8 



REPORTS ON TORONTO HARBOUR. 



flowed then, dirootly into the Lake like the IIuihI.it. Mimico, .v.-., 

 al IN" pre enl time, without depositing any more ' Delta,' or bar, 

 than other rivers of its class are observed t" 'I", and exercising no 

 influence \\ hatover upon the formation of any portion of the sand 

 bi tohos and shoals under consideration. Sand bars would 

 frequently ).<• formed under the influence of the protecting head- 

 land, about four miles from Toronto, and as frequently be washed 

 away by Btorms during periods of high water, their material 



being distributed far 1 wide With those sand bars pebbles 



and shingle would be occasionally mingled, and time after 

 time might he deposited IVmii their great specific gravity to form 

 ;i basis for a permanent sand bar. A peri.nl of high water arrives 

 like the one just terminating, like the period of L838, or of 1788, 

 and during that period a sand bur of hirger growth was deposited 

 miller the protecting Headland- a period of low water follows, 

 like that of 1819 or that of 1848, and during that period the sand 

 shoal was washed up into a -anil beach similar to the sand 

 beaches before alluded to, as described by Mr. Hall, near the 

 mouth of Genesee (sec Herbert's Chart,) and of which thousands 

 of their kindred arc to he traced on the shores of all the great 

 Lakes, formed upder similar circumstances, "more than a 

 hundred years ago." 



This beach would undergo numerous modifications according to 

 the height of water, which fluctuates in Lake Ontario to the extent 

 of five feet (some authorities say eight feet), but as soon as its 

 western extremity had progressed beyond the influence of the pro- 

 tecting headland it would be swept round to the north shore, 

 forming the 'spit' from the Peninsula beach to near the wind mill. 

 Now all this might have occurred during one period of low water 

 (a few years), or it might have occupied several periods. It is, 

 however, probable that the beach surrounding Ashbridge'sBay and 

 the Marsh was thrown up and round during one period of low 

 water in the Lake. Now begins the existence of the Marsh, which 

 is described as consisting mainly of a floating bog, but which has 

 been making rapid progress of late years, as a few illustrations 

 will prove. About 250 or 300 yards south of the bridge overtheDon, 

 now being built by the Grand Trunk Railway Company, an old brick- 

 yard is seen. (April, 1854.) The clay has been dug out to a depth 

 below the present level of the Don, and the hollows are occupied 

 with reeds, rushes, and swamp plants. A farmer who has resided 

 near Ashbridge's Bay, not two miles from the City Hall (next to 

 Leslie's), stated to the writer that he considered he had lost about 

 five acres during the last thirteen years by the encroachment of 

 the Marsh, but he expected he should regain some of it ichen the 

 wafers fell. The remains of a fence at least 60 yards distant from 

 the present boundaries of the rushes is distinctly visible in one por- 

 tion of the Marsh. These encroachments have been made during 

 periods of high and low water, and arise from the invasion of the 

 land by the rushes and other swamp plants. They are merely 

 presented as modern instances of rapid encroachment, but without 

 relation to the main question. 



Chart No. represents a plan of the Peninsula. The dotted 

 lines indicate the longitudinal axes of the beaches which were 

 thrown up one after the other during the progress of the formation. 

 The dotted line No. 19 represents the bar now in the act of being 

 thrown up into a beach by the loweringof the waters of the Lakes, 

 which are now (April 20th) two feel lower than in June last. 



The materials of which the beaches are composed have travelled 

 along the beach of Ashbridge's Bay, impelled by winds and waves 



before alluded to. The materials originated in the continued do- 

 Btructi f the Scarboro' cliffs. This portion of Ou ffteory of To- 

 ronto Uarboui is entirely du> to '/,. Fleming, to whom Ou credilof 

 liaving first given it to Hie public i ionably due. 



It is with -..me degree of confidence suggested that the several 

 bi bohes denoted by tho dotted curved lines on Chart & represent 

 the ' pochs of additions to the Peninsula, and that thej 



are tho visible and permanent records of the periods of low and 

 high water which have distinguished the recent history of Lake 

 Ontario. I five beaches ore distinctly seen between the lighthouse 

 and the utmost south-westerly extension of the Peninsula.* These 



may corres] 1 to Buch periods of high and low water, as are 



known to have occurred in 1788, 1838, and 185.3, and in 1819 and 

 1848, and probably in 1854 or 5. The question is one of much 

 interest and deserves further investigation. 



The history and mode of formation of the Peninsula liaving been 

 pointed out, it 'is now ]. i .J,.-. I i,, di-eus, tie ... hether a 



permanent .pining at the end of tho Bay would be a benefit, and 

 first of all, whether such an opening in the form of a canal could 

 be maintained at a reasonable expenditure. 



It is manifest that in order to make such an opening permanent, 

 which is evidently the first point to be considered; sand and 

 shingle must be prevented from 'travelling' into it from the • 

 which would without doubt be the case if no preventive measures 

 were adopted. We are not, however, permitted to assume that an 

 opening in any one part of the Peninsula would suspend the ope- 

 ration of those forces which have given a local habitation to the 

 whole beach from Ashbridge's Bay to Gibraltar Point. Assuming 

 that an opening were made, say near the Peninsula Hotel, and 

 that by groynes or other devices sand and shingle were prevented 

 from closing it. It is perfectly clear that in order to effect this 

 result the first object would be to retain the sand and shingle east 

 of the opening. Suppose this to be accomplished, what, it is 

 asked, would become of the remaining western portion of the Pe- 

 ninsula ? would the sand and shingle there cease to be a travelling 

 beach ? would it cease to move westward as heretofore ? There 

 can be no doubt that if left unchecked it would progress onward, 

 being still subject to the same controlling forces as before. But if 

 it progressed, the beaches to the west of the opening would be 

 rapidly moved away and form an extensive natural breach, seeing 

 that no advance of materials to supply their plaee could take place, 

 they being preserved to the eastward of the opening for the sake 

 of maintaining it. The Peninsula, under such circumstances, 

 would rapidly become an island, and its extremity near the canal 

 gradually assume the form of the western extremity, throwing 

 out tongues and spits in a northerly direction. But, it may 

 be urged that the sand might be prevented from 'travelling' 

 by means of groynes. It is true that the construction of groynes 

 from the canal all the way to Lighthouse Point at short distances 

 apart, would have that effect for a time, but without tney were 

 made very high the sand would mount over them and form dunes, 

 according to laws painfully recognizable in many parts of Europe 

 and especially in the 'Landes' of France as well as on the shores 

 of Lake Huron. (See Sir Henry de la Beche, on this subject, 

 page S4, Geo. Ob.) Again, the groynes would have to pene- 

 trate into deep water beyond the influence of waves upon a shoaling 



* See Xote G. in Appendix, 



