274 RBVIEWS. 



gations consequent npon these works a loan of $100,000 was asked ; a loan, the 

 first of a very long series. The money was granted 9th January, 1826 : 21 

 voting for the bill and 12 against it. Nor was this the only aid the Company 

 received, for in a communication dated 30th September, of the same year, Lord 

 Bathurst informed the Lieutenant-Governor, that the British Government would 

 contribute the same assistance which had been given to the Lachine Canal, viz. : 

 one-ninth of the estimated cost towards the completion of the Welland. As the 

 cost was named at £147,240, the quota offered by the British Government was 

 £16,350 ; the equivalent being free toll on Government stores for ever. With 

 this material aid, the work went on in comparative tranquility, diversified by the 

 failure of contractors, and the consequent arbitrations. But it was found that 

 the stock did not sell in the London market ; so an appeal was made again to the 

 Legislature in January, 182*7. This time a loan was not asked, but the Legisla- 

 ture was prayed to take £50,000 worth of stock. The Special Committee recom- 

 mended that the stock should be taken, as the completion of the entire Canal 

 would be placed without a doubt ; and that the countenance of the Government 

 would give a value to the shares, so that they would be generally sought after. 

 Further, it was suggested that the stock was, in all respects, as good security as 

 any which could be obtained for a loan ; and it was obscurely hinted that the 

 Imperial Government ' from public inducements might take possession of tha 

 whole work,' ' an arrangement which would be facilitated by the Government 

 becoming stockholders.' The Act affording aid was passed the 6th February, 

 1827. The Bill however had a very narrow escape, 20 voting for and IS against 

 it It is thus very evident that the scheme had fallen into great disfavor, so 

 much so that Sir Peregrine Maitland in his speech in proroguing Parliament made 

 special allusion to it. He said he felt the responsibility of giving this additional 

 aid and that he cheerfully shared that responsibility. The result of this encour- 

 agement was, that the Legislature of Lower Canada likewise subscribed the sum 

 of £25,000, taking stock to that amount. 



"The year 1828 found the Company still embarrassed. The enquiry of after 

 ■pears drew out tfie fact, that there was still £38,837 Is. of stock not taken; and 

 it "^hews how recklessly this work was begun, and the extent to which foi-esight 

 and calculation were wanting. It was now considered that the sum of £90,000 

 was required to finish it. The amount in the exchequer was a little more than 

 £21 000, and this was only prospective, being 19 per cent, on 8,893 shares. As 

 it seemed that little could be obtained from the Canadian Legislature, an appeal 

 was made to the Imperial Government who, with a truly Imperial generosity, 

 advanced to the undertaking £50,000 sterling; security being given on the tolls^ 

 funds and all property of the Company. In the year 1829, no loan was applied 

 for The works were, nevertheless, pushed on with great energy so that two 

 vessels in the month of November, passed between Lakes Ontario and Erie. In 

 the following year this fact was made a ground for a new appeal to the Legisla- 

 ture. It 'was certainly something to say that vessels drawing 1i feet of water 

 with 21* feet breadth of beam, could sail from Lake Ontario, a distance of 16^ 

 miles of canal, ascending 34 locks, and pass down the River Welland to the 

 Niagara. It may be worth while to preserve the names of the schooners : they 



