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Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction rctioa. Thoaa too large to be entirely included In one expoaure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many framea aa required. The following diagrama lliuatrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvant Atre fi'mAa i das taux da rMuction diffArants. Lorsque ie document est trop grand pour Atra raproduit en un seul ciichA, ii est fiimA A partir de I'angle aupAriaur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en Ims, en prenant le nombra d'imagas nAcessaira. Las diagrammas sulvants iilustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 \ !,-. ■ ■ , . ;• «.i 'I ^ y 3 .■ \ f 4- '^■\ CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO .^^ m mmrn railway , Hi FROM \^^ HALIFAX TO QUEBEC. .• ^■: \i !;.-V FB£D£RIGTONr 'i9. NMNOir, rMRTm TO TBS ^OUIl'a MOIT IXCItUlIT MAiMTT. 1852. ':**^*. rt:4v * -i >-*i ;i .■ it,-^.A ife- ^^'vvi' '-Wv^t$ A^.l^'J sn»» CCIRESPONDENCE RELATING TO H^^4^' THE PROJECTED RAILWAY FROM HALIFAX TO QUEBEC. ,> V,' i Copy of a Despatch from Earl Grey to Lieutenant Governor Sir Edmund Head, Bart. Downing Street, lOM ^pril, 1849. Sir, — 1 have to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 1 , of thH 1st of January last, containing observations by Mr. Wilkin- son, of Fredericton, on the joint Report of Major Robinson and Captain Henderson, on the proposed trunk line of Railway from Halifax to Quebec. Having judged it proper to furnish Major Robinson with a copy of your Despatch and of its enclosurr . I now transmit for your information the copy of a letter which I have received from thai gentleman, enclosing his reply to Mr. Wilkinson's observati(mSk I am, &c. (Signed) GREY. Sir Edmnnd Head, Bart., &c. &e. &e. 1 Enclosure in No. 2. ^ Portsmouth, 30th March, 1849. Sir, — In reference to your letter of the 10th February last, transmitting to me, by direction of Earl Grey, the copy of a Despatch from the Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, and containing a copy of certain observations which have been made by Mr. Wilkinson upon the joint Report of myself and Captain Henderson, on the proposed trunk line of Railway from Halifax to Quebec, and acquainting me that his Lordship would be happy to receive any remarks which I might wish to offer on the subiect, I have the honor in reply to submit through you, for his Lordship's consideration, the accompanying observations which T have made in reply to those of Mr. Wilkinson. I beg leave at the same time to state, that these would have been forwarded to you at an earlier period, but for many interrup- tions which have arisen from my own present professional duties. I have, Sec. (Signed) Wm. Robinson, ^ Capt. Royal Engineers, Brevet Major. Hemwn Merivale, Baqaire, &e. &e. &e. A''\\ if I III )/;>H/ iy Reply to tlie observationH made by Mr. Wilkinson, of Fredericton, upon Major Robinson's Report on the proposed Trunk Line of Railway from Halifax to Quebec. , ,j , Sir, ^. . Portsmouth, 30M March, 1849. ■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 lUth of June to the 31 st of December 1847. The portion of country for which his services were required, and to which his attention was directed, was the difTicult and hilly (if not to say mountainous) portion lying between the upper part of the Restigouche River and the Saint Lawrence, near to where the latter receives the waters of the Trois Pistolles 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 Saint Lawrence. The account of this exploratin is given in his Report, which forms Appendix No 3 to the General Report. It was entirely unsuccessful. The difficulties of the ground tried by him were too great to be surmounted. !n the opinion expressed by the Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick of Mr. Wilkinson's great experience in surveying, and that he possesses considerable knowledge of that country I most willingly concur. But as it aJQTects the question now between us, viz. the relative merits of two lines for a Railway, 1 beg leave to express a doubt whether Mr. Wilkinson has had any experience 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. ! make this preliminary remark, because it will be seen from what follows, that we di£fer, at the 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 Saint Lawrence a narrow valley of four miles in length, decreasing in width until at its ter- mination it was merely a ravine. A section of it was made with a theodolite and the levels taken. Viewing it in a favourable light, that is, supposing the line could have been made in one slope, from its commencement to its termi- nation, there must have been a grade of about 1 in 49, or a rise of I07i feet per mile for four miles, and involving heaving cuttings and embankments. ericton, Line of 1849. inployed rioa, and e 31 St of red, and and hilly pper part to where er. The e through iplete the runsmck 9rt, which le ground or of New eying, and try 1 most he relative ;s8 a doubt I engineer, % practical ;ht to the seen from one of the Wilkinson ;e a narrow II at its ter- made with e line could ;o its termi- or a rise of Dg cuttings Speaking of this pa^'-t, over which I passed myself and examined it carefully, Mr. Wilkinson thus reports : — ** But upon examination of the last four miles the rale of ascent proved to be much more objectionable. " The result, however, of a series of elevations and depressions taken by your direction over this portion of the route, and which at leisure moments have been somewhat hurriedly computed, do not warrant me in saying that the rate of inclination of the four miles in quesiion is more than objectionable. " Its practicability is, I believe, proved by at least two examples of mucli steeper inclined planes, daily ascended by locomotive power with both passengers and freight. 1 refer to the Lickey inclined plane of 1 in 37 on the Birmingham and Gloucester Rail- way, and another of 1 in 31, which 1 understand to exiiit on tiie Hartlepool and Stockton." -i ^ These heavy grades on the English Railways quoted are but for very short distances, and not to be compared to the long one met on this part of the exploration, and even as short as tliey are they are most objectionable. The effect of heavy grades upon a line is to increase greatly the expense of working. As the ascent increases, tiie power of an engine to draw freight diminishes rapidly, whilst, at the same time, the strain upon tiie rails is 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 I in 49, 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 line and look for another. Mr. Wilkinson and myself have therefore i.idely 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 heavy ones. I now proceed to consider the observations which Mr. Wilkinson has deemed it his duty to make upon my Report. ^^ b: ^^nLTi .iir--- f ' f/. 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 Bay Clialenrs line. 2. Equally too peremptory in the condemnation of any more direct or central route. 3. That he has looked in vain for reasons of adequate force and validity to concur in that opinion. And, 4. That he is of opinion that sufficient efforts have not been made, and that consequently 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 Saint Lawrence. These objections I shall endeavour to answer by stating what has been done on the central line. Mr. Wilkinson, having joined the exploration survey in the second year of its labours, and having been exclusively employed upon the portion of it alloted tu him, may be presumed to be ignorant of much or all that had been done in the 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 por- tion of New Brunswick, to which the energies c' Captain Pipoii and his parties were that season chiefly devoted. Mr. Wilkinson has not, therefore, had the same facilities or data for forming an opinion of that difficult country as the 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, and mere inspections of the published maps are not calculated to give a practical know- ledge of it. In the first season, this country was traversed by our parties, not only in the direction of the line, but an expedition under Mr. Grant, a surveyor and draftsman also, of great experience, and of the Crown Land Office at Fredericton, (to whose valuable exer- tions and zeal, even to the risk of his 'life, the service is deeply indebted), was sent up the Tobique Valley for the express purpose of examining that long mountainous ridge which continues from the mouth of the Tobique River until it joins on to the highest moun- tains in the centre of New Brunswick, the object being expressly to find the lowest and most favourable 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. i ^ Tt 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 views of the surrounding country. The result of this expedition was that in the ensuing season the surveying and exploring party succeeded in finding a practicable route across the Tobique Valley, and on to the Restigouche River. Whilst Mr. Grant was thus engaged on the western side of the central group of mountains in New Brunswick, Captain Hender- son was on the eastern side, and ascending high ground, also was able to obtain 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 Mi . Grant's, which has not been published, I make the following extracts: — " From the surveys and explorations made in the Tobique dis- trict, 1 have the honor 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, combined with such local information as I could bring to bear on the subject, cor- rectly anticipated that one of the great difficulties would be the passing an unbroken range of high lands extending from the River Saint John, below Tobique mouth, to the northeast, lying between the head waters of tributaries to the Rivers Miramiohi and Tobique, and connected with Blue Mountain, and the mountainous district of Restigouche. ** As this bar extends completely across the face of the country, it of course follows that one of the most important preliminary steps is that of ascertain ing 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 direc- tion and gradients of the line on either side of it. ** On my arrival at the Blue Mountain, I ascended to one of its summits, and had a most extensive view of the surrounding coun- try, 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 the moun- taiuous district in the vicinity of Nictor Lake, and the head Quarters of the Tobique, and' separating the tributaries of the tivers Miramichi and Tobique, until it connects (some distance below the Red Rapids) with the great mass of high lands extending upwards from the River Saint John." /;' 'T' Hi * I Mt 8aV8 8 Speak inf^ of the opposite side of the Toblnue Valley, Mr. Grunt tV8 :-," To the north and west of the highlands at tlje head of Tfiree Brooks, and as far, I presume, as the highlands near the Saint Lawrence, there is a table land about iOO feet above the bed of the Tobiqne. Viewed from an elevated position, this section of country has tlie appcnrnnce of a widely extended plain ; but on examination is found to br cut up (wherever there are water- courses) with deep ra^ inet, of from about 100 to 300 feet, and which are likely to create a very heavy expense in bridging and viaducts." To cross the Tobiqne River at the desired point, a very heavy bridge and viaduct are reported necessary, as the height of the bank on one side is mucl; higlier than tliat of the other. It will be observed that Mr. Grant speaks of this ridge of high- land on the south side of the Tobiqne River as being continuous and unbroken, extending as a bar completely across the face of the country. An assistant surveyor, who was employed for two seasons on this part of the central line, speaks of these hills as being ** high, and extending in an unbroken chain from 30 or 40 miles, increas- ing in height until they meet the Tobique Blue Mountains, said to be more than 2000 feet above the sea." From the point on the ridge where the line passes, to the bed of the Tobique River, the levels were taken instrumentally and barometrically. From the results so obtained, which were found to agree very closely, the summit level of 1,216 feet was obtained. ; '. It is of course within the limits of possibility, that there may exist some gap in this chain bv which it could be passed at a somewhat lower level, but it is highly improbable that there should be, and that it should have been unknown to the Indians, and undiscovered by our exploring parties. In the country, more to the westward, and nearer to the Saint John River, a line for a mail route had been explored between Fredericton and the Grand Falls some years before, but the ground was found very unfavourable, even for a common road, and it was never carried out. Previous to our parties commencing their operations in the country, there had been officers ejfploring throngn it for the pur- pose of making a great military road from the River du Loup, on the Saint Lawrence, through New Brunswick, as far as the Bend of Petitoodiac. Their Plans and Reports were sent to ns, and we had the benefit of their experience. They m t with altnost insormonntable difficolties in the centre of New Biunswick. - -v-^- The Commanding Royal Engineer in Canada, in his Report on thiHline, dated 20th March 1815, writes thus .'—Paragraph J8, " From the I '{7th mile, wh»'u the Hurveyed lino goes Hontlieasfc to the Tobimie River" (but that line, and along the Odell River, was found dimcult and indifferent for settlcnient.) Paragraph ^9, •• The chained line follows the Odell to the Forks, and afterwards deviated to the northeast, so that the actual line of road may be somewhat shorter " Paragraph 20, " This part of the road, how- ever, from the 137th mile (going southerly) to the 189th mile, shown by the dotted line, will require further examination, it having been found impracticable during the working season of last year." i' This was for a distance of fifty two miLs that so much difTi- culty was found for a common high rotul. The Commanding Engineer afterwards reported his opinion that it could be passed with grades of 1 in 15. • • * To have tried more to the eastward would have been increasing the altitude above the sea, and becoming more involved in the heart of the mountains. It is rather remarkable, and may not be considered irrelevant to the subject, to state here that there were parties in the country then who objected to the line for the military road passing centrally tlirough New Brunswick. In paragraph 32 of the Report quoted, the Commanding Engi- neer says, " It is of course to be expected that the formation of any new line of road must be displeasing to such persons as may be established in other parts, and may conceive their pnrticular in- terests to be injuriously affected by it. While this road was being surveyed, objections were made to the course of the explorations. The parties objecting were in favour of going round by tlie Metis and Kempt road. Mr. Wilkinson observes, " That an exploration by t'le way of the right hand bank of the Tobique, towards Boiestovt , was sug- gested at the commencement of the season of 1847." '* It might not have been successful, 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. The proposal is adverted to in the Appendix No. 3, at p. 49, 50, of the Report, but not adverted to in the Report itself." A proposition was made to me by Mr. Wilkinson, in a letter which I received from him, dated the 6th of August 1847, that he himself, with a party, should ascend the Tobique River, and explore from thence, southeily, as far as the main Miramichi River, a dis- tance of some fifty to sixty miles. But as at the time this propo- sition was made two months of the working season had passed, and Mr. Wilkinson had not completed one half of the task allotted to him, it was not noticed. 2 _ I Jl I i I 10 More especially too as at the same time, or soon after, good accounts were re -^ived from the party upon whose ground he pro- posed to intrude, and who, instead of failure, as anticipated by him, iiucoeeded in carrying out a practicable line right through to the Reatigouche River. The failure proved on his own ground, and the winter found him still embarrrassed in the high lands at the head of the Green River. Large parties were thus employed at great expense for two seasons on this central 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, and parties interested would still say that every effort had not been exhausted. Judging from the results of our own labours, from those of others, and the natural diffir^ulties 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 rout, would still command a preference over the central one through New Brunswick to the Saint Lawrence. Proceeding next to consider the observations made by Mr. Wilkinson upon that part of the country lying south of the Miramichi, and between it and the Shediac River, I find that in this case his doubts and criticisms have been called forth in con- sequence 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 Saint Lawrence, one of the easiest portions of the line. I shall endeavour to answer this part, as 1 did in the first instance, by referring to what was done, and by quoting extracts from the reports of the surveyors who had the conduct of the ex- ploration. In my General Report I described that this portion of country was the last explored, because it was of the most importance to try those portions first where the greatest difficulties were to be expected. The country in question is well known to be the most level in New Brunswick. ^'r)i One author (Dr. Gesner, page 186), in speaking of it, says, " The whole country is remarkably level, and upon an average its elevation above the sea will not exceed 20 feet." Another (Mr. Perley), in his description of the Counties of New Brunswick, says, page 12, " There is scarcely a single hill of any magnitude in the whole of this County (of Kent), and the land, especially on the Gulf shore, is very low and level. It suay be described m the most level County in the Province." (w, «■ 11 r, good be pro- by him. 11 to the nd, and a at tho for two iwick. ade, and line, or d would )f others, 1 do not r marked ts, and in I, or Bay le central ; by Mr. th of the nd that in th in con- inion, and exception portions of the first g extracts of the ex- of country )ortance to were to be lost level in of it, says, average its nother (Mr. Brunswick, magnitude •specially on :ribed as the Captain Henderson and myself both passed through it, and traversed it from south to north, and found it to be extremely level and favourable. But as our route was more to the eastward than it was desirable the line of railway should take, it was determined to send in ex- ploring parties. And it was tested in the severest way, that any country could be tried, by cutting straight lines across it, through the heart of the country. The sections of the hues 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 featuret« of ths country. Two parties were employed under competent surveyors. r They commenced at the same point, nearly a central one, on the Richibucto River; (one party cut northwesterly and the other southeasterly, taking the levels over both lines barometrically. ^ * No obstacles were encountered but what could have been avoided, and the surveyor's report is most favourable. 1 make the following extracts from the report of Mr. Layton, dated Richibucto, 19th October 1847:— " The point selected as the most convenient for commencement was on the Harley Road, at about 6i miles from Taylor's, on the Richibucto. Corporal Forbes, taking a direction bearing by the magnet north 39 degrees west 10 J miles ; theiice northerly 25 degrees west 91 miles to the line between the Counties of North- umberland and Kent, crossing the old Indian portage about half a mile to the westward of the Richibucto (as will be seen upon reference to the pl»n accompanying the report), and crossing the river at a distance of 7) miles from the Harley Road, which will be in a direct line about 15 miles above the head of the tide, also crossing the head of the south branch of the Kouchibouguasis and two other small streams running into it ; and also crossing two small streams which empty themselves into the Miramichi. *' The whole extent of this line presents nearly an even surface, with the exception of two slight dips, one at the crossing of the Richibucto, and the other at the crossing of the south branch of the Kouchibouguasis. '* 1 took a direction bearing by the magnet south 37 degrees east, from the starting point at the Harley Road, which would, pass about a mile to the eastward of Irish Town settlement. ^^ ** The country lirom the Harley Road to the Buotouche, a dis- tance of 17i raiies» presents generally ph even surface with the exception of a few slight dips at the crossings of the different streams, which are. laid doi;rn upon the plan. *- ■-I*: if 12 "At the Biictouche the land rises generally on either side to the height of about 50 feet, but there are places where the same height of land comes boldly out on both sides, keeping the same platform. Between the Buctouche and the Cockburn Road, a distance of 7i miles, the country presei/s nearly an even surface, with the exception of a slight dip at the crossing of the north branch of the Cocagne. '*At the Main Cocagne there will also be a dip of about 50 or 60 feet, as at the Buctouche. On this line there is a large quantity of very excellent land for settlement, and passing in its whole length through unlocated Crown lands. The same descrip- tion will answer for the country between the Cockburn Road and Shediac River, passing below Irish Town settlement." The result of these explaiiations and Mr. Laytoa's report prove this line to be practicable and favourable, perhaps only to be exceeded by the plateaus and terraces along the Saint Lawrence. In the first season a section of the line was made from the Bend of the Petitcodiac to Boiestown. Comparing one section witli 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 borrowed 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 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 quite or nearly regained. How any mere map could have supplied such information, I am 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 inspections of the map, and the imaginary summit-levels which he has derived from them, with the obligation to descend everywhere 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 ell the small summit-levels to make an amount equal to that passed over by the central line, is more ingenious than scientific ; but it would have been fairer if, at the same time, to the latter had been added the rises and falls occar- ring before that summit-level is reached, and those which occur after. Mr. Wilkinson, in contending for his central line, can foretee no TTT IS impracticability in getting through or over two ranges of high- lands : and to do so does not object to some of the heaviest 'grades known in railway practice ; but foresees alarming cuttings and embankments through the most level district in New Brunswick. As our lines run, and the surveys were only exploratory, it is impossible to gay vrhat these latter will be with accuracy ; but there is no fear that they will be anything great or extraordinary. The next question which Mr. Wilkinson enters upon is a military one, and he puts the following case : — "Assume that the United Kingdom were destitute of a railway, and that it was pro- posed to construct one for the security of military conmiunicution and commercial traffic, would it be recommended that it should follow the immediate coasts of the island, or that it should, as much as possible, run centrally through from north to south, with branches to either coast ?" To this I have no hesitation in saying that the one following the coast is perfect everywhere as a means of defence against an invading force ; 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 in/initum, for between any two points on the coast the defence is imperfect. A line of railway following along a coast anywhere, would afford additional facilities for its defence. In so much, then, as this affects the question of the two lines, it is another advantage in favour of the eastern or Bay Chaleurs line. The Gulf and River Saint 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 railway will have undisputed possession of the field of communication for the other six. If the line be laid out with care and judgment, it may be made to pass at such moderate distance from the shore, that without being exposed to any danger from cruizers at sea, it will afford the best and readiest means of defence against any attack which they might make upon the settlements. The central line, without assisting these, and deriving a revenue therefrom, would, from near the Bend of Petitcodia?, enter upon the great wilderness forest of New Brunswick, and not emerge until after a course of about 300 miles upon the banks of the Saint Lawrence. Thus, as it were, turning its back upon and depriving numerous existing settlements of all advantage to be derived from it ; without, at the 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 transmitted between Quebec and Halifax. 14 To aid liinj in depreciating the advantages of this line, he hag called in two additional railways which may or may not at some remote period be made, viz. fiom Saint Andrews to Quebec, and from Saint John to Quebec. To neither of these two lines could the Imperial Government give its support in preference to that from Halifax ; and without such aid, 1 do not believe that either the one or the other will ever be completed. The progress of the railway from Montreal to Portland, which is the great commercial rival of the Halifax and Quebec 'ine 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. By the last accounts, 30 miles only out of 120, or one-fourth, on the Canadian side, was completed, and their 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 versa, there are but few whose bulk and weight, in proportion to their value, are so great as to forbid tlie prospect of their passing by railway. The great items exported from Canada are ashes, salted beef, wheat, flour, 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 rail- way can be worked. If the cost of transportation be low, there will be certain advantages offered by the railway, which may give it the preference. These are, ready and instant transmission wiien the article is ready, diminished rate of insurance, and diminished freight from Halifax. A ton weight of the other articles will be of such pecuniary value, that these advantages will leave a good margin towards paying their transit by railway. A still wider margin will be left for the articles imported into Canada. They are all, or necrly so, the manufactured articles of the mother country, such as apparel, haberdashery, arms anJ ammunition, books, brass and copper work, upholstery, cotton, linen, woollen and silk manufactures, hardwftrd and cutlery, glass, china, plate and plated ware, saddlery and harness, &c. Of which, whether by ton* weight or measurement, the' value must be so great as to allow a good sum to pay railway carriage when it is considered that the difference of insurance between the two ports of Halifax and Quebec is, at some times of the year, as much as il8> per cent. 15 The value of this inimense trade (exports and imports together) cannot be estimuted at less than 5,500,000 sterling per annum. For which the railway will have no competition by sea for six months of tlie 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 be gained by it, which will be adverted to afterwards. One essential point to be considered as an element of success in competing with its rivals is, the ccst of transportation. On this side of the Atlantic, railways successfully compete with canals and transit by sea. There is no reason why it should not be the same on the other side. The Halifax and Quebec line, passing over a country abounding in fuel, will have a great advantage in tiiat respect over other railways. In 111} Drt I estimated the cost of transportation from Halifax to Quebec, at lis. 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 Commissioners, and the docu- ment attached to the Report, Appendix No. 7. I have as yet seen no reason to increase that estimate. I make the following extracts from a report by Colonel Simpson, the Commissioner appointed by Canada to make statistical inquiries for the Quebec and Halifax Railway. It is dated 13th May 1847, and is addressed to the Governor General of Canada, page 2: — " In the meantime, whilst collecting the general statis- tics of all railroads upon which authentic details vrere attainable, I have particularly directed my attention to the important question of the cost of motive power. " The amount of profit in a railroad will be found to be a result- ing sum, from the amount of capital absorbed, the degree of motive power acquired, and the extent of the traflRc. Mr. Joseph Pease, Chairman of the Stocton and Darlington Railroad, in England, recently stated to a Committee of the Hous*? of Commons, upon the subject of motive power, that in the transportation of coal upon the W' nosed London and York Railroad, one farthing per ton per mile would be found ample to cover all transportation expenses, inclnd- ing 5 per cent, interest on the capital employed in the moveable stock, and the proportion 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 1 2s. 6d. sterling between Quebec and Halifax;." Page 3, from data furnished by the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, Colonel Simpson calculates it at 2 dollars 71 cents per ton between Quebec and Halifax, or lis. 4d. per ton for 600 miles. € 16 Pages 8 and 9 : — *' Tluit I may not mislead as to the import- ance of favourable gradients to the success of an enterprise demanding such an outlay, I beg to show the items of cost of transport on other railways, where the gradients are less favour- able, &c. " Contrasting with tlie statement of Mr. Pease, the Baltimore and Ohio, and the Philadelphia roads, it will be seen that, from the difference of level, the one carried, on an average, during the year 1815, 205 tons; whilst the other attained only 31 J tons." Mr. Wilkinson has drawn up a table of freij^nts for three sup- posed railways, and has assumed us a basis, that the price charged for freight per ton per mil:- on the Western Railway in Massa- chusetts, is the lowest remunerative rate at which goods can be carried ; and having made his calculations by the mileage, draws the conclusion that as my estimated cost is only one seventh part of the rate charged by that railway, a mistake or oversight has been made in the estimate, which destroys the speculations founded upon it, as far as heavy freight is concerned. This is very summary, but the question is not so easily disposed of. Mr. Wilkinson should first have proved that the esitimate of cost of transport was wrong, and that doubling that amount was not sufficient to produce a profit to the railway, lis. was the cost of motive power, but 22s. was the charge calculated upon per ton. In the 1 Is. estimated was embraced, as will be seen by Appendix, No. 7, 1st. Enginemen, 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, was omitted from the cost of motive power. The question then is, whether if lis. be the cost, 22s. is suflR- cient to pay superintendence, repairs, and interest of capital. If a railway has been expensively built, 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 1 Id. per ton per mile. The Western Railway passes over the highest summit level (upwards if 14'^0 feet), and to do so has some of the heaviest gradients in the States. Its capacity for running large trainsof freight is greatly diminished thereby. But the charge of I Id. per mile by this railway does not apply to large quantities. m 17 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 qnantitv of 6000 lbs., or not quite three tons. One-fifth, therefore, off 1 id. per ton per mile is considered a remunerative rate by that railway. i But it is quantity that nas 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 monopoly of the traffic from Albany to 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 Albany to Boston, a distance of 200 miles, for Is. 3d. sterling per barrel, which 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. • * 1 1" • ri'}. This reduction in charge was no doubt due to the quantity. i But the length of a line has also an effect. 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 200 miles as for one 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 ** Doggett's Railroads in the United States," for 1847, will show. ; t ,ti«n I take the Massachusetts railways as I have before taken them for costs of construction. The freight-rates are on coal, iron, manure, lumber, corn, grain, sugar, salt, butter, groceries, &c., which generally are on these lines charged under one class, that of heavy goods : — 'viis^&Vi NAME OP RAILWAY. 0.3:3 ^ 5S Equivalent in Sterling per ton per Mile. Annual , Dividend iul847 Naihua and Lowell PiUfield and Adami Boston and Lowell .. .. .. Connecticut Biver Old Colony Botton and Providence Botton and Worcester Fitebburgh Fall River, 42 miles onljr, but is a part of a line of New Bedford and Taunton, 20 miles, but is part of a Hneof Norwich and Worcester Boston and Maine Eastern, 38 miles, but is part of a line of . . Western Railwajr Or with its 20 per cent, discount 14 19 26 36 371 41 44i 49J S3| 86 59 73 105 156 Genu. 7 7 4-7 5-6 4-5 50 5.0 40 3*7 3-5 Not 3*0 3*4 30 Peno e. 31 3i 2i 2} 21 2i n 2 11 li given. u u li li 10 per cent. fl percent 7 71 7i 10 9 3« 8 9 8 8 »• < ■ » i» p: »» Wm only completed daring the year. IS li "ll The table showg a diminishing rate of charge 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 1 79 miles long, coal is carried at a less rate than three-fourths of a penny per ton per mile. On the London and North Western Railway, in England, coal is carried for three-fourths of a penny per ton per mile, if the dis- tance be above 50 miles. On the Stockton and Darlington, it is, I believe, id. per ton per mile. The cause of these low rates is no doubt due chiefly to quantity. If the Halifax and Quebec Railway 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 £7000 per mile, may expect to carry at a profit the artinle of tim- ber, especially deals and battens, for about 22b. per ton, as taken in my estimate of this item (timber) : there was imported in tlw year 1846 no less than 1,258,336 loads. Of ihu 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 Saint John's River in New Bruns- wick, 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 Railroad, 156 mUes long, can carry heavy goods, in moderate quantities, at 1 id. per ton per mile, and when the quantity is great, at three-fourths of a penny, and pay its shar^olders 8 per cent, dividends, at how much lower rates conld not the Halifox and Quebec line, with its 635 miles, afford to charge to pay only 4 per cent, 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 6e guided by, and that Mr. Wilkinson's assumption of lid. per ton per mile, as the lowest remunerative rate, is not applicable to the Quebec and Halifax case. Otriog to the ihorl i^riod of tho year that the Saint Lawraqoe is open for nav^^aikioiit the yessols firam the United Kingdom Arrive and depart in fleets, as it were. T !■ 20 In the spring of the year, in May, betvreen three and four hun- dred roerohantmen 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 Saint Lawrence before it is dear of floating ice, and have to pay a higher insurance. 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 enormons : and if taken for a number of y^ara back I have no doubt would amount to a sum equal to the cost of making the railway. To all those ships engaged in the trade between Canada and the United Kingdom, whose cargoes are of such a nature as, with reduced insurance and charges for navigating, to leave a margin for paying transit by railway, will be offered the additional advan- tage 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 '.heir goods in Canada in the spring of the year, merchants send large quantities by the Cunard steam- ers, and can afford to pay £7 per ton freight for them in addition to the expense of transit through the United States. Such portion 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 railways should be completed firom Quebec to Montreal and Upper Canada. One of the great staples of Nova Scotia is her fishery. The product of this she now exchanges away with the United States for flour and provisions. The railway will enable her to exchange it far more profitably with Quebec. In the winter of 1847-8 there was an inducement of as mnch as Ids. per barrel of flour in favour of going to Quebec for it instead of to the United States. The whole of this staple commodity would find its wav to the markets of Canada and the Far West, and a large portion 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, thnre are sufiioient grounds for inferring that in a trade of such magnitude, employing such an amount of vessels and tonnage, there will be no lack ^ quantity, if the railway can compete at all with the Saint Lawrence. This will depend upon the oarryung expenses or cost of trans- portation. Captain Huish states that "a hundred tons of goods would oeoupy 22 trucks of the L « ^ ;! 'k. it U-% '01 i ^ ■ V "* ^: 4>. .at, .If . x-!;^. fit '•■T.-'^~^'*» ^- \ ■1S^.'M ^ ■r"' i- rtf •r ' at r ^ >. tiv ?'■ 'X ^■5t4':^ i. &' ■■-• ■•?» aa What the charge should be dependi both upon tlie quai/'ty whioh it will have to carry, and upon the amount which ha« been expended upon its oonitruotion and equipment. With reference to the latter, I beg leave to quote the ToUowing, taken from a pamphlet, on the Condition and Prospects of Kailwav Property, by S. Smiles, Secretary to the Leeds and Thirsk Rail- way Company, page 29 :— " The following calculation by Mr. H. Williams, the actuary, puts the matter in another form. Thns :— RitdchiirgirFiiinr ontvarjrpaiMiigrr ortoiiorgoodt, re- qtiitil* la order to gir* oommon in- Umt at 5 ^ cent. on tht outlay. Total r«arly Trafflo. Numbtr of PaiMngart or Ton* of Ouod^, OrlKlnal eoat of Conttruetion £1S,OOU p«r mil*. 90/MO Orifiii.-.l rott of Conitrurtion £30,01)0 p»r mil*. J. 100 d. 183 Original eoat of Conitruetion £'95,000 p«r mile. Original eoal of Conttruotlon £30,000 per mile. 1-64 d. 300 " It is clear, therefore, that a line which costs £30,000 per mile must either have double the trafTic, or charge double the fares on the same traffic, as compared with the line that has cost only £15,000 per mile." Applying this same soile, then, to the Halifax and Quebec Railway, which has been estimated at £7000 per mile, the rate would be per ton per mile, 0-46 of a penny, or, for the whole dis- tance of 6i35 miles, 24s. 4d. per ton. In my general report, when applying the cost derived from the estimate of Us. to the carriage of barrels of flour, I made the charge per ton 22s., which is only 28. 4d. per ton under the above. This 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 guaranteed loan. But further, under certain advantages as to lands to be appro- priated, the estimated cost of the Haliiax and Quebec Railway was taken at £3,000,000 only, or less than £5000 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. ; whilst the Halifax and Quebec Railway is estimated at £7000 per mile, or under favourable circumstances, £5000 per mile, ana will be required to pay only 4 per cent, interest. With reference to the remarks in Mr. Wilkinson's second f>aper, dated 28th December, 1848, on the disadvantages of the ine running near the coast of the Gnli' and River St. Lawrence, because, by treaty, the French and the United States have certain rights therein of fishing, &o. ,^ I derive a directly opposiie conolusion from hioit •■"■ M wj m p— " iiwiiiii MMMMiliHiMM 24 ;■"» lir [1 t ml If the settlements along the coast are liable to be attacked by the enemy, the railway will, as I have before stated, a£ford the best means of defending them, and may, with care and judgment, be kept so far back as not to be injured from 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 Dalhousie, a distance of about 50 miles. In winter, when the greatest object of the railway is to be attained this objection can ha*'e no force, for then the sea is closed to all alike ; and in summer, the Bay of Chaleurs, running up so far into the land, can scarcely be looked upon as the open sea, bui, must be considered inlana waters, into which it would be very unlikely that the enemy's vessels would enter. The results of railway experience generally and the opinions of experienced engineers are, I believe, quite opposite to those quoted by Mr. Wilkinson. Branches are looked upon as costly appen- dages to trunk lines, and the attention of engineers is at the present moment directed to construct smaller engines and lighter carriages, so as to w(»rk them without loss. Much of the recent depreciation in the value of railway property, and in the dividends of otherwise good lines, has been attributed to the multiplication of branches. The branches to the Erie Canal in New York are a losing addition to the main trunk. Mr. Wilkinson, in a letter addressed to Sir William Colebrooke, under date 17th March 1847, which has been published by order of the House of Assembly of New Brunswick, has advocated warmly the employment of wood in the construction of railways, and makes long ^^otatious in favour of the piled and trestle-bridge railways of the United States. Amongst other lines, the Syracuse and Utica was held up as an exampL of the success attending the principle. It is to be remarked, that nearly at the same time this letter was written, that company had determined upon making a snV- stantial structure, adequate to the performance of thu business required of it, and had condemned the old one 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 stop- page in the works for want of funds occurred, and when they were recommenced 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 Stotes are permanently constructed, and have good heavy iron rails, Mr. Wilkinson still leans strongly to wood rails and wooden railways. *-.-j,.« ^-r^^^, '--:•. .j»v>,ii'-^='r^^^-...- '-^-ti^'Arfyf^ji- -rv-J-v^/.^i*. *^;(a"ri"»''t> ' ■"■ ) held up as an As an exan;ple of the total failure attending the latter, I would refer Mr. Wilkinson to the half-yearly reports of the directors and t'.ie report of the committee of investigation (which have be«n recently published) of the. Waterford and Kilkenny Railway Company. . . ", The wood-work of America requires great care for its preserva- tion. In a Report of the Canal Commissioners, made to the House of Assembly, New York, in 1835, it was 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 wo'd have been twice renewed, and all of them once. I might adduce further instances of the disadvantages attending its use for lines of railway, but I think sufBcient has been said upon that subject. Mr. Wilkinson considers it inconsistent my condemning the use of wood as a principle in the construction of railways, and yet adopting it for the bridges- .^ I do not think it so. If a bridge be not built of wood, it must be made of stone or iron, and the expense is enormous. But the railway, if not made of wood, is made of earth, and the difference 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 the report of the chief engineer of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad for the year 1847, would afford it to me. y^, From this extract it appears eleven bridges and one viaduct of trestle-bridging, making an aggregate length of * 'idge of 5,748 feet, or 1,09 mile, nut having been properly and suustantially made with seasoned wood, and covered in, had gone to decay, and were unequal to support Uie heavy weight passing over them. The decay, it says, soon commenced. An entire reconstruction of the vrhole has been considered expedient, rather than resort to a less thorough renovation, which would have been less safe, and in the end more expensive. I'he new structnres have succeeded admirably, and stood the test of two years. A very important part of the improvement applied to them consisted in covering them from the weather, and with this pro- tection it is believed, so says the report, they will be as durable as .if built of iron or Btone. mniu ..n ;ii, Without going quite so far as this, I think they can be rendered Very durable and lasting by being covered in. Bridges can be covered in and preserved, but hundreds of miles of railway could not be so easily 'Jone, and without it, it is clear, IV -I 26 ill III ■1 ^ I i < from the Extracts quoted, the trestle-bridge principle is bad and to be avoided. Mr. Wilkinson says it is to be remembered that no water-oroi»> ings of great magnitude are likelv to occur on the central line through New Brunswick. Thib is true ; but there do occar, on the line explored by us, some long and very high viaducts, ^^hich, in my opin^cn, are as abjectionable as the bridges on the eastern route. They all, I believe, without exception, cross at places where the rivers are so shallow as to have only a few feet of water in depth, and their height in consequence will not require to be very great. I do not comprehend exactly the import of the concluding para- graph of the remarks relative to *' long bridges immediately in the tideway of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence." If it means that these long bridges will be exposed to be destroyed by an enemy from the side of the gulf shore, his alarm is grooi i- less, as the bridges alluded to all occur at a very long distance from the sea-shore, sufficient to save such a catastrophe. Or if it means that on the latter account the line does not pass at the greatest possible distance from the United States, I am willing to allow him the benefit of his finely-drawn distinction. Mr. Wilkinson, towards the conclusion of his remark, says : — " There is no hope that a line terminating at Halifax can systema- tically compete either with the navigation of the Saint Lawrence, or with shorter railroads terminating in the Bay of Fundy." The latter I need say nothing about, the prospect of their accomplishment is too remote, but in opposition to the d|)inion eXipressed by ^him, 1 have the greatest hope and belief tha' ) very large pcrtion 'tt the traffic from the United Kingdom to Quebec will pass by that railway, and that it will command neariy all the passenger traffic, not only to Canada, but ailso, in the course of time, a very large portion of that between Europe and the conti- nent of North America. The punctuality and shortness of the voyeiges made b^ the C'lnard steamers from Liverpool to Halifax, as compared with sill otners running bejtween England and the United States will, I conceive, ensure this result. But however important to the Quebec auid Halifax RjBiQway ihliy be the carriage of the heavy goods between those two places, it has, jthoqgh thb should (ail it, so many other direct and inpirect ben^td to confer upon the three provinces, and the mother connttf t&m, if it be desirous to retun them as (»lonles, that no lo^. I fte\ assured, can arise to either party firom the construction of this rail- way, even if it should not be a nemunefative line when considered in a merely commercial point of view. The money spont upon it must enrich the provinoeSi induce 27 1 and to )r-orol»- tral line court on D^hich, e eastern rhere the n depth, ry great, ng para- elyinthe deatroy-'d is groai i- »nce from Or If it IBS at the willing to c, gays :— n gystepaa- Lawrence, idy." ct of their the o|>inion tha' » very % to Qnebeo early t\\ the he connie of id the conti- lade by the Bded With fSl itates wftl, I UHnttf itiiy jlaces, it has, llrectben^fitR coontiy tdsp, D \o^jl f^el n of this rail- eii ooiivi^<^red rinoes, indnee settlement, and promote trade and agriculture. And the benefits arising therefrom will be apparent in the provincial treasuries. If the railway balance-sheet should produce an unfavourable result, that of each province will be all the better for its having been made. What the Erie Canal has accomplished for the State of New York, this railway raa^ possibly do for the British Provinces. In the former case it has doubled the population, and doubled the value of real and personal property, and pays annually out of its surplus profits a large revenue to the State Government, and contributes funds also to pay the interest of money borrowed for the formation of branch canals, or other internal improvements. Between the year 1820 and the year 1845 the population of this State increased by 1,231,683 souls, and added about 50,000,000 sterling to the value of real and personal property. It will not be too much, I think, to estimate that within the same period one-third of that number, or about 400,000 settlers, might, by means of the works afforded by the construction of the railway, and the opening out of such a wide field for agriculture, be added to the population of the three provinces. With plenty of work, and good markets opened to them by means of the railway, the provincial revenues would derive from these settlers, at a moderate estimate 10s. per head, or £200,000 annually, the total amount of interest required if the railway should cost the whole of £5,000,000 sterling. „ ; , , , , In conclusion, I beg leave to ofier a few more figures to show not so much what may be gained, as what is actually lost yearly by the British North AmerioRn Colonies, for want of railway intercommunications with each ctaer. They are taken from the "American Almanack," published at Boston, a work of very great merit. Value of Imports and Exports of the United States with the British '^'^ North American Colonies. dollars. 5,361,186 1,354,717 For the year ending 30th June 1844 : — | Elxports — Domestic Produce Foreign Produce ,„ .■(1 ?,nnKn*','iT ■-ii.-- -'■ Imports **• ••• ••• ••• ••• *•• •* I^V 9«Uncc raid by British Colonies 5,250,188 Equrf to £1 ,093,734 sterling for the year 1844. Dollars. 6,715,903 1,465,715 ^U^'^ ill 4iIft|-;^'!>iif>l|j'!ni\itS Ififv^'^>'-*: -4 -nfcp> ^•^■'■>:o:^m :i iw ¥l* muam 28 For the year ending 30th June 1 845 :— Dollars. Exports — Domestic Produce 4,844,966 Foreign Produce 1,209,260 Imports .. U-]} I' «•« ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• Balance paid by the British Colonies Dollars. 6,054,226 2,020,065 4,034,161 Equal to £840,450 sterling for the year 1845. For the year ending 30th June 1846 : Exports — Domestic Produce 6,042,666 Foreign Produce ... 1,363,767 \/» f\.t\j\ Imports ... •Jt.U • •• , ••• ••• ••• .iMt;, ') 'T(t 7,406,433 1,937,717 250,000 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, and could well supply the two sister provinces. I cannot conceive either that in the list of exported articles of their domestic produce there is any- one but which could, if it met with due encouragement, be pro- duced in some portion or other of the British North American Possessions. If I am correct in so supposing, then there is a clear loss to them of that amount, and to be saved by a greater attention being paid to agriculture, and the settlement of the hitherto uncultivated lands. The railway is the one thing needful to afford the men i of distributing the produce from one Province to another. From the foregoing, I think it may be said that the British Colonies of North America pay, for their want of enterprise and neglect in developing their internal communications and resources, an annual fine of £K000,000 sterling to the United States of America. . . I have, &c. (Signed) Portsmouth, March 30, 1849. Wm. Robinson, Capt. R. E., Brevet Major.