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That commerce will develop rapidly with easy transit to and from those: shores is certain, aud also that the Province of Ontario will have greatly extended commercial resources made available upon the advent of a railway to its northern sea coast. Six thousand miles of inland sea shore lines will become commercially tributary to it with vast stores of diversified wealth. Hudson Bay and its estuaries have a superficial area of over 500,000 square miles, or more than five times that of the Great Lakes added together. It is fed by six of the largest livers on the continent, the Nelson and tributaries ranking next to the Mississippi, Mac- kenzie and Yukon. One unfortunate peculiarity of the bay is the shallow- ness of the coast of the southern portion, and the scarcity of natural harbors, of which not one exists on the west sho'e between the Moose and Churchill Rivers, a coast line distance of over 1000 miUs, Tide water extends south on the Moose River for about twenty miles. The entrance is obstructed by a sand bar, upon which there fa five feet of water at low tide, and about fourteen feet at high. To secure a good harbor he>"e will be an expensive though not an im- practicable undertaking. None of the rivers emptying into Hud Bon Bay present specially favorable features as commercially vnJuabr^ waterways, but in scanning a map of Our K^reat Central Canadian Waterivays Transit System. that sea coast the eye is at om-e attract- ed to the position of the estuary liuown as OhesterHelfl Inlel. Extending webter- ly from the northwest corner of the bay, It seems like an arm stretched out to grasp one from the Mackenzie baain projecting eastward to meet it in the contours of Great Slave and Clinton Golden Lakes with a large river known as the Telzoa winding between them. Chesterfield Inlet proper is a deep fioi'i like those of Norway, with a width of from 2 to 10 miles, and extends west- ward about 140 miles to where an island divides the same into two d-iep but narrow channels, which connect with another expanse caller Baker Lake, extending 70 miles further to the west, and ranging from 20 to 30 miles in width. Baker Lake is noi affected by tides like the inlet, and its water is fresh, being fed by several great river:^, of wliic'i one known as the Telzoa it has been my lot to explore for a distance of over 600 miles. Ascending this river from Baker Lake, into which it ilows through a broad, shal- low delta, there is found an unobstruc: ed deep river channel for a distance of 30 miles, at which point two slight rapids occut. Passing these, there ex- ists a further distance — 120 miles--of unobstructed river navigation, which takes us to the confluence of the west branch of the Telzoa, a stream that is destined co become an important fac- tor in the establishment of a through route from Hudson Bay to the Mac- kenzie River, inasmuch as, it not only tends to form a water connection be- tween the two great systems, but its valley alTords an inestimable boon for that district, in the shape of a timber supply. This was clearly proven to me by the quantities of well preserved drift timber-, none of which had come down the south branch. The exact locality of this large and interesting j-iver is unknown, since its course has never b^en explored, but bf^- cause of the two confining adjacent Hver valleys the course of the west branch must be about southwest as shown upon the map in dotted lines— and hence must have its source somewhere in the direc- tio nof Clinton Golden or Great Slave Lakes. To what extent this river may afford navigable facilities it is impossible to state, but judging from the well-pre- served condition of bark on its drift wood, it is pretty certain that few, if any. rapids oecur between the forks and the forest area. At any rate, the distance in an air line from the forks of Telzoa, to the waters of Clinton Golden Lake cannot be more than about l(iO miles. Leaving the question of the width of the divide to be settled by future ex- amination, let us consider what are the adjacent water-courses on the i»ther side. MACKENZIE BASIN. At the eastern end of Great Slave Lake we will find ourselves at the apex of a system of waterways, the equal of which does not exist on the globe. 'ae lake itself, which is about 400 miles in length, you will notice on the mpp, has a very peculiar area, being mucn broken by long islands and penia- sulas and having a narrow aim of over 100 miles long, extending north almost at right angles to its general course. Us wcters are pure and deep, having been sounded in places with au 80 fathom line without touching bottom. Its nuL-- rowness and curved outlines preclude the liability of navigation being impeded by wind and waves as severely as on the great lakes of the St. Lawrence bas'n, and render it peculiarly favorable to the employment of freight barges sucn ao are at present employed upon similar waterways in more southern latitudes. Proceeding westward three grand trunk waterways are presented, name- ly: Via the Mackenzie River, north- ward; via the Liard River westward; via the Slave River southward. We can at the western end of the lake proceed northward for 1100 mJes on th? second largest river on t.ie continent, until we reach the Arctic Ocean, whence in a short summer season ships can pro- ceed into the Pacific Ocean through the Behring Straits. As many as 30 have made the passage in a single season in pursuing the whaling trade, which in one year yielded nearly two millions '>f dollars of value in whalebone when that route was first exploited. Wo shall then have gone 150O miles from our starting point, and will have found no obstruc- tion to the passage of a large steamer. By changing our course at the Macken- zie dcJta and exilering the Peel River we can reach the shortest divide from navigable waters in the next, the YUKON BASIN. This contains the third longest rivor- way on the continent, upon which and its navigable branches a steamer can convey us for 3000 miles, of which branches the Porcupine is the most im- portant, being navigable from the point nearest to the Peel River. This basin we need not take space to describe at length, since its characteristics have been so fully made known of late by Our Great Central Canadian IValerways Transit System. Mr. Ogilvif's book aud by multitudinous press notices of exi>loralioM8 by gul.l hunters und others of recent d.ile. iSulllce ittoKiiy that the divide for railway pur- poses does not exceed UU miles. Keturuing to the Mackenzie basin and our starting point at Great Slave Lake, we can follow tlie Mackenzie lliver for a couple of hundred miles westerly from the lake, and thi'u enter the magnilicent Liard Itiver bearing Lo the south and west, and tind, as Mr. McConnell reports, an uninterrupted navigable channel (except that for ten miles near the confluence with the Mac- kenzie some special aid for steamboat transit may be required), for 220 nuK's to the mouth of the Nelson branch, which is also navigable for over 100 miles south to a Hudson Bay Company post, and was, as he mentions, reported by a mining exploring party to be of the same character for a long exteusioii southward. Prom that branch the Liard cont'nues navigable for about 00 miles west, whiMi canyons and portages occur at intervals, which Mr.MoConnell found to aggregite about 7 1-2 miles in length,but some of which he concludes might be avoided on closer examination. With these excep- tions,the river is navigable to the forks at the mouth of Dense River, 100 miles westward. At this point three routes diverge, which are worthy of special no- tice. The first, or southern line, is via Dease River, 140 miles to Dease Lake, the river being reported by Professoi" DaWson &» navigable for large boats, and on the lake, which is 26 miles long, steamers are aJready in use. Thence a railway route has been cbartered to reach Glenora on the Stikine River, an air line distance of 60 miles, from whence 150 miles of river navigation reaches Port Wrangel on the Pacific coast. You will see that on this route the width of the "divide" between the navigable waters of the Pacific nnd Mackenzie basins is but tliree score miles, or less than two hours of railway transit time. The next, or western route, is from the Liard Porks to the eastern end of Tes- lin Lake where the MoKenzie and Mann line of railway is to have its northern terminus. The air line distance across the "divide" is,as shown on large map, 104 miles. The third, or northern route, is to fol- low up the Liard River to the gerleg of lakes near its source, and which to- gether present a watercourse of 170 miles, a large portion of which is cap- able of steamer navigation. Prom tiip western extremity of Lake Piuiayson to a navigable section of the I'elly branch of the Yukon is sho.vn on the large map to be only about 20 miles, while for canoes it is mueli .shorter. I'rof. Dawson went over this route 'n 18S7, by following up the I'acitic coast to the Stikine River, thence to Tele- graph Greek, crossing the portage to Dease Laiie, then down the Dease River to tne Forks, thence up the Liard to Lake Frances and across to the Felly, thence down the Yukon and back by the Ghilkat I'ass to the Pacilic. H0 miles to the place of starting, or 1:130 miles in all. There is another route still further south, to follow which wf leave Ihe mouth of Peace llivor and pass south on the Slave lliver 20 miles to an arm of Athabasca I^ako, but instead of entoring the lake, ascend the Atha- basca Kiver southerly and westerly to Fort McMnrray, 100 miles; thence to the head of the Grand liapids is about 87 miles, and within this distance 11 sepa- the Slave River route, making the total waterway distance via Slave River 1830 miles. To this we might add 100 miles probably navigable ou the Williams aud Hay Rivers, aud ;{0 miles on Gl«'arwater River, together with 210 miles on Lake Athabasca, making a total of 2170 miles of navigable waterways on the most southern routes. The aggregate lengths of the waterways of the Mackenzie basin are as follows: Mackenzie River 1100 miles L:ard, including Nelson and Dease branches 820 miles Slave River ' 250 miles ^•'PHOTO OF ATHABASCA KIVER, TAKBN AT THE LANDINO, 90 MILES NORTH FROM THE C.P.R., AT KDMONTON, 1898. rate rapids, aggregating probably as many miles of more or less formidable cliaracter occur, the greatest being ihe Grand Rapid at the head of the series, where the Hudson Bay Company employs a tramway for the transportation of goods, which are carried over the re- mainder of the river in 10-ton scows. From Grand Rapids to Athabasca Landing the distance is 165 miles, whence a road lends to Edmonton, a terminus of the O.P.R.. 90 miles distant. But by continuing up the river 100 miles to Little Slave Lake and adding its 75 miles, now traversed by steamers, we have 500 miles to add as a branch to I'eace River 900 miles Athabasca River 500 miles Williams, Hay and Clearwater Rivers, say 130 miles Great Slave and Golden Lakes 400 miles Athabasca Lake 200 miles Total in Mackenzie basin. .4300 miles Yukon River and tributaries. 3000 miles Total for two western ba- sins .7300 miles The portages occurring within and connecting these basins via the Peel River route aggregate about 150 miles. () Our Great Central Canadian Waterways Transit System. C'rossinK the portiij?*' of hh.v KiO miled, to naviKiil'lo waters in the Hudson basin we shall have steamer conve.vance to Moose River, a distance ol' about VMyO miles, and up the riv«'r lOD miles, uaak- ini; a total in Hudson basin of 1400. From the head of navigation on MooHe Iliver to the CP.U. at or neat Missaua- hic, is by iiir line route of 12'i miles, or from ti''.e water 2:{t! miles. Thence the ('. P. 1{ is available to Heron Bay on Lake Superior, where ample shipping faciJitiea are already provided. Thence an uninterrnpted waterway exists through five lakes, two rivers and twj canals to the docks at Toronto, lO'JO southeastward. 'l"Tie grand total is therefore as follows; In St. Lawrence basin, Heron ay to Montreal, waterway ir!50 miles, 122 miles new section divide portage rail- way, via Missanabie to Moose R'ver, Hudson basin, waterway, 1400 miles; ino miles new divide portage railway to Mackenzie basin; Mackenzie basin, waterAvays. 4300 miles; 83 miles portages •nti'onnd K)bstruction3 in watercourses; Yukon basin, watei-ways, 3000 miles; 60 new divide portage railways; total new railways 425; total waterw.iys 10,0.50 miles. .Ml this exists in Oanad'an tciTitory including: the Canadian "Sio" and the Welland Oanals, except abont 1000 miles of the Yukon and its Porcupine branch, the free navigation of which, however, is secured to Canada by treaty with the TTn'ted States. With the exception of Russia and pos- sibly the United States, no other nation on the globe can rival the rich inherit- ance which nature has bestowed upon Canada in her vast interior waterways, which I have not attempted to exhibit in their full measure, but have omitted tho eastern section of the St. Ijawrenee basin, and also part of the Hudson basin, including Winnipeg and sister lakes, the Albany. Saskatchewan, As- siniboia. Red, Nelson and other rivers more or less navigable. Havinrr thns glanced at th^-> extent of the navigable waterways system the next feature to be considered is: STBAM NAVTCATTON IN THE HTTT>SON BASTN. Hudson basin has no commercial steamer service other than that of the Hudson Bay Company for 'ts own busi- ness exclusively. The T>oniinion Gov- ernment, with an appropriation of $100,- 000. sent three annual expeditions by chartered steamers under the command of Lieut. Cordon R.N., duHng the sea- sons of 1SS4-S5-86. which were mainly engaged in making examinations of Hud- son Straits to determine the length of the season of navigation there. In this work I was engaged during the years 1885-815, being stationed at Ashe lulet through the winter season. During the year 18U7, $30,000 was expended by the Dominion Goveinmeut for the same purpose,and a voyage of the steamer Diana was made, with what re- sults we have not yet been officially in- formed. The conclusions of Commander (lordon w'-^re that from three to four mouths of sale navigation turough the straits were all that could be relied upon. From my two years' personal observa- tions at Ashe Inlet, I am of opinion that the straits are navigable for about tive months, viz., from Jiily 1 to December 1. In Hudson Bay itseli more favorable conditions prevail. Navigation in the Moose River opens about May 1, and does not close until abont Nov. 20. The average maximum temperature at Fort Ywrk for 10 years preceding ISSt was as follows: May 73.5, June 93,.Tuly 98.5, August 85.1, September G8.4, Octo- ber 45, November 34.3. The average 2 'p.m. mean temperature for the corresponding months of tho same period was as foJlows: May 34.17, .Tune 50.67, July 61.99, Angust 57.68, September 45.55, October 30.30, Novem- ver 11.69. Lieut Gordon found the temperature of Hudson Bay in the latitude of Chur-chill River to average over 40 de- grees, while in the straits it was 32, or 8 degrees colder. He says in his report for 1884, page 200: "Hudson Bay may, therefore, be re- garded as a vast basin of comparatively warm water, the effect of which must be to considerably ameliorate the winter climate to the south and east of it. The resident factor at Chnrch'll informs me that the bay never freezes over so far out fr'om shore that clear water cannot be seen, and the temperativre of the water must be above 20.08 Pnht., the freezing point of saJt water, where at the same tinie the temperature on shore is below zero." The average depth of the bay ascer- tained by soundings made across it oprwisite Fort Churchill is 94 fathoms, or 564 feet. Gordon's report of 1S**6 also contains a table showing the relative prevalence of fogs on the bay and straits compared with the Straits of Belle Isle, through which the Montreal and Quebec steamers pass to cross the ocean. In .Tnly. 1886. at Belle Isle Straits there were 368 hours of fog. In July, 1886, at Ashe Inlet, H S., there were Our Great Central Canadian Waterways Transit System, 92 hours of fog. lu August, 1886, ut Belle Isle Straits there were 104 hours of foK. In August, 1)S8(!, ut lludaou Straits there were 88 hours of foK. In September, 18H(i, at Ublle Isle Straits there were 13ij hours of fog. In Septem- ber, 1880, at Hudsou Kay and Straits there were 26 hours of fog. Thus disproving the general impres- fiiou that Hudson Bay and Straits have an unusually foggy atmosphere. To sum up the status of steam naviga- tion in the Iludsou basin, it can safely be stated that while there is not a singl«! steamer wintering then? or employed coastwise thereon, navigation can be maintained for nearly as long a season as on the Groat Lakes, except i)erhaps at Chesterfield Inlev, where the date of the opening of navigation has not been determined, though it would doubtless be several weeks later than at Moose. My brother and I were greatly im- firessed when exploring Ohesterfield Tn- et with the navigable advantages pre- sented by it. . Also with the lakes and river connections beyond it. on the west, through which we passed on our way to the sea coast. Since then the "ITarvey route" has been projected to utilize these in connec- tion with the Mackei zie basin water courses, by means of a railway across the divide, and I regard this as a magni- ficent enterprise. Tn the Mackenzie basin steamers in the service ol' the Hudson Bay CompaTiy have made annual trips from the rapids of the Slave River to the Arctic Ocean, also above the rapids of the Slave to rapids of the Athabasca, and also above the latter to Little Slave Lake. Other steamers are expected to be placed on these reaches this season. Reliable data show thc'duous trees ap- pearing as early north of Great Slave Like as at Winn'pog, St. Paul and Minneapolis. Kingston or Ottawa, and earlier along tb" Peace, Liard.and some minor western afflu- ents of the great ^J^acken/ie River. ^A'heTe the climate resembles* that of Western Ontario." Mr. Mcronrell of the Dom'nion Geo- logical Survey, in his report of 1S91, pages 86, 87, and 88, graphically de- ucribea the process of spring ice breaking which he saw ut Fort Simpson at thi? iunction of the Liurd and Aiackenzic on May 18, i888. lie says: "Northward flowing rivertJ like the Liard relieve themselves of their winter fetters in a somewhat pecu- liar, but forcible manner. The In- fluence of advancing spring is first felt at thfir sources, and as they breuk up there the fragments of ice float down until they come in contact with tlie firm ice, where dums are formed behind v/hich the water ac- cumulates until it acquires sufficient power to burst the icy barriers and in the on-rush of the escaping flood the river is clearen end and falling and the whole mass urged forward by the terrible energy of the piled up waters behind was battering a way across the Mackenzie. The ice of the latter fully five feet thick, firm and solid as in midwinter, was cut through like cardboard, and in a few moments two lanes were cut across its entirf; width (nearly two miles), before tiie force of the rush was exhausted and the movement ceased. In the afternoon the crash- ing of trees was distinctly heard, At midnight the dam at the mouth of the liiard gave way,and the mas- sive crystal structure was hurled b/ the liquid energy behind it «with such force that the whole sheet for some miles below the fort was crushed into Iragments by the im- petuosity of the assault. The velo- city of the stream gradually diminish- ed as the river became choked below by cakes of ice and soon ceased alto- gether. The idtuation on the island (upon which the fort was located) was now soriewhat critical, as on the strength, or, rather, wonkness. of the newly-formed dam denended our safety. If it was possible to withstand a pressure of a 40 feet Our Great Central Canadian IVntenvays Transit System. ICt'- 8US- the the our heud of wiiter— u no uiummiiiuou event -the isliiud. Iroiu whicU there wuh iiu eBcapc. w )ul(l lu Hubmergtnl. "Slowly but Htendily the water with its it-y bouiidB, ci'itl up the Blopes until the cresta ol' the bergs peered onuuously over bunks. Au iuBtuut of anxious pense followed, during wliich water roHi' to within a fool of level of the fort, and then, to • uteuse relief, the dam beh>w broken. After the 'shove' the water fell quickly and all danger of a tlood was over. ' .... This procMtJS cleared thi> river to Kort Wrigley, V.V,\ miles north, by the l«lh; to Fort Normau, 1S4 miles, on the IDth, to Fort Good Hope. 174 miles, ou the lilst, and to the Arctic Ocean, 320 miles, a few days later. liy this majestic display of the forces of uature let loose by the summer sun. the rivers of that basiu are reiid«jrod navigable from year to year. The lake iee is, however, not subject to this up- heuving f(«-ee, but is displaced later by L'ontinued solar heat, wind and wn-Vi- forces. (Jreat Slave Lake, beiiiK n»r- row in its eastern section, gives little opportunity for wave force and hence is the last to open. Mr. McConnell says that the disrup- tion of the ice there takes plate about July 1, but soniotimes oeeurs as early as June 20, and as late as July 10. The lake is usually ice-bound by Nov. 15. This, however, is measured by canoe navigation, to which thin ice is as ef- I'eetnal a bari'ier as thicker. But when heavy steam craft are employed sev- eral weeks will be added to the navig- able season, which may thus continue fnim Juno 1 to Nov. 20, or over five months, and the rivers from May 20 to Dec. 1. or fully six months. The next features to be considered are the available points of connection between the waterways of the Mac- kenzie with thos(> of the Yukon bas'n. There are at least three possible port- ages fitr steam transit. One is across the "divid"'" betwet^n the Peel Kiver branch of the Mackenzie and the Por- cupine branch of the Yukon. For canoes the "divide"' is but a very few miles wide; but for railway purposes about 60 miles, as shown on the map. Mr.Ogilvie, in passing over this M)uto, estimnted its altitude at 1200 feet above the water, and states that an average grade of 5.5 feet to the mile is obtainable. The Porcupine is r'tself a noble river of about 400 miles in length, and its sources are within 30 miles of branches of the Yukon inside the boundaries of Canada. It is probable that a conveui- eiit point of overland trail route fnnu il to the Klondike may be found iu the ••oiir.sc of fiirth«'r exiilor.itiong. The other portages, 60i» mih-s further south, have already been m-ntioued, namely, via Lake Teslin down the Hoot- alinqua branch of the Yukon and also via Lakes Frances and Finlayson, where is the narrowest divide between th» tw » basins, by connection with the Pelly braneh of the Yukon. Di'. Dawson re- ports t!ie latter to have in that vicinity a width of over 300 feet, with a depth of four fet't and a moderate current. Scmie shallow rapids were noted, which W(vnld more or less impair steam naviga- tion on the upper section, but the main F>art of th<' water course as beinu favor- able therefor. Thus we find that the great interior waterway system of Norlli western Can- ada extends on the east to within a few score miles of Hudson Bav and a clear waterway via the Straits to the Atlan- tic. On the north it extends to the Arctic Ocean. On the northwest by .t 0(1 mile portiige to the Yukon basin and Hehring Sea. On the west to I he Yukon by two routes, and with the I'acific bv a portage route by Stikine Kiver. Thus three oceans and two seas, in- cluding Hudson Bay as one, can be brought into touch by. say, 300 miles of portage railways, and the whole of this vast system may be connwted with the St. Lawrence waterways, with its five great lakes and a constlin • of 7000 miles, culminating at the confluence of the St. Lawrence waters with tlibse of the Atlantic Ocean, by :he constTuction "f one remaining link, i.e., a railway from some point on the Canadian Paci- fic to Moose Factory, which road need not be more than 2.50 miles in length. Mean\vhil»> a temporary connection can be made as previously shown via Heron Bay on Lake Superior over the C.P.R. t'^ Missanabie, 128 miles by a -ail way already provided. Thence in a line of 122 miles of new railway on an air line is oidy required to reach a n.-iviirable sec- tion of the Avest branch of the Moose Biver, connecting with tide w.iter, as set forth in the report of W. .\. Charl- ton, Provincial Commissioner. i)ublished by thie Ontario (lOvernment the i)ivs<'nt .vear. The grand divisions of Canada's waterways and their div;de connections may be summarized as follows: ot. Lawerence basin, navigable co;xs«- line distance 7000 milCs; Hudson basin navigable coast line distance 6000 ndles; Mackenzie basin. navigable lake and Hrrr distance 4000 miles; Yukon basin, ,iavig- ahle river distance 3000 miles; total .^. Our Great Centriil Canadian Watenvays Transit System. 9 :i(),(MM) iiiilt'S. l>ivit>ii St. liti\vn>ii 1111(1 IIikIhoi) litisin 'jr.(> miles; lu'twciMi lliidsoii iiiiil M.ic- keiizU' hiisiii, 100 uiilcH, between Miic- Ut nxio iiiul Viikdu l)asiii, tiO miles; total ■170 iiiiloH. Of thf proiiiiiKMit imliiHtrial .uiil (•(Hii- mcriMnl icsiiiirct'H (lyiMMidcnt upon this \\ iiltTWiiy sysloin for (U'vclopmciit I viil iiH'iitioii liitt a part aii. Lar>r<» re- V( niies will be realized J)y well-orKaiii/.ed and (M]uipped passeiiKi'r trans]iortation lines on tlieso waterways, when (he Kicat snnimor touring class bec-imo No (ither roiitoH cun compare with these in that respect. Some I'caturoH I can relatK^ from iKTsonal observation. 'I'lie "Uarren Lauds" sonth cJ Ches'.er- tield Inlet ur<> fre<|Monted by hundreds of thousands of reindeer, I have sevn at least lt),(MK) in one drove. They minnite far to the north of Iludscm Itay in countless numbers where the musk o.k is also to be found in giteat*?.' numlM>r thiiii in any other district. In the Liard Kiver region moose are reported to be more plentiful than in any other section of the continent. 'rweiily-seven species of fur-bearing animals exist in Northern (,'anada. The SenaU> Committee of 1888 report the fur ofl'ered for sale in 1887 by the Hudson ■■>^5!!^lfe'v,n :: ,;;;|;^;^ ■ ;Msf .'^ ■■■■'■ ..vv^-* -.-.^ .,5J>^.V7'-' ■■ ^ CANADIAN HERD OF B&INUKEK. Photo by Tyrrell, taken in " barren Lands." July 30, 1893. ' aware of their attractions both for Bay Comi)any from these regions as in- seenery and for sporting privileges. eluding the following: 'l^he trip throgh the Liard Valley and connecting with the Teslin Lake or Pelly Otter 14,4H9 branch routes along the Yukon must Bear 15,942 b( come in due time one of th<' most at- Beaver 104,279 tractive on the continent. The scenery Fox skins (all kinds) I.'?7,n88 near th/hich may aggregate still greater product.. Great Slave Lakid is an ex- ample, where in addition to white lish and trouit, in the greatest ahun.lance, its waters at certain seasons are fairly alive v.'th Arctic Ocean salmon, wbioh seek spawning ground there. The following may be taken as a list of the more important fisheries of the Hudson Bay and tributary waters: I.. Right of bow-head whale. These enormous creatures are frequently found in the northern waters of Hudson Bay and adjacent channels. The value of bone obtained from a single whale is commonly about $8000. The oil product which was formerly of about equal value with the bone, but now con- siderably depreciated, ds also a desinible article of commerce. I have myself seen the skeleton of one of these monsters of the deep cast ashore on the coast of the bay from which the bone of com- merce had been removed by its captors, presumably New Bnglsjid whalers, who only prosecute whale fishing in these ^vaters. II., Walrus, iii-, seals (of at leaat six different species); iv., white whale; v., narwal; vi., sturgieon; vii., salmon (com- nion seal); viii., Heame's salmon; ix., cod; X. halibut; xi.. Great Lake trout; xii., whitefish; xiii., herring, capling, etc. etc. The leading question in regard to the fisheries will be where to market their product to the best advant>»?e, and this should largely determine the election of the first railway line to the bay, which must rely on that industry for a large share of its traffic. The aforesaid fisheries are now run- nine; almost 'entirely to waste. THIRD, immense markets for the niariUfncturers of Central Oanad.i. It is a well-estnhlished fact that oom- nince will follow the lines of cheapest freight transit, other conditions being equal, time and distnneo oeinp Kef^ondiry to coat. Thus the salmon fipheriee of British Colnmhin nncl the meat exports of Australi.T find their main market in Rutland, althoueh Ihe distance in the first instance is IS.OOO mile^. Cheap rcenn freights are the life of that trade. 'I'he combined water-rrav system of the Mackenzie and Hudson Bay basins will enable a nianufncttirer in Toronto to de- liver his products over the "same to Athabasca Landing i.t a materially less rate than the same can be taken by an all-rail route, and this difference will be increased where more northern ^reight- ■^ng points are concerned. This means that we can command a large portion of the trade of all the vast territory north of th» Saskatchewan V^U- ley, and east ofw the Ro;.'ky Mountiins under present conditions, if the said waterways and portage railwaya were opened for business- The Mackenzie basin is one of the richest wheat districts on the continent, the section between and including Atha- basca, Peace and the Liard Valleys, being a major part of it. It may surprise you to know that the Upper Peace River Valley has a climate milder than that or Manitoba and eom- I^aring favorably with that of Ontario. Mexican cactus grows wild on the Ej. stern Rocky Mountain slopes. Wild flowers bloom before they do about To- r(.n;o. This phenomenon has attracted the attention of scientific men, and per- haps the best explanation has been made by Prof, Macoun before the Senate Oom- mittee, in which he ascribed it to the "Ohinjok winds" wh.'ch ;vre beated on ihe arid plains of New Mexico and ihfiw pass along the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains, not dissipating their heat entirely until they reach the Arctic circlie near the delta of the Ma'."ken«ie River. From this cause the isothermal lines marking the limit of cereal cultiva- tion are as near to the Arctic Ocean in the Mackenz'ie River Valley as to the Gulf of St. Tjawrer.ce. This renders the Peace and Liard Valleys better suited for wheat raising than Manitoba, so far as climate is concerned. Another fact is that the heads of wheat on each stalk are larger the higher tho latittide in which they grow. Professor Macoun being under ex- amination before the Senate Comm'ttee, the question was asked him: "Yon have stated in regard to plant life that northward up to the limit of its possible cultivation, it ircduoed more seed thj>n further south?" Answc: "Yes, and I can prove it ill two minutes. I have now in my hand heads of wheat and barley grown at Dunvpgan in latitude "Sh. brought here by Dr. Dawson in 1871). Any one (examining these heads will see that the fascicles contain from 4 to 5 grains— an aver- age of 4 1-2 grains to the fascicle. Had T heads of wheat grown at Ot- tawa T would show you that the fascicles contain 2 aud 3 puins. When I was on the Peace River in 1975. I srot wheat at Lake Atha- basca that contained five or six era ins to the fascicle. If the farm- ers of Ontario, with their 2 and 3 I i. Our Great Central Canadian Waterways Transit System. 11 grains to the fascicle, can produ 'c 25 bushels to the acre, under the f^anw? conditioni!. the men of Mani- toba will produce 35 to 40 bushels to thf! &CVP: and those of Peace Rivci' will run up to above 40, and those further to the north still more, granted that the same acreage pro- duce the same number of stalks. "When I passed down the Atha- basca to the Mission I found grow- ing on soil that would be of no value hero Avhatever — sand, muck and- cold swamp — wheat which they had plant- ed on the 5th of May. I found it in stock on the 26th of August, and brought away grain that took the prize at the Centennial. A quantity of it was shc-iled and found to weigh 68 pounds to the bushel (standard weight 60 pounds)." ProfesHor Dawson, being also examin- ed by the committee, testified that the greater length of the summer days (18 hours of aunlight) largely explained the exuberance of vegetation in the Mdc- kenzie busin. These are significant facts and the rt'port of the committee is that in the Mackenzie basin, which includes the Athabasca, Peace and I^iard Rivt?r Val- lejs, there are 316,0(»0 sq.iare miles suit- able for wheat. This eq\jals 202,240,- 000 acres, or nearly twice the total ar^^a of Ontario, large as we consider our province to be. If but one-tenth of this was under cultivation and producing 40 bushels to the acre, the weight would equal 24,- 268.800 tons, and the value at 40c per bushel exceeds 323 millions of dollars for one year's crop. We may reduce these figures by as large a percentage as we may de>m roi Konable but when we have done that, does not the reraaindjer give us cause to blush that we are making so little effort to benefit ourselves and our fair land through the possession of such vast re- sources? Let us hope that our fate may not bp like tha.t of the unfaithful stew- ard, who hid his unused talent in Ihe pju'th- There is anothter ehnont of commercial importance which is well worthy of men- tion. (Quoting from Senate Commission report): "Indiications of petroleum exist over a large area so extensivie as to justify the belief that eventuallv it will sui)ply the largtr part oi" this continent and be shipped from Chu.'chill or some more northern Hudson Bay post to England." Also the extent and quality of the coal -nensures, which are not as yet well de- fined by exploration, are likely to be such as to form great sources of wealth. Extensive deposits of iron ore exist on tlie east side of Hudson Bay, and coal is said to crop out at various points along the coast. Other minerals, includ- ing silver and lead, are to be found along the East Main shore, but whether in paying quantities is yet to be de- termined. Your attention is especially called to the fact that in the territory adjoining Hudson Bay in the vicinity of Chester- field Inlet are areas tne geological for- mations of which resemble closely those of other rich gold mining regions, and it is not improbable that we may lind mineral wealth exists on the shores of our vast Canadian seas. FOURTH, these waterways can le utilized as the m.ost central "all-Cana- ditin '•oute" to the gold fields of North- western Canada; to demonstrate which I need only r^fer you to the enlarged map, on which the gold district is shown as extending from the junction of the Porcupine and Yukon as far south in British Columbia ab the map permits, but Mhich lenves ^^0 miles of the pro- vince not displayed, on the extreme south of which the group .ly comprise 200,000 square miles. When to this v/e add the Yukon an>i Ror-ky Mountain districts, the who'p- area is not less than 7OO.O0O square miles, or more than three times the area of O'l- tario. Probably no other auriferous ferrito"y can compare with this either in siae or in the richness of its plr.cer or vein mining, at the most favored loealifios. That exploration has onlv commenced is quite evident, and that rhe attention of the world is turned toward it is well known to us all. You will see tbat the I-iard River is situnted about niid-./ay in the gold district of Canada, being about 750 miles from the northern 12 Our Great Centtal Canadian Waterways Transit System. 'joiindary, and 850 miles from the south- erly one, uicasuring froiL the mouth of Nelson River. At the head waters of this river you will notice an area marli- ed Cassiar district- Gold was discovered in a small creek emptying into Dease Lake in 1872, by a Scotchman named McCullough and a Fienchman num"d Thibert, who went as partners to lish in the lake, in whirh as ^vtell as in the beds of some Bmall streams washings are obtained as high as $100 a day. At the mouth of one of these creeks from six to eight men took out 300 ounces of gold in one we?k, and the year's output of 1874 is stated at $1,000,(XK). The population about the lake was estimated in 1876 at 2000, but the annual average yield thereafter de- creased to such an extent that nenrly ell the miners left for other localities, and but a small number remain ther^ now. The total output of gold up to 1887 is reported by Dr. Dawson to liave been $4,886,000 in the Cassiar District alone. Gold is also found in the DeasR and Jjiard River bottoms, and It is state-i tliat from $(» to $8 per day can yet be made by hand-washing along their sand- bars. Taking into account fiie length of small auxiliary cieeks ai.d rivers, it seems certain that there must be hun- dreds of miles of such water courses where many miners cjm find employment in the main valley of the Diard and its tributaries. The reason why noining liinguished in 1876 was largely because of excessive cost of freight, the rate be'.ng 9 1-2 cents a pound, or $195 a ton from Fort Wrangel. But lower down the river the situation was much worse where miners were more isolated than 'it the Klondikr-. Dr. Dawson reported in 1887 that specimens of galena taken from the Oease Lake vicinity were assayed at Ottawa and found to yield "75 ounces of silver to the ton, and further thsit there is every reason to believe that before many years elapse British Oolumbir. will take its place as one of the great silver-producing regions of the world." In verification of this pi-ediotion rhe returns of the Mining Bureaii of that province give the value of the silver out- put for 1897 at $3,272,000, being $626,- 000 in excess of the gold product of the siime year. I also "have to note statements made by Hon, .T. F. Betts. Speaker of the Northwest Territories Assembly as pub- lished in th?. Toronto papers during the past week that large qnantitieg of gold have beeu recently discovered on Hay River, not far from Gri-at Slave Lake, which I have located on thip map. He stated that 27 prospectors weru now camping there and the truth of such dS'scoveries wa^j amply verified. He advocated the Liard River route via Felly branch as the best to reach the Yukon, and quotes the opinion of an old Hudson Bay Company employes Mr, Thomas Scott, who says: 'In my judg- ment, by far the easier and quicker is to ascend the Liard River from Fort Simpson, the head fort of the district, to the head waters of the Liard, thence a portage to Felly River, whence you can descend wth good water to any place on the Yukon you may desire The advantages of this route are: From the moment you strike the Liard River you are in a gold-bearing country, and con- tinue in the same through the whole time of ascending this river. I am con- vinced that as rich diggings will be found on the Liard and its txibutaries as have been discovered on the Yukon." The announcement by Mr. Betts of the Hay River discoveries brings the "placer mining" about 1000 mi es nearer th.in the Klondike to Ontario, \vith but me "divide portage" from its shores. Aside from that the two connected waterways from Moose to Hay Rivers could be easily traversed in less than a week . I shall, however, leave it to others to esti- mate the advantages to accrue to Cen- tral Canada by Qie oiienang of direct communication to this golden west, and the cost and time of transiit in com- parison with other routes, but submit it as a self-evident proposition that the interests of Canada require that a sur- vey of the divide between these two great basins be made as soon as prac- ticable. Also, that the establishing of a mvil service on this route in advsjiace of ulti- mate railway transit across the divides would be of immense advantage to the Dominion in encouraging the adk'ent of pioneer exploration and settlement in those hitherto isolated regions. In conclusion, when we consider the limitless resources of our .ureat noith- ern territory and the magnncent lacili- ties which nature's great architect has entrusted to us for theif development, surely it becomes every loyjil Canadian citizen, as well as evory true statesman, to use his influence for their utiliiza<-iou and improvement as speedily as possible. C&rtainly one of the greatest glories of Canada is her God-given waterways. T. W. TYRRDLL, C.E. March 29 1898. i \ Iress on the Central Water-ways of Canada, showing: iry^y Route** -From Central Canada to the Arctic and Trans-Cnntincntal Transit Svstcm ^. ii«'' I I , ' ;.j», i:.. .■.«-.,,' 't'"'^'«?^^-'' ■J^f''''' ■I^«^.'^ilM»l!BaiB«l!i»ate*».«tf9^^ :<-»Ma*SNWW>!' > ^#H '#tiSi. i — 4'. 'i.-\\'. 1 rf .' i !i — -f-^l 1^} (Sketch Map io aooompany J. W. Tyrrell's address on the Central Water-ways of Canada, show! hk the North Western Section of th9 "Harvey Route" from Central Canada to the Arctic ana Pacific Oceans and Behring Sea.) Grand Central Canadian Triple Trans-Continental Transit System ' The most extensive and unicjue series of water-ways on the Globe, inviting utilization by means of short '' divide " railways, comprising ; I. The TelZOa ** DIvldei" explored liy Tyrrell, estimated by him not to exceed i6o miles wide, where a railway will unite 4.000 miles of river routes in Mackenzie Basin, with 6,000 miles of coast lint; in the Hudson Masin, including 200 miles of the sea coast of the Province of Ontario. II. The Peel-Porcupine River Divldei explored by Mr. McConnell, estimated by him not to exceed 60 miles wide, whf^ie a railway will unite 4,000 miles navigable water- ways ill Mackenzie liasin with 3,000 river miles in the Yukon Basin, and with Behring Sea. Two other "divides" hclwceii same basins occur between the Liard River affluents rmd the head waters of the Yukon o I about the san\e distance in width. III. The Dease Lake-StlCkine River Divide, explored by Dr. Dawson, estimated b) him at 60 miles wide where a railway will connect navigable waters of the Mackenzie with those of the Pacific Basin. ji^'- These most important aids to pioneering settlements should be established forthwith as Tollows : — FOR SUMMER SERVICE. From C.P.R. in Algoma District, Ont, via Moose River, Chesterfield Inlet, Great Slave l^ke, Mackenzie River, to Fort Simpson and return. Thence via Liard River to Pelly River, to Teslin Lake, and to Telegraph Creek and return. Also by steamer to Arthabasca Landing. FOR WINTER SERVICE. From Edmonton on C.P.R., by road to Liard River (at the mouth of the N'Mson). Thence to Pelly River, Lake Teslin and Telegraph Creek and return. Also trom Liard and Nelson Rivers Junction to Fort Simpson, Hay River, Forts Resolution, Smith and McMurray to C.F.R. at Prince » » ttm ■ Arthur and return. CMC •}) «■ 1 ''I •iJ-_' ft .... ■> ■ ■ .^'"f \ i . I-,"* 'i ^A • 1 l^lvi ., ■\ -.«»^ '•i' "/I i 1 te ^il ;*«S'^. . amisi ..A, ■^yv **♦«*«* \ ^A"^] A' rn 5- ' s'sli^'-^ n '^fj^4' I ^' ' t Ouf Great Central Canadian Waterways Transit System. 13 ( « PHOTO TAKEN OF J, W. TYRKBLL IN BSKIHO G08TUHE. Copied liy permission from " Sub-Arctics of Canada " by J. W. Tyttell, a most interesting volume of 280 pages published Ijy William Briggs, Wesl?y Pwildings, Toronto, 1 898. Price $1.50, u Our Great dntral Canadian Waterways Transit System, At the coQcluBiuu oi! liis address Mr. Arthur UAn'ey, one of the leudiug mem- bers of the lustitute, moved u vuti-' ol' thuuks, and cuuiplimeuted the »peakei' upuu being able to compress so mmh solid information into the limits ot uu hour's address He made the euquiiy whether the reindeer which he saw iu such vast numbers on the barren lauds were of the same apecies as tiiose used for domestic purposes in l^^n.and. To this the lecturer ro«plied iu the affirma- tive. Mr. Bain, Oity Idbraiian, aeconded the motion, which was carried with applause. l"*he president announced that remarks upon the subject were in order. Mr. Bobert JafiEray said that he hearti- ly endorsed the suggestions made iu tie address that steps should be at once taken to open up a prospector's roat<- over the divide between the gieat basins, upon the lines indicated by Mr. Tyrrell, and he thought, if an organised ef- fort were made to promote the same, that both the Provincial and Dominion Governments would co-operate in time to utilize the present season in measures to that end. He noticed that the lec- turer referred to the ''arvey Koute" as probably the best one to reach the Mackenzie 'basin Ifrom this direction, in which opinion he concurred,and would say that he thought the people of Onta- rio were greatly indebted to that dis- tiuguished ensineer for pointing out the - advantages of that idea, of which he was undoubtedly the originator and he hoped would become the successinl pr j- motor. We want, said Mr. J affray, such abilities interested in the development of our boundless resources, and should en- courage them. Ex-Alderman - ronto tratllc the present season if propei- steps were ptomptiy taken. He siaid that although not of tne same politicui faith as the Provincial I'remier, he felt that the thanks of all citizens of Onta- rio were due to Mr. Hardy for hav ug taken the first pmctioal step in this di- rection, by the aippoiutment of Mr. Gharlton as a tS z h >• o< lU Hi i ui MAPSHOWIN«THK NEW OR "HANVKV ROUTB" BthMMt tkt mrtk-mttUm btmndaty of Canada and ihi northtm stt^ort ^ Omtaru via naoigaib waUrmays m tkt batint •/ tkt MaekmuU and Yukom Rivtrs wUh ** portage " raUways crotsing tkt "dMdu " bttwom the uu/u.ami connecting nith Hudson's Bt 4VaiB NOTE AtdMNOCM 4 Ca»LC