 planes, 700 
 
 Main and back wire ropes for the two planes, . . . 1,500 
 The flume wheel-house and other works at Porto Bello 
 
 plane, 7oO 
 
 The Dartmouth and Port Wallace locks, .... 1,500 
 Brought forward, 2,850 
 
 £13,500 
 To which add for 4 drawbridges, station-houses and 
 
 other expenses, « 1,500 
 
 £15,000 
 
 I 
 
12 
 
 The increased cost of value of labor, as compared with its 
 cost previous to the commencement of the public works, is 35 
 per cent, for common laborers. I experienced much difficulty 
 in procuring plank boards and timber for the locks, dams, and 
 other works. The railroad contractors and their workmen 
 required much more lumber than the mills could supply. I 
 had therefore much trouble and expense to obtain the large 
 quantity I required, la some cases thirteen dollars was freely 
 given for hemlock lumber per thousand ; every kind of material 
 could only be got by paying more than one hundred per cent, 
 over its former value. With all the additions to the cost of the 
 canal, although much more than* expected, it will not be an 
 expensive public work. 
 
 A large part of the outlay is for new and valuable improve- 
 ments, such as the lock sluices and the wire ropes, rails and 
 water wheels, for the inclined planes. There is now no work to 
 be done or executed of a dangerous or uncertain character. 
 The greatest misfortune that can happen, such as the breaking 
 of a dam or lock, cannot be very injurious. There is no part of 
 the works on the river or lakes which cannot be made as perfect 
 and as secure as can be desired. 
 
 No experiments are tried ; the works arc as near as possible 
 copies of works now in use in England or the United States. 
 
 The deep cutting at Port Wallace is the most extensive and 
 ftxpensive work of art on the whole route, and it is, when com- 
 pared with cuttings on other canals or railways, rather insignifi- 
 cant, but very important when it is remembered that it is the 
 lowest passage from the harbor to the Basin of Minas : thipugh 
 it must flow the greatest portion of the trade of the Province ; 
 and if the rate of toll on the articles which may pass over the 
 canal be as low as on any similar work, the revenue will exceed 
 the working expenses and pay twelve per cent, on the outlay, 
 and there will remain a large sum to make any required repairs 
 or improvements, and, in time, the extension of the navigation 
 eastward into othi^r sections of the Province. 
 
 A small steaaiboat would be very useful and profitable on the 
 Shubenacadie River and the Grand Lake ; it would have plenty 
 of work ; and so soon as the locks arebuilt, a trade in plaister 
 will at once begin. The steamboat could tow a train of boats 
 containing five hundred tons of plaister, from the quarries which 
 are nearest the market to Dartmouth, so as to prepare any 
 quantity for shipment, in summer or winter : 1,000 tons each 
 day for 200 days, at sixpence toll per ton, would give ^£5,000 
 for this one article alone. 
 
J.-> 
 
 If we put down but a small sum from the many other articles 
 which we know will descend to the harDor, it is clear that a 
 large revenue must be produced. 
 
 The working expenses on this canal will not be very large ; 
 it would be cheapest to employ on".y the best men that can be 
 had, at the locks and railways. The repairs which may be 
 required, will mostly result from the carelessness of the boat- 
 men and the natural decay of all wood work in the gates and 
 sluices. The mechanical structures on this canal will be less 
 subject to injury than on most works of the same description. 
 Plaister would perhaps bear one shilling toll, but it would not 
 be prudent to charge it, if we desire to concentrate in Halifax 
 Harbor the principal sources of the trade of the Province. 
 
 The lower the toll on every article is made, the greater will 
 be the quantity used ; thus marsh mud at sixpence per ton can 
 come down, and pay the Ifirmer who is within a short distance 
 of the cani'.l. Put it at threepence, and you will increase the 
 demand perhaps fourfold. I cannot but believe that the revenue 
 of the canal will much exceed all my former calculations. If 
 we take the increase of trade on our canal to be something in 
 proportion to the increase observed on the canals in the States, 
 with much higher rates of toll than it is proposed to charge on 
 our works, the profits will be very much beyond any statement 
 yet made. The tolls received on the Morris Canal in 1845 
 was $18,997 ; in 1854, $240,429 ; the profits of the business 
 $142,412 dollars. Now if these results are produced on a 
 navigation, which I think is fur inferior iu every respect to our 
 work, we may expect large returns. 
 
 The toll on the Morris canal is one cent per ton for a mile ; 
 our toll may be half a cent per ton. The tonnage on the Mor- 
 ris Canal in 1854 was 548,269 tons ; our trade will exceed 
 this quantity in ten years from its completion. 
 
 The work though, as a commercial speculation, aflFords every 
 prospect of profit to those embarked in it. We may view it in 
 the light of a public work of necessity, absolutely required to 
 supply the wants of the citizens of Halifax and the people of 
 the country. The port of Halifax wants an export trade 
 besides that which the fisheries produce. The city wants cheap 
 wood and coal, also building materials, stone, brick, timber, &c. 
 The country wants a cheap mode of communication with tiie 
 aea-coast, so that at all times the staple products of the Province 
 may be exported in winter as well as in summer, and thus aflFord 
 employment for that portion of our shipping now idle and use- 
 
 I 
 
14 
 
 less during ilu' winl.M- jnontlii-. Tlie t^Kperieuoe ol' other cauali 
 give us data t'roui which \vc may, without any doubt, estinmte 
 the profits on our navigation. 
 
 Plaister, deals, timber, coaly, and other articles, can be placed 
 in very great (quantities at the outlet of the canal in summer, so 
 that a cargo may be procured at any time. No other work of 
 art can produce these important advantages to the same extent 
 or at so small a cost. 
 
 The canal will brinf^ into use and value many acres of land 
 now unproductive ; it will cause numerous (quarries to be opened, 
 some of which only await the opening of the work ; it will also 
 turn the trade passing down the Shubenacadie River into the 
 Harbor of Halifax, and produce many other valuable results 
 now unnoticed or perhaps unknown. 
 
 Whatever good may be done by the navigation, when in 
 operation, must be attributed to. not the works made by man, 
 but to the great natural advantages and resources which it has 
 pleased a wise Providence to place for our benefit and use, on 
 or under the soil of our Province. 
 
 From the rapid increase in dimensions, and also the vast ex- 
 pansion of the trade on canals in the States within the last ten 
 years ; and from the experience I have now gained on our works 
 relating not only to the construction of its various locks, dams, 
 &c., but to the trade it will induce hereafter to augment 
 throughout the country it is traversing, I believe our canal to 
 be of much greater importance to the whole Province than ever 
 supposed by its former or present promoters, and that the profits 
 to be derived from it will greatly exceed the estimates and ex- 
 pectations of its most sanguine friends. I certainly was quite 
 surprized to see the improvement in trade and form on those 
 canals in the States, which I take as models for our works, 
 since my first inspection in 1847. 
 
 It now requires but little study to perceive the vast benefits 
 which must result from a line of water communication, passing 
 through the centre of the Province, and having for its terminus 
 the cities of Halifax and St. John, also commanding the com- 
 merce of the Basin of Minas, and part of the Bay of Fundy ; 
 no other work of art can injure its trade, impair its utility, or 
 lessen its revenues. 
 
m 
 
 The foregoing extracts from Mr. Fairbauks's Report, arc 
 published in compliance with the terms of a resolution passed 
 at the Special Meeting of the Company, held on the 19th 
 instant, for the purpose of receiving Mr. Talcott's Report,— 
 and which resolution provided for the publication of that 
 Report, with the Extracts appended. And the Directors 
 would call the attention of Shareholders to tho various points 
 of agreement between the two Reports, which shew that Mr. 
 Talcott nor only approves the plans and confirms generally 
 the views of Mr. Fairbanks, respecting this work, but also 
 in the main agrees with him as to the probable cost of its 
 (iompletion. 
 
 or 
 
 I