Watkr Towers on the Mersey Eiveh, N. S. — By W. G. 

 YoRSTON, C. E., City Engineer, Sydney. !N. B. 



(Read '2Ut. May lOOC) 



The province of Xova Seotia is the. second smallest of the 

 provlaces coniposina,- the Dominion of C-aiiada. It comprises 

 about :il,000 scpiare miles of territory in a sha])e of a rather 

 narrow peninsula al)Out 850 miles in extreme length, and ^vith 

 an average width of less than 100 miles. Owing to its shape 

 the province cannot boast of any very large rivers, but in some 

 of tliose rivers that we do possess 'nature has placed in our 

 hands rather valuable forces, which have uj) to the ]:)resent time 

 been only ]iartially made use of, partly from the lack of pur- 

 pose to apply the power to. The resources of the province are 

 rich and \aried, and it is especially rich in its mines and 

 minerals. In the last few years a rapid development has taken 

 place in Xova Scotia, and in the conrse of such dex'elopmeut 

 the question of ])ower has naturally forced itself to the front, 

 cheaj) ])ower Ix'ing essential to the successful o])eration of large 

 factories, or even to the mining- of any kind of mineral. My 

 own belief is that the develo])nLent of the resources of the pro- 

 viinces is only beginning, jind in a few years time great strides 

 will be taken in the opening up of resources that have already 

 lain for too great a time undeveloped. Believing that such is 

 the case, the question of cheaj) power becomes at once a large 

 and im])ortant consideration, and it is safe to ])redict that 

 before very long every availbale water-power of any size in the 

 province will be producing energy for the operation of factories 

 and other purposes for which ])Ower is required. 



Our neighlxturs in the south have for many years recog- 

 nized the value of their water-powers in connection with the 

 development of the country, and have created a special depart- 



(651) 



