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THI 
 
 [FromM 
 We have 
 Harbour 
 Montreal, u 
 fttiona in Li 
 the river I 
 which tber 
 bility of dis 
 in the Lake 
 feet, — a clei 
 feet of wate 
 commerce, 
 Wednesday, 
 fine QuebeC' 
 Gall, of Gre 
 while, by r« 
 Lake was a: 
 12 feet 1 iac 
 important fi 
 tion of the 
 has been bai 
 
 On 
 
 ( 
 
 i 
 
 , 
 
 We, the 111 
 Harbour Cc 
 rneut of taki 
 ship channel 
 to the lowest 
 operations lit 
 hereby certil 
 of 487 tons 
 feet one incl 
 cessfully tov 
 ence of Cap 
 nel by the 
 sounding th 
 ately after t 
 only twelve i 
 on the track 
 proving coni 
 aforesaid ha: 
 feet. 
 
 (Signed,) 
 KoBT. Gai 
 Hector H 
 Christian 
 liance 
 H. Bellma 
 
 CUARLSy J 
 
 liance 
 
 C. Z. Armg 
 
 Munn. 
 
 J. WiLSOX, 
 J. ArM8TR( 
 
 UoBT Adi 
 
 Tranai 
 
 G. R. RoBi 
 
 Lroii Duut 
 
 David Bkli 
 
 the Cti 
 
 JoJN Leri 
 
 Merchi 
 
 JlIAHLRS S 
 
 David Kin 
 Herald 
 
 Wo cannot 
 uvners and i 
 wtera, withi 
 and 'hanks, t 
 wearied exert 
 and to lh« sl^ 
 Buperluleudti 
 bfen one ot i 
 Wednesday, c 
 th(» complf te 
 fei'lg it necea 
 of all proiunt 
 from the time 
 Ci'liforniii ati 
 .'/ liinicf n«'Vt 
 
W?'^'»"^PWHPP«!W 
 
 THE DEEPENED CHAN^ . iN LAKE SAINT PETER. 
 
 [From Montreal Herald, August 26, 1853.] 
 We have much pleasure in congratui.iting our 
 
 for the largest portion of its course, has 
 abundance of water ; but, there is an inter- 
 
 Ilarbour CommiBsioners, and the merchants of ^al of several miles, over which, the depth 
 
 4 
 
 
 Montreal, upon the complete success of the oper- 
 ations in Lake St Peter, and at other points on 
 the river between this port and Quebec ; by 
 which there is now secured, beyond the possi- 
 bility of dispute or cavil — and when the waters 
 in the Lake are at their lowest point of say eleven 
 feet, — a clear and safe channel of from 15 to 16 
 
 used to bo about 11 feet, 9 inches, necessi 
 tating vessels coming up to Montreal, or 
 loading at it, to employ barges, at a great 
 cost and delay, to disembark or to embark 
 a large portion of their cargo at Quebec. 
 With such a light depth of water, no sea- 
 
 feet of water. This problem, so important to our going vessel could pass up to Montreal, or 
 
 commerce, was most satisfactorily solved on 
 Wednesday, by the passage of the California— & 
 fine Quebec-built ship of 487 tons register— Capt. 
 Gall, of Greenock, drawing fully 16 feet 1 inch 
 while, by repeated soundings, the water in the 
 Lake was ascertained to be four feet less— viz., 
 12 feet 1 inch. The following certificate of this 
 important fact, in connection with this naviga- 
 
 down to Quebec, more than half loaded, 
 
 To remedy this great and acknowledged 
 inconvenience, this interuption of an other- 
 wise splendid navigation, the deepening 
 that is the dredging of a channel, through 
 Lake St. Peter, was commenced some dozen 
 or more years ago. The plan adopted by 
 
 tion of the St. Lawrence by se. -going vessels, *^® engineers of the day, was to go right 
 
 through : that I:, to describe, as it were, a 
 cord of tlie bow which the natural channel 
 found. We are not going to enter into this 
 controversy sufficiently warmly debated, 
 which is now set at rest ; the decision having 
 been como to, and acted on, to abandon the 
 direct cliannol, and improve the circuitous 
 one. Tills decision h.as now been acted on 
 for about thiec yea. 
 
 it is a question of some importance, not 
 merely to the people of Montreal, but to the 
 whole Province, whether the passing along 
 th t cord or of the bow is the best. But the 
 paramount cohsideration is, that there shall 
 be a practicable channel, with water enough 
 permanently to float vessels such as their 
 wants require. It is well know that, of late 
 and particularly within these last two or 
 three years, the tendency of the mercantile 
 
 has been handed to us for publication : — 
 
 On Board the Steamer " Alliance, 
 
 Lake St. Peter, Aug. 24, 1853. 
 
 We, the undersigned, invited by the Montreal 
 Harbour Commissioners to witness the experi- 
 ment of taking a vessel through the improved 
 ship channel from Hie Harbour of Montreal down, 
 to the lowest point in Lake St. Peter to which their 
 operations thus far have required to be extended, 
 hereby certify that the " Cnlifornia," Capt. Gall, 
 of 487 tons burden per register, drawing sixteen 
 feet one inch (16 feet 1 inch) of water, was suc- 
 cessfully towed this day, under the superintend- 
 ence of Capt. Bell, through the aforesaid chan- 
 nel by the steamer " Alliance" — and that on 
 sounding the " flats" in Lake St. Peter immedi- 
 ately after the expeiiment was made, we found 
 only twelve feet one inch (12 feet 1 inch) thereon 
 on the track formerly ustd by vessels — thereby 
 proving conclusively that the improved channel 
 aforesaid has been deepened to the extent of four 
 feet. 
 
 (Signed,) 
 RoBT. Gall, Master of the " California." 
 Hkotob Hamlin, Branch Pilot. 
 
 liance. 
 
 H. BELLMAUi, Master of the Barge " Harmony." 
 
 CuABLKB Johnston, Muster of the Steamer "Al- 
 liance." 
 
 C. Z. Armstrong, Master of the Steamer " John 
 Munn." 
 
 J. Wilson, Owner of the Steamer " Alliance." 
 
 J. AUMSTIIONC, 
 
 RoBT AuRAiiAM, Editor of the " Montreal 
 
 Transcript." 
 G. R. RoBKHTsoN, Advocate. 
 Lkoh Doutkb, Deputy Registrar f'^r Montreal. 
 David Bicllhoi'sk, Agent for the Contractors of 
 
 the Canadian Ocean Mail Steamers. 
 JoJN Lbrminu, Alderman of the City and 
 
 Merchant. 
 JiiARLRs SiYMouu, Merchant. 
 Oavid Kinnbab, Proprietor of the " Montreal 
 
 Herald." 
 
 Wo cannot make this announcement to the 
 ovners and masters of vessels frequenting our 
 W.tera, without awarding that meed of i iuise 
 Ud 'hanks, which is so eminently due to tlie un- 
 wearied exertions of our Harbour Commissioners, 
 And to lh« ikill and indefatigable /.eal of their 
 iUperiuleudunl, Cainain iieli. The writer imving 
 been one ot the party on bonrd liie Jllianre on 
 Wednesday, can attest, from Lis own observation, 
 the complete sucie-^s of the cjin'rinicnl— he only 
 fcels it necessary lo mid to lie joint certificate 
 of all proMnt, unconm-cted witii the works, thiit, 
 from the time of leaving our harbour, with the 
 Ci'Uforniti and the liarge tUirmonu in tow, the 
 .'? liiinrf 
 
 Christian Mauause, Pilot of the Steamer « Al-^ marine has been greatly to increase tonnage. 
 
 Clipper vessels of 1,500 tons are now em- i 
 ployed, where, within our memory, schoon- ' 
 ers of 150, or brigs of 250 tons would have 
 been thought sufficient, and indeed, all that 
 would be profitable. But, it is well known 
 that the larger a ship is, the more profitable 
 she is if she can be loaded ; and, from the 
 vast extension of commerce, largo vessels can 
 now bo loaded with as much expedition as 
 small ones could formerly, \ 
 
 From this law Montreal was not exempt ; 
 indeed, she has become daily more subject 
 to it, from the coiiipetition of the noble ves- I 
 sels received by the Atlantic ports. How- I 
 ever, to all sensible men, tlio removal of this | 
 obstruction to her receiving vessels of largo j 
 tonnnge has boon folt to bo of primary im- i 
 portance; tliouuh it must be admitted that > 
 the people of Montreal, in general, have not I 
 paid to it the atttntion which it deservos. i 
 
 Tlioro liav(« been various reports recently 
 current of the progress of this w<»ik. The 1 
 leprcsentutivos of the official authoiitios 
 havo ix'on uniformly favorable. Not mere- I 
 ly the lesponttibic parties enirnged in tho ] 
 work, but tlioHo who wero officially bound I 
 to H(>f ilmt it was (lone, stated that it was ad- ' 
 
 had not been discovered, because no ves- 
 sel of the hke draught had ever passed over 
 them. As they are, they are no great ob- 
 stiiiction, and will be very easily removed. 
 
 The wide natural channel being then 
 passed, the new artificial channel was next 
 made. This, as we have explained, is an 
 excavation of four feet, and something more 
 m the clay, which lies below the silt, and 
 at an average depth of twelve feet below 
 the surface of the water. The circum- 
 stances could scarcely have been less fa- 
 vourable to the experiment. The water 
 W!is not abova its average height ; was, in- 
 deed, the lowest for the season. It blew a 
 stiff breeze from the South-east, which, as 
 the current always sets over the flats to the 
 northward, not merely diminished the depth 
 of water, but compelled the steamer to lie 
 a point, or a point and a half, south of 
 her true course, in order to hold it against 
 the wind and cross current ; that is, to go 
 diagonally. But, in all lier course, as we can 
 speak from watching most carefully, the 
 California never touched bottom. The trace 
 of her keel was visible by the muddy water 
 in her wake, for it is not pretended that there 
 was more than the few inches to spare, which 
 the drift of her passage would disturb ; but 
 she went through whhout the slightest de- 
 lay or obstruction. Arrived at the deep 
 water, anchor was cast, and the California 
 bsing carefully measured by the Pilots, was 
 pronounced to draw 16 feet 1 inch. Captain 
 Gall, a whness totally disinteiested. deserves 
 great credit fo-- the confidence, when, after 
 running his vessel aground coming up, on 
 investigation of the channel he decided on 
 bringing her down loaded still deeper. 
 
 This event is one of great interest in the 
 history ofthe Port of Montreal. From about 
 11 feel 9 in., we believe it raises us to 16 feet 
 1 inch, which actually doubles the tonnage 
 which can use our port without the assistance 
 of lighters, the chai sie and delay of which 
 has laid so heavy v\y our commerce. We 
 hope the Harbour Commissioners will now 
 be encouraged by public approbation toper- 
 severe. A very little expenditure and pa- 
 tience will give us, through .the short dis- 
 lance to which it is obstructed, a clear depth 
 of 17 feet through, to below Three Rivers. — 
 ill a general \. ay, thi;., with some improve- 
 aients in the ii'er harbour, would allow us to 
 receive vessels of one thousand tons burthen, 
 an.' with these, we might command the whole 
 truile ofthe wist. 
 
 Without lavishing comi-Iinients on individ- 
 I'.a!.-. we fihu!!!'.! do .•^n act of injustice if we 
 were not to express the sense generally feU 
 of the vainablo s srvices rendered by Capt. 
 Bell, the Suporintendant of tho Work. His 
 zeal, industry and vigilunct) have been be- 
 yond all praise. The order in which ho has 
 all his machiiiory, antl tho jirecision with 
 which ho has completed his work are adrnir- 
 
 vMiiniii 
 
 A 1. 1. 
 
 this 111 
 
 untreiiT wns not cvi.iiiiit 
 
I 
 
 i0.1N liEKMlN 
 
 Mercbanl 
 
 ,'IIA.HLB3 SbY! 
 
 Javid Kinnkj 
 Herald." 
 
 W.i canuot me 
 omers and ma 
 wters, without 
 and 'hanks, wbi 
 wearied exertioi 
 and to th« skill 
 superintendent, 
 been one ot the 
 Wednesday, can 
 the complete bu 
 feels it nccessa 
 of all present, u 
 from the time o 
 California and 
 Alliance never, 
 gi.ies, until she 
 deepened chani 
 shoals. This cl 
 will give full; 
 in the Lake, tbr( 
 mites: it is not, 
 intended that tt 
 has been widen* 
 foot in depth ha 
 fected, every in 
 ed, which now p 
 ooming to our p 
 gust and Septen 
 is, usup'.lj, at i 
 Again we cong 
 on what has b( 
 Commissioners, 
 bringing this all 
 successful conci 
 
 / 
 
 [From Montre 
 
 Perhaps the 
 uected with t 
 treal, is the ii 
 Our readers iii 
 the subject of 
 years. The I 
 water, into wl 
 St. Francis a 
 bringing dowi 
 dciposits. Th 
 blue clay, at 
 twelve feet, i 
 there, silted i 
 few feat, Th 
 current of tlic 
 cm side, wher 
 
* 
 
 io.iN liBKMiNO, Aldermaa of ilie City and 
 
 Merchant. 
 "harlks Sbymour, Merchant. 
 Javid Kinnkab, Proprietor of the " Montreal 
 
 Herald." 
 
 Wo cannot make this announcement to the 
 omers and masters of vessels frequenting our 
 w ters, without awarding that meed of praise 
 aid ^hank3, which is so ern'oently due to the un- 
 wearied exertions of our Harbour Commissioners, 
 and to the skill and indefatigable zeal of their 
 superintendent, Captain Bell, The writer having 
 been one ot the parly on board the Mliance. on 
 Wednesday, can attest, from his own observation, 
 the complete bucce^s of the esperiraent— he only 
 feels it necessary to add to tie joint certificate 
 of all present, unconnected with the works, that, 
 from the time of leaving our harbour, with the 
 California and the barge Harmon]) in tow, the 
 Miance never, for one instant, stopped her en- 
 gi.ies, until she cast anchor at the foot of the 
 deepened channel through the Lake St. Peter 
 shoals. This channel is now 150 feet wide, and 
 will give fully four feet more water than 
 in the Lake, throughout its length of about seven 
 miles: it is not, however, we are happy to learn, 
 intended that the work shall be stopped until it 
 has been widened to 300 feet, and an additional 
 foot in depth has been obtained. When this is ef- 
 fected, every impediment will have been remov- 
 ed, which now prevents the larger class of vessels 
 ooming to our port, during the two months (Au- 
 gust and September) when the water in the Lake 
 is, usup'.lj, at its lowest point, of eleven feet. 
 Again we congratulate our commercial readers 
 on what has been done, and wish our Harbour 
 Commissioners, and Captain Bell, good-speed in 
 bringing this all-important work to an early and 
 succ«!8sful conclusion. 
 
 \ 
 
 [From Montreal Tramcript, Aug. 2G, 1853.] 
 
 Perhaps the most important subject con- 
 nected with the local superiority of Mon- 
 treal, is the navigation of Lake St. Peter. 
 Our readers are well avare that this has boon 
 the subject of warm controversy for several 
 years. The Lake is a great expanse of 
 water, into which rivers flow, principally tlie 
 St. Francis and Yaniaska, at rit,'ht angles, 
 bringing down a great amount of diluvial 
 dtiposits. The bottom of this basin is a 
 blue clay, at a pretty uni.brm depth of 
 twelve feet, at low wjitcr ; but here and 
 there, silted up to a <lcpth of only a very 
 few feat. The natural channel of the main 
 current of the St. Lawrence is to the north- 
 orn side, where it makes a groat curve ; and 
 
 From this law Montreal was not exempt ; 
 indeed, she has become daily more subject 
 to it, from the competition of the noble ves- 
 sels received by the Atlantic ports. How- 
 ever, to all sensible men, the removal of this 
 obstruction to her receiving vessels of large 
 tonnage has been felt to be of primary im- 
 portance ; though it must be admitted that 
 the people of Montreal, in general, have not 
 paid to it the attention which it deserves. 
 
 There have been various reports recently 
 current of the progress of this work. The 
 representatives of the oflicial authorities 
 have boon uniformly favorable. Not mere- 
 ly the responsible parties engaged in the 
 work, but those who were ofiiciaJly bound 
 to sec that it was done, stated that it was ad- 
 vancing most admirably, that is, that the 
 channel was deepening, and four feet water 
 had been gained. Our readers are very well 
 aware that a difference of four feet water 
 makes the difference between a small sized 
 merchantman lightened, and a very large one 
 with full draught. 
 
 A few days ago came up the California, 
 Cupt. Gall, drawing, we believe, somewhere 
 about 15 feet water, and she ran aground. 
 It was explained that, from the narrowness 
 of the channel, or from some difficulty in the 
 pilotage, the vessel ran aground on the bank ; 
 and we ourself heard the Captain, who could 
 have no possible bias, and who is now on 
 his way across the Atlantic, declare, that on 
 sounding, there was 17 feet in the channel. 
 Be that as it may, the vessel was got off and 
 brought up to Montreal without damage. 
 The experiment, then, was fairly tried, — 
 Capt. Gall himself was so fully satisfied of 
 the capacity of the channel, that he loaded 
 his vessel to her full seagoing draught, 
 which he estimated at 10 feet 2 inches. 
 
 The California started on Wednesday, 
 in tow of the Alliance, Captain Johnston, 
 which had on board the Chairman and 
 Secretary of tiie Harbour Commissioners, 
 and several other gentlemen of the city, 
 whoso numbers would doubtless have been 
 larger but for the very early hour of starting. 
 The voyage down presented nothing very 
 partic.ilar until nearly about Bertliier, where 
 the California slightly grazed several times 
 on shoals of wliicli the existence was previ- 
 ously unknown, being merely little collec- 
 tions of gn;vel thrown up by eddies. They 
 
 tie nee will give ns, through .the short dis- 
 tance to which it is obstructed, a clear depth 
 of 17 feet through, to below Three Rivers. — 
 in a general wa)^, this, with some improve- 
 <iients in the iii tier harbour, would allow us to 
 receive vessels of ore thousand tons burthen, 
 and with these, we might command the whole 
 trade of the west. 
 
 Without lavishing compliments on individ- 
 uals, we should do an act of injustice if we 
 were not to express the sense generally felt 
 of the valuable s srvices rendered by Capt. 
 Bell, the Superintendant of the Work. Hie 
 zeal, industry and vigilance have been be- 
 yond all praise. The order in which he has 
 all his machinery, and the precision with 
 which he has completed his work are admir- 
 able. It must be most gratifying to him to 
 find that statements of his^ which were at 
 one time disputed, are now fully confirmed. 
 
 (Copy.) 
 ( On Boakd thk Steamer " Alliance," 
 \ Lake St. Peter, Aug. 24th, 1853. 
 We, the undersigned, invited by the Montreal 
 Harbour Commissioners to witness the experi- 
 ment of taking a vessel through the improved 
 ship-ciannel, from the Harbour of Montreal down 
 to the 'owest point in Lake ISt. Peter to which their 
 operations thus far have required to be extended, 
 hereb' certify that the " Cnliforria," Capt. Gall, 
 of 48 "i t^ns burden per register, drawing sixteen 
 feet oae inch (10 feet 1 inch) of water, was suc- 
 cessfully towed this day, under the superinten- 
 iciiceof Capt. Bell, through the aforesaid chan- 
 nel by the Steamer " Alliance" — and tliat on 
 sounding the " flats" in Luke St. Peter, immedi- 
 ately »fter the experiment was made, we fouud 
 only twelve feet one imch (12 feet 1 inch) thereon, 
 on tht track formerly used by vessels — thereby 
 proviig conclusively that the improved channel 
 aforesaid has been deepened to the extent of four 
 feet. 
 
 [Signed,] 
 RoFBRT Gall, Master of the " California." 
 Hkctor Hamlin, Branch Pilot. 
 CiiiisTiAN Mouause, Pilot of Mie Steamer "Al- 
 liance." 
 H. Bkllmare, Master of the Barge "Harmony." 
 C11/.RLE8 Johnston, Master of tie Steamer" Al- 
 liance." 
 C. L. AiiMSTRONO, Master of the Steamer 
 
 "John Munn." 
 J. Wilson, Owner of the Steamer " AUian"?." 
 
 J. i'lRMSTKONd. 
 
 RohT. Abraham, Editor of the " Montreal T: n- 
 script." 
 
 Geo. R. Uoukutson, Advocate. 
 
 Lk('N Doi'TiiK, Deputy Registrar of Montreal. 
 
 David Bkllhoisk, Agent for the Contractors of 
 • he Canailiiin Ocoan .Mail Steamers. 
 
 John Lkemimi, Alderman of the City, and Mer- 
 chant of .Montreal. 
 
 CH4RLKB Seymour, Merchanc. 
 
 David Kinnbah, Proprietor of the " Montreal 
 Herald.'" 
 
 ntn