DOMINION OF CANADA. 



285 



Kingston, and transshipment, practically de- 

 stroyed the natural advantages of the Cana- 

 dian route. But the appropriation now made 

 by the Canadian Government to deepen the St. 

 Lawrence canals to fourteen feet will enable 

 the majority of lake vessels to engage cargoes 

 at Duluth, Chicago, or other ports of the upper 

 lakes, and bring their loads through to Mon- 

 treal or the Atlantic Ocean without breaking 

 cargo. Therefore, the Government of the Do- 

 minion of Canada began the work of deepen- 

 ing what are known as the St. Lawrence 

 canals, or the artificial ways that make naviga- 

 tion possible around the rapids and shallow 

 waters that abound in the St. Lawrence river 

 between Ogdensburg and Montreal. In 1841, 

 when the system of canals between Montreal 

 and Lake Ontario was designed, it was in con- 

 templation to afford a depth, at all stages of 

 the St. Lawrence waters, of nine feet. But 

 the St. Lawrence, from various causes, is mb- 

 ject to fluctuations, the extent of which it was 

 impossible, when those canals were constructed, 

 to arrive at with precision, and the observa- 

 tions and experience of subsequent years 

 have shown that whild the intermediate river 

 reaches at all tirne3 afford ample depth fur ves- 

 sds of nine feet draught, in the canals them- 

 selves, at certain periods of low water, this 

 depth can not be maintained, the bottom not 

 having been sunk enough. In 1871 it was de- 

 cided to enlarge the canals on the St. Lawrence 

 route, so as to afford a navigable depth of 

 twelve feet throughout. Subsequently it was 

 decided that the depth should ultimately be 

 increased so as to accommodate vessels of four- 

 teen feet draught ; and accordingly in the 

 scheme of enlargement that has so far been 

 carried out, a channel in the canals is provided 

 for vessel? drawing twelve feet only, while all 

 permanent structures, locks, bridges, etc., are 

 being built of such proportions as to accom- 

 modate vessels of fourteen feet draught, the 

 looks being 270 feet long between the gates, 

 and 45 feet in width, with a clear depth of 14 

 feet of water on the sills. The lower of the 

 St. Lawrence canals is the Lachine. This 

 canal extends from Montreal to the village of 

 Lachine, overcoming the Lachine Rapids, the 

 first of the series of rapids that bars the as- 

 cent of the river. The full scheme for the en- 

 largement of this, in common with the other 

 canals of the St. Lawrence, contemplated af- 

 fording a navigable depth of fourteen feet 

 throughout : but the improvement immediately 

 in view was only intended to furnish a navi- 

 gable depth of twelve feet in the canal proper; 

 and accordingly on the reaches between La- 

 chine and Cote St. Paul, between C6te St. Paul 

 and St. Gabriel, and between St. Gabriel and 

 Wellington Basin, the channel has been adapted 

 to navigation by vessels of twelve feet draught 

 only. All permanent works on the canal have 

 been built to afford a navigable depth of fourteen 

 feet. The total rise of lockage is 45 feet, and 

 the number of locks is five. The Beauharnois 



Canal, which is the next in order up the stream, 

 begins on the south side of the St. Lawrence, 

 15J miles from the head of the Lachine Canal. 

 It connects Lakes St. Louis and St. Francis, 

 and passes the three rapids known respectively 

 as the Cascades, the Cedars, and the Coteau. 

 The locks are 200 feet by 45 feet. The total 

 rise is 82 feet ; and the number of locks is 

 nine. The depth of water on the sills is 12 

 feet. Nothing has been done toward the en- 

 largement of the canal. Still proceeding tip 

 the channel of the river from the head of 

 the Beauharnois to the foot of the Cornwall 

 Canal, there is a navigable stretch through 

 Lake St. Francis of 32 miles. The Cornwall 

 Canal extends past the Long Sault Rapids, 

 Two locks at the new lower entrance (taking 

 the place of three on the old line), were in 

 constant nse during the season of navigation. 

 The dimensions of the new locks are those of 

 the general enlargement scheme. The basin 

 between these two locks is 825 feet long. Of 

 the four locks still to be dealt with, one is al- 

 ready under contract, together with works for 

 the improvement of the upper entrance, and 

 arrangements are being made for further works 

 either on the summit level or above the town 

 of Cornwall. The proposed channel will be 

 sunk to such depth as to admit of the passage 

 of vessels of fourteen feet draught. The total 

 rise is 48 feet. The highest grade of canals 

 is known by the name of "Williamsburg ; which 

 includes the Farran's Point, Rapide Plat, and 

 Galops Canals. Much trouble has been expe- 

 rienced in this group of canals, awing to low 

 water. The Farran's Point Canal is three 

 quarters of a mile long, with one lock, the 

 navigable depth being nine feet. No work has 

 been done at this point. The Rapide Plat 

 Canal is 4 miles long, with two locks, each 

 200 feet by 45. The total rise is Hi feet 

 and the depth of water on the sills is nine 

 feet. One of the two new locks is practi- 

 cally completed, giving a depth for naviga- 

 tion of fourteen feet. The new works include 

 the enlargement of the channel above and for 

 some distance below the present guard lock at 

 the head of the canal, and the construction of 

 a new lock and a supply-weir in connection 

 with the old lock. The bottom of the channel, 

 for a distance of about one thousand feet below, 

 and out into deep water, above the lock, about 

 seven hundred feet, will be excavated to afford 

 a navigable depth of fourteen feet. The Gal- 

 ops Canal enables vessels to overcome the rap- 

 ids at Pointe Aux Iroquois, Pointe Cardinal, 

 and the Galops. The work under contract is 

 the excavation and deepening of a channel at 

 the upper end leading to deep water, so as to 

 give a depth available for vessels of fourteen 

 feet draught. The work is practically com- 

 pleted, and access to this canal is found to be 

 greatly facilitated. Preparations are being 

 made "with a view to extend the fourteen-foot 

 navigation down to deep water below the .rap- 

 ids, and to place a guard-lock at that point. 



