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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 ■"A, On the subject of the Enlargement of the Wel- land Canal, by the Committee on Transpor- tation of the St. Catharines Board of Trade. / b\ Mgrngtmarnggittam JL / ^ 7S' Committee on Ti^anspo^ tation of the St Catharines Board of Trade. SYLVESTEJl NEELON, LUCIUS S. OILLE, JOSEPH SHICKLUNA, 18th Febriiarv, 1875. PATRICK LARKIN, JOHN C. (tRAHAM. B2^^f) PAPER On the subject of the enlarged "Welland Canal, by the Committee on Transportation of the St. Catharines Board of Trade. ENLARGEMENT OF THE WELLAND CANAL. The shipping interests of Canada upon the great lakes and their natural arid artilioi^t to derive in the future such enorm- ous advan ages. From the evidence before us v-e see clearly the insuffi- ciency of the 8 'ale of depth in the enlargement of tire Welland Cund in progref^8,to accomplish the great ends had in view. And we d« s le, while there i< yet tim >!, to direct the at tention of the Governmentand of this Dominion at large, to the su' J ^ct, so that such an addrtional depth of water may be provided for as h nece.>'Saiy to secure those results, the certain attainment of which will alone justify the expenditure in- volved, and properly reward this country for the sacrifices which it has made, or is pledged to make here- after in the construction and enlarge- ment of its canals. For the following observations and statements of fact, connected with this important sub- ject, we bespeak a careful and canaid perusal. We think the Government will commit a most serious error indeed if they adhere to the recom- mendations made by the Canal Commi^snn in 1871 so farasdepih in the enlarged Welland Canal is concerned. THE I'KESKKT STATK OF THE WORKS. We state at the beginning what is freely said by every one who is cogni- zant of the present position of the woks in progress, and by none more than the contractors themselves, viz : that the increased depth asked for, can be obtained without the necessity of undoing any portion of them. If so ordered, the contractors, when spring opens, can proceed with per- fect ease to excavate an additional foot of earth from the bottom and by an equal amount raise and strength- en the embankments of the new route from Port Dalhiusie to Thor- old. The foundations of the locks, waste weira and lindgei can be laid a foot, or for that matter, two or three feet lower than at present intended, jubt as easily and just as cheaply less the paltry cost of the extra excava- tion. The stone work of the lock walls, the waste weirs and piera of the bridges can be heightened and strengthened l)y ju^t as many feot as may tie desirable or necessary to bear the increased pressure of two or more feet, addiiio .;il depth ot water. Everyllimg cai I'e jiroceeded with on the increased scale of four- teen or naoie feet depth without a day's delay. It is true that by doin^ as we suggest, the bottom of tl.e canal would be ninty-ei^ht or ninty-nine feet instead of one hundred feet in wi'lth, but tiiis U of no importance. For the findv modelled vessel of fourteen feet draught of water, nintv-eight feet in wid*h will aftord quite as much room as that of one hundred feet for the flat- bottomed concerns which must 1 e employed on a draught of twelve teet only. Living as we do, on the spot, know- ing beyond the possibility ofdoul)t the truth of what we have just stat- ed, and believing that interests of ih« utmost importance conne>:ted with the Canadian lakeskippmg and through that with the whole countiy, are now in the very crisis and as it were on the very turning point ot their existence we have no apology to offer for criticising at some length the reply given by theflon. the Pre- mier to Mr. Wood's enquiry ot Tues- day last in the House ot Commons. Mr. Wood asked if it was the inten- tion of the Government to secure a depth ot fourteen feet of water on the mitre sills of the locks ou the enlarged Wetland Canal instead of twelve feet as at present contem- plated. The Hon. Mr. Mackenzie in reply assigned two difficulties in the way : 1st. The enormous additi nal on', lay required. 2nd. The lake harhors did not justify a greater depth than twelve ieot. It 8') hapfiens most opportunely for our purpose at presr-nt that at request of the ttien (ioverninent Mr. Jnhri I'age, Chief Engineer ol the Department of Putdic Works, in 1871 made an estimite of Lhe cost of get- ling two feet additional depth of water in the present or old canal. The actual available depth at the time being ten feet or ten feet three inches at most. Mr. Page's report constitutes appendix 8, of the report ot the De- partmentof Public A^orks for 1870-1. It must be premised tliat notorious- ly, alterations and reT>airs of old work are considerahiy more expen sive than newj also, that the new canal is three-foui ttisof amile short- er than the old — that there is one lock less — and that large items of cost connected with getting two feet addiiinnal depth ot water in the old canal do not occur in theneiv one at all, such as damages to mills, land, and others that will appear as we proceed. Deepening Port Dalhousie harbor, $35,000. Raising masonry of lock walls and retaining wails, rai>ing the adjoining banks, constructing gates, &c., &c., from locks one to twenty five inclu- sive, $312,000. Raising walls of waste weirs and adjoining banks, re-arranging sluice gates, e thirteen items the 5th and 6th portions ot the 7th, 8th, lOth and 12th,and portions of the 2nd and 3rd, amounting to in the neighbor- hood of 1675.000 woul'l not occur at all in obtainmg two feet additional depth m the new canal. Deducting tbis sum from the total but n trifle over $l,00f>,000 remains as an ap- proximate I'Stimate of the prol)able cost of getting two feet additional Hepth in the enlargement now in progresH, which, in comparison to the immense benefHs cer- tain to 1)6 conferred on Canadian hhipping for all time to come is a mere f^agatelle that should not be allowed to enter into the calculation. ROCK KXCAVATION. In connection with Mr. Page's estimate No. 11 for rock cutting at Kamev's f)end we may mention tliat according to his r**port, appentli.K No. 7 ill thH report ot the Depart- ment of I'ublic Works for I871-2,the length of rook cutting is 8,60o feet. For the enl .rgemeni in progre>s this must be widened to 100 feet, and fleepened to thirteen feet below Like Erie level. To get two feet additional deptii will lequiie addi- tional rock excavation of an area of 100x2x8,605 feet= 1,721,000 cubio feet:^ 63,740 cubic yards. This at $'i per yard will cjat §191,220 to re., move . EARTH EXOaVATIOV IN SUMMIT I kVEI. . Refer to Mr. Page's estimate No. 9 The distance from Allan burgh to rock cut at Ramey's bend is, ac- cording to Mr. Page, 67.220 feet, which at 100 feet width and two feet dept!) makes 13,444,000 cubic feet= 497,185 cubic yards to be removed for one additional depth required. This, at thiriy-five cents per yard, will co^t .":174 014 to do. As o the aquaduct ov. r the Rivei Wei land we fancy that the Boari of Works will find that it will be better to con^t'uct a new one of the lequi- site dimensions to ac^^ommodate the enlarged canal rather than alter the f 1 i one and construct by it<< side a subsidiary con iuit to supply suiJScient wat'^r to the canal beyond it, as mentioned by Mr. Page in his report, if a new aquaduct is constructed it can as cheaply and as well be made 10 accommodate vessels of fourteen feet draught as those of twelve feet 6 only. At this stage of enquiry it will be well to refor for a few minute* to the literature of this c.inal for tiie pur pose ot a Idiicing arguments in favor ofso enlarging and deepening this great artiticial water channel as to fully and permanently accomplisli the object had in view for the iiu- mense ex[)enditure ol money already made u[)on it or to be ex{)ended hereafter. Mr. Page and the (anal Commissioners shall be our chief authoiities. The (.'anal Commi»8ioner.«, iit page 39 of their report, speak tlms: "The Welland Canal must be considered as that link which is indi-persable to the complete development of the St. Lawrence navigation. Our great object should be to seek the control, as much as possible, of the Western traffic, and take it, to tide water." Such was the object ha i in view in the original construction and subse- quent enlargement But as yet it has not been achitved. We have not got control of the Western traffic. Tfie vast bulk of it passes by other channels than the St. Lawience rouie, while we merely nibble small fragments from its great body. Take grain as an example : 1866. 1873. Bu«ih. of grain, receipts at Montreal ....10,394,454 19,713,529 Do. at the four ports ot Bos- . , ton, N. York, Philadelphia and Balti- more 77,414,502 143,249,055 The original Welland canal was de- signed to accommodate the class of vessels in use on the lakes at the time of its constructiDn, whijh were in the neighborhood of 100 tons bur. deji. The vessels increased in size but the cmal didn't until 1843 4 5, when it received its fitst eiilatge- nient to meet tlie requiieinenis of the size of vessels then in genera! use. The depth ol water WiS lixed at 8.^ feet on the mitre sills of the locks. The pize ol vessels continued to increase, so, to accommodate them to some fu:tlier extent, the depth of water was increased from 8^ feet to 9 feet by rai-ing the canal banks where needed. This increa-e of SIX inches proving in-ufliMent, in 18.34-5 andtber rise was given to the canal embankment, aud timbeis were placed on the top of the lock walls anfl on the waste weir.'*, an sons supposed to be acquainted with the subject, and from the archives or pigf on ho'es of the Department ot Public Works. This information, along with Ihpir advice as to what had better be done, they laid before the Government and Parliament. The Commigsion found the Welland p<' in 8!7,e 1 1843 4 r>, t enlaige- metiis of in ^enprnl w.i8 fixed ills of the (Ontiiiued )mmodate Uent, tlie lised from the canal s increa-e li'.ient, in Bn to the tirnbeis the lock 'eir.-t, and increased iSo in. jres also f the ton- !ou!(i mt d all the iraffic re- ! were of erprising became at sonie'« be done, iin tho 1871 the was ap- subject • consid- c with a 1 from 3US per-, ted with hives or nent of mation, to what I before lament, Velland cannl to be a work of most eripecially great imiiortance, anil reconmiended for it. along with other canals, a fresh enlai'iiement. Strange to t,tty, liow-. ever, while the entire s of vessels used, or likely to be used on the upper laket, ; moreover with all the experience of the past to guide them aright, these gentlemen did nevertheless, recom- mend a depth of water on the mitre sills which to a dead certainty will jirove insufficient for the intended purpose, on the completion of the enlargement. The dimensions they recommended for the locks were 270x45x12 feet. What model of vessel they h' d in view (or whether they had any at all) to comf)at the storms of the lakes with dimensions like these, we know not; but this we do know, that every shipbuilder and vessel owner we have conversed with on the subject, condemns such a proportion, and declares that the depth is quite too small for the length and breadth. Well their advice was taken by theGovernment ofthe day. the work is now in the second year of its progress. What are the pros peots ahead for he accomplishment of the great object upon which they so strongly dwelt, viz.: to gire by this new etdargement the long- covete.- (X)U she has already invested in the Welland ("anal, will have assumed an annual charge on her revenue of some |80(),0(K), and be just ready for -what? The question of still an- other enlargement! Who will have the hardihood to justify this enot m- ouB expenditure save on one cr rtain and unmistflkable ground, viz.: a sufficient enlargment to meet the wants of trade for a century to come? Let this sum be spent and more it necessary, but let such a depth be secured, whether fourteen, sixteen or twenty feet even as will settle for all time to come the route that trade will take from the Great West to the Atlantic seaboard. This it seems to us IS the only safe, economical, ad- vantageous and patriotic policy. Mr. Page's opinions as gathered from his report to the Department ot Public Works, dated April 29th 1872 are clearly favorable to the en- largement ot the Welland Canal on a scale to pass the largest class of vessels in use on the upper lakes. He strongly endorses the views of the projectors ot the Erie Canal that western produce when brought down to the level of Lake Ontario will be likely to iind its way down the St. Lawrence to the Atlantic ocean. He also adduces in favor of the enlarge- ment of the Welland Canal to ac- commodate the largest class of vessels used as carrieis on the upper lakes, the well-known and acknowl. edged maxim that the larger the craft employed the cheaper the transportation, and in the following terms justifies the expenditure re- quired for the enlargement with relerence not only to (Janadian but foreign commerce. "It ha* Ii«en frequently and douf)tles3 truly stated, that the benefits resulting from commerce with foreign nations, or even netween different parts of the same country, are not confined to the sale, purchase or ex«!hange of commodities ; a large and profitable part of it being the actual carrymg trade itself, besides other and nu- merous advantages which follow in its wake." ' ' * 'f iglit once get down to Lake Un- taiio and we of the river can battle for it with r>very certainty of being able to carry ofl the victor's share." For a lull and accurate idea of the importance of i niarging the Well md Canal to meet the proiiable future growth an Wr>ll as actual prt 8;'nt size of upper lake shipping, reference is necessary to the successful adoption ot the steam and towin>^ b irge system of Currying freight on the uppei lakes. By this meann, at a small reduction upon her speed when i unning alone, and no gi eater consumption of fuel, a steam fiarge on the uppei- lakei, with one or two sailing barges in tow, conveys freight at very con siderably less cost than can be done by steam barge or pioneller alune. This irt a fact established by actual trial The result is that a very con siderable and increasing amount of the Carrying trade on the upper lakes is done in this manner. Taking the nggiegito tonnage of cargo conveyed by a steam barge and its towing con- st irt of the large size of the V, H. Ketchum and her tow barge, as em- ployed in 1874. for an example, both craft loacfed down to 14 feet 6 inches draft of water, together convey at least 1,(K)() tons moie than on a draft of 1 2 feet 6 inches only. With this ad«lition«l caigo the increase of cost of I unning : o saiall as hardly to merit attenti>n. Suppose the cargo IS w*'''at. This f 'Jiiional number of ^.ns equal" j.i.SOO bush- eld. At lour centi freight from Chi- cago to Buff^il'^, this will amount to 11,332. Or, diiductmg all extra charges, such as insuianc*, additional fiarbor (iu*"!" longer time for tilp (about 20 hours), int^jrest, etc , f 1,0(K) clear profit from carrying this addi- tional amount. At the Hame rate a reason's navigation in the grain trade between Chicago and BuUalo would net ihe Ketchum and her consort in the neighborhood of .fI5,000 for an extra two feet draught of water. Now let us make a similar calcula- tion on the sup position that this same steam and towing barge were were employed in the carriage of wheat between Chicago and Kingston at 7 cents a liushel freight. This, on the extra 1,000 tons, or 33,300 bush els, yields $2,331 gross, or, deducting extra charges, such as towing on the Welland cmal, tolls on ditto, insur- ance, inierest, additional harbor dues, etc., $1,900 net profit on one trip with a draught of 14 feet 6 inches over that ot 12 feet 6 inches*, and for the seaaon of navigation, say 10 f. twelve trips, some $22,000 in round .numbers. ■. , . . . i These are illustrations not over- drawn, but underdrawn, of the im- men-e disadvantages at which thtv Canadian route will be placed with regard to its American rival by re- stricting the drau|{ht of water in the Welland canal to 1 2 feet, so tar as grain trade is concerned. But this is not all. Vessels trading toBulialo have return freights westwird from one-quarter to entire cargoes of merchandizej manufactured articles, coal, salt, etc., which materially con- tribute to pay the expenses of each round trip. Can the same be said of vessels returning westward from Kingston or Mnotreal? Every one in the business knows it cannot. This state of aflairH gives the Butlalo route a great additional advantage over the Canadian one, the proper Way to meet and counteract which is certainly not by restricting the draught of water in the Welland canal to 12 feet, only, while vessels drawing considerably more sail freely to Buffalo J but by giving vessels on our route at least as great draught of water as those on its rival. To repeat language already used by the Canal Commission, the chief engi- neer, Mr. Shanly, and many other writers on the subject : All probable advantages should be turned to ac- count, and all possible obstacles re- moved, to place the Canadian water way from the interior of this Conti- nent to the Atlantic seaboard in a position of superiority over all rivals. AMERICAN RIVALRY. Jt will not be out of place here to state that the rivalry of railways, for the carrying trade between the Great West and the Atlantic sea. board, has been and will continue to be a powerful stimulus to those interested in the water loufe by Buffalo to maintain their ground, who, it must be observed, hflive always been sufficiently influ- ential to obtain aid from the proper quarters for the purpose of removing obstructions from the water highway, deepening harbors, and providing other facilities for shipping. Hence we see cralt now in habitual use drawing 14 feet of water, and even more, and of a tonnape of 1,800 tons upward, in place of those draw- ing 8 or 10 feet of water and tonnage of 600 or SOO tons a short time ago. As an illustration of the liberal policy of Congress with reference to lake harbors, we may mention that as we write an appropriation of $1,005,000 is recommended for the improvement of lake harbors from Ogdens burg to Duluth, some forty in number, our bete noire, Batial'">, heading the list with $100,000. We on the Canadian side will be very short-sighted indeed if we neglect the lesson this rivalry between the American railways and water route, and the liberal policy of the United States Government to- wards lake harbor.^, teach ; and if the (/anadian Government fails to take advantage of the opportunity now afforded to remedy the mistake made in 1871 with legard to the proper depth for the enlarged WeU land canal, this countiy will see the day, not far distant, in which it will bitterly lament the omission. The foregoing allusion to the enterprise of our American neighbors in im- proving their harbors brings us naturally to the subject of the shal. lowness of Canadian harbori', and the supposijd enormous oost to which this country would be put m adapt- ing them to accommodate the ship- 11 ping that would use Ihe 14 feet or more depth of water which we de- sire to obtain for the enlaiged W el- land cnnal. THE QUESTION OF HARBORS. The harbor question is far more easily settled, a-t far as its connection with that of inoreased depth of water in the etilarged Welland canal is c ncerned, than a ( ursory inquiry might set^m to indicate. Sources of inf 12 the reports of the departure , and destination of the ves- vessels carrying this large amount (they are taken daily at Poi t CoU borne and Fort Dalhousie and are of official origin,) will show to any one who chooses to make it as we have done, that nine-tenths passes between ports already deepened to accommodate veHselsot fourteen feet draught of water at least, like Oswego, Erie, Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, Milwauke'^ and . Chic go, or those in process of deep- ening to that capacity. To the total of 2,929,203 tons freight, passing from American to Canadian ports and vice versa up and down, so fas as the American ports are concerned the preceding remark also applied. Hence it appears that as nearly as '//Aposhible seven. nintts of the entire / '-p tannage of freight passing the Wei*- land Canal during the last six yeard was to ports on the American side, already deepened or in process of deepening to acoommodat; vessels of at least fojurteen feet di aught of water ; and as to the Canadian ports concerned in this traffic the Kaaae navigation reports will shew [and they can easily bocorro orated] that two-thirds of the tonnage wtis due to the solitary lake port of Kingston,or alter lightening there to the port of Montreal. This view of the volume, departure and destination o. lake tonnage of treight passing the Wel- land Canal, we think reduces the proportions of the harbor question, as far as increased depth of water in the enlarged Welland Canal is can oerned, to very narrow limits indeed. It showp that the deepening of one lake harbor only on the Canadian Bide, viz.: that of Kingston is essen* tially necessary to accommodate the vast bulk of the Canadian trtiffio through the Welland Canal that would he carried in the vessels of deep draught and large carrying ca pacity, which we must employ if we wish to keep pace, to say no th^ ing of surpassing, the progress of tho American lake carrying trade. Here- after, when the great tide of traffic between the North West territory and the eastern portion of the Do- minion sets in, on the completion of railway communication from Thun- der I ay to Winnipeg, it will be neces- sary to deepen the harbor of Prince Arthur's Landing. This however will cosi but a moderate sum to do. As to the objection that may posfibly be raised concerning the difficulty of vessoli of fourteen or moro feet draught of water finding refuge in stormy weather, we make the reply that on the upper lakes the great cratt of that draught in actual use by the American!!, navigate tho^e lakes without difficulty, and we do not expect to be told that a Canadian craft of equ 1 size attd seawoi thiness will fly for refuge from a storm with which an Ameiican is courageous enough to ba*tle. In point of fact the same harbors will always be open on the upper lakes to Canadian vessels of deep tonnage on tht-ir way to or from the Welland Canal, as to tho^e craft trading to and from the port of Buffalo. As to Lake Ontario there is no occasion, so far as the safety of those large vessels is con- cerned, for any more provision than would be afforded by Burlington Bay, Port DMhousie, Niagara, Oswe- go, S uth Bay and Kingston. The Welland Canal with its outlet. Port Dalhousie, being deepened as we desire to tourteen feet at least there will only remain Kingston harbor to 13 ire re [o bedeeppned on the Canadian side to atlord all really nec.ssary provision tor traffic on this depth of water for years to come. REVENUE FROM TOLLS The tolls on the increased .amount of tonnage of cargo and vessels would far more than meet the inter- est and sinking fund of the small additional investment in two or three feet additional depth of w ter in thi:J canal. Tlie tolls on the in- creased traffic, which it would enable Oswego * 3 attract from Buffalo, would meet the annual charge on the reve- nue alone. It should I.e observed that the consuming population of the States eastward of a north and south line through Oswego annually require lor their own use some 30,- 000,000 bushels of wheat alone, for the supply of which they depend upon the West. The bulk of this supply hitherto has gone by Buffalo. With the greater cheapness of tran^ sport caused by the proposed im- provement in the Welian I Canal, Oswego would be able to divert the major portion of this large amount to its'"'*", to the very large inciease of the revenue of the Welland Canal. It will be safe to say that by this means at least 300,000 tons of vege^ table food, for consumption by the eastern States, will pay tolls on the Welland Canal annually that other- wise will pass by Buffalo. FUEL. The question of fuel is an import- ant one, and has so close a bearing on that of deepening the Welland Canal, as to properly call tor one or two observations. In a few years, quite probably by the time the en- largement will be completed, the supply of wood fuel vill have be* come so scarce and dear that the owners of our propellers will be compelled to resort to the use of coal. Wemustobtam the supply from the mines of Ohio and Penn- sylvania, just as the owners of Ameri- can propellers on the upper lakes are obhged to do They finfl the most economical plan, with their craft of large tonnage, is to take on enough coal either at Butttdo, Eiie or Cleveland, for the round trip to Chicago, Milwaukee or Duluth, as the case may be. The most econo- mical plan of all being to coal at Erie. When the enlarged Welland Canal is in use, for our propellers to enjoy equal advantages with those of the Americans, they must be en- abled to pursue the same course for a round trip to Kingston and return, or to Chicago, Milwaukee, Duluth or Thunder Bay and return. So limited a depth as 12 feet in the Welland Canal will har^per our propellers in their competition with American ones, by debarring them from the advantage of carrying, in addition to an adequate cargo, sufficient coal to supply their engines for long dis tances. FUTURE COMPETITION. It is essential to direct attention to the nature and extent of the competition with which theCanadian or St. Lawrence route will, in all probability, be obliged to contend, and which it must overcome to se- I cure the carrying trade of the Great vVest. It is substantially that which the American water route by Buffalo will wage against the railways and our own water route, and for which the necessary preparation is being made. It is this : The reduction of tolls on the Erie Canal to a figure that will provide for its simple re- pair and maintenance, the general 14 adoption of the moBt economical Bystem of steam transport on that oanal, the use on the upper lakes of ■team and towing barges each of 90,0(X) or 100,000 hushels capacity and a draught of say 15 leet of water, and the reductmn of the actual cost of transport of grain per bushel from Chicago or Milwaukee to New York, canal tolls and ele- vatmg at BuHalo included, to the small sum of 5 or 6 events, while the average time betwee.u the feame points will not exceed ten or twelve days. Any scale of enlargement for the W< Hand Canal which does not contemplate and provide against such competition as has just been portrayed will prove insufficient, and end in disappointment to the coun- try at large as well as to the ship* pmg interests in particular. It can. not be too frequf>ntly repeated, that keen 'competition and low freights constitute the outlook for our lake ship owners and seamen for the future. Let them, then, enjoy an equal chance with their American rivals to win in the contest that awaits them. The statements on page 43 of the Report of the Canal Commissioners, concerning the high average rates of freight between Chicago and New York in bygone years, may then have been true, but as guides for future action they have no force or signifioanoe whatever, except to «how what we should avoid. At the time the question of canal enlargement wai^ under dis- cussion in 1870- 1, the impression wae generally prevalent that it would be almost an impossibility to pro - vide suflBoient means of transporta" tion eastward for the prodigious mass of the productions of the West. This impression is no longer correct. The means of transport by land and water are now more than sufficient to move eastward all the produce which the West has to send forward. This in itself bus but one meaning, which is severe competition and low freight?. Reference need only be made to the warfare now going on t)etween rivil trunk lines of railway leading fiom the West to the Atlan- tic se.iboard, to point this remark. In this sf-vere commerci^d battle between rival lines of railways and water routes, ttiat particular route will be able to carry off the victor's sp-.ils in the end, and suHer leas-t while the contest goes on, whose ptovibion for transport is ample and whose actual working expensef are the least. As between the Ameri- can and Canadian water rout* s the state of the ca>-e will be as follows : Given, the reduction of tolls on tht Erie Canal to one cent per bushel of grain, one-fourth ditto cost of eleva ting at Buflalo, half cargoes of return freight fiom the east towards tne west, the deepening of the Erie Canal to honest seven feet as they call It, double locks on the Erie Canal where they are yet wanting, the most improved system of steam traudport on that canal, steam and to'ving barges of yO.OOO bushels ca- pacity each on the upper lakes, and the actual est of transporting grain from Chicago, Milwaukee or Duluih to New York will be less than by the St. Lawrence route from the same points to M'n treat by a propeller alone, carrying 50,000 bushels of grain, and ©ne-fifth return cargo from the east towarifs the we^t. As to the American aideof the ca.'-e — the particulars mentioned, except the reduction of tolls, are either ac- complished facts alrea ly or will be 6 k^ ?o 15 80 as soon as the necessary work can be done. And as to the reduction of tolls it will le made as soon as any Htiain on the transport trade re- quires, just as has been done before in 1870 and on other previous ocoas ions. But enlarge and deepen the Welland Canal sufficiently to allow lake vessels of the same capacity as thoe mentioned to o tmo down to E'.ingston ; (ieppen and enlarge the St. Lawrence Canals toaccomm'^date those same craft lightened to 60,000 bushels, (he balance being brought forward by barges at reasonable rates but not the extortionate ones now charged, and tlie Canadian route can defy all competition. In a word, the actual cost of trai sport ot grain then will become less than the lf)we.«t a3tual cost ^.-ossible by Us American rival. THE TRUE POLICY. When sucti momentous inter- ests are atstike; when such en- ormous sums are pledged to he ex. petided on the Welland Canal ad- dic:onal to its present cost, the trifling aAiJi(ii;sii:, Fclinuin l.>tli, iHTo. Dear Sir: — In reply to your letter of the 12th iust., fiskiuf,' my opinion of the size, durability, unci Kt'»f'i'ftl hnild, etc., of vessels (for lake traliic) to ])ass the eiilarKeil Welland Canal with a capacity of ir)()() tons on a dnuit,'ht of 12 feet of wKter. J Ik'K to state, for a vesnel for lake service, to carry ir)00 tons cargo on a drauj^'ht nf 12 feet of water only, she would require to be of a great length, say 200 to 22") feet keel, and 38 to 4-4 feet breadth of beam, which according io her depth requiied on said draught of water, would be greatly out of in'ojortiou. and further, she would retpiiie to be very full or Mjuare on her bilge, \v:\- little or no dca 1 rise, ill uf which would greatly detract from her strength, speed, seaworthy qualities, and durability. In my opiuiou, 12 feet draught of water only, would be too little to build a vessel of that carrying capacity iiixm. If we could have two feet mioe, or fourteen feet draught of water, it v.-oiild greatly enhance the ability to build a vessel of the same carrying capacity, with more speed and strength, and lietter seaworthy ijualities, and couseijuently of greater durability and better adapted for th; purpose generally. T am yimrs truly. SYLVESTP^K NKELON, Es(i. St. Catharines, Out. tf. D. ANDREWS, Siliijiliiiihlrr, St. Catharixkh, 17th February, 1875. I have read the above comraunicatiou of Mr. ATulvews, and fully endorse the views therein expressed, and only desire to add that the same difficulties would occur to an iucreaseddegree, along with others that might be mentioned in connection with thecon- Btruction and use of vessels of still larger tonnage on the same (12 feet) draught of water. I think the depth quite out of proportion to the length '^nd breadth of the- locks on the new canal. At least two feet more depth is required. MELANCTHON 8IMPS0N, St. Catharines, Feb. 17th 1875. Sir: — In my opinion 12 fe?t drauglit of water will not admit of the building of as strong and seaworthy a vessel, of a carrying capacity of l.'iOO tons and u]iwards, as could be built on a draught of 14 feet of water. Nor could a vessel built on a draught of 12 feet be able to ciunpete with the American vessel having a draught of 14 feet. JOSKPH SPflOKLUNA, ^hiphitihli'r. S. NKRLON, Esq. St. (Catharines, Out.