recently at the Albion Hotel, on the subject of forming a Joint Stock company, with a capital of 20,000, to run a daily line of steamers between Quebec and Montreal. Several resolutions were passed to that effect, and a committee of twenty-five appointed to solicit subscriptions to the stock. Mr. J. Ryan showed a list of persons who had already subscribed to the amount of upwards of 5000l.'-Quebec Gazette. 666 Proposed steamboat between Toronto and Goderich.-The estimates of a steamboat to be worked by a propeller, in order that it may pass the Welland canal, have been brought to our notice by a correspondent. It is proposed to build a steamer at St. Catherine's, which would cost 4600l., to ply between Toronto and Goderich. It is expected that such a vessel will make twelve trips during the season, carrying 2500 barrels of flour, 100 tons of merchandise, and sixty passengers, and that this will produce a clear profit, after all expenses are paid, of 3000%, or above fifty per cent, after all allowances are made for contingencies. "Various individuals are mentioned as willing to take shares. The people of Goderich are said to be willing to take 20007. of it, and the Canada Land company pays fifty dollars to an American boat as a premium every time it touches Goderich, which they would prefer paying to a Canadian. We are unacquainted with the grounds on which these calculations have been made, but would recommend the parties who have made them to come openly forward with their names, and lay the plan regularly before the public, if they cannot have sufficient subscriptions privately. One thing is certain, that Toronto and Goderich, the terminations of the proposed line, would derive material benefit from such a new medium of intercourse, as well as every place on the line where it might be deemed expedient to touch.'-Toronto Globe. "The following is a list of American steamboats, built and running on Lake Ontario, since their first introduction in 1816. Those marked * are broken up : List of American Steamboats, built and running on Lake List of British Steamboats, built and running on Lake "In addition to the above list of British steamboats, of a large class, there are a number of smaller boats and Ericson Propellers, running from Kingston to Montreal, passing down the rapids of the St. Lawrence river, and returning through the Rideau canal, carrying an immense amount of produce, merchandise, and passengers. When the Beauharnois canal is completed, vessels of a large class can run direct from Montreal to the Upper Lakes. MISCELLANEOUS STATEMENTS OF THE COMMERCE AND NAVIGATION OF THE AMERICAN TOWNS ON THE LAKES. The present trade of the inland seas of America, according to a statement in the Buffalo Advertiser, is but a fraction, if any, short of being four times the amount of the export and import trade in 1775, of the 3,000,000 inhabitants then living in the thirteen revolted colonies. According to Pitkin, the foreign trade of those colonies for the six years preceding 1775 was on an average : The official records at Washington, as recently stated by Colonel J. J. Abert, of the United States Bureau of Topographical Engineers, show that the trade of our great lakes, was, in 1841 Notwithstanding the over trading which marked the year 1836, the aggregate of the export and import trade on the lakes that year was only 16,416,354 dollars. Subtract the latter from the amount of the lake trade of 1841, and the difference will be 49,364,668 dollars-an increase of fifty millions in five years! By this ratio, the commerce of the lakes during the present year should exceed 85,000,000 dollars. In 1819, there was but one steamboat on the lakes. In 1827, the waters of Lake Michigan were first ploughed by steam—a boat having made an excursion to Green bay. In 1832, a boat reached Chicago with troops. In 1833, there were eleven boats on the lakes, which cost 360,000 dollars, and carried that year 61,480 passengers; and with the freight the receipts were 229,212 dollars 69 cents. This season three trips were made to Chicago, and one to Green bay; the amount of receipts was 4335 dollars 39 cents. The time of running from Buffalo and returning averaged twenty-two days. In 1834, seven new boats came out, which made eighteen in service for the year. Total cost, 500,000 dollars. The amount of the earnings of the boats this year was 238,565 dollars 95 cents. Two trips were made to Green bay, and three to Chicago; and the amount received for them was 6273 dollars 65 cents. In 1839, the increase of business to Chicago in Lake Michigan, and ports west of Detroit, was so great that a regular line of eight boats ran from Buffalo to Chicago, making a trip in sixteen days. In 1840, the number of boats on the lakes increased to forty-eight, and the cost of them was 2,200,000 dollars. The earnings of the boats was 725,523 dollars 44 cents. Rising of 200,000 dollars of this amount was earnings west of Detroit. In 1841, 525 trips were made from Buffalo to Detroit; eighty-one to the upper lakes, of which seventy were to Chicago, and ten to Green bay. Earnings of all the boats, 767,123 dollars 27 cents. The upper lake boats contributed 301,803 dollars 39 cents to this amount. In 1841, the number of sail vessels was estimated at 550, varying in size from thirty to 350 tons, and the cost of them 1,250,000 dollars, and their earnings at 750,000 dollars. The earnings of British vessels on the lakes is estimated at 150,000 dollars. The earnings of the steamboats and sailing vessels on the lakes in 1841, from the best data we can get at, is— Lake Tonnage.-According to the secretary of the treasury's report, the enrolled and licensed tonnage in 1841, at the various districts on the lakes, was— The district of Detroit excels any other-Cleveland next. 40,454 MISCELLANEOUS Items, illustrating the increase of Trade in the North-west, from the Lake Commerce of Cleveland, Ohio.-Statement of the number of arrivals and departures (steam vessels not included) at the port of Cleveland, from the 23rd of March, 1841, when the harbour was clear of ice, to the close of navigation; principal articles of cargo; number of vessels and steamboats belonging to the port of Cleveland, and their aggregate amount of tonnage; prepared by George B. Merwin, collector of customs at Cleveland, Ohio, January 1, 1842. Whole number of arrivals, 1364; of which 437 were from Canadian ports on Lake Erie, and American and Canadian ports via Welland canal. Principa. Cargo by steamboats, no account. Shingles.........................thousand Staves.... * 1,108,000 feet from Canada. Whole number of departures, 1366; of which 422 were to Canadian ports on Lake Erie, and American and Canadian ports via Welland canal. Principal articles of cargo:— Of the above were shipped to the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada : Wool 661 174 Hides 1031 Vessels belonging to Cleveland.-Schooners, sixty-six; steamboats, seven; brigs, four; sloops, two; aggregate amount of tonnage, 9504 tons. Canal Commerce of Cleveland.-The following particulars of merchandise, on which toll is charged by weight, is from the official report of D. H. Beardsley, Esq., the collector at Cleveland. There arrived at Cleveland, by way of the canal, during the year 1841, 275,556,683 lbs. The following constitute the chief articles that arrived in 1841 and 1842: STATEMENT showing the Number of Vessels and Steamboats belonging to the Port of Cleveland, their Tonnage, and the Number of Arrivals and Departures, from the Year 1830 to 1843, inclusive. The following statement of produce cleared in 1830, at Cleveland, Ohio, which town is situated at the junction of the Ohio canal with Lake Erie, shows the first commencement of a trade in new articles which must accumulate rapidly, and principally flow through the western canal of this state: The following articles of property have arrived at Cleveland, by way of the canal, during the year 1830: The above arrivals, viâ canal, may be considered as the principal articles exported from Cleveland, during the year 1830. PRODUCE discharged from the Ohio canal, at Cleveland, and the Tolls of the Ohio, Miami, and New York canals. |