20 The Ottawa Naturalist. [April 



United States regarding the establishment of an International 

 Joint Commission. 



The volume opens with two chapters of an introductory 

 nature that are concerned mainly with the general economic 

 bearing of water-powers on national development. The relation 

 of water to agriculture, mining, navigation, domestic supply 

 and so forth, is dealt with, and the principles to be used in the 

 interpretation of water-powers data are stated and discussed 

 critically. The broad and optimistic statements very often 

 made on the platform and in the press regarding our vast water- 

 power resources are deprecated. To quote from the Report, 

 "General statements implying that the aggregate amount of 

 water-power must be great because the total water area, or 

 watershed area is so great, or because there are so many lakes 

 and rivers, are generalities to be considered of very little definite 



value One of the chief dangers of such generalities is to 



create in the popular mind a feeling of unwarranted assurance 

 that, even though desirable water-rights are being granted by a 

 government, yet there is so much left, that no apprehension 

 may be entertained regarding the amount of power rights being 

 parted with." 



A chapter is devoted to the water-powers of each province 

 in which the general features of the province as regards water- 

 power development are cliscussed and an outline given of the 

 law whereby powers are granted or leased to private individuals 

 or corporations. The larger developments are also described. 

 The statistical data given in tabular form includes the height 

 of the fall, the horse-power that may be developed, the present 

 development and the main uses to which the power is applied 

 such as lighting, pulp and paper making, etc. Reference is also 

 made to the possibility of increasing the amount of power 

 developed by storage reservoirs and dams where such are feasible. 



The power situation in Ontario is treated very fully, special 

 attention being given to the power possibilities at Niagara and 

 the conditions affecting development there. Each of the power 

 companies operating there, whether on the Canadian or Ameri- 

 can side, is described in detail. A significant reference is made 

 to the granting of franchises to develop power at Niagara Falls. 

 The Report states that the low-water flow of the Niagara river 

 would yield at the Falls, about 2,250,000 H.P., of which Canada's 

 share (one-half), would be 1,125,000 H.P. "Franchises have 

 already been granted," it goes on to say, "and plants partially 

 completed, for the development on the Canadian side of the 

 river, of about 450,000 H.P. In other words, instead of ' millions ' 

 of horse-power being available, as has been sometimes stated, it 

 appears that about half, and by all odds the better half, of 

 Canada's usable share of Niagara Falls power has already been 

 placed under private control." 



