1852.] 



THE RAILROADS OF CANADA. 



Societies, and other similar series, suoli as are seldom met witli 

 in this country in private hands, be first provided, and that no 

 expense be at present incurred in forming a Miscellaneous Library. 



This Council would also recommend that application be made 

 to Government for copies of all public documents printed by 

 authority of Parliament, on the subject of Engineering, Archi- 

 tecture, Railways, Statistics, Prison Discipline, &c. 



The Council have to report that they have entered into a cor- 

 respondence with the Toronto Athenreum, with a view to an 

 amalgamation of the two Societies, on terms expressed in a docu- 

 ment to be presently laid before the meeting. 



The Council have also gratefully to acknowledge the receipt 

 of a considerable number of donations to the Institute, compris- 

 ing a few books, geological reports, and meteorological observa- 

 tions, various mineralogical and geological specimens, some inter- 

 esting Indian remains, several valuable maps, and models of the 

 Toronto Hai-bour and of a locomotive. 



The experience of the past year has shown, as must naturally 

 be the case with all young societies, that the By-Laws and Regu- 

 lations as at first framed, require more or less modifications. Some 

 propositions relating to changes in the terms of subscription, and 

 other desirable alterations will presently be brought before the 

 meeting. 



In concluding this Report, and retiring from Office, your Coun- 

 cil cannot refrain from congratulating the Institute on the hope- 

 ful prospects that lie before it. The large and continually in- 

 creasing list of membei-s, the reasonable expectations of an assured 

 and sufficient income, the probable incorporation with us of other 

 societies, the establishment and successful issue of a Journal which 

 bids fair to become the recognized organ of scientific intelligence 

 throughout the Canadas ; all these facts encourage the belief that 

 the Society, though yet in its infancj', will soon extend its influence 

 and usefulness to every part of the Province, and will ultimately 

 take rank worthily among the great national societies of the world. 

 But in order to realize this expectation, your Council would beg 

 to urge uj)on the members individually, the necessity of peraoual 

 exertion, each in his own department; not only in promoting the 

 formation of a Museum and Libraj'y, but more especially with 

 reference to papers to be read before the Society, and the discus- 

 sions that may ensue thereon, 1'he opportunity of publication 

 now afforded by the Canadian Journal, while it offers additional 

 inducement for the preparation of such papers, at the same time 

 calls for judicious selection of subjects, and increased zeal in their 

 iuvestigation. 



Subjoined will be found a statement showing the j^resent con- 

 dition of the financial affairs of the Institute. 



Balance Sheet, showing the Financial state of the Institute. 



Dec'br. 1. 



> outstanding acc'nt per Voucher, No. 15 

 do. do, do. 



do. do. do. 



do. do. do. 



do. do. do. 



do. do. do. 



Balance in favour of Institute . 



By Balance in Treasurer's hands as per 



his account current 



"■ Amount of uncollected subscriptions 



per ^statement No. 9 



" Amount of Agricultural Association'; 



subscription to Journal 



" Parliamentary Grant now due to In 



stitute - 



" Amount due for unjMiid subscription; 



to Journal 



By balance brought down 



TORONTO, DECEMBER, 1852. 

 The Railroads of Canada. 



The Legislation of the recent Session of the Provincial Parlia- 

 ment has been remarkable for the number of Charters granted to 

 Railway Incorporations, and for the amendments gi-anted to ex- 

 isting Companies. 



The Atlantic and St. Lawrence Railway Act has been amended. 

 This road is now under construction to the Province line, and 

 will there connect with the RaUi-oad to Portland, in Maine, thus 

 connecting the City of Montreal with the Atlantic seaboard by 

 the nearest possible route, and at the same time affording by 

 existing Railroads, or in progi'css, access to the New England 

 States, and to the Sister Provinces. The length of the St. 

 Lawience and Atlantic road, from Montreal to the Province 



line, will be about 126 miles, of which 95 miles, to Sherbrooke' 

 are constructed and in working ordei', the remaining portion is 

 being pushed forward vigorously, and it is expected it will be com- 

 pleted during the ensuing summer, as well as that part of the line 

 which lies in the State of Maine. 



Another Act authorises the Monti'eal and New York Railroad 

 Company to extend their road, and to acquire the necessary land 

 for such extension. This road connects Montreal (via the Lachine 

 Railroad and Ferry, to Caughnawaga,) with the Ogdensburgh 

 road of New York, and extends southward to Plattsburgh, by it 

 the time of tra^'el between Montreal and the \vestern part of the 

 Province is materially reduced and another channel opened to the 

 business of New York. It has already been opened for travel in 

 connexion with the Ogdensbuigh road, but we have no information 

 as to the dh-ection which its extension is to take. 



The next, though not precisely a Railway Act, is passed "in 

 order to enable the Town of Dundas to grant its security to the 



