THE ERIE CANAL. 373 



The natural outlet of the vast region of North 

 America, which is drained by the great lakes and their 

 tributary streams, is, as I have already remarked, by the 

 river St Lawrence. This was early recognised ; but 

 the natural obstructions which existed in the channel of 

 this river, have, with other obstacles, hitherto prevented 

 it from being so easily and generally available as it is 

 now likely to become. 



In the first place, the rapids and falls of Niagara 

 prevented the passage of vessels between the lakes Erie 

 and Ontario. Thus, the Lower St Lawrence was inac- 

 cessible to the rapidly-settling western portions of Penn- 

 sylvania and Ohio. The idea of a canal from Lake Erie 

 to the Hudson, through the low country of western New 

 York, was therefore suggested, and was finally entertained 

 by the New York State Legislature. The Erie Canal was 

 the result ; and up to nearly the present time this canal 

 has formed the high-road between the upper lakes and 

 the Atlantic, and has been a source of great wealth, and 

 the cause of a very rapid prosperity, not only to the city, 

 but to the whole State of New York. As the western 

 country was cleared, and its population increased, the 

 traffic along this canal augmented in a degree which the 

 most sanguine had never contemplated, and extra- 

 ordinary exertions have been made, from time to time, 

 to facilitate the traffic, and to hasten the passage of the 

 vessels with which it is crowded. The degree of expert- 

 ness to which the working of this canal has been brought 

 may be judged of from the fact, that, in the single 

 month of October 1847, 6930 lockages were executed 

 above Schenectady, which gives less than 6J minutes 

 for each lockage, Sundays included. 



But every year causes new increase of traffic, and new 

 delay in the transmission of produce and merchandise, 

 and larger quantities are, in consequence, detained over 

 'hen the frost has put a stop to the navigation 



