REPORTS ON TORONTO HARBOUR. 



21 



ponds between, by which the upper surface of the formation is charac- 

 terised. Fig. 17 runs from the old French fort parallel to the other 

 sections, intercepting no portion of the deposit, but passing very close 

 to its western limit at the Lighthouse point, in sixty feet water. The 

 depth of water increasing as the deposit was extended westerly, ac- 

 counts very satisfactorily for its spreading so much towards the north. 

 Although an equal amount of sand may annually have been brought 

 forward, yet, as the deposit was forced out into increasing depths of 

 water, this rate of extension westerly would in proportion be de- 

 minished, thus allowing the southerly waves more and more time to 

 act in moving the deposit towards the north. 



In the manner above explained, it is argued that the Peninsula has 

 been formed, is still undergoing great changes, and is even now re- 

 ceiving large annual additions from the same source. It seems, too, 

 from what will shortly be laid before you, that the same natural agents 

 which have raised up a breakwater, and formed one of the most capa- 

 cious harbours on the Lake, are as actively engaged in its destruction, 

 by fencing in, as it were, the whole smooth water basin they have 

 made, and justify the inference that, if left entirely to themselves, 

 will at some future period unite the Peninsula to the mainland west of 

 the Queen's Wharf, in the same manner as it was originally connected 

 by the ridge from near Privat's to the "Windmill. This stage of the 

 deposit is illustrated by Fig. 15, at which period the surplus water of 

 the 'Don would in all probabitity find egress over the bar "by a shallow 

 channel, fluctuating in position as well as depth during every southerly 

 gale, or by such gaps as are occasionally opened in the narrow belt of 

 sand separating Ashbridge's Bay from the main Lake. 



The progressive motion of the beach, observable only on close exami- 

 nation, and apparently of little moment, is when continued during 

 incalculable periods of time, thus proved to be productive of very 

 extraordinary results. Nor is it confined to this neighbourhood, for 

 we discover unmistakeable indications of its operations along the 

 shores of all the great inland lakes. 



Round Lake Ontario its effects can be traced at Burlington Beach, 

 the mouth of the Niagara River, Presque Isle, Cobourg, Port Hope, 

 Windsor Bay, and at innumerable points along the east and south 

 boundaries of the Lake. 



Round Lake Erie we see its results at Sandusky Bay, Point aux 

 Pins, Long Point, Port Colborne, Buffalo, and at Erie. 



At Saganaw Bay, Thunder Bay, Riviers aux Sable, north and south, 

 at Nottawasaga, and the Christian Islands, on Lake Huron. 



Round Lake Superior we also have many examples of a like kind ; 

 at Fond du Lac, a gravel beach resembling in a marked degree, both 

 in appearance and position, the Burlington beach, near Hamilton. At 

 the mouth of the Bad River, and at Point Iroquois, also, are found 

 beach formations. 



Many of these closely resemble in outline the Peninsula at Toronto. 

 Some of them are kindred to the hypothetical stage denoted by Fig. 15 ; 

 all of them are identical in geological character, and exemplify the 

 working of one of Nature's ever active agencies, co-existent and 

 co-extensive with the lakes themselves. One fact which very strongly 

 confirms the theory of the formation of the Peninsula here propounded, 

 is worthy of notice : all the examples above mentioned invariably con- 

 form with the rule laid down — the trend of the deposits bearing in a 

 direction opposite to the longest fetch of the waves, or the largest 

 area of open water traversed. The entire absence of boulders is also 

 very remarkable, and whenever gravel forms part of the drift, the 

 largest size is generally found nearest its source, the finest kinds 

 being at the greatest distances. This circumstance is explained by 

 Fig. 2, and the accompanying remarks, which show that small bodies 



are moved onwards with the greatest facility. Large boulders, in 

 consequence of being able to resist the mechanical force of the waves, 

 remain at rest, and therefore can form no part of beach formations. 



To arrive at a knowledge of those changes more particularly referred 

 to, which have taken place on the shoal at the mouth of the Harbour, 

 I have with permission carefully examined the old maps and charts 

 in the Surveyor-General and Ordnance Departments ; many of them 

 are wanting in detail, and in this respect of little service to the inquiry ; 

 others are of considerable value, the most reliable of which appear to 

 be the charts of Bouchette, Bayfield, and Bonnycastle, dated respect- 

 ively, 1796, 1828, and 1835 ; for although they do not profess to much 

 nicety of detail, yet emanating from these sources we have no reason 

 to doubt their general accuracy. Fig. 2 shows the position of the 

 shoal at the several dates of these charts, and as it now exists ; the 

 soundings have reference to its present state. I have much to regret 

 being as yet unsuccessful in procuring a copy of one very old chart, 

 the possession of which would be invaluable, seeing that it is without 

 doubt the earliest record of Toronto Harbour in existence. This chart 

 is said to have been made by a corps of engineers who accompanied 

 the first pioneers from France, nearly 200 years ago. A copy, per- 

 haps the only one on the Continent, was unfortunately destroyed with 

 the Parliament Buildings in Montreal, in 1849 ; the original is sup- 

 posed to be deposited in a Jesuit College in Paris. 



On comparing the charts of Bouchette, Bayfield, and Bonnycastle, 

 with my own from a recent survey, showing the state of the Peninsula 

 at the present time, we obtain results as follows : — 



First, that the channel between ten feet water lines was, 



In 1796 about 480 yards wide. 



" 1828 " 310 



" 1835 " 260 " 



" 1850 " 120 " 



Second, that the quantity of sand deposited at the south side of the 

 entrance by an approximate estimate is as follows : — 



From 1796 to 1849-50 nearly 660,000 cubic yards, being in 53 years 

 about 12,400 yards per annum. 



From 1828 to 1849 nearly 235,000 cubic yards, being in 21 years 

 about 11,200 yards per annum. 



From 1835 to 1849 nearly 155,000 cubic yards, being in 14 years 

 about 11,000 yards per annum. 



The alarming progress of the shoal landward is from these figures 

 very apparent. Fifty-three years ago the entrance is shown to have 

 been four times its present width, and fourteen years ago more than 

 double, thus decreasing at the rate of from seven to ten yards annually, 

 by the deposit of about 11,000 cubic yards. 



If such be the case, and it is founded on the most authentic infor- 

 mation relative to the past condition of the Harbour as yet in our pos- 

 session, we have substantial reasons for believing that if left unheeded 

 it will in ten or twelve years be inaccessible except to the smallest 

 craft. 



The extension of the shoal may be attributed to the same causes 

 which are proved to have formed the whole Peninsula. The beach 

 sand having reached the Lighthouse point cannot by reason of the 

 great depth of water, as shown by the contour lines, Fig. 14, make 

 much progress in extending the Peninsula from thence westerly ; 

 there is therefore nothing or at least not much to prevent the southerly 

 waves from acting in full play, they having a fetch of forty miles in 

 opposition to the northerly immediately off the land, and washing along 

 the bar (scarcely under water) towards the north "dump," as it were 

 periodically, large quantities of sand into the channel. 



