In 1838 the population
of Toronto was 12,571, and that of Kingston 3877. In 1850 the
population of Toronto was 25,166, and that of Kingston 10,097.
These few facts will enable the reader to form some idea of the
comparative progress of different towns in Upper Canada, under
circumstances similar in some cases and different in others. When
it is considered that all of these last-mentioned towns have for
many years reaped the full benefit of the influx of emigration and
capital from the mother country, while the shores of the Bay of
Quinte were little known or appreciated, it will appear that the
progress of Belleville has been at least equal to that of any of
them. The prosperity of Belleville may in fact be almost entirely
attributed to the gradual development of its own internal resources,
the fertility of the lands in its vicinity, and a large exportation,
of late years, of lumber of all kinds to the United States.
Having no desire unnecessarily to trouble the reader with dry
statistical tables, I shall merely quote the following facts and
figures, kindly furnished me by G. Benjamin, Esq., the present
warden of the county of Hastings, to whose business talents and
public spirit the county is largely indebted for its progress in
internal improvement.
The increase of business at the port of Belleville has been most
extraordinary. In 1839, the total amount of duties paid at this port
amounted to 280l; and in the year (1850) the amount reached 3659l.
12s. 4d. The total arrivals at this port from the United States are
as follows:
No. of Tons Hands
Vessels employed
British propellers ........... 8 2,400 104
British sailing vessels ...... 81 4,140 375
Foreign do. do. .............. 124 12,643 730
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Total ........................ 213 19,183 1209
This in addition to our daily steamers.
Our exports to the United States are ............ L52,532 17 5
And British ports below Belleville .............. 153,411 16 6
- - - - - - - - -
L205,944 13 11
L s d
Total imports from United States 25,067 2 6
Total acceptances from United States 17,435 0 0
Total importations from lower ports,
including drafts and other resources 130,294 0 0 172,796 2 6
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Showing the balance of trade in
favour of this port to be ........................ L33,148 11 5
Our exports to the lower ports are made up as follows:
3,485 barrels of Potash .................... L27,880 0 0
33,198 " Flour ..................... 33,198 0 0
357 bushels of Grass seed ................ 133 17 6
1,450 " Barley .................... 181 5 0
4,947 " Peas ...................... 594 14 0
4,349 " Rye ....................... 434 18 0
37,360 " Wheat ..................... 7,472 0 0
198 barrels of Pork ...................... 396 0 0
54 " Beef ...................... 74 5 0
1,141 Sheep-skins .......................... 114 2 0
4,395,590 feet square Timber ................... 74,903 2 6
173 kegs of Butter ....................... 540 12 6
Furs ................................. 716 0 0
Fatted Cattle ........................ 1,840 0 0
High Wines ........................... 3,098 0 0
Whiskey .............................. 1,830 0 0
- - - - - - - - - -
L153,411 16 6
Our exports to the United States are made up as follows:
30,686 bushels of Wheat ..................... L6,137 4 11
3,514 " Rye ....................... 351 8 0
3,728 " Peas ...................... 466 0 0
90 " Barley .................... 9 0 0
316 " Grass seed ................ 118 10 0
18,756 barrels of Flour ..................... 18,756 0 0
338 " Potash .................... 2,366 0 0
1,000 bushels of Potatoes .................. 62 10 0
92 M. Shingles .................. 23 0 0
117 M. Laths ..................... 43 15 0
18,210 lbs. Rags ...................... 190 0 0
9,912 lbs. Wool ...................... 481 19 6
466 Sheep-skins .......................... 57 10 0
61 kegs of Butter ....................... 122 0 0
19,648,000 feet sawed Lumber .................... 21,296 0 0
513 Cows ................................. 2,052 0 0
- - - - - - - - -
L52,532 17 5
The River Moira passing through Belleville, where it discharges
itself into the Bay of Quinte, is one principal source of its
prosperity. The preceding statement will show the quantity of sawed
lumber exported, most of which is furnished by the saw-mills of
Belleville, or its immediate vicinity. Besides saw and flour-mills,
there are cloth and paper manufactories, a manufactory of edge
tools; pail manufactories, where great quantities of these useful
articles are made at a low price by machinery; planing machines,
several iron foundries breweries, distilleries, &c., in almost all
of which establishments steam-engines, or water-power from the
river, are used. A remarkable feature in Belleville, in common
with other towns in Canada, is the great number of tailoring and
shoe-making establishments, when compared with towns of an equal
population in Great Britain. This shows, more than anything I am
aware of, the general prosperity of the people, who can afford to
be large consumers of such articles.
There is very little difference to be observed in the costliness of
the clothing of the different classes of society in Upper Canadian
towns and cities, and much less difference in the taste with which
these articles are selected, than might be expected. With the
exception of the lower class of labourers, all persons are well
and suitably clad, and they can afford to be so.
Twelve years ago there were not more than five or six piano-fortes
in Belleville. Now there are nearly one hundred of a superior
description, costing from 80 to 150 pounds.
Another remarkable circumstance in Upper Canada is the number of
lawyers in all the towns. In Belleville there are about a dozen,
which seems to be a large number for a town containing only 4554
inhabitants, when in an English town of the same size there is
often not more than one.
