Some Notes on the Rideau Canal. 467 
years afterwards continued rather to be directed to the 
valley of the St. Lawrence. 
The construction of a canal to connect the River Ottawa 
with Lake Ontario formed the subject of discussion from 
time to time after this, but it was not until the breaking 
out of the war between the United States and Great Britain, 
in June, 1812, that the urgent necessity for such a canal 
became apparent both to the British Government and to 
the Canadian leaders. The transportation of arms and 
supplies from Quebec and Montreal to the upper lakes by 
way of the St. Lawrence River involved great exposure to 
the enemy along the extended frontier of New York State. 
The expense arising from the Government’s endeavor to 
avoid this exposure was enormous. The transportation of 
a 24-pounder cannon from Quebec to Kingston alone cost 
nearly one thousand dollars. The earliest official document 
dealing practically with the subject of a canal appeared on 
the 29th December, 1814, in the shape of a letter from Sir 
George Prevost, in command in Upper Canada, to Lieut.- 
Gen. Sir Gordon Drummond, at Kingston, enclosing some 
plans and reports, and asking for opinions thereon and for 
further information. Sir Gordon’s reply, transmitting re- 
ports from three of the local officers, gave his own opinion 
that the difticulties would be immense and the expense 
enormous. 
On the restoration of peace, however, Sir Gordon Drum- 
mond was instructed by Lord Bathurst, under date of 10th 
October, 1815, to get “‘ estimates of the expense of the La- 
chine Canal, and of the Ottawa and Rideau being made 
navigable, in order that His Majesty's Government may 
decide as to the propriety of undertaking these works, 
either separately or simultaneously.” Accordingly Lieut. 
Jebb was, early in 1816, directed to ascend the Cataraqui 
River to the chain of lakes and thence continue down the 
Rideau River to the Ottawa, and to return by the same 
route, reporting ‘on the land available for military settle- 
ments and on the navigation for batteaux. His report 
