its
instrumentality, timber which formerly took two seasons to reach Quebec,
now does so in five months. Like many other inventors, I fear Mr. Wright
has not received justice at the hands of the Government, who, by
building slides of their own, and granting advantages to those who use
them, have thus removed the traffic from Mr. Wright's--an injustice
which it is to be hoped it is not too late to repair; at all events, the
Imperial Legislature, which felt bound to vote 4000l. to a man that
invented a machine for making little holes between penny stamps, on the
ground of commercial utility, must agree with me that it is unworthy of
a lumbering colony to neglect the claims of a man whose invention has
proved to be a benefit to the lumber trade, absolutely beyond
calculation.

The chief proprietor at Bytown is the Hon. Mr. Mackay, and of his career
in Canada he may indeed be justly proud. Arriving in the country as a
labourer without a friend, he has, by his integrity and intellectual
capability, fought his way up nobly to the highest position in the
colony, and is one of the most respected members of the Legislative
Council. Nor has he, while battling for senatorial honours, neglected
his more material interests, and the energy he has brought to bear upon
them has been rewarded to his heart's desire. He has a charming little
country place, called Rideau Hall, about three miles out of town, and is
the owner of several carding, saw, and flour mills, besides an
extensive cloth factory, from the produce of which I am at this moment
most comfortably clad. Mr. Mackay's career may fairly be termed a useful
colonial monument, to encourage the aspirations of noble ambition, and
to scourge the consciences of those drones who always see "a lion in the
way." We had the pleasure of enjoying his hospitalities at a grand
breakfast which he gave in honour of my two travelling friends, who
were, I believe, the first members of the Executive Council that had
been here for very many years.

One object of their present visit was to ascertain, from personal
observation and inquiry, how far it was desirable the Government should
grant money for the purpose of making any of the locks requisite to
connect the Ottawa, &c., with Montreal and Quebec. I cannot for an
instant doubt their being most thoroughly convinced both of its perfect
practicability and of its immense importance. It only requires the
construction of nineteen miles of canal, to