P" IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) V. // .// lr, Muntnal. Sin, Somo lime ago J luldi-es.-ud si IclI-.t to the lIarboi;r Commissioners, suggostint^ that the liOport on increasing flarbouv accomodation, made by Messrs McAIpint^, Kirkwood and Childe.-j, should bo published, as it was out ol' print; but at tluit time llie Commissioners did not see tlio necessity of doing so. As Mr. Tj'udeau, tlio J>eputy Commissioner of Public Works has drawn up a plan for liarbour enlargement ■\vbi';b has been submitted to the Members of the Board of Trade and Corn Exchange, I would again suggest to your Board, tbo advisibility of printing for the use of Mombcr,~«, Messrs McAlpino, Kirkwood and (Jhilde's Report. The co^t of 1,000 copies would not exceed §25 or ^35, but perhaps 500 would be sufficient. I make this request for its publication, because it was at the instance of the Board of Trade, and at its suggestion in 1857, that the then Harbour Commissioner.-:, organized the above named gentlemen, to consider the subject of Harbour improvements. The question is one of vital interest to the Commerce of Montreal, and the magnitude of the probable future tra^Ie, requires the most extensive accomodation, and to make avail- able in the harbour, every natural advantage our position possesses, and thereby lesson liarbour dues, Messrs 3IcAIpine, Kirkwood and Childe, are among the most eminent of American engineers. A great many of our young merchants have I daresay never seen their llepovL on our Harbour, and I trust the Council will accede to my suggestion of having it printed, with an extract from Mr_ Keefer's Eeport in reference to covering the shoals below Point St. Charles with crib work. I havo the honoiir to be. Sir, Yo"ur obedient servant, JOHX YOUNG. Office Board of Trade. Montreal, ^irdJuly, 1873. Hon. Jofi.v YouNo, M. R, Montreal. Dkak Sir, Kof'errhii'- to A'our letter of ''Jfh iilf« ^.,. i- »-5 to WO for l.OdO-copies, I am now l„ in(„,.m vo.i that tl,o ".n,c,l l,uvo voted tl,o «„,„ of Forty (WM) DouJ, „ 1 • ™yii.« 1,0 cx,,o„« of ,.o.i„.in,i„„ the-™ "-' - «- I !im, dear Sir, Your obedient tiervaut, (Signed) WM. J. PATTEI?SOX. Secretary. REPORT Of MESSRS. JOHN CHILDE. W. J. McALriNE AND JAS. P. KIKKWOOD. CIVIL ENGINEERS, D.N riiR [i!i|U*(Htt)in;nt of tfnf larbiir of %n{ml, AND OX THE TR \I)K k XAVK^ATJON OF THE ST. LAWPE.\CE. At a JrectiiiiT of tlie :Monfroal Harbour Commissioners, held on tlio 2ith April, 1857, tho following resolution was atloplecl : " That in view of the augmenting tra.le of the Port, and of the i,n.xiniate opinion that the time has arrived for tnking into eonKideiation the .luo*. tion ol increasing the eapaeity of the Harbour ; and that, in order to attnirt piihlie attention to the «i.bjeet, and to elicit an expression of public opin- ion it is resoved that the lleport this day handed in by Mr. Youn- be rmblKsIicl, and the Plans of Docks prepared by Mr. Forsyth l>e left" for public inspection m the Merchants' Exchange." Haiibour Office, Montreal, aOth May, 1857. John G. Dinning, Esq., Secretary Board of Trade. 8iR,— ] am dircetod l.y tho Harbour ('(>inmii,.is, prepared under their directions by their Engineer, Mr. Forsyth, show- ing the proposed improvements in Hochelaga Bay, and aL Point St. Charles ; as well as to a report by their Chairman, Mr. Young, dated 23rd April, 1857, on the same subject) and also to a collection of various communications, which from time to time appeared in the public prints in favor of particu- lar localities as sites for such improvements. Should any further information be required by you, the Commissioners will bo ready to furnish the same, so far as they may have it in their power to do so. JOHN YOUNG, Chairman, ALEX. CLERK, Secretary. To John Ciiilde, W. J. McAlpinb, Jas. p. Kibkwood, Esquires, Engineers. 12 Chicago, March 24th, 1858. Hon. John Youno, CJiainnan of the Board of Mirhoitr Commissioners of Montreal : Sir, — IIikIov yoiu' letter of instructions of the 9th of Novem- ber last, [a tf], the undersigned, together with their late asso- ciate, Captain John Childe, met at Montreal on the ninth day of Ndv. Inst, and proceeded to examine the several sites proposed for an extension of the Harbour, and also of the works which have been in progress under the direction of the Harbour Commissioncr.s diu-ing the last four j^ears for the imi)rovcmeut of the channel of the St. Lawrence below Montreal. They also examined theEiver between Montreal and Quebec, and the system of lights and buoys which liave been ])laccd there ))y the Trinity Board and Harbour Commissioners of Montreal. After making these personal' examinations, and discussing the various subjects to which their attention was called by your letter of instructions, and deciding upon the general outline of the Eeport, the preparation of its different jiortions was allot- ted to each of the membei's of the Board. An ardous portion of tlie examination was undertaken by Captain Childe, and was prosecuted with his usual zeal and earnestness until his last fatal illness. The compilation of the laboi's of the other members of the Commission, and the final arrangement of the Ttcport, was also assumed by Captain Childe; but his lamented death, in February last, prevented the completion of either of these duties. His family have placed in om* hands the voluminous notes and memoranda which he had Avith great industry prepared and collected, and we have incorporated his opinions, both wi'itten and verbal, as far as it was possible, in the following Eeport. The undersigned have felt it necessary to make these expla- nations in apology for the delay in the final completion of the Jvcport. • The result of their investigations on the several subjects stated in your letter of instructi ms are given, but not in all cases in the order mentioned. 1ft la connection with this Iloport, they present various com munications which they have received from mercantile gentle- men, and from the Trinity Board of Quebec, on several subjects which they have had under consideration. They also present the Estimates and Plans of the proposed Harbour at Montreal, prepared by your Engineer, Mr. Forsyth. Wo take pleasure in alluding to the professional skill and ability desjilayed by Mr. Forsyth in the preparation of lhe«se plans and estimates, and in his courtcs}'^ in furnishing us with every aid in his power to enable us to examine and readily understand the plans and projects brought before us. Kespectfully submitted, WM. J. McALPINE JAMES P. KIRKWOOD. I PvEPOET. A glance at the map of Korth America will show nearly at its geographical centre a plateau from which navigable streams flow into the ocean to the North, South, and East, (a) This plateau, scarcely two thousand feet above the level of the sea, is approached from the South by the Mississippi Eiver, wdiich forms a natural navigation for two thousand miles, to the Gulf of Mexico; from the East by the St. Lawrence and chain of lakes, giving a natural navigation to the Atlantic for a distance of two thousand five hundred miles ; and from the Nox'th by the Eivers Saskatchawan, Eed, and Severn, which liave a natural though not continuous navigation for more than OTie thousand miles, to Hudson's Bay. (b) The territory lying to the east and south of this remarkable ])Iateau, in the salubrity of its climate, in the fertility of its soil, in its varied productions, and in its extent and ready ac- cess to the great markets of the world, combines advantages sepex'ior to those of any other portion of the globe. Its discovery, settlement, and developcment, have followed (a) See Map in the Appendix. (/>) See Appendix, note B. i u M ^iacli othei- HO rii])idly, that itn liiatniy iniiHt aiino.st bo writtolf annually to give an^"^ correct Htatoment of itw present condition, or to furnish the basis of an estimate of its future importance ami influence upon the trade and commerce of the world, (d) The district lo which this reference has been made embraces seven of the North-western United States and Canada West, (e) It contains nearly iour liundred thousand square miles of land susceptible of the highest degree of cultivation, and is now occupied by eight millions and a half of people. To the north of this district there is a large area of sparsely-settled country. The portion which lies within the drainage of the Saskatcha- wan and Red Eivers possesses a climate and soil analogous to the southern water-shed of the Baltic. To the west is another large area of land watered by the upper Missouri, and of equal fertility to that lying along the up])er Mississippi, into which settlements have already becW' ra])idh' and extensively made. The latitude of the north shore of Lake Superior corresponds with the south of England, and passes through central Europe and Asia; but its isothermal line, which passes through Swe- den. Norway, Central Asia, and China, takes a north-western direction from Lake Superi(jr, and in the valley ef the Sas- katchawan is removed fourteen degrees of latitude to the north. The Isothermal line of this valley for the summer corresponds Avith that of France and Central Europe. The mild climate which is thus indicated, ripens corn and wheat, and renders it a desirable destrict for the large immigration which has been recentl}' arriving on this continent from the North of Europe. These great districts, in connection with that portion of the continent lying to the eastward, contain Avithin themselves all of the elements for the support of the most prosperous nation on the globe. The forest contains the finest timber, the earth the most valuable minerals, and the soil produces the largest crops of the most valuable cereals. The natural iulvantages of this interior district, situated at from one to two thousaud miles from the ocean, would have been almost valueless cx'^ept for the magnificent water-lines which surround and penetrate it, and furnish so cheap a tran- (d) See Appendix, note D. (e) See Appendix, note E. I 1ft «port for the iuimeiise commerce v\ liich ha^ growu up Ijetweeii it and the great markets of the world. Half a century ago this region contained only st ragling foils and trading Posts, and now it contains nearly one third of the population north of the Grulf of Mexico. Immigration from the Easterij,States and Irom the Old World has poured into it like those earlier living streams that Howed I'rom the Nortli over Southern Europe, but unlike them it has been a flood of (uvilization over solitudes and barbarism. Its futui'o none may predict; but judging from the past, il will year by year assume more importance, and will warrant the largest expenditures to accommodate the vast tradt; which it will furnish to its outlet-channels of commerce. For this trade as it now exists, the most costly works have been constructed to secure its advantages, to each of the gj-cat north-eastern Atlantic cities. The Canadas have improved the St. Lawrence by a sei-ies oi" magiiiticent canals round the rapids of the river, and by a canal to connect Lakes Ontario and Erie ; New York has spaned the port.nge between the Iludson and the Lakes by canals of groat length; Pennsylvania has connected the Atlantic with the Ohio River by a canal carried over the Alleghany Mountains ; Maryland and Virginia have expended large sums in extending their canals, projected across the same barrier ; while individual enterprise lias extended railways from the Atlantic almost to the extremity of the North-west through Canada, New Eng- land, New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. In these works there has been expended, eastward of the district of which we are treating, more than four hundred mil- lions of dollars, and an equal sum within it, to connect the in- terior with the land and water lines which form its outlet- channels of trade. (/) The value of the commerce of the Lakes in 1855 was ascer- tained to bo more than six hundred millions of dollars, and at this time it may be taken at seven hundred millions. The value of the commerce of New York canals is two hundred millions of dollars ; of the St. Lawrence is one hundred mil- lions ; and of the five trunk-lines of railroads is probably equal to three hundred millions. The value of the veaseltj employed on the Lakes is fifteen 16 hiillions of dollars, nnd Uioho oiriployod in this trade on thr cuimis and rivor.-i liusl of the LakoH ni-e valued at an equal Huni, (/t) A statement of the leadini; features and amount of the l.msiness done at tJie most important Lake ports, in 1856 and 1857 will he found in the notes attaeiied to this Keport, (/) The two naturni outlet-channels for the trade of the north- west are the Mississi[jpi and the St. Lawrence Bivers. The Ohio River, which runs alon»,' the southern horder ol this territory is navigable for one thousand miles, to its junction with the Mississippi. Around the falls at Louisville, a canal has been built which is used in low water, and which allows the passage of vessels of three hundred and fifty tons. The Mississippi, the upper portion of which runs along the western horder of the territory, is navigable from the Falls of St. Anthony, for two thousand and forty-nine miles to the Gulf of Mexico. At the head of navigation it has an elevation of eight hundred and fifty feet above the sea, and has an average fall of five inches j)er mile. The Eock Island and Des Moiue rapids are navigable except in low stages of water. The great chain of Lakes, Avhich run through the northern ])ortions of th" territory, connects with the Eiver and Gulf of St. Lawrence, and gives a continuous navigation for two thousand five hundred miles, to the ocean. Lake Superior is six hundred feet above the level of the sea, and is twenty-seven feet above the level of Lakes Huron and Michigan. At the outlet of Lake Superior there is a canal one mile in length, and it has two locks which will pass vessels of two thousand tons. The Niagara River between Lakes Erie and Ontario, has a fall of two hundred and seventy feet. The Welland Canal which connects the navigation between these Lakes is twenty-eight miles long, with twenty-seven locks which will pass vessels of four hundred tons. The St. Lawi'ence River from the east end of Lake Ontario to Montreal has a fall of two hundred and twenty f.iet, which is overcome l)y seven short canals, of an aggregate length of forty-seven miles, with twent^^-seven locks which will pass vessels of eight hundred tons. The Channel of the St. Lawrence has been deepened so that Bca-going vessels drawing eighteen feet at the lowest stage of i-; i sea, and one l()\v (Quebec, and from Portland, tbroui>h both Eastern and Western ('anadu to the State of Miehiady l^een im})roved and completed upon the most advantageous plans, which the anticipated extent of the trade through them would warrant, (m) With this view the cost of transport on the Erie and Oswego canals will Ik^ taken, as if they were enlarged throughout. The Caughiinwiiga Canal, from the St. Lawrence to Laki* ('ham])lain, will bo considered as completed on the same hcmIc as the St. Lawrence Canals; and the Champlain Canal will be regariled as also enlarged to the same dimensions. The locks on the Welland C'anal will bo considered a> eii- largcil to the sanie capacity as those on the St. Lawrence Canals ; and the St. Lawrence Eivcr between Montreal and Quebec will be regarded as improved so as to allow sea-going vessels of a capacity for twenty feet of water-draft, to meet the lake craft side by side in a safe and commodious harbour at the former port. ft has been ascertained that the tonnage of the exports * from an agi'icultural district is four times as great as the ton- nage of its imports, when they arc of equal value. The surplusses of the territory in question are mostly raw and heavy commodities, embracing the cereals and lumber, and a small amount (relatively) of flour and salted meats ; and iu return for these articles of export, are demanded the manufac- tures and merchandise from the Eas., and groceries from the East and South ; while the prairie cou itry of the south-western portion of the territory requires also large supplies of lumber (w) Sec Apendix Note M. • By the word " exports," as used in this place, is to be understood the surplus not required for consumption within the district. 21 MU'O toil- I from the northern and north-caslorn portions of tho (lis- trict. (n) 'ri)o niw coinmoditifs, luid tliosc of t()n.sideraMi> hiilli or wcitjlit in proj)ortion to their value, nuist noeosHHrily he tnins- liortcd hy tho eheupest conveyance, almost irrospeetivo of the rapidity of movement. These chisHes include hy fur the hir/i^esu amount oftonruitjo moverh Next ill importance are the hulimtmmm''mm!mmmr .'IV \M I m I i 33 " Prominent mercliaiiU lai't/ely eiucai^ed in tlie forwardinc; l)usiii('ss hotvvccu tlio uppi'i" laUow aial iIk; ports oT Montreal aii(J (iueboc, object to ^endin!^ their .steamers io Quebec on account of detentions from tlie want of suitable wiiarf space. IVoni the tidal ehan/^a's, and ironi the risk of'^roundint!; at l(n\ water at the wharves; but these evils can be obviated in time by building more wharves and extending them to deeper water, and by a tidal dock for which there exi'^trs an admirable site at the mouth of the creek on the norlh-weslerly side of that city. IJut a])art from all local (picstions the general accumulation of export products at iAEontreal, as the termiiuis of 1500 mile.s of inland navigation, is murh better secnritv against detention of vcssi'ls there either fn- loading or discharging, than can bo had at (Quebec at any tiiiic We therefore make allowance of one day for each trip in favor of Montreal, and state : I'reviouR amount brought forward $482 Three days tiuie in nmiiing tind nidDriiii; fit wli.irvcs and other detentions, for which the pay and Kuljsiiituncu ol' oflieerK and men will he 215 Interest and insurance 3 days on cost 1 f>2 For contingent expenses $50 each 1 0(t Total by inland steam(ys $989 " Whichdividcd by 2,200 tons, as before, gives 45 conts \h'v toii=2i'V mills per ton per mile and 4^ co^^^^ pCi. barrel of flour. The above shows the coni[)arison between sea-going steamships of 1,200 tons and lake vessels of 500 tons. Steam- shi])s of 2,400 tons are now built ftu* this route, the cost of transport by which, corap.ared M'ith the largest lake craft (800 tons), would show a still larger re.-iult in favcn- of bringing the ocean steamships to Montreal. The same comparison of sea-going and inland sailing ve- liii! \V»)nL liidicN Mild Smitli Amcric'il. 1 1 is triu' llitil- tluM'o in hut littlo j^onoral triuJ*' now oxintini;- hotwi'en (.'jiniidu und tliono Southern portn ; but it is evident tlml tiie liiri^e sujiplifrt oJ" lumber in itw vuriou.s fiirniH wliieli jirc now drjvwn I'roin the I'nited States t<^> the West India isliinds, und to the Southern eontinent, can he HUpplicd from the extensive I'oreHtH of CuniidM Eiist hy direet shipinent ftn more fUvorivhle terms than from the North-eastern portn of the United States, and, aw the Hupplios of lliese artieles at those ports arc heinc: ra])idly exhausted, it cannot he lon.<; bo- fore resort must be hjul to the St. Lawrence for tliis artielo of commerce. The wood exports of the United States to the West Indi/s und to the Southern continent in 185() amounted to four and a half millions of dollars, beinjij sixty per cent ol' tluMvhole \V(»od exports of the country. Qi) The following; table shows that the cost of transport from the St. Liiw'iciu'c to these Southern ports does not exceed ^l..^)0 per ton more than froni ik)bton«(jr Ncav York, whicdi, from tiie less cost of these wooden products at the former place, ^vonld eiuible the ( 'anada !norchant« eventually to command tJio market. Tables of the cost per Lou by sailiuji^ vesseLs. I St. From Montreal to, — HAVANA. JAMAICA. PJOJANIEEO. Distance, miles. Cost. Distance. 1 ,, . utiles. ^"«*- Distance. mile.s. Cost. At one mill per mile, add cost from Chi- cago to Montreal, n.s before. 2910 1278 f cts. 2 91 2 78 300,'i 1278 1? cts. 3 10 2 78 6800 1278 5 cts. 6 80 2 78 Total 4188 5 69 4373 5 88 8078 8 58 '"* (d') See Appendix, Note D'. 35 he (Jio IKRO. .'ost. i 78 •^i 2i»d. From Now York to, — HAVANA. JAMAICA. RIO JANIERO. DiHtanoo. mika. Cost. niHtiincf, milcH. Cost. 1 Dihtarjcie. miles. Coat. At onf mill per mile, luid the cost from Chicago to New York, as before 1290 1410 $ CtH. , 1 2i> 4 10 1405 i 1410 $ (;ts. i 4 50 4 4Ci 5210 1410 $ c'ts. 5 21 4 4 a Total •iTOO r> 75 2905 5 'JO G»)20 !» C7 The compai'itiou oi' the dibtance and cosi to Liverpool will bo as follows, (e) iMiles. Cost. Dysail. By stoatn. 1st. From Chicago to Montreal, as before 1278 S52.78 $4.69 Krom Montreal to Liverpool by Straits of Belle Isle 2082 2 . (J.S 5 . 30 Add for towage on St. Lawrence . 3H 3960 $5,76 $10.05 ' T!v sail. Bvi!ti>,am. 2nd. Prom Chicago to New Vork, aB liefort^. . . 1i](» St.Ki Sii.:ii; From New York to Lirerpool 2',1H0 2.',t8 5.90 4300 $7.44 $12.;!2 Difference in favor of the St. Lawrence ronte . . . 430 $1.78 ?2 . 27 The co.st of trannpoi't from the Western interior to European ports ia shown by these calculations to bo about twenty- five per cent, cheaper by the St. Lawrence than by any other route. The ocean charges are, however, nearly twice as niucli now from Montreal an from New Yoi'k. This ditreroncc is (o a large extent accidental, and must gradually and rujiidly decrease with the growth of the Canadian provinces. Various considerations, to which we will now allude, confirm this view. The trade from the port of New York has been long well matured. For a great length of time no burthensome restric- tions have existed to discourage her commerce. She has been to all the nations of the world a free port, atul her position as regards the inland trade of the lake basins, which her canaLs (e) See Appendix, Note E. W((jl ,; ! ,11 3«; "■'ii>; hs?e controlled since 1830, aided by a harbor of easy access, has made lior familiarly known to ships of all nations. Her i.onneci,lon.s vitli the interior are equally well developed, and a long experience has systemized her forwardinc; facilities and reduced the oost and charges of transportation from the inte- rior to a minimum. Vessels coming to the port from sea are sure of a cargo of some kind home or coastwise to other ports. In the same way steam vessels and canal barges from the inte- rior lakes aiul rivers, as well as coastwise, can always count ou a return of freight more or less from that accumulation of foreign merchandise which is delivered at New York to meet the consumption of tlie Western States, of the State of New York, and of a considerable portion of the province of Canada. At the port of New York every facility, growing out of a long and large ex])criencc in Ijoth tlie interior and the ocean trade. is thus well understood. The port of Montreal, on the con- trary, is thus far very deficient in similar advantages. Jt is but nine years since the restrictive laws of Great Britain, as regards foreign shipping entering the Gulf of the St. Lawrence were removed, Previous to that time no foreign vessel en- tered that port. Tlie trade was entirely carried on in British bottoms, and was hampered with conditions which cramped and depressed it, increased the costs of foreign stuifs, and, so far as any commercial regtilations can produce such eft'ects, suppressed the commercial capabilities of the Provinces, and discouraged mei-cantile enterprise. This exclusion of all foreign vessels kept that large portion of the commercial marine, including all the United States ships, igtioi-ant of the navigation of the Gulf. The entire absence of lights until very recently, gave to the Imperial |)olicy a tendency to discourage a wide knowleids arc on a scale now U) ])ass steam vessels of 800 tons burthen. The enlartremont of the "Welland <".'anal to the same capacity, and the construction of the Caugh- nawaga Canal will render the navigation from the lakes all ■that can be desired. Below Montreal the river has been deep- ened within the last four years from eleven feet of water on 1 he bars to eighteen feet of water. Ton lights are now estab- lished between Quabee and the month of the Gulf, and others are about being constructed, rontlering the navigation now com]iaraliTely safe. Steam-tugs, establishod by Government, are stationed at (Quebec, and operate below the city, atfording facilities equal to any other port to vessels navigating tlu' < iulf waters. These improvements are being sensibly folt at (he ])orts (jf Montreal and (Quebec. The number of foreign shi})s enterin;; ihe St. Lawrence in 1857 was one hundred and seventeen. A fortnightly lino of steamships (fifteen hnndred ton ships) from Montreal to Liverpool is now successfully* in operation, and is tending fast to make the peculiar advantages of the ]>lare, as regards the lake trade, knov>n and ap))reeiated. ^riie neeessary facilities for utilizing the St. Lawrence Eiver are thus being rapidly furnished by Canadian enterprise, but it will take time to make them known, to concentrate capital upon them, to gather in all the available aids to the growth of the trade, and to establish those lines of :i is t-j comin'.atc running in Aiigusl next. (/) See Appendix, Kote F. 38 During tlie last six years the GovernmenL has been engaged in establishing a thorough system of lights through the Gulf of St. Lawrence, to which allusion has already been made. These, with a more thorough survey of the channels and a more intimate acquaintance with the route on the part of the (rulf pilots and ruivigators, have even now all hut entirely re- moved the apprehensions which formerly existed us to the dangers of the route. Tlic Northern coast of Newfoundland, the Straits of Belle Isle, and the route along the coast of Labrador, through the Gulf of St. Lawrence, arc certainly more free from those dense fogs which prevail on the Banks for one thousand miles of the jiassage, followed by vessels from the North of Europe, than the north-eastern coast of the United States, and the ports be- tween New York and Cape Eace. The steamers plying between Montreal and Liverpool uniformly take the passage referrca to, through Ihe Straits of Belle Isle, and, in proof of its general exemption from the fogs which prevail during cer" tain months to the south and also of the shortness of this route, they make shorter passages than the Cunard or Collins steamers from Boston and New York to the same port, (g) The undersigned has made careful enquiries of masters of vessels who have for a long time been engaged in the naviga- tion below Quebec, a few of whom were well acqainted with the navigation through the Straits of Belle Isle, and i'rom all of whom they have received the strongest assurancs of the safe and convenient navigation to the open sea by that route, although hitherto it has not been much used except by the steamers aforesaid, (/t) The Straits of Belle Isle are more particularly alluded to on account of the shortness of that passage us compared with the route by Cape Eace, which is better known and has been more usually taken by sailing vessels. The Eiver St. Lawrence between Quebec and Montreal has been Avell lighted and buoyed under thj directions of the Trinity Board and Harbour Commissioners of ]\[ontreal. A particular examination of the etftciency of their system of lights was made by the undersigned in No\ ember last, under ((/) See Appendix G. (A) Bee Appendix, Note H. I ' MiftJWH 1 t 39 cireinnslances which gave them an opportunity of forming a eorrot't opinion of its value ; and they arc thus enabled to say, from iheii- own obHOrvation, that this portion of the river, as now improved and lighted, presents no difficulties to its safo and conveniejit navigation. The more northern portion of the St. LawreiK e loutc! iuay lead to the assumption that it remains closed by ice later than the New York routes. But such is not the fact. The great hody of Avater passing down the St. Lawrence, and its deriva- tion from the upper hakes, the waters of which never attain the low temperature of the strcamo within the ';ame region of country, seems to more than compensate for the more north- ern longitude of this route. The tables in the Appendix will show the dates ot' the tirst arrivals of sailing vessels at the port of (Quebec (indication of (he river being fi-ee of ice), and the dates of the opening of ihe port of Buffalo and of the navigation upon the Eric and me Canadian canals, (i) Tlie first has been furnished by the Trinity Board at (Que- bec, and the othoi's have been taken from the reports of the canal Commissioners of the State of New York, from the re- ports ot the Canadian Board of Works and other official re]"torts. it should be remarked, tlml, as respects the downward trade of the lakes, the first and last voyages of the season of naviga- tion upon the canal between Buffalo ajul Albany occupy about leu days, m'Ivx the voyage between Lake Erie and (Quebec by steam vesseif, wo Id occupy five days, and from Lake Ontario three d' . s. The ^)'.a.> for the last ten years us derived from these tables is as follows . — Straits of Mdckinaw Opens Closes I'ort Colborne " '< Tort of Biiifalo " " Port of Oswepo " " Port of Albany " '< Tort of Montreal " •' Port of Qiubec " " Hie " " Krie ("anal " " Wr.land Canal " " St. i'lawrtr-ce Canals " " (i) See Appendix, Note I. mi ,i ;i ■ 40 Cornwall Canal Opens Closes Beauharnoi.s Canal " " Lachiao Canal " " 8. Lawrence River between Lake "» ^^ ^^ Ontario, Montreal and Laehiiie. . . j Do. between Montreal & Quebec . " " Takini^ into account the ditlcrence in time between the voyaires from Luke Ontai-io to Albany or Quebec, and the dates of the openini,' of the naviu;ation on the two routes, it appears that the navii^ation is open about five days earlier and is closed iibwuf three days later ou the St. Lawrence route tlian it is on the Erie Canal. The lari^e emigraut passenger business which is now concentrated almost exclusivelv upon New York, might, we should think, by proper exertions, be s!. ' '^d by the port of Montreal, and much in liiat way drawn to that p^ '' ■'^'boace a return cargo of flour or (»raia would be always certain, ^ii' liiigrant can be carried to Mdntroa] from Europe for the same charw . s to New York with equal profit, and can be forwarded from Montreal to the Western States for less exj ense to himself than from the port of New York. If with these conditions, a share of this business cannot be drawn to Montreal now, there must exist projudices and drawbacks unknown to us, which time will ameliorate or remove. The examination of the question of the location of the proposed harbor at Montreal was also very carefully investigated by the late Capt. Childe, and in the following remarks upon that branch of the question, his views will be generally quoted. The foregoing considerations bring us to the conclusion that the Harbor Commissioners are right in their views respecting the need of an early extension of the Harbor of Montreal. As now situated, it is at best only a summer harbor, suited to the domestic, coast, wise, and river trade, and aftbrding very inadequate accommodation for even the limited number of sea-going vessels of large size which now visit that port. ( /) " When the channel bcluw Montreal is enlarged to the depth of twenty feet (which wdl be done by 1860), the increased number of this class of large vessels together with those of a smaller size from the ocean, and the lake craft which will be attractel to this port by the improvements of the route above Montreal, will more and more demonstrate that the present harbor accommodatii ns are entirely inadequate to meet the increased requirements of the trade which {J) See Appendix, Note J. 41 re will year by year be drawn to this point." The objections to the present harbor are, that it is too limited in extent to accoijaaiodato the present amount of commerce, and that unless it bo enlarged and improved it will seriously retard the growing trade of the St. Lawrence route ; that it does not possess a sufficient area of deep wator to accommodate the number of lorgo vessels now running to that port, and that the increased depth cannot be given without endangering the present wharves and rendering the construction of new ones necessary ; that it is subject to the fluctuations of the waters in the St. Lawrence, and exposed at some seasons of the year to driving ice, so that veissels must leave the port in the fall and seek refuge in some of the sheltered bays below Montreal. The several plans for the improvement of the Harbour wliich have been presented to us are as follows : (Z;') 1st. An inland harbour north of Ilochelaga Bay. 2nd. An inland harbour at Viger square. iJrd. An elevated harbour at Point St. Charles. Estimates of tlie comparative cost of these several plans havo been prepared by Mr. Forsyth, the engineer of the Harbour Com- missioners, which were reviewed by the late Captain Childo. (/') From the great difficulties and somewhat unusual magnitude and character of the works required for each of these plans, any estimate of their cost must to a certain extent be uncertain. It is probable that the expense of works upon either of the plans presented would be greater than the estimates, but they are relatively sufficiently accurate for a comparison of the merits of the several plan?. The site proposed for the harbour at Ilochelaga Bay is three miles distant from the Merchants' Exchange and about one fourth of a mile north of the river, iu the depression which is the extension of the Craig Street valley. The level of the surface o the water in the proposed harbour would be thirty seven feet above the level of the water in the river, and the communication between the basin and the river would be made by two locks located at the north end of the basin and con- necting with the river along the valley of the small stream which discharges into Ilochelaga Bay. The basin would be excavated so as to give a depth of 20 feet of water over an area of acres, and would be surrounded by wharves of stone masonry resting on timber (fc') See Appendix, Note K'. (/') See Appendix, Note L'. 1« 42 oribs iillcd with stone. Graving and repairing docks would be built on the south side of the basin, discharging the surplus water into the river by a couduit. The water required for lockage would be supplied by a conduit from the head of the Lachine Hapids a distance of elevcu and one half miles, with a fall of nine and a half feet, and at an estimated cost of ,£50-1, ?i30, or would be elevated from the river by fixed pumping machinery driven by steam power, which 3Ir. Childe esti- mated would cost £3-l:,50(!, and au additional sum of £17,000, per annum to run and maintain the works. Mr. Cliilde expressed his opinion very decidedly against this location of the harbour, and in this opinion the undersigned coincide, for the reason that it would disturb all the present located commercial business of the city and either compel the abandonment of the warehouses and wharves now constructed, or separate the domestic and the foreign business, to the great inconvenience of the trade. It would also tax the com- merce with the delay : J expense of the passage of all vessels which came into port, either iVom sea or from the interior, into and I'roin the basin. Th\se inconveniences and extra expenses would in the opinion of the undei:. aed -^o interfere with and tax the commerce of the port as to neutralize any advantage which might be antici- pated from this location of the harbour. We cannot however overlook the admirable position of Hochelaga B:iy itself for the transaction of the large timber business of the Tort of Montreal. The vast timber products of the Ottawa and its tributaries, which must be brought by water and rail to the St. Lawrence, can moot the ocean ship at this point, and then be loaded with a facility which no other point on the harbour presents. At Albany and Troy, when the canal craft meets the coasting vessels, many miles of wharves ar« required to conduct the lumber business which in both ol' these places is a large source of revenue to the towns. Hochelaga Bay will soon become occupied in the same manner, and will relieve the commercial harbour wherever located, from a kind of business which the experience of other place's shows could not be done (.'ontigious to it without interference vith the other trade. The remarks of Mr. Childe on the A'iger Square project arc as follows : — • *i*'*ffp*i 43 " The extension of the Lacliinc Canal from the upper level of the St. Paul lock through the city to Viger Square, aud the construccion there or at some other lower portion of the tiraig Street valley, of a dock-harbour for sea-going vessels, and a connecting ship-canal thenco to Ilochelaga Ijay, would have been a judicious harbour location and a suitable tenuiuatiou of the canal, had it been under, taken at an early period, before the city popuhitioii had densely spread iniprovenients through said valley, which now renders such location and connection of canal and harbour, it seems to us, totally impracticable on account of the great destructiuu of property and other damages that must accrue."' This scheme would bring the water fifteen feet deep at the Hay Market, twenty and one half feet deep at St. George's Street, fifteen aud a half feet deep at St. Dominick Street, and fifteen and a half feet deep at St. Denis Street: this high level being the only one favorable ibr a ship-canal to the River at Ilochelaga Bay, while the upper level of tlie St. (labriel lock being nine and a half feet lower, and too low Wn a twenty feet depth of lock and canal. " The difficulty, then, (apart from the destruction and damage to city improvements,) is that the ground south of Viger 8([uaro is much too low for the Canal extensiou at the required level as compared with the higher ground at and north of that square where deep-water accommodation is required."' The undersigned fully concur with the opinion expressed by Mr. Childe that this plan is now impracticable on account of the great destruction of private property and the consequent cost, and also because it is liable to the same objections tliouuh not to the same extent as the Hochelaga scheme. The project for a harbour at Point St. Charles contemplates the construction of an embankment from the northern abutment of the Victoria Bridge, nearly perpendicular thereto and nearly parallel to the currents of the river for four thousand feet to a point south-east of Windmill Point, and thence at right angles to fourteen hundred feet to the shore near the old outlet-lock of the Lachine Canal, an area of about one hundred and thirty acres. The surface of the water in this basin would be olovated twenty feet above the level of mean low water in the St. Jiawrencc, and would be connected therewith at the eastern end of the basin by a lock with a chamber four hundred feet long aud seventy-five feet wide in the clear, provided with an intermediate pair of gates placed IM) m 44 I'eet below the upper gates, so as to lock vessels of smaller size with more economy of water. It is also proposed to cmiiect tlio basin with the Lachino Canal by a lock of five feet lift, chambor 4(Ml I'oct loui.^ and 75 wide, aud to provide for gravinfj; and repairing docks. The area enclosed by the enibankinent is chiefly shoal water, and will require but a small amount of excavation to give the requisite depth in the basin. Along the embankment oi' the Grand Trunk Eailway (which form the enclosure of the western end) and the north side of the basin, an excavation of from one to four feet of rock would be required to obtain the depth of twcuty feet in this portion of the basin. This rock would be needed for the outside protc aou of the enclosing bank. The whole basin would bo surrounded by a puddle wall to prevent the waste of water, and the out.side embankment protected from the river currents and ice by a heavy revetted wall. Tlie western end of the basin would be effectually protected from the river by the railway embankment and bridge abutment ; while on the river side, the direction of the current being nearly parallel to the enclosing bank, would not in ordinary cases subject it to much danger when the ice is passing down the river. Mr. Childe examined the question of supplyini^ the dock at this location with water, and we quote from his notes as follows : " Three modes of supply water for dock purposes at this point are su2,gested. Tirst. from the Laehine Canal, by increasing the section of said canal everywhere to its full width, which would let down enough more water to supply the dock, and with less current probably to obstruct navigation than is now experienced in the narrow rocky reaches above. " Second, from the tail-race of the Water- Works, which would . give an ample supply so long as the pumps shall be worked by water- power, the bottom of the wheels being four feet above the surface of water in the proposed dock; aud the distance being l.| miles, gives fall sufTicicnt to prevent back-water upon the wheels. " But neither of these sources will be as constantly reliable as is desired. At best, both are but secondary to other ard prior uses ; while the regular working of the harbour locks is of the utmost importance, aud should not be subject to adverse control tr accidents, which might at times cut off the supply. An independent source theretbro will be greatly preferable, and this is happily at hand, forming the third mode of supply; which is to take water from the ''■-MM mmmm mfimm 45 head ol' the Jjower LPiCbine Rnpids nbove Knox's raiil by an open canal 5 A miles lon<2; with :t moan widtl: nr2l> foot and depth of 7 feet, and a I'all of 13.}- feet, which will deliver at Point St. Charle.s three times as much water as the dock will require, for the esiimntod cost nf £80,120, including ri!>;ht of way for a canal three times wider and ten feet deep, which may be made to brinp' down a very large amount of water for manufactarinL^ purposes, beyond what will bo needed for the dock. " In fact, there is a legitimate relation between tlic manfacture ol' flour and the very extensive traflic in wheat and flour which the now dock is designed to accommodate ; and when joined to the cheap freights of seven to nine hundred ton vessels west from Montreal, and from one thousand to twenty-five hundred tons sea- going vessels east from the same jjort, and with Railways from the dock via Victoria Bridge to all parts of the Eastern States, it is very clear that the milling power so easily brought from the rapids to the proposed dock and its vicinity will serve to render Montreal one of the largest wheat "and flour markets in North America; and secondarily, for general manufacturing purposes, the Harbour (-oni- luirfsioners, statesmen, and capitalists can confer no greater benefit upon tho Province of Canada and industrial population of Montreal than by developing this water power, and leasing it to enterprising individuals who will thereby create a diversity of labor and furnish ciHploymcnt to thousands who would otherwise be idle. " Water for the dock for milling and other manufactures, can all be passed through the same canal by carrying it over the St. Pierre River and the Water- W'orks tail-race at one and the same poiut, and under the Grand Trunk Railway by a very shallow sophon. " Montreal will then enjoy tho advantage not possessed by any other sea-port within our knowledge, of delivering wheat from the lake vessels to the mills on one side, and of rolling the flour from tho other side into sea-going vessels for export, or into cars for consump- tion in New England. The surplus water will pay interest upon three times its cost, (m) From all these considerations, and from the vast amount of Western trade likely to take the St. Lawrence route, we arc united in opinion that a dock harbour of one hundred and ten, to one hundred and thirty acres, is tho best form for a permanent increase of accom- (?n') Sec Appendix M'. 46 niodation, ami that Point St. Oliarlfts is v.'iy much tiie best Mite thert!l()r. '• Tlio coMt of cdiislruction, includiu-; the X'rtO.l'if) for an inde- pendent supply of water, as before explained, is estimated by the engineer, Mr. Forsyth, at i:5t(i,0(IO. " It is not necessary that tlie whole work should be executed at once and before any part could be brought into use. The enclosimj banks faced with stone upon tlie top and river side, puddle walls, lotik and two or three piers will be the extent of the first con- struction. Afterwards, as the commerce of tl»e port increases, the work of excavation, inner facing with crib-work and masonry, and other piers, may be carried on from time to time without interfering with the use of all parts previously completed.'' " It is unecessary for us in this report to enter upon the details of construction. AVe simply advise that the largest area, sheltered by the railway works from drifting ice, be enclosed ; that one look 400 feet by 75 in the clear, with an intermediate pair oi' gates 150 feet from the head gates be adopted ; also that s(tlid erib work be used for inside walls Jrom the bottom of the d(tck to within three feet of water surface, and surrounded by H or 1> feet of well-dressed stone- work.'' The undersigned coincide with the opinion of Mr. Childe, that this location and plan for furnishing increased harbour accomujoda- tions is without question the best of any of those which have been laid before us, ami will without doubt afford better accommodation to tlie present and anticipated trade than at any other location. Captain Cliikle advocates tlie plan of supplying water to the locks by an independent canal, by means of which a large surplus will be provided which may be used for milling purposes. It has been represented to us by some of the best-informed eonmiereial gentlemen of Montreal that there is a present demand for an increased amount of water-power ; and that what wo'ild be furnished by the construction of the independent canal, would be disposed of upon terms which would repay the cost of construHion. on The great advantages which would be given to this route by the development of the valuable water-power which exists at Montreal, has been alluded to in the former portion of this Keport, and its . -^G: («') St'c Appendix, Note N'. # 47 valuo to the city it.sell' has been disfusst'J iu thi- above remarks of Captiiiii Childe. In thc-^o opinions also the unil('r,si!.'ni'(l at:;n'e. Tilt! {)lau ol the dock is coniplelo witliout this itidoptMuleot hj- draulu! caiud, as it can be supplied with water from either the liacliino canal or the tail-raco of the Water-Works, or by pumping from the river at a less cost than by tliL' indopundcnt canal; but as the latter may in itself be made a source of revenue, aud as has been stated, a valuable adjunct to the route, it will doubtless be Ibund exjiedit^it to construct it at an early day, althouirh its oo.«t is not chargeable to the scheme of the dock. (iRNKRATi UEMAUICS. It will be ob.servi'd, that the enlargement of the locks of the Wellaud canal, su as to allow the largest class of vessels which can navi>Tate the upper lakes (eight hundred tons) lias been assumed as necessary to tho success of the whole system of Canadian works ; and that whenever this shall' be done, the contest for the Western trade will be between the ports of Oswego and Montreal. That portion of tho Western and Upper Canadian trade which is to seek foreign markets can then be transported ou the downward trip, at loss cost by the St. Lawrence route than by the way of New York. The importance ol'the up cargoes has been already discussed ; aud the influence upon the cost of transportation by this route must be duly considered before its full advantages can be determined. The Ibreigu export of the agricultural products brought to tiie seaboard by the New York works forms but one third of the whole while the home demand consumes two thirds. As a general pro- position it may be stated that the imports will iollow the same course as the exports ; and hence that although the improved St. Lawrence route will present strong inducements for the one-third ol' tho trade, yet if the preponderance of the remainder of this trade is left to tlie New York route, it will materially aid that line iu its contest ibr even the foreign trade, by giving to it the upper cargoes which tend so much to cheapen transport. The construction of the proposed Caughnawaga Canal from the St. Lawrence opposite Lachine to Lake Champlain, will allow the large lake vessels to continue their voyage to Whitehall (two hundred aud ton miles from New York, and one hundred and thirty- seven miles nearer the sea-board, than can be done by the way of Oswego), at twenty cents per ton less cost, even if the Champlain 48 'M ' m (,'aiial should not be enlarg«?tl so a» to allow ththcr with this extension of the .sea.son by the railway to Trois Pistoles, will give to the St. Lawrence route an advantage which has not been adverted to in the preceding part of this Report. miles of ntivigation wuulil be saved to the conuuurce of Lakes Micliigan ami Siiiievior. Tfic trade of Lake Eric, and tlie .southern porliou of Huron would not lie niVi ctod by this saving of distance. The large lockage, great cost, and ponie serious difficidlies in the construction, in either of tluise canals render the proliability of any diversion of tJie anticipated trade of the ^VeUand Canal too remote to warrant any dehiy in that work. ■ 60 This advantancre will be largely shared in by the Grand Trunk Railway, and especially on that portion of it eastward of Montreal; nor is it improbable that the railway system of Canada may be ex- tended through New Brunswick to Halifax in Nova Scotia, and, by a Federation of the Provinces under one general government, which has already been agitated, and will, no dcabt, be accomplished at an early day, together with the circumstances already alluded to, point to the advisability and security of providing the largest ac- i^mnmodation ibr the trade at a point which may be so admirably adtptcd to its transhipment and distribution as that of Montreal. In the examination of these subjects, we have labored under the disadvantage of the want of an intimate acquaintance with the condition of the trade of Canada which a residence would have furnished. Our remarks have therefore taken a wider range so as to embrace those districts with which we are more familiar, but which arc also deeply interested in the improvement of the St. Law- rence route. To the people of (.'anada, however, these* are questions of still deeper interest. With a climate, soil, and productions at least equal to the contiguous districts of the United States, and having the means of securing not only the cheapest channel to the ocean but also the cheapest to New England and New York, her future pro- gress must be vastly accelerated. The countless emigration from Europe which has hitherto passed almost in sight of her rich, healthy, and well-situated lauds, to seek abodes in the Western States, far removed from the world's markets, and oftentimes in unhealthy climates, and on lands but little if any bettor than those which lie unoccupied along t'le water-courses which discharge into the St. Lawrence, will, when these advantages arc availed of, settle witliin her borders, and greatly add to her wealth and prosperity. A. liberal expenditure for the completion of the magnificent publio works along the St. Lawrence cannot fail to divert to this route n large share uf the trade and travel between the West and Atlantic, and while this will recompense for the expenditure, it will not only add to her commorcial prosperity, but will also render her unrivalled advantages known to Mie stream of emigration which in flowing through her cliannels nuist be largely attracted to her territory. The conclusions to which the Board have arrived may be briefly stated as follows : — 1st. That the latural advantages of tlie route between thewes- publiu route :i ilantic, |)t only nvallcd [owing liricfly 51 tern interior and the seaboard by the way of the St. Lawrence arc sufficient to warrant the expenditures which have been made, and also those which are proposed to complete the improvements along that route ; and that when thus improved, it will present the cheapest mode of communication not only to the sea-board, but also to New-England and New- York. 2nd. Tliat the amount of business which will be drawn to this route by the advantages which it will possess when so improved, will be sufficient to warrant the expenditures necessary in making them. iUd. That the port of Montreal is the proper place for transferring cargoes from the interior to sea-going vessels ; and therefore that the Harbour Commissioners arc right in their plans for deepening the channel below Montreal so as to allow ves=x;ls drawing twenty feet to come to the latter port. 1th. That the present harbour facilities of Montreal are entirely inadequate to accommodate the present trade ; and that such au increase as may be expected on the completion of the improvements already mentioned, will require a large addition thereto. 5t]i. That the location of an enlarged harbor at Point St. Charles is the best site that can be found at Montreal; and that the facilities which a harbor at this place, upon the plan suggested, will amply accommodate the trade in question ; and finally, that in our opiiiiou the improvements in the channel of the St. Lawrence at and near Montreal, and the construction of the proposed harbour, are not local questions but of national importance, by which the final success of the scheme of Canadian jjublic works will be materially influenced. wes- IIARBOUrv OF MONTREAL. The following remarks on the project of extending the Harbour of jVlontreal in front of the City, were inadvertently omitted by the Engineers, Messrs. W, T. McAlpine, and James P. Kirkwood, in their printed Report, and are now authorised by them to be appen- ded to the same : — The examination of tlie plan for enclosing the front of the present harbour by a breakwater, and deepening the Harbour itself by dredg- ing, was also made by the late Captain John Childe. His views upon the subject wore as follows : Next in order is the suggested plan of enclosing the present Eiver Harbour by a pcrmauont ice-burricr extending in an easterly direc- from Wind-mill Point about loilO feet, and thence 4000 feet in tho direction of Mouarque Street Wharf, opposite the lower half of St. Helen's Island, and terminating at a point about 650 feet south-east- erly from the east end of the Victoria pier. This plan has been pre- sented for consideration with the expectation that it would meet the wants of comiuerce for many years, be very nmch cheaper in con- struction than a dock-harbour, and retain the whole traffic upon the natural river level. But on examination we find that this plan will enclose an area of about 110 acres, exclusive of the present wharves and deepest water, and will require to be deepened to 20 feet water by dredging an average of 10 feet, giving 1,777,000 cubic yards of mud, sand and pebles, which we estimate may be taken out at 2s. per yard, or total cost of £177,700. Then a suitable ice-barrier, exposed as this would be to tho action of the water and ice, would cost as we estimate, not less than £G0 per lineal foot, and for the whole enclosure of ground, 5350 feet, £821,000 Dredging, as above, 177,700 A tot'ilof £498,700 If by this plan the future wants of commerce could be answered, there would he reason for ita adoption; but such a harbour does not, 63 In our judgment, meet the loading requli'oments before .stated, to wit: sate and convenient storage at all seasons; convenient acces^^ibility by carts and railroad cars; and the l;icility of .sep'iratiMg the transit from the distributing trade. "We think tliat the risk of property stored upon or coiitiuguous to such a barrier in winter will be greater than at any other point proposed ; that the whole structure, without piers nid warehouses, will ))e out in the river and inaccessible by carts and curs, except via lower bridge of Lachine Canal or ferry-boats ; that the river and coastwise domestic trade being immediately connected witli the general popu- lation of the city, will continually require all the present river harbor in front of and below the city, but will not need the dtiep water or expensive ice-barrier, and warehou.ses .called for by the transit, interior and foreign trade. If the whole domestic and foreign trade were confined for .some yours to the present harbor by the deep dredging and esptmsive structure beloro mentioned, the time will come when more space must be needed ; and at any time the transit foreign trade may be more favorably detached to a position csntiguous to the present harbor and to the city than can be the domestic, river and coastwise trade. The- latter does not now nor will it probably for lifty years, require more and larger aecom- niodation than the river and its western bnmch alFord ; but it is to cheapen, dcvelope and guard the transit and foreign trade that deeper water and larger and better harbor facilities are called for. We therefore advise the construction of those where they will for all time be devoted to the transit and foreign trade, leaving the domestic trade undisturbed where convenience has already placed it, and where it will need but very light expenditures from time to time for its enlargement. By this course the ultimate cost of harbor facilities for all species of trade will be greatly lessened ; and for the next three or four years, whilst the work of a permanent and con- tiguous dock-harbor shall be in progress, no interruption or curtail- ment will be experienced in the use of the present harbor. In advising, therefore, against the third scheme, we turn with more coulidence to the fourth and last position at Point Saint Charles. The undersigned arc of opinion that this plan of enlarging and partially protecting the present harbor would be inadequate to meet the requirements of the commerce which will be attracted to the St. Lawrence route, when it shall have been improved in the manner herein contemplated. This plan would only accommodate a limited 64 amount ol' trade, and would be ouly a Sumuier habor, and would not aftLNE. JAS. P. KIllKWUOD. NOTE. The following private notes and observations of the late (japtain John Cliildc, in referenee to the improvement of the Harbor of Mon- treal, having been received since the meeting of the Board of Trade on the 21st instant, the Harbor Commissioners deem it important that the same should be communicated in full to the members of that body. From Capt. Ciitlde's Note Book. Montreal Ilarhor. The foregoing considerations bring us to the conclusion that the Harbor Commissioners are right in their views respecting the mod of early extension of the Harbor of Montreal. As now situated, it is at best only a Summer harbor, suited to the domestic, coastwise and river trade, and affording in all respects very inadequtite facili- ties for tlie few sea-going vessels of large class which reach Montreal by the improved channel of IS feet water; and when this channel shall be carried to a depth of 20 feet, as may so readily be done, the deficiency of Harbor accommodation will bo more and more seriously felt as the size ond number of such vessels increase, as they are sure to do, until they reach the maxinnim suited to the completed 2hants' Exchange, or, by very greatly increasing the amount and cost of excavation, it might be brought half a mile nearer by moving half its length south and keeping the lock entrance from the river as before ; but the average distance of 2h or 3 miles would prove a great inconvenicnoe and expense to the business of the city, equal in cost of cartage alono at 10 cents per barrel to the freight charges inland for 200 miles, or for 500 miles of ocean transit. Nor could there be any connection with the Lachine canal except by locking to and from the river, or 57 liny reasonably cheap way ol' biiiisliig water here from the Lachint' rapids for millings or otlicr manufacturing purposes. Wo find, therefore, that the scheme for a Dock Harbour near Ilochelapja Bay fulfils only tiie :.'d of the seven conditions of service before stated, and is so distant, isolated and exjtcusive (see estimate in the Appendix), that we deem it unworthy (jf further considera- tion, and we advise its rejection. " The extension of the Lachine Canal from tno Upper level of the St. Paul lock through the city to Viger Square, and the eonstrue- tion there or at some lower portion of the Craig Street valley, of a dock-harbour lor sea-g(ii;.g vessels, and a conuectiug ship-canal thence to Ilochelaga Bay, would have been a judicious harbour loca- tion and a suitable termination of the canal, had it been undertaken at an early period, before the city population had densely spread im- provements through said valley, which now renders such location and connection of canal and harbour, it seems to us, totally imprac- ticable on account of the great destruction of property and otlier damages that must accrue." This scheme would bring the water fifteen feet deep at the Hay Market, twenty and one lialf feet deep at St. George's Street, fifteen and a half feet deep at St. Dominique Street, and fifteen and a half feet at St. Denis Street : tliis high le\el being the only one favorable fur a shijvcanal to the River ai Hochelaga Bay, while the upper level of the St. (jabriel lock being nine and a half feet lower, and too low for a twenty feet depth of lock and canal. " The difficulty, then, (apart from the destruction and damage to city improvements,) is that the ground south of Viger Square is much too low for the Canal extension at the required level as com- pared with the higher ground at and north of that scjuare where deep-water accommodation is required." Next in order is the suggested plan of enclosing the present River Harbour by a permanent ice barrier extending in an Easterly direction from Wind-mill Point aboat 1350 feet, and thenee 4000 feet in the direction of Monarque Street Wharf, opposite the lower half of St. Helen's Island and terminating at a point about 650 feet south-easterly from the east end of the Victoria pior. This plan has been presented for consideration with the expectation that it would meet the wants of commerce for many years, be very much cheaper in construction than a dock-harbour, and retain the whole traffic upon the natural river level. But on examination we find this plan ,1 m I I 1$ m 5S will enclose an area of about 110 aoros, exclusive of the present wharves and deepest water, and will require to be deepened to 20 feet water bj dredging an average of 10 feet, giving 1,777,000 cubie yards of mud, sand and pebbles, which we estimate may be taken out at 2s. per yard, or total cost of £177,700. Then a suitable ice- barrier, exposed as this would be to the action of the water and ice, would cost, as we estimate, not loss than £1)0 per lineal foot, and for the whole Enclosure of ground, 5:550 feet, £:{51,0(I0 Dredging, as above, 17<,<00 A total of. .£498,700 If by this plan the future wants of commerce could be answered, there would be some reason for its adoption ; but such a harbour does not, in our judgment, meet the leading requirements before stated, to wit: sure and convenient storage at all seasons; con- venient accessibility by carts and railroad cars ; and the facility of .separating the transit from the distributing trade. We ^hink that the risk to property .stored upon or contiguous to such a barrier in winter will be greater than at any other point proposed ; that the whole structure, without piers and warehouses, will bo in the river and inaccessible by carts and cars, except via Tgland Wharf or ferry- boats ; that the river and coastwise domestic trade being immediately connected with the general population of the city, will continually require all of the present river harbour in front of and below the city, but will not need the deep water or expensive ice-b.'irrier, and warehouses called for by the transit, interior and foreign trade. If the whole domestic and foreign trade were confined for some years to the present harbour by the deep dredging and expensive structure befltre mentioned, the time will come when more space must be needed; and at my time the transit foreign trade may be more favorably detached to a position contiguous to the present harbour and to the city th m can be the domestic, river and coast- wise trade. The latter dot s not now, nor will it probably for fifty years, require more and larger accommodation than the river and its western branch afford; but it is to cheapen, develops and guard the transit and foreign trade that deeper water and larger and better harbor facilities are called for. We therefore advise the construction of those where they will for all time be devoted to the transit and foreign trade, leaving the domestic trade undisturbed where conve- nience has already placed it, and where it will need but very light c V I n 1*3; i 5eginnin<,' at the Victoria Bridge abut- ment, and running parallel with the high-water current about 4.(i(i0 feet to a point east of the Windmill Point, thence to the same point .ibout 1,400 feet, an area of about 130 acres will be conveniently secured for harbour purposes. Tlie enclosinsi; bank will be made water-tight by a verticle puddle wall, and covered on the outside slope by the rock excavated from tlie inaido and bottom. At the centre of the north side a ship lock, 75 by -100 feet chamber, will connect the enclosed space with-the present harbour and river chan- nel. Thus by a lock-lil't of 20 feet, and the shelter afforded by the railway, you will acquire for first-class sea-going vessels as much useful area as is now furnished by the unprotected river harbour for river and coastwise transports. We believe that a dock-harbour thus situated, will bo perfectly «afe from water and ice floods, and meet fully and substantially all of the requirements before stated : — 1st. As a depositary for grain, flour, and prepared lumber from the west and north, aud for cargoes of foreign merchandise ; 2nd. As a safe place for storage, for ship-building, repairi, and for milling or manufacturing purposes ; ord. As most convenient for oommunica- tion with both the River, Harbour, and Lachine Cinal ; 4th. Ah near as practicable to the city (the centre being | ths of a mile from the Merchants' Exchange), and of more convenient access by carts and cars than any erections could be, for enclosing the present har- bour ; and Gth. As peculiarly well adapted by absence of currents for bringing the lake aud sea-going vessels side by side for tho cheapest transhipment of rolling freights and lumber, or to the same warehouse for grain. All these objects and uses unite to make Point St. Charles the most suitable place for your harbour improve- ment; while the 7th and last consideration, for bringing here a 00 lart;o quant it V ol" water for (lock ami niilliiit;; pnrposcM, cannot bt; ajipliod to any other locutions without costing more thau it Is worth. '■ TlirtH? niodos ol siipplying water for dock purposes at this point are suggested. First, from the Lachine Canal, by increasing the section of said caual every where to its full width, whieli would afford ciiOUgh surplus water to supply the dock, and with less cur- rent probably to obstruct navigation than is now experienced in the narrow rocky reaches above. " Second, from the tail-race of the >\'ater Works, which would give an ample supply as long as the pumps shall be worked by water power, the bottom of the wheels being lour feet above i\\fi surface of water in the proposed dock ; and the distance being 1^ miles, gives full sufficieut to prevent back water upou the wheels. " But neither of these sources will be as constantly reliable as is desired. At best, both are but secondary to other and prior uses ; while the regular working of the harbour locks is of the utmost ira- ])ortance, ami should not be subject to adverse control or accidents, which might at times cut off the supply. An independent source therefore will be greatly preferable, and this is happily at hand, forming the third mode of supply ; which is to take water i'rom the head of the Lower Jjachine llapids above Knox's mills by an open canal Hi miles long with a mean width of liO feet and depth of 7 feet, and a fall of lo[^ feet, which will deliver at Point St. Charles three times as much water as the dock will require, for the estimated cost of £S();125, including right of way for a canal three times wider and teu feet deep, which may be made to bring down a very large amount of water for manufacturing purposes, beyond what will be needed for I he dock. " ; n fiict there is a legitimate relation between the manufacture of flo ir and the very extensive traffic in wheat and flour which the new d ick is designed to accommodate ; and when joined to the cheap freights of nine hundred ton vessels west from Montreal, and with one thousand to twenty-five hundred tons sea-going vessels east from the same port, and with railways from the dock via Vic- toria Bridge to all parts of the Eastern States, it is very clear that the milling power so easily brought from the rapids to the proposed dock and its vicinity will serve to render Montreal one of the largest wheat and flour markets in North America ; and secondarily, for general manufacturing purposes, the Harbour Commissioners, states- men and capitalists can confer uo greater benefit upon the Province fil of Canada and industrial population of Montreal than by dnvoldpinn; this water power, and leasinp; it to cntorpri.sinp; individuals who will thereby create a diversity of labor and furni.sh cmploynicut to thou- sands who would otherwise be idle. " Water for the dock fi)r niiilinn; and other raaimfacturos, can all be passed through the sumo canal by earryinj; it over the' St. Pierre Kiver and the Water Works tail-race at one and the .siimo point, and under the Grand Trunk Railway by a vcrry shallow syphon. " Montreal will then enjoy the advantat,'e not possessed by any other scjirport within our knowledi,'c, of dclivoritii; wheat from the lake vessels to the mills on one side, and of rollin, tho deficiency of harbour accommo- dation will be more and mor« seriously felt qs tlic hIzo and number of such vessels increase, as they are eurc to do, until they roach the niaxiinum suited to the completed L'O lect channel and to the vastly extended trade with the west, which tho enlar^'smeut of tho Welland Canal, the millinc; power of tho Ijacbiuc Rapids, and the railways must inevitably draw to Montreal. • " It has been already shown that the shortest and cheapest route from Chicago to tide-water is vi:i the St. Lawrence, and it is admit- ted by all commercial men that unobstructed transport trade will always take the shortest and oheapost route. As a question of practical economy, it must also be admitted, witliout the necessity of ar!i;ument, that vessels properly constructed for the lake and river traffic west of Montreal, will be neither safe nor profitable for the gulf and ocean ; nor, on the otlier hand, would the deeper build of sea-going vessels be suitable for the canals and shallow parts of the river an point within the limits of the Harbour, and consequently that it will cross the line marked upon the plan which accompanied your Report as indicating tlie outer boundary of the proposed Docks. Under these circumstances, and more especially as the question of Harbour Improvement and p]xten.sion, is now practically engaging the attention of the Board of Trade and the p'iblic, 1 am instructed to inquire whether the facts here adverted to, or others which may have occurred to your.'^eir, have induced you to reconsider the scheme you recommended, in conjunction with Mr. Gzowski ; or whether anything lias occurred to induce you to recommend the immediate prosecution of that additional, but subordinate, part of your plans, so frequently talked over with the Commissioners, viz. : that of covering the shoals in front of the present ship harbor, with such wharves as the nature of the locality will admit of? Your views with reference to improving Ilochelaga Bay, are also required, and as the Commis- sioners are anxious to place j'our opinions upon all these points before the Board of Trade, to assist them in their deliberations upon the scheme of Harbour Improvements now b(4bre them, I am instructed to request that you will furnish mo with your views thereon, at your earliest convenience. I have the honor to be. Sir, Your most obedient servant, John Glass, Sec. MoNTRKAL, 1-lth January, 1854. Sir, — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday, enclosing one from the Council of the Board of Trade of this City to the Harbour Comu.issioners, and requesting my views upon the present position of the question ol' enlaigoment ol' the Harbour. Some misconception appears to exist, with respect to the report of Mr. Gzowski and myself, upon this aubjiict, arising, probably, from the fact that the instructions under which that report was made have not been closely examined. We were callod upon to report upon the •' best' means of enlarging the Harbour, and especially upon the practicability of conducting a branch of the Lachiae Canal through Craig Street, and forming Docks and Basins where sea going vessels could be brought alongside of warehouses. 68 Wc (lid not consider it ncceasary to advert to the practicability ol' constructinj:; breast wliarvcs la riocholaga l*ay, or of extendinu; accommodation similar to that already enjoyed, because the Com- missioners did not need Engineers to determine what was so manifest ; besides, we were aware that all other available means than what we alluded to, had already been under their consideration, and we felt convinced that when all the disposable room for wharfage similar to under Point St. Charles, and is connected with it by a narrow neck, having nine feet upon it at low water. From the front of tiie wharves below tlio Canal, there is nearly a third ofa mileof deep water until the '' neck '' is encountered. There is over twenty feet of water upon each side of this neck, and its widtii between the.sc depths is 4U0 yards. I propose to cut a channel through this, and place the excavation upon 70 the top of tho Island Shoal below it, raising this Shoal above water aud surroumling it with crib work, after dredging the outer edge of it to twenty feet water. By this step three important objects are gained ; a dangerous and troublesome Shoal will be raised above water, and made use of as an Entrepot Wharf; a new outlet and inlet into the Harbour will be obtained, instead of the single narrow pass between the Island Wharf ;ind the Island Shoal referred to ; and large Ships ail 1 long Steamers, ni-od not then be turned in order to leave the H; rbour. This new channel and removal of the Island Shoal would bo almost indispensible in order to form a proper approach to the long locks, docks and basins, proposed at Point St. Charles. The new Island Wharf thus formed could bo connected with the old by a ferrry boat working into slips upon slack chains lying upon the bottom. This moveable bridge could be used with but little interrup- tion in eonsequeiKV of the double entrance to the Harbour. The Island Shoal will aft'iird as great a wharf frontage as can be had in Hochelaga Bay, and will enable Lake Craft loading transhipped goods at it, to pass upwards without the aid of tug steamers which will be required if they go below the Current. This extra tugging would not only be a charge on the trade — but in consequence of the narrow entrance to our harbour, any tugging, must always be inconvenient. Tutil dotuiled plans and estimates can be prepared, I would estimate the probable cost of getting rid of this shoal and obtaining a new wharf and a new channel at fifty thousand pounds. If pre- parations are soon made a large portion of this work could be constructed in tho ensuing season and much additional discharging room be ready i\>v tho fall ships. With respect to a line of wliarfing along the lower edge of tho Point St. Charles Shoal (on the southern line of the proposed new channel) I am oi' opinion that it should be commenced as part of the main retaining wall of the proposed Point St. Charles Docks. With respect to plans of the docks called for by the Council of the Board of Trade, I beg to say t lat there is none other than the sketch submitted with our Report, Tho object of that report was merely to point out the direction in which we considered the attention of the Commissioners should be turned. A well considered plan, with estimates, embracing the full extent of the works will require time, and an ajipropriation which wo did not possess, nor was it proper to go fartlier with the question until its utility had been fully caavassed. The scale of the works at Point St. Charlei may be 71 extended to an indefinite extent Tand this constitutes the chief merit of the site) but the important question is to ascertain how much of it should be undertaken first, and this will very much depend I suppose upon the interest taken in it by the Grand "Trmnk Company. I understand the present action of the Harbour Coniniissioncrs to be for the purpose of obtaining authority to go into the scheme- Obtain the necessary plans, estimates, and report, as well as the views of the Railway Company and be guided by the results. With respect to Ilochelaga Bay, I entertain no doubt the whole of the available frontage at this point will be occupied with breast wharfes. The depth of water will bo against the extention of piers and formation of slips. If theBytown Railway goes there it will need nearly the whole frontage for lumber wharves — all of this space and more will be needed for lumber, coal, and ship yards, and if we had more available frontage in the suburbs, it would soon be needed. The south shore is a blank. — The Island of St. Helens and tlic opposite shore between the Bonsocours Chureh and the Longueuil Wharf arc useless, and when we look at the wharf frontage not only of rival seaports, but even of our inland towns, such as Kingston and Toronto, and compare it with our own, it is evident that after having occupied all the ground which the river affords, we must go out of it, and adopt artificial means to make this city what she can be made, the principid port for the imports of the country. I have the lionor to be, iSir, ■ Your obedient servant, Thos. Kf.efkr, Engineer H. C. 72 HI Statement of the Pkcvenue of the Harbor for the five years pre- ceding 1854, furnished to the Board of Trade in compliance with the request of the Council of said body : ]8 19— Income JL9391 Exponcliture £8055 Surplus 13;ii> 1850— Income iJ10209 l851— lucuniu XI 2459 1852— Income X12544 1 853— Income Xl 5500 X9391 Expenditure X7621 Surplus 2588 £10209 Expenditure £10343 Surplus 2116 £12459 Expenditure £9954 Surplus 2590 £12554 Expenditure £1 1650 Surplus 3850 £15500 N.B. — This return for 1853 is not strictly accurate, as the accounts for the year are not yet closed ; but it may be taken as a close approximation to the rinul result. Statement of the Ilevonue derived from Tonnage passing through Lake St. Peter in the year 1853 : Income £2427 Deficit ;i!"7 Expenditure — say interest on debentures £2825 £2825 £2825 Statement of tlio number and tonnage of vessels entered and cleared at the Port of Montreal in the five years preceding 1854 — distinguishing those entered and cleared at the *^'i8tom House, from those entered and cleared at the Office of the Wharfinger : INWARDS. Entered at Custom House. Entered at Wharfinger's Office. Total. Years. Vessels. Ml 211 243 192 252 Tonnage, Vessels. Tonnage. Vessels. Tonnage. 1849 37425 46)56 56788 46079 59213 .. 1850 1851 1852 1853 3726 3846 3995 4533 391520 357115 379130 427495 3337 4091 4187 4818 437676 414363 425633 491928 73 OUTWARDS. Entort'd at Custom House KiitfTod at Wliarlingcr's office. T )(al. Years. VcsHels. 159 210 252 109 254 Tonnage. VcKsels. ; 'J'ounagu. Vessclh. Tonnage. 1840 38068 4C334 56301 •17637 50802 1 1850 1851 J852 1853 3719 300635 3838 ' 357115 3901 , 379130 4564 i 427405 3029 4000 4200 4818 436059 413406 416767 487307 Statement of the number of n-fts (with their contents) entered .ind discharged in the Harhor of Montreal, in each of the lour years preceding 1854 : Years. 1850 1851 1852 1853 CONTENTS. Lumber FeetiTimlxr Cubic 15\l Mf'suro. I Feet 1 202700 199000 22250O 227600 234000 259200 479200 3772UO Firewood Crrdb. 3304 2608 2770 3020 JOHN GLASS, Secretary. MEMORANDU.M OF MR. CIIAUJ.ES LKr.riE. CIVIL EXGIXEKR, ContniDiiig his plans iind snj:,i:c>*tions Cor providinir additional acc(imuiod;ition tor shippiiiu' in tlit; Harbor of Mout real alluded to in the foreiroinji; report of Mr. Forsyth, Harbour Engineer. The attention of the undersigned having lieeu directed to the preparation of a plan for atlording additional aceoniniodation for shipping in the pre.sent harbour of 3Iontreal, tlic accompanying Hketchos have been prepared with that view, and are now submitted with the tbllowing explanatory remarks. The points selected as the sites for the proposed improvements arc at the foot of the Lachine Canal and in the Island shoal opposite the central portion of the city. At the first named point it is sugi^ested that wharves he construc- t''d on each side ol the contemplated Tail Race, belonging to the liydi'aulic and Dock Scheme, furnishing when completed, a total ]eD"th of wharfage of 2,300 feet; being 1 ,(100 feet on the north or city side, and 1,300 feet on the south or dock side. The intervening space about 030 I'ect in width to be dredged to a depth of 20 feet, and the material so obtained ))lace' top with material from the dredging. I-'roni the di^t;mce of one foot under low water, to the top, the exposed face will be ^-heeted with 4 incli tamarack planks, securely fastened to tlu- timbers of the superstructure with iron straps and spikes. The top of the wharf over the crib-work, will also be protected in a similar raanm-r with tamarack planks, and the remaining portion of H2 foot in width, covered with pine plank H inch thick resting on timber sills placed 4 feet apart secured to sub- gills in order to prevent the; floor being disturbed when covered with water and ice during the periods of inundations. The outer slopes will be covered with a rip-rap wall 2 feet thick to protect the embank- ment against the cutting action of the current. The cost of the work at this point will be about as follows : Cost. Cost. Copf. L' DKth t. fiidt. t'ocr. §I00,4JI $0.09 SlUi.TT 10(10 Sii'j,r)7o $o.yi S t>i.V7 i;5()o Si|iiaro foct. 1 1, (100 1 :;o,(i(M) •J31,UU0 ,*:"29.991 Ft. 2H(I0 costing on an average 0.i)5 cents per square foot of surface. By running a street 40 feet wide in rear of each wharf, and dividing the space intervening between it and the front into lots, furnishes 11 of 200 feet in length by 00 feet in width, or crjuivalent to 12,000 square feet each. These lots could be advantageously leased to parties engaged in shipping business, and a revenue derived therefrom, wliich would go far towards meeting the interest on the first cost, leaving the dues from vessels occupying berths to pay the balance, and form a einking fund for the liquidation of the debt. 7n r • Temporary slieds can bo cloctoil cither by tlio liirbour authorities or liy tliosc parties leasing; tlieldl-, I'ur prui.'cliiiL:: ll'>ur uinl p;iicrul iiiereluuidise i'rom tiio \veatlier. The proxinnty of'tluKe wharves to llie iiiatuiracturiiij^ and inillii);^ cstabliHhments at the h»wer ciitrauoo of the Laehiiio Catjul, tho rjrand Trunk llailway, and the warehouse* on the city side nl' the canal, as wi'll as beinii; essentially land wharves, will eidianee their value materially ; while at the same time eonftitutinji the first stop towards the llyilraulie and |)ocIv ^cheme, oi'which tln'y will eonstitute a portion. The soeond point seleeted a-< a site for proposed harbour exteusion, is tho " Island Shoal'' opposite the eity. This shoal forms a oontinuatlon of the Point St. Charles ono on which tho projected dock harbour is located, being connected with it by means of a narrow neck 250 foot in width, over which there is not less than <"« feet draft of water. Kronj the point of this connec- tion, t'.ie slioal uradiially widens, and extends dowriwanls to a jxiint opposite IJonseeour'^ market, a distance of aI)out 2,100 feet, tlio averaj^e width bcin;; 1,100 feet ; on tho inner side or between it and the city, is the present channel of .'U)0 i'eet in width, and 20 feet draft of water, while on the opposite or south sidi', with the excep- tion of the connectinii neck before rcfcrre feet water, and admit of a portion of it being elev.ited above th • water to form the proposed improvomeut. To carry the work out in an economical manner and at the same time to attain the p:reatest amount of service room for shipping and transaetio'i business, should be the governing considerations in deter- mining the charaeterof the structure to oceupy the shoal, at the same time keeping in view the necessity of bringing into use the diilercnt sections of the work so soon ns comyilcted and the whole plan so arranged as to admit of extension from year to year in order to keep pace with the business r('f)uiremcMts of the port, without in any man- ner marring the gcsnora' character of the wliolc when eventually eai'- ried out to its full cxtci t. To accomplisli this, various plans could be suggested, the most etlicient, in the opinion of the "odersigncd, being one or other ol' the following. The sketch as laid down on the plan, shews a scheme, which if car- 77 ried (uit, will ho scpnnd only to tin' hyilrnniic and Jook one. in point of t'xtc'iit, :miiI f.ii'iUly all'irdid for oxclianuc dI' cargoes. It com prises a solid w I lurf 200 loot in nidtli, raisi^d 10 f'ci't nbovc suninicr ii.'vel ond ruiuiii)^' in tlio lurni ol' h liorso >]ioo, or niagnot, surrounds the shoal on the inner, uipcr and outer sides. Icavinij; tlie lower side open. The outer side oi' the wharf in if-i entin.' len!j;th, will rest in 20 I'eet water, and be made up of solid crih work, built and proteet- ed in the most approvt'd m inner, the cribbinL: on tlii! inner isith*, will re.st in It) foot water, bordering on lut inner chunncd dred:ri!d U> that depth, lor the uso of tlu' river erat't — the sp.ice inlerveninj; between the iuternul and external cribs, oi" lljl feet ia breadth, will be filled up to tho level of the wharf by tl,c drcdjiinji from the various chan- nels, and ."securely plan kid over. The construction will eoninicnee at tho upper end and proceed downwards as rc((uirod, tbrnnii^ when completed a deep water wharf- njj;t! of 171 '.> feet, with river or Id ll-et water wharfai."' of 4t'".t5 feet the superihoial area will ani'iau; lo HiiS.UOO sipiare I'eet, furnLshiui,- a road of 50 foot in widtii aiound the entire wii.irf and I'lO feet in width for service ground. Titis Kpacc (within the i( .tirs A 1» (' I> E V 1 K on tho plan) will i^ive 4-1 lots of T.'» feet by -Ot» feet, each, in the event of the road beiu-r placed in the centre of llie wliari'; or, 22 lots ir)(» feet by 20ii leot each, should the h)cationof ilic loa I be oue ither .side. The cost will annunt to ab>ut Sljl'i,:^!*'), hj'uvj; §0.71 per square foot, or $141. '53 jiur running toot; this amount thouj^h hu\uo in the airgroi^atc, is the cheapest in proportion to the extent of acconimoda tion furni-shcd, of either of the phiD.s devised. In another plan estimated, tho width is rcdiired to l.')0 feet, with tho same extent ol wharl'age as the previous one — tlie amount of the estimate is §187,392, with a .superficial area of G51,00, and an area of 43-t,. 00(» square i'eet, makiiiL;- each foot co.-t $0.0;;, but with a diminution toS94.t)3 per running foot. Anoth(^r modification is to embrace only that poriion of tho plan within the letters A B C D, making it 240 feet in width, and dredg- ing the channel exterior to it to 20 feet instead of 10 feet as in the previous cases ; this channel would take the place of that previously f 18 ijieutioued us the one to be formed by dredj^ing acroa'; tho ueck oi' the shoal. The entire whari" would then bo surrounded by deep water, and furnish 5;>I5 feet of wharfage at a cost of $408,889, with a super- ficial area of 583,200 f-jnare feet, making each foot cost S*'.81, and every lineal one $l!)2,9(I, Abstracting all the ^'jrcgoing results, we find the following : Island Shoal. Ft. wide. Pf. long. Cost. Per s(iaro ft. Plinoal loot. Aroa. Wliarf 200 4340 $013,390 $0.71 $141,33 8('8,000 « 1.50 4350 $487,393 $0.7.^. $112 30 <1l(1,000 « 100 4340 S41O,70S S0.!t3 $ 94 03 434,000 " 240 2430 $408,889 $0.84 $192.90 583,200 Foot of Canal. IniiiT \slifiil' 1(10 1 000 $100,421 $0.99 $110.77 181,000 Outer wlmrf l()i> 1 300 $iiy,r.7o $0.92 $ 91.97 130,0(.''» From the foregoing it appears that pl.-.u No. 1 lias the preference over its three competitors, in as far as cost per scjuare loot is concerned, and must therefore be looked upon with a most lavorable eye. The accompanying detail )d drawings of crib work, &c., will Aivyf the manner in which it is contemplated to execute the work, but as it is of so simple a character, and .so >ycll understood, no further reference need be made to it here. The main object to be served by the construction of tho proposed wbarf, is tho reception of freight from the inland craft, and placing it in such position as to admit of being transferred to the tran.satlan- tic vessels without cartage and other incidental expense., attending the present landing of goods, &c. A number of sheds can be titted up for tho recoption of wheat, which can be discharged into them from the inland craft, by means of floating elevators, and transferred again t) the outward vessels, by the same means, when occasion re quires. For connecting the cart traffic with the shore, the plan of the ferr^ scows suggested by Mr. Keefer some years since, will answer a goocl purpose. One could be esii'blLshed between the outer end of the llus- sell pier and the new wharf, the distance being only 450 feet ; a sec- ond one at the Islai-d wharf with a distance of 350 feet; a third at the Grand Trunk pier, vith a distance of 450 feet, when lengtl oned according to the pencil Ine; and a fourth at Victoria pier, likewi.se 450 feet, the alack chain :ould pass around a d:'um on the scow, work- ed by a small caloric engine. The passage of the scow across so short a distance would be rapid, and with capacity for ten or twelve loaded trucks at a time, great expoditioa would result. A vast addition to the harbour will be made, sprf^adin- the expen- diturc over a number of years according us required, and placing the additional acoomn.odatiMi. in :i central position with reference to the existina; warehouses in the city, having ready access to them, though the laeilities offorded by tlie scows, moreover, from the re- venue derived from thf -round r.-nt. b,in,- to a certain extent self supporting; in otL jr words, a hn-e share of the interest on the capi- tal employed in the construction, would not be dependent on the or- dnary harbour dues, but bo realized in another and more equitable ma.mer. A -reat number of craft would also be brought into the liarbour. whieh at i.rcs,-nt discharge their freigh' in the canal b.a.sin. without passing the guard luck. On a careful sumnaing up of the foregoing, tiie undersiirned is of opinion that the interests of the harbour and the commercial com- munity would be best con^^ultcd by building the wharves at the foct of the Lachine Canal for the reasons already stated, and then gradu ally extending plan Xo. 1 on the Island Shoal, as demanded from time to time by the exigencies of commerce. MONTRKVI. .r„l,,_ ir^fj^^ ■^^g^^■^ CHARLES l.KtJCiK. Ciini E/ujinccr. I i I i MINUTK OF THE PROCEEMNGS OF THE HArxBOUU COMMISSIONERS IPON THE /ORKGOING REPORT. At a meeting of the Roard of Harbour Commipsioaers. Iicld at Jlontrcal, on Saturday, 20th July, 18»il. Present: Coniniissiouers, H. H. WiifTNEV, Esq., Chairman. « The Hon. John Young, " His Worship the Mayor, C. S. RoDlER, E.<;q., " A. M. Delisle, E«q., " Edwin AT\VATEB,E-iq., Prc3ident,Board of Trade The foregoing Roport of Mr. Forsyth, Harbour Engineer, upon the best mode of procuring additional accomodation in the Harbour, and the Memorandum of Mr. Loggc, Civil Engineer, on the same subject having been read and discussed, and the plans prepared by these gentlemen respectively having been duly examined aud consi- dered. Mr. Dklisle, seconded by His Worship the !Mavor, moved the following resolution : " That while the Harbour Commissioners fully appreciate the ta- '' lent and ingenuity displayed in the plan of ^Ir. Legge, Civil Eu- "gineer. recommeuding the wharfing of the t^hoals from Windmill " Point downwards, they lo not consider tliat his suggestions, (with •' the exception of improving the shoals opposite the Island whavl', '•which they will be prepa.ed to take into consideration, as soon as " their me/ins, and the requnementsof trade, may justify thoir doing " so) ha'.c in any respect at'cctod the opinion they have arrived at, " that the most proper and jvdicious mode of improving the harbour, "both as respects the interests of trade generally, and the City of " Montreal in particular, is, the construction of breast wharves in *' twenty feet water, as occasion may require, from tlie Military Hos IJ.,; iu in u .1 R1 "pital do'.vnv/rr'.l.-!, acci.r.lin- to the rccour.a'jU(lati'>n '-oiitaiucJ iu the '• Keport of Mr. Forsytli, iho ilarhour KiiL-'ineor ; tlic samo b*-'iog ''considerably cheaper in cou^-truit-tiuii, and atlbrdiiiL' all the iacilitie.s '•■ required by the shipping. And further that Mr. Forsyth's report '•be printed and publi>lud in jiamphlet il.rni, togcthor with the nic- '•■ morandum lurni^hed by .Mr. Legj^e, alluded to therein." To which M.U. Voi'N.;., seconded liy .M:;. Arw.VTKit. muvod the fallowing anieudnicnt. '• That while it l.> ni^-o.s.-ary to iiicr/aso harbour accomuiodatiou in <•' every part of the harbour where it is recpiired, tiio wants of the '•'trade of the port demand greater accouimodution than now exi.^^ts ia proximity wi'.li the Lachine Canal. '•■ Tluvt till tlio iif^w wli;irl' uudjr construction at Victoria pier ".shall I'.'vc bcou c(jmi)lcted, and the action of the river thereon as- »' certaincd, it i- inexpedient to eunsiruct any more wharves below " that point, and from the great expeuse ol" cartag" from the canal "to the wharves constructed us far down as .Moiiar.|ue street wharf '•s'l;.' ^'cstod by Mr. Forsyth, :i becomes necessary to carry loit, al •• once the wharves as agreed on with the (Irand Trunk R.iilway '•Company in November, 1H.'»1), auo it pased in the negative. The original motion beinL' then put, the following ilivLsion took place. /',)• Mr. IXlisie, and lli- Wor.-hip the ^layor. Jyin'iis/ Ml. Voung, ami Mr. Atwate.-. The votes being again equally divided, Mr. Whitney, the chair- ting vote iu favor of the motion and so it passed man, u;;ivc his cas accor K, seeon rnv'l\ deil by llis Woii.'^iiiP in the affirmative, and it was resolved It WIS then moved liy Mlt. ])i;i.isi. THE .Mavoh, and resolved : " That the Harbour Cnuimissioners are prepared to carry out with " the ' Montreal Terminu.^ Ceuipany' the arrangements entered into 82 " in November, 1R50, with llio (Jrand Trunk Railway Company for " the establishment ol'a City Terminus." It was then niovcil by "Mr. Youno, soconded by Mu. Atwater, and resolved : " That the i)lans of harbour cxtcns^ion, prepared respectively '•'by Mr. Forsyth, and ^[r. Leq^o, bo scut to the Board of Trade " lloom, for general reference." ALKX. CLERK, Secretary. II. II. WHITNEY. Chairman. i