ON THE REPORT of the Chief Commissioner of Public Works, stating that several Petitions to Your Excellency, from various localities in Upper and Lower Canada, for the construction of a Canal to connect the St. Lawrence with Lake Champlain, have been referred to his Department, that the Legislative Assembly also by its Resolution of the 6th of April, 1853, called Your Excellency's attention to the subject, that the Petition from the Montreal Board of Trade, also referred to that Department, requests that a survey be made by Government of a convenient site for the Canal in question, at such a place that vessels going to or coming from sea may navigate through the St. Lawrence and such Canal to Lake Champlain; that he has carefully perused these Petitions arid Resolution, and also the papers relating to the matter of record in his office; that a survey was made in 1847, at the request of certain individuals who contemplated to construct the Canal as a private enterprize, and that such survey was confined to a particular line with its terminus at Caughnawaga, above Montreal, so as to be within the locality these persons had in view; that he is of opinion, considering the great importance of the subject, that a new survey should be made without delay by competent Engineers, who should report as to the most convenient site for the said Canal, and the probable cost thereof, and requesting that authority may be given to the Commissioners of Public Works to have the survey effected.

The Committee recommend that authority be given to the Commissioners of Public Works to cause a survey to be made for the purpose of ascertaining the most eligible and convenient route for a Canal, from some point on the St. Lawrence to Lake Champlain.

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