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To 'J'HK IlorsK ()!■' RlOl'UI'lSKNTA'I'lX i;s : I lijivi' tlu' huiK.r to trim>inir licivwitli, loi- tlit' list' of the Lc\Lnslature, a Re[)ort this day pi-cscMitcd t(. inc. iijimi tlie ivhitioiis of the Stateof Minne- sota to Northwest Hritish Aiiiei'ica. uuuU' i!j>oii the sniri^estion and at the request of iiiv ])re(U'eess()i' in (.tiice, h_v All'. James W. Taxdor. The aeeoiii])an_vinii- report relates to matters whieh ai-e 'not merely a snh- jeet of interestiiiii: iiujuiry to all, hut wliieh concern, in a liTeat de<;ree, the future g'rowtli and develo])nient of (Mir State, and to which the attention of (Statesmen, both of this country and of Enu'huid, is already considerably directed. I tlierefore recommend tliis report, containino- valuable information upon so important a subject, to t]ie attenti< ii <»f the Leijislatnre. ' ALEX. liAMSEY. ExE(^L"nvE Offick, I St. Paul, Mai'cli 2, ls(U». ( . ■■■"'V tNJ-i -,-^n Uu-::?— O yg^l-*IJ^.. REPORT. II St. ?aui,, March 2, 1858. | Ilini, Alfxaadfr linmiti.;/, Onivrnor nf Minnefuta. \ On the 18th of June 18a9, I received from j Hon. Henry II. Sibi.ev, (iovernor of Miiine- I sota, a comtnunication, requesting me to ob- \ tain, in the course of a visit to the Selkirk Set- ! tlement, "reliable iiifunnatiin relative to the I physical a.specis and other facts connected with the British possessions on the line of the Overland Route Ironi I'embina via the Red River Settlement and the Saskatchewan val- ley to Frazer's River," and to communicate the same to the Executive Department in a form suitable for submission to the Legisla- ture. At the Selkirk Settlement upon the Red River of the North, the introduction of Gov. | Stni.EY was duly honored by Hon. AVii.i,ia.m Mc TAVisri, Governor of Assiniboia. 'liie set- t.ement upon the Red river, from th;j inter- Tiational boutulary at I'enibiiia to iho month of the river in Luke Winnipeg, and upon the Assiniboin river, fur a distance of sixt}- mik's west of its junction with the Red river at Fort Garr}', have .acquired a civil organization, under appointments of the Hudson Ba}- Com- pany, which is officially designated as " Tho Colony of Assiniboia." I desire to acknowl- edge the uniform coin'te>y, and solicitude to communicate the information sought by me,, not only of Governor McTavisii, but of Dr. J. BUNN, JOUN E. II.V15KI0TT, Esq. TUOMAS Sinclair Esq. and Kohekt ilAcmiiii Esq. gentlemen holding the appointments of Legisla- tive Councillors and Magistrate.sof the colo- ny of Assiniboia. The first Territorial Librarian of Minnesota, Chas. Cavilleak, Eiq., and Hon. N. \V. Kitt- son, late Mayor of St. Paul, are now residents at St. Boniface, the seat of the Catholic Epis- copate, opposite Fort Garry ; and T am greatly indi'btod for their sii^igeslions. The Histori- cal colleetions of D. (ii:NN, Esq., Correspond- ent of the Sun'thsonian Institute, were access- ible by me. I shall have occasion, also, in the progress of tliis report, to produce the testimor.j' of liishop Tache of tho Catholic Church, and Bishop Andeuson' and Archdeacon IIusTERof tho Churrli of Lr.glan i. To them and others of the Clergy of Selkirk, I would express ob ligations for valuable information. It is unnecassary to repeat the narrative of Lord Selkirk's rcmaikalilj colonization of Red River. Of the present community of ten thousand souls, about Wwc thousand are com- petent, at this moment, to a'^sume any civil i.r soei;i.l resp )nsibility, which iiiny be imposed upon them. The accimuihitions from the fur trade during fifty year-, with few excitements or opporturiities of cxpenditiiro, have se- cureii general prospeiiiy, wiUi fre(pient in- stances of allluence ; while the numerous churches and schools susiiiiii a liii^h stiuulard of morality and intel'igi'nce. The people of Solkiric fully appreciate the advantages of communication with theMissis- sipjii River and Lnke Superior tiiroiigh the State of ifinncsota. They are nnxious lor the utmo>t faciiilies of U'adc and intercourse. The navigation of the lied River by a steam- boat during the summer of l.s.")!), was univer- sally rec(\j;nizcd as marking a new era in their annals. This public sentiment was pithily expressed by the remark : " In 1851, the Governor of Minnesota visited ns ; in 1851) c )tnes a Steamboat, and ten years more'^will bring the Railroad !" I was gratified to find that the Hudson Bay Company was no exception to the geiteral i (') foL'liiiiicfcurilijilily. < it)V( iiiurSiui,i:v was ap- prc'lieiisivt', wiili tlif iirospccl of '^ntiitly in- creased intercoursi' liy tin' chuiinel of Ked liivcr, thn*. Am'-iir.ni tiwlrrs ami oinij];vatits inifiht he I'cci'ivcil it'.Iiosnitiilily, l>ut im .•.iicli disposition was shown; ami. as to tin- cnltr- priseol's;. am nuviij,aiion.il 's r.nw nndcrstood tliat tin; lluilsiin I'mv ('oinp.my lias lu'coiiie an acitivo party in it-; fiitnn' jirnsfcHtiMn. TIk! popnlatiiui of Si'll.iil'. iinconni'cU'cl witli tlio coniijany, is so niituc'iins ami iiitiu- ential tliat all ic-trii-Mons of tiadi' Iiavc \)vv\\ rclitupiisiu'il. ?il(isi aiiiicaijli' lelations exist between the tradiiiLi; post at I'oit (iairy, and Kittson's still 1 111 at Saint ni/nil'ici'. (ioods are eliargud uith an iiiipust ol' fnur [ler cent. whetliCT bi'itnilit trnm Kuroiif or tlie L'nited States, wliifh coii>til(ites {he revenue of the colony of As.-iniboia. J^and can be puveliascd by any one at seven shilMngs sterling ))or acre, with liberal credits and low interest. For the present, the Jr.risdiction of ihe C'lUntry is oxclu-ivv-ly iha' "f 'mv !!nd- son Bay Comi)any. 'I'h' ! ■ i^ a pvol^a- bility, however, that representative institu- tions will be established by an act of the cur- rent Enpjlisli T'.nliain^Mit. T.'^ttcrs from TiOn- don vvere s1'.>wh to mcin ,\u'.:usl — jtariicnlai'ly u communi.'aMon fror.i i'.ofessor Ishistek of London, U) Uonai .n, K q., nf f,ower Fort Garry -v.hic'i . -d ihai one of the latest oflicial acts of Mr ili)\VA)U) ik'i.wi^K LvTTOx, bef.re his rcfinanent tnm th;; (ifflce of Coloni;d Secrelaiy, was (n draft and circu- late for llio Cwiv-idcration of in(.'ii)}>er.- of Wn- liamei t, a bill providini:!; for the organization of a colony, wi\i('h ^houl(l embrace lh(! district cxtendinjji; fri>ni Lakes Superior and Winnipeu' to the Rocky Mountains, anis!iop .Vnoeiison, in a recent cliarge to the cleri;y of his diocese, expresses great confidence that .*^ir Eowakd's successor in the (.'ulonial Offiee, the Imke of Newcastle, " whose alt'iulior. has for many years been directed to this subject, will be prepared ere long with a comprehensive meas- ure of the same chai'acter." ' I .) (1.) TliP qiii'-tiiiii 111' ii ili-ilinci (irijiiiuznti.in, 1>y ai:t of 1'arliiiiiioiit, i- the -.olc Ihjim- c!' political ili>iiiissi'jii in llie Sfr^irlv Si-ttl'Mnc-iii-. Si'(> till' of lli(> Xur' U'rsti-r, fdr.hin- uary, ISf.O, h pip»-i' rnlili'luHf at Vnri Ciai-ry. In tin' An penilix (A.) tli" s'Oii/c.l oi prHseutcd in ilcthi! .. C I vQ;:in'^itiiin i.' The jihysical geography of the vast interior districts, which constitut(; the basin of Lake Wiiuiipeg, will soon l»e as fannliar as that of the territory of the l'nited States within the same lines of longitude. The Canadian (lov- eiMinent has lately pidilished the residt of an exploration cd" the (ihanm Is and valleys of the lied and AssiniI)oin rivers. The iiondon (.ieogra})hic!»l Society has given to tlie world the narratives of Captain I'Ai.i.isst'it and his associates, who have thoroughly exjilorcd the vicinity and pas.scs of the Rocky Mountains, between latitudes 4!i"' and ol'"'. Intelligent parties, organized for hunting adventin-e or overland transit, are making constant addi- tions to the pid)Iic knowledge of Northwest Atnerica. A citizen of Minnesota, Col. W.m. H. Noiu-KS, whose name is the designation of the most practicable pass of the Sieira Neva- da, discovered by liini in !!-*")!, has tinated hi:; attention since the field Discovery of Hriti.-h Oolumliia, to the details of an Ovtrland Mmi- gration R'>ute, by trie valleys of the Red Riv- er of the North, the South Saskabdiewr.n and the Kootonais Pavs. An exploration con- ducted bj' him in the sinmn"rof 1.*-^.")!) to Fort F/llice on the western sources of tlie Assina- bdin. was y(?r\ satisfactory, and i's re-:nlts will !jc published, as soon as a re[jort by J. W. lL\Mii-TON, Fi.sq., who conducted the same party of exploration from Fort Ellice through the Rocky Mountains, fihall be received. (2.) Upon the general tojiic, suggested by (Jov. Siiu.EY,of Ciimniiim'cations between Minneso- ta and CentralBritish America, whether con- sidered in regard to transportation from that extensive district to Lake Superior and the Mississippi river, or in regard to a westcj'n connexion with the PacUic coast, I beff leave to submit the following results of recent observation and enqniry. 1. Tl'.e navigable capacity of the Red Riv- er of the North maj* be comparatively stat'd, as follows : Ascending the jstreatn from Lake Winnipeg, the navigation to Peiidiina is equal to that of the Mississippi between Prairie dii Chien and Lake Pepin ; from F'cmu- bina (o the month of Red Lake river, the channel imiy be compared to the Mississippi (■J.) Sc« A]i|ioniiix (B ) d'f'f'Knniliii':!! .Memiiir (if tic PhiI Kiv«'r and Sa.'-katc'he» an District : (0 ) .-ii' I'd 'crick Muri'lii-'Dii. rl I'llice and PMiiiiHitoii Hmisp. a.- nb-^>'rv> il ■'•/ I'.l' i; SiiViUi, C'Vil Ep,;'iiii cr. sniirol W. tl. Xniiln-i. ( (Voin Superior ird to a (.'OrtSt, I eniilts of Ic.l Iviv- ily Stat' d, j\m from Pcinliina between voiu p(Mn- rivcr, the ,1i;sippi eniiiiv ('*' tl'C .-ii- I'll !ci iok ■ V\\)i'i\\ i'"i : tort Fllice -■vniUi, C'Vil from Red Will}; Id l'\>rt Siiulliivj; ; fiuni Kid Luko river to Sliayuiino, to the Miimesutiv from i''i. Siielliiii; to Siiiikopeo; iiiid tVoin ShayeiUK- lo iJreekiiiriiige, ti> tlui Miiuie.Mtta from Shakopee to Fort Kiilgley. Tlie only material ohstrii(!tion — sand l)ar>; near tlic mouth of (.ioose river — may he removed (so Captain E, Ue'l, who cuimnaiided the steam- (;r, AiiKon iSorl/irv//, in the summer of IH.V.l, avers) hy an ex|)en(htuie <>[' one thousand dollars. 'I'he Red Kiver is iiiivijuhle al)nve (south of) l'enil)iiia 400 miles, while the dis- tanee from the Internalinnal line liy t!ie rivei' to Lake Wiimipe;:;, is 17"> miles; tudi! di," taiii.'e navi;,7jl)le l)y steamers .')7o inilis. To this add :'>.")' I miles for the naviiiraiion of tlie Shayenne, Iteil I the enterpiise of an oveiiaiid coiiiiiiuiiicalioii froi'.i MinneMita to ih'iti.sli ColuiiiLiii, and, wiiat is of more inmie- diale iinportanci.' to the Stale, will bring an iiimieiise and fertile district, who-u coltiiii/.a- tion can be no longer postponed, into profita- ble connection witli the publii- ihoiouuhiaies ' r Minnesota. ."). Tile ti^timony i>r ,\n<.\\ K. IIaiuiiott, I'isii., .Arclideacon lliMi;u, iSishop Tvciik aiid others w;is explicii, that toe country up- on the north luancii of tie Saskatchewan is superior, for tiie purpose of agriculture, to the plains of the South Saskalchewan. Tlie lal- tev are destituti' of timber, except on a r;in;;e of elevations near the inli.'rnational boundarx'. and partake of the cretiiceoiis formal ion ap- parent on the IpjX'r J!is^ou:i. The rt;.;ions adjacent to Fort Peily, Carlton House, Fort; Pitt and Fjdm'>ntoii House — well known points in a general northwestern direction from Fort (Jarry — are remarkably adapled to the culti- v.ition of grain and the sustenance of cattle. The scenery of the North Saskatchewan is fully e(pial to that of the Mississippi between (i.alenaand the Falls of St. ^Anthony. 15. The limit of successful agriculture in the Northern 'I'empeiati; /me should be car- ried conside'.i\bly lieyond the Saskatchewan, valley, es[iecially near the Rocky Mountains. Sir RoiiKKK iv Ml io in-iiN, iii a re ■>. nt, address before the i.oolna ( ieoiiiaoliiiMi Sneiety, rep- resents tlii-; cleiiu of inounlidns lo be greatly depressed in high iiorlhern latitudes, and, in- deed, several of the iri'.ntiuie.s of the Mack- enzie lene t!;ur sonii'i - i ii the P;;ciiic slope, and wind through lb'.' iiiouiilains Inf. ire falling into the gnat Arctic river. The mountain valleys of the Peace and Liard rivers, from latitudes 56 degrees to 00 desfrecs, are thus influenced by the Pacific winds, and wheat, with other cereals, is sncces-ifully cultivated. 7. The present agriculture of Selkirk con- firms the evidence from a variety of sources, that the disvricu- >u'>t and northwest of the Red River valle}', are well adapted to settle- ments. For the production of wheat, barley, rye, oats, peas, potatoes, vegetables, grass — wliutevpr is grown in Minnosota except maize, tho region in qiicstit.n will lio iinsurpassod liy any othor area of siiT.ilar extent on the conti- nent. (:{.) The forej;oinp; are iii-itcrial considerations. Closely related to tl.es.> is ., topic of u politi- cal character. With the extension of the Brit- ish Colonial System, now seen to be immi- nent, there is roiison to believo that the gov- crn?nentsof Kiij^landiiiid the United States will consununate the recent seUleinent of llio pmloiiircd dispute in (.'enlial America, by an adjiislment of the liitiu'e relations of the JJritish Provinces and American Slates, upon a ha.«is of mutual interest and good will. Such an Inti'rn.itiiuial conip;u:t mii^lit [.rovide for a Customs and I'ostnl I iiion l>el, ween the Pro- vinces and tiie United State-;. U should, at all events, stipidate that tiie JLeciproeit}' 'I'rea- ty, enlar.'^cd in its provision:; and rencwi'd for !i loivj; p'-riod of ycai's, sh'ill tie extended to the I'aeific Ocean, and, in c>nnc(,'li(>n there- with, all laws discrinnnating between Ameri- «:an and foi'ei;;ii built vessels sliou'.d be abolisli- ed, cstal)lisliing freedom of navigation on all the intermediate rivers and lakes of llie n- .spcctive Territories. Such a polioy of free trade and navigation with British America would give to the United States, and especial- ly to the Western States, all the commercial advantages, without the political embarrass- ments, of annexation, and would in the sure progress of events, relieve our extended Nor- thern frontier from tiie horrors and injuries of war between fraternal communities. Who can doubt that it would be speedily followed by overland mails and the telegraph on the Pembina and Saskatchewan route, and a Continental railroad, as advocated by Mauky, which England would recognize as essential to her interests in Northwest Amer- ica and the Pacific coasts ? (4.) The above is intended as an enumeration, by no means as an exposition, of our relations to Central British America. I shall close ■ 't (3.) See Appendix (E.) for some extracts, slinwing tbe increased productivene-is of plats near llie northern limit of their succesafal growth. The extraordinary returns from the cereals sown at Selkirk illustrates this climatic law. (4 .) The whole subject of railroad communication with Asiatic Oomraerce is lumioously prenented in a communi- cation of Commander Xtaury to Col n. A. Robertson . Ap- pendix (F.) See (G.) an aVistract of intelligence reppect- ing British Oolumliia and (H) In regard to a Pacific Ocean Telegraph. this communication with some note*, equally cursory, upon Northern iMinnesotn. 1. The steamboat navigation of the Red Kiver of the North will lie regular during the summer of ISCtO. The Anson I^orthrup \)i in cour.se of thorough repair and cipiipmcnt. Arrangements are also in progress for addi- tional steamers upon Red River and Lake Witmipeg. 2. It is hoped and presumed Uiat a weekly mail to Pembina will he conceded by the Go- vernment of the United States. The authori- ties of Assiiiiboia will cheerfully contribute to the expenditure retiuisitc for such a mail service. .".. The JiCgislaturo of Minnesota having, at the present session, ailopted memorials to the Executive and liCgisliitivo Departments at Washington, in favor of an extension of the iieci[>rocity Treaty, in favor of a military post in Ilic valley of the Pembina River, and for the extinction of the fridiaii title in the north- west ]).irtIon of Minnes-ota. — I .shall not en- large upon those topics. 4. My return trip from Pembina, was over the probable extension (.f the branch line of the Minnesota and I^acific Railroad, by way of the Cro.ssing of Red Lake River, Detroit Lake, and Otter Tail Lake, to Crow Wing. For the first eighty miles of this rmite, from Pembina to the Rapids which limit steamboat navigation from the mouth of Red Lake Riv- er, the trail follows a ridge, as distinctly de- iined as the formations south of Lakes Erie and Ontario, over which pass the well known " Ridge Roads." The vicinity of Otter Tail Lake for fifty miles in all directions, is unsur- passed in the combination of forests, small prairies, lakes and rivulets, by the most fa- vored sdctions of the State. I am satisfied that the whole course of the Leaf Mountains, as the divide between the tributaries of the Mississippi and Red Rivers is designated, will be found no less attractive, even to Red Lake. The forests surrounding this lake are destined to furnish large quantities of pine lumber to the Red River settlements. 5. On the subject of coal deposits, w^hile no doubt exists that the sources of the Saskatch- ewan traverse an extensive coal field, it is yet uncertain whether the upland district which separates the basins of the Minnesota and the Red Rive, of the North from those of tb^ Up- •(i 9 i«, equally • the Red luriiip; the thrup is in iquipinent. s for addi- and liftke ^t a weekly by the Go- liu author!- contribute ich a mail liiiving, at iuls to the •Iments nt ion of the ilitary post ;r, and for I the north- ill not en- pfv Missouri iiiiil ihi' .-uskiiiclicv.'ui, ;U(.' car- boniloroiis. liy ;,ll ;;.'<)l(ij;;iciil iin!.!M.,y, .i, co;,! foniiiilion slioiijd exist iK'twcrn th" -.nutin;! Kystt:in (irMinnc-sdtii nini Si'ikiik, umi lu- cie tnCU'UlS pl;itr;iil wlii"!l Ni,'n|!ff jlciil Hi,.,! ru the Mi-Muiii, (iiH- \\,,,t 'Vmii, ,s,. l';^t,i, ;u..[ which I'rolcs.sor I1i\m;s, ni ihc ( '.ni'ii ian I'.y. plor.'itioii, tiacrd nldii ^ llii- sun • Im ]\.u\r ,,s far iio.th.H latihnli- ■>:'> ^ . t). 'I'iu' aljiisiiiii jl|^^ 111,11^. ;,, '!,,. i'\,,;,)iii, . expedition (■iin(Iiirn..i iii;(i:r i|„. antle.riiv n| Canada, ju.vtiilis a uil.ii^. to il;" /.■mi anl in- telli,!j;eiice with wiiicii ilu! entei .'i isi^ > ' m Kmi.fi'aiit, and Tim i-port ition !' > Uf, !i ;iii Fort \Villi:uri on tiic n ,rih .v'loi'e ni l/il>,. Sn. porior, to Tort (iarry, is pro.viM-iu;l. With thofi^'il oi':.vuiizati:)ii ul' Centra'. lUri-li Anier- ii-a, a Wjiijoii road between tlio-e j)iM,ils, U. i)0 followed l.y a raili'O'id, will n-ceive all re- quisite encoiira,':^eitient, certainly from th • ( 'an • adian Treasury, p-rhaiis by lli;' elii ■! nt, c>)- o[)jration of the IIokp: (ii.verniii: nt. The Xurthwest Tran.-il, ('i)ni|)aiiy, acting; under a Canadian cliartd', but, understood to have en- lite! Liiidon caiii;, di-ii«, i-i expected to ro- ■iuiii- oj.Mi iii irs dnrin.: the Mnmiier of bsi;i». ; TIm'm. nioveniciitsi.l'.Mir i'rovincial nei^rhbor.s c liiii ,1 r,i| t', iiiihi.'iicc th • [)olicy of Minnesota ; '" 't^"!' "t Ml. re satisfactory coiniiiiinieations than v.- ,r ov jMisse.s h..fwi.|'n \.\kr Superior j '"' ' •'!' cliMuncis ol' the Upper Mississippi an.l ih if.d Ijiver ofilic \.,rth. I 1 d''-ii.', ill •■ cidii ;i,i;i, to express my obli- I ,4ition. M, till 111,! r,\('cotive (if Minnesota, for the CMiifi,|,.iic,' iiii;i!i"d liy Ihe coinini-sion, to '.vliich ihc f 4\;i)!ii.r i-; a response. Ilelievin" j hriiily li.al ijir prosperity aniiiiy wC \. r;liv,e-t Uritisb America, I am Si^'a'ili d b. recoid the i-apid coiunirieiice of j '■.■'•i\{^ whi'.h iodic ite that llie frontier, hith- erto ie>tiii|;' upon the sources of the Saint I r.awivnce and the Mi-^sissippi, is soon to be pibhid r,ir heyohl the International frontier by !li' inaich .,! An^Io-SuvMn civihV.ation. N'eiy rcspectluily submitted, Jamiw W. Tay[-ou. I, was over ich line of td, by way cr, Detroit !row Wing, -oute, from t steamboat 1 Lake Riv- ;tinctly de- Lakes Erie well known Otter Tail s, is unsur- ■ests, small le most fa- im satisfied Mountains, aries of the gnated, will ) Red Lake, ire destined ! lumber to ts, while no le Saskatch- eld, it is yet strict which isota and the le of tb'i Up- fjm', i f ,1 1 1 ^1f! f«R ,u i \ El !■ 'H' APPENDIX ''A;^ CENTRAL BRITISH A M E R I C A . From Ih; Atlantic Monthltj for Junmry. \\ V^ I'ivcii before tlu; annouiicotncnt of tlio (\W covery of gold upon the Frazer llivor and its trihutai'ios, tlic people of (Janadii West had induco(J tlio Parliament of Knirhmd to institute the intiuiry, whether tlie rei:rion of Hritisli America, extending from Lakes Snperioi- and Winnipeir to tlie lloeky Mountains, is not adapted, by fertility of soil, a favorable climate, and natural advantages of internal eomnuuii- cntion, for the support of a prosperous colony of England, The Parliamentary investigation had a wider scope. The vselect committee of th.e House of Commons was appointed '* tocotisider the state of those Britisii possessions in Nortli America which are under the administration of the irudson Bay Company, or over which they possess a license to trade ;" and therefore wit- nesses were called to the organization and man- agement of the Company itself, as well as the natural features of the country under its admin- istration. On the vUst of July, iH.")?, the committee reported a large body of tesdmony, but witli- out any decisive recommendations. 'I'hey "apprehend tnat the (districts on the Red River and the Saskatchewan are among those most likely to be o sired for early occupation." and "trust that there will be no diniculty in effect ing arrangements between her Majesty's gov- ernment and the IFudson Ray Company, by which those districts may be ceded to Canada on equitable principles, and within the districts thus annexed to her the authority of the Hudson Bay Company would of course entirely cease." They deemed it " proper to terminate the con- necJon of the HiKison l^ay Company with Vancouver Island as soon as it could convc niently be done, as tlie best means of favor- ing tlie development of the great natural advantages of that important colony ; and that means should also be [)rovidi'd for 'the ultimate extension of tlie cohiny over any portion of the adjacent contineii!. to the wvA df the Rockv Mountains, on which peruuuieut settlements nuiy be found praetieahle." These suggestions indicate ii conviction that the zone of the North American continent, be- tween latitudes 4i) ^ and ;■).") ° , embracing the Red River and the Saskatchewan districts east of the Rocky Mountiiins, and the area on then- western slope, since orjranized as Hrirish Colum- bia, was. in the ju(igment of the committee, suitable for permanent settlement. As to the territory north of the parallel of hv)° , an opinion was intimated that the organization of the Hudson Ray Company was best adapted to the condition of the eounfry and its inhabit- ants. Within a year after the jmblication of tli(> report, a great change passed over th(> North I'acific coast. The gold discovery on the Fra- zer's River occurred ; the Pacific populations flamed with excitement ; British (Jolumbia was prom|)tly organized as a colony of Fngland ; and, amid the acclamations of Parliament and people. Sir Kdward Buhver Tiyt^oii proclaimed, in the name of the government, the policy of continuous colonies from Lake Superior to the Pacific, and a highway across British America as the most direct route fnun F-ondon to Pekiti or Jeddo. Th(^ eastern bouiidary of B-itish Columbia was fixed upon the Rocky Mountains. The question recurred, with great forc(\ what shall be the destiny of the fertile plains of the Sa-;- katchewan and the Red River of the North? t^anada pushed forward an exploration of the route from Fort William, on Lake Superior, to Fort Garry, on the Red River, and. under the 3HSa wmai. sm t^ ti TimikAiMP' 1:2 direction ol S. J. D.nvsim, Ks(|.. (;';vl! cni'iiiecr, and Professor.). V. lliinlc t;;.v^' to \':>' workl an inipiirtial ami impre,--;vi' .-iiu;iiiui y ci tin' preat natural r^'^^oul■('v:■i ;iKc Winnipi'^-. Tin' in rrluints dI ,\\'\v York Wiir prompt to p'Tfrivf tliii advaiitaucs oI' c-oiiii' cl- ing the Krie Canal an^l tin' great liuksv.itli the navi>\ Xnrihwe-t Ativiiri.. now heconu' proniiiiriil aii'l I'aiui'iiiir iirsi;rna- tions of cmaincri'ial LiiOLM'apliy. A rcpoiltn the New Voik Chainiu!- i.l rnMiMi.rci' vciy distinctly eorreeted the nroiiKi'is iinnnvsioi!, that the valiiys of tlin Mi-i->i|)pi and St. Law- rence riv.'f.-i cxiiausii'd ilir iKirtlK rn ai.ti rrii'ral areas which ar.' avai'aitlc !'>ii- a ;ricullr,:c. " There is in the heart of Xoilli An., rica." said the report. •• a distincl si'.iulivisioii. .>!' wjiich liake \Viniu|K'U' may!);' iv^ard-'d a- !lic (••■iiicr. This subdivision, like tla' valley nf th.' Mis.-is- sippi. is distiiiiiuishcd for the fertility <<[' [{< s.i'l, ami fn- the extent, and uvntlo slop,' of ii- j'rut plains, watered by rivers of •j:\v\it length, and admiral>ly adapted Un- steaai naviuati'lii. It has a cbinate not exeeedin';' in severi'y that ii many portions of Canada and lln' !',;i-!' rn States, it will, in all respei.'ts. c.anpare f.seor- ably with some of the most den-ely ])■.■ pied portions of the eonlinent of Kiirope. In oiini' words, it is adnurably lilted to beci'ine tlic .-eat of a numerous, liardy. and prespenu-; eonnnii- nity. It lias an area eipial to ei'.;lir oi' !i n lir-l class American States. Its ureal river, the Saskatchcuan. carries a navii>al)Ie water line to the very base of the Jioc! a naviuab'e water line, txteiidin.u' directly north and south nearly ei,!:hl hundred miles. ' The lied River is one of t!,e best adapted to the use of steam in the woild, and waters one of the iinest re,u;ions on the C'lntiiient. Between the liiylust ]>oinf at which it is navi- gable, and St. Paul, on the Missi.-sippi. a rail- road is in process of construction : and when this road is completed, another <;rand division of the continent, comprisinn' half a million square miles, will be open to settlement.'' The sanguine t(niper of those rem irks illus- trates the rapid profxress of ])ublic sentiment since the date of the i'arliamentary inifuiry. only eighteen months before. Of tlie same tenor, thouii-li fuller in details, were publications on the subject in Canada and even in England. The year i8;")l» opened with greatly augmented interest in the district of Central Rritish America. The manifestation of this intere.--t varied with localities and circumstances. In (."anada no opportunity was omitted, eillii;r in Parliament or by the jiress, to demonstrate the importance to the Atlantic and Lake Pro- vinces of extemling settlements into the prairies of Assinniboin and Saskatchewan — thereby ail rui; '.■■ i; r, ..nia.'is to ri-ovnieuil eomnicrce and manuia'liires like those vt-hicli the commu- nilie-; n| the .Mi.-si-..-ip])i va!i<'y have conferred upo;i the Older American S'ate--. XevertlK-less. tlu' Ca iadian gMVemuienl. declined to institute ]iru'ei dinus Iklore the I'inglish Court oi' (.."han- cery or (,)iie( n's Bi>nch, to validity of the charter o! tlie Hudson's Bay (Jompany — .i-;!.:!iii!?:. a- rea;-ons fir not acceding to such a -.ert-'e-iien i;y the hiw oiyicers of the crown. t'lat i;:'- pi'.e,,...-,| tiiigation might ii;' greatly jtri'tra'-led. whiie the interests involved were nrirenl — and tiait th,- d'ity of a firompt and deliniie ailin-'lniept of the copidition and re'a- tioi;- i)!' tilt lied River and Saskatchewan di.-ti'ieis wa-: man:fe.--lly incunilicnt upon the imperial antlairity. This deci>ion, add> d to the indisposition of Fj)W( r Cana'la to the policy of westward e.v- ; iKin-itai, 1- nnileistood to have (.•onvin(;ed Sir Iv !'.. Lytt( 11 that annexati(.n of the Winnipeuii| b.- ivircved only by the organ- i izatioo nf a senarr.ie eole.ny. 'i'lie founder of ib'itish Colninliia ilevol'd the latter portion of Iiis atiminislr.ilion of t!ie Colonial Ofiice to measures lev tlu' salisfacti>ry arrangement of I coiillicting interest;- in Driti-h America. In ! Ocloher. 1S.),S, he proposi'd to the directors of ; the ! Indson's Bav Ceanpany that they should i>L: consenting parties to a reference of ques- tion- r/specling the va.lidity and extent of their charter, and respecting tlie geographical ex- tent, (it th'ii' territory, to the dudieial Coniinit- teeofth' I'rivy Council. Tin; Company "re- a-serted liieir riu'.'ht to the pi'ivileges granted to tlu'iii by till ir charter of incorporation,'' and refused to be a consenting party to any pro- ceediuL;' which might call in (|uestioii their char- tered rich's, Cmler date of November I?, 1^^)S, Ltn'd Caernarvon, Si.'cietary of Stat;' for the Colo- nies, by th(! direction of Sir K. B. Lytton, re- timed a di-patch, the tener of wh.ich is a key not only to Sir Iviward's lin" oi' policy, but. in all probability, to that of his successor, the Duke of X'ewca-ile. Lo'.d Caernarvon began by ex]iremmnnication, eontainini;'. if he understood its t"nor correctly, a distinct refusal on the part of tin.' Hudson's i>ay Company to enter- tain any ])ropo.--al with a view of adjusting the condicting claims of (jlreat Britain, of Canada and of the Company, or to join with her iMaj- esty's government in all'ording rea-'onable facil- ities for the settlement of thcipustions in which [ni[)erial no less than Coloinal interests were involvccl. It had been his anxious desire to come to some equitable and conciliatory agree- ment. i)y which all legitimate claims of the Company should bi; fairly considered with ref- erence t) the tei'i'itories or the privileges they migiit be retpiired to surrender. He suggested that sucli a procedure, while advantageous to ;omtner(;<.' c com 111 u- cunlcnvd ^■(.■rtlu-lcss. 1 institute of (Miun- i(> viiliilily (Jiiinjiany l)ay Company. " It would all'ord a tribunal pre- eminently fitted for the dis|)assionate consider- ation of the (|uestions at issue; it. would secure 11 decision which would probably be rather of the nature ot an arbitration than of u judg- ment ; and it would furnish a basis of negotia- tion on which reciprocal coiieessioii and the claims for compensation could be most succesa- fully discussed." With such persuasive reiteration, Lord Caer- narvon, in the name and at the instance ol'8ir K. 15. l.ytton. insisted that the wisest and most diniiifn d course would bo found in an appeal to and a decisiim by the Judicial (Joinmittee of the Privy Council, with the concurrence alike of Canada and the iludsou's j'ay ("om- ])any. In conclusion, the (,V)mpany were once moi'e assured, that, if they would meet Sir K. J}. Lytton ill finding the solution of a recog- nized diiliculty, ami would undertake to give all reasonable facilities for trying the validity of tiieir disputed charter, they might be assured that they would m.eet with fair and liberal treatment, so far as her Majesty's government was concerned ; but if on the other hand, the Company persisted in declining these terms, and could suggest no other jiracticable mode of agreement, Xir 1'. B. J.ytton held himself ac- quittcd of further responsibility to the interests of the Company, and proposed to take the nec- essary steps tor closing a controversy too lonu' open, and for securing a delinite decision, due alike to the material develoimient of British North America and to the reiiuiremcnts of au ailvancing civilization. The communication ot Lord Caernarvon stated ill addition, that, in the case last sup- posed, the renewal of the exclusive license to trade in any part ot the Indian territory— a renewal wliich could be jiislitied to Parliauunt only as a part of a general agreement adjusted on the principles of mutual concession — wouhl become impossible. These representations failed to influence the Company. The l)ej)uty-Governor, Mr. IL 11. liarens, responded, that, as, in 1850, the (!om pany had assented to an iiuiuiry before the Privy (Council into the legality of certain jiow- ers claimed and exercisM by tiiem under their charter, but not (|uestioning the validity of the cliarter itself, , so, at this time, if the reference to the Privy Council were restricted to the ques- tion of the treograi)hical extent of the territory claimed by the ('ompany, in accordance with a proposition made in July, 1857. by Mv. Tiabouchere. then Secretary of State for the (,'olonies, the directors would reconmieiid to their shareholders to concur in the course sug- gested ; but must decline to do so, if the iiutui- ry involved not merely the (lucstion of the geo- graphical Itoundary of the territories claimed by them, but a challenge of the validity of the charter itself, and, as a consequence, of the rights and privileges which it professed to grant, and svliich ihe ('(mipaiiy had exercised for a period of marly two liundred years. Mr. Parens professeil that tl;e Coinpany'luid at all times been willing to entertain any proposal that might be made to thein fi.r the surrender of any of thoir rights or of any portion of their territory; but he regarded it as one thing to consent for a consideration lo be agreed u]ioii to the surrender of admitted rights, and f|uit(! another to volunteer a consent to an inquiry which should call those ritihts in (juestion. A result of this correspondence has been the detiuitt,' refusal of the Crown to renew tlie ex- clusive license to trade in Indian territory — The license had been tvvico granted to the ('ompany, u.ider an act of Parliament authori- zing it, for periods of twenty-one' years — once in 1821, and again in ]8;5>^, ft expired on the oOtli of Mav, Jb5'.). In consi(|nciice of this • ■ elv refusal, the Company must depi'iid oxclusiv upon the terms of theii- charter fbrtiieir sjiecial l)rivileges in I^ritish Anu'ri'-a. The eliiirtia' (iates from KiTO — a grant l>y Charles II. to Prince Ilupert and his associates, " adventurers 01 Knglaiu!, trading i!i iruilson's Kay" — and is claimed to 'j-ive the right of exclusive trade and of territorial dominion to iJiu^on's jjay and tributary rivers. i'>y tlie expiration of the o\- clusivi' lic(-nse of Indian trade, and the termina- tion in iSoU of the lease of Vancouver's Island from the Urilish government, the sway and in- fluence of the Coni[)any aiC greatly restricted, ' and the fi?asibility of some ])erinanent adjust- j ment is proporlioiuitely increased. I 'i'liere is no iieces>ilv for I'l-peatiiii'' here the voluminous argument for and against thechar- I ter of the Iludsou's Bay Company, The in- 1 terest of U"itish colonization in Northwest j America fiir transcends any technical iiKjuiry ! of the kind, and the Canadian statesmen are ■ wise in declining to relieve the l';na'lisli cabinet from the obligation to act deiinitely and speedi- ly npen the subject. The iii'i^anization of the I East India Company M'as no obstacle to a j measure demanded by t!i(! honor of Kngland and the welfare of India ; and certainly the parchment of the Second Charles will iu)t de- ter any deliberate expression by Parliament in ; regard to the coionization of Central British I America. Indeed, tlie managers of the Hud- ! son's Iliy Company are ahvays careful to rec- ognize the probability of a compromir'e with the goecrnment. 'I'l.e late letter of .Mr. Bar- rens to Lord Caern.irvon expressed a willing- ness, at any time, to entertain proposals for the surrender of franchises or territory ; and in 1848, Sir J. II. Pel'y. Governor of the Com- pany, thus expressed himself in a kitter to Lord Crey : •• As far as 1 am concerned, (and I think the Company will concur, if anv great national beiK-lit would lie ('Xpected from it,) I would be willing to relih((uish thi! wlK)le of the territory held under the charter on similar terms to those which it is proposed the East India Company shall receive on the expiration of their charter — namely, securing the proprie- 14 tors ail intci'ist on llirir cupilal o;' U'li {kt cent." At the adjnunmioiit of tlu' ("aiiiulian I'ar- liivnicnt aiiil riio rctinMiiciit ol' tin- Drilty ,M mis- try, in the cariy part of 18.")!), tlic position iind ])i"ospocts of I'iniriish colonization in Xorlliwcst Aim^rioa, were as follows : 1. Vanc'onvcr's Jsluuil ami Britisli (Johiinbia, had passodfrom tlic occupation of the Iind- son's ];ay ("unipany into an illicicnt colonial organization. 'I'll'.' ;Ti'Id iii^'ids of tiio interior had occn iiscortuincd loc(|nal in produijlivotu'ss, and cvrcally to cxcivti in extent, those of Cali- fornia, 'i'lii! prospect for n'-^ricuiture was no less favorable — whiio the co'.nniercial iniport- nnco of Vancouver and the ir.iritors of {.'ugof:} Sound is un(|ucstiona'o''.'. 2. 'i'he eastern siooe of tiie Roeicy Moun- tains {\nd the valleys ot the ^^askutcile\van and lied liiver wore shown !)y exphvjitions, con- ducted under the auspices of the London (leo- graphical Society ami tlie Canuduuiaathorities. to be a district of nearly four hundi'ed tliousand square niiies. in which a fertile soil, favorable climate, useful and precious minerais, fur-bear- in,;>' and food yieidinu'. animals, in a word, tiie most lavish {iit'is of Nature, constituted hiirlily satisfactory conditici,- for thi> organization and setlknrient of a prosperous crimnnuiily. o. In re^-an-d to the ifralscsn's IJay Com- pany, a disposition prevailed not to disturb iis charter, on comiiiion tiiat its directory nuule no attempts to enforce an c.\clusi\-e trade or in- terfere witii the prou'ress o'i settlements. A.I1 parties anticipated rarlium'.nitary action. L'.'t- ters from London spoke with coniidence of a bill, drafted and in circulation amoui? members of Farliam<;nt. for the erection of a colony be- tween Lukes .Superior and Winnipeg' and the eastern limits of Uritish (,V)himbia, with a northern boundary rcstina' on the ])arallel of oh^ ; and which, althoup:;! postponed by u clianyfc of ministry, was understood to represent the views of the l')uke of Newcastle, the succes- sor of Sir ]•]. r<. Lytton. 4, In Canada West, a system of communi- cation from Fort William to Fort Garry, and thence to the Pacitic, was intrust;.d to a com- pany — the "Northwest 'I'ransit'' — which was by no means inactivi'. A mail to ]o'd liiver over the same route, was also sustained from tl'.e Canadian treasury ; and Farliament, among the acts of its previous session, had conceded a charter for a line of telegraph through the val- leys of the Saskatchewan, with a view to an ex- tension to. the Facilic coast, and even to Asiatic Russia. Simultaneously with these movements in V.uix- land and Canada, the citizens of the State ot Minnesota, after a. winter ol active discuss'o:!, aimounced a determination to introduce steam navioation on the Red Fiiver of the North. — Parties were induced to transport the machinery and cabins, with timber for ihe hull of a steam- er, from the Upper ]Mississip|)i. near (Jrow Wing, to the mouth of the Shayenne, on the lied River, where the Iniat was reconstructed. The first voyage of the steamer was from Fort Aiiei'cnunbie. lui Anterican post two hundred miles northwest of St. I'uul, drnvn north to Fort (Jarry, during the month of June. — 'I'iie reception of th(* strauirer was attended by extraordinary demonstrations of enthusiasm at Selkirk, 'i'he bells of Saint JJoniface rang greeting, and ]''ort (tarry blasted powder, as if I the ( Governor of the Company were approach- 1 in'J!' its porta', 'i'liis nniipie. but interesting I community, fully ai)preciated the fact that ! steam had broui^ht their interests within Lhe j circle of the world's activities. I Tills incident was the legitinuile se(iuel to I events in i\linnesota which had transpired du- j ring a period of l(^n yrai's. <.)rganized as a ter- I ritory in 1H4!), a single deeaile had l)rouj;htthe ])0])uiation. the resources, and the jmblic recog- I nition of an American State. A railroad .sys- 1 tern, comi-'cting the lines of the Lake States I and rrovinces at Jja (Jrosse with the inlerna- I tiop.al frontier on the Red River at Pemliina, I was not only jirojected, but had secured in aid fif its c iisti'uction a grant by the (Jouifress of the United Stiites of th.rw) thousand eight hun- dred and foi'ty acres a mile, and a loan of State credit to the amount (*!' I weiity thousand dollars a mile, not e.veeediny an ie.vi;;iTgale of live mil- lion dollars. Rlil'^rent section-; of this impor- tant extension of the Cunadian and American railways were uiider contract ami in process ot consh'uction. Jn addition, tlie land surveys of the Federid Government had reached the navi- irab'e Ciiannel of the Red River; and the line of frontier settlement, attended by a weekly mail, had advanced to the same point. Thus the (.Tovernment of the Uiuti'd States, no less than the ])eopIe and authorities of Minnesota, were represented in tlie Northwest movement. Stiil. its consummation rests with the people and parliament of Enirland. Sir Kdvvard IJul- wer Lytton was prepared with a response to h s own memorable cpiery — '• WHiat will he do with it?" Shall the Liberal Party be less ])rompt and resolute in advancing the policy, announced from the throne in ISoS, ofan unin- terrupleil scries ot Rritish colonies across the contint nt ol North America ? This will be de- termini'd by the Parliamentary record of 18G(). [It will be .seen from the following report of a debate on the Rritish Parliament, received since the feiregoin^' papers were in type, that the expectiition of a speedy colonial organiza- tion beyond Minnesota, is likely to bo realized at an early day :] THE RK© mVER SETTLEMENT. Ilousii Ol'' Commons, Feb. 13. The Earl of Carnarvon in;- 'iiiii'iiad sy,s- ".ake States the interna- it Pemliina, Hired in aid (Jon<,'ress of {[ eiglit hun- >an of State sand dollars of iive mil- this inipor- 1 American 111 process ot d surveys of led the navi- and the line weekly mail, Thus the no less than nci^ota, were ment. I the people vlward liul- i response to at will he do irty be less the policy, >, of an unin- ?s across the lis will be de- record of ing- report of lent, received in type, that lial organiza- bo realized lElTIENT. Feb. 13. ■cd what was eminent with lie Red River Saskatchewan district recommended l)y the oonimiliee of tlio j House of Commons in IH.Vr to be withdrawn | from the jurisdiction ot the Hudson's Jilay ] Company. 'I'iio noble earl stated that on lii" ' Hist of .May last the exclusive iiccnci' to ;rnde , which had bci'n j^raiil.'d to ihe liudson'.; ]}:iy | Company expired, and tin; coiiipaiiy iteck );o\v(r.s under s'.n | Act for the appointniciit of niu'ji-trales in the Ri'd River .Soltli'iii'/iit and ]>;!i'ls i.'l the Sas- katchewan districts, iu.d fi,r svcurin.;' a more etiective system of criminal administration. Jle wished to know whether any, and if any, what steps had been adopli d und'.'r that Act. Com- munications which had reached him iVom vari- ous ([U.irters led him to iear that the ]i"i'sent state of the Ueil lUver Svlt icmml was one citlcu- lated, to say ilie lea.Tr. to cause soini; uneasines-. First of all, there was a stronj,' 'beliiip: of di:-sat- isfaction on the part of th(^ colonists themselves, and he nii^ht stale that dai'in;.',' t'se flior; ii)iv.' he had connexioji wii'i tlie Coloiiiul ()l'ii"'>. two petitions were received IVom the inludiitanis o! the settlement, pr;iyi:i;r for e.vten-'ive alterations in the form of '.'-ovorMment nvA /.'■eniTal sy-tmn of administration. Sei-ondiy, the .si'ltli-inent had been entered by a iarue number of ( 'anadi- uns, who refused to i)ay duties on the iiround that they were not leviable fiom them, and i'l- trodueed sjiirits amonu' the .Indians, t'aieby contributing' to their demoralizatioit. .Mort,'- over, the same persons, by disti'ibutin:;' th'^'Ui- selves over jrronnd not be':oni>:i!i;;' to the H"d River Settlement, were rai.-inL;' a (luestion of great legal nicety, whicli ouuht not to be- iL'tcr mined in such an invgular manner, i/istly, (luring the past year American citizens had crossed tiie borders in ce'nsidei'able numbers, introduced spirits, esta'>lished an unlicensed and irregular trade, and \vi;re jiracticediy nrdcv no sort of control or autiiorily whatever. 1 (e was not afraid of American coloni/ation in that, part of the worl;!. wiiieh present(>d ati ample field for energy, industry, and specuhit'iai of all kinds. Even in the ca^c of J:>ritish Co!uni''ia, which pos'-essed special attractions, he en'uTiaia- cd little apprehension, because he b:'IIeved t'l't the same sense of law ji-hI order, and the same ' "dieiice to on-tiiiifed i'P.tlioi-ity which pro- vailed in every put v.Tjre tlie Aii:rlo-H;i."en race had tak'-n ro.;|-. would bedisiilaycd in that recently established community. I'uthe viewed the Red River Settlement in a dilKrent light, and he should esteem it a grievous Misfortune if. from any omission on the part of the JTome (lovernmen't or uf the kx-al authorities, the sympathies ot the settlement slioidd be alieirat- ed from tlie Crown, and, cut off as it was from all eommunieafion witli Th'itisli North Ameri- ca, it should turn rather towards the ITnited States than towards Canada. Then^ were two roads which connected the Rr;l River .Settle- ment with our possessions in Xorth America, but they were little used, and, indeed, v;ere im- practicable diu'ing the greater part of the year; whereas the roail which connected the settle- ment with theterritery be'onginfrto the United States was a gooi! one, an 1 was the route by which the largest amount < f trallic was carried nil. Tjast suniin"r trade to tlie amount of ■'?1,- .')(I0,0(I() passed b- tween the Red Itiver Settle- ment and tlie LInit'.d Sl;.les : a small steamer liad been yeaced on ihe Red River in order to liieilitale tiie iraftie. and. upon the whole, he was afraid t'le teiuleney in ihe Settlement was tow- ards a eomiexiun with the /.nierican Republie. This wa-i a wry important ((uestion, and tlie ]ii'esenl time v,;is a in^'Sf critical one. so much so that upon the conduct of the Colonial Secre- tary durinu' Ihe 'vxt fe'.v years it might ilepend what s'loulil be tee nltinrite d'\=-Uny of this col- onv. 1 le did nut advoe;tte thi' payment of any sums out of tip. Imperial exeheiiaer to attain tl;e ohi'>cfs wliieh l;e had in view : but he tie- 1 lieved liint this vras'a (juestion rather of poli- ey than n'J expenditure, and thai much might be a .■:.'onir)lisiir'd bv a jiulicions exercise ot the iu- iieiur ' if the ( '■ '!'">! lial ( )'}]( "le noble earl concluded by asking the (luestions of whieh lie had given notice. TlieDnke of Xewcastic said that.witli refer- once to w!':it l.i'.d hithei'lo been the licensed ter- ritory i)f iiie ' jn;;-;':ii"s Ihiy Company, the gov- ernment of that company, although Iheoretieally swept away, yet practically remained in force. 'I'ho posts of tlie company conlinuei! in exist- ence, and, as tii'.> Jiiri-.iietion of tlie company was of u very primitive ami patriarchal kind, not fonncVd upon any exact form of law, it had in fact, s'.u'vlveil t':e expiry of tl;e license, lie was satisfied I'sat the less we disturbed the pre sent velationr, between the hluroiieans and liali- breeds :uid tiie nitivc Indians the better, and therefore, although many gentK'men had oU'ered tiieir services, l.o lual not yet exercised the p)wer ( :' appoinliiu" magistrat'^s which was ei'oih'red upon him by tli;' Act of last session ; nor should he do so, imlj^s the introduction of siiirits among tho Indian--, t r other irregulaii- lies or dioovders, should render it neccs-iiry.- - Yv'illi regard 1o the Red River and Saskatche- wan dislricls, no information of such serious character as tiioso mentioned by the noble earl liad ber-n received at the Colonial Office. Ca!i- Uilinns a..' ■Vinericnr7itier?!. r>ut nothing had occurred to leatl the authoriiif'S to npyirehend any evil conse- (•[uence from the presence of either one or ths^ other class of p'>rsons. Xo dednite sieps had yet been taken \Yith regard to these settlements. iri:! iiolilo frieml knew how little information there existed until lately as to the land which WIS !iv;iilable for cf>!oni/.ation. It w.as not till within t!u! last three or four v/eeks that he had vec(,'ived the concludiui" jiortion of Capt. Har- ris' report, and he had still later been put in possession of the important document prepared by Mr. Dawson of 'I'oronto, which did so much credit to that gentleman, a native of Canada and a mendier eif its Legislature. Another im- portant reason for not coming to any immedi- 16 i< ' ii*'^ :itc decision on tliirf (|uostiou was the dilliculty iiH to cominuiiicalion with tlio scttioiiients.— Tlv-ro wciv only iUw". niodos of iircoss--ono IVom llic north : 'Hie t'roni the south tla'oiii-^h the torritorv ol' the L'nitod Sliites ; und oni' from tiio cast, tlirou^h Cainulu. It wus of <>reat hnpni'- taneo that these teri-itoriis slioulil be colonized by British su'iject.-!. ami tliut evrry lucility siiould l)e oiven fur the fiillot aeetss to theni. The sclieine advocated by Mr. Oawsoii in his report wa-;. he ;!ioiiuht. th'' most likely to tend to the coloni;';ation and setilcnuMit of these dis- trict.s that could be devisi'd. I]>;fore iinythin;' conld 1)0 done, however, Inr the i'nt are settle- ment of tlRW districts, it was necessary to make some an-an-emeiit with the ITud^^on's ]'>ay (Jompany. it was his desire Id arrive at such a settlement bv aniieal)!'' nu'aiis. and he lioped to be able to do so. rui.ers were published last session containing a corasiionilence bo- twcon the Colonial oflice and tlio lIiid.son'.s Huy Company, in which the company expressed u willihLniess to yield upon ecinitable terms, either immediately or Ijy deizrees, the jnrisdiclioii over tliesi' t'vo settlements— the Red River and the ^5 I'katchewan districts, with a view to their colonization under Imperial auspices. It was, of course, necessary to ascertain what these equitable ternn w'ere. and he_ intended to put hunself into communication with the fludson's Ray Company, in order to see whether the ter- ritory in (luestion could not be surrendered to the (lovernment without litis^^ation or dispute. The next step would be to establish some form of rrovcrnment in these settlements, which, in the first instance, ought to l)e as simple and as inexpensive as possible. It was desirable that lesfislation should take ])lace, if possible, during the present session ou this subject. jr APPENDIX '']]r GEOaRAPITICAL MEMOIR OF THE KEO RIVER AND SAS- KATCHEWAN DIS'IRICT OF P.RH/SII AMIOUKW. Extrort from licport of a Committee of t/is St. Bad Chamher of Coi,ur,crcc, ./;«. 22, Js.lO. The iii'ca compviiJ'vl within tin- viv; r>. lmii- verfj^iiiii: to Laku Winiiipey; is (stiniuk'il to contain 4()(),000 siiuarc miles. Familiar •.\< Hie American public is with the proirrcss of Mis- sissippi States, tiie Commitlce aiv iiii'liiicd to revic'.v tiie bas'.n of Lake Wiiinipeii' liom our western staiul-poiiit, of its capacity to lie divided and occupied us Stales or I'roviiiccs. each havin;;' an uveraii'e uvea oi' yO.llOl) S(|uare juiles. ntartinu', therefore, from that point of the Western bomidary of ]\liiuu'sota. wliieh is now or may be improved to become the liead of steamboat naviuation on the Red liiv(>i', the indulirenco of tlie ('liainbcr is a-^ked, wiiile we proceed in convenient subdivisions-, to ^ronp a consideral)le number of facts, treo'ivaphical and otherwise, demonstratinix the iiiture impor- tance of that river naviiration which is to be the avenue to tlie vast district inclosed between latitudes 49 de;?. and o.") defr., and extendinp- from the shores of I^akc Winnipeg to the Hooky Mountains, TIIK AMERICAN VAfJ-EY OV TilK RKD RIVER. Of this district, Lac Traverse in one direc- tion, and Otter 'J'ail Lake in a lino nearer north from Saint Paul — cither point not more than two hundred miles distant — may be regarded as its extreme southern limits ; Pembina and the international frontier, the Northern, while the longitude of Red Lake on the l-last, and of Minnewakan or Spirit Lake on the A\'est, arc convenient designations of the remaining boun daries. This area would extend I'rom aVtout lat. 46 to 49, and from longitude !),") iiO to 99 deg. Capt. Pope, in his exploration of 1849, re- marks that for fifty miles in all directions around Otter Tail Lake, is the garden of the Northwest. The outlet of the Lake, constitut- ing the source of the Red River of the North, ha,; iHen v.'i'v '''ivoraMy (IcsiTi'n'd liv Dr. Owen, oi' the ruiteil Stat.''".-! (looioiric.il Sur- vey. It, ])i'>'sen!s a sai'crs.=ion of lak; -• and rapids, whi'e at nthfi' point- rollinu' jiraii'ii'-; e\- tend from iis banks, (•r',-;ti(l 'vitii l)i'antii'ii!ly di?p,r-'cd <;rov>s of timber. Tt wa« in thi,-; ';','c- tioii of Minne-^vita, that I he luau'iusian lime stone coiitainina' silnrian fnssii-;. idcnti'-al with those in the fihill'-; oi' llio Missi-sii«])i b,liiw St. Paid, was recoLvnizi'd by Dr. (>»vin /•> .v'" — showing Miat tlie priitiary forn.'ation. wliicli dividi's ^linr)i'-^o!;i from Xovlhea^t to South- west, is saci;"i'(h'd to l!;e Nortliwcst by tlic ascend! n.'.'; series of ^■eilimentavy roclcs Many ui' our(iiize;is have i'ih i|!ieiitly trav- ersed the district y.\--i. i.aui.i!. and t'uii' testi- mony i.-. l!)at 'We.-iward fniu OiUr 'i'ail Lake for at least one lauidred m'les, and Nort]i',va,rd (o Ked Lake, if not bcyorid. w) more favorable distribution of beautifid prairies and Ibnsts can be im;v.;'ined. 'I'lie lakes are numerous but small, and ahnost invariably skirted with tindjer, tlie sugar ma;)le largely preponderat- ing. Seidoni is the travrler out of sight of these groves, while tlie S'>il i-; unsurpassed. From Dr. l)\ven,s" geological Report, it ap- pears, that below the head of navigation the Western l)aiik of the Red River is a va.-t plain Ijut on the J'lasI'. wiiero the country is k'vel, timber is more abundant on tlie river banks ; the soil is con^viiial to the a-sh wliic'i attains a large size ; below the mouth of Red f.ake liiver strong chalybi'ute springs ofize from the clay banks ; saline springs are also found, and all accounts concur that hardly an acn; but is eminently adapted to tl;e cultivation of v.'heafi* This great staple, with the aid of niacliineiy, will licreafter be cultivated more advantage- ously over the Nortlnvostern areas of the eon- tinent, than in the Mississippi l)asin. 18 ^1 i I (t M i ' ! I - ; If! ■ ASSINUtOIA. \Vc believe llmt this is tlic (iHiciiil .Ii^iuiiu- tion ot the district of l>riti-h Aiiv ricii nci'ii- pied by the .Selkirk Si'ttlcmcnts. I( ciiiIumccs the lower or nortlioni seotif)n •'!' the 1?(<1 iJivi r, and the productive vallcv of the AHsiniltoiii. Here is a civiliz^^d and iiiti.'rcslini,'' f'')iiiiiiii!i!ty of 10,000 sonis — wilii sclinols, cluii'i'lu^s. a magistracy, and u succca^'h' airriniltuit trade, consistiiip largely of llic c.vi'hini'ir ci furs, is cnnccMitratiim' at SI. Taul, and i-: c.-ti- mated diirinir the year ISJ)^. loliavi.' aiiKninlvd to Sl.OOO.OdO. The Coiniuittcc would refer, for lnilrr de- tails in regard to the coimiiiuiity at Si'ikirk. In the numerous publications rcci'iitly mad'. Tiic most impoitanr of these is a document eireu- lated by the Canadian (iovernnieiit—tlic Re- port of an exploi'ini;' expedition — whieiianionu' other interestin,:^ statements, shew-; Ili;it the soil and climate are e\eii umiv fin'orahle to anjriculturo than tiic vicinity of 'i'oronto. The Minnesota farmer reeoi;n'zes in tlu^e d. 'fails a remarkable coincidence with his o-.vn i xji li- encc. ciMiti;nr,A.M). But North of the Jled lliver S. UK ni-it-;, i-; a region, almost a discovery of r. cent ( xp'or- ers, which is oven more aUractive than the prairie district contiL'^uous to ih ■ II, d and A- Mniboin rivers. Immediately West oi Lake Winnipeg, arc Lakes Winnipe^'oos and ]\lani- toba. with an outlet flowing inlu f,ake Wiu- nepeg in latitude .V2 deg. Tiilmlary to Lake Winnipegoos, are the Red >)eer and Swan rivers, which drain a country of rare i)eauty and fertility. A traveler, writing to a Cana- dian newspaper, describes its g'lierai fealuics as rich prairies, interspersed with hi'l's of heavy oak and elm, while the itinerary ni' Sir ( Jeorge Simpson air()rds a most glowin^i' picluri' of the sources of Swaw lliver. Under date of July 14th, he observes. " In this part of the country we saw many sort-; C'f bird;, geci^e. loons, pelicans, ducks, cranes, two hinU of snipe, hawks, owls and gulls; but th^y wcr.' all so remarkably shy that we were C"i:sl rained to admire them from a distance. In the Jiffer- noon we traversed a bcautilnl country with lofty hills and long valley.*, full of sylvan lalces while the bright green of the surface, as far as the eye could reach, assumed a foreign tinge, under an unint(Trupted profusion of roses and blue bells. On the summit of ouv. of these hills we commanded one of the few extensive prospects we had of late enjoyed. — One range of hights rose behind anothei'. each becoming fainter as it receded from 11i(> eye. till the farthest was blended in almost uiiiW- tinguishalile confusion with the cloud-, while the softest vales s[)read a panorama of liana- ing copses and glittering lakes at our icet." As Cumberland Ifouse is situated norlii of the valley of Swan lliver, upon the Saskatche- wan, its name has been chosen to designate the disliifl liitween longitudes 100 deg. and lOo (leg. aud fi'oni latitude ft'2 (leg. to lift deg. An ciiual area immciliately south, and between the parallels of ID deg. .and ,5L' (leg,, is no Ici-S altrai tive and l"ili:>'. SASK vniii;wA.N, 'I'lier ' remains, from hmgitude lOo to llo, Il> ' and IVmiii latihide .|!> to of), the respective val- leys ol the Xmlli and South Saskatchewan — ample in area and resnurces for four States of ilie e\l; nt of Oiiio, We ]>i'iip(ise to consider the whnle int' rval westward from the junction oftlu- iwo rivers to the j{untains. withor.l ^ulidivi^ion, as. indeed, it. is [.rcsentid liy ('ultoiiV .Mapof X(irl!i Am''rii,'a. Tile j.rairie dislricis adjtic Mil to the South Saskatchewan, are d(seril)ed by the Canadian (.\])'oreis. as :r,!. I'i .r to the licli alluvial plains ni i!ii. i;. (I iiiKi As,-ii)iboi;i rivers, but ,';ir < Jrirgu Simpson'.-; sketches of his route from I'l.rl ('ariion ii> Fort l^dnioriton. are s\ig'.ve:.live el' ;; i-i;r.<-ri(.r aurieultural region. During I,is [i;v; (];,\'.-; roate, he desci'ibes the couniy "as .--o ■iielure-f|e." in its cliai'aettr that almo.-t ev'.'iy eeanmnidin:.;' position jiresented the eleniciiisiifa pi'lnres<|Me j)anorama. The ne.\t day he camped n'tir a lar^c lake ; and on S'iei\-;>i\(' dalis he r"rers to '-bands of buffalo in all direeiions to tin.' nund)er of about five tlioii-jaml,"" abund'int gam^'." " l)old scrnery," '• deiieiou,-' wild IVnii'-."' •• hi\ui'iant crops of the vetch o!' v.'ild pea. almost a-; nutritions a food foi' cattle and liors. s as oats,'' "a scim of coal ten feet ill tiiiekll'.'.-S." .*^-c. ibit thiic i.> an aniliority in reirard to the more west, ra porlions of 'tli" Saslcatchewan, whom llii' eotmuiltet' are solieilo'ss to brinii' liromiiieiilly iieli.re t!ie public. "We refer to J'athi'r De Smet, the \levoted desiiit mi.'^siona- !-y to the IndiaiiS of <)."egoii, mentioned by (iov. Stevens, in a r.c> nt addre.=-s be.'orc the New "^'ork (ieo^■rapllical Society, as "a uum whose name i-; a tower of stri'iiuih and faith," jxissessiiiLT higii seientine altainments and great praelieal K-nowli'dge of l!ie euantry. I lis "Or- egon .M!s>ioiis " is a pnbliealion of much inter- est, eonsistintr of lettei's to his superioi's : and a jior'tion of this volume narratis his explorations and adventures in t'le Saskatchewan valleys of the Ibn'ky Mountain-. In Septendier, iS.Vt, he left the source of the (,'oiunibia river in lati- tude oO. and cro.ssed the liueky Mdunlains, de- scending their eastern slojie in'httitude 51. lie entered on the iSlh of September, '• a rich val- ley, agreeably (livcr-i;ii d with )n''adows. for- ests and l.ike.- — the latlei' aiiounding in salmon trout." This was a miauilain valley, how- ever. !!!id it was not till three days aiterwards that he rea.elr.d I'.ow I'iver av the South Fork of the Saskatchewan. Tlience he continued northward, noticing sulphurous fountains and coal on the lied Deer, a branch of the Bow riv(T. Descending the valley of the lied Deer, which i.=: also describe d in very glowing terms, h! IS a esi th da ho ea bu (Ic^. anil lu'twic n is no k'^s I") to im, 'ctivi' val- clicwaii — ' States of I cnusidi 1' ^ jiiiK'tion iloimtaiii;. jirc^cnlnl tlio Sni\tli (,'aiv,iili;ui ■h alhiviiil ivcrs. l)iil liis I'oiitc iHitoii. art' rill i'(i;ironiitain llou-e, hitituilc '>'.\ d.'T.. and loiiiritude 1 1.") (];':;•., and on the ,";lst. of ()^•il)b■■r started fi)raii''ti;'.'r j luniey on the ])lain-' ; but after two weeks absence, was coni])el!ed to seek refiin'e troni the approacli of winter (novv tho middle of Novenil)er) at, Ivlmonton lions 'on the Tpper Saunt;;i!i; and Danks of the rivers. "Thes:; oriLri'v.d'y, take their rise in ihe !;i;^ii- ost chains, wiience tli^y i->sne in every directi'in like so iiuuiy v -ins. Tin' Ijcil-; a;;d -id ■> of tliesi^ rivers arc pebl)ly, and tlif'ir course rapid, but as they re^'cde from th" i:i ii'.ntai'is t'lev widen, and t!ie ciu'rents lose somr t!,;)..,' ,.f ii,..ii. impetuosity. 'I'lieir waters .are hsu.iIIy very clear. The country wf)uM be capable of se.p'- porting,,' a hii'i^'e population, and tlie ^oi!'.^ fa- vorable for th(! production of liurley, cov:i, po- tatoes, and beans which t and ianMineraM:' I''elds ofhav forever desli tied to be coiisnnied liy fire or j)er!sh in the autuncal snows'.' Ifow lor.^' .shall t!ie,,ie superb for sis b" the liaunts of wiM Ijoa^ts? And tiese i'l'-xhaustiljle (jiiariii's, these abundant mines ol' coal, lead, ^alplmr, iron, copper and salt petre— can it i^e teat they are doomed to remain ibrever inai-tiveV Xot .so. The day will coiii!> v.-hen 'OMie I.dxirm^' liand will •/we tlieni value; a sir,'!!:'', active and enterprising' people are destined to til! this spacious void. The wild beasts will, ore lo!i birds in the season, that sportsmen often send tc the Kurt carts full of fowls. Kgi^s are picked up by thousands in th" straw and weeds of tho mar.-hes. I visited iiuke St. Anne, |ii mission- ary slut ion fifty mile.^ north-west from Edmon- ton.] '{'he surface of this region is flat tor tlie most part, undulating in some [)luces — diversi- lied with forests and meadows, and lakes teem- iig with lish. In fiako St. Anno alone were cuu'zht, last autumn, more than seventy thou- Mind white-lish, the most delicious of the kind; they are taken witli a line at every .season of the y ar. ".\ot,\vlt!Htaiiding the rigor and duration of the winter in this nortliern region, the earth in general a[ipeara fertile. Vegetatiin is so for- ward ill the s'jring and summer that potatoes, wli'at and barley, together with other vegeta- bles ol' (.'.niada, come to maturity," {r.i iiie r2th of .March. Father i)eS met star- ted on liis return trip, proceeding with sledges drawn by dogs over the snov/, to i'\)rt Jasper, situated Northwe.-t fnuii Edmonton on the Athabasca river, half a degrei! north of latitude fi-t d'^'. Here occirrcd the following hunting adventure : •• Provisions becoming scarce at the Fort, at the nionient when we had with us a considera- ble number of Inxpiois from the surrounding country, who were resolved to remain until my departni'e in order to assist at the instructions, we should liiive found ourselves in an embar- rassiii<'- situation had not -Mr, Frazcr come to out the the pai we relief, hy proposing that we should leave JMirt and accompany himself and family to f.akt' of Is'aiids, where we could subsist ly on ii.-ii. As the distance was not great iccepteil the invitation, and set out to the nuniber ot iifty-l'air peison.s and twenty dogs. I count the la't'er biCiusc we were as much oblie'.\l to provide for them as for our.selve3. A tittle note of the game killed by our hunters during the twenty-six days of our abode at this p'ace will allbrd you some interest — at least it \vill nia.ke you uccuiaintcd with the animals of the country, and prove that the mountaineers of the Athabasca are bles.'^id with good appe- tites. Animals killed— twelve moo,sedeer, two reindeer, thirty large mountain sheep, or big hor;i, two porcnpinis, two hundred and ten hares, o-ie lieaver, ten muskrats, twenty tour bustards, one hni;dred and tilteeu ducks, twen- ty-one plieasants, one snipe, one eagle, one owl ; add to ihis from thirty to lifty-!ive white fish and twenty trout every day." Father De Smet soon afterwards returned to the AW'slerii slope (if the Rocky Mountains, wlii'lier we will not follow him. \\\: heve tha- e.\!iibited the natural features of the great central district soon to be brought into close connnercial relation with Minnesota liy t!i(> naviuation ofthe.se important rivers of the \(>rthwest. We have rested our observa- tions hitherto upon latitude 55 dcg., but the suggestions alreads' uttered in'the British Par- f r-ap ll i 20 !| f ■U! 1» 1 4 ml liamt'iit, ol ftu extension by caiKil to tlic mivi<;u- 1)L; tributaries ol IIid .McKeiizic will wiirraut tiie coiisidi'iMtiuii of ivti rrit.orial (livifiinii licyoiid that limit. .\vii.v;!\;.sr\. Tlic vallrv,- vi ili(> I'viuv i'.'M At!iul):i'-(.M KivriN, ciisiwai'd cftlio jji/clal-.s : ■•'J'Ir; sources of the At'tabasea and the sources of tiie Saskatelirwan include an enorm- ous area ofco'iniry. it is, in fact, a vast piece ol' land surrounded by walrr. Wlieii 1 heard Dr. iiiviii'istoirs di'scri|iti(in ci' t hit: country, whirii he jnuiid in fiie iiitci'ior of Alriea uithin tiie iMjiiator, ii, appeared to me to be precisely the kill. I of country wiiicli i am iiowdeseribinu'. '* ■■'' * It is a rich S''!. iiiters]:ei>ed with well wooded country, there lieiii'r prowth of overv kind, and the whole veni'taJile kino'dcnn ! <1 alive." A\'lien asked concernini:' niiiu ral ]iroductions, his n'ply was. '• 1 do not know oi any other mineral except linustone ; liuKStoiie is apparent in all directions. * ■■■• TIh! birch, the beach and the maple are in abundance, and there is every sort of fruit." A\'lien questioned lurthor, as to the K'rowtii of frees. Dr. K'w^ replied by a com|)arisoii " with ilie miiirnilicent. trees round ivensin!.'loii Park in London." Ife described ! alarm near ('ambei'Iiuid iloiee. under very I successful cultivation— iuxiiriaiit uheat, ])otu- toes. barley and domestic animaN. ; 'I'lie committei! will not extend, by any cen- eralization of tlitir own, these lieoora'pliical ! statements. They prefer, in conclusion, to di.s- i iiose ol'iiii; subji'cis of climate and population, I ill the ii'i|)ressivo laiitmarre of a writer in the 1 Knickerbocker .Ma!'a;^ine for October 1858. I •• Here is the u'reat fact of the Xortii-Wcst- I ern areas of this continent. An area not iiife- ! rior in sizt! to the whole United States cast of ! tlie Mississippi, which is perfectly adapted to ■ the fullest occupation by cnitivati'd nations, yet ; is almost wholly unoccupied, li(\s west of the !)8th meridian, and above the -l.'id parallel, that is, noi'tii of the latitude of Milwaukee, and west of the longitude of lied JJivcr, Fort Keurney, IS (Jluisti ; or, to state the hict in and (Corpus anotlu r way, (>ast of the llocky Mountains, niul west of the Ostli meridian, and between tlio •Hid and (iOtli parallels, there is a ])roductive, (uiltivable area of ijOO.OOO sriuare miles. West of tiie llocky Mountains and between the same jiarallels. there is an area of 300,000 sciuaro mile.-?. '• It is a great mistake to suppose that the temperature of the; Atlantic coast is carried slrai;.dit across the continent to the Pacilic. — Tiie isothermals dcllcct greatly to the north, and the temperatures of the IS'orthern Pacific are jiarallekd in the high temperaturcB in high lati- tudes of Western and (Central Kurope. Tiio latitudes which inclose the plateaus of the Mis- .soiiri and Saskatchewan, in Europe, inclose tlio rich central plains of the continent. The great grain growing districts of Russia lie betwetu the -loth and (lOlli parallel, that is, north of tlic latitude of Saint I'aul, M iuncsota, or Kastport, Maine. Indeed, the temperature in some instances, is higher for the same latitudes here than in Central Europe. 'J'hc isothermal of 70 deg. for the summer which on our plateau ranges from along latitude fiO deg. to 02 deg., in I'liirope skirts through Vienna and Odessa ill about parallel 4C ikij;. The isothermal of 55 (leg. for lla; year runs along the coast of IJritisli Colnnibia, and docs not go far from New York, London, and Sebastopol. Further- more, dry areas are not found above 47 deg., and then; are no barren tracts of conseqneiiccj nortii of tlu^ Bad Lands and the Coteau of the Missouri; the land grows grain finely, and is Weil wooded. Ail the grains of the temperate districts are here produced abundantly, and In- dian corn may be grown as high as the Sas- katchewan. '•ThebulValo winter as .-afely on the upper Atliaiiasca as in the latitude of St. I'aul, and tiie spring opens at nearly the same time along the immense line of plains from St. Paul to Mackenzie'.s river. I'o these fiicts, for wdiich there is the authority of ]5iodgetfs 'J'rcatise on the ( .Tiiiiatology of the United States, may be ad- ded this, that to the region bordering tne North- ern Pacific, the finest maritime positions be- long tlirougliont its entire extent, and no part of the west of Europe exceeds it in the advan- tages of equable climate, fertile soil, and com- mercial accessibility of coast. We have the same excellent authority for the statement that in every condition forming the basis of national wealth, the continental mass lying westward and northward from liake Superior is far more valuable than the interior in lower latitudes, of which Salt ijake and Upper New IMexico are the prominent known districts. In short, its (•onmiercial and industrial capacity is gigantic. Its occupation was coeval with the Spanish oc- cupation of New Mexico and California. 1'he Hudson Bay Company has preserved it an utter wilderness lor many long years. The Frazer River discoveries and emigration are facts 21 L Kearney, 111! Iiict in ntiiins, luid ■twion the »i'oduclive, ics. West n the same JOO Eiiuuro so that tho is carried ; Paeilic. — : north, and raeilic are in hijfh hiti- rope. The of tlic Mis- , inclose the 'l"hc great lie between t is, north iuiie?ota, or iperatnrc in ne latitndes c isothermal our plateau . to 52 deg., and Odessa :ot hernial of the coast of yo far from )i. Further- ovc 47 deg., conscqnence Joteau of the iiiely, and is he temperate iitly, and In- as the Has- )n tho upper it. Paul, and le time alonf? I St. Paul to ;ts, for which j; 'i'reatise on OS, may bead- nii;' the North- positions be- and no part in tho advan- ;oil, and com- We have the .tatement that sis of national ing westward or is far more T latitudes, of w ISIexico are In short, its ity is gigantic. lie Spanish oc- .lifornia. 'J'he •ved it an utter . The F razor ;ion are facts which tho Compuny cannot cnisli. Itself must go to the wall, and now the popidation of the groat northwestern area begins." In review of the foregoing, especially when considered in connoetioii with the probai)!*' or- ganization of the I'rovinco of SasjUatclunvan at the next session of tho Jlritish I'arliatncnt.yoiir Committee entertain great confidence that the announcement ol a Steamboat upon Ked Uiver in June 18.")!), will arrest such a degree of interest that tho travel and tnuisportatinn of the next season will bn v(>ry Oonsidcrable j)r()bably ample to remuiierato tho enterprise ; while, the future increase will bo fully e((ual to th(! extraordinary progress o( steamboat in- terests upon tlie Upper MissisUppi. I APPENDIX "C." I ! I ; I i , ■:' I EXPLORATION OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS IN ERJT- ISII A?.!EUICA BY CAPTAIN PALLISER. Exlivd J'loiii the Address of Sir Roderick L Murchison, ut the Auiiii:ersanj 3!ivt/n><;iif' Ihc lioijdl Gcogntpkical Socidij, Mnij 'lad, 1851). The impoi'tiint results ol' tiio exjjluriii^' oxpiv ditioii under (Japtaiii J. PullistT, as cotiimutii- catod by the ('olonial Onicc. and as dwelt upon in awardintr t!ie Fimnder's (luld Mcdnl tn that ollicer, iiave iieCL-.-.-iiriiy i;iveii jrroat. i--ati--!acti(in to us, prucwdin;i as i!;.'y A" I'roia niv'ii who were especially ivcninnieiided lor this public service tu Her Majesty's ( !overnni''nt l»y our Society as weii as by the linyal Society. When Cautain Paliiser tirst proposed to make tiiis ex[)loratioii, one of the main points of interest to l:> o^'i'apliers v.'as a >nrvvy of that pan of the lli)ciotween the vast country occu- pied by the Hudson Hay Company and the great Hiitisii svabdard nn the I'acilic. In the award of the Putnm's .Midal to Cap- tain PallL-er, allusions have been made to some of the principle results c;btained by the re- searches of th(! expedition under l;i» orders. But I should not do justice to the leatler and his associates, nor to my own feelings, were f not to add a few words of explanalion and comment. The first year's labors wiM'e neces- sarily of more importance to the (jrovernment than they could be to ,i;-eographei's and natu- ralists The great object was to determine the capability of establishing an intei'ci,urse be- tween the rocky region of J^akes !Suj)irior anii "NVimupeLr on the east and the ricii prairie counti'iea on the west; and though astiMnnmi- eal, ]iliysical, and magnetical obstrvatiims of considcrabli; inipfirtance were made — these countries l)cing to a ua-eat extent known beibiv, and their outlines being monotonous — that por- tion of the surs-ey created but slight interest auiong \is Xot Si) when the Rocky .Mountains, to which we had spi'cially directed attention, came to be surveyed." On proceeding from Fort Carlton, Pal!i-cr showed his good seune in iipproaehing these mountains irom the rich BuUalo praii'ics midw.iy l)etvveen the Xortii and Souih Sas- kati'Jiawaii. An experienced butl'alu hunter himself, he kmnv that if !iis men were not well supplied, by uo efforts, hov/ever well directed, * Di'. Hector liail, by diriictions of liia cliief, nwde a succrj-islul furay in liof^-sleilues to tlie "aHtcrn i''!t,'e of tlio Koi'ky MountiV'iJS iluriog the winter, in whicli lit- procurcil men aiij liorses. 38 BlilT- '■ liic lioijid ly and tlic ic. (hll tn Vu\)- .iIl' ill S(MliL' by tin; lu- ll is orders. loadiT and ii.H-, weTo I nation und juwrnnuMit ai;(l natu- U-riiiiiK' tliL- I'ci'iir.-i! bt;- iipci'ior uiul icn praij'iu :i?tr.ini)i)ii- I'valjons of Kuk' — tlie.-'u O'.Vll Iji'ioiV, -that pui'- it inUTidt US, to wiiicli CalML' lu l)J Ji'L CariluM, i;i|)niaeiiing' do |);'airifS Souiii .Sas- I'alu liuiiU'r I'e no!, well II diivctjd, chid', niiiile a istuTii I'.lne of in whifti lif roiild tlioy Huccpod. Accordingly, liavinjjf ca- tuliii-'ln'd a trood biise, und haviiif,' Ht'cured iitmndaiit provisions at Slautcr Orook, ho dividi'd Ills lorcc into tlirco parties. licadin^ (MIC of ilii'.s(( liinHcir a(!ro.'i;<, ho sent Dr. llnctor to truvurso the chain Ity the Vcrniilion 1 'ass, and to ex- plore, a-i a ireolo;;'isl ami niitnralist, the nuieli lofiier niDiinlaiin into which the chain rises in its trend lo the N.N.W. Tliis division ot his forces Willi meriteil, thcrefon; the expressions nsi'd in (lie award which has boon Huiictioiiud by the Coiiiieil. "'riiD ntarlved hucci.'ss of the survey accom- plished by my yonni; friend Dr. J lector has i)ei'n |):'eiili;uiy uralilyinif to mi', irmsinaeli as 1 had answered lir the capacity lie would exhibit, in api)lyin!X liis scii-ntilU' knowled,i;e. 'i'lnis, in addition to the determination of latitude loniii- tud ■. and th.' altilud'' of the nnmntuinN and two III' tli"ir pa es. Dr. lI'H'tnr |)resenls us with a sketch of the physical and }.^eolo;^ieal siructnre of the chain, with its axis of slaty subcryslal- line roek>", ovirlaid by linieatone.s of D.jVMiiian and (;.iri)onirerous ajre, and Hanked on tiie eastern lace by (Jari»onil'er(jus .sandstone, repre- seatinii'. probably, our own coallields, the whole t'ii|!:»\viMl iiy l\\'i~v Cretaceous and 'I'^'rliary deposits which eon-aitnte the subsoil of tin- vast and rich prairies watered l)y the N'orth and South Saskatchewan and their afllueiits. His observations on the erratic or dritt plienomena are also curious and vaUiable. Prevented by his instructions from descend- im; into the valleys of C )hi!nbia, and there to ascertain praclieabh^ routes to the far west, which he will look out for durinjj; the ])ivsent summer. Dr. Hector, thou;>'h so severely injured bv the kick of a horse as to be incapacitated fi'oni moving' for some days, eonti'ived so to travel northwards as to round the base of the loitirst mountains of the chain iii'fore he return- ed to his wint'-r quarters in Oi-tobf-r, after an altsence of eiirhteen weeks fruni his chief, but laden with valnal)le^e;\!jraphical and i^^eoloi^ieal knowledi^e. In this survey he had the nvn-it of showing that the Vermillion Pas-i— which is less than ;■)()()() feet hi.u'li, and therefore 1,000 lei't lower than any other known pass of the Rueky Moun- tiiiii^—l'iad another ilecided advantaf,'e over them, inasnnich as its western slope, trom the summit level of the horse path, is so little steep that its explorer had no doubt that even a road for carts may bo there established. The de- scents westward, or into the drainaG:e of the (^-)lumbia, in the other passes, are exceedingly steep ; and. according: to Captain Blakiston, the Kootanie Pass can only have a railroad made along it by the fortnation of tunnels of several miles in length, and by encountering the dilficulty of the st(>ep western gradient ot 1 94 feet per mile. Another sinirular natural feature of compnri- -on i-;, that whilst the N'rrmillion Pass is less tlian o ,000 fret above the sea, the adjacent mountains on the north rise to near ICi.OOO feet, shiiwini: the great de[)th of the gori,'e. On the other hand, in the range beyond the Mritish boundary, to the south, and where no peak (not even tha't i.! Fremont) excNvds I.'Mmio feet, the passes range from O.OOO to 7,00(1 feet hiirh.* Whether one of t'lf.' heights called Mounts |{rown|- and ilook-er by Mr. Ddin-las, in honor ol our eminent botanical contemporaries, be still lii'j'her than tlie .Mount Mnrchisonff Palliser and Hector, it is certain that the chain iliminishes rapidly in its trend from this lofty * In ftiiMi'l|i,'itl()i) (if wtiiit my licri'iifltT Ik; jmlilislii d III t*?(' '•,! Ill 'till nf thf Iviy;'! (1 ifi iiMciil SiuHctv," liii- rcailcr i« n f rnvl to tlic piiin'rn iirisciitfd to I'hi-I'h- rtiiMit ill .\iiiil, nl,'\tivf to till' " I'lviliirutioii liy (';i|itii;i I'.lI'I'ci- nf tleO pTtir.M i.f IlrilMi NiiiMti Anicrir:) \vl,i>'h I'l-s li.'tw '1 n till' ;irirt(ii-rti li.'iitirti cf llic Ilivi r Sll^l^!lt(■!l■ i\v:iii iiriil Itie frontier nf tlic t/irtnl Stiio . , ;itMlli 'i wi'i t» till' Ht'il Itlv r (iinl It'irky Miiiiitalns." Tli'fi' iirii.tiil ilnrumi'ies arc iiri'iinipn'ikd liy a iiap, f.v^"iit'il I'y Arroftsmilli, frnrn ttic .•(urV''ys of'ttie l',nlli»cri'\|>nllll'i!i, tciK, t'li r wall clis|i ih'lu's of till' U'H'ler ami oflii'-'Ti* lai- iler tiis «riiii(i'(iiil. anil fililrs iriviiitc thi: ciK'ul'iii us nf IrttUii'ld ,'\nil Idiu'IihIc liy will !' tin- jinsitlonH ot |iliH'eij were flxcil. An lel lillnml piipi p ami njaji on It'i' soiith- lirii part, nf t'l • l{ii"ky \I(iiiniai'if iv mi' tlic Aiiirr'n'iin Imiinlai-.v, .'1^ prrpiri'il Uy (' ijitiiin lUik Ktnn, wlm ?,ii.i I iinltlcil '1k< cNpi'ilUinn, Ins vi.ry vei'fiitly lu en .'("■lit tn I till* Soclity, with till' iiotii'i; frniii thf Si'i'rwtury ol fliu : C 'it'll it's tin t it wu'i n"l Inn k til upoo as iiii iillich;! ■': iii- ' niiinif«l''in ini'll i-aiii tl'nu'il liy f ipliii'i I'ulliMf r. 1 li'-se I I'lal, nitntiiiifil aiii'iii'i"nts, wlilch acvm to me tn lio I al^io iihly pr 'I'^o'tfil, luivn nnf yi't lit'i:n laid 'nfrre 1 till! Siioli'ty. Till.' p'llilii', will siiion possc-.s an vvci l-cnt iii'ipliy Ari'o'.vsinlMi, in wlili'li all tin; iii'W d'sonvi-ries ;iri' 'n.strN'it. This iiiai) is ("itit'.e'l " Tin.' I'rnviiici'H nf (tritisli (Inliviil'i'i, Var''' cO' re.'"poiiilfil. tint Mr. ! Thdiiipsnii ,-\|il 'r.'il liie VHtt ri'pinti.'* "f thr Iliiilsi.n Hay I Coi'ipany in "ll rerfi't-ons liiiiini; twiiity-ciL'lit yours, \ aii'l iiroji-oti'ii the coustriK'tion if a iri'iiiial iii.-m < f the I ivhnlH Rnuritry betwi'i'ii ll'i.ison Hay fi^d I, yk" Superior on till' east and tlie I'aoilirt on the west ! It appear.'? ' lint :lie 1 ust si.x years of hi" lih.irs were sp-nt on tlie West .side of the Rncky .MniuCains — \\ hi-\r\\s 'iiiimitant ! to niitu that hi.s MS. maps were all ri.ilde from the actual j .survey, cori"eeted hy leim'-rnus astrntu iiiicil dhserva- ' ti'iTi'i. The 'aiL'e.st iillliU'Tit nf the l''r:'Zer tiiver in JJritisli Cdnnihia, "tin- Thoiniisi n," Jn.silv liea-n the niime of 'hisi.'r"!it hur, little kiicv.-n jrenj.'ra hiciil e.\- lilorer ; and 1 therel'cre Iru^t t!i:it there is no fiiu.'dati'in for a rep' rt which has heeti spread, that it is propi,«ed i to Siuhstilute some ■ Iher apjiellatinii fur the name of tliis I iiieritiirinns man, l("):iiiii ti;,' hi? astrnnfiiideal nliserva- I tiiins in IT'.t'J, Mr. David Tlinfni,s',n v/as hi ISl ,' a|ip:>iiit.- ! eil the A^trononier of ttu' N'lrlh. Ai lericiii limndaiy I Commission, ai;d was npw.'i'^.s nf li^hty yeirs o/ a>.'e I when he di'j.l in Citiada. I'l ihe words of Mr. Arrow- : .smith, " he ,ii).s Uft no one heliind him wlio is possessed 1 of a teiitli 1 art of his aivpiaintiinoe w th the terriloi ie.s j of tile llui's n Ba.y Company, whose directors were duly I sensilile of liis i,'reat nievits." Whatever may be the \ fate of that remarkahle Corporation, we iiiust all admit i that it has nr.t only maintained liriti.-ii ri;.'hts over wlJe ] tracts of North America. Ijut has also, in adiiition to { Thompson, i^roduced some of -- ' have hern preserved, iust'-ad I of fallini; before the white man, as in other parts of I Aiuerioa. I t Mount Brown is said to be 16,000 feet high. 24 J •I" nil Cluster to tlio nortli. Wo know, indeed, that Miickcnzio, the first s^reat explorer of tliose rofifions, piissed tlironj-li tlie ranije in north latitude oO '^ , at a comparatively lower level. As^ain, we further know that in proceeding' northwards these mountains dwindle into insijf- nificanco before they reach the Arctic Ocean. It will be re'^ollccted that seven years ag'o Captain M. H. ovng-e of tiie Royal Knu'ineers, who had been quart<>red in the t'anadas, and had made evcursions into \\u' adjacent western territories, beintr deeply imbued witii the im- portance of the original observations of Mack- enzie, and attracted by his giowinj? description, made a warm ajipeal in favor of the establish- ment oi a line of coununnication lu'tween the Atlantic and racilic, by parsing; from Lake Athabasca and the I'eace River, thence trav- ersing the Rocky Mountains on the parallel followed by Mackenzie. But that scheme must now, 1 apprehend, give way belore the shorter pa.ssages across the mountains in a more fsonthern parallel, and which will, it is hoped, bring a rich prairie country on the east into intercourse with our newly discovered gold region on the we.-t. as well as with Vancouver Island, the natui'al resources of which were bronuht before us l)y < jolonel W. ('. (irant. During the animated discussion which took place among: us in tie year 18.51, Mr. Asa Whitney, of the United State- in proposing his giuanlic plan of an inter, ceanic railway, canilidly told us that the best line of intercourse between the two oeeans would be found within the British territories. and the Palliser expedition has already gone far to demonstrate the truth and value of his sufTU'estion. With a knowledge of the data acquired by the Palliser expedition, men of ardent minds contemplate the formation of a railroad, or, if not, of a practicable route, which, traversing British possessions only, shall connect the At- lantic and Pacific Oceans. But when we reflect that the length of this line is above 2,000 English miles, and that the greater part of the route on the cast will have to traverse wild and unpeopled regions, wo cannot rush to hasty conclusions as to the practicability ot such an enterprise. Neither ought we to de ride a plan which may be ultimately called for when British Columbia and Vancouver Island shall have risen into that importance which they must attain as British Colonies. For, it is now ascerttiined, that the tract lying between the Xorth and South Saskatchewan on the east is one of great fertility, where no intense cold prevails, and that, once through the Rocky Mountains, the tra»'eler enters a country of cedars and rich vegetation, in which even wheat may l)e grown at heights exceeding 2.000 feet above the sea. In the mean time we need, at all events, have no hesitation in assuming that the electric telegraph will, ere long, be at work across British North America. Believing it to be of the deepest geographical importance, that men who have distinguished thiMuselves as Palliser and his associates, should net. tlirough a misplaced economy, be held to their original instructions, and be forced to return home ,ards by retracing their steps from Fort Edmonton, over the ])reviously beaten tracks of North America and the United States, I liave had great pleasure in supporting the re(|uest of the gallant leader of this expedition and of his associate. Dr. Hector, that they might be allowed to wend their way home next sum- mer by again traversing the passes in the Rocky Mountains, and thence to expiore the great intervening tracts of British Columbia, includ- ing the auriferous region of Frazer River. I am happy to say that Sir Edward B. Lytton readily complied with thisre(iuest, and that the Palliser expedition is thus about to establish fresh claims upon on r approbation. ■ 'S APPENDIX ^'D;' ITINERARII^S OF ROUTES FROM ST. PAUL TO PEMBI- NA, FORT GARRY, FORT ELLICE AND EDMONTON HOUSE. i St. Pait.. mi\., March 1st, 1.8C0. ./. Jr. Taijlor, Es,j.: Sirt; ill coiiipliiince with your request,! herewith submit lo you copies of the most w- ]ie(i by j)arties traveliii'i' overhxtiJ to Fraz m's River. The followii!.;- is a li.-t of th- •' Tables of Distances" furnished : (A) 1st. From St. Paul to Pembina, via Crow Winj; and the '• Woods road.'" (B) 2d. From St. Paul to Pembina, via St. Cloud. Wiiite Pear Lake, Graham's Point, und the W. side of Red river. (C) iJd. From St. Paul to Pembina, via por- tions of varioiis routes. (D) 4th. From Preckinridi^e to ]*cnibina, by the channel of the Red River of the North. (E) f)th. From Pembina to the Roeky Mountains, routes and portions of routes. A few remarlcs ar(> necessary as to the com- position of the tables. From St. Paul *o the S"cnnd crossing; of Ot- ter 'I'ail river, the distances are jxivcn Irom the actual survey aiul location of thi'- military roads, tiiouj::'! the latter por:i()ii (from Wadena) of the " Ft. Ripley and Ren river road" notbeinj^ yet opened out, the road n- at pre.-i'ut traveled is necessarily somewhat iou'.rer (abf)ut S miles) than the line pivcn in the tab'e. The Stati; road from St. Cloud to Hreckiuridire, in like manner, is but partially constructed, the line us surveyed beinu' at lea-^t IS miles ^iinrtcr than that (the traveled road) ^^'iven : the shortiiess of notice has prevented me U'om fuocurini^ iiiid inserting said surveyed li'i.ulh with o.xactivss. From the si-cond (a-'isqun' of Oder Tail riv- er to JVmbina. as als > from St. Cloud (via White Bear Lake and (iruham's Point) to Pembina, the distances are taken from tlie odometer measureuiiiils of various expeditions, but as in their details they olFer many discrep- ancies, I have thought it best to include tbcra all, so that the observations of future travelers may decide upon their relative value. The portions of other land routes are but estimated, and. of course, not strictly reliable. 'i'he routes beyond Pembina are mostly from odometer measurements. Alou!^' tlie channel of the Red River of the Xorth th" distances arc ascertained with com- ))arative exactness from Breckinridge to the month of P.uffalo river, the forwardness of the U. S. Land Surveys in the Red River valley admitting of it; but from BulTalo river to Pembina Captain Pope's table of distances has Ijccn used. Capt. Pope estimates this latter iiortion of the river as 248 miles in length, but when it is correctly known, by survey. I do not think it will be found to exceed 230 miles, mak- ing the actual distance by water from Breck- inridge to I'embina about 3~0 miles. Maj. S. if. Long, in 182.'5. stated the distance from the mouth of Red Lake to Pembina to be 130 miles. 'I'he following summary exhibits the relative lengths of the detailed routes between St. Paul and Pembina : STATl^MFXT OF TOTAL DISTANCES {Omitting the detours spoken of abov».) Milis. 1st. Via Crow Wing and Detroit Lake 413 to 424 '2(1. ?f. Cloua. Alpxandria, Dayton, and tlie "forks of trail," Bay, - - - 420 8(3. St. Cloud, Richmond, White Bear Lake. KU)ow Lake, Dayton, and the "forks," say .... 445 4th. St. Cloud, Richmond, White Bear Lake, (rraham'a Point ^al)out), and the road ttiroufih Dakota Territory, • . 4$4 .'itli. St. Oh ud. Richmond, White Bear Lake, (li-aliam's Point (about), and the river, 600 (ith. St (,'loud, Alexandria, Daytou, Breckin- ridge, and the river, say, - - . 690 Ttli. Ft. Cloud, Alexandria, Dayton, Breckin- riilge, Shayenne, and the river, say, 695 1 am, sir, very respectfully, Your obedient servant, ALFRED J. HILL. ll 26 ti 1 III i:f ll M tK i A. I'aWe o/" distances from St. Paul to Pembina — Crow IVing or Wooih Road. I. 8T. PAUL TO LAKE FLOYD. United States Militarn Road Surveys, 1857. fROSI ST. PAUL (fULLHB HOUSK) TO Mis. Total St, Anthony (opposite the Falls) 9 9 Manomin .... ;^ J6', Anoka (east of Rum river) 10 M'i Itasca ..... tJM •M Orono(Klk river) - - - . 7 40 Humboldt (Big Lake) m 4S'. Marseilles (Bea- Island) 9 ^^'a Boyinpton's Tayern 4 61 ■,; Clear Lake . . . - - 4 6.V', last St. Cloud (Brantford post offlci) » 74', Sauk Rapids .... I> VVii Watab - - ... b '<. sa Langola . - . . . 12>r 95>, Swan River . ... 10 105', Little Falls - . . . S 10<*« Belle Prairie .... f>}i 114 Olmstead's - - . . . S}< Vi'lH Mouth of Nokay river (opposite Fort Ripley) 14 123 Crow Wing .... 7 130 Chippewa Agency at Gull River 4)^ 134 --i Opposite mouth of Lonp Prairie river U)i 147 Commencement of Grand Marais — end of built road - - - - 5 l.VJ Crossing of Crow Wing river— Wadena 8M 160 » Crossing of Wing river 9V 169»i Crossing of BluCf creek 12 V 18ii Commencement of Leaf Mountain 6 188 Outlet of Leaf Lake 5 19'! Leaf City - - - - 2 195 Otter Tail City (to left of road) f>H First crossing of Otter Tail river (Rush Lake 7 202 Second " " [end of surveyed line 16 J18 Third crossing of Otter Tail rivtr ) OdomtUr 4H 222 K Detroit Lake— north shore > nie.a»ure- 10!^ 2H3 Lake Floyd (Bagle'i Nest Lake) ) mentt. • 239 n. LAKE FLOYD TO PEMBINA. Col. Nobles. 1859. FROM LAEI FLOVO TO North end of small lake to left of road Timbered lake, to left Buffalo river, 10 feet wide, 1 foot deep Dividing ridge, lake and timber Junction of St Cloud and Pembina trail Crossing of Wild Rice river, 85 feet wide, 2 feet deep, Oroising of Wild Rice creek, 15 feet wide, 1 foot deep Crossing of Sand Hill river, 80 feet wide, IK ^eet deep Crossing of Sand Hill creek, (12 feet) Bad marshes . . . , Stony butte and lake Small creek, water in holes Ciossing of Red Lak« river, 175 feet wide, S;^ feet 4eep Small lake and marsh Small lake Coulee . . . . Crossing of Snake fiver Crossing of Middle river, 20 ft. wide, 6 In. d'p Crossing of Pine river, IS ft, widg, 1 ft, deep Bend of Pine river Small creek Big Point South fork of Two Rivers Mouth of Twa Riven Femblia Mls.lTotal 2M!241)tf fix; 246% 6M'252 SVi 260)-,' \.\% 272 277 282 19% 801 Ji 6 307% l,%|.309h 11% 321 X 3)»j324% 4'i]8'.'9!< 11 1340 X 4% 345 2^357^ 4 3(il>tf 7 6 4 15ii III, BSD LAKB RIVER TO PEMBINA. Col. F. L. Smith. 1850, 3S5 400 !< 406X 411;!< 424 FBOM IT, FAQL TO Mis. Total Red river .... 329 W Small lake IS ,347 k Middle river .... 17^ .364% Tamarac ri 'er (K. aux Eptnees) 4 ,368',' Small stream 16?< 885 «.- South branch of Two rivers 11 396V North branch of Two rivers 4?i 400 Vf Lac du Nord Ouest 11)^1412 Pembina, west side of Red river H 412% B. Table nf distances from St. Paul to Pembina — plain trail. I. ROUTE OF MAJ. WOODS AND CAPT, POPE. June and July, } ^^9. FBOli BT, PAUL TO Crossing at Sauk Rapids Cold Water creek Crossing of Sauk river (Richmond) David Lake (now Henry Lake) Lake Henrie (now Lake George) • Crossingof Crow river Lightning Lake (now Grove Lake) White Bear Lake Pike Lake Main branch of Chippewa river Elk Lake Tipsina, or Pomme de Terre river Elbow Lake Rabbit River (W. branch of Pomme de Terre) Crossing of Otter Tail river Crossing of Red river (near Oraham'a Point) Crossing of Wild Rice river, west Crossing of Shayenne river Crossing of Maple river Rush river, turned it " bend Point of ridge Main branch of Elm river South branch of Gooso river Salt Lakes Main branch of Goose river Crossing of " Turtle river Big Salt river Little Salt rivor Little Hill river Cart river (R, do la Chavrette) Steep Hill river Heartshorn river Mud river asd commencement Poplar Isl'da Branch of Tongue river Mouth of Pembina river Mis. 18 5 '4 T 8 11 14 13 11 2 5 '0 4 ■iO 22 13>.' 11 17 18>^ 9>i 16 8^ &h 2>, 18 9 18>, 2>, 2 3 7 16 Total 78>i 94 J^ 99 .'i 113^ 120 !t 128>i 189>i 16313, 166;, 1773^ 179>i 1845^ W}i 198>, 218 X 2401, 254 266 283 300)^ 310 326 888>,' 342 3503^ 361 363 >i 881 >, 401 410 *22>»' 426 427 430 437 463 4«3X II. ROUTK OF SLLIS SMITH AND FABT7. August, 1858. raOM ST. PAUL TO Mils, Total. OroBiIng at St, Cloud, say 74.62 Sauk river bridge • 6.83 81.83 St. Joseph 4.94 86.27 Cold Spring . 9.88 9615 Sauk river ferry, Richmond 6.67 101.72 L«ke Henry . 15.80 117.62 Lake George 6.66 123.18 Crossing of Crow river . 10.27 138.46 Grove Lake 10.40 143.85 Chippewa river . 6.28 149.0S White Bear Lake 6.11 165.19 Little Chippewa river . 17.62 172,71 Lake ,84 178.66 Bapia river, (mftin branch of Ohlppewa) 7,11 180.66 NA. Mis. Total 829!* 18 347!* 4 364?i 368 V 11 8P5'4 396 s 4«l400X ll>il412 embina- T. POPE. Mis. Total 78>tf '.ft 9iy, 5 99}i 14 1 13« T 20 H 8 291,' 11 89 ,^ 14 1631, 13 166!, 11 1T7J^ 2 179 >.4 5 184 !< '0 194« 4 198>, ■10 218 k 22 2401, 13 J,' 254 11 '265 17 281 ■ 18 >i 300)i 9H 310 - 16 326 TH 88a}, ■ 8Ji 342 Sh 360 J^ • 10>4 861 2}, 363>i - 18 881 >, 19 y. 401 . 9 410 12 >. 422},; ■ 2'. ,425 2 427 ■ 3 480 Is 7 437 .16 463 iio> i463^ PARTT. i1 Mils. L«ke (Potnme de Terre Lake) 8.07 Pomme de Terr* river - - 1.41 Lake (Elbow Lake) ■ - 9.22 Lightning Lake - - • 6.62 Crossing of Otter Tail river - - 15.42 Crosding Red river (near Graham's Point) 22.90 Crossing of Wild Rice river, west — bridged 11.39 Crossing of Shayenne river, bridged 14.82 Crossing tf Maple river - - 1S.49 Crossing of Rush river (creek only) 7.61 Ked of stream, water in pools (liush river) 9.72 " " ♦' 13.04 Hemlock river (main branch Elm river) 23. C2 (ioose river (south branch of ?) 6.0T Htream, 20 feet wide . - -11.79 Stream, 20 ft. wide (Qocse R. main branch) 5.97 Lake . - - - - 4.61 Turtle river - - - 17.30 Stream .... 4.97 Salt river (Little Hill river) bridged 32.98 Water in marshes - - - 25.02 Crossing of Pembina river (ferry) Pembina{ 16.30 Total. 188.78 190.14 199 36 204.68 220..30 243.20 254 69 269.41 2S7.90 295 51 305.28 318 87 342.4!) 347.56 .3,')9.35 365.32 369,93 387.32 392.29 425.27 450.29 465.50 C. Table of distances of portions of varions ioth'ts htlween St. Paul and Pemhinu. I. SAUK RAPID3T0 8I0U.X V.OOD RIVKR. Gov. Stevens' Expedition. June, 1853: FROM SAUK BAPIDS TO JMls. Total Cold Spring brook -18 IS Sauk river ford (Richmond) 1 6 24 Lake Henry - 19 M ■i-iy Branch of Crow river, 20 feet wide 19 biX Lightning Lakes (Grove Lakes) ! 95i 62 V Branch of Chippewa river, 20 feet wide I Ok tw^ White Bear Lake - 6 i3J< Tributary of South branch, 15 feet wide .io;<; 84 Swift brook, 6 feet wide - sy. 8T!^ Pike Lake i 1?4 sav Chippewa river, 124 feet wide - w\, 99 V. KIk Lake i w, 100 West branch of Chippewa river (Pomme d e Terre) 140 feet wid e, 8« 108V Klbow Lake - 934 IITK Rabbit river (west branch of Tlpglna) 1^ 123y, Small brook, 12 feet wide 1 f>k 128V Small brook (tributary of Rabbit river) \n>i 140>4' Bois des Sioux river, 3 miles above mouth iio 160^ II. ST CLOUD TO GEORGETOWN. Stage and Mail Route— Table prepared bi/ Mr. B. C. Borden. 1859. 1 KROM ST CL Mils. Total. St. Joseph 74.62 Cold Spring 6.83 81.33 Richmond 4.94 86.27 Oak Grove 9.88 96 15 Sauk Centre 5.67 101.72 Kandotta 16.R0 117.62 Osakis 5.66 123.18 Alexan-lria 10.27 138.46 Evansvllle 10.40 148.65 Dayton (Wascata P. 0.) B.2S 149.08 s Breckinridge 6.11 155.19 i Graham's Point 17.62,172.71 J Burlington .84|l7B.B5 1 Shayenne 7.11 1180.66 A Georgetown by land III. ST. CLOUD, VIA SIOUX WOOD R., TO GOOSE R. Col. C. F. Smith. August, 1856. KROM ST. CLOUD TO MlS. First crossing of Bauk River Cold Water creek Second crossing of Sauk river (Richmond) Lake Henry Lake Mcleod (Grove Lake) Branch of Chippewa river, beyond White Hear Lake, which passed to left Pike Lake Tipsina, or I'omme de Terre river | Elbow Lake . . - - Rabbit river - - - j Bois des Sioux river, about 4 m. from mouth Gr.iham's Point ~ " " Wild Hice river, west Shayenne river . . - Maple river - . - Crossing of Maple river Creek emptying into Maple river Rush river , . . - Small branch of Elm river South branch of Goose river, here left road Total 3 3 14 17 6 22 18 40 16 66 185^ 78 ?„ 4V 78 18 96 18 100 lov 119?i ^'H 137 17 164 63<; 160K 15 1761a 13 ISSJi 8X 191 ,V 7 198 V 16M 214Ji 15 229M n)i mh IV. DETROIT LAKE TO GEORGETOWN. Bif Mr. Borden. Estimated 56 Elbow Lake to Wascata, about Wascata (Dayton) N. to forks of trail, about 18 80 98 VI. From the Upper Sioux Agency (Yollow Medicine) on the Minnesota river, to Breckenrige.the dis- tance, by the land route, is at least 126 VII. RAILROAD LINE3. 1st. The length of the " branch" line of the Minne- sota and Pacific Railroad from St. Paul to St. Vincent, as far as surveyed and located, to Crow Wing, is about 125 Miles. 2d. The length of the main line of the same railroad, as surveyed and located to a point on the Sioux Wood river within S miles of Breckinridge, is about 207 miles. D. Breckinridge to Pembina by the channel of the lied liiier of (he North. jMls. Total -'7 7 10 17 - 4'^ 21^ I19J< 41 -iH 68 1 2 60 -'10 70 il2 82 -'22 104 27 131 -24 155 12 167 26 193 20 213 4 21; FROM BKXCKiVKiucE {mouth 0/ iSioutt Wood liiver) TO Crossing of trail - - - Graham's Point Fort Abercrombie Mouth of Wild Rice River West (Psihu B.) " Shayenne river Village of Lafayette " Shsyennc - - - Mouth of Buiralo river (Georgetown) " Elm river - - . " Wild Rice river East " Goose river - . . " R. au Marais No.5(from Penblna) [Sand Hill R?j " t^and Hill rivpr [R. au Marais ?J '« Coulee des Vaclies •♦ Coulee de la Butte de Sable " Coulecdu Nez Rouge " Riviere au Marais, No. 4 «« Coulee du Jeune Bauf " La Grand Coulee " Coon creek " Red Lake river (La Grand Pouche) " Coulee de L'Anglais \ Hla. 5X t>2)i 41V » 26>i 22Ji 1 ?3« Total 17 23;i 78 117X ii8>r 121 128j^ 168Ji 160 182.V 18834' 208V 6>i212X 1 *yi 8,i< 3 8 7V 4 91 8X 218 236Jt 229j|( 240 244 4>fj248>f wmms », t; 28 Rtviere au Marala, No. 8 Turtle river - • Riviere au Maraii, No. 2 Salt river Riviere au Marais, No. 1 Park river Riviere aux Epines Coulee du Boia Percee Black river Two Rivers Pembina river E. Mia. Total 18 V4 2'., 3 is,v 2rK 207 1-4' :i2l>. 876>!^ Routes and portions of routes to t/ie NortJi and Northwest of Pemhina. I. PEMBINA TO THE FOOT OF THE MOUNTAINS. W. E. Smith and G. C. Buriihnm. 1858. FBOU PEMBINi. TO Fort Garry ... Fort EUice, ascending the Assinlboine Touchwood Hillg Fort, W.N.W. course South branch of the Saikatchewnn, do North branch of do do Crossing the north branch about a day and a half's journey west of Carlton to Jack fish Lake {per Odomettr) Fort Pitt, - - e-.timated Edmonton - - " The foot of the Mountains " Miles. Total. 70.?8 281 .29 1 09.-47 129.84 10.5.10 ■7(1.00 180.00 ISO.WU 70.23 ,80l..'-)2 470.99 fi 10.88 655.21 II. PEMBINA TO FORT ELLICE, VIA ST. JOSEPH. Col. \V. 11. Nobles. 1859. VllOM PItMUINA TO SI. Joseph by the South trail • ' • Nortli trail . St. Josei)li to Oak VillHi-'c. .iliout Oak Village to Fort EUice, about Whole ditft>tiu-,u to Koit Ellice, about Miles. Total. 81 .\' I 34 Ji I 142 c: 238 in. PEMlilNA TO THE KOOTONAIS FORT. Dr. A. J. Tliihodo. 1859. FROM PEIIBINA TO Fort Ellice (via Fort Garry) Fort t{u Appelle . . . Tlie elbow of tlie Sufil'Htehewan Tlie entrance of ihe Kootonais Pass KdOtoiKiis Fort Miles. .300 126 146 546 105 Total. 300 420 566 1,112 1,217 IV. I'EMDINA TO MOUTH OF RED RIVER, lyvaUr. rilO-\I J'KMUIKA TO 760.81 i 880 81 Fort Gurry (•:Mr;lliience nf AHsinbcme) 1,010.81 ] tstimiited 1,190.31 j Lake AVinnipeK, beycnd tlie delta, " .Miles, 1 00 48 Total. US JOSEPH. s. Total. 23S APPENDIX "E." PORT. Total. 300 4-2rt 5(iC 1,112 , Jiy vaUr. INCREASED PRODUCTION OF CULTTVAT]-:D PLANTS NEAR THE NORTHERNMOST LIMIT OF TIILIll GROWTH. Extracts frjm an article upon the "Acclimating Principle of Flimt^y in the American Jnuniiil of Geolugij, by Dr. Furry. Total. uo The cultivated plants yield the greatest pro- ducts near tiie uorthernrao.>t limit in which they will grow. I have been forcibly impressed with this fact, from observing the productions of the various plants, which are cultivated for food or clothing in the United States. The following instances will go far to establish the principle, viz : — The cotton, which is a tropical plant, yields the best staple and surest product in the tem- perate latitudes. The southern parts of the LTnited States ha.e taken the cotton market from the East and West Indias, both as regards quantity and quality. This is partly owing to the prevalence of insects within the tro))ics, but principally to the forcing nature ofa verti- cal sun. Such a degree of heat devolopes tlic plant too rapidly — runs it into wond and foli- age, which become injuriously luxuriant ; the consequence is, there are but lew seed pods, and these covered with a thin harsh coat of wool. The cotton wool, like the fur of animals. is, perhaps, designed for protection ; and will be thick and lint? in proportion as the climate is warm or cool. Another reason is to be found in the providence of tlie Deity, who aims to preserve races rather than individuals, and multiplies the seeds and eyes of plants, exactly as there is danger of there being destroyed by the severity of the climate, or other causes. When, therefore, the cares and labors of man counteract the destructive tendency of the cli mate and guaranty their preservation, they are, of course, more available and abundant. The lint plants, flax, hemp, &c., are culti- vated tlirough a great extent of latitude, but their bark, in the southern climates, is hart-h aud brittle. A warm climate forces these plants so rapidly into maturity, that tlie lint does not acciuire eitlicr consistency or tenacity. We must go far norlii in P^urope, even to the Baltic, to find these plants in ])erfection, and their products very merchantable. Ireland is rather an exception as to latitude ; but the in- fluence of the sun is so effectually counteracted there by moisture and exposure to the sea air, that it is always cool : \wnce. the flax and po- tato arrive at such perfection in that region. Jt holds c([ualiy truein the farinaceous plants. Rice is a tropical plant ; yet Carolina and Georgia grow the finest in the world ; heavier grained, better filled, and more mercliantable, than any imported into Kuropefrom the Indies. The inhabitants of the Ivist indies derive their subsistence almost exclusively from rice ; they must be supposed, therefore, to cultivate it with all skill and care, and the best contrivances for irrigation. Such is. however, the forcing na- ture of their climate, that the plant grows too rapidly, and drib's away itefore the grain be properly filled. Indian corn, or maize, if not a tropical plant, was originally found near the tropics : and althongli :1 now occupies a wide ran'^'e, it produce^ i he lieaviest crops near the northern limit ol its range. In the West Indies it rises thirty feet in height; but with all that gigantic size, it produces only a few <2rains on the bottom of a spongy cob. and is counted on only as ronsrli pmvender. In the Southern part of the United States, it rcachi s a height of fifieen feet, and will produ(;e thirty bushels to the acre ; in tlie rich lands of Kentucky and the Middle States, it produces fifty or sixty bushels to the acre ; but in New York aud New England, agricultural societies have actu- ally awarded premiums for one hundred and V 30 m fifty bushels to the aero, colleclod from stalks only seven feet hijrh. The heats ot a Southern sun develope the juices of this plant too tjuickly. They run into culm and blade, to the neglect of the seed, and dry away Id'fore frHctilictition becomes complete. Wheat is a more certain crop in Xow V'ork, the northern part of Peiinsylvunia, and Ohio, a'd in the Baltic reuioiis of Murope, than in the south either of Hurope or Anicricii. In the north, snows accumulate, and not only protect it from the winter colds, but from the weevil, Hessian Hy, and other insect'^ that invade it: and in the sprinir it i.-« notlorciii too rapidly into head, without tiiiic ids in one (j^ear, and before it has made much bulb. IJeets, carrots, pars- nips, turnips, radishes, and other roots, are equally affected by a hot sun, and scarcely worth cultivating far to the south. They all fructify before they have formed perfect roots, and make foliage at the expense of their bulbs ; hence they will always be articles of commerce ; the south will have to depend upon the north for them. The salad plants are in like manner affected by climate, and give further proofs of our as- sumption. Cabbages, lettuces, endive, cellery, spinagc, plants whose leaves only are eat, to protect their leaves from cold (through a kind of instinct.) wrap them up in leaves, which form heads, and render many of their other parts tender and crisp for use. These leaves, thus protected, are not only tender, but more nutri- tious, because their growth has been slow and their juices well digested. In the south, a re- laxing sun lays open the very buds of such plants, gives a toughness and thinness to the leaves, and they are too unsubstantial for ani- mal support, because of such (juick and rapid dcvelopement. 81 iy are sus- u forcing .ion before eir proper s for nour- 'ows slow, ig time for y digested ; /hicii char- I produces numerous )wers, than place thia \ice of the :en up with i neglected, to have the irough two )y. In the and before rrots, pars- roots, are id scarcely They all ?rfect roots, heir bulbs ; commerce ; n the north ner affected 's of our as- live, cellery, are eiit, to lugh a kind , which form other parts leaves, thus more nutri- en slow and south, a re- ads of such inoss to the itial for ani- sic and rapid The delicious and pulpy fruits are, in a still more striking way, illustrative of our principle. The peach, nectarine, jihiiii, apple, cherry, cur- rant, gooseberry, apricot, and many other such families, are not in perfection in the south. It is in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, tkrscy and in the north of Europe that we enjoy thern, although, originally, tliey cuao Ironi near tlie tropics. The p;>ii('h of the (.'arolinas is full of larva', gum and knots;, and too stringy and forced to bu jaicy and ilavond. 'I"lu; iippK' of the south is too acerb lo In; cilhcr raten or pre- served. 'J'lie pluins, apricols, eiiorries, currants, gooseberries, ice. will not even mature until we go far north. All the trees which bear these delicious fruits will grow luxuriantly in tiie south, make much foliage and wood, with but little pulp, and that unsavoury, 'i'hc kernel in the one-seeded fruit seems to he first oliject of nature in southern climes : that becomes strong, oily, and enlarged ; ai'.d one of the peach family has so entirely negleeled the pul)), that it has only a husky matter around the kernel, as the almond, 'i'he changealjlenoss of the weather in the south, in tlie spring season, throws ])lants off their iruard ; the frosts adendani on those changes d'.'stroy the young fruit ; and it is only one year in three that the crop liits at all. The desiccated or driinl state of these fruits enables us to enjoy them through the year ; but in the south their acidity carries tiiem into fermenta- tion or decomposition before they can be di- vested of their a have already oliserved, that the heat of the sun in southern climes forces plants to a false maturity, runs them on too rapidly to fructification, and renders dry and woody the culms, stalks and leaves of the plants, where these parts are used. Hence the chafliness of Bi Hi; the leaf, the dryness oF the culm, the lightncas of the grain, and th<; unsavory, spongy quality of the pulp of the plants in those latitudes. Hence the difficulty of fermontinjjf their juices, distilling their essences, and prcservinir for use the fruit, juice, or hhides of such plants. 'I'lio prevalence of insects is another bar to the pro- ductiveness of southern jilants ; swarms of tliem invade and strip the leaves, bnre the fruit, and lead to blight and dec(jnipositioti ; and j'lst in proportion as the labors of m;\n hiive rendered plants succulent, and their fruits and seeds sweet and pleasant, do these insects multiply on them, devour their crops, and defe;'.* the objects of hasbandry. The labor of man too is more conservative in northern climates, because his arm is better nerved for exercise, his health and spirits more buoyant ; and instead of saying " Go and j work," he says, '• Come and work :" treads with i a cheerfid heart upon his own soil, and assists I in the cultivation, collection and preservation of his own productions. It is in temperate cli- mates that man can be most familiar with na- ture ; it is there he has the best opportunities of ol)serving the guarantees which natiire has for the jireservaticn of her animals and plants against the devastation of the elements ; he sees an occasional apparent neglect of individuals, V)ut a constant jiarental care of races. In every thing he sees the wisdom and benevolence of God. I i' j i I ■ [11 is better lirita more " Go and treads with and assists ervution of iporatc cli- iir with na- portunitics nature has and plants Its ; lie sees individuals. . In every icvolence of APPENDIX "F" PROF. M. R MAURY AND l^ACIFIC RAILROADS— THE PHYSICAL, COMMERCIAL AND .AHLITARY NECESSI- TY OF TWO RAILROADS, ONE NORTH AND ONE SOUTH. [At a special meeting of the Chamber of Commerce of the city of St. Paul, Minnesota, held on Saturday, January 22, 1859, at tlic Room of the Chamber, Col. D. A. Robertson submitted a letter of Commander M.F.Maury, U. S. X., (Superintendent of the Observatory at Washington,) upon the subject of Pacific Railroads. On motion of Gov. Alexander Ramsey, Col. Robertson was requested to furnish a copy of the same for publication, it being in the esti- mation of the Chamber the most able exposi- tion of the subject treated upon ever written. The request of the Chamber was complied with as follows :] St. Paul, Jan. 24, 1859. Dear Sir — I venture to comply with your request in behalf of the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce, to furnish a copy of Commander Maury's letter o( the 4th inst. for publication, | (striking out the portion of a private nature.) In doing so, it is proper to remaric that the letter was written in the course of private cor- respondence, yet, in furnishing it for publication, I confidently rely upon the acquiesencc of its distinguished and patriotic author. Its con- tents, especially at this time, are of too much national value to be allowed to remain in the obscurity of any private hand. May I not say, with safety, that the scientific, geographical and commercial facts therein presented, with such transcendent ability and high authority, settle the whole question so long debated about routes and roads to the Pacific ? Yours truly, D. A. Robertson. 'I'o Wm. R. Marshall, Esq., President St. Paul Chamber of Commerce. OusEavATORv, Washington, i January 4, 1859. \ Ml/ Dear Sir : ■vr * v:- * I have often wished that the question, pure and simple, Railroad or no Railroad to the Pacific, could be put to the popular vote of the nation. Xevor. since the Memphis convention of 1849, should I have had any doubt as to the result. The vote would be largely for the road. While all admit the importance of one or more such railways, there lias been such a diversity of opinion as to routes and plans, that no one route has as yet met with friends enough to carry it through in spite of its rivals, and I do not think that it ever will. Two roads at least are necessary. At least two roads— one at the North, the other at the South, are reiinircd for the common defence. At least two roads — one at the South, the other at the North — are necessary, socially and com- mercially : for by two roads so placed, the markets of Cliinii. .lapan, and the Amoor, will be brought nearer to us by many days' sail than it is possible lor one road to bring them. This may sound paradoxical ; yet I hope, before I am done, to explain the paradox lo your satis faction. Let us first consider the importance of two roads in their military aspect. Vancouver Island commands the shores of Washington and Oregon ; and whether the terminus of the ,J^ 34 % Northern i oud li;' on Tup'ot Snnixl or nt tlin nioutli of llif ("oliiinliiii river, llic nii;niti(in< wnt tliiTo coultl I);' ii;iil ol' tlic coiust, I'nr \ iiiK'Oiivi'r ()\\'r!i)ol<^< then,. They cnuhl nut, on uceoiint d' N'anennver in itH iiiilitiiry iispecb'. I)e s:iit tVom the niii'thei'n tcrnuniis to San J''itiiici:-et> lunl the .South; nor c'ouhl the Southern roaii— sniiposin,:,'' only one, anil that at the So;'.:!;— send supplies ni war Ironi its lernrnni-'. whether ut San l>i(iro or Sim Franei^.'", Iiy srii (lii.er Ut < 'tfion or Wasliinfi'ton. \'hne"UV(r would prevent, lor A'aneoiiver cnmaiiinil-i tlieir (.'oasIs iiseoniplete- ly as Knfilanii tominanils those ol Fraiiee on tlio Atla.itie. ^o eoiuplet' is iliis niilitary enr- tain thiit yi \! ;ievei- he;iri! dt l''rani'e en ti;i' Atlantic semlin;;' .s'ldor liv sea to Franee (^ii the Me(litl( irarK':in, or tiie reverse, in a war with Kiip'Iand. 'i'lr.' Siraits ol l'"iiea ai'e as clo-io as the Straiis ol (iil-;iilt.ir. In prepaiiii;;' tor the nationai ileienses ol' the Paeitic, lliis lad, and the i'act tliat Vancouver Island is in the iiiui'l^ of a l'oreij;ii oower. are •well calcnlali'd to impress |ieeuliar leiiuins upon any sy.-!eni !i:al may lie adopitd. liul i promised to explain wl,y two road-:, one at the South, the oiIht a', the North, will briny the ni.iikels oi A,-iii nmeh eearer to us than eitlu r road, siii;;ly, wouhl nr,il;e iheni. J5elore, however. 1 iio into tliat explanaiie.ii. let us clear aw.-.y s-nie ol the e'.i:!aeli s whieli error ha-' placed iii the v.ay oT a Jsorlhern route to the I'ticilie. Mosi men \>\ om- a,i;(.' wei'e edr.ealrd !:m \r the belief that Jiandlels of latitnd,- and \v\-X'.-,- trial eliniaies aie eorreiativ.s ; thai wo iniuiir tell the teni|ieratin'e oi' any unknown eonniry or region of eivanlry, il we knev/ its latitude. JInnd)oiiiL aiii their i.-otheniial Hms. pur e.\aini»le, Iheysliow that the mean aniu.id temperatare of \orth Cape, lat. Tt)'^ in i'AUVipe. Is the same as lii.it along' the north siioreoi La.l^r .-^iip i ioi-, in lai. .'50^. lloro is a dilleivnee 'jI' ::(i = of lat. without any diU'.'ivnc. in the aveir/:v animal teniperatnro ol' the two places. There is a ditT.roiu'e in t!ie leiiL'lh of day ar,d night a: the two p;.i.-(s, i.ial >o i'lU' as cliinale is aR'ected by dillercnec i.; I lie lenidh of day and iiijilit. ('iir;i;ite is to I'.iut exti ni, and no farther, an iiiV.dr of iatiaide. l^ui with diller- ences in kr.ath ai day and iii!;ii;. the relation.s between elinuite and latiiieie eeas'. 'i'he ther- mometer and l.yjiro;!uJer th; n liecoiaeliic true exponents ut elimaie. I'lviTy reunion, indeed, telKs the whole sinry orils eliinutes l)y its flora. Let us set rid then of our old nmions c.n- cerninn' the relations td'lalitnde fo climate, and with unbiassed uiiruls i.iy oat this north teniper- ate zo;ie, wiiieli w-; hili.iljit.inlo tliennal bands, and tin n study the lloru of these band^. Alter we shall have done tlds, the:i I think we will be able to af.';ree, at lea-L anauig ourselves, as to the necessity of t.vo routes to the I'acific. Moreover, we can si'lect those route's that will be the best agrieulmrally and eommetcially ; arid\\hf'n wo shall finish with this investij;ation. _\ou will lind tt';it these two routes lie exactly wiiere |||.' bi'>i ji;aM ol' national deleu'^e re(|uirc.-' them — tlie .\o!L'',ern route comniiiieinij: at the wi.sttrn Ixauidary of Minnesota, and <,'niii;r to I'liijetV .^ound. with a luaneli, in tlic ennr-c of time, tn the mouth of thi' Columbia — the .'^(Uithuii route commencinir at Kl Puso in Texas, and \rn routes, as the routes which coninioree and a'.q'icult;ir(! as well as war re- quire. The eleimnls indicate tluni. I phice liie climatology of these, the a'jricidtuial and commercial r sources of the reLi;i(ins through which 1i;ey ymss in the Siina' catcirory, because coinmerc'' is based mi dill'evence of imrie'iilinrid ]M'oductioiis, and dilli'renee of iirodiic(ii)iis is an allair of eiima1'r— iiii'l. \'m'f sul»- itotl Stairs lis ol" :]') = und Id iiti icross I'^-u- tlie fioncil ml tiiciicc! \\V (if ll.o .;il-:o Sn]ii'- w (>ii'4)C('. ml. \ii\v lUUl, lllilW n Oiu'tr.i ; :lU!i, Mai-L--- Voii Ciiii I'o^'iit yi'ir- I'lm,-!. 'riio utii of (lii--^ on;.!,i!iy till' ■ IIL'W \V( Jl'ili logo, Cl'0^:^- tlK-ll ]):l^^S- Austin, in I'cnsacolii coast near ), Ispaliuii. peratiirc of it; lo.-is liian ed between C(iuul ther- mal bands, by tra(?iiij,' likewi.H' wiili a Irce Imnd the isotlieitu of 52 ® , the moan (nvarly) bctu'evii o.") ^ and 70 " . 15.';:iiiiiini( n -ar Capu Orford on thi! West Uoa^t, tliis isotherm piVSPiM up toward-; the Dalii.'.s, tlieii down u little to llic Wv-t of Salt Lake lo ftaiila l-'o ; then up to Seult's IJliiIT, and then llii'ou;,4i St. liOiiis and Loaisville to Ijaltiuunv. Takinji' it up in K!i;;!;ind it pa.-?eri throii;j!i Hi'l^'iuin toward i Zurich, t!i, n i,j) ;u- wards Olinut/., and so on through Vanta, J); r- benl, Koiviin and I'ehin. Tiiis line divides this belt Ih.iuially and g(0- giai)liieally into two l>an(ls of nearly tho same size. 'Tiny inelnd;; llie j.;'ardi'n ^pot.s of t'lc earih. In them man laid liis lir.^t hearthstone, and from th,.ni tin; litjhts of eivilizalion uud chriitianiiy ha\e hheil tlicir llr-t and tlaii l)ri^htent rays. Lot us, for the eonvtiiiencc of refercnci.', call the Xotthv'ni b.md thi; upper band, and the .Southern one tiie lower. ^^'^i ui'' now prepared to cast th:; tyc over them, and tu i;'eiieralizo coneerninj^' the com- morciul and u,!,'ricultura! a-.|K'et,s <>f tho two routes. 'I'iie plants wliieh '/ivc phy iiignoiny to tlio liekh unv which he linds himself sarroiiiidi:d,,ind directed his hibois to tho.se pursuits wiiieli promise the be.st returns. This cireum^tance reminds us that railways in tlie nppM- iiuiils .should be much more apt to liave lull freights both ways than e.re rail- ways in the lower band. The latter cai-ry av^ay tobacco, lictnp. cotton, rice, sugar, itc, and may bring back in a single car, the nianii- facturea articles for which a whole train-load of cotton Ikis lidu t.xchanged. ifcnco, nsa Mile, railroads in tiiis l)and carry more than lliey f'tcli. TIkj same raw and bulky articles go into the upper bund to bo manufactured, and wlion m.innl'actured, they are put on the rail.; foi- distribution, and for market — thus inciva-in'; IVcight.-f for this band both ways. Facli one of these thermal b.inds in the T'nit^d Si.u.s wants its roads from smi to scj, und e.icli inu--t have it. Kaeli wanted its ,«ys- teni of roads between the Atlantic Mcean and the Mis-sissippi River, and each has itj, whether Congri>.-; wo ild or not— and s > it aVIII be be- twei n ihe " (irand Ojeaii'' .md th;; Mi.-si<.sippi. I,ook ut tli"stei! cngraV'jd map in Putnam's Ivaih'oad (hvxh and you M'ill see how tlnsj system.-! of roads have been I'ormed. Fnlil la.st summer \'ir!..iiiia wouk! s!i( te!i no railway line I'rom any of her fine ha;'l)Ors into the valley of the We?t. North Carolina liad no harbors; hill, -e, the blank- j^paee on lli.it map lietween Ol.io and (ieort'ia. On the tdiier hatid. there was the great chain of hake.-,. Then t'lei''.' was the Jhdtimore and Ohio, and the Pi'misvivania Central Railroads, which wep.' conini 'iC'd e.t a very early day, and pu-hid lorward willi vi;jor. Now see what a m: v.oik of r. .'d.s tiie.-e have (.'ailed out, reacliing l> and bvyond t'.e .Mi,-sissippi, and stretching dec l^ist lo conn et with thes,;. While- Virginia Would lait, and .North Car- olina couM ,i-il. ,-^out!i Carolina and (Jeorgia n'cnt lo \vi)rk with their system of roads, which has aln ady sirelened il.>Ji,'!r toward.^ tlic setting Sim hir b 'yol'.d tee Missir^ipi'.i. Te.Mis nas givi. a a most .!i;',.i'niricent grant of land.- and ie.iu ..-f nie-ney to ],<•;• ,-'onthern I'aeilic Railway, wiiih will extend the Soutliern sys- tem as iar as ]]{ i'.'.s'. , wi^lnn (iO.J miles of the Paeilic. Ibiads from New tlrhans, '>';c';sburg, Mem- phis, and other points, are to join the Te.'?as v('S\i\. }ilemphis and I'd Prr-o are in the middle of the iovi'er ij.uil. 'lene-e, yoa I'ljreeive, thi.s b.iiid has I;.-: I'oais well und-.'r way, and it is high time Cneie ."-^aiii s'v aid lal^e hold and extend il; "Westward. Fnrortimatt.'ly, this ri ad has laid troubles to an extraordinary d'.'grei. — but it's a long night tiiat has no day, and it nov,' begins u r tlie lirst tim,j to see the liglit of real day. T'lie dawn is promising. So. too. in .Miime.S':ta : St. Paul is in the center of I'le upi.)er band, and there is a railroad ah'eaily nii'ler way iV^aa St. i'-ed to Pembina. eading to liie Paeilic I, ni>iii !-• r-..ul A branch will nio.-t laii^'y lenreSLiit the .system in the u;)] er l.iand. .-'t. P.iul is in the aiidi.He of it, and the dk-tanee by an a'r-line Irom the W^'est- ern limitsof Miniiesoia toPugei's Sound is 870 miles: making only ^s.-y) loOO ii.i'es of road to be proviiied for by tlr? geiicral government, ill order to secure both of these roads. Indeed, if the Southern road be taken to the California line, California will take care of it thence to San Francisco. So that by providing for the iT 86 construction of some iM niilcH, govcrnnicrit can now sccuro one at the South. Ten years ago, whon this (|ucstion of ii road to tiic racilic began first to bo uj^'itatcd, {,'ov('rnnn'nt would have had to provido for it all tlio way Ironithc Mississipni to tlio Pueilic-so it was iicid— and timt would have required a sincdo road aliout '2,000 miles lonif. Now. ffovornnient aid alon;,' 1,.^00 miles will pivfi us two. These bands give a eompiile (piiotus to uU objeetions to the Northern roads, on the score of climate. In other niirts of the world roads abound hi just such climates. 'Iho road from St. IVtersburj,' to Moseow, and iIk; Prussian roads, with others in tlie same band-i in Ku- ropo, arc even in u higher latitude than the St. I'aul road will l»o ; yet elimato is no objec- tion to them. Neither' is it to llie (,'anada railways, nor to any others as far North as the rails have been laid. Wo all expect to see the day when llussia will be o.\tcndini,' her system of rails into Siberia, and noncMtf u.-— for in that matter all of us have nnbinssod minil COLUMBIA. From the VDnesj^itiden-e (>/' tiic L'jA'hhi Ihdis. VlCTOIUA, YwcorVER's 1;^T,.VND. ) \ !>fsiiiiH'r 1). 18.")9. \ All recent n'-'couiit.i irnfii 15riti>h ('niniiibiii ' have bcpii oF a mor^t su.i^lici'M'y mh! •.•ncoiu'- , agin;; cliaractcr. - j "^1^8 wealth, and tlio va?l extent of its anri- | ferous iiroa. are now e■;^ali!i^lK'^l by muleniable ! I'videuv.''.' : th^' -'a'i-fi'Mi.iii "I' tlio niin.'is witli .their ^iicee-.-. ■•wxA ih.'a.i'i'ivai h;'i'i'ur la''iri' <(uan- tities (li i:o'w\ C\\\A, the iii.->('<>vorio.s o!' now | '• plawr.^." mill Ihc i'Xion.'i^vi (if oM di'.;'5;iii,;)'.-i" and I'lirUjei" inland i i'roni tii;^ riv'is tii,\n v.':«.-; at fii'-t i-xpcctcd, all ; ','0 to I'stabli?!) th'.v.; t'.vo iniporLant la'.'t^'. : I .VKW (;oLi) i)i,,r[;-:r>. , iiic'li diii'ijin;.'.-! iiave \n'\-\\ iii.-covi'ivd !•) tho . Siniill-Min'.rn vaiiey. u siim-i: di-lancv noitli of ; tiie 4l)lh iiaralli'l, within tlic tcn-itiiry o^iJ^itil^h \ Ciihinih'.a. The vaiicy i>r tiif SiiaiikanKrn (pro- j noaiici'd '• S.KHMniliojonKvn.") wliieh \a walcrod ' by a river Ix'ariu'i' ti'.e .-.'Jiu: uanic. i.-i e.Meii- , sive, fertile abninds in ri'-ii pasture, and is well adapted fir s.'(i!i'iii"iit. Tiie climate is U'oninl ;ind there are many e.\i"ii>ive ti'acts in tiie Siinil'cam/en eoimtry e?:peeiuliy lavor.ible lor stock rai.^inir. ii-= in winter the snow never lies. however d'ep ii, miv be In t!ie nion^nainons country aro-nid. 'iiio i'iVer i.< a irioniaryof til. Ukina'r.'.n. wliieii laiis into i,k! (.'v-lumbia near 4S - noriii latiiad'. 'iiiis ne's' iiiiuinij country is accessible rroni Kort llopcun Fruzer river, and from i'.e ^I'inhborin'.'- An-.i'rican country, (W'as'ain'rton '!'< rritory.) tiie n.iiaoi- tants (I* wliicii !;avc avaiieil tneniselves oi tiiu f'acili'; v^ mine liierc durinyr last uiitiiinn with sneoe-s. which nrode'-d the usual " (.'xeilenient.'" zer river up to the vicinity ''it 'le liocicy Moun- tain';, inclndintr Xew Caledoeia, are now ascer- tained to l»e uuriien)us ; mm, wiiat is e(]ualle important, extensive tracts of ommhI land adapteil I'^r a'rrieiiltinv hiive bi^en at ilii'sanie tiniedi:- covered. (jri:K.\ ('"iAKMri'TK's I. :,VXO. The problem whet'nerllie c'old aria cvtendetl as i'ar north us die iiortiiern ii'>inidary " a.* they went alon^'. j'lie '• color,'' as the /nin/r calls a successful trial for ,(■ P.rit- Maji'sty's li'.i'oiiii'.s ;i Oi v'lltCl'- li;):^ scii".i- lur Fori lio. '-iUuite Rns.-ifin I to (Jiiocn !i!' colony (lint Uo>i'. asUrii (>\- orrciis Ims lii.-; join Kill 'oint Rn.so jt't'ii'.i';" ;i.< s Ibiind a1- e coiicn'to. n tlic cliffs ; ■d from tlif' lit Riise to Id mill's 0'.\ t'.dnks th- .)ii iiy rites,) iiohl ill ir!y situiitc lit II plac.' { 39 called GoW tilufT, where miners hiivi; been iit i work extracting,' it from the " blade t^iiiid," by machinery atid the ns.> of quicksilver, for Ihc last nine year.;. At Skidei,rat(; vilhu^v the In- dians lielmvod in .so Iin-iti'ea manner tliat the party went back in tlieir canoes to Fort Himi)- son. Smitten I)y qualms of conscience at tlieir inliospita'.ity. or, more probably, having' a dread o! vjovernor DOUL ass ven;i,'t?ance, as lie nad sent a message beseechiiiir kind treatment for tii(> party, tlu; Indians, to make amends, sen! a deputiilion to Fort Simjison to invite Ca})lain Torrins to repe.it his visit under a pnnnise of safe conduct from tlie chiefs of the •• i laidalis," the most powerful triiie on the island. Tiius epeouraged, the ('aptain a"d his men started a;;ain. En route tliey visited I'itt l>land wiiieli lies on the easlsid'"'of Queen C'larloUe's Island. betW'.vn it and th.e, mainland. Here tliey f'iur.d speeiinen^ of L,'''jld-bearinn' quartz. Tliey then made Ibr (ioM liiubor. on tlie east side of C^ueen Charlotte's L^Umd, wiiere a considerable quantity of scold (luartz was blasted in 1852. under the auspices of the IJudson's IJay Com- ])any. ami sent to Londcm — a fact wiiich added iK t'le e.xhibition of fi'oiden nuixixets by the Tn- (iians freijuentinu' \'ietoria.had raiscvl liigli hopes among the moie •peeulative of our townsmen tliat great wealth lay hero. Captain ToiTens';was disappointed if he cn- ti rtain.'d a!iy such 'hopes. He found thi gold '• leads" worked out. At least, he and his party thouglit, and t'cy l ft agui- 1(M' the mainlum' On their way I'lek they visited an island 'i.*) miles to the north of the Queen Charlolt.; groupe, whicli tliey found to be very rich i;i copper ote. They visited also Kiigaiini anl Tonga-s islands, a'lit fie beyond tlie parallel of the Jiritish pos-w^sioiis, and Chatsina, on the main Ui',,Miin 'i'erritoiy 'I'h'se localities they found to contain Irad, bismuth, plumbago, and (jiiartz rich in s.-Ipliurets, ivhieli analyze irom ii\?,'y to .■$200 per ton, !•; great abundance-. Captain 'i'orrens de;rrib(S t.Iie character of the north-we.'^t coast of Ih'ili-;!! C >luml)ri as " hi'^hiy mountain. lus, oi;e lung continued I'nrm- ation o'l siate i!itersper.-,ed with tri-nuent veins of crystalized quart::." lowi) to the peueral operations of a mining caKip, remaining only a day hero and a day there, as circumstances permitted. ']'he river lieing hill, the 'bars' were but little i'.\j;osc(l. (iood diggings were, however, discovered, anil the whole parly vere saimuine that a new gold- field will be o[)ened up iu this remote yiart of the world next spring, when Captain Torrens rciiirns to his e.xj)loratiun of the Xaas river anil surrounding country. T'm iiavigutiiiiHif liic river was accompli.^hed in canoes. It is not adajit.d fer steamers, h'- ing too rapid. The scenery is very bold and ]ilctures'|ue. The weather in autumn was beau- lilul. Of the soil the Captai.n says :— •' Mag- niiicent I'laleiiu; of hind are now to be found where (au'i; iio'ved torrents oi' v.-a'er ; open land.- oeciii' also at intervals, tlie vczitation upon which is luxuriant." I;i e-iMltio!! to t!ie dis- covery oi gold and if good huid on the Naas river. Captain 'I'orrii;? v.-.i.-. ini'ornied that the Indian fr.iils were so good i,,^ to be •' available for pack tr'-ins wiMi but little trouble" — a fact wliich is '.'f till! lir.-:!. iiiiportanee to faeilitate the transit oj'goeds by a shori route from the coast into Xew Caledonia, wher.* gold is now boirg work"d, widen is known to be highly aurifer- ous ; and where, from th." amenity of the climate m w'ntcr, and tiie abundance of pasture I a large ir.inirig pojiuiaiioii would seitle were it [ not for the dilacuity a, id irrcat ex ped-cnt transit ! by way of Fra.ser liver. I. : Captain Torrens is huai it; Ids jiraises of the humanity, kindness, and liberaiity of the Hud- son's I'ay (jonipany. Irv'sn whom he and his ■party reeeivod ieiportant assi.-tance. ,\xo:'iir:ii icxi'i.oiacu. Another explorer u..^ jus! reiurned from the same part of tlie world, wn.'.e report has added to cur meagre information of the topography >r tiie nortli.uii and wosti rn portions ot the new Tin: M Ai.Nr,..\Nu. The Cajitairi liaving determined to ex.imitr:- tlie interior of the mainland ol IJrili.-h (,'olinii- biu in this riorthern portion of it. he ascendci the Xaas : ivi-r, wliieli empties into the I'.ieilic about 40 a-.ik'S north of I'ort SimiiMni. ^'otli- ing remarkable .struck his notice until he and his men had got up t'lC river for forty miles. Here they observed tvideaces of volcanic ac- tion ut some remote period in tiie iiiscoloied and blistered appearance of tlic rocks ; and here they commenced " prospeeting,"_ which they conlinucd lor a distance of 1(10 mil>.?, be- ing the extremedistancethey ju'oceeded to, and througlioiit which they found the bars in the river to be anril'crous.* The trip being essen- tially a " j)rospccting trip." tbey did not settle colony, and to which flie (Governor attaches einsider.ible iinpoi^a.iic. . Mr. O'lwn'.e, an old ('aiifornia ],ioneer.where, ailiior,;;!i a .Scotclimaii and of couuiC a foreigner. he was iibi'rally p,r:n;io)ed lot'ne brevet rank of " Major.'' stalled al.-) Irom Foit yimp-son. in August, 0,1 a tour ot ix^- oration into ihe iiite- I'ior by tia' Skeeiia river, w'.iieii falls into a bay or iiiltdt I'ort Fi.-.'iiigioi;, about "lO mile.> tiortii of .Siinp-oii. What with har.hhips, starvation. 1 aimoyauc. s v.r iiidiai)., and iirnoianee of the '. route, and of liie ian^ua'^es o|' liu; .luvag.s, the , .Majors trip wa^ an cvm'.lul and rcu.iantle one. ; ami he has mule a tremendous >tory of it him- i self ill the .-nape ol ii report Lo the Guvernor ; I l)ut 1 naist limit my.\ii I.) •■ :hort ab.-tracf, ! which w"' vmiu'ae.r the uiaai points. The bay at Port ivsi.igion r'r.is inland, an.^ is dei.p and navigablj for ihiiiy mik\s. The rock.'^ are gi.'antie, no quai'iz appearing. "Tlie blanks, of the Ski en.i are low, wil ■inal! luird- wo