THE 
GNA DIAN iRHCORD 
OD 3s) (Ole INC O18, 
VOT ee JULY, 1898: NOs 
ARE THE GREAT LAKES RETAINING THEIR ANCIENT 
LEVEL 2 
\ By Staff Commander J. G. Boutton, R.N. 
(Read before the Association of Dominion Land Surveyors at 
Ottawa, 16th February, 1892, and now published for the first time.) 
This question is not easy to answer definitely, from past 
experience, because, as far as | am aware, there are no con- 
tinuous records of the movements of lake wators farther 
back than thirty years. During this period careful records 
have been kept, and the question would have been better 
put in this form: Are the great lakes likely to maintain 
the mean level of the last thirty years? Or it might be 
put thus: Have we any reason to fear that the lakes are 
being slowly but surely drained? I was led to make a few 
remarks on this subject because of the unprecedently low 
stage of water at the present time on all the lakes except- 
ing Lake Superior. I have’ no theory to propound as to 
the future movement of the lake waters. My object has 
been simply to collect and give the Association what in- 
formation I can upon the present and past condition of the 
inland seas, and invite opinions on the likelihood of their 
future movements. 
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