by M. le Comte de Frontinac in 1672: about 130 men are usually quartered in the barracks. Kingston is a place of very considerable trade, and has increased rapidly of late: all the goods brought up the St. Lawrence for the supply of the upper country are deposited here in stores, previous to being shipped on board vessels suitable to the navigation of the lake; and a vast quantity of furs are likewise here collected together, and sent in bateaux down the St. Lawrence. The principal merchants resident at Kingston are partners of old established houses at Montreal and Quebec, and are extremely hospitable to strangers, particularly British. The bay adjoining to Kingston affords good anchorage, and is the safest and most commodious harbour on lake Ontario. The bay of Great Sodus, on the south side of the lake, and that of Toronto, situated on the north side of the lake, nearly in the same meridian with Niagara, are said to be the next best to that of Kingston; but the entrance into each of them is obstructed by sand banks, which cannot be crossed in rough weather without imminent danger. On the borders of the bay of Kingston there is a king's dock-yard, and another which is private property. Most of the British vessels of burden on lake Ontario are built in these yards.

There is no regular market at Kingston, and the inhabitants are obliged to lay in a stock of fresh provisions in the best manner possible, and often with great difficulty. Fire-wood is brought in sledges, during the winter, from the banks of the river and the adjacent islands, and is sold remarkably cheap. Some schools are established in this district, but not to any extent. The district of Kingston contains no paupers, and poor-rates are consequently unknown to the inhabitants.

Niagara town, or as it is sometimes called, Newark, is situated on the western bank of the Niagara river, about fifty yards from the water's edge. It contains about 120 houses, and from 5 to 600 inhabitants; there is also a court house and gaol. The houses are chiefly built of wood; those next the lake are rather poor, but at the upper end there are many excellent houses, occupied by the principal officers of government and others. The town commands a fine view of the lake and distant shores, and its situation is in every respect pleasing to the eye. From its standing on a spot of ground so much elevated above the level of the water, it might be supposed to be a very healthy place, but it is extremely unhealthy, as is also the vicinity, and almost every part of Upper Canada, the inhabitants being subject to intermittent and other fevers.

On the margin of Niagara river, three-quarters of a mile from the town, there is a building called Navy Hall, erected for the accommodation of the naval officers on the lake during the winter season, when their vessels are laid up. Opposite to it there is a spacious wharf, to protect the vessels from the ice; and adjoining the wharf are very extensive stores belonging to the crown, and also to private persons. The fort of Niagara stands immediately at the mouth of the river, on a point of land washed on one side by the river, and on the other by the lake: towards the water it is stockaded, and behind the stockade there is a large mound of earth, on the top of which are embrasures for guns; on the land side it is secured by several batteries and redoubts, and by parellel lines of fascines. The fort and out-works occupy about six acres of ground, and are generally occupied by about 100 men.

Detroit is one of the most important places that was surrendered by the United States, and contains from 3 to 400 houses. It is built on an elevated bank of the river Niagara; the streets all run parallel to the river, intersected at right angles, but they are unpaved, narrow, and dirty. The town is encircled with a strong stockade, through which two gates open to some extensive wharfs on the brink of the river, and two others to different sides of the town. On the western side there is a small square fort, defended by some small field pieces. This town is celebrated for its commerce; and the stores and shops are nearly as well supplied with fine cloth, linen, and every article of wearing apparel, as at New York or Philadelphia. Provisions of all kinds are plentiful, particularly fish, which are caught in the river and adjacent lakes. The circumjacent country is remarkably flat, and none of the rivers have a fall sufficiently strong to turn a mill; the inhabitants are therefore obliged to grind their corn by windmills. The soil about Detroit is remarkably rich, and yields an abundant supply of wheat and Indian corn. The climate is far more healthy than that in the vicinage of Niagara; yet the summers are extremely hot, and intermittent fevers are here very common.

There are several other small fort-towns or posts, such as Machillimachinack, &c. &c. but not of sufficient importance to command a particular description.

History, Constitution, Government, Laws, Religion, &c. of Upper and Lower Canada.-Canada was discovered by the English as early as 1497; but the first settlement in

it was made by the French, in 1608, who retained posses sion of it till 1760, when it was conquered by the British arms, and, by the treaty of Paris in 1763, ceded by France to the crown of England, under the government of which it has ever since continued.

One of the most remarkable events which history records of this country, is the earthquake in 1663, which overwhelmed a chain of mountains of free-stone, more than 300 miles long, and changed the immense tract into a plain!

From the time that Canada was ceded to Great Britain until the year 1774, the internal affairs of the province were regulated by the governor alone. In pursuance of the Quebec bill, which was then passed, a legislative council was appointed by his majesty; the number of members was limited to twenty-three. This council had full power to make all such ordinances and regulations as were thought expedient for the welfare of the province; but it was prohibited from levying any taxes, except for the purpose of repairing public buildings and highways, or the like. Every ordinance was to be laid before the governor, for his majesty's approbation, within six months from the time it was passed; and no ordinance, imposing a greater punishment on any person or persons than a fine, or imprisonment for three months, was valid without his majes ty's assent, signified to the council by the governor.

Thus were the affairs of the province regulated until the year 1791, when an act was passed in the British parlia ment, repealing so much of the Quebec Bill as related to the appointment of a council, and to the powers that had been granted to it; and which established the present form of government.

The country, at the same time, was divided into two distinct provinces; the province of Lower Canada, and the province of Upper Canada. The former is the eastern part of the old province of Canada; the latter, the western part, situated on the northern sides of the great lakes and rivers through which the boundary line runs that separates the British territories from those of the United States. The two provinces are divided from each other by a line, which runs north, 24° west, commencing at Point au Baudet, in that part of the river St. Lawrence called Lake Francis, and continuing on from thence to the Utawas, or Grand River. The city of Quebec is the capital of the lower province; the town of Niagara is often called the capital of the upper province.

The executive power in each province is vested in the

governor, who has for his advice an executive council appointed by his majesty. The legislative power of each province is vested in the governor, a legislative council, and an assembly of the representatives of the people. Their acts, however, are subject to the controul of his majesty, and in some particular cases to the controul of the British parliament.

Bills are passed in the council and in the assembly in a form somewhat similar to that in which bills are carried through the British houses of parliament; they are then laid before the governor, who gives or withholds his assent, or reserves them for his majesty's pleasure,

Such bills as he assents to are put in force immediately; but he is bound to transmit a true copy of them to the king, who in council may declare his disallowance of them within two years from the time of their being received, in which case they become void.

Such as are reserved for his majesty's assent are not to be put in force until that is received.

Moreover, every act of the assembly and council, which goes to repeal or vary the laws and regulations that were in existence at the time the present constitution was established in the country respecting tythes; the appropriation of land for the support of a protestant clergy; the constituting and endowing of parsonages or rectories; the right of presentation to the same, and the manner in which the incumbents shall hold them; the enjoyment and exercise of any form or mode of worship; the imposing of any bur dens and disqualifications on account of the same; the rights of the clergy to recover their accustomed dues; the imposing or granting of any farther due or emoluments to any ecclesiastics; the establishment and discipline of the church of England; the king's prerogative, touching the granting of waste lands of the crown within the province; every such act, before it receives the royal assent, must be laid before both houses of parliament in Great Britain, and the king must not give his assent thereto until thirty days after the same has been laid before parliament; and in case either house of parliament presents an address to the king to withhold his assent to any such act or acts, it cannot be given.

By an act passed in the eighteenth year of his present majesty's reign, the British parliament has also the power of making any regulations which may be found expedient, respecting the commerce and navigation of the province, and also of imposing import and export duties; but all such duties are to be applied solely to the use of the pro vince, as the council and assembly shall direct.

The legislative council of Lower Canada consists of fifteen members; that of Upper Canada of seven. The number of the members in each province must never be less than this; but it may be increased whenever his majesty thinks fit.

The counsellors are appointed for life, by an instrument under the great seal of the province, signed by the governor, who is invested with powers for that purpose by the king. No person can be a counsellor who is not twentyone years of age, nor any one who is not a natural-born subject, or who has not been naturalized according to act of parliament.

Whenever his majesty thinks proper, he may confer on any persons hereditary titles of honour, with a right annexed to them of being summoned to sit in this council, which right the heir may claim at the age of twenty-one; the right, however, cannot be acknowledged of the heir has been absent from the province without leave of his majesty, signified to the council by the governor, for four years together, between the time of his succeeding to the right and the time of his demanding it. The right is forfeited also, if the heir takes an oath of allegiance to any foreign power before he demands it, unless his majesty, by an instrument under the great seal of the province, should decree to the contrary.

If a counsellor, after having taken his seat, absent himself from the province for two years successively, without leave from his majesty, signified to the council by the governor, his seat is also thereby vacated.

All hereditary rights, however, of sitting in council, so forfeited, are only to be suspended during the life of the defaulters, and on their death they descend with the titles to the next heirs.

In cases of treason, both the title and right of sitting in the council are extinguished.

All questions concerning the right of being summoned to the council are to be determined by the council; but an appeal may be had from their decision to his majesty in his parliament of Great Britain.

The governor has the power of appointing and removing the speaker of the council.

The assembly of Lower Canada consists of fifty members, and that of Upper Canada of sixteen; neither assembly is ever to consist of a less number.

The members for districts, circles, or counties, are chosen by a majority of the votes of such persons as are possessed of lands or tenements in freehold, in fief, in boture,