PhotoHunter: Lock(s)

June 13, 2009 at 10:37 am (Bytown, Canada, Canals, History, Ottawa, Photographs, PhotoHunt, Rideau Canal)

Here in Ottawa, one cannot help but be aware that we are living in an historically significant place.

Apart from being the capital of Canada, on a daily basis, we pass by, over, under, and through history. In my case, I cross over one piece of history every day on my way to work.

The Rideau Canal, the northern end, at least, begins in Ottawa, right beside Parliament Hill. It bisects the city, cutting it in half — or thirds, really, assisted by the Rideau River, which is the reason for the Canal’s existence.

The Rideau Canal is a working waterway, a historic feature, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The necessity of a canal was realized back during the War of 1812, when Canadians (and the British) beat back invading American forces. Americans repeatedly argue that “Canadians” didn’t have anything to do with the War of 1812 because we didn’t exist as a nation until 1867. The populace, however, considered themselves as British Subjects but more significantly “Canadians”. Indeed, the vast majority of those who defended Canada were citizen militias and individuals, NOT British troops!. It was a citizen militia, in fact, that invaded the United States and burned the White House.

I digress….

It was realized that, should Americans invade again, Canada would be hard pressed to bring men and materiel through the rough country should Americans block access to the main waterway, the St. Lawrence River.

In 1826, Lieutenant Colonel John By of the Royal Engineers was assigned the daunting and seemingly insurmountable task of designing and engineering a canal system from the Ottawa River to Kingston, then the main city in Upper Canada. He and the builders of the canal fought the elements, Malaria, the terrain, and bureaucracy, finally finishing the canal in November 1931.

Colonel John By supervising construction of the locks at Bytown - C.W. Jeffreys

He started near the canal in a natural fault beside what would later become Parliament Hill in a place which would later become Ottawa, later named By Town in his honour, but then an unnamed rough and tumble habitation of lumber shacks and mills. The builders followed a known route known only to local Indians who traveled to and from Lake Ontario and The Ottawa River.

In 1832 the canal opened and consisted of 47 masonry locks and 52 dams creating a 202 km (125 mile) waterway, one of the greatest engineering feats of the 19th century. It remains the oldest continuously operated canal system in North America.

The same locks as they appeared in 1839 - W.H. Bartlett

Sadly, By, himself became the scapegoat of disagreements over the final cost, the original estimates, and government in-fighting and was removed from the project… on the day when the Canal opened.

At the very instant that Colonel By was being given an overwhelming welcome in Smiths Falls, thousands of miles away, on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, a clerk was penning the instrument of Colonel By’s demise. He was writing down a minute [official memorandum] resulting from a meeting that morning of the Lord Commissioners of the British Treasury. He was just at the point of writing “they [Lords of Treasury] cannot delay expressing their opinion to the Master General and Board of Ordnance on the conduct of Colonel By in carrying out this Work [the Rideau Canal].”

He died without having his name cleared or having the governments on wither side of the Atlantic acknowledge his achievements.

Canada and Canadians, however, now honour him as being the creator of one of Canada’s most significant and historic achievements.

Believed to a silhouette of Lt. Col. By

Nicholson's Locks, on the Rideau Canal

Nicholson's Lock, Rideau Canal.

Long Island Locks and Dam, Rideau Canal, Manotick

The Lockmaster's House, lower lock, Hog's Back, Ottawa

And a few of the locks at the Galop Canal, which is on the St. Lawrence Seaway. Now made redundant by the Seaway.

Disused Locks, Galop Canal, St. Lawrence River

"Lockcicles", Galop Canal (thanks, Az!)

If I can find the one of the lock gate, half submerged downstream, I will add it.