The Welland Canal 105 



enable the wheat of the greater part of the 

 Dominion to be brought from the middle 

 belt without transhipment. 



In all, the Canadian ship canals comprise 

 six distinct systems and their total mileage 

 is close upon 1,600. 



The new Welland Canal is an extension 

 of a century-old canal which extended from 

 Port Dalhousie on Lake Ontario to Port 

 Robinson, where a connection was given 

 with the Welland River. Although the 

 original canal was only 27 miles long, it 

 had to be given no less than 40 wooden 

 locks to surmount the big difference in the 

 level between its beginning and its end. 

 Such a canal could scarcely be satis- 

 factory, and within a few years various 

 alterations were made in an endeavour to 

 improve it. 



The extensions carried out at the same 

 time gave connections with Port Colborne 

 on Lake Erie. As traffic grew the locks 

 became congested, and a bold scheme was 

 undertaken within ten years of the opening 

 which had the effect of reducing the forty 



