Canal Around Niagara

Washington, Dec. 18. - Senator Davis of Minnesota has a plan for a ship ■canal around Niágara Falls. It is of importance to the wliole lake shipping interest. The bilí he introduced to-day provides for buuh a canal to be built, paid Jor, and eontrolled by the general fovernmént. The canal is to be big í'nough to enable the largest vessels on the lakes to pass throúgh it. Tliis ineasure is arrived at by requirmg that it shall be able to earry vessels of the same dimensions, tonnage and draft as can pass the Sault Ste. Marie Falls and locks. The canal is to be in Niágara county, N. Y., and routes are to be surveyed under the direction of the War department. As a starter $1,000,000 is appropriated fojthe vvork. No one is singuine enough ío think that the present Congress will pass the Davis bilí. But the men back ■of the enterprise think it a good time to begin agitating the proposition, and they will try to see that it is not lost sight of when the improvement of the interior waterways is under discussion. They declare the scheme is entirely ieasible and would make the United Htatrs independent of the AVellniul ■■■an-al.