BRITISH ROUTE THROUGH CANADA.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 90, 21 June 1879, Page 2

BRITISH ROUTE THROUGH CANADA.

Ex-Governor Seymour says in regard to the British route through Canada: While there is much congratulation about the improved commerce of our •State, it is threatened from a new quar- ' ter. Our canal and railroads alike are endangered in the near future by the new ' water route through the valley of the 1 St. Lawrence. In three or four years < from this date British .steamships of nearly two thousand tons will lie at tbe docks at Chicago, and other late ports, t unloading their merchandise, or receiv- ■ lug their, cargoes of grain, provisions, etc. While we have undervalued and neglected our water channels, the British , Government has steadily pursued a policy which will give it a water way into tbe heait of our country, and which will . make seaports of our great lake cities, with which it can hold direct commerce by a route under its solo control through the St. Ijawrenco river. Few commercial events of this century equal the importance of tho completion of this de-sign. At Cleveland and Toledo, in Ohio, British vessels will approach near to tho , centre of the population and production of our Union, whieh is now north of Cineinati. This centra, as is shown by the census reports, is steadily moving west- ' ward toward a point between Chicago ■ ond St. Louis, two great cities, which oven now are of more commercial bij. ' uortance than any in our country execot ' New York. Boston, New York, l'hil'ij dclphia and Baltimore are marginal ' towns, lying upon the eastern edge of [ pur continent, and remote from the great Centres of population and production. From Chicago to the foot of Lake Erie, on the western borders of this State, the' British will have the use in common with ourselves, of the lakes, through which the jiast season, grain has lieeu carried ' for less than two cents a bushel. They will not have to transship or elovate' their grain, as Americans must ,do who send it by the Erie Canal or by the rail- • roads ; they can continue their voyages through Lako Ontario, tho St. Lawrence

and the ocean to Europe, witliout male- I ing changes of cargo, and free from all charges of storage, elevating, etc. Thov will only have to pay toll at the lock's on the Wei land Canal and on the river aliove Montreal. Ou the other hand, the products that go through our State, must I transhipped at Buffalo or Oswego, must! pay elevating, and canal or railroad I charges, and in New York must be ware- I housed and put into vessels. In the pre-1 sent condition of the lake and Erie ] Canal route, the cost of carrying grain . from Chicago to New Y'ork is not less ! than 85 15-100 cents per bushel, while , the cost of carrying it from Chicago to ! Montreal, when the Welland Canal and | other locks are finished, will not be more j than 0 cents. At Montreal the vessels will be nearer to London than at New Y'ork, they will have their cargoes on board and will be ou their way to Europe. The diversion of trade through the British route is not merely a thing to be feared in the future. At this time, before their work is done, it is shown by reportsthnt every step in these improvements has been followed by an inoreoso of trade. What has been denounce 1800 has made the grain caiTying trade nearly four times as much as it was before that date. Even with the present size of the Welland locks, vcsselslooded with lumber in Wisconsin and Miohigau sometimes pass through them to the English murket, —S.F. Bulletin.