ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20619, 8 August 1932, Page 11

ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY.

CANAL OPENED. EMPIRE DELEGATES ATTEND CEREMONY. (united pkess association—bi BLECTWO TEtEOBAPH—COPYRIGHT.) (Received August 7th, 5.5 p.m.) THOROLD (Ontario), August 6. "Water communications stretch from the Strait of Bell Islo to Fort William and Port Arthur, a" distance of 2800 miles and the Welland Canal to-day becomes a component part of this waterway," said the Hon. R. J. Manion, Minister for Railways and Canals to-day, heralding tho oponing of an engineering project, which has taken nearly 20 years to complete. In the presence of the Governor-General (Lord Bessborough), Mr R. B. Bennett and many Imperial Conference delegates, Mr Manion paid a tribute to tho engineers and workmen, who planned the world's greatest inland canal. lie outlined the history of previous canals, beginning with an Bft project in 1829, emphasising that after an expenditure of 150,000,000 dollars, the fourth Welland Canal was now ready to serve as a unit of the St. Lawrence seaway. Mr Stanley Baldwin, Mr S. M. Bruce, Mr J. G. Coates, Mr Haronga (South Africa), Mr Sean Lemass 'lrish Free State), and the Hon. 13. V.mvalla (India) were among those present and they expressed satisfaction at the successful culmination of the project. Tributes to Canada. A large proportion of the leaders of the delegations to the Ottawa Conference, including Mr Baldwin, Mr Thomas, and Mr Coates, visited Niagara in two special trains and participated in the opening of the Welland ship canal, 25 miles long, and costing 130,000,000 dollars. The canal was begun before the war and has just been completed. During its construction 115 men were killed. The water-level drops 325 feet from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. Seven locks, each lifting 46$ ft, are able to accommodate vessels of more than 600 ft in length. The canal generates its own hydro-electric power to operate the lock gates, which are among the largest in the world. Mr Stanley Baldwin congratulated Canada on a marvellous achievement, which was a source of wOndCr to Conference visitors. Mr Stanley Bruce said *.he undertaking was a tribute to the Canadian people's courage, optimism, and faith in their own great land. "Wo in Australia are following in the track you are blazing. Your developments aie an inspiration to us. One hundred years ago the United States had anly a population equal to Anstralia's ti-day, now America's population is 120,000,000. and is an indication of the enormous progress Canada and Australia can make." 1 Mr J. G. Coates said: •'Ne-v Zealand- j ers take the keenest interest \a the Canadian people's aspirations in developing their great Dominion." After Lord Bessborough pressed a . lever opening the lock gates, the 635 ft freighter, Lemoyne, loaded with 500,000 bushels of grain, passed majesttcally down the canal en route to Montreal. The speeches were heard through loudspeakers by a crowd of 50,000. The delegates drove to the beautiful city of St. Catharine's, where a cheering crowd lined tho streets, giving a temarkable popular vvel come. A baby cried when the officii'! parly arrived at the station. Mr J. H. Thomas and Mr E B. Bennett kissed it, creating much amusement among the crowd.