IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGEV (MT-3) 7 A y. f/. 1.0 I.I 1.25 |4S 150 1^ ,1)1^ |12 1^ lb Z2 2.0 14 11.6 v] ^ c* /a ^ > y /^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICIVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions Institut canadien de microreproductions historiques 1980 Technical Notes / Notes techniques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Physical features of this copy which may alter any of the images in the reproduction are checked below. L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. 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The following diagrams illustrate the method: L'exemplaire filmd fut reproduit grdce d la g6n6rosit6 de I'^tablissement prdteur suivant : La bibliothdque des Archives publiques du Canada Les cartes ou les planches trop grandes pour dtre reproduites en un seul clich6 sont film^es d partir de Tangle sup6rieure gauche, de gauche i droite et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Le diagramme suivant illustre la mdthode : 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 OOR iGHWAYS TO THE SeA BY RAIL AND WATER. »*«««•*•»•■*• The Enlargement of the Canals an International Work. BY JAMES FISHER, M. P. P. NVINNIHEO, MAN., UBC. Iti'il WINNIPEG!, MAN. MnlNryRB Bros.. Gbn^ra'. Job F'^ntbrs. taai. '>Co9o The Hudson Bay Railway. Upon the scheme of a railway to Hudson's Bay, with a line of steamships from a port on that water to Liverpool, the hopes of the people of Manitoba and the North- West Territories rested for a number of years as promising, with entire certainty, the cheapest outlet for our products to the markets of the world. The unanimity with which the settlers of this Province joined in approving the enterprise, and in calling for its completion at any sacrifice, was no more striking than the unbounded confidence that all sections of the people had in its entire practicability, and their conviction that it would develope and enrich our country far beyond any other proposal that was ever before the public. Each of the political parties /led with the other in outbidding its rival in the promotion of this preat outlet. That the proposal has not been supported with such absolute unanimity and such remaikable enthusiasm, for the past few years, has been quite evident. It is apparent, however, that a majority of the people of the Province still have faith in it, and are willing to make a large sacrifice in the way of granting aid towards securing its completion. THE BONUSES OF PAST YEARS.. It is now some years since the Dominion Parliament voted a bonus out of the public domain, in aid of this road, to the extent of 6400 acres of land per mile for the part of the line to be constructed within the boundaries of the Province, and 12800 acres per mile for the distance beyond the Provincial boundaries reaching to the waters of the Bay. The first measure for Provincial aid put on the Statute Book was introduced by the late Mr. Norquay in 1885, in the shape of an Act pledging the Province to give a bonus of one million of dollars to the enterprise on completion of the i?oad within five years from that time. Hopes had been held out that with such an endorsement the promoters would be enablestage that the present government declared its unwilL ingtiuss to give the guarantee authorized by the Act, notwithstanding Mr. Greenway '^) letter. Minister.^ rested their objection largely on the view that whih- the Province had for the .sake of procuring a line of railway to compete with the Canadian Pacific, proposed to give a bonus equal to $180,000 a year for 25 years, it had since that timt\ in the shape of aid granted to the Northern Pacific and Manitoba road, pledged its credit for about $80,000 a year, in return for which . it had secured competition from at least one quarter. For that reason, the Government contended, the Province could not now attbrd, or be expected to give more than $100,000 a year at the most, to the Hud- son Bay Roa«l, that being the interest at four per cent, on $2,500,000. The correspondence that was publisheil at the time indicated, that Messrs. Onderdonk and Ro.ss would have been dispo.sed, on certain conditions, to accept ai.V' THE SCHEME OF LAST SESSION. Last session a still further aid act was passed, not simply contain- ing an offer of assistance, but undertaking on the pait of the Province, by formal contract, to grant a bonus of a million and a half of dollars to the company on completion of the road within five years. The burden on the Province involved in this grant is a little more onerous than the guarantee of interest on two and a half millions, as suggested in 1888. Apart from its being a much more liberal bonus than either of those offered in 1889 and 1890, it had the decided advantage of being made as the result of negotiations between the Government and the promoters of the road, affording evidence that the latter, at all events, were content to accept such aid, and hopeful at least, that with such backing they wonld be successful in completing the line. At the same time the Premier admitted in the House, that while pro- posing this measure he had no evidence whatever that any finan- cial arrangements had yet been made for building the road, nor was any assurance given him that such was likely to be done in the near future. It was generally considered that the necessary means could hardly be raised in the English or foreign money markets, without an additional bonus from the Dominion Government. The hopes of the people who had been with much anxiety looking for the success of the enterprise, have been greatly encouraged since that time by the scheme of financial aid to the company, introduced and carried by the Dominion Government in the recent session of the Federal Parlia- ment. The general opinion throughout the Province would seem to be, indeed, that a completed road to Hudson Bay at an early day i& practically secured. « THE DOMINION AID. It is just possible, however, that there may be some misconception on the part of the general public as to the meaning and the effect of the aid given by the Dominion Government. It is well to have it borne in mind that, apart from the old land grant, no aid whatever has been granted or promised by the Dominion Parliament towards the construction of a line to Hudson Bay. It is quite true that aid has been promised for a line to the Saskatchewan River, a distance of 280 or 300 miles from Winnipeg, and aid to such a line practically assists in building in the direction of Hudson Bay. But the Dominion Ministers were careful to declare very positively, that the line they were aiding was n(«t one that would be an outlet for us by the Bay, but simply a colonization road, extending northerly or north westerly from Winnipeg. Not only so, but the Government took care to intim- ate that no Federal aid ever would be granted for a line to the Bay, except, of course, the grant given out of our own lands, To show how . clearly this wa^s laid down by the government, I will presently quote statements made by Ministers in Parliament, when the measure was under discussion. But first let me explain just what measure of Federal aid has act- ually been pledged to the Company. In reality no sum whatever is to be absolutely granted by way of bonus, even for a colonization road. It is contemplated, as a matter of course, that if the road to the Saskatchewan is built, it will be used by the Dominion Govern- ment, as other lines of railway are, for the carriage of the mails, for the transportation of mounted police and their supplies, and for othei- public purposes. For such services, of course, the Dominion Govern- ment will pay the usual rates, and thereby a certain yearly income will be earned by the Company operating the line. The aid pledged by the Dominion Parliament is simply an undertaking in advance, that the Government, for these services, will pay the Company a cer- tain specific yearly sum for a definite number of years after the road shall have been built. The sum agreed upon is $80,000 a year, and it is to be given for twenty years. The value of this promise in advance to the Company, is very material, as it will greatly aid the promoters in raising money to build the road. But it is simply a promise, after all, to pay to the road just what it will earn and no more. It is not even a promise to give the road the carriage of the mails and other work to such an extent that it will earn the $80,000 a year, or for that matter to any particular extent whatever. The Government will just pay for what services may be done by the line just as private indivi- duals or corporations will. If the company shall not from year to year do enough of business for the Government, to earn that sum, the amount unearned of the $80,000 is to be repaid by the company to the Government. And to secure the Government against any pos- sible loss, it holds in its hands one third of the entire land grant of 6,400 acres a mile from Winnipeg to the Saskatchewan, until the de- ficit shall have been fully repaid. 3 OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF THE POSITION. Having stated in general words what the aid is, as I understand it, I will quote from Ministers to show that this is really the fact, as well as to show that the aiding of a line to Hudson Bay was not in the minds of the Federal Executive. The measure was introduced into the Commons by Mr. Dewduey, the Minister of the Interior, an * " railway northward from the Saskatchewan River." ;'f . At a subsequent stage of the Bill, Mr. Dewdney again said, " It , . " is a colonization road, and I would like the House to disabuse its :''v'i ' "mind of any idea as to the Hudson Bay Road proper. The Govern- " ment told the promoters of this road that they would, give nothing " more than the proposed guarantee for twenty years for this as a " colonization road." Premier Abbott, addressing the Senate on the Bill, was almost as explicit. I quote a few lines from his speech : — )A " The only portion of the road that we are interested in assisting \ " is the road which will be serviceable to colonists, that is to the " Saskatchewan River. ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ " The money is really a payment in advance for services which " the Company agree to render in every way it can, by the carriage of " mails, supplies, police, etc., as other railways do." Supporters of the scheme in both the Senate and Commons, out- side of the Government, made similar statements. Such statements from ministers and members will not, of course, do away with the fact that, even as it is, public aid to a road going to the Saskatchew^an will help us to reach Hudson Bay, as it brings us a long distance on the way thither. But it is manifest that aid of this character, expressly limited to a colonization road, and accom- paniedwith a declaration that the Government will never give a bonus to a line forming an outlet by Hudson Bay, falls far short of being so serviceable as would be the grant of the very same aid not so limited, and unaccompanied by such a declaration. The aid given, while it is a valuable one, costs the Dominion nothing, and so far as it goes is aimed at building another feeder to the existing lines by ^^hich we have an outlet to the sea, instead of securing another outlet. Looking, therefore, at the terms of the Dominion aid and the pur- pose for which it is given, it may well be doubted whether the firm faith in the speedy completion of the Hudson Bay Road that has since taken possession of many of the people of Manitoba and the North-Wost is altogether justified. Possibly, however, the increase of the Provincial offer of a million dollars in 1885, to a million and a half in 1891, may enable the promoters to float the enterprise. CONDITIONS OF PROVINCIAL GRANT. A condition attached to the Provincial grant is, that at least one hundred miles shall be completed and equipped by the end of 1892. This is a prudent provision, and the fact that it was assented to by the promoters of the road indicates that they see their way to meeting it. The only other condition attached to the grant, requiring the building of any part of the road within a definite time, was that it should be fully completed to Hudson Bay in five years It must have been a disappointment to many, that terms were not imposed requiring a cer- tain portion of the road to be constructed and equipped in each of the intervening years as well as the first. I urged, when the Bill was be- fore the House, that such a provision ought to have been inserted ; but the Premier replied that he had himself, in every way possible, en- deavored to obtain the consent of the promoters to such a condition, but without success. This fact does not augur w^ell for the confidence, even of the promoters, •that they will be able without more delay to proceed to the Bay. It is unfortunate too, that no conditions were in^ - posed as to the route being subject to the approval of the Governmert or Legislature of the Province. At the instance of the opposition party in the Federal Parliament such a condition, as to the approval by the Governor General in Council, was inserted in the Act giving Dominion aid. As a result of the Dominion assistance, it may be con- fidently expected that the line to the Saskatchewan River will be built without great delay; and the condition imposed by the Provincial Legislature may be relied on, we may fairly trust, to ensure that the first hundred miles from Winnipeg will be completed in 1892. Assuming that the road will cross at the Narrows, and be deflected to the west so as to strike through, or as near as possible to, the Dauphin Settlement, one hundred miles will not bring it near enough to be of any service to that district, and for this reason, too, it was unfortunate that the Company was unwilling to be bound to go farther than the hundred mile point, even in the third or fourth year. » VALUE OF COLONIZATION ROAD. Although the Dominion Government undertaking holds out no hope for the Hudson Bay Road proper, the colonization line itself is happily one that will be of great benefit to the Province, if the most suitable route for such a road be adopted. It is true, I believe, that after the tirst fifty or sixty miles have been passed the country hjis no !y V i J' ■ present settlement until the Dauphin D .strict is reached. It will certainly be a valuable colonization line, ai.^d will become a valuable feeder to the existing lines should it take th-j Dauphin route. I fear, however, that there is no prospect that it will pass northward on the west of Lake Dauphin. I confess I had looked forward to seeing a line built north-westerly from Neepawa or Arden, on the Manitoba and North Western system, to give an outlet from that district to the present railway system of the Province, the distance from either of these points to the settlement hardly exceeding sixty miles ; or from Russell Station tD the Gilbert Plains section of the district, where a large settlement has been recently formed, and which is, I understand, less than forty miles from Russell. By either of these routes a line would pass through districts already well settled, and would be the means of immediately extending such settlement, while a profitable business for the road would be assured from the outset, and at the same time the cost would be verj small. All this, it is to be hoped, can be accomplished in the near future, perhaps by a branch to the Hudson Bay line; or by the projected line through Shellmouth, connecting Brandon and the East with the Regina and Long Lake route, if not by a branch to the Manitoba and North We.^tern. The St. Lawrence Route. i» ■« Regarding the general question of an outlet by which to ship our wheat to the seaboard, and the prospect of securing a considerable reduction in rates, which, of course, is the end we have aimed at in seeking the construction of the Hudson Bay line, it is interesting to observe that events are happening in another direction which happily promise in the near future, to make a very material reduction in the it cost, as compared with the past. In a very quiet wa-y , but with very ;^|; decided results, a remarkable revolution is apparently taking place If: just now in the carriage of grain by water, I refer to the new sys- 11-, tem of steam vessels and barges, the invention of Captain Alexander |;t ; '-■ McDougall, of Duluth, who has within the past two years perfected |>^- ■ V his plan of what is known as the "whaleback" vessels, descriptions »^f " . which have appeared in the public prints. Sueli advantages are found :- in this system of vessels, arising from lessened cost of construction, re- t duced expense of maintaining and operating, largely decreased con- ! sumption of coal, their capacity for carrying larger cargoes of grain 11 than the existing barges and steamers, and other causes — that already it has been proved that wheat can be carried by them from Duluth to Montreal at rates considerably less than it can be done by the old boats. In the discussion on the Hudson Bay Railway question in the Legislature, in 1889, Mr. Isaac Campbell stated that the rate for which wheat had been carried from Port Arthur to Montreal, in July and- August, of the previous year, was 6^ cents per bushel, although Mr. Roblin, speaking as a grain forwarder, said he had never been able to get a rate less than 8| cents. One of the "whaleback" steamers with two barges in tow, went through from Duluth to King- ston this last season, un]oa(iing at that point on to barges that carried the grain as usual through the St. Lawrence canals to Montreal ; and the total rate from Duluth to Montreal was 6^ cents per bushel. The whaleback steamer went, without cargo, through the St. Law- rence rapids in all places where the canals are uncompleted ; and where these are completed of the dimensions at present projected by the Dominion Government, she passed through them to Montreal, took her carg«) on once more, and carried from Montreal to Liverpool about 90,000 bushels of wheat. One of the advantages of such a vessel is apparent from the circumstance that when loaded with such a cargo, she drew less water than an ordinary vessel, capable of carrying such a cargo, would draw without any load. LET THE CANALS BE COMPLETED. Were all the St. Lawrence canals completed, even according to the plans at present projected, so that these vessels could pass through without breaking bulk, it is confidently asserted by those who have knowledge of the new system of boats, that the cost of carrying wheat from Duluth or Fort William to Montreal, will be less than five cents per busliel. The problem then of completing those canals at the very earliest possible date is one of most vital consequence to the people of Manitoba and the North West. The Lachine and some of the other canals of the St. Lawrence system, as well as the Welland, are now sufficiently capacious to enable a "whaleback" boat, with a capacity of 90,000 bushels, if I am correctly informed, to pass through. The canal at Cornwall is at present under construction so as to make it sufficient for that purpose, and that at Beauharnois, remains after that, to be completed, while several miles of new canal must probably be built at other points where the rapids of the stream interfere with satis- factory navigation. This done, steamers of that class, of the capacity stated, can pass without break from the head of Lake Superior to Montreal, and for that matter to Liverpool. It will practically make ocean port« of Port Arthur, at a distance of four hundred and thirty IC' 11 miles, and of Duluth, at a distance of thtee hundred and fifty miles from Winnipeg, while it will reduce the freight on wheat from Port Arthur to Liverpool, to less than twelve cents per bushel. And when wc reflect that the Dominion Gevernment has definitely declared its intention to construct the Trent V'alley canal, shortening the distance from Port Arthur or Duluth to Montreal 1^ about two hundred and fifty miles or twenty-foar hours, we realize that a smaller rate still may ere long prevail. It need not surprise us if the new system of vessels should within a very short time practically supersede \'ossels of the older patterns, in lake and river and coast service generally. Its promoters are pushing the new enterprise with the utmost vigor. Captain McDougall himself, with the genius of an Edison, and the energy and business exactness of a Van Home, is busy every hour ex- tending his system and improving his models. That he has won the confidence of capitalists is evidenced by the fact that he is backed by the Rockfellers and their associates, whose wealth is counted by the tens of millions ; and they have joined him in forming a company to build vessels at. West Superior. Already this company has con- structed, it is said, nearly twenty of them, while nearly half a score more are on the way. They are being built too on the Pacific, and a few months doubtless will see them compete for traHic on the British coasts, cutting down the cost of carrying coal and other products of the mother country from port to port. Looking at these facts, and while indulging the hope too, that the Hudson Bay line will yet be built, giving to tliis whole north-western part of the Dominion a serviceable outlet of its own to Liverpool inde- pendent of the existing railways and waterways, T am sure all will agree that no better service can now be rendered to our Province and Territories by our representatives at Ottawa, then by urging, in season and out of season, the more speedy completion of the great system of canals on the St. Lawrence, which, according to the present rate of progress, will perhaps not be finished witliin less than eight or ten years. In bending their united eftbrts to this end, they will not be accused by either of the political parties, of seeking sectional advan- tages, inasmuch as members from the Provinces of Ontario and Quebec, and indeed from all the Provinces, are alike interested in making the St. Lawrence the most serviceable river highway in the world. ^ AMERICAN STATES INTERESTED. Canadians, however, are not more interested in the improve- ment of this route than are the citizens of mciiy of the States of the American Union. To have grain carri(M.' in unbroken bulk over the great lakes, and through that river and its cuuds, is practically to convert every Anuu'ican as well as t^vory Canaaian town on these i - ■ ■ • • ■ , » "l ' ■■ ■ . ' .1 - . . ■ ' J' ■i '.. , ■ '■ . ■ . _ ; ,, *-', ,•,■(• .'- • lakes into an ocean port. To every State in the Union then, whose products can in p)art be shipped from such ports, the consequences of bringing about such a condition cannot be over-estimated. The great valne of this water route has long since been recognized by the Govern- ments of both Great Britain and the United States as well as by that of Canada. Americans, however, became alive to the importance of it long before Canadians did. At the same time it is remarkable how short a time has passed since even our neighbors became conscious of the necessity for constructing such an indispensable work as the canal at Sault Ste Marie. It was in 1840, when the State of Michigan was urging on Congress the importance of aiding in its construction, that Henry Clay described it as " a work beyond the remotest settlement in the United States, if not in the moon." A SUBJECT OF TREATY. . ^ In 1854 one of the conditions on which the United States entered into the treaty of reciprocity with Canada, was the opening of the St. Lawrence River and the canals to the citizens of the United States as freely as they were enjoyed by Canadians themselves. But the canals were not then of sufficient capacity to satisfy the needs of American commerce, and Washington diplomacy was in after years directed to securing from Canada an undertaking to deepen them. The importance attached by our neighbors to the bringing about of such a result is indicated by a circumstance which happened in 1864. The Reciprocity Treaty was to continue in force for ten years, and thereafter until the expiry of twelve months after either Government had given the other notice to determine it. It was understood that Congress was certain* in 1804 to give such notice. But the Government then in power in Canada had a paragraph inserted m the Queen's speech at the opening of the Scssi(m, indicating an intention to inaugurate a liberal canal policy. This announcjuient so far influenced western members of Congress, that that body was persuaded to withhold the notice, and the Treaty of 1854, in consequene, continued in force for a year longer than it otherwise would have done. In 1865-6 negotiations for a new Treaty were carried on by the Coali- tion Governmentf'ormed to bring about Confederation. Again one of the conditions demanded by the Uniteil States was the enlargement of the canals, and the use of the same as well as of the St. Lawrence River on equal terms with Canadians, but the negotiations were fruitless. In 1869-70 they were once more renewed on the same lines, Canada's aim being to secure reciprocity, while that of the United States was mainly to secure a good water way to the sea. Again the negotiations failed, in 1871 took place the negotiations which resulted in the fam(»us Washington Treaty of that year, by w^hich the free use of the , ; '-'-'U -^ ' ;i.".' •i; ;; St. Lawrence was granted and forever assured to the citizens of the United States. Once more Britain yielded the benefit of the canals to our neighbors, binding herself to use her good ofl&ces to persuade the Canadian Qovemment to gpive them their use, as in 1854, upon terms of equality with the citizens of the Dominion. The Americans in turn gave Canada the like use of the St. Clair Flats Canal ; but we failed to obtain the much desired reciprocity. During the negotiations for this Treaty, the American commissioners dec.ored that unless the Welland Canal should He enlarged so as to accommodate the then course of trade, they (the Americans) would not be disposed to make any concessiona • • . It fell to the lot of the late Hon. Geo. Brown in 1874, conjointly with Sir Edward Thornton, to enter into fresh negotiations without the advantage of being »ble to offer the navigation of the St. Lawrence as a quid pro quo. His efforts were successful to the extent that a draft treaty of reciprocity was agreed upon by the commissioners, only to be rejected, however, by the American Senate. The draft Treaty provided for the enlargement of the Welland and St. Lawrence Canals. ■ From Mr. Brown's statement of the negotiations it would appear that at the outset this was demanded by the American Commissioners. These facts indicate that the Americans attached the very greatest ^^. importance to the question of deepening the Canadian canals. They required them at that time to be increased to ^ depth of fourteen feet. CANADA MOVES ON HER OWN ACCOUNT. Meantime Canadians themselves were becoming more alive to the necessity of the improvements being made. The canals, for a time, had a depth of but a little over eight feet, subsequently increased to ten. In this condition they could float only barges carrying small I; loads. As late as 1870 no less eminent an authority than Mr. Shanly I, ') declared that there was no use in having a greater depth than ten feet '■^^\), in any of the canals except the Welland. It was the current opinion among Canadian statesmen at that time, that the carriage of grain through the lakes and rivers, without breaking bulk, was out of the question. In 1874-5 the Government was engaged in enlarging the '^ir, Welland to a depth of twelve feet. This was at first thought to be '^ly"' the final depth to be attained, but Parliament having in 1875 ex- pressed a strong opinion in favor of a depth of fourteen feet for both the Welland and St. Lawrence systems, tne work of completing them to that depth was at last undertaken, and is still in progress. Thus an expenditure that a few years ago Canada shrank from assuming even as a condition of securing so valuable a boon as a liberal Treaty of Reciprocity with the United States, was at last undertaken W^:'' 15 » V>ecau8e t'onnd to hf indispensable for the carriage of Canada's own pro- duce, as woll as exceedingly desirable for the purpose of bringing Am- erican traffic in our direction. THE QUESTION OF FURTHER ENLARGEMENT. As already indicated a number of years must yet elapse before all our St. Lawrence canals have a depth of fourteen feet. Meantime the development of Manitoba and the North West makes the necessity for their immediate completion more urgent than ever. We may be sure that the citizens of the Western and North Western Statea feel no less interested in the question than they did every year during the last quarter of a century. The remarkable development of the American north west within the past few years, and especially the immense out- put of grain at Duluth and Chicago this Heasoii, are doubtless moving our enterprising neighbors to double their diligence to secure the most perfect waterway to the Atlantic. And there will bti an agitation for canals of a greater depth than fourteen feet. As I write these lines 1 observe a paragraph in the press announcing a convention to be held in the city of Detroit, on the 17th of this month (December), to consider means for securing a twenty-one foot channel from Duluth to Buffalo, and the feasibility of a ship canal to the ocean. Canada may be forced ere long to consider the question of a further enlarge- ment by action on the part of American forwarders or the American Government. At the present time the necessity of an immediate com- pletion of the work now in hand, is made the more pressing when we find one of the new boats of the American Steel Barge Company, able to carry a load of 90,000 bushels of wheat through every one of the canals that haa been completed to the fourteen foot depth. It is of essential import«,nce then, under all the circumstances, that a very large expenditure be at once made in this direction. Tn view of all this, is it not desirable to consider anew our rela- tions with the American people in respect of these canals? So far as they have been completed, i he Americans have the use of them on the same terms with ourselves, or at least ought to have if we are faithful to the spirit of the Washington Treaty. We are now on the eve of negotiations, initiated by our own Government, looking once more to the establishment of a treaty of reciprocity with the United States. Why may not the scope of those negotiations be extended so as to in- clude a scheme for a JOINT INTEREST IN THE CANALS by the two neighboring powers ? Why should not the United States out of their boundless resources, be invited to assist in the great en- 16 terprise of deepening the canals, for the joint benetit of both countries, by paying a fair share of their cost ? This of course on the under- standing that, in future, the canals would be under the joint control of the two Governments, upon t^rms that would be first settled and de- clared by internu!)ionai treaty. Sui^h control could be exercised through a joint commission, to be appointed by the respective Govern- ments. Great Britain and ti'.e States are united, as we see, in a desire to see the canals given to the use of both nations jointly. They have this desire because it is for the interest of both nations to have it so. But the most expensive of the canals along the lake and St. Lawrence route, and the greatest mileage by far, of such canals, are on Canadian soil. Canada has expended on the Welland and St. Lawrence canals alone, nearly fifty million dollars, and a very large sum has yet to be expended before the system, even as now undertaken, will be com- pleted. The Americans have spent a considerable sum on the Sault Ste, Marie and St. Clair Flats canals, which are on the same route to the sea, and the use of which is enjoyed by Canadians. Were the United States to expend, within a few years, a sum that would make up the total cost, to them, of the lake and St. Lawrence route, to the amount Canada has expended, the payment would not be felt out of the rich treasury of that country. And yet the expenditure of a much smaller sum would speedily give us a waterway that Canada, out of her own resources will be unable for several years to possess. Why then, should not our good neighbors, while enjoying the use equally with ourselves of the canals, have the privilege of paying a share of their cost with a joint proprietary right ? War between this country and the States is happily so unlikely to arise that its possibil- ity need hardly deter us from entering on such a scheme. Provision would of course be made in the treaty for the protection of the canals in such event. Indeed a joint interest in, and a joint control over, such valuable public works, so essential to the commerce of both countries, would be an excellent guarantee in itself against the possi- bility of war. There was a world of meaning in the opening words of the first international treaty made between the United States and Great Britain. — "Whereas reciprocal advantages and mutual conven- " ience are found by experience to form the only permanent founda- "tion of peace and friendship between States." Even should such a terrible calamity overtake us, as a clash of arms between the two nations, the very fact that the Canals were the joint property of both would be a great protection against the injury or destruction to which they would be liable in such an event, in the absence of a proprietary interest on both sides. WOULD THE STATES OF THE UNION HELP '( It may fairly be hoped that all the North- Western States of the Union, apart from those on the Pacific coast, as well as several of the ^ 17 middle group would support such a proposition. In so doing they would but follow the example of the Pacific States that, one after ' another, urged on Congress the granting of aid to build the proposed interoc3anic canal at Nicaragua, on the terms that the (jrovernment at Washington should have a joint control over it with the Government of Nicaragiia. And as everj'^ Board of Trade and every Grain Ex- change on the western slope sent its memorial to Washington in support of that scheme, might we not reasonably expect that the farmers and the traders in the States interested would support a scheme for getting Americ n enterprise and American money to join with those of Canada in the deepening of the Welland and St. Lawrence Channels, on conditions such as have })een suggested ? EFFECT OF SUCH A SCHEME. \ The first result of a joint assumption of this work would be the completion without delay, of the improvements at present in view, enabling the new class of boats with their great loads of grain to pass right through from Port Arthur and Dulutli to tide waters ^ without break of bulk, with all the immense udvantagt-s that such a '; state of things would involve; and should it be deemed desirable or feasible to still further enlarge the canals the conjunction of the two nations in carrying out such a work wouM ensure its succe.ssful com- pletion within the earliest period possible. Indeed with both countries undertaking the work, the only limit, within the needs of commerce to the improvement in the waterway, would be the engineering possibilities. Apart from the cost of constructing the canals, the maintenance of them from year to year involves a large and apparently increasing ; ' ?' outlay. As 1 read the figures, the cost of maintaining and operating the Welland and St. Lawrence canals is in the neighborhood of $4«00,000 a year. To help in meeting this outlay, tolls are imposed -> "^ which are a burden to shippers, and are so much in the end out of the /'0 pockets of the farmers, and yet these in all do not meet njore than : ' '^ about half the cost of maintenance. Were the two Governments to assume jointly the maintenance of these works, as another result that would at once follow, from such a scheme, we should have our r ' CANALS FREE FROM TOLL V- ■ **? " ■ . ■ . ' to the people on both sides of the line. Even as it is, a rebate of the greater part of the toll is allowed in the case of grain shipped through them. A complaint is made, however, and perhaps not without some cause, that the conditions on which such rel)ate is made, discriminate very seriously against American shippers. How much more advau- ■.\ .■ * >■: *•;.. 18 tageous to ourselves, without reference at all to our neighbors, if, in place of the partial rebate of tolls which leaves a burden on our own people, while it is » menace to friendly relations with the United States, we were able to dedicate the canals to the free use of both peoples, limited by no conditions except such reasonable treaty stipulations as would protect the works themselves, and safeguard the complete en- joyment of them on both sides. What an encouragement to our farmers, and what a protection against monopolies if, for seven months in the year, we had from Port Arthur and Duluth to the Atlantic, a water route through which grain could be carried in unbroken bulk, in loads equal to the largest that are carried on the great lakes, without tax or toll ( ARE THERE OBJECTIONS TO SUCH A SCHEME ? Whether there be any serious objections to the creation of a joint international interest in such public works, as to which already there is a joint enjoyment, I am hardly competent to ofter an opinion. I confess, however, that I am unable to see any objection, in the view that I take of the question. Here are two neighboring nations with a boundary line between them, which for the entire distance from the head of Lake Superior to near Montreal, is in the middle of great lakes and rivers that form the most magnificent water highway in the world. Those bodies of water furnish an outlet to the products of the boundless prairie and timber and mining regions, that surround, and in especial richness stretch far beyond, the lakes. They form a channel for those products right to the ocean. Those waters are ab- solutely common to both countries in so far as they follow the boun- dary line, whether in the shape of lake or river. It is true that the St. Lawrence, some distance" below the head of that river at Kingston, leaves the boundary, and is for the remainder of its course within the territorial bounds of Canada. But more than twenty years ago Great Britain, as a result of a treaty negotiated by Canada's own agent, and approved by Canada's own Parliament, made the use of the St. Law- rence to its mouth the conniion right of citizens of both countries for- ever. From the head of Lake Superior then, to the mouth of the St. Lawrence, the lake a id river route forms a common highway for the United States and Canada, in which neither side has any greater right as to enjoyment than the other. A HIGHWAY WITH OBSTRUCTIONS. It so happens that at some points on the rivers forming this com- mon highway, there are some serious obstructions to navigation. Even in some of the lakes, navigation is interfered with by natural hind- rances, and cannot be made perfect without tlie expenditure of a sum of 19 IS money. How should money for such a purpose be provided ? [t to be used in improving a joint highway between two friendl}^ natiorfc the use of which is common to both of them. Surely it wonld seem reasonable that it should be furnished by both nations. The late Hon. George Brown in 1875 made a statement in parliament referring to the negotiations which had been conducted with the American Gov- ernment in 1874 by Sir Edward Thornton and himself. In that state- ment he said that his collea<,'ue and he had submitted to the American Government a projet of a treaty of reciprocity which included amongst other proposals the following : — "That a joint commission be formed " and continued charged with the deepening, and maintaining in efR- " cient condition, the navigation of the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers " and Lake St. Clair." They proposed at the same time the creation of another joint commission for securing the erection and regulation of lighthouses on the great lakes. I have not seen the protocols shewing details of those proposals, nor do I know whether they ever were pub- lished. At all events it will be fair to assume that they involved a contribution by both nations, to the cost of the proposed works, and of their maintenance. Sir Edward and Mr. Brown do not appear to have included the Niagara River in the list of streams proposed to be improved for purposes of navigation by a joint effort. Doubtless it was felt that the little "obstruction" on that river, in the shape of Niagara Falls, formed too solid an impediment to be removed, even by the com- bined purses of the United States and Canada. Had the difficulties in the Niagara been no greater, however, than tliose in the St. Clair, it is likely their removal would have been provided for — or rather pro- posed — in the same sensible way. As it is quite impossible to make the Niagara navigable, no other cour.se was left open to the owners of the "highway," than to divert it for a short distance, so as to avoid a rock they could not remove. That at least would seem to be the rea- sonable way of doing it. The only way that could be accomplished, was by opening around the obstruction a canal ,on which vessels could be floated. Such a canal must of course be within the territory of one or other of the nations owning the highway. It happens that the work could be more conveniently done on the Canadian than on the American side. The Welland Canal was built, therefore, through the Niagara peninsula, to avo.d the falls and rapids of the Niagara River. But it was built at the expense of Canada alone, an expense that to this date has reached nearly twentv-five millions of dollars. Citizens of the United States have the same benetit from it that Canadians have, and pay no greater tolls. I know not why this canal might not have been constructed and maintained at the expense, and as the pro- perty, of the two nations, instead of one. I am looking at it simply as a diverting, for that distance, of the Joint and common highway. Am- ericans certainly do not object to use it because it is on Canadian soil. I see no reason why Canada should object to the enterpri.se being car- ■%■*<■ t ,,l, ,' ried out through her soil, as a joint enterprise, seeing it was for her manifest advantage to have it on her soil, and that she was willing to let American citizens have its use in common with her own, after she spent so much n»oney in building it. Can there then be anything ob- jectionable in the United States, jointly with Canada, owning and maintaining a canal that they both use, and that is built simply in the way of diverting their joint highway — and that simply on the ground that it passes through Canadian soil ? The fact that the canal could be more conveniently built on her soil, was really a local ad- vanUuje to Canada. If the Dominion were dealing with an unfriendly country with whom it wished to have no dealings, it would be in its po\\'er to refuse the benefit of such a local advantage to that country. Rut Canada is a dependency of Great Britain. And Great Britain, rver -^inco her late King George III. was unhappily advised into at- tempting to force an obnoxious tax from his colonists, has wisely acted in a spirit of liberality to the United States. In a treaty of Amity .ind Commerce entered into between the two nations in 1794, there is an article that contains language bearing on this very point. That article defined the relations that were to exist in future between the United States and Canada, as well as other parts of the Empire, as to commerce and navigation. In the words of the article itself it was •' inteniled to reader in a great degree the local advantages of each ** party common to both, in order to promote a disposition favorable • to friendship and good neighborhood." As to some articles of this treaty of 1794, power was given to either of the parties to it, to ter- minate them after a period of years. Other articles of it were de- clared to be binding on both countries for ever. Among the latter was the article from which I have just made a quotation. Neither the letter nor the spirit of the article calls on either party to the treaty to expend of its own money twenty-five millions of dollars to divert the joint highway over its more convenient soil, for the com- mon benefit of both parties, in order to avoid the rocks and rapids of the common channel. But it is consistent with the true spirit of it that ( 'anada should allow a joint canal to be constructed and main- tained by both parties through her territory for that purpose. All that has been said about the Welland applies equally, of course, to the St. Lawrence canals, . as well as to those at the Sault ami on the St. Clair. GEORGE BROWN S OPINION. I do not know, from my very limited reading on the subject how far, if at all, propositions to place the canals under the joint con trol of the two countries have been discussed between them. The Hon. George Brown in his speech in 1875, already referred to, makes a remark from whiffi it might lie inferred that the Coalition Govern- luent of 1864 made, or intended to make, such a proposition. Mr. Brown, it is well known, suddenly retired from that Government during the time the negotiations of 1865-6 for reciprocity were being carried on. His reason for resigning, as he publicly avowed, was that his colleagues, chief among whom was SirVohn Macdonald, insisted on oifering to the United States terms that were inimical to the interest'; of Canada, and infringed on the honor of the country. In the speech I refer to Mr. Brown was explaining to Parliament the various points in the proposals of his colleagues to which he was unable to give assent. Amongst others he stated the following : — " I was unwilling " that the canals and inland waters of Canada should be made the "joint property of the United States and Canada, and be maintained at "their joint expense." He followed with a statement of some other concessions he was unwilling to make, as well as some objections to the proposed manner of .sei/tlingthe questions, and added : " My colleagues " determined to proceed in the manner I deprecated, 1 could not be " responsible for such a policy, and to avoid responsiblity for it, 1 re- " signed office." Whether such a proposi£ion was really submitted to the American Government, and considered by them, I know not ; 1 have not had access to the discussions of the time. The negotiations, whatever they involved, came, at ail events, to nought. Mr. Brown leaves no room to doubt, however, what his own views were. Coming from a man of his pre-eminent ability and sound judgment, tliey are entitled to much weight. Had he been speaking of what might be more strictly termed a purely inland Canadian canal, like the Rideau I could better understand his objection. The Rideau is a Canadian canal in a sense that does not apply to the AVelland, and tho* > of the St. Lawrence. It leads from an inland point in Canaaa to the great common highway, and is altogether local in its service. The Welland and St. Lawrence systems bring not a pound of Canadian produce to the highway ; they form part of it them- selves. They are not local works, built for the purpose of serving a local object, but a diverted channel for the waters of the great inter- national lakes and rivers, and for the carriage of the shipping that is being borne on these waters. , ,},■! POSITION IN EVENT OF WAR. One word more, in this view of the matter, as to the position in ease of hostilities. Is Canada, it may be asked, not to be allowed the use of the canals on her own soil as a means of transporting troops and material ? In the first place, the canals would be of little service m<9A^i ^tt~p.-KM .u^mwnwvanwBR' 22 for sucli a pujposf, with a country tirouini thein rtlled, as it is, with railways, carrying their swift speeding trains all the year ronnd, wliile the canals are closed for five months out of the twehe. A fair way of putting this point is that for purposes of defence the canals would never have been constructed. The whole question, of course, would be settled by international treaty, wliich would, I doubt not, provide for the. absolute neutrality of the canals, and the protection of the commerce passing through them, no matter under which of the two flags. Among civilized nations nowadays, there is a disposition to exempt the commerce of the combatants and their vessels of trade from attack. Reference has been made to the proposed inter-oceanic canal through the peninsula in Central America. In 1850 Great Britain and the United States entered into a treaty which contemp- lated assuming a joint control over the construction and operation of that canal. It bound each nation not to seek any greater control than the other, it provided for the neutrality of the canal in the event of a war between the two nations, for its protection against all attack, and it provided that all vessels of either flag in passing through it should be exempt from seizure, detention or blockade, at the hands of tht- other. If England and the States thought it wise to enter into a treaty that would protect a canal at Nicaragua with the shipping of both nations, in the event of their being at war, we may be sure that the same policy would be adopted for the protection of their common property, and the commerce of both of them, in the like event, on the canals and the neutral waters that divide them on the Canadian boundary. It was in the same spirit of amity that, as early as 1815, it was provided by treaty that neither Britain nor the States would be allowed to place any war vessels on the great lakes, beyond one on Lake Champlain, one on Ontario, and two on all the upper lakes, no vessel to exceed 100 tons burden, or to carry more than a single 18 pound gun. The only improvement that could be made on such a treaty, would be to exclude all vessels of war frojn these great waters, and to make that exclusion perpetual, making tlie lakes and their connections; with the commerce they float, absolutely neutral. I repeat that I am unable to discover any sufficienp reason why the two nations should not jointly own and operate these canals. I see no disadvantage, practical or sentimental, to arise from such a scheme. I see many advantages to both countries from the joint possession. I can imagine nothing more likely to promote the estab- lishment of that '* lasting peace and friendship " between the two countries, that was aimed at in the treaty of 1782, than the full and common " enjoyment of the reciprocal advantages and mutual con- veniences" that are open to both nations, in the shape of the unequalled water stretches that are common to both, extending 'I ' ' ■•^■n 23 FROM THE "SOO" TO THE SEA and including the artificial channels cut by the side of the Niagara and St. Lawrence, in order to avoid the rapids of the one and the cat- aract of the other. To the mind of the Hon. George Brown it may have seemed more in accord with national dignity that the government of a foreign country should not be allowed to expend money in con- structing public works on the soil of Canada. Apart altogether, how- ever, from the fact that in this particular case it is for a simple diver- sion of a highway that is common to both, the truth is that even since Mr. Brown spoke in 1875, great advances have been made in the way of drawing nations into closer relations with each other for the purpose of promoting their respective commercial interests. Na- tions have in the past adopted the practice of following each its own path, deeming it undignified to form any "unions" or partnerships for the promotion of trade. Generally it was only political objects that brought about unions of crowned heads and trovernments. Of late new ideas have begun to prevail, and it is nothing unusual to see countries joining together in business unions, for the promotion of the business interests of their respecti/e citizens. Within a few years past, some fifteen of the great powers of the world including Great Britain, France, and the United States, have actually so far allowed themselves to unbend from their old time dignity as to form a "union" for the protection of industrial property and rights, whether relating to agriculture, mining, fishing or what else, and including trade marks, patents of invention, etc., etc. They have unitedly appointed a joint commission to manage the busine.ss, and the expenses are made up from all the countries according to a schedule of "values" agreed upon. I notice too, that another such union has been formed, including several of those great nations, to help in bringing about uniformity in the laws and practice respecting weights and meahures. The afiairs of this Union too are managed by a joint com- mission ; and in this case a further departure has been made, in that the union has acquired and owns buildings and plant in the city of Paris, where the works are carried on, the cost of construction and maintenance, on the soil of France, being paid out of a joint fund made up from the trea.suries of the respective powers — nearly twenty in all — that have joined the union. Within the past year commission- ers representing the great republics of North and South America, af- ter a session extending over six months, formed an International Union, with its Commercial International Bureau, for promoting common inter- ests between them. Amongst other things they propose an international railway extending through, and connecting the territories of all the members of the union, controlled by the Provernments of the re- sitective countries. They propose too, a joint scheme for encouraging the establishment of fast lines of steamships on both the Atlantic and w Pacific oceans, assistance to be given by the nations forming the union according to a scale agreed upon between them. What an admirable arrangement for promoting trade, and in consequence, friendly re- lations between nations, is involved in the formation of such unions, and in the creation of such joint interests between them ! The spirit of the age then is favorable to the idea of friendly nations embarking in joint enterprises. Is it possible to conceive of any enterprise that can more appropriately be made the subject of joint international ef- fort between the United States and Canada, than the perfecting of the waterway that, by Providence, has been placed in the heart of the continent, and by political arrangement, has been tnade the boundary between the two countries / THE LOYALTY QUESTION Surely it is unnecessary to add that a sentiment of loyalty to England offers no objection to the fair consideration of such a pro- position. We know already that Britain approves of a joint use of the canals and the river, on equal terms, by both nations. As I have already suggested, no ari'angement could be made unless ratified by treaty. In Britain alone the treaty-making power at present rests, and the mother land can surely be trusted to pro- tect her own honor in the negotiations. There will be no need for Britain to renounce her sovereignty over the Canadian soil occupied by the canal, any more than France renounced her sovereignty over the soil occupied by the building erected by the International Union respecting Weights and Measures. Even if, (as is unlikely) it were deemed advisable to crtate a joint court of law, for the settlement of questions relating tc the operation of the canals, apart from a joint commission which would be guided by defined rules, such a step would not be without precedent. It is now nearly thirty years since Britain and the United States entered into a treaty ; which provided for the creation of .several nixerl Courts re- .spocting certain joint interests; composed of judges, of whom half were appointed by one Government and half by the other. These courts sat on both British and American soil, and the expenses were paid out of both Treasuries. I know not whether it will be in the minds of the mariners and traders that are to meet in a few days at Detroit, to suggest some scheme for a joint ownership and maintenance of the canals. I would, however, be surprised if such a scheme, once suggested, did not receive the approval of the enterprising forwarders and traders of those ri.sing cities, Dnluth and West Superior, with which Winnipeg and Manitoba hope soon to have more direct and profitable intercourse — situatcMj as they are at the; very head of laki^ navi- gation, and interested ua they are in the perfecting of tin- water- 77'^T^^'TX: TT^ /(^O YO 25 -way to the ocean. And if the Government at Washington will not undertake it as a federal work in conjunction with Canada, can it not be permitted that States like Minnesota and the Dakotas, Wis- consin, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, and others having the like interest, may join with the Dominion in the enterprise ? RAILWAY DIRECT TO DULUTH. To give us all the advantages to be reaped from reduced freight rates on the lake and river route, it is exceedingly desirable that we should as speedily as possible have a line direct to Duluth and West Superior, in competition with the line to Port Arthur. It is encouraging to know that the prospects of the Duluth and Winni- peg Railway uniting us very soon with those points are so promis- ing. Even though that line should be, as suggested, controlled by the C, P. R., we shall at least have two competing lines, the Cana- dian and Northern Pacific, from the Province to the nearest lake ports. To get a line absolutely independent of both would be a boon for which Manitoba might well give a liberal bonus. One of the disadvantages involved in the terms of the recent contract with the Hudson Bay Railway Company, as I pointed out in the House, a disadvantage that was perhaps unavoidable, is that it binds the Pro- . vince for five years, without providing that during any year before the last of the five, after the first, any part of the line shall be built. The result is that even should the promoters absolutely fail te raise mocins for its 'onstruction. v\^e shall still be bound for the full period of five years to the contract for a million and a half dollars, and thereby be prevented from giving liberal aid to secure another outlet. sug- In the same connection, it is also encouraging to hear gestions of a second track on the Cana