The development, of the enormous water powers for ¢lectric energy purposes in the St. Lawrence River is likely to form an important topic of discussion between Canada and the United States, and more particularly so because of the stupendous future value of such development. Many attempts have been made to obtain possession of the rights of development, and to secure a monopoly of the power, but so far these have been frustrated. The whole matter came up last year when Canada was invited by the States to consider the point of the deepening of the St. Lawrence River so that ocean—going ships could pass from the Atlantic to the Great Lakes, and the development of the water-power in the river. The Canadian Government replied that in view of the huge expense involved in this, and the almost oppressive expenditure which the country was being forced to meet every year, the time was not opfortune to consider the question. The matter is somewhat further complicated from the fact that the Province of Ontario and Quebec both claim rights of jurisdiction over territories through which the St. Lawrence flows. This, however, may be taken to mean that extra watchful eyes will be upon any capitalists seeking to obtain any rights. What will take place in time will probably be that the development will be handled by Canadian and American Government Commissions, and this may come rather soon as already the demand is being pressed for more electric power, the great shortage of coal during the past winter being the chief cause of this demand.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.