Subject: Further improvement of the St. Lawrence
River between Montreal and Lake Ontario.
Having been charged by our respective Governments with the duty
of conferring relative to the terms and conditions which should
be embodied in the reference to the International Joint
Commission of the question of the further improvement of the St.
Lawrence River between Montreal and Lake Ontario, the following
is a statement of the agreement reached by us after three
conferences, one at Ottawa, one at Montreal, and the final one
at Washington, D.C.:
It is our view that the necessary work of surveying and preparing
plans and estimates in accordance with a number of alternatives
should be done jointly by engineers of the respective
governments who are already charged with these or similar
duties, and that the International Joint Commission should be
charged with the duty of making the general investigations and
obtaining the information necessary to enable it to select the
most desirable plan and to make the desired report and
recommendations relating thereto.
We have accordingly prepared a draft of a letter to the
Commission embodying the above general distribution of the work
and setting forth the questions upon which report and
recommendations are desired. This letter follows:—
“To the Secretary,
International
Joint Commission,
Sir: I have the honour to
inform you that the Governments of the United States of
America and of the Dominion of Canada, under the
provisions of Article IX of the Treaty of the 11th of
January, 1909,23 between
the Governments of the United States and Great Britain,
herewith refer certain questions, as set forth below ‘
involving the beneficial use of the waters of the St.
Lawrence river, between Montreal and lake Ontario, in
the interests of both countries, and, in general, the
rights, obligations, or interests of either in relation
to the other, or to the inhabitants of the other along
their common frontier.’
It is desired that the said questions be made the basis
of an investigation to be carried out by the
International Joint Commission, to the end that the said
Commission may submit a report to the two countries
covering the subject matter of this reference, together
with such conclusions and recommendations as may be
considered pertinent in the premises.
Question I. What further
improvement in the St. Lawrence river, between Montreal
and lake Ontario, is necessary to make the same [Page 412] navigable for
deep draught vessels of either the lake or ocean-going
type; what draught of water is recommended; and what is
the estimated cost?
In answering this question the Commission is requested to
consider:—
- (a)
- Navigation interests alone, whether by the
construction of locks and dams in the river; by
side canals with the necessary locks; or by a
combination of the two?
- (b)
- The combination of navigation and power
interests to obtain the greatest beneficial use of
the waters of the river.
Question II. Which of the schemes
submitted by the Government or other engineers is
preferred, and why?
Question III. Under what general
method of procedure and in what general order shall the
various physical and administrative features of the
improvement be carried out?
Question IV. Upon what basis shall
the capital cost of the completed improvement be
apportioned to each country?
Question V. Upon what basis shall
the costs of operation and maintenance be apportioned to
each country?
Question VI. What method of
control is recommended for the operation of the improved
waterway to secure its most beneficial use?
Question VII. Will regulating lake
Ontario increase the low water flow in the St. Lawrence
Ship Channel below Montreal? And if so, to what extent
and at what additional cost?
Question VIII. To what extent will
the improvement develop the resources, commerce and
industry of each country?
Question IX. What traffic, both
incoming and outgoing, in kind and quantity, is likely
to be carried upon the proposed route both at its
inception and in the future? Consideration to be given
not only to present conditions, but to probable changes
therein resulting from the development of industrial
activities due to availability of large quantities of
hydraulic power?
Pending the receipt of plans, estimates and other
engineering data necessary for the final consideration
of this reference, the Commission is requested to hold
such public hearings as may be considered necessary or
advisable in order to obtain all information bearing,
directly or indirectly, on the physical, commercial and
economic feasibility of the project as a whole.
To facilitate the preparation of the desired report each
government will, from its official engineering
personnel, appoint an engineer with full authority to
confer with a similar officer of the other Government
for the purpose:—1st. Of acquiring, each in his own
country, such data as may be found necessary to
supplement the existing engineering data and surveys
and, 2nd. Of preparing complete outline plans for and
estimates of the cost of the proposed improvement,
including the value of all property, easements, damages
and rights connected therewith. These plans and
estimates are to be submitted to the Commission as soon
as practicable but not later than one year from the date
of appointment and the Commission is requested to [Page 413] forward to the
two Governments its final report with recommendation not
later than three months thereafter. A copy of the
instructions furnished these engineers is attached
hereto.
Yours truly.”
Further, in accordance with the procedure proposed by us, we have
prepared the following instructions to the engineers who will be
charged with the making of surveys and the preparation of plans
and estimates.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
