TRANSPORTATION AND COMMERCE. The Domin ion, the provincial, and the various municipal governments have contributed liberally to the construction of railroads, and the mileage has rapidly increased until in 1900 it amounted to 6812 miles, or twice that of any other Canadian province, there being one mile of track to every 32.24 square miles of area. The greatest part. of this is in peninsular Ontario. the Canadian Pacific being the only line which traverses the great nortliern portion of the province. At a number of points the railroads connect with those of the United States. The position of On tario in relation to the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence River provides excellent water communication with the markets of the world. Formerly a number of falls and rapids greatly lessened the commercial advantages of these waterways; but the Provincial and Dominion governments have constructed a series of canals from Sault Sainte Abide in the north to Lachine Rapids iu the cast, so that it is now possible for vessels drawing 14 feet of water to pass from the head of Lake Superior through the whole course of the Saint Lawrence. The longest of these
canals—the Welland, connecting Lake Erie with Lake Ontario—is miles in length and cost over $24,000,000. The severity of the winter season stops navigation during that period, and will always detract greatly from the otherwise superior advantages of the navigable waters.
The province is rapidly increasing in com mercial iniportaner. The imports for home con sumption during the r 1900 amounted to $70, 200.000 as against $43,600,000 for the year 1890. Coal is the leading import. The duty collected has grown correspondingly, and in 1900 was $10,700,000. The exports for the same year amounted to $56,100,000. The foreign trade of the province is principally with the United States and England. The merchant marine in 1900 consisted of 10(14 steamers and 546 sailing vessels, with a combined tonnage of 141,112.