IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 4s /. / .<• '/T/e^. That this Committee meet at 10 a.m. nn TiiPaHav ThiiPM^av aud Saturday of each week, during this session of the House, and that if thea the work assigned to it be not completed permission be obtained from 4 Kjure, P the •son's pssrs. Special Cojimittke Report. the House to prosecute, the same after the House rises, and to report to th. next session of the Legislature. f «- mj lo. (Sd.) 0. P. BROWN, Chairman. Committee Room, March 22nd, 1884. time!l!^°°"""'f ' r> ^."* '"''J"""^"** ^'"°'" ^'^'^* °f «^»dence, sufficient time not having elapsed for the summons of witnesses. this s the mtle- liber- 3hed, those ueet- "sdfty at if from Tho Committee met at 10 a. m. Committee Room, March 24th, 1884. Miller Tn^°"" V'^T"' ^^'''"'^"' ««"• ^«-"- Torquay and Miller, Dr. Harrison. Messrs. Davidson, Woodworth, Leacock and Wilson. The minutes of previous meetings were read and confirmed. fesolved That the days of meeting of this Committee be changed to Monday, Wednesday and Friday, of each week, and that the SecretaryLi ^ such change to the clerk of committees. ^ ^ The Secretary having read the statement of Mr. John Moyes, h.. examination was continfied and concluded. 3 ^ ^^ Mr Woodworth, MP. P, presented a letter from Isaac H Folirer Nantucket, Mass.. which was read and ordered to be filed as evidence. viz: The Secretary was authorized to ask attendance of the following persons. Rev. Mr. Semmens, James Ward, George Heenan, Geo. A. Bayne, C. K, Henry Johnson, Wm. Clarke, Adrian Neison, 0»»»* Oftlj-s a- '-• Emerson. St. Anne's Selkirk. Winnipeg. do do Selkirk Kildonan. (Sd.) C. P. BROWN, Chairman. HbLKCT COMHiTTEK UkpuRT. (Exi). Maiu!ii 24th, 1HH4.) 1. John Moyks, 2. Engineer, 3. 165 McWilliam St., Winnipeg. Have been cngagoil as engineer on a, sealing vessel that ran 150 miles into Hudson's Straits in March, 1871. Was sailing out of St. Johns, New- foundland, for five yars, two of which (1871 and 1872) in sealing vesssls. In 1871 we left St. John's on the 10th of March; reached Hudson's Straits about the 25th, and then had to run back, lest we should run out of coal Took obout 7,000 seals, arrived in St John's 4th April. The vessel I was in was the "Osprey," about 600 tons, 150 h. p. low pressure engines, which burned a great deal of coal. She was an old fashioned vessel, and was since lost in Buena Vista Bay, east coast Newfoundland. We went in and out of the ice on ou/way up to the Straits, in search of seals, could have found open water farther out to sea, met nothing but field ice excepting one or two Iwrga. The only really bad weather we had was in Trinity Bay, N'f'd., on the return trip. Sealing trips not considerecj specially dangerous, although vessels are necessarily in amongst the ice all the time. Sealers are insured. The sealers leave St. John's and Harbor Grace, N'f'd., from Ist to lOtll March, after young seals, returning in from two to five weeks, as thev get their cargos. They go out after old seals about middle of April, rJtum- ing by middle of May. The ice met in the Straits was field ice altogether Sometimes would have to back up three or four hundred yards, and run at the ice to open channel, then go ahead till again stopped and Imck up again and run at ice. Made way easily in that way, made perhaps three miles an hour. Never thought of altering course on account of ice, but made right for it and pushed through to op^n water. Sometimes the open water was narrow, not more than quarter mile, sometimes more. Could have found open water all along, if we had coasted round the floes. Ice varies m thickness from four to eight feet, could run through ice 16 feet thick Ice opens and closes with currents. When we bunt ice, it opens out perhaps tor 500 yards. Sealers have iron sterns between 10 and 15 feet, and iron chafing bands, otherwise built of wood. Never heard from any one that the navigation of Hudson's Straits was particularly dangerous. Sealers accustomed to go there in search of seals. Ice breaks up there as early as in any other part. Have not heard of any particular time when sealers can go into Straits in spring, but think that with the improved class of vessels they could go in any time. Ice clings to shores early in spring, but after you get outside of shore ice, find no difficulty in keeping to open water. Sailing vessels that go sealing are allowed to leave 1st March, steamers on the 10th • this 13 according to agreement between owners. There are upwards of 33 sealing steamers leaving the portc in Newfoundland every spring. After the 6 ^' " ». ♦ ^• " H^ Srlkct Committkk Rrhiht. old 8.al fishory is over in ti.e end of May, tJieno vcgols «r. oprn for cUrter Borne are sent to Gr«.t Britain with cargoes of oil and skins, others are laid up after the sealing season is over. The following is a list of nan.es of the .eahng steamers 1 remember. Nearly all the newer vessels have con.pound engines, burmng httle coal, some of the lar,.,r ones could carry coal enough for an eight months' cruise. ^ Proteus, 1,500 tons. Neptune, 1,500 " Eagle, 1,500 " Greenland, 1,200 " Iceland, 1,200 " Leopard, 1,000 " Merlin, 700 '« Wolf, 700 " Tigress, 650 " (Signel) JOHN MOVES, LOoPY.] Nantucket, Mas.s., March 15th, 1884. J. E. WOODWORTII, M. P. P., ,, ^ Bmndon, Man. Mv Dear Sir,-- Since writing you I have cor ■ rsed with Capt. Timothy F. Clisby, who for fourteen years has been right wh .iag f.x>m New London, Connecticut, m schooner « Era," owned by C. A. Williams & Co. of that port. Capt. Clisby has been whaling every summer in Hudson's Strait and Bay. and Cyrus Field Bay (north of Frobishor's Bay.) He is a practical man. thoroughly conversant with that locality, and claims to bea thorough navigator and pilot around there. He wintered in Cyrus Field Bay in 1882-3 for the second time in his experience. This is the substance of his last voyage : Left New London, Conn., for the north, June 22nd. 1882 ; arrived at Resolution island, nori;h (side East entrance) of Hudson's Strait, July 13th. Found ice but sailed to Orkelea, about opposite Salisbuiy Island. July 19th. (Salisbury Island IS at Western entrance of Straits). Could have crossed Hudson's Bay to Fort; Churchill easily. Ice left Hudson's Straits so that a sailimr vessel uouxa go tnrough early in July, 1883. " My experience," the Captain adds, tells me that navigation by steam is entirely practicable for four months in the^year, viz: July. August September, and October, and in many years the 7 Selbct OoMMin'Ri Rkpoht. ^. until oZi^dT^ tL:'.T;ri" ;" '"•"• •"" ""•'•"^ .nd ■„ „p.„ Jin^tZ lo'j ^ ""'■ ■"°""" """"'^ '■" "■• '■«' ; in tho employ of C A Willi.n,. * n , "• «««»»* Arctic, j,L »ith .™ it„":,;.r,t rcr r "" '"-' '- "■- captain." direction, lw,ng a sort of fleet Yourg, sincerely, (S<1.) ISAAC H. fol(;er. « The Committee met at 10:30 a.m. CoMMiTTBE Room, March 26th, 1884. Present, Mr. Gigot, in the chair, the Hon. the Speaker D«. W • and WUson. Mess. Jackson, Davidson. Win„.m, W,^:':^. ^Ico^k ^'^^ The minutes of previous meeting having been read and confirmed. l«A» v 1 1 ""'P*'"^* service, and commander of the "Prince Alh.>rf " Lady^F^nkhn Exploring Expedition. Examination conti^^ed and t;. The Secretary read the statement of flenry Johnston for n employ of Hudson's Bay Company, at York pLtorv ^h ^ '" the following named witnesses ras^iroce^rwUr"'' ^'' -»-"-*•<>" of Oapt. J. Hackland, HeadLigly. Capt. Colin Sinclair, Kildonan. Mr. Wm Hf^»i>..«^~ TT «. . • -c-iiovi!, xieaamgiy. 8 *i« Sblbct Cojimittee Report. p.rJ!;v^r"" "" """■""'"' '° -^ "" •"'"«-. of .h. fciici,., Jno. HargravM, High Bluff. Capt. RobinaoM, Winnipeg. D. WacArthur, Winnipeg. to JI;-r'"'^'"""^'^^^^^^ to ask leav (^^•) E. F. GIOOT, Chairman. i Ri« 1. Capt. Kennkdy, 2. Retired Captain Mercantile Murine. 3. St. Andrews, Man. March 2.5th, 1884. Was 8 years in service of H R Hn «* rr r. time w„ .«vem„, . ^ ^'J^^^ ;l^^^2 .fd'V," . "'"^ '"" emptying into Hudson's Sfru if- *. j- /""^"»™«and the various rivers 0llJm.er HZf::^l':T!st ''{ ^^P^^, f'^^ «-vey of coast from Fort Chimo RiverT^. r " *"'"•" °^ ^®^®' *™^«"«* coasted in a York boaf thl.^ ^7" ^^ "^ '''''''''' «'^«'-- H*ve November Attel*!^ ; t ^"'' °^ '^'"^ ^"'' ^'^'y '"""^h from July to ice on the 1st Novem^r I„t .'h 7^ °" '"' ^''"•°" ^°""^ «o""^ commenced to form o^Th^k"^ -/'^ P^^ °^fi«^^ - lee ice forms along the coasts oT ft! R ^ ^^V^"^^'"**'-- I>"''ing winter the at the ebb. and settLZ wl t^^^^^^ H '^ ^''"^ °' ^"" ^^^^'^ ^-'^'^-^ off into the Atlantic rf M- "'^"'''''''^ """"^"^ P*^'* ^ape Chudleigh from the t^lltoUng^^^^^^^^^^^ '"^^ ''^ -^'>' -"-«the i^ce channel on the noTZT :^VlZrT:: T ''"' * ^^^T'*"'^"* through the Straits dn r,«f /ii , P*'''"' ''""^"ts that pass the Straits. TheiJtl,.r„ .:°°"™""'"»» «»"«"> fntmnoe of Str.it. .t any tL S"' T 1^ ^ "nde„tood) .re to U, found in the «u& la any oiiannei or inlonri .«- -. a • . '' 'i^-^at lauu, ana. «.-... ktide:rvtr,-,r^xtrfrftri«;ts:^^ 9 Spbcial CoMMi;rTEE Report. I.a»k .-.tor. The i„„ Z fZ,^ f T' ™»«"1°<'°% th""! is more f...swuh ™a tidXiLt^ : ::r';-'',:°-'';v' "''■^ ^^-^ '"" ^ co«,t lines of the Strait i. 1„„™1 , ' "'"' '*"■"" •>» "» ""P"*- Sometimesitisian^X h^tad. T"" ""' "^ «"> ""'S'tas tide, in thickne,. Not Ze th«^ T' T^ "■» coast, and then ™a, increase the thickness ,„,,„t rr^edt^x^: trc ifdi™ ': " -r • "" for a few days. The ice i,, tl„ l„„, j • " ' "' ■'«'«'"«' »" the coast ieet during the winter Havl nt'^t '"■™ '°"'°" '" ' ''^l'"' »'" •'>""t four to form i„°t,ose iTr. "„ 85, T "°, '" '"""' """■ '""'''"'' "' '"-k-- •ndhadtosawmyZioutin J I T. :°''°''"°'" ""^""''^ '"^ but was only four fee, in ,i Lei'' Tr " '" T "' "^'^ '•™=)'-»'nW, degrees north of the Straits ThTav T,'" '""'"''^ '*' "?""'«'" »« '* Straits in June o..„TZ,o^LZ2^;^Z 1 T T' "« "■™«" "■' more or less affected by the sun-" fZ^ • . ° . „ "^^ *"' *™' " " attained . prismatic condition whicr«!fd' " *''°'"'"^ -Ued-..„„d has pushing through HJt2j^':^:^tzXTr'''''^'°''°'''^' with a fair .ind, and thint . =Ti i *^ '' ""' '"« s«il">g vessel motive power shoildt:^;' ^^eXrllwhrr " :''" """'*-' time. The Seids of ice som.«™.. ', • ^ through such ice ,t any b-ke„. There arc a Z;"'" I ? "" '" r'""'' ""' ""' "-""^ ■»-'' »hich a vessel canTnTitriv T ."""" "T ""•«" ^''^' """■«'■ th«..d its way round the l.rLTl A steamer, therefore, would be able to i«d,.e„tioi iusmo!:Te;rr;ZTn\'xrt'''"°'""''™™^"'- nilKle of the northern shores of the sL «Pl°>»tory survey should be iarbora can be found T cannot ?' »° "^ ^ '"^^'to "here sheltering harbo. lie, , The s:ther; sZeTof e^'t^ sh':uM b^ T. ^'"^ ^™'' possible as it is usualJv thn 1p„ d T ^ ^^ '^''''^^^ as much as nHdition. it isthe C^^^^^^^^ '-'^ rapid currents. In the North andc,osefrt;esT:rUn^^^^^^^^^^ recogniijed many vessels were In^f « . i? I, '*''' ascertained and the " Erebus' and " tT or " W ^^^ not.bly the :; Victory" by Sir John Ross. Parry, the " Advance "bv DrK ?"'""' ''^ "^"'•^•" ''^ «- E. it would be necessary o « 'abli h ^2 Ti^' "^'*'^^^- ^ ^° «^* ^'^-^^ Fi..tly, because theLre f^ ho^^^^^^ ^***'-« - ^''^ «t-ts. , and absence of %s Thirdlv thM . t^'' ^" ^''""^^^^ ^'^^'- '^'^^'^^^ from .T.,no *. xrT._ / ""Y' *'**' ''^'''•* P""^^ «* darkness during the ««ason -fte. "the peHod^rfTIrknessIs ^ri": Vt " °"'^ *""'«^* ^' ^ --** aarkness .s only about two hours. Vessels entering the 10 ■■ *> Special Committee Report. Ch«,„el « „,« a,„o„g the islairfs mentioned .live I I'ri lleT J given by the gealere and whaler « the most ooneWe L 7f ^ °" «f the Straits and B.,, „ the, have hadactll XH „ ^Lr^ff °" b«n engaged in Aretic research as commander of th„ up .?. ''™ «ttedoutb,Udyrr.nlcli„to search forTe Ll^ f^^ ^"Z-'" engaged in this service eighteen month, in the .ea^aX " 1 he passage between Islands (Button Islands^ an^ T„k j ' ^ perfectly safe to persons knowing the hLnel l"!. .1^^^^^ ^""'' '' practical passage between Mosquito b:; a d U.ga a b::' Th" ^^ ' bai^r of rock between Hopes Advance sly and fe B^y. 11:;;: of tlus route was made in 1839 by Mr. Don- ' Jfenderson for the H Bcl and found entirely impracticable. Would not censider it any adyfr,; !' navigation, even if such a channel existed n„rT .u^ "^^^antage to Channel would be clear of ice, ice trbtmef S ^^r^Z ^ t a pomt where ice xs more likely to remain than in any other part '' Salmon (Salmo 8olar) are found in all rivers falling mfn tt «»d in streams falling into North Shore of S tri ^ Dr Rae cJT , '' as far north as Repulse Bay. ^""^ '*"»'** '^''"^^ (Signed.) Wn. KENNEDY. ADDENDA TO CAPT. KENNEDY'S EVIDENCE. St. Anduew's, 29th March, 1884. CoL. ScOBLf:, Secretary Committee on Hudson's Bay Enquiry, Sir,— .von b. •^^:;::^xz:^::::^^^^ southern circumpolar region, receiving a fresh impetus f^rttHo t Jfrl the stream of ice islands which arc constantly breakin. o^l ^VCv^u. caast iine. it flows northward through the South AtWii^Z .^"Tf'P"""" torial region, thence into the Gulf of LL fL 1 u >^'"" ' "^"" "Gulf a*«,«™ » J . ^lexico, trom which it flowg out as the Gulf Stream, and crossing the North Atlantic in a north-easterly direction U Special Comm^ttre Report. th. third through witin ChTnlTp r"",'"™*" "*"«" ^a^ -^ s«, throughV^itn'^Sa^^rs^r '-'"'"• ^"-^ -^ «-' ceJnt:?:^r:tzntcri;hi;:;;hr:\°T "'-'■"■ «'™ coramcrcml point of view L it Z„ . I . *■""' ""P"-*"™ in a into H„a,o„u,, .jzlvI: t 'bVI sVrLr^^^^^ that ?h:;t^t:int:r*,:[ "" '"°*°'"'' '^"'' "-' •- - — al^. /roved ^oeeXtL tdlrLtToth^rc'"'^'- ' '"" '"- they have here a field for investment f^^L^hi^^l^^rr,'"' *" remunerative and legitimate profits. ^ ^ ^"'^ "<*«' and mterXalt: 'Zlm:lr:'T\'^:'"' *"" •"™'' ^S'-W^ euhanee its value :°bo„3,'u. .° '"^' '" ''"»>' " '"Hh a.d this wealth n,.y be sent trtt \ . """"' °*"°' ""^ S"*"™? V "Wok of other oountrrc::;* i„r:r™rr" "' "^ «■*• """ "-^ ^"-o- Respectfully submitting the above, " I have the honor to be, sir, Yours very traly, (Signed) Wm. KENNEDY. 1. Henry Joiinston. ^^'*''" 25th, 1884. 2. Carpenter and Coopei-. 3. Winnipeg. on the " Prince of Wales •" ZTfil \ ^ Stromness on 9th July, I860, York Factory. Sawno ice on T ^"f '^"^ ^'^^^ ^""^ S*«>«'°«'» to Went home if. IBB^ 7J:VZ't T^^ «***»«!.- «*-*» - Hudson's Bay. Our passage occupied aTdlvl- ZuZ' *''' ''"^ September for Loudon. S -cupiecl 61 days , delayed on account of coutniry winds. Saw 12 65. S. lAt Committee Repobt. no ice on passage. Camo out again in IRT'i t ** a* and took ten weeks and 3 days in folate Had . "T "" ^'^ "^"'^ of stmts, when we got outsid« a Ju T xr ^'"^ *''*'^' **» ««***"«« lay the^ untilit f^ke '^;^,^1^-^^^^^^^ ™^« ^ast to field and field and was not delaved on the passage \l!!' °"/!>n«>rt. got inside the Resolution Island It was thrp. Tl /"*'**""*«'^d '"^ * few miles inside could find a channel W, ^^l ^'"^"'^ **'' ^^'^ ^^^'^^ "P «<> that we have coasted rotnTthe i^e kTeZ '^'''''''' °' '^^^ ^ «*--- -'<> land on the north sid o the 8^^ ts aZ" "''" "^'"^^"^ *^^ ^^« ^^ *^^ found only small broken DieirrnTfl u ! ^°* P*"* *^^« ^^'^ «f i«^' difficulty/ IT^ewel^Sl^r^rlr^^^^ ^^^ *« York without further Passengers we., out on ice everjdiy ' '* "'''" "" '^"^^^ ^"'°^*''- HudstrBiT-in 'rktt ^r^ t'Tf-^^^ ^^'^ - ^- --^ o^ The water is^Wl'':n\ttase\rwlV;o?k^^^ TV°^^^' '"^ ^^^^''-• fathoms water seven miles from shore 2 I ^"""' °"^^ "'°"' '«" know soundings in Bay opposl mo^h ofsevtr^ '''' '' ''"''^- ^°"'* sn^okfrisTn^tr t::/:r t^^^^^ iTr '' '-''''-' ^"* -"'^ - *^« the mouth of Haye^Rivr Thl ''*"'*^' "^'''^ '^ ^^^'^^ >""«« f™*" the 20th May. Z^Z J^Z 1^ tH^n rI:! ''' "^^^^ ^r ^^ oames it in and out until it rots Th. xr , "• '°°"' "^ *■"« « '""o"" I"' «■«' ^^^^ way. The co«.t l,„„,s „,„„, ,„ Y„rk .b„„t the middle of asituZ"7'i?:rtL:™'/°*fr^'" »•'■■'- ■« -'■ »w«. ■Xmas day it »rth^w„", "day "'Tlfo'''' 7^ '™" '^"° ''"''""'■""'' '-' the house. When „e havfa^IjlLinf Lri:!™:"'-? f.*" -•^.■" :;r:rn:rth";st""r:rr i^^r F''"^''-^^^^ when the ic. l,re.r, up. "" """ "■" '"" "^ "'» °»« "' Spri-'S 13 Special Committee Report. fall of 1861. The'"p2,; ofw." "*"? ''"^ ' ^«"«™^^ -- - the not blown froo. her aZoLlV""^^^^^ ''^ "^ schooner was out all niaht a.T 1 ''"''^ '"'" '*^°"* north-east. The • The packet boat is aZt th:lir T'T '"*' '"* "^^*"«^ -« '-*• boat, with two lug s^r Tho ! !. *^^ " '^' """* ^*^*«- It « an opeu mer time. ^ '' ^*''' ^'"^^ ««•« "t-'^nger in winter than in the sum- (Signed) HENRY JOHNSTON. 1. Capt. Jas. Hackland, ^^''" March, 1884. 2. Retired H. B. Co. Officer, 3. Headingly, for 16 years ,„„ that VI Tkrlr '" """"T" °' "^ "■ ""'' ^""■ocer wintered at York. The ^k Jft J T ?.". '""^ ^"'^ '" Churchill, on the ,Mh .„.,, „hen Z'ZT^ Tl ::;^'^ r", "' T"" =«™™ M,netime» have navigated before Z, ., "' °' '""'• ""''* ChurehHI was not o^n ulaiHi"' Z Zl ""^ '^''*'- f*" "^^ " The ice c„,nme„oed i formal cIlTlM ,o' ' "'"' °"' »"'" "■« ««• drifting ice, „o„w not i^^Ue^X'onT'' '° '"" °°'"''"-- " »- -«ofehee,,ahoo.,2o.:„si:rri;^r:::L,f'" ^^.^ -'=- W«.r„ I i. . "Ksea was suited for navigatinc in ipp fron. 8tro„;,es, to Z^ LZtJTl:^ '"''""" °' '"'•'' -" »» ''■'^' to.o„.hwart. Hug^'northrre/slrTa::?' ',' " ■""»""• that we could not avoid saw floaf.n™ ■ ^ '"P ^ "«' no ice ice would beanyUedi^nen r^ '\"'''/""''- ^^ "«* ^'""^ that the are open all year'rZd Ze frrrte^l^^"^" ''' ''''"• ^'' ''^^^^^ should not navigate the ^trlZT ""^ '''^'''' ^^'^ steamships sticks among islanCattst ^ ^StZ 'The "'] ''' ^ " ^^^ "'^^-'' down in July. It ne^er iroes nJ W , Z / '"^ ^™"' ^^^'^ ^''*»"«' <^^^^^ Strait. Th^e navagatil^T^re^^tt: ^^^11^^-^ T^' ^"-^'' interrupted at that time. *** '^' t"**'^ '« "ost There^rr r;! «"r"> "? '"" ««" « - oonsid.™, dan.™,. Hudson. Ba/was- ;]:;d"^4';f- J;;^« Jf/- -avigation of 14 vapor off the ice Special Committee Report. The coast from York to Churchill is not at all danirttoiii Tl,. l„., »ind» are about north west ond N. N W Prevailing feet Tick Th.'uV?"'"""- The ice on river fom,. about 3J " Ice rises and falls with the tide ' *'* '' "^' *'''*''^- (Signed.) JAMES HACKLAND. 1. Capt. Colin R. Sinclair. 2. Retired merchant navy. 3. Seven Oaks, Kildonan. the^.t „^^i„ October, p.,.,, aboutll'tr'T::!?^^^^^^^ ^i^7:^crTT^ """'•"" "•"'^™ '»' «'" ^™- Think 2t s^r: .es«,l8 are best s„it«l for navigation amongst ice, as thev can follow onen channels irrespective of wind or current M„„t „« it ' . ^ .<. t» fk. j'o: I. .. '"""^current. Much of the preconceved opinion ^to the difficulty of navigation arise, from experience of slow-goin. s^"r, Do not think that fogs are prevalent in Hudson's Bay and Straitf Thrl'e OuTsttmt ™" °r "" 'u °°^' "' "-'""ndland, as there is nlheZ Gulf Steam to encoun er colder temperature of the northern waters, which is the cause „ Newfoundland fogs. I have never seen fog. in HudsoT's 8tr. , It IS my opinion that three and a half to four months open navi^ion l"ld ^ rf:i!'-z''-""*°":' ''-"^ "■» «""-•• ^-y v-'-TeraL:":;' lo tn«r i^s^ inrougn ice. if they encounter ice they anchor to 'it and wait unfit break, up. Such vessels are not calculated to fo™ a tesi « to the practicability of navigation of the Straits Do not eonsidrr nav,^" 15 Special Committee Report. tion of Straits dangerous wli*.r««^: ============= « v«,el shaping . d;^ J„^ to p'^t,^ ^T- '''*°""^ ""countered by Think that York Factory (sta«. R l „ . , -"-Uhi,tin,eh.nne,3.,L.;av^t?hXl'Xf:Clr°" (Signed; c. R. SINCLAIR. 1- Wm. Stevensox, 2. Farmer, 3. Headingly. 4. Formerly five years in H B Cr. .. ■ «tra.ts in end of J„,y, ,835. saw scMuele 11", T' *'""^"^ «-'-"'« f- ^'^'^ ^•-P-««*ge through Strararir In/' ff '"^'^ "' ^-^^'^g the vessa, in safety. VVintered at York f7c L ?^^^ '''^^'^ accompanied about 20th November i„ that year opele J If ; ^T ''"'"" ^^^^ -- This was considered unusually late The ClXf f7 '^^ "^""^ "^^* «P"«g. ne>.r knew it to be so late in'his e.pInLT Z^'^'TI '''■ ^^^^'^-^ -^ h'e he had been there. pentnco. Do not know how n.any years (Signed.) Wm. STEVENSON, 1. Walter Dickson, 2. Formerly in H. B. Co. service. 3. Lake Francis. 4. Was 20 years in employ of TT n n j: Mazn and between James Ba/and Lake slr" V''' '" ''''' - ^-t furnish information respecting Hudson ! l^T\ ^''' ^''"^ ^^l^^^ted to of Commons a^ Ottawa.' I h!vf anreeXt '^'""'"^^ °^ ''^ «-- follows. I Hved for thirteen yLrs oTI on . Ti*""^ -bstantiaily a. -ven years in the intenor between jlmestv 1 r"^"'""'^ ^*^' «"d for had an opportunity of gaininc^infm IT ^"""^ Luk. Superior. I have "ylongacquaintLeSith^:::^^^^^^^ «"^--« Straits frl ".y personal observation of the V",elf I ?'' '^'""^ *''« ""'^^^'^ -cl ft.>n. that Mfp TT„^— ^. o.. . . •»J' i-srir. 1 Jiave flv«>'" , - « '-^ '^u=ou to beiieve that the W„j— _> o.. at all seasons great body of tJ,o Ba^ « year and aflbrd no pecu] proper, are navigable 16 lar difficulty to Orel inary 1 Select Committee Repoht. navigation. I know a little about the country between Manitoba and the Hudson's Bay and a gnat deal about the country lying between the great lakes (Superior and Huron) and James' Bay, having travelled from James' Bay to points on Lakes .Superior and Huron by canoe and otl>erwise and from having spent seven years in that region. In my opinion there an? no groat onginc^ering diHicultics in the way of building a Railway from Winnipeg to Hudson's Bay rather the reverse, as much of the country to be traversed is very favorable for such a purpose, and wood for construction purposes is abundant. I consider that Hudson's Bay and Straits are open to ojdinary navigation sufficiently long in each year to be utilized for ordinary commerce. I have seen all the shore of Lake Winnipeg, and know the interior for a considerable distance inland along its western side. It would, in my opinion, be much easier to build a railway on the western than on thn eastern side of Lake Winnipeg. The western side, between Lake Winnipeg and Lakes Manitoba and Winnipegoosis, offer many facilities for the construction of a railway. On the eastern side the country is generally rougli and unproductive. The advantages to Canada generally of the opening up of communications, via Hudson's Bay, would be, 1st. Gaining access to a mineral region, which for richne.ss, variety and extent is equal and perhaps superior to any other region on this continent. 2nd. Gaining access to whaling and sealing grounds that are already highly remunerative and are capable of great development. 3rd. Gaining access to salmon and other fisheries, to game in unlimited quantity and to the richest fur producing region in the Dominion. To Manitoba and the Northwest the route via. Hudson's Bay is all important, giving them a shorter and cheaper route for both export and import than can possibly be had by any other route. Churchill is the only real harbor at present known to me, on the west coast of Hudsor's Bay. Tiio other so called harbors, as at York Factory, being only roadsteads of a very low order, and not * always safe. There are no harbors on James' Bay that can be classed as good, except for crafts of any light draft of water. The harbor at Moose Factory is a very indifferent roadstead. There are harbors on the east coast of Hudson's Bay, both alonf^ the mainland and among the sounds am . islands along the coast, all are in tide waters. Churchill Harbor is slightly nearer to Liverpool than Montreal, and very considerably nearer than New York. At present no comparison can be instituted between Churchill and other ports on the west coast of Hudson's Bay, for, strictly speaking, there is no other port known there. I behcv« titst Hiidsoii's Straits arc never f I'ozcn over in winter. My reasons are> 1st. That the latitude is too ' ■«;h, 2nd. That the current and tide are too strong to ftUow of » genera, freezing over at at any time and 3rd, Tli.at thp Select Committee Report. . I ;i Ksquimaux make use of sUn ».«„* , ■ ^ ~~~ travelHngpu^ososin wt%irdU: a'^'n '" °f "^^^ '""*^"« ^^ thena never heard of any EsquTmaux'' "/'''f"^'^ ^^ ^^ years amongst bergs, properly so-called a re Torf ?'>' "^' ^''""'^^ °" *'"« i^' I-- can they get Lre s far a jL " ;?"'""'^ ^'^^ ^-' «*-^«. -r Hudson's Bay is shor« T ''"\.'^^*'-«- The nature of ice found in places along tLLtTp^lTairi^^^^^^ were established on the islands ,^ H ,T I ''''"^ ^'^ '"^""8 ^t-^tion^ of the Bay would be avai labTf' if T ^"' ^'''^"' '^' ^^''^''^ "^"^ "-«»» harbor could be reach ddur^hV^^^^^^^^ idea of opening a route with I"^ ^^« »>o"ths at least of each summer. The me in 1858. '*'' ''"' '°""*^^ ^'^ Hudson's Bay first occurred to in ^^^ZX'Zt:^^^^^^^^ -' disasters to .hipping past 250 years, 'l do not knoV hT rl 7 ""'" ""'^ ^' *^^^^^ ^'"4" ht than average. I believe th ^ dlont^plrr"^^"^-^' '".' '^"""^ ^^ *« ^« ^- their vessels, deeming the route r!f ^ "^^"^ ^^^'^ ''^'^^^^ *« i««ure two vessels l>elonging\::^to ^H r<^:rBr ^: '-' r \ ' '"^ ^™ ''^^ Island, as I was in Hudson's Bay at the tW ,7 ''^''■' "^^ ^^^^^^^^^ on board one of the vessels at The t mo tj", T ? ''"""^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ why the ships went ashore was not i To * /' ' ^'"' '"^^ ^'^^ '•«'»«on «tormy weather, and is w^unde oodTr^ .'' '"''"'* ""'^^'^*'- - duty. Hudson's Bay is less ublct o 7 u^'' ''" '*"'^^' ^^ "^gl««t of Bay is from 1000 to 1200 miles ' M '" *.''" *'"»""^' ''^'^*'«- ""^son's to 700 miles. A survey of tl Z If' "' "' ''''''''' '^^^^'^'^ ^-» ^00 aiea. The shores are genera ' ^W ""7 " '''''*" *° ^'•"^ ^^ ^^^ true hills of considerable aSr^^^^^^^ in some districts rising into IS useless for agricultural purpo « b« T .' -"'""''^ "^ *^^ ««^ *1^« l^nd The shore of James' Bay rrn;^;\::"' "^ ^ ^^^^--«*y o^ minerals, •narsh^. land adjacent to the coLt Hud o "t ''"'^' "^'' '^ ^'^^ ^^-^ of throughout, the southern side bet T" ^^'^'^' "'^ ^'"^^ ^nd rocky I think that very little il ^^k^^Iw ^^^^ t^^*^^ *'- ^^- -thert' Strait. Frost remains peru.anentrin H 7 '" '''^''' ^'^^ «^ the «oast. I think the temperature of he a '^"Tl "' ^^'•^^" P^^"*^ «» the ust and September would 1^111 2 ' "' .^"^^^'^"'^ ^''^ '" ^"1^' Aug- -e dates, if „ot higher 7 AutsHL^ M ''^ ^^'^ ««P-iofat th'e Factory to Great Whale River iu a :chn; '^5',"^" '^ ''^''^^^^^^^ ^om Moose water ranging from 29^ to 42 ^l r ; \ i?"' *'"' *«™P-ture of the aftected by locality, bei„. i„S,.,.rni; •, ^ m P''"'"'"" "^ ^'^^ ^^^ter is 18 Special Committke Report. ^Ii and other valuable fish of superior quality, where ^^reat iiulustries might he established. Cod, herring, and otherediblc fish are also to be had in Kudsons Hay. The country romul Hudson's Bay is now the largest and best fur producing region in tlu! Dominion, and abounds in game. Wild fowl of all sorts, reindeer or cari!,oo, .tc, exist in such profusion as seen.s inexhaustible. Ihe coast generally, particularly the east coast, possesses -learly all known economic minerals, many of them in apparently unlimited .juantity, rendering tins one of the greatest mineral regions in the world. The eastern coast of James' Bay pos.sesses some valuable minerals, particularly iron, in great variety and abundance ; gypsum, about Moose River, in any quantity, lignite coal, and vast quantities of good merchantabh" timber, such as .spruce, white and red pine, etc., etc From what I have observed of the uiovements of ice in Hudson's Bay during the summers I passed there, I am perfectlr assured that an ordinary iron screw steamer would never have any difficulty in getting through or round that which is usually met with in the Bay and Straits. The chief reason why the old sailing vessels of the Hudson's Bay Company often met with detention in the ice was and is that at the sea.son when floe ic(. is met with there is generally very little wind, and .sailing vessels are conse.,uently as helpless amongst the ice as they would be in a dead calm in the centre of the Atlantic or elsewhere. Hudson's Bay has always been found of easy access to a good and careful navigator. The ice formed in Hudson's and James' Bays during each winter is only about the shores very variable as to extent and so inconsiderable in quantity as to be almost lost in the great area of the Bays. I think it improbable that any of this ice finds its way to the Straits getting broken up or dispersed by the action of the tide or wind in the vicinity of the islands, shoals or shores where it formed. The drift ice met with in Hudson's Straits comes from Fox Channel and other inlets of the northern shore of the Bay, and would bo of little inconvenience to a steamer that hug.red the northern coast of the Straits and Bay, as the bulk of the ice in (luestion is impelled by the wind and current to the south shores of the Straits and some directly into Ungava Bay. From what is now known, and the experience already obtained on tli(. subject, there is cv.^ry reason to believe that were Hudson's Bay thoroughly surveyed, it would be found to be one of the safest of known seas. I have no doubt that if the present enquiry as to the naviga- bility of Hudson's Straits and Bay and its resources is properly conducted and published, that the result will be of inestimable benefit to the Dominion generally, and prove the practicability of the one thing needful to the profitable existence, and to the complete developments of the resources of Manitolja and the l^orth-West-a Hudson's Bay Route. In giving this opinion I quote not only my own experience, but the opinion of oth. who are similarly acquaint- ed with that country. Have known season's w. harbors were ac^ .«ible for 19 "^Jf Select Cq.MMiTTEE Report. seven months in tlio yoar : nhout th.. vf-n- iurn Factory to Little Wlialo Riirlt ^, . '"""" '^'''' '"''«'" ^I«o«« the 15th of the nu^th The """"""''f''' '^''••^•"S «* "- •"tier place on trader with Es^inir t . :^;z '::;h:v^' ';t, ^" '^^' ""^•- ^'- caught cod outside islands Z S^TtM^t sJ'""'' ' ^ Cape Jones, hut are founrJ ^? , ^^^''"' . ^'^''"o" *re not caught soutk of Churchill R ver anTri e"L L ,T V'"'."'"' "'-""" ''''^"' '''^'" "'' "' Bay. The devHopn.:;:;!^ 1^ 'l ;" ^ tj' ""• T' '' ""'"""'« aa inexhaustible source of revenue t^o li o' t , S \ '■ ""'" '"" and sealers at Marble Island hav. „ ^ American whalers renmin all tlH. year roLf t. r"^"'"' ^■'^^^^''^•'"-"t where they vuK yiai round nshunj; and tradincr ui'fli ♦!,« t? • ^ ing very consi '*™ cations are embodied in " O,,, \r™,i. ,„ " ! ' °' ""* communi- book compiled by „; The result I 7 ""' ** " *^ '"* "' *» havelivedonthLrresofH,, ?i ""Ty"'' '°''"' '"»» ■"'^■' -ho ;. ene.e.bef„.t:;ir-re: i"i;°:j;:r r-t lication of mv book T linvo v^»„- i r • ., . „ " ^^- ^"'<^<^ Pub- and hope to\::ie ti^, " "::;!:;f r.!*"-'^''-'« °" *""''>"' Hayes-s River at Yorlc Faeto^ t.-cn Ig^s' to'Tssr nT* T """7 °' vessels at Tork Faeto., W^S, and .CulZ^.^:! trtt * 20 SpEciAr, Committee Report. aropuU.s},t.(l in the Douunio,, (i.-ologioal Survey Ueport for 1880 I gu),- nut a lottor fro... Capt. Adan.s, of tl.o whaler "Arctic." of Du..dee, who has had 3.. years experience i„ Northon. waters " a ,.,an of singular ability and of kee.i powe,-s of obstTvation "-says ,ny correspondent : "Ships n,ay enter (Hudson's Bay and Strait) fro... the 2{>th to the 2r.th June al«.ost yearly, and the straits .....ai.. ope., till the young ice forms about Oct. 26th. hi rou.,d nu,nbersthe Straits are open four ...onths a year, even whe.. ope., navigatio.. at «aster.. e.xtrance is so.neti.nes dirticult, because the current fro.a Luvis' Strait carries ice across the ...ouths of Frobisher, Cuiuber- laM and Hudson s Straits. The ice is n.ostly ' one year's ice,' with Polar ice between, but ,n limited quantity. Bergs are ..un.erous, but ean be easily avoidecK Open water is always to bo found on North side of Strait, espeoially under Resolution Island when the wind is northerly, but son.etimes, although open water ca.. be seen under Resolutio.. Island, thi^ same wind, by tighten! the .ce, closes the c.trance fron. the outside. In most years a steamer! although unfortifaed, may n.ake the passage without fear." Whaling vessels are strouir]y /orlijied with double ti.nbering at bows and round the sides, to prevent their being easily crushed by the ice. . Since publication of " Our Northern Waters," I have procured a descrip- tion of the harbo.-s on the North shore of the Hudson's Straits, made by Capt Coates who was in the H. B. Co's. service from 1720 to 1751. The list is taken from a manuscript copy of a work called the "Geography of Hudson's iiay, and is given verbatim el literatim : " Geography of Hudson's Bay," issued by the Hakluyt Society, 1852. Edited by J. Banon, F. R. S. Capt. Coates sailing H, B. Co. Ships, 1727-1751. Page 11. ^Yo'^^"/*' approach the meridian of Cape Farewell wo dilate to southward into 58 or further to avoid ice, which hangs near the verge of the cape most of the summer for the same reason we take care to get up to northwards into bl 30 north latitude when past the cape, to avoid ice and a more sensible current near the Labrador coast. Cape Farewell is in Lat 59° 49' N. Cape Resolution CT 30' N. Long. 64" 30' W. Page 12. You are carefully to avoid being entangled in ice before you have entered 31 '^^. i! I.. II !i ! i M ^ i i i ii '♦•'^i.j. L COMMITTKlr BFroiiT. ?" ^- «.. i...o .,„. ..„,.. ,::: .!z:;;;;:x;;.:'"' «-> ^ '-'- y.™ Paob 14. .™..™::rrr i::;t,°;^,.X-: r^rtv-'TTv '-- -- "■■■- wliich iu lat Ol'o o.v n. **i> VV. .^ \\. noamst oastermo«t of thmgM „,„v he a r^kI l,„rlK,r, l,„t „„vw wm ,.xp,.ri<.„ced. from io, .r„ 1 wlTalT "; : "■"""''• *'""' ' *^'"^'«' """""P is the reason whv I tJ nl. T.. n J^^ys carry the ice through, which uiana . aho. h^^ i:^::c^i:::t^^ t;r -^'-^ ^^^ Ice ro""", ^r^ "" *'" ^^'^^ ^*~'*^- '^''^ «''«»'^ * «'"e t . the westward of I e Cove, dechnes to the Northward, and forms this Bay on n.out of thl Strait, by opening a passage to northward of Savage Point of T Tl ^^es Wide, and so e.ends itse. to westward ^J^^^^^^tZZ Page 1G. ■s6. .ON. II .» .est from the Cape of Resolution 03 leaguM. « ;, ™t *■•• ■ .. ■ 22 HPKOIAI. COMMITTI ,. RkI'ORT, •fOlllPB liko 11 HH many t thirtpcn tpniif*t of Cape of • riulo or ;he rIioi'p, need. Prom tli(j , afloifl a r reasons the great one ship •ren and I you lie I, which and the vard of of this t se"pn udson's i, with eer for P, OS it ''at ions is east *■ from the east end of tJapc CharlcK W'J hag. It In . u ,( from Capo DiKgn 09 ■•■ftKues. ItH name is disputed, wliich in all I have to add. Soiiio call it (iod'8 Mercies ; and th.- Hnvug.! Islands is further t- eastward. For my own part, tliis is name [ received from my predecessors, and until I have reason to alter it, diaU distinguisii it hy that name. Paok IX. I must remarit that the northern side of the Straits and northern parts of the bay a:- generally cleared of ice first, hut whether it is owing to more fre.|uent northerly winds in the Spring of the year or a greater quantity of snow, or to an attraction of tlu- luminaries, or all tog.'ther, this is certain there is a drawing current always to southward, although the winds sometii. ,•% produce a contrary eft'ect. Paor 27. TIDE.S. Marble Island, W.S.W. moon makes makes full gea 14 to 18 feet. Churchill, W.N.W.AN. do 14 to 18 do Pt. Nelson Shoals, N.W. by W. do 14 to 18 do Nelson River & Hayes, N. W. do 1 6 "to 1 8 do Albany Roads N. or S. do 8 to 18 do Mcose River, SA E. do 7 to 18 do Page 28. I found all along the Labrador and East Main Hudson's Bay coast no tide at all ; a constant current to northward ; a precarious ebb and How of tra or three feet, and this entirely under the influence of the winds. Page 29. Near Whale Cove and Brook Cobhara, it is agreed on all hands, there are such shoals of wales and seals as ue nowhere else to be met with in the known world. Page. 58. Upon this fine island (Chariton, .Jamt.H' Bay) the Company had a ware- house many years in the time of the war, and sent but one .hip annually from London. The goods were distributed to East Main, Rupert's, Moose and 23 SPKcur. Committee Repoht. I ! I iii m I I' 1 1 bTXL""' *' "' """ '"""" *' '"" "--^ '-<' '"».^«^^ «- of an PAfiE GUM. Coates speaks of a load mine at Litfclo Whalo River 1...1 glass m niaiiv places of f'rnnf \vi i t>- ' '^*" °^^ ^'^^ »s n- Hay a„d East uZ. '""" '""'-• ™" ''* ""■' f"' "H alo„g Ja,W of .nerchan. adlturers from Ent,!;: L T ''"P"**-" "^ » -"'Panj' passage .0 tl. I„„ies l.y way <,f .hf^tiiVa;: '"'""'' °' '°°""»" '"' " [Exthact.] "DiscovEnv OP the North- West PAssArr i-A« i-AssAGE, 1/4.S m- the Clerk op the Ship ' Califorxia."' Vol. I. Page 7.3. i into the ocean, and there w! ! f ^""' "'"« "'*" ™'« »■• S"-'' fore it-,s to be quest 0^=1 1 1™ fh .7°°'° ""'" "'" ""■" ^P""*' Th"- Straits the latter e„c of Aprilo ea^K m ''°°'""°' '" ""'""■ '" P"- «"' .i"^t begun to the southwl Z ' "'^ 1 "'" ''P""^ ™'W ^e the,, whieh reason less i„e ..^^uliZt a ,d .?"t ' ,""' '° *''" "°"""""' ^°'- up the Strait. What is prae icX^W HuHt" 7 '°, "'"*' "'= '»'^"° in the case ; they going at a ti„,, . . . ^"^ **' '» »o precedent tmde, whiei, is .:: hi: tt:" te t:,' ;';r"r r"'' ''^'«' '° "■''- ready untilJuly. ""otJuno, and thoir cargoes are not Paoe 74, ' clear^ TS "tH^l ^JT^' ''''' " ^^^^ ^° '^ ^" ^'^^^^ ^ ^>^^- tracted by a bay at tL b T of Can^ r.^T '° *'" ""*'^ ^"^ ^'^^^^'^ ^''*- mentionedtotheu^estwardoftlLn? ?• ""' ^' " '""'^^^ ^^S- ^^^ at the length of clne ol . T '"'' '° ''"^ ^*''^'*- ^hen thev arrive • being the n^eft c'rsetgtln ^r^^^^^^ 3^ '''' T ^'^^ ^°"^^™^' ^ equally navigable between Sali Wry and Ttr ^ ' "'*''* *'" ^*^^^^ ^« ^'^ is to the southward Ther/l T T ^ottxnghan. and the main land as it fn. .u. „-:__; y^- ^l^''^ ™*y ^« ^^'0 another reason beside., .!.„ „„„,„,., o""'o '•" t;ne souLhwaTd of these isInr„7o t-u u ., • "" ■' f^rneas -ch is t^at the ehanne, to the „orrh::r„ti;:::tr,;;z:: t::^r: 24 Special Committer Report. tho ice that shall coino down the iiamoh-ss (Fox) and from Baffiti's Bay, than tho channel to the southward does. Hudson's 8trait is about oOO miles in length and varies from 45 miles to loO miles in breadth, having an average of about 100 miles. The two narrowest pouits in the Strait are between Capa IJost of Resolution Island and the Button Islands, at the eastern entrance, and opposite North Bluff, near the Savxige Islands. Between Resolution Island and the jnainland and on the north side of the Strait, there is a wide passage of some !0 miles, called Gabriel Strait. Button Islands, on the south of the entrance, are at least 10 miles from the mainland of Labrador. Tlieee'are no less than three eastern entrances into Hud.son's Strait ; the first, 10 miles in breadth, between Reso- lution and the Xorth Shore ; the .second or main entrance, between Cape Best and the Button Islands, 45 miles in breadth ; and lastly, the several channels lying between the islands on the coast of Labrador, of which four are marked on Captain Becher's chart, within a breadth of 10 miles. The steam- ers of the Company bound for Unga^•a Bay pass between the Button Islands and the mainland of Labrador, As the prevailing winds are from the north or north-west, it is most probable that Gabriel Strait will be tho one for steamers to take, as they will by that means escape the ice driven by the winds through the main or south entrances. It is stated that sailing ships are not taken in that wav because the currents are very strong, and the north shore being very high they are liable to be becalmed and thrown on the rocky shore. The difficulty of efTecting an entrance in the suiumer with sailing vessels arises from the drifting i!oe ice, and the following extract from a work written- by Capt. Bechcr, R. N., in 1842, will serve to illustrate this point :-" George Best has given, in his narrative of the voyage, a formal dissertation on the general features of the mistaken straits of Probisher, in which the proof that it was no other than Hudson's Strait must bo looked for. We have already accounttd for the ships having drifted down to tho entrance of Hudson's Strait, and it appears that once within that entrance the progress to the west- ward was comparatively easy." A circumstance^ also observed by Sir Edward Parry, who says :— " We continue to gain a great deal of ground, the ebb tide ol)structing us very little. Indeed from tho very entrance of Hudson's Strait, but more especially to the westward of the lower Savage Islands, it was a matter of constant surprise to find our dull sailing ship make so much progi-ess, when beating against a fresh wind to the Avestward." Captain Bishop, now commanding the Hudson's Bay Company's vessel the "Prince of Wales," writes under date of 18th of March, 1881 :—" My average passage from the entrance of tho Strait to the head of tlie same has 25 SKLErr COMMITTKK RkpoRT. Si. Ciair, of No,v Bedforrl .In ,"!"''™" "="'"■■ ''^ "'<' l"* of July. c»pt. ,o— '"'""'" Wcllorcl, said lie had entered the Bav on th. l^in. i t 18r(,and the cantain of tl,„«Al.i- t> „ , ' "- ""J" ™ '"« "Hi of Juno, .«r« and H.„„ :,„,.: JXud™' Co : «, Z!';iT"' r '"■■ • we ... .. J, „. -: -r f;t ?:VX~C3: without any disaster." company ships returning year after year Capt. Ellis wrote the above in 1748 of*« x • „ two years to Hudson's Bay, when h Imd alf """/ ^''"^ ' ^""^*^« «^ the two vessels, « Dobbs gIiW '"a„d < r T '' -T"* "^ *^' P^^P"^*^'-^ ^^ he had received was • << In "our Z ^l'^^*-"'"- ^^^ «f the instructions north shore until you passrs^Cl^nd:-^' ''" '"^"' '"' "^^^^ ^'^'^^ p-a'i: Z7C:x'u::^"Z7z' i^r "^ rf °^ ^^ ^-*''-^^- he wintered, while none of the "old ic:' 'm ^'" ^^'''^«'' "'^"^ about there was covered wi th a vorv H \ Z^V"'^^'' '^"^ ^^'' «^ *he sea clear water. I„ .„„« of re^rwC::r r ^^^^^^^^ ^'^^^"« ^P^^ «^ where they sawed it, was four feet and tLt onT. . . ^^ ^'"*'""» ^'^y' was still attached to the land. * "^^^^ " «°°^ ^*"^1 «* ic« tSPKCIAI. COMMITTKK RKPOJiT. Hiulson s Ktmit, it is i.ni.orta.,t to kuoM' from a.. .....inont authority liko I'arry, that as lat.^ as .J„„,. th,. ico still vo.nain.fl attached to tho shore for It ,s rvid.nt that if it is thons it cannot I„. at the sanu" timo l,othori«<^ ships in tho Strait, and it points out, wimt many men who liuve I„^en throuc^h the Strait rarly in Junv havo insisted on. that the mouth of July is the woret of tho wJ,ole year for entering the Strait, but the floe ice l.ein? more affected I.y wnids than hergs, is acted on hy tlie prevailing northern and north-western winds, as well as the southerly sc.tting current, and we find in con-equence, that ,u th.. words of Captain E. 15. Fisher, who had sixteen years experience ot whahng in the Bay since 1«50, "there is always op... wat.-r l>..tw..en th.> rocks and the gn-at hody of ic," on the north side. Th., tid,^s in Ifudsou's Straits rise from liO fe.-t to 40 f..et, and run about .'X or seven miles an hour, and at every turn where tliere is ice, many authorities say that much breaking up occurs, and that steamers could take advantage of tliis whih, sailing vessels are at «i stand-still. If the wind is ahead and blows anyway fresh, as the winds are in July and August generally ahead to vessels .Mitering the Strait, it is seen why sailing vessels are .so delayed. Parry says the ice of one winter's formation was ascertained to be in June about four feet thick, so that we can have some idea of the iloe ice winch passes through the Strait, but as Fox (Northwest Fox, 1635) enters minutely into that question, it is perhaps better to take his statement respect- ing it. He says that he saw a few bergs the size of "a church," which he had no trouble in evading, and that the floe ice was seen, as thick as eight or ten ff et. ® It is found on investigation that fully 750 vessels have passed through Hudson's Strait, and this does not cover, it is known, the whole number Ihe list includes British Troop-ships, Emigrant Ships, War Vessels of the English and French, (some of them carrying 74 guns) as well as ships bound on voyages of discovery, trade and whaling. As early as 1619. Capt. John Munck was sent by the King of Denmark, and he wintered at Churchill, a brass gun of his being taken out of the river some time about the date of the appearance of Fox in that harbor. Dr. Bell obtained from the Company's Offices in London, a record, which printed in his report, shews the date of arrnin™ -n'l °»ii:n~ -^f '^^-i '' , -^ , _, " 'n ""•' ''••"xnf; or iitru vessels at York Factory for 93 years, and at Moose Fort for 147 years. Tliese lists show that m some years s(iveral vessels were sent in charge of British Men-of- War, and there has been almost every year during the past two centuries. 27 Special Committer Report. ships of \'arious clastsot! nnJ c- ■ -ems almost i„c„,ni,,o >i,^^rZT7 """ ^""'" »'"■>"" '-■ «»<■ it .n« over 374 years without tt ,„":„'„: .T'' '"''''' '''' ""^'' "="«'"■ writers, two s,„»ll sailinj, vessels. ' "^ "' '" "'""'"'^ 'v »""■ ..' tl.^ .nWdle of th. St,.,-t offslddle £ Is|L *' "'° '""" '""""-■I -^e i«\:r;;rii,fsT'r:"'°"":r '"'-'• '"- " ™" «.vera, steamers were i^t i„ pLtal tt !"" nT '"""■""'''^' ""''• ■■""-' «eet to pass „p to Montreal IJu^XuZZ '°"""° '" "» ''""'™- ■Many references miffht be mado f« +i i , passing through the Straif in eiLrnt r t ^^"8*^ of time vessels take in the most part fro. thel ^i^ Ve^^^^^^^^^ ^^"^"^ '''^^' «'"' ^^^^ ^or waiting for fair winds, which in sailiZ, . ' "''"'""" "'^«* °^ ^^e time If they encounter ice hey vouW no IT ' '" '"^ '"^' "^' ^"^ ^^^— • Sailing , hips musthavefLwil*tf" °' ^^^ «*«• '^ large ..floe" and bide thl^tL; f ,'"'''" ^^^ ^"^^-^" - ^ American whalers which show that the LT- ''^''' ""^ '"'"''^^ ^"^ ^«"^^'« ^^ follows : ^''^^ *''" °"t trip was nmde iu the autumn, os Ship, Northern Light, 1862, 7 days. AndreAvs, 1863. 7 « Ansel Gibbs, 1864, 3 « 1868,8 " Ch.ppe.le shows the dailX Tivta. 11 ' 'H? 'f ""^^ «""« -' »"" contrary winds and the IthJuZLZT t" ''"'"^ *° '"- ««^ '«'" « these waters when there is any revn' t ™''"'. """' "^P'™-- '» by steamers. ■ ^ ' "" '" """'' quantities as are onnoticed objected to this, that the vast llZL'''^"' *^'^'- ™te:_..If it >ti:n::s:^tr!,-:-~ to obstraet the P-^^ oVtr;;,- Tth^ C^t 1^^^^^^^^ ■om be a 28 Special Committee Report, loss, and it de, extend- iPfl 'ly some Hudson's tlio bark foundered it would lid, indeed 1 immense Is take in they for the time between, steamers, le lee of books of umn, OS Bay in n, and iglifc or ices in loticed J from it be jode a IS not ■when it is thickest it is dissolved and dipersed ih the ocean long before the return of the ships m September." I sent througli .Mayor Logan to the .Mayor of x\ew Bedford, Mass., a list of questions I desired answers to, and he kindly responded and says that the tollowing are given by reliable men. .vho have whaled in Hudson's Bay. " Ice is generally met with before reaching Resolution Island at the eastern entrance to the Strait, and is seen at intervals from there to Mans- held Island, at the wo ,tern end. Whalers are .aid to come from Fox Channel into the Bay, but no one knows how many whalers winter in the Bay They never experience trouble from floating ice in the north of the Bay. The course m IS on either side of Mansfield Island, after hugging the north side of the Strait They do not know if the Strait ever freezes over, as they winter in latitude 65 30' N, in the Bay. The ice on an average freezes for three and sometimes our miles from the shore. A steamer would have the advantage of being able to pass through ice that will hold a sailing ship fast. Steamers could hnd open water on a passage through the Strait from July 15th to Jsovember 1st. j ^ Lieut. Chappelle states as a rea3on for selecting the northern passage close to Resolution Islands :_" That entering Hudson's Strait, it is a necessary precaution to keep close in with the northern shore, as the currents out of the Hudson's and Davis' Straits meet on the south side of the entrance LiZ-'irBlif) '''^' ''-'-''' '^ ''' -^'''-'' ^'-« ^^^ -st of The following incident, related in Gunn's History of Manitoba, serves to Illustrate how many of the fears of the navigation of the Bay were propagated :-In August, 1836, the annual ship from London to York Factory was driven from her mooring at the latter place by the storm, and the Captain instead of trying to re-enter the harbor, made sail with all the supplies of that year for the Red River Colony, back to England,"..-the reason given is that their anchor was lost. The Lower St. Lawrence (notwithstanding its comparative narrowness) IS partly open even in the middle of winter. But the difficulty, as in the case of the Hudson's Bay, is th# apparent impossibility of getting into harbors. Harbors such as Churchill or York on Hudson's Bay, would have the advantage over Quebec or Montreal of connecting directly with the open sea, and hence in autumn vessels would not be liable to be frozen in as occasionally happens in the St, Lawrence, as for example, in the autumn of 1880, also in the autumn of 1870, when the outward bound shipping got frozen in below Quebec, occassioning a loss, it was said, of over a million of 29 Special Committee Report. «ntr„g Z'l iLt rz^:^' '» "° -r -^^-^^ -™?.i.rrorrTw;' ,"r"4,r'" ;;■";'«' *""'- -'- - «vor.ge opening .„,, „,„,; „, that 2l ftl " " ""^ *'"'"'8 *» Wood, oov..„.„eMot„„„,„j'^L:vjrvo:rs;:- '"'^ °' "^- Date op Opening. 1830. 1835. 1840. 1845. 1850.. 1865. I860. 1865.. 1870.. 1875.. 1880.. May 17. " 24. " 12. " 22. " 31 . " 21. " 18. " 16.. " 11. " 19., " 26.. Date op Closing. • December 2. • November 18. 16. 24. 28. 24. 19. 20. 27. 15. 20. Government in 1880, shot Zt th^H. T"^' '^ ^''''^''^ *° ^he dtd It remain closed till the end of May oV firT/ f T ^ ^ '"'' "' '^' '' ^^^^ nvor Cosed as early as the 3rd ofl^Llt tfr """" ^? ''''^ ''^ years was about tlie 20th of Nove,rber Jt. I , ''"""''^' "^"'^"« ^^'^ ^3 Hayes' is -but a small river Tc^mLf . '°''"' "^ '"'"^ '^^' the which is distant from it at York about, 7^ ' ''' '''''^'''''' ^^^ kelson, •— ' ■ '^'^ ^ork about SIX miles. The Nelson closes much at all. iater than does the Hayes' Tf inV 7 . . ^^'^ ^ e «ayes, If indeed It can be said to close It is interestins;, then to nnfo rt of Mr. Closinu. er 2. er 18. 16. 24. 28. 24. 19. 20. 27. 15. 20. to the ', for an J years 78) the : for 5.3 lat the J^elson, much of the York fo. 7**'' proves conclusively that the JmrVK,r at York is open and dear of ice e wtnTht: da """ U ""' ''' ''''' '''' '''' ^^^'^ ^"'^ approach doc cxtonded ' '"' "" '''''''' ^^^"•' *''^^^ ^'^^^ -»'d likely be in thfl;,„fr'"'' °7.*? '° ^""'' ^^''''y' "'«* ^^^^^ considerable float ice in the southern part of the Bay near to James' Bay, and the " Prince Albert" had the experience, that he says a great n.any of the Company's vesset hlVe ^^XZTf'' ^"' "/^ ^^^"^^'^ '' ''- ice that' JpttrerioatTng haLrr^ro not "'l \ ^"°*' '" words:--' She would sail for halt a-mile, or not even her own length, before she was again stopped and this tacle w^s removed only to make way for others which wouldTet in ust ofTce and he del""h f T "/"^ '°^' ^^^^^ '^"^ ^^^^^^^ -^^ *»>« blocks once, and he describes it all as floe ice. Two weeks later the vessel passed th ough this same quarter, and did not see a speck of ice, noi did they meet mnet^'nTvl'TTt''""' """""' voyage with H.M.S. " Rosamond," in R ven in th :T 1 """'T f ''" ^"""^^ ''''''''''' '' ^^'^ ^°-P->v'b ships 1 .frr I y P'""'" ^"^ ''''*'"*^^ ''^"g»'^g« «» Pag^ 26 of his book -"It aifnl of r^^^^^^^^^ ourselves much retarded T; the bad sa ing of the North-west ships, but a Moravian brig with us saifed wel^^ This was on the voyage to the Bay. in thf^f '•!"' «0"«dence that the assertion is made that the prevailin-^ wind, a the Strait come from the north-west, and that they are the chief ause o " The north-westerly winds prevail in these parts, it blows from the ' Chappelle states : — " Enterino- Hudson's Sf..o;+ u • cuiij, nuason s »tiait, it is a necessary precaution 31 Special Committee Report. :i ,r to keep close m with the northern shore, as the currents out of the Hudson's andDavi.' Straits meet on the south side , t the entrance and curry the ice with ffreat velocity to the southward, along the coast of LaI,rador.' "It is well known, however, that the direction c-f the, ice drift is n.uch airected by winds, an.l that n.eteoroIo-Mcal. c-onditions have nu.ch in.Iuencc in doternnnu.g the position of the Hoe ice. Icebergs which can be avoided by 1 tcanier an, not nu.ch ailected by winds, being directed by deep-seated currents, ^vh ch, m Hudson s strait, according to Sir Edward Parry, carry the ber-^s to and fro twice as fast as the Hoe ice." (Hi„d.) * recoJ^' 'T^ 1?' ^^»"'»'«'''»'^>^ Institute on winds, shows that from all the Zni " '•? r '^^''^""•^*^«"« '"«''« '^y -^-M^lorers in Hudson's Strait and Fox Channel, It IS found that the prevailing winds arc from the north-west " In passing through H udsons Strait we could perceiNe none of the drift ice which was plentiful in our voyage outwards ; it had been carried aw^y to the ocean by the prevalence of the southerly currents. "' (Chappelle. ) Outside Hudson's Strait, in tJre Atlantic, ships come somewhat into the region o the Newfoundland fogs, but it is too far north to expect anyth hke the trouble caused by the meeting of the Arctic waters wiUi those of 2 truJt Stream, and which is such a source of dancer foundwT 7.' ■■'"!>!"''"'' ''*"'" " ^'^"P^^'^^^y ^'^-^^-^-^ --• New- foundland by the south-west polr.r current, and not to be traceable any further. (Annual Record of Science and Industry, 1872.) This matter is fully explained in Maury's Physical Geography of the Sea ha «ie cold waters from the Hudson's and Davis' Straits reach down to ' Stream' ' '''' '"^ ^°""'*"''" *^ '"""'' ^'^"'' "'"'*"^^ ^^*'^ *^« «"^f M.ury, speaking of this, says :-" By its discovery we have clearly un- masked the very seat of that agent which produces the Newfoundland fo^s " Now no such influences are at work in the Hudson's Strait or Bay, except possibly, where the warm summer water of the Bay mingles with that of the ooL frl f" it ''"' "P"'' ^'"" ^'^^^ '^'^ *-"^^« occurs at that pomt from fogs and that one of the great advantages the Bay offers to navigators is the immunity from them as well as shoals ami reefs ; the islands and shores showing great depths of water close up. Captain Middleton, wlio had made twenty voyages into and »bout the 33 Select Committkk Report. 10 Hudson's iiry the ico ft is iiiucli induenco in s oided l»y a -•d ciirronts, lie IjtTgs to roin all the Strait and north-west i thc> drift d away to t into th« anything lose of tlio ear New- fable any f the Sea, distinctly down to the Gulf arly un- l fogs." y, except it of the s at that offers to ? islands out the Bay up to the year 1743. writes under date of that year :.-« And thou a» to together, ,f ,t be tolerable smooth water, as you will find in our journals " f h. ^^'' ''a r'^''"'""'^ in'Portant statement coming fron. a man who was then accused by opponents of the Hudson's Bay Oo.npanv as working and navigation of those waters. The following taken from Chappelle, an officer of H. M. S. " Rosamond ' who convoy^ the ships of the Hudson's Bay Company into the Bay ul^g he war o 1814, may better explain why we have su.,h a difficulty in prZr ing correct and authentic charts of these waters : «' Nothing can be more incorrect than the chart supplied mo by the Admiralty for the guidance of a man-of-war in Hudson's Strl, it absolutely bears no resemblance to the channel of which it is intended to be an exaci dehn^tion^ During the time we continued in Hudson's Strait, the Rosamond was entirely piloted by a ch^rt belonging to the Chief Mate of the Prince of ^ales. and one of his own making ; yet he was so jealous of his performance, that he was highly offended at our masters having endeLlred -to take a copy of it ; and from thence forward kept his chart carefully locked the Jlfi^h'" I q"«f o";d him. with some freedom, on this mysterious conduct, the selfish motive stood at once confessed, he feared lest, from others attaining he same knowledge as himself, they ™ight be induced to enter into thf ITdtot T f Tri'^' ?^ ^'^'"'^^ P°'''"y •'"PP^*'^* ^^^ '" his situation. And such I found to be the motives which induced the majority of th.se ex- perienced seamen to keep their truly valuable information concealed within their own bosoms. ^u ^ ^1 'a!? ™*^ ''! ^^^ ""^ '^^ correctness of the latest Admiralty chart of the North Atlantic when we find the head of tide in the St. Lawrence River IS placed -^Osde b ^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^.^ ^^ _^ ^^ that we are told that the information in the hands of the Admiralty shows that navigation in Hudson's Bay is only open for six weeks or two months. "The Ministry of Marine and War, of France, have large and extensive Hudlo "r ^T""' /''•' °^ '^' ''^'' '' ^'''^^-'' Hudson's Strait and fentt.f^.- T-^'*^^"^"'^^'^''-^--"- the archives of the depart ment in a buildmg facine on the Plar-A ,!« u no^ooH^ '•»- 5 ti, v , r...^«i«„ „^„ ^ ~ , " , -O"corae, xaus. 1 he charts and e on a very large scale, and are most comprehensive. ny people labor under the impression that York Faetory is on the profile 33 Special Committee Repoht , flow, into th, B.^, and wTo„r, ,?,,•, ", T' """ "">"'' «""-' "W* '« or t„„,„. o. ,^„d p^^iioirri 'Tr/trr;,:; "iV" ^r- "^ - was supposed by tho pari V nnvL* * ^"^ s-ea, tailed Hoacoii Point. It I find Dodds spCksoT^YorkTor V^ '^ 'T'' "' ^'*^ ^''>^°"' -'• '-'-' River.'" (1748). ^ork Port on tho southern brunch of the Nelson . of^:i:^:^^^-:^J'^ ^'""^^^'' -^^»--ven.,.four.,nn ii„. of NeJson River, not Ldf. .ffi i f^T ^"" ^"'''' """'^''''^ '^^ ^''« "-uth tended over tho greater Darf nt t TT' *'* ™*'" ^°^«*). ^^luch ex- average 53= fah. I also notJ^^^ ^"'"' "'' ^^P*^'"^-' -'» ^^-^ it to found that the ave:a^^:;rc^;r^^^^^^^^^^ ^^«^-^ -d almost dai,,. and found the te^peratJagrlw^^ ^Ve bathed in the .ater exception of a little ' bay ice ' Jfh. *«'^''^^^^- ^e saw no ice, with the been driven into the Llhborhood 7^'""' '' '"'"" northerly winds had prevaTedfo?:!;!^^^^^ T'' ^' ''"^^ ^'^^' ^^^- only two or three days of fo^ AvT^ . ^^"'■^ ^^«« ^^''y little rain, and four feet below sur ace tr trtld^ '?.'"'"" °' ^''^ ^^* ^^ ^hree or . air 62^0. These observatio: iT^^lZl;" "^^^^^ «^ ^'^'^ and 9 p. m." (Dr. Bell 1877) "''"' ''"'' '''^^'"^" ^ '^^ ™- "In the autumn of the same voarn8fizi\ *i, u at Moose Factory from York WK ! \ ''^'""' '' '^"'■'^"" ^ Arthur," about the end Z Octlr She "'^ T.f *'' ^^''^"^ °^ ^^^ " ^"nce to be hauled up out of the fast fornun! " " ^J ^'''°" ^'""''^^ J"«* ^ ^-'^ -^ - - Hudson. Bay ^j;::^:^., tl^ VeL: tv^^-^T^: a Wbl(* prepared by Ijjm ; " " * rc^ous, and I give 34 Special Committee Report. icorrecfc maps Hiver, which Nelson by a II Point. It », aial indopt! the Nelson our-^'im line- t the mouth e landed 2.'>0 'yagos, j)age tiers, and it of impor- good depth. luring our which ex >und it to sited, and the water , with tho which had ver, after J rain, and three or . thp R.mV • * •* « 88. on May 31.t. tho i.y Wi„g U hour, 38 .toll*" T, t o7 ^ sun's relative intensity of liahf. anr) h..^ ^^ *u- .,_,. , ° „."'"• ^" ^^^ is 1 5 hA„r« o„^ nn • J. '°^ ^'^ *^*^''' °*y' ^^ ^'» but the day IS 15 hours and 50 mmutes long. In lat. 60 o. the sun's intensity on the 31st Ma^, IS ve^vemte^ bj. 85, but theday is 17 ),p«^ ?6 piinutes long The day 39 SPW'JAI, COWMITTKK HkpoHT. .h„. :o '.'„ ^:t:^:;j!z!T^ i;:i "t: '"" •' ''°""" ^-'-^' •"^• arc kept there. Scotlaml), „,„| „„y ^„„,ity „, ^5^, ^„j j^^,^ "Horses and cattle were kept ut Cllureliill in 171T .. 1 .l no* kept there U recruiter! l,v .L: ,,"" " '"''• ""' "l" "nail herd "Xlob.on states that th. horse, there had been kept several venr« testirrLi:r\::trTrt^'"'r"^"'''''*"'^^'' -^ "» B.. :-..Thou,h the CiJ.rr t. gtS Zt mZ F T ""' "'?' "' Cr;oTr:r::tr.?i"-'^-^-^^^^ potatoes and other vecetables thpr« fn ""^ ' "'^""/^ '^^^ «oJ good; raised small frnifo vegetables there in great abundance ; barley ripened well • .hBlte;ed, the lafhe, on thfe™, f "'"^^ '" '°" ""'' °'^"«' '""S »ell domestic cattle Was at Oxforw 'i' "" °'"""'"' "'«"' <" '■>^''- '<"• in raising ve^e^ables ha^^f Ir^ 7'- ^^P"'«"«=<' "» Davi. Strait, hut the rnconl, of their catch ar. given a eh^ generally madu jii Davis Htrait. *^ .«• ^' ^^ T^Z^ "' /**'* ^^^ ^"""'''y ""^ ^''*'^« «'"' ^^'^-'"ors that plac, affordeth, w.ll, when whalo-oil comes into request, drix e th. merchant to send the manner to visit the islo of liiooke-Cobham." (Fox 1635). Fox predicted exactly what has come to pass, for at Marble Island is the chief, whaling groand of the Americans, who now have an average of at least foiwr vessels each year at that place. «,o. ^A- ".'^""•f 7 P°"f «'y proved that the whaling grounds of the Bay are exceedingly valuable and a source of profit to our American cousins. It may be interesting to some to know that the whalers wintering in Li^hv'o^'ra::::^ ^°-' *^ ^"« -^^-th^m The « Pioneer." in 1864. left home on the 4th June and returned 18th September, same year with 1,391 barrels oil and 22,650 poundsof whalebone. Her cargo sold for 6150.000. That same year the value of cargoes taken out of the Bay amounted to 1^427,638.86. of fisheries^ °'' "^'""'' *'' ^''''" **"" '■'^"'■^ °^ *^' ^"^*"^ ^^^'' Commissioner " Salmon are in some seasons very numerous on the north-west side of Hudson 8 Bay. particularly at Knapp's Bay and Whale Cove. At the latter plaoa I on«e found them so plentiful, that had >ve been provided with a suffio^nt number of nets, casks, and salt, we might have looked the vessel with them." (Hearne 1796). The steamer "Diana." owned bv the Hudson'.. ««» r.„-,__-.. • retrigerator vessel, and as regularly in the trade to TJngava Bay She takes cargoes of fresh salmon to England, where it is sold for from Is. 6d. to 2s 6d per pound. Some of her cargo has has been re-shipped on to Australia. 37 SeL«c* CoH^tttt REPoti*. ii i ! IM The Geological Reports of 1 879-80 give very encouraging prospects of the likelihood of valuable minerals being found about the Bay. I quote from the reports of the above named years. " Minerals may, however, become in future the greatest of the resources of the Hudson's Bay. Little direct search has as yet been made for the valuable minerals of these regions. In 1875 I found a large deposit of' rich ironstone on the Mattagaini River. In 1877 inexhaustible supplies of good raanganiferous iron ore were discovered on the islands near the east main coast, and promising quantities of galena around Richmond Gulf, and also near Little Whale River, where a small amount had previously been known to ex- ist. Traces of gold, silver, molybdenum and copper were likewise noted on the east main coast. Lignite was met with on the Missinabi, gypsum on the Moose, and petroleum— bearing lime— stone on the Abittibi River. Small quantities of anthracite and various ornamental stones and some rare minerals were collected in the course of our explorations around the Bay. iSoapstone is abundant not far from Mosquito Bay on the east side, and iron pyrites between Churchill and Marble Island on the west. Good building stones, clay and limestone exist on both sides of the Bay. A cargo of mica is said to have been taken from Chesterfield Inlet to New York, and valuable deposites of plumbago are reported to occur on the north side of Hudson's Strait » ^r Bell.) ^ • Many of the navigators of the past century mention the finding of minerals. Mr. Hoffman chemist of the Geological Survey of Canada, analized a specimen of anthracite, from Long Island, on the east coast, with the follow- ing result : — * Fixed Carbon ; 94 91 Volatile combustible matter i_29 Water 3^5 ^^^ 0.35 lOOOO Mr. Hoflman reported also on the composition of the Moose River lignite as follows :— " A piece of this lignite immersed in water for over three days remained apparently unaffected; it had not disintegrated rior imparted any coloration to the water. • This specimen having been kept in the laboratory for months, may be *G«ologioal Survey, 1876, page 428. 38 Special Committee Report. regarded as having been thoroughly air-dried. slow and fast cooking gave : Two proximate anialyses by Slow Coking. Fixed carbon 45.82 Volatile combustible matter 39 60 Water ''' ^{-^ Ash 2.84 Fast Ookinq. 44.03 41.39 11.74 2.84 100.00 100.00 Dodds informs us that in 1744 it was customary to kill 3,000 Reese for the winter at Albany Fort, and the Right Rev. David Anderson testified before the British House of Commons Committee, in 1857, that in one year he visited Fort Albany, in Jame's Bay, they killed twenty thousand (20,000) wild geese and then stopped. When Sir Thomas Button wintered at Nelson River, during the winter " they killed.no less than 1,800 dozen of patridges and other fowl." Hearne says at Churchill they used to kill 5,000 or 6,000 geese in the spring. At York they have salted 40 hogsheads and at Albany 60 hogsheads of geese, besides great quantities of plover. He describes ten different species of geese as frequenting the Bay. It is thus seen that the statements made by men, many of them officers in the H. B. Co's. service long years ago agree in every particular with those made in the present day by persons who have lived about the Bay or sailed on its waters. It is safe to say that from the evidence now on record the following conclusions may be come to : We have in the very heart of our Dominion an immense inland sea which never freezes over, it is connected with the Atlantic Ocean by a wide passage which never freezes over and is open for navigation for at least five or six months if not during the whole year. This great body of salt water has emptying into it a large number of rivers, many of them navigable for large river steamers for long distances inland, they are well stocked with the finest edible fish, and in some places their banks are clothed with timber, much of which is valuable for.export. The islands of the Bay, and many localities on the mainland are rich in mineral bearing rocks and forms of coal. The northern waters are frpniipn*-,*«fl hv unhnrAa ^t ...K-le- — ^5-l, > - ' «« • ing a bountiful harvest to the enterprising whalers. At all points in the great Bay porpoises abound, which supply liides and oil. Furs are obtained from the full list of fur-bearing animals frequenting the adjacent countiy. 89 Special OoMBiitfEE REPoftf. Large g«ae supports, in a great measure, the Indian population. Feathered game « so plentiful that at a single post. 36,000 gLe ar, killd in the Autumn as the year's supply. Vegetable are raised at all the forts in the southern part, and at some of those in the north, horses cattle, etc are kept and an abundance of of fodder is found for then.. At least thr L bL are frequented by^shjps, and for 574 years sailing vessels of all descriptions fZ pass „g through the Stra.t and across the Bay. British regular troops and immigrant have sailed through these waters and landed at these harZ .r«.d.^i!r^r''°*''"^r'^'''"''''"''*°"' ^^'^ **»« ^"" development of the great natural r^urces of our country, take what nature offers us so frel and make use of her bountiful gifts. ^ CHARLES. N. BELL. Committee Boom, Saturday, March 29th, 1884 A special meeting of the Committee was held at 1000 a m WilsSZ4\^\^^ "• «--" ^" *^« ^^^- ^'^ ^-' the 'speake. B. cludJ^'*'^^*'"''^*^""''''^'^'^^^^''' ^^i' "*« "^d^'^'^ken and coa- The SwreWury was authorized to ask the attendanee of the following persons, viz : — wnvwiujj 0. J. Drummond, Winnipeg Capt M. Marcelliott, Brandon. (Sd,) C. P. BROWN Chairman. i i tiil! 1. Duncan MacAbthur, 2. Banker, 3. Winnin^o March 29th, 1884. Am the representative in Winnip^ of the Nelson Valley Railway 40 Special OoMutTTBB REtoftf. con- Company, chartered by the Dominion Parliament to build a railway to Hud- My associates in procuring the charter are the Hon. Thomas Ryan, who IS the chairman of the Company, the Hon. John Hamilton, Hon. Wm Mc- Dougall Peter Redpath, Esq, George A. Drummond, Esq., Alfred Brown, Esq Alex. Bunt.n Esq. and ono or two others, who with myself constitute the Board of Directors. These gentlemen are prominent business men in Montreal, and control a large amount of capital. The Company has bee,, regularly organized, and the stockholders have paid up the first call on its stock as prescribed under the charter. Large sums have been expended in preliminary surveys of the line of route between Winnipeg and the mouth of the Churchill River, the proposed terminus of the Jine on Hudson's Bay. The information derived from the Engineers proves that no serious difficulties of an engineering character are to be met with on the line of route. The Engineers have furnished field-notes and profiles of the reconnaissance sur- IZ r^^^ - ^P*''*^**^''^^ reports have already been made public tnrough the Wmnipesf newspapers. Repeated efforts have been made to amalgamate with a Company hold- ing a Dominion charter, and called the "Winnipeg & Hudson's Bay Rail- _vay Company, but so far without success. The only obstacle that presented tself, before negotiations were broken off. was, that the Company represented by me desired to give the enterprise a Provincial character, and to place the control m the hands of the representatives of the people of Manitoba, which was unacceptable to the holders of the other charter. It was considered de simble to give the enterprise a Provincial character, because the immediate cariymg out of the scheme was of such vital importance to the Province that our Company was desirous to see the control placed in safe hands, in order to w!r^r fj'fT l'''"u^" '"'"^^ speculators or others whose interests would not be identical with those of the people of Manitoba and the North- west. The prospects of obtaining capital for carrying out the project are good. A number of British capitalists are already enlisted in favor of the enterprise I consider the negotiations for amalgamation with the Winnipeg & Hudson's Bay Railway Company are at an end, as the representatives of that Company have declined to concede to the Province that which we stip- ulated as essential to amalgamation. I think that our Company would be prepared to renew negotiations for amalgamation if the rights of the Province in so far as control of the future of the Railway ar^ onn^n.^ed |r_,x- _,•,' provided for, but not otherwise. It is the intention of our Company to pro- ceed with the construction of the road. The estimate furnished by our engineers is about )SI20.000 per mile for construction without equipment. 41 i Special CoMMifTiiE llEPohf. uitdenfr"'' ""? "' ''"'''^''' roduced whon location is ,nade, but as it is prudent to over-estimate, , atlier than under-estin.ate, in a larrje enterprise I for the Provincial Government tcnake a,i independent exploration of the routes suggeste, in order that they may be in a position'to form a dge! ment as to which route ic would be most in thb interests of the Province to adopt, should they bo asked to assist the undertaking ' This investigation should extend itself to the character of the harbors, and the comparative dates of opening and closing of the same. D. MACARTHUR Committee Room, * 31st March, 188^. Th^ Committee met at 10:00 A.M. Gi.o'^Tn '';"■ "^'^ '' """"" "' *'" chair, Messrs. Leacock. Harrison Gigo> and Davidson. ' The Tiimites of previous meeting were read and confirmed, takef' ""''""''''" ''•^- ''"''''^•^^ "*^ ^^P^- ^^- R^'^-on was TheSecretarywasauthorized to report to the House and ask leave to SIC again. (Sd.) C. P. BROWN. 1. W. A. Archibald, 2. Formerly seaman and employee of H. B. Co. .3. Customs Freight Shed, Winnipeg. Bav^rt'^'Tr!,'-^^"''"^'"'"''^'""'" ^^^""'^ "^ ^^°««« River, James- Bay The roadstead is nine miles from Moose Factory in tide water The depth of water «>. \fno=p F„^^^„.. :_ _,.i.- _• « . , :, ^"^ r - H r,.rvO,_^ lo uuij six teet at high water. Sailed from Stromness 3rd July. 1 868. Arrived at Moose Factory about 42 •f » , V I i^PEciAL Committee ltEt>0R'i'. to V 1 middle of August. Met a little ice about a day and a half sail after enter- ing the Straits. .We were not detained by it, although in consequence of a head wind we had to tack through it. We also met ice at N.E. end of Afansfield Island, and were detained for two hours by the wind failing us ; when the tide set out the ice opened and we got through without difficulty. This was somewhere about 1st August, Kept no record and quote from memory. Saw no icebergs. The ice was pretty well broken and rotted at the time we passed through. Was whaling in Davis' Straits in 1867. Reached Davis' Straits in April. The vessel I was in was the "Wildfire," of Dundee, a propeller of about 600 tons burthen. We were seven months and three days on voyage ; our trip back only occupied about eight days. Was not in sight of Hudson's Strait going or returning. We had no difficulty or delay in ice on our outward voyage, and only six days detention on our homeward voyage. Were janmied in by icy knowledge and from what I have heard from experienced persons, I think the navigation of Hudson's Straits and Bay is open to ordinary vessels for four months certainly, and in most years five months in every season. (Sd.) 43 WILLIAM A. ARCHIBALD. Special Oommimee Report. 1. Capt. Wm. Robinsok. 2, General Manager N. W. Navigation Co., Winnipeg. • Am General Manager of the North West Navigation Company Have commanded a vesnel on Lake Winnipeg for six years' The navigatfon o7 h Red R.ver .s interrupted at St. Andrews Uy boulders and shallows over a helly lock bottom. Think this obstacle can be removed by dredging. Think the dredge at present building at St. Boniface could deepen this channel In that case vessels drawing ten feet of water could run to Winnipeg during the whole season. I have been toid that it is the intention of thf Domfn on Governmen to use the a dge for this purpose after having deepened he J^ke Winnipeg. Low water commences about nine miles from here and ex^mls a intervals for about five miles ; in other parts of the river the depth at loMT water is about 22 feet. During the spring floods we can run to Whi mpeg and Emerson. Can calculate on about three month.of good water At the mouth of the Red River there is a sand bar about lo'oo feet n width f^^ Z .'' "° obstruction to navigation for vessels drawing 10 to 12 mlLTar r^T t '^f °^^«^« W--P«g- There are good'sheli^ring ite^Ll "^ ^^"- "■ ''""'^''^ '' *^^ ^^*^* «^ «»" *»»« larger Canadian Jakes for towing purposes. The lake is sometimes stormy, and requires «ood s^ng vessels, but the seas do not run high. Limestone 'Bay' at Th he^^ a^eToT'-/' 1""* ''"' """ '" '^P*''' *"^ ^" '^^"^ '2 feet of water wol ml 'til" ^"P!""^'^^- . I* '^ --'dered a very safe bay. Think it h.«/ f '"^- '''** '^ * ""^^'""^ '"*^"" *"^ "*•' =^"*« ^«''« established from the - would ^created Barges drawing six feet of water could be towed from Sulh a b ^ "°" 1. '■'^"'''' '" ^' "^"^' ''''''^'' *^^" the ordinary river barge. ItlVT : .T "'^*' ^ ^""^ ^^^••'^ ''^•» niany persons living in the J^ fl ^"--°t- -d Dakota Territory, shippers would be only too glad to avail themsdves of the improved river and lake navigation, and ship the r rinr^i M '^'.^T ''I """^^ -^'^ ^""^ for the'purpo'se. Think th RiC from r 71^ J ''• y- ^- «°-™'»-* f- improvement of the Red niver from Grand Forks fo fhe bo"~-J—.- 1.--- ti nli,.«„ ^„ T I «T. . r " ^""""V ""^- There are six steamers now paying on Lake V^ innipeg, three large and three smaller, and seventeen barges some of which are of 500 tons capacity, and have been running for tS ♦ r Select Committee Report. about the 20th iprill .^^^L^™" °' "»"8''-" -»-"-s „„ .he river later. The north end rftke w T """ °^ ^'"' "^'""'f^ ' '^'""^ Juno Tl,„ . , V/innipeg Joes not open until about the first Wm. ROBINSON. The Coinmittee met at 10 a. m. Committee Room, April 2nd, 1884. Woj3r;„a Br. Salr "■ '- "■" '''"' ""^ «^«»'' ^'"^-. The minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed. The evidence of the following witnesses was taken. Ven Archdeacon Cowley, Dyaevor. James Hargrave Esq., Medicine Hat. C. S. Drummond Esq., Winnipeg. As an evidence of the great value of the seal fisherv the Sp.r«f brought to the notice of the Committee the foUowinrixt'ra J f 7 Associated Press despatch of the 31st ult : ^ ' *''°™ *^" 46 Select Committee Report. The voyage only lasted eighteen days, Other sealers were equally successful. The Committee rose and reported. (Sd.) C. P. BROWN, Chairman. 1. Jame& Habgrave, 2. Merchant, 3. Medicine Hat. Was at York Factory on Hudson's Bay from 1867 to 1871 in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Company, The Nelson River opens in spring about 10th June and closes about Ist November. Steam vessels ccild 'navigate for two weeks longer in the fall. Tlie mouth of the Nels:on Bivo:* freezes for about 15 miles from shore owing to the shallowness of the water, fhis ice is, however, constantly broken up by the wind and tides, the ice floating back- wards and forwards in the Bay. The crossing place when it is considered safest to cross, is 1 2 miles from the mouth. I think the packet crosses about eight miles up on the road to and from Fort Churchill. Have heard the captains of vessels and sailors say that the Hudson's Straits are navigable all the year round. There is less floating ice in the Bay in winter than during the earlier part of the summer. Never saw any fogs during my residence on Hudson's Bay. Have seen vapor from the ice when the warm air came in contact with a colder stratum forming a light mist which would clear off in a few hours. Have been about twenty miles up the Nelson River, the water is deeper at that point than at the mouth. I have always heard that Churchill is the best harbor, from the captains and sailors of the H. B. Co's schooner which used to ply between York and Churchill and from residents of Churchill itself. They say that it is a natural harbor and has sufl5cient depth of water to float large craft. From what I know of the route between York Factory and Winnipeg I do not think it would be diflicult to construct a railway to Hudson's Bay. There is plenty of timber suitable for making ties along the line of route. (Sd.) JAMES HARGRAVE. 1. Archdeacon Cowley. 2. St. Peter's Parish. 3. Dynevor. ' ' ■ . Hftye pa8§§4 tbroqgh Hud§e?i'9 ^traitg thr^p tiraeg i^ powipg tQ mi 46 Special Committee Report. going from this country. My first trip ^vas in 1S41. We left England in June amy.ng at York Factory about tho niiddlo of August. Wore delayed f«etn„o at Stro.ness taking in suppiie.s. Saw soL ice in passagTof btra.ts but were not detained on that occasion. Three ships came through at same tune mthout detention. The ice was broken field ice. My second tr.p was m 1855. We left York Factory towards the end of September Do not ren.ember that we saw any ice at all. Were not delayed at all. 1„ I806 we left Lngland in June, and arrived at York lato in August. Saw sonu, ice and were detained about two hours during our passage of the Straits. A steamer could easily have avoided the ice on that occasion. Think a steamship properly prepared for such navigation would have no difficulty in Hudson s Straits at any time of the year. We had stormy weather oft" the (Greenland coast on one occasion, but no bad weather either in the Straits or on Hudson s Bay. Saw no.fogs at any time on Hndson's Bay or Straits to my recollection. Xcver resided on Hudson's Bay. (Sd.) ABRAHAM COWLEY. 1. C. S. Druminond, 2. Financial Agent and Vice-President .of the North-West Navigation Company, 3. Winnipeg. ...1 f ''• '"!rf *^ "t *^' '"'''^^"^ °"' ^^ '^' ""'^««^ ^^y R^i'^vay scheme, and during the time I was in England in January last I conversed with many persons in Liverpool and London as to the project. 1 also met in London some gentlemen from Berlin and conversed with them. The opinion of all with whom 1 conversed was that the Straits and Bay were navic^able for power ul steamers the whole year round, except perhaps during the period from the 15th May to 15th July, and even then they supposed tlfe navigation to be difficult, but not impossible. There is a strong syndicate formed in Liverpool in which are some of the. largest steamship companies who are willing to furnish vessels for opening an ocean route between the ports on Hudson s Bay and Liverpool, on the assurance to them that a railway will be bunt. They have gone into the cjuestion very thoroughly, havin« P°'»t- The people whe^ fr T ] "f ;-vi«wed seen.ed to entertain the matter favorab^. when they understood that the Liverpool Syndicate was prepared to furnish the necessary steamships, and I think ther« would be no difficulty by con^mnginterest* of the Liverpool and London capitalist, in obtain ni all nece«ary capital to build the road, either in Lond^. or Berlin I exp «„ed the ground work of the scheme by stating that we would obtam of W "It"' *'' *'"®° '' ^'""•'«'^^*' ^'^^"^^ -"d possibly a part hid r '".nn r f*'"* °^ '''"^•'^^'^ *"^ '^' North-West. That we th« hT/ f Z T"" «^™'»«'"«'^*i°'^ ^^ almost a straight line between the head of navigation of the Red River and the lower end of Lake Winni- peg, passing through the greater part of Minnesota and Dakota on its route a comparatively small outlay is necessary to make this navigable for vessels' drawing 8 to 10 feet of water, and the cost of transporting Light would be much less than a similar distance on the lower lakes and the St. Lawrence leZy *^''"'' °^ **"' "'"'''''^ ^'' '*"''' """^ '^" '''*'"'''"' '^'"''^ The cost for ordinary freight from Winnipeg to the north end of Lake Winnipeg would be about $2.50 per ton. Grain could be carried in quantities for from two to three cents per bushel, and if the trade warranted, from one to one and one half cents per bushel. This would of course imply elevators rf^i w " '^' ^'"^ °^ navigation on the Red River to the north end of Lake Winnipeg transport for grain should not cost more than from 3A to 4 cents per bushel. There is a convention between the Canadian and Amencan Governments which admits of the transport of grain through either countiy to an ocean port, free of duty. I mention this as I have seen it stated m the newspaper^ that the duty on American grain would prevent its passing over the projected route. pasoiut (Sd.) 0. J. DRUMMOND. I I 1. George A. Bayne, 2. Civil Engineer, 3. Winnipeg. I v.-^ instructed by the directors of the Nelson Valley Railway Compnny to make an exploration survey of their proposed route from Winnipeg to the 48 Special Committee Kepoht. shores of the Hudson's Bay, at Fort Churchill, Fro,., Wi.u.ipeg northward tothemouthoftheRedRive,-, thGcou„t,yi.stlncklys<.ttl«el, the surface is level and the soil a rich dark loan,. Fro,n thonce tli,ou«I, the Icelandic reservetotheVVhitcMudorlodandic River, the country is undulating and as a whole, densely tin,bered with poplar and as.nall p.oportion of spruce. The agricultural resources of this country have not be.-n tho.oughly tested, but sufficient farming has been done to de,non.st,-ate that the la.ul is of the Lest quality. Fron, the White Mud River northwa.d the..e is*no settlement except at points along Lake Wi.n.ipeg, where timber limits are being wo,-ked The land along this part of the .oute is sinnln,. to that on the Icelandic reserve and quite a, suitable for cultivation. TI.e.e is abundance of timber in this section. The Little Saskatchewan is the tirst river crossing of any importance, but presents no unusual obstacle. The % Saskatchewan crossing 18 of more importance, but natu,c Las done mud, to favor the construction of a bridge at the Grand Ra^ds. us the banks are high and steep and composed of solid limestone, furnishing good n.atoiial for the necessary piers and abutments, while the strean, is na.rowed by the piesence of two island in the channel, The crossing of this river will be an important point, as the inter- section of the water tmsport of the Saskatchewan with the lino of railway. It may eventually be considered ad/isable to run a short branch line from a point a few miles north of the crossing to the head of Cedar Lake where boats are frequently wind-bound. From the Sebatchewan Rapids to Was-ka-owa.ka Lake, 16 the only rocky portion of the route. This section will require much more wmute exploration than I was able to give it, before final location can be decided upon. The number of rivers to be crossed is greater than on the south«m portion of the route, averaging one crossing to about every ten miles The streams are, however, very small, the largest being the Burntwood River This nver forms the outlet for a chain of Lakes lying parallel to the Nelson River and a few miles to the westward of that stream. After crossin<^ this nver we strike across the height of land between the Nelson and Churchill Rivers, which can be surniounted by a grade of one foot in a hundred The soil over this section is lighter than the southern. The water powers alone the Nelson River and its tributaries are very numerous and unlimited in extent. From Was-ka-owa-ka Lake to Hudson's Bay, the cost of construction will probably be not more than on the southern end of the route. The soil for the first hundred miles is clay over «ravel, and the surface is pretty level • - ' V P'»'-- ^"'= i"cr^ to oc crossed average about one to every twelve miles, most of them small. The lengths of the different divisions I estimate as follows : 49 SPKriAT. OoMMrTTKK RkfoHT. Winnipeg to Sebttuhewan Kupids Sebatchewan Kapids to Was-kaoxva-ku Lake,. . . . . . . . . . ." ." . ' ' ^la Was-ka-owa-ka Lake to Ifudson's Bay, _ j,^.', 350 tiiileii. ^ [ Total length, 715 miles. » T consider r„yself 8af„ in saying that the k.„«th of the road will bo lower rather than ab«ve this Hgurp. ° " The harbor at Churchill is onv. of th« lin«.st T have evrr seen N*f „r« water, that without farther improvements it is fitted to take rank amorL lir^^t ass ocean ports. T took careful soundings, and find at a diatanrof 400 nrinl n 1 ' "^""''"'«'* ""''^ *'^'^«" "*^ «**''«"'« 'ow tide! At fv afford ; "T'"^ '' '"^' '' '^^'' '"^ ''^' '' -" »'^ -- that th nver affords from 53 to 65 feet of water. The entrance to the harbor I .judge to be about half a mile in width, the p6int on the west side extending into the Bay. and overlfl .ping that on the east. ,. ^ From reliable information 1 learned the following facts, viz : Ist tl n?at so. r T' ^i"' ""^^'' ""' '' "°- '^'^'^ t° tJ- port. Uecetuh>er. AnL Timt the ,ce ,s never solid in the Bay for a greater distance from the shor. ,,han half a mile, and this is liable to be broken up by wTr" oTh:!.: V" ""' ''''-' '''''''''''' '' ''' -''- - ^ ^'-- is ol''"" tj^^fove facts it will be seen that so far as the harbor at Churchill IS concerned, that there will be found little difficulty, that experience and aTttwL"" ^^'^^^^"^ " ''''-'''''' '-'-' -' unloadingTstramTrs harbo? T 'r.K *'"^'' '' ""^^ "^ '^' ^^'•^"^ P"i"*« i» ^-vor of this Lake and Cross Portage, a distance of GO n.iles, over whici^ I ran a trial u^2T^ /" ""'.^^"^ ' '''' ""^""'P^^' -^'^y-^ «* ^— y House I'haU " *:r;"""'' ^ ;="^'^"«^' '^^P - Cr„«rchuJ, arnvlng on tl>e Llth July. 1 have walked over the entire rout and taken barometric observation! 60 SPKOlAt OOMMITTKE RrpOIV. ■est After getting tho nocoKsary information and soundings of ChurchiJl harbor I returned by y^,y of tho De«r River, arriving in Winnipeg on tho 22nd .S«l.t«n.l,er. At tho time of my reaching Churchill (16th July,) the harbor m the Bay. White porpoise and seals came into the river by thousands with every tide gomg out with the ebb tide. Salmon and other 'edible Tu Zl n great abundance and of a better class, firmer flesh and better flavor ban , Norway House and made an instrumental traverse survey of the Nelson Ruer from Sebatchewan Rapids to Duck Lake, traversing both Big Roed an Big GrasH Lakes, and laying ofTa plot of 10 square miles on Rig «o" Lak as the northern terminus of lake and river navigation. 1 looted .ix nules of road from tin. propos.-d torn.i.uKs, olenred tho right oti" wnv for three n,ilos and Tew " " ■\r_.-. i oriv. n.iJ.t °"'^ -^ ,*'" ^" '*" '*'"'" "^""'^ '^""''''^ ^h^'^ ^y ^" other line, but nature has provided water ways from the head of navigation of the Red .^f) Special Committee Report. \ . \^ ^JnL"^ '\^""' "[ ^^' ^^'""^P^S "^"^^' «*" '^^ ut^for over six Ordered,— That the Report be now received. 66