From the sou,hpor, American.
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THE GREAT LAKEs.-The chain of "Fresh Water Medi,erraneans' that go largely towards dividing the territory of"Uncle Sam' from the do- mains of "Mrs. Vc,' are U geographical woncer- Extending from East to West over nearly fifteen and haidegrees of longitude, they seem garding them upon the map, to rest like crown of waters upon the head oi Union, then centre oi gravity the Is- land o Macinac, balancing upon ihe meridian which separates Indiana and Ohio, equi- ,ides Kentucky and Tennessee, and passes between Georgia and A. abama, and East and West Florida into the Gulf of Mexico. The difference in ihe latitude of the north ern and southern extreme points of the Lakes is not far from eight and a half degrees. The estimated area o country draining into them is 400 000 square mies-the extent covered by the waters of Inc whole is 93 0eO square miles, divided as follows: Onaro 6,30O; Erie, $500; St. Clair, 360; Huron, 21 400; Michigan, including he Bay, "A ,400; Superior, 32,- OOO The waters of Ihe ''Father of Lakes (Supe. rlor) are 62S feet above the level of the sea; which ele'afon IS attained by unequal gradatons each lake rislng abnve the previous one from Ontario to Su- perlor. The surface of the waters of Ontario Is 232 feet above the tide water of the St, Lawreilce-Ere rises 333 feet above Onario-St. Clair feet above Erie-huron and Michigan are 13 feet higher than Si. Ciair, and Superior rIss Al feet above those.

 The St' Car IS by far tho shallowesi of aav If the akes-the average depth being about 20 feet Erie averages m depth about S4 fea,--Oniario 5Un superior 9oO-lfuron and Michigan 1000, as nearly as can be arrived at Ths deepest soundines are found in Lake Huron. Of Saginaw Bay we are told leads have sunk 500 feet or 200 feet below ,he level oi the Atlantic Ocean, without reaching bottom.

 ureal adherence IS observable m the transparenc, anu phrily ol the waters of the several lakes Those o oh'd'o 10. erie, and the southern part of Michigan nave no peculiar exceence-whe those of the nor '"sr. part of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, sur pass in clearness and flavor anywa,ers we have ever drank, though still greater purity and higher rel

 sh is said by those who have visited that lake, tu distinguish the waters of Superior,

 So compIetrIy ransparent are inc watars or H., ron that the rays of the said pass through them as through the cloudess atmosphere, without meeting with solid matters m suspensi iou to elicit their heat. Thus Dr. Drake accounts for the fact that he hmself ascertained by experiment. tlnt the water lhc surface and that two hundred feet be. low the spot, had precisely the same tenpera lure, fl fiy-six degrees

 Through the Welland Canal the navigation of ,,e lakes Is uninterrupted for ihe distance of S44 miles from east 10 we. t-the disiance north and south is ni course, various, ranging from 347 miles ihe treme distance The ,try to which these waters are the great highway of transport, bas often been the tht me oi hlghwrought euogiun, for the variel, and richness of it's soil, and the of it's resour ces As well as the jusiness of these praises, t, extent to which this fertility is beIug subjected the hand ot culture and The rapidiIy wIlh which thes, resources are being developed, under the bring ing touch oi the enterprise which peculiarly charac. erzes lis inhabiians, Is gathered from bare glance at the ac that the commerce of the four lakes inct, ding all cap tai eA at, during tue year IS43 was e, tmiied by the Topographic al B eau al g. O0O OOO

 The total amount expended by the general govern. ment these lakes for the improvements necessary to protect and convenience this commerce, is sta,e, by Mir. Itlesey of Oh,o, at $2, 100, ,OO0

 When the projected ship canal arotn the Falls oj St. Marie, shall be compleed, the wiie expanse |, Lake Superior will be added to the present exIem n the lake avIgation-allowing the adventurous C m- mercaI,st crowd some I75 miles still E,rlhi North and several hundreds farther West. Tn, length Ot the proposed be by this cana is said be but three fouths of mile and the whnl expe Sc of the improvement is estimated, if we right remember. at about f23O GOO. By this comparative y small outlay, less than the cost of ihree months congr ssiOal black-guard, access Is afonce ataneo 10 the whole country tributary to Lake Superor-a track rich in timber and mineral wealth that II has not been unaptly termed the "Dennark of A meriCa.'