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 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 12 3 
 
 4 5 6 
 
.r 
 
 
 •« 
 
 
PPOT^ 
 
 s;'T"''." 
 
 A 
 
 REPORT 
 
 ON THE 
 
 PROJECTED CANAL 
 
 ACROSS THE ISTMUS 
 
 THAT DIVIDES 
 
 NOVA-SCOTIA AND NEW-BRUNSWICK, 
 
 EXPLORED AND LEVELLED in the AUTUMN or 
 
 1819, 
 
 
 BY ORDER OF 
 
 HIS EXCELLENCY MAJOR-GENERAL GEORGE STRACEY SMYTH, 
 
 LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR OF THE PROVINCE 
 
 OF NEW-BRUNSWICK. 
 
 FREDERICTON : 
 
 PSINTKD BY G£«RCE K. LuCRIN, PRINTER IK) THE KiNC'sMoST 
 
 Exc'.LLENT Majesty. 
 1820. 
 
 ■0' 
 
 t. 
 

 
 > 
 
 
 w 
 
 
 
 ; 
 
 ^ 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 oi 
 
 '- 
 
 ■t-'?5, •.•;!, 
 
m 
 
 acldrcdJcd io 7ne mi uottz (boocc'tiencn^ ifea%- 
 
 €71 (t clale^ Qje/ilewvuer S^ / S 'Z P / /<? ecc- 
 
 /i/oie €/ic Q/dtmeid i/el'ivee7i Hic Tva^etd o/ 
 
 lAe ay^au o^ <i:^iL7idu and ^/le Ci^ttt/^ qj4\ 
 
 cU^div^ence / oJ Aav^e Aet/ormcd 4:Aa4 
 
 diUu : a7id 'i/te accow/ia'/inlna /ta/ieid re- 
 
 taitTif^ io ^/le diii^icci^_, axe fot 1£oec^ (hvccet- 
 
 uncii d tn/o/^maiio7i, ' , 
 
 0/ a7n nll/tatealredAccf'^ 
 
 Qjii^ "Hom (bxcette7ic7^ d 
 
 (y i/cdie7i{ Auvivie qj cr^v^aTti^^ 
 A. LOCKYv^OOD, Surveyor-General. 
 
 i< I 
 
 
 '( ■! 
 
';■■-,. •♦ 
 
 ^S' .' 
 
T, 
 
 HE House of Assembly of New- Brunswick hav- 
 ing expressed a desire , to have Printed a few Copies, for 
 their immediate use, of the Report l n the practicability of 
 Cutting a Canal across the Istmus ; His Excellency General 
 Smyth y in complying loith this request, has directed a 
 sheet of reference to be attached. The plan to which the 
 letters refer, cannot be engraved in this Country, 
 
 A, B, Is siiffxiently clear in the Report, 
 
 a, In the margin, — The water s^ of Au-lac and Tanta- 
 mar Rivers units at their confuence xcitk those of 
 ChigKCcla Bay, and the spot a, is near (his common 
 mouth. 
 
 F, E, Is the proposed line to avoid the evils that xoould at- 
 tend vessels entering at Cumberland Creek, and to sc^ 
 cure the advantages of the Au-lac entrance, 
 
 H, Shows the projected dry Bocks combined with the se- 
 cond outlet, . 
 
«#' 
 
 
 
Extract from the Journal of the House of 
 
 Assembly y dated March 3rd 1819. 
 
 " To His Excellency the Lieu lENANT- 
 GovERNOR, a sum not exceeding 150^^, 
 to be by him expended, in procuring a fit 
 and suitable person to explore that part of 
 the Isthmus between the waters of the Bay 
 of Fundy, and those of the Gulf St. Law- 
 rence, which is situate between the head of ^^^^ j.^^ ^^^ 
 the Grand Marsh inSackville, in the County Mauh to cuperciu. 
 of Westmorland, and the Gaspereau River, 
 which empties into the BayofVerte, and 
 between the Missiguash and Tignish Rivers. 
 And the person so to be employed, be in- 
 structed to take the difference of the height 
 between the waters of the Bay of Fundy and 
 the Gulf St. Lawrence, and that he report 
 as to the possibility of a Canal being made 
 across the above Isthmus, and the probable 
 expense that would attend making the same/* 
 
 5ccoiu!Iine, Miul* 
 guath to TigniiK 
 
 ^1 
 

 ! 
 
REPORT. 
 
 FIRST LINE. 
 
 'J%c Head of the Grand Marsh to the Gaspcriaii, 
 
 I : 
 
 Ti 
 
 HIS line is rcprrsentcd on the Plan as 
 Ali, commencing at Long Lake, situate 
 about six and a halt' miles E.N.E. of Point 
 Au-lac. Long Lake is a mile and a half 
 in length ; from twenty to forty chains wide; 
 from five to twelve feet deep : it empties by 
 a branch of the Au-lac, called La-coup. 
 From this lake to the Bay of Fundy, there 
 would be no difficulty in cutting a small 
 canal, that would drain this and the neigh- 
 boring lakes. The level is seven feet two 
 inches at high water in the mouth of Au- 
 lac, higher than the water in Long Lake. 
 From the upper end of this lake, we took 
 our course, E. 12 N. cr N. 78 E. thro' a 
 thicket of thorny, scrubby, deformed spruce 
 trees. The ax men were fatigued in ad- 
 vancing one mile in six hours. The rise of 
 the first mile was nine feet ; the soil, cold 
 white dry clay. The next seventy chains, 
 we rose nine feet, with mixed timber : the 
 soil poor, cold, but level, and no obstruc- 
 tion to the spade. The same soil continues 
 to the third mile, to a hill eighteen feet in 
 perpendicular height, on the surface of 
 which large rocks lay scattered, but all 
 moveable : the soil a red clay. This hill 
 
 raav 
 
 From Aii-lae to HfaA 
 of SackviUania'sh, f)J 
 milrs : no impedi 
 ment. 
 
 Lon.^ Lake, 7 Icrt a 
 inches lower than hij;K 
 water in the Kav, 
 might be easily di alli- 
 ed. 
 
 Tlirec miles : cold 
 white clay with a 
 thicket of thorny 
 spruce, difficult to 
 clear. 
 
 Hill, 18 feet, rocky, 
 would probably fur- 
 nish stone for the ca- 
 nal uses. 
 
 i i1 
 
10 
 
 h ll ' 
 
 Tj..'!.i'c lilt ihe'.,". 
 
 HiMirmountalVt oh- 
 iSix'.es ]- resent tl.ein- 
 v»'!v<-i) ?.t G.!spereii.i. 
 
 .nay bff avoided by tlie line bearing a few 
 rods further north; altho' it would be 
 
 .'?\vampy. 
 
 From this hill we descended twenty-one 
 feet to Allen's brook, and thrice intersected 
 tliis stream ; thence ascending a hill seven- 
 teen leet ten inches high (the brook turned 
 off' to tlie northward) it hit tlie lower part 
 of Gaspereau River. From the last hill to 
 high ivater in Bay Verte, the depression was 
 twenty -three feet seven inches. But the 
 objections being very strong against the 
 Gaspereau as an outlet to the Canal, our 
 examination was not particular after leaving 
 Allen's brook. 
 
 Thus the above line will appear 
 From Au-lac to the head of Long Lake, 
 497 chains, N. 30 F. . . , \ 
 
 From Long Lake to Gaspereau River, 
 
 557 chains, N. 76 E. 
 
 con'^equently the whole line will run 962 
 , chains N. 55 E. 
 
 Waters in Bay Verte higlicst bv two feet 
 one inch. 
 
 'Hi 
 
 '^' T.'Citv- i:(!t suif'^d to 
 
 Gaspereau River 
 being particularly mentioned in the Reso- 
 lution of the House of Assembly, renders 
 it of sufficient couscq'iencc to require a 
 plan and description, otherways a single 
 view exposed to us its incnnacity. The 
 
 distance 
 
distance between the lands forming its en- 
 trance, is fifteen chains ; the breadth of the 
 river at high water, four chains ; the channel 
 is one chain wide. The confluence of its 
 waters at low tide, with those of Bay Verte, 
 lies S. 13 E. sixty-eight chains, from the 
 land at its mouth. The river continues the 
 same width, a hundred and ninety-seven 
 chains up, to Otter creek, where it is three 
 chains wide. The west bank is twenty feet 
 high, formed of large loose shelly rocks, and 
 red earth. The east bank is low, with earth 
 of a reddish cast. The bed of the river is i'" bed and banks aie 
 cheifly rock, except near the mouth, where 
 it is mud. 
 
 At the entrance of the channel there is 
 scarcely any water : indeed at times it is 
 dry. In the river there is a spot of ten 
 feet, but its average depth is five. Oyster Mouth of the caspc- 
 
 11111 '-' * !•• 1 reau choked. 
 
 beds choke the passage to this river, and 
 may in low tides be seen bare. The tides 
 flow six feet and a half at the highest. 
 
 On the south-west side of Gaspereau en- 
 trance, stands the ruin of an old French fort, 
 now Fort Monkton ; the trench is yet vi- 
 sible. 
 
 Gaspereau winds up, probably fourteen 
 or sixteen miles ; the water is almost still. 
 
 I '1 
 
 SECOND 
 
fviisjJgu.Nh tvvc iT.i'.er. 
 ii<Mu Aii-!ae. 
 
 12 ' 
 
 SECOND LINE. 
 
 Missiguash to Tignish. 
 
 Missiguash River lies about a mile and a 
 
 halF south of Fort Cumberland, and two 
 
 miles south-eastward of Au-lac River. The 
 
 ebb in eommon tides, drains the channel of 
 
 Se.^ of the River, dry its waters, and leaves the bed nearly dry; 
 
 Kiowwit.r j^.jj. j,^ .spring tides, quite so. When the 
 
 waters are highest, there is twenty-seven 
 f":et depth, and the width may be one hun- 
 dred and tv/enty feet. The bottom is com- 
 posed of sand and mud : at, or rather out- 
 side the mouth, the fiats are formed of rocks 
 and sand. . / . 
 
 Canal iray, indoj;;ht 
 to cross \},vi river 12- 
 ■seated'y. 
 
 A north-east line crosses the River in its 
 various turnings and windings, (for it is ex- 
 ceedingly crooked) as far as the tide is allov/- 
 ed to ascend, about a mile and two-thirds, 
 to the Aboid'eau opposite Mr. Roach's farm. 
 
 surTr.pyatthemomh Tlic wcstcm bank ncar the entrance, is 
 •t !„.Mi<,y^ua.i. charged with water, and full of holes and 
 
 Donds. " • ' • ' - 
 
 TliC sluice of the lower Aboid'eau admits 
 thro' it, the tide, which is again stopped at 
 tlie bridge that forms part of the road from 
 Westmorland to Amherst. The distance 
 between the tv/o Aboid'eaus is forty chains. 
 
 At the lower one, the River may be sixty 
 feet w^ide and twenty-two ^qc^ : at the 
 bridge, forty by twenty-six. 1 hence, its 
 former bed courses from side to side of the 
 
 . meadow 
 
V 
 
 meadow about three miles, where it branches, t,^", ^ 'f "'^ "'""" 
 and sinks below the mossy surtacc. Most 
 of the distance, the water is stagnant. 
 
 none of its b.onk 
 Ic traced iuiiher. 
 
 PC 
 
 na 
 ciUi 
 
 Theft all 
 
 About twenty chains above the trace of 
 the brooks, a series of lakes, small, large, 
 narrow, wide, alternately, extend to the 
 E.N.E. and continue up, under the portage 
 bridge, terminating about fifteen chains 
 N.N.W. of it. The road crossing to Bay 
 Verte from Westmorland, leads over it. 
 These lakes are from five to seven feet deep, 
 and their banks are a floating morass. 
 
 Other bodies of water he on the eastern 
 side of Fort Lawrence marsh, five miles 
 above the entrance of Missiguash. 
 
 Four miles from the Bay, the marsh is ^'! "K7 '^""f' 
 
 J ' ^ mile, IS drowned hiiij 
 
 comparatively firm and dry, altho' very in- ^^"<^ii, , ■' ''^'"^fi 
 
 m'. I i'. I 1.'' •11 would be rich r;';e3- 
 
 ciently drained, and us average width dow. 
 
 seven-eighths of a mile. 
 
 The total length of Po«nt de Bute marsh 
 is nine miles ; five of which is a floatins: sur- Thi5:,,rfafeAonid,f^ 
 
 , . ' , O fjuire dtaiiiing lor tv,« 
 
 face, with barely sufficient buoyancy to sup- y^^" 
 port men. A pole will pierce twelve or 
 fouVteen feet ; and a blueish, thin mud, aj 
 heres to it. 
 
 After the fifth mile, the meadow widens Apparently • .o, 
 to a long mile, and at the sixth, opens thro piancne River 
 to the Fort Lawrence marsh. t 
 
 Nine and a half miles, reached the wood 
 lands ; the last half mile was a sunken bog," 
 
 thro' 
 
 I 
 
 < 
 
 k 
 
.^: 
 
 liiro' which the party with difficulty wa- 
 ded. 
 
 Depression of the cen- 
 ti% of the Istinus, is 
 therefore 7 fctt and 1 
 inch, below kea-lcvel. 
 
 fclace mip,ht be 
 auuicHff by cutting 
 thr»' mote soiuheily. 
 
 The depression of the first mile, was se* 
 venteen inches— the second, fifteen—the 
 third, fifteen— the fourth, eight— the fifth, 
 twelve— the sixth, eighteen— equal to seven 
 feet, one inch. 
 
 It w; s with difficulty any place could be 
 found sufficiently solid to place the instru- 
 ment. The chainbearers and ax men were 
 wading to their middles. The legs of the 
 instrument pierced the surface, and sunk to 
 the horizontal circle. The whole beneath, 
 appeared a floating mud. *. ' 
 
 To avoid the wood and keep the plain as 
 long as possible, we inclined to the south- 
 eastward, thro' a swamp on which grew a 
 stunted scattered spruce. This continued 
 a short mile, and about a quarter wide. 
 Thence for a mile and a quarter, we rose 
 twenty-two inches ; the bottom continuing 
 swampy, with holes of stagnant water. Red 
 earth here and there shewed itself beneath 
 the moss and roots and brush. 
 
 C-rbio 
 
 jl()'-Ci) ot 
 
 -4iiti sand 
 
 eiuh mile brought us to the plain, 
 oiiF<^fe%r^e or shrub, but cover'd with 
 eep cold moss : soil, a sandy white clay. 
 The highest level of the plain, &tands eight 
 feet above the sea. Thence the land fell 
 three feet, and rose a^ain as we entered the 
 woods. The line continued thro' the easy 
 risings or inequalitys, the highest of which, 
 
 between 
 
 - A^-- 1 
 
n 
 
 4.5 
 
 m 
 
 iles. 
 
 5 
 
 m 
 
 iles. 
 
 0.5 
 
 m 
 
 lies. 
 
 0.6 
 
 m 
 
 iles. 
 
 0.8 
 
 m 
 
 lies. 
 
 1 
 
 m 
 
 ile. 
 
 3.6 
 
 m 
 
 iles. 
 
 Si* 
 
 'between the Bay of Fundy and Ti^niisli ii''> "■•' -rpMrviht 
 
 »_ . I • ' r 1 1 gantf'.t olitiurtioij, 
 
 River, was ihirty-onc leet above the sea at butunotaicnoubinv. 
 high water. p^''""'"** 
 
 * ' * . . 
 
 The marsh, as before stated, contuiued 
 
 Floating moss, 
 
 Morass, 
 
 Bog, 
 
 Cariboo plain, 
 
 Spruce plain, 
 
 Hills, valleys, &c. 
 
 The whole distance run by the courses , 
 offsets andzig'Zags included, is sixteen miles. 
 The nearest line will not exceed fourteen; 
 ■and that of the proposed Canal, eleven hun- 
 dred and sixty chains, or fourteen miles and ' 
 a half. 
 
 . ADDITION TO THE SECOND LfNE, 
 
 On the East side, opposite the point that ^^^'^^"'^.''"'"^•p'a"- 
 divides ihe Rivers Tantamar and Au-lac, 
 an indent or bend appears, favorable for an 
 entrance; and the ground is every way 
 suited for the formation of Channels, Locks, 
 and Docks. If the Point de Bute marsh f-jj, itepiar. 
 should be determined on ; one mile length, 
 added to the Canal, would secure vessels •'• 
 from all the dangers and inconveniences 
 pointed out in the next page. 
 
 From this entrance it would take the 
 course to Valiere Island : and rounding the 
 foot of the mound on which stands Fort 
 Cumberland, it will join the Second Line at 
 E, and continue as before directed. 
 
 
 
 
 •'V, ' '' 
 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 ■ '■ 
 
 i'? 
 
 .l 
 
 t 
 1 
 
 , i . 
 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 
16 
 
 OBJECTIONS AGAINST CUlJiBERLAND 
 
 CREEK. 
 
 i 
 
 ';i' 
 
 •^ 
 
 'i;t 
 
 i i 
 
 M 
 
 s 
 
 The Dyke and Aboid'eau have choked 
 cumbe.iand Creek, \\iq bed of Cumberland Crcck, both on the 
 
 first cunceued to be , 111 (* 1 rk i * 
 
 the fittest place Hiarsh and the slope or the Bay, and it now 
 forms part of the solid marsh, or nearly so. 
 The fiYmness of the meadow contiguous to 
 the above gully, drew my attention, as best 
 suited for the mouth or entrance of a Canal. 
 Had not many obstacles afterwards present- 
 ed themselves, no place on the whole mea- 
 dov\^, could have been more favorable. 
 Satisfied with these apparent advantages of 
 Cumberland Creek, I proceeded to examine 
 the channel of Chignecto, opposite both the 
 last mentioned places. 
 
 In ascending the channel, the mud and 
 quicksarMl flats, extending from Menudie, 
 confine the deep water along the western 
 shore, to the mouths of Au-lac and Tante- 
 mar : thence the channel turns to the South- 
 east, and suddenly becomes foul and shallow. 
 Large rocks, and hard bottom, form the bed 
 of the Bay, opposite the creek and theMis- 
 siguash. On these, a vessel drawing eight 
 or nine feet, would bulge at low water spring 
 tides. 
 
 Rrrks anfl shallow?, 
 olistrnr.t the channel 
 leai'ng to Missiguash 
 &. Cumberland cieek. 
 
 Monudie Hsfis, in the 
 
 Ships ascending the Bay with south-east- 
 ern winds, would be compelled to anchor : 
 they could not fetch. Others bound down, 
 would be delayed by W.S.W. and other 
 winds, that might lead them down the Bay, 
 if- unobstructed by the elbow of Menudie 
 
 flatS| 
 
 r 
 
t? 
 
 r 
 
 •VOil I. 
 
 iTicul- 
 
 flats. A difficulty would also present itself 
 to vessels entering the Missiguash with 
 strong winds ; unless at the top of high wa- 
 ter, when one or two might enter the mouth 
 of this River ; even then, thcie would be a 
 great prol ability of their injuring them- 
 selves. Yet if the Government shall deem 
 it right to open a communication with one 
 of the places spoken of, it is perfectly prac- 
 ticable ; and part of the obstacles ana ob- 
 structions may be removed, but at a very G"^''' «?«'' 
 
 .,,,'' rr>i 1 C ' retnove these di 
 
 considerable expense. 1 he danger or wait- tie*. 
 ing for entry, and the heavy winds, weigh 
 seriously against the measure. 
 
 Most Canals are supplied with water from 
 .reservoirs or bodys collected above the bed 
 of the Canal. The projected Canal will re- 
 ceive its accession from the Bay each tide, Advanta/je of tides l. 
 m any quantity. Its expense pi rluid will piacesincoaimou. 
 be by leakage^while the vessels are passing 
 in and out. 
 
 The outlet H may be used as a set of dry 
 docks, by attacliinj^ two additional safety- Docks ardbasitusna 
 
 Til 1 1 Ti • 1 safety-gates, considrr- 
 
 gates. Indeed each cut on the Bay side, cd. 
 ought to have four pair of. gates, made of 
 the cheapest wood (hemlock ) Theyanswer 
 tne purpose of safety-gates, and may be con- 
 structed to ship and unship easily, by the 
 lower parts being delivered of water, and 
 supplied by aii or otherways. Thus infla- 
 ted, they would buoy themselves off their 
 iiinges, or loaded with water, assume an 
 el-ect pos'.ure, and be readily applied to the 
 posts, t 
 
 The - 
 
 I ! 
 
 !% ■ t 
 
 [ •> 
 
it 
 
 UNI 
 
 ^ 
 
 f 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 ■ The entrance or cut, conrimunicating with 
 ?'* "' th«"oek or {[^^ basin, must be twenty-six or thirty-two 
 ic<n deep, to the entrance ot the basin ; 
 'thirty feet wide at the top, twenty-two at 
 the bottom ; and angling six degrees equal 
 to four feet each side. The Basin, fourteen 
 feet deep, and the length and width may be 
 regulated by the strength of the funds and 
 judgment of the Government or company : 
 yet as the ijround is so favorable near the 
 y\u-lac, a spacious Basin would have many 
 advantages. The high winds that blow from 
 the westward, would injure a wide body, by 
 the heavy washing of the waves. A hun-^ 
 dred and sixty feet wide at the top, and a 
 liundred below : in length, from fifteen hun- 
 jdred feet or even more. • 
 
 Tnh'in of Au-lnc xhoiiM 
 hic ircoleetiji length. 
 
 tuy t»( octess. 
 
 Most suitable emrwce At thc cntmncc of thc two rivers, Au- 
 
 forihc Txw tut, J^eii'i; , . rr< ill i i 
 
 s»rM;^itDmvviii,uai<i lac and 1 antcuiar, the deptli at the lowest 
 springs, is from nine to thirteen feet. A 
 bar crosses at t lie lower end oFAu-lac point. 
 At the confluence of tiicse Rivers, the depth 
 is from twenty-four to thirty-five feet. In 
 this hole, vessels of any size may safely lie 
 afloat : thence up the Au-lac to the Aboid'- 
 eau is five miles ; the bed of the river, 
 mostly a soft nuid : except one bed of rocks, 
 a mile below Hcwson's, and occasional sand 
 beds. • * 
 
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 . Tlie tide e1)bs out, to within a short mile 
 of the mouth. 
 
 rict.rt.^tr*.r>er Shouhl s cut be made here, it will ber 
 iiuy-five feet above low waie^;;^mark at that 
 » plac^o 
 
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 The bar is composed of sand, and after vesseiiof 9,»o, aim 
 the hrst torty minutes Hood, and betore the »uiiDiw«fiid«. 
 fifth hour of ebb, vessels of any size may 
 
 take shelter in Tantemar. 
 
 .. ♦ • . * 
 
 The consideration alone, of vessels find- Twenty minucM it- 
 ing shelter in approaching the entrance of a ler, ti,c i.rg«t .kip .« 
 canal, must in a great measure, govern those '^>'^"^''i°"s»"«°"f 
 who select the line of this intended commu- 
 nication. 
 
 Tignish River " ^• 
 
 emptys into Bay Verte, by a winding chan- Depth "^coHfjet. 
 nel, a mile and three quarters from the 
 bridge. The de])th vanes from eight to 
 fourteen feet at low tides. The bed and 
 banks of the river, are composed of red clay 
 and sand, and are easily removed or deep- 
 ened, if necessary. Three-fourths of a mile 
 below the bridge, and one mile from the 
 river's mouth, a small brook called Smelt, smcrt brock Tf«w> 
 
 • • c L. ^11-'IIJ*'J L mended at the fii »»t» 
 
 issuing from between the hills, divides about ht tbc buin, 
 ten acres of marsh, and joins the river. 
 This is a convenient and eligible place for 
 an outlet, furnishing a sufficient area for a 
 bason and lock : and possessing the advan- 
 tage of coursing the base of the highest land^ 
 and the cheif obstruction of the whole line. 
 It might be worthy the deliberate consider- 
 ation of the Legislature, how far it would 
 be serviceable or otherways, turning the 
 course of the Tignish. I merely glance 
 at the expediency of such a step, fieelin^ co""t •'^ «»>« ii««f, 
 the necessity oi a more minute examina- 
 tion of the neighborhood, 
 
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 20 
 
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 Estimdte of the probable expense of cutting the proposed 
 Canal, from the Head ( 
 St. Lawrence, 
 
 oj ilie Bay of Fundy to the Gulf 
 
 } 
 
 2,000 
 
 Cuts to drain the lakes and swamps, in the line 
 of the intended Canal, 
 
 A dock or basin will contain 4,500,000 cubic 
 feet of earth to be displaced ; which will re- 
 quire the labor of a hundred men, a hundred > 2,500 
 working days ; admitting one man capable 
 of excavating five hundred feet each day. 
 
 Second basin, . .... 2,500 
 
 Sixteen miles of canal, . . . . , 24,000 
 
 Clearing the obstructions, and effectually chok- 
 ing the channels of the rivers, 
 
 } 
 
 8,000 
 
 J. 000 
 3,000 
 
 1,500 
 
 5,000 
 
 2,000 
 
 Animal strength. ; supporting ditto, &c. 
 
 Steam engine, 
 
 Implements— carts, shovels, axes, picks, bar-") 
 rows, . , . . . . j 
 
 Gates, sluices, masonry for locks. Sec, 
 
 Engineer, four years' attendance, at 500.^ P^^"l 
 annum, . . . . . .J 
 
 Clerks and Overseers, five ; at 200 Ji per annum : ") 
 four years, ..... j 
 
 Deepening the channel leading to Bay Verte, 
 
 Buildings for the people, overseers, with work-) 
 
 . * • • * 1 
 
 Total, 63,50Q 
 
 shops, &c. 
 
 4,000 
 5,000 
 3,000 
 
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21 
 
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 100 
 
 1 have ahcwn in the plan, two directions for the Canal, 
 both favorable to its execution ; the one lying partly in 
 New Brunswick, and partly in Nova-Scotia ; the other 
 whollv ni New-Brunswick. The labor and expense 
 would be nearly the same : and there are natural ad- 
 vantages peculiar to each. Thecheifof those in the 
 Tignish, is the favorable outlet. But in the cut to Allen's 
 creek, the large quantity of the choicest landsthat would 
 by draining be recovered to this Province, is an object 
 of consideration : the sale of these would refund mo..t of 
 the expense. I therefore venture to advise the Govern- 
 ment's retaining the lands in the direction of the con- 
 templated Canal, as a measure of good policy and of 
 general benefit. 
 
 Two hundred laborers may be employed to advantage. 
 The labor of the first year would be chiefly draining. 
 Two-thirds of the men employed may be Emigrants, for 
 whom I suggest a prospect of a grant in the neighboring 
 vacant land, that may be a great stimulus, as they will in 
 the course of the labor, grow familiar with that part of 
 the country. 
 
 The expense of the first year might be limited to ten 
 thousand pounds, unless it should be found expedient ta 
 employ artificers, in which case one half more would be 
 necessary. v 
 
 Two strong partys of ax men, maybe employed to 
 advantage in cutting a 60 or 80 feet opening, thro' from 
 the head of the Great Marsh to Allen's brook. The tim- 
 ber so felled, might at the same time be squared, trimmed, 
 and laid apart for the use of the Canal. The estimate of 
 the work, if conducted on the scheme I have digested, 
 is in round numbers, sixty-four thousand pounds. The 
 time of completing four years. This estimate of time 
 
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 22 
 
 and cash, must not be considered definite, as most of the 
 line was thick'y wooded, and part of it a floaiing surface : 
 besides the fluctuation of the value of labor ; and also 
 obstacles ihat may present themselves, and cannot be 
 anticipated. Yet I am disposed to believe that the actual 
 expense would not be wide of the estimate. 
 
 I have the honor to be, with the highest respect, 
 
 Your Excellency's most obedient and very . 
 • » humble servant, 
 
 > A. LOCKWOOD. 
 
 . ' • Employed to explore the Istmus. 
 
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