Breton, and at other places; while on the Canadian shores of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, of the St. Lawrence, and of the lakes, there are excellent ports, at some of which dockyards and shipyards now exist, or where, if not existing or of insufficient size, they could be readily constructed. Many varied considerations enter necessarily into the questions of what constitutes a suitable naval port adaptable to the requirements of war; and where it is most desirable that shipbuilding and refitting facilities should be developed. Only experts can pronounce advisedly as to this; but, at all events, there is in Canada no want of good harbours.

We may mention Quebec, Montreal, Halifax, St. John, Gaspé, Sydney, Esquimalt, Prince Rupert, Vancouver, Collingwood, and Midland (both on the Georgian Bay, Lake Huron),' and Kingston.

Very large steam vessels have been recently turned out from Canadian yards,2 and freight traffic upon the upper lakes, and along the St. Lawrence to Montreal, is increasing enormously. It is a striking fact that the wheat shipments in vessels from Montreal in 1908 (nearly 28,000,000 tons) was onethird more than in 1907, and double that of 1906, the great bulk of this being Canadian grown wheat. In this year also about 100,000 cattle were shipped.

The growth in number of Canadian vessels

1 Important, in a defensive sense, from their position on this lake. It was in Matchedash Bay that it was contemplated in 1814 to establish a naval port had the war gone on.

2 One built recently at Collingwood, for instance, for the Northern Navigation Company has a length of 365 feet, carries 400 first-class and 70 second-class passengers, with over 3,000 tons of freight; but her draught of 27 feet at present precludes her from passing through the Welland Canal, between Lakes Erie and Ontario.

plying the waters of the great lakes has recently excited considerable comment in reports upon lake navigation. In 1874 the registry of Canadian tonnage on the lakes comprised 815 vessels, of a total gross tonnage of 113,008 tons. On December 31, 1908, the total number of Canadian owned vessels plying on the lakes (although some were registered elsewhere) is said to have been 2,070, of a gross tonnage of 265,133 tons, and it is steadily increasing.

The stream of vessels (under different flags) passing through that portion of the Upper St. Lawrence termed the Detroit River is constant. It represented in 1909 the passage of a vessel about every fourteen one-fifth minutes, and of 218 tons of freight per minute of the twenty-four hours.

Very interesting particulars regarding the ports on both shores of the great lakes, and the rapid development of shipping and commerce upon the waters of the St. Lawrence route, are to be found in the various official reports on these subjects.1 Here we cannot enter at length into them, but only touch briefly upon the facilities of some among several of the Canadian lake ports in Appendix III.

Fleets of steamers run upon these lakes and on the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in connection with

1 Such as the Port Directory of Principal Canadian Ports and Harbours; Department of Marine and Fisheries, Ottawa, August, 1909. Reports of Harbour Commissioners and Port-Wardens; Department of Marine and Fisheries, Ottawa, 1909. Annual Report of the Lake Carriers' Association for 1909, Detroit, U.S. (1910). Great Lakes Port Facilities (reprint of Hydrographic Information); Washington, D.C., March 24, 1910. And Statistical Report of Lake Commerce passing through Canals at Sault St. Marie, Michigan, and Ontario during season of 1909; compiled from official records.

the great Canadian transcontinental railways, and there seems no reason why Canada should not in a few years, from her maritime resources and population, organize a powerful auxiliary volunteer fleet.

One great change since 1874 affecting naval defence in Canada, as well as elsewhere, has been, of course, the supersession of sailing vessels by steamers, and the general

INTRODUCTION OF STEAM AND ELECTRICITY

in many forms.

In the future, the operations of war will move faster than in the past, and the control of the lakes will possibly be decided in days, if not hours, instead of in months or years.

The time when fleets manoeuvred for weeks, as did those of Yeo and Chauncey, on Lake Ontario, seeking for the weather gauge, or some advantage from the wind, will not recur; and the co-operation between fleets and between naval and military forces, through steam, and the telegraph both wireless and in other forms, can be carried out with greater certainty than was possible a century ago.

The progress of science in this direction alonenot to speak here of aeroplanes and balloons-will favour prompt concentration for either defence or attack, and also make more easy and more rapid the landing of troops upon an enemy's shores.

Another important change bearing upon defence which has taken place since 1814, and which is

connected with the great lakes, has been the construction of

CANALS,

to turn the rapids, upon the rivers which link these lakes together.

These complete the through water communication to the Atlantic, and some of the earlier were undertaken as the result of the experience of the war of 1812-14.

Very large sums of money indeed-about 80,000,000 pounds sterling-have been spent upon the construction, deepening, and maintenance of the Canadian canals, which are of much importance to the Dominion in both a commercial and a military sense.

The River St. Lawrence,1 with the canals established along its course, now affords communication by water for vessels under 14 feet draught between Lake Superior and Montreal, where ocean navigation commences. The width of these canals varies from about 144 to 164 feet, the locks, forty-eight in number, being designed to accommodate vessels of 255 feet in length, with 44 feet beam. When originally constructed, their depth averaged about 10 feet only; this is now being increased throughout from 14 feet to 22 feet, while in many other respects they have been improved.

The following table2 shows the St. Lawrence 1 Under its various names, see p. 26.

2 From the Annual Report of the Department of Railways and Canals (Ottawa, 1909); also from Canada: An Encyclopædia ("Her Waterways"), by Castell Hopkins.

water route from Montreal to Port Arthur, on Lake Superior, the length of the various stretches of canal along it having for convenience been placed in a column separate from that giving the length of the lake and river portions. From this can be seen at a glance the extent of narrow canal to be protected in war.1

The canal approaches are well defined, lighted with gas-buoys, and admit of safe navigation, under competent pilots, by day or night; and the Sault St. Marie, Welland, Cornwall, Soulanges, and Lachine canals are electrically lighted and operated. It is of interest to say a few words about each of these St. Lawrence canals, taking them in order.

1 See map facing p. 124.

2 The Farren's Point, Rapide Plat, and Galops Canals, taken together, are often termed the "Williamsburg Canal System."