The Falls of Niagara are to be " utilised "
in earnest. Pro-
fessor G. Forbes on Wednesday informed the Society of Arts that the Niagara Construction Company had already put up works on the American side, and were already prepared to distribute " force " to the extent of 450,000 horse-power, and hoped to develop their undertaking until they were in a position to sell 3,500,000 horse-power at a cheaper rate than any steam rival could afford. Similar works are to be erected on the Canadian side, though the Canadians, in the speaker's opinion, lack " go," and as most of the power will be applied to machinery through electricity, it is hoped that a vast manufacturing city, perhaps thirteen miles long, will grow up round Niagara. The Falls, of course, as scenery will be hopelessly vulgarised and spoiled. We suppose we ought not to complain, if the change is to human advantage ; but we cannot help lamenting. One of the great natural beauties of the world is being swept away, in order that another great wen may grow, with more crowds of discontented work- men, more " unemployed," more agitation for an impossible and undesirable equality of condition. The true motive of these changes is not philanthropy, but greed ; and their most visible, though, we admit, not their only result, is sordid squalor.
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