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Lorsque ie document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clichi, 11 est ffiim* A psrtir de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, an prenant ia nombrt d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent Ie mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 1?. I I UTTrn 37th Congress, ) 2d Session. ) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ( Ex. Doc. ) No. 14G. RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND NORTH- WEST MJiriTSTI AMERICA. LETTER FROM ■••;!., THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, IN ANSWER TO A resolution i}f the House of 20th May last on the subject of relatiorf' with Northwest British America, " particalarlij the cc?itral districts of ti< Red River of the North and the Saskatchewan." July ) 1, 1862. — Laid on the ttible, and ordered to be printed. Treasury Department, Jmwc 20, 1862. Sir : I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a resolution adopted by the Hou.se of Representatives on the 20th day of May, 1862, in the follow- ing words : " Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he hen'by is, requeste^^ to communicate to this House any information in the possession of his department which he may judge to be in a form suitable for the consid-^ra- tion of the House of Representatives upon the relations between the United States and Northwest British America, particularly the central districts of the Red River of the North and the Saskatchewan." • In compliance with the spirit and terms of this resolution, I have caused to be prepared an abstract of the reports of James W. Taylor, (;sq., sj)Lcial agent of the Treasury Department, and of other papers on file relating to the subject; which abstract, together with the papers referred to, I have the lioncr to trans- mit herewith. With great respect, yours, &c., -- S. P. CHASE. Hon. Gall'sha A, Grow, «. ;io Speaker of the House of Representatives. ■■ '%k • .j 'x •» . •*•,. X ^ >^ , ( p I RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES ABSTRACT OF THE REPORTS OF JAMES W. TAYLOR, SPECIAL ACiEST, AND OF OTHER PAPERS ON FILE IN THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT, BEARING UPON THE RELATIONS OF I'HE UNITED 8TA1 ES AND NORTHWEST BRITISH AMERICA, AND PARTICULARLY OF THE RED RIVER OF THE NORTH, AND THE SASKATCHEWAN. EXPLANATORY hKMARKS. The information about to be given is compiled from the communications of James W. Taylor, esq., special agent of this department. It has been found advisable to present the subject-matter of this reply in the form of a synoptical index, arranged in chronological order. For facility of reference, a compendious system of classification is adopted, which it is believed will materially abridge the labor of investigation. The original papers of Mr. Taylor ai'e suffixed in the form of an appendix. The resolutioiLi of the House, of the 20tli ultimo, is indorsed in appendix as Exhibit A. The instructions of this department to Mr. Taylor to proceed to the comple- tion of his report. — Exhibit B. Mr. Taylor's two letters of July 10, 1861.— Exhibits Co, Cft. The report of July 17, 1861, "in reference to gold being found on the Sas- katchewan river." — Exhibit D. TliQ letter of November 8, 1861, on the " operation of the Canadian reci- procity treaty." — Exhibit E. The letter of December 17, 1861.— Exhibit F a. . " Geographical Memoir." — Exhibit G. The letter (just received) of June 12.— Exhibit F b. The map (prepared especially for this synopsis) which will be found at the end of this document, will show, inter alia, the northernmost isothermal limit of wheat, and two projected railroad routes to the Pacific, from St. Paul, Minnesota. Instnictions from the Secretary of the Treasury to James W. Taylor, esq., to proceed with his report. — Appendix, Exhibit B. w. \ l£,xmm't Ga and C 6. COMPENDIA OF TWO LETTERS DATED JULY 10, 1861. A. — Compendium of Mr. Taylor's views on the sptedy organization hy the 'British Parliament {with the powerful co-operation of the Hudson Bay Company) of what is known to the English and Canadians as the " Red Riaer and SaskatcJiewan districts of British America." I. The report alluded to in A, to be ready on or before the first day of the regular session of Congress. II. Extracts from a late publication of Hon. Darcy McGee, member of the Canadian Parliament. — (C a.) 1. " Whilst we were interrogating our ministers as to the policy on the Hud- son bay question, the Americans from St. Paul were steaming down to Fort GaiTy. It is not the first tune that we have received a lesson in enterprise from our republican neighbors ; to be our leaders on our own soil, though creditable to them, is not, in this case, particularly creditable to uti." AND NORTHWEST BRITISH AMERICA. 2. •• The Red River, let me observe, is no inhoppitabio deport, repugnant to the increase of .iiC human race." 3. " In th(! vaUevr. of tlie Saskatchewan and Assiniboin, Professor Hind estimat(!S that there are above 11,000,000 acres of arable land of the finest qnality." 4. " If justice were even now done, it would become the Illinois or Iowa of our future British American nationality." 5. " And this country is not only valuable in itself, but valuable for that to which it leads. The distance from a given point on our sid(! of Lake Superior to navigable water on Fraz«!r river, in British Columbia, does not exceed 2,000 miles — about twice the distance between Boston and Chicago. It has been shown by every explorer how,Avith some; inconsid- erable aids from art, a continuous steamboat navigation might be obtained from Lake Winnipeg to the base of the Rocky mountains. By these aids and corresponding improvements on the other side of the mountains, Toronto might be brought within ten or twelve days of British Co- lumbia." 6. " But there is a more important consideration still, connected with the territory ; for we know that through its prairies is to be found the short- est and best railroad route to the Pacific. Every one can understand that the American route from western Europe to Asia, which lies furthest to the north, must be the most direct. Any one, glancing at a globe, will see where the 46th parallel leads the eye from the heart of Germany, through the British channel, across the Gulf of St. LaAvrence, and from our gulf westward to the Saskatchewan, to Vancouver island — the Cuba of the North Pacific ; and from Vancouver to the rich and popu- lous archipelago of Japan. This course was demonstrated by Captain Synge to be 2,000 miles Bh«)rter between London and Hong Kong than ' any other in existence. It has but one formidable engineering difficulty * to be overcome — an elevation of 6,000 feet above the sea-level — in cross- ing the Rocky mountains into British Columbia." Exhibit C i. B. — Compendium of the revenue laws of the district of Assinihoia, passed March 14, 1861. J. " Article I. That all goods imported into the district of Assiniboia, from all parts of the British dominions, or from any foreign country, shall be subject to a levy of four per cent, ad valorem duty, to be estimated at the price current of the original place of export, London, or New York, &c., excepting such articles as shall be otherwise specified. The following shall be admitted free from customs duty." I. Then follows a list of thirteen articles. — (C i.) II. By article IV. parties transporting merchandise beyond the district of Assiniboia, (which is limited to the valleys of the Red River of the North, and its principal tributary, the Assiniboin,) are exempted from the payment of duties on the execution of a transportation bond. •' This provision embraces the American outfits for the fur trade of the Saskatchewan region, which is already attracting considerable attention." — (C b, 4.) III. " Article VI. That a duty of 5s. per gallon be imposed upon all fer- mented and spirituous liquors imported into the settlement, except such as shall be proved to have been directly imported from the United Kingdom by the con- signee." r 4 RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES t IV. The people diHsatiafied with "article VI." ' 1. Extracts from " Nor'westcr," the paper published at Fort Garry, dated April 1, 1861, and April 15, 1861 : a. " Observe, tve do not object to this 5*. impost ; we highly approve of it ; but we maintain that this being done, the admission free of intoxi- cating beverages from England cannot be defended. It is simply a piece of favoritism — an odious exhibition of selfishness on the part of the Hudson Bay Company, and a proof of the subserviency of our council to that wealthy corporation. We protest against the law as it stands, and in doing so we but speak the sentiments of the great majority of the Red River people." h. '• The present distinction is too marked, too wide, too decided to be de- fensible on any principles of honest legislation." — (C h.) 0. Exhibit E. A. — Operation of Canadian reciprocity treaty. I. Security of northeastern fisheries, embarrassed under vague and restrictive terms of treaty of 1818^placed on a satisfactory basis by reciprocity treaty. II. Importance to the northwest of free navigation of St. Lawrence, especially as to the transportation of grain to market, and the movement of iron and copper from Lake Superior. III. Canadian exhibits of exports and imports for the year ending Decem- ber 31, 1860. 1. The total value of imports into Canada from the United States alone, during the above-named year, was $17,273,020, more than equalled her imports with the rest of the world. Her total importation was $34,447,935.— (E.) 2. The total value of Canadian produce and manufactures during 1860 was $18,427,968. IV. General remarks: 1. Canadian and American tariffs; their respective changes since 1854; no ground for recrimination. — (E.) 2. The value and extent of the Canadian market for all forms of American industry, especially manufactures and agriculture. — (E.) Exhibit Fa. A. — Dissatisfaction of the Assiniboians with British inadequacy. I. Extracts from "Nor'wester," the newspaper published at Selkirk settlement: 1. From the "Nor'wester," of October 15th: " The progress of our republican neighbors in opening up, settling, and or- ganizing new Territories, is something wonderful. Idaho, Nevada, Dakota, and Chippewa were heard of, for the first time, as nam(!8 indicating im- portant geographical areas of the North American continent. Just before these we had Oregon, Kansas, Nebraska, Utah, and Washington. What an array of names! What amazing progress in occupying and settling a wild unpeopled country! We cannot regard with 'udifterence the rapid march of civilization at our very doors, * • ♦ ♦ * while we, a large, pop- 'f AND NORTirWEST BRITISH AMERICA. 5 ulnufl, niid woll-tn-(lo oomnmnity of fifty yonrs' atnndin^, nro Htill in Hwnd- (Uinfj^ flothoH, under a fostor-inotlicr'B patronizing^ rule. Shame, on the Britixfi gnrcrnmvnt that this is the ease ! How much longer is it to con- tiniir? Are they waitinj; until we mnkc nhort work of our (h'Ktiniew by roting annexation to Minnesota or Dakota ? or till we take the reins of government with a rude granp, and proclaim independence of both Dritich and American rule] "One or the other altcrnativ«i will surely come, aome day, unle'sn change in our governmental si/stetn takes place. "Wo speak advisedly when we say that i\ic 2>eojde of Kcd River are he- coming indifferent to British connexion.^' 2. "That \vv shall not always smart under our present mortification is , most certain. Time and the forci^ of circumstances will give us our ^ coveted status; and we must, for the present, bear our humiliation with the best grace possible." II. The "Nor'wcstor," in spite of this strong language, is hardly abi'east of «the public dissatisfaction. The party favoring annexation to the Uniti'd States is numerous: 1. Annexation to be advocated through the press: a, A new paper to be started, Avhich shall be " uncompromisingly hostile to the Hudson Bay Company" and in favor of "annexation;" h. The people can only be quieted by speedy organization as a "Crown Colony;" c. Unless England n!ripond, she will surely lose the colony, either by revolution or "annexation." III. In case of a war with England, the competency of Minnesota to "hold, occupy, and possess" the Red River to Lake Winnipeg: 1. The defenceless condition of the valley: a. No British troops at Fort Garry; b. Indians depredate with impunity; c. The " Nor' wester " confesses weakness, demanding: "a chanm" as"ab- solutely necessary." 2. Hardihood of the lumbtirmeu and laborers of Minnesota. 3. Facilities for military operations : a. Accessibility by way of the ]\Iinnesota and Pacific railroad route — commonly known as the "Wood Road." B. — Compendium of letter dated June 12, 1862. — (Vide Exhibit F b of Ap- pendix.) I. Further extracts from " Nor' wester," of May 28: 1. " Can it be expected that we should not become Americanized, when Britain shows perfect indifference to us?" 2. "We have no postal communication with any part of the civilized "worXA, except through the United States !" 3. Importation from American States easy; from England, tardy. 4. " The only decent route for immigrants through the States. Con- sequently, new settlers are, for the most part, Americans." 5. Vicinage to the United States promotive of disloyalty to Britain, to whom the Red Riverites now say : 6. "Do something for us at once, or lose us forever." II. Victoria (Vancouver island) desires a reciprocity treaty with the United States. e UELATIONH HETWEEN THE UNITED STATES 1; I If Ex II I HIT G, (May 1, 1862.) "(IF.OaitAI'HICAL MKMOIU OK Nt)UTHWK8T BRITISH AMEKICA. AND ITS RELA- LA'IIONS TO THE KEVENUK AND COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES." A. — Jntroihiifor;/ letter to the Secretary of the Treaswy, emhudying a histori- cal sketch of our relations with England and Russia, and the progress of opinion in England relative to cohmizatifm. I. A 1822.- 1822.- 1S24.- 1825.- 1844.. 1S4G.. 1846. 1848.. 1849.- 1857. 1857.—, (•lir(niol(»gical view compilt'tl from t)io above letter: -IluBHia ipHueH a "ukaHC," declaring the Nortli Pacific a closed sea from 51° (or north end of Vancouver island) to 49°, on Asiatic coast. — (Nortli latitude.) -United States claiming as high as 54° 40', resist the ahove, demanding that American whalers should not he excluded from the North Pacific. -Treaty between Russia and tin; United States, making 54° 40' the boundary, and declaring the Pacific an open sea. -Great Uritain and Russia agree on the following boundary: "Commencing in north latitude 54° 40', between 131° and 133° west longitude, at the southernmost part of Prince of Wales island ; thence proceeds up Portland canal to 56° north latitude, and from the last-men- tioned point the line of demarcation shall follow the summit of the mountains, parallel to the coast, as far as the intersection of 141° of west longitude, and then along that meridian line to the Frozen ocean." Article nine states that whenever the summit of the mountains shall exceed ten marine leagues from the ocean, the li»ie between the British possessions and the Russian line of coast shall be formed by a line par- allel to the windings of the coast, and which shall never exceed the dis- tance of ten marine leagues from the same. -Controversy with Great Britain as to the northern boundary of Oregon. -Prior to this date Russia and England became jealous of each other on account of the disposition of the former to occupy California. Except for the Mexican war, European intervention would probably have ap- propriated the bay of San Francisco. -It was during this year that the opinion was expressed in the British House of Commons that the whole country north of the Columbia was not worth c£20,000. -Sir J. H. Pelly, governor of the Hudson Bay Company, thus expresses himself in a letter to Lord Grey : "As far as I am concerned, (and I think the company will concur if any great national benefit would be expected from it,) I Avoxdd be willing to relinquish the whole of the territory held und(.'r the charter under similar terais to those which it is proposed the East India Company shall receive on the expiration of their charter, viz : securing the pro- prietors an interest on their capital of 10 per cent." -Minnesota Tenitory organized. -The people of Canada West induce the British Parliament to institute the inquiry whether the region in question is adapted by fertility of soil, a favorable climate, and natural advantages of internal commu- nication for the support of a prosperous colony of England. July 31. The select committee of the House of Commons, appointed to consider the state of those British possessions in North America which are under the Hudson Bay Company, reported testimony, but made no decided recommendations. They " apprehend that the districts on I AND NOBTHVVKHT lUUTISH AMERICA. /• rivn- liHHiiiH coiivcrpii;^ to Liko Winnipeg, and cloxrly coum!Ct«!U with uur north weHtcni StatoH. Couti'iitH 400,000 Hquaro luiltiH. 1. ExHiHiT a, G'. M'. CONTINUATION OF " GEOORAPHICAL MKMOIR ( )F NORTHWEST HRITISH AMERK A, AND ITS UELATIONS TO THE IIEVENIIE AND COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STA'ltlS." B. — " Part First. The 2>hyiiical geography (tf NortJtwcst British America.^' — (F?V/c muj) of this syrnqtsis at end (tf document.) I. Isotlicnn (northorumoHt) of the cereals and of animal {growth :* 1. Thirty -five ('l/i") the limit of temperature of the north temperate zone. II. Climate of Pacific slope. III. Climate and productions of Central British America: 1. '^rhe Missouri, llio Mississippi, and the Saskatchewan " set off" against the Uneiper, the Don, and the Volga, of Russia, which last water the most populous portions of that empire. S. The American district (hetween 44° and 51° N. L.) watered by the first three mentioned rivers, resembles European Russia in the following particular : a. Our continental latitude, from 44° to r»4°, repreaents the Russian tem- perate zone, from 50° to 57° N. L. 3. The northern shore of Lake Huron has the mean summer heat of Bor- deaux, (70° Fah.,) and the Cumberland Hou8e,on the Saskatchewan, exceeds, in this respect, Brussels or Paris. 4. Potatoes, barley, and oats can be profitJibly cultivated in the Saskatchewan district as far as 54°, and maize as far up as 50° (N. L.) 5. Animals : a. Fur-bearers ; innumerable. b. Cariboo (reindeer) from 50° to 66°. c. Laniferentes : a. Rocky mountain goat, from 40° to 60°. b. Bison, {improperly called buffalo — see Webster,) swann west of 105° of longitude and south of 60° of latitude, d. Lakes and streams abound in choicest fish. IV. The corresponding district of Russia, with the same climate, the most populous and flourishing portion of the empire. V. Itinerary of Sir George Simpson : (G.) 1. Favorable description of that river, "which empties Ra'.iy lake into the Lake of the Woods :" (G.) a. Navigation easy. b. Banks fertile. 2. Lake of the Woods : a. Slioi - fertile, producing " wild rice" in abundance. h. Bringing " maize to perfection." I I I f o Nature hag qualified man to breathe an atinospLere 120° above or 60° degrees below aero, without injury to health. AND NORTHWEST nRITISII AMERICA. van 1 r, Stu(l(lt>(l witli V lodcd jhIiiiuIh, j'xcmpt from I'roHtH, and eHpocially adnptcd to i-uliivatinn : ((}.) y. Ilrd River and Selkirk 8«'ttl('im'iif : ((J.) a. Soil, a Idack mould of great deptli and fertility, nroducin}? idnmp and heavy wheat, n(!ver lenrt than 15 to 2.0 huHheirt to the aire ; Honu'timeH 40 burthelH. h, OthiT grainn in al)undan('(>. f. Ih'ef, mutton, and |»ork hi abundance. d. Che«'(*e in abundance. e. Wool in abundance. J'. Cattle Hnd their food for Heven nionthi*, but are maintained on Htnnv frtun the fnnuH and hay cut on the boundleHrt couunonH Ixdiind. .j^'. Subject to inundatiouH, how((ver. 4. From Red River to Edmonton House, near hititudo 54"^ and longitude 113°: (G.) a. PrairicH of green nvvard. /». Many shallow lakes, containing water only in spring, b(^aring tall grass, roses, hyacinths, and tiger lilies, c. Sand hills. «l. Wooded hills, salt lakes, wild fowl. 5. Fort Ellic(N a post of Hudson Bay Company : a. Probable navigability, for steamers, of the Assiniboin river. 6. Butte aux Chiens, (Dog's Knoll,) 400 feet high : u. Alluvial soil of great fertility : (G.) 7. Lac Sale, (Salt Lake :) (G.) a. Wild fowl ni abundance. b. Flowery fields. 8. Bow river, south branch of the Saskatchewan : a. This is a considerable stream, without physical impediment. 9. Fort Carleton, on the Saskatchewan ; latitude 53°, longitude 108° west : a. Large gardens and fields of potatoes. It. Wheat, often, liow(!ver, destroyed by frosts. c. Saskatchewan, swift in current, navigable for boats for 700 miles in a direct line, but, by the actual course of the stream, nearly double that distance. The only impediment to navigation is the " Grand llapids." d. Indian population, 16,730 in Saskatchewan : (G.) VI. The American valley of the Red River : (G.) 1. Boundaries : a. South by Lake Traverse and Otter Tail lake. b. North by (Pembina and) British possessions. c. East by longitude of Red lake. d. West by the longitude of Miunewakan, or Spirit lake. 2. A^':i : a. In latitude, from about 46° to 49°. b. In longitude, from 95° 30' to 99°. 3. The garden of the northwest is a radius of 50 miles around Otter Tail lake. 4. The Red River of the North rises in Otter Tail lake. a. Geology : (G.) 5. Dr. Owen's geographical report. VII. Assiniboia: (G.) VIII. Cumberland : (G.) 10 RELATIONS EETWEl N THE UNITED STATES Ml i;! r: IX. Soekatchewan : (G.) 1. Area: o. In latitude from 49° to 55° = 6 degrees. b. Ample space for four States size of Ohio. 2. Compared witn Aesiniboia : a. Canadian opinion unfavorable to Saskatchewan. b. Sir George Simpson's favorable. 3. Father De Smet, in liis " Oregon Missions," consisting of letters to .Sis superiors, in a portion of his volume, narrates his explorations and ad- ventures in the Saskatchewan valleyb of the Rocky mountains. — (G.) a. Bow and Red Deer rivers : a. Sulphurous fountains. b. Coal. . b. Rocky Mountain House, 53= N., 115° W. c. Edmonton House : a. Stream;,, lakes, prairies, and mineral springs, numerous. b. Mill-seats frequent. C. Forests of pine, cypress, &c. :; 5. Country capable of supporting a large popuktion. a. Soil produces barley, corn, potatoes, and beans. fi. White fish; four pounds each. y. Aquatic birds, sent to the fort by cart-loads. i. Eggs picked up by thousands in the marshes. d. Iroquois Indians. X. Athabasca: (G.) ;. 1. Boundaries: a. North, by Athabasca laVe. b. South, by Cumberland House. ■ 2. Climate same as that of *;he Pacific coast: iv. In May ( 10th) the verdure of the whole country exuberant, and bufialo attended by their young. b. Highly favorable opinion of Dr. Richard King. . 3. Minerals, (limestone.) 4. Soil, (fertile.) 5. Knickerbocker Magazine, October, 18o8, [q. v.) a. Atlantic temperature not carried straight across to the Pacific. The isothermals deflect greatly towards the north. — (G.) b. Vide E, B, III, (2 a, 3) of this synopsis. c. Our Pacific coast equals any part of western Europe in climate, soil, and commercial accessibility. d. The continental mass lying westward and northward of Lake Superior is tar more valuable than the interior in lower latitudes of Salt Lake and upper New Mexico. e. The Hudson Bay Company accused of purposely keeping it in a state of wilderness. XI. Vancouver island : (G.) it ;. k ; • : ': : •*• ■■■•'T 1. General description : a. Soil and face of the country: ' -i^* -^^ ^c- ^^ - -■ 'tit i- a. Fertile; well timbered. ' b. Diversified by interesting mountain ranges, with small prairies. C. Extensive coal fields. b. Excellent harbors. » . Esquimaux harbor, on which Victoria is situated, is equal to San Francisco. XI XI XI i XA sra to his 8 and ad- n8.~(G.) i 8. id buffalo ic. The late, soil, Superior 3 of Salt : it in a prairies, ecjual to AND NORTHWEST BRITISH AMERICA. It e. Salmon and other excellent fisheries. f. Climnte, in winter, stormy, with heavy rains in November and December. Frosts occur in January, but seldom interrupt Hfjriculture. Vegetation starts in February, progresses rapidly in ^larcli, fostered bv alternate warm showers and sunshine in April and May. Intense heat and drought often experienced in June, July, and August. b. Area (16,200 square miles) equal to Vermont and New Hampshire. XII. Frazer and Thompson rivers : (G.) 1. The valley of the Frazer adapted to colonization : a. Sources of Frazer and Athabasca rivers, separated by 317 yards only. (Latitude 55° N.) 2. The valley of Thompson river one of the most beautiful countries in the world. b. Climate capable of producing all the crops of England, and much milder than Canada. XIII. Sources of the Columbia : 1. Kootanais or Flatbow Indians : (G.) a. Father De Smet gives a glowing sketch of the oval district between Flatbow {»n(l Upper Columbia rivers. Area 20,000 miles. a. Coal abundant. b. Ix'ad profusely scattered over surface. C. Silver, probable. , b. Prairie du Tabac ; an immense and delightful valley. a. Climaie delightful ; the extremes of heat and cold being seldom known. — (G.) b. Country well adapted for grazing. — (G.) XIV. The Arctic districts : \. 1. Areas: a. Vancouver island 16, 200 square mileei. b. Frazer and Thompson rivers 60, 000 " " c. Sources of the Columbia 20, 000 " " d. Athabasca district 50, 000 " " e. Saskatchewan district 360, 000 " " 2. Twelve States size of Ohio 506, 000 " " XV. Geology: (G.) 1. From Lake Superior to Lake Winnipeg, crystalline rocks; a system gen- erally unfavorable to agriculture, although many fertile spots are to be found. Bounded north by Arctic ocean. Great Slave lake, and Lake Athabasca. 2. W istward of above lakes and Lake Winnipeg, nearly to Rocky mountains. Silurian and Lovonian systems eminently favorable to agriculture: a. Silurian deposits range 1,000 miles east and west, and 500 miles north and south, thence, h. The Devonian continuing to Arctic ocean. c. It is through this part of the territory that the Saskatchewan and Mackenzie flow. 3. One hundred miles east of Rocky mountains great coal bed commences. It is sixty miles in width, and extends over 16° of latitude to the Arctic sea. a. Aluminous shales associated constantly with — b. Bituminous formations, and ligneous formations : 12 RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES !■ h a. Massive coals extracted : (G.) ' , , 1 . a. Ligneous. . ,1 ., • . ' .; /9. Coniferous. , . .?» y. Genus " Pinus." 6. Dicotyledons present. — (G.) :.j «. lu close proximity are found fibrous brown coal. <;. Earth coal. ; ,■ I,. Conchoidal brown coal. , ,i ,. e Trapezoidal brown coal. b. Lithological (1) characters of " bituminous slate." (?) - - 4. A vast coal field skirts the base of the Rocky mountains, for a very great extent, and probably continues far into the Arctic sea. 5. Inestimable importance of this coal field, in connexion with working and constructing a Pacific railroad. — (G.) « .: ^ f, i ^ XVI. Mineralogy: (G.) ; ■ '" 1. Hudson bay: (G.) , ; a. Eastern shores contain lead. ' ' ' ' ' ' < i . . b. Western shores contain copper. ? 2. Between sixtieth and sixty-fifth parallels, a beautiful piece of variegated marble found on the eartn's surmce. 3. Banks of the Mackenzie : (G.) a. Petroleum, (rock oil.) ' • -' b. Iron. ' ' c. Copper. ' ' - ' 4. Bear Lake river: a. Iron. b. Mineral springs. 5. Peace river: , .' r /' ' a. Salt springs. 6. Melville island: , ^ ' . a. FHnt. - ^ .. • ' _ J. Coal. ' / ' ■ r ' '"',:"' ' ' '■ ' c. Iron stone. - ■ ' . <2. Madrepore. " . j^^ e. Greensand. "; ■ • • • - o-- 7. Southampton island : a. Magnetic iron stone. 8. Lyon inlet: a. Epidote. r , ; 9. Red point: , , ,,, a. Lapis oUaris. .. , _ v \ 'i b. Asbestos. 10. Rendezvous island: , _, a. Rose quartz. >■v^i^^,^" .■vr l-.- --^ j--^:- V .;/■■< 1 f.V.l AND NORTHWEST BRITISH AMERICA. 13 very great )rking and variegated • fl. a. Copper ore. b. Agalo. 14. Elizabeth harbor : , ■ v v a. Gypsum. . ,, . , h. Red marl. c. Garnets. di Quartz: a> Red (quartz.) b. Pink (quartz.) r. Yellow (quartz.) 15. Hill river: a. Quartz rocks, containing— , a- Precious garnets. b. Mica slate. 16. Knee lake: a. Primitive gi-eenstone, with b. Disseminated iron pyrites. 17. Trout river: (G.) a. Magnetic iron ore. b. Well-crystalized precious garnets. 18. Lake Winnipeg : a. Beautiful china-like chert. b. Arenaceous deposits. 6". Argentiferous rocks. 19. Cumberland House : a. Salt springs. ' b. Sulphur springs. c. Coal. 20. Elk river: a. Fluid bitumen. 21. Shores of Lake Athabasca : (G.) a. Plumage slate, finest. b. Chlorite slate, finest. 22. Mouth of Coppermine river: a. Trap. b. Lead c. Copper. ;■';;> d. Malachite. e. Chi'omate of iron, (very valuable.) 23. Rocky mountains : a. Semi-opal, resembling obsidian. b. Plumbago. c. Specular iron. d. Gold. 24. Slave river : (G.) , , , a. Gypsum. b. Salt springs. c. Petroleum. d. Dolomite. 25. Coronation gulf: (G.) a. Lead ore. 26. Mackensie: (G.) a. Iron, skirted by — b. Metalliferous ranges of mountains. I ■■•■'i ,. 14 RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES f;, li' E. '•CONTINUA'nON OF GEOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR OF NORTHWEST BRITISH AMER. ICA AND ITS RELATIONS TO THE REVENUE AND COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES." C. — *'P«r< second: The history and organization of the Hudson Bay Com- pany," (G.) I. Thoir clinrtor: 1. Dated May 2, 1670, (22 C. II.) 2. Prince Rupert, with sixteen others, undertake an expedition to Hudson bay for the discovery of a new passage into the South sea, and for ob- taining furs, minerals, &c. 3. Colony to be culled " Rupert's Land." 4. Annual rent — two elks and two black beavers, whenever the royal Charles or any of his successors, (regnant !) should enter " Rupert's Land." — (G.) II. Act of Parliament to confirm charter, A. D. 1690: 1. Act limited to seven years. III. England's claim to Hudson bay founded upon a presumed discovery of Sir Henry Hudson, A. D. 1610, (G.) 1. Hudson, however, only sailed into the straits which bear his name. There he was drowned by his mutinous crew. 2. The French had discovered the hay before that time. — (Vide "Charlevoix," vol. 1, p. 476.) IV. Louis XIII, in 1626, granted a charter to the "company of New France, called Canada." V. Rivalry and strife between the English and French companies and forts. VI. Cession to France of English forts by the Ryswick treaty. VII. Treaty of Uti-echt gives England, for the first time, undisputed title to "Hudson bay." VIII. Canada ceded to England in 1763. IX. "Northwest Company" organized at Montreal in 1783. X. Union of Hudson Bay and Northwest Companies, under the name of " Hud- son Bay Company," in 1821, (G.) XL Hudson Bay Company beneficial to Minnesota: 1. As a police over the Indians. •;' •■ 2. Hospitabh to travellers. 3. Encourages missions. E. "" -:'■■' ■^''^^■■' "GEOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR" -Continued. • D. — "Part third: Selkirk settlement; its foundation, institutions, and agri- culture," (G.) '^-' I. Preface. II. Early settlement: (G.) 1. In 1805 Lord Selkirk (in order to console Great Britain for her loss of the American colonies) wrote a work to prove the superiority of this over every part of the United States, (G.) 2. In 1811 Lord Selkirk obtained from the Hudson Bay Company a grant of this district. 3. In 1812 (autumn) an effort to colonize was prevented by men of the North- west Company in disguise of Indians. f [8H AMER. : OP THE Bay Corn- ) Hudson id for ob- al Charles d."— (G.) covery of e. There irlevoix," V France, [ forts, i title to of "Hud- md agri- OSS of the this over I grant of 16 North- 4 i AND NORTHWEST BRITISH AMERICA. 15 4. In 1815 another effort to colonize rendered abortive by the same North- west Company, (G.) ■5. In 1816 Lord Selkirk arrives with a military escort, and retrieves the for- tunes of the colonists. 6. In 1817 colony (again) broken up, in consequence of scarcity of seeds. 7. In 1818 and 1819 crops were consumed by grasshoppers, (G.) 8. In 1820 and 1821 prosperity appears to dawn upon the Selkirkers. 9. In 1825 and 1826 numoers are cfestroyed by the scarcity of bison and fuel. 10. In 1826 flood of Red River sweeps away barns, dwellings, &c., (G.) 11. In 1852 occurs another and a greater flood. 12. In 1859 gold is discovered at sources of Saskatchewan, (G.) III. Institutions of Selkirk settlement : (G.) 1. Government : a. Executive is vested in the officer in command at Fort Garry. b. Legislative, in the clergy. c. Judicial, in leading citizens. 2. Religion : a. Catholics, 10,000. . b. Presbyterians, 1,000. e. Church edifices at Red River numerous. 3. Education : (G.) a. Schools numerous. b. A public library. c. A newspaper. IV. Climatic adaptation to agriculture : (G.) 1. Very cold ; but annual mean temperature higher than same parallel in western Europe. a. The excessive cold of five winter months reduces the annual mean. 2. It has, elsewhere, already been stated that vegetation is rapid in the suit- able seasons. 3. Red River winter nearly as mild as St. Paul's. a. Atmosphere clear and dry. b. Indians camp out in winter under Buffalo skins ; horses run at lai'ge and fatten in winter. ■ 4. Red River spring : ' a. Opens same time as St. Paul's, viz : April and May. b. The transition from winter to spring abrupt. 5. Red River summer : a. Warmer than western Illinois, western Wisconsin, western Canada, and northern New York. V. Agricultural capacity of summer months : (G.) 1. Wheat requires a mean temperature from 62° to 65° for July and August. 2. Corn requires less. 3. Now the mean temperature of Red river is 67° 76'. — (Vide map of this synopsis at end of document, for northernmost isothorm for wheat, &c. VI. Bountiful summer rains : (G.) 1. In the belt between the Rocky mountains and Red River the mean rain fall z= 6 inches. 2. Amply sufficient, for neither of the following has more : a. England ; . . b. Prussia; c. The Crimea, or , f. . d. Interior Russia. ^ ,, 16 RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES VII. Results of agriculturo at Red River aettlcmcnt : (G.) 1. Indian corn : a. Cultivated in small garden patches. 2. Wheat: a. Requires for July and August a minimum mean temperature of 62° to 65°. b. The whole region between Red River and Rocky mountains lies in temperature between 65° to 67°. c. Tiiis mean equals the most fertile districts of New England, New York, iVnuaylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. d. Cultivated plants yield their gi-eatest product near the northernmost limit of their growth. — (G.) a. This law vipplies especially to wheat. — (Vide map of this synop- sis at end of document.) VIII. Instances of the wheat product of Red River : 1. yield, 40 to 60 bushels per acre : (G.) a. Red River, say 40 bushels per acre. *. Minnesota 20 c. Wisconsin 14 " " d. Pennsylvania 15 " " e. Massachusetts 16 " '• IX. Oats, barley, rye, potatoes : 1* At Red River barley yields enormous returns, (about 55 pounds per bushel.) 2. The whole gi-oup of subordinate cereals follow wheat, but are less restricted in their range, going 5° beyond wheat in the Mackenzie valley, towards the Arctic circle. 3. Oats thrive well. 4. Potatoes particularly fine. X. Hay : this is a great grazing country : (G.) 1. In 1856 Red River contained 9,253 homed cattle ; 2,799 horses. 2. Sheep healthy and productive, (fleeces 2 to 3^ pounds.) - "-'y ■ E. CONTINUATION OF "GEOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR OF NORTHWEST BRITISH AMER- ICA, AND ITS RELATIONS TO THE REVENUE AND COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES." E a. "Part fourth : The gold discoveries of northwest British America, and their influence:" I. "Cariboo Diggings," on Frazer river: (G.) II. The most extraordinary discoveries are north of latitude 53°, and in the average longitude of 120° west longitude, (from meridian of Greenwich.) III. Speedy establishment of commercial relations eastwardly along the Sas- katchewan with the Mississippi and Lake Superior. IV. Predicted colonization, at an early period, of the coast and archipelago in same latitude, and quite to the north of Vancouver island. Already ex- plorations of Queen Charlotte's island are progressing : (G.) V. Great social and industrial changes in northwest British America predicted. E b. Cotnjfendium of a special report in reference to the discovery of gold on the Saskatchewan river : (G.) I. D. F. McLaurin, known to be a man of veracity, and T. M. Love, lately in the employment of Mr. Campbell, American minister for the survey and F. AND NORTHWEST BRITISH AMERICA. 17 (I I » I location of the northern bonndiiry, have arrived in St. Paul from the headwatorfl of the Frnzer river, in I^riti^h Cohimhia. They produce 70 ounces of gohl dust, all of which was found on the west side of the mountains ; but they also assert that in many places on the Saskatclie- wan, between Fort Edmonton and the Ilocky Mountain House, they suc- cessfully prospected for gold, '♦ raising the color" fn^quently, but with no return exceeding one cent to the pan, or five dollars a day. Such were the indications, however, that, with their experience on the Pacific, even this moderate result encourages Messrs. McLaurin and Love to return with a year's supply of provisions, having left two companies on the upper Saskatchewan. They express confidence that an extensive auriferous region exists cast of the Ilocky mountains, between 49° and 55° north latitude. If so, its occupation by adventurers will be hastened by the following circumstances, "hitherto indicated by me in former communications, and which I propose to more fully illustrate in my general report to the department." — ( Vide G, ante.) II. " The Grand Rapids of the Saskatchewan are no obstacle to navigation. III. Probable results of a gold fever in the Saskatchewan region : 1. An act of Parliament, organizing a crown colony northwest of Minnesota, with an inhabitable area of 300,000 square miles, a. A. union of all the American provinces of England, having for a prominent object a common highway from ocean to ocean on British territory. 3. An overland mail and colonization, preliminary to a Pacific railroad : (D.) IV. "One thing is very apparent: Unless the English government shall promptly respond to the manifest destiny of the great interior of British America — the basin of Lake Winnipeg — the speedy Americanization of that fertile district is inevitable : (D.) E. ExHierT G. CONCLUSION OF "OEOaRAPHICAL MEMOIR OF NORTHWEST BRITISH AMERICA, &c.— (G.) F. "Partjifth: Relations of Northwest British Ametica to the Uti^ ted States : I. Present relations, those of physict'il geography merely. II. (Anticipated) commercial and political results. III. The communications through Hudson bay and Lake Superior are of dan- gerous navigation and limited duration. IV. Minnesota route to Rocky mountains : (G.) 1. Railway to Red River. 2. Steamers by Lake Winnipeg and the Saskatchewan. 3. The best and most conducive to the prosperity of the Saskatchewan and Selkirk settlements. 4. La Crosse, Wisconsin, the present limit of the United States railroad sys- tem ; thence, a. Steamers to St. Paul ; thence, h. Land transportation, 250 miles ; thence, c. From Georgetown, on Red river, steamers to Fort Garry. V. A London company already organized to establish an overland mail : (G.) 1. Steamers ought to be immediately constructed, to ply to Fort Garry, for the year 1863. VI. " It would be an instance of well-directed legislation for the Congress of the United States and the British Parliament to unite in a liberal subsidy — say $200,000 by eath government — for the transmission H. Ex. Doc. 146 2 18 RELATIONS HEX WEEN THE UNITED STATES of u weekly iiinil from tiic liniitH of imvij^Hfion on tlio MirtHinnippi aiul tlie Hrltinh count of Lake Sujicrior, by nn intPiimtioiial route to the centres of the f?ohl diHtrictH of ]triti)«]i Cohimbia and Wash- ington Territory." 1. 8t. Lawrence ami great hiker* fiirnis]i an ehMjuent piecedent : (G.) Ex III HIT A. In tiik IIolsi: of Rkphhskntativks U. S., May 20, 18G2. Resolved, Tliat tlie Hecretary of tlie Treasury he, and lierehy is, requested to communicate to tliis House any information in the poHsession of his depart- ment which ho may judge to he in a fonn suitable for the; consideration of the House of Representatives upon tlie relations between the United Htates and the Northwest British America, particularly the central district of the lied River of the North and the Saskatchewan. Exhibit B. Trkasiry Department, March 9, 1861. 8lR : In reply to your communication of the 8th instant, I have to instruct JrovL to proceed to the completion of the report referred to, in regard to the " re- ations of the revenue system of the United States to British America, northwest of Minnesota." You will please xtate, for the department's infonnation, the time in Avhich it will probably be completed. I am, &c., S. P. CHASE, Secretary of the Treasury. James W. Taylor, E8(|., Special Agent, 8fc., Washington, D. C. Exhibit C a. Saint Paul, July 10, 18G1. Sir : By a communication from the Treasury Department, dated March 8, 1861, I was instructed to proceed with a report previously undertaken upon the relations of trade and revenue between the United States and the districts of Central British America, extending from Canada to the Rocky mountains, and to communicate to the department the period required for making said report. Having occasion, in the general discharge of the duties assigned to me, to forward an abstract of recent revenue laws at Selkirk, on the Red river, I beg leave to inform the department that I expect to present my general report on or before the first day of the regular session of Congress. In preparing this paper, I desire the privilege of recapitulating some of the contents of special reports made by me from time to time, but which are more adapted for the information of the department tlian for publication. Having reason to believe that wliat is known to the English and Canadian people as the " Red River and Saskatchewan districts of British America" will be speedily organized, with the powerful co-operation of the Hudson Bay Com- pany, as a crown colony of England,* and that active measures for its coloniza- tion in the interest of a continental confederation of the provinces, and a railroad Her TfT AND NOUTIIWEST UKITISH AMERICA. 1!^ or I from Lake Superior to the Paeifie, north of otir homuhiry, will promjitly fnllow. I am Holicit<»UH to jtre.>icnt to tlie American {government and peoph' a full and Hatinfactory compilation of the natural reKourcoH, present civil and connnercial organizations, and future n'latiourt of the intercHting region in (jueHtion, with which circumstances have made me familiar. In thin connexion, I nhall urge that no unnecessary restrictions shall be imposed upon the ijitercourse, alreatly very considerable in extent, between the States of the northwest and this rising dominion of England upon the waters of Lake Winnipeg. Thua animated, I am now occupied with what will prove, if published, a document of 300 pages, and which I shall submit to the department at the earliest possible moment. It will constitute the reiMjrt above rciferred to. I desiir to return my acknowledgments to the head of the Treasury Department for the opportunity of preparing and presenting it for his consideration. In conclusion, as some confirmation of the views often ad"anced by me within the last five years, and which will be elaborat( . in my i ihcoming report, I here present an extract from a late publication of lie) Dan.y McOee, the ac- complished member of the Canadian parliament from Mositreal, who may soon (judging from late electiouB) succeed to a seat in the Canadian ministry. ^Ir. McGee says : " I have always felt an active, living interest in everything that concerns what is usually called among us ' the Red River country.* In the very heart of the continent, on a territory 500,000 square miles in extent, where Lord Selkirk, half a cfentury ago, declared there was field enough for a population of ;J0,000,000 souls, the only speck of settlement is some 7,000 or 8,000 of our fellow-subjects in and about Fort Gui*ry. No American conununity has ever un- dergone a stenier apprenticeship to fortune, or been so unwisely underrated by imperial and Canadian statesmen. The greater part, if not all that region was an integral part of Canada at the conquest, and to Canada the people of the Selkirk settlement most naturally looked for protection against the monopolizing policy of the Hudson Bay Company. It is not creditable to us to be forced to admit that hitherto they have looked this way in vain. No Canadian can have read with satisfaction the latest intelligence from that kindred community ; no Cana- dian can learn with satisfaction that it was left for the infant State of Minnesota, with a census not exceeding altogether this little island of Montreal, to do for them what they naturally expected from us ; that while Ave were inteiTogating our ministers as to their policy on the Hudson Bay question the Americans from St. Paul were steaming down to Fort Garry. It is not the first time that we have received a lesson in enterprise from our republican neighbors. To be our leaders on our own soil, though creditable to them, is surely not in this case particularly honorable to us. " That Red River country, let me observe, is no inhospitable desert, repugnant to the increase of the human race. Modern science has exploded the ancient error that climate is detennined b;y the latitude. The best authority on the climatology of our continent (Mr. Lorin Blodgett) has pointed out the existence of a vast wedge-shaped tract, extending from the 47"^ to the 60° of northern latitude, 10° of longitude deep at the base, containing 500,000 square miles of habitable land, subject to few and inconsiderable variations of climate. This au- thor gives a summer of ninety-five days to Toronto, and of ninety days to Cum- berland House, in 54° north. Mr. Simon Dawson, from personal observation, compares the climate of Fort Garry to that of Kingston. I'rofcssor Hind places its annual mean temperature at 8° lower than that of Toronto, for though the fall of rain is 17 inches more, the fall of snow is 33 inches less, than at Toronto. Herds of buffiilo winter in the woodland as far north as the 00° parallel ; Indian corn grows on both banks of the Saskatchewan ; Avheat sown in the valley of the Red River early in May is gathered in by the end of August. The altitude and aspect of the country nourish in it a temperature which one Avould not ex- M RELATIONS HKTWEEN THE UNITED 8TATES pcct to fiiul HO fur noithwiinl. Mlonj^ctt nicrior to navigable water on Frazer river, in British Columbia, does not exceed 2,000 miles, about twice the distance between Boston and Chicago. It lias been shown by every explorer how, with some inconsiderable aids from art, a con- tinuous steamboat navigation might be obtained from Lak(^ Winnipeg to the baB(( of the Rocky mountains. By these aids, and corresponding improvemcnte on the other side of tiic mountains, Toronto might be brought witliin ten or twelve days of British Columbia. But there is a more imuortaiit consideration still connected with the territory, for we now know that tnrough its prairies is to be found the shortest and best railroad route to the Pacific. Every one can understand that the American route from western Europe to Asia, which lies farthest to the north, must be the most direct. Any one glancing at a globe will see where the 46° parallel leads the eye, from the heart of Germany, through the British channel, across to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and from our Gulf west- ward to the Saskatchewan, to Vancouver's island, the Cuba of the North Pacific, imd from Vancouver to the rich and populous archipelago of Japan. This course was demonstrated by Captain Synge to be 2,000 miles shorter between London and Hong Kong than any other in existence ; it has but one formidable engi- neering difficulty to be overcome — an elevation of 6,000 feet above the sea level — in crossing the Rocky mountains into British Columbia. Such, at least, is the carefully guarded statement of Mr. Stevens, the late American governor of Wash- ington Territory, and such is said to be the result arrived at by Captain Palliscr's more recent explorations. By a short tunnel at the favorable pass the elevation may be reduced to 5,000 feet, ' whose gradients,' it has been calculated, • need not exceed sixty feet per mile from the head of Lake Superior to Puget's sound.' An elevation of 5,000 feet is not an insuperable obstacle, as has been shown at Mount Cenis and the AUeghanies. (On the Philadelphia and Pittsburg road, at Altoona, the gradient of 96 feet to the mile has been found practicable.) The name ' Rocky mountains' is more formidable to the ear than to the engineer ; as the latitude has misled us with regai'd to climate, so the altitude has been over- rated with regard to cost ; but the science of this age once entered upon any experiment, will neither be deterred by regions represented as uninhabitable nor by mountains reputed to he impassable." Respectfully submitted. JAMES W. TAYLOR. Hon. S. P. Chase, Secretary of the Treasury/, : • ' I tl ai t( AND \0RTirwi:.4T imiTiHir amkrica 2r Kxiiiiiir C b. Saint 1'ai i„ July 1(», IHOI. Hill: I ciu'loHc (appftidt'd and iiiarkrd A) an utithciitic i'(»i»y (tf "An at-t panned hy x\\v pivcrnor and couniil of AcninilMtia Marili 14, 18G1," pre- Hi-rihiiif; a tarift' and rcvcnuo rcjjfulationH for the Red Itivtr diHtrict of (!«'ntnil Hritinli America. Its leading features are an folio wn : 1. A levy (»f four per cent, ad rulorcm duty upon all inijiortationn, whether from Enjjiand th(^ United Staten, or elsewhere, "estimated at the price curn'iit of the original place of vxport, Jiondon, New York, &c." (ioodn introduced from Chicaj^o or Haint Paul, it in prenumed, wouhl lie charf,'ed only at Nayment of dutien on the execution of a trannprovinion embraces the American outfits for tho fur trade (tf the Saskatdiewan region, which in already attracting considerablo attention. The regidationn for tho cfdlcction of tho revenue are ample, but do not require recapitulation. This system of revenue is now in force. It is generally satisfactory to all parties interested, except the discrimination in favor of English liquors. I append, marked B, some forcible criticism in tliis respect by the ^or* wester newspaper, published at Fort Garry, tho centre of the lied River set^'.ment. Respectfully submitted. JAMES W. TAYLOR Hon. S. P. Chase, Secretary of the Treasury. Revenue laws passed hy the governor and council of Assiniboia on the lith V?, JWrtrcA, 1861. To secure the more efficient and equitable collection of the revenue, it is — Resolved, I. That all goods imported into the district of Assiniboia, from any {)art of the British dominions, or from any foreign country, shall be subject to a evy of four per cent, ad valorem duty, to be estimated at the price current of the original place of export, London or New York, &c., excepting such articles as shall be otherwise specified. The following shall be admitted free from cus toms duty, viz : 1. All iron and steel, cast or malleable, wrought or unwronght. 2. All books and publications, whether imported for use or merchandise. 3. All scientific instruments and mechanical tools. 4. All agricultural machines and implements. ' 22 RKhATIOXS METWEKN TIIK I NITED HTATEH .1. All \iiiiiii»n*', nil ii|i|»arcl aiitl iit('iir«ilH tliiit liuvr linn m me in proHciit uro (if tllC OWIICIl*. (i. All HcnU, rodtrt, or |»liuitrt, l(i»(lin;j; to tin- iiii|n(; jicncrnlly. 13. All ^'Ofidrt j;ratnitonri/(^ contrahand goodie, nnd to {iro^ecnto dofuultorH; he nliall hnve power to call constalilcrt and all loynl Hnlijei't> of her Ikitnnnic Maji^rtty tt Iuk aid, and all pernonrt, not conntaldeH, n» called upon, hIiuII he paid liy the collector, at the pnblic expense, an Hpccial conrttablert ex- traordinary, Htty, tea Hhillingit per diem. A collector of curttomrt Hhall hnve Sower to exnct and rccciv(! paymentrt of cutntomH duty and to give receipt.^ in i^charge of the »ume. He shftll, twice in every month, pay into the hando of the governor, who irt ex-officio rt-ceiver general, all reveuuert received hy him, together with a list of the persons paying, and the value of the goods on which the duty has loeu paid. That eoch collector shall, once every week, transmit to the next clearance house a list of all clearances made hy him. Each collector shall have an annual salary of forty pounds sterling, besides being entitled to one-fifth part of the proceeds of all seizures he shall make or cause to be made. III. Every person bringing goods liable to duty into the district of Assinl- boia, whether owner, agent, or conductor, shall be provided with an invoice or manifest, which shall combine, with the name of the consignee, an accurate ac- count of the quantity and prime cost of all goods contained in any carriage, vehicle, or vessel, or any conveyance whatsoever, whether by land or water. This invoice or manifest shall be attested by tlie signatun; of the owner or his representative, and on arrival within the settlement it shall be produced to the collector, who may verify its accuracy by an oath administered to the party, or by examination of the goods, opening packages if necessary. On being there- with satisfied he shall exact payment of the duty, or, at his discretion, accept a bond payable for the amount within a period of not more than three months — which bond may be sued for and recovered the same as any other controct debt. The collector, on receiving satisfaction for the duty as above defined, shall write on the back of the manifest the words "Examined and passed," attaching his signature and the date thereof, and this shall be held as a sufficient clear- ance. Be it observed that in any case where the want of a nmnifest is or has been unavoidable, the collector may accept of the sworn declaration of the party as to the value of the goods, or otherwise satisfy himself of their value. IV. Every owner or importer or consignee of goods shall, within twenty -four hours of the arrival of such goods, exhibit his manifest (if not already cleared) to the collectors of customs, and any owner, importer, or consignee of goods failing to do so, shall, in addition to the duty, forfeit a sum of not more than fifty pounds sterling, or less, at the discretion of the court, Avhich penalty may be sued for and recovered in the same manner as a contract debt ; and any AND NOKTHWE8T IJRITISH AMKRK'A. 23 pmkiip- or pHxIrt ill Imlk not «>iitfr<>aii(l anil fortritnl to tli<' (^Mircn.or to tin- ptvrrnor and coiini-il nctinf? in lu'i* nniiH- ; and in the rvt-nt of any imthoii t'ct'uHin^ to hIiow liit* invoiiM' or niiinitrftt, or n't'uriin^ to pay tin- duty or to pvt- n liond tor the imynn-nt of tli«> nnnio, tin- collector hliall he iintlioriKcd to ncixc all liin ptodr* nn coiitral)and. Any pcrHoii making a t'alHf declaration under an oatli adniinirttered Ity a col- lector may Im indict«'(l tor wilt'nl |(erjnry. I'erHoiiH claiming; exemption from dnty hecunne of their ^ood^ beinp; dentined for partH lieyond the circle of AHninihoia nliall ^ivo n hond not to dinpone of any »4ucli ^oodn, nor open them, or allow them to pa^rt from their poHrtCHHioti within the di»trict, tnnfer penalty of lialf the amount of their invoice, whicli hond HJiall he recoverahle in the name manner an a contract tem extended ho n.s to distinguish be- tween various classes of goods ; but as it requires time and care to do this well, we must, meanwhile, be satisfied Avith the instalment given us. A coiTospondent points out section 8 of the first resolution as being as objectionable as the clause against \^ hich we protested in our last number. He is nuito mistaken. The Cf mpany cannot be expected to pay duty on goods intended for the interior, if such goods be duly bonded through, and not opened or disposed of within the jurisdiction of our council. This privilege is everyAvhere conceded ; and although the section referred to was evidently framed for the company's benefit, there it no injustice in it. Very different, however, is their imposing 5«. per gallon on liquor from all foreign coimtries, Avliile admitting it comparatively free from England. This is an inexcusable piece of favoritism, against which .ve, as impartial jour- nalists, must protest. We by no means desire the os. impost to be diminished or cancelled, but we do desire to have something imposed on liritish liquors. The present distinction is too marked, too wide, too decided, to be defensible on any principles of honest legislation. Exhibit D. Saint Paul, Jul>/ 17, 1861. Sir: The newspapers at Saint Paul contain statements of the discovery of gold on the north branch of the SaskatchcAvan river. These rumors originate as follows : D. F. 3IcLaurin, fonnerly a citizen of Min- nesota, and known to be a man of veracity, and T. M. I.,ove, lately in the em- ployment of Mr. Campbell, the American commissioner for the survey and loca- tion of the northern boundary, have arrived in Saint Paul from the lieadAvaters of the Frazer river, in British Columbia. They prodnce seventy-six ounces of gold dust, all of Avhich was found on the Avest side of the mountains ; but they also assert that in many places on the Saskatchewan, betAveen Fort Edmonton and the llocky Mountain House, they successfully "prospected" for gold, "raising the color" frequently, but Avith no return exceeding one cent to the pauy or five dollars a day. Such Avere the indications, however, that Avith their experience on the Pacific, CA'en this moderate result encourages Messrs. ]\[cLaurin and Love to return Avith a year's supply of provisions, having left tAvo com- panies on the upper SaskatchcAvan. They express confidence that an extensive auriferous regi>.a exists east of the Rocky mountains, between latitudes 49 degrees and 55 degrees. If so, its occupation by adventurers Avill be hastened by the following circumstances hitherto indicated by me in former communica- tions, and which I propose to more fully illustrate in my general report to the department. 1. The eastern base of the mountains, including the sources of the tAvo branches of the SaskatchcAvan, is Avell adapted to agriculture — far more so than the eastern I'iedmont in American territory. 2. The limate at Edmonton is milder in Avinter than at Saint Paul. The SaskatcheAvan is clear of ice in the spring as soon as the Mississippi river betAveen St. Anthony Falls and Galena. 3. Steamboat navigation, uoav established on the Red River of the North, can r(!adily be extended through Lake Winnipeg and up the Saskatchewan river to Fort Edmonton, the supposed eastern limit of the new gold district. I have collected and will present ample evidence that tlie Grand Rapids (so-called) of the SaskatcheAvan is no obstacle to navigation. 4. Full half of the population at Selkirk settlement — farmers, voyageurs, 26 RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES liimtcrt! — will promptly irmove to the mountain districts. A lato inundation at lied Riv<'r, producing discouragement in their present homes, will stimulate such an exodus. The Minnesota frontier will send a ecified Mowing, reaping, and threshing machines.... Musical instruments, including musical boxes and clocks.... Mustard Other machinery..... Oil-cloths Oils in any way rectified or prepared Opium . Packages Paints and colors. Paper Paper-hangings - Parasols and umbrellas Playing cards.... Pickles and sauces Preserved meats, poultry, vegetables, fish, &c..., Printed, lithographed, or copper-plate bills, &c., advertising pamphlets Silks, satins, and velvets- Spices, including ginger, pimento, and pepper, ungronnd ' ationcry. f^am-engines, other than locomotives -•■laall wares • V wcopipes , Toys Vinegar....... ........ Woollens , Unenumeriited articles . Total 20 per cent, ad valorem. Value. $4,491 2,778 121,!»25 235,921 749 25,063 15,9(51 2,014 647,095 3,787 144,803 3,080 .33, 564 C3, 798 248 27,585 13,605 18 29,772 11,075 18,030 31,887 58,906 3,710 21,753 84,211 8,602 99,761 1,098 138,415 16,732 149,126 900 46,544 34,456 18.529 39,616 963 1,557 1,646 1,111 10,292 37,980 33,464 49, 779 5.015 82,022 1,945 9,637 9,229 326,347 144,698 Total, $3,970,105 AND NORTHWEST DRITLSH AMERICA. No. 1. — General statement of l/aportx, Sf«. — Continued. 31 Articles. 15 pa- cnl ml valonm. Book, map, iind news piintinjj paper. Coffee, green Tea Total 15 per cent, ad valorem. 10 ptr cent, ad valorem. Anchorii, 6 cwt. and imder Books, printed, periodicals and pamphlets, editions of which are printed in Canada ,. Braes in hars, rods, or sheets Brass or copper wire and wire cloth.. Copper in bars, rods, bolts, or sheets Copper, brass, or iron tubes, and piping when drawn Cotton candlewick Cotton yarn and warp Drain tiles for agricultural puriwscs Engravings and prints Iron, Canada plates and lined plates Iron, galvanized and sheet Iron, wire, nail, and spike rod Iron, bar, rod, or hoop Iron, hoop or tire, for locomotive wheels bent and welded Iron, boiler plate Iron, railroad bars, wrought iron chairs and spikes Iron, rolled plate Jewelry and watches Lead, in sheet Litharge Locomotive and engine frames, cranks, crank axles, railway car and locqmotlve axles, piston rods, guide and slide V)ars, crank pi'^s, and connecting rods , Maps, charts, and atlases Medicinal roots Phosphorus - • Plaster of Paris and hydraulic cement, ground and calcined. Red lead and white lead, dry Sails, ready-made Silk twist for hats, boots, and shoes Steamboat and mill shalts and cranks, forged in the rough. . Steel, wrought or cast Straw, Tuscan and grass fancy plaits Spirits of turpentine Tin, granulated or bar Zinc or spelter, in sheet Total 10 per cent, ad valorem. 105 IREE GOODS. Acids of every description, except vinegar. Alum Anatomical preparations Anchors weii;hing over 6 cwt Animals. — Horses Hornfid cattle Value. $2, CiS 105,882 1.135.443 75 68. 975 1, 000 2, 207 15, 961 24, 054 24, 379 120, 967 182 10, 801 40, 296 8, 170 4, 795 39, 653 5, 855 11, 185 71, 750 70 125 618 227 6 522 18 126 5 891 2 784 1 502 8 526 9 352 2 228 3 409 3 053 17 G78 738 54 711 7 277 467 9 .031 512 499 132 118 ,530 07 ,201 Total. SI, 243,. 183 706,994 RELATIONS DETWKEN THE UNITED STATES No. 1. — General 'Stati'mvnt of imports, i^r. — Coiitiuuod. Articles. Aninmla.— Sheep Pigs Otiier animtiU Poultry and fancy blidg. Antimony Antiquitiea, collections of Argol. Articles for the public uses of the province Aahes, pearl I)ot Bark, berriea, nuts, vegetables, woods, and drugs, used solely in dyeing Bark, tanners' Bibles, testaments, prayer Viooks, and devotional books, and printed books not elsewhere specified Bleaching powders Bolting cloths Borax Bookbinders' tools and implements Bristles Broom corn Busts, casts, and statues Bun-stones and grindstones, wrought and unwrought. Butter Cabinets of coins Coin and bullion Cables, iron chain, over % of an inch in diameter hemp and grass Caoutchouc or India-rubber and gutta-percha, unmanufactured, Carriages, vehicles of travellers, &c Cement, marine or hydraulic, unground Cheese - Coal and coke Clothing and arms for Indian nations... Clothing and arms for military Corkwood or bark of the corkwood tree. Cotton and tlax waste Cotton and wool Cream of tartar, in crystals Diamonds and precious stones Donations......... Drawings Earths, clays, sands, and ochres Eggs. Emery, glass, and sandpaper Farming utensils and implements, when specially imported for encouragement of agriculture Felt hat bodies and hat felts Flax, hemp, and tow, undressed Firewood Fire-brick and clay Fish, fresh salt oil, crude products of, immansfactured Fishing nets, seines, hooks, lines, and twines Fruit, green..... dried Furs and skins, pelts or tails, undressed $11,210 38,488 3,6G5 4,070 74 870 35 15,169 10,279 I1,S«3 43, 408 2,130 219,704 884 10, 303 170 1,228 12,466 63,404 3,053 15,499 29,422 140 14,444 1,409 83 117,672 82,998 237 82,959 304,079 2,276 219 22,987 25,627 10,505 64 1,211 8,699 4,102 1,075 4,110 3,578 3,792 87, 106 38, 763 5,805 85,886 63,527 86,071 553 18,968 241,335 43, 192 104, 659 AND NORTHWEST BRITISH AMERICA. No. 1. — General statement of imports, djr.— Continued. Al'ticleH. Flour GrtiiuH. — B«rK;y tmd lyo Jtran and Hhurtu. .... Buckwheat Oivta Beans and peas.... Indian corn Wheiit Kiitfo Hour Meal of the tibovo griiins (.ifUiH und mediiU Gold he iters' hrhii moulds, and skins Orcace and scraps Gravels Gypsum or plaster of Paris, ground or uugroutid, but not ca'cined Hair, angola, goat, thihet, horse, or mohair, nnniauuractuied. Hides and horns Indigo Valuo. SSrifi, 074 61,7H7 l,22(i .SDl G 28 1,741 891 14.526 43,322 11.020 5, 660 717 47,610 10.071 15,728 5, 955 30, 867 8,021 30,420 y,421 164,691 141,895 258,660 11,810 526 3, 700 36, 205 2,591 1,389 329,502 659 64,782 84 RELATIONS UKTWEEN THE ITNITED STATES No. l.—Geniral statement of imports, ^ff.— Continued. Artick'M. 'i'in iinti y.\uv, or Hpt-ltt^r, in hInckH or \An» TlffH, pIllllU, Ull'l Hhl'lllM, bulliH, Utill Kiottt ...... 'IK fimilK Tiir|i<'iitlii(!, otliur thmi HplritH of tiirptmtinu To\mv(u, nniiiiiniirtirtiintii 'I'y |)(! ait'tiU ill blockH or pi^H ViiriiiHh. ItiiKlit uml bltttk, fur »liip huiUlerH ..... V't'j,'ctablt'< , Wiiu'H. KplritH, and malt liquors for offlcern' iiicsh Wood of all kiiuiH , Wool... Value. $ft.R»4 37,254 65 14 124,115 4;i 2S2 11,3(13 (iri9 10,982 79,822 Total. Ti-t.il free f;;ood8 Foriinn reprints of Rrititnh copyright workH, (subject to a duty of 12) por cent., jMynblo to tliu iinpurial guvernniont for tho bonetlt of the copyrVjfht holder.) Orand tot Animals. — Horses...... ... $4,019,278 D TUBlll I'ftODUCE. 9.57,411 626,897 203, 559 223, iWA 36, 245 2,429 21,571 376,022 114 6, 392 228 142,488 55, 180 106. 267 1,891 722 69 1,823 323,686 1,039 8 142 3,121 401,894 734 64, 347 Horned cattle Sheep ...... .... .. ...... .... ...... .... .... .... .... Produce of unimuls. — Beef . .... ....... ...... Bacon and hams . ..... ...... . ....... .... .... .... Butter Beeswax.... ......... ............ ...... .......... Cheese .... .... ..... .... .... ...... ...••« .. .. ...... Ecrers •. -••■ ...••• Hides Sheens' nelts ............ ...... ...... ........ ...... Horns and hoofs. .................................. Bunes ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... .... .......... Lard Tallow Tunarues ...... ...... . .............. Honey ..... ...... .... ...... ...... .... .... ..«. .... Venison ....................... .................. Wool Furs. — Dres^^ed Undressed . [if*ir nroduce -- . -. .-.- .... .... Total animals and tl AGRICUL' Barlev and rvc . . 3,667,912 rUKAL PK0DUCT8. 1,797.273 2,883 Beans..... ^il 30 KKI.ATIONH IIKTWKEN TIIK UNITKl) STATES No. 'Z.—Generul slatcmc/it ((f imports, fr.— Continued. Artlclf*. nrnn rioiir Hiiy HopH liidiitn corn , Mult Mful (MtH I'uilH HiiIhhui Flux Flux hui)(Ih... Otht!i'8ue(U.. Miiplu HiiKnr. Fruit, green . Vogetabies .. Tobacco Wheiit Vuluo. Total agriuultui'ul products tRO.AlU 2,001,747 4,9H7 7,075 1()0,741> 408 77,ft47 1,202,961) 2(;k,418 2,567 2,. 584 6, (i.'U 60, 739 H4.'i 7,011 «,3.J5 SI 3,421,498 MANUFAOTl'RES. Books .. Cotton . . Candles. Furs Glass ... Hardware... . India rubber Indian barkwork Leather Linen Machinery Musictil instruments. Carriages.... IStarch Straw.... 1,934 1,322 1,044 291 3, 860 49, 845 303 4.971 242 6,4H0 1,020 14,619 Raga Soap Hugar boxes Oilcake Biscuit 6, 483 31,855 51,019 3,042 Wood Woollens Ground plaster and lime , Liquors. — Ale, beer, and cider Whiskey , Other spirits Vinegar Gold .. Silver .. Copper. Total manufactures COIN AND BULLION, VIZ: Total coin and bullion Other articles , Total. 7,607 96C 10,098 4,254 6, 189 1,664 6 50 Total. $10,013,799 206,114 50 126,405 18,427,968 ,799 ,114 60 ,405 ,968 AND NOKTllWEST HKITIhlI AMEKICA, No. n. 87 Comporath'r .■ifulcrnvnt. of (hr rnluv of , ■hkJh cHinnvraled in fhc rvriprorlty trraty, heintf thv ffnucth oml jtrtuhirv of the Unifnl Sfiiftit, am} im portal into Canailu (luring thr yram ISi'iI) and INOO, Aitlclus. AnlinitlH Asht'H , l»iirk Itruom corn Itiirr unil grirulstonoH BiUtor Cht't'Ho Ccml C'otUin w(M)l...... ...... .............. l»yo MtulfH Ekks Fi8h Fish oil Fish, proiliictg of Firewood Fruit, dried Fruit, undried Flax, hemp, and tow, unnmiuifactured. Flour FurH, RkinR, and tailH, undreHscd Grain of all kindu GypHum Hides, liornH, and pelts Lard Manures Meal Meat of all kinds Ores of metals Pitch and ttr riants and nhrubs Poultry RaKS Rice Seeds ................................ Slate Stone and marble, unwrought TalL.w Timber and lumber Tobacco, unmanufactured ............. Turpentine Vegetables Wool Total Value. 1850. $234,677 I2.H2A 2,ft70 .')o,:ii)l 14,.'{«3 4(», .'l.'l.') 9.S,4i»9 237,776 17,207 52, 20!) 1 , «9;j 10,s,6H4 73,0!I8 40,810 35,414 215,609 57,.'{01 , 090, 683 114. .^aa ,709,077 11,763 250, 000 33, 049 12.721 126,902 601.4.54 2.389 8,472 24, 423 1,054 3, 872 18,562 82,111 12,763 49,065 309, 039 97,435 146,974 66, 109 66, 175 7,106,116 1860. $2.19, 094 21,642 2, 130 63,401 15. 499 29,422 H2, 969 304.079 25,627 43, 408 1,075 139,413 86, 07 1 653 38,753 43, 192 241,335 87, 106 856, 074 104, 65i) 2, 895, .533 9,767 220.000 22,723 9, 595 24,787 566,991 11.02U 10,071 .'?7,254 4, 070 5,955 8,021 141,895 3,700 62,623 329,502 64,782 124,115 14 11,363 79,822 7,069,098 I rcapcctfully submit a few prnctical observations upon the foregoing tables. 1. I anticipate no furtlier complaint upon the rehitive rates of the Canadian and American tariffs. If, in 1S57, the American legislature sensibly reduced 38 RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES tlio tariff, it was found expedient, in ISGl, mnteiinlly to ndvnnc the duties. In tliirt we followed the Canadian example of 1858-'9. In neitlier case exists any jtif>t ground of complaint. The interests of revenue were exclusively con- sulted by both governments. 2. It will be seen, from the table of Canadian importations from the United States, that artichs valued at $8,532,535 paid Canadian duties, and consisted for the most part of American manufactures. Including a nearly equal amount of articles admitted free under the reciprocity treaty, they comprise a trade Avhich benefits almost every possible forri of American industry. 3. The above is an enumeration of our commercial relations with the United Canadian provinces. I refer to the Uni'ed States treasury report upon com- merce and navigation for the year ending June 30, 1860, for similar statistics in respect to other British possessions in North America, of which only New- foundland, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia are included within the provisions of the reciprocity treaty. 4. With the permission of the department I shall reserve for another com- munication the subject of our commw'cial relations Avith the territory northwest of Minnesota, now occupied by the Hudson Bay Company, and Avith British Columbia. T^hese rest on a basis so distinct from the trade and intercourse of the lake and Atlantic coasts as to suggest a separate discussion. Respectfully submitted. JAMES W. TAYLOR. Hon. S. P. Chask, Secretary of the Treasury. Exhibit F a. St. Paul, Decemler 17, 1861. Sib: I beg your attention to the following extracts from i\\G "Norhcesfer," the newspaper printed at Selkirk settlement, ronto Globe. [From the Nor'wester of October 15] The itahcs are those of the To- " The progress of our republican neighbors in opem'ng up, settling, and organ- izing new territories is someth:-.g wonderful. Idaho, Nevada, Dakota, and Chippewa, were heard' of for the first time as names indicating important geo- graphical areas of the North American continent. Just before these we had Oregon, Kansas, Nebraska, Utah, and Washington. What an array of names ! What amazing progress in occupying and settling a wild unpeopled country ! We cannot regard with indifference this rapid march of civilization at our very doors. The boundary lines of Minnesota and Dakota sweep past us at the ehort distance of but 60 or 70 miles, and the progress of settlement hi those regions must to a great extent affect us here. The first Dakota elections came off' yes- terday fortnight, and our neighboring communities, Pembina and St. Joseph, have taken their part in them. Messrs. J. McFetridgc and Hugh S. Donald- son — both well known here — have been candidates. The former ran for the upper house and the latter for the house of representatives. Mr. Donaldson has been elected without opposition. Mr. McFetridge is not certain of his election, as his council district includes some portions of south(!rn Dakota, where he will get no votes at all. The total number of votes polled at Pembina and St. Jo- seph was 186. We congratulate our fi-icnd IMr. Donaldson on his election, and we hope we may be able to do the same lO Mr. McFetridge. We have said that Pembina and St. Joseph have, for the first time, cast their votes. Auspici- ous era for them ! Lucky they truly are to be thus early enfranchised, when * AND NORTHWEST BRITISH AMERICA. 39 we, a Inrfi^e, populous, and well-to-do community of 50 years standing, arc still in 8\yaddlin},'-clotli08, under a fostermotlier'H patronising rule ! Shame on the British government that this is the case ! How much longer is it to continue ? Are they waiting till we make short work of our destinies by voting annexation to Minnesota or Dakota, or till we take the reins of government with a rude grasp and proclaim indejiendence of both American and British rule ? One or other alteriiative will assuredly come some day, unless a change in our govern- mental system take place ; but why tempt such a result by delay and indiffer- ence? Why alienate this important conmnniity and jeopardize Central British America, by making us such nonentities as Ave ai-e at present? We speak ad- visedly wIkmi we say that the people of lied River are becoming indifferent to British connexion. They care very little for it ; they would bear a severance Avithout much regret. And can they be reasonably blamed for this questionable loyalty ? Has anything been done by the mother country to retain, strengthen, and foster allegiance to the British crown? Nothing — literally nothing. But more of this by and by." Again : [From the Nor' wester of November 15 ] "ASSINIBOIA. irgan- i, and geo- e had ames ! [mtry ! very ehort legions yes- loseph, lonald- >r the has iction, will It. Jo- lt and ! said ispici- when ^ '> "We have not, as yet, the honor of ranking ourselves among the ' Colonies,' technically so called, of Great Britain. In the strict and literiil sense of the term, we are ; but this affords poor consolation to our pride and our ambition, Avhen we remember the important distinction existing between the literal or ety- mological sense in which Ave are a colony, and the conventional, technical sense in Avhich Ave are not. We are upon British territory; our population consists of British-born subjects and their descendants ; this place or district Avas first colo- nized by immigrants fi'om the old country. These facts warrant our denom- inating ourselves a colony of the British empire. But there is an emptiness in the appell.ation which jars unpleasantly Avith our self-importance. In convers- ing or corresponding with foreigners, av(! assume the name Avith self-complacency or pi'etended satisfaction ; but when Ave reflect upon the hard facts of our actual condition, position or status, cur forced pleasure at once gives place to a feeling of mortification. The sense in which Ave are not a colony of Great Britain, and in Avhich Ave desire and ought to be, is this : that avo have no official recognition at the colonial office ; that our goA'ernor does not hold a commission directly from her Majesty, and that 'Assiniboia' does not figure in the same list as Barbadoes, New BrunsAvick, Queensland, Cape of Good Hope, British Guiana, and Canada. This is our grievance and our mortification. Not being recog- nized at DoAvning street — our governor having nothing to do Avith the secretary of state for the colonies — we are nothing, nowhere, of no consequence. (>anada, NoA'a Scotia, and even siich an upstart as British Columbia, repudiate relation- ship with us ; the colonies deny us the honor of their society : boing themselves sisters of equal standing, they set us doAvn as a stranger or pretender, and question our legitimacy. "That we shall not ahvays smart under our present mortification is very certain. Time and the force of circumstances will give us our coveted status, and Ave must, for the present, bear our humiliation Avith the best grace possible. When the change does come, and Ave have reason to think it not far, important ques- tions will at once arise regarding the form of our government, the nature of land tenure, administration of justice, interests of education, public revenue, &c., &c. It is needless as yet to specuiate and theorize on any of these topics. Important as they are even noAv, .they will at once become tenfold more so under a change, and they Avill receive Avhat they deserve, a full and earnest discussion." t'>i\ l\ m RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES The writor then proceeds to diHcuss the name of the future colony, express- ing a preference for "Assiniboia." And yet, notwithstanding this decinive language, the Nor'wester is hardly abreii.st of the public dissatisfaction. The party which favors annexation to the United States is so numerous, especially among the French population, as to enggest the scheme of a rival newspaper, as will appear from the following paragraph in the Nor'wester of October 15, also copied into the Toronto Globe: "ANNEXATION TO BE ADVOCATED THROUGH THE PRESS. " The Nor'wester says : ' The last mail brought us a prospectus from Min- nesota of a new journal to be published in this settlement. The projectors arc (^hio men, and have only recently arrived in Minnesota. It is their intention to come this fall, if possible, but if not, assuredly next spring. The projectors are Catholics, but say that they will deal fairly Avith Protestants of every de- nomination, their paper being jturely secular. The leading principles of this jouriial (which, by the way, is to be $3 a year) are said to be " determined, un- compromising hostility to the Hudson Bay Company," and " the annexation of the Red River country to the United States." Of these two planks in their platform we must say that Ave have unifomily refused to adopt tlu; former or its opposite, though m-ged thereto by many here and abroad, and Ave have yet to learn that our moderate, middle course should be abandoned. The second Avill, we hope, be utterly impracticable. Though Ave have some reason to complain, still we go decidedly for British connexion ; and we haA'C such confidence in the Red River people that we believe they will scorn to support any journal of con- trary opinions.' " S'^i The people can be satisfied only by a speedy organization as a British prov- • ince, with such recognition and encouragement of local interests as is usual on the part of the mother country Avhen a croAvn colony is established. As I have previously assured the department, the Americanization of this ! important section of British America is rapidly progressing. Unless the British ' I'arliament acts promptly — for instance, during the session soon to transpire — I shall confid<'ntly expect a popular movement looking to independence or an- nexation to the United Stfites. In case of a collision Avitli England, Minnesota is competent to "hold, occupy, and possess" the \'alley of R(!il River to Lake Winnipeg. There are no British troops at Fort Garry, the Canadian rifles A\'h(mi I saAv there in 1859 having re- turned to Quebec, by Avay of Hudson bay, during the summer just passed. To illustrate the defenceless posture of affairs, as Avell as the dissatisfaction Avith the administration of Hudson Bay Company oflicials, I arniex another paragraph from the Nor'wester : "'MORE TROOPS NEEDED.' " Under this heading, in our last number, Ave gave instances of Indian as- sumptions at Pembhia. We are now, alas ! able to illustrate the necessity for troo[»s by occurrences in our very midst. Yesterday fortnight, a band of Indi- ans, fifty or sixty in number, Avent to the house of August Schubert, liquor dealer, and helped themselves to a cask of Avhiskey and almost everything in the house. He remonstrated and protested, but to no effect ; might took the place of right, and he was compelled to give way. There were tAvo or three others besides Schubert at the time in the house — Mr. Solomon Hamelin, mag- istrate, being one. It was he that interpreted between Schubert (who is a Ger- man) and the Indians. They Avere poAverless, hoAvever, to check or prevent the spoliation, and dreading an appeal to force, they alloAved the Indians to have AND NORTHWEST IJRITISH AMERICA. 41 re- uor in the irec ag- [er- the ave ^ >> tlioir own way. This is a signal proof of what we have ficquontly affinncd, that the government of Red lliver is unsuited to the times. We require a change ; we need more vigor, more energy, more strength, more vigilance, more general effectiveness. Let it come how it may, and whence it may, but a change is absolutely necessary. Allowing that we would have to pay some taxes, we would rather do that and have security of life and property than continue to be under a rule which is cheap, certaiidy, but Avhich fails to afford security." I hasten, sir, to lay before you these facts in regard to the Red River settle- ment, as confirming my conviction that no portion of the British territory on this continent is so assailable, so certain of occupation by American troops in case of a war Avitli England, as Fort Garry and the immense district thence ex- tending along the valley of the Saskatchewan to the Rocky mountains. If our struggle is to be, in the fullest sense, a struggle for national existence, against foreign foes as well as domestic traitors, Minnesota, however remote from the scene of the southern insun'cction, will claim the distinction of a winter cam- paign for the conquest of central British America. J append a rough diagram, exhibiting that portion of British territory (enclosed in heavy black lines) which 1,000 hardy Minnesotians, aided hy the French, American, and. half-breed pojm- latian, could seize before the 4th of March. — (See diagram on following i)age.) The winter weather would not deter the lumbermen and borderers of Minne- sota from the march to Pembina and Fort (irarry. The line from St. I'aul ■I M-ked " M. & V. R. R." (Minnesota and Pacific railroad, for whose construc- tion Congress has granted 3,840 acres per mile) traverses the country, is known familiarly as the " wood road," and along which such a march, wich proper equipments, could be made. In 1858, at the depth of winter, an ill-appointed party of adventurous men transported the machinery, furniture, and lumber of a steamboat from Crow Wing, on the Upper Mississippi, to Shayenne, on the Red River of the North, where the vessel was reconstructed, and has since made trips to Fort Garry. Indeed, there is some rea.>on for the opinion that the frozen prairies, marshes, and lakes of Minnesota afford facilities for military operations in winter months mucii greater than the army will find in Virginia or Kentucky. The snow-fall is no obstacle, the cold can be guarded against, and, on a route well supplied Avith wood for camp tires, the journey can be made with security if not comforts I am led into this train of remark by the ncAvs of the morning, forcing me to consider tho possibility of war with England. Probably to no one will the news bt tuoie unwelcome. M}' correspondence with the Treasury Department, and thi i'l, ligations which I have been encouraged to pursue, have had, for their jjei-'. ■ on' predicate, the peace of the two greai nations who speak the English toi!;iio. The telegrams of this date surprise me in the midst of labors, the object of wLlch was to demonstrate how much the United States and the British districts northwest of Minnesota are identified in geographical situation and material intercuts of all kinds. To the advancement of the latter I had not deemed annexation essential. By treaty stipulations and concurrent legisla- tion it seemed possible to work out the mutual destiny of the American States and British provinces of the northwest. I trust that such agencies will yet be suffered to shape and advance events on tins frontier. But if otherwise — if war is unavoidable — the budget on Avhich I am engaged, and of which some instal- ment r- tre on file in the Treasury Department, may prove of some advantage to the f, ^ rnment in our altered relations to England, and to the immense central regioii tif which Minnesota has hitherto been the commercial key, and may yet prove a military highway. Respectfully submitted. JA3IES W. TAYLOR, Sjfccial Agent. Hon. S. P. Chase, Secretary of the Treasury. 42 RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES s i !> AND NORTHWEST BRITISH AMERICA. 43 ^ ^ St. Paul, June 12, 1862. Sib : Upon the general subject of a customs union of British America and the United States, I invite your attention to recent developments, us follows : 1. I\ Ca\ada. The new minister of finance, Honorable "William P. Howland, is a native of New York city, and as n member of Parliament from the Toronto district, and a memb(!r of the committee on commerce at several sessions, is fully connnitted to the most liberal policy of intercourse with the United States. In lSo9 he presided at a meeting in Toronto, which was addressed by myself, and followed me in expressions of cordial concurrence with our Minnesota propositions. Lately I met Mr. Howland in Quebec, and received additional assurances of his sentiments, whatever policy may be suggested by party expediency. 2. In Central British America. At the Selkirk settlements the general dissatisfaction Avith the neglect of the home government finds renewed utterance. The following article is copied from the local newspaper of a late date : "Frojn the Red River settlement — Strong talk to the British Government — Threats of Annexation to the United States. " The Red River Nor' wester of May 28 contains the following article upon the relations of the Red River people with England and the United States : '"It is high time that the British government shoidd take into earnest considera- tion the affairs of this country. They have hitherto been utterly indifferent to the condition of Central British America ; but careless neglect will no longer be indulged with impunity. The present imperial cabinet must at once take up the subject of a change in this country, or they Avill soon wake up to a very unpleasant state of things here. "'Annexation to the United States is the universal demand of the people of this country, seeing that the home government will do nothing. TJ.e sentiment has been growing ever since commercial intercourse with Minnesota commenced ; .and it is increasing in intensity to such an extent that a little agitation would ripen it into a formal general movement. British-born residents who have ever looked fondly to the dear old fatherland now ask themselves. What is the use of our British connexion 1 The name is something, for by the association of ideas it suggests a participation in all that is enlightened and liberal in government, all that is advantageous in commerce, all that is glorious in history. We woidd fain, they say, be connected with Britain ; but what is the nse ? Of what adv/xn- tage is it, seeing that the connexion is nominal, empty, worthless ? Now, when old British-born settlers hold this tone, what can be expected of that over- whelming majority consisthig of natives (whether half-breed or whites) and foreigners ? These care not one groat for English institutions or English con- nexion, unless they bring or confer palpable advantages. And really we cannot expect anything else, nor is their course altogether without excuse. " ' Can it be expected that we shoidd not become Americanized, when on the one hand Britain shows perfect indifference to us, and we enjoy none of the commercial or governmental advantages which we have a right to expect, and upon the other hand American influences of every kind are operating upon us ? Mark the following facts : " '(1.) We have no postal communication with any part of the civilized world except through the United States! For two or three years previous to 1860 the Canadian go\ ernmcnt maintained a monthly mail to and from this settlement, 44 RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES via Fort William, on Luke Superior. This Avas a step in tho right direction, though the arrangement was very unsatisfactorily carried out. But in-egular as wen' the mails, we had a right to expect that they would continue, and gradually, throtigh experience of the route, would Avork better. The Canadian govern- ment lias, however, discontinued this small boon, and we are at this moment entire\y dependent on the favor of the American government for our means of comminiicating with the outer world. They have, at great expense, established a fortnightly mail to our frontier, sixty miles from this settlement, almost entirely for our own benefit. Does this fact not present the liritish government to our view at a disadvantage? '"(2.) If we except the roimd-about, slow, and very uncertain route through the arctic straits of Hudson bay, it is only through or from the United States that we can import goods — by an American route alone can we export furs, skins, cattle, or anything else ! Is this favorable to loyalty ? An importer from Britain can at present get but one supply of goods in the year, and counts him- self very lucky indeed if, considering the many possible mishaps, he does get it; whereas the dealer in American goods can get twenty supplies during the same time if he chooses. Almost any week from 5lay to October, inclusive, a splendid steamboat may be seen at Fort Garry discharging her cargo of goods, and tak- ing off" packages of furs for the St. Paul, Boston, or New York market : whose boat is this ? American citizens, whose enterprise, in the eyes of Red Riverites, throws into shade the sIoav -going, do-nothing Britons, whom, nevertheless, wo are expected to admire, imitate, and hold as our indispensable fellow-subjects. " * (3.) The only decent route into this country for emigrants is through the States. The consequence is that the foreigners who are settling amongst us are for the most part American citizens, or persons thoroughly Americanized. Is their influence favorable to loyalty ? "•(4.) By frequent intercourse with the Americans, and occasional visits to Chicago, Boston, New York, &c., the impression is fast gaining ground that there is no people like our republican neighbors. We see their fine cities, their railroads, and their steamboats ; we read of the rapid settlement of new tenito- ries, and of the liberal system of legislation by which the sudden development of the resources of new districts is a matter of every day experience. Mean- while, we see nothing of England's prosperity and greatness, and get none of her vast wealth, and the inference from all is, that our best plan is at once to become part of Minnesota. " ' These are a few of the I'easons why the people of Red River now say to England, Do something for us at once, or forever give us up and let us shape our own destinies.' " I reserve for a subsequent communication some details of the measures by which the new governor general of the Hudson Bay Company is instructed by the London directory to check or divert the general dissatisfaction at Selkirk. 3. On the Pacific coast of British America. The following article from the British Colonist, of April 15, published at Vic- toria, Vancouver island, indicates quite distinctly that no adjustment of our relations with the British provinces is now desirable, unless its proportions are continental: " Reci2)rocity. — We hope some of our legislators will not allow the present session to pass over Avithout devoting some attention to a reciprocity treaty Avith the United States. A little more attention to the commercial and industrial in- terests of the country Avould assist materially in the development of the island. Beyond the ordinary routine of A'oting money to pay officials, passing a fcAV private bills, and spending a fcAv pounds on the roads, nothing substantial and expansive has been done. It is high time that something beyond nursery legis- AND NORTHWEST BRITISH AMERICA. 45 lich the lation should be taken in linnd. If we want to grow rapidly in wealth and im- portance we have to turn our natural advantages to account. If we desire to advance in the only path to distinction open to the colony — a maritime and commercial one — we will have to take up the question of a reciprocity treaty witli the United States at as early a date as possible. The sooner it is taken in hand the quicker the treaty will be inaugurated. If the preparatory steps bo taken this session, it will in all probability require a year or so before such a treaty can be ratified. Two years hence the reciprocity between the United States and the eastern provinces will expire. If success should not crown our efforts before that period, by proper management it may then, when that treaty is renewed, as it most certainly will be. It is even not unlikely that the lied River settlement (Assiniboia) will be included. The subject has already been agitated there, and in all probability the only delay in advancing it there lies in the neglect of the colonial office to emancipate Assiniboia from the Hudson Bay Company. Were that once done — and the way events are tending it can- not be long before it will be — that isolated community will be knocking at the doors of the United States Congress to be included in the renewed recii»rocity treaty. After Assiniboia, all that would be left of British North America to be included in a reciprocity treaty would be British Columbia, Vancouver island, and the Hudson Bay territories. With the interest that we have at stake in this matter there should be as little delay as possible. " In fact, we are not the only parties interested. It cannot be said that the advantages Avould be one-sided. On the contrary, reciprocity would be an equal advantage to California or Oregon with ourselves. If the San Francisco con- sumers can get our coal a dollar cheaper a ton, or our sawn lumber 20 per cent. less a thousand feet, or other articles at an equally reduced rate, it will require no further argument to convince them that they are interested in promoting re- ciprocity, and interested in a way that every one will feel it in his pocket. These commodities we can supply San Francisco cheaper than they can be had elsewhere on the coast. Conseqmmtly the demand Avould steadily increase. As the demand increased, so would the consumption of California or Oregon produce increase here, and the development of om* country stimulate the indus- try of theirs. The prospective importance of British Columbia would readily induce Oregon and California to seize the opportunity to send in their produce free. They would find that there was no commercial barrier to trade, but that they enjoyed international free trade. The fiirmers' interests of British Colum- bia would not suffer, as the remoteness of the farming districts from the seaboard is a moi'e effectual protection than a tariff. Whilst the consumer at present would get the necessaries of life cheaper, the revenue of the colony would be raised by higher duties on luxuries that only the wealthy would buy. Any scheme of reciprocity ought to include the whole British territory of the Pacific — even British Siberia." Respectfully submitted. Hon. S. P. Chase, Secretary of the Treasury. JAMES W. TAYLOR. Exhibit G. GEOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR OF NORTHWEST BRITISH AMERICA, AND ITS RELA- TIONS TO THE REVENUE AND COMMERCE OF THE UNIIED STATES. St. Paul, Minn., May 1, 1862. T e commercial relations of the United States M'ith Northwest British America were of no practical importance prior to 1858. The controversy of 1844, as to 4G RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES the nortlicrn boundary of Orogon, tunu'd more upon cont^ldoratioiis of nationnl pride than of material advantap*, neither goveriinient hohlint;; the country which waH tiic Huhject of negotiation to be deuirabh; f(»r coh>niiSHtion. Vancouver inland, commanding the Straitf* of Juiui de Fuca and the har- borage of ]*uget Sound, waH connidored vahiable in a strategic Hense ; but the district of the main bind wcHt of the Rocky mounlaiuB, and tlien called " New Caledonia," was held in no higher entimation than all geographical authorities now regard Labrador, its equivalent of latitude on the Atlantic coant. During the dincus!• i AND NORTHWEST BRITISH AMERICA. 47 and th« ovcntrf of lSr>H, concurring with iinpcriul Icfririlnfion, anPurcH for the liarborn^ of Puj^ctrt Sound a political and coiinncrcial iniportanco oidy eiiuallcd by Sun FranciHco. Central liritiHli America, or the district extcndiuj; fronj Lakes Superior and Winnipe;? to the Rocky Mountains, next invited the attention of the world. Even hefore the coninistion« in whicli imperial no less than colonial interests were involved. It haii b(*n his anxious desire to come to some equitable and conciliatory agreement, by which all ligitimate claims of the company should b(! fairly considered with reference to the territories or the privileges they might be required to surrender. He suggested that such a pro- cedure, while advantageous to the interests of all parties, might prove particu- larly for the interest of the Hudson Bay Company. '♦ It would aftbrd a tribunal pre-eminently fitted for the dispassionate considerati(m of the questions at issue ; it would secure a decision which would probably b(j rather of the na- ture of an arbitration than of a judgment ; and "it would furnish a basis of nego- tiation on which reciprocal concession .'uul the claims for compensation could be most successfully discussed." With SMch persuasive n.'iteration, Lord Caernarvon, in the name and at tin; instance of Sir E. B. Lytton, insisted that the wis(!st and most dignified course would be found in an appeal to and a decision by the judicial committee of the privy council, with the concurrence alike of Canada and the Hudson Bay Company. In conclusion, the company were once more assured that, if they would meet Sir E. B. Lytton in finding the solution of a recognized difflculty, and would undertake to give all reasonable facilities for trying the validity of their disputed charter, they might be assured that they would meet with fair and liberal treatment, so far as her Majesty's government was concerned ; but if, on the other hand, the company persisted in declining these terms, and could sug- gest no other practicable mode of agreement, Sir E. B. Lytton held himself ac- quitted of further responsibility to the interests of the company, and proposed to take the necessary steps for closing a controversy too long open, and for securing a definite decision, due alike to the material development of British North America and to the requirements of an advancing civilization. The communication of Lord Caernarvon stated, in addition, that, in the case last supposed, the removal of the exclusive license to trade in any part of the Indian Territory — a renewal which could be justified to parliament oidy as a part of a generol agreement adjusted on the principles of mutual concession — would become impossible. These representations failed to influence the company. The deputy gover- nor, Mr. H. H. Barens, responded that, as, in 1850, the company had assented to an inquiry before the privy council into the legality of certain powers claimed and exercised by them under their charter, but not questioning the validity of the charter itself, so, at this time, if the reference to the privy council were re- stricted to the question of the geographical extent of the territory claimed by the company in accordance with a proposition made in July, 1857, by Mr. Labouchere, then secretary of state for the colonies, the directors would recom- mend to their shareholders to concur in the course suggested ; but must decline to do so, if the inquiry involved not merely the question of the geographical boundary of the territories claimed by them, but a challenge of the validity of the charter itself, and, as a consequence, of the rights and privileges which it H. Ex. Doc. 146 4 60 KRLATIONH HKTWEEN TTIE UNITED STATES prdfi'HHC'd to (frnnt. iiiul which tin- coinpnny had oxcrciHod for a jM'ri(Ml of nc irly two hundred ynirn. Mr. liarciiH prufi-HHc*! thnt thf coinpnny iind nt nil timi'H h<-fii willing to <>nt«-rtiiin any propt^al that uii);ht ho inad(> to thcni for th« Hiir- rcndcr of any of their rijjhti*, or of any jHtrtion of their territory ; hut \u' regarded it HH one thing to conr«ent, for a connideration to he agreed upon, to t\u' Hiirrender of a(hnitted rightn, and (|uite another to vohuiteer a conh«ent to an incjuiry which nliouhl call those rightH in ((nestion. A rcHult of thin correHpondence Iiuh heen the definite refurtal of the crown to renew the exclusive license to trade in Indian t<'rritory. The licenrto hnd hoeu twice granted to the company, under an act of jtarlinment authoriising it, for periods t»f twenty-one years — once in isai, and again in 1h;J8, It expired on the .'JOth of May, 18/50. In conse(|uence of tluH refusal the comnaiiy must de- pend exclusively upon tlu! tenns of their charter for their ppecial nrivileges in Itritish Anun'ica. The charter jIm s frrtm 1G70 — a grant hy Charles II to I'rince Kunert and his associates, " adventurers of England, trading in Iludnoii hay" — anu is claimed to give the right of (exclusive trade and of territorial dominion to Hudson hay and trihutary rivers. IJy tin; expiration of the oxclu- sive license of Indian trade, and the termination in 1859 of the lease of Van- couver's island from the Hritish governm<'nt, the sway and influenc«* of the com- ]>any are greatly restricted, and the feasihility of some permanent adjustment in j»ro[)ortionately increased. Then; is no nec<'ssity for n'penting here the voluminous argument for and against the; charter of the Hudson Jiny Company. The interest of British colonizati(»n in Northwest America far transcends any technical inquiry of the kind, and the Canadian statesmen arc wise in declining to relieve tiie English cahinet from the obligation to act definitely and speedily upon the subject. The organization of the East India Comj)any was no obstacle to n measure demanded by the honor of England and the welfare of India ; and certainly the parchment of the Second Charles will not deter any deliberate expression by parliament in regard to the colonization of Central British America. Indeed, the managers of the Hudson Bay Company arc always careful to recognize the probability of a compromise with the government. Tlie late letter of Mr. Barens to Ijord Caer- narvon expressed a willingness, at any time, to entertain proposals for the sur- render of franchises or territory ; ana in 1848 Sir J. H. Pelly, governor of the company, thus expressed himself in a letter to Lord Grey : " As far as I am concerned, (and I think the company will concur if any great national benefit would be expected from it,) I would be willing to relinquish the whole of the territory held under the charter on similar terms to those which it is proposed the East India Company shall receive on the expiration of their charter, namely, securing the proprietors an interest on their capital of ten per cent." At the adjournment of the Canadian parliament and tlic retirement of the Derby ministry, in the early part of 1859, the position and prospects of Eng- lish colonization in Northwest America were as follows : 1. Vancouver's island and British Columbia had passed from the occupation of the Hudson Bay Company into an efficient organization. The gold fields of the interior had been ascertained to equal in productiveness, and greatly to exceed in extent, those of California ; the prospect for agriculture was no less favorable, while the commercial importance of Vancouver and the harbors of Puget's sound is unquestionable. 2. The eastern slope of the Rocky mountains and the valleys of the Sas- katchewan and Red River were shown by explorations, conducted under the auspices of the London Geographical Society and the Canadian authorities, to be a district of nearly four hundred thousand square miles, in which a fertile soil, favorable climate, useful and precious minerals, fur-bearing and food-yield- ing animals — in a word, the most lavish gifts of nature, constituted highly satis- AND NOKTIIVVKHT HKITIMII AMKKK'A. 51 Jl t'lU'tory ('oiidiiioiiH fur tin- orpiiiiKntion hihI Mittliiiuiit of n |iroH|in'iiiiH ciiiiiiiiii- uity. 'A. Ill rcpii'd to the IIiuIhoii Hay ('oiii|)aiiy, a (liH|ioHitioii prevailed not to disturb itH idiarter, on condition that itr* diieelury made no iitteniptH to entori-e an ext'liihive trade or iiit<'rfere witli tlie |irn;;nr'H of piettlenieiitH. All partien an- ticipated parliamentary action. Lettern from I.0 ' ; and which, althouf^h poHtponed hy a chan<;e of minii^try, wan nnuerstood to represent the vicwH (»f the Duke of Newcantle, the Hiicce'r'Hor of Sir K. 11. Lytton. 4. In Caiwuhi Went a HyHtem of communication from Tort William to Fort (lUrry, and thenco to the Pacific, wax intrurntinental climate, and I can best illustrnte my own conclusions in the premises bj' a c^' \- parison with a similar area of European Russia. Draw a line from St. Peters- burg twenty degrees east, and another ten degrees south, extending them into AND NORTHWEST BRITISH AMERICA. 53 the form of a pnrallolofp-am, and a r('}:;ioii is dcscribi'd wlio.'^c area corresponds with that botwocn Lakes Superior and Winui|i('};' on (tnc side, and the Rocky mountains on th(j west, and extending from hititude 44'^ to 54^. No two sec- tions of the respective continents more closely resemble each other than do those above delineated. Both ivr's immense plains, developing the silurian, car- boniferous, and, in some measure, a cretaceous geological formation. The- Mis- souri, Mississippi, and Saskatchewan may be set off against the Dnieper, the Don, and the Volga, of Russia; while, in respect to climate and productions, the American district resembles the followhig particulars of European Russia. It is usual to consider Russia in Europe in four distinct divisions : a polar region, including all the cotmtry north of latitude G7° ; a cold region, extending from G7° to 57® ; a temperate region, from 57° to 60°, and a warm region, from 50" to 37°. Our continental latitude, from 44° to 54°, represents the Russian temperate zone from 50° to 57°, as well as throe degrees of the cold division, namely, to the latitude of St. Petersburg, or 60° north. " The temperate region of Russia has a mean annual temperature of from 40° to 50°, and includes within it the finest and most populous portion of the empire; though even here the thermometer has a very wide range, the summer lieat, which suffices to grow melons and similar fruits in the open fields, being often succeeded by very rigorous winters. Even the sea of Azof, much further south, usually freezes about the beginning of November, and is seldom open before the beginning of April. The oak is seldom found below latitude 61° ; few fruit trees are found beyond 56°, and their regular culture cannot be profitably carried on north of the 53d parallel. In this latitude (still speaking of Russia) apples, pears, and plums become abundant ; and still further south peiiches, apricots, &c., flourish. The northern limit of rye is 65°, of barley 67°, and oats even further north. Wheat is cultivated in Norway to Drontheim, latitude 64° ; in Sweden to latitude 62° ; in western Russia to the environs of St. Petersburg, latitude 60° 15' ; while in central Russia the limit of cultivation appears to coincide with the parallel of 58° or 59°. It is well understood that the growth of the corealia and of the most useful vegetables depends chiefly on the intensity and duration of the summer heats, and is comparatively little influenced by the severity of the winter cold or the lowness of the mean temperature of the year. In Rus- sia, as well as in Central America, the summer heats are as remarkable as the winter cold. The northern sho" of Lake Huron has the mean summer heat of Bordeaux, in southern France jr 70° Fahrenheit, and Cumberland House, on the Saskatchewan, exceeds in tliis respect Brussels or Paris. It is remarked by Sir John Richardson, {n\v\ such also is the analogy of Russian Europe,) that the prairies south of 55° enjoy milder winters than the more eastern districts. I have no doubt that potatoes and the hardier garden vegetables, oati?, rye, .and barley, can be profitably cultivated as far north as 54° in the Saskatchewan district; that wheat, rnd such fruits as yield cider, are safe as fin- as 52^^; and that maize may be cultivated at least to latitude 50° ; while the country between 44° and 51° is as nearly as possible the counterpart of the temperate zone of European Russia. With the same system of canalage and a reasonable degree of railroad connexion, our vast northern plain can sustain as dense, and, with our institutions and land tenures, a denser population than the heart of the Russian empire. Its capacity to support life is shown by the variety and abundance of wild animals. Many of these might be domesticated, and would constitute a great resource. Besides innumerable fur-bearing creatures, there are four different kinds of deer; the cariboo or reindeer ranges from 50- to 66^; the Rocky mountain goat, whose wool is highly prized in the manufacture of shawls, fre- quents the highhinds from 40° to 60°; the Wiaon swarms in the prairies west of longitude 105^, and south of latitude 60'; and the streams and lakes abound i 54 RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES in choice varieties of fisli. No region of the globe is more riclily endowed with thepc allies and slaves of the human race. The rigorous winter climate is no obstacle to tlu; futun; occupation of these northern plains. The corresponding district of Russia, with the same climate, is, as already shown, the most populous and fiotirishing portion of the empire. There is much misappreh.ension on this subject. Mr. E. Merriam, a distin- guished meteorologist, states, in a revicAv of the recent Arctic expeditions, that nature has qualified man to breathe an atmosphere 120° above zero, or 60° below it, a difference of 180°, without injury to health; and the doctrine of physicians that great and sudden changes of temperature are injurious to health is disproved by recorded facts. With this general analysis, J proceed to more specific delineation, proceeding in the nan-ative of the general features of the country west from the British coast of Lake Superior. ITINERARY OF SIR GEORGE SIMPSON. I From the "Overland Journey Around the World in 1841-'42, of Grovemor Simpson, who was for more than thirty years the executive of the Hudson Bay Company," it is proposed to furnish an abstract of whatever seems pertinent to the present discussion, during his journey from Fort William, on the northwest shore of Lake Superior, to the summit of the Rocky mountains. These details have been gleaned from the pages of his published volume, and are arranged under dates as foUov/s : Mai/ 29. — Ascended the Kamanistaquoia river through forests of elm, oak, piue, birch, &c., the stream studded by islands not less fertile and lovely than its banks, reminding the party of the rich and quiet scenery of England. Of flowers, the violet and rose, and of fruits, the currant, gooseberry, raspberry, cherry, and oven the vine, are mentioned as abundant. Simpson anticipates that this "fair valley" will become the happy home of civilized men, and furnish a near and cheap supply of agricultural produce to the mines of the northern shore of Lake Superior. May 30. — Crossed the Dog Portage, about two miles in length, to the waters flowing westward into Rainy lake. The river from the summit is described as " a panorama of hill and dale, checkered with the various tints of the pine, the aspen, the ash, and the oak, while through the middle there meanders the silvery stream of the Kamanistaquoia." May 31. — A succession of difficult portages. June 1. — Another vexatious day's journey. June 2. — Arrived at Fort Francis, on Rainy lake. Until reaching the lake fonuer difficulties of navigation continued. 'J'he river Avhich empties Rainy lake into the Lake of the Woods is described as "decidedly the finest stream on the whole route, in move than one respect. From Fort Francis downwards, a stretch of nearly a hundred miles, it is not interrupted by a single impediment ; while yet the current is not strong enough materially to retard an ascending traveller. Nor are the banks," he adds, "less favorable to agriculture than the waters th(!mselves to navigation, resembling, in some measure, those of the Thames, mmv Richmond. From the very brink of the river there rises a gentle slope of green sward, crowned in many places with a plentiful growth of birch, poplar, beech, elm, and oak." And in this connexion, also, the tourist indulges in a vision of "crowded steamboats and populous towns." June 3. — Lake of the Woods was reached and nearly traversed. Its shores are represented as more rocky than those of Rainy lake, yet as very fertile, producing wild rice in abundance, and bringing maize to perfection. The lake is studded with wooded islands, Avhich, on account of their exemption from natural frosts, are especially adapted to cultivation. ^ AND NORTHWEST IIRITLSH AMERICA. 55 June 4-7. — After two and )• half dnyrt' jonrnoy «t of Lake Winnipeg arc Lakes Winnipegoos and Manitoba, with an outl((t flowing into Lake Winnipeg, in latitude 52°. Tributary to Lake Winnipegoos are the Red Deer and Swan rivers, which drain a country of rare beauty and fertility. A traveller, writing to a Canadian newspaper, describes its general features as rich prairies, inter- spersed with belts of heavy oak and elm ; while the itinerary of Sir George Simpson affords a most ;!;lowing picture of the sources of Swan river. Under date of July 14 he observes: "In thi.s part of the country we saw many sorts of birds, geese, loons, pelicans, ducks, cranes, two kinds of snipe, hawks, owls, and gulls ; but they were all so remarkably shy that we were constrained to admire them from a distance. In the afternoon we traversed a beautiful country with lofty hills and long valleys full of sylvan lakes, while the bright green of the surface, as far as the eye could reach, assumed a foreign tinge, under an unin- terrupted profusion of roses and blue-bells. On the summit of one of these hills we commanded one of the few extensive prospects we had of late enjoyed. One range of heights rose behind another, each becoming fainter as it receded from the eye, till the furthest was blended in almost undistinguishable confusion with the clouds, while the softest vales spread a panorama of hanging copses and glittering lakes at our feet." As Cumberland House is situated north of the valley of Swan river, upon the Saskatchewan, its name has been chosen to de;^ignate the district between longitude 100° and 105° and from latitude 52^ to 55°. An equal area im- mediately south, and between the parallels of 49° and 52°, is no less attractive and fertile. SASKATCH P:\VAN. There remains, from longitude 105° to US', and from latitude 49° to 55°, the respective valleys of the North and South Saskatchewan — ample in area and resources for four States of the extent of Ohio. I propose to consider the whole interval westward from the junction of the two rivers to the Rocky mountains without subdivision, as, indeed, it is presented by Colton's map of North America. The prairie districts adjacent to the South Saskatchewan are described by the Canadian explorers as inferior to the rich alluvial plains of the Red and Assiniboin rivers ; but Sir George Simpson's sketches of his route from Fort Carleton to Fort Edmonton are suggestive of a superior agricultural region. An authority in regard to the more western portions of the Saskatchewan is Father De Sraet, the devoted Jesuit missionary to the Indians of Oregon, men- tioned by Governor Stevens, in a recent address before the New York Geo- graphical Society, as " a man whose name is a tower of strength and faith," possessing high scientilic attainments and great practical knowledge of the country. His "Oregon Missions" is a publication of much interest, consisting of letters to his superiors ; and a portion of this volume narrates his explorations and adventures in the Saskatchewan valleys of the Rocky mountains. In Sep- tember, 1854, he left the source of the Columbia river in latitude 50", and crossed the Rocky mountains, descending their eastern slope in latitude 51°. He entered, on the 18th of September, "a rich valley, agreeably diversified with meadows, forests, and lakes, the latter abounding in salmon trout." This was a mountain valley, however, and it was not till three days afterwards that he reached Bow river, on the south of the Saskatchewan. Thence he continued northward, noticing sulphurous fountains and coal on the Red Deer, a branch 60 RELATIONS IJETWEEN THE UNITED STATES 1 of the IJow river. DoHcoiuling tlio valley of the Red Deer, which \h also described in very glowing terinn, at length he emerged upon what lie defcrihcs as " th(! vaKt plain — the ocean of prairies." On the evening of the same day the missionary reached and was hospitably received at the Rocky Mountain House, latitude 53°, and longitude ilCt°, and on the 3l8t October started for another journey on the plains ; but after two weeks' absence was compelled to seek refuge from the approach of winter (now the middle of November) at Edmonton House, on the upper Saskatchewan. From this shelter he tlius writes in general terms : " The entire region in the vicinity of the eastern chain of the Rocky mount- ains, serving as their base for thirty or sixty miles, is extremely fertile, abound- ing in forests, plains, prairies, lakes, streams, and mineral springs. The rivers and streams are innumerable, and on every side offer situations favorable for the constniction of mills. The northern and southern branches of the Saskatche- wan water the district I have traversed for a distance of about three hundred miles. Forests of pine, cypress, thorn, poplar, and aspen trees, as well as others of different khids, occupy a large portion of it, covering the declivities of the mountains and banks of the rivers. " These originally take their rise in the highest chains, whence they issue in every direction like so many veins. The beds and sides of these rivers are pebbly, and their course rapid, but as they recede from the mountains they widen, and the currents lose something of their impetuosity. Their waters are usually very clear. The country would be capable of supporting a large popu- lation, and the soil is favorable for the production of barley, com, potatoes, and beans, which grow here as well as in the more southern countries. " Are these vast and innumerable fields of hay forever destined to be con- sumed by fire, or perish in the autumnal snows 1 How long shall these superb forests be the haunts of wild beasts ? And these inexhaustible quarries — these abundant mines of coal, lead, sulphur, iron, copper, and saltpetre — can it be that they are doomed to remain forever inactive f Not so. The day will come when some laboring hand will give them value ; a strong, active, and enter- prising people are destined to fill this spacious void. The wild beasts will, ere long, give place to our domestic animals ; flocks and herds will graze in the beautiful meadows that border the numberless mountains, hills, valleys, and plains of this extensive region." Life at Edmonton during the winter season is thus sketched : "The number of servants, including children, is about eighty. Besides a large garden, a field of potatoes and wheat belonging to the establishment, the lakes, forests, and plains of the neighborhood furnish provisions in abundance. On my arrival at the fort the ice-house contained thirty thousand white fish, each weighing four pounds, and five hundred buffaloes — the ordinary amount of the winter provisions. Such is the quantity of aqixatic birds in the season, that sportsmen often send to the fort carts full of fowls. Eggs are picked up by thousands in the straw and weeds of the marshes. I visited Lake St. Anne, a missionary station fifty miles northwest from Edmonton. The surface of this region is flat for the most part, undulating in some places, diversified with forest,^ and meadows, and lakes teeming with fish. In Lake St. Anne alone were caught, last autumn, more than seventy thousand white fish, the most delicious of the kind. They are taken with a line at every season of the year. " Notwithstanding the rigor and duration of the winter in this northern region, the earth, in general, appears fertile. Vegetation is so formed in the spring and summer that potatoes, wheat, and barley, together with other vege- tables of Canada, come to maturity." On the 12th of March Father l)e Sraet started on his return trip, proceeding with sledges drawn by dogs over the snow to Fort Jasper, situated northwest AND NOKTHWEST BRITISH AMERICA. 61 from Edmonton, on the Atlmh/iHca rivor, Imit' n dcgrt'L' north of Intitutle 54*^. llcni occurred the foUowiu}? huntinf? adventure : " Provisions becomiu}? Hcarc*' at the fort at the moment when we had with us u conrtiderabh) number of Iroqnoirt from the HurroundinH. It in a {{reat inintako to nnpporte that th(; teinperatnre of the AUantic coant irt carried Htraiglit across the continc^nt to th( Pacific. 'I'he isothermals deflect {greatly to the north, and the teniiioratures of the nctrtheru Pacific are j)aralh'h'd in the hi{?h temperatures in high latitudes of western and central Europe. The latitud<'S whicli enclose the plateaus »>f the Missouri and Saskatchewan in Europe enclose the rich central j)ldins of the continent. The great grain-grow- ing districts of Russia lie between the 45th and 60th parallels ; that is, north of the latitudes of St. Paul, Minnesota, or Eastport, Maine. Indeed, the tempera- ture in sonic instances is higher for the same latitudes here than in central Europe. The isothermal of 70° for tln5 summer, which on our plateau ranges from along latitude 50° to 52°, in Europe skirts through Vienna and ( )dessu in about parallel 46°. The isothermal of 55° for the year runs along the coast of British Columbia, and does not go far from New York, London, and Sebastopol. Furthermore, dry areas an; not fotind above 47°, and there are no barren tracts of conse({uence north of the Bad Lands and the Coteau of the Missouri. The land grows grain finely, and is well wooded. All the grains of the temperate districts are here produced abundantly, and Indian corn may be grown as high as the Saskatchewan. " The buffalo winter as safely on the upper Athabasca as in the latitude of St. Paul, and the spring opens at nearly the same time along the immense line of plains from St. Paul to Mackenzie's river. To these facts, for which there is the authority of Blodgett's Treatise on the Climatology of the United States, may be added this, that to the region bordering the northern Pacific the finest maritime positions belong throughout its entire extent, and no part of the west of Europe exceeds it in the advantages of equable climate, fertile soil, and com- mercial accessibility of coast. We have the same excellent authority for the st4itement that in every condition forming the basis of national wealth the con- tinental mass lying westward and northward from Lake Superior is far more valuable than the interior in lower latitudes, of which Salt Lake and upper New Mexico are the prominent known districts. In short, its commercial and indus- trial capacity is gigantic. Its occupation was coeval with the Spanish occupation of New Mexico and California. The Hudson Bay Company has preserved it an utter wilderness for many long years. The Frazer river discoveries and emigration are facts which the company cannot crush. Itself must go to the wall, and the population of the great northwestern area begins." I add a briefer synopsis of the corresponding districts west of the Rocky mountains, mostly compiled from the results of the parliamentary inquiry into the affairs of the Hudson Bay Company. VANCOUVER'S ISLAND. This island is fertile, avcU timbered, diversified by intersecting mountain ranges, and small prairies, with extensive coal fields, compared to the West Riding of Yorkshire coal, and fortunate in its harbors. Esquimaux harbor, on which Victoria is situated, is equal to San Francisco. The salmon and other fisheries are excellent, but this advantage is shared by every stream and inlet of the adjacent coast. As to the climate, the winter is stormy, with heavy rains in November and December ; frosts occur in January, but seldom inter- rupt agriculture ; vegetation starts in February, progressing rapidly in March, and fostered by alternate warm showers and sunshine in April and May, while intense heat and drought are often experienced during June, July, and August. AND NOKTIIWEHT UKITIHH AMKKICA. G3 The iHlaiul linn an nrta of lU.aOO Hquiin- miles, or nn larp- nn Vrmiont and N«'\v Hain|iHliirc. KRA/BR AND IIIOMI'SfdN RIVKRM. Nnrtliwanl of Vancouver, the nioiuitninn trend h«» iicir the I'aoiric aw to oh- »tnu't intori'ourHp with tlio interior, hut " iufide," to uhc the Imifjiia^'e of a wit- newH, "it iw a fine open country." This in the vrhl ; " cliniate cnpalde of pro- ducinfif all the cropn . I En|^land, and nuich milder than Canada. 'Die Hcmrces of Frazer river, in latitude rifty-Hvc defrrees, are neparati-d from tlione <»f Peace river, which flowH through the Rocky mountainn eautwardly into the Athal)a«oa, hy the distance of only '.ill yards. .SOIIRCKS OF THK COLUMIilA. I BuppoHe that no portion of the continent is so little known, and still f>o at- tractive in all its natural features and resources, as the district which is watered by the Upper Columhia and its tributary, the McGillivray or Flathow river. David Thompson, in 1807, selected tlu; source of tlu; Columhia as a site of a trading post with Kootanais or Flathow Indians. Since; that date these Indians have made sensible progress to civilization under the iuHuence of the Oregon missions, as also have other more southern tribes on the; western sloja; of the Rocky mountains. Indeed, the relations of their missionary bishop. Father I)e Hmet, constitute a most glowing sketch of the oval district between Flathow river and the Upper Columbia, and which must have an extent of ::iO,000 s(|uare miles. I select some passages of descriptictn by Dc Smet, after passing north of the bonndary in latitude forty -nine (h'grees ; " Advancing toward the territory of the Kootanais, we were enchanted with the beautiful and diversified scenery. * ♦ * An extensive plain at the base of the Portage mountain (probably near the western extremity of th<; Kootanais Pass) presents every advantage for the formation of a city. The mountains surrounding this agreeable site are majestic and picturesque. They forcibly recalled to my memory the Mapaclio mountains tliat encompass the beautiful capital of Chili, (Santiago.) * • * The quarries and forests are inexhaust- ible, and, having remarked large pieces of coal along the river, I am convinced that this fossil could be abundantly procured. Great quantities (tf lead are found on the surface of the earth, and, from the appearance of its superior quality, we are led to believe that there may be some mixture of silver. * ♦ • After a few days' journey we arrived at the Prairie du Tabac, the usual abode of the Kootanais. Their camp is situated in an immense and delightful valley, bounded by two eminences, which, from their gentle and regular declivity, ap- pear to have originally bounded an extensive lake. * * * Thence I journeyed on towards the sources of the Columbia. The country we traversed was highly picturesque, and agreeably diversified by beautiful prairies, smiling valleys and lakes, surrounded by heavy and solemn pines, gracefully waving their flexible branches. We also crossed dark alpine forests, where the sound of the axe lias never resounded. * * * On the 4th of September I found myself at the source of the Columbia. " When emigration, accompanied by industry, the arts, and sciences, shall have penetrated the numberless valleys of the Rocky mountains, the source of the Columbia will prove a very important point. The climate is delightful ; the extremes of heat and cold are seldom known. The snow disappears as fast as it falls ; the laborious hand that would till these valleys would be repaid a hundred-fold. Innumerable herds could graze throughout the year in these 64 RKLAT10N8 UETWEEN THE UNITED 8TATE8 fin>iulow«, Tvlicro the Hoiirccn mu\ (^trcMm iiurfiir«> a poriM'tunl frorthtu-MH niul ul)iiii niouittuiiirt iirc ^ctiiTnlly Htiul(l(>(l with hicxhaii^tihhr ioroHti*, in which th<> Itirch tree, pin<- of (liftVroiit HiM'cit'H, vvdnv and cyprcHH nhoiind. • • • 'l'||,, advaiitaf^cri imturc hcm'iuh to have ht'Htr>w«'d on tht; nourcti of the (johuuhia will rctidcr iti* f^i-of^rnnhinil poHitioii very iin)ioi-taut at Honio futiirn day. 'IMio ma^^ic hand of civilizca man would tnuirtfonn it into a tcrn'Htrial paradinc." It irt an intiTCHtini; coincidonco that Dt; 8mi>t publinhcd in a 8t. LouiH paixT, in 1858, a nimilar dcKcription of thiH n>};ion, addinji^ that it c NoliTHWEST MIMTISH AMKUICA. rif) fwim aixl tlic Miukciizii' rivjTH How, wliitli i- s.t liijrlily |trirM<' IiiimU. Alxnit oiu- IniiDln)! jumI til'tv imIIih niHt of tlir Kucky iiioiiiitaiiiH tlu' ffn-iit ooal Itcd coiiuiiciicch, wliidi ;;ivcH our territory ho j;rnit mi lulvitiita^r over tliat wliicli lit'r< to tlir noiitli. So far an Iimm ytt Im-i-ii aHcrrtaiiirtI, it i(* over fifty iiiilcH iti width aiul i-xtnidi* (■oiitiiiiiniir*ly over Hixtccii df'jjrrcrt of latitiidf, to tli«' Arctic oi-faii. Tlir (litHculty of (U'cidiii}; iiiion tlu' ap' of tin- lictli* tlirou}j;li wliicli tlii" lower tart of Mackni/ir rivt-r Howh ih inert anrd liy tin- occurmic*' ainonj; tlifiii of a ignite formation, covered in |MirtF* Ity dee|) ImmI.'I of naiid, capped l)y lionldern and jjravel. 'I'lie xoft friable Hlialet* forniin;,' llie Itank of the river near its ter- irtiiiation in the Arctic nea are alH(» pitr(»nf.'ly inipre^'uated with alum. Theao alimiinouH nhaleH cov«'r u larj^e portion of the delta of Mackenzie river, are con- tinued alon^ the hankn of I'eel'K river to the foot of the Rocky mountainn, and have hoen traced for a coiiHiderahle distance alou);; the conHt, and alr and sonu'times with thick beds of clay, the interposin}^ layers beinfj; often dark from the dis.>»emination of bituminous matter. " The coal when recently ex- tracted from the bed," says Sir Jcdin llichardson, " is massive, and most gouo- rally shows the Avoody structure distinctly ; the beds appearin^j^ to be c, (soap- stone,) fine specimens of asbestos and octynolitc?; on the mainland, opposite to Bouverie island, some verdigris substance among reddish sandstone, variegated with serpentine ; and at Liddou island a species of ironstone, wliich, from its weight, appeared to be a rich ore, a good deal of asbestos, black slatr, and in- dications of coal. During his second voyage for the discovery of the northwest passage. Sir John Ross observed copper ore and agate at Agnew river, and gypsum, red marl, a rock studded with garnets, and white, pink, and yellow ([uartz, at Elizn- beih harbor. Franklin and Richardson, in their Joint expeditions through the heart of the t(!rritory and along its Arctic shores, discovered, on the banks of Hill ri, «'r, beds of quartz rocks containing precious garnets, also mica slate; at Knee lake, primitive greenstone with disseminat(,'d iron pyrites; at Trout river, mag- netic iron ore and well crystalized precious garnets; at Lake Winnipeg, a beau- tiful china-like chert, and " arenaceous deposits and rocks having a close resemblance to those of Pigeon bay, of Lake Superior, where argentiferous veins occur;" at Cumberland House, on the Saskatchewan, salt and sulphur springs and coal ; at Elk river, bitumen in such (juantity as to How in str«>ams from fissures in the rock; upon the shores of Lake Athabasca, tht* finest plumbago and chlorite slate. In a letter addressed to Sir R. Murchison, Sir John Richardson says that '• towards the mouth of the Coppermine river there are magnificent ranges of trap, wiih ores of lead and copper, including much malachite." H(; also states that a rolled piece of chromate of iron was picked up there, " which is a mineral Aery valuable o?i account of the beautiful pigments which are manufactured from it." From the Rocky mountains Sir Jtdni Richardson obtained a specimen of a pearl-grey serai-opal, resembling obsidian; also some plumbago and specular iron. Referring to the country about Slav(» river, he says : " The great (juan- tity of gypsum in immediate connexion with extremely co])ious and rich salt springs, and the great abundance of petroleum in this formation, together with the arenaceous, soft, marly, and brecciated beds of dolomite, and, above all, the circumstance of the latter being by far the most common and extensive rock in the deposit led me to think that the limestone of the; Elk and Slave rivers was equivalent to the sechstein of the continental geologists." The salt springs, situated fixrther to the south, from which l.u-ge quantities of pure common salt are deposited. Sir John Richardson classes as belonging to the celebrated Onon- dago salt group of the New York Helderberg series. By Sir Williani Ijogau's report it appears that from the latter springs "no less than 3,134,317 bushels of salt were profitably manufactured in 1851." From the many valuable salt springs which exist throughout the Hudson bay territory the finest salt could be obtained, which article would of itself become a considerable source of wealth were the country occupied by settlers in any number, and were the valuable and varied fisheries of its coast and rivers prosecuted to any extent. The foUoAving are some of the specimens which Avere collected by Captain Back in his journey from Great Slave lake, down tlu^ (Jreat Fish river, to the Arctic sea, in 1831 : Loose Avorn pebbles of blueish-gray chalcedony, brown 68 RELATIONS IJETWEKN THE UNITED STATES II il I Ml jasper, and frnpfmcntH of a con^floinerate, consisting of fiorticnis of iTddish jaBper, Hinty slate, and quartz of various hues of ^riij and brown, a variegated marl of a greenisli-gray color. Of the mineral wealth of a large portion of the territory Sir John Richardson thus speaks in general terms, in a communication puV)lished in the Journal of the Geographical Society for 1845: "The countries, by the expeditions of Sir .lohn Franklin and Captain Ikek, are rich in minerals ; inexhaustible coal fields skirt the Rocky mountains through twelve degrees of latitude; beds of coal crop out to the surface on various parts of the Arctic coast ; veins of lead ore traverse the rocks (»f Coronation Gulf, and the Mackenzie river Hows through a well-wooded tract, skirted by metalliferous ranges of mountains, and offers no obstruction to steam navigation for upwards of twelve hundred miles." The gold discoveries in the ranges of the Rocky mountains are so remarkable as to require a separate consideration at a later stage of this report. PART II, THE HISTORY AND ORGANIZATION OF 'J HE HUDSON BAY COMPANY. It has already been shown that the Hudson Bay Company no longer holds a license of exclusive trade with the Indians in Northwest British America. This expired in June, 1859, and Sir E. B. Lytton, then colonial secretary, interposed to prevent its renewal. Upon the Pacific coast and in the valley of the Mackenzie the company has no privileges over individuals, either in respect to trade or territorial dominion. A proprietary right to the scattered trading posts, as in- closures of land, will doubtless be recognized as surveys are extended. Over the shores of the Hudson bay and thi; districts drained by all its tribu- taries the company claims exclusive proprietary right — to be absolute lord of the soil. I annex an abstract of the royal charter, Avhicli is the foundation of this claim to the country, known as Rupert's Land or Hudson Bay Territory. The company's charter of incorporation is dated May 2, 1670, in the 22d year of King Charles the Second. It is given at length in the I'arliamentary paper No. 547, sess. 1842. The preamble states that certain persons, seventeen in number, to wit, Prince Rupert, Christopher, (Duke of Albermarle,) William, (Earl of Craven,) Henry Lord Arlington, Antony Lord Ashley, Sir John Rob- inson, Sir Robert Vyner, Sir Peter CcUeton, Sir Edward Hungerford, Sir Paul Kneele, Sir John Griffith, Sir Philip Cartei'et, James Hayes, John Kirke, Francis Millington, William Prettyman, and John Fenu, esquires, and John Port- man, citizen and goldsmith, " have, at their own cost and charges, undertaken an expedition to Hudson bay, in the northwest part of America, for the discovery of a new passage into the South sea, and for the finding of some trade for furs, minerals, and other considerable commodities ; and by such their ;inder- taking have already made such discoveries as to encoin-age them to proceed further in pursuance of their said design, by means whereof there may probably arise a very great advantage to us and our kingdom ;" and had therefore peti- tioned for a charter of incorporation. On these considerations, his Majesty " being desirous " to promote all endeavor" tending to " the public »iooD," pro- ceeds to incorporate the persons aforesaid taider the title of " The governor and company of adventurers of England treading into Hudson bay," with " per- petual succession " and all customary corporate privileges, appointing Prince Rupert the first governor thereof, and seven of the other petitioners the first committee." The charter confers the " sole trade .and commerce of all those seas, straits, bays, rivers, lakes, creeks, and sotmds, in whatsoever latitude they shall be, that lie within the entrance of the straits commonly called Hudson's straits, to- gether with all the lands and territories, coasts and confines of the seas, bays. AND NORTHWEST BRITISH AMERK^A. 69 peti- " per- ; first ktraittJ, (all be, Its, to- bays. M lakes, rivers, creeks, and sounds aforesaid, that are noi ...ieady actually pos- sessed by or },'ranted to any of our subjects, or j>o.i.sc.ssei/ hy the suhjertsof any other Christian prinee orlSfatc." In a subsequent part of the charter the <;rant is extended to "all havens, bays, creeks, rivers, lakes, and si ;.s, into which they (the company) shafl find entrance or jtassagc liy iruter or land, out of the territories, liniits, or 'places aforesaid,''' which, taken literally, may mean no »nly the whole continent of America, but the whole world, or at least such portions of both as were not "possessed by the subjects of any other Christian prince or state." All tin; earth was clearly accessible by land or water from Hudson bay. Coupled Avith the grant there was the reservation that the territories should '• be from henceforth reckoned and reputed as one of our plautatit^ns or colonies in America, called Rupert's Laud," but the governor and company for the time being, and in all time, wen^ declared to be " tnu' and absolute lords and proj)rieiors of the same territory," holding it as the "ntancn- of East Ureenwich," and paying for it yearly "/e^o clhs and two hiack heavers, whensoever and as often as we, our heirs and successors, shall happen to enter" into the said countries, territories, and regions hereby granted. The authority of the company rests upon this charter, but in 1G90 the com- pany sought for and obtained an act of Parliament to confirm it. In the body of this act the confirmation is "forever;" but whilst tin; bill was passing through Parliament the Commons limited it to "ten years," the Lords to "seven;" and the bill ultimately passed with the following rider: ''Provided always, Th&t this act shall continue in force for the term of seven years, and from thence to the end of the next session of Parliament, and no longer." At the end of the seven years tlu; companv introduced a new bill, but, appre- hending a defeat, withdrev,- it ; and from that day to this it has relied solely for all its assumed territorial and trading rights over Rupert's Land to its original charter. The claim of England to Hudson bay was founded upon a presumed dis- covery of Henry Hudson, who, in IGIO, was the first navigator that sailed into the strait that leads into the bay. It does not appear that he sailed into the bay, for his crew, having mutinied, cast him adrift somewhere in the entrance of the strait, and he was never again heard of. The French, however, accordmg to Charlevoix, vol. 1, page 476, had discovered Hudson bay at an earlier period, having arrived at its shores through means of the river flowing into James's bay from the countries lying to the eastward .ind northward of Quebec. And the French had likewise penetrated, by means of the St. Lawrence and the great lakes, to those vast countries lying to the westward of Hudson bay, and even as far as the Pacific. At sill events, the French, at a very early day, exercised a control and had acquired possession of the entire Winnipeg basin. In 1G26 Louis XIII granted a charter to a company called the Company of New France, conferring upon them exclusive rights and privileges, and giving them an absolute control over all the country of New France, called Canada, (dite Canada,) and the boundaries decided in that act or charter are definite, certain, and explicit, and are almost precisely those by which the Hudson Bay Company describe what they call their territories in more recent times. In 1670, forty-three years subsequent to the grant of the French monarch, and wliilst France continued in the possession of Hudson bay and all the country west of it, Charles the Second of England made the great charter already mentioned. The geographical knowledge of Charles, though very limited and imperfect as regards those straits, was evidently not so circumscribed but that some idea existed that they might lead to the possession of scmie other power, for a pro- viso exists in the charter excluding from the operations of the grant " all lands, &c., possessed by the subjects of any other Christian prince or state." The 70 RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES I <'i n it II n It compjiny. however, actinf^ under tlie charter, built fortn on the shore*^ of Ilud- Hon hay, in opi<()t*ition to tlione erected by the French company, and the trade of tlie two was conducted amid a continual Htrife, and flourished until, by the treaty of Ryswick, in 1607, the Enfrlinh forts in Hudson bay were ceded to France, liancroft, in his histfry (A' the I'nited States, thus records the result of that treaty : " In America, France retained all Hudson bay and all th»> places of which she was in possession at the bef;;innin<5 of the war ; in other words, Avith the ex- ception of the eastern moiety of Newfoiuidland, France retained the whole coast and adjacent islands from Maine to beyond liabrador and Hudson bay, hesides Canada and the valley of the Mississipjn." — (Vol. 2, pa;;e h)2.) As the treaty alluded to makes no allusion or reservation rej^arding the sup- posed rights of the Hudson Hay (jompany, it is urged by Canadians that the charter really had no existence legally, and was not recognized, or it was abro- gated by the treaty. France held Hudson bay until 1714, when, by the treaty of Utrecht, Hudson's straits and Hudson bay were made over to England, and that was the first time that she acquired an undisputed right to that region of country, nearly half a century after the date of the charter by Charles II. It was, however, provided by the articles of this last mentioned treaty, " That it shall be entirely free to the cc»mpany of Quebec, and all the other subjects of the most Christian king, to go by land or by sea whithersoever they please out of the lands of the said bay, together Avitii all their goods, mei'chandise, arms, and effects." The French traders, after having left Hudson bay, confined themselves to that channel of trade which the great lakes opened out to them, and passing up through Lake Superior they spi'ead themselves over the country westward, by establishing posts at Rainy lake, the U])per Mississippi, the Red river, and on the Assinniboin and Saskatchewan rivtis. The Hudson Bay Company then occupied the few forts along the shores of Hudson bay, and for the succeeding one hundred years contented themselves with trading around Hudson bay, and claiming no greater territory than those shores afforded them. In 1763 Canada was ceded to England. About three years subsequent to the conquest, namely, in 1766, many British subjects, mostly of Scotch origin, engaged in the fur trade, and following the route pursued by the French tradc^rs carried their enterprises as far westward as the French had penetrated, and occupied many of the posts of these their prede- cessors in the valley of the Saskatchewan. And they even stretched away northward, and single-handed entered into direct competition with the Hudson Bay Company, which at that period confined their traffic to the coasts of Hud- son bay only. These circumstances were instrumental in originating a powerful organization in Montreal, vmder the style of the Northwest Company, in the winter of 1783, and from that date down to 1821 that company successfully competed against the Hudson Bay Company, treating the charter of Charles the Second as a nullity, in accordance with the written legal opinions of the then leading law- yers of England, Brougham, Gibbs, Spankie, Piggot, &c., &c. The Northwest Company was not a chartered one, but as the successors to the old French tradei'S they pursued a very lucrative trade throughout the whole western country, via the lakes, trading to the shores of the Pacific, and pene- trating to regions which the French had not reached. Their fleets of canoes, laden with goods for the Indians, or furs for Montreal, traversed the continent in every direction through the connected chain of rivers and lakes from Mon- treal to Puget's soiHid. A perusal of Sir Alexander Mackenzie's voyages will afford some idea of the scale upon which the commercial enterprises of the Can- adian company were carried cm over the western part of the continent for nearly half a century, before the Hudson Bay Company entered there. This latter AM) NORTHWEST lUMTISH AMKRICA Tl coinpany, up to 1811, liad coiiHm'd tlicir cliiim to tlic slioros of tlif Hudson bay, and then, as now, tlicy rcfcivtd all their supplies from Kiifjjlaiid, ria Hud- Hou bay, wliilst the Northwest Company took theirs from Montreal. In 18ril the Northwest Compiiny united with the Hudson May (.'ompany, and under this latter name became the asserttirs of claims which, durinj;; tho period of half a centiuy, tiny had always denounced and successfully defied. Tlic pooph^ of Minnesota, while sliarin}? fully the Canadian opinion that tin.' charter of the Hudson liay Ccmipany pr«'sents no valid obstacle to tho as- sumptifMi by parliament to territorial dominion in the valleys of the Red River and Saskatcliewan — vesting it in a provincial frovernment — by no meaiirf assent to the denunciations of that remarkable organization. Its numerous pctsts ex- ercise a wholesome police over the Indian tribes; under tin; protection of its officers scientific investigation has been prosecuted in all directions; travellers are always assured of humane and hospitable treatment; and missionary enter- prises receive etficient encouragement. There is reason to believe that the leading men of the company, both in England and northwest America, oidy need to be satisfied that an energetic colonizatiftn will succeed their jjresetit oc- cupation, when they will cheerfully accept a parliamentary adjustment of their possessory rights, and co-operate in the establishment of representative institu- tions and in whatever measures will contribute to the material development of agricultural and mineral resources. The members of the company who reside in America can readily perceive how tliey may receive an hundred fold more advantage as jtroprietors of future cities and towns than us incorporated fur- traders. Fort William on Thunder' ba}-, Lake Superior, north shore; Fort Francis on Rainy river; Fort Garry on Red River; Carlton, Pitt, and Edmonton on the north Saskatchewan ; Chesterfield on its south branch ; and other points on the Pacific slope will be the scenes of operations far more remunerative and exciting than these trading posts hav(; ever before witnessed. Many particulars of the policy of tin; Hudson Bay Company can be more properly presented in connexion with the narrative of the Selkirk settlement. PART III. SELKIRK SETILEMENT— ITS FOUNDATION, INSTITUTIONS, AND A(iUICULTlIUE. This interesting community, which for nearly half a century has occupied the interior of British America, isolated until lately from all the activities and excitements of the world, is so closely related in its early annals to the French and English colonization of the continent, and the struggles foi the fur trade of the north, that some repetition of historical statements already made will be unavoidable in the present connexion.* EARLV SETTLKMENT OK SELKIRK. Over one hundred years ago French adventurers, eager to extend the area of their fur trade and the limits of the French dominions, pushed their explorations through the rivers which debouche on the northern sh(u-e of Lake Superior be- yond Winnipeg. In an old map reproduced in Mr, Neill's history of Minnesota, and dated as eirly as 1762, Fort La Reine is designated at the confluence of the Assinniboin and Red rivers, where the coureurs des bois from the French establishment at Mackinac used to trade with the Omahas and Assinniboins, A *' I am greatly indclitcil to tlic successive iml)liciitions of Hon. J. A. Wheelock, coimiiis- sioncr of sttitistics of the Stsite of MinnesoUi. for tlie luateritils of this ch ipter. Mr. Whee- lock's annual j>ul)licjitions for 186(l- '61 exhibit im intelligent sijipreciiition of the new epoch of development whidi has heconie imminent in northwest Ihitish America, and the magni- tude of commercial and social results to the adjacent American States. •;1 I i 72 RELATIONS UETWEEN THE UNITED STATES similar tnuliii}? ietitors, who liad estahlislied a traffic on th«! shor(!8 of Hudson l)ay, and pive rise to a hinj; series of disorders and excesses. Josepli Frohisher and his brother, who went h(!yond the fifty-ninth degree of latitude to Churchill and Pile In Crossv, and Peter I'ond, who in 1778 entcnjd English river and tlu; river L'Orignal, where ho passed the winter, are the principal names associated with the earlier exjdorations of this country. In 1781 four canoes filled with traders ascended the Saskatchewan to the high- lands which divide its sources from the valley of the jNIackenzie. In 1783 the Northwest Company, principally com])osed of the persons already mentioned, was organized, and waged a bitter competition with numerous rivals. In 1787 the several fur companies, who had been contending for the exclusive trade of the Indians of the northwest, consolidated under the nam undulating plnins." Bnt avarice and jealousy tbllowed them even to ther^e solitudes. Tlie North- west Company never looked with favor on the {growth of the settlement, which was re^^arded as a scheme of tln.'ir rivals uf the Hudson J^ay Company to dis- possess them of tin; 'ucrafivc; posts which I hey occupied in the neif^hhorhood ; and in the summer of 1814 Duncan Cameron and Alexander ^fcDonnel wore appointed at a meetinfj; of tin; partners of the company to concert measures to sto}) the progress of tlie colony. In pursuance of this design, Cannron, who spoke the fJaelie with fluency, artfully insinuated himself into the confidence of the Higldaiidt r.s, mid without evincing direct hostility to the jilans of Selkirk, gradually sowed the seeds of disafllection in tin; settlement, which, in the spring of 1815, culminated in the desertion of a nundter of the colonists to the quarters of the Nortiiwestern Company, M'hose employt'-s in the meanwhile had broken open the storehouse of tin; colony and carried away tlu'ir field ])ieces. Endeavors were also made, with pai'tial success, to excite the minds of the Indians against the settlers. A murderous attack was mad(! by the Northwest party on the governor's house, who was seized and carried off to Montreal by Cameron. McDonnel followed up this outrage with a series of aggressions on the settlers. Persecuted to ex- tremity, they were again forced to abandon their homes. About this time, says Mr. Neill, toward the latter part of the pleasant month of June, two Ojibwa chiefs amved with forty braves and offered to escort the persecuted settlers, with their property, to Lake' Winnipeg. Guarded by the grim children of the forest from the assaults of their foes, they, like the Acadian peasants in "Evangeline," were "friendless, homeless, hopeless." The mournful picture of the Acadian expatriation was mourn- fully fulfilled, even in the sad sight of their dwellings wrapped in the flames which the incendiary's torch had lighted. In the following spring the fugitives returned to their colony under the pro- tection of an officer of the Hudson Bay Company, who arrested Cameron and sent him to England for trial. In the meantime the Earl of Selkirk, learning of the distresses of the colonists, sailed for America. He arrived at New York in the fall of 181.5, where rumors of their defection reached him, and in the following spring h(> set out for the colony with a military escort, which he had organized from some disbanded military companies. At Sault St. Marie tidings of new disasters reached him. Semple, the governor of the territory of the Hudson Bay Company, who had but just taken possession of his new quarters on Red River, was attacked by a party of the employes of the Northwestern Company and killed, with a number of his men, in the affray. The settlers were again exjielled from their homes by the victorious ma- rauders, and were already on their way to the sea-coast, when they were re- called by the welcome news of Selkirk's approiich. A reinforcement of (Mni- grants, sent to the colony under his direction, had preceded him. Incensed at the atrocities which had been perpetrated by the agtints of the Northwestern Company, he had proceeded with his forct; to the headquarters of that company, at Fort William, on Lake Superior, and, having apprehended the principal parties, sent them to Montreal for trial. His arrival at Red River soon retrieved the affairs of the colony, and he left it the following year in a floiuishing condition. Owing, however, to the scarcity of seed, which was the natural consequence of the difficulties already stated, the harvest of 1817, though the yield Avas prolific, was insufficient to supply the wants of the increasing population, and hunting was again resorted to for subsistence. They set out in December across the plains to join a distant camp of Pembina half-breed hunters and Indians. 74 RKLATIONS HKTWKEN THE UNITED STATES 11 Si Tlioy ronclicd it, iit't«*r a joiiriicy (»t' torriltlc siiffcrinfr, to find tlio Uiiff'alo ncnroo, and tlif ojinip subsistinfj imon scanty tan-. Sprinj; renewed their lioiies. The Hunnnor waH propitious. 'Vhv. harvest was ah-eady ripe for the sickle, wlion n ncAV and terrihie calamity betel thorn. It was at this epoch, in tin; summer (»f 1818, that the {jrassiioppers, which, for the past and present years, have apdn devastated those settlements, and extended tlu'ir depredations over a considerable part of Minnesota, made tlieir first recorded appearance in that rcfjjion. The vast armies of those insects dark- ened the air, an(( passed over the land like a consuming fire, licking up every green thing. 'J'lu! ncjxt year (1819) the havoc Avas even worse. "They were produced," says Ross, " in masses two, tln'oe, or four inches in depth. The water was infected with them. Along the river they were to be found in heapa like, sea-weed, and might be shovelle«l with a spade. Every vegetable substance was either eat(!n up or stripped to the bare stalk. The bark of trees shared the same fate. Even fires, if kindled out of doors, were immediately extinguished by them." The hunter's lift; alone seemed left to the despairing colonists, but one more effort was made to retrieve tlieir condition. During the winter of 1819-'20 a deputation of settlers travelled a thousand miles on snow shoes across Minnesota to I'rairie du Chien for seed. The details of the return trip in the spring of 182iO are highly interesting. Three Mackinac boats laden with wheat, oats, and peas started, on the I5th of April, from l^rairie du Chien for the Selkirk settlements on Red River. " On tin; third day of May the boats passed through Lake Pepin ; the voyage was continued on Minnesota river to Big Stone lake, from which a portage Avas made iuto Lac Traverse, a mile and a half distant, the boats being moved across on rollers." On the third day of June the party arrived at Pembina, where, on opposite sides of the stream of that name, the Hudson Bay and Northwest Companies had rival trading posts. This eventful voyage is one of the most striking incidents in the clu'onicles of the settlement, and, as remarked by Oovenior Sibley in an address delivered by him, " is worthy of note, as it is the only instance of heavy articles being transported the entire distance from Prairie du Chien to the Red River by water, Avith the exception of the narroAv portage between Big Stone lake and Lake Traverse." The next two years of continued prosperity repaired the disasters which had heretofore assailed the colony. In 1821 the tAvo great rival trading companies, tired of useless bloodshed and expensive strife, consolidated, under the name of the Hudson Bay Company, and their union seemed to secure the future peace and safety of the settlement. In the same year a number of Swiss arrived in the colony. Clockmakers in profession, the new pursuits to Avhich they were called were not congenial to them. Like the Swiss soldiers of Napoleon, they grew homesick, and pined for their native mountain homes. The settlement was not done with calamity. Misfortune, Avhich had pursued it in every fonn, in each successive visit took shapes more appalling than the last. The Avinter and spring of 1825-'26 brought a fresh train of disasters. In the month of December a furious storm overtook a large party of buflfalo hunters in the northern plains of Minnesota, and drove the buffalo out of their reach. Relying solely on the flesh of this animal for subsistence, cut off by the Avide Avaste of deep snoAvs from the nearest settlement at Pembina, nearly 200 miles distant, they had no resource in this emergency. Starvation stared them in the face. Fuel was as inaccessible as food. Imprisoned in the deep snoAvs, overAvhelmed Avith cold and hunger, numbers perished in the camp, or in a vain attempt to reach Pembina, before rumors of their situation reachecl the colony. The calamities of the settlers reached their climax in the ensuing spring, A\'hen the melting suoavs poured their torrents into the streams. The year 182G is ursued an the In luntors reach. wide ) miles lem in snoAvs, a vain lony. , when 82C is AND NORTHWEST nRITISH AMERICA. 76 niemorahlc in their cuh-Jidar afl the year of the fidod. ( hi the 2d of May the Rod Itiver rcse nine feet in twenty-fonr liourn, and Ity the r>\\i tlio level plainn were nnhnierged. The waters eontinned to rise till the Slnt, when lion^ieH and hams were swept off" in the delu{?e. The setth-rs Hed to the distant hills, whence tlic wat<'rs swept over the wide plains as far as the eye conld see. The Hood ahated in Jnne, " and sncii," says Mr. Neill, " is the snrprisinf"^ (jnicknesrt with which vegetation matures live dej^rees of latitude north (»f St. Paul, that wheat j)lnnted on the 22d of June came to niattirity." The discontented Swiss, driven from their homes hy the flood, did not return to the settlement, but departed for the L'nited States and settled at ditlerent j)oints on the hanks of the Mississippi. It is a curious historical fact, that the first emigrants to Minnesota were the Swiss refugees from Red River, in 182G, who opened farms on the present site of St. Paul and near Fort Siielliug ; and according to our historian, should he recognized as the iirst actual settlers of the State. Since this destructive inundation no event has occurred in the history of the settlement to interrupt the calm course of its prosperity, until the year 18r»2 brought another recurrence of the deluge which had swejit over the plains twenty-six years before. The waters in that year rose a foot high(;r than in 182G. In consequence of the exposure of the settlement at Pembina to these ruinous casualties, a new site Avas selected for the (Jatholic missions at that place, near Mount Pembina, f(»rty miles distant, at a j)lace called St. Josejdi. A visit of Colonel Sumner, of the United States army, to Pembina, in 1844, to stop the <'ncroachments of the Rritish lialf-breeds on the buft'alo ranges of Minnesota, and Governor Ramsey, in 1 8.51, to make a treaty with the Upper Chippewas ; an occasional battle with the Yancton Sioux ; the arrival of a new missionary, or the visit of an explorer ; the success or failure of a season's hunt, and the yearly expeditions from the settlement to the new cities which have arisen during the last ten years on the headwaters of the Mississippi ; the excitement of their return, freighted Avith curious Avarcs to gratify the fancy of the delighted Avomen and children, are all the incidents of their lives, until the prospect of emancipation from the control of the Hudson Bay Company gave a new impetus and an intelligent direction to the discontents Avhich have been long brewing in the colony. In 1859 the introduction of steamboat navigation added to the prcA-alent ex- pectation and excitement, Avhile, in 18G2, the discovery of gold on the sources of the Saskatchewan is a further signal of a ncAV epoch in the history of the community. INSTITUTIONS OF SELKIRK SETTLEMKNT. Government. — The settlements upon the Red RiAcr of the North, from the international boundary at Pembina to the mouth of the river in Lake Winnipeg, and upon the Assinniboin river, for a distance of sixty miles Avest of its junc- tion with the Red River at Fort Garry, have acquired a civil organization, under appointments of the Hudson Bay Company, which is officially designated as the "Colony of Assinuiboia." LegislatiA^e and judicial authority is vested in a council representing the clergy and leading citizens. The officer in charge at Fort Garry presides in council and over the courts, and acts as governor of the colony. Imports of goods, whether brought from Europe or the United States, are charged with a duty of four per centum, constituting a revenue for the support of government. Land can he purchased at seven shillings sterling per acre, with liberal credits and Ioav interest — the Hudson Bay Company holding the relation of grantor. Religion. — Of the population of 10,000 souls, fully one-half are under the spiritual jurisdiction of the Catholic bishop of Saint 13oniface; the remainder, except about one thousand Presbyterians, attend upon the services of the church 76 RELATIONS IJETWEEN THE UNITED HTATES of Kn^luiul. Tlu! (lioccpf of IluiH'rt'rt Laiul is only Imuiulcd on the wont hy the llofky nionntninf, on tlic north l»y tlio Arctic; occftn, and on tlir rast by tin- liniitH of Ciuiada; itn hinlio)) i.s Right Ucvcn'nd David AnderHon, D.l). Between the Catholic and l'roter*tantmi,>iHionH, which reach the nm.-t remote di«- trictH, and exert a Hiihitary inHnence upon the native ))n[tnhition, then' are entab- lished the niowt fraternal rehifions. At Red River, almost within siglit of eacli other, are numerous parisli churches and schools, to whose intiuence a remarkable degree of intidligcnce and morality may be attributed. Education. — A newsjm[»er, a public library, nunujrous and well-conducted schools, and the inHnence of cu'*ivated and «!ven scientific men, wlio are often found in this comj)any's service, avd who usually retire at the age of fifty years witli liberal incomes, fouiuling families at Selkirk, concur with the ecclesiastical organization to prodtu'c a favorabh; condition of society. The general appearance of tbe farm.'* and tenements of the people is identical with the settlements of the Lower St. LuAvrencc river. ( LI.MATIC ADAPTATION TO AORICILTI UK. The climate of the Red River valley is characterized by extremes of tempera- ture probably greater than any other part of the continent; while the annual mean is higher than that of the same parallels of western Europe, including some of the best agricultural regions of that continent. The dift'crence between its liottcst and coldest months, as compared with other climat' ^ of great annual range, will be shown in the following table, as also the di' uce between the mean winter and summer temperatures : Place. Red Hiver seltlemont Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Green Bay, Wisconsin Detroit, Michigan Montreal, Canada Ozenburg, Russia n Si N ^^ c 2 a 3 S C o Z 'A s x .a s^ o g .'s.a a iflference bet summer and ter. V < o Q yi o O ' 34.38 82.15 74. Gl 50 15 44. (! 5H. 7 54.5 44 53 1 44.8 52. 6 48.1 43 31 47.2 42.8 40.8 42 20 42.3 55.7 51.0 45 31 35.6 6G.38 59.66 50 46 9 a !)3 89 82 10 28 58 73 34 55 6E. It is the excessive cold of the long winter season, embracing five months of the year in this latitude, wdiich reduces the annual mean. The mean for the three winter months of December, January, and February, at the Red River settlement, is 6° 85'. At Fort Snelling it is 16° ; at Green Bay, 19° 9'; at Detroit, 26° 8'; at Montreal, 16° 3'. But it must be remembered that the Red River settUimeut lies upon the very edge of this climatic belt, in close proximity to the arctic declivity of Hudson Bay, and is by far the coldest part of the whole basin of the Winnipeg. The climate grows rapidly warmer on the same parallels westward, even when there is an increase of elevation. It is warmer at Fort Benton, on the Missouri, than at Saint Paul, Fort Ben- ton being 7^ degrees of longitude west of Saint Paul, while it is 2 J degrees ol latitude further north, and 1,843 feet higher in relative elevation. AND NORTHVVKST MKITIMH AMEUKA. Tf 10 28 58 34 6E. Tieeu very lidsou The Ithcre Ben- ■4 I* "The inouii winter tciiiiM-ratiin' at Fort Hniton," myt< Hlodjcctt, "in twt'Uty- fiv«' !lu|iiiH>iit. 'I'li<> iiinni of tlif two iiiontlirt ot' .Inly niid Aiij^iirtf in Kixty-««'vni il UiviT vulloy tMM)V l)«(l for corn C* KxrcHH :i.7r) Mean ti'inpcratun' of July 71.10 R)>(|iiir<>4l tor com <)7 KXC«'MM I.IG Mean trinpcraturt' of two montliH of July and August (57 llc(iuir<'d for wlu'at <)^ Kxccrtrt r> 'V\u' following faldc will H-rvc for i-oinpariMon Ix-twocn tin- .-tuniinn- tfUipcra- turtt* of tlin llt'd ilivor with the rich agricultural clinuitcs of thf south : Local itieii. lloil River Fort HmllluK ChicitKu Mu»ciitin<', Iowa... Kt'iiiwha. V.'i.x'O'isin I'tica, New iork .. Toronto Siimiiicr lllt'iiU. o 07.76 70.6 (57. :< (>8. (i (i.'). a 66.5 03.98 It will tliiiri be seen that tho t»uinmor climate of Rod River i.-< wannor than that of any of tho localitiori indicated in tho above table, except Fort Snolling and Mufcatine, Iowa; warmer than that of Northern Illinoi.**, Wef«tern Wisconfin, Northern New York, or Western Canada. Its Juno is warmer than in any of the points given, its June and July Manner than any except Fort Snelling, while its Augusts are cooler than any of the rest. The last-named hicality, in the same latitude; as the Red River settlement, with a corresponding geographical position, is its equivalent in annual mean temperature ; but the dift'erence between the extremes ot summer and winter temperature is much loss in the interior European than in tlie American plain. No part of the United States has so h)w an annual mean. Fort Kent, Maine, with a mean of .'J7', is its nearest ap- proach. AtttumH. — The mean temperature for th«> antunmal months are as follows, coiMpared with Minnesota : Localities fSepteiuber. 5?. 2G 58.1) October. November MeuD. Ilea Rivet.... o 42. 20 47.1 o 21.19 31.7 o 4U. 88 Fort Snellini; 45. 9 AND NORTIIWK.^T HRITIHIC AMERICA. 79 oiin. o 40.88 45. » Novciiihci', which in Miiiiu'Hotii hrlon^;!* partly to niituinii aiitl partly to wiiiffr, boloni^H cntirrlv to th*; winter Ht'iiMon in thr niort' mtrtlirrn latituilr of Knl Kivor. 'J'hc n-nch-r will net' that thr fall pliniircs into winter alniu^t as rapidly ii>* the Hprin^ nncr^ff'rt frotn it. I'/imafe of thv Red Itiiwr mttlnnvnt nnitparrd with Minnrxofn, \Vi.sntnxin, and Mir/iltfon. — Tht! foliowinjf tahic will ilhirttratr tin- cliniatf ot'tlif K<'«1 River valley an compared with other and hetter known latitndert: Tahic ttfmoiithhf t/ieann (tf Red, Itirrr and MitouHota, Winntn/tin and Mif/iiifUH, Months. PecftnlHjr.... Jiumiiry F»!l)ruftry . . . . March April M»y Juiif July AugUHt SnpttMnbt-r ... Octolior November RimI Ulvur. Fort Ku«'llinK- (Iroea Hay. 10. r>!i 1.71 y. o'j 39.83 fiS. 4fi (iS). 10 71.1(i 12.20 21. 1!) Ifi. ft i;{. 7 17. iti .')l.4 4t;. :i 6i) (i^<. 4 7:<.4 70. 1 .')H. 47. I ;m.7 Dittroit. 20. H 2t}. g i«. a 27 20 26. ti ;. H A(! 02. 2 05. (i 7I..'i (ift. 7 (17. ft ti7.S 57.2 (;o 40. .') 47.7 ;h. 3 ;jH. 2 Tabic shoii'hig the metms of thv scuhods for thv ohow lovalitivs. Localities Red Kiver ... Fort SiiclllDg Green Bay... Detroit Hummer, Autumn. Annual mean. 40. 88 45.9 46 4«.7 o M. ;)8 44. 44.5 47.2 Thurt it will be (*ecn that while the winter curve in the rej^ion inui»ediately Houth and west of the great laken o.xhibitrt an extraordinary depre(cean. No rain-tablea nave ever been constructed for any portion of this district, ex- cept for the single year 18-'3.'>, at the Red Kiver 8(;ttlement. The following table exnibits the residts compared with Minnesota ami Western Canada : 80 RELATIONS UETV/EEN THE UNITED STATES Ram in inches. Red River, i St. Paul. M0Dtl)8. 1855 March - I April I May i June ' July August September - - i Octolier I Novtiuber .- : December I .Januf.rv. - - - February . | I- i I ,66 e.8o 4 G 12 12.5 5 .20 3.12 .80 .60 .60 19 yeais. 1.30 2.14 ;<. 17 :i63 4.11 3.18 3.32 1.35 1.31 . H7 .7;i .52 Toronto. 1855. 1.62 2.79 4.78 4.07 3. 24 1.46 5.9 2.48 4.89 3.80 1.36 .97 52. 17 25.43 3(!. 35 Seasons. Means for the seasons. I [led River. 1 i St. Paul. Toronto. SDrinir ..................... ........... 11. 4f 30, 5 1 8.32 1.90 1 6. fil 10. 92 5.98 1.92 9, 19 Summer .. ... . ...... . S. 76 Autumn .......... ............ 13.27 Winter ... 5, 13 By multiplying the figixrcs lor Novemlw'r, Dfceinber, January, February, and March h} 10, tlic result will show the fall of snow, })rol)ably the actual form of the pr^^cipitation in those nionths. The column for Kod River exhi'^iiing the moisture of a single year, cainiot be adopted as the uniform measure of })recij)itatiou in that coxuitry; but if, as Blodgf'wt informs us, ii 'ifferencc of one-(!ighili avIII cover the range of any non- periotiiC variations of the raii-fall in the basin east '.A' the Koch;> mountains, (a rule that, is confirmed by a compan.-'on of the Toronto column for the same year ,/ith the means for f^evcrnl yt .irs given in his work.) it may serve as an aiiprnxiuiative iadex to the rain standard of the country. The excessive rain* of that summer, which has no equivalent oo the continent, except the wint< r rain of the Pacific, is probably uuich beyond th.- imiform iiitan, or if, regard"d as an approximation to a constant term, may be accounted for by its contiguity to Hudson hay and Lake Suj)erior. A region liable to such occa- lonal rains cinViOt cei tainly be deti "lent in mois- ture. The reader will observe tiie gn-at preponderance nf moisture iu the spring jMid summer months, with the extrf lae dryness of winter. Converttd into snow, tiie Avholc winter fall will be 22 inches, the same as .it Saint l^aui, while that .>f Canada is (51 in J:, s, and most of the eastern State^ 120 inches. This exlnnie lightness of tiu' winter precipiiation characterizes th< whole of the ])laiji> east d' the Jiocky mountains, without reference to latitude, including the Haskfuche- vvan vallty, and \.- a fact of ility of those regions for railroads. AND NORTHWEST BRITISH AMERICA. 81 \Vc hiivc 11(1 nu'a.-^uiviiK'ntf of tlic local prfcipitatiou uf the Suskatclicwan valley, but tln' }:;(U(>ral i'at't of a coiiiparativcly liiiinid suiiiincr, with an autuinii and winter of "XtrciiH' (Irvncsr^, ij» well ascertained. The rain measures in tin- elevated belt of country, includiiif;- the western rilope of th(i Missouri jilateau, adjacent to the Saskatchewan valley on the south, will afford an approximative standard for the latter. TIk; tollowinjj; table, compiled from .Ulodgott, will exhibit the rain fall in the whcde belt across the continent, bctsveen the parallels of 47° and oO°: Jiai/i tdlh., showing tin mean annual jirccijtitatiou hvtivicii thr Mth and 50t?t paralld. In V^incouver's island (i;l inches. Western slope (»f the Ilocky mountains JO " Eastern slope of tlx- Rocky mountains rio " Missouri jilateau to KKIth iik ridian r20 " Hetween Kcd river and lOOth meridian 20 " East of Red river to Lake Erie ?,() rn:J4 " Wei't of Lak" Eri<' to the Atlantic 3G " Mt-an fall hij seasons. Winter full. Spiing ftvll. Summer tall. Autuuin fall. •M) 15 8 20 5 6 6 (i 4 6 6 4 2 5 6 4 2 '> 6 4 3 to r> t; to 8 10 (i to 10 Tj to 10 f. to S 10 10 A fail of six inches is ^'iveii liy Uio(l;;-ett. i<^ t]i<' mean \\>v the .-uniMiei' in this lielt, lietween the J{ocky niouniains and Ited river. This is anijily sutlicient for all the purjioses of luxuriant ve<;-etation, as is shown in southern P.lnj;'laii'l, i'russia, the Crimea, and interifu- Russia. Ihit acconliii*;- to all amdogies, tlie liii;her sunmier teniperature of the Saskatch- ewan valley would be accompanied by a correspond in;.;' increase ef humidity, and this fact is fun ler shown by the peinunient vohiine of its streams in the summer iimnths. UK.si;i/rs (iK .\(iKi< I i.ii HI'; vv iiku itiviut ^K'^TL^:,MK^'r. For all the yreat northern >ta)iles — nheet, corn, nats, Kirley, potatoes, sheep, and cattle — the nniiije and ripeniuL';, except in the driest soils. Some varieties of Canadian corn, re(|uii'iii_i; a ylvHnia, Micliif:fan, Wi(»cont»in, and Minnewotu. Between these i.-totheral linci^, (^\tended thronf!;h thef<^ northwestern valleys to the Pacific, irt Oth parallel, and fiom that point .southwetst to the Pacific coast, at the ;1.5th, would include an immen^iitches have been known to produce twenty succr'ssive crops of wheat without fallow or manure." Professor Hind, in his otficial rojxtrt to the Canadian legislature, sets the .average product at forty bushels to the acre. He notice? a product of fifty-six bushels to the acre in the only instance when a measurement was made. Wheat ripens in from ninety to one hundred and five days. It is entirely free from insects or disease of any kind. A comjjarison of the yield of wheat in lied River with tln^ best wheat dis- tricts of the United States will show its snj)eriority over all others. Red River produces 40 Imshcls per acre. Minnesota ])ro(luce,i "iO l»us|iels per acre. Wisconsin produces It bushels jter acre. Pennsylvania produces ].") bushels per acre. Massachnsell,. jnoduces J(> bushels per acre. Oatt^horlcij, rije, potatoes. — The whole group of sui)ordinate cereals folloM' wheat, but are less n striited in their range, going '(wk^ degrees beyojid wheat in llie Mackenzie valley to the Arctic circle. Bail. y is a favorable alternate of wheat at Red River and yields eiun-mous returns, with a w to the latitude of J'e.-ice river — a fact which sn horses, which, in a settlement m (i.^'^-'J souls, exhihits a remarkalde proporticm of stock. Horses roam durinji' the sunnner and winter throuf^h the woods, and keep fat without housing; or hay. The unlimited pastoral ranj^es atiovtlfd hy the grassy savannas of Red Kiver, with its dry winter climate, seem • -upjily favorable, conditions for successful sheep husbandry. This is contivnieil tty Donald (Junn " Our climate and soil," he says, "are peculiarly adapt' -] to sheep. There are twenty-eight yc.irs since their introduction into the si^ttlement, and J have never seen nor heard of any sickness attacking them. Well-fed ewes produc(; tleeces varying from two to three and a half jtounds. Wethers produce tleeces much heavier. The wool is of good (|Uality, though not very fine." An inferior breed of sheep would not be likely to produce fine wool. lUllT IV THE GOLD DISCOVEKIES OF NORTHWEST IMilTISH AMEHICA INFLL'ENCJOS. ANO THEHl I had proposed under tliis head to collate the evidences of extraordinary au- riferous wealth in British Columbia, but as the sunnner of ISG'i may greatly enhirge the public knowledge on this subject, I oidy annex a general statement of present developments. 'J'he discoveries of 1858, hi tlie lower channel of Frazer river, have lu'en |)ushed to the headwaters of the stream, becoming more remarkable in the remote interior, close uji to tin; central range rewultH, over the area deseribed at lenfjth in the fore;j;oin}jf i)a;i;e.»<, an constitutinjif the arable areas of Northwest Uritish iVmerica. IMie centre of min- ing activity, as now ascertained, vergew upon the valley of tht; Mackenzie; river, a fss expense than is noAv requirtnl for the journ«'y iidaiid from the mouth of Frazer river to the Cariboo country. A London company is already organized to establish this overland route, but the overland emigration from Canada and the northwestern States to the district in question ia sufficient in volume to warrant the construction of the requisite steamers for the season of 1863. A.\D NORTHWEST BRITISH A^fERrCA. 85 the limits of .uivi..at on / An. •*''• l''*"^""'^;:"'" "f a wo,.kIy until from ti~;;tr:^f ';;;:^;it^^^ >-;■-. ..., ...h...... o.. bond of j„,u,-. VVI.v n..t d Narm f r.: ^'■'"* '"''"•"*' '^'^'''^' ■"' '■ff''ctiv,. inultiplicuion of suc'r ti • •, f ",1I ^^''"^ J'.*'-'>"f'<''- "f Mh- north l,y c-onstant eodinj,^ ,.xhil,it of V ,r n ;, r '' I' •"^•""'^fi"'"^" concord ? 'I'ho ,uv- adjacent and lK>mo^Mmn>u.connmLZ,/ ?"'" *" /'"" *"*'"'^ ••^'lation.s of iiiterct and f,n,od uill. "^""""»'ti<.-.s npou a hnn u.ul lasting basis of natural Honorable S. P. CfHA-SK, JAMES W. TAYLOR. Secrctan/ of f/J Tr('asur>/. %■ ¥l- \-) N 9 • ^:^. •\ / fad ^t« Soj IL ' 1.- -I i Sowen &Co. Lith. FhilaeUv.