1855.] 



ON THE FORMATION OP A CANAL BETWEEN LAKES ST. CLAIR AND ERIE. 



323 



to move in the matter I might depend on the Canada Company 

 not being backward in contributing their full share towards the 

 success of the undertaking ; but there the matter rested. 



With respect to my remaining notes on drainage, as 

 the object aimed at referred chiefly to the lake-shore Town- 

 ships, I .shall here pass over those of Sandwich and Maiden, as 

 well as those lying along Lake St. Clair, though the public 

 lands in all of them would be much benefited thereby. 



AVith regard to Colchester, as already observed. I proposed 

 the main drain to be of a width and depth sufficient to be used 

 as a canoe Canal for bringing small supplies from the back set- 

 tlements, at times when the roads are impassable, and to run 

 straight north from the lake, past the west boundary of the 

 village, into the Round Marsh, and from thence through the 

 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Concessions, until it struck upon the 

 borders of Long Marsh, and from thence through the 6th, 7th, 

 and 8th Concessions, and across Roach's Blai'sh, until it ap- 

 proached the River Canard, near the Maiden Road, receiving 

 right and left a few small cross branches at the different Con- 

 cession roads, and thus draining a great extent of scattered low 

 land, in addition to the main inundated tracts of Round, Long, 

 and Roach's Marshes. It was also proposed that another cut 

 should be made from the south-east end of Roach's Marsh to 

 Cedar Creek, with cross ditches at the division roads of the 

 different Concessions ; while a third might be made to lead 

 from Hog Marsh (in which the River Canard takes its rise) 

 into the branch of Cedar Creek called Banks's Creek, so as to 

 drain a great portion of the west half of Gosfield. 



Regarding Grosfield generally my positive information is 

 rather limited, but it is well understood that though most of 

 it is high and dry, great benefit would be derived from judicious 

 drainage in many parts of it. 



"With respect to Mersea, which is the next Township, I 

 learnt that there is also much wet land in it ; and that the 

 front portion drains towards Lake Erie by numerous creeks, of 

 which Sturgeon Creek is the principal, into the long marshy 

 projecting tongue of low land called Point Pele ; but I never 

 had a good opportunity of thoroughlj examining this Township, 

 though desirous of doing so, with the view of ascertaining 

 whether a harbour of refuge could not be established at the 

 mouth of Sturgeon Creek. 



To the east of Mersea lies the Township of Romnej', in 

 which it is proposed to establish the much desired town and 

 harbour, and of which, therefore, it is unuecessaiy to take 

 further notice here. 



The next Township, with the exception of a small triangular 

 portion of Tilbury, is Raleigh, the northern half of which, 

 from the 12th Concession, drains north by a labyrinth of 

 creeks into the Thames, parallel with which also there is a long 

 marshy track at about one and a half mile distance ; while the 

 drainage of the southern portion becoming interrupted by a 

 gravelly ridge, in some parts not more than half a mile from 

 Lake Brie, escapes by many springs through a sandy substratum, 

 which frequently produces along the undermined lofty bank of 

 the Lake extensive land slips of a very singular and even pic- 

 turesque appearance, the subsidence often taking place in a 

 succession of steppes or stages, leaving the trees and shrubs 

 growing undisturbed. Here, it may be observed, the banks of 

 the Lake are in some parts TO and 80 feet high. 



A similar character prevails in the next Township of Ila- 

 wieh, with the exception that the southern portion slopes 

 towards the low marshy track north of the Roudeau, and that 



remarkable pi'ojecting point of low land called Point aux Pins, 

 while the northern surface waters search their way by a variety 

 of outlets, into a branch of the Thames called McGregor's 

 Creek.* 



The northern half of the fine Township of Howard, which 

 is the next, going eastward, also drains north into McGregor's 

 Creek, while the southern portion slopes towards Lake Erie, 

 and finds a vent for the greater part of its surplus waters 

 through different branches of a creek, which, after passing 

 Morpeth, discharges into the Lake near Antrim, — a position 

 where another harbour might, perhaps, be established. 



Of the remaining Township of Oxford, I have ascertained 

 little, except that, like the next, it would be much improved 

 by drainage. 



To the above details, all that now remains to be 

 added, in conclusion, is, that having with all deference 

 j)laced the whole question unreservedly before the Institute, 

 in a simple narrative form, I am perfectly willing to abide 

 by their decision as to its merits ; and that I would, there- 

 fore, fain hope that some of our scientific members will 

 ere long be disposed to come to the aid of a patriotic 

 object of great prospective importance and value. In the 

 meantime I remain content with having once more led the 

 way- in a good cause, — willing either to support further my 

 own humble opinions hereafter, if necessary, or to bow to the 

 dicision of better informed professional men. There is, how- 

 ever, one collateral subject on which I would, in concluding, 

 wish to add a few words : — namely, that as I have on the one 

 hand alluded to Canada's discreditable abandonment of the honor 

 of being the originator of the Sault Ste Marie Canal, and on 

 the other to the many signal improvements in the navigation 

 of the River St. Lawrence, either already completed or in pro- 

 gi'ess, exemplified in the erection of numerous lighthouses, 

 the formation of splendid Canals, the deepening and buoying 

 off of .shallow channels, and the blasting of dangerous 

 rocky impediments in the various rapids, I would also fain 

 hope that there can be no petty political obstacle in the way 

 of a friendly co-operation with the State of iMichigan, by which 

 the embarrassing " flats" or clay banks in the River St. Clair, 

 and a few of the shallow channels through Lake St. Clair, such 

 as the North, Eagle, and Walpole Island channels, may be kept 

 thoroughly open and bouyed off, and one or two powerful 

 Steam-tugs employed for towing up sailing vessels during 

 adverse winds and calms, and thereby leave our unrivalled chain 

 of inland waters without a single impediment, from Lake Supe- 

 rior to the Ocean ! Nor will it be wondered that I should so 

 pointedly advert to so desirable an international arrangement, 

 when it is considered that more than 350 vessels are employed 

 in the carrying trade of the upper lakes, of which about 50 are 

 paddle steamers and propellers, and the rest sailing craft of 

 various burthen, from the stately three-master to the humble 

 sloop, and that a committee appointed by the Buffalo board of 

 trade to enquire into the amount of losses sustained by owners 

 of vessels detained on the St. Clair Flats alone during the past 

 year, estimated the sum paid for detention, and damage incurred 

 by collision while detained, at between £80,000 and £00,000, 

 besides other expenses for lighterage, towage, &c., swelling the 

 total annual amount to above £100,000 ! 



* For a detailed notice of tho Roudeau, see the note at tlio foot 



of p. 306. 



