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Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmfo en commengant par Is premlAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernlAre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaftra sur la dernlAre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols -^ signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols y signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre filmte A des taux de rMuction diff^rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est film* A partir de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche A rlroite, et de haut en bes, en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants iilustrent le mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ON THE MILITARY & COMMERCIAL IMPORTANCE OF COMPLETINQ THE LINE OF RAILWAY FROM HALIFAX TO QUEBEC. TO WHICH IS ADDEP, OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE, PROCEEDINGS AT DEPUTATIONS, COPIES OF MEMORIALS TO HER MAJESTY's GOVERNMENT, PETITIONS TO THE IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT, AND OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. WITH A MAP. LONDON : WILLIAM PENNY, 67, LINCOLN'S-INN FIlLDa AprU, 1862. ^i -no K T CONTENTS. Introduction 1 Extract fi'om Lord Durham's Report, recommending the con- struction of a Railway from Halifax to Quebec, dated Slst January, 1839 ... 7 Extract from Major Robinson's Report on the Survey for a Railway, August 31, 1848 8 Ditto, Captain Henderson's Report 11 Extract from further Report of Major Robinson, March 30, 1849 12 Lord Grey's Despatch, conveying Report to Lord Elgin, 17th November, 1848 12 Lord Elgin's Reply, 20th December, 1848 13 Extract from Resolutions of New Brunswick Legislature, 6th January, 1849 14 Address to Her Majesty from the New Brunswick Legislature, granting £20,000 a-year and 10 miles of all the ungranted lands on either side of the line in (.id of its construction, 31st March, 1849 14 Same from Nova Scotia, 31st March, 1849 15 Same from Canada, 30th May, 1849 16 Further audress to Her Majesty from the New Brunswick Legislature, 25th April, 1850 16 Extract from Mr. Howe's Letter to Lord Grey, 25th Novem- ber, 1850 17 Lord Derby's Speech in the House of Lorde, 14th February, 1851 17 Letter from Mr. Hawes to Mr. Howe, pledging the Imperial Guarantee to the Railway, 10th March, 1851 24 Extract from Lord Grey's Despatch to Loi*d Elgin on the fiscal relations between Canada and the Imperial Govern- ment, 14th March, 1851 26 / *" -•■ " ■ "■ ' I — » IV CONTKNTS. t 1 I 26 Lord Grey's Despatch to Lord Elgin, confiniiii)g the pledge given in Mr. Hawes's Letter to Mr. Howe, 14th March, 1851 Opinion of Lord Cathcart on the importance of the Eailway, 3l8t March, 1851 28 Ditto of Lord Grey, 12th June, 1851 29 Extract from Mr. Hincke's Letter to Sir John Pakington, Colonial Secretary, 31st March, 1852 29 Extract from Sir John's Pakington's Despatch to Lord Elgin, confirming the pledge given by Lord Grey, 20th March, 20th May, 1852 30 Letter of Mr. Macdonald, the "Premier" of Canada, to the Provincial Secretary, reporting the result of the Mission to the Imperial Government, 1st February, 1858 31 Memorandum addressed by the Delegates to the Imperial Government, October, 1857 31 Extract from Captain Gal ton's Report on the Railways of Canada and the United States, 8th December, 1856 ... Extract from " Martin's British Colonies " on the ports and harbours of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick Address to Her Majesty from the Legislature of Nova Scotia, 1st May, 1858 ?.*. 36 Same from Canada, 16th August, 1858 36 Report of Meeting at the " Thatched House Tavern," Loudon, 5th June, 1858 37 Keport of Deputation to the Colonial Secretary, Sir E. Bulwer Lytton, 14th June, 1858 46 Report of Deputation to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Disraeli, 15th June, 1858 51 Extract from Lord Bury's Report of his Mission to British North America, 4th February, 1859 55 Letter of Delegates from Canada, New Bruns*rick, and Nova Scotia to the Colonial Secretary, 26th October, 1858 ... 55 Ditto to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, 13th November, 1858 58 Address to Her Majesty from the Legislature of New Bruns- wick, Session 1861 60 35 35 CONTENTS. V Siiuie from Nova Scotia 61 London Petition to Parliament, Session 1861 62 Liverpool ditto ditto 66 Manchester Petition to Parliament, Session 1861 68 Glasgow ditto ditto 70 Bristol ditto ditto 71 Report of Deputation to the Duke of Newcastle, 14th June, 1861 72 Keport of Convention of British North American Govern- ment held in Quebec, September, 1861, with copy of Minute of Council 74 Opinions of the Press : — Blackwood's Magazine, January, 1862 77 Saturday Review, January 4, 1862 96 London Review, January 11, 1862 100 Spectator, January 11, 1862 103 Morning Chronicle, January 9, 1862 105 Edinburgh Review, January, 1862 109 Times, January 16, 1862 110 Morning Advertiser, January, 20, 1862 113 Liverpool Albion, November 2d, 1861 116 Colburn's New Monthly Magazine, January, 1862 118 Quarterly Review, January, 1862 121 Saturday Review, March 8, 1862 121 Canadian News, February 13, 1862 121 Memorial to the Lord's Commissioners of her Majesty's Trea- sury, from the City of London, January 24, 1862 124 Memorial to Lord Palmerston, January, 1862 129 Memorial from Liverpool 131 Memorial from Bristol 132 Memorial from Belfast 134 Memorial from Sheffield 135 Memorial from Chester 137 Memorial from Newcastle-on-Tyne and Gateshead 138 Memorial from Dublin 138 Memorial from Belfast 140 Memorial from Glasgow , 142 vi CONTENTS. Letter from H.R.II. the Duke of Kent to the late Chief Jus- tice Sewell, on the union of the British North-American Provinces, 30th November, 1814 144 Intercolonial Railway ...., 145 Map of Canada, with Part of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, showing the Halifax and Quebec line of Railway and its connection with the Grand Trunk and other Canadian Railways. y T Jus- ican 144 145 rova way ther OR THE MILITARY AND COMMERCIAL IMPORTANCE OF COMPLETING THE LINE OF RAILWAY PROM HALIFAX TO QUEBEC. British North America still forms one-eightli of tiie iiabit* able globe, it measures about 4,000,000 square miles, its internal navigation is unparalleled in the world, it has an extremely fertile soil, inexhaustible forests of the finest timber, immense mineral resources of coal and iron — the coal area of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick equ>illing in extent and richness that of the whole of Europe, — the wealth of all tile fisiieries upon a sea coast of 5,000 miles, blessed with a bracing and healtiiy climate; in fact, its natural advantages and resources are sufficient to make it an empire equal to Russia. But when we consider that for six months of tlie year we are solely dependent on the United States for our intercommunication with this immense portion of our colonial empire, it behoves us to provide a remedy if possible. In the provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick we have harbours for capacity and safety unequalled ; but these ports have no connection with the interior of Canada by rail- way, and the consequence is that the passengers, mails, and merchandise, have to pass through the United States; but once reach Canada, and we have the finest system of railways in America. Halifax^ in Nova Scotia, is the finest harbour on the continent of America, and always open ; it is 547 miles nearer to Europe tlian New York is, and 400 miles nearer than any other open port on the continent of North America. Halifax is nearer to Canada and the Saint Lawrence naviga- tion than New York is ; Saint John's, New Brunswick, is on a par as to distance to Canada with Portland, and 100 miles nearer than Boston. Halifax is England's naval station in the Atlantic Ocean ; 9 ' 1 /I it is also the packet station of the Uritisii and North-American Mail Service; and, on the cxpirution of the contract witii the West-India lloyal Mail Steam l*acket Company, Her Majesty's Government have expressed their intention to make the West-India and Pacific mail service an offshoot from the British and North- American at Halifax. Halifax is on the direct line from Liverpool to New York. It is two-thirds of the distance from England to the West Indies, and only 180 miles out of the direct course to Jamaica. 1 1 is as near from Liverpool, vld Halifax, to Havarnuh and the Gulf Ports, as from Southampton, via St. Thomas, to those places. To connect Halifax with the interior of British North America originated witii Lord Melbourn's administration on the establishment of Transatlantic Steam Navigation in 1838, and the construction of a railway was strongly reconnnendetl by Lord Durham in his celebrated report on Canada. Lord Melbourn''s Government, however, went out of office without making much progress in the matter. Sir Robert Peel's administration, which followed, first had the route surveyed for a military road ; and, subsequently, in 1846, Mr. Gladstone, the then Colonial Secretary, organized a survey for a railroad. This survey was com|)letea during the administration of Lord John Ilussell, which followed. The survey and report thereon were so favourable to the project that the Government, in a despatch to the Governor-General of British North America, dated the 14tli March, 1851, pledged themselves to recommend Parliament to guarantee a minimum rate of interest on the capital necessary for its construction, or to advance the money from the British treasury : l)efb»'e arrangements coulil be completed the ministry went out of office. Lord Deiby''s administration succeeded them, and although they renewed the pledge of their predecessors, a delay arose upon a question of route, they also resigned before final arrangements were made. Lord Aberdeen's Government succeeded them, and the Duke of Newcastle, then Colonial Secretary, in conjunction with the Colonial Governments, were arranging the terms on which it should be submitted to Parliament, when the llussiaii war brought the matter again to a stand-still. \ Seeing the great pressure at that time upon the resources of the Ho.iie Government, the Colonial Government et to work, and from their own unaided resources made 284t miles of the line, relying upon the Imperial Government fulfilling their repeated pledges at a more convenient period. Cana a, in addition to making 114 miles of the Halifax {^id Quebec line, also made upwards of S,000 miles of railway 8 North westward of Quebec, ufiei* the date of the dcspatcli before alluded to ; but there is n limit to Colonial resources, and Canada and her sister provinces of Nova Scotia and New Drunswick found they had gone to the verge of prudence in extending their resources to carry out railway communication, and that it was utterly impossible for them to complete the Ilalifux and Quebec line without imperial aid. And they therefore renewed their application to the imperial Govern- ment ; but the Indian mutiny prevented the Government from complying with their request. Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia had some years before, in accordance with an invitation from the Imperial Government, passed acts of Parliament granting to " Ilcr Majesty .€60,000 a year, and a free right of way through all [)rivate property, provided her Majesty's Government wovdd >y themselves, or through the instrumentality of a private company, make the railway." Notwithstanding the portion which the British North- American provinces have already made, they, in their last application to the Imperial Government, expressed their willingness still to carry out these enactments so as to secuix; its completion. Canada is the only colony of the Empire that has raised a colonial force paid for out of the Provincial Treasury, and amply sufficient for the internal defence of the province, but notwithstanding this, the military expenses of British North America borne by the Imperial Ireasury amounts, in time of profound peace, to more tnan £400,000 a year. This arises from the fact that, for one-half the year, reinforcements cannot be sent to Canada, and, therefore, such a force has to be maintained in time of peace as could hold the garrisons for six months in time of war, and from the fact that, that for half the year the British Provinces have no communication with each other, so as to enable them to give mutual aid and sup- port, and which would be their best surely against aggression. A fortification is only as strong as its weakest point ; so l ( > is the whole naval and military force of the Empire only cqu. ' to the facility with which they can be brought to bear on any given point. This can be measured by the difficulty of trans- porting troops and nainitions of war for {J50 miles, more than a third through a howling wilderiess, and over a road seven feet wide, and with a depth of snow varying from four to eight feet, and the thermometer with the mercury frozen. The Canadian rebellion, the Crimean war, ond the events of the last few weeks have demonstrated that the only road to and from Canada during the winter months is by this route, n '> m 4 and that it is only during the winter months that tlie defence of Canada has ever been, or liiceiy to be subject to danger. Time and money are both importa'it considerations ; by railway 10,000 men could be sent through from Halifax to Quebec in twenty hours ; by the present means of convey- ance it would be almost impossible to move troops in larger bodies than 100 men, and at the rite of thirty miles a day; so that from the first 100 men of a regiment starting from Halifax to the last 100 arriving at Quebec, would take at least three weeks. The cost would be as six to one for troops, and as eigiit to one for war material, as compared with the charges by railway. In case of an attack upon the Canadian frontiers, or the siege of Quebec, Halifax or St. John must be our basis of opera- tion for extending relief; now, if it was found so difficjlt to move troops and stores from Balaclava to the trenches, a dis- tance of about twelve miles, without a railway, how much more so would it be to move them 350 miles through a country where Generaux Janvier and Fevrier are equally formidable? Commercially it is of the most vital importance. At the present time, our trade and correspondence with our own Province of Canada is for half the year subject to the will and fiscal enactments of the United States. First, let us con- sider the importance of the trade itself. Canada, with a popu- lation of two million and a-half, takes about j£5,000,000 sterling annually of our manufactures, or about SOs. per head more tiian the people of the United States did even before the Morrill tariff, or the civil war. During the present year, our exports to Canada nearly equal those to the United States, when we exclude the war material. The magnitude of the trade of Canada through the United States is enormous, amounting to not less than £10,000,000 sterling annually, and it has, owing to want of access through Britisli territory to our own ports in the Atlantic, forced nearly the whole carrying trade of Canada into the hands of the United States' shipowners. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick draw half a n^illion sterling annually of Canadian breadstuffs through the United States; the whole of our correspondence passes, for six months of the year, tiirough the United States. They can pass transit duties, discrimi- nating duties, prohibitory duties ; they can, in fact, close our and Canada's through trade altogether ; they can terminate the postal treaty, and just drop Canada back into the age when railways were unknown for the transmission of letters ; but once complete this railway, and all those evils vanish. With an independent line through British territory from Halifax to liake Huron— 1,400 miles transit, discriminating, pro- 1 qgRPWP T hibitory, nay, even protective duties, are utterly impossible ; no argument, no treaty, no favour would so certainly secure free trade between this country and the United States as the completion of this railway. Its completion would bring railway communication witii the whole of North America two days nearer to Europe, The length of line remaining to be completed, is about 350 miles, the estimate for its construction and equipment is .€3,000,000 the three Provinces have proposed to iier Majesty^ Govern- ment to join in a guarantee of £120,000 per annum until such time as the line shall be self-sustaining, with the condition that her Majesty ''s mails, military stores ancl troops, shall be carried free. There lies between the western boundaries of Canada and the base of the Rocky Mountains a great fertile country of more than 300,000 square miles, admirably adapted for settle- ment, and which is just as much tlic fee-simple of the Britisis crown as the Tower of London or Windsor Castle ; to make a road through the Provinces of Nova Scotia, New Bi'iniswick, and Canada, to this immense territory, is just as much the duty of the people of Great Britain as of the three provinces name(l. One of the reasons given for reconciling the people of British North America to the changes in the commercial policy of the empire at a former period was the pledge of Imperial assistance to complete this railway ; that pledge has not yet been fulfilled, but further changes Jiave recently been made in the commercial policy of the empire, by which the last vestige of protection which British Nortii America enjoyed has been swept away. No portion of our Colonial Empire has shown such noble and chivalrous devotion to the mother country as British North America ; in the hour of need she raised an army, and sent them to our assistance ; she also claimed to contribute her share towards providing for the relief of the widows and orphans of those brave men who had fallen in the service of their country, and whilst fighting for the liberties of Europe. It requires no great foresight to see that Nova Scotia, on the Atlantic, and Vancouver's Island on the Pacific are absolutely essential to the maritime supremacy of Great Britain; they are unquestionably the best Naval Stations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and enjoy in a greater degi-ee all the elements for a great future maritime power than any other countries in the world, excepting Great Britain ; their climates are both temperate and healthy, their harbours both numerous and good, and their coal and iroti-niincs 1 I inexhaustible, it is in the power of the mother country to secure them to her for ever. Since the day when Lord Grey pledged the Imperial Guarantee to this line of Railway, in 1851, 1,500,000 of the Queen's subjects have drifted into the United States, the largest portion of whom, by a little judicious management, might have been planted in our own provinces. They have been lost to the strength of the Empire. If war conies they will be enemies not friends. Should peace be preserved, they are behind the morrill tariff; consumers for ever of American and not British manufactures, and their savings will come home to swell the Stream of immigration in the wrong direction in all time to come ; although Lord Durham stated the boundless resources of British North America in these eloquent words— "These interests are, indeed, of great magnitude; and on the course which your Majesty and your Parliament may adopt with respect to the North American colonies will depend the future destinies, not only of the million and a half of your Majesty's sub- jects who at present inhabit those pi'ovinces, but of that vast l)opulation which those ample and fertile terltories are fit and destined hereafter to support. No portion of the American continent possesses greater natural resources for the maintenance of lai'ge and floui'ishing communities. An almost boundless range of the richest soil still remains unsettled, and may be rendere«l available for the purposes of agriculture. The wealth of inex- haustible forests of the best timber in America, and of extensive regions of the most valuable minerals, have as yet been scarcely touched. Along the whole line of sea-coast, around each island, and in every river, are to be found the greatest and richest fisheries in the world. The best fuel and the most abundant water-power are available for the coarser manufactures, for which an easy and certain market will be found. Trade with the conti- nent is favoured by the possession of a large number of safe and spacious liai'bours ; long, deep, and numerous rivers, and vast inland seas, supply the means of easy intercourse, and the struc- ture of the country generally affords the utmost facility for every species of communication by land. Unbounded materials of agri- cultural; commercial, and manufacturing industry are there. It depends upon the present decision of the Imperial Legislature to determine for whose benefit they are to be rendered available. The country which has .founded and maintained these colonies, at a vast expense of blood and treasure, may justly expect its compen- sation in turning their unappropriated resources to the account of its own redundant population. They are the rightful patrimony of the English people — the ample appanage which God and nature have set aside in the new world for those whose lot has assigned them but iusutilcient portions in the old." ■■HP T Epitome of Peocbedings taken by the Imperial and Colonial Governments ^ 8fC, §'6., to carry out this UNDERTAKING. On the establishment of Transatlantic Steam Navigation by the Imperial Government they directed Lord Durham (then in Canada) to turn his attention to the formation of a road between Halifax and Quebec. Lord Durham recommended the construction of a railway ; see his Report on Canada, presented to Parliament, February, 1839. Extracts from Lord Durham's Report : — " In a despatch which arrived in Canada after my departure, the Secretary of State informed me of the determination of your Majesty's Government to establish a steam communication uetween Great Britain and Halifax ; and instrticted me to turn my attention to the formation of a road bettoeen that port and Quebec. It would indeed have given me sincere satisfaction, had I remained in the province, to promote, by any means in my power, so highly desirable an object ; and the removal of the usual restrictions on my authority as Governor- General having given me the means of effectually rating in concert with the various Provincial Governments, I might have been able to make some progress in the work. But I cannot point out more strikingly the evils of the present want of a general government for these provinces, than by adverting to the difficulty which would practically occur, under the previous and present arrangements of both executive and legislative authorities in the various provinces, in attempting to carry such a plan into effect. For the various colonies have no more means of concerting such common works with each other, than with the neighbouring States of the Union. They stand to one another in the position of foreign states, and of foreign states without diplomatic relations. The Governors may correspond with each other ; the legislators may enact laws, carrying the common purposes into effect in their I'espective jurisdictions ; but there is no means by which the various details may speedily and satisfactorily be settled with the concurrence of the different parties. And, in this instance, it must be recollected that the communication and the final settlement would have to be made between, not two, but several of the provinces. The road would run through three of them ; and Upper Canada, into which ii; would not enter, would, in fact, he more inter- ested in the completion of such a work than any even of the provinces through which it would pass. The colonies, indeed, have no common centre in which the arrangement could be made, except in the Colonial Office at home; and the details of such a plan would have to be discussed just where the interest of all parties would have the least means of being fairly and fully represented, and where the minute local knowledge necessary for such a matter would be least likely to be found. " The completion of any satisfactory communication between Halifax and Quebec would in fact produce relations between these provinces that would render a general union absolutely necessary. Several surveys have proved that a railway would be perfectly practicable the whole way. Indeed, in North America, the expense and difficulty of making a railway bears by no means the excessive proportion to those of a common road that it does in Europe. It appears to be a general opinion in the Unite! States, that the severe snows and 8 frosts of that continent very slightly impede, and do not prevent, the travelling on railroads ; and if I am rightly informed, the Utica Railroad, in the northern part of the State of New York, is used throughout the winter. If this opinion be correct, the formation of a railroad from Halifax to Quebec would entirely avoid some of the leading characteristics of thii Canadas. Instead of being shut out from all direct intercourse with England during half of the year, they would possess a far more certain and speedy communication throughout the winter than they now possess in summer. The jassage from Ireland to Quebec would be a matter of ten or twelve days, and Halifaa; would be the great part by which a large portion of the trade and all the conveyance of passengers to the whole qf British North America toould be carried on. I i It During Sir Robert PeePs Administration, in 1843, they caused a survey for a military road to be made by Sir James Alexander and Colonel Simmonds, hut when nearly complete it was abandoned by the Imperial Government in favour of a railroad. (See Sir James Alexander's Arcadia.) In 184C, Mr. Gladstone, then Colonial Secretary, organized a survey for the railroad at the joint expense of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, and the Imperial Government. In February, 1849, the survey and report of Major Robin* son and Captain Henderson, of the lioyal Engineers, was presented to Parliament. Extracts from that Report :— "The state of Massachusetts affords the best materials for accurate infurma- tion as to the cost of railways in the United States. " The average cost per mile of 830 miles has been £7,9bO sterling. "The cHmate and nature of the country bears a strong rrscmblance to that through which the Halifax and Quebec Line will pass, and in this respect the analogy of the two cases is extremely favourable. '* On some of the lines upwards of ^15 per ton for rails have been paid. In England rails can now be bought at £S or £9 a ton. " The advantage whicli Halifax and Quebec will possess over the lines in Massachusetts in respect of iron alone, may be calculated at £bOO per mile. " When these lines were constructed, also, the demand for labour was ex- tremely great, and wages much higher than in the present day. " The Halifax and Quebec Line will have also many advantages which the American lines have not. " The land for the greater portion will not have to be purchased; timber and stone will be had nearly along the whole line for cutting and quarrying. " Halifax may be considered the nearest great seaport to England. " The mails, troops munitions of war, commissariat supplies, and all public stores, would naturally pass by it, as the safest, speediest, and cheapest means of conveyance. •' If a straight line be drawn from Cape Clear, in Ireland, to New York, it will cut through a pass close to Halifax: the latter, therefore, is the direct route ; and as the sea-voyage across the Atlantic to New York may be shortened by three days nearly in steamers, it is not improbable that, on that account, when the branch railroad to St. John's is completed, and other lines to connect it with the United States, the whole or greater portion of the passenger traffic between the Old and New World would pass through Halifax, and over a great section of the proposed railway. '* But the great object for the railway to attain, and which, if it should be able >9 to accomplish, its capability to pay the interest on the capital expended would be undoubted, is to supersede the long and dangero ^ passage to Quebec by the Gulf of St. Lawrence. " To make two voyages in the year, vessels are obliged to leave England earlier, and encounter the dangers of the ice in the gulf much sooner, than it is safe and prudent for them to do. Tlie loss of life and property which has occurred from this cause has been enormous. It cannot be ascertained, but probably it would have more than paid for the railway. " An opinion, however, may be formed of it from the rates of insurance, which in the spring and autumn are as high as 10 per cent. — a much higher rate than to any other part of the world. For six months of the year, then, the St. Law. rence would cease to be a competitor with the railway, and large quantities of produce would be certain to be forwarded by it. For the other six months of the years it would have also the following strong claims to preference : rapidity of transport, the saving of heavy insurance, and cheaper rate of freight from Halifax. Vessels engaged in the Canadian trade would make three voyages to Halifax for two to Quebec. " The trade which is now crowded into six months, to the great inconvenience of every one concerned, rendering large stocks nece'isary to be kept in hand, would be diffused equally over the whole year. It is raost probable that these advan< tages will be found so great that only the bulky and weighty articles of commerce, such as the very heavy timber and a few other goods, will continue to be sent round by the Gulf of St. Lawrence. "The enterprise is of general interest, it concerns the prosperity and welfare of the three provinces, and the honour as well as the interests of the whole British empire may be affected by it. It is the one great means by which alone the power of the mother country can be brought to bear on this side of the Atlantic, and restore the balance of power, fast turning to the side of the United States. Every new line of railway adds to their power, enabling them t*^ concentrate their forces almost wherever they please ; and by the lines, of which there arc already some. » .\ there will soon be more, reaching to their northern frontier, they can choose at their own time any point of attack on their long extending Canadian frontier, and direct their whole strength against it. The provinces, therefore, and the empire, having such interest in the formation of the Halifax and Quebec Line, it should be undertaken by them in common as a great public work fur the public weal. " The ordinary price for an acre of wild, uncleared land is about 2s. 6d, to 3». per acre ; but where public roads are made through them, the value immediately increases, and it will not be considered an extravagant estimate to suppose that the land along it or in the immediate vicinity of the railway will be worth £1 per acre. " But to look at this great work only as acammercial speculation and yielding merely interest for the exp'^nditure incurred, would be to take a very limited view of the objects it is capable of claiming. , " In the United States they are well aware of the increased value which internal improvements and communications give to property of every kind. "In those countries, works have been undertaken for that object alone, not for the mere return which the work, whether railway, road, or canxl, would make of itself. The indebtedness of the "cveral states has been incurred almost entirely in making great internal improvements : and in the boldness and unhesitating way in which they have incurred debts and responsibilities for the purpose of developing their resources may be seen the secret of their unrivalled prosperity. " The state is in debt, but its inhabitants have been enriched beyond all proportion. Most unfavourable comparisons are made by travellers who visit the British provinces and the United States ; and some have gone us far as to state, that travelling along where the boundary is a mere conventional line, they could at once tell whether they were in the States or not. " The creative or productive power of canals, railways, &c., may be traced in the history and progress of New York. The Erie Cunul was commenced in 1817, and completed in 1825, and cost ;f 1,400,000 sterling. The canal was found CO inadequate to the traffic, that, between the years 1825 and 1835, a I 1 10 I i I 1 further sum of £2,700,000 was expended in enlarging it. And on the Istof July, 1836, there had accumulated in the hands of the commissioners an amount sufficiunt to extinguish the whole of the standing debt incurred in its construction. '• For the States of New York :— *' In 1817, the official value of real and personal pro- perty was .. .. .. .. £63,368,000; " In 1835, the official value of real and personal pro- perty was .. .. .. .. £110,120,000; or, an increase of nearly £47,000,000 sterling in the value of property, attributed chiefly, if not entirely, to the formation of the canals. " It is not t03 much to say, that between the Bay of Fundy and the St. Lawrence, in the country to be traversed by the proposed railway, there is abundant room for all the surplus population of the mother country. " Of the climate, soil, and capabilities of New Brunswick, it is impossible to speak too highly. There is no country so beautifully wooded and watered. An inspection of the map will show that there is scarcely a section of it without its streams, from the running brook up to the navigable river; two-thirds of its boundary are washed by the sea, the remainder is embraced by the large rivers, the St. John and the Restigouche. For beauty and richness of scenery, this, latter river and its branches are not surpassed by anything in Great Britain. Its lakes are numerous and most beautiful, its surface is undulating, hill and dale varying to mountain and valley. It is everywhere, except a few peaks of the highest mountains, covered with a dense forest of the finest growth. The country can everywhere be penetrated by its streams ; in some parts of the interior, for a postage of three or four mites, a canoe can float away either to the Bay of Chaleurs and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, or down to St. John's, in the Bay of Fundy. The labours of the season over or suspended upon the railway, they could most advantageously employ themselves in clearing, logging, and improving their own lots. " Another great effect of the railway would be to enhance almost immediately the value of all real and personal property. Villages and towns would no doubt spring up in its course, the same as in the Erie Canal. The railway would give them birth, agriculture and external commerce would support and enrich them. But if by its means the navigation of the Gulf of St. Lawrence is spared, what an amount of human suffering and loss of life will it not save ! " Embarking and disembarking at Halifax, all danger and inconvenience from the Gulf navigiition would be avoided, time and expense would be saved, and the season might be disregarded. Troops are annually moved to and from Canada ; about the close of the navigation in 1843, a transport having the 1st royal regiment on board, was wrecked in the mouth of the St. Lawrence. The men got safely on shore, but there were no roads or means of getting away from the place. By the personal exertions of one of the officers, who made his way through the woods in snow-shoes to Li.e nearest settlement, and thence to Quebec, Information was given of the wreck, and a steamer sent down to take them off; but for this, the consequence must have been that the regiment would have had to winter there in the best manner they could. " The mails to and from Canada would pass over British territories exclusively, and they would be received at Quebec before the steamer reached Boston, and at Montreal about the same time as its arrival at that port. " Its agricultural capabilities and its climate are described in Bouchette's works, in Martin's ' British Colonies,' and other authors. The country is by them, and most deservedly, so highly praised, that, for any great plan of emigration or colonization, there is not another so well formed for the trial as New Brunswick. " To 17,000,000 productive acres there are only 208,000 inhabitants. "Of these, 11,000,000 acres are still public property. On the surface is an abandant stock of the finest timber, which in the markets of England realizes large sums annually, and affords an unlimited supply of fuel to the settlers. If this should ever become exhausted, there arc the coals underneath. 11 "r st of July, n amount istruction. 1,000 ; 9,000 : attributed nd the St. ff there is possible to ;ere(l. An without its birds of its Eirge rivers, snery, this, ?at Britain, ill and dale eaks of the rhe country erior, for a the Bay of the Bay of lilway, they . improving mmediately d no doubt Id give them them. But !d, what an nience from saved, and and from ing the Ist •ent'c. The away from ade his way B to Quebec, e them off.; lid have had exclusively, ston, and at Bouchette's )untry is by eat plan of the trial as nts. irfacc is an land realiyes settlers. If " The lakes and sea-coasts abound with fish \ along the Bay of Chalenv^ it is so abundant that the land smells of it; it is used as manure, and wli le tlie olfactory nerves of the traveller are offended by it on the land, he sees ov at sea immense shoals, darkening the surface of the water. " For about the same expense, five emigrants could be landed in New Bruns- wick for one in the Antipodes. " The present limited population being so generally engaged in the timber trade and the fisheries, there is the richest opening for agriculturists. •' New Brunswick annually pays to the United States upwards of j£^200,000 for provisions and other articles, which she can raise upon her own soil. " Nova Scotia does nearly the same thing. " There exists, therefore, a good market already on the spot for agricultural produce, and it would be a strange anomaly indeed if a country, situated within three or four weeks' sail of the markets of England, could not compete with the growers of produce in the valley of the Misuissippi, and the countries round the great lakes in the far west. *< In a political and military point of view, the proposed railway must be regarded as becoming a work of necessity. " The increasing population and wealth of the United States, and the diffusion of railways over their territory, especially in the direction of the Canadian frontier, renders it absolutely necessary to counterbalance, by some corresponding means, their otherwise preponderating power. "Their railway communication will enable them to select their own time, and their own point of attack, and will entail upon the British the necessity of being prepared at all points to meet them. " It is most essential, therefore, that the mother country should bo able to keep up the communication with the Canadns at all times and all sensons. However powerful England may be at sea, no navy could save Canada from a land force. ** Its conquest and annexation are freely spoken of in the United States, even on the floors of Congress. " Weakness invites aggression, and as the railway would be a lever of power, by which Great Britain could bring her strength to bear in the contest, it is not improbable that its construction would be the means of preventing a war at riome no distant period. " The expense of one year's war would pay for a railway two C' three limes over. " And if, for great political objects, it ever became necessary or adv'sabl > to unite all the British provinces under one Legislative Government, ther. .Ifrc will be found, on this side of the Atlantic, one powerful Briti»li state, vhicili, supported by the imperial power of the mother country, may bid defiance to all the United States of America. The means to the end, the first great step to its accomplishment, U the construction of the Halifax and Quebec Railway.'* Extract from Captain Henderson's Report to the Imperial Government, nceompanying Major Ilobinson''8 Report: — " Table of gradients on the whole line from Halifax to Quebec: — " Level, and under 20 feet per mile 439 miles. 20 to 40 150 •• 40 to 50 23 •• 50 to 60 10 •• 60 to 70 4 '• 635 " % I f u i ' j ^ !| I • I I i Further extract from tlie Report of Major Robinson, dated March 30tli, 1849:— " I have the greatest hope and belief that a very largn portion of the traffic from the United Kingdom to Quebec will pass to that railway, and that it will command nearly the whole passenger traffic, not only to Canada, but also, in course of time, a very largu portion of that between Europe and the continent of North America. "The punctuality ard shortness of the voyages made by the Cunard stfamcrs from Liverpool to Halifax, as compared with all others running between England and the United States, will, I conceive, insure this result. " What the Erie Canal has accomplished for the State of New York, this may possibly do for the British provinces. *' In the former case, it has doubled the population of this state, increased by 1,231,683 souls, and added about if50,000,000 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 400,0U0 settlers might by the means of tho 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. '* The balance of trade paid by the British North- American colonies to the United States for four years, from 1844 to 1847, inclusive, was ^,'4,218,835. " New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have paid the largest portion of this to supply t'.ieir lumbermen and fi:>hermen 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, cither, in the list of exported articles of their domestic produce, that there is any one but which could, if it met with due encourage* ment, be produced in some portion or other of the British Northect to 't as saon as may be practicable. " 5. In forming a judgment as to whether public assistance ought to bo given towards the execution of the work, it will be neceasary to take into consideration the different ways in which this might be done. Various modes of proceeding have been proposed ; one is, that of endeavouring to form a company by guaran- teeing to them a certain minimum interest on the capital to be invested in the undertaking. " This plan would, no doubt, possess some advantages ; but, on the other hand, it would be attended with the disadvantage of depriving the public of the proper control over a great national work, and also of having a tendency to encourage inattention to economy, both in the construction and subsequent working of the line. This last objection has been met by proposing that any company formed to construct the line, should receive assistance, not in the form of a guarantee of any given rate of interest, but of a fixed payment, either of capital towards the execution of the work, or of an annual sum of money, in addition to the receipts derived from traffic when the line is completed. "6. Another plan which has been suggested is, that the required capital should be raised by loan by the Government, and contracts entered into for the formation of the line, which, when finished, could be worked either by Govern- ment, or by any company formed for tha^ purpose, and to which company the working of the line might be leased, under such conditions, and for such a period as might be deemed advisable. The objections to this proposal are tbofc usually raised against the undertaking of such a work by a Government ; while, on the other hand, it would be attended with these advantages : first, that probably the capital required would there be raised on better terms than could otherwise be expected ; and secondly, the Government would have a more complete control over a great national line of communication. ***** " 11. The whole subject is one of the very highest importance, on which I shall be anxious to learn the conclusions to wliich the Colonial authorities may come, after mature consideration, and after such communication with each other as may be necessary.— I have, &c. (Signed) «• Guey." " The Right Hon. Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, &c. On the 20lh December, 1848, Lord Elgin, replying to the despatch of Earl Grey, said— "As regards the probability of the work proving ultimately jeraunerative, I cannot but express my belief, that under the arrangement suggested by the ! , I '» i ( , 1 I'l ' 1 i I: ' i I I 1 i ' I I I I r, I: ' 14 Canadian Government its cost to the BritUh Government will be found to fall within Major Robinson's estimate. Ho has based his calculations, it would appear, on the expense of niilways constructed in the state of Massachusetts, whcro large prices are frfquently puid for land, and where the cost of the prin- cipal materials employed is enhanced by the operation of a highly protective tariff. As tho land to be occupied by the lino will cost the Government nothing, and iis a coissidcrable sum may be reilized by tho alienation of that portion of the public domain which will be placed at irs diiosed of in such manner as may be deemed most advisable by your Majesty's Government. And also to secure, at the expense of the pro- vince, a sufficient breadth of way and the necessary stations over and upon private property for the use of the said road. " And we further pledge ourselves that we will charge upon the general revc- nues of the province a sum not exceeding i,'20,U00 currency per annum, towards paying the interest upon the capital invested in the said road, to be paid yearly from and after the completion of the said road, and while the same is kept in operation, and to be continued for a term not exceeding twenty years. " We would respectfully impress uj)on your Majesty's consideration that the quality of the land pledged by us, and its easy access from the United Kingdom, present it as one of the most eligible fields for emigration in any of your Majesty '« dominions. *' Whenever we shall be advised of the favourable determination of your Majesty's Government in this matter, we will immediately pass such legislative enactments as may be necessary to carry into effect the pledges made in this our humble and dutiful address. (Signed) "William Black, P. L. C. " J. W. Weldon, Speaker, House of Assembly." On the 31st March, 1849, Nova Scotia did the same (see despatch from Sir John Harvey to Earl Grey, of the 2nd May, 1850). " My Lord, " I have the honour to enclose, for your lordship's consideration, a resolution adopted by the Legislative Council of this province on the subject of the projected railway from Halifax to Quebec. " The people of this province are very anxious that this great public work should be immediately commenced ; and 1 beg to draw your lordship's attention to the law passed on the 31st of March, 1841), enacting that it should be lawful for her Majesty to cause five commissioners to be appointed for establishing and constructing such railroad from Halifax to the boundary line of New Brunswick, to meet a railroad from Lower Canada through New Brunswick, and also giving l)ower to the Governor, by and with the advice of the Executive Council, to vest ill lipr Majesty ten miles of the Crown lands on each side of the line for the benefit of the railroad, and to raise funds for the construction thereof. And, lastly, that the railroad should be under such rules and regulations as shall bo established by her Majesty's Government. " A pledge has likewise been given for the sum of j£20,000 sterling to pay the interest on the capital to be expended for the accomplishment of this work. >ii if y IG " The opinion ii veiy itrongly entertained liorc, mv lurd, that the construction of thit railroad would be one of the most cflcctual means of defending these pofsessions of her Majesty, and would assist iu nrcRerving the connection with each other and the mother-country, and would develop the retourcet, and invigorate trade and commerce, and promote the permanent prosperity ond hap- piness of her Majesty's subjects in these portions of the realm. (Signed) "J.Harvey." i 11 On the 30th May, 1849, Canada did tlie same (see extract from the Act of Parliament). " And whereas the proposed railway between Halifax and Quebec will be a great national work, bringing together the several portions of the British Empire on the continent of North America, and facilitating the adoption of an extensive, wholesome, and effective system of emigration and colonization ; and it is right that Cany prospect of its success. " We have already afforded the best possible proof of our own sincerity, by pledging ourselves to grant a ium of ;£20,000 a year for twenty years, together with at least 2,000,000 of acres of superior land available for settlement and culonization. " Believing your Majesty's Government sincere in the declaration that these colonies will be retained at all hazards, and that they are viewed as part of the strength of the empire, it is surely a question worthy of the best consideration of your Majesty's Government, What can be done for the North-American Colonies, to prevent their declension, to give them strength and consistency, and thereby retain confidence in the Imperial Government ? " To this important question we are prepared to answer, that no other meosure will so certainly produce the desired effects as the railway from Halifax to Quebec. " The sum of jf 60,000 being already guaranteed by Canada, Nova Scotia, and this province, we are led to hope that if your Majesty's Government would 17 procure from the Imperial Parliiment a grant of jCl ,000,000 sterliiig in aid of the undertaking, the woric woald be shortly commenced and succcMAilly pro- secutrd, &c., &c. (Signed) •• J. W. Weldon, Spealcer of Asaembly." ", U On the 25th November, 18£0, the Hon. Joseph Howe, of Nova Scotia, who had been delegated to Her Majestv^s govern- ment, addressed Earl Grey (see papers uresented to Parlia- ment, April 8th, 1851), from whicn the following extracts are made: — "Tliis route would, tlierefurc, savf, in the communication between Europe and America, iit1ty>8ix hours to every individual in all times to come wirovince. But the colonists said it was a different thing whether they should borrow the amount of ten years* revenue at five per cent., as they could by their own debentures, pr whether they borrowed at 3^ per cent., as they might with the sanction of the Government and the local legislature. They would show an actual surplus revenue, and offer as the first charge on it to the amount of £40,000 a year, capable and certain to obtain a large increase ; and if we were not satisfied with that security, not for granting the money, but for lending tho use of our name, they would be ready that the waste lands of the colony should be given as a further security to any amount that the Secretary of State fotf the Colonies might choose to demand. So far with regard to Nova Sootia. Then, as to New Brunswick. Here the surplus revenue was not so large. The line was of a considerable extent, and passed for the most part through a very rich country, with a fine climate, though somewhat x'igorous, and it was well timbered, and abounded in mineral wealth. The Legislature was able to offer us, in addition to their surjtlus reyenue, any amount we chose of thair 11,000,000 acres of unoccupied and fertile lands in pledge, as security for the repayment of the advances. The whole of thia ceuntry was open to British settlement if this line of communica- tion was formed ; but the whole of the country would be closed to British settlement if wo refused to open that line of couimuni-r catiotj, or rather, if we refused to give oiir aid and our guarantor to the fuovitice to enable it to undertake a work which Wiis nufc more important to u» than it was to them. M 'i it 22 Nov^, he felt that to grant our aid was a wise, a sound, and even an economical course in the end, even though, in the fii'st instance, it would involve an outlay ; and sure he was that it would confer immense benefits on the colony, and bestow incalculable advantages on this countcy itself, and confirm its territorial power in North America. Now, there were various ways in which the Colonial Secretary of this country might aid in the accomplishment of this project. He might, as in the case of Nova Scotia, offer the guarantee of the Government of England for the sum to be raised on the security of the surplus revenue and unoccupied lands of the pro- vinces ; or he might adopt another plan, which would be approved by all the other colonies. Tho colonies had offered to grant ten miles of land on either side of the line to any company that would make it, and also to grant the company the amount between the several provinces of ^60,000 a-year for a term of years to come, to cover any deficiency which might arise between the earnings of the line and 4 per cent, interest on the outlay of any cajatal which might be expended in the execution of the p»*'''3ct ; but if any further security was wanted by acy company, or by the Govern- ment entering into the guarantee to meet the case of the proceeds falling short of the 4 per cent., the provinces were ready to pledge their unoccupied lands to the required extent. With these secu- rities from the colonies, if the Government would give its guarantee, he thought capitalist would be found in this country ]>ei'fectly willing to undertake the execution of either line, or any ])ortion of it, if that course were preferred by the Government here. Another course that might be pursued, which, however, he was not recommending, but wliich he thought the colonies would also agree to, was this — that the Government should themselves under- take the performance of the whole enterprise, taking as their security for repayment such portions of the waste lands as they thought necessary, and also, of course, taking the profits of the undertaking, whatever they might be, in repayment. He would not isay that l.e recommended either of these courses ; but it was important that the colonies should know without delay what the Government intended to do, and to what they might have to look. At present this was the position of affairs in Nova Scotia. With regard to its line, an Act had been passed, and it was actually negotiating for the money, for executing their portion at the exi)ense of the province. New Brunswick was guaranteeing its Waste lands, and a certain sum, to any company that would und. yke to execute its line. The Legislature of Canada had actual) ' passed a bill incorporating a company, which company was V inly seeking now to raise CHpital for completing the work. But very one of these' separate projects might separately be acco iplished, or the whole might be accomplished together, if the Governn.ent of this country would slei> forward and say it would lend its sanction and name. He did not blame the noble earl (Earl Grey) for being cautious ; 'V-i mamem 23 M, lie did not blame him for watching narrowly and carefully the exi)enditure that would be requisite for carrying out these projects ; but he believed that in cases demanding a prompt and decisive course of action, even a heavy outlay might prove in the end the best economy, and lead ultimately to the most beneficial restilts. And if the noble earl would on\y say which course he should be prepared to take, and if the Qcvernment would give any sanction and assistance for the execution of what these colonies could not accomplish anassisted, although he believed a comparatively small aid on the part of the Government, or its liljeral guarantee for ^he capital required, on account of which guarantee they would never be called upon to pay a single shilling, such an amount of assistance from the Government he firmly believed would enable the great work to be carried to a successful completion : and equally certain he was th^t unless our Govern- ment and our Parliament did interfere, these advantages would be indefinitely postponed — the communication between two most im- I)ortant points would be permanently cut off; the stream of emigration would continue to be directed, as it was now directed, from this country and Ireland, not to our own colonies, but to the territories of the United States ; the communication between Halifax and Quebec would ultimately be through the United States, be wholly dependent upon them, and liable at any moment to be cut off in the case of hostilities ; while the United States would be enabled to reap all the advantages of the transit in times of peace. Now, we had the option whether we should give to the United States these great advantages, and at the same time deprive the subjects of this country of the opportunity of receiving a useful and most valuable population settling in our own colonies, and by their emigration relieving the overburdened mother country of its surplus labour,; or whether we would, by a prompt and liberal course of action, which would ultimately cost us nothing, enable our dependencies to complete that which would cement a closer union between our North American possessions, and teach them to feel that they were regarded by the Imperial Government and Parliament as au integral portions of the empire. The course was open either for great good, or for great evil, for in this case great evil might result from a refusal of the prayer of the petition, both in specific loss, and in its effects upon the minds of the colonists. He trusted that there would be no waste or lavish expenditure, but it would be seen that in that case prompt and energetic action was the one best suited to the inte- rests and honour of this country, and also to the honour, though that was au inferior consideration, of Her Majesty's Government. (Hear, hear). -■jf 1 • V-, , ; cautious ; It 24 On the lOtli March, 1851, the following letter was ad- dressed by Mr, Hawea, Under Secretary for the Colonies, to the Hon. Joseph Howe : — "Mouming-ttreet, March 10th, \Si\. "Sir, " I am directed by E!arl Grey to inform you that he is at length enabled to communicate to you the decision of her Majesty's Government on the application for aiisistance towards the construction of the projected railrvay tlirough Nova Scotia, contained in your letters of the 25th of November and th« 16th of January last. " You are already aware, from the repeated conversations which you have had with Lord Grey, of the strong sense entertained by his lordship and his colleagues, of the extreme importance, not only to the colonies directly interested, but to the empire at large, of providing for the construction of a railway by which a line of communication may be established on the British territory between the provincfs of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Canada, and that various plans which have been suggested for the accomplishment of this object have undergone the most attentive consideration. " It appears from Sir John Harvey's despatch of August 29th, 1850, as well as from your letters and the verbal communications you have made to Lord Grey, that the Provincial diovernment of Nova Scotia, fully relying on the concurrence of the Legislature, is desirous of undertaking the construction of that part of the projected line which would pass through that province, and proposes to obtain for that purpose a loan of jf 800,00U, which is the estimated expense of the work. The assistance which Lord Grey understands you to apply for, in behalf of the province, is that the payment of the interest of a loan to this amouni; should be guaranteed by the Imperial Parliament, the effect of which would be tliat the money mi^ht be raised on terms much more favourable than would be otherwise required by the Itnders. "I am directed to inform you that her Majesty's Government are prepared to recommend to Parliament that this guarantee sinnild be granted, or that the money required should be advanced from the Briti.sli Treasury on the conditions which 1 wdl now proceed to state. ' " In the fir^t place, as her Majesty's Government are of opinion that they would not be justified in asking Parliament to allow the credit of this country to be pledged for any object not of great importance to the British Empire as a whole (and they do not consider that the projected railway would answer this description, unless it should establish a line of communication between the three British Provinces), it mu8t be distinctly understood that the work is not to be commenced, nor is any part of the loan, for the interest of which the British Treasury is to be ref^poiisible, to be raised, until arrangements are made with the provinces of Canada and New Brunswick, by which the construction of aline of railway passing wholly through British territory, from Halifax or Quebec or Montreal, shall be provided for to the satisfaction of her Majesty's Govern- ment. ** In order that such arrangements may be made, her Mtjesty's Government will undertake to recommend to Parliament that the like assistance shall be ren- dered to those provinces as to Nova Scotia, in obtaining loans for the construction of their respective portions of the work. If it should appear that by leaving it to each piovince to make that part of the line passing through its own territory, the pr<>}>ortion of the whole cost of the work which would fall upon any one province would exceed its proportion of the advantage to be gained by it, then the question is to remain open for future cims'deration, wi't-ther some contribu- tion should not be made oy the other provinces towards that pirt of the line : but it is to be «;learly understood that the whole cost of the linu is to be provided for by loans raised by the provinces in such proportions as may be agreed upon with the guarantee ot the Imperial Parliament. '* The manner in Mliich the profits to be derivid from the railway, when com- 25 \i plrted, are to be divided between the provinces, will also remain for future consideration. '* You will obspfve, that I have stated thut the line is to pass entirely through British territory ; but her Majesty's Government do not require that the line should necessarily be that recommended by Major Robinson and Captain Hen- derson. If the opinion whirh is maintained by many persons well qualified to form a judgment is correct, that a shorter and better line may be formed through New Brunswick, it will of course be preferred, and there will be sufficient time for determining this question while the earlier part of the line is in progre^^s. " It is also to be understood that her Majesty's Government will by no means object to its forming part of the plan which may be determined upon, that it should include a provision for establishing a communication between the pro- jected railways and the railways of the United States. Any deviution from the line recommended by Major Robinson and Captain Henderson must, however, bo subject to the approval of her Majesty's Government. " It will further be required that the several provincial legislatures should pass laws, making the loans which they are to raise a first charge upon the provincial revenues, after any existing debts and payments on account of the civil lists settled on her Majesty by laws now in force : and also that permanent taxes shall be imposed (or taxes to continue in force till the debt shall be extinguished)' sufficient to provide for the payment of the interests and sinking fund of the loans proposed to be raised after discharging the above prior claims. It will further be necessary that the expenditure of the money raised under the guarantee of the Imperial Parliament shall take place under the superintendence of commissioners appointed by her Majesty's Government, and armed with suffi- cient power to secure the due application of the funds so r&ised to their intended object. The commissioners so appointed are not, however, to interfere with the armngemerit of the provincial governments, except for the above purpose. " Tlie right of sen tagenus to construct a railway, though the traffic is not expected to do more at first than pay the worlting expenses. " 5. If these considerations sliould induce the legislatures of the three provinces to combine in undertaking the projected railway, the terms on which tliey are to co-operate with each other for that object will have to he f>ettled ; and in coming to such an arrangement, various questions of great: difficulty and importance will require to be considered. For instance, it is probable that when the line is com- pleted, the traffic will be far more remunerative at (he two extremities than in the more central portion of it ; while, at the same time, the expense of construction would, from ttie natnre of the country, be precisely higher where the traffic returns would be lowest ; en that if eich province were required to pay for the formation of the line through its own territory, and to receive tho returns from the traffic through the same, it would follow, that while the expense to New Brunswick would be the greatest, its receipts would.be the smHlIest. On the other hand, as I have just observed, one of the most important sources of profit from the con- struction of such a railway as that now in contemplation would arise from the sale of land, of which the value would be innreased by the work : and it appears from the papers before me, that New Brunswick would probably derive a greater profit from that source than the two sister provinces. Whether the result upon the whole would be, that each province, considering these various circumstances, ought to take upon itself the construction of the railway through its own territory, or whether, on the contrary, any one should be assisted bv the others, is a point on which I have not the means of forming a judgment ; and I would suggest to you that the best course, with a view of arriving at some practical result, would be, that a deputation from the Execut've Councils of the two lower province should proceed to the seat of Government in Canada, in order to confer with your lordship and with your Council, for the purpose of coming to some agiee- ment upon the subject ; which, after being approved by the legislatures of the several provinces, might be submitted for the sanction of Parliament. " 6. It does not appear to me that if such a conference should be held, it need occupy any very great length of time, or that much difficulty would arise in coming to an arrangement for the construction and working of the projected railway, by which the expense of the undertaking on the one hand, and the advantages to be derived from it on the other, might be fairly apportioned between the different provinces. Hereafter I may, probably, be enabled to offer some suggestions as to the manner in which this might be accomplished ; but, at present, I have only to add, that I shall transmit copies of this despatch to Sir Edmund Head and to Sir John Harvey, with instructions to them to communicate to your lordship, without delay, on the important subject to which it relates ; and it nill give me the highest satisfaction if the result of these communications should be the under- taking of a work, which, if completed, cannot, I believe, fail to add gteatly to tho prosperity of the British provinces in North America, and, at the same time, to give additional strength to the ties which connect them with each other, and with the British empire. — I am, &c.. (Signed) ' G»EY.' On the 31sl March, 1851, Earl Cathcart, Governor-General of Canada, wrote as follows: — *' The very warm interest I naturally feel for the prosperity and welfare of the British possessions in North America, arising from the personal knowledge and experience I had the opportunity of acquiring during the period of my official residence in Canada, fully enables me to appreciate the inestimable advantages both to themselves atid to the muther-country of thus uniting Canada with the lower province, and by this means securing to the former a direct communication, perfectly independent of the United States, with England, through the port of Halifax, which is accessible at all seasons." 1 - it Hilvan< i more at provinces lipy are to in coming tance will le is com- iinn in the fistruction Re returns formation the traffic Brunswick r hand, as 1 the con- tn the sale )ears from a greater Bvious that the mails and passengers destined for New York, Boston, and other American cities, would be carried over a great section of the Halifax and Quebec line. " I I : 'lit 1 M Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, having agreed upon a proposal to carry the line through the Valley of the <.', I ' I 30 St. John River, which was a deviution from that rpcommended by the Government Engineers, and to which Earl Grey had pledged the Imperial guarantee, an application was made to Lord Derbv^s Government in J 852. 'i ii H ; On the 20th May, 1852, Sir John Pakington, Colonial Secretary, sent a despatch to Lord Elgin, from which the following extract is made : — " 2. Her Majesty's Goverament are not only anxious to act with the most perfect good faith towards the legislatures and people of the provinces, and to fulfil every junt expecMion which may have been held out by their pre- deeemre, but they alto eincerely derire to adopt all meaeuret by which the weffare qf the Britith coloniea in North America can be promoted, at far at 4hey can do to contittenlly with their dutiet to the empire at large. "3. But on a reference to the correspondence which has already taken place on this subject, and especially to the letters addressed by direction of Eurl Grey to Mr. Howe, on the 10th March, 1851, and Mr. Hincks on 20th February last, it will appear evident that no pledge had been given of auistance to any line, except that originally proposed. , ****** " Among the peculiar advantages in this point of view, which it was thought that the line selected on the report of Major Kubinson and Captain Henderiion would realize, were the opening up of a new tract of maritime country, easily accessible with the railroad, but almost unapproachable without it, to emigration from these islands ; and the effecting a safe and continuous route through the province, which, both by its distance from the American frontier, and its proximity to the sea, might be peculiarly available for military purposes." From the close of this despatch the matter remained in abeyance until the accession of Lord Aberdeen''s Government, when the Duke of Newcastle, as Colonial Secretary, had the project under consideration, with the view of carrying it out, but the Russian war intervened, and no further progress was made. The Colonial Government, seeing the pressure upon the Imperial resources by the Russian war, set to work and from their own unaided resources, niude 284 miles of the line depending on the Imperial Government extending their share of assistance at a more convenient period. Canada had also in addition to having made 114 miles of the line from Quebec towards Halifax, also made upwards of 2,000 miles of railway westward from Quebec since the date of Lord Grey's despatch, pledging the Imperial guarantee in 1851. But finding they nad gone to the very verge of prudence in their resources, delegates from Canada and Nova Scotia again arrived in this country in the autumn of 1857, and made application to the Home Government. The Canadian delegates addressing the Government, said — 31 " Tonmlo, Ui February, 185G. " Sir, " Having Wn anthorized by the minutfl of Council of the 9th July lH8t to urge on the Imperial Government the reaaons which should induce the immediHt« construction of an inter.colonial railway to Halifax, I have the honour to report for the information of hit Excellency, that, under the authority con« taiiied in that minute, I sought the assistance and ob ined the valuable aid of the present Solicitor-General for Lower Canada, who acted with me accordingly on this service. " At the time of our arrival in England, events in India had assumed a most threatening aspect, and in conseqcnce, the attention of her Majesty's Govern- ment was very much occupied with matters of a more imminent nature. " We proceeded, however, to communicate as well with the Secretary of Slate for the Colonies, as with Lord Palmerston, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the Secretary of State for War, and other members of her Majesty's Government, and explained verbally and at length our views on the subject of uur mission. " The importance of the work to imperial interests was fully acknowledged, and the means by which its execution could best be accomplished were fully discussed. " After these communications, we deemed it advisable to embody our views in a written memorandum, which we laid before the Colonial Secretary. That memorandum fully states the arguments pressed on the consideration of the Home Government, and is now submitted for the approval of Council. " The Canadian delegates had the advantage of communicating, while in London, with Mr. Johnson and Mr. Archibald, from Nova Scotia, who were also urging the same subject in the interests of that province. The propositions advanced by these gentlemen were nearly identical with those submitted on the part of Canada. " Being apprised that the prorogation of Parliament, the absence of some of her Majesty s advisers, and the pressing nature of the Indian difficulties, would preclude any immediate conclusion being come to on the propositions of either Canada or Nova Scotia, I considered that a more prolonged attendance would be followed with no advantage, and the question was left under the consideration of the Government. " The despatch of the Secretary of State for the Colonies of the 15th January, 1858, containing the reply of her Majesty's Government, having row arrived, I deem it a fitting time formally to report the action which was taken ou the mission intrusted to me. " I would state, in conclusion, that the Colonial Governments of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, as well as her Majesty's advisers, »ecm deeply impressed with the necessity of this work on imperial as well as colonial grounds. My conviction is, that its construction is only a question of time, and I would respectfully urge that the early attention of the Legislature should be directed to it. " I have the honour to be. Sir, " Your obedient servant, " The Hon. T. J. J. Loranger, (Signed) " John A. Macdonald.'^ " Provincial Secretary.''* Extracts from Memorandum above referred to, and which was submitted to the Imperial Government : — " The necessity of constructing a military road between Halifax and Quebec, so as to render Canada accessible to her Majesty's forces at all seasons of the year, seems long to have engaged the attention of the British Government. " In 1838 and 1839, when Canada was invaded by organized parties of ma- rauders from the neighbouring country, with the avowed intention of conquest, troops were tranrported by that route in winter, when the St. Lawrence was lU' 32 closed, with much difficulty, at an enormous expense, and with great sufft-ring to the soldiery; and the impossibility of carrying military stores in sufficient quantities was then also fully proved. " Several explorations wfre consequently made by the military authorities, with a view to the construction of a military road as par', of the system of defence of the British Nonh American colonies. It was then suggested that a railway, besides being of more utility lor this purpose than an ordinary road, would be of great con^n.ercial benetit to those provinces, and r.t the same time confer the political advantage of connecting them more intimately with the mother-country and with each other. "As this scheme wo lid cost much more than the road originally intended, and as th(; colonies would be so much more benefited thereby, it was thought right that they should contribute to the expen.o far as imperial interests arc concerned, the railway facilities are in a great measure incomplete. " Canada is fully alive to the importance of providing for the maintenance of her coimection with England ; and she has sought opportunity, and availed her- self of every occasion, practically to cement that relation. " For the purpose of establishing a direct postal communication with England, which should not only put a stop to a large contribution to the revenue of the United States, but also attract to the colony a share of that trade and that emi- gration which was being diverted to that country, she has estHblished, by the payment of an annual subsidy of j&'.'iO.OOO, a direct weekly line of ocean steamers between the colony and EnglHnd. In this enterprise she is not only unaided by England, but has to combat a line plying to the ports of the United States, supported by a subsidy from the Imperial Government exceeding ^''180,000 per annum. "The Province has also enrolled, drilled, and armed, at her own expense, a large and available volunteer force, consisting already of Mxteen troops of cavalry, seven field batteries of artillery, five companies of foot artillery, and fifty companies of riflemen ; all provided with the most modern and effective arms. This force is maintained at a heavy cost to the Colonial treasury, and, being well disciplined, would be of essential and immediate service, should occa- sion arise for their active employment. " In addition to this, Canada has been divided into military districts ; and the whole sedentary militia, consisting of every man capable of bearing arms, has been organized. " In so far as the commercial wants of the province are concerned, they are amply supplied by the existing railway communications to the American seaports. New York and Boston, and by thu milway from Montreal to Foiiland, over which a Canadian company has complete control ; but this entire dependence on, and exclusive relations with a foreign country, cannot but exercise an important and unwholesome influence on the status of Canada as a portion of the empiie, and tend to establish elsewhere that identity of interest which ought to exist between the mother-country a>:d the colony. " We are sensible that we need not dwell on the grave and possibly disastrous consequences which, if a rupture should unhiippiiy arise with the United States, may result from the want of communication in winter between England and the interior of the province ; but it is evident that the safety of the colony can only he secured either by keeping, from the moment of the first apprehension of danger, a military power within it of such magnitude as would r*i\^\ any invading l! I A ': i t H 'f ii'i m^ I'i M:" ': !i I 1 r !l !1, I- i:;l', ! I 34 force, during the five months when reinforcements or supplies could not be obtained by sea ; or the means must be created of throwing in that force, and transporting them to those points which are assailable. " We would further mention some facts which show that while the means of resisting invasion are in no way increased, the facilities for accomplishment are daily becoming greater. There are now no less than seven American railways terminating directly at the Canadian boundary, and a far greater number touch- ing the waters of the river St. Lawrence and the lakes Ontiirio and Erie, which divide Canada from the United States. All these roads m 'y be said to form together a continuous line, running parallel with, or in easy proximity to, the provincial boundary; and by their means, America would be enabled to concen> trate, with the utmost expedition and ease, all her forces upon any quarter, and to choose her own point of attack. *' It may be urged that war with America is impossible, or at least an event so unlikely and remote as to justify no expenditure in anticipation of it. Ad< mitting that the character and moderation of the Federal Government afford assurances of continued amity, it is not to be forgotten that there are other ele- ments, not subordinate, whose influence may at any time become too powerful for control. The best safeguard against aggression is the power of repelling it. The knowledge of our weakness and exposure to attack may do much to preci- pitate that which, were our strength understood, would never be undertaken. It is now well known that, being cut off from England, the province cannot make her resources and strength available, should the necessity for their exercise un- happily come to pass ; and when the occasion does arise, it will be too late to provide the means. The road cannot be constructed with a due regard to reasonable economy for several years, and experience shows how impossible it is to foresee what events within that period may interrupt the friendly relations with a country the peculiar constitution of which vests so much power in a class whose interests or passions may, at any time, prompt them to acts which would neces- sarily lead to a rapture. While, therefore, the commercial or material advantages to Canada which would follow the construction of the road are comparatively unimportant, she feels it her duty to urge the high national considerations which demand that the work should be undertaken. " There can be little fear of any causes of difference between the colonies and the United States. The danger hitherto has sprung from subjects wherein, as a colony, Canada had no interest, but which (such as the Central American, the Oregon, and enlistment questions) were purely of imperial concern ; so that, should hostilities arise, Canada would (as she was during the last war) be made the battle-ground in a quarrel which she did not cause, and in which she had no special concern. The colony has received the solemn assurance of the Imperial Government, a promise on which she implicitly relies, that while she is expected to assume her share of the burden of any force which her own internal wants may require in time of peace, yet that the whole power of the empire will be put forth for her protection and security against foreign aggression. Canada has acted on this assurance, and performed her part of the obligation ; but we would respectfully ui^ that, without means of communication with Great Britain, the Imperial Government is powerless to perform its share ; and that the very first step, towards the fulfilment of the promise is to provide proper access to the country. " But apologizing for presenting at perhaps too great length arguments whose weight may be fully admitted, we proceed to suggest a mode by which we propose that the work should be constructed. " The question of route is one which, in so far as Canada is concerned, might be left to the Imperial Government and the Lower Provinces ; but the distance of that which would probably be chosen may be assumed at 600 miles. By Major .Robinson's report, the cost of the longest or coast route of GJ5 miles is £7,000 sterling per mile, to which ten per cent, is added for contingencies ; making the cost in round numbers £5,000,000. " Now Canada has already built, or has in progress, 110, and Nova Scotia 60 miles, available for any route selected for the intercolonial road ; leaving 420 to be constructed. Allowing one million sterling to be added to Major Robin- which ^ 35 son's estimate for the rise in ihe cost of lahour and matprials, ??nce 1848, the balance to be pro- ided for is j£5, 000,000, Tliis would include the cost of the whole section apportioned to and now in process of construction by Nova Si^otia, but does not include the cost of the 110 miles in Canada, on which a million, raised from other sources, will be cx]tpndGd. t * * * "Canada and New Brunswick have already appropriated all their ungranted public lands, for ten miles on each side of the line, in aid of the undertaking. It is assumed that these lands amount to about four millions of acres. " The system of land grants tti aid the construction of railways has been followed by the most entire success in the United States of Ameri< a, where lands from being almost worthless and unsaleable, have risen in value with a rapidity far exceeding the most hopeful anticipations. « * * (Signed) " John A. Macdonald. "John Rose." Captain Douglas Galton, of the Railway Department of the Board of Trade, who had been commissioned by the Imperial Government to report upon the railways of the United States and Canada, in his report dated 8th December, 1856, and presented to Parliament 1857, said — •* In addition to these eastern and western routes of the United States must be mentioned the communication by water along the Inkes, a communication which is continued by the Erie Canal to New York, and by the St. Lawrence through Canada to the Atlantic ; and the line of Canadian railways, which since the opening of the Grand Trunk Rxilway has assumed considerable importance. This line commences with the Great Western of Canada at Deiroit, and, passing through Toronto, is continued by the Grand Trunk Railway, which, when the Victoria Bridge shall have been completed, will afford an uninterru^ited line of railway communication through Montreal to Quebec, and to Portland in the State of Maine. But it cannot be considered that this line of communication ts completed, or that a proper outlet has beeti afforded to ihe trade of the British North-American possessions, i-n'il the line of railway Ihrouyh Canada shall have been continued on to Halifax, (Signed) " Douglas Galton, Captain R.E." Extract from " Martin's British Colonies : "^ — T 8 birbours of Nova Scotia, for number, capacity, and safety, are un- paiiiiiic r any other part of the world. Between Halifax and Cape Canso are twelve \, rts capable of receiving ships of the line, and there are fourteen others of sufficient depth for merchantmen. " The harbour of Halifax has not perhaps a superior in the world : fronf its situation being directly open to the Atlantic, it is scarcely interrupted with. It is our chief naval station in North America, and affords safe anchorage for one thousand ships. " New Brunswick is generally composed of bold eminences, sometimes swelU ing into mountains, and again subsiding into vale and lowlands, covered with noble forests and intersected by numerous rivers and lakes, affording water com- munications in every direction to the pleasing settlements scattered throughout 'he fertile alluvial spots termed intervales. The greater part of the territory, namely about 14,000,000 acres, is still in a state of nature, adorned with abun- Uice of timber and fine extending prairies. New Brunswick is healthy." d2 'A i| m », '( "U' ■npi ^ ■ ' I :■ 36 On the 1st May, 1858, lioth branches of the Legislature of Nova Scotia, again addressed Her Majesty as follows : — " May it please your Majesty : " We, the loyal and devotpd subjects of your Majesty, the Legislative Council and House of Assembly of Nova Scotia, now in provincial parliament convened, approach your Majesty to renew an expression of tiie unabated interest whicih the Legislature and people of this province continue to take in the long-agitated project of an intercolonial railroad, by which the'''colonios of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, with the sister colony of Prince Edward's Island, may be bound more closely ti gether, and their intercourse and union facilitated, and the communication from the parent state and your Majesty's North- American empire be improved by a rapid and efficient mode of transport from the seaboard to its distant borders, independently of passage through foreign territory. " 'This great enterprise, of national no less than colonial importance, has been through many years pressed upon the consideration of your Majesty's Govern- ment. During the last season delegates from the Governments of Canada and this province, in person, urged the undertaking on the attention of your Majesty's ministers. " The benefits of the measure, both in its national and colonial relations, are acknowledged ; and r ^ abstain from repeating arguments so recently |)resented and so familiar, furth ■ i umbly to beg your Majesty's consideration of the statements contained in i, ter of the delegates from this province, addressed to the Right Hon. the Colo, idl Secretary, dated in London on the 20th August, 1857, a copy of which accompanies this address. *• The gigantic work we advocate has been facilitated by the efforts and ex- penditures of the provinces ; but its accomplishmi>nt is hfyond their unaided resources i and on the efficient assistance of your Mcjesfy^s Government depends this great result. " In urging our prayer on your Majesty, we are assured that it will not be its least recommendation to your royal consideration, that, while it has in view the consolidation of national power, it affords to your Majesty another occasion of manifesting your benignity and regards towards your loyal colonial subjects in this portion of your extended empire, by aiding an undertaking in which their feelings and interests are deeply engaged. " We humbly pray that your Majesty will be graciously pleased to extend imperial aid to this important measure, and to caiise measures to be taken for ascertaining the views and ability of the several provinces with respect to it, and the nature and extent of the assistance they respeetively require, and of the aid your Majesty's Government wilt be disposed to t^ord ; that arrangements may be matured for the early commencement and the completion of this work by the united efforts of the three provinces of Canada, Neiv Brunswick, and Nora Scotia, with such co-operation and aid from your Majesty's Imperial Govern- ment as may be commensurate with the greatness of the object and the magnitude of the national interests which it promotes. " Edward Kenny, President of Legislative Council. " Stewart Campbell, Speaker of the House of Assembly. " Halifax, N.S., May 1, 1858." hil On the 16th August, 1858, both branches of the Canadian Legislature passed the following resolutions, upon which addresses were presented to Her Majesty : — " Resolved : — "1. That the construction of an intercolonial railway, connecting the pro- of 87 vincos of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia witli Canada, lias long been regarded as a matter of national concern, and ought earnestly to be pressed on the con- sideration of the Imperial Government. " 2. Tiiat during several months of the year, intercourse between the United Kingdom and Canada can only be carried on through the territory of the Uni.^d States of America, and that such dependence on, and exclusive relations with, a foreign country cannot, even in time of peace, but exercise an impoitant and unwholesome influence on the statua of Canada as a portion of the empire, and may tend to establisli elsewhere that identity of interest which ought to exist between the mother-country and her colonies. " 3. That while this House implicitly relies on the repeated assurances of the Imperial Government that the strength of the empire would be put forth to secure this province against external aggression, it is convinced that such strength cannot be efticiently exerted during a large portion of the year, from the absence uf sufficient means of communiciition, and that should the amicable relations which at present so happily exist between Great Britain and the United States be ever disturbed, the difficulty of access to the ocean during the winter months might seriously endanger the safety of the province. "4. That in view of the speedy opening up of the territories now occupied by the Uudstin's Bay Company, and of the development and settlement of the vast regions between Canada and the Pacific Ocean, it is essential to the interests of the empire at large that a highway extending from the Atlantic Ocean westward should exist, which would at once place the whole British possessions in America within the ready access and easy protection of Great Britain, whilst by the facilities for internul communication thus afforded, the prosperity of those great dependencies would be promoted, their strength consolidated and added to the strength of the empire, and their permanent union with the mother-country secured. " 5. That Canada has already nearly completed the construction within the province of a chain of railways over 1,600 miles in length, extending fiom the eastern frontier of the province towards its western boundary, which is of the greate.st importance to its commercial and material prosperity, and forming part of the great proposed highway, but which, without completion to the ocean, is compuratively useless in a national point of view, either as bringing the sister culonies together, or as connecting those colonies with the parent state. " 6. That this House, under these circumstances, is deeply impressed with the importance of an intercolonial railway, and the necessity for its immediate construction ; and desiring to co-operate with the Imperial Government and the provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in securing its speedy completion, this House approves of the memorandum addressed to Her Majesty's Se:;retary of State fur the Colonies by the Canadian delegates, and laid before Parliament by his Excellency the Governor-General in his gracious messHge communicated on the thirty-first day of May last, and recommends that the future negotiations should be conducted as nearly as may be on the basis thereby submitted, " 7. That in the opinion of this House it is expedient that his Excellency the Governor-General should cause all communication with the other provinces, necessary for common action on the subject, to be entered into, ",8. That a humble address bo presented to Her Majesty embodying the foregoing resolution, and that the Honourable the Legislative Council be asked to concur in the said address." 1 ( ' ( 1 t 1 ( 'i On the 5tli June, 1858, a meeting was held at the Thatched House Tavern, St. James's Street, for the purpose of d^ 'sing; tiie hest means of carrying out the completion of the railway. It was attended by the following gentlemen : — Viscount BuuY, M.P., in the diair ; the Rt. Hon. Sotherou \k t' , I .!; ,1 I'^ii 'I ,' 38 Estcourt, M.P., Capt. the Hon. John Vivian, M.P., the Hon. Sir A. Napier Macnab, Bart., Viscount Goderich, M.P., the Hon. Samuel Cunard, Colonel Boldero, M.P., Jamea Wyld, Esq., M.P., G. G. Gl}Ti, Esq., M.P., the Hon. Charles Fitzwilliani, M.P., R. P. Nisbet, Esq., M.P., the Hon. Justice Haliburton, John Neeld, Esq., M.P., Francis S. Head, Esq., Alfred Boche, Esq., and others. The Chairman read letters from numerous members of parlia- ment, bankers, merchants, and Presidents of Chambers of Commerce, stating they were strongly convinced of the expediency of the undertaking ; and that, on the Meeting resolving on any course of action, they were perfectly ready to further that course of action to the best of their power. The Bight Honourable Sotiieron Ebtcourt, M.P., in moving the first resolution, said — I am not reluctant at all to offer such humble assistance as I can, towards ] tutting our proceedings in course of operation, which 1 look upon, in a national ])oint of view, as being of manifest advantage, not only to Canada, and the other parts of America, but also, I must say, to the mother-country itself. * * * As matters now stand, there is for half a year an absolute separation between the three provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Canada. (Hear, hear.) Now that that is of some importance in times of difficulty, I bear in mind a recollection which I think is a proof. At the time when what was called the rebellion of Canada broke out, I was well acquainted with the muvements of the 43rd regiment. That regiment was stationed on the seaboard of New Brunswick ; it was of the greatest importance that all succour that could be afforded should be marched with every rapidity that was {Hissible to the place where operations were going on in Canada. That regiment made a most mugniHcent and difficult passage through the midst of the country, which had scarcely been explored before they cut their way through — in short, it was one of the most brilliant operations, which is as deserving to be recorded by an historian as the famous expedition of Cyrus, which was so fortunate as to receive a place in history, and an historian in Xenophon ; it was something that could uot fail to make an impression upon a non-military as well as a military mind. I know it did upon mine. They took, if I am not mistaken, pretty nearly the course along which you propose to carry this railway ; they underwent great difficulties ; they could not avoid leaving behind them a great many of those accessories which were, in fact, indispensable to the full developmentof the power that had to bring to bear upon the scene of action. All that could be done was done in their personal and individual capacity — they contrived to make their way through the forests. Now, if there had been then such a railway as you are proi)osing to establish, instead of its being an operation of difficulty, it would have been one of great facility ; instead of cutting their way through, at a slow rate, which still was very creditable to them, for they did it at twenty miles a day, they would have been wufted within twenty-four lioui*s from Halifax to Quebec, aud thus have proiluced, by the rapidity of com- ri 89 muuication, an impression that would have more than doubled any amount of imperial force that might have been brought. My lord, with regard to the mode in which this Meeting should proceed, I beg to say, that it is hardly necessary for me to do so, that I attend here only as a private individual member of Parlia- ment ; it is not in my power to state anything here on the part of the Government, of which I am a very humble member, and can- not certainly in any way venture to take upon myself to say what their views will be ; but having taken part in similar operations before, it seems to me that the course you have delineated is very much the sort of coiirse that it would be prudent for us, as well- wishers of the cause, to adopt, which would be likely to make an imj)ression ; and, really, if there is to be any confidence placed in these figures, I do not think you will be calling upon the Govern- ment to incur any prodigious risk. (Hear, hear). I must say, I think that the cause is one of such great importance, since it would enable us during one-half of the year, during which at present communication is totally intercepted, to establish, by means of a railway, facilities of conveyance and communication between these three provinces. That in a national point of view you might fairly ask of the Government to make some pecuniary sacrifice, in order to achieve it (hear, hear) ; but it seems to me, also, if these figures have any weight, you might go to th*, Government and say, you gain this great Imperial advantage without any risk at all. (Hear, hear). Now, my lord, I will leave it to those who are far abler than I am myself to enter into the details, and I only beg leave to move the resolution which has been put into my hands, in every word of which I must say for myself I not only cordially concur, but I cannot doubt that every person who knows any- thing of what is likely to be beneficial to our Colonial interests, and the Imperial interests of Great Britain, will be certain to concur. He concluded by moving the following resolution : — " That the extraordinary advance which has been made within the last few years in the trade and population of the British North American colonies renders it imperatively necessary that Great Britain should no longer be dependent upon the United States for railway communication with these important colonies especially, when a cheaper and more expeditious route can be obtained through the British possessions." The Hon. John Vivian, M.P., in seconding the resolution, stated he had gi-eat pleasure in doing so, for he happened to have marched with the 43rd regiment, on the occasion referred to by his right honourable friend ; and after giving a most in- teresting account of their march, concluded by saying, — The only thing that surprises me is that, considering the necessity of the communication between those three great countries of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, so many years should be per- mitted to have elapsed since they came into our possession, '■l| A M "^ }■■%> ''A'\ 'i il i: ; I ■I I" '(■:• 4() without any suggestion of tliis sort having been brought before the public. Sir Allan Napikr Macnab, in moving the next resolution, said, — The time had certainly arrived when we should no longer be dependent upon a foreign j)ower for access to the ocean at all seasons of the year, and for our commuuication with the mother-country. The people of the colonies have done all that could be expected of them. The province of Canada has given £20,000 a year, and all the land necessary for the railway, and they have also given ten miles on either side of the track. The pi-ovinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have done the same, and you learn by the report just read l>y the Chairman that this railway is estimated to cost about £3,000,000. You will, therefore, have money sufficient to pay the interest on more than one third of the amount, and a grunt of kiul that will, in my opinion, shortly realize all the money required. You cannot expect the colonies to do more than they have done, and surely the Government of this country ought to be prepared to give them the assistance they require. My friend Mr. Cunard, who sits on the other side of the table, will tell you that the port of Halifax is one of the Hnest ports in the world, that the communication between Halifax and Quebec will not occupy more than twenty-four hours, and that a large portion of the land is good and will be available after the completion of the railway. The exports and imports of Canada alone are now about £20,000,000. He concluded by njoving the following resolution : — "That the importance of a line of railway from Halifax to Quebec, in a national point of view, having been repeatedly acknowledged by the Imperiat Governments, and by the legislatures of the various co onies through which the said hne of rail'^ay is intendeit to pass, it is desiirable that meHsures be forihwitli adopted to carry out the views expressed by such high authority." It was seconded by Mr. Nisbett, M.P., and spoken to by Lord GoDERicH, M.P., as follows : — My Lord Bury and Gentlemen — As I shall be obliged to leave this Meeting in a few moments, you will perhai)s allow me to say one or two words, feeling, as I do, a very deep interest in all that concerns the colonies of England. I was very hajjpy to avail myself of your invitation to attend this Meeting to-day ; but, as I told you then, and stated to other gen- tlemen in the room, I came here more as a earner than in any other capacity. Before I go I am anxious to state, that all that I have heard has convinced me that the assertions contained in those two resolutions that have just been moved and carried are fully borne out, as far as I am able to judge of the matter. There can be no doxxbt of the great importance to the colonies, and of the great inq)ortance to the mother-country, of such a railway as is proposed to hv made. For my own part, with regard to the other resuUitions, 1 am not a great friend in the abstract 41 to Govcinnient guarantees or CJovernment assistance to Kailways. I am always more glad to see undertakings of tliiis kind carried out by the unassisted efforts of capitalists. But I can understand tliat a work of this description, which may he truly called a national work, tending to bind together three colonies, and to confer great and manifest advantages upon the mother-country, may require some assistance of that description. The Chairman said, — The Honourable Samuel Cunard will move the' third resolution. The Hon. 8. Cunard. — My Lords and Gentlemen, I do not think it is necessary for me to say much to you upon the subject, as I think you have pointed out yotu-selves the proper course to be adoj)ted. I think that a committee should be appointed to wait upon the Government, and I think the Government are fully sensible of the importance of this measure. I have had a great deal to do with it myself. I had managed with Loi'd Grey at onetime to carry it out, and the Government were very much disposed to come forward, and to do anything almost that was required, they knowing the im[>ortance of the measure. (Hear, hear.) Anybody who knows Halifax will admit it is one of the first harboui-s in the world, and that a railway there would be a link which would connect together the three provinces of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, and without that connecting link they are completely separated. It is something remarkable that for six months of the year there is no access to Quebec, and neither is there any outlet from Quebec. If you have in a goverraent i^oint of view, troops in Halifax, you can send them wherever they are required. If you wish to take them from Canada, you can take them down to Halifax. Last year I had to bring troops from Quebec to Halifax, when they are wanted in the Crimea, and I could not do it for want of proper communication I want to show the importance of the railway not existing at that time, and what I could have done with it. 1 pointed out to the Government that they could do with three regiments less in Canada by means of this railway than they could do without it. I did not at that time think that they would find it necessary to bring troops from Canada to assist in other parts of the world where we might want them. I think the Government would be glad to aid and assist this as a great national undertaking, and as a measure of very great importance. I think the Chairman has pointed out that a dej)utation should wait upon the Government, and I think it would not wait upon tliem in vain. I think they would not only get the countenance of the Government, but they would get as large an annual sum of money as the provinces are willing to give for the advantages the Govei-nment would receive from it. The Government would receive much greater advantages than the pro- vinces by the sum they would give. The Government did propose to allow me a very large sum of money annually, and also to guarantee the payment of a loan in this country, at a low rate of interest, which we could now get and could have got at that time ; i' I I: i ^ I il|. '■; ! '1 I i > i 1 1, ' I ; 1 1 1 : I' ! I i 'IM: ' r J ■■'} i I, ' I.I'. m 1 ;'l iili i!l ill nil 42 and the sum the provinces were to pay and the sum the Govern- ment were to pay would meet the interest altogether, so that they could go on and work the railway by that means. (Hear, hear.) I do not think it necessary to occupy more of your time than I have done — it is a great measure and of importance both to the colonies and to the country at large. He concluded by moving the following resolution : — " That, in the opininn of this meeting, the Halifax and Quebec Railway will afford a safe and profitable means of invootmcnt for a large amount of unem- ployed capital in the United Kingdom, provided that the Imperial Government be willing to confer upon the subscribers such privileges and advantages as are commensurate with the importance of this great national undertaking, and with the advantages already accorded by the Colonial Governments." Colonel BoLDERO, M.P., in seconding the i-esolution, stated he had great pleasure in doing so, for during a residence of some years in Halifax, carrying on important works for the Government, ho had become fully aware of its importance. The Hon. Ciiables Fitzwilliam, M.P., in moving the next reso- lution, said, he looked upon it as the commencing link to connect the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific, an object which no doubt every person ought to have in view who wishes to keep Her Majesty's dominions in their utmost integrity. We fortunately possessed on the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans the most important harbours in the world, and it was highly essential they shoidd be connected by a railway through British territory. He concluded by moving — *' That it is advisable that application be forthwith made to Her Majesty's Government upon the subject of the proposed railway from Halifax to Quebec, with a view to ascertain what arrangements and assistance they are prepared to afford to the promoters of the undertaking." Mr. Wyld, M.P., on seconding the resolution, said — I have watched the observations that have fallen from the different hon. gentleman who have adtlressed your lordship to-day, and I find all have abstained from pointing out what are the great commercial and paying advantages of this line to Nova Scotia itself. I have some acquaintance with that country, and I know its vast mineral riches, its forests, its mines, both of coal and iron-stone, and other materials, which, I feel assured, in itself would yield a very ample return for the capital that might be outlaid upon it. (Hear, hear.) Your lord- ship has spoken of the matter in a military point of view, which is an important one no doubt ; but I am a man of peace, and I look upon this railway as perhaps one of the most important links in our communications, not for the pnrpose of war, but for the purpose of cementing us eternally in the bonds of peace, not only with Canada, but with the United States ; for what has been our position with the United States 1 We have been absolutely dependent for our com- munications, for a large portion of the year, upon the railway con>- munication with the United States; but this railway will give us an independent communication, and I have not the slightest doubt will •J 51 ■ iJ ;; i 43 in itHelf yield a very ample return for the capital tliat will be outlaid uttun it. Now, the resolution that I am to speak to is, " That it is advisable that an application be made forthwith to Her Majesty's Government." From the tenor of the letter of Lord Grey, of March 10th, 1861, I think we have a right to go to Her Majesty's Government, and ask them to carry out the promise made by Lord Grey in that letter, for although the personnel of the Government liaa changed since that time, yet I think the policy of Her Majesty's present Government should not change. I think that the promise contained in Lord Grey's letter is such, that at this moment if an organization is made to carry out this railway, we have a right to ask the present occupant of the Colonial Office to carry out the terms contained in Lord Grey's letter of the 10th of March, 1851. The Honourable Justice H alihurton, in moving the next reso- lution, said : In the first ]>lace we are totally dependent upon the United States for the transmission of the English mails to Canada : we have to carry them by the magnificent line of steamers of Mr. Cunard, either to Boston, and then send them up to the i)ro- vince of Canada, or by that equally magnificent line of his to New York, and send them thence to Canada, through the States. Now, those who have as much knowledge of the Americans as I have, I believe, will be constrained to say that they are either not able to carry out their treaties, or that they are not willing to do so ; but whether they carry them out, or whether they fail to do so, it is always accompanied with very great impertinence and insolence. (Ijaughter.) Now, in the present postal arrangement between this country and the United States there is a clause, gi'anting per- mission for the mails to travel through their country, and a very large sura of money is paid for it. But that arrangement is terminable at a very short notice. I think it is a month or six weeks ; and the consequence of that clause is, that when the Culiimt line was put on, they wanted to have all the English letters sent by their ships ; and when the demand was refused, notice was given to terminate the treaty, which caused the greatest confusion and alarm to the mercantile world ; for you could not get a letter except through the United States without infinite delay. Now I have lived, I will not say the greater part of my life, but all my life in Nova Scotia, and am a native of the country. Quebec is practically as far distant to me, and infinitely more difficult to get at, than Dresden is from here. (Hear, hear.) I can go to Dresden with a good deal more comfort and a vast deal more ease than I can go from Halifax to Quebec, and I belie\ e a great deal cheaper. I have got, tu the first place, to ship on board one of Mr. Cunaid's vessels and to go to Boston, and perhaps I have to wait a fortnight for the arrival of his steamer. Then I have to gu through that very cconeiliato .y country and polite people, the Yankees, until I can get up to < he boider,'and then I have to go to such a ]>oint in Canada as I want to go to. ^ou have heard about those troops that were sent to Canada from Halilax in the winter. I': 44 11,, J ;;i|5| .1 U iM' 'r' I recollect it well, for X wuh liiHii^ oii liorweback on tlic Hulifax road at tlie time thene men were coming np. It was in the month of December — the month of December at Halifax and the month of December at Quebec are two very different thingH. It isHoroething like tho Polar Sea at Quebec ; it is very cold at Halifax, but God knows how much colder it is at Quebec — it would take tho hair off a man's head. The march of these troops was, even by the people of that country, who understand tlie use of the snow-shoes and all that sort of thing, thought a most marvellous undertaking. Mr. CuNARD. — It was. The Honourable Justice Haliburton. — And it was thought a most marvellous undertaking, even by the colonists themselves, and I believe the commissariat officer's name was Inglis, who was a colonist, and therefore had a knowledge of these modes of con- veying troops which an English commissariat officer would not have. He was a host in himself; and there would have been very different work in the Crimea, if he had lived to have gone there. The St. Lawrence is closed for a great part of the year, and a road through the wilderness does not exist. To send or withdraw troops at all times, to forward warlike stores or militia to assailed or assailable points, is of the first importance — where means of transport exist to the sea, the military force may be reduced greatly ; in eleven days troops can reach Canada from England — weakness invites attack. Now, Halifax is situate at the nearest point to England in America. Most of you, gentlemen have been there. It is the most magnificent harbour in the world. It is not only one harbour, but it is a double harbour. After you go up about ten miles of magnificent harbour, you pass through a small narrow passage of about 1,100 to 1,200 feet — perhaps not so much — and then you get up to Bedford Harbour, which is the best, if there can be two bests. Mr. CuNARD. — Halifax is the best, and the other is the better. The Honourable Justice Haliburton. — That is, that Halifax is a double first. It is an extraordinary fact, and difficult to account for, that the harbour of Halifax is only once in many years frozen over. For instance, if you go further south to Boston, it is twice as often frozen over as Halifax. Mr. CuNARD. — I have been twenty years with steamers, and have not been kept out of Halifax once, but I have out of Boston many times. The Honourable Justice Haliburton. — During the winter a few years ago, there were a hundred vessels frozen up in Charleston, South Carolina, and had to stop there six weeks at a time ; but that does not often occur. If you go north of Halifax, then it is entirely closed. But I have no doubt that the magnificent harbour of Halifax was intended for this railway. ' Mr. CuNARD. — Nothing happens by accident. The Honourable Justice Haliburton. — No doubt Providence intended this, for this particular object. (A laugh.) 45 '.V Now, I will just mention one tiling tlmt hns been omitted. Wlion it WHS tirat started it was considered a monstrous undertaking, and alarmed everybody, because yon were to begin at Halifax, and run to Quebec. But the distance is lessened at l»oth ends now. Nova Scotia has already made its railway from Halifax very near to the New Brunswick border. Canada has done the same thing ; it has run down the St. Lawrence as far as Trois Pistoles, and I believe is willing to do what lies witliin its own border ; but there is a largo piece of vacant ground between Nova Scotia and Canada, lying in New Brunswick. They have not anybody who seems to take any in- terest in that which is the key to the whole. When yon come to consider with reference to this particular resolution that you are at the mercy of the Americans for your postal communication ; that you have not a road from these Lower Provinces, that they are totally detached, that they are unconnected, that there are five sets of laws in consequence of their being in that way. that there is no general public feeling got up amongst them, it is manifestly an object of the first importance to unite them. I think the go- vernment oughtrto take into consideration another view, which is, that in all the possessions of England in the wide world (where the sun never sets upon her possessions), and especially on the American continent, if there are loyal subjects it is in British North America, and they have lately given a proof of it (Hear, hear), for a regiment has been formed, and it is not only now of- fered, but it haa been offered and rather superciliously rejected on one or two occasions before ; but at this time they could not well refuse it, because they could not do without it, and if the regiment does not give a good account of itself, I shall be greatly mistaken. They sent General Inglis to defend Lucknow, ana General Williams to defend Kars, and also sent the Admiral who brought the Yankee Chesapeake into Halifax ^laughter), who was also a native of our country ; and it sent to the Kedan some of the very first victims who fell there. Therefore, I think, in considering this, — it is a truly English possession —that it is larger than all Europe — it is connected with the East, and it is of importance in every way, 1 should certainly think it a very extraordinary thing if the Go- vernment does not, at all events, give a guarantee. British Ame- rica is tim only possession we have w/iere the climate suits European constitutions ; in this respect it is far be/ore the /States, as is evinced in tfie Iwalth, vigour, and stature o/'t/ie p(^mlaiion. He concluded by moving the following resolution, which was seconded by Mr. Neeld, M.P. : — '*That the undermentioned noblemen and gentlemen, together with such others as may wish to unite them, agree to form a deputation for the purpose of applying to her Majesty's Government upon the subject of the proposed railway from Halifax to Quebec, and that the Chairman be requested to ascertain when her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies will be prepared to receive the deputation, and to communicate the result to them." Mr. TvOOiiE said : My Lord Bury and Gentlemen, — You will !:! '^li \t t IT i I i ii\!! in^ i r *i I, ^lii i I ^lt ' i llli' I,! 40 perhaps allow mo to mention one circumstance which came under my observation, which shows in a very remarkable manner the impolicy of allowing onr communications with the Atlantic to be dependent upon a foreign power. During the late war, and at one of the most critical i^eriods of that war, the British government were desirous of removing from Quebec to Halifax the large muni- tions that they had in store ; and a question was put to the law officers of tho Grown of this country, if the munitions were carried along the railway from Quebec to Portland to be embarked, it could be done without giving offence to the United States. The law officers of the Crown having pending before them the question of the Foreign Enlistment, gave it as their opinion that it would be a violation of the international law of the United States ; that we should get into another complication ; and the consequence was, that these stores were carried, in the depth of winter, on sledges, to Halifax, and shipped to the Crimea. This is a circum- stance showing the grounds on which we should not be dei)endent upon a foreign power. (Hear, hear.) In accordance with resolutions at the before-mentioned meeting the following deputation waited on the llight Hon. Sir Edward Lytton Hulwer-Lytton, Bart., M.P., Secretary of State for the Colonies, on Monday, the 14th day of June, 1858:— The Deputation consisted of the following noblemen and gentle- men : — ^Viscount Bury, M.P., Chairman ; Viscount Goderich, M.P. ; The Hon. Sir Allan N. Macnab, Bart. ; Capt. the Hon. John Vivian, M.P. ; The Hon. C. W, W. FitzwiUiam, M.P. ; The Hon. S. Cunard ; G. G. Glyn, Esq., M.P, ; J. A. Roebuck, Esq., M.P. ; John Neeld, Esq., M.P. ; R P. Nisbet, Esq., M.P. ; Colonel Boldei'o, M.P. ; The Right Hon. Sotheron Estcourt, M.P. ; The Hon. F. Berkeley, M.P. ; The Hon. Justice Haliburton ; W. H. Gore Langton, Esq., M.P. ; Samuel Christy, Esq., M.P. ; James Wyld, Esq., M.P. ; Mr. Collins, M.P. ; Mr. Nelsoi ; Mr. Brotherhood ; Mr. H. Mastermau ; Mr. Stevens ; Mr. Sewell. Lord Bury said, — Sir, I attend here to-day to present this in- fluential deputation to you, as the chairman of meetings which were held at the Thatched House Tavern on last Saturday week, and also on last Saturday. The object of the meeting is to urge upon her Majesty's Go- vernment the advisability of assisting, in some manner, the construction of a railway between Halifax and Quebec. You, sir, are aware, from the papers which have been submitted to you, that the Governments of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Canada, have each of tliflra giiaranteed £20,000 per annum towards the completion of this work, together with ctrtain crown lands 47 lying within each of their jurisdictions, and they engage to place at the disposal of any Coinpaiiy who may undertake the railway, or rather of her Majesty's Government, such private lands as may be required for making the stations and other works on the line. The conditions upon which they guarantee this to her Majesty are, that her Majesty shall, either by herself, or through the instru- mentality of a private company, undertake the construction of the line. Loi'd Grey was very favourably disposed towards the project, and, in a dispatch to Lord Elgin, dated the 14th March, 1851, he stated that her Majesty's Government would be prepared to recommend to Parliament that a minimum interest on the amount to be expended in constructing the line, should be guaranteed to them. We should like to put it to her Majesty's Government whether they would not be equally prepared to assist in this undertaking. I need not urge upon youj sir, the extreme importance, in a political point of view, of the construction of this line ; but I only allude to it now because I know that the view which will have most weight with you will, of course, be that the undertaking is great in . a national and ])olitical point of view. Yon, of course, will not enter with such care into the circumstances whether it would be likely to be peculiarly remunerative to the shareholders of the un- dertaking. I shall only allude to that part of it in order to show that her Majesty's Government will not incur any very great risk if they, in accordance with our request, guarantee the sura required for the construction of the line. With regard to the first point, namely, the national importance, the map which I see before you will immediately show you the manner in which the communication at present takes place with Canada, and which involves a very considerable circuitous route, besides going through the territories of another power. By our proposed routf< you will l&r.d at Halifax, and then go from Halifax to Quebec ; you will not only go through the British territory the whole way, but you will save 400 miles as regards going by steamer to Boston, and 600 miles as regards going by steamer to New York. You now have to go across the state of Maine from Boston, and from the jwrt of New York through the state of New York, to the Canadian frontier ; consequently, this our route involves not only a very great saving of time as regards the transit, but it would allow us to complete your communications through the BiitNh territory. I need only cite one instance — I am sure you are already aware of that one point to which I will advert — that during the last war, when it was desirable to convey stores which were in the arsenal of Quebec for use in the Crimea. The law officers of the crown were consulted as to the possibility of conveying these stores over the railroads of the United States ; it was decided by the law officers that it would be a contravention of the neutrality laws to do so, and, in consequence of that opinion, the stores were locked up in Canada, and they were ultimately, I believe, conveyed on sleighs. j.i m Ml! if il f'l' f ill V I ■ ! I i", .i:M 'i ,ii' : '. t! \ ' ■ » !i '18 over the very line through which this railway will pass which we wish to undertake. What we ask her Majesty's Government now to do is this : These Legislatures having already voted £60,000 a year to her Majesty's Government, and certain crown lands — that her Majesty's Government would consent to propose to Parliament to guarantee us an equal sum of £60,000 a year, together with the £60,000 a year tliat has been voted by these colonies, and the crown landn they have voted. That would form a guarantee equal to £4 per cent, on the estimated amount of the capital to be expended, which is £3,000,000. These amounts will make £120,000 a year guaranteed by her Majesty's Government, for which they will have as assets £60,000 a year guaranteed by the Legislatures of Nova Scotia, New Bruns- wick, and Canada, and for the remaining £60,000 a year the com- pany will undertake to convey her Majesty's mails, stores, and troops, free of cost, — the mails throughout the year, the warlike stores, or any other stoi'es her Majesty might choose to send, and the conveyance of the troops fi'ee of cost, whenever her Majesty may choose to send them. That, sir, is the proposal we wish to make to her Majesty's Government. I may say that the meeting appointed a financial committee to confer with you in case her Majesty's Government should feel generally disposed to afford us any guarantee, and should wish to confer with respect to the amount of that guarantee, and the details of it ; and that committee would wait upon you at your convenience in case you feel favourably disposed to entertain the proposals. I may add to this, that a memorial has been prepared for presen- tation to you, embodying the resolutions of the first meeting, which was held at the Thatched House Tavern, on Saturday week, and also embodying the resolutions of the adjourned meeting, held on Saturday last, touching the financial part of it. I will hand this to you, but it is subject to a slight alteration in the latter part of it, so that perhaps you will not consider it as quite complete. Sir E. BuLWER Lytton. — I think the question divides itself into two great divisions : one is the political and the other is the financial. So far as the political is concerned, which more immediately comes under my notice, I have given the Ijest consideration I can to the subject, and I think that the imperial advantages are not exaggerated. I think that there is a sufficient degree of imperial advantage to be deriv«d from the proposed line to justify, in my mind, the Govern- ment in giving assistance to the colonies ; and the more I look at the great importance of it, the more favourable I think the pro- posed course is. But then there comes the other question, which clearly does not come into my department, which is the financial, and that is really a question for the Chancellor of the Exchequer. It is a question for him to consider whether he thinks the financial state of the country would justify it, and he also has to consider how far he f 49 tliinks there would be a sufficient degree of Parliamentary support for siTch a purpose. All I can say is, if he will agree, I should be Hjyself exceedingly pro"! and excessively happy to assist in carrying it out. i(Hear, Iiear.) But I cannot say anything upon that. That is not at all in my department. I think that there are difficulties. You know very well the great difficulties there are in obtaining through Farliament anything like guarantees for loans for colonial purposes ; and io order to carry that out, you must make out a very strong case, not as to the colonial advantages only, but as to the impeikl advantages. As far as I have been able to look at it, which is only within a short time, I must say it appears to me that there are very good grounds for stating there are imperial advan- tages. Mr. Roebuck, M.P. — Sir Edward, you ought to bear in mind that at the present moment we do incur a certain amount of expense. We transmit our post, we transmit our warlike stores, and also our troops to Canada — that united makes up an annual sum. Now, the post alone makes up an annual sum of £25,000. That is a matter which annually occurs. That would be done away with entirely by the proposed plan. The railway company imdertakes to convrtion of the territory. The Hon. Mr. Justice Haliburton. — Sir, thero is one thing I must beg leave to mention ; this is to be distingt ued from almost all other railways. Tliis is not a colonial railway as itfects Canadii, New Brunswick, or Nova Scotia individually, but as aflTectin' the whole of tliem, and as afiecting their intercourse with this country, Mr. Roebuck has put that in a very forcible way. With respect o the carriage of the mails, which is an actual expenditure at tite present moment in the shape of a charge on the revenue, you will observe that the mail goes to Boston, it is carried to New York, and in either case, whetlier it goes to Boston or New York, before it can reach Canada and the British possessions there, it has to pass through the United States. We ought not to be at the mercy of a foreign power for carrying the mails to our own possessions. I want further to state — this is something which perhaps neither you nor myself may live to see carried out ; but, beyond all manner of doubt, it is the destiny of this country to have a complete inter- colonial communication all the way, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean by Vancouver's Island ; and there is now, from the entrance of the St. Lawrence to the head of Lake Superior, a larger inland navigation than from Liverpool to New York (which is upwards 1'^ I -1 ,iH ill ill ■'0 'ili * n 5f m ^t' ,7 V- -ill : I I ' • i.i \\ I ! 'ii- :f'i 'i in I'llll^Hl ' 1 I' 'II 1 'i i'l I i ' I 60 of 3,700 miles). From the eml>ouc1uu'e of that river in British territory up to the head of Lake Superior in British territory, it would take a vessel with the same power a longer time to go up through that natural canal than it would to go from Liverpool to that country. After this railway is completed, you will have an outlet for all the western waters ; all the produce that they have in that j)art of the world must come by this railway to the nearest port of Halifax on the Atlantic, between England and America. Here are things that are practicable — they begin piece by ])iece. Through Canada there are locks to connect the lakes and railways at certain points. There is a railway through Nova Scotia, and now it wants but this little bit, and then yon get a communication all the way from Halifax to the head of I^ke Superior, and thence toYancouver's Island through open country. But there is another fact ; this iu not a grant or a guarantee ; it is, in fact, a contract to a certain extent. You are to pay this company what you a:'e now paying the American Government for the transmission of your mails. It is a company which you can con- train by courts of law and by means of which you can reach them as British subjects. You cannot constrain the Amcriciins to the fulfilment of any treaty (I do not think it is in their power to fulfil a treaty, and I do not think they have the disposition to do it if they had the power), but this is a company that can be constrained to do it. But there are considerations far beyond all that. There arc ramifications and consequences which cannot be easily foreseen in t'iie first instance,— one is the reduction of Her Majesty's expenditure. If you have a railway from Halifax you need not keep troops in Canada for its defence ; fur in eleven days they can be sent from Chatham to any point of Canada ; they would get to Halifax in nine days, and in two days the greater portion of Canada would be under protection, and that it is as soon as the Americans could discipline, embody, and march their troops. Therefore you do not want to keep such a military force, and all the saving that is constituted out of that state of things must be put also to the credit of this rail- way. Now, during the last war it was the disposition of the Government to withdraw the troops. They wanted a regiment j they piititoff for too long a time, and they to wait for six months, as they could not come out ; they wanted to get the stores, and they could not bring them through the United Statee, because it would be contravening the neutrality treaty. You should look at it as a national and intercolonial question, and not as colonial merely ; and you should look at it for the postal communication, and also that it will (which is highly desirable) connect those colonies in a way that there shall be the same com- munion and the same confederation. You have now five difierent colonies there,and those five difierent colonies have five difierent sets of customs, five different tariff's, and five different sets of laws. We know as little of what goes on in Nova Scotia, at Toronto, or at Kingston, as we do of what goes on at Dantzic or Hongkong. I can 51 much easier go now from here to St. Petersburg than I can go from Halifax to Quebec. I can do so much more comfortably and at half the cost. Mr. CuNABD. — You remarked just now that the Government were indisposed to make grants for colonial railways. Now, this is not a colonial railway, nor an intercolonial one, but it is a great national road — it is a great military road, and it should be viewed in this country as such, and not as a colonial one. Sir R Bulwer-Lytton. — There are various ways of putting it ; I SHOULD THINK IT WAS A GREAT NATIONAL ROAD. Mr. CuNARD. — It really is so. For six months in the year you can have no access to Canada in a military point of view ; you cannot bring troops from Canada, neither can you take trooi)8 to aid and assist them. That we saw during the last year or two ; and there- fore I think that we should view it as a military road, and as a great national road. You pay nothing for it. You become liable to pay £60,000 a year, and you get it back before you can pay it. You actually get it back as a saving before you spend the money. Some- body has said that it cost £25,000 a year for the postage. I believe it is so. Then, if you would have to convey troops, see what you would save ! You would save three regiments in Canada and the provinces, because you could have them where you pleased at any one point. You 'might have troops at Halifax, and send them up the country if you wanted, or you might bring them home. You would save more than £60,000 a year in those different items which were mentioned. In reply to a question from the Cliairman, Sir E. Bulwer-Lytton said he should recuinmend the deputation to wait on the Cliancellor of the Exchequer at once, and state to him that it had received his (Sir Edward's) most favourable attention. 5; i! I 3t > y' It* I ! On the following day the deputation waited on the Right Honourable Benjamin Disraeli, Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Deputation consisted of the following noblemen and gentle- men : — V^iscount Bury, M.P., Viscount Goderich, M.P., the Hon. Sir Allan N. Macnab, Bart., the Hon. C. W.W. Fitzwilliam, M.P., Capt. the Hon. John Vivian, M.P-, the Hon. S. Cunard, the Hon. F. Berkeley, M.P., tlie Hon. Justice Haliburton, J. A. Roebuck, Esq., M. P., Colonel Boldero, M. P., G. G. Glyn, Esq., M.P.. Thos. Luce, Esq., M.P., William Roupell, Esq., M.P., the Rt. Hop. Sotheron Estcourt, M.P., W. H. Gore Langton, Esq., M-P^ H. W. Schneider, Esq., M. P., John Neeld, Esq., M.P., R. P. Nisbett, Esq., M.P., James Wyld, Esq., M.P.,H. P. Eoche, Esq., Pa^ Glyn, Esq., Mr. Nelson, Mr. Brotherhood, Mr. Sewell, Mr.Tl. Masterman, and Mr. Stevens. The Chancellor gs- the Exchequer. — My Lord Bury, T have got your papers, but I have not been able to look at them much. E 2 ^¥\ T 5 . I") 'I;!' 1, I I ;, I ■ li I pi m «!■■ Hi : I ) m! i I ! I 52 What I know is what everybody knows who takes a popular view of the subjects You thought it of im])ortance for tlie convenience of several gentlemen that I should see you to-day. It was only yesterday that you intimated your wish, and thei'efore I am not prepared to enter into all the details laid down, which otherwise I should have been very glad to have done ; but I will now listen with the greatest pleasure to what you or any other gentleman may wish to say on the subject. Lord Bury. — Sir, I am here to state to you the object of this deputation. The parties who are here represent a large body who are very much interested in all ways, both by knowledge of the country and connection with Canada, and they have seen with very great displeasure, and great anxiety, that we are entirely de- ))endent upon a foreign country for communication with that pro- vince, which at any moment may be cut off if we are at hostility with the United States. We have met together to discuss whether it will not be ])08sible to obtain some communication entirely through a British territory from Halifax to Quebec. This deputation met, as you are aware, by appointment, the Colonial Secretaiy yesterday, and he received us with the greatest courtesy, and with expressions of sympathy in our views which were very cheeiing to us. We laid before him the position of matters ; and in doing so, and as the spokesman of the deputation, I thought it my duty rather to urge upon him the political value of this line and its extreme importance in a national point of view, than to enlarge upon the commercial part of the undertaking. He per- fectly agreed in the political 1 importance of the line ; but he said, as we asked for a Government guarantee or Government assistance, it would come within your province, and he dismissed us with a general expression of sympathy with the objects of the meeting, and, of course, carefully guarding himself against expressing any opinion as to whether her Majesty's Government would feel it to be their duty to recommend any such guarantee. Perhaps, as you have been so kind as to inform us that you have not had time to look through the papers, I may be permitted to mention one or two of the prominent matters which render this important in a national point of vi$w. His lordship then repeated the imperial advantages it would confer, and continued, — The Legislatures of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, as you will see by the papers which are before you, have each of them guaranteed to her Majesty's Government £20,000, making in all ^60,000, towards the completion of this line. And they have also guaranteed to her Majesty all ungranted lands within ten miles of the proposed route, and all private lands requisite for the construction, not only of this line, but for the stations and buildings : that is ^60,000 granted to her Majesty's Government. The Chancellor of the Exchequer. — Annually 1 Lord Bury. — Yes, and the land, with the line itself when con- structed, would be extremely valuable, and would probably repay ii 58 the exi)enHe of its construction. The estimated amount of the capital re(]uii-eil for the construction of the whole line is about ^£3,000,000 sterling ; so that this £00,000 gianted by the Colonial TiBgittlatures amounts to a guarantee of about £2 per cent, upon the whole capital. We do not presume to lay down any positive terms on which we will treat with her Majesty's Government, but as her Majesty's Government cannot be expected to take tiie initiative in a siatter of this sort, we wish to state what would be satisfactory to the company. The deputation which is here, have appointed a Finance Committee to discuss with you the details of this matter, if yon should intimate your readiness to enter into the subject. We would ask, as the first proposal, that her Majesty's Government should, in consideration of the conveyance of the mails, troops, and stores, as I have said before, propose to Parliament to give us another annual sum of £60,000, equal to the annual sum of £60,000 guaranteed by the Colonial Le- gislature, and the crown lands granted by them, making in all £120,000, which is £4 \yev cent, upon the required capital esti- mated for the construction of the line. I may state that, out of that £60,000 there is a quid jrro quo, and I would rather wish to insist upon that point ; so that the remaining portion would be about £30,000 a year, and the asset that I would put against that would be the conveyance of the troops and stores, and the extreme national importance of our being connected, and having the facility of communicating with the Canadas ; and I submit to you whether that altogether would not form a reason why her Majesty's Government should, at least, entertain the pro|>osal. The harbour of Halifax, I should have mentioned, enjoys the advantage which I believe is not shared by any of the harbours south of New York, nor eveti Charleston in South Carolina, of being o[ien at all seasons of the year. Halifax is never closed up. The harbours south of Halifax are closed up. Boston and New York are very often closed, and Halifax is the only port which is always open. The Chancellor of the Exchequer. — Is this company just l(Mrmed? Mr. Wyld, M.P.— Yes. The Chancellor of the Exchequer.— For the si)ecific pur- pose of forming a line from Halifax to Quebec ? Mr. Nelson. — More properly speaking that part of it which is not already made, from Truro to Tix)is Pistoles. Lord Burv. — I forgot to mention that when the Colonial legis- latures granted the £60,000 to Her Majesty they granted it on condition that Her Majesty would undertake the work, either by the Government or by a private company. What we want is to be recognized as tfiat private com))any, to carry out, as Her Majesty's instrument, the work. If we are so recognized we instantly become possessed of those advantages that are held out. The CuANOELLOU OF THE ExcHKtiUER. — Thore has been no attempt to ruiise capital for this ooinpuny? '. ,n ^bili ^ 1 1 Hi i'' i 1 F ' {. : I i I :i'!' 'I'll ;!' ! 'Il M'l I j'li i!ii! ii » m \:i \ I !1 ( I i ; ! I 64 Mr. Wyld, M.P. — None, sir. First of all they must aak whether Her Majesty's Govern iiieut would entertain this pro))o< sition, and if Her Majesty's Government will "ntertain it, the immediately the capital will be raised. The Chancellor of the Exchequer. — What is the date of forming this company ? Lord Bury. — A few days ago. The Chancellor of the Exchequer. — Have yon submitted any memorial to the Secretary of State 1 Lord Burt. — Yes, explaining the resolutions that were passed at a meeting held at the Thatched-house Tavern, on Saturday week. That is a copy of it [handing it to the Chancellor of the Exchequer]. There may be a slight alteration to make in it of a few words at the The Chancellor of the Exchequer. — I have no hesitation in saying as everybody muat feel, that this is an object of the greatest impo'ftance and most desirable to he accomplished. I should like very much to go into the financial part of it before I could speak with any precision upon the recommendation that 1 should give. You say there are gentlemen in this room who can com- municate with me upon it. Mr. Schneider, M.P. — Sir, there is one thing you should bear in mind — that is, the present state of railway enterprise in this country, and especially after what has occurred with regard to the Grand Trunk Railway. If Her Majesty's Government do not feel it their duty to grant this £60,000, the line would be practi- cally hopeless, and you will not find a class of shareholders to subscribe shares without there is a certain guarantee from Govern- ment. This guarantee would be £i per cent., which would be little enough. A £4 per cent, guarantee upon the original esti- mate would induce anybody to embark in it ; and, therefore, in this case it is not a question of getting a guarantee of £i per cent, for the sake of making a line pay, but really as a foundation on which the line line itself can be made. You would never raise the money without there was a certain guarantee of £i per cent, upon the original capital. The Chancellor of the Exchequer. — It is not an unfavour- able period ./or undertaking these great works, if you can agree upon any arrangement. I can only say that I am dtdy impressed with the great importance of it ; and your (Lord Bury's) very clear aud lucid statement has revived my recollection. I remember a great deal on this point when Lord Grey w&s in office. It cer- tainly is, in every point of view, a matter of tJte hig?test consi- deration, and I will confer with Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton imme- diately upon it. I will not lose any time. Perhaps, I had better communicate with you, Lord Bury 1 Shortly after these deputations Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton and Mr. Disrueli replied verbally to Lord Bury, and [lointecl ill 06 uiit that the assistance prumised had been granted by tlie Colonial liegislatures in 1849; that the negotiations then entered into had not been carried out, and that the Acts then passed, though not formally expunged from the statute hook, nn'ght not improbably be regarded as having fallen into desuetude, Under these circumstances, it was determined that some gentleman should visit British North America, and ascertain, from personal observation, how far the colonies would be dis- {)osed to ratify and renew the engagements made in 1849. Lord Bury undertook the mission, and on his return he, referring to the above-mentioned enactments, reported as follows : — " During my visit to the three provinces, I endeavoured, both in public meetings which were convened for the purpose, and by private couversation with gentlemen of every shade of political opinion, to ascertain whether the words in that and the similar acts of the lower provinces, still indicated the views of the people. " I have to express my belief that a large majority of the people in the three provinces desire to see the work undertaken, and that the acts cited are considered still in force. I also think that if, from the length of time during which they have remained in abeyance, any renewal of their provisions were considered neces- sary, it would not be difficult to obtain their re-enactment. " Duiing the past year delegates from each of the three provinces met in England to discuss with the head of the Colonial Office the mode in which this work might be constructed. Their reports are not yet before the public, and it would be improper for me to allude further to the result of their labours than to say that I believe their opinions to be highly favourable to the construction of the road. Delegates from Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, arrived in this country simultaneously with Lord Bury's departure ; the object of their mission was again to press upon the Imperial Government the necessity of granting aid to complete this railway* They addressed Sir E. B. Lytton, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, as follows :^ -> "3, Charlet Street, St. Jamet Square, Londonf 26th October, 1858. " Sir, " The subject of an intercolonial railway from Halifax to Qnebec hni b«en so frequently and so fully discussed, both as between the colonies interested, and between those colonies and the Home Government, that the undersigned do not now propose to reproduce at It-ngth the arguments whieh have been from time to time urged in favour of its construction. •I 11 If', n /f M 1 ill' lii" fij '■.:i III ii *' The late Earl of Durham, in Lis report upon the affiiirB of British North America, suggested the importance of tlii» railway. " The iirst practical step, however, was fallen in the organization of a survey by Mr. Gladstone, when SecretHry of S^tate fbr the Colonies, in lH-(6, which survey occupied a considerable |)eriod of time, involvinjg a laign amount of expense^ and to which expense Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia contributed. " Earl Grey, when Secretary of State for the Colonies, in 1851, dixtinctly pledged the Imperial Goremmt-nt to aid in making the line by affonling the the imperial guarnntee to the jmyment of the interi-st on the capital rfquir»d for the work, and this pledge would doubtless liuve been carried out at the time, had not a difficulty arisen as to a branch line from the main line into the Statu of Mame, for the cost of which Mr. Howe, of Nuru Scotia, also claimed the imperial guaranctr. " Subsequently, in 1852, Mr. Hincks, on belialf of Canadarand Mr. Chandler, acting for New Brunswick, brought the matter under the notice of Sir John P ikington, then Secretary of State for the Colonies, who in effect repeated the pledge of Earl Grey, but a difficulty arose as to the route. " His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, as Secretary of State for the Colonies in the ensuing year, bad the project under conriUeration with a view to carrying rt mit f the Russian war, however,- unfortunately intervened, bimI prevented any prof^ress being made until last year (1857), when Messrs. Macdonald and Rose from Canada, and Messrs. Johnson and Archibald from Nova Scotia, again made application to the Home Government, and submitted to Mr. Labonubere* propo sitions for the completion of this railway. '* The undersigned have thus, but briefly, referred to the action in relation to this question as between the Imperial and Colonial Governments, knowing, sir, as they do, that you are fully acquainted with its history in all its bearings, and that a reference to the Farliamentary Blue Books for the documents and despatches allttded to will be more convenient and satisfactory t« yo» tiam a repetition of their contents. " It must be borne in mind, hovtwer, that the state «f the i|iue8tioii> in the Colonies interested has been materudly changed since the correspondence with Earl Grey and Sir John Pakington. " At that time Canada, New Bronswick, and Nova Scotia hod net, in faet, taken any step incurring debt or liability for the purpose of aidmg the project ; and it is proposed here to state briefly what has been done, and what liabilities incurred in the respective Provinces, towards carrying out this great Imperial and Provincial work. " Canida has not only provided for the construction of a line of railway from Quebec to Montreal, and thence westward, passing through Kingston and Toronto to the western boundary of that Province at Sarnia, the foot of Lake Huron, but 40 miles below Quebec have been made, and are now worked for traffic ; and during next year a further distance of 70 miles to Riviere du Ijoup, now being made, comprising in the aggregate 110 miles below Quebec, or 864 miles in all, frmn Riviere dn Loup to Sarnia, will be completed, at a cost to the Province of ^"3>, 11 1,500 sterling, raised and paid out since 1852, to aid in the construction of this railway, and involving an annual charge upcm the revenues of the Province to the extent of ^£186,0^) sterling. From Riviere du Loup to the New Brunswick frontier the distance to be yet made depends upon the route selected, the shortest distance being about 50 miles ; and there w^ill then be a continuous line of railway throughout the entire length of Canada, from its extreme eastern boundary od the New Brunswick border to its western boundary at Sarnia, on Lake Huron. " In addition to this large outlav, Canada will contribute the sum of jf 20,000 sterling annually, to aid in raising tlie capital for the completion of this important work. " New Brunswick has incurred a heavy debt in the construction of railways. Upon the completion of the unfiiusbed portion of the road between Shed ac and the city of St. John, a distance of 110 miles, which are now under con- tract, her total expenditure for the construction of railways will exceed 57 jl'800,000 st«'r)hiK. for wliivh she will be Rubject to tin* |rayment of an annual interest of j^48,000 oterling. She has alna ly givtm lOO.OUO acres of Ibiid lo the St. AndreM' ttmi Quebec Rhflway and Land Coinpany, and has pledged a further large grunt of land, Hnd agreed lo puy an annual >uin of X 5,0rtioii of the province on the basin of mines, has been in operation since June iHst. " This portion of the trunk line has cost about ;£500,000 sterling, and the Windsor branch ji300,000 sterling, the interest of which is chargeable upon the revenues of the province, the capital having been raised upon provincial debentures bearing six per cent, interest. To complete the trunk line from Truro to the borders of New Brunswick there remain about 60 miles. " Unless it be in connection with the Intercolonial Railway, it furms no part of the policy of Nova Scotia to carry the line from Truio to the New Brunswick frontier, as, unaided, it is entirely beyond her resources ; and a line is now being located from Truro to Picton, by which communication will be opened with the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Prince Edward's Island, aud the eastern counties, including Cape Breton. ** In the event, therefore, of the present effort failing to enlist the sympathy and co-operation of the Imperial Government in completing the Intercolonial Railway, in which the general interests of the empire are so largely involved. Nova Scotia must turn her resources to tl>e construction of the line to Picton ; and no hope can be entertained that she «ill afterwards be able to contribute to the Quebec and Halifax line, as all her means will have been expended apon the local lines already indicated. So deeply impie«sed is she, however, with the im- mense impoitance of this great Imperixl and Colonial Railway undertaking, that, although nearly one-half the line through Nova Scotia has been made and otmpleted since the acti«in of her Legislature in 1849, she is now willing to renew the pledges their given, to grant a free right of way, and provide and pay jf20,000 sterling annually, so long as it may be required, to aid iu meetii g the interest of the additional capital to be expended in making the line from Truro to Riviere du Lo^p. " Referring, then, to the action of the Home Government ; to the pledges of Earl Grey in 1851 ; to the adoption of those pledges in elect by Sir John Pdkington in 1852 ; and to the repeated admissions on the part of the Imperial authorities, that the interests and integrity of the emjiie are involved in the speedy construction of this railway, the undersigned respectfully submit tiiat the |)eriod has arrived when it is essential that the Imperial assistance nece&sary be granted. *' It is estimated that the diffterent sections required to complete the line from Halifax to Quebec may now be made at a cost of three millions and a half of pounds sterling. If the million and a half of pounds which Canada owes lo, and proposes to raise and pay off at once to the Imperial Governmtnt, be appro- priatied, there remain but two millions more to be provided ; and to meet the interest on this sum, each province here proposes to contribute to the extent of j£20,000 sterling, in each year. *' The British North- Ameiican Provinces « ould thus be bn ught together and consolidated ; the postal communicution between England and all North America would be conducted through Halifax, and that for the United States would thus pass first through British Territory, inasmuch as letieis for Uos'on, New York, and other American cities, would reach their destination sooner through Halifax and over the rail than in any other way. " When the Intercolonial Railway is completed, there will be an unbroken I : Iwl! Hi' I; m J.,*! •''''•;; i«i !i ii. :•' I,: i I! I; 1 1; 'ii n\ w\ il ni !;r II 1^; ic! ■ II' I :,, il Ml! I 58 communication by railway from Halifax, in Nova Scotia, to the woaturn part of Canada, at Sarnia, extending over a distance of about 1,400 miles in the direc> tion of British Columbia and Vancouver's Island, the whole being in the dominions of the Queen ; and from Sarnia there is now nn unbroken water com> munication for straniers and vessels of the largest class to the head of Lake Superior, at Fort William, a further distance of nearly 1,000 miles. " The military objects are now so thoroughly understood, and have been so fully dwelt upon in former communications on the subject of this railway, that they are not here repeated. " Trusting that this important matter may receive the early and favonrable consideration of her Majesty's Government, "Wehave, &c. (Signed) " G. E. Cartibr, ) Jno. Robs, > Canada. A. T. Galt, ) Charlks Tuppbr, ) W. A. HiNRY, [ Nova Scotia." R. B. Dickey, ) ^. , Aud on being referred by him to the Chancellor of the Exchequer they addressed the following letter to Mr. Disraeli — Sir, " London, 16th November, 1858. " We have the honour to enclose a copy of the joint letter from the delegates from the British North-American Colonies to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on the subject of the intercolonial railway ; and we venture to express the hope that her Majesty's Government may be abie to give an early and favourable consideration to the question. " We have, &c., (Signed) *' John Ross. •• A. T. Galt." " * To the Right Hon. B. Disraeli, Chancellor qfthe Exchequer, Sfc, " • London, 13/A November, 1858. •• • Sib, '* ' In the interview with which we were honoured by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, on the subject of the railway from Halifax to Quebec, Sir E. B. Lytton stated, that while the construction of this work unquestienably entered into Imperial policy, it involved question^ more peculiarly financial, and that he therefore wished us to address you, and in submitting our united appli- cation, to add our views of the manner in which the British exchequer would be affected by your assent to our proposal. " ' A reference to the enclosed copy of our joint letter to Sir E. B. Lytton will show you that, estimating the capital required to be jf3,500,000, the Imperial Government are asked to apply jf 1,500,000, now payable by Canada, and to guarantee, if necessary, the proposed grant by the three colonies of i/60.000 per annum. Assuming, which we trust will not be questioned, that the obligations of the several provinces will be honourably met, as has always hitherto been the case, the amount of aid asked from the British Government to secure an object admittedly of vast imperial Interests is limited to the grant of .jfl ,500,000, representing, at 4 per cent., an annual charge on the British exchequer uf i60,000. " ' Against this sum it is claimed that the construction of the railway would relieve Great Britain of certain known charges :— 59 Payment to United States Government for the transmiflflion of mails to and from Canada .... 25,000 Reduction in ocean services, as now purformed by tlie Cuiiard line, Halifax being 547 miles nearer Liverpool than New Yoric, in proportion to the whole subsidy, at least 35,000 Saving in transmission of troops and munition of war.atleast 10,000 To which may be added the sum which would be paid by the, United States Government fur the transmission of their mails by the railway, at least as much as is now paid by the British Government 25,000 ;f95,000 " ' On ilnancial grounds we therefore do not hesitate to state our convirtion that a large reduction may be eifi^cted in existing charges upon the British revenue; while, at the same time, the other and more important Imperial political objects will be attained. " < We have now fully stated our views on this important subject, and it only remains for us to express our hope that, if her Majesty's Government are desirous of extending their aid, they may be plea^ted to advise us of their views, and, shonld they not be prepared to adopt the precise scheme submitted by us, that they will be pleased to inform us of the mode by which they consider the object can be attained more consistently with the interests of the Imperial Government. " ' We may add, that if it should be more consistent with your views to grant aid to this proposed railway by way of subsidy, for the services hereinbefore enume- rated, instead of an absolute grant of money, it would equally meet the expecta« tions and desires of the colonic. «• "We have, &c. (Signed) * ' G. E. Cartier, per A. T. Galt. John Ross. A. T. Galt. Chakles Fisher. A. P. Smith. Charles Tdppbr. W. A. Henry. R. B. DiCKBV.' " Ij il .1 ,1 Ml '■' t I !-^ !i' ■ii i'';i i; iii ir I ! I , • i! H 1,1 < I i It 60 Session, 1861. To the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty. THE HUiMBLE AND DUTIFUL ADDRESS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND HOUSE OF ASSEM- BLY OF THE PROVINCE OF NEW BRUNSWICK. May it please jtour Majesty, — We, the Legislative Council aud House of Assembly, beg leave to Hpproach your MHJesty with renewed assurances of our attach- ment and fidelity to your Mujesty^'s person aud Grovernment. In common with your Majesty's loyal subjects in these North- American provinces, we are deeply impressed with the great advan- tages, if not absolute necessity, of a railway from Halifax to Quebec, connecting Nova Scotia and New Brunswick with Canada. The Legislature and people of New Brunswick have, on all occa- sionn, manifested the greatest interest in the importance of the work to the British '^tipire, and have expressed their willingness to contribute for its accomplishment to an extent commensurate with the financial ability and resources of the country. Your Majesty's Government are aware that the construction of railways has so far absorbed our resources as necessarily to lesHen the means at our disposal to assist in this important undertaking ; but the lines of i-ailway already in operation in this province may be made available for the ))urpuses of this great work. The importance of the intercolonial railway for the great and ttianifold resources of the province ; the facilitating the transmission of mails ; the securing of iuipro fed postal communication between Great Btitain and Canada through Biitish territory ; the Advan- tages of the line for military purposes, and for the consolidation of your Majesty's dominions in this continent, have often beer; urged in former represenlations, and as often conceded by your Majesty's Ministers. Recent events have demonstrated the neces- sity for renewed exertion for the attainment of an object so essential to national interests and the maintenance of national honour. New Brunswick has millions of acres of ungranted lands fit for cultiva- tion and set.tlement, which under a good system of colon iziition, might be made to contribute to this work. Should your Maic<*ty'8 Government, in view of the great national advantages the carrying out of this great work will secure, adopt measures to promote its construction. New Brunswick will cheerfully contribute in lands aud money to the utmost of her means towards the accomplishment 61 of an object so litsirable. We therefore Immbly ]iray your Most Gracious Majesty to take this our petition into your moat favour- able consideration, and grant such aid for the construction of an intercolonial railway as may be proportionate to the magnitude of the work, and to the Imperial iuterest involved in this great under taking. Session, i8Gl. To the Queen's Most Exeellent Majesty. THE HUMBLE ADDRESS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY OF NOVA SCOTIA. May it please your Majesty,— We, Her Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, the Legislative Council and House of Assembly of Nova Scotia, respectively beg leave again to invite our Sovereign's consideration to a work of National importance. For nearly twenty years the people of British America have been straggling to secure a great Highway extending from the Sea to tlie Western bounds of Canada, and have made many sacrificee to obtain it. The foremost men in all the Provinces, of all iK>litical parties, have, from time to time, united to accomplish this work. They are united now, and they justly regard the realization of their hopes as an object not unworthy of the grave consideration of bhe Imperial Government. The recent visit of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales to these Provinces has not only enabled our Sovereign's son to survey their boundless resources, but has illustrated the spirit of loyalty and love of British connection which pervades them. To unite them in the bonds of peace —to develop their resources, to enlarge their population, to harmonise their public sentiments by mutual intercourse, to strengthen them in time of war, and to keep alive in their midst the traditions and the ])oIicy of the mother country, appear to us objects worthy of combined effort on the part of the Provincial and Impeiial Governments ; and we rejoice to perceive that, at last, the great Cities of thfe three Kingdoms are awakening to a sense of their importai^ce, and are about to petition Parlia- ment for aid to construct a great Highway from the St. Lawrepce to the Harbour of Halifax. The Legislature of Nova Scotia beg respectfully to refer Your Majesty to the various efforts made by means of Addresses and 1 1 'J' H \\ w \ I ,1 ■ I ■ h i'l lilii I i I I ! , 1,1 mmmmm ,» m Delegations from the Colonies to enlist Imperial support to this great National Undertaking ; and the heavy sacrifices made by them in constructing sevei-al Sections of Railway, which may now be incor{)orated in this work, sufficiently evince the anxious desire of the people and Legislatures of all the Provinces to secure its speedy completion, which cannot be done without Imi)erial aid. We entertain the confident hope that the assurances repeatedly given by Your Majesty's Ministers of their determination to aid this important enterprise may yet be realized, and that Your Majesty's reign may witness the completion of an undertaking which involves the interests not only of British America, but the Empire at large. Trusting that Your Majesty will give to the subject of this Address the grave consideration due to its magnitude and imiiortanoe, tlie Legislative Council and House of Assembly, as in duty bound, will ever pray. Session, 1861. To the Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal. (A similar Petition has been addressed to the House of Commons.) THE HUMBLE PETITION OF THE UNDERSIGNED MERCHANTS, BANKERS, AND OTHERS OF THE CITIES OF LONDON AND WESTMINSTER. Sheweth — First. — That for one-half of the year we are solely dependent on the United States of America for our communications with Canada. Second. — That in case of an interruption of our friendly rela- tions with the United States, our iuteix;ommuuication with Canada, during that period, is liable to be cut off at a moment's notice, and an important portion of the British Em])ire placed in great jeopardy. Third. — That the completion of the line of Railway from Halifax to Quebec would render us perfectly independent of the United States at all seasons of the year. Fourth. — That the completion of this line of Railway would accelerate the delivery of the Canadian Mails and Despatches at 63 least thirty-six hours in advance of the present route through the United States. Fifth. — That the com;)letion of this line of Eailway would open up for colonization and settlement ^y emigrants from the mother-country upwards of 14,000,000 a es of ungranted lands within a journey of teu days from our own shores. Sixth. — ^That the present cost of conveying the British North Aniei-ican Mails through the United States, estimated at £25,000 per annum, would be saved to the Imperial Treasury. Seventh. — That by making Halifax the Terminus of the Atlantic Eoyal Mail Service, instead of Boston and New York, a large annual sum would be saved in the mileage rate, as at present i^aid for that service by the Imperial Treasury. Eighth. — ^That the Military expenses for the preservation of British North America, borne by the Imperial Treasury, amount every year to the sum of £420,000. Ninth. — That the completion of this line of Railway would effect an almost total saving of this expenditure, as it would render Canada accessible for the extradition and transmission of Troops and Military Stores within ten days at all seasons ; whilst at the present time she is, in a military point of view, excluded from communication with the mother country for six mouths of the year. Tenth. — That it would link together the three provinces of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, without which any further combination of these Provinces would be impracticable, and would also give them access to the ocean at all seasons through the port of Halifax, one of the finest harbours in the world, and nearer to England (and to Euroj>e) by 400 miles than any other oi)en port in. America. Eleventh. — That by completing the construction of the Rail- way fiom Truro to River du Loup, a distance of 350 miles, a direct Railway communication will be established through British territory between Halifax, Quebec, and Lake Huron, a distance of 1,400 miles, from whence it is intended to open a direct communi- cation with British Columbia, Vancouvers's Island, and the Pacific. Twelfth. — That your pelitionera believe that the immediate coni))letion of the line of Railway from Halifax to Quebec is essential to the preservaton and integrity of the British Enipirs in North A» 1 1 . ;: 1 i 1 >llii lil'l ii ': i !! Ill I'i :'l! •t I ' ) 66 SIMILAR PETITIONS FROM THE UNDERSIGNED MERCHANTS, BANKERS, AND OTHERS OF THE BOROUGH OF LIVERPOOL. Allan, Brothers, & Co. Allen & Edwards Arnold, Lete, Roscoe, & Co. Archer, R. E. Archer, J. K. Anderson, William Brown, Wm. (Brown, Shipley, & Co.) Baines, James, & Co. Bailey, Brothers, & Co. Eca^ley, James Boult, English, & Brandon Booker, S. Booker, Geo., & Co. Bradshaw, J. F. Broach and Bostock Billinge, Charles Bakewell, Sydney Baines, John Bowen, G. M. BiuTaclongh, George Baddeley, R T. Bell, Thorn. Bartlett, G. Bedell, John Baker, James Bryan, George Brown, John Gordon Bond, J. C. Beardwood, W. Barber, Thomas Eaton. Cannon, David, Sons, & Co. Cunard, Wilstm, & Co. Chaloner, Edward Craven and Bull Cassidy & Turner Clifford, Mark Cato & Overend Carson, James Cartull, Richd. Crow, G. B. Clayton, James Chalmers & Co. Csesar & Sobbe ' Cornish, Geo. J. Cohan, Henry Clarke, W. P. Carter, Henry Coglan, John Colley, Eras. P. Carne, C. Fredk. Cox, John Caroe, A. K. Duncan, John, & Co. Darbyshire, McKinnell, ; V^mmm II 'I! I. : I I'll I ;■ i| ; ;)i !' I' 6ft Sutherland, Peter, pro O. Brown Spence, John B. Steel, William Saiunel, P. J. Steiuthal, H., & Co. Sauiuelson, James Samuelson, Newton Stokesley, James Thomas, Jr. Shearson, Joseph C. Smith, George Ed. Sweeney, W. J. Turner, Charles, (Chairman of the Mei-aey Dock Board) Tarbet, W., & Sons Taylor, Charles B., & Son Trimmer & Grainger Taylor & Timmis Twead, Wm., & Co. Thomson, Finlay, & Co. Thompson, Joseph Thompson, Georgo Tucker, Bobert Trotman, S. liCe Talbot, Alfred W. Verdin, Thorn. Wilson & Chambei's Wilson, John, & Son Wood, Henry, & Co. Wain Wright, Bichard Winns & Co. Walthew, Jaa. M. Wilson, Bob. White, Walter Wise, Charles Williams, Maurice Wade, W. B. Williams, Thomas H. Whitehead, John W. Wade & Bobsou Young, Geo., Jr. SIMILAB PETITIONS FBOM THE UNDEBSIGNED MEBC HANTS, BANKEBS, AND OTHEBS OF THE CITY OP MANCHESTEB. A. & S. Heni7 & Co. J. P. & K Westhead & Co. J. & N. Phillips & Co. Daniel Lee & Co. Bobert Barbour & Brother H. Banuerman & Sons Samuel Fletcher, Son, & Co. Bylands & Sons James M'Laren &> Nephews James Brown, Son, & Co. Cook, Son, Hocken, & Co. Kershaw, Sidebottom, & Beiry Callender, Sons, & Dodgshon Samuel & Thomas Ashton James Burton, Jun. John Dugdale & Brothers Henry Bury (Messrs. Loyd, Ent<#i8tle, & Co.) William Harding & Son J. & R Pearsen James Kershaw & Somy Sharp, Stewart, & Co. Fielden, Brothers Thomas Sharp & Co. Bichardson, Lee, & Co. Sam Mendel Hall & Udall Samuel Badcliffe son, & Co. John Standring & Brother Ormerod, Jervis, en- dent upon the United States for our intercommunication with Canada, "That the existing laws of the United States amount to a virtual prohibition of the passage of goods in transitu through t heir territory to Canada. "That our communication through the United States with Canada cannot be used fur any military or political purpose. "That the importance of a Line of Railway from Halifax to Quebec through British teriitory, in a national point of view, has been repeatedly acknowledged by the Imperial Govern- ment. ' " That the Grand Trunk Railway of Canada was constructed on the assurance that the Line would be continued through the 73 Lower ProviticcB to the Atlantic by the Imperial and rrovincial Goveninients. "That the Grand Trunk Railway Company of Canada have constructed 114 miles of the line between Halifax and Quebec. The Government of New Brunswick 110 miles of the line from iShediac to St. John ; and the Nova Scotia Government GO miles of the line from Halifax to Truro, and a branch line of 38 miles to Windnor, on the Bay of Fundy, without any imperial aid whatever. " That 350 miles yet remain to be made, and that this could bo completed providing Her Majesty's Government will grant such aid as is commensurate with the imperial advantages which on its completion it would confer. " That the Legislatures of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have passed addresses to Her Majesty during the prasent Session of their several Parliaments, pledging themselves to aid to the fullest extent which their means will justify in accomplishing an object so desirable as the completion of this Bailway. "That providing Her Majesty's Government would back the guarantee of .£G0,000 per annum granted by the three Provinces of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, towards making good the interest on the capital necessary to complete the line, and further give a sum of £60,000 annually for the carriage of mails, niilitary stores, and troops (making 4 per cent, on the capital of £3,000,000, the amount estimated to complete the Bailway), the necessary capital could be raised. " That ])roviding Her Majesty's Government are disposed to give a favourable reply to this preliminary ajiplicatioii, the British North American interest in this country will cordially unite with Her MHJesty's Government in arranging for the completion of this great national undertaking with the least possible delay." The deputation, which was introduced by Mr. R. W. Crawford, M.P., consisted of the following gentlemen : — Mr. Robert Gillespie. Mr. Thomas Baring, M.P. Mr. George Carr Glyn, M.P. The Hon. C. W. Fitzwilliam, M.P. Mr. J. C. Ewart, M.P. Mr. Horsfall, M.P. Mr. Turner, M.P. Mr. Bazley, M.P. Mr. Garnett,M.P. Mr. Westhead, M.P. The Hon. H. F. Berkeley, M.P. Mr. Gore Langton, M.P, Mr. H. B. Sheridan, M.P, Mr. H. Ewing, M.P. Mr. Scholefield, M.P. Mr. Whalley, M.P. Mr. Buchanan. M.P. Mr. Dunlop, M.P. Mr. D. Seymour, M.P. Mr. Wyld, M.P. Mr. Steel, M.P. Mr. K. D. Hodgson, M.P. Sir W. M. Farquhar, M.P. Mr. Charles Franks (Governor of the Canada Compauy). Ill ^ .! • ; i '1 r; I ' f \W 1 •'■■ ' s '7 ! I 74 Sir Samuel Cunard, Bart. Mebsrs. Carter, Brooking, and Le Breton (Bank of British North America). Mr. H. Wollaston Blake. Mr. W. Chapman. Mr. "W. Evans, Mr. Henry Wheeler (Chairman of the Northern Railway of Canada.) Mr. N. Gould. Mr. Hartridge. Mr. Sewell. Mr. Afj'gas (New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Land Company). Messrs. Crawford, Bai'ing, and Gillespie, entered into a full explanation of the objects of the '^*»r.' ' ition, and received in reply from his Grace the assurance o^ ijig cordial sympathy, sim}>ly requiring, before submitting it to the Cabinet, he would wish to know from the British North American Governments, the amount of assistance they were prepared to give, and also the amount of liability which the Imperial Government were required to under- take to secure the completion of the Railway. Mr. J. J. Cummins (Governor British American Land Com- pany). Mr. Bischoff, Solicitor. Messrs. Hazlett & Roche (Canada Association). Mr. Giles, C.E. Mr. Bruton (Bristol Chamber of Commerce). Mr. Ford (General Mining Asso- ciation). Mr. "Weir. Mr. Nelson. :-l H REPORT OF CONVENTION OF BRITISH NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT, HELD IN QUEBEC, September, 18G1. At a Meeting held in the Executive Council Cham'jer at Quebec, on Monday, the 30th of Scptembei", 18G1, there were present — The IIoQ. Joseph Howe, Mr. Arclnbald, Mr. McCuliey. The Hon. Mr. Tilley, „ Mr. Smith, „ Mr. Mitchell, Mr. waters. » > Fmni Nova Scotia. • Fn om New JUricnswIck. The Hon. Mr. Cartier, „ Mr. Macdonald, „ Mr. Ross, „ Mr. Vankoughnet, „ Mr. AUeyn, Sir N. F IJolkau, , Mr. Cult, ,, Mr. Cauchoii. ^ ) Front ('a)u(^la. 75 And it was unanimously Resolved — That the three Governments of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, do renew the offer nmde to the Imperial Government en the twenty-sixth day of October, 1858, to aid in the construction of an Intercolonial Railway, to connect Halifax with Quebec, and that a delegation from* each Province shall immediately proceed to England with the. object of pressing the project upon the attention of the Home Government, giving them the assurance that the Governments of the respective Provinces will endeavour to procure the necessary legislation at the next ensuing Sessions of their respective Parliaments. And it was further resolved that the route to be adopted be ilecided by the Imperial Government. - i A i^ !* iilit •M «■ HALIFAX AND QUEBEC RAILWAY. 'r I i !■ f » ■ 1 1 ! ■! \ \': ■ ; OPINIONS OP THE PBESS. CANADA— OUR FROZEN FRONTIER. (From BlackioooiVs Magazine for January, 1862.) The probability of a war with the Northern States of America iiiakes us anxious to inquire what the condition of our colonies in that quarter of the globe is at pi-esent, and wh.it assistance they nmy exjiect to receive from the mother country during the winter months. Having passed a portion of last autunm in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Canada, we may perhaps be able to throw wjme light upon a subject which just now is one of great national interest. Early in September, a conversation took place in our hearing on board one of those excellent steamers which ply between the rajtids of St. Anns — the scene of Moore's " Canadian Boat-song" — -and the town of Ottawa, the new .seat of Government for tlie United Province.^ of UpjK'r and Lower Canada, The party consisted of a distinguished officer in the Englisli army on full pay ; a merchant, resident at St. John, New Bruns- wick ; an Englishman well "posted" in public affairs (U home; and a meniber of one of the Colojial J-egislatures. These gentlemen we will for brevity call respectively — " Miles," " Mei'cator," " Civis," and " Senator." They were all proceeding to Ottawa, — Miles to make a report on certain Government works ; Mcrcator to see his partner, who was engaged in the lumber-trade ; Civis for curiosity, information, and fishing ; Senator for the purj^^yse of conferring with a contractor respecting the extension of railways in his own province. A brandy cocktail, after a substantial and weVi-cooked diimor, had made them all just sufficiently communicative and tolerant to be both pleasant talkers and good listeners. Civis. — " How beautiful this river is ! When one looks at the gorgeous foliage on the banks, the settler dropping calmly but quickly down the stream in lii.> canoe, and feels the soft, warm, clear air, one can hardly realize (lie fact that lj<'fore three moutlis 17 tr arc passed the broad rapid stream will be completely frozen over, the branches of the trees borne down with snow, and the inha- bitants along the banks almost entirely without occupation." Mercatw. — *• Yes ; the lumbering is nearly over for this year now, and very few rafts will start from Ottawa after the first week iu September." Civia. — " When do the steamers discontinue ru ningi" Mercator. — '• Tht^y knock otf about the 20th jf November, I am sorry to say, as J. have shares in the company ; and gruuible t'xtieuiely at our property being idle for full four months every year." Seimtor. — " You will have more reason, I fear, to oomplain of your [)rotits in the timber-trade falling off this year than your dividend in the steamboat company." MercaUyr. — " Yes ; but our profits are pretty good most years, and we can afford to have a bad one in that trade now and theu.''_ Civi$. — Have the troubles in the States affected the timber- tmde of Canada much 1 " Mercator. — Yes, sir, enormously ; and that is one of those things which you ])eople in England forget when you tell us that we must take care of outselves iu matters of military defence. Peace with tiie States is essential for the prosperity of almost all trades in Canada, but especially the timber-trade. Anytliiug that affects the quiet of the United States acts immediately upon our business, for I can show by books of our own that we export as much to the United States every year as to Euroj)e." Civia. — " And what has been the fulling off this year 1 " Mercatoi: — " With the United States we have done nothing; trade there has been so paralysed, and prices have been so low, that we cuuld nut deal with them, except at a loss, and have there- fore preferi-ed to keep our stock on hand." Miles. — '• How unfair, then, it is for England to suppose that Canada can defend herself in case of war between Great Britain and America. Her whole frontier must bear the brunt of the battle, whenever it comes ; and, owing to her ])roximity to the foe, she must suffer in a far greater j)roportion than the mother country." ?mV. — "Supi)OHe a war were to take place between the two nations, upon a subject which did not directly affect the interests of Canada, what view do you think the Canadians would be likely to take of it ? " Mercator. — " I not only think, but know, that both provinces are as lojtl as the countjif of Middlesex. AVe are proud of our connection with the old country. We send our children there to be educated when we can ; we speak of it as "home ;" we cling lo nionarchial principles. When the prince of Wales was here, ho was received throughout the whole territory with an entliusiasm impossible to describe or overrate, iu spite of occasional maladroit advice and consequent arrangements devoid of taut and good judg- I I»l ill: l«!- ^! < ' ^ i ' il 'r 78 ment. In the Upper Province of Canada there are many subjects upon whick men diflTer, and concerning wliich there are continually angry disputes in the Legislature. In the Lower, the land-tenure question being now settled, there can sf'arcely be said to be one matter of public importance upon which the public mind is at all agitated. Between the provinces the question of representation, of course, is one that divides parties, tills the newspapers with angry arguments, and keeps up that unhappy feeling which their union was intended to obliterate, and which, in a great measure, it has allayed. But the people of both provinces believe that they have a better form of government than that which any foreign prince or president can offer them." Civis. — " You hardly answer my question. If England was obliged to embark in a war with the United States, for the cause of which the colonies could in no way be held responsible, and the cas2is belli one that they were never asked their opinion upon, and were totally indifferent to, do you not think that the feelings of the Legislature would be to throw off a connection which made them obnoxious to their friends, without giviiig them the means of protecting themselves from their enemies ? " Mercctor. — *• You almost suppose an impossibility. America is not likely to go to war for any cause arising out of European dis- putes. But if she were to quarrel with you upon a question which affected England's honour, no matter how great our stake would be, or how little we had to do with the origin of the quarrel, we should prepare to defend our border with as much determina- tion as if it were a question in which Canada alone was consulted and concerned." Senator. — " I am not so sure about that. I believe the whole of the North American colonies would, if possible, on such an occasion, act as Mercator has described ; but, in case of a sudden invasion in the winter season by a large army, they would very likely be driven to surrendei*, and would be obliged to make the best bargain they could for tlieinselves." Miles. — "I don't fear that any disaster of that kind could happen, even with the limited number of troops which we now liave on the continent. "We could, even with these, defend some of the strong places and positions, wliile our militia would in a tew weeks be quite as numerous and well drilled as any soldiers that they would be likely to meet." Senator. — **The loyalty of the people was sutficieutly shown during the Crimean war, by their contributions to the Patriotic Fund, and during the Indian Mutiny, by the raising of the 100th regiment ; and I believe nothing short of insult from the mother country will eradicate the feeling of devotion to England and England's honour, that universally pervades all classes in our colonies. At the same time, I hold it to be the (Jain duty of England, under existing circumstances, to keep many more troops on this continent than she has hitliertn done. Look at the 79 frontier we have to defend. From Detroit to the River St. John is more than nine hundred miles, and thence to the Bay of Fundy is more than three hundred." Civia. — *' You don't propose that this should all be placed in a state of defence 1 " Senator. — " Certainly not ; such a thing would be impossible, of course j but I mention it to show our vulnerability. If a trouble were to arise suddenly, we could only do as Lord Seaton did in 1837 — concentrate our forces, form magazines, and organize our militia." Civia. — " For my own part, I do not see that much ultimate harm would ensue if a lodgment were made in Canada during the winter months by a force from the United States. It would be impossible for them to penetrate far into the interior. The absence of roads, the nature of the country, and the severity of the climate, would prevent them from making any way." Senator. — " I hope that is not the opinion of English statesmen at home. It is true that the loyalty of the inhabitants of Canada would render it almost impossible for the hostile army to penetrate far; but the efforts made by the inhabitants, which alone would prevent a successful invasion, would be founded upon the convic- tion that they might expect succour from England before long, and that England is ready to protect our interests, and indeed to defend her own honour, which would be for ever sacrificed if she were to regard with coldness an attack upon our soil." Civia. — " You njistake me ; I mean that the invasion of Canada would not be attended with ultimate success. We could, when the St. Lawrence opens, crowd the lakes with gunboats, cut off the enemy's basis of operations, and capture the whole of the:i in- vading force." Senator. — " But see what destruction would be effected in the mean time ! Montreal, Kingston, Toronto, Hamilton, totally \\n- defended, would very probably fall. Batteries might be erected, which would render their recapture difficult and expensive. Be- sides, if England does not think that it is of vital importance that our towns should be saved from pillage, the sooner we know it the better, in order that we may be able to take measures in time to save ourselves from such a calamity." Civia. — " If anything like the destruction of defenceless towns were to take |)lace, we could have the most ample revenge by attacking >.nd destroying the cities of Boston^ New York, Phila- dolphia, and many others along the coast." Senator. — "An operation which would Ih» uoarly as injurious to your own merchants and countrymen as to the VuukotH, putting humane notions aside." .l/»/r<»."--" As we are at present, in rune of an unexpected attack the only thuig to bo doiui would be to seize a few sti'ong positions, and hold them with th»i regular army, and leavn the militia to account for the eue'.ny \\\v\\\ thoy I'lussed at other places ; but the 3 i H S \ \ ' i '^5 'I U ■IF 80 I in I i k ki .! hi rapid manner in which the Americans have develojied their rail- way 83'stem has altei-ed the wliole state of things in respect to tlm defence of Canada since 1837. Besides, that was only a reb 'Mod, and s become coated and stiff with ice, which prevents their running through the blocks. The 'bordage,^ consisting of rough masses of frozen water, shifting, rushing, and grinding with the action of the tide and wind, and varying from a mile to two in width, would render the landing of troops a most perilous undertaking. No common sailors could be of the least use in overcoming the difficulties, or in managing the ice-boats necessary for a disembarkation. And I should be very sorry to intrust any number of men to the charge of the most experienced ' voyageura,' wonderful as their daring and skill is in getting through this inhospitable stuff. A very shoi't time ago, the 1st regiment was wrecked at the mouth of the St. Lawrence. The men wei*e all saved ; and as the winter had not set in, a steamer was sent down from Quebec, which took them off. Had it been later in the year, it is impossible to say what the conse- quences would have been, for there was no I'uad to escape by, and no ship could have come near them. Then again, if he were to look fur help from Halifax or St. Johii I believe the road from Fredericton to Riviere du Loup, the point where the Gmnd Trunk Railway terminates, is narrow and bad, ami would offer many diffi- culties to an army in the winter." /Senator. — " From the Lake Temiscouata to the St. Jjawrence it is new, and, I liavc heard, good ; nt any rate it otight to be 81 au excellent one, for it has cost the province a very largo sum of money." Milea. — " Is it niacadanused ? " Civis. — " Oh clear, no ! It is a common clay road, with rnts in jilaces two feet deep, many of which are capacious enough to inter a file of grenadiers. The country is coverassed over it all with a friend, in travelling from St. John to Quebec." Miles. — " Then, as we are speaking of the defences of Canada, will you give a description of your journey, for there is nothing so important connected with that subject as the means of transjiort tlirough New Brunswick ? " Civis. — *' We left St. John one morning about the end of August, ill one of the steamers which ply daily during the summer and autumn between there and Fredericton, the town which, for some ossible to travel more than about five miles an hour. After jiassing Tobit|no the clearings get less frequent, and the forests more dense. Tiio road leaves the river, and passes over a ridge of hills covered with j.inc, hemlock, maple, ash, and oak. Below the town of Grand Falls the St. John, about one hundred yards wide, throws itself over a rugged and irregular bed of rock quite seventy feet hiyli, and rushes down a deep wooded, and very picturesque gorg(>, taking three or four more leap'i in the 8j)ace of about two miles. Hei-e we found ourselves close to the frontier of the State of Maine, .'uid were not surpi'ised to be told that a considerable immigration had taken place into New Brunswick since the beginning of the war. The people, apprehending a large amount of taxation, have ])referred to immigrate to British soil, although the advantages, in respect to the jturchase of land, are not so great here as in the States. The next day a drive of twenty-six miles brought us to Little Falls, a small town at the junction of the rivers Sladawaska and St. John, where we bade a final adieu to the latter, after ad- hering with great fidelity to its course for more than two hundred and forty miles." Miles. — " How far is this fVom the frontier 1" Civis. — " I will answer your question better by saying that at Woodstock we were aboiit fifteen miles from the iMnindary line, but near Tobique it strikes the St. John, which continues to be the frontier for sixty mih's beyond Little Falls." Miles. — " So that between Tobique and Little Falls the road is close to the frontier?" Civis. — " Exactly ; it then follows the river to the foot of the Lake Teiuiscouata, where we stopped for the night at a house outside the hamlet of Degile. About half-way between Little Falls and Degile we passed a long straight cutting in the forest, which we found to be the boundary between New Brunswick and Canada. The next morning we embarked on the lake, in a fine canoe, propelled by two men using alternately paddles and poles, as they considered best. Where the river 3Iadawa.ska leaves the lake we passed a place which never freezes even in the coldest weather. Six or seven feet of ice may be all around, but at this spot there is always flowing water. We could not hear that there were any hot springs, but there can be no doubt that the coldest winter has little effect upon the temperature of this part of the Lake. The wind was cousiderablsj and it was remarkable to see the light and easy way in which our ' Indian bark ' glided o^ er 86 the waves, not forcing or il.asliing herself tlirongli them like our bouts, but slipping politely and quietly over the crest of each, insinuating herself graceftiUy into their captivated aftections. Lake Temiscouata reminded us of Loch Lomond — the hills densely and universally wooded from top to bottom, and their foliago tinged with every variety of gorgeous colour — ' Umbrageoua liills, sweet glades, nnd forests fair.' But silence reigned over the whole scene. No house, no smoking cottage, no boat, nor pictui'esque ])casant ; all is lonely and deserted, but at the same time bright and luxuriant. If there were on its plea.sant hills a few inhabitants like those at home, Temiscouata would, I feai', make some of our Scotch lakes hide their diminished heads, and even render it advisable that Killarney should avoid watering her eolours quite as much as she does if she wishes to rntain her rank amongst the sweet waters of the globe. At the head of the lake we foimd a waggon which had been sent to meet us from Kiviere du Loup, some forty-five ntiles farther north. This journey we performed on the new road which JNIercator has been speaking of, but were disappointed to find it very little better than that between Little Falls and Degile. The drive was through wilder- ness, broken by very few settlements, until we came to the water- shed. Here the streams falling into the St. Lawrence have only about twenty miles to travel, while those falling into th>- I3ay of Fundy pass over the whole length of the province ct" New Brunswick. The view on descending was very splendid — the St. l^awrence, twenty miles in width, lay at our feet studded witli large islands, and dotted with ships beating up and down in all directions. On the other side is a "oble range of mountains, into wiiich the gloomy Saguenay wind fathomless course ; and hero ended my first journey in the Nt vVorld, which I must .say was an extremely rough, but by no im a disagreeable one." Senator. — "I suppose the popiuaiiou is chiefly French?" Civis. — "Between St. John and Grand Falls they are almost all of English and Scotch origin, but after passing 7/ittle Falls, one rarely meets a person who can '^peak any language except the French patois." Miles. — " You see from Civis's description how exposed our frontier is between Woodstock and the St. Lawrence, and what a difficult country 'it would be to march an army through in winter." Senator. — " In the winter they would come as the troops did in 1837 and 1838, at the time of the Canadian rebellion, if they could." Miles. — " Then they only marched in companies through a friendly country, which is very different from moving an army in time of war along the enemy's frontier." Senator. — " I forget the details of that expedition ; but I daresay Miles can tell us the particulars." I w^ vr 1^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) A 1.0 1.1 |U5 liilM |25 ut 122 i2.2 WMU 6" FholDgFa^diic Sdenoes Corporalion 23 WIST MAIN STRIIT WnSTIR,N.Y. 14SM (7I6)I72-4S03 ^ * "i KM ^ I !:il \l' 1 i ' !► 'It i I ,i ' 'U 1'! :r iii ir 86 Miles. — "My recollection of the history ot that March is distinct, for it has always been looked upon by military men as a memorable transaction, and was attended with a success which the great risk rendered very remarkable ; and when these troubles in America commenced, I rubbed up my memory, by looking at soino interesting records on the subject, now to be found at the library at Quebec. " When the attack of the rebels on the Richelien broke out the first week in November, the 43rd and 8oth were ordered from New Brunswick, and the S-tth from Halifax. These three regi- ments marched along the route which Civis has just described, and the season is said to have been one of the severest on record." Senator. — " I very much doubt that fact ; for I recollect that the 83rd regiment was brought up by steamboat from Quebec to Montreal in December of the same year, that being much later than usiial for the river to remain open." Miles. — " Well, I am inclined to agree with you that the year was not 80 severe as those who have described the march represent it. The first two regiments I have mentioned followed each other in quick succession: the 43rd left Fredericton on tne 11th of December,* and reached the St. Lawrence in twelve days. The 85th started from St. John a few days after, and proceeded by the same route, but accomplished the distance one day quicker than the 43rd, the path being in some degree better, and the snow hardened by the first I'egiment. " The 34th, after the reverse at St. Dennis, were marched up from Halifax, and left St. John about ten days after the 85t]i. This regiment seems to have been able to make more use of the river, and to have been transported upon it a considerable portion of the way, but does not appear to have done the distance in u shorter time than the other two. In December of the following year the llth regiment left St. John ana proceeded in exactly the .same mode as the 34th, but seem to have suffered more from the cold than their predecessors. This, however, did not prevent the gallant llth from being bivouacked in the depth of the winters of 1838-39 and 1839-40 on the banks of the Temiscouata, during the dispute upon the boundary question between Great Britain and the United States, and the regiment had the distinction of marching thirteen hundred miles in the snow during the two winters which they spent in America." Civis. — " In what numbers did the men travel through New Brunswick?" Miles. — " In companies of nearly one hundred, and were carried in sleighs, each of which held eight men. During the first part of the march, the 43rd and 85th were able to get along at the rate of twenty-five miles per day, but the seven last days, which * Since the above waa written, an interesting account of the march of the 43rd haa appeared in the Army and Nnvy Gazette of December 14th. ■ B7 they passed between Little Falls and the St. Lawrence, were extremely severe, and the country was a great deal wilder and less settled than that through which the first part of the journey lay." Senator. — " I believe there were few bridges there at that time r Miles. — " I think not. I recolleot that they were obliged to cross several rivers in boats." Senator. — "Well, in that respect; the route could be more easily performed now, for, according to Civis, although his nerves were sevei*ely tried, he was never reduced to passing through one of those torrents, the view of which, through the creaking and broken planks, appears so to have disturbed his peace of mind." Miles. — " Of course the journey could now be done mucJi more easily than it was in 1838, but you mast recollect that we were tlien at peace with the States ; but if we were at war we might not be able to venture to send men by companies ; they would be then obliged to travel in large bodies, and bring with them artillery." Civis. — " " Not all the way, surely 1" Miles. — " Well, from Woodstock to the Sfc. Lawrence the road runs so near the frontier that I don't believe any officer could recommend a march by companies. They would bo exposed to be cut off by an enemy who would thoroughly know the country, and could bring a considerable body of men to bear upon many points of the line. Besides which, unless we had troops at St. Andrews, the Yankees would probably seize that terminus, and send their own forces along the new line to Woodstock, and in that way cut off our communication entirely, and render any advance impos- sible." CencUor. — " I was going to suggest that this new line would be of much service to us." Miles. — " So it would, no doubt, if we were sure of holding it ; and it would be the best way now to get troops to Quebec so long as we can command it ; but the enemy have got perfect rail- way communication to Bangor, within fifty miles of this town, and there can be no doubt that the whole of the St. Andrews and Quebec track would be continually in danger. There is, however, u good access to the harbour of St. Andrews, which is more free from those fogs that are the curse of the Bay of Fundy than St. John ; but if it were determined to make the latter place a central depot, there is a good road to St. Andrews, and the distance not more than sixty miles, so that the railway would be quite accessible if it were thought desirable to use it." Senator. — " I believe, in ordinary times, there are not more than three regiments in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, besides a few artillery ; and, in case of war with the States, these could not be spared. In fact, Halifax and St. John would require large garri- sons, and St. Andrews ought to be protected as well." Miles, — " I quite agree with you. The harbour of Halifax would be the great object ; the forts at its mouth would require to be manned, and the citadel must be taken care of as well." 1,^ i: I •■;( 1 '} i t S' n ( 1 =i » i '.i li t\ 11^ H .1 I' 1.1. tji i ; ill! f M 88 Civts. — *' Lord Mulgrave seemed fully impressed with this idea, and when I was there the other day the people spoke of him in terms of great praise for the successful efforts he hud been making to raise volunteer corps in the neighbourhood." Miles. — "Volunteerartillery corps would be invaluable at Halifax, and I am glad to hear that they have been induced to see the necessity of rising them. The fleet would, I think, prevent any serious attempt being made upon the harbour ; but it is such a vital point that no effort ought to be spared to put the works in a thorough state of defence, and have every gun pi'operly manned, which it is quite possible to effect with volunteers, when we consider the large population and feeling of the place." Mercator. — " The trade of St. John is so extensive, and the shipping so great, that it would be a tempting place for the Yankee privateers to make a dash at from time to time." Miles. — " The remarks which I made with regard to Halifax apply with equal force to St. John. Of course more damage could be done to commerce at St. John, but I hold Halifax must always be the real basis of operations ; its harbour is open throughout the whole winter, and never exposed to those awful fogs whicli hang continually round St. John, and in fact the whole mouth of the Bay of Fun'dy." Mercator. — " There can be no nastier navigation than that round the western extremity of Nova Scotia ; a heavy sea conti- nually runs there ; the tide is the most rapid in the world, and the atmosphere is almost always thick." Civis. — ** Well, suppose the contingency we are contemplating were to take place in the winter, after the St. Lawrence is closed, where would you send the troops to ? " Miles. — " Undoubtedly to Halifax." Senator. — " There is a line of railway open from there to Truro, sixty miles ; and from that to Petticodiac, a station on the Shediac and St. John Railway, is only seventy miles. Could not troops be marched across there and get straight down to St. Joim by rail ! " Civis. — " From Truro to Amherst the country is well settled and the road excellent. In the winter, of course, it is covered with ice and snow ; and from Amherst to the railway it is dense forest, with a fair road and a well-to-do population, who could afford the troops plenty of assistance." MUes. — " The march would be a long one, and time would be valuable under the circumstances we are supposing ; so I should much prefer sending troops by railway to Windsor, and then run them across the Bay of Fundy to St. John." Civis. — " Why not then send them straight to St. John from England ?" Miles.— ^^ Because we should, in the way I pi'opose, avoid the dangerous navigation we have been speaking of, and could send them down the bay in smaller numbers than if we were to transport them direct from England. Besides, I hold Halifax, ntrom 89 with its accommodation for almost any amount of shipping, to be the best port for embarkation." Civis. — " Now, iic* you were to have a carte blanche given you bv tho commandei'-in-chief to transport ten thousand men to Canada in the v, inter, how would you manage it 1" Miles. — " If they were to leave England after November, I should certainly prefer sending theni to St. John by Halifax and Windsor to iiinning the risk of landing them amongst the storms, snow, and ice, in the Lower St. Lawrence. I believe they would meet with fewer casualties in following the example of 1837. Arrangements could bo easily made for putting a regiment or two under cover every night along the march through New Brunswick. The lumbers would run up sheds at intervals of nineteen or twenty miles, into which plenty of stores could be put, and where the men could bivouac for the night. Food could easily be provided at each of these places, and there is no reason in the world why, with )n'oper clothing, the men should suffer. Probably tliey would be obliged to march on snow-shoes, but, after a regiment or two had passed, guns coidd be transported without difficulty on sleighs. A guard could be placed over these depots; and, although some danger would be inciirred from the liability of an invasion from the State of Maine, the roads upon which the enemy would come are so few and far between that a small force woidd be sufficient to check any attempt of this nature. The St. Andrew's Railway would have to be guarded, or at least watched ; the various roads leading from the State to the frontier should be broken up and the bridges destroyed j while a body of lumberers, each of whom could hew down the largest tree in twenty minutes, would make the road impassable in a few hours, and render the march of the troops comparatively safe." Civis. — "Is it not strange that a railway has not been made before now along the St. John to the St. Lawrence ?" Senator. — " You, sir, have hit the right nail on the head : if that were done I believe it is out of the power of man to describe the benefit which the provinces woi.ld derive from it. New Brunswick would rapidly become settled. Halifax would sr^ccessfully rival Portland. The colonies would get the advantage of the postal contract which England is now obliged to give to the States. St. John and Quebec, rought into direct and I'apid commnication with each other would increase with giant strides in wealth and importance. The trade of Canada, now shut up for six months in the year, would find an outlet through British ports. The mother country would save money in being relieved from keeping garrisons in Canada even as large as she does now, and the colonists would at length feel that they were brought nearer to England ; while a closer intimacy would create increased affection for your laws and civilization. The great obstacle to tho extension of a railway from Halifax to Quebec has been the want of means by which the Governments of the three provinces through 1 i 4 ■h "1 ' 1 if .1 I 90 'i i 'n !; ■ i ^vhich it would run can act in concert. One province may make a railway, but there is no machinery by which the concurrence of all can be obtained, which is absolutely necessary for such a work as you allude to. This has been our great stumbling-block ; and the example of the States shows what a detriment it has been to our advancement. There railways are made through wildernesses and prairies without inhabitants, but which soon become settled, cul- tivated, and wealthy. The lines may not and do not pay, but the State receives enormous advantage, and is indirectly recompensed a hundred-fold." Mercaior. — " Comraei'ce would be benefited in a similar degree by the line you speak of. Vessels could make three voyages to Halifax for two to Quebec in the course of the year ; we should save the heavy insurances lequired for early and late voyages through the St. Lawrence ; and the trade now crowded into six months would be equally diffused throughout the twelve. I am inclined also to think more favourably of the direct paying prospects than Senator ; for half the year the St. Lawrence would not compete with it, and for the other half it would give a rout^^ to Europe and back more expeditious and safe than any othei'." Civia. — " From a superficial observation of the resources of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, I should think that railways through the interior would develop many sources of industry nowunknown." Senator. — " Undoubtedly. Immigration would become rajudly increased, agriculture would be extended in proportion to the amount of labourers coming over to us. Those provisions whicli we now get from the States to the amount of nearly a million of dollars a year, we could raise for ourselves ; and if any surplus remained, we should become successful competitors with the far West for the European trade, possessing enormous advantages, as we should, in situation over the farmers of the prairies &nd the Mississippi valle}'." Civis. — " If the advantages ai'e so gieat, how is it that this rail- way has pot been built before now % " MercatoT. — "Chiefly for the reason which Senator has assignad ; but we think we have a right to ask the mother country to help us." Civia. — " I fear the doctrine of subsidies to Colonial Govern- ments is exploded, and that the present Chancellor of the Exche- quer is one of the most determined enemies to its revival." Senator. — " I cannot understand how such a friend to peace as Mr. Gladstone can object to the promotion of an object that, by relieving the colonies from a weakness that invites aggression, will perhaps some day prevent a war, one year's expense of which would perhaps pay for two or three railways from Halifax to Quebec." Mercaior. — " When we get to Ottawa, I think I shall ite able to show Civis that, if the mother country will comply with the request which will be made upon her Chancellor of the Ex- chequer this winter, she would not only not lose, but save several thousands per annum." 91 On our arrival at Ottawa, we had an opportunity of meeting several gentlemen who were on a tour through Canada and the States, for the purpose of investigating the prospects and position (if the Grand Trunk Railway, and v/ho were kind enough to put lis iu ]tossession of certain facts, and permitted us to see papers and documents, from which we think we can lay before our readers a statement respecting the importance of direct communication with Canada, a subject that has since derived additional interest from the state of our relations with America. Since the year 183G, the j)roject of connecting Quebec with the Atlantic, by means of a railroad through British territory, has been anxiously and seriously debated ; and dui'ing the disputes respecting the boun- dary question, which were not finally settled for some years after- wards, the probability of St. Andrews becoming the Atlantic terminus of this line served as an additional stimulus to the Americans to bring their frontier as near to that harbour as pos- sible. This they finally accomplished, and the mouth of the river St. Croix was unfortunately taken as the limit of the boundary of the United States, instead of Penobscot Bay, as it had originally beeii' intended. On the establishment of transatlantic steam navigation. Lord Durham was directed to turn his attention to the formation of a road between Halifax and Quebec ; and, after pointing out the difficulties which the relation of the various provinces to each other presented to the undertaking, that noble lord remarked, in his report, that the completion of any satisfactory communication between Halifax and Quebec " would, in fact, fioduce relations between the provinces that would render a general union absolutely necessary. Several surveys have l)roved that a railway would be perfectly practicable the whole way. Indeed, iu North Ameri'^a the expense of making a rail- way bears by no means the excessive proportion to that of a com- mon road that it does in Europe. It appears to be a general opinion in the United States that the severe snows and frosts of that continent very slightly impede, and do not prevent, the travelling on railroads ; and, if I am rightly informed, the Utica Railroad, in the northern part of the State of New York, is used throughout the winter. If this opinion be correct, the formation of a railroad from Halifax to Quebec would entirely avoid some of the leading characteristics of the Canadas. Instead of being shu^ out from all direct intercourse with England during half of the year, they would possess a far more certain and speedy communi- cation throughout the winter than they now poFsesa in summer. The j)assage from Ireland to Quebec would be a matter of ten or twelve days, and Halifax would be the great port by which a large ])ortiou of the trade, and all the conveyance of passengers, to the whole of British North America would be carried on." In 1843, the project of a military road was entertained by the Government of Sir Robert Peel, but was abandoned in conse- quence of the survey which was then made by Sir James Alexander ' -'' i> !• V I : ; i, ' '! i a ji I ; !f. i i! I tr l! m y J' [■■\ i 'f 92 and Colonel Simmonds, proving liow much mere advisable it would be to spend the money upon a railroad. And in 1846 a second survey took place, under the auspices of Major Robinson and Captain Henderson, and two reports were consequently made and presented to Parliament. A line was recommended to be constructed down the right bank of the St. Lawrence, on to the Bay of Chaleur, then, near Nor- thumberland Straits, across the Miramichi river, and so on to Shediac, Truro, and Halifax, with a branch from Shediac to St. John. In tliese able papers it was shown most plainly that the railway could be constructed at a much less expense than those in the States. The enormous advantages of the line, in a military and mercantile point of view, were pointed out with great minuteness ; and the benefit which would result to our fisheries along the Bay of Chaletir and Northumberland Straits was fully considered and demonstrated. Major Robinson and Captain Hendersoi' considered that " it was the one great means by which alone the power of the mother country can be brought to bear on this side of the Atlantic, and restore the balance of power fast turning to the side of the IJnited States. Every new line of railway adds to their power, enabling them to concentrate their forces almost wherever they please j and by the lines, of which there are already some, and there will soon be more, I'eaching to their northern fi-ontier, they can choose at their own time any point of attack on the long extended Canadian frontier, and direct their whole strength against it. The provinces, therefoi'o, and the empire, having such intei'est in the formation of the Halifax and Quebec line, it should be undertaken by thein in common, as a great public work for the public weal." Tlie subject was taken up with wavmth by the Government which succeeded that of Sir Robert Peel ; and in 1848 Earl Grey, the Colonial Secretary, in expressing his belief that greac advantages would result not only to the territory chiefly intei'ested in the work, but to the empire at large, requested the Governors of the several provinces to bring the matter before their respective Legislatures, in order that the Government might know the degree of import- ance attached to the enterprise by them before recommending the Imperial Parliament to afford the necessary assistance. The view which the Provincial Governments took of the pro- ject was. that no other measure could be conceived that would so surely consolidate the colonies and perpetuate the connection with Great Britain. The Parliament of Canada passed an Act declar- ing, "That if her Majesty's Government shall undertake the construction of the said railway either directly, or through the instrumentality of a private company, it shall be lawful for the Governor in Council, on behalf of this province, to under- take to pay yearly, in proportion as the works advance, a sum not exceeding £20,000 sterling towards making good the deficiency (if any) in the income from the railway to meet the «3 i merest of the sum expended upon it, and to place at the disposal of the Imperial Government all the ungranted lands within tlic ])rovince lying in the line of railway, to the extent of teu miles on each sido thereof ; and to undertake to obtain, pay for, and )>laco ut the disposal of the Imperial Government all the land requred witliinthe i)rovince for the line of railway, and for jtroper stations and termini." The provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotin. in effect, did the same thing. In 1850 the Hon. Joseph Howe, of Nova Scotia, was sent to England with the view of inducing the Government to take active measures towards giving effect to tlie resolutions of the different Legislatures, and on tiie 10th of March the decision of the Government was conveyed to Mr. Howe. The credit of England was to be employed to enable the ))rovinces to raise upon advantageous terms the funds necessary for the works. This assistance was only to be given in case of provision being made for a complete line between Halifax and Quebec ; but tliat of Major Bobinson and Captain Henderson was iiot insisted upon as a sine qua non, although any deviation from it was to be subject to the approval of her Majesty's Government. Subse- ((uently the valley of St. John was agreed upon by Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia as the pro])er route ; but this being so great a deviation from the proposed line of Major Bobinson, another application to the home authorities was necessary. At this time a change of ministry took place in England, and the Colonial Secretary did not conceive that the Government would be justi6ed in carrying out the pledge of assistance to the project, now that it was so much changed from the original plan. Then came the Bussian war, followed by the Indian mutiny, which had the effect of hanging up the matter till 1857, when delegates from Canada and Nova Scotia were again scut to England, and once more the subject was pressed upon the Government, the same arguments being used and similar offers being made by the pro- vinces. The following year both branches of the Legislature of Nova Scotia and Canada addressed the Crown, praying — " That arrangements may be matured for the early commencement and the completion of this work by the united efforts of the three provinces of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, with such co-o])eration and aid from your Majesty's Imperial Govern- ment as may be commensurate with the greatness of the object, and the magnitude of the national interests which it promotes." Public meetings were held, resolutions passed, and the Colonial Secretary and the Chancellor of the Exchequer were again waited on, when it was pointed out that Provincial Legislatures, having passed the acts affording assistance to the scheme as far back as 1849, might consider that these acts had fallen into disuetude, and that, as the arrangements had not been carried out, the pro- vinces might think themselves absolved from the pledges given ten years previously. A noble lord was then deputed to visit British North America, and ascertain how far the colonies would be disposed % 'i ■' ! r i i\; in 1 . ' / I i ) 1; 1 . '. ' i r . , in i in :i |i ^ u to ratify the engagements of 1849. He reported that the majority of the people in the three provinces were desirous of seeing tlie work undertaken, and that the acts of 1849 were considered to be in full force. Delegates fron> Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova 8cotia, were again sent to England for the ])urpoae of j^ressing the subject on the Imperial Government. They addressed Sir Edward Lytton and the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the autumn of 1851, but a change of Government occurred before any action was taken by the home authorities. We believe that gentlemen have this year come over to England in hopes of inducing the Colonial Office and the Treasury at last so grant them the sanio assistance promised by Lord Grey in 1851, and which, by a series of untoward circumstances, for which the colonies are not to blanie, has never been afforded to them. Since the negotiations com- menced in 1849, a line has been opened from Quebec to Ilivi(ire du Loup in Canada, ft*om St. John to Shediac in New Brunswick, and from Halifax to Truro in Nova Scotia. These are all portions of the great Halifax and Quebec route, to complete which a junction must be made between Truro and Shediac, and between Frederic- ton and Bivi^re du Loup, or a length of nearly three hundred and seventy miles of new railway, which it is estimated will cost about £3,000,000. We believe that the proposal made to the present Government is that the three provinces will each charge their revenues with the payment of £20,000, to meet the interest of capital expended in case the line is not remunerative ; that the British Government should guarantee a minimum dividend at 4 per cent on the whole amount, which would amount to £120,000 per annum. For this she would have the guarantee of the Provincial Governments for £60,000, and the security of the land for ten miles on each side of the line. As to the other £60,000, we should have the pay- ment in our own hands, for we now pay the United States £25,000 for the transmission of mails to Canada, a service which would be transferred to the projo' *ed line. We should save £25,000 a-year on the Cunard contract »y Halifax being more than five hundred miles nearer our shores than New York, and we should receive from the United States at least £20,000 per annum for the trans- mission of their mails by the milway ; so that, provided the Provincial Governments meet their engagement, which there can be no reason to doubt their ability or willingness to do, the mother country would be ten thousand a-year richer for this guai'antee upon their hands than without it, even if the railway were never to pay a cent beyond its working expenses. A golden opportunity now offers itself of completing this gi-eat work ; public attention is drawn to the locality. The whole nation must feel the necessity for it ; the anxiety which pervades us all as to the safe arrival of the army that has just left our shores, and which we are told is supplied with every appliance that can make it formidable to our enemies, would be considerably allayed if we • i' "> 14 gi'eat nation us all IS, anil make if Ave 95 were certain that it could with ease, and without risk, reach its destination. At any rate, let the work he begun. Wo think we liave shown that it can be accomplislied without cost to this country ; and we believe that, independently of military considera- tions, it would tend more to establish our supremacy on the American continent, than anything; tliat a bountiful Providence has hitherto given us the means of accomplishing. OUR COLONIAL POLICY IN NORTH AMERICA. {From the Saturday Review, January ith, 1862.) An armada of steani-tran.sports is now bearing across the Atlantic eight or ten thousand Imperial troops, with proportionate cargoes of military stores, for the reinforcement of the British garrisons iu North America. Whether their valuable freights are to be locked up awhile in ice-drifts on the St. Lawrence, or landed on firm ground at Halifax or St. John's, depends on contfngencies which defy even the calculations of our wisest meteorologists, and are evidently beyond the control of Her Majesty's Government. But whether the winter p:v.ssage of our brave soldiers across the ocean is to be ended by a few hours' railway trip from their landing-place to Quebec, or by a five hundred miles' march across the frozen morasses of New Brunswick, let us hope that, sooner or later, they may reach safely the heart of that territory which Mr. Seward recently projto&ed to annex to the Northern States of America. It may be loughly estimated that eighteen or twenty thousand British troops, of all arms, and at least five times that number of local militiamen and volunteers, will shortly be at the disposal of the Commander-in-Chief of Her Majesty's forces in British North America. Munitions of war are passing rapidly along the internal lines of communication for the defence of our Canadian cities, which are already arming themselves against any possible aggression. Si pacem velis, para helium, is the motto which has apparently been adopted by both the Imperial and Colonial Governments at this eventful crisis ; and whatever may be the tinal issue of the communications liow passing between the Cabinets of London and Washington, England has at all events afforded to the world one unmistr.keable proof of her desire for peace, in her vigorous and prompt preparations for the defence of lier Transatlantic empire against tlie contingencies of war. And though these costly precautions may have been undertaken on the exclusive responsibility of the Executive Governrient, it may be safely asserted that, in thus reassuring the loyalty and confidence of our North American colonists, they have but anticipated the unanimous instincts of Parliament ai^d of the country. '■i\ >9t II t i I i;! I < r-M It m The stoutest advocateH for economy in our coloiiiul aduiiniH- tration, the most urdent admirers of that ai lent policy which stimulared colonial self-reliance, will not dispute the responsibility of the parent State for the protection of our distant dedendeiicics against perils directly arising from the results of Imperial policy. During the last session of Parliament, our colonial military expen- diture was the subject of a specific investigation 1>y a Committee of the House of Commons. When the report of that Committee WHS presented, five months ago, an invasion of Canada was among the remotest of the probable perils of our colonial empire. It is therefore not unworthy of remark, that while deprecating the unwise policy which has too often fostered and prolonged colonial wars, and affirming broadly the responsibility of all colonial com- munities for the maintenance of internal order within their respective boundaries, the Committe admit no less distinctly the claims of those communities on Im{)erial aid in their defence against all external perils occasioned by their dependence on a parent State, which may involve them in its own disputes with other nations of the world. To defend a transatlantic colonial frontier line of three thcu:?and miles, the natural access to which is during half the year closed to our api>roaches, is doubtless a severe tabic to a nation which undertakes at the same time to garrison Hindostan with eighty t!iousand British soldiers, to jirotect its settlera in New Zealand and South Africa against chronic wars with native races, and to guard its commerce by maintaining naval and military posts in all quarters of the globe. And when it is borne in mind that to our North American colonists bavo been conceded the full privileges of self-government, it may bo doubted whether their relations with England, as regards the actual distribution of power, responsibility, and charge, have any ]>arallel in the history of the world. The Imperial responsibility for their defence has nevertheless been undertaken, and cannot without dishonour be evaded. But though no Englishman can desire to escape the burdens which devolve on the citizens of an empire on which the sun never sets, yet there are seasons — and the present is one of them — when the glaring inconsistencies of our past colonial administrations ai'e irresistibly forced on our notice by the pressure on our resources inevitably involved in the fulfilment of our admitted obligations. To rpen to the earliest possible maturity, social and political, the dependencies of our empire, to qualify them for present self-government and eventual independence, is now the universally recognized aim and object of our colonial policy. If free institutions and Executive Councils responsible to and removable by provincial Legislatures, were "11 that went to constitute colonial prosperity, Great Britain has certainly done her duty to the full. But Imperial responsibilities of a far more costly and substantial nature are distinctly implied by the whole hi^' )ry of our military administration in North America. i:i 97 By the niaintenunco of un averuge |ioaco «!Htuli1i»Iimeiit of 5,000 troops at Imperial cost, by an expetuliture of at It^ast two or three millions sterling on North America fortifications, by tlie gratuitous distribution of arms, accoutrements, and ammunition fur the equip- ment of provincial coi-ps, wo have, of late years, unifonaly taught our colonists to rely for their defence on the parent State ; iiiid we cannot complain if they have been willing learners of a lesson so welcome, and willing recipients of apolitical position in which they could enjoy the privileges without bearing the usually corre- lative burdens of independent States. Yet, without complaining of this state of things as a grievance, we would nevertheless venture to remark that, if it is I'eally worth our while to hold Canada against all comers, it must surely bo worth our while to secure a ready access to that colony at all seasons of the year. At the present moment, Montreal, which is only within a few hours by railway from Portland, through the Stato of Maine, can be only reached from Halifax, by forced marches in little less than a fortnight. The certain inconvenience and })03sible disaster likely to arise from this state of things have been admitted by every Colonial Secretary, f jr the last quarter of a century ; but political and financial obstacles have always impeded the completion of internal communications between the Canadian cities and our own Atlantic seaboard. A railway traversing five hundred miles of territory thinly peopled, and for the most part nncultivated, has not been deemed by capitalists a tempting enterprise for the investment of five millions sterling, even before the discourage- ments recently sustained by similar but more hopeful undertakings. Finance Ministers at home have not unnaturally hesitated to support, by an Imperial guarantee, a work as to the execution of which colonial o})inion was divided. It has been hinted from time to time that a fede^ al union of the North American Provinces might facilitate the accomplishment of these internal communi- cations ; but the rivalries which impeded the selection of a Canadian capital were not very encouraging to any grand projects of colonial amalgamation. One-tenth of the public money which (as Lord Grey informed the Committee of last Session) has been " absolutely " wasted " on colonial fortifications, with which ** the wisest thing " we could now do would be to blow them up again," would have sufficed to complete, for all Imperial pwrpose.s, those internal com- munications of our North American colonies on which engineers have reported, statesmen corresponded, colonists memorialized, without the slightest result, for the last thirty years. And so it comes to pass that the facilities for the defence of a colony which we won by great efforts a century ago, and have since held at vast sacrifice of blood and treasure, lai'gely depend upon the mere chance whether a quarrel between England and her only possible enemy in that quarter of the world may arise iu January or July. It has been said, and jierhaps truly, that there are but two I 98 alternative principles of relationship between colonies anil parent States — that of subserviency and dependence, or that of com- munity and partnership. To elevate the former, wherever it exists, to the rank f f the latter, is the obvious function of all Imperial Government. Our early North American colonies, before the declaration of Independence, jiaid the whole cost of their military defence out of their own ta'.:cs, and yet provided in addition for the whole expense of their civil government. During the S«ven Years' War they raised, clothed, and fed 25,000 men at the cost of several millions sterling ; and history records more than one occasion on which, as at Lewisburgh and Cape Breton, they ac.ually aided Great Britain in her colonial conflicts. They were, in fact, partners both in the burdens and the privileges of British citizenship. If the same relation does not subsist between England and her five North American proviiy '5s at the i)rcsent day, it is not colonial loyalty bui British policy which has been at fault. The chivalrous sympathy which our late war with Bussia called forth in all those provinces, and their vigoroiis preparations *br self-defence, at a time when Imj)erial interests demanded the temporary withdrawal of a largo portion of our troops, were only a fair sample of the spirit of mutual conffdence and co-operation which, though now, perhaps, fitful and evanescent, might undoubtedly, under happier auspices, become the uniform characterisHcs of our colonial relationship. If our North American empire is really to be qualified for that self defiance which has been held to be a natural consequence of self-^ • ,t'nment, it must bo by that consolidation of its powers and resources which may enable Canada and the Lower Provinces to hold their own among the nations of the world. This end can only be attained by an Imperial policy which, steadily aiming at colonial self-i"eliance, seconds all efforts in that direction b}' liberally aiding in the development of the resources of all our colonies. It is by cearlessly applying all the means within our power for quali- fying our colonies for eventual independence, that we may iiope gradually to relieve tiie Imperial Treasury of the burden of their defence, and to reap, at no distant day, our own reward in the advancing greatness and prosperity of loyal subjects, converted tlii'ough the natural process of political growth into the free and friendly allies of the British Empire. I ? 99 HOW TO GET TO CANADA. {From the London Review, Janumy 11th, 1862.) " * He won't, won't he 1 Then bring me my boot?,' said the baron. Consternation was at its height at the castle, for a caitiff hat! dared to disobey his behest, and the Baron had called for liis boots, ' a thunderbolt in the gi'eat hall had been a bngatelle to it.' " Thns commences Ingoldsby's inimitable legend of the Grey Dolphin. And so also commences the legend of the Trent. A caitiff had dared to board that good packet-ship, and forcibly remove there- from two of its passengers, who were enjoying the protection of the British flag. It was rumoui*ed that the President would refuse to deliver iip the pinsoners. " Oh ! he won't, won't he ]" said the noble Viscount at the head of the government, " then bring me my boots, and order oiit the Guards." Now boots and spurs are very qood, and very necessary things in their way, but they pre-supposo both horses and roads, and when the Guards are ordered to Canada, the question arises, " how are they to get there ?" " Why, by the liver St. Lawrence, to be sure." But suppose the river is obstructed by ice, and strange to say, it does freeze up in winter, and so con- tinues closed until April ; what thei. ? Why, they must go to Halifax, and remain there till the spring, or march at the risk of losing their toes or their fingers, if not their lives, thi'ough snow that at every step is over their jack-boots. But has Canada no outlet in winter, to the ocean ? Certainly it has, three ; one by railway to Portland ; another by Boston ; and a third by New York ; but, unfortunately, they all pass through a foreign country, iind with many others, terminating on the Caufidiau frontier, are available to the Americans for the purpose of invasion ; but are of as little service to the colonists, either in war or peace, for the con- veyance of troops or military stores, as the Great Northern of England would be to them. This is certainly not very ';onsoling to the friends of the gallant men who have been sent on this dangei'oua service. The alternative is Avell calculated to excite alarm ; on the one hand entanglement in the ice, or shipwreck in the St. Lawrence ; and on the other, a winter journey of some hundr* Is of miler through wilderness, over \introdden snow, more than two feet in depth. But why was this not thought of long ago, and provision made for such a contingency as the necessity of reinforcing Canada in winter ? Alas ! it has been thought of, and talked of for years, but, unhappily, nothing has been done. The same diflBculty has arisen before, and regiments have been sent in winter, under such exceptional circum- stances of weather as mny never occur ngain, and at a prodigious expense, through that immense forest that lies between Halifax and Quebec ; but where shall we find a man like the late Commis- sary Inglis, who f 'anned and arranged the transit of the troops, or h3 Al 100 i H!, one who has the expei-ience and knowledge of colonial life, wnicli he ))0S8es8ed as a native of the country 1 These dangers arc not the legitimate jjcrils of war, and a heavy responsibility rests uiior. those who neglect to make timely i)rovi8ion against this recurrence. The experiment may be made once loo often, and the men may he overwhelmed by a snow-storm and perish, like the columns of tlie Czar, on the drcaiy Steppes of Russia, during the late war. If troops cannot be sent with safety to Canada in winter, neitlior can thtiy be withdrawn, in that inclement season, if required else- where. During the Crimean war, we were most anxious to avail ourselves of the services of the military stationed in Quebec, but the oi'der for their return arrived too late, and the risk and expense attending the land route prevented us fiom making the attempt. If, however, the line of railway is of importance to ns, for til e reasons assigned, it is absolutely indispensable to the unity of the Colonies and the consolidation of that part of our empire, The North American provinces are now no longer small com- munities, ruled by the authorities in Downing-street through the instrumentality of a Governor and Council, with a House of As- sembly I'esembling the Corporation of a little English boro\igh ; but they have grown into large, populous, intelligent, and pros- perous States. As they have long since become s :lf-supi)orting, and outgi'own their early dependant condition, so have they within the last few years risen to a position requiring a more extended sphere of action, a more intimate connection with each other, and a united Legislature, tliat, representing the interests of all, shall make them respected among the growing nations of America, and allies to England, rather than a group of distinct and independent colonies. This consolidation, however, so necessary to their safety and de- velopment, and so ardently desired by them all, can alone be obtained through the instrumentality of a great colonial highway. The I'epresentatives of the several provinces could not at present assemble at a certain point for deliberation, without passing through some portion of the adjoining republic. It will scarcely be credited that it is easier for persons living at Halifax to pro- ceed to England than to go to Quebec at this season of the year ; and that the inhabitants of Nova Scotia and Canada know less of '.,ach other and their neighbouring provinces than they do of Eng- land and the English. In like manner, the inter-colonial and English correspondence with Canada during winter, notwithstand- ing the enormous subsidies paid to trans-Atlantic steamers, is conveyed through the States, and is liable to be summarily sus- l)ended, even in peace, upon a short notice, and must necessarily cease altogether in war. The expense that would be occasionetl by conveying the mails overland from Halifax to the St. Lawrence on sledges, would be immense, while the delay would almost para- lyze commerce, and be attended with the greatest danger and disadvantage to miUt-^ry operations. : > 101 The Americans, with their usual foresight and intelligence, have availed themselves of our snpiueness to monopolize the markets of Canada. They have wisely provided the colonists witli a oanal from Lake Erie to the Hudson, and another from Champlain to the same river, so as to diveit the trade of the country from the St. Lawrence to themselves, while railways without number are constructed at every convenient point, to intercept and convey travellers and traflSc to their own cities. In winter they have a monopoly of its mails and passengers, .and in war, during that season, the country would be practically blockaded. The idea of first connecting Quebec and Halifax by a railway through New Brunswick, instead of a military road, Hrst originated in the year 1838, when transatlantic steam navigation had been fully estab- lished. In that year the subject was pressed so earnestly upon the attention of Lord Melbourne, that he directed Lord Durham to institute inquiries as to its practicability, and in 1830 his lord- ship, in a very able and comprehensive report, strongly urged its construction. In 1846 Mr. Gladstone, then Secretary of State for the Colonies, ordered a survey of the route to bo made by Major Robinson and Captain Henderson, of the Royal Engineers, and in 1849 their report, which was most favourable to the project, was presented to Parliament. The provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Canada, contributed in the most liberal manner £30,000 towards the expenses of that exuloration. In 1851 Lord Grey pledged the Imperial Government to a gua- rantee of the interest on the amount requisite for its construction, which promise was renewed by Lord Derby in 1852, but fell into abeyance on a question of route. Acting, however, upon this understanding, Canada constructed the Grand Trunk, and extended it 114 miles below Quebec, on the Halifax route, and Nova Scotia has completed sixty miles on the other end of the line, leaving 350 to be yet finished, which, when accomplished, will furnish the only link that is wanting in a continuous line from Halifax to Lake Huron, from whence, at no distant day, a direct communication will be opened with Columbia, Vancouver's Island, and the Pacific. From the time Lord Durham made his report, to the present day, the subject has been con- stantly pressed upon the attention of our Government, by com- missions, memorials of the several colonial legislatures, and ])etitions of various public bodies, both in North America and Great Britain, but hitherto without effect. So lately as the beginning of last month, and before the present difficulty with the United States had become known, a deputation from British America arrived in this country, consisting of Mr. Howe, Premier of Nova Scotia ; Mr. Tilley, Prenner of New Brunswick ; and Mr. Van Konghnet, Secretary of State for the Land Department of Canada, to confer with the Colonial Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer on this matter. Their proposal is understood to be the renewal of an offer formerly made by the provinces they i 5 I \ i If. 102 i ■ ; represent of a guarantee of £60,000 a-year towards the intcicst of the capital required for tlie execution of the work, to give a right of way for the entire road through both public and piivate l)roperty, togetlier with ten miles in extent on either side of llio railway of ungranted land, while they ask the British Government to give a like sum of £60,000 a-year for the conveyance of mails, troops, and military stoi*es. It is estimated that the railway will effect a saving of more than four times the amount of the suiii required of the Government in the militai-y expenses of tlie colonies, which at present are not less than .£420,000 a-ypar, and also a further saving of £25,000 per annum, the cost of the con- veyance of the mails through the United States, besides a still greater amount deducted from transatlantic stibsidies. In tho event of these terms, so honourable to the provinces and su favourable to the Government, not being aj)proved, they declaiu themselves willing to adopt any other proposal that shall be Avithiu their limited means. It is difficult to appreciate the full value and importance of the ]>i*()ject, either in a military, colonial, or commercial i)oint of view, and we cannot but think that it is an object well wortliy of tho combiued efforts of the Imperial and local Governments. !l i N h I THE CONDUCT OF CANADA. {From the Speclalor, January Wth, 1862.) Nothing, during this last dispute with the Federal Government, has been so remarkable, or to Englishmen so gratifying, as the course of our North American colonies. They have acted like English counties, disjilaying not merely loyalty, which might have been expected, but a hearty sympathy with our action which wa:s almost beyond hoj)e. We would ask those gentlemen who disbelieve in i)olitical institutions to explain why the Canadians, of all man- kind, should so thoroughly understand the impulses their next-door neighbours fail so miserably to appreciate. They have no better means of knowing the views of Great Britain than tho people from whom they are se])arated by an imaginary line, or half a mile of river. English news arrives in New York almost as soon as in Halifax, and sooner than in Quebec. The domestic relations of England and Canada are scarcely more numerous than those between England and the Eastern States, and the commercial bonds were, until lately, very much weaker. The tie of blood exists in the one case as much as in the other, while that of language, which we believe without much I'eason to be so strong, is more complete with Americans than the people of Lower Canada. We have within living memory been compelled to constrain the Canadians ; we have till lately legislated for them in a spirit of the narrowest 103^ selfishness, and we have even now a habit of ue;;jlecting dependencies which must be infinitely galling* Yet the Canadians, throughout tliis affair, have not misunderstood us for an hour. While the Americans were convinced that any demand for the restoration of Messrs. Mason and Slidell waa impossible, the Canadians calndy awaited a declaration of war. The journals only laughed at American ignorance, and affirmed, long before a word had reached them from this side, that the British Government would demand instaut and plenary reparation. When the news reached Quebec, the mer- chants on 'Change, those very " luibitans" whose loyalty French writers aflTect to doubt, i*eceived it with enthusiastic clieers. I'hei/ would have to bear the first brunt of the war. Their proi)erty and trade, and means of communication, would be the first sacrifice to the armed hordes which the mob of the Eastern cities threatened to pour upon our borders. The quarrel was none of their seeking, nor did it in any way aSect their immediate or pecuniary interests, — those powerful motives which, as Mr Kinglake asserts, supersede such sentiments as indig-- nation and honour. Yet the dealers of Liverpool wore not more enthusiastic than the seujneiirs of Canada. The province was heartily unanimous. The news found them almost defenceless, but an unanimous people can act with the promtitude of a despotism, and find resources to which nouo but a free government ventures to appeal. The Government called out the militia, and 35,000 men have already responded to the call. Officers were there in profusion, and the men were . drilled under cover, in buildings provided by the wealthier class. Volunteer companies were instantly formed, and already, it is said, twenty thousand men are ready for rifle drill. Arms were supplied from home. The foundries were set to work to rifle the smooth- bore cannon, of which there are plenty in the colonies. The " Iiabitans " joined in the movement as freely as the people of Ul)per Canada. The coloured men formed themselves into com- panies, certain, whatever their discipline, to fight with all the energy of despair. The Lake population offered a Volunteer Naval Reserve. And, finally, the Irish, on whom the Federal Grvernment almost relied, declared themselves to a man attached to the Imperial cause, and their most j)rominent leader solemnly warned his compatriots in the States that the day of American sympathies was past, that if, trusting to kinship and creed, they joined the invading force, the Irish oi Canada would defend the Government they preferred, and the guilt of " fratricide " would not rest with those who armed to protect their own. And all this was accomplished with as little noise or stump oratory as followed the volunteer movement in our own country. The Canadian journals write like our own provincial press, and with the excep- tion of one threat to occupy Maine, their tone has been that of resolute self-defence, and of a reliance on English help almost wonderful ii its completeness. After all that has been said in ; ! M i' - i;' . 104 Parliament about the expense of ouv colonial garrison, the speeches of Mr. Bright, and the supposed tendencies of Mr. Gladstone, the Canadians no more doubted that we should fight to the last in their behalf — than did those who criticized the expenditure. A deep and stronj» sense of content, a feeling that they are justly treated, seenis to have spread through our North American possession.^, and given, at it were, substance and form to the senti- ment of English loyalty. Much of the feeling displaye. may arise from hate of the "Yankees," as keen in the Canadas as in the Southern States ; but much more springs from a clear and distinct preference for monarcliial institutions. The Canadians feel that " under the shadow of tliat guardian throne " they at least do not wither, and in any contest with the Americans we may rely on them as frankly as on the people of Cornwall. For American purposes we have in them a reserve of three millions of brave hearts. Parliament does not forget these things any more than the English people, and Eiigland has at this moment an opportunity of proving how deep is her interest in the prosperity of Canada, The direct railway from Halifax to the St. Lawrence ought to be at once completed. "Whatever the result of the civil war, we can- not remain for ever dependent on the Federal Government for access to our own provinces. The sum demanded, £60,000 a year, is less than a fourth of the subvention now paid to one English mail company, and under the guarantee the local govern- ment can prevent those intrigues, and perhaps those blunders, which have hitherto made Canadian railways such costly and un- remunerative concerns. AVe must, for some years to come, gar- rison Canada, and the mere saving in the number of troops required will almost provide for the expense of the guarantee. From the Morning Chronicle, January 0th, 1862. Tl>» Anglo-American difficulty, as the French papers Lave called it, Avill have achieved one good result ; it will have taught the English people the geography of Canada and our other possessions in North America. We pay a large price for our lessons, but they are useftil beyond a doubt, and no body of men will be better pleased with the marked progress John Bull has made since " last half" in his geography studies than the shareholders in the Halifax and Quebec Railway Company. A petition, signed by most of the eminent mercantile firms of Bristol, and by the Chamber of Commerce in that city, has just been forwarded to London for presentation to the House of Commons at the commencement of the approaching session, which will recall public attention to the affairs of this company. The public will now enter into the sub- ject with greater interest, because with better information than hli 105 on furmei- occasions, and the company has a luucU belter chance than lieretofore of obtaining from Parliament the aid which it requires. The object which the Halifax and Quebec Railway Company has in view is explained by its name. The importance of uniting Quebec with Halifax — an achievement by which the natural dis- advantages of Canada would be in a great measure overcome — is so obvious as hardly to need advocacy. When we have examined the practicability of the scheme, however, we will point out some of the advantages which would accrue from it to this country, in addition to those which would be obtained by the colonists them- selves. First, as to the precise nature of the work which it is proposed to carry out. Every one knows that a lax'ge portion of the desired railway is made already. The Grand Trunk line, after leaving Quebec, follows the course ^ f the St. Lawrence as far as Riviere du Loup, a place half-way between the city and the river mouth. Here it stops at present. It was originally proposed to carry it on in an easterly direction as far as the bay of Chaleur, the estuary of the river Ristigouche, which forma the northern boundary of New Brunswick, and from this point southwards through New Brunswick to Shediac. A short line to Truro along the isthmus which connects New Brunswick with Nova Scotia would then have completed the line, as Truro is already in rail- way communication with Halifax. This scheme was mapped out in 1849, and negotiations were entered into between the Governments of Canada, New Bruns- wick, and Nova Scotia on the one hand, and that of Great Britain on the other, with the view of obtaining an English gua- rantee for the proposed line. The Government of Sir Robert Peel, Earl Grey being at the time Colonial Secretary, took a very favourable view of tl)e proposal. There seemed every probability that the colonists would trinmph ; but there is many a slip between negotiation and success, as well as between the cup and the lip. Renewed surveys of the giound led to the conclusion that n deviation from the proposed route would be desirable, and it was decided to take the line down the valley of the St. John River, instead of by the Bay of Chaleui*, and thence by St. John to Shediac. This was so great a deviation from the proposed line that a renewed application to the Home Government was neces- sary. Alas ! for the railway. The Home Government had been changed in the meanwhile, and the new Colonial Secretary did not think that it would be justified in carrying out the views of its predecessor. Great events in Europe and the East succeeded, and Halifax was forgotten. While all our thoughts were con- centrated on the little peninsula in the Black Sea, or later, when we could not spare a glance for any map but that of India, Canada and New Brunswick seemed out of the way places, and John Bull sternly refused to open his pockets, or even to write his name ou the back of bills which the colonies were so anxious to negotiate. 'i I . I ! I i-j ' il i';i 1; •' i lOG Now, however, the colonists, with great good sense, revive their clainiH, and they are pretty sure of a hearing. Since the matter was first dJHCussed, some portions of the desired line have been constructed. Tliere are now railways between St. John and Sliediac, and between Truro and Halifax. The Grand Trunk itself, indeed, has come into existence since 1849. All that remains to bo done, therefore, is to unite St. John with Riviero du Loup by one section of railway, and Shediac with Truro by another. In other words, the railway communication bctwcun Halifax and Quebec will be completed by the construction of about 370 miles of railway, at a cost of some 3,000,000 dollars. The sum is a large one, but let it not be thought that the colonists ask for this money outright as a token of our regard. It is simply asked that England shall guarantee the interest, in which case the money would, of course, be at once forthcoming from fifty sources. Moreover, tlie colonies are willing to pass bills binding' themselves to contribute large annual sums towards making good any deficiency which may be found to exist in the income from, the railway. England, therefore, could not lose much. The petition which is shortly to be presented to Parliament, and to Avhich wo Iiave already alluded, undertakes to show, indeed, that England will necessarily be a gi'eat pecuniary gainer by the railway. We have no reason to doubt the facts put forward, which are these. The present cost of conveying the mails for Biitish North America through the United States' territory is £25,000 a year, which it is said would be saved to the Imperial treasury. This, it is true, looks a little like special pleading, as we suppose the Halifax and Quebec Railway Company would decline to carry the mails for nothing. No doubt a good deal would be saved, however, on this item. It is further urged that by making Halifax the terminus for the Atlantic Mail Service, £48,000 a year would be Eaved in the mileage rate. Again, the sum annually borne on the Imperial estimates for the military defence of British North America is £420,000, a very large portion of which would be economised by the improved facilities for transporting troops which the proposed niilway would afford. "Whatever the pecuniary advantages of the line might be, however, whether the calculations of the company are well founded or not, the political advantages which it would afibrd are manifold. We do not merely mean that the security of our possessions in North America would be enormously enhanced, and the efficient protection of that Government to which they cling so loyally be assured to the Cana- dians for the future. None of us will be disposed to underrate this advantage ; but those which would accrue in times of peace, from the execution of the proposed scheme, would almost transcend it. All the resources of the colonies, the vast sparely-peopled terri- tory of New Brunswick, and the untitled forests of Canada, would be thrown open to emigration as they have never been before. In a new country civilisation follows a locomotive engine, as a needle peace, iscend teni- I woukl In a Ineedle 107 follows a magnet. With such a railway as that proposed, linking all the three colonies tegether in the close bonds of commercial inter- course, they would, before long, become the greatest power in the American Continent, and the broken fragments of the old repub- lican union might be defied by the unaided strength of the loyal provinces. The wealth and commercial prosperity which this country Las hitherto been i)ouring into Portland and New York would, to the general satisfaction of Englishmen, be diverted to our own j)ort of Halifax, and from that centre would spread over countries belonging nnd among people devoted to our own Sove- reign. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is opposed, on principle, to giving either money or credit to a Colonial Government. Wo believe, however, that the other members of the Cabinet are f;'«?( from any such objection. The question whether sub' die^ to colonies are, as a general rule, advisable, or the reverse, is too broad a one for us to take up now. Even, however, if we thought them in most cases objectionable, we should look upon the present case as an exception. The British colonists of North America, by tlie ]ieculiar strength of their attachment to the English Crown, acquire a claim upon us v/hich we are sure no true Englishmen will wish to shirk. They now as^k us to perform for them a service which, in all probability, will react most advantageously on our- selves. We earnestly hope that their representations will be favourably considered by the House of Commons during the approaching sessions of Parliament. ■ '.■- ; 1 I '- f ( h i> ll 1 \ : \ w \ i 108 From the Edinhuvyh Review, Juniutri/, 1862. As to the North American colonies, Mr. Godley has attempted to found an argument upon the practice of England iu the last century. Before the American war, England did not«vegular]y station troops in the North American colonies, but left their mili- tary defence to their own exertions. This argument is conclu- sively refuted by Mr. Merivale in the note to which we already referred. " The old English colonics hnd no foreign enemy to fear except France. Against France, ail their instincts of felf-defence were rousnd into immeiliute activity. Had England Hbsolutrly deserted them, nothing but downright force would have driven them into subjection to a country of absolute government, of foreign language and religion. All that was needed to ward oflT danger, was that England should be practically as near to thorn as France, and ready to help as soon as occasion required. Their own courage and hearty good-will were sufficient for the rest ; at least until the changes produced by the seven years' war. At the present day, the menace against which the British troops are thought to guard ]trocecds, not from France, but from the United States : the country of a powerful and warlike peopie, cimterminous with our provinces for thousands of miles, ready, from geographical position, to throw at any time a strong force against any weak point, and recure of considerable sympathies among large classes of our colonists. Against such enemies as these, the maintenance of a few fortified posts, by imperial expenditure, to serve as rallying points in the event of suddeu invasion until assistance can arrive from the mother-country, may, or may nor, be a sufficient and a wise precaution, may or may not be imperially expedient. These are open questions, of a mixed political and military character ; but to refer for guidance on them to a precedent so utterly dissimilar as that of our ancient colonial dominions— or to imagine them capable of solution on any general principles of colonial administration at all — is, I cannot but think, a waste of ingenuity." {Merivate's Lectures, p. .'>89). These remarks receive a forcible illustration from the present relations of this country with the United States. The first pro- bable consequence of a nipture of friendly relations with the Federal Government, against which our Government has been called on to provide, is an invasion of Canada by the American forces. The frontier between the United States and the British North American provinces is long and undefended, either by nature or by art. The lower part of the St. Lawrence is frozen after January, and the military commitnication between England and Quebec is by a road from St. John's through the province of New Brunswick, which runs along the frontier of the State of Maine, and is therefore exposed to hostile inroads in the event of war with the United States. Neither Halifax nor St. John's is connected with Quebec by railway ; whereas there are numerous railways in the State of New York which might carry troops to points adjoining the Canadian border. The militia of the British provinces may be called out at a moment of emergency, but it is untrained and unsuppHed with officers accustomed to the pro- fession of arms. 1C9 i '.V resent pvo- the been ricau itish by rozen gland ce of te of nt of n's ia erous ps to ritish it IS pro- Under these ciivumstanceo, the defence of Canada and of the other British provinces of Nortli America nuist be undertaken by England in the event of war with the United States ; and even in time of peace, ju'eparations against the contingency of invasion from the American territory must be made, which will be a serions charge upon the imperial exchequer. We have no doubt that the spirit of the Canadian people will show itself capable of that self- defence which Mr. Gladstone regards as a pi'imary condition of freedom, and the enterprise of the conquest of Canada by tho United States would not in any case be so easy a task as it has perhaps been imagined to be by the sanguine adventui'ers who rule at Washington. Bnt if Canada become the scene of military operations in a war which is begun to vindicate the honour and independence of tho British flag, our obligation to protect Canada with all the power of the empire is equal to her obligation to share in repelling an attack on the symbol which now waves over her fortresses and her inland seas. "From our Own Correspondent " — the Times, January 16, 18C2. Though the conclusion come to by thn United States' Govern- ment on the affair of tho Trent has removed the apprehension of immediate hostilities, the prevailing impression throughout Canada is that the result would have been different if the consequences of a rupture with Great Britain at this juncture had not been so apparent as to have impressed even the mind of Mr. Seward with the most serious concern. Though the course pursued by the British Government and Lord Lyons has been as courteous and conciliating as it was possible for the conveyance of so firm a demand to be, yet there can be no doubt that the proceeding will rankle in the minds of the American people, and that when they feel themselves more able to enter on a war with Great Britain a cause of quarrel will not be wanting. It is to be hoped, however, that as regards one element, which tlie American Secretary of State was wont to believe would favour- ably affect the fortunes of war ; namely, the sympathy of Canada with the United States — he has now seen his self-delusion. If the American Government have not been utterly unobservant of events, the attitude which the North American colonies and especially Canada has assumed must hereafter weigh far more against, than ever it did in favour of, a rupture. From Halifax to Lake Superior more than three millions of y)eo|)le have given np uncer- tain indication of the determined resistance with which they will meet the invasion of their soil, and of the loyal and devoted support they will offer to the down. There is no longing for American institutions — thei^e is no indifference among the colonists whether I ! ( i ( ^f ^■■'l no they are transferred from n monarchical to a republican government or not ; but there is a deep-rooted resolve to Htand by the Throiio and fortunes of England, nnd to trftuamit to their posterity tlio lieritage of constitutional liberty which they now enjoy. Tlio British American colonists had no more Hpeciul interest in the events that led to the misunderstanding between England and the United States than any other British subjects in the remotoHt quarter of the globe. They had, however, far more at stake on tlio issue, for they knew that Canada would be the battle-ground, n'ld that war, with all its horrors, would be at the thresholds of their homes. Yet, the resolution of the British Government to niaintiiiu the national honour was received throughout the land with a hearty and unqualified response. Theru was no boasting or mere evaiicH- cent enthusiasm, but there was no craven apprehension of the consequences to themselves. All began to prepare with a firm and cheerful resolution for the alternative if the insult was not atoned for. The poptdation of Canada is far from homogeneous, but in this instance the descendants of France vied in friendly rivalry witli their fellow-colonists of British origin. I perceive that both in the United States and in Ireland the hope has been expressed — if the assertion has not been actually made — that the Irish in Canada would not rally in support of the Crown, but would rather cast in their lot with the enemies of England. I am happy to be able to give tiie most unqualified contradiction to any such statement. Jrishmeu who have on other sid>jects entertained such discordant opinions, as even to affect their personal intercourse with each other, were to be seen in hearty and earnest co-operation devising measures for the defence of the country. At all the meetings which they have held separately, and at all in which they have participated, men of every creed and political party have sunk their former differences, and are united in the firm resolution to defend the soil against invasion to the last. I should not have alluded to this — for, as I have already said, no distinction of origin affect the loyal unanimity of the people — but for the sake of removing any misapprehension that may have arisen abroad from ignorance of the state of feeling here. There are few countries more exposed to hostile attack than Canada is from the United States, but there are also few in whicli an enemy would run greater risks from unsuccessful attack. A reference to the map will show that for nearly 1,550 miles there there is no other hairier than narrow watera, easily navigated, or a line which in many places exists only in name. A successful landing in force at certain places might be possible, but let an enemy attempt to advance to the interior, or to obtain possession of any commanding point which would bring him any nearer a subjugation of the country, with these same waters, for months impassable from the ice, in the rear, with a hardy, resolute, and united population I'ound him, and the end is not difRcult to foresee. ill 111 CanadA, incase of emergency, could bring into the field upwards of 200,000 militia, inured to the Iiarduliips of a northern clinmte, and admirably adapted for purposes of defence. During the last fortnight men have been forming themselves into Volunteer com- panies and battaliouH in every city and parish of the province, and are engaged in drilling, while the Government is jjreparing a proper schenie of systematic organization. It is to be hoped that the authorities will profit by the spirit of the people which the presence of danger has evoked to place the militia on such a foot- ing of efficiency as that hereafter they can be brought out on any emergency. A niodemte proficiency in drill and in the use of arms would bo acquired in sa few weeks by men of stamp and intelligence that are everywhere to be seen here. There is a marked contrast between the men in Canada and the corresponding class in the United States. Here vaunting and the mere glitter of playing at soldiers are avoided ; fancy dresses for display are discountenanced ; the Government recognize only the uniforms of the British army ; and there is a most sensible dis- jiosition prevailing among the Volunteers to forego everything in the way of electing their officers wliich might interfere with the efficiency of the force in the field. Indeed, every other considera- tion is made subservient to this. The men in evei'y district, from Sarnia to Quebec, act as if they were engaged in a serious and solemn business ; not in a mere gaudy pastime. Sub;aission to discipline and the dignity of obedience are both understood and l»ractised here, and the enemy that attemi)t3 the subjugation of Canada undertakes a work for which greater resources and military power arc needed than this continent has yet seen displayed. It cannot be denied that the determination evinced by Great Britain to pnt forth the whole strength of tlie empire and the succour which hns been so promptly dispatched from England have had an encouraging effect on the population. The news that steam- ships had sailed with arms and military suj>plies, that a judiv.ous selection of officers acquainted with the country had been dis- 1 latched to train the militia, and carry out an organized system of defence, had a most cheering influence on the public mind. It ought not to be concealed that the situation was a most critical one. With no access at this season by rail or water to the ocean, except through an enemy's country, with a small force of regular troops, and with a scanty supply of arms and amunition for a militia force ]>roportionate to the defence of such a frontier if hostilities had suddenly broken out, the enen>y might have obtained most impor- tant advantages, and done irrepai-able mischief It is felt in the province that, if Canada is to be preserved, a means of access to the ocean through British territory in winter, either by way of Halifax or St. John's, must be provided. The colonies offer to bear one half the interest on the necessaiy capital, and ask Great Britain to assume the other, Unless this road is built, an imperial y 113 I. force, capable, in conjunction witli tlie militia, of resisting an attack for at least five months during winter, must be constantly quartered in the countiy. The past lesson is instructive. The Canadians profess themselves quite ready to contribute any fair share for sncli a work of defence but they say that they have already gone to tlie full measure that prudence justifies in aid of their internal com- munications. The Persia succeeded in getting up as for as Bic, a point abotit 150 miles below Quebec, on the 27th inst. The present season has been unusually open and mild, and during ordinary weather a ship could not have ascended the St. Lawrence so far. Snow-storms come on with remarkable suddenness in these lower regions, and ice will form or collect in a few hours suflScient to prevent all com- munication with the shore, if not seriously to endanger the safety of the ship. The case of the Persia was an illustration of this. The ice came down on Saturday at Bic, when she was engaged in landing the 16th Regiment ; several of her boats wore crushed, and she was obliged to slip her anchors and run for sea, carrying with her the remainder of ihe regiment, the heavy baggage, &c., and leaving behind a con&iderable number of her own crew. She would probably make for Halifax, and thence go to St. John's, New Brunswick, from which the force will be forwarded up the St. John's Valley, vid Frederickton and Grand Falls to Rividre du Loup on the St. Lawrence, whence tlipre is comunication by rail direct to Montreal. The Australasian (with the 2nd Battalion, 20th Regiment, and a Battalion of the Rifle Brigade, as is sup- posed) attempted an ascent of the St. Lawrence, but was driven back by the ice. She is probably already at St. John's, and the troops may be looked for here in ten days. The first division of the 16th Regiment arrived yesterday afternoon, having come thi'ough direct from Riviere du Loup in eigl)teen hours. The Melbowne aiuived this morning at Cape Breton, and is coaling there ; she will probably be ordered back to Halifax, as her stores cannot be safely landed at Bic. From the Morning Advertiter, January 20, 1862. If we had a moment's fear for the result of hostilities between this country and America, it was for the fate of Canada. At the first note of warning our anxieties turned immediately in that direction, and all the energies of the "War-Office and the Admiralty were directed to the reinforcement of the small regular army, on which the defence of Canada would mainly have rested. Even then, though the Canadians had not had time to declare the loyalty that wp^ in them, we felt that if we had not secured their venom ir r^i ' 113 attachment to this coantiy, we had at least deserved it. But though wo felt that we also possessed it, we were hardly prepared for that genuine outburst of loyalty which displayed itself in the leastexpocted quarters. That determined rallying to the British standai'd, which left no doubt in our minds that the volunteers of Canada would be at least an equal match for any number of raw levies which Mr. Lincoln might send against them, till the return of spring enabled us to cover the Canadian lakes with gunboats, and add ten thousand men, if necessary, to the little baud of heroes who were shielding Canada from the blessings of Republican despotism. These speculations and anxiety have happily been superseded. But though the mind of American sentiment is now fair for peace, we know how little a[>pearances are to be relied upon, how deep is the hatred and how keen the sense of humiliation which await only an opportunity to revenge the treble wrong of having been compelled to be just to the " Britishers." Like Iviacbeth "we have scotched the snake not killed it." The worm will brci^d new venom in time ; and it would therefore be an act of wilful blind- ness on our part were we to put altogether out of sight those |K)ints of interest connected with Canada which of liite have so much occupied our attention. The storm has blown over, but only for a time. Such an eventuality may indeed come to pass as that the United States, rent in twain by secession, mortified by defeat and humiliation, and overwhelmed with bankruptcy, may gradually subside into a state of anarchy, u])on a level with that of Mexico. If so we need not trouble ourselves for the defence of Canada a^inst a congeries of States possessing only vitality enough to afflict each other. But grant that order and strength should ever issue from the present chaos of disaster and liankruptcy, we may rely upon it that the Yankees will not be so merciful to us, should they find us in a difficulty, as we have been to them. The defence of Canada, then, is a question which ought still to command our liveliest sympathies, for on her frontier we have not only to defend our own honour, but to protect a virtuous and prosperous population from the corruption of Yankee morals and Yankee politics. And in viewing this question, the first thing that strikes us is the difficulty of bringing troops to bear upon that point where a necessity may arise for them. It is obvious that we can never maintain habitually a large force of regular troops in the colony ; and it is equally so that the presence of regular troops is of invaluable importance in imparting confidence even to the most efficient body of volunteers. In proportion, then, as the number of regular troops must at the best be small, the means for transporting them quickly from point to point ought to be ample. This becomes especially true when we consider that Canada is practically inaccessible to military succour for half the year. During the winter months we can transport troops from Halifax to Bividre du Loup by a road about I i Tl If Mi s . 1 ■ t . ; 111 seven feet wide and 465 miles long, a hundred of those miles tra- versing a wilderness with a depth of snow varying from four to eight feet, and the thermometer with the mercnry frozen. Alon<» this I'oute it would be impossible to move troops in bodies of more than 100 from one station to another. Sup))08in^, then, that tliey travelled thirty miles a day, it would take twe:icy-tive days from the time when the first hundred men of a regiment started from Truro, the terminus of the Nova Scotia railway, to the time when the last hundred would arrive at RiviSre du Loup. Here we speak only of the expense of time ; but the expense ot money, though a question of inferior importance in presence of hostilities, is not unimpoi*tant ; and it is obvious that every day which is unnecessarily spent before bringing the soldiers tace to face to f.he enemy is so much money, as well as time, thrown away. Lock at what occcurred only recently. The Persia was enabled to get up the Gulf of St. Lawrence owing to the unusually mild character of the season. But the Melhoume, the Australasian, the Adriatic, and Parana, have probably been turned aside aii(i sent to Halifax. It matters not now, as, for the present, there is to be no war, whether the troops and munitions which these ships have taken out are garrisoned in the fortifications in the neigli- bourhood of Halifax, or wait for the breaking up of the ice to be transported by sea to the St. Lawrence. But if Mr. Seward had not given up the Commissioners, and if we had now been at war with the tJnited States, we should with one voice have cried " Shame !" on the indolence which has left the railway from Halifax to Quebec uncompleted. We have shown that a regiment would cons^.ne twenty-five days i\i traversing tlie road from'Truro to Rivi&re du Loup. By railway, 5,000 men might be transported from Halifax to Quebec in twenty hours. But we need not wait for war to test the value of such a railway. Lord Durham, Earl Grey, and Lord Elgin have declared its im})ortance for the interests of peace as well as of war. To note a single fact, such a railway would bring communication with the whole of North America two days nearer to Europe. Again, it would ex})edite the delivery of the Canadian mails by nmre than thirty-six hours ; it would free our trade and correspondence from the fiscal enactments of the United States, and open up railway communication from Halifax to Lake Huron, a distance of 1,400 miles through British territory, and render the capricious and onerous tariffs of the tJnited States impracticable. These advan- tages lie on the surface. They are those which most immediately claim our attention. But let us look further, and we see that such a line of railway would re-invigorate the whole social system of Canada ; and, by raising its commercial and social importance to a level, as far as possible, with its teiritory, would exercise a beneficial influence on the world-wide commonwealth of progress and prosperity. And what is necessary to achieve this obvious good 1 The 115 iiyjther country is asked to guamntce to tJie line the sum of £60,000 " year, in return for which its mails, military stores, atid. troops would be conveyed free of charge. What we have to con- sider is this — Is the service proposed an equivalent for the sum demanded 1 To answer this question we must view the advan- tages of the railway both in time of peace and in tirae olicy of a distant rule so to ordain mattera that they shall be most conducive to the permanent prosperity and security of even her most remote dominions. XJntiniely and unwise concessions made to clamour and arrogance never ensure either the one or the other. Yet all considerations of either military, political, or commercial interests, of even geographical fitness of things, and of the most common and ordinary means of communication, appear to have '■ * This has already shown itself in a remarkable manner in the condemnation of the existing treaty by the Yankees on their tide as not enabling them, by the narrow band left between Maine and the St. Lawrence, to entirely close up Canada from the seaboard in winter. The idea of isolating a whole empire from the rest of the world is as peculiarly Yankee as is the unnatural and spiteful notion of destroying harbours created by Providence, and tlie extinction of which, if they are fighting for union, can only be to their own ultimate loss and confusion. : I I. i( ?;' I I m i ii 120 been entirely overlooked in the fatal Ashburton treaty. Even George III. knew better in his time — albeit, he lost the once United States to us — for Mr. Webster produced before the Senate, at the time of the Ashburton treaty, a map, in which the boundary- line was marked in the handwriting of the king, to prove how bravely he had duped the British diplomatist ! The treaty is, in reality, nothing but a legacy of strife to future generations, if not settled at some earlier period. THE AMERICAN CRISIS. {From the ^iuarterly Jieview, January, 1862.) In the progress of the war there has been nnmistakeable evi- dence of a desire to tempt the South back by the prospect of the annexation of Canada to the Union. It was conceived just possible that the Confederated States might be reconciled by the hope of sharing in such a prize, or, at all events, that a foreign war might have the efiect of healing the domestic quarrel. Canada has made her response by calling out her militia and fortifying her frontier, and in any event we have no fears for her. She has no wish to sink into the position of a satellite of a shattered republic. We earnestly hope that immediate steps will be taken to place Canada in such a state of permanent defence as to relieve both her and ourselves from anxiety in case of sudden attack from her restless neighbours. As she has no winter port, and the St. Lawrence is impassable from ice during several months of the year, no time should be lost in constructing a line of railway to connect Halifax with Quebec and Montreal. It is only necessary to continue the line of the Halifax and Truro Railway to the 8t. John and Shediac Railway, and to fill up the gap between there and Riviere du Loup, and the communication will be then complete. * It is an error to suppose that pauperism does not exist in the United States. The large&t cities of that country have long contained a numerous population plunged in abject poverty and destitution. The people must henceforth be highly taxrd ; and, unless grossly misinformed and deluded (which need not be the case if our Government does its duty), our emigrants will surely betake themselves in preference to the far more thriving and prosperous colony of Canada. 121 THE COST OF THE ARMY. (^Fnm the Saturday Review, March 8, 1862.) The despatch of the recent reinforcements to the North American Colonies was so entirely approved, even by the most rigid econo- mists, that it was difficult, at such a juncture, to press the argu- ments which may be urged in favour of the principle of leaving the colonies to support in ordinary times the burden of their own land defences, and the duty of maintaining order within their own limits. The almost unanimous assent given to Mr. Mills* resolu- tion on the subject gives very little real hope of any considerable or speedy saving being effected in this way. We may not quite agree with Mr. Haliburton that, instead of economizing troops, we should do without Colonial Governors ; though it is undoubtedly true that some of the appointments recently made seem to imply an opinion that there is nothing of importance for the Governor of a colony to do. Neither, perhaps, would it be safe to act upon another suggestion of the same honourable member, that by com- pleting the trunk line of railway, the necessity for garrisoning the British possessions in North America would entirely disappear. It is impossible to exaggerate the value of the proposed communi- cations, but we hope that few Canadians would tlunk the compa- rative facility of access from England a sufficient reason for discontintiing all provision for the defences of the frontier. THE INTERCOLONIAL RAILWAY. {Pi'om the Canadian Newt, February 18. 1862.) We learn that memorials pointing out the absolute necessity of this railway are coming in "fast and furious" from all the chief cities of the kingdom for presentation at Downing-street. The memorial from the city of London was yesterday presented to Lord Palmerston by Mr. R. W. Crawford, the member for the city. It is not necessary, in view of our recent information, regarding the hazardous marches oi our troops through New Brunswick, to go over the ground we have so often traversed in these columns in pointing out the advantages this proposed line would confer in a military point of view. The tract of country at present being 1^ i, i ; (<■ I « f ;ii m travelled by onr soldiers was, prior to their departure thence, all but a terra incognita to nineteeu-twentieths of our population, but uow the route aud all its difficulties are as familiar to the English public as is the line of intercommunication between London and Dublin vid Holyhead. The advantages possessed by the Halifax and Quebec Railway, looking at it from an Imperial stand- point in relation to its military importance, are now so thoroughly appreciated, especially when taken in connection with the jocose offer of Mr. Seward to permit us to transport our men through the United States territory, that the early completion of this link in the Intercolonial Hailway system will be demanded on this ground, if on no other, by the almost unanimous voice of the nation. There are, however, many other considerations of nearly equal importance to be advanced for the immediate prosecution of thin national work. The Imperial Government is asked, in order to secure the completion of the line, to guarantee £60,000 a year, but this sum will be reduced by the amount of direct saving which will be effected in the present expenditure of the Post-office, and estimated, including the additional postages which it will receive, to exceed £30,000 per annum, or more than 50 per cent, of the guarantee for which application is made ! Again, the delivery of the Canadian mails and those destined for the Western States of the Union would be expedited from six-and- thirty to eight-and-forty hours, and the opening up of this con- tinuous line of railway from Halifax to Lake Huron — a distance of nearly 1,400 miles — would, as stated by the Hon. Mr. Van Koughnet at the recent meeting held at the London Tavern, free the Imperial and colonial trades from the existing onerous fiscal enactments of the United States, and render impracticable the Morrill and such -like tariffs. Nor must the advantages which would be secured by throwing open to emigration the vast and as yet unpeopled territories of New Brunswick and Canada be forgotten. With such a line of intercommunication as that proposed, linking Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Canada, and completing the eastern section of the Pacific Bailway — a railway destined, we believe, before another decade shall have passed away, to be a reality, a British power is secured on the American continent which will be able to bold its own against all adversaries, come from what quarter they may. Our fellow-subjects across the Atlantic have conclusively shown their preference for monarchical institutions, and testified their attachment to the Crown in a manner which will not soon be forgotten on this side. They tell us that in offering to find one- half of the money required to complete the railway and the land for the right of way they have gone to the utmost limits of their ability, and that they can do no more. Had they been able to IS con- stance Van , free fiscal 3 the >wing ries of tne of New of jefore British >le to liarter lown I their tn be one- Jland Itheir lie to ilo the work themselves, they would, we know, have never pre- sented any application to the English Government for assistance. But they, nevertheless, feel, and properly so, that the British Qovernment is as much interested in the completion of this work as they are themselves. The undertaking is one of mutual interest, whether regarded in a military or commercial point of view, and we cannot but think that the Imperial Qovernment, in whose hands the destiny of the concern is now placed, will so look at it and unhesitatingly guarantee the sum named. A prompt answer now given would be a gracious acknowledgment on the part of England of her appreciation of the recent display of loyalty in the provinces, and would further prave how deep is her interest in the prosperity of her Transatlantic colonies. ; 1^4 Jauuai'y 24th, 18C2. Memorial to Uis JiiglU Honourable Uie Lorde ComitUationera of Ihr Majeaii/a Treaaury. THE MEMORIAL OF THE UNDERSIGNED MER- CHANTS, BANKERS, AND OTHERS OP THE CITY OF LONDON. SUEWBTH — T])at for six months of the jear we are dependent on the United States of America for our communication with Canada. That in case of an interruption of our friendly relations with the United States, our intercommunication with Canada, during that period, is liable to be cut off at a moment's notice, and au important portion of the British Empire placed in great jeopardy. That the completion of a line of Railway from Halifax to Quebec would render us perfectly independent of the United States ; at present our trade and correspondence with our own province of Canada, and the local trade and correspondence be- tween the lower British provinces and foreign countries is, for half the year, subject to the will and fiscal enactments of the United States. By the completion of the proposed Line, direct Railway com- munication will be established through British territory from Halifax to Lake Huron, a distance of 1,400 miles, accessible at all seasons, and thereby accelerate the delivery of the Canadian Mails and Despatches at least thirty-six hours in advance of the present route through the United States ; and it would open up for colonization and settlement by emigrants from the mother country upwards of 14,000,000 acres of rkngranted lands within a journey of ten days from our own shores. That the present cost of convey: ag the British North- American Mails through the United States will be saved to the Imperial Treasury. That the completion of this line of Railway would effect a great saving in military expenditure on the one hand, and render Canada much more easy of defence on the other, as she woiild be accessible within ten days at all seasons, whilst at the present time she is, in a military point of view, excluded from communi cation with the mother country for six months of the year. il h 126 That your MeDiorialibts believe iliat the immediate completiou of a line of Railway from Halifax to Quebec is essential to the preservation and integrity of the British £mpire in North America. That your Memorialists believe, that, in addition > its adding to the security and permanence of the British Empire in North America, accelerating the communication \/ith the mother country, reviving that identity of interest with her which has been too long engrossed by the United States, the pro|)osed Railway would also effeot a saving to the Imperial Treasury far exceeding any assistance that may be required for its completion. Your Memorialists therefore humbly pray that Her Majesty's Government will be pleased to grant such aid and assistance, iu conjunction with the Provincial Governments of Canada, New Bninswick, and Nova Scotia, as will bring to a successful completion this great national undertaking. And your Memorialists will ever pray. Alex. Gillespie, Jas. J. Cummins, R. Carter, W. B. Chapman, John B. Elin, T. H. Milner, William Chapman, Thos. H. Brooking, John Ranking. James Hutchinson, C. MorisoD, T. M. Weguelin, Wm. Gordon Thomson. Baring, Brothers, and Co. S. Cunard. D. Dunbar and Sons. Phiilipps, S. Law, and Lowther. Glyn, Mills, and Co. H. WoUaston Blake. Finlay, Hodgson, and ^o- N. M. Rothschild and Sons. Charles Franks, Governor of the Canada Comp€my. Robert W. Garden, ' I Direttora of the Bank ^f JBritith North America. Directors of the Tnut and Loan Cotn- pany of Upper Ccmada. S. J. Bosanquet, W. T. Hibbert, F. H. Mitchell, Directors of the Canada Company. ^V i- ,/ .: i ! ll^ f V Members of the Committee at Lloyds. 126 McCalinont, Brothers, and Co. Robert Jjensun and Co. John Chapman. Charles Morris. Thomas Hughes. Charles Lewis Merycn. John Dawson Lowdcn. Thomas Allason. Charles Hill. George Marshall. Thomas Chapman. George Alorman Tyser, Robert Bradford, William Wilson Sanders, John Henry Steinmitz, ) Charles Richard Harford, Jan., W. C. Harnett, William Simpson, Gillespies, Moflfatt, and Co. Janvrin, Graasie, and Delisle. Gilmour, Rankin, Strang, and Co. *^ Martins and Co., Lombard-street. Spooner, A tt woods, and Co. Morrison, Dillon, and Co. Dent, AUcroft, Lyatt, and Co. Copestake, Moore, Crampton, and Co. ' Leaf, Sons, and Co., Old Change. J. F. Pawson and Co., St. Paul's Churchyard. Ellis, Everington, and Co., St. Paul'a Churchyard. Wm. Forman and Co., Queen-street, Oheapside. The Union Bank of London. — W. W. Scrimgeour, Manage)'. The London Joint-Stock Bank. — F. Hewitt, Manager. The City Bank, London. — J. White, Manager. Boyson, Hoyer, and Tagart, 19, St. Helen's- place. London and County Bank — W. M'Kewan, OenercU Manager. Heywood, Kennards, and Co., 4, Lombard-street. Thomas Hankey, 7, Fenchurch-street. T. W. Berens, Governor of the ffudson^s Bay Company. Crawford, Colrin, and Co. Alfred Charles Bridge, Chairman of General Mining Association. Robert Grimston, Chavrma/ii of the Electric and International Telegraph Company. Mark Huish, Depntiy Chairman, ditto. F. N. Micklethwait, Director, ditto. Geo. P. Bidder, ditto. William H. Smith, Jun., ditto. Richard Till, dt«o. ^ , ,. : Tho. Critchley. Wm. Fothergill Cooke. .: r ^ Lloyd! ». 127 Alfred Paget. J. R. Carmichael, Oliairman of the Svhma/rine Telegraph Company. Wm. Newmarsh, 7, Cornhill. Thos. Stirling Begbie, 4, Mansion House Place. Laurence, Son, and Pearce, Auction Mart. Smith, Payne, and Smiths. ^" Wm. Hartridge. Bischoff, Cox, and Bompas. Dinsdale, Drewett, and Co. A. M. Wier, 28, Threadneedle-atreet. James Cajjel, Norbury, Trotter, and Co. Brown, Janson, and Co. Burges and Stock, Holmewood, Rowe, and Co., George Lawrence, J. L. M. Farquhar, Wm. Elliott. Fred. Melhuish. John Melhuish. Leonard C. Wakefield. Walter Hyslop. Francis K Fox. Arthur Oldfield Hammond. John Sercome, Josh. Street, Charles A. Hardnian, Arthur Buinaud, George AUfrey, junr., J. C. Haliburton, H. R Montgomerie, P. C. Glyn, Joseph Fay, William Hazlitt, Churchill and Sim. Barker, Brothers. John Gladstone and Co. H. WinBeld Cruce. Sewell, Brothers. Henry Paull. John Hackblock. Henry Sewell. H. P. Roche. Bradbury, Greatorex, and Beall, Aldermanbury. ] J. and R. Morley, 18, Wood-street. Robert Curling, Old Jewry. John Wreford and Co., 17, Aldermanbury. Thos. TapUng and Co., 1 to 8, Gresham-street. Forster, Porter, and Co., Wood-street. Cook, Son, and Co., St. Paul's. II Directors of the Canada Agency Association. h 128 i.':^ .* Fownea Brothers, Ciieapside. Jones, Randall, & Way, Cheapside. Charles Candy & Co., Watling Street. J. Sewell, Qresham House. Wm. Evans, Oresham House. Robertson & MacnicoU, Crown Court. Ellis, Everington & Co., Cheapside. {In course of Signaiwre.) \\'f 'tf- i ! HI: ■'■X ■■ rt ■ II 1 ■ Respectt \ H .')attl \ K rally cans ■ defence, b ■ North At ■ That in H American ■ 3,000,000 ■ iiication, '\ ■ which pei ■ cost, and c H under the H p.nd the te I destined J 1 the Unite I That, ii vt ■ safety no.' ■ Amarican H internal < >i. 1 secure fro ■ hour on t1 , '■ )■ . I That th '■■ . ■, "k-- ■ in North n of territoi ,* - ■ ■ niemoriali ■ which "voi ■ 1,400 -il< I western b I sacrificed. (/ 129 • January, 1862. The following Memorial was presented to Lord Paltnereton during the present month. To the Right Honourable the Viscount Palmerston, K.G. 8)-c. Her Majesty's First Lord of the Treasury. THE MEMOKTAL OP THE MAYOR, ALDERMEN AND CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF MANCHESTER, IN THE COUNTY OF LANCASTER, UNDER THEIR COMMON SEAL : Respecttively swoweth,— 7'')at the recent discussions with the United States have natu- rally caused great anxiety as to the means possessed for the efficient defence, both of the territory, and the commei'ce of the Britisli North American provinces, and more especially of Canada. That independent access to the immense territory on the North American continent belonging to the British Crown, and to 3,000,000 of British siibjects, is, from the want of internal commu- nication, virtually closed for nearly Pve months of the year, during which period it is, in case of need, matter of extreme difficulty, cost, and danger, to send military succour to the provinces ; whilst, under the circumstances, and at all times British goods for Canada p.nd the territories beyond, and all food or other produce therefrom destined for Great Britain, have to pass through the teiTitory of the United States. That,'. i^\<^ opinion of your memorialists, it is essential to the safety no I? thnn to the secure possession of the British North Amaricau ^>f'v" o^^s, that they should possess within themselves an internal commun'oation (which shall be at all times open, and secure from stoppage in winter) with Halifax, the best open har- bour on the Atlantic. That the outlet to the Atlantic for the vast British possessions in North America, formerly possessed, was given up by the cessions of territory under treaties of doubtful wisdom : whilst as your memorialists believe, the construction of a railway of 350 miles, which A ould complete the chain of railway communication, about 1,400 lies in length, from the Atlantic at Halifax to the extreme westertj i. /undary of Canada, would go far to restore the position sacrificed. ; I' it ! i ' ' f ; H 130 That in case this important route be ever completed, the British »^"''' '-^ "I'T^it rp'^sonably anticipate that considerable reduction in ■M' rv f'xtiiiisi's now incurred for the defence and preserva- I uiti"" j^rifci-;li North American provinces would result j that •< losidios tf» postal p';earaers to the ports of the United States as no 1 •-.iiTPr eiilier necessary or defensible, would cease ; whilst the inMiiiifacturers of tliis country would pass all the year round, with- out impediment or danger, through British territory into our North American possessions. That with such a complete and unbroken railway communication it would be in the power of the British government, by ai'range- ment for low tariffs with the provincial governments of North America, effectively to discourage any attempt on the part .of the government of the United States, by high protection tariffs to exclude or limit the importation of British manufactures into their country, inasmuch as such high duties would become comparatively inoperative in the face of low duties extending in and over a <-n>iiif'-y possessing ■ tr- n^ier of 1,400 miles alongside the territory of the United States, Vour memorialists, t.-L;fefore respectfully pray Her Majesty's Government to co-operate with the governments of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, in affording such aid and encourage- mt'Ht as may be necessary to secure the formation, as early as may be practicable, of a railway communication between Quebec and Halifax, which, upon general grounds, and for the reasons, amongst many others, now respectively submitted, is, in the opinion of your memorialists, a work of great national value and importance. And your memorialists will ever pray, &g. m a 181 Memorial to the Right Honourable Viscount Palmerston, First Lord of the Treasury, dec, dec. THE MEMORIAL OF THE UNDERSIGNED MER- CHANTS, BANKERS, SHIPOWNERS, AND TRADESMEN OF LIVERPOOL. Respectfully Showeth, That for at least five months of the entire year, eflScient access to Canada and the entire Brititsh territory beyond, for pur- poses of both commerce and defence, is dependent upon the jter- raission of the United States. That imperial interests in the possession of one half the entire North American continent demand that this dependence npon the sufferance of a foreign power should cease. That, in 1838, Lord Durham, then Governor- General of British North America, reported in favour of the construction, as an imperial work, of a Railway from Halifax to Quebec, and that the subject has frequently engaged the attention of various Governments, but nothing has been done ; while recent events, and then threatened termination by the United States of the Reciprocity Treaty with Canada, and the transit of goods in bond, demonstrates the soundness of Lord Durham's recommendations. That British capitalists with provincial aid, have consti-noted and opened all but 370 miles of the proposed route, and theiefoie the undersigned urge upon Government to take such measures in concert and joint action with the British North American pro- vinces, as will enable troops and munitions of war to be conveyed during the whole of the year, freely and expeditiously, between the mother country and the British territories of North America. NAMES OF PRINCIPAL SIGNATURES TO MEMO- RIAL IN FAVOUR OF A RAILWAY FROM HALIFAX TO QUEBEC. Kenneth, Dowie, k Co. Rankin, Gilmour, & Co. Fielden, Brothers, & Co. Leech, Harrison, & For wood Malcomson & Co. Richardson, Spence, & Co. 132 ! H. Littledale Ferme, Brothers, & Co. Thomas Edwards Moss Gibbs, Bright, «fe Co. D. Cannon, Sons, & Co. John Barbour & Co. Robert Benn. Farnworth & Jardiue A. E. Byrne, & Co. S. R. Graves Holderness & Chilton Edward Johnston, Sou, & Co. W. Coltart, Son, & Co. H. de Wolf, & Co. Thomas Earle H. E. Folk Samuel Johnson & Co. Lodge, Pritchard, & Co. James Napier W. Horner Navlor, Vickere, & Co. C. W. ent in this country for some years past, and that the colonists of the Canadas, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick have made liberal proposals for assisting in the promotion of the object, and are most anxious for its accomplishment. That your memorialists are informed that the only ini{)edi- ment to the completion of the undertaking is the want of guarantee from the Home Government, which will enable the necessary capital to be raised on the most favourable terms, and that the benefits to be derived from the accomplishment of this work would much more than counterbalance any risk which would be required to be undertaken by the Government in the matter. That i-ecent events have tended to Exhibit the great disad- vantage which this country and the colonies might labour under in case of disagreement with the United States of America, and that, under any circumstances, and at all times, the national and commercial benefits which would flow from the completion of the said undertaking are such, that, in the opinion of the your memo- rialists, no time should be lost in according the aid from the Imperial Government which the case so strongly demands. Your memorialists therefore humbly pray that your Lordship and the Government will be pleased to take the premises into your early and favourable consideration, with the view of ren- dering such assistance towards the Halifax and Quebec Railway as you in your wisdom may deem fit. Signed on behalf of and at the request of the said public meeting which was holden in the City of Bristol, on Tuesday, the 7th January, 1862. JOHN BATES, ' ' ■ Chairman. A memorial to the same efiect has also been sent from th» Chamber of Commerce, of Biistol. P» t i3t A SIMILAR MEMORIAL FROM THE UNDERSIGNED MERCHANTS, BANKERS, AND OTHERS OF THE CITY OF BELFAST. Edward Coey, J.P. Henry H. McNeile, J.P. John Thomson, J.P. Samuel Gelston Thomas Hamilton Jones, J.P. R. W. Bland, J.P. J. H. Smythe, Clerk Johnston & Carlisle John Herdman Charles Lanyon, Mayor of Belfast George J. Clarke, J.P. John Young, J.P. Edmund McNeill, J.P. George Gray, J.P. Godfrey Lyle, J.P. James Torrens James Bristow, Director Northern Bank H. Montgomery, Banker Northern Bank W. Sharman Crawford, Direc- tor Northern Bank William Valentine , James T. Bristow J T. Bushel, J.P. John Charters 0. B. Grimshaw John Sharman Crawford, J.P. Thomas McCammon Henry Murney Gustavus Heyn Thomas McClure, J.P. William Carson William Bell George C. Pim Joseph Clarke William McCullough C. Duffin William Campbell J. J. Weinberg N. D. Crummelin, Jun., J.P. James Macaulay Houston Russell John Potts Henry Russell, Solicitor J. Greenhill N. D. Finlay & Son William Boyd William Bruce E. Walkington & Son James Burns & Co. James Holden & Co. J. Scott Porter, Dissenting Minister Henry Milford James Carlisle Robert Henderson & Son, Shipping Merchants Edward H. Clarke, Director Belfast Bank Thomas Mulligan Francis McCracken John Davidson John G. McGee James M. Darbishire William Langtry Thomas Price, Notary Public John Currell, J.P. Bernard Hughes William Ewart & Son John^avage James Lemon Thomas O'Brien > Robert Atkinson Samuel Andrews W. Bottomley William Laird Finlay ■if IJ. K. Brannigan Gilbert Vance David DunJop I J^'Ji,'am Crawford , WilJmm MeGee, J.p'-'^- .JohnAiejander&Co. ? A. Sharman Crawford i i"'?e8 Moncrieffe & Co Boberfc Boyd John Ljtle John Boyd & Son iiiomas Gausaen John Eowan ™^Horne, i^tired Officer ^o?nri^r^.«--f. " [Thomas Tripp JCharles Peyton IB. J. Bristow & Co ' '^ I John Hunter, Jun. * lA. Bernard & Koch [David Taylor ItharJes Gausaen ■Andrew Lyle Ijew^e FitzHimons K^rden & Caughey \ PiomaaC. Hamilton - IffenryBeitl I h! Boy'd'""'^^' ^-''"-ee poraaa Coleman pry Matier f »lip Johnston & Son Jl exander Clarke Inomas Greer Jrchibald McCollum Pomas Chermside 135 Jonathan Cordukes Henry JVichol William Girdwood George K. Smith ■K. Megaw Joshua Pim 8. Carson ^^7t ?P°8''egan B. J. McEntire Ihomas Turner John Hamill J. M. Perrie, M.D. John Oulton §' 8. Wilson Robert D. Filaon Atkinson & Johnston ^. is. Johnston Robert Henderson Samuel McCausland James Hamilton G-eorge McTier Charles W. Lepper , jgobert Patterson, F.ES George Mumey James Coleman •Robert McBride wdliam Emerson James Guthrie :Henry Campbell James H. McEntire Alfred Wigglesworth Thomson C. Eobinson Ihomas Hughes McAdam Brothers & Co Char ey& Malcolm Charles H. Brett James Tilley W.M. Collins H. J. & P. McCance troour Commissioners of Belfast, < 1 ' •-1 r '1 ■ 1 i ' ^ : i ; I' 13G To the Right Hon. the Lords Commisaioners of Her Majesty's Treasury. THE MEMORIAL OF THE MASTER, WARDENS, SEARCHERS, ASSISTANTS, AND COMMONALITY OF THE CORPORATION OF CUTLERS, IN HAL- LAMSHIRE, IN THE COUNTY OF YORK. Showeth — That in conjunction with many other commercial and muni- <'ipal coi'porations, and principal manufacturers and merchants in this country, your memorialists solicit the assistance of Her Majesty's government to the development of a perfect system of connection with our North American colonies by the comple- tion of the railway from Halifax to Quebec. That for this important object the several provinces of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, have agreed to contribute a guarantee upon one moiety of the cost of the railway, and it is confidently submitted that the contribution of the other moiety by this countiy would be well repaid by the readier means of trans- porting troops and stores at any period of the year to Canada, thereby considerably reducing to this country the expense of our military force there, by greatly accelerating the postal correspond- ence with British North America and a considerable portion of the United States, and by the increased facilities to the exchange of British manufactures for the very valuable agricultural and mineral prof'uctions of the Western World. Your Memorialists, therefore, do most earnestly press upon your Lordships the consideitition of the matters referred to, and the importance of 1 taking steps without delay for helping forward the completion of the Railway from Halifax to Quebea By order of the Master, Wardens, Searchers, Assistants, and j Commonality of the Corporation of Cutlers in Hallamshire, in tlie County of York, at their Common Hall in Sheffield assembled, (L.S.) GEORGE WILKINSON, Master Cutler. A similar memorial has been sent from the Sheffield Chamber off Commerce. Sigi i iiir i imni iii w i * j ' ' »fi* i '■ L- i " 137 A Memorial, as follows, has been sent from the City of Chester. To the Hight HommrahU the Lord Viscount Palmerston, First Commissioner of Her Majesty's Treasury. THE MEMOEIAL OF THE CITIZENS OF CHESTER IN PUBLIC MEETING ASSEMBLED. Showeth — ' ♦ That the British possessions in North America are valuable appendages to the British Crown, and our fellow subjects in those possessions, from the remarkable loyalty they have always shown, particularly in the late difficulty with the United States, are entitled to the support and protection of the British Govern- ment. That the most important way of which Imperial aid can be given is to provide the means of access between the two countries, without touching upon or being dependant upon the territory of the United States ; and so that direct and uninterrupted commu ni- dation may be available for commercial and military intercourse at all seasons of the year. •'y Your memorialists, therefore, pray that this im- portant question shall be at once considered by the Government, and some comprehensible and practical project be adopted and carried out, which shall free the means of access between the two countries from the control of any foreign government, and make it direct, safe, and available through British territory alone, and at all seasons of the year. Signed on behalf of the said meeting, JOHN TREVOR, Mayor. 3" 138 ji :V m To the Right Honourable the Lords Commisaionera of Il&r Majesti/s Treasury. THE MEMORIAL OF THE NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE AND GATESHEAD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE;; Showeth— That a project has been submitted to this Chamber for the completion of a line of Railway from Halifax to Quebec. That your Memorialists consider that politically, as well ai^ commercially, such a line of communication would confer great advantages upon both this country and Canada. Your Memoiialists therefore pray that Her Majesty's Government will be pleased to extend such assistance and atford such facilities as may be deemed desirable in furtherance of this im- portant undertaking. Signed on behalf of the Chamber, this 3rd March, 1862. GEORGE RIDLEY, President. To the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners oj Her Majestj/s Treasvry, THE MEMORIAL OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD MAYOR, ALDERMEN, AND BUR- GESSES OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN .:■■■- f '■ ^ Showeth — - That the rapid progress made by the Canadian provinces since the granting of the Constitution, which guarantees to the colonists a free local Legislature and a responsible Ministry, has 139 vastly increased the importance of the Canadas ns n market for tlie manufactured products of those countries, and as a field for emigration. That large numbers of th« emigrant population of Ireland, England, and Scotland have become permanent residents in Canada, and that a considerable amount of trade is carried on between the colonists and the mother-country, whicli would have increased much more rapidly, to tlie great advantage of both, if facility existed for direct comtpunicalion, at all seasons of the year, between the leading commercial centres and the two countries. That, during several months of the year, the principal parts of Canada (with the exception of the port of Halifux) are sealed up by the severe frosts which prevail in the winter ; and, there being no means of transit from Halifax to the commercial centres, the advantages offered by that port are practically unavailed of, and all intercourse with the colonies is interrui)ted, save such as takes place through the territory of the United States — a neces- sity which acts injuriously in time of peace and which, in time of war, would leave the commerce, and perhaps property of the colony, at the mercy of a foreign power. That the recent experience of the Government, as to the ulty of transporting troops from the ^oast to the interior, lly illustrated the want of proper means of communication between the open winter parts and the interior, and must have impressed on the Goveivment, as it has on memorialists, the wisdom of the long neglected advice of Lord Durham, w ho recom- nyended that a direct li^ of railroad be opened from Halifax to Quebec — whei'eby direct communication between these centres and the chief towns and the seat of the colonial Government would be considerably facilitated in summer, and rendered, not only practicable, but fkcile at all seasons of the year. That the formation of such a line was earnestly recommended to the Government of Lord Melbourne, in 1839, by Lord Durham, the then Governor of Canada, and approved of by almost every succeeding Government, but never carried out. That the Colonial Government has already made portions of the line projected by Lord Durham, in the confident assurance that the promise of the Home Government to complete the com- munication would have been realized ; and are prepared still further to aid by the granting of large ti'acts of land, and a large annual sum, to aid as a guarantee for the payment of the interest on the capital required for constructing the remainder of the line. In the report of Lord Durham, a promise was held out that 140 1 I I direct steam communication would be established between Ireland afid Halifax, as the shortest route, not only to Canada, but to the Ur.iled States ; and your memorialists confidently believe that, if a railroad were constructed which would connect the magnificent and always open port of Halifax with Quebec and with the lines of con^munication that connect that city with the chief towns of North America, Halifax would be the centre of communication between the Old and the New World ; and, to use the words of Lord Durham, " would not only be the great port by which a large portion of the trade, and all the conveyance of passengers to the whole of British America, would be carried on," but would influence the tide of emigration, and send, even into American ports in tiiue of peace, a large portion of the mercantile and passenger traffic. . : * • . Your Memorialists do therefore earnestly ])res3 upon your Lordships' co'isideration the im- portance of taking prompt and effective measures for the completion of the line of railway, now partially opened between Halifax and Quebec. To the Right Honourable Lord Viscount Palmeraton, E.G., Her Maje8ty*8 First Lord of the Treasury. w THE MEMORIAL OF THE MAYOR, ALDERMEN, AND BURGESSES OF THE BOROUGH OF BEL- FAST, UNDER THEIR COMMON SEAL, Respectfully Showeth — , That for nearly half the year, we are virtually dependant on the United States of America for communication with Canada. That the completion of railway from Halifax to Quebec is essential towards ciitablishiug a connection between Great Britain and her North American possessions, independent of the will and fiscal enactments of the United Statea . That by the proposed line, unbroken railway communicatiou through British territory will be at once consummated to a distance of 1,400 miles from the ocean, accessible at all seasons, with a certainty of its extension further we^^tward at no distant day. That a large area cf fertile laud, within the British dominions 141 and itiou ance til a lions will be made very accessible, thus diminishing the temptation to emigrants from the mother country transferring themselves and their allegiance to the United States. That the proposed railway communication, besides facilitating military aid to the British provinces in emergencies, will give a corresponding facility for the prompt and economical recall of troops in the event of their services being unexpectedly required in Europe, or elsewhere, in the winter. That the concentration of the ocean mails at Halifax — the short sea-passage terminus of America — will combine economy with vastly-increased celerity in the transmission of ocean mails. That intercourse between the Biitish North American provinces and Her Majesty's West India possessions, and with the rest of the world, will be greatly promoted. That intercourse between Europe and the Western and South- western States of the present American Union will, from the geographical conditions, be much more rapid by this route than by any that can exist through the seaboard of the United States, and that additional postage-receipts will thus accrue to Great Britain to an extent probably sufficient to reimburse a great part of the aid required from the imperial treasury. That your Memorialists believe that the immediate completion of the line of railway from Halifax to Quebec is essential to the preservation and integrity of the British empire in North America. Your Memorialists, therefore, humbly pray that her Majesty's Government will be pleased to grant such aid and assistance, in conjunction with the Provincial Governments of Canada, New Brun8\7ick, and Nova Scotia, as will bring to a successful issue this great national undertaking. And your Memorialists will ever pray. Signed on behalf of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses of the borough of Belfast, this 8th day of March, 1862. CHARLES LANYON, Mayor. JAMES GUTHRIE, Town Clerk. I. 142 Mtmoriat to tfie JiigJU Honourable the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury. THE MEMORIAL OF THE CHAMBER OF COM- MERGE AND MANUFACTURES OF THE CITY" OF GLASGOW fi ! Showetth — That, for six months of the year, we are dependent on the United States of America for our communication with Canada. That, in case of an interruption of our friendly relations with the United States, our intercommunication with Canada, during that p<)riod, is liable to be cut off at a moment's notice, and an important portion of the British empire placed in great jeopardy. That the completion of a line of railway from Halifax to Quebec would render us perfectly independent of the United States. At present our tntde and correspondence with our own province of Canada, and the local trade and correspondence between the lower British provinces and foreign countries, ia, for half the year, subject to the will and fiscal enactments of the United States. By the completion of the proposed line, direct railway communication will be established through British territory from Halifax to Lake Huron, a distance of 1,400 miles, accessible at all seasons, and thereby accelerate the delivery of the Canadian maila and despatches at least thirty-six hours in advance of the present route through the United States ; and it would oi)en up colo- nization and settlement by emigrants from the mother-country upwards of 14,000,000 acres of ungranted lands, within a journey of ten days from our own shores. That the present cost of conveying the British North American mails through the United States will be saved to the Imperial Treasury. That the completion of this line of railway would effect a great saving in military expenditure, on the one hand, and render Canada much more easy of defence, on the other ; as she would be accessible within ten days, at all seasons ; whilst, at the present time, she is, in a military point of view, excluded from communication with the mother-country for six months of the j'ear. 143 nIetio?nf /T-"" •"r"^.V*"'*!; ^«''«^« t''at th« immediate com- fn1r5 ^'T- ""^ ^J''.*^ ' '^'^ ^*^'^«^ ^« Q»«»>ec is essential fn f),?** ^T "™*?°"«"«*s believe that, in addition 'to its adding to the security and permanence of the British empire in North America, accelerating the communication with Te mother- Znl' T"^^ **^"* '^'""^^y °^ i"*«^««<> ^ith her, whfch hL been too long engrossed by the United States, the propo^^ pletion * ^ assistance that may be required for its com- Your Memorialists therefore humbly pray that Her Majesty 8 Government will be pleased to grant such aid and assistance, in conjunction with the . l^mcial Governments of Canada, New Bruns- , wick, and Nova Scotia, as will bring to a sue- cessful completion this great national under- taking. And your^Memorialists will ever pray. Signed on behalf of the Chamber, A--^r'J-rfv /■ Chairman. ^fsa^mmmmmmmmmmm. 144 u 1:1 Copy of a Letter from His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, to the late Chief Justice Sewell, of Quebec, on the Union of the British North American Provinces, '^Xmaington Palace, SOth N^ov. 1814. "My dear Sewell, '* I have this day bad the pleasure of receiving your note of yesterday, with its interesting inclosure. Nothing can be better arranged than the whole thing ij, or more perfectly I cannot wish ; and when I see an opening, it is fully my intention to hint the matter to Lord Batburst and put the paper into his hands, — without, however, telling him from whom I have it, though I shall urge him to have some conversation with you relative to it. Permit me, however, just to ask you whether it was not an oversight in you to state that there are five Houses of Assembly in the British Colonies in North America — for, if I am not under an error, there are six, viz.. Upper and Lower Canada Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, the islands of Prince Edward and Cape Breton. Allow me also to beg of you to put down the proportions in which you think the thirty members of the representative assembly ought to be furnished by each province ; and finally, to suggest whether you would not think two Lieutenant-Governors, with two executive councils, sufficient for the executive government of the whole, viz., one for the two Canadas, and one for Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, compre- hending the small dependencies of Cape Breton and Prince Edward's Island, the former to reside at Montreal, and the latter at whichever of the two situations may be considered most central for the two provinces, whether Annapolis Royal or Windsor. But, at all events, should you even consider four executive governments and four executive councils requisite, I presume there cannot be a question of the expediency of comprehending the two small islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence with Nova Scotia. " Believe me ever to remain, with the most friendly regard, "My dear Sewell, yours faithfully, (Signed) "EDWARD." ./ 145 INTERCOLONIAL RAILWAY. -tO«- A meeting, convened for the purpose of considering and [determining on the necessary steps to be taken in connection with this subject, was held at the London Tavern on the jSOth January, 1862. R. W. Crawford, Esq., M.P., occupied the chair. There were present : — Thomas Baring, Esq., M .P. Hon. P. M. Vankoughnet. Alexander Gillespie, Esq. Robert Benson, Esq. Sir James Fergnsson, Bart., M .P. Edward Wheeler Mills, Esq. John Chapman, Esq. H. Danby Seymour, Esq., M.P. Hon. Robert Grimston. Hon. Arthur Kinnaird, M.P. Robert Carter, Esq. Hon. Robert Bourke. Edward W. Watkin, Esq. T. M. Weguelin, Esq., M.P. H. C Childers, Esq., M.P. James J. Cummins, Esq. P. Glyn, Esq. William Chapman, Esq. H. Montgomerie, Esq. W. Hartridge, Esq. R. Jones, Esq. Charles Hill, Esq. Thomas Hughes, Esq. Charles Bischoff, Esq., M.P. P. Rose, Esq. The Chaihman having opened the proceedings by a few introductory remarks, proceeded to move the following jesulution .— " That this meeting is deeply impressed with the absolute [necessity of a railway being constructed so as to connect I Canada and New Brunswick with Halifax, and tlwn secure N X. .^1 146 ** at all seasons of the year direct communication between the ** West and the Seaboard through British territory* and it " pledges itself to assist the British North American Provinces " in their endeavour to obtain assistance from the Imperial ** Governitient fdr this purpose." The Honourable M. P. Vankoughnkt having seconded the resolution, it was put from the chair and unanimously carried. It was then proposed by the Hon. Robert Grimston, seconded by H. Danby Seymour, Esq., M.P., and carried unanimously — " That the following gentlemen be requested to act as a *• Committee, with power to add to their number, for carrying ** out the negotiation with the Imperial and Colonial Govern- " ments, ana that they be authorized to take such other steps ** as may seem necessary for securing the objects in view : *'— . The Chairman, R. W. Crawford, Esq. M.P. Sir Edmund Head, Bart. Robert Benson, Esq. Robert McCalmont, Esq. Sir James Fergussori, Bart., M.P. Alexander Gillespie, Esq. Rol)ert Carter, Esq. John Chapman, Esq. Samuel Gurney, Esq., M.P. Hon. Robert Bouri(e. H. Danby Seymour, Esq., M.P. Hon. C. W. W. FitzwiUiam, MP. Edward W. Watkin, Esq. William Scholefield, Esq., M.P. Hon. Arthur Kirinaird, M.P. H. C. Childers, Esq., M.P. H. Paull, Esq., M.P. The <]ue8tion of Secretaryship having been mentioned, it| was proposed by John Chapman, Esq., seconded by W^ Hartridge, Esq., and carried unanimously — " That Mr. Joseph x^^lson be appointed Secretary tc ** such Committee." The ineetiiig then adjourned. (Signed) R. W. CRAWFORD, Chairman. I jp \ ^ % WITH PART OF NEW BRUNSWICK & NOVA SCOTIA. Shewing the Line ol* the HALIFAX &• Q1'BK£C RAILWAY A1>T) ITS rONNEC TIOMS WITH THE GRAND TRUNK m\ otliordANADUN RAILWAY'S. BY KiMTH JOHN,-; oi, Y RSE V PS (ID ^ r ) S (0 N A Y © ? •* iwWii«''''''''' iiiitto^:''''''''']^^ II' iB IR IR, 11 T I tD iR Y I'iUf^lndl- Vr Wp«l of I'jrn '^ thi Of oAe rso»iw, i;Si25«<' k^^ r^ /^' / "ty Ortavl ) Cammits. ) ^tnMiBiuv^a, / 1.1,1 , l„Uou< ^^M-^-i Xi V p ()\ -^ ''j^ if?* T 4 J-'' iifl *w*« iyf\*»«Mp«fflij?^yn'-V''^'""'-- ■'■''"••■I /M^ f'dnifart !?armAi, ^^ 'V ^1 A / '^K 1 ;«. Auu,, l« HI ■/^ IK I. LAtoEca^J ^'*«***» ,,..\M ■'^.tf^^^m SmUtur^ ailf al /f[ lyfoHfci.' I IfiWinl fc^^ :^|p^ ■/%*l X. 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