Correspondence relative to the Canal Communication in Canada. I have succeeded in making the mound across Dow's Great Swamp water-tight, which places beyond all doubt the practicability of converting that unhealthy swamp into a fine sheet of water, and does away with the original idea of forming an aqueduct in the centre of the said mound, and a considerable saving will be made in consequence. I have also succeeded in raising the Rideau River at the Hog's Back 27 feet perpendicular, and am now busily employed in carrying on that work, in thickening the base, and completing the arch key work across the river, which was injured by the spring floods carrying away the temporary dam; and I have every reason to hope by this time next year to have the water raised to the required height of 45 feet, as at present I have met with nothing to create a doubt of the practicability of the plan; and if I am allowed to expend £.137,215. 11. 10. in 1829, 1830 and 1831, I am confident the whole of the proposed works will be completed by the 12th August 1831, but I shall require the assistance of six officers of Royal Engineers in addition to those I have now the honour of commanding, to ensure the masonry and other works being well executed. I have the honour to be, &c. &c. (signed) John By, L' Col' R' Eng's Com3, Rideau Canal. No. 85.-LETTER from Secretary to Ordnance Office to the Hon. J. Stewart, &c. &c. &c. SIR, Office of Ordnance, 28th August 1829. HAVING Submitted to the Board of Ordnance your letter, dated 7th instant, stating that the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury have had before them a copy of my letter of 8th July last, addressed to Mr. Under Secretary Hay, recommending that a vote for £. 140,000. should be submitted to Parliament for each of the years 1830 and 1831, to complete the Rideau Canal, in which letter reference is made to one of the 20th November 1828, from Lieut.-Colonel By, desiring to be allowed £. 137,200. in each of the years 1829, 1830 and 1831, and signifying the desire of the Lords Commissioners to be furnished with a copy of Lieut.-Colonel By's letter, together with any observations which may have occurred to the Master General and Board thereon, with reference to the Report of the Committee formed by General Sir James Kempt, Lieut.-Colonel Fanshawe, and Lieut.-Colonel Lewis, of 28th June 1828, in which they dissent from the estimate of Lieut.-Colonel By, amounting to £.576,757. 14. 9. and report their opinion that £. 558,000. would be amply sufficient to complete the Canal with all probable contingencies that may occur;— I am commanded by the Board of Ordnance to transmit to you, as desired by the Lords of the Treasury, a copy of Lieut.-Colonel By's letter of 20th November 1828, and have to request you will inform their Lordships that the Lieutenant-Colonel does not appear to have been in possession of the reduced estimate for the Rideau Canal formed by the Committee, of which Sir James Kempt was President. Before the amount proposed by the Committee, namely £. 558,000, is finally assumed as sufficient, the Board are of opinion it will be advisable to furnish the Commanding Engineer in Canada with a copy of the Committee's Report, so far as relates to calculations, in order that he may report regarding the reduction of £. 18,000. as proposed by the Committee; and the Board beg to suggest to the Lords of the Treasury, that in the meantime the sum of £. 140,000. be the amount to be voted for 1830, leaving the remainder open for future consideration. The Board, on receiving their Lordships' acquiescence, will make the proposed communication to the Commanding Royal Engineer in Canada. No. 86.-LETTER from Lieut.-Colonel By to Lieut.-Colonel Couper, SIR, &c. &c. &c. Royal Engineer Office, Rideau Canal, I HAVE the honour of transmitting, for the information of his Excellency Sir James Kempt, the Progress Report of Works and Expenditure on the Rideau Canal, from its commencement on the 21st September 1826 to the 1st November 1828, at which date I had expended £.141,313. 15. 5., and between the 1st and 20th instant, I have paid £.12,003. 5. 111⁄2., making my total disbursements £.153,317. 1. 54., which leaves a balance of only £.12,682. 18. 14. of which I suppose £. 5,000. is due to the various contractors, as we never advance the full value on the cut stone until it is measured in the wall; and I have the satisfaction of stating, that although my operations have been much retarded by the restricting of my expenditure in the commencement of the present year to £. 41,000, until the Committee of the 29th of June authorized my expending £. 105,000, and the sickness among my men and officers, which created a sad stagnation in the works, yet taking these unexpected events into consideration, there has been an astonishing quantity of work performed, as fully detailed in the accompanying Report. The line of bridges erected across the Ottawa, at the Chaudière Falls, is completed; and although the great Kettle Bridge was destroyed by the chains breaking on 2d April last, it has been rebuilt, and that service completed at an excess of only £.372. 14. 44. on the original estimate. The traffic appearing very great, I have ordered a toll-house and gates to be erected, and the following Notice to be fixed at the gate, and conceive the tolls will produce at least £. 100. currency per annum, which will be paid, as collected, into the military chest, until I receive instructions on that subject: "These Bridges across the Chaudière Falls having been built at the expense "of His Majesty's Ordnance, Orders are given, That no Persons whatever "shall be permitted to pass until they have paid one Penny; one Penny "also to be paid for every horse, mare, gelding, ox, cow, calf, sheep, lamb "and pig; and Two-pence for every waggon, sleigh or carriage, until the pleasure of His Majesty's Ordnance is known. "John By, L' Col' R' Engineers." I have succeeded in making the mound across Dow's Great Swamp water-tight, which places beyond all doubt the practicability of converting that unhealthy swamp into a fine sheet of water, and does away with the original idea of forming an aqueduct in the centre of the said mound, and a considerable saving will be made in consequence. I have also succeeded in raising the Rideau River at the Hog's Back 27 feet perpendicular, and am now busily employed in carrying on that work, in thickening the base, and completing the arch key work across the River, which was injured by the spring floods carrying away the temporary dam; and I have every reason to hope by this time next year, to have the water raised to the required height of 45 feet, as at present I have met with nothing to create a doubt of the practicability of the plan; and if I am allowed to expend £. 137,215. 11. 10. in 1829, 1830 and 1831, I am confident the whole of the proposed works will be completed by the 12th August 1831; but I shall require the assistance of six officers of Royal Engineers, in addition to those I have now the honour of commanding, to ensure the masonry and other works being well executed. I have, &c. (signed) John By. No. 87.-Copy of TREASURY MINUTE, dated 10th September 1829. READ a letter from Mr. Hay, dated 20th August last, transmitting, as requested by the letter from this Board of the 11th of that month, the copy of a despatch from Lieut.-General Sir James Kempt, enclosing an abridged Report of the proceedings of Lieut.-Colonel By on the Rideau Canal to the 1st March last, and a Statement of the Expenses which had been incurred upon it up to that period. Correspondence relative to the Canal Communication in Canada. Correspondence relative to the Canal Communication in Canada, Read also a letter from the Secretary to the Ordnance, dated 28th ultimo, transmitting, as desired by the letter from this Board of the 7th of that month, a copy of Lieut.-Colonel By's letter of the 20th November 1828, desiring to be allowed £. 137,200 in each of the years 1829, 1830 and 1831, for the Rideau Canal, and the Secretary to the Ordnance at the same time states, that the Lieut.-Colonel does not appear to have been in possession of the reduced estimate for the Rideau Canal formed by the Committee, of which Sir James Kempt was President, alluded to in the above letter from this Board. Before the amount proposed by the Committee, namely, £. 558,000, is finally assumed as sufficient, the Board of Ordnance are of opinion, it will be advisable to furnish the Commanding Engineer in Canada with a copy of the Committee's Report, so far as relates to the calculations, in order that he may report regarding the reduction of £. 18,000, as proposed by the Committee; and the Board suggest to their Lordships, that in the mean time the sum of £. 140,000. be the amount to be voted for 1830, leaving the remainder open for further consideration. Transmit copy of Mr. Hay's letter and enclosures to the Secretary of the Ordnance, for the information of the Master General and Board, and acquaint him, with reference to his letter of the 28th ultimo, that although the whole amount of the estimate of the Committee which remains to be provided is £.262,000. only, My Lords will submit to Parliament a vote for £. 140,000. in the next session, as recommended by the Master General and Board, leaving £. 122,000. to be voted in the year 1831; and My Lords request that Lieut.-Colonel By may be called upon to report in the fullest detail, and without delay, on the estimate of the Committee, and that his Report may be submitted to the Committee, for their observations, with reference to their estimate of £. 558,000, as My Lords will not propose to Parliament to grant a larger sum than is sufficient to complete the estimate of £. 558,000, without the most clear and satisfactory evidence of the necessity. No. 88.-LETTER from R. Byham, Esq. to the Hon. J. Stewart, SIR, I am directed to acquaint you, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury, that agreeably to their Lordships' desire Lieut.-Colonel By will be called upon for the detailed Report required upon this subject. I have the honour to be, Sir, R. Byham. No. 89.-LETTER from R. W. Hay, Esq. to the Hon. J. Stewart, SIR, &c. &c. &c. Downing-street, 19th November 1829. I AM directed by Secretary Sir George Murray to transmit to you the copy of a despatch from Lieutenant-General Sir James Kempt, dated the 20th September last, stating, that in compliance with the recommendation of Lieutenant-Colonel Durnford, commanding Royal Engineers in Canada, he had purchased certain lots of land at the Hog's Back, on the Rideau Canal; I am to request that you will lay the same before the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, for their Lordships' information, acquainting their Lordships that Sir George Murray is of opinion, that Sir James Kempt has acted with a just view to the public interest, and in fact has only anticipated the instructions which have been conveyed to him on this subject. No. 90. DESPATCH from Lieut-General Sir James Kempt to the SIR, Chateau St. Lewis, Quebec, 20th Sept. 1829. WITH reference to my letter (No. 35), dated 2d April 1829, upon the purchase of certain lots of land at the Hog's Back, on the Rideau Canal, belonging to Dr. Munro and to Mr. R. D. Fraser, I have now the honour to transmit extracts of letters from Colonel Durnford, commanding Royal Engineers in Canada, (No. 1), and from Lieut-Colonel By, commanding Royal Engineers upon the Rideau Canal, (No. 2), urging the immediate necessity of buying those lands. As it appears by the representations of those officers, that the verdict of a jury would most probably award a larger sum in compensation of the damages which those lands have sustained from persons employed upon the Canal, than the price at which their proprietors offer them for sale; as a further delay in their purchase would not only subject the public to an increased demand from the proprietors, but also to the probability of their being bought by unprincipled speculators, with a view to subsequent imposition upon Government, (an expedient which has already been too successfully practised on the line of this Canal), and as there can be no doubt that its completion will greatly enhance the value of all land in its vicinity, I have been induced, at the earnest solicitations of those officers, to authorize the purchase of the lots of Mr. Fraser and Dr. Munro. Correspondence relative to the Canal Communication in Canada. No. 91. No. 92. The situation of those lots is described in the enclosures of my letter, (No. 35,) dated 2d April last. That of Dr. Munro on the right bank of the Rideau, comprising 900 acres, he now offers without reserve for One thousand pounds sterling; and £. 1,000 sterling. that portion of Mr. Fraser's on the left bank of that River, which remains (after the purchase of the 45 acres formerly made by Lieut.-Colonel By) consisting of 455 acres, is offered for Three hundred and eighty pounds sterling, in all One thousand three hundred and eighty pounds sterling, the amounts which I have authorized to be paid for those lots. It is with great reluctance that I depart, even upon the most urgent occasions, from the rule by which I am generally governed, to refrain from sanctioning any expenditure of the public money which has not been previously authorized, but I entertain no doubt that under the circumstances I have stated, you will readily concur in the expediency of the course I have pursued. I have the honour to be, &c. £.380 sterling. £1,380 sterling. (signed) James Kempt. No. 91.-EXTRACT of a Letter from Colonel Durnford, Commanding -WITH reference to my letters of the 12th February and 24th March last, Nos. 1 & 2, of the Appendix, to Sir James Kempt's letter, No. 35, dated 2d April 1829, I beg leave again strongly to recommend that his Excellency be pleased to sanction the purchase of the property mentioned in Lieut.-Colonel By's letter, No. 2, for the reasons therein explained. No. 92. No. 92.-EXTRACT of a Letter, (No. 11,) from Lieut.-Colonel By, Com- —THE enclosed is a letter just received from Mr. R. D. Fraser, and as I am con- Correspondence relative to the Canal Communi I dread the consequences if much further delay takes place, for some one will purchase for the express purpose of making a job of the Government. Your obtaincation in Canada. ing for me the authority of his Excellency Sir James Kempt to make these purchases will greatly oblige me, as I am convinced the Government will save money by an immediate purchase. No. 93.-LETTER from Mr. R. D. Fraser to Lieut.-Colonel By, SIR, Edwardsburg, 14th August 1829. I WOULD have completed the deed for the frontage of the lots Nos. 34 & 35, in Nepean, forty-five acres, but when I came to give the dimensions, I had it not from the surveyor; however, it is no consequence, as I am ready to execute the deed at any time. I have spoken to a number of people who have lands upon the Rideau River, but they hold these lands at too high a rate that I should ever mention. Mrs. Fraser, my sister-in-law, from Montreal, is now with me; she has lands, 800 acres, where the embankments are going on in Nepean. Should you be decirous to arrange with her for the same, if you will write me what time you will see her, I will go to By Town with her. Also please let me know what is your intention respecting the remainder of the lands at the Hog's Back, 445 acres. No. 94.-LETTER from R. Byham, Esq. to the Hon. J. Stewart, SIR, &c. &c. &c. Office of Ordnance, 29th January 1830. WITH reference to your letter of the 18th September last, stating the intention of the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury to submit to Parliament a vote for £. 140,000. in the next Session, on account of the Rideau Canal ; I have the honour to acquaint you, as it does not appear that any amount has been notified to the Board as intended to be taken on account of the Grenville Canal, carrying on by the Staff Corps Companies in Canada, now under the orders of the Ordnance Department, the Board, agreeably to a recommendation upon this head from the Inspector General of Fortifications, beg to submit to their Lordships, that the sum of £. 30,000. be included in the Colonial Estimates, on account of the Grenville Canal, for the present year. I have, &c. (signed) R. Byham. No. 95.-Copy of TREASURY MINUTE, dated 2d February 1830. MY Lords read the letter from the Secretary of the Board of Ordnance, of the 29th January, recommending to propose a grant of Parliament in the ensuing Session of £. 30,000. on account of the Grenville Canal, carrying on by the Staff Corps Companies in Canada, under the orders of the Ordnance Department, in addition to the vote of £. 140,000. which My Lords intend to propose on account of the Rideau Canal. My Lords resume the consideration of all the former papers on the subject of the Canal Communications in Canada, and advert particularly to the Report of the Committee, of which Sir James Kempt was President, on the Rideau Canal, and to the letter of the Secretary of State for the Colonial Department, of the November |