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WILKINSON UPON MAJOR ROBINSON'S REPORT ON THE PROPOSED TRUNK LINE OF RAILWAY FROM HALIFAX TO QUEBEC, AND MAJOR ROBINSON'S REPLY THERETO. %viM \ii (^xM of i\t fonse o! tfnmmonfi. PRINTED BY HUNTER, ROSE k COMPANY. 1868. i \ coisrTEisrTS. Letter presenting Report Schedule of Plana and Profiles submitted < . Instructions and Preliminary Oorrespondence P.eport. The Engineering staff Main Divisions of the Survey The Nova Scotia Division of the Survey Line No. 1 Line No. 2 Line No. 3 Line No. 4 Table of Gradients Distancps by the several lines , Lines Nos. 5 & 6 Estimate of quantities , New Brunswick and Canada Division of the Survey Air Lines The Surveyed Central Line , , Kiver du Loup to Kiver Trois Pistoles River Trois Pistoles to Green River Forks Green River Forks to R. liestigouche R. Restigouche to R. Tobiqiie . .. River Tobiquo to Keswick Summit Keswick Summit to Little River Little River to Coal Creek,. Coal Creek to Apohaqui Station Character of Grades on whole Line Approximate quantities, ditto The Matapedia Survey (70 mile section) Character of grades Curvature Approximate quantities Datum Levels Fitness for settlement Central District Matapedia District.... Various projected Routes Frontier Routes Line No. 1 Lino No. 2 Line No. 3 Central Routes Line No, 4 , , Line No. 5 Line No. G , Line No. 7 <■ Line No. 8 Line No. 9 Line No. 10 Line No. 11 Line No. 12 Bay Chaleurs Routes Line No. J3 Line No. 14 Line No. 15 Comparative Distance from River du Loup to St. John and Halifax . , Distance of the several lines from the U. S. Frontier PASB. 1 2 4 8 8 9 9 10 10 10 11 11 12 12 13 15 15 19 19 20 22 lis 24 26 27 28 29 31 31 34 35 36 35 36 36 37 38 38 38 39 40 41 41 41 42 42 42 43 44 44 46 45 46 46 47 48 60 IV PAQI. Oommerclal advantages of different Routes 00 Local Traffic 61 Through Freight Traffic ..« 52 Trough Passenger Traffic « 63 Great Shippigan Harbour 64 Distance to Liverpool, England ^4 do to Quebec ^^ do to Montreal 65 do to Toronto 55 do to Buffalo 55 do to Detroit 56 do to Chicago 55 do to Albany 55 do to New York 65 do St * John, N. B 60 Climatic difficulties 67 Effects of Frost 58 Heavy snow-falls 58 The Eatimnte of probable cost CO Remarks on Engineering, (Expenditure on) 60 Right of way and fencing, do 61 do do Clearing, do 61 do Dwellings for workmen, do 62 do A Telegraph, do. 62 do Bridging and Grading, do 62 do Superstructure, do 63 do Station Accommodation, do 64 do Rolling Stock, do 64 do Contingencies, 64 do Uniform mikage charges 65 Estimates — Nova Scotia Division of Survey 65 do Surveyed Line River du Loup to Apohaqni ... 66 do Bay Chaleurs Line 66 I I ■ > APPENDICES. (A) — The Agricultural capabilities of New Brunswick — As indicated by its Geological structure 67 " by a practical survey and examinstion of its soil • . 70 " by actual and comparative productiveness, — Professor JoLaston . . 75 (B)— Agricultural capabilities of the Matapedia district — A. W. Sims 80 (C) — Frontier Route, Line No. 1, Report on an examination of the country between River du Loup and Woodstock,— T. S. Rubidge, C.E 83 (D) — Frontier Route, Line No. 2, Correspondence in reference to the extension •f the St. Andrew's and Woodstock Railway,— Walter M. Buck, C.E 88 (E) — Central Route, Line No. 8, Repoit ou Exploration from Boiestown across the Tobique HighlandB,--W. H. Tremaine, C. E , 93 (F) — Remarks on the shortest Lines of communication between America and Europe in connection with the coutemplated Intercolonial Railway 95 Maps printed to accompany Report — General Map of the country between Quebec and Halifax, showing the various projected routes. Chart showing the relative geographical position of the British Islands ard British Anerica with the shortest lin^s across the Atlantic, to ac- company Appendix F. Obiervatious of Mr. Wilkinson upon Mtyor Robinson's Report on the Proposed Trunk Line of Railvfay from Halifax to Quebec 103 Reply to the Obeervations of Mr. Wilkinson upon Major Robinson's Report on tho Proposed Trunk Lino of Railway from Halifax to Quebec 110 iOK. 50 1 51 ':i 52 ^ REPORT ON THE liNTERCOLOiMAL RAILWAY SURVEY. .* N /^x/^ *> ^^..'^ — 67 70 75 80 83 88 93 95 103 110 Montreal, February 9th, 1865. To the Honorable William MoDougall, Provincial Secretary, Canada. Sir, — I hive the honor to submit the following Report on the Exploratory Survey of the Territory through which the contemplated Railway between the Provinces of Canada, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia is intended to run. In conducting this Survey, I have consideied the routes for the projected Railway which have, on previous occasions, been contemplated, as well as some others which seemed worthy of attention. 1 have especially directed my attention to the best uieans of overcoming or avoiding obstacles which were previously considered serious or insuperable. I have enJeavored to carry on the survey with a strict regard to economy, at the same time efficiency, and I have completed the whole service at as early a period as it was possible, with the means at my command. I shall, in the following pages, describe the quality of the land in the country exam* ined, and its fitness for cultivation and settlement so far as I have been able to acquire information. I shall also make some allusion to the climatic influences which may operate on the several routes. I shall likewise report, although I fear imperfectly, on the comparative advantages of the various routes, in a commercial point of view. The relative position of the several projected routes with the frontier of the United States, will be described. The estimates of probable cost will be based on calculations made with a view to effi- ciency, stability and permanency ; at the same time having due regard to economy in the expenditure. A schedule of the plans and profiles of the several lines surveyed, and explorations made, and which have been laid duwn to convenient scales; together, with other papers relating to the survey, will be found subjoined. I trust thut the information which I have now the honor to submit will enable the Government to judge of the practicability, probable cost, and respective merits, of the several projected routes of this proposed intercolonial communication. The Governments of the Sister Provinces have afforded me every facility in the pro- secution of the Survey, and I am under no ordinary obligations to many of the leading gentlemen in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia fur their ready assistance and the valuable information with which they have furnished me. I have the honor to be. Sir, ■ "'• JTour obedient servant, ■'* ' SANDFORD FLEMING. ll SCHEDULE OP PLANS AND PROFILES SUBMITTED. 1. Plan of Surveyed Line from Trois Pistoles to Snellier River. Length of Line, 38 miles. Scale, 500 feet to one inch. 2. Approximate Profile of Line from Trois Pistoles to Snellier River. Scales : llori- Eontal, 500 feet ; Vertical, 50 feet to one inch. 3. Plan of Surveyed Line frono Snellier River to Green River Forks. Length of Line, 45 miles. Scale, 500 feet to ono inch. 4. Approximate Profile ct Line from Snellier River to Green River Forks. Scales : Horizontal, 500 feet j Vertical, 50 feet to one inch. 5. Plan of Surveyed Line from Green River Forks to Restigouoho. Length of Line, 34 miles. Scale : 500 i'eet t > one inch. 6. Approximate Profile of Line from Green River Forks to Restigouche. Scales : Horizontal, 500 fectj Vertical, 50 feet to one inch. 7. Plan of Surveyed Line from Restigouche to Tobique, Length of Line, 45 miles. Scale : 500 feet to one inch. 8. Approximate Pi ofilc of Line from Restigouche to Tobique. Scales: Horizontal, 500 feet ; Vertical, 50 feet to one inch, 9. Plan of Surveyed Line from Tobique to Miramichi Forks. Length of Line, 37 miles. Scale : 500 feet to one inch. 10. Approximate Profile of Line from Tobiquo to Miramichi Forks. Scales : Hori- zontal, 500 feet ; Vertical, 50 feet to one inch. .11. Plan of Surveyed Line from Miramichi Forks to Keswick Summit. Length of Line, 55 miles. Scale : 500 feet to one inch. 12. Approximate Piofile of Line from Miramichi Forks to Keswick Summit. Scales : Horizontal, 500 feet ; Vertical 50 feet, to one inch. 13. Plun of Surveyed Line from Keswick Summit to Little River. Length of Line, 61 miles. Scale: 500 feet to one inch. 14. Approximate Profile of Line from Keswick Summit to Little River. Scales : Hori- zontal, 500 feet ; Vertical, 50 feet to one inch. 15. Plan of Surveyed Line from Little River to Coal Creek. Length of Line, 26 miles. Scale : 500 feet to one inch. 16. Approximate Profile of Line from Little River to Coal Creek. Scales : Hoiizontal, 500 feet; Vertical, 50 feet to one inch. 17. Plan of Surveyed Line fri)m Coal Creek to Apohaqui. Length of Line, 32 miles. Scale : 500 feet to one inch. 18. Approximate Profile of Line from Coal Creek to Apohaqui. Scales : Horizontal, 500 feet; Vertical, 500 feet to one inch. 19. Plan of Surveyed Line from Parsboro' to Truro. Length of Line, 60 miles. Scale: 500 feet to one inch. 20. Approximate Profile of Line from Parsboro' to Truro. Scales: Horizontal, 500 feet; Vertical, 50 feet to one inch. 21. Plan of Surveyed Line from the River 3Ieti3 to Pierre Brochu's. Length of Line, 80 miles. Scale : 200 feet to one inch. 22. Approximate Profile of Line from River Metis to Pierre Brochu's. Scales : Hori- zontal, 200 feet ; Vertical. 30 feet to one inch. 23. Plan of Surveyed Line from Fierie Brochu's on Lake Matapedia to near the Forks. Length, 30 miles. Scale : 200 feet to one inch. 24. Approximate Profile of Line from Pierre Brochu's on Lake Matapedia to near the Forks. Scales : Horizontal, 200 feet ; Vertical, 30 feet to one inch. 25. Plan on Surveyed Line from third mile below the Forks of the Matapedia to the Restigouche. Length of J-iine, 32 miles. Scale : 200 feet to one inch. f s 26. Approximate ProGlo of Line from the third mile below tlie Forks of the Ma- tapoJia to the Rfstigouche. Scales : Horizontal, 200 feet; Vertical, 30 feet to one inch. 27. Profile of I.ine Surveyeil fnm ncur Moncton to Tantinmar Marsh near Sackville, by Mr. Boyd, distance 30 miles. Scales: Horizontal, 400 fcetj Vertical, 60 feet to inch 28. Plan of Explnration for alternative line bctweoa Rivera Ilestigoucho and Tobique. Scale, one mile to an inth. 2C. Plan of Explorations in the Highland District at the Sources of the Rivers Rimouski, Kedgwick. Green River, Sncllier, Turadi, and Toledi, with Rarooietrical eleva- tions. Scale, one mile to an inch. 30. General Map of the Country between Quebec and Halifax, showing the "Linen Surveyed and Projected. Scale : 8 miles to an inch. 31. Chart showing the lelative Geographical Position of the British Islands and British America, with the Shortest Great Lines of Communication between the Con- tinents of Europe and America. 32. Plan of the Line Surveyed in 18C4, from St. John, N. B., to Fredericton, by Mr. Burpee. Length, 65 miles. 33. Profile* of the Line Surveyed in 1804, from St. John to Fredericton, and to St. Andrew's Junction, by Mr Burpee. 34. Approximate Profile of Line from River du Loup to River Trois Pistoles, from Mr. Rubidge's Survey, lh58. Length, 24 J miles. Scales : Horizontal, 400 feet; Ver- tical 40 feet to an inch. 35. Plan of Line by Acadia Mines from Truro to Rufus Black's on River Phillip. — Length, 41 miles. Scale : 5 chains to an inch. Mr. Seattle's Survey, 1864. 36. Profi e of Line by Acadia Mines. Length 41 miles. Scaler: : Horizontal, 5 chains, Vertical 50 feet to an inch. INSTRUCTIOISrS TO SANDFORD FLEMING, C. E.. FROM THE HONORABLE THE PROVINCIAL SECRETARY OF CANADA. Secretary's Office, Qu-bcc, Uth Marcli, 1864. Sir, — I now address to you in writing, instructions by tho Government of Canada for the survey intrusted to you of the route of the proposed Intercolonial Railway, the sub- stance of which instructions has already been comuiunicated to you in a verbal manner, such mode of communication having been adopted at the time iu order to avoid delay in your departure from Quebec on the duty in question. 1. Y«u are instructed on the part of the Government of Canada, to proceed imme- diately to a survey and examination of the territory through which the proposed Railway between this Province an'i those of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia would run. 2. This survty and examination are iuteua •\ for the purpose of enabling the Govern- ment of Canada to form an estimate of the practicability ot the proposed undertaking, and of its probable cost, in order that the expediency of engaging in tho work itself may be judged of in a satisfactory manner. 3. The information so obtained will also be at the service of the other Governments interested, if desired. 4 On a general examination of the country, you will consider the routes which have on previous occasions been contemplated for the object in question, as well as any others which may seem to you worthy of attention. 5. Your notice will be especially given to any obstacles which may present themselves as requiring serious expense to surmount, and to the best methods of overcoming such obstacles, or of avoiding them by deviations from the direct line. 6. You will also pay attention to the distance of what may in other respects appear the most eligible line from the frontier of the United States at various points. 7. ■ You will make your calculations in the matter of the probable cost of the work with a due regard to economy, but at the same time to full efficiency. 8. Similar considerations will guide you as regards the survey and examination. 9. You will endeavor to act in a cordial and harmonious spirit with any persons who may be appointed, either on the part of the Sistc Colonies or the Imperial Government, to co-operate with you. 10. The completion of the survey and examination ai as early a period as possible is highly desirable. 11. You will report your progress from time to time to the Provincial Secretary of Oanada. I have the honor to be. Sir, Your obedient servant, (Signed,) A. J. FERGUSSON BLAIR, Secretary. 8. Fleming, Esquire, Civil Engineer, Fredericton, N. B. 5 I Letter from Sand/ord Fleming to the Uonorahlt the Provincial Secretary^ Canada. (Copy.) Halifax, 25th April, 1864. The lionorablo Tho Provincial Secretary, Canada. Sib, — I had the honor, on the 2l8t March last to receive at Boiestown, in New Brunswick, written instructions, dated Quebec, 11th March, respecting tho survey of the contemplated Intircolonial Railway, which 1 had pieviously been conducting under verbal and general instructions. By these instructions I was directed on the part of tho Government of Canada to survey and examine the territory through which the proposed line of Railway, between tho provinces of Canada, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia would run, in order that an estimate may be formed of the practicability of the proposed undertaking, tho probable cost of such line or lines ns might appear most eligible and their positions in respect to tho frontier of the United States. I was further directed to report progress from time to time. I have now the honor to report that I have made a general reconnnissance of a great portion of the country between this place and the present terminus of the Grand Trunk Railway at River du Loup, that I have instituted exploratory surveys across from the St. Lawrence to the head waters of the River Restigouche, from the River Tobique to the River Miramichi near Boiestown, and from the last named place to the line of Railway now built from St. John to Sliediao. These surveys are not yet sufficiently far advanced to enable me to report on the probable results. A considerable quantity of provisions for the use of surveying parties during the en- suing summer, has been pu;chased and forwarded to the interior of the country j these provisions are placed in store on the height of land between the St. Lawrence and the Restigouche, a convenient point to farther surveying operations. I have endeavored to employ the winter season to the best advantage^ and I now intend to prosecute the survey with vigor in order that it may be satisfactorily completed, agreeably to the desire ex- pressed in my instructions, at as early a period as possible ; with that object in view, I am organizing a sufficient number of surveying parties to assist me iq the important work with which I have been intrusted. These parties will take the field at once, and in order to defray the cost of the lisite outfit and current expenses, I will before long make a requisition for funds. It gives me great pleasure to state that the Governments of New Brunswick and 7iio\a Scotia have furnished me with every information in their posse ion, and have afforded me ever/ facility in the prosecution of the survey so far. Thelattei Jovernment has requested me ;o act as Railway Engineer for Nova Scotia, thus evincing a desire to act iu harmony with the Canadian Government in completing ♦Ve great work of Railway communication between the Provinces. I return at once to New Brunswick, where I will be engaged for a short period, after which I shall proceed to Canada for the purpose of completing arrangements for carrying on active operations during the summer. I may take this opportunity of stating that any communication with which you may be pleased to honor me will soonest reach me during the progress of the survey if addressed Quebec. I have the honor to be. Sir, Your obedient servant, (Signed,) SANDFORD FLEMING. ' Letter from Sand/ord Fleming to the Honorable the Provincial Secretary, Canada, Quebec, May 5th, 1864. To tho Honorable The Provincial Secretary, Canada. SiB,o— I had tha honor to address you from Halifsr , od tbo 2&th ApiU \toi, on ito Sttb<> Il 6 jeot of tho InterooloDial Railway Survey, reporting the progress made and iDdicating the steps now being tuken by mo to prosecute the Survey agreeably to iaslructions. I have DOW the honor to iuform you that I have this nioraiug arrived from New Brunswick, and that I am losing no time in completing arrangemeota to have a sufficient number of surveying parties in tho field as early as possible. A ooDtinuous supply of funds will be re<,uircd to carry on the survey as at present contcnipliited, of not less than $.'i,000 per month, and it would greatly facilitate tho work if I had the outhority to draw to that amount through any of the Bank Agencies in the Lower Provinces, where tho expenditure will chiefly take place. This rate of expenditure during the present year will not, it is true, be sufficient to make porfiot surveys and working plans, but it will. I feel somewhat confident, be sufficient to enable the Government to form an estimate of the practicability of the proposed under- taking as well as the compilative cost of some of the routes spoken of. The expenditure through me up to this tiuie has been 82,900, in addition to which a further sum h:is been ]iaid by tho Government for the purchase of supplies and for- warding them to the interior of the country for future use. I :.m not aware what amount has br so expended, but it is probable that up to this time the survey has cost not less than V 100, leaving a liulanco of the amount appropriated Ix^t year of 84 <'O0. It will thus be evident frou) the rate of expenditure contemplated, that an additional sum of 820,000 will bo rc(juired during the present year. I have respectfully to request that sufficient funds be placed at my dispo.^jd to pay the current expenses of the service which 1 have tho honor to conduct. I will be happy to furnish you at any time statements of expenses with vouchers. [1 have tho honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, (Signed,) SANDFORD FLKMING. Letter from, the Honorable the Procincial Secretary of Canada, to SanJ/ord Flcminy. Secretary's Office, Quebec, Uth May, 1864. Sib, — 1 have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your lett following the route of the Hallway now under construction to Pictou, to a place known as Wall's Mill, some ten miles out of Truro ; thence it turns northerly and crosses the Cobe- quid range in the neighborhood of Earltown, at aa elevation above the sea of 506 feet ; descending to the general ievel, it then runs to the west of Tatmagouche, Wallace aud Pugwash, generally parallel to the Gulf coast to the boundary of New Brunswick at Bay Verte ; tlience, prolonged no'therly, this line was intended to intersect the Railway from St. John to Shediao near the latter place. This line was surveyed about the year, 1853, by Mr. James Beatty for an English contracting firm. I believe it was found generally favorable with gradients, except on the northern slope, not exceeding 53 feet per mile, and minimum curves of half a milo radius. Line No. 2. — This lino runs from Truro in a north-westerly direction up the southern slope of the Cobequid range until it reaches Folly Kiver, following which the summit is attained at Folly Lake, at an elevation of 600 feet above high tide water. Folly Lake is situated in a pass through the high lands, within which Folly and Wallace Rivers take their rise ; the former flowing southerly, the latter northerly. . The descent of both streams is very rapid, involving heavy work and heavy gradients, the latter ranging from 60 feet per mile for about six miles ascending northerly, to 60 or 70 feet per mile, descending on the opposite side. Some lesser difficulties occur to the north of the main range, but after the River Philip is crossed the country undulates easily, and the line will then be direct with favorable gradients. This line was surveyed under the directions of the late Major Robinson, in 1847, and described in the Report of Captain Henderson. Lines Nos. 1 aud 2 are common north of Bay Yerte. Line No. o. — This line follows the same general direction as line No. 2, until the Folly River is reached, but instead of turning to the north and crossing through the Folly Pas?, it continues ascending the southern slope of the high ground to a stream known as Great Village River. Alter crossing a branch of this stream by an expensive viaduct the line strikes the main valley near the Acadian Mines, and continues along the eastern bank on an ascending gradient to the summit at Sutherland's Lake, 24 miles out of Truro, and 700 feet above the sea. The heaviest gradient between Truro and the summit is about 62 feet per mile for 4^ miles and extends from the Acadian Mines upwards. The descent on the northern slope is comparatively easy, the gradients not exceeding 53 feet per mile. After crossing the Cobequid range, the line continues in a direction north-westerly to Amherst, Saokville, Dorchester, and thence to a point on the St. John and Shediac Railway, about six Miles easterly from Moncton. This line has not been in- strumentally surveyed for a distance of over 30 miles between Sackville and the River Phillip, 41 miles from Truro, but the country is favorable and no serious difficulty is ap- prehended. Between Sackville and Moncton, the only obstacle of any moment is a high ridge near Dorchester. The profile on the line surveyed shows ascending and descending gradients at this point of about 80 feet per mile, but I am induced to think that farther surveys may prove that these heavy gradients need not be adopted. The portion of this lino extending 41 miles out of Truro was surveyed during the past year by Alexander Beatty, Esquire, C.E., for the proprietors of the Acadian Mines, the seotioD lying between the Provincial boundary line near Amherst and Moncton, about 33 Tota 11 i head of Q length, ; they ox- uiles, and ■ly north- oases the t ; at one ter occur. ruQsvrick ; order : — ion River • known an the Cobe- 506 feet ; allace and ck at Bay Iway from ■ear, 1853, generally r mile, and e southern summit is ly Lake ia livers take gradients, to 6G or cur to the ates easily, 1847, and the Folly Folly Pas?, as Great ct the line n bank ou 0, and 700 )ut 62 feet t exceeding a direction St. John )t been in- the River lulty is ap- t is a high descending lat farther e ig iho past Mines, the ), about 33 miles in length, was surveyed last year by J. E. Boyd, Esquire, C.E., under instructions from the Government of New Brunswick. Tho following is an abstract of the aggregate length of grades shown on the profiles : From Moncton to Tantramar River. Asnendiug Asoending Southerly. Northerly. Grades under 20 feet to the mile 2.9 miles. 3.1 miles. " 20 to 30 feet to the mile 1.1 " 1.6 " 30to-10 " " 1.5 " GO '' 40 to 50 " " 0.7 " 2.5 •' " 52-8 '■ " 0.7 " 2.2 " 70 " " 2.3 " 0.7 •' Level J 0.1 miles. Total length of Section 30.?. " From Truro to River Philip. Ascending Ascending Southerly. Northerly. Grades under 20 feet to the mile. , 1.4 miles. 0.4 miles. " 20to30 " " 1.5 " 1.4 " '^ 80to40 " " 2.3 " 0.0 " 40 to 50 •' •* 0.0 " 1.5 « 52-8 " " 11.8 " 4.6 " " 59 " " 0.0 < 4.8 " " 62 " " 0.0 " 4.3 " Level 7.1 miles. Total length of Section 44.1 " Line No. 4 — Nearly due south of Amherst a break or opening in the Cobequid range occurs, and presents a very favorable opportunity for crossing from tho head of the northerly fork of the Bay of Fundy to the Basin of Minas at the head of which Truro is situated. In this opening a branch of Macan River, which flows into Cumberland Basin, near Am- herst, and also Partridge River, which flows into Minas Basin near Parsboro', take their rise. The summit between these streams is less than a hundred feet above high tide and suggestive of very easy gradients. In every other respect the ground for 30 or 40 miles southerly from Amherst is extremely favorable for a Railway line. The same may be said of the country for a like distance on the southerly end of this line, viz.: from Trui;? to a place called Economy, along the coast of the Basia of Minas. From Economy to Parsboro' the survey did not prove so satisfactory. Two spurs ot the Cobequid range had to be sur- mounted ; the one at a level of 350 feet, and the other at 230 feet above high tide water. Several deep ravines had also to be crossed, involving heavy work on this section ; and the maximum gradients found necessary between Parsboro' and Economy, ascending and descending, are 60 feet per mile. The approximate profile prepared from the Exploratory Survey made under my direction during the past season, from Jeft'ers Lake, a few miles north of Parsboro', to Truro, has the gradients laid down thereon, of which the following is an abstract : Ascending Aicending Southerly. Northerly. Total length of Grades under 20 feet to the mile 8.5 miles. 5.1 milei, " '■ 20 to 30 " " 6.5 « 4.2 « " *' 30 to 40 " " 2.2 «« 4.7 « " 40 to 50 " " 0.0 «' 1.7 " " •' 52.8 " " 2.2 " 5.0 « •' •< 00 •' " 5.1 " 1.9 " ' ♦' Level 12.9mileB. Total length pfSeotion., 60.0 •« 1*2 < 11' lliit From Jcffcrs Lake northerly to Amherst and the New Brunswick boundary, the coun- try is BO simple in its features that a survey was not deemed necessary. From Amherst, northerly, lines Nos. 3 and 4 arc common. The lengths of these lour lines from Truro to a common point cast of Moncton, according to the best information in my possession, may be given as ibllows : Line No. 1. From Truro along Pictou Railway under construction to Walls Mill 10 miles. From Wftlls Mill to intersection with New Brunswick Railway near Shediac 106 " From intersection, near Shediac, along New Brun.jwick Railway to point cast of Moncton 7 " Total 123 miles. Of which 17 miles arc already constructed or iu progress. , Line Nu. 2. From Truro to intersection with New Brunswick Railway, near Shediac. . 103 miles. From intersection, near Shediac, along New Brunswick Railway to point cast of Moncton 7 << Total 110 miles. Jjine No. 3. From Truro, by Acadian Mines and Amherst, to point cast of Moncton... 106 miles. Line No. 4. From Truro, by Parsboro' and Amherst, to point east of Moncton 125 miles. A fifth line may be had by connecting line No. 1, after crossing River Philip, with lines Nos. 3 and 4 in the neighbourhood of Amherst, and a sixth line may be had by com- bining lines Nos. 2 and 3, by a short connection running from the former near Tullocks Creek, to the latter near Salt Springs. The total length of No. 5 would be about 124 miles. Do of No. 6 do do Ill " And the several lines, so far as distance is concerned, would stand thus : No No No, 1. — 123 miles, Truro to point cast of Moncton, by Shediac. 2.— 110 miles, 3.— 106 miles, No. 4.— 125 miles, No. 5.— 124 miles. No. 6. — 111 miles, do do do do do by Shediac. The greatest length of level or easy gradients will be found on line No. 4, whilst on lines Nos. 1 and 5 will be found the lowest maximum grad'ents. In this respect, line No. 3 next appears most favorable, but in making a comparison between these different routes, it becomes necessary to exclude the heavy ascending and descending gradients common to lines Nos. 3, 4, 5, and 6, near Dorchester. The obstacles in this quarter can certainly bo overcome with easier grades either by an increase of cost or of distance, for which ample allowance will be made in the estimate. It appears that lines Nos. 2 and 6 crossing the Oobequid ridge by Folly Pass have the least favorable gradients. Lines Nos. 1 and 2 would best serve the local traffic at present centreing in the villages of Tatmagouche, Wallace, Pugwaah, and Bay Vorte on the Gulf coast. Line No. 3 would accommodate Amherst, Dorchester, and Sackvillc. And Line No. 4, in addition to serving these points, would also accommodate Parsboro' and the several villages along the north shore of the Basin of Minas. Line No. 5 would equally with No. 1 serve Tatmagouche, Wallace, and Pugwash, whilst at the same time it would ;ass through Amherst, Dorchester, and Sackville. Line No. 6, whilst passing through Amherst, Dorchester, and Sackville, would, to the same extent as Hoe No. 2, aooommoda^e the popuUtioi^ on the Gulf 9hp9 &TQI^q4 Tatmagouche, Waljaoe, a^4 ?fl^wafl]^. 18 i< The country Routh of Amherst on the Macao lliver and somo of its tributaries abounds in coal in thick beds and of excellent quality. This valuable coal field would bo opened up by lines Nos. C, 4 and 6. The Cobequid ranp,o is rich in iron ore of the best description ; it is now manufac- tured on the southern flank of the range, at the establishment of the Acadian Iron Com- pany. Annually, considerable quantities of iron are exported to England, and there con- verted into steel, for which, from its quality, it is admirably adapted. It is considered that iron manufactures of all kinds would be established and tireatly niultiplicd in this section, were proper facilities created for bringinp; the coal and ore together. Line No. 8 accomplishes this end, and so also does Lino No. (> ; although the latter docs not in the same degree accommodate the existing establishment of the Acadian Mining Company, now in operation on Great Village River. In review of the above, it would seem that, apart from the (juestion of di.stanee and ('radients, a central roule, whilst opening up the mineral districts both of coal and iron, would at the same time serve generally the population of the country as well as any other line specially located with that object solely in view, and without regard to the develop- ment of the rich mineral resources of this district. Although the surveys which have been made show that the central routes referred lo are the shortest, they have not the advantage when gradients arc considered, still 1 am convinced that further surveys would result in modifying and greatly improving one or other of these lines, or in finding, in part at least, a new line which, whilst securing all the advantages claimed for either of the central lines, would have the additional recom- mendation of possessing more favorable gradients and curves throughout, from Truro to Moncton. It would not be wise to calculate that an improved central line can be had, without to some extent aflfecting the cost and distance. I shall, therefore, in the estimate consider the distance from Truro to the point intersected with the New Brunswick Rail- way, east of Moncton, as 109 miles, nearly a mean between the length of line No. 6 and No. 3 ; thus making ample allowance for the improvement of the gradients at Dorchester, as well of those on the ascent to the Cobequid summit, should the general route of line No. 3 be finally adopted. Between Moncton and Truro, with the exception of the mineral districts which are for the most part in a state of wilderness, much of the country is settled, and in some sec- tions cultivated farms of the richest description can be seen. in the ESTIMATE OF QUANTITIES. I shall now proceed to give the quantities of the principal kinds of work required to complete the bridging and grading on the sections surveyed last summer. These quantities are the data on which I shall base the estimate of cost when I come to that part of the subject ; they are calculated from the profiles of the lines which have been made from the information derived from the survey ; but as the profiles are, in some cases at least, only approximate, great accuracy cannot be expected. Tables have b(^n prepared, showing the quantities of work on each separate mile, of which the following is a summary : — From the point of connection with existing Railway, east of Moncton, to Tantramar River, near Sackville, length of line surveyed, 30 miles. 1. Common Excavation 1,088,854 c. yards. 2. Assumed proportion of Rock Excavation 114,146 " Total Excavation 1,198,000 " 3. Culvert Masonry 10,771 " 4. Bridge do 2,132 " 5. Weight of Wrought-Iron Bridges .,. 435 tons From Truro to East Branch of River Philip near Rufus Black's, by wav of the Ac^- ^l^n Mioes, l^eng^)^ qf this section as snryeyed 41i'A ntilcs, ^ 14 ,.i,r 1. Common Excavation 1,945,000 cubic yards. 2. Assumed proportion of Rock Excavation 586,000 '* 2,531,000 c. yds. 3. Culvert Masonry 27,023 " 4. Bridge Masonry 13,272 " 6. Weight of Wrought-Iron in Bridges 876 tons. Between Tantramar River, where the first section above referred to ends, and Rufus Black's, on the River Philip, where the second section begins, an instrumental survey has not been made, and, in consequoace, there is no certain data from which the exact quan- tities of work can be computed. It is believed, however, that the following rough esti- mate, from a hurried examination of this intermediate eection, will, when added to the above quantities, give a full estimate of the work on the whole line between Moncton and Truro. 1. Common Excavation 894,000 cubic yards. 2. Assumed Proportion of Rock Excavation 7,000 " 901,000 0. yards. • 3. Culvert Masonry 12,000 " 4. Bridge do 7,650 '« 5. Wrought-Irou in Bridges 436 tons. Adding the above quantities above given together, we shall then have the total quan- tities of the chief kinds of work required to complete the bridging and grading of the who lino within the Nova Scotia Division of the survey ; that is to say, from Moncton to Truro, as follows : — 1. Common Excavation 3,922,854 cubic yards. 2. Assumed Proportion of Rock Excavation 707,146 " Total Excavation 4,630,000 " 3. Culvert Masonry 49,794 " 4. Bridge do 23,054 " 5. Bridge Iron 1,747 tons. The quantities on the line by way of Parsboro' (No. 4) have been computed in h manner similar to that above described, with the following results : — 1. Common Excavation 4,765,954 cubic yards. 2. Assumed Proportion of Rock Excavation.... 388,146 " Total Excavation 5,154,100 3. Culvert Masonry 44,634 '* 4. Bridge do 20,702 " 5. Weight of Iron in Bridges 1,877 tons In calculating the quantities of earthwork, in every case the cuttings have been esti- mated 30 feet wide at formation level, side cuttings 24 feet, and embankments IS feet wide ; the various structures arc intended to bo of a substantial and permanent character, they are estimated to be either stone Culverts^ or Bridges made of wrought iron on stone abutments and piers, and it is believed that the quantities herein given are ample. The probable cost of this division of the work will be considered when that of the whole line is taken up. (U 16 NEW BRUNSWICK AND CANADA DIVISION OF THE SURVEY. Two Railways are already constructed and in operation within the limits of the Pro- vince of New Brunswick ; one, designated the Now Brunswick and Canada Railway, com- mencea at the Town of St. Andrews on Passamaquoddy Bay, at the extremely flouth- westeriy angle of the Province ; it extends in a northerly direction, parallel to and not far from the boundary oi" the State of Maine, a distance of nearly ninety miles, to a point known as Richmond Station, some four or five miles to the west of the Town of Woodstock. The other line in operation is designated " The p]uropean and North Amerioan Rail- way." It be-jins at the city of St. John on the north shore of the Bay of Fundy, and extends a distance of about 105 miles^ in a north-easterly direction, to Shediac, on the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In considering the subject of Intercolonial communication, two points on this lino of Railway are of great importance; one, the City of St. John, al- though not the political ciipital, the commercial centre of New Brunswick, and the other. Moncton, which commands every possible overland route, not only from Canada and New Brunswick, but from the United States to Nova Scotia, and its capital, Halifax. St, John, although the great commercial ceu.ro of New Brunswick, is not, however, the only place of importance. There are towns, such as Fredericton, the seat of Gov- ernment, Woodstock and other places on tho western side of the Province ; and Chatham, Bathurst, Dalhousie and Campbelltown on the Gulf coast. These all possess a certain amount ot local traffic, the accommodation oi which it is desirable to keep in view. It un- fortunately happens, however, that a line construoted in River du Loup by the coast to Moncton, whilst best serving Halifax and the population on the east of New Brunswick, would do so at the expense of St. John and other places in tho west. It will be seen, too, that a direct line from St. John would serve that ciiy and the towns and settlements in tho west, whilst the points referred to on the Gulf coast would necessarily be neglected. This is here alluded to in ordsr to show that the selection of a Railway route through New Brunswick, is involved in local sectional difficulties at the very outset. The settle- ment of the Province has naturally enough followed its navigable waters ; on the south by the Bay of Fundy and its inlets ; on the east by the coast and bays of the Gulf of St. Lawrence; and on the west by the River St. John, which extends, and to some extent is navigable, almost to the extreme north-westerly angle of the Province. In consequence, New Brunswick may be said to be peopled as yet only round its outskirts. There is a vast area in the interior unoccupied, not because the soil is so much more uncultivable than elsewhere, but because it had hitherto been, and is still inaccessible.* Although I have chiefly to deal with the engineering features of the subject, these considerations cannot be overlooked in taking up the whole matter covered by my instruc- tions, as in view of traffic for the contemplated Railway, the question of route is very na- turally and very properly influenced by the present and prospective business of the country traversed. An air line drawn from the City of St. John to River du Loup, is about 250 miles in length, but such a line falls withiu the State of Maine, as much as 25 miles. The shortest line that can be drawn on British territory, is some five miles longer j it extends directly from St. John to tho north-easterly angle of Maine near the Grand Falls, thence along the boundary some thirty miles, then straight across the country by Little Falls to River du Loup. An air lino drawn from Moncton to River du Loup, passes entirely within British soil ; although near Little Falls, it comes withiu two or three miles of the American boundary — this line is 260 mills in length. Practically then, the relative position of these three points, viz. : River du Loup, Moncton and St. John, may be viewed as forming the angles of an isosceles triangle, the • '* A rai'allelogram bounded on the south-east by a line drawn from Fredericton to Ghatbam, on the north-east by a line drawn from Chatham to Metis, on the south-west by a line drawn from Fred- erickton to River du Loup, on the north-west by the settlement 3 along the Rirer St. Lawrence ; about 80 miles in width, by about 200 miles in length, and embraciug nearly 18,000 square miUs is both un« Mttled and roadless." 16 llli Bill' m 'iiii 1! base of which is the Hailway in operation from St. John to Moncton, 00 miles, and the sides from 255 to 260 miles in length. The construction of a Railway on cither of these direct lines is quite impracticable ; there are many cngiHeoring difficulties on each, which render it necessary to depart mate- rially from the straight course ; and if practicable, for military reasons, the building of an Intercolonial Railway on either of these lines, touching, as they do, the American frontier, is pronounced by military authorities objectionable. In seeking to avoid the great military objection to any line in close proximity to the American boundary, we unfortunately increase the engineering difficulties ; as, in looking for a line sufficiently distant from the frontier, unless we at once go to the other side of the Province, and thus considerably increasiog the length, we are driven into a section of the country characterised by great irregularities of surface and difficult to penetrate. In dealing with the whole subject we cannot, however, overlook military considera- tions, and although it is difficult to learn Qzactly what minimum distance from the frontier would satisfy the military authorities, reference to this question is unavoidable. I could not presume to express an opinion on the best military position for the Rail- way, or even enter into the question of route in a purely military a(>pect at all ; but in the absence of any specific instructions, or suggestions on this point, I found it necessary to look for some rule by which to be guided at the beginning and during the progress of the survey. For a number of miles west of River du Loup, the Grand Trunk Railway passes the north-western boundary of the State of Maine at a distance of scarcely 30 miles ; this, at all events in a military aspect, is a precedent, and may suffice to establish the minimum distance allowable between the contemplated line of Railway and the north-eastern angle of the same State. I have accordingly laid off this distance on the accompanying general map of the country, from the frontier to points on the River Trois Pistoles, Green River, the Restigoucho and Tobique. Lines connecting these points and prolonged direct to St. John on the one hand and to Moncton on the other, may, simply to distinguish them from other lines, be termed " Military air lines." These " Military air lines" (so called) are intended not to approach the American frontier at any point nearer thpu the Grand Trunk Railway docs in its course between River du Loup and Quebec. Such lines connecting River du Loup with St. John measure about 275{ miles, and from River du Loup to Moncton, about 265 miles. While having due regard to routes which, for their commercial or engineering reasons simply, might approach or touch either the American frontier on one side of New Bruns- wick, or the Gulf coast on the other, I ventured to assume that the military authorities would offer no decided objection to the construction of the contemplated Railway on or near the lines last referred to. I had in view, therefore, from the beginning of the survey, the discovery of at least one practicable route for the Railway, which, without increasing the distance unnecessarily, would conform, as near as possible, with the guiding rule above alluded to. A section of the country on either of these Military air lines, whilst showing that the construction of a Railway precisely thereon is entirely beyond the limits of practicability, will, at the same time, indicate and illustrate the bold physical features which characterise a very large portion of the territory embraced by the survey. Beginning at River du Loup and following the line laid down at the prescribed dis- tance from the Maine boundary to the City of St. John ; we find that in passing over the mountainous ridge which separates the St. Lawrence' from the Restigouche, not only is a maximum elevation of nearly 2,000 feet above the sea reached, bu^ the surface passed over is of a very broken character ; minor ridges nearly all crossing the line in a right angled direction, are constantly met with ; these attain elevations ranging from probably 1,000 feet to nearly double that height above the sea, and are separated by low lying Water channels, of which may be mentioned, Lake Temiscouata, River Toledi, Squatook Lakes, besides the branches of (Jrcen River. Several of these waters will not exceed 500 feet above Kta level. The distance from River du Loup by tlie air line at its crossing the Restigouche River is nearly one hundred miles, and the latter river at the crossing is about 450 feet above 17 and the ;icable ; rt mate- ig of an ['rontier, y to the lookiDg • side ot" jction of ate. )n3idera- I frontier the Rail- ut in the sessary to iS9 of the ay passes les } this, minimum ern angle irr general sen River, ect to St, i.hem from American between miles, and g reasons lew Bruns- uthorities Ion or near at least liecessarily, that the jticability, laracterise bribed dis- using over ), not only ice passed n a right probably low lying Squatook pxceed 500 luohe River feet above the sea. The great ridgo continues easterly between the St. Lawrence on the north, and the Restigouche and Bay Clialeurs on the south, until it terminates in the Oasp6 Peninsula. It must be crossed at some point by any line of Railway communication, intended to con- nect the Maritime Provinces with the Canadas, but the soction now being described cros.ses it in perhaps one of the least favorable directions. Continuing Irom the Restij^oucho southerly to Tobique, a distance of about iiS miles, the line crosses a heavy irregular swell running easterly and westerly, and attaining a sum- mit height varying from 1,000 to 1,200 foet abovo the sea. The lino crosses the Tobique is about 500 feet above the same level. From the River Tobiqua continuing southerly it has a third main ridge to cross ; this ridge is known as the Tobique Highlands, it eztoads easterly from the River St. John to a rugged district in the interior of New Brunswick, where the Tobique, tlio IJpsalquitch, the Nepisiguit, and some tributaries of the Miramichi take their rise. On tht air line from St. John, this ridge separates the Tobique from the main Miramichi, and is, in a direct line, about 45 miles in width ; the height of land passed over will probably not bo less than 1,500 or 1,700 feet. The height of the River Miramichi at the crossing is probably a hundred feet greater than at the Tobique crossing. South of tho Miramichi on the same line continued, the ground rises again to a con- siderable elevation and is intersected by deep river valleys. The line passes to the east of Frederickton some eight miles and crosses the River St. John about twelve miles below that city. Continuing onwards it crosses the River a second time, as well as a long, wide and deep extension of the St. John River called Kennebecdasis Bay, besides a good deal of broken ground immediately north of the city of St. John. The (so called) Military air lino, from River du Jjoup to Moncton, passes over ground north of the Miramichi, not di.ssiniilar to that of tho St. John air lino above described. The country between the Miramichi and Moncton is much simpler in its character, and on this section no insurmountable difficulties exist. Aware of the importance of a favorable Railway route in the general direction ot the military air line above alluded to, I determined to exert every effort to discover one ; al- though it must bo coni'essed the above sketch of the leading features of the country, and the following extracts from the report and correspondence of Major Robinson, dated 1848 .and 1849, made it appear extremely doubtful that a practicable line could be had. " The fourth obstacle is tho broad and extensive range of highlands which occupies nearly the whole space in the centre of New Brunswick, from the Miramichi River north to the Restigouche. Some of these mountains rise to an altitude exceeding 2,000 feet. " The Tobique River runs through them, forming a deep valley or trough which must be crossed by the direct line, and increases greatly the difficulty of passing by them. "The lowest point of the ridge overlooking tho Tobique River, at which any line of railway must pass, is 1,216 feet above the sea. Then follows a descent to the river of 796 feet in 18 miles, and the summit level on the opposite ridge or crest between the Tobique and Restigouche waters 920 feet above the sea, or a rise of 500 feet above the point of crossing at the Tobique water. These great summit levels which must bo surmounted, form a serious objection to this route." :(; ^» * H« ♦ * ;i " The tifth and last obstacle to be overcome, and which cannot be avoided by any of .;|he routes, is the mountain range running along the whole course of the River St. Lawrence jSn a very irregular line, but at an average distance from it of about twenty miles. It oc- cupies with its spurs and branches a large portion of the space between the St. Lawrence pnd the Restigouche Rivers. The rocks and strata composing the range are of the same . :^haractor and kind as the Tobique range. The tops of th^; mountain are as elevated in the ■^ne range as in the other. ''. . " T^^ exploring parties failed in finding a line through this range to join on to the iiirect line through New Brunswick, but succeeding in carrying on the Eastern or Bay l^haleurs route, owing to the fortunate intervention of the valley of the Metapediac River. ^ " The liae which was tried and failed was across from the Trois Pistoles River, by the ,^eads of Green River and down the Pseudy or some of tho streams in that part running . |nto the Restigouche River.'' * : * * , * * * 18 " From Boiestowa the goneral courflo was ibilowod, and levelled as iur us the Tobique River, but the country was so unfavorable that new couvacs had to be constantly sought out. " A new lino altogether was '-ricd i'rom the Tcbiquo as fur as the Wagun poitagc. " The results deduced from the observations and sections proved this lino to bo quite impracticable for a Railway. " Whilst the lino was being tried, other parties explored from Newcastle on lUo Mira- I and inichi River, over to Crystal Brook on the Nipisiguit, the valleys of the Upsalquili its tributaries and as far ns the Restigouche River. " The country at the upper waters of the Nipisiguit, and the whole of tho Upsalquitoh valleys, were found to be rough, broken and totally impracticable. " The result of this season's labours went to show that the best, if not the onlif route that would bo likely to be practicable, would bo by tho North-west Miramichi to BatUurst, and then along the Bay Chaleurs." **:!:♦ •-!< * " A large party was engaged in trying to find a line from Trois Pistoles River on the 3t. Lawrence through the llighlands to the Restigouche River, for the purpose of connect- ing on to the New Brunswick party. Tho winter overtook thera whilst still embarrassed in the Highlands at the head waters of the Green River. " Thi dotted lines ou tho (Jeneral Plan will show their attempts. " A line was tried up the valley of the Abersquash, but it ended in a cul-de-sac ; there was no way out of it. " A second line was carried from Trois Pistoles over to Lac-dcs-Iles, Eagle Lake ; and by the middle branch of the Tuladi River, the north west branch and head waters ot the Green River were gained. " But this point was not reached except by a narrow valley or ravine of four miles in length, " A Theodolite section was made of it, and it was found to involve a grade of at least one to forty-nine, and to attain that, heavy cuttings at one part and embankments at another would be necessary. " There is no occasion at present to enter upon the discussion of whether this should condemn a whole line ; for having attained the Forks at the head of the main Green River, no way was found out of it, and this explored line, like the first mentioned, must be con- sidered to have ended in a cul-de-sac also." " Large parties were thus employed at great expense for two seasons on this central and direct line through New Bruiiswick. " Judging from the results of our labours, from those of others, and the natural diffi- culties of the country as described, I do not think any further explorations would be attended with any marked difference of success." The exploration undertaken on snow shoes, early last year from Boiestown oa the Mir- amichi northerly to the River Tobique (together with information from other sources) resulted so far satisfactorily, that no obstacles of an insuperable natui'e were apprehended in that quarter. The exploration similarly undertaken between the St. Lawrence and the Restigouche during the winter 1863-64, aJthough it added to the information previously gathered, provtid unsuccessful in the main object in view ; and in consequence, the probability of finding a practicable passage for the Railway, between these waters, was rather diminished than increased by the additional knowledge of the country thus obtained. Hence it appeared of the utmost importance, to have this section carefully explored, before commencing the Railway survey on any other portion of a direct central route ; so soon as this vital point became thoroughly understood, it would then bp easy to decide whether to proceed with or abandon the survey through the interior. Vigorous measures were required to settle the question of practicability through this district with as little delay as possible. I, therefore, conceotrated the eflforts of two thoroughly efficient and well appointed surveying parties to the solution of the difficulty. One party entered on the exploration from the Restigouche, following UD the valley of the Gounamitz, and aiming at the discovery of a passage into the valley of Green River, south-easterly source. ceutral 19 Anothfr party entered from llimouski, with tho view of finding a suitable passaRO from tho valley of Rimouski River, by its south-easterly branches to the valley of the Kedwick, and thence, should the first mentioned party fail, to the River Restigouche. Roth attempts proved successful. Having thus a choice of routes across the. height of land forming the northerly water< fihed of the Great Restigouche Basin, and being unable from the shortness of tho season, and more particularly irom tho very limited appropriation at my command, to follow up both, it became necessary to make a selection ; I therefore decided reluctantly to abandon tho exploration by tho Riuiouski and Kedwick, and determined to continue the survey by the Gounamitz and Green River ; the latter route appearing the most direct, and at the same time sufficiently remote from the frontier. On arriving at this decision, both parties were placed ou the (Jounamitz route. Whilst these explorations were in progress, two other equally efficient surveying par- ties were engaged, tho ou3 in Nova Scotia, between Truro and Moncton, the other in mak- ing a rc-survey of that portion of the lino through tho Matapedia valley, considered the most difficult and expensive of the routes recommended by Major Robinson. The charac- ter ao'i results of tho latter examination will hereafter be referred to. Ho soon as the party in Nova Scotia had completed all that I felt justified in doing in that Province, I immediately transferred it to New Brunswick, and there engaged it in the continuation of the line which commenced in the valley of the Gounamitz. Anxious to have a continuous instrumental survey, from the St. Lawrence to the lino of railway running from St. John to Moncton. before the season closed and the appropria- tion became cxliar 'ed, I transferred the Matapedia party, early in October, to the south of New Brunswick it lid in this work. From the beginning of October to the close of the field operations, the four parties were simultaneously engaged on the same route. By the beginning of December, a continuous lino of levels and other measurements were made from Trois Pistoles to Apohaqui Station, about midway on the railway running from the city of St. John to Moncton. And thus, although the object of the survey was mainly to ascertain beyond a doubt, that there was nothing impracticable in the way ; yet the additional information obtained, by the completion of the instrumental measurements on this particular line, i? doubtless of very considerable importance, as it gives pretty satisfactory data on which to base an approximate estimate of fhe probable cost of the line surveyed ; as well as collateral data of some value, in estimating the cost of other possible lines, through analagous sections of the same country, but which as yet have not been similarly examined. THE SURVEYED GENERAL LINE. * I shall now proceed to give an outline of tho engineeeing and other features of the Central Route above referred to, beginning at the point of connection with the Grand Trunk Railway near River du Loup, and terminating at Apohaqui Station, on the New Brunswick Railway. I found that an exploratory survey had been made some six years ago, in connection with the works of the Grand Trunk Railway from River du Loup easterly to River Troia Pistoles, a distance of 24 miles. This survey was of a satisfactory nature, and it was therefore deemed unnecessary to go over the same ground a second time. gh this J of two iculty. le valley n River, RIVER DU LOUP TO RIVER TROIS PISTOLES. On this section three rivers of importance are crossed, viz. : River da Loup, River Verte, and River Trois Pistoles. The last will require a bridge of great magnitude, as ihe river flows in a rocky gorge about 150 feet deep, and of considerable width oven at the moat favorable point. It is proposed to cross this river i ^ ravine on a viaduct of thirteen ipans, one of which is intended to bo 100 feet in the olea>.. %nd the remaining twelve with — r-rr < f > • " ' " — ■ '^ ■• rUD, UUC Ui WUIUU IB lUtUUUt^U LU UU J.UV lUBIi 111 LUC U J (Jfew Brnnswipk upd Cpada Div^siou of tbf Sjiryej-,} m 20 I pi' 15 V 60 feet openings. The bridges over the Rivers du Loup and Verte will each have three 70-feet spans. The former will be about 22 feet above the water, and the latter 80 feet. The following summary of the grades given on the profile will show that they are on this section extremely favorable, very few being over 4U feet to the mile ; the highest ascending south is about half a mile in length at 52.8 feet tu the mile, and the maximum ascending north is 53.5 feet per mile. TOTAL LENGTH OF GBADIS IN UILKB- CHARACTEB OF GRADES. Ascending Sontfa. Ascending North. Under 20 feet per mile 8.1 4.G 20 to 30 do O:^ 0.0 30 to 40 do 2;". 0.0 40 to 50 do 0.f» 1.0 51.9to52.8do 2.4 0.0 53.5 do 0.0 1.0 Level.. o.O mile:-. Total length of Section 24.5 miles. The quantities of the chief kinds of work, which the profile shows as necessary to complete the bridging and grading, in an efficient manner, on this section, arc as follows : 1st. Common excavation 484,289 cubic yards. 2nd. Assumed proportion of rock excavation 39,635 du Total excavation 52S,924 do 8rd. Culvert masonry 4,016 do 4th. Bridge masonry 6,961 do 5th. Weight of Bridge Iron 414 tons. "I!;fl!l RIVER TROTS PISTOLES TO GREEN RIVER FORK:>. Beginning above the confluence of the River Abawisqua^h with the Trois Pistoles, at an elevation of 497 feet above tide water, the line follows the valley of the Abawisquash, with grades not exceeding 50 feet per mile for a distance of eleven and a half miles ; here it passes over a summit only COO feet above the sea, into the Basin of Island Lake ; de- scending gradually from the wat-er shed between the Abawisquash and Island Lake, for a distance of about eleven miles, with remarkably easy grades, t^eldora over 15 feet per mile, it reaches the head of Eagle Lake, 532 feet above the sea. The line surveyed now turns in an easterly direction and ascends to the Wagan Lake, 30 feet above and tour miles dis- tant from Eagle Lake. It then curves on a perfect level to the valley of the Turadi, a tributary of the Rimouski, and following the valley of the former with nearly level, or grades under 20 feet to the mile, it reaches the 37th mile from River Trois Pistoles at an elevation of 545 feet above the sea. The line now entert^ the valley of the Snellier River, and, chc*aging its former course to a Eoutherly direction, it begins to ascend with grades the heaviest of which are 52 and 53 feet to the mile, and together measuring 2.2 miles in length, in a distance of about three miles; between the 44th and 45th mile from River Trois Pistoles the line attains an eleva- tion of 786 feet, and passes over a water shed to the valley of the North Branch of the Tolcdi. Following this branch of the Toledi in a general southerly direction, with undulating grades, to the 47th mile, three miles of 64 feet grade are required before Echo Lake is reached at the 50th mile, and at an elevation of 985 feet. At Echo Lake the line turns more to the east, and a rapid ascent of 70 feet per mile for three and two-tenths miles h unavoidable. From the 54th mile to the 63rd mile the railway route will pass at some distance to the cast of the surveyed line. At the 56tb mile it will reach Summit Lake, 1,350 fee(, above the Bea, with grades probably not exceeding 53 feet to the mile, and from the 56t|| to tjjc 63rd wile, it \» belieyed, tjjo gjradeu will undulate easily. » i ave three \0 feet, ey are on c highest oiaximum IN HILK8. North. ;ccssary to follows : Pistoles, at awisquash, Qiles; here Lake; dc- akc, for a t per mile, now turns miles dis- Turadi, a ■ly level, or toles at an mcr course 1 52 and 53 ahout three js an eleva- inch of the undulating cho Lake is line turns ha miles is listanec to D feet above 5Gt|} to tl)C -1* i At the 63rd mile the line is 1,360 feet above the sea, from this point it follows a tri- bataryof the Bimoiuki, crosses the Boundary between Canada and New Brunswick at about the 65th mile and then ascends with a grade of 43 feet to Lake Tiarks at the 67th mile, attaiaing a total elevation of 1,515 feet. At this point the line crosses the water shed between the streams flowing into the Hi. Lawrence and those discharging into the Ri\er St. John by the Green Biver. From the Lake Tiarks summit, the line passes almost on a level for a mile and a half to the valley of the Green Biver, and then descends with a grade of 59 feet per mile for nearly two and a half miles, reaching Green Biver Lake between the 70th and 7l6t mile. I The elevation of this Lake is 1,365 feet above tide water. From Green Biver Lake the line follows in a south-easterly direction, the valley of the north-west branch of Greerf River, to the Forks at the 8lst mile. On these ten miles, it gradually descends with grades generally less than 30 feet per mile. At the Forks the elevation here fa 1,075 feet. The line continoes in a south-easterly direction from the Forks, ascending gradually . the south-east branch of Green Biver, to a point 82.7 miles from Trois Pistoles, where this section terminates. The elevation here is 1,130 feet above the St. Lawrence. The ft. > 3Wing is an abstract of the grades shown on the profile of the line surveyed on the Trois Pistoles and Green Biver section : TOTAL LEXGTH IN MILES. » i CHJiBAcnB OF OBADCS. AscendingNorth. Ascending South. N Grades under 20 feet per mile 16.5 14.1 « from 20to30" " 5.6 9.5 " " 30to40" " 5.1 4.5 « " 40to50" •* • 7.0 1.7 « « 52.8 " " 4.1 0.8 " 59.0 " " 0.0 2,4 « « 64 " " 3.2 0.0 «' " 70 " " 3.2 0.0 Level 5.0 Miles. TotalLength 82.7 " There are no rivers of great size on the section above described, and consequently the bridging is compva^lvely light. The iron bridges required will be of the following gene- ral dimensions : Hei'^ it Lixgtu or ABOVB t/ATER. XO. OfSpASS. EACH SpAK. Over Abawisqnash River . 22feet. 1 60 feet " Wagan Stream 13 «' 1 30 « " Turadi Biver 9 " 1 60 " " let Crossing Snellier Biver 47" 8 40 " '• 2nd do do 35 " 8 40 " " 3rd do do 20 " 1 20 " " 4th do do 20 " 1 20 " " 5th do do 20 *' 1 20 " '« lyEmbarras Biver 9 " 1 30 " " Toledi do 10 «' 1 30 " " Green do 13 '< 1 30 « " do do 10 " 1 60 " " do do 3 crossings 12" 3 60 " Between the 19tii and Tlst mile from Trois Pistoles, the line above described makes a very great and objectionable detonr to the eastward, which I feel confident can be avoid- ed by a more direct roate, and thus save about twenty miles in distance. From Green Biver Lake, near the 7l8t milo runniDg north-westerly, an opening leads fJjroBgh tht bigblM4« totljo t^Usj of the Bo^tJ».pwt br»nol» of the ^Itcx Toledi. Tbo ¥ •'■.■\ 'f'i. ;:■:}, water shed between Green Sirer and the Toledi at this place, is probably not more than fifty feet above Green Lake and here the line can be carried ovor to the Toledi valley, with a Bummit about 100 feet lower than the one referred 'o at Lake Tiarks. After passing the summit, the Toledi must be followed, but this stream fiills too rapidly to admit of a Railway being made along the bottom of the ravine, with suitable grades. To make this route available therefore, it would be necessary to descend gradually on the side hill, a plan, which, from the character of the ground, will be somewhat diflBcult and expensive, and, under any circumstances, long maximum grades will be required. It was to avoid these difficult and objectionable features that the exploration was car- ried round by Lake Tiark?. From the accounts of Indians and hunters, there was good reason to expect that a comparatively easy line might be found to the valley of the Abawis- quash, without descending to the Toledi and without increasing greatly distance over that by the direct route. These expectations were however only partially realized, for although the line sur- veyed has generally very favorable grades, yet its length, due to the easterly detour, is much too groat, and in consequence I would be disposed to recommend the direct route by the Toledi and Sandy Lake. A great deal of careful surveying will be required on this sec- tion, before the best and cheapest location can be found along the Toledi, and across trom Sandy Lake to Eagle Lake. The work too will prove heavy and expensive ; but as twenty milrs of Railway will be saved thereby, I am satisfied that the <^^"tal quantity of work on the wlole section, from Trois Pistoles io Green River by the direct route, can scarcely exceed the quantities required to form the circuitous route. And therefore in estimating the pro- bable cost I shall adopt the qtiantities computed from the profile of the line surveyed, as those necessary in the building of this section, and of which the following is an abstract : — 1st. Common Excavation 2,391,664 cubic yards. 2nd, Assumed proportion of Rock Excavation 90,000 " Total Excavntion 2,481,664 3rd. Culvert Masonry 18,908 '« 4th. Bridge " 7,565 5th. Weight of Iron ia Bridges 183 Tons. With the exception of Ballast, which is scarce, it is believed that materials for con- struction can be procured readily on this section. Stone of different qualities is abundant. CroBS-ties will require to be made of the best d ascription of Spruce or Balsam, as other kinds of timber usually employed are rarely met with. With regard to the durability of the Spruce and Balsam found in this district, I am convinced it is fully equal to that of Hemlock, the timber largely employed for cross-ties in Western Canaca. On the boundary line between New Brunswick and Canada, cut out ten years ago, I saw many trees of the diameter suitable for cross-ties which had lain on the ground during that period, and still to a certain extent sound. GREEM RIVER FORKS TO RESTIGOUCHE. Commencing where the last section terminates, at an elevation of 1,130 feet, the line continues south-easterly about a mile and a half to the mouth of Otter Branch; it then turns to a southerly direction and ascends a winding valley through a mountainous country to Larry's Lake, the head wafers of this branch of Green River ; a few hundred yards south of Larry's Lake, and near the 7th mile from the beginning of this section, the line passes through the most favorable opening in the highlands that can be found ; and here attains a total elevation of 1,478 feet, having ascended about 350 feet in .-leven miles with grades varying from 34 to 70 feet per mile. The Larry Lake summit divides the waters of Green River from those flowing into the Restigouche, and the line now begins to descend a tributary of the latter river design- ated the Gounamitz. The descent of the Gonoainitx is very rapid, involving a continuous grade of 70 feet to the mile for nine and half niile^, cortainly one of thp most unfavorable on the |fH«>lf jioe Buyyoyo^, but I fwr uosvpidable. To neoure thii gjjadp it will bo necesuyy Jo the line it then country yards the line d here les with id Dg into dcsign- j of 70 on the to locate the line along the side hill, which from the character of the ground can be done At 16J miles from the beginning of this section the elevation is 800 feet, the line from this point continues descending the valley of the Gounamitz to its confluence with the Restigouche near the 32nd mile. The grades for the last 15 miles are remarkably easy the average about 23 feet to the mile, and none exceed 40 feot to the mile. At the end of this section the elevation of the line is 455 feet above tide water. The following is an abstract of the Grades shown on the profile :— TOTAL LBNQTH IN UlLEB. CHARACTBR OF GRADES. Ascending South. Ascending North. Grades under 20 feet per mile 0.0 9.0 " from 20 to 30 " " 0.0 5.3 i, " " 30to40 " " 1.0 0.8 <' " 40 to 50 " " 2.0 0.0 nd * through fine hard-wood land with grades of 65 feet per mile to the middle of the 18 i, where it reaches an elevation of 1,074 feet. The line now descends with favorable ss to Salmon River which it crosses at the 23rd mile at an elevation of 858 feet. At (be 30th mile after crossing various branches of Cedar Brook on easy undulating grades, it passes at an elevation of 830 feet, over a summit between a tributary of that stream aad Two Brooks. It then follows Two Brooks on descending grades, chiefly under 40 feet to the mile, to the north bank of the River Tobique, which it reaches at the 39th mile and ■* L ■f :*,l ■■^^1 •4\ '111 ~ I: 24 h at an elevatioQ of loet above the sea; coatiuuiag in a southerly direction along the north bank of the xobique, on almost level grades, the line reaches a favorable point for crossing near the mouth of the Little Gnlquac, where this section terminates at a total dis- tance of 45.1 miles from the Restigouche. The following abstract will show the character of the grades on the section above described : TOTAL LBNOTH IN MILKS. CHABAOTEB \DI3. Ascending SoHtli. Ascending North. Grades under 20 feet ^ jiile 2.0 4.2 « 20 to 30 " « 0.6 2.9 " 30 to 40 " " 1.1 5.9 " 40 to 50 " " 1.6 0.6 " 50 to 52 " " 2-1 2.1 «' 54 " " 0.0 1.3 " 60 «' '• 1.0 5.7 " 65 « " 6.8 0.0 " 70 « " 1.0 0.0 Level 6.5 Miles. Total length of section 45.4 " The bridging required on this section consists, firstly, of one across the Biver Eesti- gouche, at about 15 feet above the water and in five spans of 60 feet each; secondly of a Bridge 25 feet high with two 60-fcct spans across the Salmon Biver ; thirdly, of one across the Biver Tobique having three spans 100 feet each, and about 32 feet above summer water ; arch and beam culverts will suffice for all other waters crossed. The quantity of excavation and other work on this section has been calculated from the approximate profile and the following is presented as an abstract ; 1st. Common excavation 2,068,600 cuaic yards. 2nd. Assumed proportion of rock excavation ... 456,500 " Total excavation 2,525,100 3rd. Culvert masonry : 13,787 " 4th. Bridge '• 1,469 « 5th. Weight of iron in Bridges 276 Tons. Good stone for constructing the Bestigouche and Tobique bridges may be had at no great distance from the bridge sites; materials for the construction of culverts within ten miles of both rivers may also be obtained without much difficulty, but on the intermediate parts of the line it has not been ascertained that stone can be procured. Sand is plentiful, and it is believed that gravel will be found upon or close to the line. Tamarao as well as spiuce cross-ties, can be had in the district passed through from the Bestigouche to the Tobique Bivers. TOBIQUE TO KESWICK SUMMIT. This section commences at the Biver Tobique near the jnouth of the Little Gulquao ; a position which was selected for crossing the Tobique, in the expeotation that the survey- ing party would intersect a lino cut out by Capt. Henderson towards the Miramichi, and thus save time and expense in carrying on the examination through part of this section. No advantage was gained by this step, as the old line was so entirely obliterated in many places, that it could only be traced with the greatest difficulty, and in consequence it was found expedient to abandon the old survey and to take an independent course. The line commences at an elevation of 425 feet, and ascends the valley of tlie Little Gnlquac, with grades varying from 36 to 63 feet per mile for five miles; it then passes over a ridge to the Little Wapsky Biver and continues on easy grades to the end of the 11th mile. The line now crosses the Wapskykegan, where a bridge of great magnitude will be re> quired, and begins to ascend on a maximum grade of 70 feet per mile to a summit at the W; *, ^# ox above had at no rithiD ten rmediate )lentifal, aa well as he to the Gulquao ; le survey- iramiobi, tt of this bliterated sequence ■urae. The Gulquac, er a ridge 1th mile- ill be re- alt at the head of Oven iiock lirook. The summit is reached at 10|V miles, and the elevation attained h 1 170 foet above the sea. Between the River Wapsicyhegan and the summit, the greatest ilifiiculties on this suction arc I'ound, Besides the Wapsliyhegan bridge, which will bo nearly a thousand I'oct long and IH) feet higli, the excavation on this ascent, five and a half miles long, will be unusually heavy. The lino then enters, by Frank's Brook, the valley of the North brancli of the Mira- inichi, which it follows, crossing the river twice near the 22nd and 2;ird milct:. I'rom tlie 23rd mile to tlic o2nd, the line winds along the west bank of the river ; then strikes across a Cariboo plain to the north-west branch of the Miramichi, which it reaches at the end of the 37th mile, with an elevation of 783 feet above the sea. The grac'es are all dcscend- ' ing from the summit of the north-west branch, and arc remarkably easy, being generally on this distance of 21 miles under twenty feet to the mile, and only in one instance as high as 4 1 f-^f^t to the mile. Crossing tlio north-west Ijrauch of the River Miramichi, about a mile westerly from . the "Forks," the line aseends by 'rurtlc-shell Brook, without difficulty to the water-slicd between the last named river and the xNashwaak, which it reaches at tlie beginning of the 40tJi mile at an elevation of !).")() i'cct. Descending on a favorable grade for about a mile, the line then follows the River Nashwaak on the westerly side, and on n(;arly level grades to the 51st mile, wliere the Two Sister ]>roolcs fall into the main stream. At this j)oint, the Nashwaak leaves the southerly direction which it previously maintained, and turns nearly at right a?igles to the east. The lino, however, continues southerly, and ascending by one of the Two Sisters, reaches the Keswick summit at about the oJth mile, and at tlii^; point attains a height above the tide of 1,005 feet. From the summit the line descends ou a 05 feet grade for a distance of ab.jut a mile, to a point a little easterly from Jjake l^ecca- guimic, where tliis sqption of the survey terminates. Tlie following is a general abstract of the grades taken from the profile of the line eurveyod from the River Tobique to the point last referred to : — TOTAL LENGTH IN MILES. TOHiQUE TO KEswici: suiiiiiT. — i.'HARACTER OF QRADKS. Asceudiug. Descending. .South, North. Grades under 20 feet 7 per mile 1.5 13.(:» 20to3'J '• •• 1.7 1.1 •• ;!(ito40 '• '• 2.0 5.7 40 to 50'- '^ 0.7 .'5.1 ''• 52. S <'■ '■ 2.2 0.0 50 '• '< 1.5 0.0 ♦ '• 03 '• '' o.y 0.0 " (;5 '• <■ 0.0 J.4 OG " <• 0.0 0.1 " OS '' " 2.7 0.0 '' 00 " •■• 1.7 0.0 " 70 " " 5.0 0.0 Jjove! S.3 miles. 'i'otal length of section 55. t» " The Bridging on this section v.ill be heavier than on any of the other.-. The Little fTapsky will require a viaduct about 55 feet high, and the one across the Wapskyhegun ill bo 142 feet above the level oi' the river. The former is proposed to consist of sixteen iirdcr spans, caeli sixty feet, and the latter of three 100-feet spans over the Wapskyhef-aii River with 13 sixty-feet spans in the approaches. Between t'^e 22i)d and 23rd mile, the ^rtli-wtst Branch of the iMiramichi will be bridged twice with sixty-feet single openings, /«ie one will be 25 feet hi-li, and the other IS feet. A fifth bridge will be required over ^i.' south-wcsh branch 20 I'eet in height, and it is propo^-^d to adopt three .«pans for this Work, the centre span one hundred feet, the other two each sixty feet. The quantities calculated iiom the profile deduced from the survey of this section of the line are as follows : — 1st. Common Excavation 2,266,700 cubic yard.*. 2nd. Assumed proportion of Rock Excavation 330,400 '* ^ Total Excavation 2,603,100 26 III 3rd. Culvert masonry 19,320 4th. Bridse .• 13,500 " 5th. Weight of Iron in Bridges 794 Tons. Good stone for Bridge masonry can be had on and near the River Tobique, and sand stone suitable for the same purpose can be obtained on the Miramiohi and Nashwaak Rivers ; stone for culvert masonry may be obtained without much difficulty throughout the section. There is also good sand for building purposes, and abundance of gravel for Ballast. The timber available for Cross-ties, between the River Tobique and Keswick Summit consists of Spruce, Tamarac, Hemlock and Cedar. KESWICK SUMMIT TO LITTLE RIVEK. The line enters the Keswick valley near the source of the west branch, and continues within its limits until the River St. John is reached j the descent of the west branch ia very rapid for the first eight or nine miles, and heavy grades for this distance will be un- avoidable. The maximum grades shown on the approximate profile of this section are 66 feet to the mile, and to obtain this on the line by the west branch, heavy side hill work will be necessary for a considerable distance. Probably the east branch may ofler a more favorable approach to the main valley of the Keswick River. But the season was too far advanced to admit of a proper examination by this route being made. From the ninth mile the line winds along the side of the River, occasionally crosses it, and then continues on the flats until it finally reaches the north side of the River St. John at the 29th mile. For twenty m'les, up to this point, the grades are remarkably favorable, in no case being over 40 feet to the mile and generally under 20 feet .to the mite. From the mouth of the Keswick the line runs along the north bank of the River St John almost on a dead level, crossing the River Nashwaaksis at the 87th mile. It reachei^ the Fredericton upper ferry at 38^ miles, and the lower ferry at the end of the 39tL mile; about three-quarters of a mile farther on, the line arrives at the Nashwaak, ao important river, 500 feet in width where it is crossed. Soon after crossing the Nashwaak, the line leaves the banks of the St. John, and, turning round Barker's hill, follows an easterly direction with very favorable undulating grades to the Little River, where this section of the survey terminates. The following table is an abstract of the grades shown on the profile : — TOTAL LBNQTH IN MILES. CHABACTER OF GRADES FROM KESWICK SCMUIT TO LITTLK BIVBR. Aaceading. Asceudiog. South. North. Grades under 20 feet per mile 11.0 10.4 " 20 to 30 " " 1.0 8.1 " 30 to 40 " " 0.0 3.8 " 40 to 50 '• " 1.7 0.0 " 52.8 '' '< 0.0 1.0 «« 66 " " 0.0 8.0 Level 16.6 miles. Total length of section 61.6 " With the exception of the Nashwaak, the rivers to be crossed on this section art unimportant. The spans given in the following list will probably be sufficient: — No. of Length of freight. Spans. Spam. Over North- West branch of Keswick .'. feet. 2 50 feet. " North-East do do 12 " 1 75 « " Little Forks River 18 '' 1 50 " " Nashwaaksis River 18 '< 1 75 «' " Nashwaak 20 " 7 75 " " Noonan's Brook 14 " 1 30 " " Burpee's Brook 13 " 2 50 « The approximate profile made from the survey of this section ehows that the foUowioi qaaDtities of the chief kinds of work are sufficient : — will ha 2T ? % 19. dud saud [ashwaak fougliout ravel for : Summit continues branch is rill be un- on are 66 hill work 1 valley oi' :aminatioQ r crosses it, r St. John favorable, ! River St It reaches F the 39tL shwaak, an John, and, undulating uasa. leading- lorth, .0.4 8.1 3.8 0.0 1.0 8.0 JS. seotion art igth of pant. ) feet. <( it i< <( " " he foUowioi t 1. Common Excavation 1,904,100 cubic yards. 2. Assumed proportion of Rock Excavation 170,000 " Total Excavation 2,074,100 " 3. Culvert Masonry 14,931 " 4. Bridge do 3,410 '•' 5. Iron in Bridges 320 tons. There will probably be some difficulty in procuring building sione, at least, for the bridge masonry, within a convenient distance along the Keswick valley, as none suitable appeared to crop out along the lino of survey; fortunately, however, the bridging in this quarter is comparatively light. From the Keswick to the Little River it is believed that stone for all the bridges and culverts may be found readily. Material for ballast, although not of the best quality, can be had in abundance on this section. The timber, for cross- ties, in this locality consists of Spruce, Hemlock, and Cedar. LITTLE RIVER TO COAL CREEK. From Little River the lino continues in an easterly direction to the head of the Grand Lake navigaiion, on the Salmon River, which it crosses at the 19th mile. For this distance the grades aie undulating and favorable; near the 9th mile the line crosses the Newcastle River, and in this locality it passes close to several coal mines, where coal, of fair quality, crops out on the surface ; at the 10th mile the line crosses an arm of " Iron Bound Cove " which will have to be bridged. After passing Salmon River the line curves southerly, and passes over a ridge with ascending and descending grades of about 60 feet per mile to Coal Creek, which it reaches near the 25th mile; about amileand a half further south, the line joins on to the next section. The profile shows the following grades : TOTAL LKNQTB IN MILES. CHAB40TEB OF 0BADB8 FROM LITTLE RITEB TO COAL CREBK. Ascendiog Ascendin§r South. North. Grades under 20 feet per mile 1.5 2.0 '« 20 to 30 " " 0.0 1.1 " 40 to 50 " " 3 «' 52.8 " " 3.9 0.0 " 58 '< " 0.0 1.6 '< 60 " '' 00 1.0 " 61 " " 2.2 0.0 " 65 '< " 1.9 0.0 Level 8.1 miles. Total length of Section 26.3 " The bridging on this section is very heavy, when its length is considered. The rivers to bo crossed, and the structures proposed, are as follows (of course, the character and dimensions of the latter may be greatly modified on a proper location survey being made) : At Little River, the bridge will be 45 feet in height, with nine spans, one of 100 feet, and eight of 60 feet openings. At the Newcastle River, the bridge will be 37 feet high, and will have eight spans, one 100 feet, and seven of 60 feet openings. At Iron Bouud Cove, the bridge will be 23 feet above the level of the water, and it will havo three spans each 60 feet. At Salmon River, it is proposed to have a bridge 17 feet in height, with nine spans each 60 feet. At Coal Creek, a viaduct of considerable magnitude is at present considered necessary ; the height will be about 70 feet, with one span of 100 feet across the stream, and eleven 60 feet spans in the approaches. The calculation of quantities from the profile of this section gives the following totals : 1st. Common Excavation 734,125 cubic yards. 2nd. Culvert Masonry , 6,297 " 3rd. Bridge., , 10,683 " 4tb. Bridge Iron..,.,. 834 Tons. '^\^Q most ppnveqiei^t point for obtainlnp buildipg Htono has not been aioevtaincd. Bwt '.l 4i w 28 as tho proposed bridges are cither on or withiu a .sbort distauoo ol' (iraud Luke, wliich is navij^iitcd by steamboats running to St. John and Frcderictou, it is thought that the supply ofbuildiu;: material will not bo difficult, even should tlic immediate locality not produce it. (j ravel I'or ballast is plentiful. The timber, j'or tics, produced in this district is Spruce, Tamarac, and Prince's Pine. COAr, CREKK TO Al'OIfAQUI. Alter descending i'rom Coal Creek, with a (lO feet j:;i';ulc, the lino follow.s a southerly direction over a I'uvorable country, and reaches Canaan Ivivor near tho cluveuth mile. , (,'anaiin River is crossed at Long Rapids, and the lino there ascends by Porcupine Ifiliihi J>rook, ou grades generally (10 feet per mile, to Long's Creek Rridgo, which it reaches at ' ' tho loth mile. TJic line tlien descends to tho north branch of j^ong's Creek, which it crofses at about tho 17lh mile; then continues in a general southerly direction up the val- ley of the South ]irauch, on grades not exceeding i)2.8 Icet per mile ; it passes over a lidgc and enters Chowan's Gulch, a little beyond tho 21st mile. Chowan's Culch leads the line by a rapid descent, involving grades o4' 52.8 and GO icet per mile, for five and a half miles, to the valley of Studholme Mill Stream ; following wliieli, on undulating grades to about 31i miles, it joins tho I'.uropeau and North American Railway at Apoliaqui Station. The following is an abstract of all the grades on this section : TdrAL LENGTH IN MILKS. cHAHAcTErv OF GRADK3 FROM COAL CREEK TO APoiiAtjui. Ascending Asccndiug South, Nortli. Grades under 20 feet per mile 1.0 0.5 " 20 to 30 " " 0.4 1.9 " .30to40 '^ " 1.3 1.1 " 40 to .50 '• '• 1.3 0.4 " r)2.8 " " 4.7 6.9 " GO " '' 3.7 4.2 ^ " <;5 " '^ 0.8 0.0 Level 3.4 miles. Total length of Section 31.G " The bridge over the Canaan River will be the most costly structure on this section, its height above the water will be 55 feet, and it is proposed to have sis openings, one in the centre of 150 feet span, and live others each GO feet span. Tiic next bridge will be over the nortli branch of Ijong's Brook, it is intended to have three 30 feet spans, its height will be nearly thirty feet. Sharp's Brook, abifut the middle of the 25th mile, will rciiuiro to have a single span bridge of 40 feet, and 21 feet high. The last bridge on this section will bo over the Kencbcccasis River, about 400 yards I'lom Apohaqui Station, it will be 21 feet above summer water, and will have live spans, a centre one 150 feet in length, and four others each 50 feet long. The approximate quantities of v/ork on this section arc as follows : 1st. Common Excavation 850,860 cubic yards. 2nd. Assumed proportion of Rock Excavation. . . . 210,360 '' Total Excavation 1,067,220 <-' 3rd. Culvert Masonry.. 18,040 " 4th. Bridge Masonry 4,170 " 5th. Bridge Iron 38() Tons. It is reported that the locality around Canaan River and Porcupine Brook will afford good stone for heavy masonry. A standstonc crops out at other points along this section, but it is not sufficiently exposed to enable one to judge of its quality. Stone for culvert masonry in all probability can be had without much difficulty. There will bo no difficulty in olitaining good gravel for ballast. On this section Tamarao is abuadantj and j^iost of the other descriptions of tio'timbej-j already moQtioned, oaii be ht^cjr .• v-, . ■ ■■■•■■ '■■■'•=■■■•" '■" -"■'■^ '-'"-^ ■' ■ ■ '■ '■'" ■ ,, ■' •'■' 29 In concluding these remarks on the character of the lino surveyed throucjh the centre of Now Brunswick, I may allude briefly to its leading features. The course taken by the lice above described Irom the River du l.oup towards the southern part of New Brunswick is generally direct and at some distance Irom the easterrt Frontier of Maine. Except at one point, this distance ia not \osa tii:iM tiiat between the Grand Trunk Railway east of Quebec, and the nortlicrn boundary of tho same state ; the point referred to lies to the north and east of Grand Falls on tho Uivcr St. John. [ may mention, however, that at this point, which lies between thcRcstiuouche and tho Tobicjut-, I instituted a supplementary exploration after tho survey was finished and the discovery was made that the line approached the Frontier nearer than desired This exploration resulted in showing, that there is every probability of a f'uvorablo location beinj; obtain- able, without keeping so close to tho Boundary of the Province at this point. The alter- native line, which possibly can be had between the RcBtiu;oueho and Tobiiiuo Rivers, ia shown on the general map of the country which accompanies this. The line continues on a course towards the city of St. John, froueraily direct until Fredericton is reached. From Fredericton it was my object to tirul the shortest route to St. John on the cast side of tho river, the crossing of which is, in some respects, oI>jec- tionablc. To reach St, John on the easterly side of the river it was found ncoessary, on account of difficulties that could not be easily overcome, to pass round by the head of Grand Lake; and in this direction, though rather circuitous, a favorable line was found to a point of con- nection at Apohaqui with the existing railway leading to St. John. This is probably tho most direct line that can be had to tho City of St. John from Fredericton, without cross- ing the river. By crossing the river iu the neighborhood of Fredericton, St. .John may bo reached much more directly by way of Oromocto and Douglas Valley, on a line carefully surveyed last summer by Mr. Burpee for the New Brunswick Government, copies of the plana of which have been placed in my possession. This world, without question, bo the most direct central route from Canada to the Harbour of St. John on the vVtlantic seaboaril. The distances by the several projected lines wilkbe particularly referred to hereafter. The following general abstract will give an idea of the grades which may bo expectcl on the whole length of the surveyed lino beginning at River du Loup and ending at Apohaqui Station : CHABACTKB OF GRADBa ON WUOLR SOKVEYED LINK FROM TOTAL LENlJXlI IN MILfeS, . BivER nn LOUP TO APCUAQUi. Asceiiiling. Ascending. South. Nortli. Grades under 20 feet per mile ilA) 58.4 '< from 20 to 30 " " 9.G 29.9 •' 30to40" " 13.9 21.8 « 40 to 50" " 15.2 9.8 " 51.9 " '* 2.1 2,1 « .52.8 " '' 18,o 8,7 « 53.5 '' " 1,4 « 54 " " 1.3 « 66 " '• 1.5 « 58 " " 1.0 «. 59 " " 2,4 « 60 " " 4,7 10.9 « 61 '^ '' 3.3 « 68 " " 0.9 « 64 " " 3.2 " 65 " " 9.5 1.4 " 66 " ' *< 1.0 « 68 " «' 2.7 . • 8.0 « 69 " '' 1.7 ' " 70 '< " 11.5 9.ti , Level , 51.7 miles. ifot^l length , 360.0 i( • • » i3'< ; * Mk, '^■^ k m p ;' •, < * 'I ! >i ■■''■'■ k :. \m '''•'• n . . ^ !^H i^J ■A- i F:fl 1) B - - tT ^H i " -''fl . V ' i^ H . V ^-j i^ ■■ •i i '' : i i r'i*" t . '.i ■ '^-J'* ■i-\ j ;;-.i 30 (III 1 Tho above are the actual grades on the profile of the lino surveyed, hut as the direct route from Eagle Lake to Green River, referred to in the foregoing, will cut off a portion of the above lino, a certain alteration in the tablo of probable grades will bo necepsary. The direct routo between these points has not been instrumentally surveyed, and therefore the precise character of the grades is not known. It is believed, however, that whilst the construction of the Railway on the direct route from Eagle Lake to Green River would shorten the distance 20 miles, and thus reduce the whole length of lino to 340 miles, it would, at the same time, involve the adoption of a long ascending grade of a heavy char- acter, from near Sandy Lake, in the valley of tho Toledi, to a summit near the Canada and New Brunswick Boundary Line. Without doubt, some of the grades shown in the Table arc severe. But perhaps they are not more so than could reasonably bo expected, when the peculiar character of tho country, crossed by this line, is taken into consideration ; a maximum grade of 70 feet per mile is not greater than the maximum on the Railway irom Truro to Halifax, which must form a portion of the whole lino between the latter city and Canada. Nor is it greater, an I am informed, than the maximum on tho Portland Division of the Grand Trunk Railway. The ascents, however, on the lino surveyed, if not steeper, are much longer where they do occur than tlioso on cither of the two railways named. It is, perhaps, fortunate that the unfavorable grades are confined to particular points, instead of occurring at frequent intervals throughout the whole extent of the line; as, in the event of this line being selected and constructed, it could be worked with greater ad- vantage and economy, by employing extra engine power on heavy trains, onl^ at those points, instead of being obliged to use it throughout. It would be impossible to econo- mize engine power, and thus prevent unnecessary wear and tear, on level sections of the iine, were the maximum grades distributed. It happens that there are, in all, four points where gradients of an unfavorable char- acter occur, two of which are ascending south and two ascending north. The two where the gradients ascend south, are situated at the head of the Toledi and at the Wapskyhegan. The Toledi gradient is about 70 miles from the River du Loup, and the Wapskyhegan ascent is about 100 mil* still farther south. The two gradients ascending north are about 125 miles apart, ono is situated at the head of the Keswick valley, and the other at the head of the Gounamitz valley. If the length of the ascents at these four points be deducted from the length of the whole line, it will be found that 48 per cent, of tho remainder is level, or under 20 feet to the mile ; thirteen per cent., from 20 to 30 feet per mile ; eleven per cent., from 30 to 40 feet per mile ; eight per cent., from 40 to 50 feet per mile ; nine per cent., 52.8 per mile ; seven per cent., from 52.8 to 60 feet per mile, and four per cent., from 60 'to 66 feet per mile. In concluding tho description of the main features of the lino surveyed through the centre of New Brunswick, I desire to add that the survey can scarcely be considered much more than a mere exploration. The impenetrable character of the forest, more particular- ly to the north of the River Restigouche, the diflSculties experienced in getting supplieu forwarded through the woods, together with the limited time and means allowed for the service, rendered it impossible to accomplish more than a rough and rapid instrumental survey of a line, in all probability not the best that can be found through the country. However, sufficient information, it is hoped, has been procured to show, not only that a practicable line can be obtained, but also (although no great accuracy is professt 1) what it may possibly cost. Planft of this survey have been made on a scale of 500 feet to an inch horizontal. On these plans the line chained and levelled over is distinct from the railway line, the latter is shown in red, with regular curves and tangents, and it runs in the direction which it is thought a trial might take. Deviations from this line would no doubt be found necessary at many points, on more exact surveys being proceeded with ; but it is believed that al- though the alignment may frequently be changed, yet neither the gradients nor the work Died necessarily be increased. The approximate profile is intended to vepreaont the probable surface of the ground, the gradients, the cuttings, embankments, and othar work on the " Railway line ;" it iq {!P^pile4 frow^ i\^Q weMuromeiitB aud l^velfi tikeu (sn the Survey Jme, tjjat is, the Hqo o\ijf 81 out through tho woods, and also from such oroHS Hcctions or lateral oxplorationa ua were made or deemed necessary. Where the •' Railway lino" is on, or near tho line levelled over, the profile may be considered correct ; whore these lines nre some distance apart the former must be received as approximate only. The quantities of work hcrcib submitted are calculated from the npproziraato profile above referred to and, as far as known, are correct and ample. All the through cuttings are estimated to be SO feet in width ut formation level. Hide cuttings 24 feet wide, and embankments IH feet wide. Openings over 20 feet iu width are estimated to bo wrought Iron Tubes or Girders resting on substantial masonry. All openings under twenty feet are estimated to bo Arch or open Beam Culverts. The following are the total quantities of the chief classes of work, calculated as above described and considered sufiicieut to complete tho Bridging and Grading of the line, in a permanent and .substantial manner, from the River du Loup to Apohaqui, a distance of 340 miles. Total excavation 13,828,923 cubic yards. Assumed proportion of common Excavation 12,453,238 " " Assumed proportion of Rock Excavation 1,375,695 *' " Culvert Masonry 107,725 " « Bridge do 49,039 " « Bridge Iron ; 3,337 Tons. TPIE MATAPKUIA SURVEY. Lest the explorations through the centre of New Brunswick should prove UQauooesa- ful, and tho route by Bay Chaleurs, recommended by M^or Robinson in 1848, should under any circumstances appear entitled to the preference, I deemed it expedient to have a care* ful examination made of the section which that gentleman as well as Captain Henderson considered the most difficult and expensive between Halifax and Quebec. " The most formidable point of the lino is next to be mentioned— this is the passage up the Matapedia valley. << The hills on both sides are high and steep and come down either on one side or the other pretty close to the river's bank and involve the necessity (in order to avoid curves of very small radius) of changing frequently from one side to the other. The rock too is slaty and hard ; from this cause 20 miles of this valley will prove expensive but the grades will be very easy. " About fourteen bridges of an average length of 120 to 150 yards will be required up this valley. There is also a bridge of 2,000 feet long mentioned in the detailed report as necessary to cross the Miramichi River. ^'■Report of Major Robinson, 31af August, 18 i8." " The section of country lying between the Restigouche and St. Lawrence rivers is a vast tract of high land, intersected in every direction by deep valleys and vast ravines through which the rivers flowing to the St. Lawrence and Restigouche wind their course. " The height of land from which those rivers flow respectively north and south is full of lakes and along them the mountain ranges rise to a great elevation. " The average distance between these two Rivers is about 100 miles. " The only available valley which my knowledge of the country, or the explorations we have carried on enable me to report upon, by which a line of Railway can be carried through this mass of high lands is that of the Matepediac River. " This valley extends from the Restigouche to the Great Matapediac Lake, a distance of between 60 and 70 miles, and as the summit level to be attained in this distance is only 763 feet above tide water, the gradients generally speaking, are extremely favorable. " From the broken and rocky character of this section of country some portions of this part of the line will be expensive, especially the first 20 miles of the ascent, in which the hills in many places come out boldly to the river, and will render it uecessary to cross it in several places. " The rock formation i» nearly all slate ; there are settlements on the Matapediac River as far as the ; 11 stream. 3 •H I; -t mt '■if. I {. WR' '• • m 32 'I' U' : i ''' Pi " (.Jonornlly spoiikin^-, however, the firoatcr portion of this Hcetion of country is untit ibr cultivation, oonsi.stini^ of i\ p'jravclly rocky soil covered with an endless forest of nprucc, liirch, pirio, cedar, ko. " From tl)c ujouth of the river as far as the 3G5th mile the line continues upon the cast bunk ; above this, vl the mouth of ('lark's Brook the rocky bank of the river is very uiifavorablt!, and to obtain proper curves it crosses to the point opposite and then rccrosscs iinmcdiatoly above to the more favorable f^round on the east bank, between this and the mouth of the Ainmetssquaj^an River, the line, to obtain good curves and avoid those places whore the hills como out bold and rocky, crosses the river four times. " The position of the lino for three miles above and below Amraetssquaican lliver, where the hills aro steep and rocky close to the llivor, will bo the most expensive part of till! line. ** Above this the lino follows the eastern bank to the 377th mile. The hills on either side are very high, but the eastern bank is pretty favorable; between the 378th and 380th mile the river turrid twice almost ;it right angles. Shiic in on the south by a rocky preci- pice 150 feet high. " It will be necessary to cro?.-; tho river three times here. The centre bridge will bo a heavy one; but there is an island at the elbow which will serve as a natural pier. Above this, from the 380th mile to the Forks (tho mouth of the Casupsont River,) at the 395tli miie, tho valley becomes nioro favorable. Tho hills on cither side aro not so lofty and re- cede i'arther from tho river, tho lino crosses the river twice between the 385th and 390th mile to avoid a rocky precipice on the left bank ; and again about one mile below tho Forks, making in the first JUS miles, up the valley of the Matepediac, twelve bridges in all. Tho«e bridges will average iVom IL'O to 150 yards long, " Rijiorf of Captain Jhn- drrfOii, 184S." The object of Ihe examination was to ascertain the exact nature of tho dilliculties alluded to, if they could be more ^henply overcome or avoided, and also with a view to form an estimate oi' the whole expenditure required to construct this section. With this data the cost of the whole line it was supposed could be ascertained with sufficient accuracy, by adopting an (irdinary average charge per mile for the remainder of the lino, which the gentlemen referred to reported as extremely favorable and easy of construction. With this view I instituted a thorough survey of the Matepedia River and valley, beginning at its junction w'tli the llestigouche and running northerly. Tho Transit, Chain, and Level were used vliroughout. A longitudinal section was made from the Resii- gouche to the waters of the St. Lawrence, and cross sections were also made, whenever it appeared necessary, to ascertain the character of the slopes of the adjacent ground. The survey was continued northerly until tho waters leading to the St. Lawrence were reached. The field work is laid down to a scale of 200 feet to ono inch, on the plans which accom- pany this ; and shoitld^tho Matepedia vuute ever bo selected, the carefully prepared plans and other information derived from this survey, will be found of such a character, as will enable tho location of the line to be proceeded with, for a distance of about 70 miles, with- out additional preliminary examinations of any consequence. I shall now proceed to describe briefly the Engineering features of the lino surveyed. The River Matepedia flows in a direction from north-west to south-east, it takes its vise within twenty miles of the banks of the St. Lawence, at Grand M^tis, and discharges into the lliver Kestigouche some IG miles west of the Port of Campbeltown. From the point where the River Causapscal joins the Matepedia, known as " The Forks,' to the llestigtr.iiriic, a distance of 35 miles, the river flows through a rocky gorge with many twists ar.d windings, between banks on both sides, varying from 500 to 800 feet in height. These banks are in many places very precipitous, and rise immediately from the river's edge, but frequently there is a narrow flat margin, favorably situated for a road or railway. Above tho Forks tho character of the country is dififerent, the high banks begin to recede from the river, and although frequently rough ground is encountered, there arc no obstacles (if Tiiueli oi'iisequeuee. 'fho ]i ; point for bridging the River llestigouche, is still a question for future con- sideration. Tho line surveyed follows the easterly side of the Matepedia, and therefore in the event of this location being adopted, the bridge over the Restigouche would neceasarily bo placed below the junction of the two rivers; for a certain distance at least, the line L'." would bavo aa equally good locatioa to thu west n^ tho Matopedia, and there would be some advantapo, iu crossiuK tlio muia river above the point where the Matopedia discharges into it. Although thiH is uu important question of detail, it need not now be further alluded to. The section to bo deacribed, of wl' ich an approximate profile h prepared, and quanti- ties calculutod, if) 70 iuilot4 in length, and the miles are numbered on the plan from th« north to the south. It will be more cjnvenient, however, to describe the features of the line, beginning ut thu llestigouoho, ind running northerly. The 70th mile ends imme- diately opposite the farm house of Mr. Daniel Frascr, un the ilata where the Matapedia Joins the llestigouchc. At seven miles from the mouth of the Matapedia, Clark's Brook is crossed. Up to this point the general course of the river is straight, and a direct line can be had without much curvature, and with remarkably easy grades. The sharpest curve on this distance is a bhort 4" curve (1,432 feet radius) below Noonau'a Gulch, and the heaviest grade is 38 feet to the mile. At (Jlark's Brook the River takes a great bend to the west, necessitating a long curve of 1753 feet radius. At the 62ud mile the river again bends to the north, involving a compound curve with radii varying from 1,430 feet to 3,830 feet. From this point up to " lloll's (Jato," about the 5Sthmile, the curvature is easy, although frequent. Immedately north of Hell's (.J uto a sharp point of rock has been cut through, and the Asmagaugau River, a trioutary of the Matapedia, is then crossed. I'Vom the Asmagaugau, the line winds along the easterly bank of the l\Iutapedia, with almost level grades to Connor's Brook, between the 53rd and 56th mile; where ascending uud descending grades of 52.8 and 50 feet per mile, for about half a mile, are required to avoid a sharp curve. About two miles further up at a place called " the Lewis Rocks" the river takes several )'hi 'P, 99 Appendi* At .".I '■V Ill :.i| 1 U:t< ;l I ■ ;.! t I , > ii; ii! M'. I i • ■; i 88 There remains only to be described the character ot the land, aad iff tii ness for sei^le- mcnt in that part of Canada between the St. Lawrence and the Restigouchu, aloi'.g the line of the Matapedia survey. I find that this subject was specially inquired into some yearn ago, ana ^ v oport sub- mitted to the Honorable the Commissioner of Crown Lands of Canada, by Mr. A. W. Sims, the gentleman to whom the inquiry was intrusted ; the report embrace > all the infor- mation desired, and indeed much more than I could give from my own knowledge of the country. I have, therefore, made some extracts and appended them hereto. * VARIOUS PROJECTED ROUTES. « NEW BRUNSWICK ANU CANADA DIVISION OF THE SURVEY. Having described the Engineering features of the lines recently surveyed and sub- mitted estimates of the quantity of work considered necessary to complete the bridging and grading on each, I shall now refer to all the projected routes which seem worthy of at- tention, and which possibly may be found practicable on thorough surveys being made. I do not desire it to be understood that I now report all the lines about to be described as practicable. Some of them I believe to be practicable, but my personal knowledge of others is not sufficient to warrant me in expressing a positive opinion as to their feasibility. The lines and combinations of lines about to be referred to, are those which, from partial examinations and information acquired, I thiuk, offer a reasonable chance of being found practicable J and they are here described and classified in order that judgment may be formed as to which route or routes may be most eligible for farther surveys. These lines may coveniently be divided into three classes. First. — Frontier Routes. — Comprising those projected lines which, at one or more points, touch or pass close to the Frontier of the Uuitcd States. Second. — Central Routes. — Those lines which are projected to run through the inte- rior and keep at some distance from the Frontier as well as from the Gulf shore. Third. — Bay Chaleurs Routes. — Comprising those lines which touch the waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the Bay Chaleurs. The several lines herein rei'erred to may be traced on the accompanying General Map j they are numbered consecutively from the west to the east. It may be explained that the length of each is ascertained by measuring the distance on the map and adding a certain percentage for curvature. This percentage is based on the difference between the actual chaining of the surveyed lines on the ground, and the length thereof measured on the map. A method of computing the distances, which although perhaps not strictly correct, appears, under the circumstances, the most accurate that can be adopted ; and it will pro- bably give a suffici^tly close approximation. FRONTIER ROUTES. Line No. 1. — This line was projected some years ago to connect the Grand Trunk Railway, at River du Loup, with the Railway now in operation, from near Woodstock to St. Andrews ; an examination of the country was made by Mr. T. S. Rubridge, in 1859 or '60, and his report, with which I have been favored, contains a great deal of valuable in- formation, much of which is applicable to all the Frontier routes (see Appendix C). This line, after leaving River du Loup, is proposed to follow the valley of River Verte, to the water shod between the St. Lawrence and the River St. John, at an elcvatation of 880 feet above the sea; thence in a direction generally parallel to the Temiscouata Road to the falls of the Cabancau River ; from thence to the head waters of the River aiix Porches, and by the valley of that stream to the Degel(i settlement, at the southerly extremity ot Lake Te- miscouata. From Degel6 the line is proposed to follow the River Madawaska to the Ri- ver St. John at the Village of Little Falls. From Little Falls this line continues along the easterly bank of the River St. John, which it crosses at Grand Falls, and thence keeps on the westerly bank to Woodstock, con- necting with St. Andrew's Railway at some convenient point, probably by way of the Eel River Valley. This lino has not been surveyed instrnuieutally, but it is thought to be practicable ; the only doubtful section is that bctwcon River du Loup s^d tho Degcl^ ; but ,.-«.«*«*.T1,»WIVW * Km App«n4iK V, f I .>•: I more Map; hat the certain actual on the orrect, ill pro- Trunk itock to 1859 or ible in- This to the 580 feet ,he falls and by Lake Te- [the Ri- John, Ick, con- Itho Eel It to be [\6 ; U\ y9 should a direct line not be had here, a detour cither to the west by the valley of the River St. Francis, or to the east by the River Trois Pistoles, the Ashberish waters and Lake Temiseouata, will, without doubt, be found quite practicable, although the length of the line will bo considerably increased thereby. The estimated distances from River du Loup by this line are as follows : RAILWAY. Not Constructed. constructed. Total. To St. Andreivi— From River du Loup to junction with St. Andrew's Railway 210 210 Along St. Andrew's Railway 67 .... 67 Total G7 210 277 To St. John— From River du Loup to junction with St. Andrew's Railway 210 210 Along St. Andrew's Railway 27 .... 27 Surveyed line from St. Andrew's Railway by Oromoc- totoSt. John 82 .... 82 Total 27 292 319 To Halifax— From River du Loup to St. John, as above 29 292 319 Railway from St. John to Moncton 90 .... 90 Moncton to Truro ti 109 116 Truro to Halifax 01 ... 61 Total 184 401 585 Line No. 2.— This line is laid down on the Map from River du Loup to a point on the Trois Pistoles River, above the coufiucnce of tin; Abawisquash, where a bridge of an expensive character will be necessary. The section between River du Loup at this point is common to all the lines about to be described. From Trois Pistoles the line passes over to Lake Temiseouata, by the Ash- berish Lake and River; following the westerly shore of Lake Temiseouata to the Degel6 settlement, it thence continues alonji; the valley of the River Madawaska to Little Falls and the River St. John to St. Bazil. From this point, instead of following the immediate banks of the St. John to Woodstock, as line No. 1 does, it joins on to the exploration line made some three years ago by the St. Andrew's Railway Company, when they seemed to have seriously entertained the idea of extending to Canada. This line leaves the St. John River, near St. Bazil, and crosses the Grand River about 10 miles from its outlet ; it pa-sses about five miles to the east of Grand Falls, ane crosses the Tooique about fifteen miles from its mouth ; thence it is shown on the Map to cross over by the Otelloeh and Munquart Rivers to the St. John at Hardwood Creek. At Hardwood Creek the line crosses the St. John on a bridge, proposed to be 100 feet high, and fully 800 feet long, and continuing onwards it connects with the existing railway to St. Andrew's, at its present terminus, four miles west of Woodstock. The reports on tho exploration of this line northerly to Little Falls were furnished by the gentlemen representing the New Brunswick and Canada Railway Company, to whom I am much indebted. The detailed information thus obtained will be found on reference to Appendix D. About twenty-seven miles of this line north of Woodstock has been in- strumentally surveyed ; tho remainder to Trois Pistoles has only been partially explored. It is anticipated that serious, although perhaps not insuperable, difficulties will be met with between the high-level crossing of the St. John, and the crossing of the River To- bique, as well as the Degel6 on Lake Temiseouata. The estimate of the cost per mile, given by the Engineer of the tit, Andrew's Railway Company, in his report appended hereto, is, I presume, for the grading only. '■,■< t% ■ 'ti -,j'ii ''{i| S'-.-^i' . 1 ?l^ i\:t '■ 4 40 The estimated distances by this line are as follows : eaiuvay. Not Constructed, constructed. Total. To St. Andrew's — - From River du Loup to junction with tho present terminus of Canada and New Brunswick Rail- way, west of Woodstock '223 'J23 Along Railway to St. Andrew's 87 .... 87 Total 87 223 310 To St. John— — From River du Loup to near Woodstock, as above 223 233 Along Railway to proposed western extension from St. John 45 .... 45 Along surveyed line by Douglas Valley to St. John 82 82 Total 45 305 350 ToHaHfax— From River du Loup to St. John, as above 45 305 350 Railway fromSt. John to Moncton... ^yi ... 90 '' iMoncton to Truro 6 109 114 " '< Truro to Halifax 61 .... 61 Total 202 414 (UO Line No. 2. — From River du Loup to Grand Falls, this lino is precisely the same as No. 1. From Grand Falls it crosses over to Salmon River, and there joins the proposed extension of the Canada and New Brunswick Railway, as explored by Mr. Buck, the enginetr of that company (See Appendix D) ; it then follows Mr. Buck's exploratory line across the Tobique River to the head waters of the Munquart River, thence it crosses over and joins the line, surveyed by Mr. Burpee for the New Brunswick Government, from Fredericton to the City of St. John. This is tho mo3t direct line between River du Loup and tho City of St. John which is likely to be found practicable. It crosses and re-crosses the ' air line,' drawn from the extreme points to the north-easterly angle of Maine, no less than twelve times, and does not diverge from it at any point more than miles. There is, it must be confessed, some little uncertainty with regard to the feasibility of this line between the forks of the Mira- michi and the River Tobique — as well a3 between the Degel6 and River du Loup— these sections having been imperfectly explored ; but there is good reason to expect that a care- ful survey would result in showing that u line not unfavorable might be had through these sections as well as elsewhere. This line would require a very costly bridge over the River St. John near Fredericton, and another over the same river at the City of St. John. The distances to St. John and Halifax are estimated as follows : RAILWAY. Not Oonatructed. constructed. Total. To St. John— From River du Loup to Fredericton 235 235 From Fredericton to St. John by Oromocto and Doug- las valley 66 GO ^ Total 301 301 To Ilalifax — - — — From River du Loup to St. John, aa above 301 301 " St. John to Moncton 90 .... 90 1 ♦■ :Ionc(on to Truro 6 109 115 i •» Truro to Halifax 61 .... 61 Total 157 410 567| 41 CKNTUAIi ROUTES. LineA'a.'i. — This Hue is identical with the lino surveyed last suiunicr, from the River du Loup as far as Eagle Lak:. From Kap;le Lake it follows Eagle stream to the forks of the River Toledi; thence along the poncral direction of the Squatook Lakes, and across hy the head-waters of the Iroquois Ilivor to Green lliver Lake ; thence along the most favorable route that can bo had to the most westerly branch of the Restigouche, continuing along which, and probably by Hunter's lirook, it may rejoin the line surveyed last summer near the source of Grand lliver; thence following the surveyed line by Two Brooks, River Tobique, North Branch of the Miramichi and the Keswick valley, to opposite Fredericton. After crossing the River St. John, at Fredericton, it continues along the line of Mr. Burpee's survey from Fredericton to St, John, by Oromocto and Douglas valleys. The only portion of this line not iustrumcntally surveyed is that between Eagle Lake and Grand River, a distance of perhaps 80 miles. About half this distance, viz. : from the Squatook Lakes to the River Restigouche, has only been partially explored, but no insurmountable difficulty is supposed to exist. The survey and o.\aminations have shown the whole of the remainder of the line to be entirely practicable. It must be admitted, however, that the Bridges required across the River St. John at two points, aro formidable works. The distances by this line are estimatod at follows : railway. Not Con3ti'ucted. coustructed. Total. To Sl John— From River da Loup by Island and Eagle Lakes, the Squatook Lakes, Green River Lake, Resti- gouche, Hunter's Brook and survey line to Fredericton 260 260 From Fredericton, by Oromocto and Douglas Valley to St. John 6G 66 Total 326 326 To Halifax— From River du Loup to St. John as above '326 326 " St. John to Moncton 90 .... 90 " Moncton to Truro 6 109 116 " Truro to Halifax 61 .... 61 Total 157 435 592 Liae No. 5. — This follows the line surveyed, and already described. From Fredericton to St. John, it follows tho Oromocto and Louglas Valley route like Nos. 3 and 4, and equally with them it requires the bridging of the River St. John at two places. With the exception of tho portion between Eagle Lake and the sources of the Green River, referred to iu the description, this line has been instrumentally examined from end to end, and without doubt is quite practicable. The distances to St. John and Halifax are estimated as under. RAILWAY. Not To St. John — Constructed. coustructed. Total. From River d'*^ Loup by Island and Eagle Lake, South East Branch of Toledi, North West Branch of Green River, Moose Valley, Gouna- mitz Valley, Boston Brook, Two Brooks, North Branch of Miramichi and Keswick River to Fredericton 262 262 From Fredericton to St. John by Oromocto and Doug- las Valley 66 66 Total 328 328 T \- ■/■• I f 'I H •■ 'i-^i- ■/■ s \ ' ■ : } .- 1 * ; :;; V, "i ■; i • '. '■ 1 5 m fm ■if' ii I 42 'i^"^ ilil: m '•I' To HaU/ax— From River du Loup to Frcderictou as above 262 262 From FiederictoD to St. John 66 66 St. John to Monctou 90 .... 90 Moncton to Truro 6 109 115 Truro to Halifax 61 .... 61 Total 157 437 594 Line No. 6. — This is ideutical throughout the whole extent with the line surve}'ed last suminer to Apohaqui Station on the llailway running from St. John to Shediac, and need not again be described. The distances by this line are : railway. Not Constructed. constructed. Total. To St. John— From River du Loup by Fredericton and head of Grand Lake to Apohaqui 348 343 From Apohaqui by Railway in operation to St. John. 37 .... 37 Total 37 843 380 To Halifax— From River du Loup by Fredericton and head of Grand Lake to Apohaqui 848 343 From Apohaqui to Moncton 53 .... 53 " Moncton to Truro 6 109 115 " Truro to Halifax 61 .... 61 Total , 120 452 572 Line No. 7. — This line follows precisely the same route as line No. 6 from River du Loup as far as the head of Grand Lake, touching on its way the River St. John opposite Fredericton. From the head of Grand Lake, instead of running southerly to Apohaqui, it continues in a direction nearly easterly, over ground known to be favorable, until it intersects the existing Railway from St. John to Shediac at such point as may be found most suitable, probably about 12 or 13 miles west of Moncton. • The folkiwing are the estimated distances to St. John and Halifax by this line : RAILWAY. ' Not Constructed. constructed. Total. To St. John— From River du Loup by , surveyed line to head of Grand Lake 304 304 From head of Grand Lake to Junction with Railway, west of Moncton 45 45 Along Railway to St. John 77 .... 77 Total 77 349 426 To Halifax— From River du Lonp to head of Grand Lake as above 804 304 From head of Grand Lake to Railway Junction west of Moncton 45 45 Along Railway to Moncton 13 .... 13 From Moncton to Truro 6 109 115 From Truro to Halifax 61 .... 61 Total 80 458 538 Line No. 8. — This line, from River du Loup to the River Restigouche, ooincides 43 ^ with the surveyed lice (No. 6) betweeu these points. From the Restigouche it follows Boston Brook to Jardines Brook, and continues by an explored passage from the latter stream to the valley of the Sissou Branch of the River Tobique ; following which it is sup- posed that, with some diffculty, a practicable route may be had by the Forks and right hand Branch of the Tobique to Long Lake or Tobique Lake ; thence the line is drawn on the map to the sources of Clear Water Brook, and by a route explored under my directions, by Mr. Tremaino, C.E., in March, last year, to Rocky Brook, and thence by the main Miramiohi to Boiestown ; ftum Boiestown this line is laid down to the head of Navigation on Grand Lake, where it intersects the surveyed line (No. 6) and follows it to Apobaqui Station. A long extent of this line, viz. : from the River Restigouche to Grand Lake, has not been instrumentally surveyed, and it has only been partially explored ; enough, however, is known of the country to give good ground for the supposition that a line may be found, within the limits of praotioability, along the general direction of the route indicated. It is not, however, believed that a line can be had without severe gradients as well as heavy works of construction. Mr. Tremaiue's report on the aneroid exploration made by him, from Boiestown across the Tobique Highlands, will be found In the Appendix (E). The distances to St. John to Halifax by this line are approxiraately estimated as fol- lows : RAILWAY. Not Confltracted, constructed. Total! To St. John— From River du Loup, by Survey line, to Restigouche 120 120 From Restigouche, by Forks of Tobique and Boies- town, to head of Grand Lake 148 148 From head of Grand Lake, by surveyed line, to Apohaqui 39 39 From Apohaqui to St. John 37 — 37 Total 37 307 344 To Halifax— From River du Loup to head of Grand Lake as above .... 268 268 From Grand Lake to Apohaqui 39 89 From Apohaqui, along Railway, to Moncton 53 — 53 From Monoton to Truro 6 109 115 From Truro to Halifax 61 .... 61 Total 120 416 536 Line No. 9. — This line follows the same as the last (No. 8), from River du Loup to the head of Grand Lake. From Grand Lake, instead of running to Apohaqui on the sur- veyed line, it is drawn easterly across a country without engineering difficulties, to a point of intersection with the existing Railway, about 13 miles west of Moncton. The distances by this line are estimated to be : RAILWAY, Not Constructed. coDstracted. Total. To St. John— From River du Loup to head of Grand Lake, the same asbyLineNo.S 268 268 From Grand Lake to Railway Junction near Moncton .... 45 45 Along ]Railway to St. Johi^ 77 .... 77 ilot'ftl'to.ix* •• •••••i> ••••••■>•«•••** ••••••••• •• oiu oy\j ■ i^P' '■■' ■■>■ '• ■■ ■ .. •■ •" . ••^n r;- I'i A: ■• n ' ^m 44 1^! . ii ii. m^ H Alii WAT. Not Constructed. lonstructed. Total. To Bali/ax— From River du Loup to point of intersection west of Moncton with Railway 313 313 Along Railway to Moncton ].". 13 From Moncton to Truro (i 100 115 From Truro to Halifax 01 .... 61 Total ?0 422 502 Line No. 10. — This lino corresponds with the two last, Noh. 8 and 9, from River du Loup to the Tobique Lakes ; it is then drawn across to the Village of Tndiantown, on a course between the north branch of the Renous River and the Little south-west Bliramichi. This route, from the Tobiquo Lakes to Indiantown, is strongly recommended as favorable, by the Hon. P. Mitchell, of New Brunswick. From Indiantown it follows Major Rohin- fion's line, to Ructouche River, and then continues southerly to Moncton. This is unques- tionably one of the most direct lines between Halifax and River du Loup, and possibly it may be found practicable throughout ; but it is impossible to speak with certainty, without more information than is at present possessed. ]ktween the Tobique Lakes, the sources of the Renous and the Miramichi, is the part of the country least known. Mr. Mitchell says that the waters of the Tobique, hero inter- lock with the sources of the Little South-west Miramichi, and that the character of Iho country is level. This being the case, there is reason to suppose that a railway line may be located through the country on the line indicated. The distances by this line are estimated as follows : RAILWAY. Not Constructed. constructed. Total. To St. John— From River du Loup to the Tobique Lakes 180 180 From the Tobique Lakes to Indiantown 64 64 " Indiantown to E. & N. A. Railway 82 82 Along Railway to St. John 96 96 Total % 326 422 To Bali/ax— From River du Loup to E. & N. A. Railway, as above .... 326 326 From E. & N. A. Railway to Truro 109 109 " Truro to Halifax 61 ... 61 Total : 61 435 496 Line No. 11. — This line corresponds with the surveyed line (No. 6), from River du Loup to Island Lake, and perhaps as far as Eagle Lake. It passes over from thcde waters on a level to the Toradi, and continues along that river up the Rimouski to the boundary line between Canada and New Brunswick ; it passes over throui^'h a favorable opening in ihe Highlands to the valley of the south branch of the Kedgwick, and thence it is assumed that the line may gradually descend by the south branch and main Kedgwick to the Rcs- tigouehe. Difficulties are said to exist in the lower part of the south branch ; should these prove too expensive to overcome, they can, I have reason to believe, be entirely avoided by following the general direction of the line shewn on the map, from the Restlgouchc to Kedgwick Lake, and thence down the main valley. From the Restigouche the lino is drawn by Five Fingered Brook across to the Sissou branch of the Tobiquo ; hero it joins line No. 8, with which it corresponds thence to Apohaqui. On this line difficulties may be encountered in passing over from Five Fingered Brook to the Si.ssiou branch, as well a^ 9t points on Line No. 8, fl^lrcady nicntioppd, but it is not supposed thoy will prove insupcrablp 45 > •! The following nrc the estimated distances to St. John and Halifax by this line : RAILWAY. Not GoDBtructed. Conitructed. Total. To St. John— From River du Loup by the llimouski and Kedgwick, the Forks of Tobique and Boiestown, to the head ofGrandLako 284 284 From the Head of Grand Lake to Apohaqui 39 39 Apohaqui by Railway to St. John 37 .... 37 Total 37 323 552 To Halifax— From River du Loup to the Apohaqui as above 323 323 Apohaqui, along Railway, to Junction 59 .... 59 From Junction to Truro 109 109 '< Truro to Halifax 61 ... 61 Total 120 432 55.! Line No. 12. — This line is the same as the last from River du Loup as far as the head of Grand Lake, but here it turns off to the east and intersects the existing Railway a tew miles west of 3Ioncton. The distances are estimated to be : RAILWAY. Not ConBtructed. conotructed. Total To Si. John— From River du Loup to the head of Grand Lake, the same as No. 11 284 284 From the head of Grand Lake to Junction west of Moncton 45 45 From junction, along Railway to St. John 77 ... 77 Total 77 329 406 To Halifax — From River du Loup to the intersection with the Railway west of Moncton, as above 329 329 Along Railway to Moncton 13 ... 13 Moncton to Truro 6 109 115 Truro to Halifax 61 ... 61 Total 80 438 518 BAT CHALEUR8 ROUTES. There liey south of the River Restigouche, north of the Miramichi, east of the most easterly central line above described, a tract of country over sixty miles in width, and extremely unfavorable for railway construction. Owing to the rugged and mountainous character of this district, it is hopeless to look for a line suitable for a Railway through it, aud in consequence of these features, the lines already referred to, all pass to the west, while those about to be described are led round the other side of the Highland region, as far to the cast as the shores of the Bay Chaleurs ; hence the name by which the latter lines are designated, to distinguish them from the Central and Frontier Routes. Line iVb. 13. — This line continues on the same course as the line, No. 11, from River duLoup, by Island Lake, Riveni Toledi and Rimouski, to Kedgwick Lake. From Kedg- wick Lake it is thought the lino can be carried into the valley of the Patapedia and thence to the Restigouche. It must be confessed that this is only a conjecture, based not on a knowledge of the immediate locality, as the exploration did not extend to this quarter, but ■}j} a knowledge of the geaeral o^raoter pf the coijotry. Should, ^oweyer, ♦^is view proye |! '■\\ -<■ i I 'VI 1 ■? : '\ ■rfr ■K. {■ m 4G III' ■iji •i'i( <( << <( K (< (i H It ti t( (i u II i< (( <( li . 3 runs along the boundary of Maine for about 40 miles, and then gradually diverp;es from it. Line No 4, for a distance of twenty or thirty miles, is within 18 miles of the Boundary line. Liuc A^os. 5 , G and 7 are generally not nearer to the Boundary line than the minimum distance between the Grand Trunk Railway and the northern Frontier of Maine ; this distance, in a direct line, is from 27 to 2S miles. At one point, lines Nos. 5, 6 and 7 are within this distance, but it is believed that at this point the distance may be increased in making a location survey. Lino No. 5 runs from Fredericton to the City of St. John, on the westerly side ot the St. John River. Lines Nos. 6 and 7 do not cross the river Lines Nos. 8, 9 and 10 are each, only at one point, within 27 miles of the Boundary line, throughout the remainder of their coiurae they are at a greater distance trom it. Lines Nos. 11 and 12 are each about 30 m'.les from the Boundary line, at the nearest point, for the rest of th^ way they are at a much greater distance from it. Lines Nos. 13, 14 and 15 are each nearer the boundary line at River du Loup than at any other point, and as they rua by the Bay Chaleurs, they arc generally at an extreme distance from the Frontier of Maine. COMMERCIAL ADVANTAGES OF DIFFERENT ROUTES. The next topic upon which I am required under my Instructions to report, is the com- parative advantages of the various routes embraced in the survey, in a commercial point of view. In approaching this subject I most coofess my entire inability to discuss it satis- factorily My time has been so wholly taken up with matters purely connected with the survey, during the short period which has elapsed eince it commenced, that I have not been able to give this most important question the attention which it justly demands. Ii\ my desire, therefore, to carry out the instractions of the Government, I can only submit the imperfect impressions which I have formed on this branch of the enquiry. It would be needless to attempt a comparison of the commercial merits of each of the iifteen separate lines and combinations of lines herein alluded to; it will probably be suffioient to deal with them generally, as Frontier, Central and Ba^ Chaleurs Routes. The Nova Scotia Division of the survey, being common to all routes through New Brunswick, will not be embraoed in the comparison ; and the military objections to the Frontier lines, 6] or to any of the lines, will, for the present, be disregarded. The question of " Local" and " Through traffic " will be be considered separately. LOCAL TRAFFIC. The valley of the River St. John is generally well settled from the Bay of Fundy to Little Falls, where the Temiscouata Portage to River du Loup (about 75 miles in length) begins. The lumbering operations of New Brunswick arc now carried on, chiefly on the upper waters of the River St. John; and the supplies ior the lumbermen, which are not produced in the locality, are now in a great measure brought from the United States, by water to the City of St. John, and thence up the river. A. railway from River du Loup, through this section would enable provisions for consumption in the lumbering districts, not only of New Brunswick but also of Maine, to be brought in direct from Canada, and thus greatly tend to develop the industry and resources of these regions. At the present time, Cana- dian flour may be seen within sixty miles of the St. Lawrence, after having been trans- ported, in the first place, to New York or Portland, then shipped to St, John and floated up the river in steamers and flat boats. This trade would manifestly be changed by the construction of the Intercolonial Railway, on a frontier route, to the advantage of the lumbering interests ; and the traffic resulting therefrom wovid form an item in the revenue of the contemplated work. It is said that as much as 80,000 barrels of flour, pork and other merchandise arc annually imported to the valley of the River St. John, north of Woodstock; and that the population of this district, including the Aroostook lumbering country in the State of Maine, is estimated at 40,000. A central route will have the least population to accommodate immediately along the line; indeed, between the Miramichi and St. Lawrence there is only one settlement, which consists of a few families on the Tobiquc River. By opening roads, however, to the cast and west, the county of Restigouche and the valley of the St. John would be easily reached, and a considerable portion of the trade of these sections brought within the influence of the Railway. A lice through the centre of New Brunswick, would take the supplies for the lumbering trade, and would rapidly settle up the large tracts of cultivable land in this district. A railway so situated would, as a lino of communication, have similar cff'ects on the trade and progress of New Brunswick as the River St. John has had, with this addi- tional advantage, it would be open all the year instead of half of it. In much less time, it is believed, than has been occupied in setfling and improving the lands which nature made accessible by the river, would the artificial means of commu- nication result in populating the interior of the country through the greater part of it.s length ; and thus develop and foster a traffic which does not now exist. A Railway constructed by the Bay Chaleurs would pass through a country already in part settled; and it would be of the greatest importance to Campbeltown, Dalhousie, Bathurst, Chatham, and other towns and villages on the Gulf shore. Compared with the Central and Frontier Routes, it would not perhaps to to the same extent serve the lumbering in- terests of New Brunswick; nor would it reclaim as much wild land, although there are large sections even on this route said to bo capable of cultivation, yet lying wild. A proper judgment of the local traffic at present existinu' may, perhaps, best be form- ed by comparing the population along each route. The population in the section of country through which a Frontier line would pahs, embracing the whole of the counties of Victoria, Carleton, York and one-halt of Sunbury and Queens, is, according to the last census, 51,175 ; to which may be added 20,000 for the northern and eastern parts of Maine, which adjoin New Brunswick, and which would be accommodated by a Railway running along its border. If to the above we add the popu- lation on the Temiscouata Portage, and a percentage for natural increase since the last census was taken, we shall have a population of over 80,000 in the district which would be served by a Frontier route. The population in the district afi'ected by the Central routes, is ohiefly confined to the Rection south of the Miramichi, and may be estimated at one half of the counties of Qurena, Sunbury and York, amounting to 21,404 ; to this may be added the whole of the couaties of Victoria and ReBtigoucbe, 12,575, and a portion of the north-easterly part of Maine; !> "H tlie freight to and from the scabo^r4 wbiph woijjd bcftr the cost of tnmsportatioo j md m th9 (>9^^1f9^V^i tO » TT 58 great extent, depend on the length of railway to bo passed over, it would be of considerable importance to have the shortest and most favorable line selected, to the best and nearest port on the Bay of Fundy ; and therefore, with respect to the " through ^ jight" traffic, the frontier lines are entitled to the preference, and next to them some of the central lines. As the probable " through freight traffic " depends on so many contingencies, it is impossible to form any proper estimate of its value ; but of this we may rest satisfied, if the construction of the Intercolonial Railway, by opening out an independent outlet to the ocean, prove instrumental in keeping down the barriers to Canadian trade, which our neighbours have the power to erect, it might, in this respect alone, be considered of the highest com- mercial advantage to Canada. It is scarcely likely that the people of the United Stat3s would permanently allow themselves to place restrictions on Canadian traffic, wheu they discovered that by so doing they were simply driving away trade from themselves ; and in this view the contemplated railway may fairly be considered, especially by the people of that part of Canada west of Montreal, of the greatest value to them when least employe>. The distance from Halifax to Montreal by this route is estimated at 84(i miles, while the distance by the Frontier and Central lines, which form the shortest connection between Canada and the Bay of Fundy, embracing lines Nos. 1 to 6, averages 871 miles in length. Thus, it is evident that the passenger traffic of the Intercolonial may, on any of these lines being constructed, be tapped near its root, and much of it drawn uway. Under these circumstances, it is too apparent that the Intercolonial Railway may find in the United States route a formidable rival for Canadian passenger traffic, to and from Europe, by way of Halifax. Fortunately, with a view to counteract this difficulty, a line by the Bay of Chaleurs would offer special advantages, which may here be noticed. f\}e C|)art whiph apcoiupanics this will show that the eptr(iqno to tlio Bay of ChM^nn ^1 f . ! ••■ ( -l-!l t ^ in I m. i 54 ifl BO sitaated geographically that, while it is about aa near Europe as the entrance to Halifax Harbour, it is at the same time several hundred miles nearer Montreal and all other points west of that city. Some of the projected lines of railway touch the Bay Chaleurs at Dalhousic and at Bathurst ; the latter place is not admitted to be suitable for the purposes of steam naviga- tion, and the former, although in possession of a fine sheet of water, well sheltered and accessible at all conditions of the tide, is, nevertheless, from its position, at the extreme westerly end of the Bay, further Inland than might be wished. In order to reduce the steamship passage to a minimum it is desirable to have tho point of embarkation as far easterly as possible, and therefore the existence of a commodious harbour near the entrance of the Bay is of no little importance. A place named Shippigao, on the southerly side of the entrance of the Bay Chaleurs, appears to have many of the requisites of a good harbour. It is thus spoken of in the reports on the Sea and River Fisheries of New Brunswick,* published nnder the authority of the Legislature of that Province : — "great shippioan harbour. '* This spacious harbour is formed between Shippigan and Pooksoudic Islands and the main land. It comprises three large and commodious harbours; first, the great intlet of Amqui, in Shippigan Island, the depth of water into which is from four to six fathoms; second, the extensive and well-sheltered sheet of water, called St. Simon's Inlet, the chan- nel leading to whieh, between Pooksoudie Island and the main, is one mile in width, with seven fathoms water from side to side. " The principal entrance from ahe Bay Chaleurs has not less than five fathoms on the bar, inside which, within the harbour, there arc six and seven fathoms, up to the usual loading place, in front of Messrs. Moore and Harding's steam saw mill, at the village; from thence to the gully there is about three fathoms water only. Vwsels within the harbour of Shippigan have good anchorage, are quite safe with every wind, and can load in the strongest gale. The rise and fall of the tide is about seven feet. " The noble haven called St. Simon's Inlet, the shores of which arc almost wholly un- settled, and in a wilderness state, runp several miles into the land, maintaining a good depth of water almost to its western extremity." Duncan McNiel, an old pilot, frequently employed on the Government steamers when calling at New Brunswick ports, describes Shippigan as a good harbour, with plenty of water regular soundings, and tough blue clay-holding ground, indeed, where vessels would be perfectly secure in any storm. He says that he could take a ship of heavy draught into it in any weather, by night or by day ; that, in dirty or dark weather, he would go entirely by the lead. Others describe Shippigan Harbour as unobjectionable. The Admiralty chart seems to a<^ce in the main with the descriptions above given ; it shows that the area of the basin. embracing only the water over the 8-fathom line at low tide, is about two and a half square miles* a sheet about double the size of Halifax Harbour between St. George Island and the narrows to Bedford Basin. The only objectionable feature seems to be the channel at the entrance, which is about three miles long to the basin, a little crooked, and, at present, without leading marks; it is, however, about half a mile in width, free from all obstruc- tions, the depth varying from five to nine fathoms at low water. There is good warning by the lead in the channel and the approaches to it. It would appear from the above, therefore, that Shippigan Sound presents a favorable opportunity for forming a traffic connection between the Intercolonial Railway and Ocean Steamers. A comparison of distances will now show the importance of Shippigan in connection with the contemplated Railway : DISTANCE TO LIVERPOOL. mi&B. From Halifax, by Cape Race 2466 From Shippigan, by Cape Race • 2493 From Shippigan, by Bellcisle 2318 Difference against Shippigan , by Cape Race 27 Difference in favor of Shippigan, by Belleisle 148 • 0T Mr. PtrUy, Ute H«rlMigest7's"liaigration7aDd latterly FUber^, Commissioner. 55 DISTANCE CO QUEBEC. MileB. From Halifax, by Bangor and Danville 865 From Halifax, by Bay Chaleurs route 685 From Shippigan, by Bay Chaleurs route 419 Difference against Halifax by Intercolonial lino 266 Difference against Halifax by United States line 446 DISTANCE TO MONTREAL. From Halifax, by Bangor and Danville 846 From Shippigan, by Intercolonial route 575 Difference against United States route 271 DISTANCE TO TORONTO. From Halifax, by Bangor and Portland, Boston, Albany and Niagara Falls 1300 From Shippigan, by Intercolonial line and Canadian railways 906 Difference against United States routes 304 DISTANCE TO BUFFALO. From Halifax, to Bangor, Boston and Albany 1210 From Shippigan, by Intercolonial and Grand Trunk to Toronto and by Great Western to Niagara Falls and Buffalo 1012 Difference in favor of Intercolonial and Canadian routes 198 DISTANCE TO DETROIT. From Halifax, by Bangor, Portland, Boston, Albany, Buffalo and Clevelar.d 1572 From Halifax, by Bangor, Portland, Boston, Albany, Niagara Falls and Great Western Railway 1446 From Shippigan by Intercolonial and Grand Trunk Railways 1137 Difference in favor of Shippigan and against United States route 435 Difference against United States and Great Western 309 DISTANCE TO CHICAGO. From Halifax, by Bangor, Portland, Boston, Albany, Buffalo, Cleveland and Toledo 1748 From Shippigan, by Intercolonial line, Montreal, Toronto and Detroit.. . . 1418 Difference in favor of Shippigan and against United States route. 330 DISTANCE TO ALBANY. From Halifax, by Bangor, Portland and Boston 912 From Shippigan, by Intercolonial, River du Loup and Montreal 817 From Shippigan, by Intercolonial (line No. 13) to Apohaqui, then by St. John, Bangor, Portland and Boston 879 J, Difference in favor of Shippigan and Intercolonial by River du Loup 95 Difference in favor of Shippigan and Intercolonial Route by Apo- haqui ., 33 ;• DISTANCE TO NEW YORK. From Halifax, by Bangor, Portland and Boston 943 From Shippigan, by Intercolonial line to River du Loup, thence by Grand Trunk to Sherbrooke and by Connecticut River Railway.* 927 • This rout© will be complete on the conatruction of a Railway bow in progresa, and lom* 30 mdeB in lea^th, by the Massiwippi Valley. This Bhort Railway will connect the OrMd Traak, loatlt^ or Sherbrooke, with the OonnecUcnt River line and fom a direct route to Ntw Tork. i .■■'■ ;' '.it i . < ri- se * ■ !; I . ' i »- • ■ ■ — — DISTANCE TO NEW YORK— Con^miwrf. Miles. From Shippigan, by Intercolonial (line No. 13) to Apohaqui, thence by St. John, Bangor, Portland, and Boston 910 Difference in favor of Shippigan and Intercolonial route by River du Loup 10 Difference in favor of Shippigan and Intercolonial Route by Apo- haqui and St. John 33 DISTANCE TO ST. JOHN, N. B. From Halifax, by Moncton 260 From Shippigan, to Apohaqui 233 Difference in favor of Shippigan 33 The above comparisons show that while Shippigan is practically not farther from Liverpool than Halifax, Halifax is farther from the various places referred to as follows : Miles. From Quebec, by Intercolonial route 266 From Quebec, by United States route 446 From Montreal, and all parts west on the Grand Trunk, by the Intercolonial 266 From Montreal, by the United States route 271 From Toronto, " " " 394 From Buffalo, <' « " 198 From Detroit, " '' " 435 From Detroit, by the United States and the Great Western Railway 309 From Chicago, by the United States 330 From Albany, " " 95 From New York, " " 16 and 33 The above distances also show that Shippigan is 33 miles nearer St. John, N. B., Portland, Boston, New York, and every point west, by the Intercolonial line to Apohaqui, than Halifax is by the shortest possible route now comtemplated, It is obvious, therefore, that the adoption of Shippigan as the point of connection with Ocean steamers would not only neutralize the danger to be feared from the rivalry of the Bangor extension, but it would constitute this line as far as it could bring traffic, a feeder to the Intercolonial Railway from the south. It is clear too, that the extremely favorable position of Shippigan, in relation to the whole of New Brunswick and Canada, as well as to all points in the Western States, bordering on, and west of the Great Lakes, would prove mostbenefic'al to the Intercolonial Railway in securing to it avery large share of " Through Passenger Traffic." ' It is true that this port on the Bay Chaleurs could only be used probably during seven or eight months in the year, as the Gulf of St. Lawrence cannot be considered navigabla during the winter season. ]3ut as the great majority of passengers, including emigrants, travel during the summer, the Intercolonial Railway would be situated in a most favorable position for carying them. It would also, without doubt, have a reasonable chance of securing the transportation of the great bulk of European Mail matter, as well as all descrip- tions of light Express freight, which usually seeks a rapid means of transit. During a greater part of winter Halifax would be the point of connection between the steamers and the proposed Railway j then the latter would unavoidably enter into competition with the United States lines. There is this objection to the selection of Shippigan as the port of call for Ocean steamers, it would involve the construction of 45 miles of additional Railway. This is not, however, at present indispensable, as Dalhousie could be advantageously used, until cir- cumstances justified the building of a branch from the main line to Shippigan. The touching at this port on the Gulf, would probably result eventually, in other special advantages, national as well as commercial, the nature of which are more particularly referred fo in the Appendix (F). In summing up the foregoing, it is obvious that, as far as I am capable of judging, thQ comparative advantages of the various routes may thus be stated : m 67 mmm^^ A Frontier Route would accommodate the largest amount of " Local " traffic, and in the highest degree would serve the purpose of Canada in winter as an outlet for heavy " THROUail FREIOHT," A Central Route would, next to a Frontier line, be the best for the transportation' of 'l I greater than the other, that even if the best should cost considerably more originally, it will be found the- cheapest in the end. In the estimate an allowance of ten per cent, on the whole mileage of the Railway h made for sidings. It is believed that thb proportion will be sufficient for operating the line until the traffic greatly increases. STATIOJr ACCOMMODATION. With regard to the Station accommodation and general Depot services, I would, in submitting an estimate ot this kind, prefer defining the number of Stations and character of buildings which in my opinion would be required. But as the route itself is quite au open question, it is impossible to judge what may be necessary, und therefore, I can only include in the estimate a uniform mileage charge for these services. I may remark, however, that I consider an efficient water service with commodious wood-sheds, indispensable, and this should be the first thing looked to along the line. With the exception of a few points where towns are touched and where proper accom- modation must be provided, I can see no necessity for much expenditure on Station build- ings. Whilst I would strongly recommend that the Railway proper, and everything im- mediately appertaining thereto, such as Bridges, Culverts, Embankments, Ballast, Rails, &c., be made of the best materials and in the most substantial manner, so as to insure speed, safety and economy, in transit and maintenance, I think it would be unwise to expend money through the wilderness districts, in costly buildings which for many years cannot be required. If necessary let a fund be reserved for the purpose of being expended from time to time as required, and as traffic through the country gradually develops itself, but in the meantime, only a limited number of Station building.-), and these of the simplest character, need be erected. Permanent establishments fov the accommodation and repair of Rolling Stock are in- dispensable ; they will coL\.si.st of engine stable.s, and work-shops with machinery for re- pairs; they should be situated at such central and convenient points us may, on a full consideration of the advantages of each locality, be determined. ROLLING STOCK. . It is difficult to form an eslimate either of the kind or quantity of the Rolling Stock likely to be required, as so much di»f*ods on the character of the tr.itlie, and this again is in a great measure governed by the route which may ultimately be selected. I think that cho best course is to provide a moderate quantity of Rolling Stock, comprising cars suitable for the dificrent kinds of traffic ; together with a reserve fund to be expended as the nature of the traffic develops itself aud as increased equipment be- comes necessary. The Rolling Stock which I consider may with propriety be furnished in the first place, is the following proportions : — 15 Locomotives for every 100 niles of Railway. 4 Sleeping Cars '' *' 4 First Class Passenger Cars " " 8 Mail, Baggage 2nd Claaa Can 40 Box Freight Cars « « 80 Platform Cars « '• 20 Hand Cars « These of the best description, together with a.>iufficient number of snow-ploughs, either fitted to, or separate from the engine, can be furnished for $300,000, or at an average mileage cost of 83,000. COHTINUENCIES. In order to provide fully for every expenditure, it will be necessary to embrace in the estimate an allowance for contingencies fur miscellaneous expenses, and also a reserve fund for increasing the Rolling Stock as well as the Station accommodation. There are various miscellaneous serriees which will be made a charge on the fund for cootiogenoies, of which may be mentioned • telegraph, workmen's dwellings, road oross- G5 ings in settlements, printing, advertising, &c. The estimate, would not be complete with- out embracing a i'und for all these and all other expenses incidental to construction, The allowance in the estimate, docs not however provide for interest, discount, commission, or other charges on capital. THE ESTIMATES. Elaving described in general terms the nature of the sarvicos for which expenditure of capital will be required, in the construction of the contemplated Intercolonial Kailway, I shall now proceed to submit estimates of its probable cost. In doing so I may observe, that considering the character of the survey, no great pretensions to accuracy can reason- ably be expected. At the same time I may add, that the knowledge I have acquired of the country by the recent examinations, induces me to believe that although the estimates are only approximations yet they iiccd not under proper management be exceeded. There are certain services which do not altogether depend on the measurements made on the lines of survey ; on estimating the costs of these I deem it best to consider them uniform mileage charges. Tuey arc as Ibllows : — UNIFOllM MILEAGE CHARGES. 1. Clearing, Grubbing, Draiuing,&c S 1,000 00 -. Superstructure, embracing Ballast, 5,000 cubic yards, Rails and joints, 70 lbs. per yard, Spike, Cross-ties, Tracklayiug, and an allowance of 10 per cent, additional for Sidings... 10,500 00 y. Station accommodation 1,000 00 4. EngineeriniT 1,500 00 5. Rolling Stock 3,000 00 6. Contingencicsincludingmiscellaneousservices, and reserve fund for extra rolling-stock 0,000 00 Total S23,000 00 Producing a total mileage charge ol li)2o,000, which will be considered uniform throughout, and common to all lines. In another place 1 have given the approximate quantities of excavation, masonry, iron, (fee, required to complete the Grading and Bridging on various lines surveyed last summer. I have computed these quantities at prices which I consider libjral and sufficient ; the result is now embraced in the following Estimates : — 1. TRURO TO MONCTON, NOVA SCOTIA UIVISTGN OF THE SURVEV. Uniform Mileage charges above referred to, estimated 109 miles at $23,000 per mile S2,507,0O() Bridging and Grading, estimated from quantities deduced from exploratory survey 82,093,000 Total estimate Truro and Moncton Division §5,200,000 2. RIVEtt nil LOL'I' TO AI'OIIAQUI, NEW BRUNSWICK AND CANADA DIVI- SION OF THE SURVEY. Uniform mileage charges 340 miles at 823,000 per mile §7,820,000 Bridging and Grading estimated from quantities deduced from exploratory survey §7,615,500 T'otal e.>4timato llivcr du Loup to Apohaqui $15,435,500 Grand Total «20,G35,500 This .sum, 320,035,500, is the estimate for the whole line by the route surveyed last rammer, from Kiver du Loup by way of the llivcr Toledi, Groen Uivcr and Gouuamitz Valley, thence by Two Brooks, VVapskihegan, the upper waters of the Miramichi and Nashwaak, by the Keswick Valley and St. John liivor to opposite Fredericton, thence by 10 ■n wmr " < i '.\ \ h: ^*- ^'■! > y .|; (til ■r •.f ; i 66 the head of Grand Lake and Chowans Gulch to Apohaqui Station. It embraces also the section from the New Brunswick Railway to Truro in Nova Scotia. The total sum divided by the lenj^th of line to be constructed, gives an average of very nearly 846,000 per mile. I have already mentioned that the cuttings have been estimated to a uniform width of 30 feet at formation level, and explained that in actual construction it will be advisable to vary this width, in proporticui to the average snow-fall at different points ; towards the north this width should be increased while towards the south it may be decreased. These contemplated changes although they need not affect the total cost of the wiiole line, will, of course, alter the proportion chargeable to each separate division, and thus the estimate for that part between Truro and Moncton, viz., $5,200,000 may hereafter be found in excess. THE MATAPEUIA DIVISION. An estimate may similarly be formed of that portion of the Bay Chaleurs line, which was re-surveyed last .summor, up to the valley of the Matapedia, and in length 70 miles. Uniform mileage charj;;cs as already estimated, 70 miles at $23,000 per mile '. $1,010,000 Bridging and grading estimated from quantities ascertained from survey 1,175,000 Total 82,785,000 The estimated cost of this 70-mile section is $2,785,000 including a mileage propor- tion of all the charges necessary to complete the line and put it in operation. The average cost per mile of this section is therefore $39,780, and as Major Robinson and Captaiu Henderson considered it the most formidable portion of the whole route, between Halifax and Quebec, it would probably give a maximum and safe estimate of the cost of the route to which they refer, by applying this rate per mile to the distance yet to be constructed. Taking this course we have $19,853,214 as the total cost of the lino between River du Loup and Truro. Less thau this total sum may suffice, but until the surveys arc extended to all points where difficulties may probably exist. I do not think it would be at all safe to estimate the cost of the Bay Chaleurs route (line No. 16) at a less sum than $20,000,000. With regard to the cost of the other lines mentioned in this Report, it is quite impos- sible for me without further surveys to judge, except by iho simple rule of comparison. It has been shown that the average estimated cost per mile of the surveyed Central line, in- cluding all services and sufficient equipment, is very close on $46,000 ; and it has also been inferred, from a careful survey 70 miles in length, in the Matapedia District, that a line by the Bay Chaleurs would cost $39,786, or in round numbers $40,000 per mile. We can only assume, therefore, until better data is furnished that the other lines may cost an ave- rage rate per mile ranging from $40,000 to !$ 16,000 ; it is even possible, judging from the knowledge I have acquired of the country, that some of the lines referred to, niay cost a higher rate per mile than the latter sum. In concluding this Report, I desire to express my obligations to those gentlemen whom I selected to assist me in carrying on the surveys ; but for the zeal and untiring energy which they at all times displayed, it would have been impossible for me to have completed 80 early and so easily the important service which the Covernment was pleased to place in my hands. t..i:v.^OFORD FLEMING. Civil Engineer. m 67 T? tlie APPENDIX A. THE AQEICULTURAL CAPABILITIES OF NEW BRUNSWICK. Ffom a Report by Frofestor James F. W. Johnson, F.R.S., , 4, and even 5, < ecur upon parts of the country coloured upper Silurian in the Geological iMap. This arise < from one or other of several circumstances. •'1. From tho defective state of our knowledge of the real geological structure of. the interior part of the Province over which these rocks are supposed to extend. In the im- passable state of the country there is a sufficient excuse for such knowledge being still in- complete. But the absence of auoh knowledge explains also why we cannot accurately describe and represent upon our Map the true relations of the Geology of large portions of this interior country to its practical agricultural value ; or, " 2. To the fact that thia formation, like that of the gray cjal measures sandstone, has ts level tabic latjds, oo which water stagnates, and produces extQodcd barrepsj and deep n^^i I'l'-; • 1 Ki 'f '•'ti ■ t; ^ if .;' \' ■ if - >i •.•; i- .^• >\: ,1' '4 !!; 70 t - 'n hollows, in which swamps arc formed, and burned lands, which the repeated passago of these devastating fires, to which this Province has been occasionally aubjootod, has rendered apparently worthless; or, " 3. To the proximity of trap and granite districts — (coloured green and carmine) — from which numerous blocks of stone and drifted gravel have been transported and spread over the Silurian surface so as to render th'> soils that rest upon it inferior in quality to what, according to the geological indications, they ought naturally to be. " How much of the differences obscivablc between the two Maps is due to each of these causes can only be determined by future careful observation. " C. The Lower Silurian Rocks occur abundantly in Canada Kast, forming the north- ern part of Gasp<5, and skirting the right shores of the St. Lawrence for a great distance. Like the upper Silurian strata they consist to a great extent of slaty rooks, more or less hard, and though not incapahle of yielding rich soils, as is seen in the occasional produc- tive valleys of Lower Canada, yet as they exist in New Brunswick they are covered for tlic most part with inferior soils. The Affricultural capabilities of the I'roinncc, nx indicated hi/ practical tSiirvr.^ an'. '•! J J 72 :>'■ i^. geological foriuations comprahended under thia colour, we shoald be able, by means ol them alone, both to form more acourato opinions in regard to tho agricultural value of thu several localities, and to represent them more correctly on geological maps, and to prescribe, by mere iuspeotion, tho kind of ameliorations, mechanical or chemical, by which their natural qualities were likely to be improved. " G. The Trap-rocks, coloured green, which occur so abundantly among tho southern clay slate und lower Silurian rocks, and in tho wild country which forms the northern part of the Province, arc tlio only remaining rocky masses which cover an extensive portion of the surface of New Brunswick. They form in this Province a wild and generally a poor, rugged, rocky, inhospitable country. Lakes, swamps, and soft-wood ridges, abound where they occur, and numerous blocks of stone try the patience and industry of the settler. " Trap-rocks do not necessarily indicate the presence of unfertile soils. On the contrary, some of the most fertile spots in Scotland and England, are situate upon, and possess soils formed irbm these rocks. But such soils are formed only where the rocks are of a less hard and flinty nature, or at least are more subject to tho degrading influence of atmospheric causes, and crumble to a soil readily. In such cases they generally form reddish soils of great richness, and when the soils are deep, it is found profitable to convey to some distance and apply them as covering to less valuable fields. " One cause of this fertility of trap soils is the large percentage of lime which these trap-rocks frequently contain. This chemical character, for the most part, eminently distinguishes them h'om the granitic rocks, and indicates a very difi^erent mode of treat ■ ment for the soils formed from these two classes of rocks respectively. " la New Brunswick, so far as my observation goes, the trap-rocks do not readily crumble, but remain hard and impenetrable by the weather, to a groat extent. They du not usually, therefore, give rise to the rich .soils which in many othor places are formed from them. Hence St. John und Charlotte, partly owing to the less favorable clay slate and lower Silurian rocks which abound in them, partly to the obdurate trap, and partly to the numberless rocky masses which cover their surface, arc justly considered among the least agriculturally promising counties in the Provinco. I have witnessed, however, iu both these counties, that energy and determination can do much to overcome nature iu New Brunswick, as well as in other parts of the world. Pleasing forms, and good crops, and comfortable circumstances, reward diligence and industry here iu as wonderful a man- ner as in any othor county in the Province. *' I do not dwell longer on this part of my subject. The general conclusions as to tho agricultural capabilities of this Province which are to be drawn from the imperfect infor- mation as to its geological structure, which our (Tcological Map presents, are, on the whole, somewhat discouraging. << The coal mea9ures, the clay slates, the lower Silurian rocks, the granites and the traps, are not, generally speaking, of a kind to givo rise to soils of a fertile character, and these formations cover a large portion of the Province. The upper Silurian and red sand- stone formations on the other hand, promi<w is not to be considered absolutely irreclaimable, but to be unfit for present culture or f > r settlement, till much larger progress has been made in the general improvement of the Province. The dark spots, coloured with Indian ink, represent the localities of some of the naked and barren plains which arc included under this No. 5. " It is not to b^ supposed that I or my travelling companions have been able to in- spect, even cursorily, the whole of the country we have thus ventured to colour, and to distinguish by numbers. The country we have actually seen and explored during our late tour may be judged of from the green lines traced on both maps, which represent the route we took, and the country we actually went over. Our knowledge of the rest has been gathered from numerous persons whom wo met with in diflPcrent parts of the Province, from the reports and surveys deposited in the Land Office, and from observations of Pr. Gesner. Though far from being correct, these maps arc valuable, both as an approxima- tion to the t'uth, and as embodying nearly all that is at present known as to the soils of the Province. Your Excellency will, I am sure, both be inclined to value them more, and to make larger allowances for their want of correctness, when I mention they are the only maps of the kind of any country which, so far as I know, have yet been attempted, and that they have been of necessity executed in a very short period of time for so extensive a work. " The relative areas, or extent of surface covered by those several soils, as they are represented in the coloured map, are very nearly as follows : — No. 1, coloured bright red 50,000 acres. No. 2, coloured light red 1,000,000 " No. 3, coloured blue 6,950,000 <« No. 4, coloured bright yellow 5,000,000 ' « No. 5, coloured pale yellow 5,000,000 " Total area of the Province 18^000,000 acres. T5 " The area of the Province has boon calculated so as to include the territory within thn boundary, as it may puNHibly be dct«rniineJ, butwcca New Hrunswicli and (/auadu. " Such arc the relative jicographical limits of the soils of difl'cront qualities in the Province, and the areas covered by each respectively, according to the best information [ iiavo been able to colU'ot. " The absolute values of each variety of !} to i tons of hay, as the first class intervale and dyked marsh docs, outjht also to bear easily and to ripen upwards of 50 or tiO bushels of oats. " The whole production of food for man or boast which the Province would yield, supposing all the available land to be cultivated according to the present methods, and that hay and oats bear to each other the relation of one ton to twenty bushels, would therefore be — Tons of Hay. Bushels of Oats. 1st Class 125,000 or ^.500,000 2nd Class 2,000,000 or 40,000,000 3rd Class 10,425,000 or 208,500,000 4th Class 500,000 or 10,000,000 Total produce 13,050,000 261,000,000 Being an average produce per acre, over the thirteen millions of acres of available land, of 1} tons of hay or 27 bushels of oats. " What amount of population will this quantity of food sustain ? " There are various ways by which wo may arrive at an approximation to the number cf people which a country will comfortably maintain upon its own agricultural resources. The simplest and the most commouly adopted in regard to a new country like this, is to say, if so many acres now in cultivation support the present population, then, as many times as this number of acres is contained in the whole available area r f the country, so many times may the population be increased without exceeding the ability of the country to sustain it. " Thus in New Brunswick, there are said to be at present about 600,000 acres under culture, and the produce of these acres sustains, of— ■ 1^' r • - 1 If •f:i . k' i (■■• . (• ■\ 'I I ^1 SL '.t. < 76 li- il Men, women and children 210,000 HorseH and cattle ir»0,00«> Sheep and pif,'8 250,000 " But 000,000 aro cojitained in 13,000,000, the naniber of available acres in the IVo- vince, nearly 22 times, s<' that supposin;; every 000,000 acres to support an o»|ual popi:i;i- tion, the l^rovineo ought to be capable ol" feeding about: — Men, women and children -1,020,000 Iforscsand Htle :!.:JOO,000 Sheep and pigH 5,500,000 The human population and the stock maintaining the same relative proportioDM as they du at present. *' liut this estimate is obviously only a mere guesy, and by accident only can be near the truth, because Huppo.sing llw ((uantity uf laud aetualiy in culture to be correctly stated, (which canuot with any degree of coiitidonce be atVirmed.) the important consideration is rritircly neglected, that tliu land nuw in cultivation u^ay be much superior in quality to those whicli arc in a wilderness Htate. This indeed is very likely to be the case, as tlu? history of agriculture shows that the least prfjductive lands by naJare, unless they arc mu?h more easy to work, are always the htst to be brought into cultivation. It leaves out of view also the (juestion ol" fuel, which we shall by a* ^ by sec has a most important re- lation to the agricultural capabilities of a country and its power of supporting a gJvtii amount of population. " liut from the date above given we can approximate to the truth in another way, answering directly the (fuestion, what amount of population will the produce we KuppoM- the Province able to yield, maintain 'f "■ If we suppose a I'ull-grown man to live entirely upon oats without other food, hf; will require to support him for twelve months, about 10tJ0ll»s. of o:itmeal, v{\\xi\\ to abotit 2000H»s. of oats, which at the low average of o5lbs. per bushel, amounts to 57 bushels. It we allow that each of the population, big and little, conaumes 10 bu-shels — an apparently high average, then tho consumption of each individual, according to our estimate of tlu' comparative productive powers of the land, in regard to hay and uats, would be equivalent to two tons of hay, in other words, the breadth of land which would grow two tons of hay would on an average support one individual if fed u|M>n oatmeal. " The usual allowance for the winter feed of ahorse in this I'rovincc in four tons ot' hay, and for a cow two tons, sheep and pigs may be astimated at a quarter of a ton each. " Tho cattle and horses together are estimated at 15t»,0(»U. If the relative proportions A the two kinds of stock bo as in Canada West, about four to one, then the entire popula- tion and live stock, Q)oultry, dogs, iV^c., iVc, excluded.) would require for their support tho I following amount of produce, calculated in tons of hay : — 210.000 at 2 tons each 120,000 tons. »0,000 horses, 1 tons each 120,000 120,000 cattle, 2 tons 240,000 250,000 sheep and pigs, \ ton C2,5t)0 " 842,500 " But we have seen that the average produce in hay of the whole lo,000,G00 acres of available land may bo estimated at one and a third tons per acr.^. — the alk/Ve H42,i;»0O tont; of hay therefore represent 031,H75 acres of land of average quality. '* It will be observed that this sum comes very near the extent of land suppo.sed to bo at present actually ciiltivnted in the I' ovince. It is al.w about one twentieth part of the whole available :irca (l.'!,000,000 acres) in h.iy ; ^.» that the I'rovjncc, according lo tlii;' mode of calculation, bo supposed capable of supporting twenty times \i^ pre:«eot number i>l inhabitants and of live stock, that is — Men, women and children 4,200,000 lloises r.0t>,00t> Oa-tle 2,400,000 Sheep and pigs 5,000,00J 77 " If the pruportioD of aoimalB materially iliiuiDish, of course, Ihu number of huuian bciD<{fl ^vbicli the coontrj Is able to support would propurtionabiy iuercaso. '• ThoHO who are 'aniiliar with the fecdinj^ of stock will huvc ob.scrvcil that ia ihc procedinj.' calcu'atiou I have allowed when the winter ends, which will ^u »e under a 1,'rain culture, and will, con.«equently, be producing a lari^e <|uantity of straw of variou:* kinds, upon which all the stock will be more or less fed. " I do not stay here to remark on the unthrift which I in many parts of the Province olmcrved in the u.sc of .straw from different grains, nor upon the {greater , and butter. The hay .e dead wei llonjes tMMM>tMJ Cattle 2,40U,UO« Sheep and pigs r»tX>,tHH> " Second. — That I have made no reference to the Kishorios, which are already so lat'^v a source of wealth to the Province, and uf food to the people. The value of this supply uf fund may be allowed to sand airainst and p-iy for the West India produce, and other necn^- .^iuries of life which they cannot raise themselves, but which in addition to their beef, milk and meal, the inhabitants will ro«|airc. " That we appear tofix at upwards of five and a half millions the amount of pubtion which .New lirunswick, according to the data we liavi; bi-tiire ns, would in onlinary soa^iuis euMily sustain. Itut here the question of tiiel comes in to modify in a more or les-i reiujik- iibic manner our calculations and aqdnions upon this iniporlnnt subject. This qut^tiun i» •li'si-rvini; of a .separate consideration. Ailii.il (tiul romjxtnifire j>roifiirtireMrini of ihr I'mn'iirr, an shuirii Iti/ tfir averu'jr f it/tirt "J W'/teat uHii ttther Cru/M notr raUrtI Iritm an liitprrinl ttrrr «>/' Itamtf in the tlijfrrrmi Count ir». '' In the preceding I have given a sketch of the fieneral ai^ricultural ea|>abilitte« uf Mew HruDHwick, as they may be inferred from it.s gooio^^icul structure, and uf the ab^jlutc ( . ;' I'' kiv s ■ 78 (■ I and comparative productive qualities of ita soils, as deducted from practical observation and inquiry. Jiut the natural qualities of the Koil may be neglected, overlooked, or abu.sed. The actual yield of the land maybe very dii^roportionatc to its possible yield. Tlio crops may be less than tbey ought to be, for one or other of many reasons, to whioh I shall advert in the subsequent part of this Report. " It is in fact the actual conditioo of the practical agriculture in the I'rovincc which will determine the actual proiluclivcncsi of its soils; while, on the other hand, the possibit' productiveness of its so beinL^ knowa, the amount of produce actually raised will serve us an index or measure of the actual condition of the aer of btuhchi of the different kinds of grain and root crops u.sually cultivated within the Province, which were now raised from an J mperial acre of land in its several counties. Finding it impotMiblc to collect all this data myi^olf, I addressed a (!ircular to the farming proprietors and Agricultural Societies in the several part.s of the I'rovinee, and from the answers I have received, the Tables (Nos. 4 and f)) have been compiled. They are not to be coosideri-d a.s rigorously accurate; they are liable to certain suspicions, to which I shall presently advert ; but they arc the first of the kind that have ever been compiled in reference to tbi.** Province ; the numbers they contain have been given, I believe, according to the most careful judgment of the persons by whose names they are guaranteed, and, in the absence of better information, they are deserving of a considerable amount of credit. " Thoae Tables exhibit several facts of an interesting and some of a very striking kind; thus — "1. The produce actnnlly rnit^d tlipfrs murh ia different pnrfu of the same County. Thus, in Westmoreland, one person returns 15, and another 20 bushels as the average pro- duce of wheat; in King's, one gives !.'», another 2.""); in Sunbury, one gives 12^, and an- other 20 ; in Y'ork, one gives l.'t, and another 'i'2, and so on. Similar diflcrcnccs exist in regard to other kinds of grains. " Sneh differences are natural enough, and do not necessarily imply any incorrectness in the several returns. They niuy ari.se from natural and original difl'oreneo.s in the ii;itiin' of the soil; from its being more or less exhausted by previous treat iiieut ; or from the actual farming being in on(> case better than in another. " 2. Jit refjard ti> }\heat,i\\i^ Iuwc5t inioimum is in Queen'.s, whero S bushels aii. given us sonvetimes reaped. In St. John. Cuarlotte, and King's, the minimum is 10 bu.Hhels ; from (/urleton no return is given, and altogether the answers from that county are few and therefore defective. The largest maxima are from Kent, Charloite, and V'ork, where 10, Ul> and \V1 bushels, re^peetively, are sometimes reaped. " Ji. In retjard to Oafs, only one Cuanty (Queen's) ever reaps less tl;au 25 bushels an acre, according t, these returns, lo that county as little as l.'i bushels is occasionally reaped . " In four counties the crop sometimes reaches CO bushels; in two others, 50; in one, 45 ; and in four, to 40 bushels an acre. These numbers indicate what is indeed confirmed by numerous other ciroumstancea, thai not only do outs succeed admirably, but that they are well adapted to, and are one of the surest, or least uncertain, crops now grown in the Province. "4. Ax to Maize or Indian (,'vrm, it will be seen that only in two Counties (King's and Qui'en's), is the minimum stated at less than li!) bushels nij acre, while in four counties the smallest yield of this crop is repre**?ined at 40 and 15 bushels. In Sunbury, the large return of HO bushels an acre is f-^ouietinieii obtained, and ir. (Jharlotte and Northumberland us much us (10 bushels. " This crop is liable to injury fn.ra early frosts, and is, therefore, somewhat uncertain in this clituute, which, by the great heat uf its summers, is otherwise well adapted to its growth. The four Oounties of Haoburj, Queen's, Charlotte, and Northumberland, would seem by the returns to be specially favunble to this crop. If so, its larger cultivation should be encouraged. " 5. Ah to Buckwheat, 15 bushel* ao acre are the smallest returns, while crops of 70 bushels are sometimes reaped. The ezperieoce of the last two years has shown not only 79 that, this crop in one or other of its varieties is tolerably certain, but that it is well adapted to the exhausted condition of many of the soils, and affords also a very palatable food. " 0. 0/ Potatoes, the smallest return is 100 bushels, or about three tons per acre ; bat in Queen's (bounty, a thousand bushels, about fourteen tons, arc sometimes obtained. This latter amount is rarely surpassed, even in the west of Scotland, tbe north-western parts of Kngland, and in Ireland, wore the soil and clim.ite arc most propitious to this root. " 7. IJut the most striking fact brouj^ht out by these Tables the comparative hi};h number by which the avcrajijo produce of each crop in the entire Province is represented. These averages appear in the last line of the second tabic, and are as follows : — No. 6.— Wheat 19 11-12, say 20 bushels. Barley 20 bushels. Oats 84 do. Buckwheat :]3ij do. Rye 20A do. Indian Corn -1!:] do. Potatoes L'2Gi do. or G ^ tons. Turnips 4f)0 do. or 13^ tons. " No very correct or trustworthy avcra^^os of the produce of the different crops in England, Scotland, or Great Britain, generally, have yot been compiled. It is believed, however, that 2.5 bushels of wheat per imperial acre, is a full average yield of all the land ia Cireat Britain on which this crop is grown ; koiuc placet, it is true, yield from 40 to 50, but others yield only 10 or 12 bushels per acre. " It is of less importance, however, to compare the above averages with any similar averages from Europe. It will be more interesting to Your Excellency, and the Legislature, to compare them with similar averages collected in other pares of the ('ontinont of America. " In the yearly volume of the transactions of the New York State Agricultural Society, for 184.'>, an estimate is given of the produce per imperial acre of each kind of crop in the several Counties, and a scries of general averages for the wholo State. The State averages, compared with those for New Brunswick above given, are as follows :— JiJo_ 7. .'Ivfraije produce per Imperial Arrr. State of New York. New Brunswick. Wheat 14 bushels. 20 bushels. Barley 10 " 21> •' Oats 20 •' 34 " Rye l)J " 20i " Buckwheat 14 " 33^ " Indian Corn 25 " 4U " Potatoes 00 •• 220 " Turnips 88 '« 400 «' Hay " li tons. " The superior productiveness of the soils of Now Brunswick, as is represented in the second of the above columns, is very striking. The irresistible couolusion to bo drawn Irom it appears to be, that looking only to what the soils uit Jcr existing circumstances and methods of culture are said to produce, the Province of Now Brunswick is greatly superior as a farming country to the State of New York." >■ [ I i \'. r ;■ • ' iii -', ' ii ■ i ; M ' :;|;:|f 1 l| 'II 51 !; rr ii 80 APPENDIX B. AdRICULTlTRAL ("Al'A HILI I'lKH Of TIIK MATAVKDIA DISTRICT.* " The Township of Kcstigouchc iw situated at tlio liead of the tideway on tho llcsti- gouohc, which ibrius its Muuthoru boundary ; it is divided Irom the Town^'ilip of Matapcdia by the river of thct name, up which thoy extend ; its i^encral character is an elevated table land from 200 to ><0(» feet above tlie sea ; the .surface is ko niueh broken witli ravinos and narrow valleys, the sides of which often form an;4le.s with the horizon of froiu twenty to forty decrees ; the Humniits of the hills are of considerable extent, preseutin;; in some eases an even surface for several miles in Icnj^th, by upwards of half a mile in width. The }j;round is a brownish or yellow loam, of a good (|ualiCy, free from stones, the substrnti beitijr prenerally trap-rock, which when deeumposed forms an extremely fertile soil. It is well timbered with yellow and brown birch, maple, white birch, balsam, lir, spruce, beeeli and rowan trco or mountain ash ; the latter named woods, intermixed with white pine ami cedar, also prevail on the sides of the hills, which, from their excessive steepness, do not occupy as much room us might be expected from the broken appourauee of the ground ; thu oxteut of the flats in the ravines and valleys is limited ; th(! timber on these places is chiefly soft wood, with some ash and elm. " The description above will apply to the Township of Matapcdia, which isalsoboundeil on the tiouth by the Ilcstigouehe. Jiimestonc exists in both these townships, sufficient lor building purposes and manure whenever it may it may be re(|uircd ; the ground is well supplied with springs and small brooks, the water of which is of a good quality. " It might be supposed that fiom its elevation the tract of country just described- would, in u great measure, be unfit for cultivation ; the crops raised, however, in this din- ttict at the height of a thou.sand feet above the .sea, ripen as early, return as much, and arc of as good (juality as tliojc grown in the valleys. "A few years ago the country around the JJay of Clialeurs was considered unfit for raising wheat ; experience has proved this unfounded, and it now produces all the kinds of grain raised in Easteru Canada. The climate docs not appear colder than in the dis- trict of Quebec. Fogs arc little known. Showers of snow fall about the end of October ; winter generally sets in, in the month of JNovember, but line weather often continues tu the end of the month ; the average height of the snow is four to five feet when deepest ; it disappears about the beginning of iMay and the ground is lit for sowiu^c a few days afterwards. " Owing to the direction of the Uaie des C!haleurs and lliver llestigoucho, the winds arc cither westerly or from the east ; strong gales are of rare oeeurrcnce. ''The wcU-cultivated grounds in the ucighborhoot! of Dalhousie, yield of wheat, thirty to thirty-two bushels per acre ; peas, about the same ; oats, forty to forty-eight ; barley, Ibrty-livc to sixty j potatoes, three to four hundred ; carroUs, two hundred ami seventy to three hundred bushels per acre ; hay, two to four tons per acre. The weight of{jrain exhibited at the Agricultural Shows in the district lia.i been ns follows: sprint; wheat per Winchester bushel, sixty-four to Nixty-Boven pounds ; fall ditto, sixty-six ; Si- berian wheat, sixty-four to sixty-five; oats forty-two to forty-oight and alialf; barley, fifty-four to fifTty-six j field peas, sixty-six to sixty-seven pounds. " On Dcw land, not cleared of stumps, tho yield of wheat has been thirty to one ; tiflccn to twenty to one is not unsuul. * • * * " Two-thirtjs of the surface of these townships, (llostigouehe and Matapcdia,) is of the quality already described, and comprises an urea of nearly one hundred thoasand acres of execllont land, that is from the llostigouehe to Clark's lirook on the cast side, and Mill Stream oa tho west side of the Matapcdia. " On tho east side of tho Matapcdia from Clark's lirook, the appciranco of thu country is cztromcly unfavorable ; steep hills rising from thu river's edge, in many places denudod * Report to the Honorable the Oommiiiioaer ot'Orowa Lands, by A. W. Sims, Noveinbor, 1848. n of wood by lire, and ia others covered with a close growth of soft wood ; the soil in gcDeral shallow and full of small stooes. Of this section, eleven miles in length by five broad, not more than an eleventh or five thousand acres is fit for cultivation." (' The aspect on the west from the river is not much different from that of the other side; the ground, however, though much broken by ravines, is of a better description, the fires have done less damage to the timber, which is a mixture of hard and soft wood. About half of the ground between Mill Stream and McKennon's Brook, embracing an extent of twonty-cight square miles, may be considered capable of advantageous cultivation ; this would give nine thousand acres; it is well watered by the brook just mentioned, and by that known fs Connor's Gulch. Continuing on the west side of the river above MoKen* Don's Brook, the surface in general is of less elevation than in the country already de- scribed ; moist ground is more frequent, the timber consists of balsam, fir, bpruoe ; yellow, white, and black birch, maple, cedar, and white pine ; in swampy places cedar and black and grey spruce predominate. The soil though much inferior to that at the mouth of the Matapcdia, may bo considered as of a fair quality ; this will appl^ generally to the foot of the lesser Lake Matapcdia, embracing an extent of eighty miles. About two-fifths or twenty thousand acres may be ooosidored good." " On the east side from Pitt's Brook, and across the Cosapscul to near Fraser's Brook, the soil and timber is of the same description as on the other side, the ground is drier, and but few maple trees are found, fires have destroyed a great portion of the wood near the 3Iatapodia ; raspberry and other bushes, small white birch and poplar are now found io these places." " Twenty thousand acres or about half of this section may be considered good land." " Between Fraser's Brook and Fifty-six Mile Brook, near the southern boundary of the Seigniory of Matapcdia, the soil, timber, and character of the soil is diversified ; from Fraser's Brook to the head of Little Lake the ground is in general very strong, rough and broken ; a portion, however^ is fit for cultivation near the shore, and after reaching the summit of the ridge, which does not extend more than from three-quarters to a mile back, the soil improves, and is covered with a good growth of fir, white, yellow and black birch, maple, cedar, and White pine, and the general elevation of the ground is not much over two hundred feet, excepting one or two hills. From Little Lake to Fifly-six Mile Brook there are flats bordering on the river, well timbered, and sometimes of considerable extent." " The available ground on this section, which exceeds forty-five square miles, will amount to about half of its extent, fifteen thousand acres." " On the west side of Little Lake and to the Seigniory of Matapcdia, the general character of the soil and timber does not differ essentially from that of the section just dc- soribcd. At the base and partly up the sides of a hill near the foot of the Lake prising six or seven hundred above it) the timber is chiefly maple and other hard woods ; the flat bordering the ri^?r is wider than in other ploces; the interval formed by alluvial deposits also extends up uxii Amqui, the mouth of which is near the Seigniorial line ; ash, elm, and the timber already mentioned as predominating in this district cover these places." " The ground fit for cultivation in this section, forty-eight square miles in extent, is about seventeen thousand acres." " The Seigniory Matapcdia extends a league round the lake, and contains about ninety thousand acres in superficies ; near the southern end of the lake there is a chain of hills bearing south ten degrees west nearly a thousand feet high, with a base from three to four luiles broad ; around the foot, and for some distance up the sides, maple, black birch and other hard woods are the prevailing timber." From the Amqui up to this chain of hills, and on the cast side of the Matapcdia from Fifty-six Mile Brook to the foot of the lake the timber is mixed wood and the soil gener- ally good. " Along the shore of the lake, and extending inwards as you r pproach the upper end, Gr, cedar, poplar, spruce, small juniper or tamarac, white birch, ash, and white pine are found ; the ground is swampy, with low ridges of dry ground, in places covered with mixed and hard wood ; from the northern slope of the hills mentioned to the lake and across the Nemtaye to the line dividing the Seigniory from the Crown Lands, the]samc character prevails, rendering the ground in this part of the seigniory of little value ; at its upper or IS in i« .-' ,' , I .N ., I'i. I i I. SI:- 82 northern end very good land is found. My instructions not authorizing it, I did not ez< amine the ground on the eastern side of the lake ; its general appearance is rugged. " In this section, a surface of more than one hundred square miles, (sixty-three of which arc seigniorial,) three-fifths are fit for cultivation ; that is, twenty-four thousand in the seigniory, and fourteen thousand acres in Crown Lands." " From the Seigniory of Matapedia to that ot Metis/ the country is undulating, the hills seldom attain an elevation over two hundred and fifty feet above their base, with flats generally of considerable extent on top. Near and on the summits white, black and yellow birch, maple, and rowan trees prevail ; on the sides the same kinds of wood with a greater mixture of fir, spruce, pine, and cedar ; in the hollows and swamps, cedar apd other soft woods, elm, ash and tamarac arc found but not in abundance. " In valleys and hollows through which the streams flow, there are a number of small lakes. It is difficult to convey a general idea of their form and the appearance of the hills without inspecting a plan of the ground. " In many places the soil is full of small angular pieces of rock, and deficient of depth, in others it is 3andy ; in the hollows and swamps there is a deposit'of black mould from six inches to three feet in depth with clay or a hard subsoil underneath ; on the higher grounds the soil is generally a yellow loam ; it may be considered fully equal in quality to the greater part of the country south of the St. Lawrence, east of Quebec. " About thirty-eight thousand acres, or rather more than three-sevenths of one hun- dred and thirty square miles, the extent of this section, may be considered good arable land. " The line passes through a portion of the seigniory of Lepage-ThiVierge before reaching the River Metis ; the ground in the seigniory extending ten miles back from the St. Lawrence, and in that of the Metis, and the Fief of Pachot, six miles in depth, is quite as good as in the section first described. " The extent of available ground within a width of ten miles between the Rivers Restigouche and St. Lawrence, without including that on the east side of Lake Matapedia or in the Seigniory of Metis, Lepage-Thivierge, or Fief of Pachot, may be underrated at two hundred and thirty-eight thousand acres in Crown Lands, and twenty-four thousand in Seigniorial ; as it is not necessary that every portion should be fit for the plough, re- serves for fuel, fencing, and also building timber being required, even if this were the ca.se. " It may be here mentioned that a deposit of marl exists at one of the small lakes on the Nemtaye, and will in all probability be found in other places. Peat, another valuable manure, is .found in different parts of the districts. Limestone is abundant at the head of Lake Matapedia and on its south-west side, and for some distance down the river * ^' * " The climate of this portion of Canada does not differ materially from that of Quebec, though rather cooler in summer ; intense cold is not so frequent ; rainy weather or thaws of long duration do not occur, however, in winter. Snow is expected about the 22nd October, this does not remain longer than a day or two at furthest, and is followed by fins weather with one or two falls of snow, to about the 21st November, when the winter ma; be said to begin. The depth of snow in ordinary winters, is four feet : it has been known to reach six feet. " Cultivated land is clear of snow about the 20th of April ; ploughing commences frtm 1st to 8th May. Rye, wheat and peas are sown from that time to the 28th May ; oats to the end of the month ; barley and potatoes to near the end of June ; reaping gen- erally commences about the 25th August, and lasts to the end of September, when the potatoo crop is fit to house. ilv W 83 APPENDIX 0. (Frontier Route, Line No. 1.) From a Report hy Mr. T. S. RuhiJge, on an examination of the Country hctwecn River da Loup and Woodstock, 18G0. I havo the honor to report on the character of the country and facilities for constructing a Railway from River du Loup to connect with tho New Brunswick and Canada Railway, st or near Woodstock. — I wish to state that the examination was of a general character. And I beg to refer you to tho accompanying map, whereon I have marked in red the route, Id my opinion, most eligible for preliminary survey. Although I havo not personally explored the whole of the country traversed by the proposed line, more particularly the section south of the Grand Falls, — yet I have reason to believe a practicable line, nearly approximating to that indicated on the map, will be discovered, and I was sufficiently near it to enable me to speak with a degree of accuracy as to distances. DIRECTION of THE ROUTE RSCOMMENDED FOR SURVEY. River du Loup to Province Line, 63 miles. Commencing at the Station,{the line crosses to the east side of the Temiscouata Portage, and running towards St. Modesto, enters the valley of the River Verte ; thence following tnis valley it ascends continuously to the 12th mile, the summit of the dividing ridge between the waters of the St, Lawrence and the Bay of Fundy. Again crossing the Portage the line runs nearly parallel with it to Blue River, thence assuming a direction to cross the Cabaneau River near the Falls, and afterwards strikes the head waters of the River aux Perches, it descends in the valley of that stream to the D6gcl6 settlement on the west bank of the River Madawaska. From this point to Pro- vince Line the route lies along the level margin of the river. Province Line to Grand Falls, 50 ikiles. Continuing down the Valley of the Madawaska and crossing the river above the rapids at Little Falls, the line enters the Valley of the St; John through a depression in the high ground in the rear of the village of Edmundston, and it thence follows the east bank of the River St. John, crossing it a short distance above Grand Falls. Grand Falls to Woodstock, 70 miles. The Engineer of the New Brunswick and Canada Railway has furnished me with the following information : — " Having lately made an inspection of the country from the south bend of the Moduxnikeag River to the crossing of the Presqu'isle River, I am enabled to state that the character of the country is much the same as that portion which has been already surveyed, and I am inclined to the opinion that the road can be constructed at nearly as moderate a rate as that at which it has already been executed. There are two routes open to the line in crossing the Presqu'isle, viz., the upper route keeping to the westward of the Williamson Lake, and crossing the river near the Tracy Mills, and thence onwards to the bend of the main river, — and again the lower route taking to the eastward of the lake, and crossing the river about one mile below the present bridge, and thenoe toward the main river bank. From this point to the Grand Falls along the margin of the main river the country presents a most favorable contour, tho works of chief magnitude, on the entire route consisting merely in bridging the Presqu'isle and Aroostook Rivers." Woodstock to St. Andrew's, 87 miles. The lino has been located to Canterbury, 22 miles[; thonce to St. Andrew's, the rail- way is open for traffic. , . .^ » 1 I i .T, ; ■ , ' }• •■:..■ * Ti -J #' '■r I '' f: ij'l:, » ' < li-;-- 84 1 I A I IkNl'J aENERAL DESORIPTION OF THE ROUTE — CHARACTER OP TUB COUNTRY, AC. Abstract of Distances. River du Loup to Province Lino, 53 niilea not surveyed, Province Line '* Grand Falls, 50 " " Grand Falls " Woodstock, 70 " <« Woodstock " Canterbury, 22 " " located and in progress. Canterbury " St. Andrew's, 65 " " opened for traffic. River du Loup to St. Andrew's, 270 miles. From River du Loup to D<5gel6 at the foot of Lake Tcmiscouata is perhaps |the most dfficult and expensive portion of the route, requiring very careful exploration and survey. A whole season would be necessary to perform this scrivce satisfactorily, as in the event of the line recommended, proving unfavorable, it would then become necessary to examine the country in the direction of the dotted line on the map. The chief difficulty to be surmounted, is the dividing ridge or water shed between the St. Lawrence and the Bay of Fundy. This summit elevation, 880 above the sea, is unavoidable ; but the route by the Lakes des Roches and the St. Francis is favorable, inasmuch as it only exceeds by 100 feet the Trois Pistoles summit, the lowest yet ascertained. From the River du Loup Sta- tion, 320 feet above the sea, the ground rises in terraces, separated by short steep slopes or rocky ridges. These terraces are traversed by streams flowing parallel with the St. Lawrence, and are necessarily crossed nearly at right angles. It is therefore supposed that the works on this section will be of an expensive character. South of the summit to the D6ge\6 the country is crossed and intersected in every direction by rocky ridges or bold rugged hills, which in some instances attain an elevation of 1,800 feet above the sea. The general elevation of the ground at the base of these hills varies from 670 to 900 feet above the sea. Owing to the broken character of the country it is supposed that a large proportion of the line will be curved and that in extreme oases curves of half a mile radius will be required. And long maximum gradients estimated at fifty feet per mile will be of frequent oc- currence. River du Loup is the only important stream crossed, all other streams with,the ex- ception of the Cabaneau and River Verte are crossed near their sources. The bridging will therefore be unimportant, but as a general rule the approaches will be heavy. The total length^of bridging will probably not exceed 750 feet lineal. Timber of good quality is abundant, but stone suitable for building will not be readily obtained. The rock formation is chiefly gneiss, clay slate or other similar rocks. The soil is gravelly and frequently very rocky, but there is much excellent land on the route still ungranted. The timber is generally spruce, pine, birch, cedar and occasionally maple. Settlements extend about six miles back of River du Loup, thence to the Di-gcli^ the lino runs through an unbroken forest. The proposed route is generally within three miles of the now " Tcmiscouata Portage," therefore materials for construction or supplies for labourers will be obtained without much difficulty. And the west shore of Lake Tcmiscouata from the Cabaneau to the Ddgel6 is partially settled, there is also a Grist and Saw Mill in this neighborhood. Lumbering operations are carried on to some extent on the tributaries of the St. John and Lake Temiscouata, and water power is abundant in this section of the country. From the J)6ge\6 to Grand Falls, the country is remarkably favorable for railway purposes. The Valley of the Madawaska is generally flat or slightly undulating and its average elevation above the sea 500 feet ; it is skirted on either hand by a continuous range of high steep hills which near the Province Line and in the vicinity of Edmundston ap- proach the river. These hills may, however, be avoided without difficulty, but the present highway may possibly light,'an( west ban] Thui The St. John, River St. sides of t mills hav< markets. Frou favorable country, And The highlands The Roofing si Lime Tho! The« neccssitati The vacan Thcf Edmundst Near Afa\ tho banks But much ing on this and Madai upper basi Collb: the river, span is no the spot. Grani over a per] in that dis Squai thereby, b lower basil InN< on the wat settlement lumber tra either at S Brunswick new trade would be « on the riv< The lumbc large suppl direct frou by steambi bottomed I the river ii 85 II' possibly bo interfered with. This portion of the lino will bo found very direct, the grades light,'and the ourvos of largo radius. Settlements occur at frequent intervals all along tho west bank of the river, and towards Edmundston on the east bank also. Thus far the settlers are chiefly French Canadians. The Village of Edmundston is situated at the junction of tho Madawaska with tho River St. John, and promises to become a place of some importance as a lumbering dopGt. Tho River St. John is here the boundary between New Brunswick and the United States. Both sides of the river are settled as high up as the River St. Francis, and several first class saw mills have recently been erected which manufacture lumber for tho St. John and American markets. From Edmundston the line will continue down the Valley of the St. John, at very favorable grades, passing through a comparatively well settled, fertile, and level part of the country. And long straight lines and curves of large radius may also be obtained here. The banks of the St. John are alluvial, rising successively in steps towards ranges of highlands lying parallel with tho river. The rocks throughout this section of the country belong to the primitive formation. Roofing slato has been discovered near Green River. Limestone suitable for lime has also been found. The soil generally is a stiff olay. The streams to be crossed arc unimportant, but their valleys are sometimes very broad, necessitating heavy embankments. A great part of the route will be through cleared land. The vacant lands are usually two or three concessions back from the river. Tho settlers in tho Madawaska territory, which includes both sides of tho river between Edmundston and Grand Falls, are Acadian French. Near Grand Falls the country becomes broken and rocky, and is thinly settled. A favorable site for crossing the River St. John occurs about a mile above the Falls, tho banks are high and steep, and the stream narrows to a width of less than 500 feet. But much careful examination will bo necessary before selecting this crossing. The bridg- ing on this section will not, it is supposed, exceed 1000 feet lineal, including the St. John and Madawaska, the only important streams crossed. The elevation of tho river in the upper basin or reach is about 420 feet above the sea. CoUbrooke, the shire town of the County of Victoria, is located on the west bank of the river, opposite the Falls ; and immediately below them a suspension bridge of 190 feet span is now being constructed by the Government, the stone for the work is quarried on the spot. Grand Falls is a formidable obstacle to lumbering operations, the river falls 74 feet over a perpendicular ledge of slate rook into a narrow gorge, nearly a mile long, descending in that distance 45 feet or 119 feet in all. Square timber and saw logs are run over the falls, entailing a loss of 10 or 12 per cent, thereby, but all sawed lumber has to be hauled across the portage, between the upper and lower basins, as also all supplies going up the river. In New Brunswick lumbering operations have gradually receded, and now lie chiefly on the waters of the upper St. John. The proposed Railway would certainly promote the settlement of this most valuable timber region. It would also develop tho manufactured lumber trade by affording facilities for obtaining supplies and for transportation to market, either at St. Andrew's, Quebec, or River du Loup. It would create in the interior of New Brunswick and the State of Maine a market for Canadian provisions, and thus open up a new trade with Montreal and the cities farther west. Saw mills for manufacturing timber would be erected on the tributaries of the St. John^ and eventually almost all the timber on the river would be converted into deals, clapboards, shingles, and similar short lumber. Tho lumbering establishments on the upper St. John and Lake Tomiscouata require very large supplies of flour and pork, which (with the exception of a small quantity obtained direct from Quebec by the Colonization road and Temiscouata Portage) are usually sent by steamboat or railway to Woodstock, and are thence forwarded up tho river in flat- bottomed boats towed by horses. At present, the supplies and merchandise forwarded up the river is stated to bo equal in bulk to 80,000 bbls. (Flour.) 4 ■( •' ■ii f; i. f I )l •I !} 86 {30,000 barrels to Woodstock and vicinity. 30,000 <* Tobique and Aroostook. 20,000 « Grand Falls and upwards. From Grand Falls to Woodstock is said to be one of the most productive agricultural district* in New Brunswick, but the country appears rough and unfavorable for railway construction, being intersected by very deep valleys and ravines, through which flow streams leading into the Kiver St. John. The surveys of the New Brunswick and Canada Railway extend only to the Little Presqu'islc River, 10 miles north of Woodstock, and, it is re- ported, " from this point forward the surface of the country is comparatively level." — The vacant lands in this section of the country lie beyond the settlements on the eastern bank of the St. John. — The population of the River St. John above Woodstock, including the Aroostook country, is estimated at 40,000. The inhabitants of the County of Aroostook, in the State of Maine, are much interested in the proposed railway. — Their most important lumber streams flow into the St. John, and many of the roads leading from the interior of the country connect with the " Great Roads " of New Brunswick. — This portion of the State is rapidly becoming settled by a large farming population, it is also a most valuable timber region, abounding in water power. — From the great quantity of lumber manu- factured for the American market, as well as the cupplics required for lumbering opera- tions, the Aroostook country must eventually prove a most important feeder for the rail- way. — The amount of lumber, &c., produced and annually sent down the river is stated to be nearly as follows, viz. : Square timber from above Grand Falls 4,000,000 feet. « « «' below " « 3,000,000 « r Shingles 20,000,000 No. Sawed lumber from Aroostook, ■] Clapboards 1,500,000 " (Boards 750,000 « Oats 10,000 bushels. Potatoes 5,000 « Buckwheat Meal 60 tons. Oats 30 « Woodstock, the shire town of the County of Carlton, is situated on the west bank of the St. John, at the mouth of the Meduxnikeag River, and at the extremity of a " Great Road " to Houlton, Maine, on which there is much traffic. Both towns are of considerable importance as being the centre of a largo agricultural population. Extensive ironworks were formerly in operation near Woodstock ; copper has also been discovered in the neigh- borhood. From Woodstock to Canterbury, the present terminus of the New Brunswick and Canada Railway, the distance will be either 22 or 25 miles, dependent on the route adopted. Relative to this section, I extract the following information from the report of the Engineer and Manager : — The location from Eel River to Woodstock is not yet decided upon, consequently no work has been commenced north of tho former place. Two lines have been surveyed, one running direct to Woodstock, the other to the Houlton road, which it crosses nearly midway between Woodstock and Houlton. From Eel River direct to Woodstock, involving at the commencement grades of 50 feet for two miles from Eel River, at which point the summit is attained, and from which there is a descent all tho way to Woodstock, some heavy work has to be encountered in crossing the wide creeks, which cannot bo possibly avoided or materially reduced by any diversion of the line; nevertheleis, the quantities of excavation are comparatively light, and the general direction good ; through 16 miles of forest, and six miles cleared land, there is no ourvation of less radius than 1,910 feet, and only three of these to Woodstock. The grades may also be considered as favorable, the maximum being 62 feet to the mile for one mile, and in tho direction of the down traffic. This is, without exception, the most practicable route from Eel River to Woodstock. The comparative estimates, however, exhibit the cost of construction as £37,527 in excess of those of the upper routes by the Houlton road. We may also men- tion in connection with this route, that its extension beyond Woodstock by way of the eastern branch of Lanis Creek, is also the most favorable and practicable egress that can be found over such a very rough country as presents itself in that vicinity; for 10 miles northward, 65 feet grades aro absolutely necessary to reach tho summit level, the only 1 jr. I . i. tr If redeeming qualifioation, being that the declivity is to the south towards St. Andrew's, and is thcroforo favorable to the down traffic. The work on the first 10 mile section from Canterbury is of the heaviest character. From Canterbury to St. Andrew's i.s 65 miles. Tho road is said to be completed and in good running order. The number of way stations including Canterbury is 12. The gauge is 5ft. Gin., uniform with the Kuropcan and North American Railway (St. John and Shodiac). — I was unable to obtain reliable information as to grades, curvea or permanent way. Embankments are 15ft. wide at formation level, slopes H to 1. Earth Cuttings " 30 " " « " Rock " «' 24 " « « vertical. Bridge abutments of Ashlar coursed, or in coursed rubble. " Superstructure of timber. Culverts are of cedar timber or dry rubble masonry coursed. Tho Company has a Grant from tho Government of all vacant lands within a distance of five miles on either side of tho Railway. A large proportion of those lands are represented as being very valuable as well for agricultural as for lumbering purposes. It is stated that the Harbour of St. Andrew's is occasionally frozen, also that the depth of water at tho en- trance is insufficient. The first statement is incorrect. But with reference to the depth of water it is stated in tho Report of the Board of Works, for 1858, that 40,000 cubic yards of dredging might perhaps be sufficient to make the entrance of tho harbour available for a depth of eight feet at lowest spring tides, this would enable a vessel drawing 20 feet to come into tho harbour at half tide. Spring tides rise from 24 to 26 feet, and neaps, from 20 to 22. Chamcock Harbour about four miles N.E. of St. Andrew's, appears well adapted for Ocean Steamers. The Railway is said to skirt the shore of this harbour. * m n 'J Ml • r If 1 -Si ? t ' t ■ ■ ii f > "i » -' 1 y-^ 'i ■J- ■ \ ■ ■ ^ • , ,„ 'd ' ... ■> (V o.. \^t IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) A ^ ./^.^ Q- ^.r 1.0 !i: I.I 1.25 1 2.5 II 2.2 120 1.8 1-4 IIIIII.6 <9 ^ V] o?^ /] "1 o A / s '^^X^^^ "<«*..^ '•i. W fe^ \? ^ h. O^ s 88 1 • i APPENDIX D. (Frontier Route, Link No. 2.) Correspondence in reference to the extension of the St. Andrew's and Woodstock {the New BrunsioicJt and Canada') Railway to River du Loup. St. Andrew's, 5th September, 1864. Dear Sir, — On my arrival in Town on Saturday evening last, Mr, Osburn placed in my hands your letter to him of the 20th ult., in which you express a desire to be fur- nished with a copy of my Report of a Survey conducted by me during the winter of 1861, for the extension of the St. Andrew's Railroad to the Canadian Frontier. I have now great pleasure in presenting you with copies of Reports I then made, and gladly avail myself of a brief sojourn at home, to put you in immediate possession of any useful information they may contain. Yours very truly, WALTER M. BUCK. Sandford Fleming, Esq., Civil Engineer, &c., &c., Tobiquc. St. Andrew's, N. B., 3rd February, 1862. Henry Osburn, Esq., Manager. Dear Sir, — I beg to submit the following Report upon the preliminary Survey re- cently made in two sections, viz., from the south branch of the Meduxnikeag River (at which place the former Richmond-Corner and Hillman- Valley locations terminated) to the St. John River at Wilson's, and from the Grand Falls southward to the Tobique River at Hutchinson's. This survey was commenced on October 15, 1861, and was continued to the 7th of January, 1862, but was not completed at this period ; the section of country between the River St. John, at the proposed crossing place at Wilson's by the Hardwood Creek, and thence by the Valley of the Menguart River, and over the summit ridge, which divides the head waters of the l&tter from that of the Trout Brook and Otellook River, to the Tobique River being left touched ; as also the section of country north of the Grand Falls to the Canadian Frontier. The greater portion of this proposed route from the River St. John has been traoed ou foot through the woods, in company with a small party necessarily organized for such an expedition, amongst whom where men whose knowledge of the localities, obtained from lum- bering operations, justified their engagement, whilst others were employed for the purpose of sacking or carrying the camp equipage and provisions. The time occupied in making the exploration to within a few miles of the Canadian Frontier, from leaving St. Andrews, was forty days, and you will observe from the copious notes taken during this period, that the examination was carefully made, although under many difficulties arising from the continued inclemency of the weather. The surveying party on the section from Richmond forward, under the direction of Mr. Chas. Haslet, received instructions to pursue a route that was considered to be the most eligible and practicable in the direction of the River St. John, this portion of the country having been better known from previous travelling. The other party, under the direction of Mr. John Otty, were sent forward to the Grand Falls, and received instructions to commence the survey at that place and on the west side of the river, working southward, until it should become known from a reoonnais- sauce on the east side of the river, through the interior of the ooantry, whether a line of road was practicable or not from the Tobique Rirer to the Grand Falls ; the examination 89 ,r — ■ ■ ' — — ■^ having established the affirmative, the surveying party were ordered to abandon their work on the west side of the river, with which they were progressing most favorably, and to com- loence fresh operations on the east side near the head of the Mooney Brook a tributary to the Big Salmon River. The Munguart River and Trout Brook district was also examined: the valleys of thes«i waters are intercepted by a summit ridge, which will require more precise instrumental ex- ploration than could otherwise be made, to ascertain the maximum grades that will have to be adopted ; on the other two sections the maximum grade is but 53 feet per mile. It was intended to have contour levels taken over this portion of the route and also all other levels properly connected and reduced from one Datum, but unfortunately the surveying parties had to abandon all further operations on account of severe snow storms and other causes. It would, however, take but a short time to connect the whole work by those levels at an early and more favorable period, the expense incurred would be but trifling in com- parison with the great importance of having continuous levels and known relative elevations. The section of country between the Grand Falls and the Canadian Boundary was next explored, and proved the most favorable for railway construction. The general proposed direction will be by the Valley of the Dead Brook, and Second Beaver Brook, crossing the Grand River on its marginal flats, thence by the Sigas Lake and branch across the Sigaa River, and stretching almost directly across to the forks of the Quisibis River thence across the Green River to the front of the Green mountain, and approaching the main river at St. Bazil, which will be the nearest touching point ; and then along a table-land at the foot of the Green River ridges to the Iroquois River, and up the valley of this river to the Oanadian Boundary, where Mr. Rubidge, the Engineer in charge of the Canadian Survey, terminated his explorations, having pronounced the former proposed route to the westward oftheTemiscouata Lake, on instrumental examination, to be entirely impracticable. Your attention is particularly requested to the accompanying map, shewing the line of the Halifax and Quebec Railway and its connections, &c. j it has been taken from a pub- lished pamphlet " On the Political and Economical Importance of Completing the Line of Railway from Halifax to Quebec," by Joseph Nelson. You will observe that the yellow tinted line, being the proposed central line for the Intercolonial Railway, is traced to the westward of the Temiscouata Lake, evidently shewing that at the time'the map was prepared and the proposed route marked thereon, nothing was then known of its actual practicability ; the same may be said of that portion also which is lined between the Tobique River and the J)4geU, at the foot of the Temiscouata Lake. During the recent e::ploration, Greon Mountain, which is said to be upwards of one thousand feet above the St. John River, was ascended to its snow-clad top, and the view of the country to tho eastward and northward was sufficient to impress mc t?ith the impracticability of extending a road on that side of the mountain, through such a mountainous region j when I say impracticable, I mean by it a most unjustifiable expenditure in construction. Herewith is also furnished a profile of 17 miles of the survey between Grand Falli and Tobique River, likewise an estimate of the cost of construction of — 50 miles of the proposed route amounting to £295,000 Cy. That of the first 30 miles averaging per mile 5,440 Stg. And that of the other 20 miles " 3,643 « These estimates may be received as full and ample for the respective sections only, and I trust that so far as this winter survey has been extended, the result will be consid- ered satisfactory. WALTER M. BUCK, Engineer in charge of Soryey^ St. Andrew's, N. B., 8th March, ISfrZ.. HENftV MAiinsLAY, Esq., . , ^' !.*• of London, Board Director N. B. and C. R. R. Deah Sir, — In accordance with your request, I beg to submit the following Beport as supplementary to that of 3rd February last: — r . ».,••.:!. #1 > ■t, ■W: 'I ■] • '' "H! \ m 90 .->■ l:.l I III The site intended for the Station buildings at the Richmond terminus (so called) is at McGeorge's, on the Inman Valley j the grounds will bo level for 1,800 feet and can bo graded on an eiubankment to any extent in width that may hereafter be required ; this portion was selected, as at first proposed in consequence of a heavy ascending grade of 56 feet per nile being required to reach the summit at the Houlton and Woodstock Road in a deep cutting and would not be suitable for the approach to the station. The descent from the summit to the Valley of the Meduxnikeag River is made by adopting steep gradients, one of 60 feet per mile being employed for a short distance. From the point of intersection with the high road the distance to Woodstock is reck- oned as seven miles, and to Houlton, five miles j Houlton is situated about three miles within the boundary line. The preliminary survey recently made for the extension of the line northward, was carried to within three miles of the St. John River at Wilson's opposite the Hardwood Creek, at which place, the crossing will necessarily be on a high level of about 100 feet above water surface, the width of the river being fully 800 feet. The partial location made was twenty-seven and a half miles through a thickly wooded country, ard in order to obtain correctly the positions and elevations of points through which it was desirable to pass, the public and the bye-roads were traversed and levels taken ; forty-three miles of this^^work has been accomplished in addition to the other work, and from which a topo- graphical plan of this portion of the country can be made whene :er required. At the south branch of the Meduxnikeag River, which has its rise in the State of Maine, and joins the St. John water at Woodstock, the line crosses above the Falls, and at a level of 55 feet above water surface. The fall of the river to Woodstock is about 215 feet in a distance of eight miles, or thereabouts, Jio that a branch line into Woodstock . along the valley of this river would be perfectly practicable ; the total distance to this point from St. Andrew's is ninety-six miles. The north branch of the Meduxnikeag River is next crossed at the 98th mile, with an ascending grade, about 35 feet above water level j the crossing is almost on the square and a little below the Third Falls, and over solid rock j both sides may be considered as na- tural formed abutments for bridging. The location from Fulcau's on the 92nd mile and for about three miles forward, must of necessity approach and run parallel to the boundary line within a mile distance, and at the crossing of the Meduxnikeag south branch within one and three quarter miles. From the north branch the line takes an easterly course and crosses the little Presqu'isle River at the 106th mile, in the Williamstown Village, this stream flows from the Williamstown Lake to the St. John River, about six miles apart. The lake is a fine sheet of water two miles in length, and one mile in breadth. The Village of Williamstown is about fourteen miles from Woodstock, and within five miles of the boundary line, the river ' "^ this place affords excellent water power for saw mills, and the village would, no dou~ , become a thriving place when accessible by railway. From this point forward the location takes a northerly course with uniform grades, to within two miles of the big Presqu'isle River on the 112th mile. This river which has its source in the State of Maine is crossed on the level 75 feet above water surface : it is ap- proached from the south with a 40 feet grade, and from the north with a 53 feet grade ; the point of crossing is within two miles of the St. John River, and six miles of the boundary line, and pursues a northerly course to the St, John River, at Wilson's in Up- per Wicklow, opposite the Hardwood Creek. The location was not completed to this point, but as the public road were traversed, and an exploration made through the woods, it was concluded that the character of the country did not vary much, and the estimates were framed upon the same average quan- tities per mile. From Fulcan's on the 92nd mile to the St. John River on the 120th mile, the quickest curvature necessarily employed is 3° or 1,910 feet radius, and this between the branches of the Meduxnikeag River, and to within a mile of the Florencevillo road (fourteen miles beyond the Meduxnikeag) the location chiefly consists of tangents, no quicker curvature being required than one mile radius j and from Florenceville to the St. John River, the looatioa is also principally on tangents, the sharpest curvature being half a mile radius. Three fourths of this section has been partially located and presents twenty miles of mouth. 91 sed, the :est 3 of lies ;ure the s. !S of straight h'ne, 5 miles of 1° curvature or 5,730 feet radius, and 5 miles of 2°, 2° 30' and 3** curves, the raJii being 2,865 ft., 2,292 ft., and 1,910 ft. ; the maximum gradient is 53 feet per mile. The quantities estimated on this section are for earthwork 26,000 cubic yards, and for rock 1,666 cubic yards per mile. The total estimated cost of construction, including masonry, bridging, ballasting, superstructure and station buildings, &c., will average £5,500 stg. per mile. The banks and bed of the St. Johr )'■ , -:^ at the proposed crossing, consisting of rock formation, and the narrowest place as ., ci., it is admirably adapted for bridging, more especially as there is a fine granite quarry in the immediate vicinity. The approaches on either side of the river will involve heavy embankments, but the grades will be favorable. The next portion of country between the St. John and Tobique Rivers, through which the line would traverse, has not been surveyed, and but partially explored ; this length of line will be about 26 miles. After leaving the Hardwood Creek, which heads in the Moose Mountain range, it follows in a northerly direction the valley of the Munguart River, and crosses nirtherly the dividing ridge between the head waters of the tributaries to the St. John and Tobique Rivers ; it then continues by the head of Trout Brook and takes the val- ley of the Otelloch River for some distance, then diverges across to the Tobique River below the mouth of the Otella River. No levels have been run over this district, consequently no profib has been furnished, and the summit level has not been ascertained. On reference to the Map it appears that the proposed route for the central line is laid down to cross the Tobique River, seven miles upstream, near to the Wapskihegan River, and the Major Robinson central route crosses as far up as the Gulquac River ; both these lines pass through a more difficult country than that in the neighborhood of the Munguart, as the eminence in the range of the Tobique Mountains increase in altitude as you ascend the river up to the Blue Mountain, about 50 miles from the mouth. The country between St. John and Tobique Rivers is thickly wooded; spruce and birch being the pi^dominant growth; the land is not settled upon within the banks of the river, but it is pronounced to be of good quality. The survey of the section between tho Grand Falls and the Tobique River, the party working southwards, commenced on the 28th October last, the distance being about 20 miles through an unbroken wilderness. A lino was first started two miles to the eastward of the Grand Falls, and run along a valley to the Salmon River, in the direction of the Little Salmon ; this was taken as the shortest line, but as the first stream could not be crossed to advantage without adopting; a 70 feet grade to descend from tho summit within two miles, which was considered objectionable, although not strictly so upon a trial-survey, the line was abandoned, and a position taken up three miles still further to the eastward of the Falls, near the head of the Mooney Brook, being a much lower level than at first chosen. The descent of the brook is made with a 53 feet grade for two and a half miles to its mouth, the Salmon River being crossed at a level of 22 feet above water, with the same grade continued to the end of the third mile. A succession of uniform grades with light work is then continued to the crossing of the Little Salmon at the forks on the 6th mile, and from this point an ascent is made up the valley of the stream to its head, and that of Little River (a small stream flowing to the St. John) and to the summit level on the 16th mile ; the total rise being 354 feet in nine miles, or an average grade of 39 feet per mile, but on account of a level interval occurring, a grade of 53 feet per mile has to be introduced for nearly half the distance. Little Salmon River is a very tortuous stream, and it will be necessary for the lino to cross it frequently, unless bridging can be dispensed with by making diversions ; it can be spanned by a 30 feet girder bridge at any place. Seme rather abrupt land occurs near to the summit, but it is tho only heavy work (hj comparison) on the whole of this length, viz. : — An eubankment containing 50,000 cuDic yards, and a cutting 2,000 feet in length, with a maximum depth of 25 feet. After passing over this summit the line falls into the Valley of the Bear Brook on the 17th mile, and within about 3 miles of the Tobique River at Hutchinson's, at which place the river is probably 400 feet wide. The quaatities estimated are for earthwork, 18,350 cubic yards, and for rock, 1,150 '11 ■r ■' ' S ' \' ] ■■' -i i f :» ■ ^ if M ■ 1 ' f 1 * ■i t '' i |, A'm ■ . 1 ■ "1 b ' iA„^^ m 92 ■ ! ■1!> Jii cubic yards per mile, the estimated ccst per mile for all materials, as on the Richmond section, is about £3,650 sterling. It is to be regretted that this survey was commenced at such a late season of the year, the snow being at the deepest, and the days at their shortest; had it been taken in hand during the summer or the fall of the year, double the amount of work could have been performed to much better advantage, and provisions would have been at lower prices ; how- ever, as it was a necessity at the time instructions wore first received, it can only be said that all that human effort could accomplish in the woods, at such a period, was done. In addition to the foregoing, I beg to refer you to my Report, dated 3rd February last, addressed to the Manager, and forwarded by him to your Board of Directors. WALTER M. BUCK, Engineer in charge of Survery. I ! . 93 APPENDIX E. (Central Route, Line No. 8.) Report on Exploration from the Village of Boicstown, across the Tohiquc Highlands. Sandiord Fleming, Esq., Chief Engineer Intercolonial Railway. Dear Sir, — In accordance with instructions, verbal and written, received from you in March last, I proceeded to make an exploration of the country from the Village of Boiestown, northward to the source of| the IJungarvon, Rocky Brook and Gulquac Rivers, and now beg leave to hand you the following remarks : — Having placed an Aneroid Barometer in the hands of careful party at Boiestown, with instructions to note its changes at certain periods of the day, and to record name on a table previ ously prepared by myself ; I started for the point peviously arranged, viz. , the boundary line between the counties of York" and Northumberland, and immediately west of the Upper Falls of the main Dungarvon, commenced operations by running a serieH of lines diverging from this point in order to ascertain the main features of the country ; I found, however, that these lines so frequently carried me over the tops of high mountains, that it would be necessary fo adopt a different system of working, and confine my explora- tions to the sever?,! streams, which in this part of the country cunnot be said to run through valleys, but merely gorges varying in their breadth from the simple width of the river to perhaps a quarter of a mile and bounded on both sides with high land broken only by the defiles of the few mountain streams that feed the main rivers. Having decided on the above line of operations I first traced the main Dungarvon from a point about three miles below the " Upper Falls" to its sources, the most northerly of which I found to be at an elevation of 1,215 feet above Boiestown ; I then followed a branch of this stream running in a north-west course from the vicinity of the '* Upper Falls," and found it to be head in still water to the west of the county line before men- tioned and continuing on passed over the dividing ridge between the Dungarvon River and the Rocky Brook, at an elevation of about 930 feet ; from this point I followed two valleys or gorges running in diff'erent directions to the Rocky Brook around a high hill as you take notice at Obs. No. 33 ; the Rocky Brook on the west side of this hill passes be- tween very precipitous rocky banks, which would render the building of a railway at this point an expensive matter, this can however be avoided by following the two valleys men- tioned ; continuing on up the Rocky Brook I first explored the right-hand branch which, after passing between very precipitous rocky banks, and over these Falls takes it rise in a large lake at an elevation 1,118 feet, quite surrounded by high hills, through which I could not see any depression at least in the direction that I wished ; returning to the Forks, followed up the left-hand branch and found it to head in a lake at an elevation of about 950 feet, passed on over a dividing ridge of about a quarter of a mile in length, and at a height of 965 feet, and entered upon the head waters of a branch of the Clearwater Brook, followed it for several miles through lakes, streams and beaver dams, &c., till it reached the main stream, thence up this stream to it& source which I found to be in a swamp or barren at a height of 1,513 feet, this being the summit level between the Clear- water Brook and the Gulquac River. On the annexed sketch I have put a number of heights with the number of the obser- vation above it for the guidance of any party that may be sent out to carry on the detail survey ; all my observations are marked on trees with red chalk acd numbered consoutivdly, u also all the linea run are numbered as shown in the sketch. % t J- - 'i 1^ » 94 it: -4 ml m '■■r'^l \:n Owing to tho winter being so far advanced before I started out on thi^ survey, I was obliged to move with great rapidity from one part to another, as I found the rivers break- ing up very fast and the danger of freshets setting in was every day increasing, this of course prevented me exploring the covintry as far or as minutely as I had at first intended ; and add jd to this rapid breaking up of tho streams, I was still further impeded by the continuance for a whole week of a snuw storm just at the time that I was in the region of the head waters of the Gulquac aud Clearwater ; this rendered any attempt at a topo- graphical delineatioa of the country impossible. I have, however, laid down some of the features of the country thereabouts as far as was possible from lines run under the cir- cumstances, and have also ske'i^hed on in blue ink tho most probable route for a railway line through this section of country, which, so far as my explorations extended, shew it to be quite practicable from the Miramichi side, but owing to the sudden breaking up of the streams, I did not deem it prudent to venture further into the country, consequently I re- turned by the shortest route, viz., the Wapskihegan River, down which we were obliged to travel on rafts or catamarans ; this of course preveuts me giving you any correct report of the country along the Grulquac, but from what little I saw of it and the height of its head above its junction with the Tobique, which cannot be more than 550 feet in a distance of about fifteen mile?, places this route quite within the range of practicability. Owing to the depth of snow on the ground, I had not an opportunity of judging of tho soil for agricultural purposes, but from the timber found on the high lands (birch and maple), I should deem it to be a character suitable for such uses ; but the lower levels and barrens were generally covered with cedar, spruce, and hacmataek ; the most of tho country travelled over by me will yield good building material for the ordinary structures used on a railway. In conclusion, I may add that the general features of the country are favorable for the construction of a railway, as the banks of the streams in most cases recede from the wafer at a uniform rate of inclination. I am, Halifax, May, 1861 Yours truly, VV. 11. TREMAINE. e: 95 APPENDIX F. Remarks on the Shortest Lines of commnnicntion hclicecn Amefica and Europe, in con- nection ioith the contemplated Intercolonial K^ailway. lu the Northera United States many leading men, who tali e a prominent part in directing the. great works of intercommunication of the country, have long aimed at an extension of their Railway System to some extreme eastern Port on the Continent; their object being to shorten the Ocean passage and the time of transit ibetwecn the great com- mercial centres of the Old and New Worlds. A plan was propounded in 1850, by which it was proposed to coaneet the cities of New York and lioston with Halifax by a Railway stretching across the State of Maine, the Provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The originators and promoters of this plan correctly assumed that the necessities of trade would, sooner or later, require the adoption of the shortest possible sea voyage between the two Continents. This scheme appears to have found no little favor in New Uruaswick and Nova Scotia. The line of Railway then projected was designated " The European and North American Railway," hence the name of that important section of it, constructed and in operation, between St. John, New Brunswick, and the Isthmus, which connects that Province with Nova Scotia. The whole scheme, as originally proposed, has, ever since its projection, been kept pro- minently in view ; and there only now remains to complete it the link between Moncton and Truro (common to the Intercolonial Railway), and that other link between St. John and Bangor, so warmly advocated at the present time in the States of Maine and Massa- chusetts. The whole project has still many advocates in both the Provinces referred to. These railway links completed, the city of Halifax would be connected with the whole of the United States, and the Ocean passage between the railway systems of Europe and America would be reduced to the distances between Halifax, on the one side, and Galway, or some other port on the west coast of Ireland, on the other. It is a question, however, if Halifax would permanently remain the Entrepdt for '^cean Steamers. The same considerations which so strongly influenced the originators of "The European and North American Railway," and which still so powerfully weigh with its promoters, would induce them or their successors to look for a point of embarkation still nearer Europe than Halifax. Halifax might then have to give way to the most easterly Harbour in Nova Scotia ; and Bhould the bridging of the Gut of Canso not defy engineering skill and financial ability, the great European Terminus of all the Railways on this Continent might yet be situated on the Island of Cape Breton. There are two good Harbours on the easterly coast of Cape Breton, the one at Sydney, where the best of coal abounds, and the other, the Old French Harbour of Louisburg, where similar advantages may obtain. Sydney and Louisburg are respectively about 160 and 180 miles nearer Europe than Halifax, and although it is said they are not open ports all the year round, yet they are undoubtedly open during the great travelling season, and whilst open, being so much nearer Europe than Halifax, they would then without question be preferred. These considerations very naturally lead to reflections on the whole subject of Trans- atlantic communications, and the important question presents itself: What route may ulti- mately be found the very speediest between the Old World and the New ? Newfoundland, a large Island off the main land of North America, and Ireland, an Island off the European coast, resemble each other in being similar outlying portions of % ^ • M ••)1 I- nrTT- 90 {'■■ f't' Jr'M mi i'-:!- r Tj the Continents to which they respectively belong. Possibly they may have a more import- ant similarity and relationship, through the ramarkablo geographical position which they hold the one to the other, and to the great centres of population and commerce in Europe and America. A glance at the Chart of the Atlantic will show that between Ireland and Newfound- land the Ocean can be spanned by the shortest lino. Ireland is separated from England and Scotland by the Irish Channel ; Newfoundland is separated from this Continent by the Guiph of St, Lawrence. Already railways have reached the western coast of Ireland, and brought it within sixteen hours of the British capital. Were it possible to introduce the locomotive into Newfoundland, and establish steam communications between it and the cities of America, a route would be created from Continent to Continent, having the Ocean passage reduced to a minimum. This route would not be open for traffic throughout the whole year ; during certain months, the direct course of steamers would be so impeded by floating ice that it could not with certainty or safety be traversed. It therefore remains to bo seen whether the route has sufi&cieut advantages, whilst open, to recommend its etablishment and use, during pro- bably not more than seven months of the year. In this respect the Newfoundland route must be viewed precisely in the same light as many other lines of traffic on this continent, and possibly it may be found of equal import- ance. Of these works, may be raentioned, the Canals of Canada and the United States, which, although closed to traffic during winter, have justified the expenditure of enormous sums of money in their original construction and in repeated enlargements and extensions, Having alluded to the great objection to a route across Newfoundland, we may now proceed to enquire into its merits. The track of steamers from the British coast to New York, and to all points north of New York, passes Ireland and Newfoundland, either to the north or to the south j the most usual course, however, is to the south of both Islands. Vessels bound westerly make for Cape Race, on the south-easterly coast of Nowfoundland ; whilst those bound easterly make Cape Clear, on the south-westerly angle of Ireland. Not far from Cape Race is the Harbour of St. Johns, and near Cape Clear is the Harbour of T'alentia ; the one is the moat easterly Port of America, the other is the most westerly Port of Europe. They are distant from each other about 1,G40 miles. The Irish Railways are not yet extended to Valentia, but they have reached Killurney, within about 30 miles of it. From St. Johns, across Newfoundland, to the Gulph of St. Lawrence the distance is about 250 miles. On the St. Lawrence coast of the Island the Chart shows two harbours, either of which may be found available as points of transshipment ; the one St. George's Bay, the other, Port au Port ; they are situated near each other, and both are equally in a direct line from St.'Johns westerly to the main land. On the westerly shore of the Gulph we find, at the entrance to the Bale des Chaleurs, the Harbour of Shippigan, mentioned in the body of the Report on the Surveys of the Intercolonial Railway. From St. George's Bay to Shippigan the distance is from 240 to 250 miles. Ship- pigan may be connected by means of the contemplated Intercolonial Railway with Canada and the United States. Although a very little only is known of the physical features of Newfoundland, from that little we are justified in assuming that the construction of a railway across it, from east to west, is not impracticable. Perhaps the only white man who has travelled entirely through the interior, in the general direction of the projected railway route, is Mr. W. E. Cormack. This gentleman travelled across the country, many years ago, from Trinity Bay, on the east, to St. George's Bay, on the west. He left the eastern coast about the beginning of September, and reached St. George's Harbour on the 2nd of November. From Mr. Cormack's account of his journey it would appear that, although a belt along the coast is hilly and broken, much of the interior is comparatii;ely level, consisting of a series of vast savannas. * • The features of the country assume an air of expanse and importance different from heretofore, The trees become lo,rger, and stand apart, and we eater upon spacious tracts of rocky ground eutirel/ 97 It ia more than probable tbat the interior niuy bo reached by some of the rivers or numerous iDlets, which on tho map seems to pierce the mountainous bolt extending along the margin of the Island. The line of steam communication from Great Britain across Ireland and Newfound- land, and by the* contemplated Intercolonial llailw&y to the Interior of North America, possesses Bomc important recommendations as will presently be seen. It will, however, tirst bo necessary to allude to the question of speed. At the present time ocean steamers generally carry both freight and passengers, and in this respect they arc like what are termed " mixed trains " on Railways. These mixed trains arc employed to serve localities where there is not sufficient passenger and freight traffic to justify the running of separate trains. On Hallways doing a large business, thu traffic is properly classitied ; fast trains are run to carry passengers and mails only, whilst slow trains are used to convey heavy freight, A similar classification of ocean traffic may bo suggested. Freight will naturally go by the cheapest mode of conveyance, while passengers and mails will seek the speediest. It is well known that the shape of a steamship, other things being equal, governs her speed. The shape again depends on the load she may be constructed to carry ; if the ship is required only for mails and passengers and such voyages as need but a small quantity of fuel, she may be constructed on a model both sharp and light, and thus be capable of running more rapidly than if built to carry heavy and bulky loads. .A steam- ship for heavy loads may be compared to a dray horse, whilst one made specially for passengers and rapid transit may resemble a race horse, and like the latter the lees weight carried the more speed will be made. dear of wood. Everything indicated our approaching to the verge of a country different from that we bad jtassed over. On looking towards the sea coast, tho scene was inagnificent. We discovered that, under the cover of the forest, we had been uniformly aicending ever since we left the salt water at Random Bar, and then soon arrived at the summit of what we saw to be a great mountain ridge, that seems to serve fi3 a barrier between the gea and the interior. The black dense forest through which we had pil- grimaged presented a novel picture, appearing spotted with bright yellow marshes, and a few glassy lakes in its bosom, some of which we had passed close by without seeing them. In the westward, to our inexpressible delight, the interior broke in sublimity before us. What« contrast did this present to the conjectures entertained of Newfoundland ! The hitherto mysterions interior lay before us — a boundless scene — emerald surface — a vast basin. The eye strides again and again over a succession of northerly and southerly ranges of green plains marbled with woodi and lakes of every form and extent. • ♦ t • The great cxteinal features of the eastern portion of the main body of the Island are seen from these commanding heights. Overland communication between the bays of the east, north, and south coasts, it appears, might be easily established. Tho chief obstacles to overcome, as far as regards the mere way, seem to lie in crossing the mountaia bolt of twenty or forty miles wide on which we stood, in order to reach the open low interior. The nucleus of this belt is exhibited in the form of a semi- circular chain of insulated masses and round backed granitic hills generally lying N.E. and S.W. of each other in the rear of Bonavista, Trinity, Placentia, and Fortune Bays. To the southward of us in the direction of Piper's Hole in Placentia Bay, one of the conical hills, very conspicuous, I named " Mount Clarence " in honor of His Royal Highness, who, when in the navy, had been in Placentia Bay. Our view extended more than 40 miles in all directions. No high laud, it has been already observed, bounded the low interior in the west. September 11. — We descended into the bosom of the interior. The plains which shone so bril- lantly are steppes or savannas, composed of fine black compact peat mould, formed by the growth and decay of mosses. They are in the form of extensive, gently undulating beds, stretching north- ward aud southward, with running waters and lakes skirted with woods lying between them. Their yellow green surfaces are sometimes uninterrupted by either tree, shrub, rock or any irregularity, for more than ten miles, They are chequered every where upon the surface by deep beaten deer paths, and are in reality magnificent natur.al deer parks, adorned with wood and water. Our progress over the savanna country was attended with great labour and consequently slow, being at the rate of from five to seven miles a day to the westward, while the distance walked was fquivalent to three or four times as much. Always inclining our course to the westward, we traversed in every direction, partly from choice in order to view and examine the country, and partly from the necessity to get round the extremities of lakes and woods, and to look for game for subsistence. We were nearly a month la passing over one savanna after another. In the interval there are several low granitic beds, stretching as the savannas northerly and southerly.'"— iVarraficc of a journey across the Island of Newfoundland, lyW. R Cormack. 14 m •M • .. . • ■ ■: \. 11 ■;-^ ■■ - 1 %■ : i. >; •' ^M- 1 Jh Hill 98 •I m !r I II ii If these views are correct, it is clear that the speed of Ocean Steamships might be considerably increased when oonstructcd for a special purpos«. The distance between Kt. Johns (Newfoundland), and Valcutia is not much more than half the distance between Liverpool and New York ; and hence about half the quantity of coal and supplies would be required for the passage between the furracr points. It is quite obvious therefore that a steamship constructed specially to run between St. Johns and Valentia, and for the purpose of Trying only passengers and mails, with sueli light express matter as usually goes by passcogor trains, would attain a much higher rate of speed than existing ocean steamers. A rate of 16i miles per hour is thought to bo quite possible : the distance between Valentia and St. Johns is 1,040 milc.^. At this assumed rate therefore the ocean passaj^-e might be accomplished in 100 hours. With regard to the speed on land, it appears from Bradshavj't Railway Guiile, that the Irish mails are regularly carried between London and Holyhead at the rate of 40 miles an hour including stoppages, thnt the Irish Channel is crossed at the rate of 10 miles an hour including the time required for transshipment at Holyhead and Kingstown, and that the mails reach Queenstown some 10 hours after they leave London. Valentia is very little further from Dublin than Queeiistowu, and on the completion of a Railway to Valentin, there is nothing to prevent it being reached from London in the same time now occupied in carrying the mails to Queenstown. Galway has been mentioned as a proper point to connect with ocean steamers, it k fully an hour nearer London than Valentia, but probably three hours (in time) further from America. Although 40 miles an hour is a common rate of speed on the Railways in England, it is not usual to run so rapidly on this side of the Atlantic. On the leading passenger Routes in the United St.. cs, 30 miles an hour including; stoppages is attained, although a rate of 25 miles an hour is more commonly adopted. On lines frequently obstructed by snow drifts, it is not easy to maintain in Winter a rapid rate of transit, but in Summer with the rail track and rolling stock in a fair condition of repair, there is no difficulty in running at the rate of 30 miles an hour with passenger trains : and therefore this rate of speed, may reasonably be assumed as that at which the mails might be carried overland, to various points hereafter referred to on this continent. Having fixed upon a practicable rate of speed by land and water, the time necessary for the conveyance of the Mails from London to New York, by the projected rou^c, may now be ascertained : From London to Valentia, at present rate of speed in England 16 hours. " Valentia to St. Johns, 1040 miles at 16* miles per hour 100 " " St. Johns to St. Georges, 250 miles at 30 miles per hour 8 J '< " St George to Shippigan, 250 miles at 16J miles per hour 15J " " Shippigan to New York, 900 miles at 30 miles per hour 31 " Total „ 171 hours. It is thus apparent, that without assuming t rate of spt. ^t all extraordinary, it would be poflttible to carry the Mails from London to New York in 17i hours, or 7 J days, by the route passing over Ireland, Newfoundland, and by the proposed Intercolonial Railway from Shippigan. In order to compare the route referred to with existing lines, the results of the past year may now be presented. PASSAGES BETWEEN LIVERPOOL AND NEW YORK. Name of Steamship Line. West'nPaa, Eastr'nPaa. Inman Line. — Average of 52 Eastern d. h. m. d. h. m. and 52 Western Passages 13 19 11 12 18 54 Shortest Passages 11 5 10 5 Cunard Line. — Average of 27 Eastern and 25 Western Passages 11 12 46 10 11 42 Shortest Passage 9 17 9 3 Mean, d. h. 13 7 10 17 11 9 11 99 4j '- !* PASSAGES BETWEEN SOUTHAMPTON AND NEW YORK. Nanio of Stenmship Lino. Wcsl'n PnsB. Uamhnrg Line. — Average of 2;} Western d. li. h. and 25 Eastern passages 13 1 40 Shortest passages 10 9 Brancn Line. — Average of 20 Eastern and 22 Western passages 14 Shortest passages 10 17 27 F)a8tern Pass, d. h. ni. 12 15 53 10 17 12 9 42 10 19 Mean. d. h. 13 1 10 13 13 9 10 18 From the above it will be seen, that while the mean average of all the passafi^es, made between Liverpool or Southampton and Now York, ranges from 11 days up to 13 days 9 hours ; it is estimated that by Ireland, Newfoundland, and Shippigan the passage could be made in 7 days 3 hours, nearly four days less time than the lowest mean average, and two days less than the shortest of 240 passages, if not the rcry shortest passage on record. — These advantages alone arc sufllcient to attract the attention of business men, but the great recommendation of the Newfoundland route to most travellers, would be the shorteaing of the ocean passage proper, from 204 hours (the average by the Cunard Line) to 100 hours. The above comparison has been made because the greatest number, and perhaps the best Ocean Steamship lines run to New York. A similar comparison with the Boston Portland, and Quebec lines would show a result still more in favor of the Newfoundland route. The following table, giving the time required between London and various points in North America, will show at a glance the great advantage which would accrue to the people of both hemispheres by the establishmcnt-of the shortest ocean passage route. By this table it will be seen that mails from London, could not only be carried to all parts of the British Provinces, and to all points in the Northern States, in a marvellously short space of time by the route herein projected, but that it is quite possible to deliver them on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico in nine days, — less time, in fact, than the shortest passsagcs of the Ounard or of any other steamers between Liverpool and New York. Time required to carry the Mails by the 'proposed Short Ocean Passage, and by the InUr- colonial Raibr y from Shippigan. From London to St; Johns, N. . — 4 days 20 hours. it u a « u It tt It It It It ft it It " Shippigan 5 » Halifax " St. John, N. B 6 " Quebec 6 << Montreal " Toronto 7 «< Buffalo 7 « Detroit 7 " Chicago 7 " Albany 7 « New York 7 " Boston ft " Portland 6 "■ New Orleans 9 (( (( (( (( tc (I tl 20 « 10 16 o 6 8 « 20 « « 3 '• 19 « 15 «' tt It tl tt tt K (( (( tl tl It ii tt tc Having shown that by shortening the ocean passage across the Atlantic to a minimum^ the time of transit between the great centres of business in Europe and America can be very greatly reduced ; so much so indeed, that a reasonable hope may be entertained that the entire mail matter passing between the two continents, may eventually be attracted to the new route, it may be well now to enquire what proportion of passengers may be ex- pected to travel over it. Before 1838 the only mode crossing the Atlantic was by sailing ships : the passage commonly occupied from six to ten weeks, until the introduction of a superior class of vessels known as the American Liners ; these fine ships made an average homeward pa8> sage of 24 days ^nd an average outward passage of 36 days, Lt». 1 1 ■ , 1 f ','''' i \ -i 1 ■ '^ !'!: :i^' I-- Ti Hli Ll m: !! Nl 100 The year 1838 saw the beginning of a new era in transatlantic communication?. Two steam vessels crossed from shore to shore ; one, the Sinus, left Cork on April 4th, another, the Great Western, left Bristol on April 8th, and they both arrived at New York on the same day, the 23rd of April ; the averaged speed of the former was 161 miles per day, that of the latter 208 miles per day.* The Great Western, continued to ran from 1838 to 1844, making in all 84 pas- sages ; she ran the outward trip in an average time of 15^ days, and the homeward trip in an average time of 18^ days. The Cunard Line commenced running in July, 1840, with three steamers, the Bri- tannia, the Acadia, and the Caledonia, under a contract with the British Govern- ment to make monthly passages. In 1846, under a new contract, the Cunard Company undertook to despatch a mail steamer once a fortnight from Liverpool to Halifax and Boston, and another mail steamer once a fortnight from Liverpool to New York. This service has been maintained with amazing regularity and increasing efficiency to the present day. These wore the pioneers of a system of ocean steam navigation which has already done much increase the intercourse between the two continents. By reducing the length and Uncertainty of the voyage as well as the inconveniences, in many cases the miseries, which passengers had previously to endure, a vast deal of good has been accomplished. The number and tonnage of steamships engaged in carrying passengers and goods between the British Islands and North America has of late years increased with wonder- ful rapidity. In 1864 no less than ten regular lines of ocean steamers were employed iu running either to New York or to jjorts north of that city in the United States or in Cana- da. Of these ten lines, two were weekly and eight fortnightly equivalent in all to six weekly lines ; so that there were on an average six steamships leaving each side weekly, or nearly one every day. The total number of passengers carried by these various steam lines during the past year was 135,317, and by far the largest number travelled during the summer months. It would not take a very large proportion of passengers crossing in any one year to give employment to a daily line of steamers on the short ocean passage route from St. John to Valentia or to Galway. A total number of 40,000 each way would 200 pas- sengers each trip, for seven months in the year. It is obvious then that there is already abundance of passenger traffic if the^purely passenger route under discussion possesses sufficient attractions. To settle this point the advantages and disadvantages of the route must be fairly weighed. The obstructions oflFeredby floating ice during several months in the year, arc insuper- able while they last ; during this period, Halifax or some equally good port open in winter, will be available. " The frequent transshipments from railway to steamship, and vice versCi, may be con- sidered by some an objection to the route ; for conveyance of freight the; certainly would be objectionable, but most passengers would probably consider the transshipments agreeable change's, as they would relieve the tedium of the journey. With regard to the comparative safety of this route, it would seem as if the advan- tages were greatly in its favor. The portion of a voyage between New York and Liver- pool, which seamen least fear, is that from Ireland to Newfoundland. It is well known that the most dangerous part of the whole voyage is along the Auierican coast between New York and Cape Race, where thick fogs so frequently prevail ; this coast line is about 1,000 miles in length and it has been the scene of the larger number of the disasters which have occurred. No less than fourteen or fifteen ocean steamships have been lost on this portion of the Atlantic seaboard. t * These are not claimod to be the very first steamships that crossed the Atlantic, as, in 1833, five years earlier, a Caaadian vessel " The Royal William" of 180 horse power and 100 tons burthen, Bailed from Quebec to Pictou, N. S., and thence to London. t The following is a list of Ocean Steamships lost on the American coast between New York and Capt Race. It may not be strictly correct, as ii is compiled mainly from recollection : The Columbia , On Seal Island, Nova Scotia. The Humbolt Mouth of Halifax Harbour. 101 The route which favors increased seeuritj from sea-risks, and which is the shortest in point of time, must eventually become the cheapest and in conscquencc'the most frequented If then the route proposed across Newfoundland and Ireland avoids many of the dangers of existing routes and reduces the Ocean passage proper to 100 hours, would not the current of travel naturally seek this route in preference to others, especially when time would be saved thereby ? If, as it has been shewn, this route would reduce the time between London and New York some three or four days, and bring Toronto one third nearer Liverpool (in t'me) than New York is now; if it would give the merchant in Chicago his English letters four or five days earlier than he has ever yet received them ; if it be possible by this proposed route to lift the Mails in London and lay them down in New Orleans in less time than they have ever yet reached New York, then it surely possesses advantages which must eventually establish it, not simply as an Intercolonial, but rather as an Inter-continental line of communication. These are purely commercial considerations, and however important they may be as such, the statesman will readily perceive, in the project, advantages of another kind. It may be of some consequence to extend to Newfoundland, as well as to the other Provinces of British America, the benefits of rapid inter-communication. It will probably accord with Imperial policy to foster the Shipping of the Gulf and to encourage the building up of such a Fleet of swift Steamers as a Daily Line across the Ocean would require. It must surely be important to the Empire, to secure in perpetuity the control of the great High- way between the two Continents. It must bo equally her policy to develop the resources and promote the prosperity of these Colonies — and to bind more closely by ties of mutual benefit, the friendly relationship which happily- exists between the people on both sides of the Atlantic. The Chart which accompanies this will show, the important geographical position, which the British Islands and the British Provinces occupy, in relation to the shortest line of communication across the Ocean, between Europe and America. The City of Philadelphia Cape Race. The Franklin Long Island, New YorV. The Indian Near Canso, Nova Scotia. The Argo Near Cape Race. The Hungarian Capo Sable, Nova Scotia. The Connaught Baj of Fundj. The Caledonia Cape Cod. The Anglo Saxon Cape Race. The Norwegian St. Paul'R Island, Atlantic side. The Bohemian Cape Elizabeth, Portland Harbour. The Georgia ^ . . . Sable Island. ThePactolus Bay of Fundy, And aaother on Ragged Island, Nora Scotia, the name of which is not at present remembered by the writer. t ^ M ih. ■■■^1 u ' '( ' ■ 'A '] '■i' ' .L^ ! 'i'' OBSERVATIONS OF MR. WILKINSON uroN MAJOR ROBINSON'S REPORT 4" ON THE PROPOSED TRUNK LINF OF RAILWAY FROM HALIFAX TO QUEBEC. Fredericton, December 18th, 1848. May it Please Your Excellency : The following observations appear to be invited by the Report submitted to Major General Sir John F. Burgoyne on " the proposed Trunk Line of Railway from an Eastern Port in Nova Scotia, through New Brunswick, to Quebec, " dated 31st August last. It is with reluctance that they are offered in an official form, but the utility or pro- priety of any other course appears to be precluded. The Report is peremptory in the recommendation of a particular route, and that the most circuitous route. It is equally peremptory in the condemnation of any more direct or central route. We of course look for reasons of adequate force and validity to command a concur- rence in a decision so unqualified. The proposed observations on the insufficiency of the reasons adduced, will be confined to the route as far as it falls within the limits of New Brunswick and part of Canada. The Report affirms the superiority of the direct or central route, if practicable, in these words : " Unwilling to abandon the direct route through the centre of New Bruns- wick, by which, if a line could be successfully carried out, the distance would be so mater- ially shortened, as is apparent by the mileage given in Route No. 4, it was determined to use every effort to decide either the practicability or impracticability of such a line." The efforts made are then detailed. In these details I am unable to discover even an approach to the of effort adequacy which could warrant an unqualified, much le.«s a peremptory opinion. To follow minutely the Report is unnecessary j one effort only to discover a favor- able Line between Boiestown and the Restigouche is detailed. This, it is incidentally mentioned, was a great improvement upon a previous one. Why then did this great im- provement rather discourage than encourage further efforts ? Was every effort already ex- hausted by the peculiar efficiency of this second attempt ? A simple inspection of the map of the country, as previously known, will show that there was only a faint probability of the suocess'of either of these attempts, which were by way of the extreme sources of the South West Branch of the Miramichi. There the land was already well known to be very high, and it is obvious that the descent into the valley of the Tobique from this situation, would be the shortest and most sudden that could be selected. A direct and equable descent, proved, as was very likely, to be impoasible, and ill .H :i!H II- I .}■ m M: I:. It J' ?. ■.■-a il ! t I i A I « ' 10^ any other must necessarily bs very bad. The details in Appendix No. 2 of the Beport con- firm this. The Report says that " the lowest point of the Ridge overlooking the Tobique River, at which any point of Railway must pass, is 1,216 feet above the sea." That this great summit level " must be surmounted." Now this unqualified affirmation implies that the elevation of every gap or depresssion in a dividing ridge, extending in a straight line north-east and south-west, about 70 miles, and probably 100 miles by its circuitous course, has been accurately ascertained. Yet no details are furnished in the Report to show that any knowledge of this kind exists beyond the vicinity of the single point at which the ridge was intersected as described by Captain Henderson in Appendix No. 2. He says, " The highlands bounding it (the valley of the Tobique) on the south side are very lofty. The lowest point at which they can be passed, as ascertained by our explorations, being at a point about 19 miles south of the river, is 1,216 feet above the sea, or 894 feet above the river." This statement is satisfactory. It is all ihut could be said with safety. But it does not carry us either way along the ridge beyond the vicinity of the point examined. An examination of the whole ri'^ge, however, does not ev.in receive advertence in the Report. Yet without such examination, and a conclusive result derived from the same, how can the Report pleid an unwillinguess to abandon the direct route, or affirm that the low- est point in the ridge in question is 1,^116 feet above the sea. An exploration by way of the right-hand branch of the Tobique, towards Boiestowu, was suggested at the commencement of the season of 1847. It might not have proved suc- cessful, but it offered the greatest probability of success. It is obvious, at least, that the suggestion could proceed only from the anticipated failure of the route adopted. That pro- posed is adverted to in Appendix 3 at page 49, 50, of the Report, but not noticed in the Report itself. My remarks would extend to tediousness in minutely following tho Report. Their tendency would be of the same kind with regard to the rest of the line of country from the Tobique onwards to the Saint Lawrence. I could not conscientiously concur in the opinion that the country is barely within the limits of practicability, much less that it is impracticable, and that further attempts to discover a favorable route are useless. .My personal knowledge of the face of the country, and my views of the importance of the ('cii- tral line, equally compel me to say, that no sufficient efforts have yet been made to war- rant a peremptory opinion, or any safe opinion. I mu.st also add that no admissible data whatevsr are supplied by the Report for a satisfactory comparison of the circuitous and central routes. In seeking for such means of comparison we are foiled at the first attempt. The Report says, at page 14, that the section of country between Shediac (more pro- perly, perhaps, the Bend of Petitcodiac) and Boieatown, was proved, in 1846, to be gene- rally low and flat, with occasional undulations. This, of course, is part of the direct or central line. In order, however, to make the corresponding division of the circuitous line, lunninf:; 20 or 30 miles further to the eastward, pass review, it is put forward not upon its own, but upon the borrowed merits of the central line. The sections, as submitted, are acknowledged to be inadmissible. They " are not grades for the Railway." What then ? "With the exception " says tho Report "of the immediate banks of the Saint Lawrence, ihis is expect- ed to prove one of the easiest portions of the line." Why is it so expected ? No reason is given, except that "the whole of this portion of the country is believed to be generally low and flat," like that between Shediac and Boiestown. Why is it so believed, whilst the sections submitted show that the whole of the country is not so, and that restricting our judgment to what is known by these sections " they are not grades for the Railway." Thus nearly 100 miles of the circuitous line, so confidently and peremptorily recom- mended for its superiority, is not^ as far as known, entitled to be recommended at all, and the fact of its eligibility yet remains to be discovered, whilst the easy practicability of the corresponding portion of the central line has been proved. This criticism would not have been submitted if an exact local knowledge recently ob- tained of a portion of the ground in question did not forbid the least concurrence in the gratuitous expectation held out in the Report, that " with the exception of the immediate 105 » banks of the Saint Lawrence this is expected to prove one of the easiest portions of the line." Uy inspection of the map of the country as already known, it will bo seen that there will be at the fewest about eight principal summits or water sheds to cross at right angles by this portion of the circuitous line, and that at every interval the level of the tide must be quitt; or nearly regained. It wilUbo fortunate if these summits can be easily surmounted ;it a less average than 200 feet. Assume that by deep cuttings and high bridging they may bo reduced to an equivalent of loO feet, we have at onue, by this favorable supposi- tion, an aggregate elevation of 1,200 feiit to cross, or as high as the trial summit of the Tobique ridge ; but this is without making allowance for all the subordinate or secondary summits, which will be numerous. The difficulties, therefore, cannot be even be guessed at without a careful survey. The Report places much reliance upon the greater security which the mere remote- uess of the circuitous line from the frontier of the United States will aiford in case of war. "Passing," it is said, " at the greatest possible distance from the United States, it possesses in the highest degree the advantage to be derived irom that circumstance of se- curity from attack in ease of hostilities." In one ignorant of military matters, it may be presumptuous to be incredulous on this point j but in seeking to run wide of one danger it would appear that the line recommend- ed runs side by side with a danger still greater. It would run for several hundred miles dose upon the highway not only of the United States but of all nations. xVssumcthat the United Kingdom were destitute of a Hallway, and that it was pro- posed to construct one for the security of military communication and commercial traffic, would it be recommended that it should follow tlie immediate coasts of the islands, or that it should, as much as possible, run centrally through from north to south, with branches to cither coast ? The case proposed in New Brunswick is not essentially different, except that the in- bad frontier will bo less exposed to clandestine attack than the isoa eoii^l, No formidable (I'dign could originate and ripen for an inland attack without some warning ; not so on the sea coast. It has been affirmed by high authority, that ew.n in England there would be uo difficulty in the present state of steam navigation, in binding without any available notice a well appointed army on the south coast, which could march unopposed to Loudon in two days. How insignificant then would be ^the ordinary means of opposition on the eastern coast of New Brunswick ; not even the slight obstacle of a landing could oppose the clandestine attack and interruption of the proposed line of Railway. It would pass (according to the Report) immediately across the heads of navigable Rivers or Bays of the (jrulf of Saint Lawrence, and for a longdistance close along shore. Facility of approach by these means is mentioned in the Report as a superior advantage in the construction. This Iwo-edged advantage also extends along the whole shore of the River Saint Law- rence. It will scarcely be denied that it is important to reduce this source of danger to the shortest possible extent of the line. Nearly 100 miles of the most objectionable part of the shore of the Saint Lawrence, and the whole of the Gulf shore, are avoided by the central route through New Brunswick. If also it be the shortest and most expeditious, these would be most important offsets against an assumed increase of expense. It is not certain without survey that this construction of this part of the line would exceed the average cost. If not, then nearly a tenth of the whole expense would be saved. It would cost nothing along the line for defensive works, that would not be ecjually necessary if the Railway did not exist. On the other hand, no limit could be assigned to the expense of efficiently guarding the sea coast, The central line would also be a common bond of union on a principle of ecjuity to all local interests iu New Brunswick ; its branches would bind those interests as one A one- sided line, with the influence of Government in its favor, would tend to the obvious an- tagonism of private enterprise. The Report enters upon the question of the probable revenue from freight transmitted between Quebec and Halifax. There can be but faint prospect of heavy freight finding its way along the whole lino for shipment at Halifax for Europe, or the reverse, during the season of navigation, except 15 ^( U !••' ;.| • ' ll - : . ' '1 , ' i ■ 1 : t'- ■] . : I ! ' :f;: ■i ;illl 1 m ■ * ji'i 1 ■ ii| 1 II i '•' ^'% ^ ' A '" ' ' I J 1 '- i ■ , t ■ 1 ' •. ■; Mi' J d t s ' ^ n n ' LiJ ' 106 where expcditit.i is of more importance than cost, or in case of sudden emergency like that which occurred in 1846-7. During the winter season heavy articles required either way will naturally take the shortest line of Railway, which may connect the open navigation of the sea with the rearest harbour of the Saint Lawrence. The shortest line of Railway of this description thaL can be constructed within British terr'tory, or perhaps elsewhere, is that now in progress from thu port of Saint And. >w's. Another line, of not many miles greater extent, may t-^rminate at Saint John ; either of these will be 240 to 260 milcg shorter than the circuitous line to Halifax, and both will be as promptly stcccsaiblo as that port from Bermuda and the Wosf Indies, and are only a few hours more remote from Eu- rope. The central line would convert these branches into more important auxiliaries. The circuitous one would turn them into rivals. The qualities of the Trunk line, therefore, most calculated to ensure revenue, are those of directness and expedition between the extreme points of communication, and as a commanding medium of distribution and absorption of traffic by branches to the chief maritime outlets. The most important of the latter must evidently be in the Bay of Fundj, because they are accessible all the year. To divert the Trunk line as far as possible from the.se would be to exclude it from a fair prospect of revenue. To render this more evident, an estimate of the comparative cost of transportation be- tween the respective Atlantic ports of Halifax, Saint John and Saint Andrew's, and a common terminus cither at Point Levi, or at River du Loup, is as follows : — Freight by Railway, estimited at \hd. sterling per ton, per mile. From Point Levi. From River du Loup. Delivered at Distance in Miles. Amount. Distance in Miles; Amount. Per Ton. Per Barrel. £ s. (/. 8 5 4 8 Per Ton. Per Barrel. Haiifay, Saint John fi35 390 375 £ s. d. 3 19 4 2 8 2 6 10 525 280 265 £ s.d. 3 5 7 1 15 1 13 £ 4-. d. G 6 3 4 Saint Andrews 3 6 This estimate is predicated on the lowest rate of freight at present charged oi» the Western Railroad fn Massachusetts. This is a line competing with the navigation of the Hudson, and affords a fair guide in the case under consideration. The Report in question, however, estimates the whole cost of transportation from Quebec to Halifax at ll.s. only per ton, or about one-seventh of a remunerative freight, a mistake arising apparently from the supposition that the cost of motive power is the whole cost, whereas it is only a small fractional part. The oversight is the more iuconvenieuc, as it destroy.s the speculations founded upon it. There is no hope that a line terminating at Halifax can systematically compete either with the navigation of the Saint Lawrence, or with shorter Railroads terminating in the Bay of Fundy, for heavy freight. There is not the less doubt, however, that the way freight which it will command as a line of distribu- tion will, in conjunction with other sources of revenue, be highly renuraerative. I have, tScc., (Signed,) J.WILKINSON. 107 r Deoembeb 28tb, 1848. It may be proper to refer more particularly to the grounds of objection to a Military line of Railway, immediately along any considerable part of the coast of the Gulf and liiver iSaint Lawrence. It ig to be borne in mind that not only France, but the United States, have important rights in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, materially involving their respective plans of mari- time advancement, and which continually occupy their jealous attention. By a succession of treaties, since that of Utrecht, the French have a right to fish not only on the coast of Newfoundland, but also in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, within three leagues of all the coasts belonging to Great Britain, as well as within 15 leagues of the Atlantic coasts of Cape Breton and Nova Scotia. The islands of Saint Pierre and Mique- lon, overlooking the main entrance of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, are ceded in full right to France, the unimportant right of fortifying excepted. These islands are held and governed as exclusively French. It is evident that this cession was made on the part of Great Britain, and received on the part of France, with a mutually deep consciousness that it would always involve con- siderations of danger to the peace of both countries. The foregoing and other rights, were confirmed to France by the treaty of Paris in 1814. Neither the past history of the fisheries on these coasts, nor the growing anxiety of late y«ars, manifested both by France and the United States, on the subject of relative maritime progress, seem to afford that sure confidence of a permanently good understand- ing, which would warrant an entire indifference to any contingencies which might here- after arise to affect the security of a line of military communication immediately along the coast under notice. The author of The Past and Future of the BHtith Navy, does indeed ascribe the chief prospective danger to the sleepless jealousy of France alone, regarding it as the che- rished ambition of that nation to strike a sudden and decisive blow at our commercial supremacy. The blow might possibly, however, lose nothing in either suddeness or de- cision in being dealt by a combined, rather than by a single arm. It is further to be borne in mind that, besides a resident maritime population acknow- ledging the jurisdiction of France alone, and the intimate knowledge of extensive portions of these coasts, maintained by the annual visits of thousands of the fishermen of that country, counted upon at all times as an available maritime fores, the British coast, the proposed site of the Eaiiway, is also lined with a population of French origin, retaining the language, habits, and predilections of their race, and remaining under the guidance of a foreign priesthood. If therefore, the central line of Bailway, the line equally remote both from the inland and the maritime frontier, must necessarily pass through vacant country, the consideration may not be altogether without value that the blank may be filled up with exclusively Bri- tish attachments and preferences, habits and institutions. But these remarks are made much less under any serious anticipations of the eventful importance of avoiding, very widely, either the inland frontier on the one hand, or the sea coast on the other, that under a sense of the high importance of constructing a trunk line of Railway, which shall as much as possible, bind both colonial and national interests ; and by its intrinsic adaptation to the purpose, independently of any inadventitious aid from Government preclude for all time, a reasonable motive for the project of a competing line. The results of Railway experience generally, and the opinions of distinguished en- gineers, both in Europe and America, appear now very decidedly to recommend the sys- tem of central trunk lines with branches to remote points, rather than independent lines of communication between the latter. There are portions of the Report, under consideration, relative to the use of wood in the construction of Railways, which do not clearly harmonize. The 14 bridges in 20 miles, up the rocky chasm of the Matapediao, of the aggregate length of nearly 6,000 feet, and another bridge af 2,000 feet, necessary to cross the Miramichi, are represented as not for- midable at all, because wood may bo used for their construction ; and that bridges in the United States, "on the best lines," are built of this material. But immediately further on the liberal oso of wood is disparaged as the <' cheap method of making Railways ] " and a ■ if . • V > ■ i i ' ( '' i 1 ?•■ '■ I ' ^1 ,.1 \'ri '^'V-\ ■ii •;' tAi w 108 quotation from a Report relative to the Syracuse and Utica Railroad is given to show " some of the consequences arising from a cheap Railway." But the statement quoted sccitis less to disparage than commend the advantages of a wooden structure, at least in the firht instance. The first cost, including equipment, was £3,600 per mile. For this small outlay, the advantages of a Railway are obtained for eight years. After this a moro perfectly reconstructed line will enhance the whole cost to only £5,9G0 per mile. A perishable, as well as a durable material may be badly employed. A locomotive may drop through a trestle bridge or may run off an embankment with- out either wood or stone being really responsible for the disaster. Ever since Lord Stanley was pleased, immediately after the great fire in Quebec, to communicate, for the information and benefit of the North American Colonies, the results of several experiments, under the auspices of Government, made with wood rendered in- combustible, and, as also supposed, imperishable, by a new and simple chemical process, the value of a discovery so important has not ceased to be a subject of deep interest, though no attempt has yet been made to convert it to practical account. The great saving of first cost in the condtruction of Railways by the use of wood has been abundantly^proved. The imperfection cf the method undoubtedly lies in the perish- able nature of the material ; but this has been greatly aggravated by the slight and ineffi- cient character of the first structures of this kind in the United States. Some very interesting details and observations, relative to this subject, are supplied ia the Chief Engineer's Report of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, for the year 1847. The affairs of this Road are under the presidency of the Honorable Lewis M'Lane, late Minister to Great Britain. This line is considered to have a nearer resemblance to the Western ^ailroad in Massachusetts, than to any other in the United States, and both may be considered to have much resemblance to the projected line from the Atlantic to Quebec. The following is an extract from the Report referred to : — The Bridges. " This head of expenditure has shown a large and important one for the last three years, principally on account of the necessity of rebuilding most of the many wooden via- ducts upon the line. Of these numerous and extensive structures the aggregate length is 4,115 feet, in spans varying from 40 to 150 feet, besides 1,633 feet of trestle bridging at Harper's Ferry, making the whole length of timber bridging 5,758 feet, or 1.09 miles. They carry the road across 11 large Rivers, and three smaller streams, intersected by the route. " They were built originally with a view to much lighter locomotives and trains than those since traversing the road. They were also built of materials, the best to be had at the time, but not offering the choice in quality which is now open, and put into the work with but little seasoijing. Decay consequently soon commenced, while the increasing weight and frequency of the trains imposed a duty which required increasing instead of diminish- ing ability to perform. The result has been that although some of the viaducts have suf- fered much more than others, yet that an entire reconstruction of the whole has been con- sidered expedient, rather than resort to a less thorough renovation, which would have been less safe, and in the end more expensive. In this no pains and expense have been spared to render them capable of performing the severest duty that can ever be required of them, and entire success has been the result. All the new work has stood the test of its strength oompletely ; and the most diflBcult and extensive structure of the whole, the wide arch at Harper's Ferry, has now borne the trade of the road under the most trying circumstances for two years without exhibiting the smallest weakness in any of its parts. A v«ry im- portant part of tho improvements applied to the new structures, consists in covering them from the weather, and providing for the seasoning of the timber more perfectly than be- fore; and this protection, it is believed, is now so effectual as to secure them against all the usual causes of decay, and to render them as durable as if built of stone or iron. Tho agent of destruction remaining to be guarded against is fire, and this danger can only be averted by a vigilant watch, the employment of which will always be indispensable, but the expenses of which will not increase with the expense of ^the road, and will thus be a dim- inishing tax upon it. " Before leaving this subject it is right to state that the experience of all other roads 109 of heavy trade in the United States, is, in regard to their wooden bridges, the same. They were built too slightly in the first place, and have required to be reconstructed or stienghtened in such a way as to amount to reconstruction ; and I may add that all the cx- pericuce of those companies, as well as that of this, has gone to demonstrate the soundness of tho principles upon which the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad are built." U miy be remarked that no water crossings of great magnitude are likely to occur on the central line through New Brunswic'k. The gigantic and necessarily hazardous struc- tures which cannot be avoided ou the circuitous line, would under any circumstances, be objectionable ; but long bridges immediately on the tideway of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence do not appear to give to this line the superlative quality insisted upon in the Kcport, that " passing at the greatest possible distance from the United States, it possesses in the high- est degree the advantage to be derived from that circumstance, of security from attack in case of hostilities." •^i" •■•{ (Signed,) J. WILKINSON. .i'< .. '■; i,7.»,i' :]% 1^ i: •J. I B; HJ ; 110 t (.' M 4 1 I 1 ■5'! 1 1 ™ o, f n ■ ''lii ' REPLY TO THE OBSERVATIONS MADE BY MR. WILKINSON, OF FREDERICTON, UPON MAJOR ROBINSON'S REPORT ON THE PROPOSED TRUNK LINE OF RAILWAY FROM HALIFAX TO QUEBEC. Portsmouth, March 30, 1849, Sir, — Mr. Wilkinson was one of the civil surveyors employed on the exploration railway survey in British North America, and was engaged on that duty from the 10th of June to the 3lst of December, 1847. The portion of country for which his services were required, and to which his atten- tion was directed, was the difficult and hilly (if not to say mountainous) portion lying between the upper part of the Restigouche River and the St. Lawrence, near to where the latter receives the waters of the Trois Pistoles River. The object he had to accomplish was to find a practicable line through this country for about 70 miles, and, by so doing, to complete the exploration of a central and direct route through New Brunswick to the St. Lawrence. The account of this exploration is given iu his Report, which forms Appendix No. 3 to the General Report. It was entirely unsuccessful. Tho difficulties of the ground tried by him were too great to be surmounted. In the opinio^ expressed by the Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick of Mr. Wilkinson's great experience in surveying, and that he possesses considerable knowledgo of that country, I most willingly concur. But as it aJBFects the question now between us, viz., the relative merits of the two lines for a railway, I beg leave to express a doubt whether Mr. Wilkinson has had any expe- rience as a civil engineer, or has had sufficient opportunity of acquiring such a practical knowledge of railways, as to give any unusual weight to the observations he has offered upon my Report. I make this preliminary remark, because it will be seen from what follows, that we differ, at tho first starting, upon one of the most essential attributes of railways, viz., easy grades. In gaining the head waters of the Green River, Mr. Wilkinson encountered in his progress from the St. Lawrence a narrow valley of four miles in length, decreasing in width until at its termination it was merely a ravine. A section of it was made with a theodolite and the levels taken. Viewing it in a favorable light, that is, supposing the line could have been made in one slope, from its commencemeot to its termination, there must have been a grade o^ about 1 in 49, or a raise of 1075 feet per mile for four miles, and involving heaving cut- tings and embankments. Speaking of this part, over which I passed myself and examined it carefully, Mr. Wilkinson thug reports ;— Mr. opinion oft It may partofNe\\ I give a pract Ill "But upon examinatioQ of the last four miles the rate of assent proved to be much more objectionable. " The result, however, of a series of elevations and depressions taken by yonr direc- tion over this portion of the route, and which at leisure moments have been Homcwhat hurriedly computed, do not warrant mo in saying that the rate of inclination of the four miles in question is more than objectionable. "Its practicability is, I believe, proved by at least two examples of much steeper in- clined planes, daily ascended by locomotive power with both passengers and freight, 1 refer to the Lickey inclined plane of 1 in 37 on the IJirmingham and Gloucester llailwiiy, and of another of 1 in 34, which T understand to exist on the Hartlepool and Stockton." These heavy giades on the English railways quoted are but for very short distances, and not to be compared to tho long one met on this part of the exploration, and even as short as they are they are most objectionable. The effect of heavy grades upou a line is to increase greatly tho expense of working. As the ascent increases, the power of an engine to draw freight diminishes rapidly, whilst, at the same time, the strain upon the rails ia most detrimental to the durability of the road. An engine which could draw a load of freight up a moderate grade of 30 feet per mile of 144 tons, would on an incline of 1 in 49 draw only 36 tons. As a remunerative line, so far as it depends upon the heavy freight to be expected between Quebec and Halifax, it will depend greatly upon the expenses of working it, and these depend most materially upon the nature of the gradients. Mr. Wilkinson speaks of a long grade of four miles, rising 1 in 40, as being nothing more than " objectionable." I consider it as being next to impracticable ; and as it is most probable there would be others of a similar nature, in descending on the opposite side, in connection with other heavy grades though not so great, I should condemn such a lino and look for another. Mr. Wilkinson and myself have, therefore, widely different views as to one of the qualities of a good railway. The shortest line between two points may not be the best. A circuit with easy grades is far superior to a shorter route with havy ones. I now proceed to consider the observations which Mr. Wilkinson has deemed it his duty to make upon my Report. The purport of the first portion of his objections I take to be as follows : — 1. That the Report is too peremptory in the recommendation of the Eastern or Ray Chaleurs line. 2. Equally too peremptory in tho condemnation of any more direct or central route. 3. That he has looked in vain for reasons of adequate for je and validity to concur in that opinion. And, 4. That he is of opinion that sufficient efforts have not been made, and fhnt conse- quently more explorations and surveys are desirable, either to improve upon the central route through New Brunswick, together with, if possible, a continuation of it to the St. Lawrence. These objections I shall endeavor to answer by stating whnt has been done on the central line. Mr. Wilkinson having joined the exploration survey in tho second year of its labours, and having been exclusively employed upon the portion of it allotted to him, may be pre- sumed to be ignorant of much or all that had been done in ihe previous season. The reports and proceedings of the surveyors were not submitted to him, and it is not probable that he has ever seen the plans and sections of that year's explorations, which were sent home with a preliminary Report by Captain Henderson. These plans and sections related principally to the central portion of New Brunswick, to which the energies of Captain Pipon and his parties were that season chiefly de- voted. Mr. Wilkinson has not, therefore, had the same facilities or data for forming an opinion of that difficult country as th« officers employed have had. It may be otherwise, but I do not think that he has himself ever been in or seen that part of New Brunswick, awd mere inspections of the published maps are not calculated to give a practical knowledge of it. • I' ? u. M •i .•v ■ t ■ *> • * I • ■?! 112 In the first soiuiod, this country was trayeracd by our parties, not only in the direc- tion of the line, but an expedition under Mr. Grant, a surveyor and draughtsman also, of great experience, and of the Crown Land Office at Fredcricton f to whoso valuable exer- tions and zeal, even to the risk of bis life, the service is deeply indebted), was sent up the Tobiqne Valley for the express purpose of examining that long mountainous ridge which continues Irom the mouth of the Tobiquc lliver until it joins on to the highest mountiiins in the centre of New Brunswick, the object being expressly to find the lowest and uioht favorable point at which they could be passed. Mr. Grant took with him Indians, as guides, from the village at the mouth of the river ; persons to whom the whole district was known, forming part of their hunting grounds. It should be mentioned that Mr. Grant did not confine himself to boating up and down the different streams, but ascended the highest ground he could find, and took vicwH of the surrounding country. The result of this expedition was that in the ensuing season the surveying and ex- ploring party succeeded in finding a practicable route across the Tobiquc Valley, and od to the Restigouche River. Whilst Mr. Grant was thus engaged on the western side of the central group of moun- tains in New Brunswick, Captain Henderson was on the eastern side, and ascending hij^h ground, also was able to o>)tain a good knowledge of the nature of that part of the country. These gentlemen have therefore had the advantage of having seen and been engaged in the country of which they make mention in their Reports. From Mr. Grant'.s, which has not been published, I make the following extracts : — " From the surveys and explorations made in the Tobique district, I have tho lionor to lay before you the following reports of the prospects afforded of finding a practicable line through that difficult section of country. " In carrying out the project of a railway from Halifax to Quebec, I had, by a careful examination of several maps of the intervening country, from the shed of the waters, com- bined with such local information as I could bring to bear on the subject, correctly antici- pated that one of the great difficulties would be the passing an unbroken range of high lands extending from the River St. John, below Tobique mouth, to the north-cast, lyinj; between the head-waters of tributaries to the Rivers Miramichi and Tobique, and connected with Blue Jlountain, and the mountainous district of Restigouche. " As thb bar extends completely across the faces of the country, it of course follows that one of the most important preliminary steps is that of ascertaining the lowest points of transit across it, as the one easiest of access from both directions must become a fixed point, and to a greater or less extent influence both the direction and gradients of the line on ei 'lerside of it. " On my arrival at the Blue iMouatain, I ascended to one of its summits, and had a most extensive view of the surrounding country, of which I made a complete panoramic sketch, with compass bearings, to such of the principal elevations as were known to the Indian who accompanied me. " A continuous range, as already stated, extend from tho mountainous district in the vicinity of Nictor Lake, and the head-waters of the Tobique, and separating the tributaries of the Rivers Miramichi and Tobique, until it connects (some distance below the lied Rapids) with the great mass of highlands extending upwards from the River St. John." Speaking of tne opposite side of the Tobique Valley, Mr. Grant says : — " To the north and west of the highlands at the head of Three Brooks, and as far, I presume, as the highlands near the St Lawrence, there is a table-land about 400 feet above the bed ol' the Tobique. A'^iewed from an elevated position, this section of country has the appear- aace of a widely-extended plain ; but on examination is found to be cut up (wherever there are are water-courses) with deep ravines of from about 100 to 300 feet, and which are likely to create a very heavy expense in bridging and viaducts." To cross the Tobique River at the desired point, a very heavy bridge and viaduct are rejwrted necessary, as the height of the bank on one side is much higher than that of the other. It will be observed that Mr. Grant speaks of this ridge of highland on the south side of the Tobique River as being continuous and unbroken, extending as a bar completely across the face of the couotry. w» 118 An assistaut Hurvcyor, who was omploycil for twu sousons oa tliU part of the ceiitml line. Hpoaks )♦* these hills u.s bein;^ "hii^h, aiul exteniliiii; in an unbrokon chain from lU) or 40 niiloB, incoasing in hui<4ht until tlicy meet tho Tobit|ij«t iiluu Muiuttaius, uaiil to bo more than 2,O0U foot abjvo tho Hea." From tho point on the rid^o where the lino p:»sses, to tho bod of the Tobique River, the li'vol.s Wire taken instrumcutuUy and barometrically. From tho rc-sulls so obtained, which were found toapjroe very closely, the summit level of 1,-1*) feet was obtained. It i.s of cour.se within tho limits of possibility that there may cxi.st some i^ap in thin chain by which it could be panned at a Komowhat lower level, but it is highly improbable that there should be, and tli:it it .should have been unknown to the ludian:^, and undiscov- ered by our exploring parties. In the country, more to tho westward and nearer to the St. John Uiver, a line for a mail route li-.d been explored between Fredericton and the (1 rand Falls, some years before, but the ground was found very unfivorable, even for a common ro.id, and it was never carried out. IVevious to our parties commencing their operations in tho country, there had b:!on officers exploring through it lor the purpo.so of niakimj; a great military road from the River du Loup, on the St. Jiawrenee, through New 15runswiek, as far a.s the iJeud of I'etitcodiac. 'J'heir plans and reports were sent to us, and we had the b'ineUt of tlieir experionco. Tliey met with almost insurmountable diflieulties in the centie of New Brunswick. The Commanding lluyal Engineer in C.mada, in his report on this line, dated 2Uth March, iSIo, writes thus: — " iriigruj)li IS, '• Frouj the loTth mile, when the surveyed line goes south-east to the Tohiii^/i iiivor " (but that line, and along the Odcd River, was found dilfieuit and indifVoroiit lor settlemcutj. Para i • i '. •1 ii' 1 :i .1 f. J -1 > i ! ; ■ 1» \ t ,, ! • ■■-; t 16 114 i-l It I ('^' 'i' the working season Lad passed, and Mr. Wilkinson had not completed one-halt' of the task allotted to him, it was not noticed. More especially too as at the same time, or soon after, good accounts wore roceivftd from the party upon whose ground he proposed to intrude, and who, instead of failure, as anticipated by him, succeeded in carrying out a practicable line right through to the lies, tigouche River. The failure proved on his own ground, and the winter found him still embarrassed in the highlands at the head of the Green River. Large parties were thus employed at great expense for two seasons on this ccutiul and direct line through New Brunswick. Year after year explorations might be continued to be made, and great expenses incurred, in the hope of finding a better line, or improving upon the one last found, aiiJ parties interested would still say that every eifort had not been exhausted. Judging from the results of our own labours, from those of others, and the natural difficulties of the country as described, I do not think any further exploration would be attended with any marked difference of success ; and that in point of easy gradients, and in every other point, save the one of distance, the eastern, or Bay Chaleurs route, would still command a preference over the central one through New IJrunswick to the St. Ijaw- rence. I'roceeding next to consider the observations made by Mr. Wilkinson upon that part of thff country lying south of the Miramichi, and between it and the Shediac River, I find that iu this case his doubts and criticisms have been called forth in consequence of my not giving a sufficiently peremptory opinion, and expressing a belief merely that it would prove, with the exception of the banks of the St. Lawrence, one of the easiest; portions of the line. I shall endeavor to answer this part, as I did in the first instance, by referring to Avhat was done, and by quoting extracts from the reports of the surveyors who had tin: conduct of the eyploration. In my General Report I described that this portion of country was tho last explored, because it was of the most importance to try those portions first where the greatest dillicul- ticjj wore to be expected. The country iu question is well known to be the most level in Now I'ruuswick. One author (Dr. Gcsner, page 18G), in speaking of it, says, " The whole country is rf nnirkalily level, and upon an average its elevation above tho sea will not exceed 20 feet.' Another (Mr. rerley),iu his description of the counties of New Brunswick, say.'i, page 1"-, "There is .scarcely a single hill of any magnitude in tho whole of this county (of Kent), and the land, especially on the Gulf shore, is very low and level. It may be described as the most level county in the province." Captain Henderson and myself both passed through it, and traversed it Irom south to north, and ibund if to be extremely level and favorable. But as our route was more to the eastward than it was desirable tho line of railway should take, it was determined to send in exploring parties. And it was tested, in the severest way that any country could bo tried, by cutting straight linos aero.ss it, through the heart of the country. The sections of the lines thus cut and levelled are given in the book of plans. Our object was not to locate the exact line, but to ascertain that there was nothing impracticable in the way, and to ascertain the general nature of the I'oatures of the country. Two parties were employed under competent surveyors. They commenced at the same point, nearly a central one on the Richibucto River ; one party cut north-westerly and the other south-easterly, taking the levels over both lines barometrically. No obstacles were encountered but what could have been avoided, and the surveyor's report is most favorable. I make the following extracts from the Report of Mr. Layton, dated Richibucto, 19th October, 1847:— " The point selected as the most convenient for commencement wa.^ on the Ilarley Road, at about 6J miles from Taylor's on tho Richibucto. Corporal Forbes, taking a direction bearing by the magnet north, 39 degrees west, lOA^ miles; thence northerly 25 degrees west, 9^ miles to the line, between the counties of Northumberland and Kent, 115 )t crossing the old Indian portage about half a mile to the westward of the llichibucto (as will be seen upon rciercnce to the plan accompanying the report) and crossing the river :tf, a diftanco of 7' miles from the llarlcy lload, which will be in a direct line about IT) miles above the head of the tide, also crossing the head of the south branch of the Kouohi- bouquasis and two other small stn^ams running into it ; and also crossing two small streams which empty ihemsclvcs into the Jliramichi. "The whole extent of this line presents nearly an even sui face, with the exception (if two slight dips, one at the crossing of the Richibucto, and the other at the crossing of the south branch of the Kouchibouquasis. '' r took a direction bearing by the magnet south, 'M degrees cast, from the starting point at the Harley Koad, which would pass about a mile to the enstward of Irish Town S"ttlement. " The country from the Harley Road to the Rouctouche, a distance of 17i milos, presents generally an even surface with the exception of a few slight dips at the crossings of the different streams, which are laid down upon the plan. " At the Rouctouchc the land rises generally on cither side to the height of about oO feet, but there are places where the same height of land comcn boldly out on both sides, keeping the same ph^form. Between the Bouctouche and the ('ockburn Road, a distance ofTo miles, the country presents nearly an even surface, with the exception of a slight dip at the crossing of the north branch of the Cocagnc. "At the main Cocagnc there will also be a dip uf about 50 or 60 feet, as at the Kouctouchc. On this line there is a large quantity of very excellent land for settlement, and passing in its whole length through unlocatod Crown lands. The same description will answer for the country between the Cockburn Road and Shediac River, passing below Irish Town Settlement. The results of these explanations and Mr. Layton's Report prove this line to be prac- ticable and favorable, perhaps only to bo exceeded by the plateaus and terraces along the St. Lawrence. In the first season a section of the lino was made from the ]5cnd of the Petitcodiac to Boicstown. Comparing one section with the other, which is the most decisive way of testing the merits of any two lines, the eastern one has the advantage over the other. It will be seen, therefore, from what has been done on this line, that it is not put forward upon the bon'owed merits of the central line, but stands upon its own. " By inspection of the map," Mr. Wilkinson says, " it will be seen that there will be, at fewest, about eight princip'.i summits or water-sheds to cross at right angles, by this portion of the circuitous line, and that at every interval the level of the tide must be quite or nearly regained." IIow any mere map could have supplied such information, I u-i at a loss to conceive. The country of New Brunswick has not been surveyed on any systematic plan ; and the maps published of it, are only general outlines of its coasts and rivers. The latter, for the most part sketched in. Against Mr. Wilkinson's iuspeotions of the map, and the imaginary summit-levels which he has derived from them, with the obligation to descend evcrywlicrc to the tide- levels, I place the explorations and Report of Mr. Layton, who had the advantage over Mr. Wilkinson of going personally over and surveying the ground in question. The adding together all the small summit-levels to mako an amount equal to that passed over by the central line, is more ingenious than scientific ; but it would have been tairer if, at the same time, to the latter had been added the rises and falls occurring before that summit-level is reached, and those which occur after. Mr. Wilkinson, in contending for his central line, can forscc no impracticability in L'ctting through or over two ranges of highlands : and to do so does not object to some of the heaviest grades known in railway practice ; but foresees alarming cuttings and em- bankments through the most level district in New Brunswick. As our lines run, and the surveys were only exploratory, it is impossible to say what I these latter will be with accuracy ; but there is no fear that they will be anything great or extraordinary. The next queption which Mr. V^illsinBop enters upon is a inilitary one, and ho puts ii v: M I'- i r i > •\Hi ■'1 116 '!i:.r I I- ~. the following case: — "Assume that the Uuited Kingdom were destitute of a railway, and that it was proposed to construct one for the security of military communication and com- mercial traffic, would it be rocommecded that it should follow the immediate coasts ol the island, or that it should, as much as possible, run centrally ihrojgh from north to south, with branches to either coast i"' To this I have no hesitation in saying that the one following the coast is perfect everywhere as a meons of defence against an invading force j and that the one with branches is imperfect at every point intermediate to where they terminate. To be equivalent to the other, the branches must be multiplied ad wjinitum, for between any two points on the coast the defence is imperfect. A line of railway following along a coast anywhere, would afford additional facilitieg for its defence. In so much, then, as this affects the question of the two lines, it is another advantage in favor of the eastern or Bay Chaleurs line. The Gulf and River St. Lawrence may become the highway of all nations ; but if it should, nature and the climate will block it up for six months of the year; when the rail- way will have undisputed possession ot the field of communication for the other six. If the lino be laid out with care and judgment, it may be made to pass at such moderate dis- tance from the shore, that without being exposed to any danger from cruisers at sea, it will afford tiie best and readiest means of defence against any attack Avliich they might make upon the settlements. T'aC central line, without assisting these, and deriving :i revenue therefrom, would from icar the Bend of Petitcodiac, enter upon the gr^at wilderness forest of New Bruns- wick, and not emerge until after a course of about 300 miles upon the banks of the St. Lawrence. Thus, as it were, turning its back upon and depriving numerous existing settlemeots of all advantage to be derived from it; without, at tiie same time, giving any one advantage to any other portion of the country, save and except to diminish, by a few miles, the distance at which it should pass from Fredericton. Mr. Wilkinson next enters upon the subject of probable revenue from freight trans- mitted between Quebec and Halifax. To aid him in depreciating the advantages of this line, he has called in two additional railways, which may or may not at some remote period be made, viz., from St. Andrew's to Quebec, and from Si. John's to Qr.ebec. To neither of these two lip;,s could the Imperial Government give its support in pre- fercnca to that from Htlifax; and without such aid, I do not believe that either the one or the other will ever be completed. The progress of the llailway from Montreal to Portland, which is the great commercial rival of the Halifax and Quebec line for the trade of Western Canada and the Far West of the United States, is advancing so slowly that it is impossible to say when it will ever be completed. r By the last accounts, 30 miles only out of 120, or one-fourth, on the Canadian side, was completed, and tl.eir funds were exhausted. But little more was done on the Portland side, and they were also in want of fresh funds. Looking to the list of imported and exported articles from the Canadas to England, and vice verxd, there are but few whose bulk and weight, in proportion to their value, arc so great as to forbid the prospect of their passing by railway. The great items exported from Canada are, ashes, salted beef, wheat, floai, fish, oil, salted pork, furs of every description, timber unhewn and in scantling, deals and battens, and staves. The timber in scantling I consider will come by sea, as at present. Deals and battens will depend upon the rates at which the railway can be worked. If the cost of transportation be low, there will be certain advant.iges offered by the railway, which may give it the preference. These are ready and instant transmission when the article is ready, diminished rate of insurance, and diminished freight from Halifux. A ton weight of the other articles will be of such pecuniary value, that these advan- tages will leave a tiood margin towards paying their transit by railway. A still wider margin will be left for the articles imported into Canada. They arc all, or nearly bo, the manufactured articles of the mother country, such as apparel, haber- 117 WW dashery, arms and araunition, books, brass and copper work, upholstery, cotton, linen, woollen and silk manufactures, hardware and cutlery, glass, china, plate and plated ware, saddlery, and harness, &c. Of which, whether by ton weight or mcasurcmont, the value must be so jxreat as to allow a good sum to pay railway carriage, when it is considered that the diftercnce of insurance between the two ports of Ilulifax and Quebec is, at some times of the year, as much as SI. per cent. The value of this immense trade (exports and imports together) cannot be estimated at less than 5,500,000/. sterling per annum. For which the railway will have no competition by sea for six months of the year. Instead, therefore, of there being a faint prospect, I think there is a good prospect of revenue arising from freight by the railway. There are also some further advantages to bo gained by it, which will be adverted to afterwards. Oue essentia] point to be considered as an elouiniit of success in competing with it.s rivals, is the cost of transportation. On this side of the Atlantic, railways .succcssi'ully compete with canals and transit by sea. There is no reason why it should not be the .s.uuj ou the other side. The Halifax and Qnebec line, passing over a cuuiitry abounding in fuel, will have a great advantage in that respect over other railways. In my Report I estimated the cost of transportation I'rom Halifax to Quebec, at ll.s. per ton, and gave the details showing how it was derived. It was founded upon the best authority, viz , the evidence given before the Gauge (!ommissiuuers, and the document attached to the Keport, Appendix No. 7. I have as yet seen no reason to increase that estimate, I make the following extracts from a lleport by Colonel Simpson, the Commissioner appointed by Canada to make stiitistieal inriuirics for the Quebec and Halifax Railway. It is dated 13th May, 18-47, and is addressed to the (Governor General of Canada, page 2: — "In the meantime, whilst collecting the general statistics of al! railroads upon which authentic details were attainable, 1 have particularly directed my attention to the important question of the cost of motive power. " The amount of prolit in a railroad will be found to be a resulting sum, from the amount of capital absorbed, the degree of motive power acquired, and the extent of the traffic. Mr. Joseph Pease, Chairman of the Stockton and D.irliugton IlailrL>ad, iu England, recently stated to a Committee of the House of Commons upon the subject of motive power, that in the transportation of ci>al upon the proposod ]jondon anl York Railroad, one farthing per ton per mile would be Ibund ample to cover all transportation expenses, including 5 per cent, inteiest on the capital employed ia 'he moveable stock, and the pro- portion of the maintenance of way belonging to this branch of the traffic. At this rate the transportation of a ton of mineral ore, or eleven barrels of flour, would be l'2s. 6il. sterling between Quebec and Halifax." Page 3, from data furnished by the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, Colonel Simp- son calculates it at two dollars seventy-one cents per ton between Quebec and Halifax, or lis. id. per ton for 600 miles. Pages 8 and 9 ; — "That I may not mislead as to the importance of favorable gradients to the success of an enterprise demanding such an outlay, I beg to shew the items of cost cf transport on other railways, where the gradients are less favorable, &.c. "Contrasting with the statement of Mr. Pease, the JJaltimore and Ohio, and the Philadelphia roads, it will be seen that, i'roin the differenco of level, the one carried on an average, during the year 1845, 295 tons ; while the other attained only 31 •] tons." Mr. Wilkinson has drawn up a table ot freights for three supposed railways, and has assumed as a basis, that the price charged for freight per ton per mile on the West'" Railway in Massachusetts, is the loivest remunerative rate at which goods can be carri. > , and having made his calculations by the mileage, draws the oonclusioa that as my estimate. ' cost is only one-seventh part of the rata charged by that railway, a mistake or oversight has been made in the estimate, which destroys the speculations founded upon it, as far aa heavy freight is concerned. This is very tammary, but the question is not so easily disposed of. M • « I ■ »i 4 ■».: \ iifl J i^'^ y- ,■ i -. ]^ m 4 : ) 118 Mr. Wilkinson shoul-^ ,t have proved that the estimate of cost of transport was wrong, and that doublin l amount was not sufficient to produce a profit to the railway. lis. was the cost of iiiowvc power, but 22s. was the charge calculated upon per ton. In the lis. estimated was embraced, as will be seen by Appendix No. 7, 1st. Enginemcn, firemen, brakesmen ; 2nd. Fuel; 3rd. Repairs of engines and tenders ; 4th. Oil and cotton waste ; 5th. Interest on cost of engines ; 6th. Conductors ; 7th. Repairs of railroad chargeable to locomotive and tender, and for deterioration of iron. But little, therefore, if anything, '^as omitted from the cost of motive power. The question then is, whether if . be the cost, 22s. is sufficient to pay superintend- ence, repairs, and interest of capital. If a railway has been expensively .c, and has large dividends to pay, if its gradients be bad, as we have seen they can be, so that one line can carry nearly per train ten times as much as the other, then the charges upon the heavily graded and expensive line must be increased proportionally to insure any profit, and the rate per mile must also be higher on a short line than upon a long one. Now such a line is the one which Mr. Wilkinson has assumed for his remunerative rate of l^d. per ton per mile. The Western Railway passes over the highest summit level (upwards of 1, 100 feet), and to do so has some of the heaviest gradients in the States. Its capacity for running large trains of freight is greatly diminished thereby. But the charge of 1 hi- per mile by this railway does not apply to large quantities. Articles for which the above rate is charged are entitled to a discount of 20 per cent., if previous notice be given that there will be the quantity of 6,000 lbs., or not quite three tons. One-fifth, therefore, offl^fZ. per ton per mile is considered a remunerative rate by that railway. But it is quantity that has the greatest influence in fixing the rates of charge, and is the great element of profit to a railway. During the demand for provisions of all kinds in this country in the winter of 1846, at a time too when the River Hudson was closed, and gave them a monoply of the traffic from Albany to the sea, this railway carried (if my information be correct, and I have no reason to doubt that it is, but it is not so direct as I could wish), flour from A.bany to Boston, a distance of 200 miles, for Is. 'Sd. sterling per barrel, T'hich is equivalent to three- fourths of a penny per ton per mile, or only one-half of the rate assumed in the table by Mr. Wilkinson. This reduction in charge was no doubt due to the quantity. But the length of a line has also an eiFcet. The establishment at the termini of a railway, for the loading and delivery of the goods, and the superintendence or management, must be pretty nearly the same for a line of 2U0 miles as for ope of 635. A long line, therefore, can afford to charge a lower rate per mile for its through-traffic, and yet will have sufficient profit to pay its expenses and interest. That this view of the case is borne out in practice, the following table, compiled from Doggctt^s Railroads in the United States, for 1847, will show. I take the Massachusetts railways as I have before taken them for costs of construc- tion. 119 The freight rates are on coal, iron, manure, lumber, corn, grain, sugar, salt, butter, groceries, &c., whieh generally are on these lines charged under one class, that of heavy goods : — o NAME OF RAILWAY. Nashua and Lowell , I'itsfield and Adams Boston and Lowell Connecticut River Old Colony Boston and Providence Eoston and Worcester,.., , Fitchburgh Fall River, 42 miles only, but is part of a line of. ... . New Bedford and Taunton, 20 miles, but is part of line Norwich and Worcester Boston and Maine Eastern, 38 miles, but is part of a line of Western Railway Or with its twenty per cent, discount • ' ' Length in Prico per ton Equivalent in Sterling Annual Dividend Miles. per Mile. 1 per ton per Mile. In 1847. Cents. Pence. 14 7 3i 10 per cent. 1!> 7 31 • • • • 2G 4 7 ' -4 8 per cent. 36 5.5 2:.' 7 37i 4.5 H 71 i( 41 5.0 2i ' 2 44i(- 5.0 24 10 «' 4d'i 4.0 2 9 " .'•.31 3.7 H 3« " f.G 3.5 ^i 8 " 59 Not given. 73 3.0 n 9 " 105 3 4 n 8 " IbC 3.0 8 " • Wa3 only completed during the year. The table .shows a diminishins: rate of charcre as the lines increase in length. .The dividends are high, exceeding on the average 8 per cent. On the Baltimore and Ohio road, which is 179 miles long, coal is carried at a less rate than three-fourths of a penny per ton por mile. On the London and North Western Kailway, in England, coal is carried for three- fourths of a penny per ton per mile if the distance be above 50 miles. On the Stockton and Darlington, it is, I believe, hi- per ton per mile. The cause of these low rates is no doubt due chiefly to quantity. If the Halifax and Quebec Eailway can carry at all, it will have this essential element of success. And if the London and North Western Line, which cost about £42,000 per mile, can carry coal at three-fourths of a penny per ton per mile, then I think that the other, which will only cost £7,000 per mile, may expect to carry, at a profit, the article of timber, espe- cially deals and battens, for about 22s. per ton, as taken in my estimate of this item (tim- ber) : there was imported in the year lt)46 no less than 1,258,336 loads Of this 482,685 loads were of deals, battens &c., and 46,000 of staves. A load is 50 cubic feet, and the deals, battens, and staves would weigh probably not less than 400,000 tons. From this quantity) however, must be deducted probably one-half, which is shipped from the St. John's River in New Brunswick, and would not be within the influence of the railway. Again, if quantity and length of line have an influence upon rates of charge, and the Western llailroad, 150 miles long, can carry heavy goods, in moderate quantities, at ^d, per ton per mile, and when the quantity is great, at three-fourths of a penny, and pay ita shareholders 8 per cent, dividends, at how much lower rates could not the Halifax and Quebec line, with its 635 miles, afford to charge to pay only 4 per cpnt. dividends ? My object, by the table and these remarks, is to show, that taking the rates of charge upon any line of railway, is not the proper criterion to be guided by, and that Mr. Wilkin- son's a.ssumption of IJc^. per ton per mile, as the lowest renuci^rative rate, is not appli- cable to the Quebec and Halifax case. If the rates for traffic and passengers were fixed by law to be the same for all the railways in the table, and the lowest rate assumed, where would bo the dividends upon the short lines 'i II • t. i\ H •1 *■; if ••- 1 !?" i;i if ,.; r m:\ ,4- ";< m !3 ^il i W *\ Hi ; I, I '-' t i ' k 120 To assume any fixed rato per mile is, I conceive, erroneoug. Captain Huish, the General Manager of the London and North Western Railway Company in England, in a pamphlet recently published by him, thus speaks on the sub- ject of goods traffic : — " 1 have a right to assume that the highest obtainable rate is charged, and this being so, the trade should be carried on so long as any margin of profit remains, even if the ex- pense of working it be 90 per cent, of the receipts. The total balance of profit is the point to look at, and although a percentage of working expenses is, to some extent, auseful guide for ordinary purposes, it would lead to error if adopted as a general test. A line working a large traffic at 60 percent, (cost) may pay a much larger dividend than ono workin;:;u small traffic at 30 percent, (cost). I would, moreover, beg to remind Mr. Whitehead [his opponent], that the most profitable lines in England, and the only profitable ones in Scot- land, to the present times, have been confined exclusively to the carriage of coal and other minerals." That is for freight of the heaviest description. This is from the experience of the manager of tlio greatest railway in England. There is hope, then, that with a monopoly fur six nmnths in the year, a protecting duty of 4 to 5 per cent, on the average (imposed by Nature), in the way of extra insur- ance and reduced freight from Halifax, a largo portion even of the heaviest freight may find its way to the Atlantic terminus by this railway, and vice vcrsd, from Halifax to Quebec. Quantity forming so important an item to the success of a railway, it may be necessa- ry to say something of the immense field of existing traffic into which this railway enters or competition. Quebec and Ilalil'ax, the termini, arc not to be regarded as merely cities of so many in- habitants each, and calculated upon as afl'ordiug so much revenue according to their numbers. Halifax is the centre of a great export and import trade; the first it receives from, and the latter it distributes over half the Province of Nova Scotia. Cn value it cannot be much less than 2,500,OOOZ. annually. This is great, but it is only one-half of the immense trade of Quebec. The latti r city may be considered as the shipping port for the exports and imports of a million of inhabi- tants in Canada. In value, as has before been said, it cannot bo less than i)\ millions sterling annum. The tonnage arriving in Quebec was, according to Colonel Simpson's Report to Governor General, before quoted — Tn 1845 1,47;) vessels 5.50,712 tons In 1846 1,430 " 573,208 " Or the average for two years 1,457 " 566,460 " Owing to the short period of the year that the Saint Lawrence is open for navigation, the vessels from the United Kingdom arrive and depart in fleets as it were. lo-the spring (f the year, in May, bcLween three and four hundred merchantmen may be counted at anchor and by the side of the wharves at Quebec. To arrive thus early, and so secure a second voyage during the season, they arrive in the Gulf of St. Lawrence before it is clear of floating ice, and have to pay a higher in- surance. What the loss of property has been in the Gulf I have not the means of ascertaining but it is well known to have been enormous ; and if taken for a number of years back I have no doubt would amount to a sum equal to the cost of mak'ng the railway. To all those ships engaged in the trade between Canada and the LI'nited Kingdom, whose cargoes are of such a, nature as, with reduced insurance and charges for navigating, to leave a margin lor paying transit by railway, will be offered the additional advantage to being saved the dangers of the gulf — that of making one additional voyage at least during the year. To secure an early arrival of their goods in Canada, in the spring of the year, iner_ per the 121 chants send large quantities by the Cunarii Steamers, aud can afford to pay 11. per ton freight for them in addition to the expense of transit tbroiij!;h the United States. Such portions of these as are destined for Quebec and the Lower Provinces would assuredly travel by the railway, and the whole would no doubt as soon as other rail- ways should bo completed from Quebec to Montreal and Upper Canada- One of the grand staples of Nova Sootia is her fishery. The product ot this .she now exchanges away with thn United States for flour and provisions. 1 The rail\?ay will enable her to exchange it far more profitably with Quebec. In the winter of 1847-8 there was an inducement of as much as Vds. per barrel of flour in favor of going to Quebec for it instead of to the United States. The whole of this staple commodity would find its way to the markets of Canada and the Far West, and a large proportion of it could well afford to pay transit per railway. Without any reference, therefore, to the trade of Western Canada and the Far West of the United States, there are sufficient grounds for inferring that in a trade of such magnitude, employing such an amount of vessels and tonnage, there will be no lack of quantity, if the railway can compete at all with the St. Lawrence. This will depend upon the carrying expenses or cost of transportation. Captain Iluish status that " a hundred tons of goods would occupy 22 trucks of the I London and North WcfXern Railway Company, and could be taken by a very ordinary gine." In the Report of the Directors of the Boston and Worcester Railroad in Massachu- i. setts for the year 1847, is the following: — " The freight-engines weigh 20 tons, and they bring with ease from Worcester to Boston — the ma:ximum grade in each direction being 30 feet in a mile — upwards of 150 tons of merchandise, of 2,240 lbs. per ton, and they have [been known to bring at a time 360 tons, the weight of cars and their loading included." The speed of the London and North Western not being required, I think from the Lbove, that 100 tons per train was a fair estimate for the power of a locomotive on the I Quebec and Halifax line. While it will be seen from an inspection of the accompauing Ta'.jle, that Is. S<7. [sterling per train per mile was rather too high than too low for the estimated cost of motive power; and the lis. per ton from Halifax to Quebec was therefore a sufficiently Mgh estimate for the cost of motive power. lil T r i IT I it* !ii' • :;, llf ;l|;jj *jL 122 Carryino Expenses. — Goods Trains. Tablk showing tho (!!arryiDg Expenses of Goods Trains, iiud average speed per hour of tho undermentioned Railways, for the year ending 18-1-1, as returned to the Commis- sioners for Inquiry into the Gauge of Kaih/ays. NAME OF RAILWAY. Qreat North of England . . . Maryport and Carlisle Gia3gow,Paisley& Greenock Manchester and Birmingham York and North Midl.aud. . Manchester and Bolton.... Midland London and Birmingham.. Liverpool and Manchester. . London and South Western Grand Junction London and Brighton Bristol and Gloucester Sheffield and Alanchester. . . Glasgow, Paialey and Ayr. Great Western Birmingham and Gloucester Hull and Selby Preston and Wyo ■< Average Expense of Locomotive Depart- ment per Train per Mile. s. d. C 1 8 9 .^> 10 Gl 11 1 7 8 1 3 i 6 1 1 I 1 7 7 1 4 1 6 1 n 8i Heads of Expenses. Average Load per Train per Mile Wages, fuel, grease, repairs, and sundries Coke, tallow, oil, wages, water, repairs and sundries Coke, oil, tallow, wages, repairs and sun- dries , Wages, repairs, materials and sundries. . Wages lid., coke 3|r/., repairs 3^^., sun- dries lid Coke, oil, tallow, wages, repairs, and sundries Working, repairing .and coke Wages, coke, oil, tools, repairs, gas, water and sundries Coke, oil, tallow, wages, repairs and sun- dries Coke, oil, tallow, wages, repairs and sun- dries Coke, oil, water, wages, materials and sundries Coke, oil, waste, wages, repairs and sun- dries ..... All locomotive expenses Coke, oil, waste, tallow, repairs and wages Repairs, coke, oil, grease, w.agcs and sun- dries Wages, coke, oil, tallow, waste, repairs and sundries Coke, oil, tallow, repairs, wages and sun dries , Coke, oil, materials, repairs and wages . , Coke, oil, tallow, wages, repairs and suu' dries Ton^. 00 2» C4 lOOtoSOO 37 10 17? 100 2i> 154 3G 160 50 125 Averagr Speed in Miles per Hour. I\Iiles. IC I'J 13 15 17 15 ■JO 10 i:; IG 18 15 15 15 300 1 190 20 ■ 100 "1 30 1 What the charge should be depends both upon the quantity which it will have to carry, and upon the amount which has been expended upon its construction and equip- ment. With reference to the latter, I beg leave to quote the following, taken from a pamphlet I on the Condition and Prospects of Railway Property, by S. Smiles, Secretary to the Leedi | and Thrisk Railway Company, page 29 : — , Fixed cha every pi: poods, 1 togivoc .■> per cei "Iti double th( that has c Appl estimated the whole la mj carriage oi udcr the Thed cent,, whic Butf cost of tho per mile. When tlie Westc: per cent. ; under favo cent, iiiterc With ber, 1848, I'cnce, beca fisting, &c I deri^ If the will, as I h. and judgia two lines, I of the Bay In win l^ave no for I'uaniog up WHsidered ">''ould cuter The re ^re, I belie upon as cost "loment dir( without loss Much c of otherwise 128 "Tho following calculatioa by 31r. II. Williams, the actuary, puts the matter in another form. Thus ; — Total Yearly Traflic. Number of Passengers or Tons of Gouds. Orijiiiial Original Original Original Cost of Co.st of Cost of Cob I of Ccnstructiou Construction (Jonstruetiou Construction X15,000 per Mile. £20,000 per Mile. £'J5,000 per Mile. £30,000 per Mile. Fixed charge per mile on "| d. d. d. d. every passenger or ton of /loods, requisite in order 00,000 1.00 1.33 1.66 2 . 0'>> to give common interest at j per cent, on the outlay. J r '' It is clear, therefore, that a line which costs £30,000 per mile must either have double the traffic, or charge double fares ou the same traffic, as compared with the Hue that has cost only £15,000 per mile." Applyinp: this same scale, then, to the Ifalifax and Quebec llailway, which has been estimated at £7,000 per mile, the rate would be per ton per mile, 0.40 of a penny, or, for the whole distance ot 635 miles, 2is. -id. per ton. In my general report, when applying the cost derived from the estimate of ILs. to the carriage of barrels of flour, I made the charge per ton 22s., which is only 2s. Ad. per ton under the above. The difference, however, is fully counterbalanced by the 4 per cent, instead of 5 per cent,, which it is calculated will be the interest to be paid on the guarantcod loan. But further, under certain advantages as to lands to be appropriated, the estimated cost of the Halifax and Quebec Railway was taken at £3,000,000 only, or less than £5,000 per mile. When Mr. Wilkinson calculates another table of freights, he should bear in mind that the Western Railway in Massachusetts cost £10,000 per mile, and pays a dividend of 8 per cent, j whilst the Halifax and Quebec Railway is estimated at £7,000 per mile, or under favorable circumstances, £5,000 per mile, and will be required to pay only 4 per cent, interest. With reference to the remarks in Mr, Wilkinson's second paper, dated 28th Decem- ber, 1848, on- the disadvantages of the line near the coast of the Gulf and River St. Law- rence, because, by treaty, the French and the United States have certain rights therein of fishing, &c. I derive a directly opposite conclusion from him. If the settlements along the coast are liable to be attacked by the enemy, the railway will, as I have before stated, afford the best means of defending them, and may, with care and judgment,^ bo kept so far back as not to be injured by the sea. But, as between the two lines, I conceive this objection against the eastern line can only be applied to that part of the Bay of Chaleurs from Bathurst to Dalhotisie, a distance of about 50 miles. In winter, when the greatest object of the railway is to be attained, this objection can have no force, for then the sea is closed to all alike ; and in summer the Bay of Chaleurs running up so far ia the land, can scarcely be looked upon as the open sea, but must be tonsidered inland waters, into which it would be very unlikely thai' Vic enemy's vessels would cuter. The results of railway experience generally and the opipions of exprienced engineers ^re, I believe, quite opposite to those quoted by Mr. W^ilkinson. Branches are looked upon as costly appendages to trunk lines, and the attention of engineers is at the present I moment directed to construct smaller engines and lighter carriages, so as to work them without loss. Much of the recent depreciation in the value of railway property, and in the dividends ht' otherwise good lines, has been attributed to the multiplicatioa of branches. ;i'l • t i ' 1 ■ W .1'.^ 124 The branches to tho Erie Canal in New York are a losing addition to the main trunk canal. Mr. Wilkinson, in a letter addressed to Sir William Colebrooko, under date 11 h March, 1847, which has been publiahed by order of tho House of Asflcmbly of New IJrunswick, has advocated warmly tho employment of wood in tho construction of railways, and makes long quotations in favor of the piled and trestle-bridge railways of tho United States. Amongst other lines, tho Syracuse and Utica was held up as an example of the suc- cess attending tho principle. It is to be remarked that nearly at the same time this letter was written, that company had determined upon making a substantial structure, adequate to the performance of tho business required of it, and had condemned tho old ono as worn out, sunk and gone. The New York and Erie Railroad adopted the principle for a portion of the line, and many miles were so constructed. A steppage in tho works for want of funds occurred, and when they were re-commenced a few years after, the greater portion of the wood-work was decayed and had to be taken away. Notwithstanding these facts, and that all the best lines in the States are permanently constructed, and have good heavy iron rails, Mr. Wilkinson still leans strongly to wood rails and wooden railways. As an example of tho total failure attending the latter, I would refer Mr. Wilkinson to the half-yearly reports of the directors and the report of the committee of investigation (which have been recently published) of the Watorford and Kilkenny Railway Company. The woodwork of America requires great care for its preservation. In a Report of tho Canal Commissioners, made to tho House of Assembly, New York, iu 18o5, it Avas stated : " That the canal was commenced in 1817, and completed in 1825, Every part of it has been in use ten years, and some parts of it fifteen years. *' In this period many of the structures of wood have been twice renewed, and all of them onee." I might adduce further instances of the disadvantages attending its use for lines of railway, but I think sufficient has been said on that subject. Mr. AVil^inson considers it inconsistent my condemning tho use of wood as a principle in tho construction of railways, and yet adopting it for the bridges. I do not think it so. If a bridge bo not built of wood, it must be made of stone or iron, and the expense is enormous. Rut the railway, if not made of wood, is made of earth, and the diflferenee of expense not so very great. If I wanted any additional evidence to confirm me in the view I have taken as to the use of wood, the quotation made by Mr. Wilkinson from tho report of the chief engineer of the Raltimore and Ohio Railroad for the year 1847, would afford it to me. From this extract it appears eleven bridges and one viaduct of trestle-bridging, making an aggregate length of bridge of 5,748 feet, or 1.09 mile, not having been properly and 8ubv Foreign Produce l,3&4,717 6,715,003 Imports 1,465,715 Balance piiid by British Colonies 5,250, 1 88 » iOqual to £1,093,734 sterling for the year 1844, For the year ending 30th June, 1845 : — • Exports — Domestic Produce 4,844,966 Foreign Produce 1,209,260 6,054,226 Imports 2,020,065 Balance pmd by tho British Colonies 4,031,161 Equal to £840,450 sterling I'ur the year 1845. For the year ending 30lh June, 1846: — Exports — Domestic Produce 6,042,666 Foreign Produce 1,363,767 - i — 7,406,433 Imports 1,937,717 Balance paid by the British Colonies 6,468,716 Equal to £1,139,315 sterling ibr the year 1846. r For the year ending 30t' June, 1847 : — Elxports— Domestic Produce .'5,819,667 Foreign Produce 2,165,876 7,985,543 Imports 2,343,927 . • . Balance paid by the British Colonies 5,641,616 ■■ • I ■ " ■ ■ . • -. - Equal to £1,175,336 sterling for the year 1847. Sterling. ,,*, £> :" Balance of trade paid by the British North American Colonies to 1 ' ' ", the United States, for the year 1844 1,09.3,734 Do do . 1845 840,450 Do do - . 1846 1,139,315 Do 4», 1^4'^ 1,175,336 .; Total for four years £4,248,835 The British Provinces must, therefore, have paid to the United States, in the course of fonr jeare, a sum exceeding £4,250,000 sterling. Of the exports from the United States during that period, no less an amount than £4,597,000 sterling is for articles of their own domestic produce. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have paid -the largest portion of this to supply their lumbermen and fishermen with provisions, but what proportion is due to Canada I am unable to ascertain. The latter is an exporting country for provisions, aQ4 pould well supply the two sister , 127 Provinces. 1 oanoot concoiro oithrr that in tho list of exported articles of their domcstio produce there is any one but whir a could, if it met with due encouragement, be produced in some portion or other of the B.itish North American Poasosnions. If I am correct in so aupposrng, then there is a clear loss to them of that amount, and to be oayed by a greater attentic n being paid to ac^riculture, and the settlement of tho hitherto uncultivated lands. The Railway is tho one thing needful to afford tho means of distributing the produce from one Province to another. ' From the foregoing, I think it may bo said that the British Colonies of North America pay, for their want of enterprise and neglect in developing their internal com- munications and resources, an annual fin« of X1,000,000 sterling to tho United States of America. I have, &c., (Signed,) WM. ROBINSON, Capt. R.K.y Brevet- Major. Portsmouth, March 30, 1849. ■ i ■•i ■wn I U