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IFtirbour ^rast/ Extract from the Minuter of tlie Uiirlxiur t.'ommi*Moners KiiliAnM.—l'ug.- 20, lor '■ Kivai Tiilly, ICs,,.. l'r...viiKlal 8iii-veyoi',- rca.l rullv, I '.!■). T 1{ N T : M At'LKAlt, THOMAS & CO.. I' I! I N T i; U S, in. KINC S T K K K 18.5-1. V m- ^ 6^3.1 A m. ««* i if0m wmmm mammamsi (//>r/'/tji' Hlf/tr/' Toroii //? //(irhoii t \ ,Ap/. Section Croin Gerries IFharf to LI Sciir^ hprc far' ri' {(ic/M fUd^a'^ of ^ and Locality^ mh ere 1h€ highest terra e^^ approachf.^thf LaJie. and ha,f;heen' sU^htlj^ati^ek^/i by the maters ofiheLahe: D/afff-aws /o ///it^/ra/c /he First FrenUu.ni Repor/ . One Afile ^ A. ./. ^. rhou n <• Wharf lo LLghlhou^e rouit: car horo •liu^frn ((iak's \ w///.aVuU.i ■ igh^^t terra ee^ and hasheen waters oftkeLake ^wa. Lome. JJiif.i rcfiut^'iila S' ft/If/ r//f// Shiiujh' ha/ilr B Bl Po/i//'^'. ^^ W8, rare //. r/ff/re/// orhif/Zted 7?r/'ai ^^M^ *l ./. Light Hoii^e ^-Z. Two Miles rt fid iM -A- Lake O/i/ftrio .jvoyj.. tLJ^tr Ontario. Drpfh of ^Valer^-^dS Fff/ iMfhm amiJr of/hr Shorf. d porNony orlli//ke,9f Terra re Mill roeZL mttocUd^, frr.filjfliit WOfeefJn the Povryh ol a jiilly. •Ii/y'ii0\^f'arsa{/o. viffitifil Surface ': see ciia^rafu >Wo, rohereihe ii/i^stad/f stra/i/ieelScutd^ ntedy ,sh omi ug th^ im/jrohah ^ify^oP ninrh e^Uri. ion LaA^r wards of posed of suc/t ^f/aleriaJs. f or/tif/hrsf yyrraiT abouJSMfffl ahom fhe LaAe. ^MS. ■lijrcTOjs't'i/^ /'/// V // it il Itirti trd m ii;/,!;.M'.\Vi wm h(i K' nf^'*' fO approarfu'yOif Lakf. a/iiJ //// Hi/fhUvaf/fukrH hy t ' wafers c. (0 here tht /ti//h/wf trrracr hrr/ h\^ i - wafrrs oC thf Lake ,1 LofifC'V/ Vh-ra/r (ipproarh fhf Lake . ?k..-"'.Lv«fe»,«»'^'»!'^ i s> A F?^flteHinf/ Jfauf/an/J , angh JlVZ, S breit h in ^ /$•// brii inilf broad , noro /v/ywl Scale oyJialf irii Ma clear 8c Co. Lith. Toronto. 5 d jifu/lf Jl^VZj. H J /;///////..*•/ CNrr.tihou/ toYith/.m //if lort. ( ' ]) p'roha/th r////;.w'^ '*firy a {/o . (' hi j>rofnt/t/f oriffiiin'l Siirlhrr : ^'tt f^ifif, /> nnrf^'fu'/f/i ,^'h/nninri fhr im/t, rlilTs' rontf^ithfiti of ,itivh J/aJeru. ./>. /*///////// o/'Jt/f/J/fx/ Yr/'/'a/i ah H L/xu/iUy) '^/hrra/icf's F/inm . k 3 brmh in ^ilshbridg€,9 Jia^,)athird oVa ^h hroad , ri^ro rapidly filling up. Scal^ a/TiaJf niile to an Jridt . im ,.Y?10. '•„»*' *^' :\tLJ^ki^OnOirij> />//>/// of traOr'fS Frrf ii^ilhiN a rm/i' oritif Shorr. >'fwn nri/ir/hfst '/VrrnfukUNtift'UmaodrtU /// (oOf'trt .I'n /hr Ihrni ol'a ()ul{y ,^'hinnin(ffhr im/t/'ohfihrih^o/' mtirJi rjr/rN ion LaAt wnnhof u/Jifx/ 7frrart ahonfoicFal ahoor /J/r L//Ar. 4/ J. h / V •/? /frrs Farm 7/ (>rciurs\ Tlafenu oV Loftfc.s-t Vh-nur about l6VFeef ahone tiw Ltikr ,900Fcef broad : Stratified fJandand GreueZ ]- - Htralifieil Sand Bine Oftr. andy concccU^dy, nheufurs to the waters edffey. MFiet. La At Ontario M^ef forming Oct. MS3 •omoy up inyfv oybendiAprily J<^6^i^ O l*.f ' 3 I f f W4J1 ,* I ' /J I I- f I J. «V > ,^^ Canal: ( II o Jfl ic >i^ 60 6'flTeft TO K O .]• T O 11 .1 H n O I JO #^ -;■ jrFcet li IS () r IS ,iO u /ry,f/.. //.//•?'""' . f:" ,.((/' r< :.J' Bffrorai I o\9. ,-iO 1 H Iffrorr/f i^'6: 0' V rV 7 J K Ua'X fhslhirHv Utr r/wrJu- of Low Lnkr Unci's'. Hiiriii// w/urJt ptrioffx satifl hffrs wfre thrrnni up inU hi a riff. v. TO nor"! o II ^1 li B Y/?. ^ ((\ ■•*s*f. .m- u. u,.kn„wn .n,l a,u,,..n-u. .....so. Tl„. rrosulentof the Mmu.l of \V,„ks in is 11 '•"I""""' "'I'"; Pn ,u.i,.l Soorotnry tln.t. "ut tho iulo. of .l,o T„n.,..u liny lUo --.u ,,„rl„a some xvork u.ust l,o o-uouutorod to hx "'"> l'-^ ' ', ; „„„,,. H,.n.l, m.a blmk >n,.«notic oxide of Inm:' ''"-1 "''fh' by r .opo.ra;i,oal ..o„ formation «f tho IVninsula, .luoh nhortly. ^^'Ti;:';;'oJo''':al..nf ..nation of this part of tho country i. alto- , . ; V to tlu. HUVpositioM tl.at tho l,aHi« of the I'onmBuhv ' : v of ,0 11 Ison Itivor liroup, n,u,„ «-hieh nhmg o '" ? : n ,. U. o«i.o,l. The llu.Uon IH.er Oron,, extend. T Tl : tl o . to tho i're,r,t, and forms the hanis of the S:i^ l:o:.lh:^.un.ryM..o.nn.ao.erinthi.,u.i.h,^o^ .,f vessels, .ho have cer.a.u vermanon, ^'^^ ' ^'^^^ ,,„^,,^ ,, ,;, '„ B v, it exhihit. blue argiUaeoous shales al.ernut.nR vv, h to j;uide then, in eon.in); .n and hom.s out ol th(, l"> ' f ,;„. .us sandstone, and oecasionally limestone bands, ascertained that within ".'> '-^ seven years the KHm. J^ : ^ ,;tut," B.W and UUe is gradual, and within a dis.,u.ce di.taneo of .SO loot.- Further on ""^ ---Jt^^, ;:, ,Hft ^; r :^. , h of i'ri afs Hotel it is not reached at a do^h o^ a.,..bt that the mnkin, o the bar --" '':>,',„.„,, ,,„„,,„,„, t'JX The vvater-worn shingle whieh largely enters .n to tho of the »amU'..::;i;^-rs.iotho :::i;;::;io::;ft::lvninsulacon.ainsoecasional.y.bssilsl.,on^^^ nttifasumcientcurre.u M. .... ...... - . ,,„,„,,. .......rred the west is not carried out, hut ren.a.ns lonn.n- the ba. i Icrrc, m w i. .. if not vvevented by the eonstrnetion -f -- ^ ^;^ UK-reasin, and confu.in. the current will very soon destroy tho entrance to the llarb.'Ur.' tiirnol the 1 eninsuiinuii.i...... •— ^ to the orijiin and vrojjress of lormatmn ol "'^ ' '." '' ,,,,. ^,,.n transimrted to its restingn>l.'™ and had Us .r.^.". .' " b n...aarv ol' Toronto Harbour and its suba,,uoous ^"^'-.s.on . - h , ■ ,,i,,.bourin, shores of tho Lako to tho e.t«tward. ne which appears to bo most complete and at tho sam o ^" ;' , _ ;,,^,^ the history of tho delta of tho Don from most consistent with observed phenon.ena, n. ;-;y -^l" f ^^^ ^^,1,. boundary of Toronto Bay. and he carr.es us ,,articulars, is that sub.nitted by Mr. Sand ord l'™ !^; ^; " ' ' , , the din. and mis.v ages of the ynarten...ry por.od .n Mr. ricmins's views have been fully eM.1.....0'l •" ««" '• I ■ ^^ J '"'" , t for tho deposition at tho n.outh of tho Do., of .ts ; ad bv hi.," before tho Canadian I..sti.n.e. and s.nce pnbl.shed .rder to c .jt ";,' ^^": / ,,^ ..,,„,,„ that sufficcnt ^.^Vanadian .Journal (Vol. H p. U. and ... -IT- ir:ty^^o;anteK::T>o.->.orea,re supplies ..adequate c^ necessary that tho a.h.ption wholly or part, "' > ' ;^.^j f '"f. rmin^, and eompleting Ion, since tho work ass.g.,ed to t theory of Toro.,to Harbour, out ,,f several wlu..h in flu o pc _^. 1.^^ early history, slowly but eo..stanUy tothepublic,sho..Ulbeaccompa.t.edbysa..sla.to,v... on ju.. a.tcj . - . ., ,...,. „, .„„te..ts of .t« the seloetio... In accepting the ,uain ieatures ol Mr. H .u . g thoorv, the writer cannot giv e assent to that P^;"-;;;-;X of the early history of Toronto Harl.ur, or of the 1'' " f"" ' or to the remedial ,nea.ures ..r the 1— ^'-: . ' ":"^:' , l>oUowin.' out a channel a..d re.noving the former contet.ts of .ts ; :," he Lake, the lighter and more s-duble .natter e,ng^. -^ fu so,.,e ti.,.e bv the water, to be distributed far n.,d w.de, t .e !::,:;:r;articlc; on the o,hcr hand, to be .>epos.ted near^^s .,,.,.....,.... ,i,„ („rm of an extensive shoal or delta,~tho base 01 tl, .t it is desi able, before proeeedieg further, to exam,.,e the ox.st- ;:Vd::o.nena of' that range of hills and cliffs, and see ow they „,rr,!e with the descriptions which have been g.ven of them. ^The following description of tho Scarboro' heights ,b the re«uU .;U-n--t',,t.ttr.u..n.ica^pic.ur^^ ?ar.., of W. Crone, t al-"t nine miles fron, Toronto. Ihesojer^ * See Note A. in Appendix, f «- ^"'^ «• "' ^^''P"""" into consideration. The views snb.uitted in a ^^'J-' ;"' '^ "^ bour Co.,.missioner that the origin of the l'en,.,sula .«'<';«- to detritus brought down by the rivers to the wes f 1 o..^ o « completely set aside, tirst by Lieut. Herbert » Chart of Lake Un a io which gives a depth of ninety feet between the souther,. S;:f thellumborBly and the Y^I^'^^'TT/Zs'^^ Mr Fleming's measurements, which show a dep 1, o mx.s k about "tv d,ains from the C.arrison Common beach ; th.rd, by he J^S^Hf the prevailing win.N and their inlluence up.m tl.e exnanse of water exposed to the. fourth, by the .n.poss.b h.y of ninsula eontists, na.,.oli, bhmijlt, pcooies, I ^^^^^^ ^^. IIKI'OUTH ON TOKONTU IIAIUJOIJJI. 8- raoflu attain thoir iitiiiost olovntion npirSctirlxiri)' tiivi>ni ; ((i'r|i('iidicular ftltitiido of this, the liif;hest denudeil portion of the Scarboni' hoights, does not exceed 'IW feet, upon the basis of Mr. Murray's altitudes, whidi, for tho total hiMj^ht of the lirst and second (ditfs are tho same as tliose f^iven by Mr. Fleiiiinj;, nanielv, '.VH) feet. About 00 feet of the cliffs of the second terrace still reiniiin ilotlicd with heavy timber, and have not eontriliuted any materials to increase the deposition on the shore of the peiiiiisuhi boundary of Toronto Hay. It is hip;li!y probiibli" tliiil the present •generation liiis witnoaseil the fall of the first contribution of the second or hi;,'liest terrace to tho sand shoals of the l/ike, and it may confidently bo asserted that 50 years a;;o the second terrace was separateil from the first by a narrow plateau several yards in breadth, and conse- quently ((uite unafl'crted tlirouj;liout its entire developeiiient in the township of Scarboro' by tho waters of tho Lakes. On tho ne.\t farm to the westward, that of J. Thoin, the second or hifjhest terrace has been still less subject to the effect of the oncroaeli- monts of tho Lake, and remainin;; portions of the first terrace can bo seen forming projections in tho sides of tho crater like cavities produced by the land slips which have caused these extensive and destructive removals. The nest farm to the west belongs to 1). riierill, there tho second terrace is attacked to a very trifling extent, and the pro- jecting remains of tho first terrace are more distinctly seen. On tho junction between the farms of A. Phcrill & A. Ashbridgo (the next succeeding to the west,) the second terrace leaves the Lake, and retires into the interior, as shown in tho diagram No. 2. It thus appears that tho amount of materials derived from tho destruction of the second terrace is inconsiderable, and might be altogether embraced in a dozen guUios similar to that represented in fig. ;!, wliich was sketched this spring, and of which there are groat numbers otpialling it in capacity, along the first or lowest terrace, between Gates' Farm and a mile or two to tho east of the commencement of Ashbridgo's Bay. Mr. Fleming's ingenious speculations with respect to the original form of tho Scarboro' heights, and their relation to earlier developments of Toronto Harbour, a.s exhibited in his diagrams numbered 9, 10, 11, 12 and 16,* become imaginary, and the section number 10 assumes tho probable form exhibited in diagram No. 4, in one spot only ; tho highest clitt' contributing its m.atorials to the Lake, not exceeding, 50 years ago, tho height of 100 feet. Although Mr. Fleming's account of the past history of the Scarboro' heights, and, as will •See "Canadidn Journal," Vol. II., page 228. bo shown hereafter, of the niarshcs, or Delta of the Don, is not borne out by existing topognipliical conditions, yet it happens that its failure in this respect does not interfere with his views of the formafion of the Harbour in its jinwiit condition and devulop- nient. The first or lowest terrace, from the nature of the materials entering into its composition, and its altitude, (in some places 100 feet) affords abundant supply of di'tritus tl.M.ri-.« tl,o ,.l:.t,.,m ,.f the l.w,..l torra.o ...» tore t l^ K ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^^^j growth, anil thus h., u,« l.u- th,- -ro.ts of thn ..l.a,. I ho nm.-v 1 ho V . t ^^^' « " . „^^ ,^^,„„ ^,. .^ „ff.,„,e,l long :^„o,„,.uf this cm,,.!...,. r..,n„vul of th,- vn.toot.vo .om.ng of '-;>;- ;;;'';, ;,^,^,^^^^^^^ limbrr is, that the .•lilV. boin^ unvroteetcl for i.u.ny years hy rost.n(;v>h..oslorMmig» an , _ ^^ ^ ^^ ^^^^^^_ ,., attain fallon trees, have lost th.'ir former terraee,! ami «oo,|e,l > In.rn.ter, and have heeoiiio (hv land slips) clean, luire aii.l shelvmn, ex,ms^ inp their loose and shifting Materials to all the elfeets of rams aiol winds. AVhontho lowest terraeo was vvoo.led. every tree vvImiU fell from tho erest« of the elifls either liunj; hy its ro,.ts. or was arrested in its fall down tho sides .d" the elift' l.y underhro^l. an. small trees, and thns heenme a rostinj! idae,. for those annua slips of earth, trees, pelddes, and even sand, whi.h the thaws ot spring set in motion, liy sueh means minor torraees w .-.. |..rmed. supported l.v tho strata of hine elay heforo deserihe.l and on these suhordinate terraees, Rrass and shruhs grew ami gave a p,.rn>anont.haraeter t,. the sides of the elilf. In some of the Lilies, the retainins and conservative eflVet of underhrusl, ,^ s„ll well n.arked, espeeially where the forest growth has he.o per- ,„ittod to protee, the eres, ; there are, however, hut few .ns.anees now renmining on the eUfl's, for miles have 1 n eleared. Another rather singular eons.,,neneo is to ho found u. the quantu.es of loose sand which are Idown up hy every gale of w.nd fiom the South, South-east, and Kast, from the hare sides ,.f the unn.ense ernterdike gullies which have heen fornu-d during the la.t levv-^ years. A gentle hreezo suffices to transport tho nnstal.le sand .d "thcditrs up the .dean sir ,|,„vnfall. U is also prohahlo that the reu.oval of tho hou dors ,„„1 lar.'er pieces ,d' shale washe.l ,.ut of clitf detritus, for hu.ldmg „„, „„:... purposes, has exerted its inlluonce i-> ass.st.ng the en- croaclnnen.s of the breaking waves of the Lake, ^l""'''' ^ '-J • ,„„v artord an illustration of the appearance and P^" ';™; hrcVKcrs as they .lash a, an a.uto angle on tho hea. h during tho continuam'o ..f easterly an.l south-easterly wu.ds. .\,,uosti..n of much interest and imp.irtance suggests itself w.(h re.p. 't to the first ..r lower t.^nn^e. It nnvy be urged that a plateau of th.' altitu.le.d' 11)0 foot, exten.ling in gra.lual snrlaeo hues .n tho form nf a pr.im.m.)torv, wuld ho a sufli.dent s..urce .d n.atermls a„d atV..r.l the ne.-essary ,„,,ographical eonditi..ns to produce mo- ,,ili,ations of Mr. Flendng's hypotheti.'al early .levelopment of Tonmt.. Ilarhour as slmwii hy his .liagrams S... 9, 10, H, 1-, an.l l:l, and thus in part give .ountonan.'c to his view of its remote his- t.,rv Mr Fleming savs, -On the suhsi.leneo.d' Lake Ontarn, from a liigh t.. its present lov.d, the land fell in easy slopes to tho water s e,l md the gra.lual .lescnding surface linos wore continued o,Uvvar.l un.ler water ; the abrupt terminati.u.s .,f the land along the iMuimlary of tho Lake having boon forme.l by its oncnmehmcnt Ii rw. ... tUn ,.l(M.n ^l.lpq of the <'ul if's on to iiic vmuiMiu in '*l-. tuc nmnumr^ \n im^ '^-"vv. r^ - . • . r -i,. eonrso and lino san.l, whi. h had been bh.wn up upon tho stubble of last year's wh.-at. The san.l fre.i.iently p.'uetrates int.. the fiel.ls for a distance exeee.ling ..no hundred yar.ls fi-.m. the .Tests of the elitfs, an.l in process of time will succeed m dcstr..ying, or at least very matorially deteriorating, considerable tracts ..1 land on tho hnvest plateau, if n.,t che.k.^d in its march. -When the cliffs are denude.l of their pn.tecting fringe .d' trees, and, as a natural ccn. -oquenee, of tho underbrush which shicl.ls their si.lcs, the least streamlet of water rapidly hnisens and sets in m..ti..n the sand and gravel which f.irm so large a portion of tho lowest terrace. The hod of elay '"-rests this process of dostructi.m for a while, but being itself underlaid hy sand and gravel as unstable as that by which it is super-imp.ised, its conservative inlluenco is of short duration, and in a thousand instances tho bare and clean Bides of enormous gullies show how rapid is the present progress of their formation and increase. It is important to mention that occasional traces of long con- tinue.l persistence are observable in some of tho gullies. Mods of bulrushes of gigantic growth may be seen in some of th.ise whoso sides are still partially i.rotected with undcrl,rusli an.l small trees. Those occur on the lowest bed of blue clay. The blue clay itself sometimes presents precipitous towerdiko prominences, which are best ^con cast of Gates' farm, where the forest still affords its protection t.. tho cliffs. It is not, however, only the plateau and the cliffs which point to the destructive effects which have been produced by clearii.g away the timber, the beach itself shows by proie.ne.1 have"l.een rounded ..ff by the destructive inlluenee of tho olemeuts."-(Can. Jour., p. 2I2G, Vol. IL) That an arm ..f the sea did occupy the region of Lake Ontario and Lake Champlain during the Tertiary ep..cli there is littlo reason t., .h.ubt. The occurrence of marine shells and "kelet^ns of marine fish (Mallotus YiUosus) .".W feet ab.,ve the sea or 310 feet ab,.vo Lake Ontario, at Montreal, in the valley ..f the Ottawa, near Byt..wn, in tho valley of Lake Champlain, and in many localities in the valley of the St. Lawrence, afford ample proof of this vast phenomenon. (IaoU's 1st voyage to tho United States, page 110, vol " New York K.liti.)n. See also Provincial Geological Reports, Ottavva valley). It has, however, been shown that the phenomena, of tiio hi-host terrace can have nothing to do with tho formation of T..ron?o Harbour, seeing that it has only been attacked to a trilling extent and probably within the last ,^.0 years. It becomes necessary, theref..re, to advert to the period when Lake Ontario, probably as an arm of the sea or a fresh water estuary, stood at an altitude .,f 100 feet above its present level, or in other words washed tho base of tho second or highest terrace. There is every probability that this event extended over a long period of time. Ridges corresp.mding to the plateau of the lowest terrace have heen described by Mr. Hall in tho Geology of the fourth district of New Y.>rk' "One of the most interesting of the superficial do- posits ..f the district is the Lake ridge, which from Sod.is m Mayne County with some trifling exceptions is a travelled highway, nearly as far as the Niagara River. Beyond this it can be trace.1 IPIW^ UKl'OUTS ON TORONTO IIAItHOI.'Il inn; "To tlin no(ilii);i(iil render it will rec|iiirn im fttteinpt tn prove tliis the unoieiit lioacli nl' Luke i »iiliirii>, or ii Inuly ni' niiter, |)erlni|i!4 an arm ef the Dei'iin, wliieli mieo Htmiil al tliin elevoliim ; cueli oeeiirrenees iiro well knnwii elMuwIioro . Imt there are iiinny jiernonii in woatorn New York, and wmie urine ('ritii'H anionn the nuniher, who jirofer to explain this hy NUppimin); mmie Htn|pen\) Mr. Hull stales that "The elevation of this ridgo ahiivu Lake (Intariu has Immmi variously estimated IVoni one hundred tn two hiimlred I'eel. in b;!S, throunh the kiuiliiesa of Mr. Ilarrett, I olilaineil the elevation of the ridj^e north of l,oek- porf, which is aliout mn' huiiihul unit nijii/ Jirt libovo Lake On- tario." It is prolmble that the formation of the New York riil(;e iihovc dcserilicd wim eonteniporaneiiux with the lowest terrace of ilm 8oarl)oro' heights, and may not the (lersistant layers of wator-w (i pohliles de.serilicd liefore, as lieinj; about ten feet lielow theNuvfai c of the plateau, In- the ancient beach of Lake Onlurii' it its I'urmcr nltitode? Is it reasonable In suppose that when by uslow uphea- val of the I'cunitry, the level of Lake Ontario becunie comparatively lower and lower, the strata cjf allernatiMi: -and and gravel and blue clay forming so large a portion of the i lilts o{ the lowest ternn'c, wonlil have remained persistant, and pcrmitteil ilii> land lo fall in easy slopes In the present level? Is it nut rallcr to Is; supposed that its sllorc^ would have been terraceil and abrupt like those de- Kceiits which are to be seen about four miles from Toronto, where the lowest terrace leaviiin the Lake crosses the roa^ fri>ni Toronto to Kin);sion ? If this wiMo the ease, anil there does not appear to bo any reasonable objection to the hypothesis, the lowest terrace in- stead of desccielinj; in easy .slopes when the laml became elevated would form at least two distinct terraces abruptly bounded by de- clivities (d' sand, precisely like the abrujit declivities seen on the Kingston road near the eastern extremity (d' Ashbridge's bav, which are nothiii;; incir or /c.v.i than the abrupt miiuli/ k/khv.i of the ancient Lake as the land slowly ro.se from beneath the hod of a Tertiary estuary or oeoan. Under such circumstances the existence of any promonotory bo- comes very doubtful, anon tho inland side, which, subseriuently becoming more powerful, have burst through tho barrier and car- ried away largo portions of it." (Geology of tho 4th District, p.igo SiiO.) It is suggested that tho term 'delta' is altogether a misnomer, leading to tho idea that tho River Don has bnmglit down materials from its excavated valley and deposited them at its mouth, and elevated them above the surrounding waters, like the Nile and tho Mississippi, oidy on infinitely smaller scale. Now, the banks of the Don at its mouth arc of tertiary yellow and blue clay, and there was a time no doubt, not very far removed * See Appendix, Xoto E. \ I lUnOKTS ON TOUOXTO ll,\mM)lJH. iVom UK II..". wImmi Ih.wB Imnkn worp wiikIicI .lirctly l.y ih" imrj;c-ii ol I .«•■ Oiitnri... It i» nLiimliuiily •■Ni.l<'i>t thiit tli.- l)..n. within til.' limit* "f till. l'liri«tii\ii rrii, |i.iurr.l ill. wiitorn ilin-.tly illt.i tlii' ■■•iki-, us till, ill.-cnir ..f ni.i^lr l.ii,.l. wlii.'li nl.iiit' iM.nxtitiitM ft .Icltn, «>-ll l>r.ivi-», williiiut ri'l'iTi'iu'O t.. tlui ilci'l) wiitiT» ol' tlir Miir.h, aii.l tlio iil.«.iin. i.l' lliiit <>vi.lcii.-.' «( ixnti.iiiily wlii>li ">"' w.iiil.l rxpiMt t.i llii.l, il'tlii! I>..n liii.l l'..r iiiiuiy n^.'" ci.iitrilmliMl its ili-lritiiH to mi 111" s|iii.p iiitcrvi'iiiiiK it" moiKli iiiiil tin" oplicwili', tliounh Hnnuwlmt liir ronuivi'.l "h.iri' ..I' (lie l.uko l«iuiiilary ol' llm Mar«l- It is. Iwiwc or, imiMirtiuit tn iiimrirc what plipnoun-nrx r^liil.it tli.-mwlv.- nt thn ni..iill.» ..I' riv.Ts iiourins; tli.'ir \uiU-v» .lirc.tly into 111.' l.ak.-, ..iii-li ri\.TH, for instaiin'. iw li« l^"l^"^ Hi" lliii.il.cr, til.. Mioii.'... ami th- lliijlilan.l ('.-...k, wlii.li lU'.. -.-v-rally lar^'or nn.l Hinnll.i- than th.' l>..ii, .■..nsni.i.'utly .■..iniir.-hon.l rilli.'r ..xtn-n... in point ol' aim.>n»i..n«. It i- ii.i|...rlai,t t.. ki,..« wlo'llH'r it H i.roliiihli', or even iin.l.T ..nliiiary .inuiiiMamTH of «iiiil an.l w.'a- tliLT, i.o.-.il.l« r,.rtlicl»oMt..lmv..|onn.'.la/..-' (lli..i,r..i..>r .oniO as far from itn iii.mth ft« the houth unml L.'a. li ..f AHhlirulilo's May. Tho I. -liinonv of Mr. Hall \» pculiarly ai.pn.priato in the pr. - wntinstan.r. Spoakinj;..!' Lars at tlio m..iillis..friv.'i-» an.l ..tri'ains h.'sav", "Tlu'l.ar U forni.-.l l.y tho inllii. lu'o of tw.. f..r.'fv-ll,.. wHvci washiiij; in, whi.h .arry f..r«anl tli.- «an.l ami .l.'P""'' '' '" 1„„,. 1,..u.'h.'s; ana th.' ..pi...siii- p.nv.T ..f th.' M.'ii.ly .■.irr.'i.t. «hi,l, novrtraliz.'s that of the waves, an.l th.' san.l th.'ii falls .l..wii lu u l.roail iurvn. The f.ireo of th'' .'urront is primipally .'xp.'ii.l.'.l in .ipposins tho wnvos of th<< Lako, nn.l li.'.'omin- .limisu.l. it ll.iw, ,,Mi,.|lv .ivor thp har. Tl.i.s continues while th.'re is n.. more than „r.liiuiry f..r. p in the waves, hut on the o.'.'urren.e ..f a vmlent n..rlh-.'ast storm (i.e. near (lenesee) the whole <.f this har nn.l p.'rhaps ten times as fjreat an amount of matter is thrown upon the hoaoh, elosin); the ..uth't. This r.^mains so h.ns as the win.l eoii- tinucs.hntas s.j.m as it snl.si.l.'s an.l the water in tliep..na is able to for.'e a passn;:o throut-U th.' hea.'li, the ..1.1 ..nlor of things is re- sum.-.! to he apiin suhverted an.l nwain reuew.-l. Su.h, simply, is the operation of one stream, as it has existed f..r tho last f.iur or Ave years, an.l such w..ul.l he the history of Imn.lrcls of larj;e and smnll streams nlonR the Lake shore." (C of the -Ith Distri.t, p. lifiO.) The knowh'iljte aetpiire.! l.y the inspe.'ti..n of any stream pourin" its wnters directly into Lake Ontario, shows that it is im- possihle for a small river "like tho l>nn, even if it were ten times as large, to form n l.nr a mile from its mouth an.l water to tho depth of Is an.l 20 feet intervene. Nor is there reas.m to sujiposo that the Don was ever a stream iiui.li larger than it is at i.resent. Th.isc who are familiar with thn .utting aetion of rivers, first nttackin.' one hank, then h- landslips ,ir fallen trees, driven t.) the opposite hank, will feel luuy satisfied that the l)..n in its present devehipment is abundantly sufficient t.. explain the denuding aetion it has excreiscd since it began to flow with the sh.wly receding ■waters of a tertiary ocean. We may, liowever, gain some clue as t.) the ago of the marshe.s of the Don, and tho beaches which wnfino thorn, by examining other marshes and benches which have been long under observa- tion. I" geological investigations every thing is to bo learnt by comparuoii, and he wh.) Bpeculatos upon an incident without taking cognizance of similar occurrences must expect to he called upon to furnish a separate theory for every phcnumenon, difl'ering in externals from the class to which it belongs. In .les.'ribing the pon.ls, uiarMies, nn.l bca.'hei. whi.li H« to tho w.'st of the tl.'ii.'s.'n riv.'r. Mr. ILill .ii..iili...is a few fiu't" which will .'iiiible us to f..rm »..me i.l.-.i ..ftli" probiiblu Bgo of the 'Delta' of th.) Don. •• 'riie hofteh heforn nllu.led to between the Liiko and tlienu p.,n.ls, is nearly u mih^ l.mg (near .' or six hundr.'.l f.'Ot wi.le. This is...'eupi.'.l by thr l'. .'net ri.lgi's, running parallel with ua.'li other, an.l with the Lake. .N'.'.ir the western exlri'iiiity these three ri.lges .rui.le into four, but conlinu.' e.pinlly well niark.'.l. Th.'ir summits are from six I., ..ight or l.'ii f.'ct ab..v.> the Lake, nn.l Ihu vallies between them are from f.iur to six fo.'t bel.iw ilie tops of tho ri.lg.'s. Tho nmt.'rials ..f whi.h th.'y are .•omp..se.l are similar t.. the ri'cent lake b.-aih.'s, , .insisting ..f pebbles an.l saml covere.l with n light saii.lv h.am. They nrc ..v.rgrown willi liirg.' tre.'S ..f ..nk, elm, b.'.'cii, an.l but- ii-w I, which sIi.iwm ili.'ir anti.|uity. Their form is distinct mid .11 niark.'.l. while the cause which gav.' rise t.. thiiii itii'ir Ihiii II /i II w till I ;riii:i xiwe is still nctlve, producing other similnr ones before our ey.'s." Mr. Hall is contented t.> limit th.' .lurati.m of the existence of Lake beaches separating marshes from the liiike, and eontnin- iiig far -tronger evi.lenc ..f mitiqiiilij in the form of large trees of " oak, elm, beech, and bult.m-w.)...l" than any p.irtion of Torimto Harbour ben.hes, to a perio.l ..f " m..rc than one hundred years," _(Oe..l. .if the 4th Dis., pag.- ;i.')7.) Further im he says, " I might go on t.. illustrnto the .'ondltion of the bea.'hes niid (.utlets further to the west, but these few oxnmiilcs are applicable t.i the whole. The ri.lge .if bench west of Long I'.ind is un.livi.l.!d, nn.l in mnny places from ten to twenty feet high, showing that a variation of n few feet in height can be no objection t.i the mode of formation." " For many years previous to 18M tho Lnkos wore bU nt n I.iw.'r .'levatii'm", an.l Ihk alhwot tin- formal ion of bnrn anil headien at the .lutlct .if streams, which b.'f.iro opene.l by n deep channel into the lake." Mr. Hall here hints nt a condition of things which will ho shown hereafter to have exercised a remarkable influence up.m tho conf.irmntion and stability of tho marshes of tho Don and Toronto Harbour. One m.ire example will suffice to illustrate the comparatively modern formati.m of beach.'s and mnrshes on the shores of Lake Ontiiri.i. " Some of tho Bays along Lake Ontnrio formerly n.lmitted vessels for several miles, while at the present time they are partially or entirely closed. The bea.h f.)rmed at tho mouth of Irondequiiit bay has n narrow opening of three feet deep, while formerly it was a fiuarter of a mile further east, nnd of a depth sufficient to admit sloops which took in ireights at the head of tho bay three miles distant. The bay is so situated that it receives the nbradeil materials ..f tho banks of the Lake, both from east and west. It is one milo and n ((uarter wi.le, gradually narrowing southward; and is separated from tho I^ake by a sand-bar or * High water of 1838 equtl to that of 1863. Jk |{KW>UT8 ON TOWJNTO If AUHOUlt. whii'li lin to tho I'l'W fiii'to wliicli i^o of tlin 'DolUi' l.iikn niid (lii'nu l.ii'ut, Uorticrt'fi 0111^ Imnilred feet I nbovt" ilin Lnke. y (\Xli) iind llio linn •'ilioKi'Ji "'"l ki- 111"! Ilic iiiarnh liy three d! >'nct. will) the l.lkko. 1 (li\iil(i into four, mitn iirp from i«ix lies lietwocn them tlio riilnei". Tho liliir to till" recent \ereil willi n linht Irees (iC link, eliii, (iiity. Tlieir form whieh fjiwe rino to netive, producing if the exiHtenee of ,nke, nnd coutnin- •in of larpci trees of jiiirtion of Toronto 10 liiindred years," itriito till! ciindition rest, liut llieso few (;e nf liench west of from ten to twenty !0t in height can be ikes wore all at a o)' bnr.1 and heachea [ liy a deep channel ion of things which mnrknlilo influence larshes of tho Don 1 tho comparatively 1 the Nhores of Liiko ) Ontario formerly 10 present time they irmed at tho mouth irco feet deep, while iFt, nnd of a depth t» ot the head of tho d that it receives tho , both from east and gradually narrowing ;o by a sand-bur or t of 1868. liOfttdi, from fifty to l»fo Inindrml feet wide, and nn\\\^ from threu to twenty feet high. The ,.//,. lAr iuhl nf tlm bench hiix ;in iimii- latml within lliii liml. /(//// )e;ir». \\ ihiit diilunee nf lime it wim \ery low, iiiid Hiureely eimtreil with gnms ; if i.i now mergrowii ill Homu pliiiei with liirKC treei. 'I'Iri nikiid and «ilt hriiii;;lit down by tho Htreikiiix Into thix buy are gradually lilling it up, and euMitunlly it will beiMiiie a niarfili, with tho ntrvum winding through it to thu Like." From thnnc i|untationM it in evident that eM.iiHivo fnrmullniiH, ■uch iH boaehen from f.iur t'l twenty feet high. »wam|is with viMt Soeumulatiiinn of vegelal.l.i gnnvth i'lir e.\eeudii,.< tlio Dun murnli.H, havo i4)iiiiiig iiilii oiiHtiiiio during the la-it few eunturies, ndopliiig a wider margin than Mr. Ilall, who merely Niiyn, " nmre than lOOytiiirn ago." Now iu tho abKcnce of any cvidnneo of greater antiipilty than that wliiih may bo ombraced within n period of a few cpiiturieH, it iliien nut appear reaKonablo to (imh/mi' Mueli anti- (liilty, when every existing phenomena may be an tiled fur by eiimparimin with Niirroun.liii;; uiid nearly iiinleiii)inruiie,uiH eveiilH. It in again iirgml tli.it the gm.t depth nf water ( U', 111, and even IH le.t) between Ihe ni". ii /„/,/;., (,vaild the mniilli nf the l),,ii, together with the (;reat ilKUince I y ,\liieli they are Nepariited, are K8.do)rieally, ipiilo null ioNt to ••sclu • the idea that any connec- tion whatever has exis oil I :Heen tin iirmatiim nf the nne and tho detritus nftlie other. V i • pi niii-i ' \beaih would have existed in nearly IN present fnnii ' ■ . , .•, if |ho l».in had never begun to llnw. A perfi'et ty] u i.i e peniiisiihi, only of larger extent and more complete grnwth, is hnind at Ihe Knndoan, Lake Krie. It cmbnucs an area nf li.lliin acres of water. Tho shallowness nf Lake Krie readily explains the giant size nf this and nther similar formations in that Lake; the Iniig swells and lempestunus waves which distinguish that easily agitated Lake are due to its small depth. It now remains fnr the writer to explain the views he entertains of tho fnrniatinn of Tomnto llarbnur, anil thon proceed to the discussion nf thnso remedial measures which the cnnditiniis of tho CISC appear to reipiire. These views arc nut submitleil vvitlmnt duo ackniiwleilgement nf Ihe great interest which distinguishes Ihe thei.ries nf .Mr. Fleming nnd nther gentlemen who have reciirdeil their opiiiinns; and the writer wnuld never have pnhliclv appeared in this contniversy, if ho had not thought it tho bouiideii duty of every one whoso thoughts had been turned to the subject, to di.scuss, to the best nf his ability, a ipiestinu involving tho very existence of tho Cuy of Toronto as a commercial emporium. The subject t.<( ' Trar.lV'i'j «ci/.,'„.»,' is one wliicl; l/is long engaged the alleniioM nfUcnlngists, and is in the prcM- ■ instance of peculiar interest. Sir Henry do la lieche, iu the Ooologi, al Observer, points to the action nf the Sea ou coasts in tho driving forward of shingle, in a partimlar direction, by breakers produced by tho action nf prevalent winds, umler the iiilliionco nf He.vdi..\nu.s.— (Genln>;ical Observer, page Ki. I'liil. edit., 18ol.) The illustrations jri\en by that eminent goolngi.st, are perfectly applicable to the -reat Xnrlh American Lakes, due uUnwances being made for tho height and length, anil, cnnse(|uentlv, the force nfthowaves, as wolliis to the dillerenco iu the spociflo gravity nf fresh and salt water. Mr. Fleming has correctly described tho effni produced upmi the Scarbnrn' beach, as regards its westerly motion, under the in- lluonce nf winds impellini; waves or undulations over the greatest eipanse nf the Lake. U is bi lieved, however, that a few pnlntM nf material impoiianie may I Ided, l,y way of illustrittiiig tho '"■'' if waves he eoiist, ami the subseipient distribution of Ihe beach they transport. Any wave raised by winds blowing in a direitloii cast of a perpendicular drawn t" the gi iieral direelinn nf the const, (sec .Mr. Fleming's Chart, also, I'lmrt .Vn. H,) will biigiii to curve inwards the moment tho wave beemne retarded by the increasing shallownesH nl the water. Tho time when thiil intlnonco mi the 'V..,tii,|, „(' ||„, „-av„ begins to bo appreciable is entirely dependeni iipmi the lieighl of the wave; for it has been ascertained that a wave /.(//oi,.) to Im-uk when it reaches water of a depth vi/wil 1,3 ilH men hnijlit. (.Sio Kepnrls nf the lirilish Assneia- lion for IKIT -He|H.rt on Waves.) Its iiitluenie upon the bntlnin is exerted beti.ro it attains a depth of water eipml to its nwa height, and the retarding oHect of u Nhnaliiig coast in felt at Hnmn cnnsiderable dislanco frnm the .Shoro— dopoiident, of course, upon the depth of wator. These etlects give to all waves Ihe curved form shown in tig, H. Hut there is another and a far mnrepnwer- ful iilhience which gives a curved fnrm to waves as they approach the cnast (.Scarbnm') when the wind is blowing in an easterly directinii, or to tho .Vorth of Kast. The inllueiee of /„v,fr.7iH7 ll'iiillKifh, Tho shallowness nf the water induces the waves to break when they ii|ipi'nacli Ihe shore, which they do in the Ibrm of a curve, but the inlliience nf a prntecting headland is felt Imig before the wave reiiehes shallow water on a shnaliiig cnast like that nf .Siarbnro ■ The influence nf ii prulectiiig Headland is extended to waves in water of any depth. By reference to tho chart. Nil, i«, several systems of waves will bo seen, nome merely curving inwards by their approach to a Hlmaling cnast, otherH (A, 11, (', D, E, F,) curving to a mm h greater extent under tho inlluenco of tho protecting headland shnwii mi the Chart. Tho same argument applies, ibnu^rh in a far less ileM;ree, tn the waves, 1', i), Ii, ,S, which, althnugh coming frnm the Ka-t, will havo n li'iiiliiiri/ tn movo Ihe sand, of tho west shore nf tho peninsula ni'ilhwiintu, where nno would suppose it to be entirely safe from the etli'ct of easterly waves. Sir Henry do la Uecho is very pre- cise on this snbjeel, he says '• Tho lines of waves are shown b;; dotted lines made to curve inwards by |iriil('ctiii^ Headlands." (page SI, lien. Ob.) It is urged by the writer that waves driven by belts nf winds acting in tho direction and position of tho arrows, I, 2, I!, 4, (Chart «) would bo obstructed by tho headland at V, which, when ehithed with pino forests, was far nioro in- fluential than it now is, although now it affords protection In small craft anchoring nutside Ashbridgo's bay frnm all winds In the X' iii/i cf h'd.s/. It is well kiinwn that the inlhience nf headlands is inanifestod every whore nn tho sea cnast and often gives to certain harbours their value against the destriictivo ell'eit nf parti- cular winds. It appears manifest that a travelling licaili from K to Y, would bo arrested after it had pas.sed Y, and begin to bo deposited at O O, (See note C. Appendix ;— remnant of an ancient IJiMch.) lielts of wind 1, 2, ;!, 4, cmild have no effect upon tho beach at O 0, nor would bolts .1 and d, as they would act under the lee of tho land. Tho argument applies, n Jhrtioii, to .\t.L winds blowing from tho Xorl/i of Ki.il. Tho origin and formation of tho peninsula appears to the writer to have been as follows. At a iwri|iil far within tho Christian era limits, the coast lino of the township of Scarborn' and Ynrk was continued without in'erniption round the iiurth shorijs nf Ashbridgo's Hay and Toronto Harbouf. The Don REPORTS ON TORONTO HARBOUR. ) Hi llowod tlicn, (lircotly into the Lako likotho llumber, Miraioo, &c, lit tlie ]irosoiit tiim>, without dopositiiij; any more • Delta.' or har, than other rivers of it» elass are obsorveil to ilo, anil cxereisinf; no ■iillucnee whatever upon the I'onnation oi any portion oCtlie sai\(l ))eaelics and Aw.\U under eonsideration. .S»n;li water, their materials heinp; distrihuieil far and wide. With these sand hars pebbles an.l "shingle would be oeeasionally miuj^lcd, ami time after time mifjht be deposited from their jrreat speeilic jrravity to form a basis for n permanent sand bar. A period of hifih water arrives like the one just t-,'rminatin<:. like the period of 1S;k><, or of MX' and diirin;; that period a sand bar of larger f;rowtli was ilepositeil under the proteetin;; Headland— a period of low water follows, like that of ISlll or that of IS-IS, and durin;^ that period the sand shoal was wa.shed up into a sand beaeh similar to the sand bcaehes before alluded to, as described by Mr. Mali, near the mouth of (ienesee (see Herbert's Chart.) and of whieli thousamis (d' their kindred are to be traecd on the shores of all the jireat Lakes, formed under similar circumstances, " more than a hundred years npi." This beach wouhl iinderpi numerous modifications accordinj; to the heifiht of water, which tluctuates in Lake Ontario to the extent of five'ie.'t (some authorities say ei-ht feet), but as soon as its western extremity had propcresscd beyond the intlueuceof the pro^ tectins headland' it would be swept lound to the north shore, forming the 'spit' from the Peninsula beach to near the wind mill. Now all this mi^ht have occurred durin;; one period of low water (a few years), or it might have occupied several periods. It is. however, probable that the beach surrounding Ashliridge'sBay and the .NLirsh was thrown up and rouml during one period of low- water in the Lake. Now begins the existence of the Marsh, which is iles> ribed as ccmsisting mainly of a tloating bog, but which has been making rapid progress of late years, as a few illustrations will ju-ove. About 'IM or :!nO yards .south 4.) The clay has been dug out to a liciith below the jireseut level of the Don, and the hollows are occupied with reeds, rushes, and swam)) plants. A farmer who lies resided near Ashbridge's Bay, not two miles from the City Hall (next t.i Leslie's], stated to the writer that he considered he had lost about five lurcs during the last thirteen years by the encroachment of the Marsh, but he expected he should regain some of it vhcii the vtilrr.i I'll The remains of a fence at least 00 yards distant from the present bcaiudaries of the rushes is distinctly visible in one por- tion ot liie Marsh. These encroachments have been made during periods of high and low water, and arise from tic invasion of the land by the rushes and other swamp plants. They are merely presented "ns modern instances of rapid encroachment, butwithont relation to the main question. Chart No. G represents a plan of the Peninsula. The dotted lines indicate the longitudinal axes of the beaches which were 1 hrown uji one after the other during the progress of the formation. The dotted line Xo. V) rcMresents the bar now in the act of being thrown up into a beaeh b., theloweringof the waters of the Lakes, whii-h arc now (April LliHli) tirufid lim-i.r than in Jiiiin hft. The materials of w hieh the beaches are composed have travelled along the beach of Ash:^ -"jje's Bay. impelled |.y windsand waven before alluded to. The materials originated in the continued de- struction id' the Searhoro' cliffs. Tkl.s poiiion of the theory nf To- riiitto Uiul«mr i.v citliirlj/ iliie to .Vi: hiemiii'j, tn w'lom the credit of hu-ii fjfir.it ijUrii it tn the iiulilir I'.v uiuiueslinnnlily d le. It is with some degree of confidence suggested that the sBVcral beaches denoted by the dotted curved lines on Chart G represent the successive epochs of additions to the Peninsula, and that they are the visible and permanent recoriis of the periods of low and high water which have distinguished the recent history of Lake Ontario. Five beaches are distinctly seen between the lighthouse and the utmost south-westerly extension of the Peninsula.* These may correspond to such periods of high and low water, as are known to have occurred in ITHS, lS;i8, and 185?, and in 1«19 and . 1S4S, and probably in 1854 or 5. The ([uestion is one of much interest and deserves further investigation. The history and mode of formation of the Peninsula having been pointed out, it is now jiroposed to discuss the question whether a permanent opening at the end of the Bay would be a benefit, and tirst of all, whether such an opening in the form of a canal could be maiutained at a reasonalde expenditure. It is manifest that in order to make such an opening permanent, which is evidently the first point to be considered; sand and shingle must bo prevented from 'travelling' ieto it from the east, which would without doubt be the case if no preventive measures were adojited. We are not, however, permitted to assume that an opening in any one part id' the Peninsula would .iti.ipend the ope- ration (d' those forces which have given a local habitation to the wlude beach from Ashbridge's Bay to Gibraltar Point. Assuming that an opening were made, say near the Peninsula Hotel, and that bv groynes or other devices sand and shingle were prevented from closing it. It is perfectly clear that in oriler to effect this result the tirst object would bo to retain the sand and shingle cast of the oiiening. .Suppose this to he accomplished, what, it is asked, would become of the remaining western porticm of tlie Pe- ninsula? would the sand and shingle there cease to be a travelling beach ? would it ceasl^ to move westward as heretofore ? 1'hcro can be no .loubt that if left unchecked it would progress onward, being still subject to the same controlling forces as before. But if it progressed, the beaches to the west of the opening would be rapidly moved away and form an extensive natur.al breach, seeing that no advance id' materials to .<»/)/)'.'/ H'eir place could take place, they being preserved to the eastward of the opening for the sake of maintaining it. The Peninsula, under such eircum.stances, would rapidly become an i.-land, and its extremity near the canal gradually assume the form of the western extremity, throwing out tongues and spits in a northerly direction. But, it may be urged that the sand might bo prevented from 'travelling' by moans of groynes. It is true that the construction of groynes from the canal all. the way to Lighthouse Point at short distances apart, would have that effect for a time, but without tliey were made very high the sand would mount over them and form dunes, according to laws painfully recognizable in many parts of Europe and especially in the 'Landes' of Franco as well as on the shores of Lake Huron. (See Sir Henry de la Bcche, on this subject, page 84, Geo. (»b.) Again, the groynes would have to pene- tra'te into deep water beyond the influence of waves upon a shoaling * See Note (1. in Appendix. > f i I REPORTS ON TORONTO IIARB(JUR. const, or how would thcyclieck the progresH ofthc shelvins beach which in aisturhed l,y the lun;; wilves of on easterly gii1o to a greater deptli than fifteen feet? The Peninaula in its suliariuooiis extension is nn enormous sand and shingle shoal, very shelving on the Lake side, and, whore it has not boon remodelled or disturbed, very precipitous on the Hay 8ido.», TliQ testimony of the fishermen of the present day in rela- tion to It is the same as when fSir llichard Bioniycastle wn.te, it consists Lakewards of imineuso fluctuating shoals. Tlmse shoals extend Lakewards 1500 yards before they attain a depth of 30 feet, except inonesp,)t, and that is near thoLighthouse orTurnin.r P,)int Baywards the shoals are in general precipitous, and the openings which have from time to time been made in Asbridgo's liay :.nd the Peninsula, have scarcely changed the precipitous character of the Bay sides. They have nieroly succeeded in shifting the boun- dary a little northwards, but they have not materially changed the lorni of the coast or its suljiiqueous e.ttonsioii in cither Hay. Tim writer took pains to examine the effect of the waves break', g over about a third of a mile of the coastof Ashbridge's Hay th... ^"ason (April, 1854), and found along the Hav side of the lie.ach (1, (ij, and 7 feet water m//,i,i 15 or :•() feet of the bar over which tlio waves broke furiously, and had been breaking for weeks, under the influence of the easterly gales which have distinguished the present spring. (See Note H. in Appendix.) It is well known that the late breach near the Peninsula Hotel is wh. n,. fiHea „p^ and that its effect upon the IJay has been comparatively insig' nificant. "^ *' It will be seen that the arguments against the construction of a permanent opening apply with greater or loss force to every portion ot the beach from its western to its eastern extremity. A canal from Ashbridge's Day into the Lake would, afortiuri, be still more objectionable than one near the Peninsula Hotel, as it would in- volve the strengthening of the whole of the beach as far as the Light-house Point to prevent its westward motion. The next ques- tion which suggests itself, a^.mmi,„j the preservation of the beach provnled for, is the possibility of keeping an .artificial canal open anywhere between a few hundrcl yards east of the P,int and the most remote extremity of Ashbridge's 15av, without continued an.l expensive dredging. When we remember that many million tons of sand and shingle have passed along the beach from Scarboro' shore to form in 5H years the ;«) acres in deep water beyond the Lighthouse Point, whoa we glance at the new beach which has recently been thrown up west of the Point, when wo consider the changed character of the Scarboro' cliffs, unproteeteil as they now are, is it probable that a canal could be maintained within the lanits before mentioned ? Is it not rather to be supposed that the 8.and would accumulate on its eastern side with a rapidity before unknown and defy the most energetic efforts to preserve a passage during the wintersoason ? The rapidity with which natural l,reaks hll up, as shown repeatedly ir Ashbridge's Hay, and recently near the Peninsula Hotel, furnishes also a safe answer in the nc-ative to this question. ° It appears manifest that the integrity of the Peninsula must bo preserved ; that no artificial Lake communication situated bo tween the Light-house Point and the .^astern extremity of Ash- bridge's Bay could be maintaiicd under the existing conditions of the Scarboro' cliffs, without an enormous outlay at the eom- * Note 11. in Appendix. moncoment and .an annually increasing expense in maintaining it, It IS urged that the chief objection to the construction of groynes into only eight or ten feet water is tbo nature of the sloping beach, the Uuctunting shoals, which in places are not twenty feet below the surface of the water seven hundred yards distant from the shore. Mr. Fleming's own measurements opposite his proposed canal give a distanco of nearly TOO yards before tlio slKjaling coast roaches a depth of twenty foot water. The whole question of the construction of groynes is involve,! in a distinct and exact knowledge of the depth to which the surges of the Lake affect the sand and shingle of the shoal. It is manifest that if a groyne were not con-tructod into water deeper than that in which the waves have the |. .ver to move the sand at the bottom, it would bo of little avail. Let ns suppose for instance that groynes were constructed on the sand bars to the depth of twelve feet water, and that the high waves of the Lake affect the l,ottom to a depth of htteen feet.* The sand iluring storms, namely those which produce the longest and highest waves (the easterly storms) would be dis- tnrbe.l to the depth of fifteen feet ami pushed round the projecting groyne, other sand from above or the east, falling down by gravity or pushed along by the impelling waves would fill the place of that winch had been removed, and lie in turn swept westward, and so on repeatedly. A really useful groyne must penetrate into water of a depth hcjonil the ordinary influence of the w.aves upon the shelving bottom during storms, which certainly extends on the Peninsula shoals to a depth exceeding fifteen feet. There is a spot on the Peninsula where a groyne can lie constructed to serve every purpose required. Mr. Fleming has justly recommended a groyne at the Lighthouse Point (the south-western point of the Peninsula) and It appears to the writer that that spot is the first which should be selected for the construction of a groyne. Hut Mr. Fleming's suggestion that the groyne should bo carried out into eight or ton feet water, is altogether incompatible with the effect pro- duced on the sand at tlio bottom below that depth by the long swell of the waves. The writer, while duly acknowledging Mr. Fleming's appropriate selection (as it appears to him) of the locality, would suggest that one groyne should be carried out there into -io feet water. When the peculiarity of the beach an', shoal at the Lighthouse Point is consulcrod the magnitude of the work will not appear so imposing as It seems to bo at first sight. The boundary of the Peninsula at Its south-west extremity is exlremo;y abrupt, so much so, thatat tho point A on the Chart \o. 'J, the depth of water is not less than -10 or oO feet within 400 feet of thebeach, (leaving a wide margin for recent cliauges, possible, but not probable.) The s<,undings on the Man are taken from personal observation, and Mr. Fleming's Chart and they indicate a steep and abrupt boundary at tho turning point of tlie shoal. This peculiarity in the conformation of the Light- house P,int in its subaqueous extension, will necessarily be main- tamed for a I.mg period of time, as every successive step in advance IS into .leepcr and deeper water. A few hundred yards to the west .d the Point, 00 feet water is recorded. (Lieut. Herbert ) Ul progress of the beach, therefore, in a south-westerly direction must be made by vast accumulations in deep water. This point selves as a protecting lie.adhuul round wliich the travelling beach i« rapidly moved by easterly winds and as rapidly forwarded north, ward liy south and south-westerly winds. jV groj^nojit^V^seot segnunit of curvature would, if * Nute D. i.i .Jppendix. — — i ; 10 UKI'0RT8 ON TOllONTO HAllHOUU. i' run out into AO foet wvtov, .irrcst all Rami aii.l sliin-lo l,.r !i cnn- BidcniMo vcri'"! of time, nn.l ns llio nonimulatin;!; nmtcvmls oncn-.u-luMl upon tho pn.tortius limitH of the i,'>ov.ic, lunl.or inoroaso o.uUl bo i.rrcstoil, aiul llio materials riXEt., Uy vla> lu- a 8e.-..na L-i-ovno at IJ ; in l.r.H-ess of time the travelling beaeh w,ai!< encroaoh u, uu the proteotiu;; lin.it.s of li, a third cr..yne placed atO. on a smaller scale, vvouM arrest -..rther progress and m the sand between C an,l 1! ; a fourth after a few years would be reouired at D, and so on, as materials accumulated. The results of this system would be the establishment of the Peninsula upon a firm basis, adding year by year a laro;e quantity of what nufiht become valuable property if properly taken care of and embelhshei. with, as well a-s sustained by, appropriate trees. The westerii ex- tremity of the Peninsula is al.so subject to the inroads of trnvcUin- beaehos as not only its formation bnt the extension <.f the sand bar sufficiently sh.nvs. and has shown, for many years. (Sect./.ovvski s report, noticed before.) A proync at K, ^vould, if made o vene- trate into l:> feet water, effectually retain the movmR beach, and preserve the integrity of the distance between A and K, and hn,-.lly L frroyno at F K, a. mentioned by Mr. Fleminp, would establish the channel, and if curved sufficiently far in the direction of K a permanent beach would be thrown up dnrini the ne.Kt penu.l o low water, which would secure a current in one channel ot at least 12 feet water, sufficient to preserve it from possible .nr,.ads of Band, which might bo deposited in the form of Bars, rnlhn, ,/, during summer currents, hereafter to bo m i.;ed. In the mean while, what, it will be asked, is to become of the more easterly portions of the peninsula ; is there no danger of any part of that narrow strip between the Peninsula ITotel and the ex- tremity of Ashbrhlgo's Bay being .wept away? Nature hersc supplies an answer to this question, which, when duly considered may be correctly interpreted. Nature has made and repaired one brelch during the past year at the eiwstern extremity of loronto Harbour-, she has made and is now repairing at the rate ol an acre a week another breach in Ashbridge's Bay, of a third oi a mile long. There is not a doubt that during the whole epoch ol the existence of Toronto Ilarl.air, from it« lirst washed up beach to its present imposing magnitude, breaches have been made dur- ing all periods of high water, and repaired during periods of low water. The writer is of opinion that several remains of breaches e-»n be recognised in various parts of the coast between the Hotel and the eastern extremity of Ashbridge's Bay-these remains distin'-uish themselves by two projecting spits, precisely like those which are now seen where the recently closed breaks exis ed at the east end of the Harbour. Four years ngo-dur,„g he period of h>w water in 1^10-several of tliese remains of breaches could be distinctW seen, bor.lering the swamps and cast of it. It is desirable that breaches should not be made, as by slow degrees they limit the dimenshms of l.o Harbour, but un.ler certain oi'cumstances, thev are of immcose importance, ns will be shown hereafter. The writer submits, with respect, that no works what- ever are reriuired to preserve any portion of the beach from destruction. It will be asked, why not? and it will be urged that the diminuti.m of the beach near Privafs Hut.l and elsewhere, in en easterly direction, to less than one half its width in ab.ai. two or three vears, is cause for serious .lonbt as to its stability Ttie writer would beg to call attention to the circumstam-cs under which the beaches became diminished ; their diminution is only apparent, «nd where real (if anywhere) it will be rapidly repaired; the 1 caches expose less surface in consequence of the tinvMvally hi.ih train- of Ihv hike The average annual ilnctuati.ms of Lako Ontario are about two feet, but the ditVercn. e between the levels of the Lake in October. 1H49, and in June, lsn;i, was four leet, ti.e inches. (I^'O Canadian .bairnal, page "iT, Vol. 2.) Now .t .8 suggested that these great diifereuces in I,ake Levels are ot tl.o utmost importance, n.,t only with respect to the general app™r- ■uice of the Peiilnsulo. but with r.'gard to its subnuucons develop- ment An observer in ISl'J would see a broad beach at the P..Minsula Hotel some fifty or sixty yards broader than an observer in IH.^io siddv on accmnt of the dilference in the Lake levels, without the necessity of one particle of sand being removed. An observer i.i 1S63 would say the beach is bnt two teet three inches above the waters of the Lake, while an observer ui 184' would my it was six foot ei-ht inches above the same level, and yet the rc'ai altitude of the bcac.li might be precisely the same. So w^lh ,,,pect to Houudings. The bar which in IK^.3 had four feet wa er upon it world be two inches above the water in October, im Thc^e are imp<.rtant items, they show the absolute neees- sitv of exact scrutiny into all measurements relating to the Har- bour, and the reduction t.. the same standard of Lake evel of ■M , bsorvations, before a fair conclusion can be arrived at. Ihe inllucnce of dillcrence in lake levels, in other vvords, o^V^'"^^ hi.h and low water upon the Peninsula is all powerful. Ih. liiercnco has enabled sand bars to bo thrown up into sand beaches, and has, in a word, been tho great /o>»».(.«ea«^« "f the S le Peniusnla. It is beautifully sliowu even in this tempe.tn- lus weather, (April, 1W4) ; at Lighthouse Point tho writer no- ticed in October last tho slow deposition of tho sp.t now protntd- Z itself above water at the western extremity of the Pom The Lak s then Z feet . inches above its lowest level in 1849, and the spit was just covered with water in calm weather, and not to seen fro., the shore, but easily discernable from the Point.* Now it is decidedly a narrow sand beach, but tho Lake is about a foot lower tha^ in Sept.unbor last. .)urir.g the present, or rather coming summer, as the Lake falls, it will be washea up into a stable, prominent beach, sweeping round to the north, and enclosing some additional acres, to mark the present rap.d mcrease of tho buuiidary of Toronto Harbour. One m .re aspect under which the tinet iati..n8 in the level of tho Lakes may bo viewed, is in the relation of those changes to tho construction of groynes. It raavbc supposed, for instance, that during a high lak.-> level a crovne U eonstn.cteil into 10 feet water-it is known, however tint the dilTeren-o between the maximum and minimum levels of Outario exceed fi-e feet (some authorities say 8 feet). It is clear that a giovno ,. -netratiiig into 10 feet water dunng high lake levels w.Hil"d peretrate into only five feet dnri.ig minimum levels which would have the elfoct of neutralizing the purposes for which the groyne was constructed, t This argument becranes perfectly applicable when we consider the ..ature of the shoals east of Lighthouse Point. There is an i.„mense distance between tho lines of 10 feet water and 1.. feet water, when reduced to tho standar.l of the Lake levels ; this distance exceeds in many instances tho total length which would bo reuuircd for one groyne at Ughthonse Point, pen.-.rafng into • See Note 0, Appendix, (referred to before.) I Sec Note \. UKl'OKTS ON TORONTO IIARBOUII 11 40 feot wntcr, (l)Olwceii ,",00 ami -lOO i'eet) thus inviilvinjj; for tlio cimstructiiiiiuf clf'ectiial n:'(iyiii'M immI til" Li; lithnuse I'uiiit, ivliiTc tlio WiitcrHlmlliiws, lui outlay wliicii, it jiuliciously iiiournnl, w .^IJ Bcrvo toiirrest pcrimiiieiitly tiio iirogroas oi'tlii.' Hiiiiil, ;^iM.' stiibilily to tlio IViiiiuulii ii;i(l ili.stri!)i!tu (lii; oxpoiisocjfl'iili're works over a groai, luiinlicr of yours. Tt will, Jojlitless, bo Ijooomiiig in tlio writer to oxpross more fully tlio roiisijna ho eutortains for tho opinion tliiit it U unnecessary to |)rot'!et the weaker portions of tlie Peninsula. 1. Vast bodies (jf water in the form ofv-avcH may lire'ik upon it, and over it, without carrying any fousidoraMu (juantity (iroduccd that which has given birth to them ; an hypothesis which, iu spite of tho contradicti. The whole valley of the Don was cxcavotcd ages before tho enclosure took place, and the marshes have licen produced by the same vegetable growth which now converts the ponds of the penin- sula into reedy swamps. (Witness tho ponds south of tho Light- house, during the present generation). Tho detritus of tho Don has accelerated the formation of its marshes, but that detritus consists only of tho fine mud which can be mechanically suspended in water, C. The peninsula proper has boon formed by " travelling beaches," impelled along the boundary of the present Ashbridge's Bay and its westerly extension. There is every probability for supposing that each successive beach, as shown by tho dotted lines on Chart 6, and Sketch 10, are permanent records of ioio LaVc I^eU. C.E., who, M I of tho Ilar- in Ilia paper bcil, irregular 'X isle nee. from I only be sup- eifeets,) upon nouth of the nta is tlio pre- f oulfl not havo 10 integrity of ,t tlio currents 1 to them ; an volves lias yet lissioners will Means to be lie Harbour," '(iiiil mciuiures leir published submit are in- ing recapitula- listory, forma- ither a modern ITECTINQ UEAD- bts. jposited under le south of its ind shoal was cd by easterly ist altoni'thiT from tlir ilril't clay luul siiml iil' (lu' 'I'citiiiry cpiicli. I'recisi'ly tlio sume iimtoriiils. as ri'^imls tlioir mii" iiilncical cImviieUT, are foun'il tii cmnposii a, very lnr(;L' ijorliiiu ol' tlie t-carboru' dill's. Tlio uiiiteriiib cc nsist uf — 1st. Very ooiirsc qimrtz snnil. , Hull. lU'il Kolspiir. 8rd. liliiek niiignetie oxiilo of irrm. 4tli. I'oiiimimite.i oftteiiremis slmle, ilcrived from I'l" brcaliiug up of larger frapuenl.s found in the l>lue elay. 5tli. I'elibles of ipiartz, syenite and various other k'r •' ■ of granite. :v.icli a!i are found iu iibundaneu iu the drift vavs iud elay of the Scarboro' elitfs. Cth. Water-norn and rounded fragments of sh:ile, containing fossili) btlongingtotiie Hudson lUvertiroup; soineoftiiese fragments nro four and tivc inches .-n diameter, and one inch d ick. Tlio • uaio and pebbles constitute n vt:\ considerahle proj.ortion (jf the lUiiierials eoinposiiiiJ the I'oniiiaula airi are found iu abundance at LIglitliouso I'nin.. They i/ii>i ^laveeomc'.Vi.ni the Kast and 'travelled' along the bench. The .'^fM .■.!;.■ ftr ivitics o\ ,-nme of the sand n\nteriaU are given below, tho figu: ' •■ -viU pr.ib.ibly be .-(inclusive as to the possi- bility of Bueh heary Bub^ >.>. 7'' Gneiss —i_- Syenite -■"■* Granite from ... -■'j- '" 2.74 Ji;c. &c- Out of 10 kinds of rocks mentioned by Sir llciiry de la Heche in his "Uesearches in Theoretical Geology," only /our have a siiecific gravity less than i.oil, o." two and a h.iif times heavier than water. The fossils of the Lower Silurian rock found on the I'cninsula are derived from the drift clay which reposes immediately above the rock itself. They may be seen, i;i silu, In very many situations near Toronto. Ico cannot have transported tho Peninsula materials from the west, for then we should find houliim, of which none are to bo seen. Hut one rational conclusion remains, which is that they have come fri/iii the last, NOTE D. The late Mr. Uoy, C.E , of Toronto, paid considerable attention to the ])heiiomenaof Toronto Harbour. lie describes it as follows: "The Harbour of Toronto is about '1\ miles in length from the Government Wharf to the I'eiiinsula Hotel, and about IJ miles in breaclth from the end of (.'liureh Street to the soutliern Peninsula. The water deepens jrrailually from the North Shore. At the distance of 1000 feet from jjC shore it is abiuit 15 feet deep, and at the distance of about half a ile from the shore it is 30 feet deep; further out it deepens to i)3 f"et, and continues to maintain these depths for about a mile further, hen as we approach to the southern Peninsula, the depth suddenly Yeelines from twenty-eight anrl thirty feet water to five, six, and seven ^eet water. The greatest depth at the entrance is 14J feet, and the width of deep water from the Government Wharf to the buoy is about 800 feet." This was piddishcd in the >Ionthly Heview, June, 1841. NOTE C. The writer would respectfully suggest to the Harbonr Commissioners the propriety of a per.sonal inspection of tlie .Scarboro' coast from the east corner of Ashbridge's liay to Gates' Farm. The wild and ro», niautio beauty of the scenery will well repay the fatigue of the trip. It must be accomplished on foot, and in order to obtain a clear in.sight iutu the phenomena of the coast as connected with the forniatir n of Toronto Harbour it must be commenced at tho east end of Ashbridge's Bay. The poiuts to which the writer won \ ■ ;iectfully direct attention are, 1-t. The nature of the be.icli it Ashbvi Ig ■'■ Hay, anil in ninny instances the verv regular (illilu'f a sumnl by the sdiugle uiil' r the intluence of the late easterly gall '. Tl.it atitudu coi.'miIs m ihe iuelinatioii of each piece of shingle > iih ri- Bit li its neighbour, tlie one to the cast reposes as it were on the ovi.' t Jo west of it, nnJ so mk, as exhibited in the diagrnm. In i,. veriii inst.iices the wrilci Iri ,ly observed this arrangement, evidently umde uiul ;r ;)ie ii Mueiicc •■( ..asterly breaking vfiivea. 2nd. Attention iscallcu to a roinarkablo remnant r.'' in ancient lieach, about a mile east of .Vsht idge's Hay. A fence of a eh^nred field is in one part idacrd ujion it. fiees of considerable growth arc still ro- • oiiMuing on ii. shov, ing its antiquity. The beach or t pit has tho form iii- ilic "ted in the diagram. .'inl. Natural groynes -f fallen timber occur in this locality and afford a good idea of the c^tei.i, to which t!ia i.llen tii..ber may pro- tcci the cltt-. •(•';i. The eonbt'iiraiior. of tho coast is cspii-ally to be noticed whoro the tirst or lowi-t terrace oppi n.iclie.-i 'he Lake, It will be seen that this terrae ■. es! edally when Iriiiged ,,'th the, tall pines which once covered it. ,roull .- ,'rvc all li t purpo.^es of a vast fiotecting headland from north- 1 istcrly and east,;-;.\ gales, to tho presei.t Ashbridge's Hay, and, in the ic-iter':' ipini(-ii, the first origin of the peninsula was due to this protecting headland. 6tli. Tho enormous gullies nro to bo particularly noticed, their recent formation, the unstable nature of the materials of wliich tho cliffs are composed, iind tho certainty of an imoiensely rapid yearly increase in the ijnantity of material precipitated into tho Lake by tho falling of the si>)i of tie gullies. Otii, Tho ideniity of, the mineralogical character which exists be- tween the sand of tho elilfs, the beach sand, and tho sand of tho peninsula. 7tli. The intl.iei.rp of the total destruction of protecting forest growth on the rape! Cormation of gullies. Other subjects Wo, ihy of note are embodied in tho accompanying Ueport, anddo not re luiro to bo noticed here. NOTE D. " From the experiments made by the Committee appointed by the Hritish Association, in WK, it was found that with a depth of water eiiual to twelve feet, waves nine inches high, and four or five feet long, did not sensibly affect the water at the bottom. Waves from iiO to 40 feet long, oscillating at intervals of six or eight secondu, pro- duced some effect, but much less than ii_ear tho surface."— (See Article Waiet, in the I'dini/ Cijclnjmha, vol. Ti). " The agit.-ition of tho sea is felt at different deptiis, in proportion to the magnitude of tho waves raised by the friction of tho wind. During heavy gales of ■•■■t'd, the depth at which this agitation has been observed, suUicient as ii, . shako up fine sediment enough to discolour the wat<'r, is about 00 feet."— yco/e^ica/ Oliserver, page 112, "The depths at which the disturbing action of a sea wave can be felt has been estimated even so high as f)00 feet on the Hanks of Ncw- foundland."— i"my. Movement des Unjes. Quoted by Sir U. do La Heche. The writer is persuaded that tho long waves of Lake Ontario, formed hv the friction of the wind on an expanse of water ecpial to 180 miles, aie sufficient to move sand at n depth of fifteen feet, especially en a shoaling coast. The construction of groynes on a shoaling sand beach is open to tho objection that the eroyiio itself may occasion such a reflex action of the waves as to bring sand from depths where it is affected into deeper water, thus producing secoiidiirt/ ahoah. NOTE E. The writer doei advance this statement as founded upon indis- putable authorit' has heard it stated by persons employed in eolleetiiig stone ' d from the Scarboro' coast, that bine clay is found in ten or i ■■■'' « Icet water, outside Ashbridge's Hay, and affords good 1 xsk'jr , . .nj. On (lucstioning the fishermen in that locality, ,'/t»f«ffJ 1854.] Al'PHNDIX. 1 ininniiy instnnccs !■ 1 tliu iiilluciico of the iiii'liiintiun of till) oiiu to tho cnst wi ',■ in ancient licncli, n I'li'nri'tl lioM is in riitttli lu'o 8till ro- • jit lias the foiinin- n tijiM locality iind u tii.ber may pro- ti) lie noticed where 1( will lie pccu that I pinc3 which ouco ! rotcctinp headland ..t AshbiiilK«'s Uayt cninsnln was duo to nrly noticed, their L'riali) of which tho ciisely rapid yearly ito tlie Lake by tho ir which exiBts he- ud the sand of tho they BolJ they had nol observed it. The qiie-lioii i« not ono of importance, nor \mn tho writer had any oiij.ortuiiity of vorifyinn any fltateuienl by iicrsonul in.-p«tion. Nori; ]••. Uiiring the present spring the writer endeavoured to discover the ancient beach of Lake (iTiturin, iilluded to in the text. At the doplii of two feet, on tho border.-i of the niiir.ili, ho found, rcpeiitcdly, a wanhed Hand, but did not succeed in fiioliiic shiuHle and pebbles. Tho high state pf tho water preveiilcd any seiir.h being prosecuted far in the marsh, at a depth of tlirce and four feet. NOTK G. In Ootohor, IKiV!, the writer sketched the appenranco of the ridpca and now reef, at Jiinhthouso |)oint, from the summit of tlio lighlhoiise, of which. Diagram No 1(», is a re|ire»enti\tion. The iliagram does not pretend to tho aceuraey of measurement. Ft was sketched at that time with a view to illustrate, at somo future period, tho theory of the formation of tho Harbour advanced in thi ; lleport. NOTE H. Tho I!ay subaqueous cxtonsiim of the peninsula has been remodelled and disturbed in many parts, this arises from a circular current which sweeps round the south shore of the Jiay, towards the bar at the nuiulli, when westerly and south-westerly winds press the waves on to the north shore. Kquilibvium is established by means of this current, which is, of course, dependent upon the force of the gales from the quarters mentioned. Tlie late Mr. Koy, C.K., notices this current in the paper before alluded to. NOTIO I. Tho late Dr. Houghton, Stale (ieologist of Michigan, took tho level of Lake Michigan, in IBl'J, as hia Zero of Comparison, and he noticed, in subsequent years, tho following variations in tho level of that Lako : — Lkvki. of [,.\ki; Mk IIIIIAN-. f ' ears. IHl'.l ., I.CIO ., IHoil . 1H;17 ., IHIIK . 1K;)!( ,, IMJO „ (I III. H ;i Zero of Coinp. .1 11 {lirport i,f the. Slale (Iculoyifl nf Mirlii^an, IRJl.) Approximate Kstimate for the construction of Works for the preservation and security of Toronto Harbour. £ droync at Lighthouse point, about JOO feet long, into 10 feet water 3000 (Iroyne iit K.. M., into lo feet water, estimated length, with al- lowance fur how Lake Levels, ."JO chains 2000 (iroyne at mouth of Harbour, 100 chains 40(10 Total £!)000 Estimated Kxpense of constnicting a C'aiuil, into 'lO feet water at ,\, iiiirl -JO (Vet water, at (i ; ajiproximate length, I'.HK) yiirds, width ofio (Vet 15000 Construction of (iroyne from K to G, 100 chains 4000 Total Kxpense, including (,'anal and (Iroyncs 28000 Amount of available Land enclosed by works between the points A. G. I'" 250 acres: 250 acres at ,£100 ]ier acre 25000 Difference jEliOCJO f protecting forest I the accompanying ee appointed hy tho h a depth of water id four or five feet ittoni. Waves from r eight seconds, pro- face." — (Sec Article epths, in proportion riction of tho wind, ih this ugitntion has I sediment enough to ( Oliurver, page 112, a sea wave can bo a the lianks of New- d by iSir H, do La ,akc Ontario, formed r equal to 180 miles, feet, especially on a shoaling sand beneb lay occasion s\ich a I depths where it is try sitoals. founded upon indifl- licrsoiis employed in ast, that blue clay is go's Bay, and affords rmcu iu that locality, REPORT ON THE PRKSERVATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF TORONTO HARBOUR, IIY S.\NI)1.'(IUI) FI.KMlNd, CIVII, KNOINKKH. [7'/ie smmil premium <•/ Sfrcnt;/ fU'O Voiimh ira.y uwaiilcil h the. aulhor nf iSiis Iteporl.] TO THE l,'n.\raMAN op tub tOMMlSSIONEaS OF ToaosTO iiakuiir: Sir, — A public roquisitiiin lias Lcen made for information as to tho raeiiiis which should bo taken for the jireservatiou and im- provement of your Harbor, hy a noticu dated March 14th, IK54, and a pecuniary reward 1ms also tlieroby been ofierod. This last> although porlnip.s inaulHcient iu itMolf to an ohiborate examination of the subject, is doubtless an additional incentive to all who may ohoso to c, to impi ove tlicroon ho ns to onsuio n L'oiiliimiincoof prosjieiity, bi-conii'K, thoicl'ori", ot'tlic almost iiiiport- niii'o. The niitiiral Imsiu formcil liy a 8niiiliiil(?o oxtcinliiiK from tlie western lii.miiiiiry of tin- towiisliip of Searborou^li, emlirueing ill its arms a ]}cirlion of the urent Luke, possesses iniiiiy (jf the reipiisites for a (looil li'irhour; it encloses aliout 1-00 acres of water, entirely free from rocks ami shallows, ami avernning from 15 to 115 feet in depth, on the wiile expanse of which the whole shipping of all the Canadian Lakes might safely riile at anchor. Diirini; the prevalence of certan\ wimls. however, the liasin is not of easy access to sailing craft; ami not only is the channel scarcely snflicicnt to admit the entrance or departure of large vessels, but it is oven fast closing up, and, a.stounding as the assertiiin may appear to some, will, ere many years, unless efTicient means of prevention be taken, put a complete stop to all navigation— a boM enough statemout, but from asrertjiined facts a proper inference. Tlial the entrance to the harbour is fast closing up, I have been led to discover, by comparing a series of careful measurements recently made, with ohl charts of various dates. In the soquel, this important fact will be clearly shown, and an attemipt made to account for it ; in the meantime, it may be sufficient to state that a bar has encroached so nuieh on the channel, as to make it not more than half the width it was fifteen years ago. With the view of prescribing an efiicient mode to prevent the further accumulation of shoal calculated to prove so de- trimental to the future prosperity of the city, it is first requisite to as- certain the cause of the evil, from whence it arises, and investigate the manner of its action — hence tho following infiuiry into the formation of the Teninsula and Ilarljour. Few persons visiting Toronto for the first time but are struck with the singular appearance of the neck of land or peninsula stretching out into the lake in front of the town, so low thai the few small trees growing at wide intervalson its surface appearalmost springing from tho water, and on a neare ..j.proach, so long, so curiously simpeil, and so dif- ferent from the lanil on shore, that many are doubtless led to theorize a little on its formation. Some, who have probably arrived in the pro- vince by way of Niagara, and crossed over with their minds filled with contemplati.ins of tlie mighty cataract, at once, ami without much consideration attribute to the descending torrents of that river, tho power of elevating from the depths of the lake, or of carrying across in suspension, tho drift deposited here— a theory wild a}id incajiablo of defence, though some arc hold enough to venture it. Others again, who have probably arrived from tlie west, or whose business takes them frequently in that direction, and from the steamer generally calling at the mouths of the various small rivers emptying into the lake between this and Hamiltipn, may be induced to think that these streams have had the effect of drifting the debris of tho uplands outward, which, with the assistance of an imaginary eastward current of tho lake, is carriofl until meeting a contrary current, sup. posed to be of the Don, then the matter held in suspension is supposed to have lieen ileposited at their junction lino, opposite Toronto. Tho advocates of this theory have yet to prove that such currents of tho lake as these exist in reality : although it is true that cnrronts out- ward and inward, over the bur, are found, cccasionnlly resembling a slight half liourly tide, yet. if they have any effect on' the bar at all they must have a t mdency rather to diminish than increase the deposit. AH thcio streams, witli the exception of the Don, enter the lake nearly at right angles, and it is impossible that they can flow into a largo and deep body of water, such us exists between their mouths and tho point in ([uestion, without being entirely diffused ; nor could the drift brought down by them be carried wlioUy or chiefly in one particular eninsulft is neither now affected in any way by these western streams and tho imaginary currents in conjunction with them, nor /((i.» been formed by their drift, since the material composing it, sand and gravel, could not, in accordiiih'c with existing laws, be held in susjiension and transported for miles over still water, 00 ami 100 feet deep. Were the deposit or any part of it of an argillaceous nature, there would havoHjcen some slight reason to think thai these st cams might have been auxiliurios, but such is not Uic case. Others, again, suppose that the reninsnla is merely a narrow ledgo of rock, slightly covered with the sand and gravel which wo find on tlie Mirface, but this opinion is quite at variance with tho gcnornl geological features of this pint of tho country, and to local inveBll- gationa. A little consideration of tho subject will show that these opinions can only bo advanced by those jiersons who Irnvo merely been enabled to nittko cursory observations, and by tlioso who, knowing the wonder- ful transporting power of running water when confined, as in n rive;*, are inclined to attribute to its agency more than is justly due, and overlooking the change of circumstances, class effects tuiiversiilly which can only bo proilucod by causes under particular conditions. They being anxious to account for certain results, are contented with a superficial and fallacious reasoning, and assign to tho most con- spicuous agents of nature, that, which after a more careful and deeper search would bo ascribed to a power less oasil/ observed, but not less active, or less potent. Sir Uichard lionnycastle, in an elaborately drawn up Report, dated 1835, gives it as his opinion that tho Teninsula " was ono of tho many ridges deposited at the bottom of a vast lake which existed before tho present Ontario and Krio were formed out of its drainage," and " that it liutl not materially altered for a vast length of time, probably not since it emerged from the waters."' It may bo thought presumptuons in mo to present anythin-; in opposition to tho judgment of that respected and eminent gentleunn; but from careful observations and measurements, and a comparison of these with surveys made at different times by others during the last half century, h.iving fouml that tho deposit both above and underwater has received additions so extensive, and which so closely resemble in character its older portions, I may bo permitted to suggest, instead of (he Peninsula being a seiliin'n ary deposition of the tertiary periods, as thought by Sir 11. l!onn) castle, that the whole of it belongs to the present era, and that at least ono of the agents of its formation, is at this day as 'tively engaged in changing and enlarging tho outline of the deposit in question, as it has been hitherto in gathering together the materials, and modelling them into its present shape. I shall first endeavour to show that the inferior portion or base of the Peninsula has been washed from tho valley of the U(m by that river at an early date; second, that the materials composing the supe- rior and more recently formed portions have been gradually trans- ported along the shore from tho eastward, and that this westward progressive motion of the sand and gravel beach is now tho solo cause of the extension and enlargement of the Peninsula, and of the danger at present threatening the entrance of the Harbour. First That the groundwork of tho Peninsula enclosing the Harbour is, or has been, a delta of the Kiver Don. It is generally believed that iit one lime Lake Ontario stood -A a higher level, and covered a fur greater area than it nt present occu- ^ :"~T 1, if poniloroHs, bo ixtiiljuti'il fur mill tlio I'l'iiiiijula in i\ streiiiiiH itiiil tlio L'lMifcprmod by their ivcl, could not, ill iinil transported IP tlio dcponit or d liuvolieeii somu .' liiH'ii niuiliarioH, ly a narrow Icdgo ivlilcli we find on witli the general to local investi- liat tlu'80 opinions rely been enabled iwing tlie wondor- ned, as in a rivef, is justly due, and tfeets universally licular conditiona. re contented with to the most con- nreful and deeper rvcd, but not loss up Report, dated s one of the many existed before (ho nape," and " that line, probably not sent anythin,'? in inent Rcntlemin ; d a comparison of ira duriu}; the last e and underwater closely resemble BUjiKcst, instead e tertiary periods, it belongs to the 1 formation, is at ng the outline of athering together lape. portion or base of the Don by that nposing the supe- gradually trans- lat this we»tword ow the solo cause iiid of the danger ising the Harbour iitario stood ut a at present occu- HEl'ORTS ON TORONTO HAIIHOI'K. 17 plel. A barrier may havo then existed nt its uiillul, wliei-u probalily the Thousand Islandt are now seen, over llietop of wliicli thepriiiioval St. Lawronoo Ucwcil ; this uruiit river, iiHhIng over tlie hiirrier with troraondous velocity, would, tlinm/h ccmise of time, wash away its softer parts, ami leave standing tlinse immcruiis isolateil rocks and pictures(iuo islamls which, now covi I'cd with foliage, adorn so much the landscape of that section of tl,e country, ff this ho not the ap- proved way of accounting for the hiwering of the level of the water.s, a gradual ii|)lieaval of the land generally, or even a subsidence of the ocean may be brought furwani ; it is iiiiiiecessiiry for our present piir- po.sc, however, to cuter into a geological disipiisition on this point, if we allow that the whole of the country bordering on Uke Ontario was at one time submerged under the same extensive sheet of water; and that the level iif this great hike, or it may ho this arm of the oceiin, was through course of time depressc^d, and its outline contracted until it was reduced to the present Ontario. A supposition so strongly sup- ported by the discovery of several ancient beach lines, tcrruces and parallel ridges in the vicinity of Toronto and other parts of the country, at various, but corresponding levels, that it may, without nincli diffi- culty bo admitted. As the land gradually emerged, its appearance would lie bleak in the cxtrorao ; a Hut or but slightly undulating surface unbruken by rivers or ravines, and uncovered, for a lengtli ol' time with vegetation ; on the ancient shallows of the great lake varioiH kinds of plants would, through course of time, take root, grow up and wither; the eoiilinucd reproduction and decay of which would gradually coat the surface with organic matter, and tlius enriching the soil, enable it to produce more luxuriant vegetation. Now, (prior to the settlement of the country,) after a lapse of many centuries, we find the great hardwood forest growing over soils of an argillaceous character, and tho ancient land shoal) of tho great lake clothed with lofty pine. Wo can easily imagine the general character of the present shores of Lake Ontario, when they first became dry land— a vast umlulating piano ascending as at prosei.t from the Lake into tho interior, but totally devoid of water eh.ipnels for the surface drainage— hero a bed of clay — there a tract of sandy soil ; and as it is only reasonable to suppose that rains fell in those days as at present, the water produced by them on tho surface, in flowing from a higher to a lower level, would most easily wa.sh out channels in the softest material ; and these little streams, collecting together in their downward course towarJs the Lake, would form the commencement of a river course. Tho newly formed rivers, having the same fall towards the Lake as the surface itself, their beds being but slightly under it, would be much more rapid than they are now, and rushing ilown with violence after thaws and heavy rains, would, proportionally with their greater rapidity, during the firs', years of their existence, be more ell'cctive in scooping out tho sand drift, and tnuisporting it to the Lake ; from year to year tho water channels would thus grow larger and larger, and although tho rivers, as they were depressed, lost much of their force and rapidity, yet continually undermining the banks and trans- porting the debris downwards, woiiUl, through course of ages, form those deep ravines in which many of them now flow. That tho rivers in this section of the country have originated in this manner, is iufeirod from tho fact, that they are found .almost univer- sally to flow in flat-bottomed vallies or ravines, the banks of which aro tho abrupt terminations of the level country on each side ; and that those ravines are generally found where the drift is of a liglit and sandy nature. TI ■ accompanying section across the Uivcr Don, taken a little above t! ■ ''■ letory, will show clearly tho first proposition ; tho second also o is established by tho well-known character of tho soil of which tho banks are compo.-ed. Tho surface of the country extends for miles to tho right ami left of tho river without any material change of level, except wheve broken by a secondary ravine of a tributary stream. Doubtless, then, the inference is correct as far as regards the Don, and that the dotted lino stretching from bank to bank on the drawing, was the surface prior to the scooping out of its channel. Sfrliim itcrmt thr Ilim uIki ' IJ.j mllrt/rum ila mimlh. n. Tho vnlli'V i.f the Dun nlioul » ' ; (if mllu ivIJ... unit upvtarjs i,f luu L-^\ Joi.|i— tho rlnr hiTi' Is iia n Ivvfl ullh Ijiki' Diitiirlii. I'. .K Irlliutiir.v •■fill.! Iloii. runnliiK llimimh V.irkvlli.., U 1* nut Ml,lli|urlj' Ijy tlio me- tliiri mill fiirms a Junclioii Willi tlui Dun uIhiuI ';, ii iiillu lurlluT iliiwii. ■'■'' "'"' I'"" 1» »'•"'• '-ll f'^'t liit-'hiT tluM the Uh... ami tlio Burlli.o uiilntalnil viry n.'.nrly th.. sni.i.i h'Vil fur » ImiK illstaiire cm iltliir hIJ.. in a illri-ctl.in |mrall,-l lo ivitli a Ki'iill" bIi'Iki 111 rliflit ant'lfj to It— on |inrl of llils nloiw tlw City of III., kill Ti iron to i; huilt. Nor is the Dun singular in these respects; of all the streams I am acriuainted with to the east and west of Toronto, the same scooping out of tlio ravines can be shown, and generally the same sandy charac- ter of the conntry immediately traversed, as indicated by the dark green lielts of pine running into tho interior of tho country through tlio hardwood forest which flourishes better on tho heavier soils. And here, without digressing nincli from the subject, one can scarcely avoid observing very apparent marks of design— the adapting of the pine to grow on soils unfitted for cultivation, and the lending of rivers through pine-bearing soils, thus enabling tho settler to take advantage of the various ;iropcrties of running water in conveying and preparing the most usefi.l f all timbers for his manifold purposes. Tho V lley of the Don is from a quarter to half a mile in width, with abruptly rising bank^ ■, lOOto 200 feet and upwards in height, the scoopingout of wh .', ! ,i) lies the removal of many hundred millions of cubic yards, a quai.tity so immeasurably great when brought into comparison with the agent of removal— a stream (when not dammed up) only about uO feet wide, that it appears altogether irreconcilable with the inference drawn; more especially is it so, when we know that 'he annual quantity of matter bronght down by tho Don is at present inconsiderable. If, however, wo bear in mind that, without assuming a greater volume of water to have flowed in its channel than l jw, the transporting power of the Don must formerly have been very much greater by reason of its greater descent and rapidity; and, if it can le shown that many ages have elapsed since it first came into existence, the conclusion come to may be taken ns rational and correct It may seem difficult — nay, almost impossible — to estimate, however roughly, th" .. u vliirh has elapsed since tho Don commenced to flow; but if .'1 hi rive at tho oge of any other river emptying its water into Lake Ontario from a source equally high, the problem is solved. Whei: the great Lake already mentioned, subsided from its high level, then, and not till then, did the Niagara, tho Don, and other coteniporary rivers make their appearance. .Since that epoch the Niagara has cut a deej) channel for seven miles through the solid rock; its annual recession has been ascertained approximately, and from these data its age has been roughly determined. " We may turn to the deep ravine," says Lyell, "and behold therein a chronometer measuring rudely, yet emphatically, tho vast magnitude of the interval % 4 ^^-^i ItEl-OllTS ON TORONTO HAUHOUIt I 18 of yoarM wl.loli scpumto tho pre-oi.t time from tli.- fi>"ili «'">» H'" NinUiirii flowi'.l iit a lusher Icvi'!." Tl.n.< ihni. tho D.m. cncviil with tl..> NUR«rn.lm. flowc.l, n«nr.Iiii« to this K-vn.t (lc.^^.s!i^.t, f.,r ,1 ,>.M'iu,l f.ir I ■.. ^iTiil for tliP liiiiiiiM.nthm t,. .•.,:i.i.ivl„Mi.l, iinlwlii.!i"tKM'aii>..Mro..lx vonturoto immc l.y .vi'iirs;* ev.Mi iillowiiiK thut ,m, l.istovin.1 kiiow!...ljro ■ '■ Ou' I'M-t cmOiti.m "f tl„. K..1U is fur loo iiiCTiirc. to o.limMo • u'- uiy •h-fitv'O i>i pire.sion, tl.o ruto onii.'ir .Tli-opTs-ion in fuv.o-. ■ . (•^«, y«l ««'i'i. iM Imt nrnvo HI tl.o oonolusion ll.ut llo- cImoi.oIoru »1 !!»« nf H" NiiK^rn tti»l - ■•■■'•.•- quoiitlv uf the Do.,, must be so o moo,ly umit.thut m.o wo.il.l think cv.Mi iN IViiHioiwl part would M.ili- for the roi..o,,il of tl.o hun.lro.i- of ...illio.,- of yu:h of ii.Htter I .v the l.ittcr riv.r t.. tho I.nko, vMlho.it oftUiiii,' to iti niil .my uini-iml phoiiomoiia. Ilnvii.R th.is shown that Buffioiont tli..e i.iny l.o pr.iMloil, tho Hon llnMorori' siiinilioM iin iiloiuiato cause for porfoniiinu ai.M oo.i.i.lot.io' Ion" Hinoo tl.o woik as/.Ki.c.l to it: year after y.M.r .l.irina.'. vi.iy hi.torv, Hlowly 1.1.1 on-lantly l.ollowinR out a ohani.ol an.l .omovinj! tho forn.or contents of .ts valley to the lake tl.o li;;l.ter nn.l inniu Boli.l.le n.atter hcin- hoM for »o...e time by tl..' water, to bo .listnb.ite, far a..il Ki,le. il- heavier particles .,n the other haml to bo .lepos.tc.l near its month, in I'lO form of an extensive shoal or ,lclta-tl.e base ..r grounJ-work of li. Peninsula, on which as?ain to bo .lepomteil a .Inft from other causes uml fro... another 8ou.ce. .Soconil, That tl.o Peninsula proper has been foi-mc.l -olely by the mechanical .ci.on of the waves, that tho -:,n.l an.l jtravol of which it is conipose.) hav- been bv this action pra.liially Iransporte.l from the oastwaiM an.l .h.ositea on the deltaic shoal of tl.o Hon, an.l that the delta has thus been raised above the surface of the water and extendc.l westward far beyond its original limits. The etfects produced by waves o.i a shore exposed to their notion nro of various kinds, depending in a great measure on the nalii o of the beach, the dii-cction of the waves, and their mechan al force : if the shore be of clay the acih.n is entirely dcslrnctive, the banks aro umlermined and continually caving in, the fine argillaceous particles are taken •^v by the water, c .nied out and deiiositcd after a time at .loptl.9 unnliccte.1 by tho motiM. at the s,irf..ce; if the shore bo of siind or gravel the eti'ects produced a.-c .inile different. When the direct..... of the waves is not at right angles to tho beach a progressive action results, and when the waves bi-oak point blank on the sho..e line with suflicient force the action is destr...tive, in which case the banks are broken ch.wn an.l tho spent wave returns loaded with sai. 1 to be ile- posited outside of the bi-eakors in the for.n of a shoal generally pai-allcl to the coast ; if the soil of which the banks are composed be a mi-. turn of clav an.l sand the acth.n is botl '.-tructive an.l progress! . tl.c chiyev particles are washed out an.l '^itod i. dl water, v tho »a.i'j," gravel, an.l stones aro loft behind lo be moved forward either in one direction or an..lher, a.i.l at a rate .lepending solely on the strength of the impinging waves, and the gravity of tho materials themselves. On a rockv shore the elfects pro.luced •.:- [.-..isely sin.ilai-, although „r course to a much more limited extent ; liy conlintwl exposure to the *earing action of water an.l weather ft mass is umlermined ami tiimbh.ii down, ft p..rtio.. of the dobiis is p.it in pr..giessive motion during every stor... when the waves in.pingo ..ihorwiso than at right angles to the -Lore line, and is n.oved, ftCcordi..g to the l..cality, in a certain prevailing .lirocth.n, until meeting a projecting point or other hindrance to its ..nwarl i.r..gre»s ; thus lo.nilng those »hingle beaches seen at n.any places on nil rocky shores. The clTects of the destructive nelion on banks of clay can bo traced whorovir th.' sl.o.e is entirely of that material; the owners of property alon- many parts of Lake (hilari.. can bear testim. ,..v to its annual encroachn.ont"-. i.n.l, to cim.e noai-er home, many citizens of Toronto ni.ist hav.. wil..essed tl.o gra.lual alteration in the form and recession of tl.o clay banks botwe..n the oM anil new garrisons. - elfects of the progressive action can also bo witnessed at many J,, ...i.. .11 all the lakes ; but at n..ne in a ...ore rc.nark.ihle degree than at T.,ronto, although ,.l other places to even a much greater extent. .\n,l ..i.ice to the peculiar m.itio.i ..f san.l an.l gravel beaches w.Il bo Bttribulo.l not only the extraonlinary el.ange. tho Peninsula is at pre- sent ..n.lorg,.i..g, but eve., the g.eatcr part of the entire 1,. niation, it will be necessary to explain fully the nature „f it, an.l give tlm reasons why the beach should have a tenilency to movei.i o.ie direction in pre- ference to another. Let us take an exami.le when tho direction of tho win.l for...s an acute angle with the sl...i-o, a partible of san.l resting on the surface is d.iven lorwar.1 up tl.o inclined plane of tho beach in tl.o direction in which the wave il»elf moves, the particle either remains at i now elovatoil positi.... ..r (as is more U9..id) sweeps along in a small oirve »...! r.ills .low..war.ls with the expon.lcl wave t.i a new position, the distance of which fro... the first will bo i.. i,roporti..n to the n.echanical f.uco of the wave an.l its dii'cctiun ; another and .-ach successive wave drives the particle forwar.l in a siinilar .nanner, unless by accident it fin.ls a resting place behiiol s , .bst.'uction or bo bur.c ' by other particles on the same missi.>n as itself. If we take instead > ' a grain of sand, a small pebble, we fiml that the snn.o wave, or a wt iving the same force, moves it ft less distance than it does the si that larger pebbles being heavier make p.v|>w ii '.tely less progress, and that stones still heavier are move.l only when the waves haveconsi.i. able power. All of these bodies, however, when within tho im] force of tl.c wav.. and placed ii. nosithms fairly exposed to it- la-ecl action, seemed to be govorne.l by th.' an.e law, and ai-e moved 1 .rward ft less or greater distance according to their weight and gravity. FiR. 2. * "Mr. Bakewell calculated that, in the forty years preced.ng IS.TO, the Niagara l.a.l been going back al the ratoofabo.it a ya.-.l annually, but 1 conceive that one f.u.t per year wouM be a much m.ire probM . coniecture, in which case ILVIKK) years wo.iM have been n-umn-a the' retreat of tho Kall.s, fi-om tho escariamnt ot Q»i' ' pi-esont site, if wo could assume that the retrogade mov. unif.inn througl.o..t. This, however, couhl not have bee at every step in the process of excavatiiui, the height ol the l.aribi.'r-s of th- materials at its base, and the ip. matter to be removed, must have varieil. At some poini .'(|.1.1TI1 i n to the 'lad b. . prec y of . a may hat iiiiYi. ,,,,,...,. ... ......... I ^ r..'"''.".l m.uh fastcr'tl.aii at present, at others much slower, and it v..uld be scarcely possible to decble whether its avera;;c progress has been mo.-e or less rapiil than now." — l.'/rll. \ j ;^j,J>JvJvJ^,.J'NJ.>J■^J:!iii....s .lotted linos .m Fig. 2, tl.c sniftllest one is in- tended to show tl.c course of .i grain of sand, nn.l the two largest lines that of iiebblcs va.ying in size. Tl.o |.rogressive motion is slightly huspende.l betweo.i -li wavi-, but although int.rmittont is continued so long as the seas .iik on tho shore fi'om the sa •■ quarter, and nntil the moving mass mo. ts with an obsli-uction, or by reason of a ( ;j iiiiiil exposure to uiiili'rniiiicil mill ■ii({iTH»iv(' imitioii 'i->i> limn at riftlit thf III ulity, in » iiR |iiiiiit iir other i< iihingld beaches rlny run lie ♦raced wnt-rs of property i.iiy to its nnmml tizens of Toronto iirm mill rci csslon ivttneasod at many kiible degree than jh |£iiiitcr extent. •1 bi'iicheH will be enliiHulii is at prc- iitirc Ininnlion, it 111 (live tlio rciiBonH le ilirection in pre- tho wiml foniiH an g on tlie siufiieo is in the ilirortion in emiiiim nt i now » in a sniiill cun'O 1 new position, the 1 to tlic mechanical fh Hueeessive wave iilesa by acciilcut it le burn ' by other instcail ' a grain •, or a wf. iving doc the 91 that t less progress, :ind ares hiivcconsiili ;ithin the imp '■ xpiisoil to it-* direct arc moved l^irward , and gravity. lotted lines >koH' thr '.8. nvel on the beaih is c smallest one is in- the two largest lines ve motion is slightly niittcnt is continued u 811) I' ((uarter, and 1, or by reason of n HKl'OKTS ON TOHONTO IIAIIHUIJU. » Buddon bond or other pccullarKy of Ilia Aurc line Is depi.-iteil In a position beyond the lnHnence of the waves. When lh« waves impinge al right anglei to the nhore the progres-ive motiuii of tho bi'ucli is thei.rrlii'ally nothing, thi^ various particles of saml are rolled upwards and downwanls, changing pnsilion only lalor- ally or In tho lino of direction of the waves ; when llic waves Impinge somewhat less than a right angle the grains of sand innve along in a iharp ilg-iag line, as Fig. li. VA^\\'#fWMWiJ\'Wi ill Kig. ;), when much less than a right annlc the particles muvo uii- ward 111 a long uiidiilatory Mm- as In Fig. 4. Tho distance between the points of each inilcniation being in pruporlion to tho co.sino of the angle formed by tho diiection of tho waves and the lino of tho shore. Kig. 4. Oraiiiing that tho diiocliim of the wa»ea is governed by that of tho wind, it follows that whenever tho wind bluKs from a (piarter to the right of a perpendieuhir to ili.- shore, the l» ..h sand is nioveil to the left, and t'i'ce vena. If, Ihei re, tho wind blew with C(|ual strength null ihiring eipial times from all jioints of the compass throughout tho year, and the waves also had at all times the same nieehanieal force, tho sand would at one time move to tho riglit, and at another time an equal dislance to tho left; but, to speak In general terms, tho beach would remain ever as it was (excepting the etfecls of tho destructive action). Since the forces never could act simultaneously, we would have, it is Hue, a constant repetition of coinplicatcd motions, zig-zag, uudulatory, lateral, )iiM;;ressivc, and retrograde; hut, from their as- sumed equality and the equal times of their iipplicution, there could be no resultant. The mean velocity of the wimi may properly enough be taken as equal throughout the year from all points of tho compass, since tho actual dilTerence, as obtained by observations, will effect tho results inappreciably; but tho mean firce of tho waves will not in consequence bo equal, as this is greatly influenced by tlu- locality. It is found that the meclmnical force of a wave depends chiefly on tho strength of the wiml and tho cxteiu of open water traversed; allowing then that tho wind blows equally irom all imints, it will follow that tho resultunt of tho aggregate forces of tho waves impinging at any piirticular place, will bo a lino lying in a direction opposite to tho largest area of open water. In applying this conclusion to the beach in front of Toronto wo find that tho greatest extent of Lake Ontario pas-scd over by winds blowing from any point westward of tho perpendicular A B, Fig. 5, docs not exceed forty miles, nor is tho area of water over twelve hundred square mile« while to tho East or \ the Fig. 0. J t.AK^ 0//TA/ilO waves have a fetch of as niuoh as a hundred and eighty miles over rni expanse of water measuring nearly nine thousand squaie miles; henee then (the duration of the aclion being taken as equal In both cases) the intensity of the collective forces of waves impinging at A from the eastward is many times greater than those from the westward, and tho motion of tho beach nt .\ must therefore be westerly; it must of courfO move with a variable velocity because tho forces are not constant; Us path, or rather the path of each particle, undulntory, since the forces »cl Impulsively m the plane of the beach In ciMnblnation with gravita« tlon ; It must siioi' limes relrograde since the ihrectioii of Ulc forces is ever changing, and they never act simultancuu-ly ; but aggregately, the beach sand, subject !■ many complicated motions, and acted on by innumerable and incalculable forces, must muvo absolutely from cast to west, and (taking the forces on each side of lino A II respectively as positive and negative) with a velocity proportionate to their alge- braic sum. On that portion of tho beach successively washed by tho waves only, can tho progressive motion be proved oceularly, yet doubtless a similar (ictiim must bo pro luccd between the breakers and tho main land all along the shore, and when wo consider that the lake is seldom or never entirely at rest, that even during perfect ealins. unless continued for several days, a geiitlo ripple capable of moving san 1 is found on tho shore, throughout tho whole year, therefore, niu«l the nmtcrials ciuii- posing the beach be continually changing place, and although some- times moving easterly, yet generally, as proved above, in the contrary direction. Kig. 8. -■^y,:. Tho accompanying drawings of natural groynes very strongly con- firm tho conclusiim here como to. They are cojiied from skotcliea recently taken (18o0) on the spot, between Trivat's Hotel and the Scarboro' Heights. Fig. was formed by tho falling of a tree opposite a fisherman's hut east of the Narrows on tho passing log : the outer end of the tree was supported by its branches : about one half of tho log was floating, but kept stationary by the tree; the remaining half rested mi the surface, and enabled the sand to accumulate at its easterly side. Figs. 7 and 8 appear also to have been formed in a similar iicinner. They were found on that part of the shore between Ash- bri'l|-;o i Bay and the Scarboro' Height . Tho dotted lines indicate what Fig. 7. ^v\M^' "'"'" '-"'''^^''''' i I 20 HKl'OUTS ON TOllONTo II AllUOl II Fig. «. K y Shlchfi iif iKitiinil llri'i/iit.', wii« •.iippiisc.l 111 Im- tho (irin'iiml wiiliM-iimrk. In nil cii-c. tin' wiili-r wiiK from oni- tn twcp tint lU'vp on the wi'»tiTly "i'li' "f tlio l.i(r«, itml in H'viTiil in,itiini-r^ tlio sinil wiis five nr nix iin'hi'f iili.ivi' tlu'T upinT mirl'iico on the (■ii!Mnn Into the lake eant of AshliriJtje'^ Itay, it \* found that, whatever he their ^enerul ilirection inland, »o -ooii ni they intersect the sand lieach, their conrso U westward. In most rnse^ they mil parallel to the shore, separated from it by n small ridpe of »and, anil ultimately dischai'no into the Ijiko some clistain'c went from the point where they leave the woods. We have also palpable and positive proof of the westward motion of tho beaeh in the ejlensinn of the I'eninsnla itself in tlial direitiun. Joseph llonelietle, late .Surveyor-deneral of the rrovinee, nuide a sur- Tey of Toronto Harbour in IT'.'ii. ft reduced plan of whiih was publishi'd in 181.'i alon^ with his work on t'anad*. At the date of the survey, that part of the Peninsula on which tlie Ijighthouse is ercctoil wa< then the margin of the lake. Since that time, one sand ridpe after another has been washed np, until now, after a lapse of only fifty-four years, a tract measurini; upwards of thirty acres ha.s been added, and tho Lake is now distant from tho Lightliouso about eighteen cliains. Tho general appearance of this recent addition to tho Peninsula ro- Bomblcs so closely other older portions, and its geological character Is so clearly identical not only with the adjacent parts, but also with the ■whole formation, that wo may very |iroperly infer tliey are each and all produced by tho same causes. Admitting, then — and it is indis- putable—that this enlargement of llio I^iglithouso point is due to the progres.sive motion of tho beach sand through the mechanical agency of tho waves from the eastward, wo come to tho ci. iclusion that tho whole I'enlnsula is the result of tho same action, continued throtigh past ages, and traceable to tho same eastward ."ourco. Arrived at this conclusion, we aro now naturally led to enquire whence has the abundant supply of material for so extensive a deposit been obtained. About live miles east of Toronto, a high bluff, known as tho .Scarboro' Heights, stretches along tho shore for several miles. The bluff is about three hundred feet high, and is chiefly composed of sand, with at intervals a stratum of clay. It is known by the farmers residing in the neighbourhood to recede ten or twelve feet aimually at the present day. Farther eastward, the coast has a low aspect, and is of a soil capable of providing but little of the substances of which sand and gravel beaches are composed. Moreover, by contouring tho country bnrdtrlnjt on thii high cliff, It li found that tho lino* betoken n former gieat projection lakeward, of whiih Kig. 'J ("0« plates) l« »" iihat outline, and Kig. HI ft sectional nketch mi the linn K I., at right angles to the shore. Kor these reasons, then, we aro Indnicd to hi ujion this point a« the locality from whenco has !><•«« ilrlfteil tin ma- terials forming the depo-it In uneslion. I'ounihd on dcinonslrallve and probaMe evhlence, here in part set forth, I will now venliiri' to lay bclore yoii what ! lielieve to be a eor- reit theory of the gradual formation of that singular depo-il which ha* provided for Toronto so g I a harbour. Ill, the sub»idence of Lake Ontario friun a high to its prcnent levol, the land fell in easy hl.»pos to the waters edge, and the gradual, de- scending surface lines were continued mitward under water; tho abrupt tcrmliiatliins of the land along the boun.lary of the lake having been formed by its enoroachnienls through ft long course of m-'", tho pro- montories which formerly projected have been rounded oM by the U«- slni.llve influence of tho elements. The sand clay of which they con- sisted, and which lay between the ancient and proent margins of thu water, having been removed to other parts, the clay carried out and siratifled at the bottom nf the lake, ami tho sand fonneil Into now do- posits, kindred to the one under discussion. Ki'fcrring to I'ig. IC, we have an illustration of this as applied to tho .Scaiboro' Heights. K repre-ents the present position of the cliff, and L the supposed former shore of the lake, the point of land extending from K to L, Fig. 0, having been removed by tho waves. Figs. '.I, 10, 11, I'.', and I.l are sketches of llio deposit at several periods prior to ami during its formation. The first shows tho sup- posed original outline of tho lake immediately after its subsidence, prior to any encroachinents or changes of tho shore line; the second, a small spit rnnnlng westerly from tho .Scarboro' promontory; tho third and fourth, farther cMensions nf this spit, and wearing away of the promontory. At this iierind (Fig. IL'l the Iliver Don has brought down a huge ciuantily of drift fro i its valley, as explained in tho first part of this paper, and the lake de|i08it is now going on over tho shoal water. Only a small portion of tho spit thrown up at this period now exists, the remainder having been encroached on and moved westerly as tho heights at .Scarboro' receded. Tho portion referred to is a narrow ridgo running landward to the west of the IJon. It may now be seen stretching froiu near tho wind-mill outwaril, and separating the marsh from tho Harbour. Fig. L't shows still further encroachments on tho land at Scarboro' the almost entire removal of tho spit shown by Fig. 12, and the ad- vancement of tho Peninsula westward. Fig. 14 represents the present state of the deposit. The dotted lines are contours, (explained on tho plate,) showing the rapid pro- gi'css of the shoal landward at the western boundary of the Harbour. Its edge between the point of the Peninsula above water, and tho mainland, at the Queen's Wliiirf, may bo taken at tho ten foot water- line, within which ii immediately rises, and gives a depth of about four feet only along the eastern side, and from six to thirty inches along its western boundary. Figs. 17, IH, m, and 20 are sections across tho Harbour and Penin- sula, on the lines H, E F, t' I), and A B, drawn on Fig. 14. Theso show clearly, without unnecessary explanation, the nature and limits of the deposit Fig. 20 runs from the foot of fieorgo Street southerly, through that point of the narrows proposed for the eastern entrance to the Harbour, hereafter mentioned; Fig. I'.t on a line parallel to tho first, from the Parliament Uuildings southerly ; Fig. IH from near tho Queen's Wharf directly across tho shoal at tho entrance : this, as well as the last, cuts several of tho many ridgos of sand, with long narrow U 10 liii''« l)Ptok«n •i'« |ilttl)!s) i« an tic K I., nt riffht 5 iniliici'il l

ft i'(ir- Dpo»il which h«» U prwcnt l*Tc1, Iho urinliml, ilo- hUt; thoiitinipt iik<> hnviiig l)«eii III iii-'es, tho pr(i- fil (ill liy Iho (le- which they oon- I iiiHrxin* of tho / I'liri'k'il (lilt and iiol Into now de- i (in npiillcd to the n (if the (iliff, nuiI if liiiul cxtiMiiling IcposU ut Bovoral si (thinvH tlio sup- er il* Kubsidoncc, line; tlio second, proiiiiiDtory ; the weurinK iiway of I)(in Ims brought ilftincil in the first (in over tlio shoftl it thi,< period now id mnvcil westerly 1 itfiTrcd to is « )(,n. It niiiy now I'd, mill separating lund at Soarboro' ;. 12, and the ad- )08it. The dotted ig tho rapid pro- Y of the Harbour, vo water, and the lio ten feet water- a depth of about lix to thirty inches arbour and Pcnin- m FiR. 14. Theso nature and limit.s Street southerly, ?nstcra cntrnnco to inc parallel to the ;. 1 8 from near tho anco: this, as well , with long narrow UKl'OHTS (».\ TOilONTO IIAUUCri. jl p.m.N l.tween, hy which ihu npp.r s.irfiue of tho for.natl.iu U charao- are mored onwi. -, h the gro«t«,| f»,illi.y. | ■„■ j h„„i,|o„ ■„, teriMcd. Hg. 1, runs frcni Ihn old Knui. h fort parallel to tho other oonno nco of Ir iMo t„ rcKlM Ihu nioc. ■ ■■• ■ . .irco of Iho wii'v... .oetioiH. Intercepting ,„i p„rti(m of (ho depo.it, but pa-sing fery elni-o remain ut re.:, .,.,1 ...ercforo cm f„rn. no pun .,( beach forma. - ' to Its wcKlern lliu.t at the I.igliihoiiso p.iiiit, In .,ixty feel wuler. The dqith of water iiicreaKiiig ai the depii^it wan e.tended wcterlv ac- ""*'" '" " '"'"«'''"'»<" "'' """"' '■^''X'ltvx ni.irc piirticiiliirly referred eounl. very HailMiielorily fur its spreading „o ini.cli towaidi the mirth. ',"; "''"'' '""" '"'"'" P'""'" "" "'" "'"'"' '" "'" '""""' "' "'" "'"'"""•. AHI Kh an e,,,i,il amount of «ind iiii.y „,„„i,illy have bee,, brought '","" "'"' i'"""'""'"'" '■<^'"Mly -xamined II Id niup, u„,l eliarts forwuni, yet, as the (lep.i^it wa^ forced out into increasing depths of ' Nnrveyor-tlenenil and (trdnance Depurtments ; nniny nf ihom water, this rate of clcnsi,,., we.terlv would in pr.morti.m lie de- ""' "'""""' .'" ''"';'','' '""' '" "''" ''"I"'"' "'' '""" """'"' '" "»• '"l""-? ! mini»hed, thus allo«i„g (he s.iulherly 'ivaves o and no.re lime to ", T ''""''''"'•"''''' ^"l""' '>'" """" "•'•""I''" "f "I''''!' «I'P""- to act ill moving the .|ep,„ii t.iwiinj, (he north "■'" '"' "'""■'"^"'•' l>'>.v«"ld, and llonnycustle, dute.l respect- '"'•'.V, K'.Ml, IH'JH, and IH.i,-i ; f„r ulllinugh they do not profess l„ much In Mie manner ubuve eipluiued, it is argued that the Penin-ula has nicely of detail, yet emanating from llie.e s.mrces we have no icisim been lormed, is Mill ii,„|,.,gi,ing great changes, and is even now re- to ddubt their general accuracy. Fig. ^ show, the p(i,itl„n of the oeiviug large niiTuoil a,,| with by the ridge from near I'vivafs to the Windmill, This stage of tho the Parliament lluildings in Munlreal, in It^HI; the original is sup. deposit IS illustrated by Fig. l.'), at which period the surplus water of posed to be deposited in a .lesuii Cullege in Paris. the Uoii would in all proliability find egress over the bar by » shallow „ • , . channel, Hiictiiuliug in position as well as depth during evei-v s.iu.herlv ■ , '"""''"'"« "'" ''""•"' "' ""'"I'""". ""yft'-l'L nnd Ilonnyeastle, gale, or by such «,ips as are ncca,i„ually o, ed in the narlow licit nt "".' '"^ """ "■.'"" " '■"'''"" ""'">' ''"'"'"« "'" """' "' "'" l'«>'i-""la .and separating .\,|ibriilges ll,.y from the main Lake. '" '"■''"" """'' "" "'""'" '■'"'""'' "" '"""«"••- Tho progre-sive nintimi of the beach, observable only on close exami- "■''"'• ""'' ""' "hannel botwoen ten feet water lines was. nation, and apparently nf little moment, is when continued during In 17!in about 480 yards wide. incalculable periods of lime, thus proved to be proilnetive of very " IMJH " ^J^^) '„ extraiirdinary results. Nnr is it confined to this neighbourhood, for •' Ih'-J) " "!i" wo discover unmistakeable indications of its operations along tho ' ''" shores of all the great inland lakes. Second, -t the ipiantily of sand deposited at tho south side of the Hound Lake Ontario its effects can bo traced at Iliirlington Ileach, •""''"'™ ''> "" TProximato estimate is us follows :_ the mouth of tho .Niagara River, Presipio Isle, t.'obonrg, Port Hope, f'™'" '"'"' '" lH4',l-oO nearly OOO.OOO cubic yards, being in M years Windsor Ibiy, and at innumerable points along tho oast and south "''"nt 12,41)0 yards per annum, boundaries of tho Lake. From 1H28 to 1841) nearly 2;i.-,,0()0 enbio yards, being in 21 years Round Lake F.rio we see its results at Sandusky Day, Point aux »*""'' 11.200 yards per annum. Pins, Long Point, Port Colborne, Bufi-alo, and at Krio. From 18.1.'5 to 18 In nearly ]r,.-),000 cubic yards, being in 14 years At Saganaw Hay, Thunder Hay, Riviers nux Sable, north and smith, "'""'' ' '/•*"' jnids per annum, at Nottawasaga, and tho (Christian IslaniLs, un Lake Huron. Tho alarming progress of the shoal landward is from theso figures Round Lake Superior wo also havo many examples of n liko kind ; """^ opparent. Fifty-three years ago tho entrance is shown tu have at Fond du Lac, a gravel beach resembling in a marked ilegrce, both ''"''" '^^""" ''"'"'* ''^ present width, and fourteen years ago more than in appearance and position, the Unrlington beach, near Hamilton. At Jn'djle, thus decreasing at the rale of from seven to ten yards annually, tho mouth of tho Bad River, and at Point Iroipiois, also, are found ^^ "'" ''TOsH of abmit 11,000 cubic yards. beach formations, tp .. i. i »i i .^ • i. i . , It such be the caso, and it is founded on tho most autlientic infor- Many of the-e closely reseuilile In outline tho Peninsula at Toronto. niation relative to the past condition of tho Hiirbonr as yet in our jm.s- Somo of them aro kindred to tho hypothetical stage denoted by Fig. 15 ; session, we have substantial reasons for believing that if left unheeded all of them aro identical in geological character, and exemplify tho 't will in ton or twelve years bo inaocessiblo oxoopt to the BuiaUcat working of ono of Nature's ever active agencies, co-existent and '^■'''f'- co-e.tcnsivo with tho lakes themselves. Ono fact which very strongly Tho extension of the shoal may be attributed to the same causes confirms the theory of the formation of tho Peninsula hero propounded, which aro proved to have formed the whole Peninsula. The beach IS worthy of notice : all tho examples above mentioned invariably con- sand having reached tho Lighthouse point cannot by reason of tho form with tho rule laid down-tho trend of the deposits bearing in a great depth of water, as shown by tho contour lines, Fig 14 niako direction opposite (o .he lon^^^est fetch of the waves, or tho largest much progress in extending th;. Peninsula from thence westerly • area of open water tr iversed The entire absence of boulders is also there is therefore nothing or at least not much to prevent the southerly very remarkable, an/ who , ever gravel forms part of tho drift, tho waves from acting in full play, they having a fetch of forty miles in largest size is generally found nearest its source, tho finest kinds opposition to the northerly immediately ofi' the land, and washing along being at the greatest distances. This circumstance is explained by tho bar (scarcely under water) towards tho north "dump," as it were *ig. 2, and tho accompanying remarks, which show that small bodice periodically, large quantities of sand into the channel. f RKPC'TS UN TOllONTO HARBOUR. I'l'vtiiin outwiinl iinil iiuvMrl rurronts ooi'iisioiinlly exist iit the ciiti'iinoe, oiiiii^t'il I'vuliiibly 'i.v i;;iU's slijilitly YiiryiiiK the level of por- tiiiM.-* (tt' the lake, of, us it is also supposeil, Iiv local variations of the atmos|ilieric pressure on its siirl'iiee : these may assist to a liiuiteil extent ill iiroloiijiing the existence of the channel, but from all the olwci'vatioiis I have as yet been able to make, they appear to be surface currents only, having little or no appreciable effect five or six feet Vinler water : even this supposition therelbre is very problematical, n^ I'UKSKUVATIilX. Having by sulliciout eviJcnce set forth the probubiliiy if nut the certainty of nn larly Jestruction of the Harbour by the (lamming up of its entrance, wo may now proceed to the pnictical, anil so far as the commercial interests of Toronto arc conccrncil, the vitally important part of the iiifiniry, anil endeavour to obtain a satisfactory answe'r to the i|uery — How can such a catastrojihe be ohviatcil or imlctinitely postponed'.' A problem which becomes of comparative easy solution when the immediate cause of the evil is set beyond a doubt, ami the nature of its operations clearly asccrtaini'd. To keep those Harbour channels subject to obstruction from moving sand-bars in a navigable condition, three expedients are generally resorteil to: First, eonliunous or perioilical dredging; secinid, the npplicatinu of II scour to remo>e the bar a.s it is formed: third, the ccmstruction of such works as are calculated to prevent the deposition of the sand in the channels, by retaining it at a distance, when its source is known, or by diverting it to those points where depth of water is not essentially necessary. The first is often applied as a temporary remedy, :iiid as such may at times be viewed as a tit expedient, but to employ it as the lasting cuunteracter of a constantly increasing evil, is to adopt an iiulubitablc source of unceasing attention and endless outlay : it should accordingly be dreailed as a permanent restontive, and employed only by compul- sion from unusual ilitliculty in the ajiplication of other measures that ore generally less costly and always more satisiactory. The seciuid is obtiiinetl at nuirinc ports by taking advantage <»f the tidal fluctu;itions, and is generally produced twice each day by nsing the currents of rivers at Uiw tiilc, av by holding up the sea water in large artificial basins at liood, then concentrating and guiding it to the bar at ebb. The ini]iracticaUlity ff procuring a scour on Lake (bitario from tidal lluctuations must be admitted, since jiractieally there are none : true it is we have a grailual rise and fall of about two feet annually, and at times successive oscillations in level to the extent of several inches, much resembling small tidal waves; hut the latter although they give to the surface water at the entrance of tlic Harbour a perceptible current, are too rare and too feeble to be of any real value. Xor have we at Toronto a river sufficient fur the service ; for the Don has hitherto failed to keep open its own ehanjel to a grente- depth than two or three feet. Indeed I feel quite convinced that all attempts on these inland waters to keep permanently open those har- bour channels much exposed to beach drifts by other than the largest class of rivers must so' ■:ier or later prove inneffectual. The currents of the Nottawasaga, of the Sable, and of the Saugoen, are unable to keep open to a Burticient depth or width the mouths of those rivers, and yet they arc in volume from ten to twenty times greater than the Hon. The third remedy can always be advantftgeously employed in cases when the obstructions are the natural results of moving beaches, and when the works are located and executed with proper care they usually answer n pood pi:rpose; the second is often after great outlay under favourable circumstances of doubtful efficacy. In the case of Toronto, even if we had at command a current capable of removing the sand on its arrival at the point of the shoal, I iiuestion very much if it sliould be considered as more than an auxiliary, since it would of necessity tend to siu-eail the deposit, and thus, 'ilthoi-gb injuring the channel in a less degree, would impair the Harbour gi'iierally by lessening in depth the approach to it. Without doubi the steps likely to confer the greatest security, and hence the most a .visablo to bo taken, are tliose which are calcul.ited to keep the drift at a distance from that ]mint where it is not wanted. I therefore beg leave to submit for your consideration the following preventive and remetlial measures ; — 1st. That a tiroyne ."hould be constructed at the Lighthouse point from theshiu'c outward to H or feet water for llie retention of the moving sand, on the principle of those very simple natural ones shown by Figs, li, 7, and K. '2ui\. That an auxiliary Groyne be run westerly across the outer edge of the shallow,s, a little to tlie south of (iibralter point. ■ '.I'd. That a I'icr or breakwater be built along the south side of the channel as shown on Fig. ^1, incrci'sing the navigable water to six hundred feet, by cutting off the point of the shoal north of the proposed line of pier. The third alone wouhl probably suffice frir many years to keep the cliannel perfectly free from deposit ; but the sand, if not retained at the Lighthouse point, wiuild as at present be moved northward by the southerly waves, and would gradually accumulate to such an ex- tent a- to liU up the whole space along the south side of the pier unt .1 ultimately rounding its extremities. To effectually prevent this the first anil second sh(Uild also be constructeil, the first would divert the drift westerly into deep water, where the navigation could never prac- tically be obstructed ; and tli" second groyne placed about midway between the first and tiiinl would have the effect of counteracting all progressive action aloBg the west end of the Peninsula. If the ilcstruction of tlie Harbour entrance, and the formation of tho I'eninsula generally, be satisfactorily determined, I think it is equally conclusive that these works, or w(uks of the same character, would, if established in due time, be exercised to a very beneficial result — the preservation of the Harbour for an indefinitely long per-od. There are other evils, which, if they affect the salubrity of the city more immediately than they ju'ove detrimental to the Harbour, are not on that account of the less conseiiuence. The Don annual! trans- ports even at this day considerable quantities of silt ;': em tho interior of the country to the ^^l^sh, and, during freshets, a poriion escapes from thence into the Harbour through the openings in ihe beach between the Wind-mill and I'rivut's, tending of course, vii'na dcpo itrd in the basin, to lessen its depth. All the drains and sewers empty into the bay, making it, in truth, the grand cess-pool for a population of probably ;?0,000 inhabitants, with their horse^i ami c.ittle. The sewers of necessity bring down no inconsiderable portion of solid matter, imparing greatly the purity of the water in the Harbour, as well as gradually lessening its depth. This evil, increasing in a proportionate ratio to tho growth of the city, might be greatly ameliorated, if not almost totally removed, by the construction of a main suwer along tho wb.ilc city front eastward to the Mirsh. Into this sewer all the lateral ones from the north, and the drainage of gas, chemical and other such like works should be made to discharge. The feculent mixtures pro- duceil would thus be collected and conviyed to a distant point, where, T)V similar operations to tho-^o now ripening in llritain, ■vhich will strip thein not only of their noxious, but even of their offensive cha- racters, might be profitably converted into a marketable commodity of the highest valiio to the farmer. H stion very imicU I'liii'C it would of <^h injuring tlie ir pciuTiiUy by the Htepa likely a ivisiiblo to bo ft lit a ilistniico nil tlio follovlnj; .iglitliousc point retontioii of the tural ones bhowii ss tlic oiitiM' edge iiutli side of tlio hlu wiUer to six li of the iiroposcd eara to keep the not retained al id northward by > to such an ex- of the pier unt .1 prevent this tlie would divert the :ould never prac- •d about midway counteracting all a. formation of tho hink it is ei|Uiilly L'haractor, would, ;ficial result — tho ler'od. ibrily of the city the Harbour, are lu annual! trans- noni tho interior n J. onion escapes gs ill ii'-c beach e, wl"m dcpo itcd lowers empty into ' a population of ittle. The sewcra of solid matter, irbour, as well as in ft proportionate imcliorated, if not n suwcr along tho wer all the lateral al and other such uit mixtures pro- ant point, where, ritain, -Tliieh will leir offensive cha- etable commodity The prejudicial efTcct of the Don on the depth of the llnibour may «lso be deslro.ed by closing its present outl.M, imkI fonriing an opening of sufficient ciipiuity in the b-nch scptiniling the iiuiin I.ako from Ash- bridge's Hay. All pr.>poseil works relative to the iniprovoment of the Haibonr should carefully considered bebire any be proceeded with, lot some of tliD'c. may interfere with preservative measures, or the general iin- provement of the whole. It nmy not be luit of place, therefore, to consider briefly another proposition, which, for ninny years past, has engaged public attention perhaps more than any other in connexion with the Harbour, viz., the forming of an eastern entniiice. Judgin •, from the following iiariigraph extracted from the Cuiiricr newspaper, dated "ith March is:',.'), the jirojcct was seriously talked of lifteen years ago : **reT A"no.-H TKE Pk l{i:i>ORT.S ON T011U-\T<> JfAKBOLR. " It is argued that all tl 23 KviNsn.i.— A rc'ipecl.ilil.' mi'olini'i.llhi. frit.n.ls In thi< ni™.«nr.. was hi'I.I on I liui-silay uvi'iiin.;; .'il tin. ('.nmuiTiial llnii'l. whvii ii .Spl.Tl i 'oinniUie wius a|il>o,nti' I to n-.iiu.at 111.' (Ic.vonu.r to imin,. nil Unt'liii'iT. niiil nl.s.. to risiiirel tin.. Miivor Jlnil ( iiriH.riilion to n.-im.^ nii.ilh..r, to nuvt him r.>r Hit. pur|»isi. of n.purlliii' nn tin- I'li-i - lalile nli lo lli.'in iiil,, a iipaiiy for " Ilie IViiiiisulu lh;lvvi...n A few months thereaft"r the f.ilh.wiiijj Notices of Public Iniprovement : — '•T.\Ki: NOTIfH.-Thi. lohal.ilanls of th,. rity of • tht, next M,.ssi,,n ,,r th« rroiincial Parliaini-nt t,,' inco th<.pur|«isL. ofoiwninun.ship Na.ication tliniuah th,. the I,akt. anil tlie Hay of Tor,>iil,>. "Toronto, August tst. ls:).V" It is unnecessary to siiy that the cmtemplite.l improvcinont has not been carried out. Tho spirits of tiie projectors were iiroliably diimpcl. and t!-oir stock-book laid aside, after the opinions of the engineer.s appointed to examine were niitile ,)ublic. 1 have only been able to obt.iin the peru.ial of one of these d.icuments, but am informed that the report of the gentleman apjiointcd by tlie t;,.rporation was even loss favourable. Captain Uounyca.stlo say.s, rehitivo to cutting a navigable canal through the Peninsula: — " If this should be done without ,lue consideration, tip) barrier which nature lins interpose,! for tlie preservation of a llarliour formcl probidily by tlie cutting action of the !l,,n when it was a larger river, which it only re,|uireH to l,iok at its liaiiu- t,) ..■onvinco one's self that it unciently was, will be thrown ilown, mid tlie Harbour entirely le.s- troyed. "Tho reasons to he assigned for tliis opinion are as follows :— "The southern face the of Peninsula, alow ridge of sand, is lior- (lered to some distance out, excepting near tho Narrows, by large and fluctuating shoals, well hii'.wn to the fishermen, who have so recently established a iirofitable trade on them. "Tho force of the easterly an, 1 westerly gales on these shoi-ls an,l tho bounding slioie i* tremendous, as every person in Toronto has frequi'iit opporlunitics of hearing, even at the great distance which the citVjjs from tliein. " Should a navigable canal, without ,|iie restrictions, be cut through the slen.ler bell which ,livi,|es the waters of the Lake from the basin, all the millions of tons of largo shingle, small roiimlcl iin,l an,niliir tragments of granite an,l olher hanl rocks which liae the beach will be pu 111 motmii !— will break ilowii by theii (.rosive power iiiiv barrier oppo.scl t,> them!— will carry b,.f„re tlic.u the whole ext, n't of the Narrows, and perhajis penetrate lliroiigh tlie )ionils. fill the basin, anil convert it into a fresh -ami bank. " This he goes on to sliow might bo pro,luced by a current through the canal, ami further states, '• It might III fact tear away all the strip of beach along the western or buy slioro of the g-eat .Marsh, and let tlio whole of that body of the mini of ages into the basin. the St ami extreme le may be avoided by rnnning out extcnsivo jiiors mlo ilie bake, ami forming a strong embankment along the Diiliirni lace of the Narrows. These, if i.laced in such sitiintions as to lireak oil th,. strength of the easterly or we-teilv .mvcIIs, will ,!o iiiiicli towai,!.. It, but it will Ij,. also ii(.c,.>>iirv to niaki.'the canal of stone. I,i piolillo lis si,l(.s I,, a c,,Msi,lcni!,le thickness or extent, to make it narrow, an, I to place gates both at its entrance and exit. " With these precnntiiuis there can bo no harm in trvin.' the exueri- inent. . . i .Mthoiigli entirely concurring with Caiitaiii Iioiiny,.iislle in the expe- diency of (.losing up tlie present outlets of the Don", and of conveying tlie whole sewage of the city to the .Marsh ; yet having already, with all .lue ro-jiect. expressed my reasons lor ilillering from the view he taki.s ,.f the formation of tho llarbour, ami MJnce conclusion.s on this point affect iliiectly ami very iimterially the consiilcrafion of all works of iiuprovement iiniiiediatoly coiineeteil with the Peninsula, I may also be iiermittcl to entertain opinions not altogether eoinchling with his as to tho probable cftVcts of the nroposed south-eastern entrimee, and its mode of constiuclion. Knowing the nature of the action of the beach at the proposed site of the canal, and I think it i.s estiiblishcl beyon,! a doubt, there can be no iKissible ,langer of any part of t„e Peninsula b(.ing tiu'ii away, or the basin within being Hllcl .i]i with sami, if proper stejis i,e taken to counteract such action. This action is chiefly the i.rogre...sive motion of the beach, which would ell'ectwally tie siispemlcd f,?r many years by the piers of the canal themselves, constructed with crili work in the onlinary loaiiner. The canal need neither be narrow, as sug- gestcl, nor providcl with gates, since the former would increase tho danger in entering, while the hitter would ad,l to venience. ami no benefit I'onhl result from either, I'ig. 21' shows the propos,.,! p,,sition of tin from l.i feet water in the Day to 17 feet in the Lake, is 1(1(1(1 feet, wilh a wiilth of ;!00 feet. The eastern pier preseiitinp nn obstruction to the motion of the beach wcMwar,!. woiihl, acting as a groyne, retain it per- manently at its ea.siern side; the western pier, on the other hand, would be exerciscl to a similar result in siisi.ending theretiogiade niotio The sand gradually accumulating in tli -pace north of ami D C wouhl thus strengthen the Peninsula at its weak, .t poiiii. an,l remove any danger which may be fearcl from the destruction of the narrow separating riilge between the Lake ami the Harbour. The en- tire destruction of the Isthmus, altliough hypotheticn!, is nevertlieless a contingency advisable to guard ngcinst. Opening,* have repeatclly been forccl through tho ri.lge boun,liiig Ashbrnlge'.s lin- by gale's point blank on the beach: these, having a destructive action only, might produce a similar result here. If at the same period the base of the .Scarboro' Heights becam,. partially protectcl fr,.m the fury of the waves by the loiiginent of nn unusual numbev of trees, or the fullli..r of boulilers from the .diffs above, the supply of saml from the east wimld for :i time be diminished, the gap wouhl remain open, ami liable to be w;,lciie,l by every s,iutherly wiml. The Peninsula wouM thus be con- verte,! into an islaml, resembling its kindrcl formation '■ Long Point " on L,.,ke Krie. Through course of time (roughly estimated at about iO years) the sand .accumulatii.geast of the cnmil would reach the line A Ii and ulti- mately roiiml the piers. Then it would be necessary to make another provision f,u- its retention. A groyne on the line G P would effect this object, and retain the sinil lor another pnriu,!, luitil it reached as far as the line V, V. Tlie canal might thus be Kept open by repeating the construction of groynes like K P ami H K, ml iiifuuliim, from time to time as neces.^ily require,! ; or the same piirpn-enmy be aflectcd by simply extending the eastern pier iis tie' s:iii,l accumulated outward along its eastern bi'lc. in. A 11 24 UKrOKTS ON TORONTO 1IAH150IIH. The cttnil, liiivinpthu? the oft'oct of wiilcninit tlio Itliiinius nndromoT- iiig nil probnbilily of ilH ilcslruction, woiilil, licsidoB lii'inn ii pront ai'coniinoiln'.'im to ^^lulini^rrnft in iidvi-r^c winds, uiiil tn slitim itmc/j at a. I /y the waves. Fourth, That the harbour is daily being impaired by its chief agent of formation, and that its only entrance is llireatcued with early destruc- tion by t'ae same cause. Fifth, That its preservation may ' .M-manciitly etrectcd by the con- struction i.f gri>ynes at well selecteil pHinls. Si.ttli. Th.it the iliingers to be feared from the silt of the Don and sewage of the city although remote, would, taken in conjunction with tiie increasing deleterious etVects of the latter on the water of the harbour warrant their total exclusion. Seventh, That the construction of a south-ensterM entrnnce would be n great accommodation to the shipping, nmy improve the purity of the Bay water, and, if properly executed, have no etTect in! ;sseningitsdepth; but wcmhl only assist iu the preservation of the harbour so far as its piers, acting as groynes might retard the sand, widen the narrows, and thus strengthen the weak point of the Peninsula. .\ltliough the preventive and remedial measures are fouiulcil ou what I believe to be correct deductions. ■. ,t. .seeing that tliey dillVr jnateri- ally from those advanced by otiiers who have consiilered the sulijcct, they are presented (ui that account with some degree of timidity. 1 purpose, however, with the view of either confirming or modifying the conclusions arrived at, to coi;!inue a series of observations, car fully noting the various changes going on ; and will if deemed worthy, take iniicU pleasure in laying the results of sucli observations before tiie Institute at a future time. 13v tlio poru.sitl '' ""'■'■'"lenK'iits laki'ii wiili the ndnost care, and wth giving a ciinuniious legister nl i'\it\ lin-lua lun in r\i'l and at- ..*!. . • -i i , . . . . f;.rdin« a means of arriving a, the' e.ten., nature, L ^t 'Z:r':::^'''r V """•"" ''" '""' '" " '"'-'T !" nnn.ber of lluetnations, of whieh so little is known, and on which " " , 1, ,r "''"^ "' ''T """' '""•""^""■'y l.l.onomeua so n.uch value i. placed by many as !,ei„g the cause ' '" "" """"" ^"" '"'"^ '^^"'-"'• of currents in yimr Ilarboiir. I regret to state, however, that I ''"''"' I'i'"l""*ili"ns are as follows: "The elfcMs which have have as yet been unable to apply this iiistrument to its pnipMse, ''"' " l"'"'liieeil, or are likely to be produced by the presi'iit breach for being unrecijnizi'd and unassisted in this servici', I cmild lind "' .'''" ''■"*''■'''" ''xtremily of the Hay of Toronto, parlii'olarly with no position in which to establish it, nor have my means Jostilled '•••l''i'ence to the bar at the entrance to the Hay. If prejudicial to me in incurring the necessary attendances for observation (hiring ""; 'f'"''"""'. "nggcst the best means of, ■losing it, and olMrength- my own absence from the city. " ''"'"" "'"^ !'■"'' "'' ''"' I'cninsnla against nirllicr ciirronclinicnts by Thus provided (omitting the last mentioned instrument) I com- " ,."' "" " ' "' " '"' nuMwed my second survey on the ;2Tth Xovember, IS.'id, and was , ''"'"'.' ''' "'""' '"•''"i''' 'I'-i^ 'i^i'l H" appreciable elVcct on the bar, to u certain extent very successful, but during the night some evil- j'"' ''"i';'';: t'i<' period when it was open, the bar has been enlarged disposed person unknown, removed the iron tripod sl.ilioued on ".' Pi'i'^'iNely the same manner, throngh tho same causes, and at a the shoal leavMig, to my regret, the survey only partially linisheii, """il-"' ™l'' to that in which its f.,rm.ili,m proceeded when no and thus vexatidusly disheartened 1 had on" after occasions to '"''■•"li ''^i-'cd. adopt othi'r, though perhaps not much b'ss aci'iirale measures. Sccnd. Jieasoning by analogy frnm the above, the breach (if Two theodolites were placed at stations as lar apart as possible T-^ ^I'"" "'"' ""\"^:'^' I"""''""' ^'"^ "l'l"'"iable efhrt, ber,c- on tho Queen's Wharf, their distan,-e being carefullv n.easnre.I, !,, . , "","'"""" "" ' "■'• aud the points where soundings were made ascertaiiu'd bv a pro- ' ''"''''''' r'™'"^'''' "» tl"'' haiiior generally by the per coiio of signals and angul.ir iuterseelions. The soundin-s '"■'■■"'' ■'_""""" '"''y ''; n" uuimportan-, change ii, the contour linos were in three eases likewise made by the standard rod, and M "" ''' '''''' "'"'''' '" '''' '"'"""'''uto vicinity, and there only; wore carefully redi 1 to the same .latum, the assumed 'approxi- "''"''' '''""■-"• "'"'" ''""'''' '" '•'■''"'"" '" "'" ''■"■'""• »>< '' "'"'i''. unite nu'aii level cannot be consideri'd of any moment whati'ver. 'Whilst however In this nmnncr surveys were again nnuleoi, the l^TthXoven,ber, l!!i';^^T':r TTI'^^V'' '', ^''T "^^^^^^^^ 18.^1, the li;th IVeen.ber, l.sr,:!. and the lioth April, KS54, each o „ ; ' ' "". ''''■'"'■V''::" ,' -■ ■ ""'?"' ^'""r^'" whiel,are delineated on the accompanying diagl-an;. Ti; sound- " W lu ■ i " r "l T''"T' 7 ""I'- " "T1 """" , , ,. r I 1 . " r, ii.> tne sanu' causes winch lor.nerly produced It, vz.- t le i evtrnc- ings mid contour lines of each survey aro shown respect vey n five •idion ,,r .i,„.,„u ., •, , i i i .i . ■> •■"' ' different columns as follows:- ' ^ „ , l^ "","'" ^'""■'-""' "'^'>> ''>• '' '""- timiance thereot be dangerously enlarged. It is therefore desira- Ihc survey ol the 2,th N„v,'mber, IS.-,o, in /,'„/. ble that a recurrence of this brea.li should bo guarded against, -"''' " '■^■"''' '■ Jtl'"'- "'"1 I proceed to submi,; how in my opinion this may be eflcM-fed.' " .i!:'!' "'"■':•"'"■''•■ I":;' " ('/";*• To strengthen this part of the P,.,iins„la two methods prcent -Oth April, l.sol. • l,7A„r. thems.dves : 1st. The eons.niCion of groynes. i2d. The construc- An examination thereid will show very clearly the iirogressive tion of a canal or eastern entrance. Two properly cmstructc.! advancement of tho shoal norlhw;ird, attributable to tho .same groynes, established on the lines marked in red ,,i'i I'laii \o. L', causes and formed in the same manner as already explained in would efiectnally and permanenllv strenglhei, and protect this the paper referred to. 'fhe diagram shows the minininm width part of the iieninsnla by retarding the pn.gressive motion <,( the of tho ehanuel between ten feci water lines to he as fallows ;Lt the beach, and thus arresting the moving sand :uid gravel, an acennni- sevoral dates :— l,ili„i, w„„ld gradually bo fbrmed on tln^ outer Thoro calculated to ;,st Octi.ber, 181!) HKS yards. prevent further encroachments id' the lake. 2-th .Vovember, 18.50, lii,) ■. The eon.struction of n Canal at the Isthmus is a proposition on 27th November, 18.)l, ;,ii •■ ,viiich. along with the beach, .'here h.is been great diversity of 12tli December, IKi:'. 77 " "P'"'""'. ''« "iH lie seen from the following oxtr.acts from report's on 2iHh April, l.s.VI, 7;j '• the subject recently published. As the n.>rtli ti'ii (.'ct water line of the channel is 1.1 yards south Mr. Shanley says, 12Mh .lannary, IS.V! :_'• The very great nd- i»f the Quiwn's 'Wharf, in taking the width of the entrance from vanca^re to be derived from having an eastern entraiice'to the lake the edge of the Mharf 1.! yards mu>t he added to each of the di>- will probably keep this subject so constantly before the public, tances. Alth.aigh the>e figures are not a fair criterion to judge of that the cx|ierimeut will ore long be tried, more especially as the the rate of .idvancemeiit ,,f the shoal, seeing that the precise jiosi- breach whieh has lately oecurrcil would seem to have taken the tion of tho annual deposit is not always in the line of the minimum initiative in the matter and 'pointed out the way.' width of cimmiel; yet these and &■ diagram prove very positively '• The making of su.di i. channel -■ di be a simple matter of cost the progressive encroachment, an.! show an average .arrowing of and, once made, a short time will s, rve to show whether the ad- the channel of about eight yards annnally, thus establishing tho vantages accruing from it will be sufficient to connterbalanco the truth of the deductions based upon my previous survey as stated ex],eiise of maintaining if. 1 have ternn.,1 it an -xperimciit and liU UKrojn> ON TouoNTo iiAi;ii()ri!. :i »uch I helievo it to I'O in the widest , I'litalmr. nl' tlic li'i m- ''cin^ ilouMful tliiit till- inoliU'iii nl'wlint U' oH'octs iip' n the liarlior will til' oaii lie satisfai'tcirily soKod lioliin-liiiTiil. h may prnM' mi- moiisclv ili'triiiwiutal to (li. liay in •Irillili;; in \a.«t iniaiiti: .i.< of silt and •iJiiiiKli- : or it nia\ "iuiiily (ail to arromjili^li the i'u.l in- toiidi'I liy w-rkiii:; out it^< own ili'^-trncticin liy siltin;: iiji n>orc ra)iidly tlian the drcdfio ooidd ii it. .None I think will ili'ny that ono or dthop of those results is iiinoii}:*! the pus i Ic oontinijcni'ii's Wftitini; on the exiieriinent in (|nestion; and thoiij;li 1 have iK>t given the matter the attention in'iessnry to ciialde melo iiroiioimee eontideiitly on the aliove points. I must reeord my opinion that the now ohannel would not he a sell'-fustainin;; one, and that its e'ViTt upon tlie present ontranee would be the reverse of Ijonelieial." Mr. Kivas 'rnlly says, luth Fehruary, IS.'i:!;— "I would Mow direet attention to the eastern entranee, whuh has lieen lately forntcd, and which 1 venture to prediet will not he elosed UL'aiu.'' And, further, he says: "The hreaeh which has lieen niaile lately lit that portion of the peninsula called the Narrow, aliout half a mile east of IVivat's tavern, shews the practical>ilil\ of oonslrnel- in^ an eastern entrance, and it is not likely that this new c hannel will ever he Idled up from natural causes. 1 examined this chan- nel on the Sth insl. It is al"uit lil'iy yards wide and three feet in depth, witli a current of aljout two miles an hiair runnini: through it in a south-eastn^ the s..uth Bide of it (jud^in^' from the ell'ects as now seen at the breach) as not only t^i ihMu^'e the harbor with sand, but in a short time to Rwotp away block-house point ami all the iiu'i|Ualitiesid' the north side of the peninsida, and convert the harb.ir iido a wiile-mriithi'd bay, at the expense of the oast end of it first. With the iienin ulii intact all gales arc favorable to the ehaniud and niaintuinancc of the bar. During a. broach in the peninsula all high winds are more or les? destructive to the harbor." " The present broach by the lake at the .Narrows is pimilar to the warnin;: shock of an earthquake before volraiu. erujition— il f.-rliodcs coming cveiit.s— and an irruption of sand into the Inirbor. during some oxlraordl- narvjialc, maybe found as dest'uctive to it as an irruption •fUis.i to viuoyards and villages." I am inclined to agree with Mr. Shanley, in c.nsideiing the ef- fects of an eastern entrance somewhat problematical, whilst 1 am induced to believe that both the opinions above <,uoted are based on verv insufficient gronnd.s, as on the one liand the breach has been alreadv close.l willi(rut artificial aid. and >'n the other its ef- fects have not fulfilled the predictions. As a proof nlso that by f;ir too macfc stress has been placed mi the otl'eclsid'lake current.s, the bre»»'<» 1» (ii>w tilled to such art extent with saml, that without a previous knowledge of itx jt>>sitiiiun one could hardly lidl where ir iiad existeil. I'liat currents i\ist at th* piesent entrance there is no doubt, and whelher atlrilaitahle totljt- wind or olli»-r natural causes, these currents are ihmhtloss duo In oecusional differences of level be- tween the waters in the bay and the ofM« lake. If a partii-ular wind exerts a force sufficient to elevate the lake in the vicinity of Toronto a certain number of inches, that rise must of necessity bo communicated to the bay throu;;h the entrance, and h»«uce a cur- rent of a certain velocity ; anil this operation would be rM-vrrned ou the falling of the water in the lake by a change or fall of the wind. If, therefore, the harbor be jirovidcd with two entrances, ar.d if we assume, for the sake id' argument, that the sectiomil areaof the second entrance be emml to the first, the current in this case will be eiiually di\idcd. iinil its ell'ects, whatever they may be, dimin- ished one-half, and so in proportion to the relative sectional are.i of the entrances. Thus, then, the effects of currents at the west- ern will Ic diiiiiiiishcd in prop.irlion to the width and di'ptliofthe proposed canal at the Isthmus. We now arrive at the ipiestioii: ll'/ml an' t/m.if fjl'irlx,' The undoubted tondeiicy of currents in a channel such as the entrance to 'I'oronto Harbour, is to increase its width and depth : it does not follow that currents in this ease have no smdi tendency, because neither wiiKii nor depth have lieen increased, .since they may have lioen exerted in counteracting other causes as powerful as them- selves ; but 1 think it will clearly follow that the currents have no cIVect, or at least no efl'oct of real or |iractical value, if it can bo shown that the chaiiocl has been narrowed in width nearly at an eipial rate during ii,u;il or proportionate times: lor it must bo observed that the currents would nx'cssarily increase in velocity, and hence in their scouring ofTcets, the more the opening through which they passed was contrai'tcd. Since the end of last centnry up to isl'.l. the average rate, of the encroachment of the shoal is .'hewn to have been from 7 to 10 yards |ier annum; since then, during l] yciirs, it has advanrcd ',)'< yards, giving an average rate per annum of >< yards ; and during tho last four months, it has advanced at the rate of nearly V2 yards per annum. Thus, then, Avhile tlie width of the entrance has been dimiiiislioil, the annual r;ite of the encroachment of the shoal has actually increased, and the deposit moreover lias generally occurred at that point where tho current (if it had any effect) would have boon tho most active, llcnco no other .oiu lusion can be come to, than, that there are iin viii'irctimiil.i in the channel, or if there are, they havoproved to bo of no practical value. The fear, therefore, of destroying or dimin- ishing the eti'oets of currents at the western entrance by the con- slrnction of a Canal at the istlumis may be entirely laid aside, .seeing that there arc nono. We have now to consider whether or not the proposed civnnl would be ..clf-su.'taining; and. in this respect, 1 am still of opi- nion that it would not. To place its outer entrance beyond the in- fluenco of tho beach action, it would bo reipiisite to eslond the pier- into deep water, as shewn on tho ]ilan ; through course of lime, the progressive action being totally arrested, an accumulation would gradually form, more especially on the eastern side of tho canal until reaching the extremity of the piers, ultimately rounding UKI'OUTS ON TORONTO IIAHHOIH 27 f ftlso llmt \>y 'liik(! ciirrciits, 1, tliiit witliout rillv Icll wluTC III- is III! (Imilit, il ciuiscf*, tiieso PR (if level be- IC a imrticiilnr tlio vicinity of of neecssity bo 1(1 IvMicp a (Hir- iK'rifjiprtu'd ou ill! cf tlie wiiiii. tr.inii's, BiA if iiiiiil iir»'ii(if tli(s II tlli^ iiise will uiiiy hi', (limin- • sectidiml area nts at the west- lul (ll'|ltll()f tlio w (;//;(■/,«,' Tlio as tlic ciitrniK e |itli ; it (Uics not iilciicy, licciiuso ! tlipy limy linve v(>il'ul i\» tlicm- iirrciits have uo ue, if it can be Itli iicai'ly at an fcir it iiuist li(" L'as(> in velocity, .peniiif; through of last coiitnry t of the shoal is ,111 : since then, an iiveniire rate iiHrnllis. it linH in. Thus, then, 'hod, the annual r increascil, and point where tho he must active, liat tlicre are nn laveptiived to bo royin;; or dimin- imcp hy the con- ircly laid aside, jiro|iiised rtinal an\ still of opi- o beyond tho iu- ,0 to extend tho iniM};li coiirso of an ai cumulation stern side of tho inately rounding them to the detriment of the arllllcinl channel ; to lu-evcnt which eontin;,'ency tlii' finmitlon of additional ■rnyiics IVoni time to lime would he necessary : the construction of v.liich altliou<;h not in- volvin.i; much ouilay would always he clnir^calih' to the rcveiuio of the canal. HDO.OOtI euhie yanis of water In the whole Hay due to the rise and eli'eclive for scour, hnt the d.scliar-.'.- of this quantity as has been shewn has never retarded tho formation of the bar. Exc'avato Aslihiidjrp'K IJiiy, eoinhine it with tho present Harbour, and wo shduld olitain at times of similar variations of level .').'{0,000 I aecordinsly coneludc that in relation to the present Ifarhour ''nhic yards (d' water additional, or an increase of fiG per pent, on entrance the construction of the canal would he neither henelicial "'i' '|Uantity of water now occasionally llowin;; thnai^h the elian- nor detrimental, ami that if the preservation of the l!ay be alom! "el. .\nd this addition can only ell'ect the dm,. tion of tho current, desired that object can more cheaply and i|uite as clli'ctually ho ""*■ its velocity, since the vertical column of water is not increased nttamed by ihiMiiuch nnu-e economical expedient of tho liroynes therebv, and hence also the velocity is nut. Moreover, I am in- 011 the l,ake beach. These 'iroynes woiihl proliahly cost CToO or cliiied to think we have taken much too favorable a view of tho XKHUt. whilst the canal could not bo constructed for less than .C|."),l)llll, ami inasiii, eh as the latter may not be considered an ein;ineeriii>; neci's»ity. It may be simply vieweil in its conimercial iiuesli.in, in assuming; a rise o|' fne inches, I liav(' done so in tho aljsence of more correct kiiowledv;c!re,i;arilinf.' phenomena of which so little, iiidee.l 1 mny say iiothin^i; antlii itic of value is known aspects. Whethei- tlll^ convenience lie desirihle fir the eastern (fir this purpose thi! self-actin^l; tido k"''. -' referred to was ii:- tradeof the rort.and if dosirable but not heini: actually necessary, tended/. Althouuih in )iossessioii of daily and oeeasionally inoro whether the w(M'k vvoiild be renuincrative. I'poii this latter point freipient (diservatloiis reduced to a common datum, the information I entertain stronj; doubts, yet it is sufficient for me in the ]ier formance of my present duty to e.xfiress my opinions only on the en;;ineerin;; question, leaving the better qinililied body whom 1 am addressing to deterniini! that of the comiiiercial convenience. There exists no eni;iiieerinfr necessity for the c:vnal and its con- Rtruetion would result in no ailvantage beyond that due to incrciised faeilily of conimiinicatl"n l.etwccii this I'ort and the eastern por- tions of Lake Ontario. I now proceed to reply to the ii.'xt (piestion sulmiitted, viz.: "The advisability, or otherwise' of enlarging the oiiening between tho Harbour and Ashbridge's Bay, or of making a permanent opening into the Lake from .Ashbridge's ISav." conveyed thereliy is quite insuificient on which to venture an as- sertion, yi^r from the evidiHice before me I doubt much if the daily Ihict.ialions exceed one-fourth theamonnt above stated througlmut the year. It is not reasonable in view ctf the utter insnlliciency of the present currents to anticipate that this addhion induration only would yield an eflectivo scour, and accordingly I conclude, that with such an oliject the combination of .Vshbridgi^'s with tho Toronto l!ay would be valueless. .\gain. it has been suggested that by such a combination, to- gether with an opening or canal to the extreme eastward, a con- stant current would be insured through tlu^ entire Hav, and thua Rhall consider it lirst in regard to engineering, ami secondly in reference to conimercial purposes. .Vshbridgc's liay as comnionly known comprises nn area of alioiit 800 acres, triangular in form with the apex eastw rd, half of which area may with sufficient accuracy for our pre.sent intention l;e taken as marsh land, the other nioiely water of very various depths. It i.s divided from the Hay of Toronto hy a narrow belting of sand and gravel beach, through wlij. I: two channels have been formed by the waters of the Iton delivered itito the main hav. doing so I the channel kept open by efficient sc .Such an opinion would seem to he based on erroneous observation. The currents still always due and identical with the variations of Lako levels, would still lie siipcrtiidal, and so long as those variations continue to be (ami tli(-'y always will be) uni.iiportant in amount and gradual hiitli m regard to voluini! and time — so long I believe will all eftiirts fail to ?eeuro an efficient si^our. I do not, therefore, think it necessary or expedient in an engi- neering view to effect this combination, or to unite these B.ayseven by the enlargement of the present ehannel. If the present breach Lakeward it is protected and separated from the main Lake by a of the Toronto liay be such as to require protective works, how long narrow sand beach precisely similar in formation to the neck much more would they lie necessary where the existing beach of of the I'eninsuhi, and through which the Lake storms make re- -Vshhridge's Bay is weak and treacherous, and extended in a tcn- peated breaches. To construct proper works of protection lu a fild degree. And, nn reover, if a channel mily were c'' ""' '"'''"'"• "'"' ""' ''"l""'' f™'» "'"' ^'^'■'^^ '■'' <'" o-'^tensivo as the Hay of Toronto, //,,i.v exl'cudal, a strengthened scour at the en- *" ^'° '"""-''' *"'-''''''"'• f'"" *''" *='"'" "''-'"" ""'' ♦'"' 'leposition is of trances would result sufficient to ensure their maintenance throifh **'""' t-'^'w"' 'i'"' '""'• •«'«» t'"i" >« l"ipiili>i-ly imagined, but that as all time. I ha\e already I trust satisfietorilv [.roved that no "'"^>-' "'^it'-i-s are of no value to the main harbour and might bo scour results from tho present currents vrhicU indeed are entirely '"'"''' "" <'^'''-'^'"'' '''""l"'' f"i- tbe sewage of the City, the diversion superficial, and 1 think it is undeniable that those currents are ^'■""''' '""' ''"'''' "" "'■"'"'^ ''° ^""''"cive to the health of the City mainly creatod by fluctuations in the Lake levels, traceable to vi- ^^'''''■'* ""' '" '^ ''''"™'= detrimental to it- ^i.irbour. fiations in tho wind and possibly to some more remote and unnp- If then I am correct in asserting that i,, i fvantage would result pr?ciable agencies. Now tho maximum variation in the Hay in engineering point of view by the ope.- .■ Ashbridge's Bay, it water levels hitherto observed, even on extraordinary occasions only remains to bo considered whether . .. regarded commerci- durinft any 24 hour,( (and it is clear that to extend tbe time would ally it is a desirable work, and I confess that when contemplating betodiminishtheelfectimaybetakon avfivo inches, and woiildgi^e the extent of the present Ilorbour, and tho construction of the J 2S IJKI'OHIV' ON TORONTO lIAItHOnt. K/ns an cxiN'rinicnt. five f"ct iiitu tlio I'lmnnrl nurtlici-ty, tliiis iliminisliini; il« wiiltbs ll:uin;: tints cxpress.'d niy u|iiiii(Hi(in nil tlio imiiit'* siil.initH'il Ipy tlmso iiinonnts. It is nonirdiiif;ly iiii|iiiroiit tlmt tlio IJiiccn's in your udvortisoinoiit, I slmll now tiiko loiivo tn diri'ot ymir at- A\liai-1' works, rooont an well an ronmio, ultlion^li foi-tiiilnnsly now ti'iitlon to nnotlior, mid in my opinion, fho most imiiortaiit of all >■( ominoiit ailvaiUa;:!e in a comnionial point of view, liavo failed tlie i|uo.stioii3 relating to tin- cHiL'iont prosorvation I'f this llarliour. in tlio oiiniiioorin^ .soi-vieo for wliieli tlioy wore advised ; and tliey Until a oomparntivoly recent period tlio formation to wliioh tliis 1':"" (""ili'il I'eoaiiso tlicy have not resulted in streiif,'tlu'nin.n; the Bay irt due was ontirelv eonsistont with the most iidmirahlo iiro- current and croatiii'; a aeonr as was antioipatod, lnvauso in truth visions of llarlionr capaoity, shelter, aii.dioraj!;e, and tlio eonvo- the current which has ever been inoperative in checkiiij; the shoiil niences of iiavi;:ation. I'p tii such a i.oriod (and it i^ .lemonsirated f 'rmatioti is so still, heinu now as always siiporlicial, by the charts! Nature was oiiftaL'cd in work eminently useful, and In the paper to which 1 have so froipiently referred I liavT de- \n a manner most fortunate and nnimpeachable : no." did our pre- nioiistrated the manner in wliiidi this encroachiiieut is prnceedinir, decessors fail to discover how excellent a haven had been formed, nml it is sutllcient hero to reiieat that it is brought from the south- as to its inducements may botra.'cd the selc.tion of the site for the ward, and that every ctVort to check It by the current has Ijcen eitv, .just as surely us to "its inlluonce may be attributed the rapid inefl'c.-tual. We may, therefore, roasimably abandon such an f;row'th and great"prosperity of this metropolis. At that time, and expedient, wlileli, however excellent and elficient it may bo found it niav bo taken as A.l>. IKOO, Xatiire bewail to destroy that which i" tidal waters, should not, therefore, Indneo us t<. rely upon its she hivd herself so well completed, and recently by si'ich palpable adeipiacy when attempted under such tota'ly different circum- enernaehments on the Kntrance to the Bav as naturallv to indui'o stances. fllarm lest its commercial value ini-ht l.o eiidan-ered. " '''" preserve the Kntrance fnau further encroachnients of the I have already shewn how ro-ularlv and eonstantiv this lai- siioal ami to arrest the beaeh drift al a cmvcnient ami safe distance eroa diment has been procoediii-. how year after yenr the channel il>''i;ofro,n I would recomme,,,; the early construction of the fol- has boon decreasin}; in width and the shoal extciidin<:. and I hav.' lowing W(U-ks: endeavoured to tra.-e the source and causes to whieh these dan- l-"' -^ «''"yne at the I/ij;lith.iuse I'oint to retard iho sand now j;erous luvumulatious are to be attrilmteil, showiii- 1 trust mi.viuf,' northerly, and divert it into deep water westerly, satisfactorily that the same a-oncies arc enpv.'od to this day -'"'• '^'' auxilliary jiroyne opposite (hbraltar Point, to arrest in the same work of injurv. ' •""' counterai- all pro^'ressive action alon;; the west side of the And vet it is stran;;ethat with the exception of tlie construrtiou ^l'"'''- '1'"^ eiialilln;!; all drift to accumulate south of the dear of the Queen's Wharf in 1S;5.5, and its extension in IX.Vl, works water openin- of the IJay and presorvin,!; the present extended in my opinion entirely inconsistent with, ami as the event has ri^'-'^ii^''-^ to facilitate the early removal of ice in sprinj;. proved entirely iiiiidciiuate to the oliject sought, no oll'ort has been .'ird. A Pier alon:; the south edge of the channel ns shewn on directed to the ])reservation of the pri'sent Harbour channel, but the plan of a ti>t;il length of 2'J(t yards, cutting off about 350 feet imblic attention has lieeu attracted by speculative and amliitioiis from the point of the shoal to a depth of twelve or fcuirtcen feet attempts to alter where aUeratlon is unnecessary and dan;.;erous, by drod^'iuj:, thus enlar^ine; ami permanently deepening the navi- and to improve that which Nature has left perfcrt to our hands ; gable entrance from 24li as now to 000 feet as proposed. 'Witli neglecting moanwliile the one and only point in whieh her (ppera- "such work jiroperly constructed, I am eonlidcnt In the opinion tioiis may bo regretted and whore intorferonce is justilied by that Iho difficulties hitherto connected with the western cliaunel •!■ } I'if' "* •''° entrance estimated 14 ' ,,,•.• r , feet under water, and 5o,000 cubic yards Irom recent iiieasurements made 1 y mo m continuance of the dredi'iii" 10 200 whole system of survey uiiim which tl ei-liarts have been laid down, ,(,| 'l'^".^, ^,.,1^-,^,^ at the Isthmus 850 it appears indispiitabie that since the extension of the Queen's WlriTf was brought to its present stale, and in tho space of 1'28 £12,550 f UMI'OKTS ON TORONTO HAlUiOnH. It will Ijo (ilisorvi'il Hint a "•;;■'> iliMii ill thi' i,i„i,,.. estimate is ImsoM upon wliicli ilio oj,ini„ii» nuw Milimittoil liavck'cui funnel, fi, UMiltli ul (Id |,.,.t „ ,1,..,, wat.r; (hat ai,l,.„iKli Km, lo..t nii^^lit ..fM.mo valuo t„ „i,., 1 |,avo ix.fVmnoa Iron, at.a.-liinl tlinn (o tins Milli.'O ami roilniH. the hi-.sl mst about tli.T,. tlioiismiil iionmis, vet U.'iiort. tho iii,.n.aH,.,l ami pmnaiiLnt advantaf;,.. ro.suIthiK iron, tho mi- li; Imwovor, .vun slionM .Iomiv to oNmniioMh,.,,,, I .shall ho n.o.st lai-.Ml ontiaino, wonhl I am inrhnca to think warrant tho ad.li- Inijipy to attend at anj appointed time, and .snl.n.it them ;„ your tional oxpomliture. Smee von do not lU present rcpiiro detailed inspeetinn. jiliins and estimates of the proposed works, I havo deemed it iiii- neeosHiiry to ].reparo them. 1 nniy, however, again refer to tho fact that I have in my postession e..arts and other doeiiments bearing iiiinii tl g upon tho ipicstiuu befbre you, and although they nre the Tc.n.ub), Mil 1 have till' hniiiiiir to be, Sir, Vour obeilieiit servant, SANDroKI) I'l.KMlNG. -I, isr.d. UE r () JIT ON TJIi: .MK.WS TO liK AlRil'TKP 10 a THE V Ji K ,S K Jt V A T I () N A N D I .M I> 11 \ E -M K N T or THE HARBOUR OF TORONTO, HV KrVAS TL'bbV, bSiJI II!i:, I'UOVlNCIAb SlllVKVOl!. Ill his repnrt in Is:;), in vefercnec to [T/ie Third I'miiiiim of lufiii I'uunilt was auanleil lo the niilhor nf this JiejiurL] The opinions of tho several |jrofessionaI and seientifie ])ersoie; who have lu'eviously written on this sulijeet, are so wiilely differ- ent, that, to diseus.s eaeli separately, would far e.'ceeed the limits of a rejiort of this description, and which, for all practical pur- poses, cannot be considered necessary. The preseiil iuteiitioii, therefore, is to condense the subject as inucli as possible, consistent with u due explanation of the means to be recommended, founded on tho most reliable data. It ia proposed to divide the report into two heads, one on tho rreservation, the other on the Improvement of the Harbour; the expense necessary fur preserving the Harbour, as it will bo shown, being far less than that \vhich may bo reiiuired for its im- provement. Previous to entering on the discussion of the subject, it is neces- sary to remark, that the construction and extension of the Queen's Wharf was the most advisable course that could be followed here- tofore, both for the preservation as well as the improvement of the Harbour, and must be a source of much satisfaction to those who recommended its construction originally, and were afterwards iu- strumenval in :-arrying the project out— to think that, up to tlu' present time, there has been no useless expenditure, a result that cannot always be avoided even by the most experienced persons. Ist. The preservation of the Hiirboer. In order to form a correct oiiinion, it is necessary to impilro into tbc causes of tho original formation and increase of the I\!n- insiil». forming its southern boundary. f'ir liichard liniiiiycastli' this subject, states — •■ The I'eninsula, opposite tlio soutliern fare of tho city of To- ronto, appears to me a iinu/i iiiun' diinnif loniiatiaii llina i.s- i/rne- riilhi iniiiijinnl; it is comp.jscd of sand in various states of jolio- sioii, the surface being usually disintegrated, ai.d increasing only in lirnincss ami tenacity as it increii.ses in depth. It is pnTbably one of the many ridges of the b„tlom of the vast Lake, which existed before the iiri'sent Ontario and lOrie were formed out of its drainage, nor jvas the shape id' the Peninsula, materially altered for a vast length of time. " The Freiieh entered the liasin, and fancied it a ri\ or, when they firiit exphired the country under the guidance of lleiiuipen, and tlio oldest surveys show little or no diU'crencc in its outline. " It is not necessary, however, with the object at present in view, to enter into a geidogieal description, to prove that the Pen- insula was made during the sedimentary deposition of the tertiary periods : but it is useful to that purpose to ascertain that it is not comparatively new, or in tho eunstant habit of receiving great ac- cessories to its bulk and extension." These opinions, written twenty years ngo, besides being corro- biu-ated by later authorities^, liavo boon proved to be corre;;t hv recent examination. A superior set of boring irons were constructed for the p.urpose of ascertaining tho substratum of tho Petiinsula, and in order lo set the question for ever at rest. The first and second trials were made at ( iibraUar I'nint and the same result was obtained ili both instances, iiameiy, sand and gravel in alternate liiyi'rs, three feet in depth from the surface of tlio water, and finding, after consider.able labour, with four persons working the boring irons, that no greater depth than three feet could he obtained, a specimen (d' the substratum was iirocured with the shell augur, and found to be blue day. nr hard iian. as it is more commonly called. Tho resistance of the sa>\d and gravel on the third trial, at the Narrows, ea.st of Privat's tavern, was found to be so great, after boring about two feet, that a fighter boring iron was procured, with < 30 ItKrOUTS ON' TOKONTO IIAItnoiU. ; one (Mill hoU'iw.'il "lit ti) rorrivi' tin' siihstnitnin, and iil'tiT smoral trials lirlwiMMi liiUraltar I'oiiit ami (In' Narr.iw.s, nleii;; tlio I'cnlrn i)f tlic IVniiisula, tlii' xaiiii- ri^siilt was nlitaii'cil. Siioi-iini'iiM of tlio clay ami a momoramlum (if tlioir rcsinvtivi' iidsitii.iis and il('|itli-< nro" licrowitli siilimitted for iii»iipi'ti(iii. Tlio lidUnw in tin- iron Iwins (if xniiiU eaimcity, a Kinnll portiim (if tlio flay I'mild (Hily lio pnu'urod, unit cvun this i.s inixi'd witli tlic lino sand wliicli lies (in the «iirfai'i> "f tlic clay. TluTO is, howovcr. sufficient (Midcnco (if clay in tlic several s|ie- (.'imens to (inive the assertinn, lliat the liasi- (if the IVninsnla is euoval with that of the mainland, and m.t a deposit (.aased hy the action id" the waters (d' Lake Onlarin. It is intended to piirsne tlic invesiij;alion still fiirlher, and, in all prohaliility, the same result will he found on horing east of the Narrows, towards the liei;;hts of Scarlioro', uiid aliii oil the nci'k of land that soiiarates the Harhour froin Ashlirid):e's Uay. Whether a portiou of the sand ami gravid rcstiiiir on the siih- slratnni of the I'eninsula was an orijiinal foniiation or not. it would he difficult to ascertain ; lint the most likidy conclusion would he, that it has lieeu dc|iositcd on the rid^e forminv; the hase of the Peninsula since the period when the water which covered the ■'fcater portion of the North American continent suli;.ided to its present level. The sources tVom which this deposit is and has been supplied, is explained in a letter of mine, dated rdiauary lOtli, IK'i."., as l„l|„„-s : •' The cuntimied aceumulation of deposit on tlio Penin- sula, are the vvashin;; away of the shores of the Lake to the oast and west of Toronto. Durini,' an easterly faille, which generally lasts three days, the ' dehris' from the .S'lirhoro' heights is washed nloii" the shoro of tho Peninsula to the lee of the Lighthouse Point, and during westerly gales, whiidi generally sneceed easterly ones, the Mehris' from the shores west of Toronto, as far as the point of the Ilumher l!ay, is washed along the shore towatds the Peninsula, and meeting the current of the Don at the western en- trance, is deposited on ihe liar." A comparison hctweou the deposit on tho Peninsula and the formation of tho Soarhoro' heights will prove, that not one-twen- tieth part of the " dehris" linds its way to the JVninsiila. The lorination of tho Searhoro' heights heing jiriiicipally argil- laceous, and the deposit on the Peninsula being granitic detritus, the argillaceous portion of the debris being the lightest is carried to a much greater distance, and sometimes three or four miles out into the Lake by tho undorton, where it is deiiosited when the causes that originally removed it eease. Pursuing this ipiestion still further, it will bo found on exami- nation that a eonsiderable portion of the "debris" travels eastward as well as v.cstward, the prevailing winds being westerly, though tho easterly winds arc the most violent. The ctreet produced by tho prevailing westerly winds in Lake Krie is evidenced by the more extended deposit forming Long Point, and also tho Harbour of Krie. The above remarks, though more diffuse than maybe oonsiJcred requisite, are introduced to prove that the whole of the "debris" from the Searboro' heights is not deposited on the Peninsula, and the same may he said of the depoHits from the river Don. 'fhat the construction of tin; tjiaeen's AVIiarf has had tho effect of changing the line of dcf osit i»a the Bar, cannot be for one mo- ment doubted. Ity referring to the map published by Mr. II mchclte in iHl.'i, it will he observed that the point of the bar was more easterly than 't is at the present lime, and to the increased back current out of ti.e llarhonr, caiise.l by tli(> contraction of the chanmd, may prin- cipa'ly he attributed this result. .Vssuming tli(> above remarks to be au.uitted facts, as such, they cannot be controverted by mere conjectures— some of which are ealeiilatel to remind a person of Ihe reply of a celebrated member of the Uritish Parliament to tho speech of n eon«e(|uenlial repre- sentative from one of the inland cimntica, who felt flattered at being iioticeil by him— "There is a great deal in the lion, mem- ),cr"s speech that is new and true, but, nnfortnnutely, what is true is not new, and what is new is not true ;" and with these reinarkH he went on with the subject under debate. Whatever may have been the result of the action id' the current of the river I "on on the formation of the Peninsula, it has not much inlluenee at the present tinn — tic- current being very trilling at ordinary times. During Hoods, the injury to the Harbour by tlicileposits of allu- \'vA matter siis|n'nde'l in its waters are very considerable, though, fortunatidv, the direction of the Hood, when the Don overflows its banks, is into .V^libridge's Itay, where the greatest amount of do posit is made. A large portion, however, reaches the Harbour, and the lighter parindes are even carriiMlout some miles into the Lake before they are deposited. During Ihe prevalence of a flood in tho Niagara river, about five years ago, caused by continued wet wea- ther, when the ice was breaking up in Lake Krio, tho water at the mouth of the river for five miles, at least from the shore, and- an ei|ual distance im either side, was ipiite discoloured, and tho ■neutral lino between tho Lake and the rivor waters was tiuite dis- tinct. If the foregoing remarks are correct, and there can be no rcasmi to doubt them, it must he admitted that the injury to the Harbour, in conseipienco of this deposit, is greater than the benelit to be derived from its current. As ono of the precautions necessary fur the preservation of tho ILirbour, it is advisable to alter the direc- tion of the current into Ashbridgo's Bay, and allow it to find a passage into the Lake through the eastern entrance in A.shbri-lge'.s liav, and if at any future period a canal shouU bo made, connect- ing Ashbrid,;e's Hay and theHarl>i,ur, the entrance into the Har- Ijour siiould be protected by gates, so as to prevent tho current fram tho east bringing with it the mud that has been deposited in tho marsh for ages past, tho niml in Ashbridgo's Bay being at least twenty fwct higher than the bottom of tho Harbour. Fortunately, the present connection between tho Bay and the Harbour is very slight, and, acciirtliiig to the annexed estimate, a comparatively small amount would he necessary to chise up the mouths of the Don, aud alter the direction of tho current into Ash- bridge's Bay. The deposits from the sower* of the city in the Harbour, is much more considerable tba»ii w siJd wt first 1)C suppo-sed ; from experi- ence in the construcDwn c. wharves, piling, .Vc.. it has be«n found that, from \onge Street on tdne west to the Don on the ifiat. the average depth of .ieposit from the sowers alone is not less tlian two feet, taking tho distance to bo 5000 feet, with aa average breadth of at least 3Hil feet we have a quantity c (|ual to about 100,001) cubic yards, a very serious amount, considering that it only extends over a period of sny twenty years ; the annual deposit will ii'lto in IS I,'), it rn ■.•iiNti'rly timn k I'lirri'iit mit of iinol, limy prin- ts, ns Kiicli, tlicy 11(1 iif wliicli iiro cliriilivl mcmlipr ii'(|iicnliiil re))ro- fi'lt tlatterod nt 1 tlic lion, iiipm- I'ly, wliiit is true li llicHi" rciiiiirkH . m of till- ciirront , it liiiH not inucli very trifliii;^ nt iloposits of ollu- 'loriililo, tlioii^li, Don ovcrllows its vst aiiioiiiit of do tlio lliirljoiir, anil les into tlic I.iiko ' iif a (lood in tlin iitimicil wet wea- rio, tlio wr.tor at 111 tlie chore, luul- Hiloureil, nnil the jrs was quito ilis- caii lie no reason y to the Harbour, tlie benelit to lio ons necessary for to alter the diree- alluw it to find a leo ill Ashl)riif;e'8 bo made, eonncct- ince into the liar- event the current been deposited in ;e's Hay being at larbour. tlio Bay and the uoxod estimate, a ry to close up the current into Ash- Harbour, is niach s^d ; from expert- it has beer- v.ation of the Ilarlumr wnuld he instead of strengtheniiifi; the IV- ninsula .-xt tin; Xarrows the opening is reeoiiimended. The disposition of the I'iivcr ]).jii, the Kowago id' ihe Citv, and !.e prevented fruni liciiig emiitied the maiuiciiaii c of (he western (diannel would remain the same ; the ipiestion, theteCore, to he considered will lie, the practicahilitv "f c. instructing an eastern entrance, it- iiiainteimiice, limit he I'lVect pro- duced un the west' rii ciilrance in cunseipieiiec of its c striiction. 'I' igiiieerin diliii ilties to ho eiieotiiitered in the construction of nil eastern eiitraneo will ho eonsideriilile and ntteiided with much greater ('."ipoiiBO tlnin at (IrHt would ho imagined. Thi'liaseoftho IVniiisiila liiiviiig heen ascertained to hoof hliie elay or hard pan. as it is . mnmonly called, and heiiig live feet froiii the present siirfa.e uf tin, water at this pnjut, the dilliculties are rather increased than diiuiiiishcd, though the work when eom- lileted would lio iiioro Huhslantial tlian if it wii» iiltogotlior mmd.' The only way in wliicli llio hlite elay or liiird pan enn ho p.xea- vilod to a depth, so «s to atliird 12 feet at low water, would hu hy the coiistriiction nf culler dams instead of dredging, which oiaild he resorted to if sand and gravel alone had to he excavaloil. The fuiindatiun uf the piers would, however, he more secure ami less lialile to injury from the ell'ects of the heavy sea that will have to he eneiaintercd than if sand and gravel funned tho foundation, Aceonipanyiiig this Ueport is a map copied from one in the possessiiiii of tho City Council which explains the position and ca- Jiacily of tho proposed oiistern entrance. Ill order to jirevont the "dehris" from the Scarlior.iugh lliights from l.eiiig cuiivoyed into the Ilarliuur hy the current wdiich will he caused hy all easterly gale, it would he necessary to run tlia ]iiers into -Jtl fet of water at least, or to the line where tho waves lircak,wliii II indicates the state of the under oiirrent; to carry this out siiceossfnlly will reipiiro the piers on either side to average ;;i II Hi feet each; the eastern iiier to ]irojeet ."i(lt) feet farther than the uther, su as to all'ord siiflieieiit shelter to vessels during mode- rate gales ill running into the llarhour, I-'or roiuions that will hereafter he evident it wnuld not ho ad- visalile to make the entrauco wider than 1200 feet. The piers would re.piire at least tu he III feet wide, and loaded with stone in the sami' manner as the exteiisiun now in course of eoiistruction at the liuoeii's Wharf. liy eonstrueting the piers as |iropiiseil it is considered they will he sufficiently strong to resist the cll'cctof the most severe ciisterlv storms, and the piers lieing run out into 20 feet of water, hevonil the e>;leiit of th.o under current, no siilistance further than the lighter particles of argilhiceuiis matter, which are held iu suspensiun hy the agitated water, can enter the llarhour; and in case of a em - rent heiiig esti'hlished thniiigh the JIarhour, which would occur in 1111 easterly storm, this suspended matter would not he deposited ill the llarhour, hut would he carried with tho current through tlio western channel into the Lake again, and rkx versa in case of westerly gales, in fact it would not he more injurious than at the jircseut time. If this is correct the maintenance uf the eastern channel cannot he (picstiiined, the etl'ect that would ho produced un the western channel reipiircs more serious consideration from tho fact, that the ha .k ciirrciit at the western ehannel would he lessened in the exact proportion as the current through the eastern, nnd this re- mark applies whether nn easterly or westerly gale prevails. The data to decide the ([uestions are as folluws: — The scctiunal area of the western idiani.cl, including the water on the har, ii in auperlieial feet 21,350 rierg. ' t wil«°bv'i2 z:' "7" ■;'■ "■" "'"""•" '-•'""'"«'• !2o ' foot ,, * 1«,050 .i."'n::'i;i::,;;;,"'"°"?,i" "» '■-■• '"•*»• ■'•p-.-r. ~n, , Ji r: ::,;' ::;:r,:;;;;;;;;;': ■ the Harbour, tl,r„.,gb tl,o wctern chnn„..l, «„„1,1 I„m i„ i " ', ,' one.n,„,h „„.. .b„ con..,,„..„t uringeff,.,:, ,„ .. ' nol would b« lost iu this proportion Wl »"""•"'""'■ the effect of destroying „. bila e wl.W "'"'•"'' '""" for .0 lon« a ponVl. i. a n..,.. of .^loi; "'""""' ae^'x:';^;!:::;':,:rr '"- "■: i ^" ^'«'" '^- p- >- would bo n..:! : ;•:::;;:■,;:,'"■;-"• ^'^ —'■-. Plotod, I tt,„ of opinion thut tho back current ,vilM „ «• aeour tho increased oli.innol 40„ feet l^^ Z::^ ^:^:::; '" eastern entrance boing constructed. '•"- '»ent ol „„ The current throufih tho western channel caused I v »K r placement of the water by steamers pussins ut l^, " ''"• considerable for the time it lasts and 1 w » ' ' " ""^ With regard to tho arrest of the deposit on the bar bv th„ Btruction of piers or groins alonR the shores of t In l'. ^- V"""" can only bo considered as temporary and ,. ^ ".'""'"■ " have to be renewed and kept i^i "i'ir vear v """"'' """''^ w^chwinhe.undasnniifJ^^.:^---S;;r _ In Sir Charles Lyell's Principles of tleoloKy im^e 3IS . i.' 2.V'' """''^^*™'"'^ "" '"" -""■ --'or£:,!,r„'d:Ti; th:tVaTr;/;:rjtrr:: °?'^- ^^""- -^ -"-. Bouth^aaL coaft, to stop the LreC 7:,:" ""I ""?"" "' ners The pebbles continue to accumulate till they rise as bth *™; r,"x.- "■"" ""'" *" '"' •■" '• "''■• ™S uoi io great ai is imagined, and it must be born, in I'.KI'OUTS f»\ TOIJONTO tl \l!)!o| |(. 88 . n ,„o»ed by the under-eurre,,, no, to be rephic,-!, excr,,, bv this from \shl,rid.e I. ■ '' 1" ''"""-it openin« into the Uke p , " ' '^- ".'^ '\ 'l'"-'i"" <''«t nin be well post- , nn he preseiu openinR is .,„i,„ ,„rt,.,ie,„ f,„ „,„ ^^i^.. ';',"" '":"'""."'■ ""• ""' n and in all future sp 'e . "uch, with an entrance ZtuZuZ'^r''"' """ ' "' .a.os, .0 keep the mod which Cc: , rfi^llt", T -o..n«Tor,.n.o 1. arbour, an excellent ..':;„;: ru.,t t M ; . n "";"""'' ":''!''"" '■"" • •' ^ • ■• «- —-,1 f r a dm l,e general es.nnate; -houKl, ,l,e p.,,,,,,,,,, ;, „„^ ^,,,.i^. " ■ ": "" ."^"l'"'-'" <"'"''' "ill '.. fo, littlcc nongl, ,., "'I ■.«andn,.,„itu,nin.Mv Harbour, which, up to the pr sc, t J . "tands unrivalled o„ ,he ^reat Lakes of thii Continent ' ' KIVAS TCM,Y, Toronto, .May ,■),!, ISC,4. ''i'H F.iiijini,;: K S T 1 M A T K S l«t. Closing tho Kiver Don, and diverting the cur- rent into Ashbridge's Bay ,-~rnn n n 2d. The strengthening of the Narrows of'iheP;;: insula 2,500 £10,000 for the Impmi-ement of Ihe ILnimu,: 1st. Closing the River Don „. ,.^ ,, . 2d. CWueting the eastern entrance 200 feet'wide " 1ntot!Tl''f"^'^' P'«" •!"'•<=«' wide, running ■nto 20 feet of water ";_ ^^ ,, ^ £07,500 Improving Aahbridge'a Bay. 1st. Constructing channel in eastern end of Ash- hridgo's Bay, with piers, &c i--,onnn n o 2d. Con..ructingcanal, with gates, &c.,60feet;id;''" " " 10 feet of water, where shown on the Map 10,000 jEGO.OOO Toronto, May ;jd, 185-1. KIVAS TULLY, Cirtl Engineer. y <^ // *VV ->' IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.25 £ bi 12.0 M. 11.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation k // .^/ ^ ,.V .4%* ,.^' ^^ ^ V ^# N> % V '^A o\ ■I& 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ^ K '/, '^ I* «4 RI-n'OltTS ()\ TORONTO IIAKliOI'll. R E V H T ini|irovpnicnt ul" tlio irarl.om-; but, if I liavc unlorstooil the luivortisonipiit ri;;ht, it ailniits tlio opinions of ob.xervors and of practical men, as well nautical as scientific, to compete in a sort of essay on the sulijects enibraceil t'lerein, which may lead to some beneficial decision, or induce more scientific aid. If projects arc in a;;itation, which, if carried into effect. I think would be destructive to the Ilarliour, nautieally of little value, _ and commtrcially onerous, I, as a nautical man, a practical man, !in ' an attentive observer of the Harbour of lonj; standiu'r, am entitled to intrude an opinion, and compete in the race of compe- titors, the labours of whom tend to the pubUs benefit. In my Report to the Commissioners of Toronto Harbour last year, I stated as my opinion that the breach then open was inju- rious to the Harbour, and urged the necessity of closing it, and so simple and trifling was the injury then, that the beach that was made on the 1.3th and Uth January last, closed by the operation of Nature on the 17th February following, and had the Harbour be- longed to myself (wi»h the opinion I held of its injurious tendency), I should then have raised ihe beach with the material around mo to a height above the reach of the wave. If the aspect of the breach now is in any way formidable, the delay in closing it must be attributed to the public divided opinion, as to its beneficial or prejudicial effect upon the Harbour. But the mass of material that has been removed from the beach, essentially altering its f aturo, and the drift that has been brought into the Harbour, to gay nothing of the undetermined effect it has had upon the Bar must convince the most sceptical of its injurious effect ; and an examination of the shallow shelving coast is sufficient to preclude the iaea of a natural channel ever forming there, if such an idea was ever entertained. Further neglect may bring this Harbour into the perilous and costly condition of Erie Harbour at this time, to which it has a close resemblance, where, from having allowed it to become a presqu'islo by a breach at the West, it is continually inundated with sand, and threatened with destruction. The means of closing the breach when no more formidable than when I ob8erve inches, filled with the material of the beach, as would stretch across the narrow neck of the breach in double row. ten or twelve fecc apart, and filled in between, this vvould effectually stop the current, (the narrow jiart being only sixty feet wide and far removed from the beat of the wave), the current once stopped the process of raising the beach is the mere affair of carts ami wheelbarrows, with labour and a plentiful sup- ply of the material of the Peninsula. Ttie object of these casoons being only to stop the current, which d(me all would be buried up. With moderat(! winds at S.W. and N.K., the lip of the wave would repair th, i •.. • r™ :,r"S!;:;r;;.;;:;"irT''' "v- "";'■ "■• - >■ ■■' ■<«" i«mk. i„.,,,:,n,. :r:i; :rr :;,': it'"""'" ... ''^■t:"";,'::;; 1 ' ;■";'■"'• " •"> <■-•■ - ""■'■ HK cast. It would be usoliil i„ nioderate woalher I„ l.i.l, --'s, Cher no,.„,.east or soutb-wes,. i, .,„,,, ..oM: ..cd ' ;l* :;,i'::«;;v;,:!;;j;;:;;l:-::;:-:-- 3;.::;;:i^.;:r;;:,r:;::;;;;;;t,---3 l..»e.st calculation, nu.st bo betwixt .C.iOOO and jC4000? ,1^^:?-^^^=—^^^^ heavier hero tinn at r, . ",""' "" '" '"« >'■'■■■ ^™, which is poated con™.;!:;:' i'^c: sr ^^^' t'"^"-' '*^ - =S.s:::t;:i::dE--^ .n.sivo.com,.:5:irs:S;:^;::--^ with a Lng .o^w^s: t.::™<:;:r"n"r "^^'"^•■^' the sands of the Bar into it .J \, ? ' "' '" *"■'"« ''""'" thePeninsuIadowrupn" 1 Canal TtV*'"""''""''^^^ ■ . whilst the evil conscucnce of^om e^f T' """ "' *'"'= "">' '"'' "•'"'^"'"'■^' "'" be calculated. I thi k 1 ZlZ:^^:^^L ^'^l^' "^ '"^ '^^'"'^ "" "^ '-' be calculated. I thinkll ave eV TT '"''^' «"'" ™"''' "«' from «outh-wcst a : „ :^ "bl : """ r""" "'^"" '"« ^"'- time. " "' ''""' «'">''"e>« unnavigable for a west gale, illustr led unoi 'r'-'f'f '"'' '""^ ''"""« "^ -»"'- they («,(//,/, take the Canal. Itohn'tlno. ,i, . v , r. not one-fourth of the whole f,„- .n'rance or elit if \T , w ro free alike, ,„„W take the t.nal '"""''' t. J!:;:':::i,:;';;?::,::.S"^l'''^ -'' .'"• -"p--ting.br a.o.jchann^,th:trr:i':;;;:n;rr^i^f:rr "'^,:'^::^"'!°'T ^"^""- """ "ron .11 vessels or earg":lZg What must be the amount of Harbour dues eollcctcd to nay ih ta-est on he capital invested in this Canal, reduce the "rin dpll and mamtan, two channels to the Harbour instead of one? W.ll It not be a great commercial disadvantage to a town like loronto surrounded by sn.all Harbours, eonneeted by^ r d and ,n close proximity to the rival Port of Hamdton, an, h o t' en ovinc Inrbt rrnrK„.,- ,1 1 ■ ' IllUlLriO 1 i 86 IlEI'ORTS OX TORONTO HARBOUR. cxchnngo their With them it is What wouhl the citijonn of Hamilton give to costly Canal for the almost free Port of Toronto ? Canal or no Port. It may justly ho iiskoil, whonoo conio.t tho desire to risk the sta- bility of a gouil n:itural ll.irhoiir, hy mikin;; another costly chan- nel, which, at the best, can only benefit a partial navigation ? To the east en.k, or care whether his goods come in at tho east or at the west end of the Harbour, provided the Harbour charges be light? Will he consent to pay cnornn.us Harbour dues merely for the acconiniodation of a partial navigation? In no other light can foniwinr look upon this project of a Canal. I/istly, as Provincial properly, can there be a' reasonable hope that any Legislature or Government will as^ent to the mak- ing of a second opening into one of the finest Harbours in tho Province, at an acknowledged risk and heavy cost, unless an urgent necessity can bo shown for such risk and siich cost? Until this vexed ([uestion is set nt rest, the citizens of Toronto generally will not turn their attention with due anxiety to the preservation of the valuable Harbour they have the happiness to enjoy. I have endeavoured to show, in the light I see it myself, that, physically, a Canal to the east would bo destructive to the Port ; that its nautical advantages arc largely delusive; that it would act prejudicially on the commerce of the Town ; and, lastly, that the assent of Uovernment to such a project is all but hopeless. I will now turn my attention to a subject more worthy of the care and economy of a great commercial town like Toronto— the im- provement of the Harbour, active steps of preservation of the main and still grows from the root whence it sprung, tho point where the land falls away nt the head of Ashbridge's Bay, striking out in a fair field of growth into deep water, the present formation, the result of ages of destruction of the highlauds of Scarborough, even from the undefined time where tho Lake changed its level from a higher to a lower, of which the whole boundaries of it bear iucontestible evidence. The action of tho north-east storm has had the same effect upon the t/ini advanced promontory of Scarborcmgh, as tho north-east storm iias upon it at tho present day. Acres and acres hnvebeen removed from the flats below SearlKjrough Heights within my re- collection. The result of ages of this work of destruction has been the for- mation of the present peninsula and shoal, the latter of which is upwards of a mile in width and si.x miles in length, the crest of it being the present Peninsula. If my theory be correct, the super- structure will be the gravel and stone of Scarborough 6atfl, under- neath of necessity rhii/, and below that most probably indurated eiay. The crest has started in continuation of the land, with its broadest part above water, where now it is narrowest, for as the Peninsula extended west, and the Promontory of Scarborough re- ceded from erosion, so did the neck of tho Peninsula at the east, as it could not stand out prominent from the protecting land. Hence the more rajiid retrocession of tho Peninsula east, and the tendency to a Presqu-isle formation. The proof of this rctroi^ession of the Peninsula or crest of the shoal, is traced in tho flat shelving shore, leaving little water as tho crest recedes from the south, and meeting comparative deep water to the north, the Peninsula not being acted upon by the sea on that side. The modern marks of retrocession, within my own ol)servation during tho last twenty -five years, are the long line of aged trees undermined and thrown down by tho sea all the way from the head of Ashbridge's Bay to Privat's Hotel. On examining the beach on the inside at the head of Ash- bridge's Bay. although the Lake has frequently make breaches features of it, as traced out by the hand of nature, rejiaiiing that there, and swept over the whole part, from where the trees cease which is decaying, and improving without dangerous innovation cast; increasing tho beach inside, as it was swep* the out- such parts as are susceptible of improvement, is the only safe course that the guardian power of the Port can pursue. Like tho human system, in all ordinary derangement, ordinary care may suffice, but where the danger is imminent, wo call in the most skilful aid ; so would I, in tho important case of the derangement of any vital feature in tho Harbour, consult the most eminent engineers, nay, a board of engineers, for no expense should be spared to secure the stability of a Port, up. which the value of so much property depends. I, in the matter of the improvement of the Harbour, only give opinions founded upon long observations, and which observations may be useful to engineers ; for it is only by observations on the present operations of nature, that wo infer of the past, or antici- pate for the future ; therefore, in furtherance of my opinions and observations, although I did not mean to touch upon the theory of the formation of the Peninsula, yet as the means for its preserva- tion call for some opinion of its origin to account for its present appe-trance, its constant state of transition however gradual, and to adopt measures to retard its decay, I here submit them. The Peninsula is still fed by drift and detritus from the east, side ; yet there is no such thing as that which we t o brcoch in Toronto Bay ; that is, two long piers of sand i . , inwards, showing the range of current in ; in Ashbridge's Bay there is no ready vent in an opposite direction for the hod'ea of water thrown in by the sea, consequently it returns in under-current again through the beach ; hence no leading marks of a current, but aug- mentation of the beach within. In Toronto Bay, the wide mouth of it affords rapid exit for the water as fast as thrown in, and hen je the long banks of sand above water as leaders, and the mass ejected at their head into deep water. It is easy to account for the spreading of the Peninsula tree-like to tho west. The material being finer as removed from the source of supply, spreads over the lake, as seen liy the turbid waters in all easterly gales ; these gales are invariably met by a counter gale from the south-west, driving back tho charged water upon the west end of the Peninsula and the mouth of the Bay, the reaction of the water from tlie Bay causes tho deposit which forms the bar at the entrance. It is useless to speak of the phenomena of ridges caused by the action of the waves. li "^W — in);, tho point where i?'8 Bay, striking out prcBcnt fornifttioii, .uds (if Scarborougli, ke changed ita level boundaries of it bear the same effect upon li, as tho north-east and acres liavebeen eights within my re- 'jn has been the for- lie latter of which is ength, the crest of it correct, the super- borougli flats, under- probably indurated if tho land, with its arrowcst, for as the y of Scarborough re- eninsula at the east, he protecting land, nisula east, and the sula or crest of the iving little water as ; comparative deep ted upon by the sea ion, within my own I, arc the long line tho sea all the way Hotel. the head of Ash- ntly make breaches bere the trees cease wep* the out- we 6 breach nd 1 . , inwards, e's Bay there is no ■ps of water thrown nder-current again ■ a current, but aug- 8 rapid exit for the janks of sand above leir head into deep Peninsula tree-like lOd from the source le turbid waters in ot by a counter gale vater upon the west ly, the reaction of ;h forms the bar at 9Domeua of ridgei RKPORTS ON TORONTfJ lIARBOiril. of a mile w,do m the centre from the west leacon, east, ,u>d car- ries from three to six feet of water on the top, in ridge .arv' and t .8 encroach.ng upon the deep water of the Bay, for tho sand shoots down frun, ten feet, where a buoy i. laid on , lo ,no "« ft teen and sixteen feet water ahuost immediately. Zllt proof need be of tho encroachments of the sand, and the reltan ummr an7"°n'T '^''''"«-'-- '"- b-n reduced tho las would bepennancnll!, ~^o, to the ruin of the Ilarhour by a canal. that wirr"'''"" "''""' P""'"'"'"!""" gradual and uniform, ftr aTot ser r^'r"" "f''^'-'""'"-'" f- "'« ""hour need be fel tor a long ones of years, unless neglect allow casual brcu-hes to l~t '"^ extra„r.linary storm may occasion ; then the evil Bav a m ''\ "'" ""'-"-■' "*■ "'« P^''^""' breach into the way, a more rapid erosion and retrocession takes place. au'Iilori"i[r'"'lf "'\"^""' ^""■'"^"''' '' ^''«'"^' '"'^ ^i'h tho city authorities; then the city authorities hold the responsibility and z tit: 'f? ■?'■ '"" "■'''"''■ ^''"^ "^y "p---^ I '^i '2d - the delL r 7^ "l^ '■""^•'^^ •■""•" ""•' "'y -^"^"-fi^'da open to the depredations of cattle, as expose this Bay for one sexson to tho consequences of the inroads of the Lake. heivM ""T'-'r? "^ **" P""'"""''^. maintaining it to a certain height and width, the soiling, planting and seeding it, to secue the surface against the action of the high south wind wHl beTm provements compared with the state o"f neglect to wlTch it ,1 been eonsigneus nee the hour that Toronto became a own Th tru light t^iat tr :." '"^P;"'"'"''' "-'^ '"'«" appreciated in its as an fsfa^d of r, T "" ^''"■' " ^"^ '"^"^ l**"" ^ealt with the Po^ dtli"""' "^" ^^ " '^-"«' "P- -'•-•' '"e safety of b/dykrrd'thr'r "",' "'" '^^ ^•'^"'•^ "^ --^ ■^•^--^t- w^th th.^' "*""'""' ^n'^^'od from the Peninsula, but v^.th he experience of Erie Ilarhour before me, where they Lave e osed the entrance to a narrow channel by piers, it if mo e clear y demonstrated to me that the large bodj of waedrrn over the bar by the S.W. wind is more valuable'in its r act!" or und rcurrent m resisting the encroachment of the bar un the Harbour and coursing round through tho channel than f he same body of water were shut out and the mainten n" current at the channel left to tho mere varying levels b->twiTt Z tions Irom the Don. But be .t understood that it is of necessi/u that there be no breach or outlet of water to leeward. ^ As tx) the shutting out the Don from the Bay of Toronto that can no longer be thought of, as it would largely effect private in erests, therefore it must be treated as an Id/unct and made valuable to the Harbour. Not only should the entrance to Tbe cleaned out, but the whole of the bed of rushes entire y rl yed in and out of the Don, the wave to beat upon the shore, and in a short ime a clean beach would form all round the head of "ho Bay. leaving only the mouths of the Don to be bridged over. ..nX^^. '" '"•®='«°"J' l-'fg^ a^d contains surface enough to contribute to a great reaction during the prevailing S.W. winds in favor of the channel. It is ascertained that the water Jdig 87 to the wind fluctuates frrm one to f.,ur inches during 24 hours by lall of water onuses 144 cubic inches fi,r every foot of surface to l.J the outlet oi the Bay, ,n other words one-thir.l of this surface wa er ,n cubic yards to flow by the mouth of the Bay, ^ , y c Jlation IS kept up by the wator being blown over the bar and «atcr on it, it forces a passage by the channel. of moveable sand in its position, if, instead of backwater there is a current over it, and through the Harbour from west to casT? It would certainly be an advantage to the Ifarbour if the system of .onsidenng ,t an arm of ,he Lake were extended to the hoadr .Mibridge-sBay, by makinga wide opening of TOO or 800 fe pas the mouths of the Don, through the cross beach, the rushes dre ged away, and the wiods an.l the waves allowed to 'Lltj o^er the surface ; this large circulation would benefit the Ilarbou^ and conduce to tho health of the town, and the money that would be unprofitably to commerce and injuriously to t e Ha bo wasted upon an experiment, might have been applied with a bette; chance of profit. The whole of Ashbridge's Bay mi^l i„t e course nftime, be converted =nto clear water and Jrofitil; l."„d It IS certain that the .Marsh is both too valuable and too mis. ehievous to be left much longer in the stato it is in contiguiTy to a large populous and wealthy town like Toronto ^ In looking to the channel I see no inconvenience likely to attond Sc It s :?T • "" "' "'■ "" """"^ "' preservation s^uch as the Uictates of science may poiat out. "o'^fletf '"" point "f the Bar progresses West at the rate of 19 or -0 feet annually-. It has taken 22 years to advance about 400 feet ay It will take 50 years to progress Westerly 1000 feet, no fur 1'; han Mr. Shanley has laid out in extent from the Que n's W l/f AVest, m his Report for an entrance to the town for tho T.JT and Guelph Kail Road. We will presume as a mat e. f also that the Harbour pier is carried West parallel with the ad vanco of the point of the shoal 1000 feet in 50 years. The buoys and beacons with flags on them show the shape and advance ot the Bar, and it may be observed how it knuckfcs mit abreast of the old head of the wharf, showing its effec „ Z shoal,^the channel being 150 feet wider there'than at the poiil The channel has never yet been cleaned out since Toronto was of 14 feet in its best water when the Lake was at the lowest Lt It would require no more looking to for at least ton years, prob. >■ y wenty, as the longer the head of the pier, the mor"e concentratod the action of the flux and rellux. "«.™«-u 1 I cannot close this essay without claiming for myself larger and closer observations and more devotion of time to the interests of he Harbour than has fallen to the share of many individuals for the last twenty-five years, and I trust my ago. my experience, aud ,-y^^ 38 UKl'ORTS ON TORONTO H ARMOUR. my Ions observations warrnnt me in nialcin;; an urgont npp«al to nil the inliiiliitnnts of Toronto tonpprocinto the greiit vnliio ot'llieir Il!irl)OMr a.i ■ (.v. To oppose tlio Htuhhorn huhvnrlis of conimon sense to ut affecting it, it • certain purposes ich as the Czar of and ought to die 1 I am willing to eriencod engineer •8, that 03 long as la then is surface s by the channel. larch of the shoal e bottom, but as West, so will the hich will not be same phenomena in powers of the U effects to calcu- it, [CIIARDSON. with propriety, if opinion, that ■oulii ha it: been the funds of the port.— Carried. CHEWETT. J