BUSINESS INTERESTS. The navigable Saint Lawrence River has been the determining factor in the development of Quebec. The largest ocean steamers ascend the river as far as Montreal. 500 miles from its mouth. The shipping industry of this port has made it the metropolis of Canada. Here is collected almost the whole of the interior Canadian product which is destined for foreign shipment, to which are added also large quan tities of food products from the Northern United States. The navigation of this stream has been greatly improved (as has been also that of its north and south tributaries, the Ottawa and the Richelieu) by the construction of canals at points where their courses are interrupted by rapids. For foreign shipments, see the article on CANADA. The principal export products of Que bec are lumber, beef. apples, and dairy products —butter and cheese.
The construction and maintenance of railroads have been aided by the Dominion, provincial. and municipal governments—the provincial aid averaging $15,000,000 annually. The' mileage in
1900 was 3414—about half that of Ontario. Most of the lines are south of the Saint Law rence. The only line running into the northern interior is the one from Quebec to Lake Saint John. which was formerly an im portant industry, has almost entirely ceased. Logs used to be shipped in the rough to British ports, but now numerous sawmills have been established, and the timber is sawed into lumber before shipment. The presence of tanning barks, notably the hemlock, has given rise to an ex tensive tanning industry. The spruce is being largely manufactured into wood pulp and its products. Boots and shoes are made at Montreal and Quebec. Cottons are also manufactured. and there is an increased trade in printed cotton goods. The manufacture of matches, potash, and other chemical products is of some importance. A number of the river rapids have been utilized in the generation of electrical light and power.