(36) Several companies have, I believe, been formed for the working of these mines, and the shares, I have heard, were one time rather high. The ore, however, is at present sent chiefly to Boston. The opening of the proposed Line of Railway would no doubt cause a great quantity of it to be sent to Montreal or Quebec and there shipped for England,—enabling the colonies, therefore, to take a greater quantity of our manufactured goods.
Lake Superior.—“Copper abounds in various parts of the country; in particular some large and brilliant specimens have been found in the angle between Lake Superior and Michigan. Henry and others speak of a rock of pure copper, from which he cut off 100 pounds weight.”—Montgomery Martin, Esq.
(37) It is true that Montgomery Martin, in 1834, says, “and if Railroads do not take the place of canals, I have no doubt the greater part of Upper Canada will in a few years be intersected with canals. I recommend the latter to the Canadians in preference to Railroads, as by their means the country will be drained, rendered more fertile and more healthy.”
Since that time several canals have been finished, and I have no doubt, as the country becomes more populous, others may be undertaken for the purposes of drainage and internal communications; but my own personal knowledge has satisfied me that Railroads would be far more useful and a far more ultimate benefit, for there is no doubt that the waters of Canada have a general inclination to subside. Mr. Martin himself says, that “the Lakes Huron, Michigan and Superior, have evidently been at one time considerably higher than they are at the present day;” and although Mr. Martin considers the subsidence of these waters has not been effected by slow drainage, but by repeated destruction of barriers, still the fact shows that the waters are subsiding.
Be this all as it may, I do not think that even Mr. Montgomery Martin himself would suggest a communication by canals from the Atlantic to the Pacific, as well might he recommend a man to travel by a slow heavy coach when a light quick one could be procured; and thus we dismiss the subject of canals.
(38) To encourage this Steam Company, who have so nobly performed their task, Government granted, I believe, £52,000 a year.