"Maps, Reports, Estimates, &c., Relative to Improvements of the Navigation of the River St. Lawrence, and a Proposed Canal Connecting the River St. Lawrence and Lake Champlain",

This Canadian government report concerns the practicality of establishing a canal between Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence River as well as improving ship navigation within the river itself. The purpose of the work was "to furnish a cheaper, quicker, and a more desirable route to the great trade which passes between the tide water in the Hudson River, the Railways in New England and the City of New York, on the one hand, and the Western States and Canada." The report is augmented by 6 maps of the river on 5 folding sheets including the incredibly long (20 x 200") Plan of the River St. Lawrence between Prescott and Montreal by George Matthews. This long map shows the "steam boat track" through the river, adjoining canals, navigational hazards, rapids, islands, and more. The volume contains 40 pages of reports, estimates, statements and letters regarding the St. Lawrence River and proposed canal. The long map is curiously omitted from the table of contents. Rebacked with original brown cloth boards.

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Condition: B

The long folding map has some light dampstaining along the top sheet edges, scattered foxing more prominent at left, and a short fold separation adjacent to Perrot Island at top. There is a long vertical split at left that has been repaired with archival materials on both recto and verso. The other 4 folding map sheets have some dampstaining, scattered foxing, and extraneous creasing. Text is very good except the folding table, which is heavily creased with some repaired chips in the bottom blank margin. Rebacked with original boards, which are heavily worn and stained.