Westchester, May 17 June 25 39 Virginian, June 2 July 3 Aug. 15 43 Aug. 2 Sept. 14 43 Sept. 2 Oct. 11 39 Oct. 4 December 15 The Liverpool has eighteen hours steaming further to go Passages of the Packet Ships.-We continue to-day the United States, We have received a report lately presented to Congress of the operations of the Topographical Bureau, during the year 1839-which contains numerous interesting facts and tables, some of which we shall record. The improvements of the harbours of the lakes and the consequent increase of trade and population, strike us more especially worthy of notice. The following are extracts from the "Report of the Board of Inspection of Lakes and Harbours," Dated Detroit, July 1839. "Respecting the influence which the several works under examination may have had in advancing the agricultural prosperity and increasing the population of the country adjacent to each, we have stated whatever has fallen within our knowledge, under its appropriate head, in the account we, have given of the progress of the works; some idea of the re'ative value of each to the general commerce of the lakes may also be collected from the same source. That the population, trade, and agriculture of the region of country connected with the lakes have increased with extraordinary rapidity within a few years, and especially since the commencement of these harbour improvements, is known everywhere. This prosperity is doubtless to be attributed to the industry, enterprise, and intelligence, of the people, the climate, the fertility of the soil, and the facilities of intercourse which nature everywhere provides, and which are rapidly increasing by art. Prior to the formation of these harbours, there were none upon the south side of the lake which could be entered at any time by vessels drawing over seven feet, and, during low stages of the lake, this depth of water was much reduced. With the exception of the harbour and exposed anchorage at Dunkirk, the harbours of Erie, Sandusky and Maumee bays, which had never a depth of more than seven feet at their entrance, all the harbours were usually closed by sandbars. We do not here speak of the Niagara and Detroit rivers, lying at opposite ends of the lake, and under certain circumstances exposed to serious objections, as places of shelter for vessels, nor of the anchorage to be found among the islands near its head. The only landing places at the close of the war of 1812, were Black Rock, Erie, and Sandusky and Maumee bays. Thus destitute of outlets for its produce, the agricultural enterprise of the country lying south and west of Lake Erie was dormant. The shipping employed upon the lake was exposed to the most fearful hazard of encountering the sudden and violent gales to which this region is exposed, upon a lee-shore deficient of harbours. At this period, too, the country was without these lines of canals, roads, and other means of intercommunication which have since been created. Channels of communication with the lower lake, with the Atlantic, and with the valley of the Mississippi, have since then been opened or perfected, and, as indispensable adjuncts to these, harbours have been formed. Since then, and as the necessary and unquestionable consequence of these improvements, the industry and enterprise of the country have assumed a degree of activity altogether unrivalled; the tide of emigration has advanced upon it with an extreme velocity, sweeping away, at the same moment, the wandering Indian and the steadfast forest. We see in how few a years all this has been achieved—already the soil sends forth its millions of surplus grain, to receive in return the fruits of the industry of other regions. Commerce also increases with the population and productive ability of the country, and in proportion to the security afforded by its harbours. The annexed tables and memoir will show the dates at which the several works for the formation of harbours were begun, the periods when they afforded protection to ships, and the times at which the harbours were rendered accessible, as well as the times of commencing and completing the principal canals connected with the lake trade. The first harbour undertaken was that of Presque Isle (Eric) in the year 1824, and from that time forward to the year 1835, there were fiften other works projected and authorized to be constructed on Lake Erie, viz: at Black Rock, Buffalo, Dunkirk, 1 Cattaraugus, and Portland, in the state of New York, and at Erie, in Pennsylvania; at Conneaut, Ashtabula, Cunningham creek, Grand River, Cleveland, Black river, Vermillion river, and Huron river, in the state of Ohio; and at La Plaisance bay and the river Raisin, in Michigan. Several of the earlier works already afforded protection to vessels in the year 1831, and by the year 1833 some of the most important of the harbours were rendered accessible to vessels of the largest class upon the lakes. The Erie canal was completed in the year 1825. In the year 1825, there was but one steamboat of 350 tons burden, and thirty or forty small craft on the American side of the upper lakes, and the tonnage was, in all, somewhere about 2,50 tons. In the year 1850, the registered and enrolled tonnage was yet but 3,497 tons; and the canals which connect the trade with the St. Lawrence and with the Hudson had been completed. In 1831, when the works on Lake Erie had begun to afford some protection to vessels, the tonnage employed upon it had nearly doubled that of the preceding year. There were now eleven steamboats and one hundred other vessels, the aggregate tonnage of all amounting to 6,582 tons. In 1832, the Ohio canal, connecting the lake trade with the valley of the Mississippi, was completed. The aggregate licensed and enrolled tonnage, according to the Treasury statements (we have no other account of the shipping for that year), was 8,552 tons. During this and the succeeding year, the harbours as already stated were becoming at all times accessible to the largest class of vessels, and in the latter year (1833) this accessibility was effected. In that year the aggregate tonnage was 10,471 tons. Since that time, it has continued to be steadily progressive to the present period. We have more precise accounts of it for the years 1836, 1837, 1838, and 1839, for the latter of which we have a very detailed statement which we obtained from the collector of the port of Cleveland, a copy of which, with some slight additions, we annex to this report, and we insert here the aggregate tonnage for these four years, distinguishing between that of steamboats and rigged vessels. In 1836, there were 45 steamboats (9,017 tons) and 211 vessels (15,630 tons,) in all 24,047 tons. In 1837, there were 50 steamboats (10,509 tons) and 230 vessels (16,934 tons ) in all 27,443 tons. In 1838, there were 52 steamboats (17,429 tons and 234 vessels, (16,848 tons,) in all 34,277 tons. In 1839, there were 61 steamboats (17,324 tons) and 225 vessels (17,799 tons.) in all 35,123 tons. The value of the shipping of all classes in the year 189 is $2,400,600, as may be seen by the annexed list, and they furnish employment for two or three thousand persons. In the year 1836 it was estimated that the capital invested in steamboats was $1,000,000. In the year 1839 the cost of steamboats enumerated in the list, already referred to for particulars, is stated at $1,741,200. In the year 1837 it was estimated that, taking into view the average number of trips made by each class of vessels, the trade per month, during the business season, amounted to 75,898 tons. Following this rule, and applying it to the year 1839, we would have about one hundred thousand tons as the monthly business. To the tonnage proper of Lake Erie, at this time, should be added the tonnage owned on Lake Ontario, doing business through the Welland canal, calculated for the passage of vessels of one hundred and twenty-five tons burden, and hav. ing a depth of eight feet of water. Three-fourths of the property passing through this canal is conveyed in American vessels doing an American business. The tonnage on the Welland Canal in 1834 was 37,917 tons, in 1837 it was 80,697 tons, and in 1838 it amounted to 95,397 tons. We refer for particulars concerning this trade to the Appendix, and to the note therein respecting the business of the Erie, Oswego, and Ohio canals. That this rapid extension of trade could not have developed itself in the absence of suitable harbours is, as we think, very apparent from the facts we have stated, and we are borne out in this by the general opinion, everywhere prevailing within the reach of the lake trade. That this extension is very far from reaching its maximum is unquestionable, and it is altogether probable that in a few years the amount of business to be transacted at some of the harbours will require a much greater space than is now to be found in them. We may take as an example the harbour of Cleveland, which, during the present season, has been crowded with 70 or 8 rigged vessels at a time, a number which unquestionably falls far short of that which the increasing trade of the port will hereafter bring to it. If we do not err in the degree of influence which we suppose these works to have had upon the population and resources of the lake country; in the creation or encouragement of so many channels of communication with the seaboard and the interior, and in multiplying the number of our ships and seamen on the lakes, their value to the military power of the country, whether for defence or attack, must be unquestionable. It is scarcely necessary indeed to discuss the question after what we have already said, for much that has been advanced applies equally to this branch of the subject. The details, too, would occupy a space sufficient for a separate report; we, therefore, hope we are fulfilling your expectations in limiting ourselves to a few general remarks. Under the view we have taken of them, every harbour constitutes a point of convergence for numerous routes, by which a military force may be concentrated, or on which the materials of war may be conveyed, and a point from which to assail an enemy, or on which to retire for refuge and supplies. For the building, equipping, and supplying of vessels, considering the nature of the naval warfare most likely to occur on the lakes, there is perhaps not one of those we recommend for completion that might not become of importance to some naval armament. Taking into view all the ports on the lake, we find Buffalo, Cleveland, Erie, and the river Raisin, presenting themselves as important points in a line of operations of attack or defence, the first two communicating, as the third soon will, by extensive series of canals and river navigation with the remotest parts of the Union. The river Raisin, lying southwardly from Detroit, and beyond the immediate reach of a hostile force, holding the left bank of the latter river, would strengthen in a very high degree the defensible means of that frontier, while its railroad, projected to terminate upon the head of Lake Michigan, now completed into the heart of the most populous district of the state, would carry the supplies destined for the more western states uninterrupted by an enemy not in possession of the naval supremacy of the lakes. Besides these there are other artificial harbours on Lake Erie, to communicate with which very extensive lines of railroads have been projected, leading towards the Atlantic cities, all of which would serve for the conveyance of troops and the munitions of war. Among the maps and plans connected with this report, will be found a sketch of nearly all the lines of canals and railroads projected or executed to connect the business of the upper lakes with the interior or with the seaboard. We have spoken of the rapid increase of population, within the last few years, and we have referred it in a great degree to improved facilities of intercourse, and to the protection which commerce has received. The increase in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, since the year 1820, has been nearly four-fold. In 1820 the population of Ohio amounted to 581,434, and it may now we think be reasonably estimated at 1,500,000. Indiana, in 1820, numbered 147,178 inhabitants; they will now probably amount to 700,000. Illinois had 55,211: in 1838 it had 225,000. Michigan in the year 1820 had 8,896 inhabitants; now her population will amount to 250,000. Wisconsin, as a separate territory, did not exist until 1836; what her population may be now it were difficult to conjecture; the influx of emigrants is so great it cannot fall much short of 35,00 or 40,000. The country north-west of the Ohio, therefore, may be reckoned to contain at least 3,000,000 of inhabitants at this time. In the year 1810 it had, exclusive of Indians, a population of 262,324. NOTE. We have remarked that the channels by which the trade of the upper lakes now connects with the seaboard and with the valley of the Mississippi, are the Welland canal and the We have had recourse, therefore, to Erie and Ohio canals. the returns made annually respecting the business of these canals for such facts as we supposed calculated to exhibit the value of the general commerce of the lakes. These will be found annexed to this note in the form of tabular statements. That for the Welland canal is for the years 1837 and 1838. We have also the quantities of some of the staple articles passing through it in the years 1832, 1833, and 1834, as follows: * Of this quantity of wheat, only 1,800 bushels British, and 2,200 bushels American, went to Montreal; the rest went to Oswego for the New York market. ERIE CANAL. Staple articles arriving at Buffalo, and passing east by the Erie Canal, during the following years: Statement of property arriving at Buffalo from the east, on the Erie Canal, during the following named years. 346 732 In 1837 there were received at Buffalo by the Erie canal, and shipped to other states: Merchandise.. Iron ware. We annex for the years 1834 and 1835 a fuller statement: Stone coal Bushels Oil.. Tons. 1834. 111,798 1835. Other articles. Note.—We have not the reports of the commissioners of the New York canals for 1836 and 1837, and cannot there168,012 fore make these statements as perfect as we could wish. The 12,193 states to which merchandise is destined are enumerated in the body of our report. OHIO CANAL. We have given statements of the business of the Ohio 614 canal at Cleveland for the years 1830, 1836, 1837, and 1838, as also at Portsmouth, on the Ohio river, and we have remarked the proportion of the business of the canal which 7,304 seeks a market by the lake route. The following statement, 1,765 which we copy from a western publication, and which we 997 have verified by a comparison of its details with official statements, is inserted for the purpose of sustaining what we have 355 said on this point. 768 154 136 Butter and lard. 119 503 Cheese...... Wool 73 93 Deer shins and raw hides.. 126 135 Wheat in 1835 1,154 bushels 387,232 bushels Sundries |