Kingston Chronicle (Kingston, ON), April 7, 1832

p.2 The schooner Brock sailed from Burlington Canal for York about a month ago, with whiskey, pork, etc., and a number of passengers on board, which shews the decided advantages that section of the country enjoys by a harbour, which remains open at all seasons of the year, while nearly every other is shut up, particularly in spring and fall when the roads are so bad, and carriage of goods by land is expensive.

A meeting is to be held at Port Dover on the 3d of April, for receiving subscriptions for stock, and incorporating a Company for the improvement of that harbour. The creek at this place is described as being, for about a mile from its mouth, navigable for vessels of any size, the water, immediately after crossing the bar, being ten and some places fifteen feet deep, and wide enough for the largest vessel to turn in. The sand on the bar is loose and moving, in the spring and fall, vessels drawing six to nine feet have frequently been admitted, and by extending piers, it is anticipated that little or no dredging will be required.... There is now a steam vessel building at Chippewa, for the navigation of Lake Erie, and there being no place to discharge goods between the mouth of the Grand River and Port Stanley, to insure the success of that important undertaking, it is absolutely necessary that Port Dover should be made of constant and easy access.

Squared oak was brought into Perth the other day, which it required ten yoke of oxen to draw, and was deposited on the side of the projected basin of the Tay Canal; it measured forty-three feet in length, and nearly three feet square.

p.3 A strong proof of the increasing prosperity of Kingston may be witnessed in the activity which prevails along the river side in the neighbourhood of Mr. Ives' and the Mississagua Battery. Several substantial wharves are in progress, building for the firm of Macpherson & Co., the enterprising forwarders at Prescott, and several store and dwelling houses are erecting, which will render that part of the town the emporium of water commerce. At the Battery, two large schooners are in forwardness, and higher up the lake, Mr. Drummond is preparing to build an extensive brewery and distillery, upon the farm he lately purchased from Mr. Thomas Smith. Kingston is at length extending herself in every point, and will eventually be the most flourishing depot in the Upper Province. We understand that the Great Britain steam boat is to touch at one of the above new wharves.

We have authority for stating that the Queenston steam-boat, Capt. T.W. Corning, may speedily be expected at Kingston on her way to York and Niagara, touching at Cobourg, Port Hope, and Burlington Bay, as she only waits the further opening of the navigation to commence her regular trips. The Great Britain steam-boat, Captain Whitney, will commence her usual course about the 20th of April. Both of these vessels have been during the winter undergoing several important alterations and improvements, and no expense has been spared by their enterprising proprietor to render them eminently deserving of the public patronage.

The ice still lingers in the bay in front of Kingston, but the channel of the river is open, with the exception of a slender sheet of ice, extending from the Nine Mile Point to the lower end of the Isle of Tanti, now forming the only barrier to the free navigation of Lake Ontario, from Prescott to Niagara.