Kingston records (regionally related)

193

Voyage up Lake Ontario in 1841.

On the 18th of June I left Kingston in the war Steamer Traveller at 12 o clock for Port Dalhousie with a detachment of Royal Marines to relieve those stationed on board the Steamers stationed on the Upper Lake A fog hung over the Ontario so that we could not see a quarter of a mile from the vessel, which I am informed is very frequently the case during the summer season, and continued so during the whole day and night But the rising sun next morning dispersed the fog and we reached port Dalhousie situated near the head of the Lake, at which point the Welland canal enters and conveys vessels to Lake Erie a distance of forty one miles

This canal is not of sufficient dimensions to answer the great and growing commercial communication so absolutely required between these two great Lakes, the Locks being only twenty two feet in width and one hundred in length, the water at the greatest eight feet and a half deep

Population and enterprize between Upper and lower Canada may be judged of from the rapid growth of Prescot a port on the St. Lawrence in the route from Montreal to Kingston and distant 127 miles and from the latter 62 miles In 1815 the largest vessel employed for the transit of merchanize between Kingston

194

and Prescot was one Schooner of only 40 Tons burden at present there are not less than 36 Steam Vessels of different sizes from 100 to 500 tons and 100 Schooners from 40 to 150 tons On Lake Erie there are upwards of 300 sailing vessels and 64 Steam Vessels belonging to the American Shores.

The cost of the Welland canal had been so far as one can ascertain £500,000 but I should say not one half of this sum has been laid out in the actual construction of the work which has been wretchedly executed the other half has been consumed by peculators and jobbers This undertaking was not the work of Government but of a company who have benefited much, and as the population increases a fair return will be yielded for the Capital expended Lord Sydenham has lent great attention to the affairs of the company foreseeing that this line of conduct is of vital importance to the vast and growing enterprize of emigration and settlement He has strongly recommended that the Government at home should advance a sum by way of loan to enable the company to deepen and double the width of the Canal.

On the 19th from Dalhousie I proceeded to St. Catharines, St. Davids and Stamford the latter a beautiful English looking village having left Mr. Taylor to proceed in charge of the money