660 WATEll TOWERS ON MEHSEV RIVER, N. S. — YORSTON. 



the oompany, or be able to make such stroug- representations 

 that the government will enact snch legislation as will enable 

 the most to he got ont df the water-powers. As for the control, 

 I shonld say it shonld certainly be i'li the hands of the owners 

 of the water-powers, both to assess the proportion of expense to 

 be borne by each, and to direct the situation generally. One 

 thing to me seems sure, advantage must be taken of the very 

 large storage before the greatest benefit is obtained from the 

 water-powers on this river. I have already stated that 5,927 

 horse-pow'er is developed in the river, but for three-moath 

 dry period in each year this much is not obtained. Now were 

 the full storage properly developed and distributed, not only 

 could a larger amount of power he obtained every day in the 

 year, but every mill, owner would feel warranted in adding 

 additional wheels for the sake of the power to be got for two- 

 thirds of the year. 



I Avould put the estimate of continuous power to be obtained 

 on the Mersey river as follows : — 



Powers at present developed. . 7,000 horse-power. 



Undeveloped powers 8,000 



Total 15,000 



The above is a very conservative estimate, and one I am 

 perfectly sure can be obtained. In making the estimate I am^ 

 supposing that the storage capacity is fully utilized, and the 

 stored water distributed over the dry summer period. This is 

 a very large amount for continuous power, and were it all fully 

 utilized for manufacturing purposes, this part of tlie country 

 would become one of the most prosperous and poimlous in the 

 province. For man^^ manufacturing purposes it is sometimes 

 quite satisfactory if the mills ca'n operate eight or nine months 

 out of the year. This might be the case with saw-mills or even 

 with ground-pulp mills, and if I were to estimate the aniount 

 of poAver that it was possible to develop on the river under 

 that condition I Avould put it at not less than 40,000 liorse- 



