PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 571 
which demands greater structural strength, different proportiotis, and a 
more liberal equipment; but shipbuilders generally may benefit from a 
study of the Lake steamers. 
The greater portion of the traffic on the Lakes passes through the ‘ Soo’ 
canals. The yoyages are comparatively short, the average length of the 
trip being about 840 miles. Consequently, individual vessels make several 
passages during the season when navigation is open, and the total number 
of passages as well as the total aggregate tonnage of the ships reaches very 
high figures. In the season of 1907, for example, when the canals were 
open less than 240 days, 20,440 vessels (counting as a vessel each passage), 
with an aggregate registered tonnage exceeding 44 million tons, passed 
through the United States and Canadian canals at the foo. The aggre- 
gate freight tonnage carried exceeded 58 million tons; the weight of coal 
approached 114 million tons; the iron ore carried weighed 39,600,000 tons ; 
and the grain transported amounted to 136 million bushels. The con- 
ditions of the Suez Canal are, of course, entirely different, as vessels passing 
through are engaged on long voyages, and individual ships make few 
passages in the year. On the other hand, Suez Canal traffic proceeds un- 
interruptedly throughout the year, while the Soo canals are closed during 
the winter months. Subject to these differences in working conditions, it 
may be of interest to state that in 1907 4,267 vessels of 14,728,000 tons 
passed through the Suez Canal and paid transit dues which amounted to 
4,460,0001. ; whereas the passage of the ‘Soo’ canals was free. 
The St. Lawrence Ship Channel. 
Closely allied with the waterway from Montreal to Lake Superior is the 
improvement of the channel of the St. Lawrence from Montreal to Quebec 
and beyond towards tue sea. From the Straits of Belleisle to Montreal the 
distance is 986 miles ; from Quebec to Montreal it is 160 miles. Formerly 
the minimum depth of water between Quebec and Montreal prevented the 
passage of vessels drawing more than 10 to 12 feet during the greater part 
of the season of navigation. In 1826 the question of deepening the river 
channel was raised ; in 1844 the work was begun, but was abandoned three 
years later; in 1851 it was resumed, and has since been continued. In 
1869 the minimum depth of the channel at low water was increased to 
20 feet, in 1882 it was 25 feet ; in 1888 274 feet for 108 miles from Montreal 
to a point within tidal influence. A channel having a minimum width of 
450 feet, and 550 to 750 feet wide at the bends, with a minimum depth of 
30 feet was completed in 1906 from Montreal to tide water at Batiscan. 
Certain work remains to be done between this point and Quebec in order 
to complete the project adopted in 1889 and amended in 1906, but it is 
anticipated this will be finished in about four years. Below Quebec the 
- channel is 1,000 feet wide. When once dredged it is stated that the channel 
remains permanent. Accidents in the channel are few. The Superintend- 
ing Engineer in his report of July 1908 indicates the magnitude of the 
work done by comparisons with the Suez and Panama Canals, the figures 
standing as follow :— 
hosted | Tenet | ‘eo Mefirragn Bread | sseaation. | 
Siez.Canal 7 5 - . : 100 29% ae 100 (bottom) | — 
Panama Canal .| 49 ath. tee cman) || 80,000,000 , 
St. Lawrence Channel . 220! ’ 30 | { ak apart | 70,000,000 
1 Length of channel requiring improvement demands dredging and excavation 
* over a length of about 70 miles. 
