,JU I 1.. ,1 ^mmm^^fm RECENT AND PKOSPECTIVE DEVELOPMENT CANADA. BY JOSEPH G. COLMER {Secretary to the High Conrndxnioner far Canada). BBDra A PAPBB BEAD BBFOKB THE FELLOWS OF The Royal Colonial Institute, JANUARY 12, 1886. HIS GEAOE THE DUKE OF I4ANCHE8TEB, K.P., IN THE OHAIB. (Reprinted by permiati m from the pTOcaedinga of the Institute.) LONDON; fvmnV BT McCo«QDODJU.B & Co., LiMITSD, CAWJINttTOH Stksot, N.W. 1886, j£m "^fllht • V ■ ;^i5.-./r>if.|''<^-g';'^g«;;^ #. RECENT AND PKOSPECTIVE DEVELOPMENT IN CANADA. A PAPER READ AT THE MEETING OF THE ROYAL COLONIAL INSTITUTE AT ST. JAMES'S HALL. JANUARY 12. 1886. Bv Mb. JOSEPH G. COLMER (Secretary to the Jligh Commisatoner for Canada). Hia Geac£ tue DUKE OF MANCHESTER ra the Chaib, So many papers have been delivered before the Eoyal Colonial Institute, during the past few years, respecting Canada, that I felt some little difficulty, when asked by our indefatigable honorary secretary to address you this evening, in deciding the portion of the subject I should take as my text, so as to avoid going over again many matters that had already been discussed by others far abler than myself. I believe, however, that the recent and prospective development of the country will have an interest for every member of the Institute, and it is with this that I propose to deal. At first sight it may appear that it is my intention to place before you an imposing array of statistics j but, even at the risk of disappointing some of my audience, I wish to say at once that such is not the case, although I may have to use a few figures in the course of my remarks. Before commencing, however, there is one subject of somewhat general interest that I should like to mention. It refers to the display of geographical appliances which was recently opened, under the auspices of the Eoyal Geographical Society, by its president, the Marquis of Lome. This was, if I am not mistaken, the outcome of a report made by the librarian of that society, on the teaching of geography in public schools. The conclusion arrived at by Mr. Scott Keltie was, that geography was very much neglected, as a general ride, that the appliances for its study were very ecanty indeed, and that it did not receive the attention it deserved, from the fact that it " did not pay" to impart to the rising generation the valuable and necessary information in which the study abounds.' This! js", not very* ctedrtabl©' to a country which possesses so large and so " fair » portion of 'the'- world's surface, whose people are scattered in every part, and whose ships are on every sea. We hear much about depression of trade, com- petition abroad, and the desirability of finding new markets, but it seems to be a peculiar proceeding to neglect to teach in our schools, to the Englishmen of the future, that knowledge of the resources and capabilities of countries outside the United Kingdom, particularly of the British Colonies, which forms one of the most important factors in the extension of commerce, and consequently in the development of the Empire. It was stated in the report I have mentioned that in one of the largest public schools only two maps were found, a modern one, presented by the High Commissioner for Canada, which, by the way, ornamented a passage, and one of some other country, which was discovered, after some extensive explorations, in comparatively unknown parts of the building. I may say, that Sir Charles Tupper, under whom I have the honour to serve, is anxious to stimulate geographical study, and with this view has presented, in the name of the Government, a large map, and books of information about Canada, to every public library in the United Kingdom. A wise and liberal policy in the same direction must have the most beneficial results, and it is still engaging his attention. This brings me to my object in introducing the subject. It has occurred to me that enough use is not made of the admirable volumes of proceedings of this Institute that are published annually. The papers that are read from time to time give the latest possible information as to the position and condition of the Colonies, and they attract considerable attention, ' especially from those who are already interested in their contents. What is wanted, however, is to disseminate these mines of wealth among people who do not know, who are not at present interested, and particularly among those who have charge of the education of young Britons. I do not mean to say that it is only in the United Kingdom that geographical apathy is prevalent. It has existed, and ' • still exists, in Great Britain in regard to the Colonies ; but then, again, * it is equally true that the latter certainly do not know as much of one another as they should do. I mention these things to point out what I consider to be a grave defect in the present system of education. The study does not, unfortunately, seem a popular one, and the inaccuracies •. */*|* 'Ijij^jftWis't'vrf ma^y/(\f*,tjl^* ^extlbooks, especially those relating to the • • • • IblohieS,* \frh*ich*artj p&^ed'lbjf tinnoticed, is a strong but regrettable • «• ••••••#»• 3 confirmation of my contention. The visit of tho British Association in 1884 (in which your Secretary, Mr. O'Halloran took part), will do much to make the Dominion better known, and I am sure that we all remember the admirable paper that was read by Sir Henry Lefroy during the session of 1885. They travelled largely, be- coming acquainted with geography in the most practical ^^■ay, and if the volumes of printed matter that were circulated have been read, the British Association must know a great deal about the country. As the members consist largely of those engaged in educational and in literary work, I anticipate that great results will grow from the gathering, apart, altogether, from tlio impetus given to tho teaching of science by their presence. This requires to be followed up, not only as regards Canada, but other British possessions ; and it would be worth while to endeavour to organise a fund to permit of a wider distribution than now takes place, of the proceedings of the Institute, among schoolmasters, public libraries, the press, and in other channels. An endeavour should be made to procure a small grant from the Imperial and Colonial Governments for the purpose, and I commend the suggestion to the consideration of the Council. I am afraid I have been digressing, but the question seemed to be of sufficient importance to warrant my doing so. In speaking of the recent development of the Dominion, 1 shall more particularly refer to the progress which has been made since 1867 — a year which will always be eventful in Canadian history as that in which the Confederation of the provinces was finally arranged, and sanctioned by Her Majesty. Its success has been such as to surprise even the most sanguine, and I venture to hope that the same magnificent results may follow the inaugural steps in the same direction which have recently been taken by our Australasian brethren. British North America in 1866 consisted of a set of provinces, independent of each other, with separate legislatures, separate tariffs, and little or no community of interest. The Eastern Provinces, themselves deficient in railway communication, were entirely separated from British Columbia, the intervening country known then as the Hudson Bay Territory, or Eupert's Land, being to all intents and purposes unknown and uninhabited, containing not a mile of railway, and tenanted only by Indians, and hunters, and the officials of the trading company. The difficulties to be overcome in bringing about a united Canada will be better understood when it is pointed out that in 1870, the Eed River Expedition, under Lord Wolseley, took three months to pass from Fort William, Lake Superior, to Tort Garry, now so well known as "Winnipeg, a distance of 430 miles. This is but a small part of the district which existed between Ontario and the Pacific province, there being a stretch of land east of Fort William, along the shores of Lake Superior and Lake Huron, before the towns situated upon Georgian Bay were reached. All this is altered in 1886, although much still remains to be done. Now the confederation consists of eight provinces — Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, the North- West Territories, and British Columbia. Each has its own legislature (as explained later on), and there is a Federal Parliament over all to legislate upon questions affecting the whole of the community, and to be the means of making known to Her Majesty, through the Governor-General for the time being, the desires and views of British subjects in Canada. But this is not all. Instead of separate tariffs, complete freedom of trade prevails between the provinces, and they all join in consolidating that community of interest which must bring wealth, power, and greatness. There is no longer any isolation. The Pacific is connected with the Atlantic, and the Canadian Pacific Eaihvay and the Intercolonial Eailway pass through every province except Prince Edward Island. When the railway is opened for throvigh traffic in June next (it is now in operation only as far west as the Rooky Mountains), a Nova Scotian will be able to travel to British Columbia in. about six days. The first train that passed over the line in December last carried a consignment of naval stores from Halifax to Vancouver in that time. In Prince Edward Island a Government railway has also been made, and there is regular commu- nication by steamer with the Intercolonial line. I shall have occasion to rei'^er to the Canadian Pacific Railway later on, and I will only now express the hope, sure to be universally sup- ported in this room, that the bond of union in the Dominion may be as firm and as strong as the steel band which now physically binds the provinces together. . ; - . ' It may, I think, be interesting to devote a few minutes to the Constitution of Canada, as the matter will attract some attention in connection with a problem which will be raised, for discussion at any rate, in the present session of Parliament. At the head of the Federal Government, appointed by, and representing, Iler Majesty, is the Governor -General, who is paid by Canada, and governs by the advice of his Ministers. The Dominion, or Federal, Parliament consists of the Senate and the House of Commons. Tlie members of the former are nominated by the Government in power, and the latter are elected by the provincial constituencies, so many for each province, according to population (as fixed by the British North America Act), and upon a special franchise, not far removed from manhood suffrage. It has the control of the following matters : — Public debt and property, trado and commerce, postal service, census statistics, militia and defence, navigation and shipping, quarantine, currency and coinage, banking, weights and measures, bankruptcy, patents, copyrights, naturalisation, marriage and divorce, and questions affecting the community in general. Seven of the eight provinces forming the Dominion have local legislatures, elected upon a liberal franchise (iii the case of two it is manhood suffrage), and have authority in matters affecting Crown lands (except Manitoba), civil rights and property, administration of justice, education, control of municipal institutions, and other local subjects. The municipal institutions consist of Township Committees and County Councils, and they deal with roads and bridges, education, and police. At the head of each province is a Lieutenant-Governor, nominated by the Governor-General in Council. The North-West Territories, which have not yet been accorded complete local institu- tions, are administered by a Lieutenant-Governor and a Council, partly nominated and partly elective, but the Crown lands, administration of justice, and management of the Indians are controlled by the Federal authorities. The revenue of the Dominion is derived principally from customs and excise duties. The revenue of the provinces is composed chiefly of grants made annually by the Dominion Government upon the basis of a per capita allowance, and by interest, at the rate of five per cent, upon capital amounts placed to their credit. Both these payments are made out of the Consolidated Fund. The provinces have other revenues, and the municipalities raise money likewise for local purposes, assisted by grants from the Provincial Governments* The legislation of the provinces is subject to the veto of the Governor- General in Council. The power of veto over Federal measures is reserved by Her Majesty the Queen in Council. Under this system the Dominion, as I hcpe to show, has prospered and developed and its * Constitution, with somo necessary and considerablo modifications, seems to pave tlie way for still greater confederations than that to wiiich it has yet given form and shai)e. At first sight it may seem slightly humorous in speaking of recent development to refer to the growth of the public debt of Canada. But when the money, which it represents, has been spent upon the peaceful opening up of its resources, upon objects of public utility, for the general good, and, as in the case of all the Colonies, to strengthen its position as an integral part of the Empire, it will be seen that the question is an important one. The debt at the present time, deducting assets, is about forty-two millions sterling. Of this amount, excluding sinking funds, about tliree-fourths is payable in London, the remainder consisting of liabilities in Canada, such as the balances due to the various provinces, trust funds, and the deposits in Govern- ment savings banks, it is equal to about eight pounds per head, and the annual interest to about seven sliillings. This is not an unfavourable showing, and it may be mentioned that the money has been spent principally upon railways and canals, lighthouses, river improvements, harbours, docks, roads, public buildings, compensation to the various provinces for property and revenue surrendered to the Dominion, and for the purchase and organisation of the North-West Territories. It is almost unnecessary to say that many of the works have been of Imperial as well as of local importance. Canada has never shirked responsibility in this respect. Ilei' Majesty's Govern- ment, it is true, have on various occasions, and very properly, sanctioned guarantees for loans raised for such purposes, but the engagements of the country have always been promptly met, and for this reason the guarantees have not cost tiie Imperial Government a shilling. The great object has been to enable the Dominion to raise money cheaply, and this was done. The public debt differs in some respects from those of the Australasian Colonies. In the latter all the railways, or very nearly all, have been built with public funds by the Governments, but in Canada only about 1,000 miles come within this category, the remaining 9,000 miles being owned, constructed, and worked by companies. Some of them have received subsidies, but they are not Government railways. The revenue, which in 1869 was about fourteen millions of dollars, had increased, in 1879, to twenty-three millions, and, in 1884, to about thirty-six millions. The expenditure advanced in about the same ratio. Siuiilar returns in Australasia include the railway receipts and expenditure, and this swells the figures in thoso Colonies. In Canada, however, tliis is only the case so far as regards the 1,000 miles already alluded to. The Dominion can borrow money at the present time at a rate much below that which had to be paid a few years ago. The loans of the Provinces, prior to confederation, were generally raised at five or six per cent., but recent loans were issued at four and at three-and-a-half per cent. Still, Canadian securities are not appreciated as they should be, and are comparatively much lower in price than their value warrants. English municipal stocks at similar rates of interest bring a higher price than Canadian Government Stocks, but no forcible reason can be advanced why this should be. The Colony has never failed to meet its obligations, the security is the best that can be obtained, the money is spent as a rule on productive works, or for development; the indebtedness is not great, and the progress that will be made in the near future, as the resources of the country are brought under the influence of capital, brains, and muscle, makes the present debt sink into comparative insignificance. The time is not far distant, however, when Colonial stocks and debentures (all that has been said about Canada applies to the other Colonies equally), will be in much greater demand than now. The complaint is general of the dearth of good dividend paying investments at a reasonable price, and the public cannot do better than give more attention to Colonial issues. "While upon this question, I must not forget to mention a concession made during the last Session of the Imperial Parliament which ia of much importance. The stamp duty prior to 1885 on bonds payable to bearer was half-:i-crown per cent. This was increased to ten shillings in the last Customs and Inland Revenue Act, but I am glad to be able to say that upon the representation of the High Commissioner for Canada, the Agents General for Australasia and the Cape of Good Hope, Colonial debentures were exempted from the duty, placing them upon the same footing as Imperial and Indian securities. This is as it should be, and I trust at no distant future the same treatment will be accorded to inscribed stocks. - • The trade and commerce of the Dominion has expanded very largely within the last few years. There are now over ten thousand miles of railway open ; in the last ten years the length of line has 8 more than doubled, and it is an accepted fact that no better stimulus can be given to the development of any country than the construction of railways. The total amount of capital invested in such works in Canada to the end of the fiscal year, 1884, was about one hundred and twelve millions sterling. The canal system is too well known to require much comment, but it cannot in a paper of this kind be entirely passed over. It is sufficient to say, however, that by their aid an inland navigation has been formed for a distance of 2,2G0 miles — from the head of Lake Superior to the Straits of Belie Isle — available for vessels of 500 tons register. The shipping interest is a powerful one, and Canadian vessels are to be found on every sea. Although many ships owned in Canada are registered in England, the tonnage of the Dominion stands fourth on the list of the maritime powers, according to recent statistics. Shipbuilding has been on the decline since the introduction of iron vessels, but, as the country possesses vast stores of coal and iron, it is almost certain that the industry will revive sooner or later. Indeed, a few iron ships have already been launched in the maritime provinces. The fisheries are of the annual value of about four millions, and are increasing. The coasts abound with all kinds of fish, and the rivers are full of life. The industry gives employment to nearly 60,000 men, the strength of which force, as a naval reserve, in time of war would be very great. No doubt there are many who can recall the Canadian court at the Fisheries Exhibition in 1883, which gave a good idea of the resources of the waters of the Dominion, and the measures that are taken to preserve and cultivate them. The manufacturing interests have increased very rapidly, and the amount of capital so employed, the number of men engaged, and the value of the products, has been much added to in a comparatively short time. In every part of the Dominion the chimneys of mills and factories may be observed, and the whirr of machinery is now a familiar sound. Cottons and woollens, machinery of all kinds, including locomotives, and manufactures of wood, iron, and other articles may now be purchased of Canadian make. Of course agriculture is the first industry of all new countries, and ib is a most important one in Canada. But she also possesses large quantities of coal and iron and other useful minerals, plenty of timber, and many of those advantages which have given to the mother country the pre-eminent position she occupies. In addition to this, Canadians are Englishmen. This is equal to saying that they are intelligent and energetic, ful'y imbued with the extent and value of the resources of their country, and determined to develop them to the utmost of their capacity. In the quinquennial period, from 1870 to 1874, the value of the annual import and export trade of the Dominion was nearly thirty-nine millions sterling, and in 1880 to 1884 it was more than forty-two millions. These figures do not include the trade that passes between the various pi'ovinces, of which the railway returns, had I the space to deal with them, might give some idea. Adverse comparisons are sometimes made between the trade returns of the different Australasian Colonies and Canada, but it is not usually remembered that the former include the intercolonial commerce, while the latter do not embrace the interprovincial trade. The character of the exports may be gathered from the way in which they are classified : — products of the mine; fisheries ; forest; agricultural produce ; animals and their produce ; manufactures and miscellaneous. Agriculture naturally supplies the most valuable portion of the exports. Large quantities of wheat and other cereals, flour, cheese, butter, live animals and dead meat are sent to England every year, and it is a business which is growing with much rapidity. "With regard to cattle Canada enjoys a privilege possessed by only few countries, and the animals exported are permitted to land and to be moved about with as much freedom as British cattle. This is owing to the immunity from disease, due to the stringent measures that have been taken to prevent its introduction. No animals are allowed to enter the Dominion without undergoing a strict quarantine of ninety days, and there is a Minister of Agriculture to continually watch over the interests of the farmers. A large amount of money has been spent in the importation of pedigree stock, and the farmers are beginning to reap the reward of their enterprise, in the dimensions to which the export business in live cattle is reaching. In 1877, the exports of cattle to England were 6,940, sheep 95,044. In 1884 the figures were 53,962 and 105,661 respectively. The total export, including Europe and the United States, in 1884, was 89,263 cattle, and 304,403 sheep. The large trade in agricultural produce is mutually important to the motlicr country and the colony. It will be an auspicious day for the Empire ^^hen it can be said that it is able to produce all the food that it requires, as it will simplify many of the questions that now cause much 10 discussion and difficulty. Because I have not dealt very fully witli the various items of the export classification, please do not imagine that I am disposed to under-rate their importance. I have already said a few veords respecting the fisheries, the extent of the timber industry is fairly well known, while the minerals and manufdcturing industries are beginning to attract the capital required to give an impetus to their development. It is generally supposed that the trade of the Dominion is confined to Great Britain and the United States. This is not the case, although the greater portion is with those countries. The exports find their way, in smaller or larger quantities, to every country in Europe, to South America and the East, and every endeavour is being made to extend these markets. It is well known that Canada has from time to time endeavoured to open up commercial relations of a closer kind than now exist with France and Spain, and although no treaties have yet been made, and like efforts on the part of the mother country have not been more successful, the discussion that has taken place encourages the belief that sooner or later some mutually satisfactory arrangement may be negotiated. I mention this to show the position the Dominion occupies in such matters, and I shall not be divulging a State secret if I say that Sir Charles Tupper was not long ago, at the I'equest of the Canadian Government, appointed jointly with Her Majesty's Ambas- sador at Madrid to negotiate a treaty on behalf of Canada, had Spain been prepared to gi'ant the concessions which were required. These few remarks on trade and commerce naturally lead up to the position of the banking interests, as they represent the money bags of the country, and afford some criterion of the financial results of recent developments to which I have been referring. The Banks in Quebec and Ontario alone, had in 1867 a paid up capital of about six millions sterling, and this, in 1885, a period of eighteen years, had nearly doubled — the amount being then over eleven millions. In the same time the deposits advanced from six millions sterling to seventeen millions, not including the deposits of the Dominion and Pi'ovincial governments. But the most remarkable expansion has been shown in the cases of the Post Ofilce and Dominion Savings Banks, in the Loan Societies, and in the Savings Banks in the Province of Quebec that are included in the returns of Savings Banks. It may be stated generally that the deposit accounts in these institutions amount to about eleven and a half millions, against half a million t A 11 ill 1868. These figures, associated as they are with the condition of the working, and small trading, classes, prove very clearly that Canada has progressed and develo])ed in recent years, and that the people have prospered. There are many other matters which could be referred to as illus- trating the advancement that has been made, but time is short, and I must pass on to the question of the future and (o the influences that are bringing the Dominion very rapidly to a prominent position. To a certain extent I am not on quite such safe ground a,6 when dealing with facts that have taken place and are on record, but the existing evidences of what must come are so plain and so palpable, that after all I think there is a very solid foundation on which to build such speculations. Colonists are not often accused of modesty or diffidence in speaking of their respective countries, but 1 venture to think, that in the future it will be found that the present estimates have rather under-rated than otherwise the progress that will take place. Go back for thirty years, for instance, and see whether anyone dreamed then that the Colonies would occupy their present positions ? One of the greatest works of the present time, and one with which the future of Canada is inseparably connected, is the Canadian Pacific Eailway. Sir Charles Tupper, the High Commissioner for Canada, may well be proud of the share he has taken in that great national under- taking. The arrangements by which the line was commenced and completed, in the form in which it now exists, were inaugurated during his term of office as Minister of Railways and Canals (in the present administration of Sir John Macdonald, who spoke so eloquently upon the subject recently at the St. George's Club), and during a visit to Canada, last summer, he travelled by this railway from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. I believe that the whole of the rails were not then laid in the passes of the Eocky Mountains, although the track was graded, and that the intervening distance had to be accomplished on horseback. Until 1881 the line was being built by the Government, but in that year its construction was undertaken by the Canadian Pacific Eailway Company. How well they have done their work will be seen from the fact that the last spike was driven, on December 6th, 1885, at a ])lace named Craigellachie, six years before the stipulated time. On that day the line of railway from Halifax to Vancouver was completed, and \ 12 the occasion vas not marked by any imposing ceremony. Never, I venture to think, has so important a work been consummated with so little ostentation. The details of the contract unde'* which the railway was constructed are generally known, and ^considerations of time prevent my giving them in full in this paper. It is only right, however, to bring out the fact that the construction of the Canadian Pacific Eailway, whicli connects Quebec and Montreal with British Columbia, and the Intercolonial Eailway to Halifax, the winter port of Canada, have cost the Government about twenty millions sterling, besides subsidies in land of 25,000,000 acres. This for a population of 5,000,000 is a great achievement, and worthy of the thoughtful recognition which Her Majesty was graciously pleased to convey to her subjects in Canada upon its completion. I am also glad to take this op]wrtunity of stating in public the pleasure with which the generous resolution of the Council of the Eoyal Colonial Institute upon the occasion was received. The main line of the railway, from Quebec to Vaucouver, is J3,038 miles in length. In addition there are branch lines to the extent of 500 miles. The confederation which was inaugurated by the British North America Act may be considered as having been consolidated by means of this raihvay. Every province has now communication with each other and with the sea board, and it is not unnatural to expect that in consequence a great impetus will be given to trade and commerce. Eastern Canada has long had facilities of the kind, but Manitoba, the North-West, and British Columbia have remained practically isolated and undeveloped ; the raihvay, however, now brings all this to an end, and there is every opportunity for developing their resources. It has opened up a large tract of fertile land in Manitoba and the North-West, unencumbered with timber, ready for the plough, and considered to be the largest wheat field in the world. It is at least 900 miles long and 350 miles wide, containing an area of over two hundred millions of acres. It is all more or less suitable for agricultural purposes, for the raising of wheat and the breeding of cattle, and notwithstanding that it has been subject to a great many misrepresentations, and has suffered somewhat from two or three unfavourable seasons, its population has, in less than ten years, grown from a few thousands to about two hundred thousand. Without the railway it would have remained an "illimitable wilderness," as 18 Lord BBaconsfield described it. With the railway there is afforded the prospect of bright and happy homes for the surplus and congested population of Great Britain, increased markets for local and British products, and generally a uew era of prosperity to the Dominicu. Branch lines are already being constructed in different parts of the North-West, giving accessibility to new sections of country, and more are being projected. The Hudson Bay and Straits are being explored by the Arctic ship *' Alert," that vessel having been placed at the disposal of Canada by Her Majesty's Government for this purpose. The object is to ascertain i) the route is practicable for commercial purposes for a sufficiently long period each year. It will be most beneficial to the whole of the North- West should this turn out to be the case, and charters have already been granted for railway communication between Hudson Bay and Manitoba, in anticipation of a favourable result. Coal has been discovered in large quantities, mines are being worked, and coal is now sold at all the railway stations at a reasonable price. This is no unimportant matter in a climate where the winter is rigorous, although not injurious in any respect. The mines at Lethbridge, near Fort McLeod, have been connected with the Pacific Eailway by a narrow gauge line, 110 miles long. The Nori^h-West Coal and Navigation Company, to whom the mines belong, recognise that the success which appears likely to attend their efforts is largely owing to the energy and enterprise of Sir Alexander Gait. The foot hills of the Eocky Mountains afford splendid grazing ground, and many thousands of cattle and sheep are to be found there. The settlement and cultivation of these vast fertile plains, and the development of the mineral and other resources of British Columbia, must open up new and important markets for the industries of Eastern Canada, while the railway also ensures markets to the Prairie and Pacific provinces for their produce and future manufactures. British Columbia, in the opinion of many, is destined to become a manufacturing country, as it contains timber and coal, iron, and other minerals in large quantities, and has an extensive sea coast with innumerable harbours. The railway also offers an opening for an extended export trade. Hitherto the markets of China and Japan, New Zealand, Australasia, India, and the Pacific coast of South America have been closed to Canada, but she is now about to gain access to them, under advantageous conditions, being nearer to those countries u than Great Britain or any European nation. In order to show this I quote the distances from British Columbia to the following places : — . 4,300 miles. 5,860 7,010 8,930 6,080 i 6,530 6,780 7,330 Yokohama Hong Kong Singapore Calcutta Auckland Brisbane Sydney- Melbourne In each case there is a saving of several thousand miles, as compared with the distances from England by the Cape, or by the Suez canal. Before long vessels will be passing regularly between Vancouver, China, and Japan, connecting there with India and the East; and direct communication with New Zealand and Australia is only a question of time. It does not require a vivid stretch of the imagination to see in the future, in some British Columbian port, the Liverpool of the Pacific, with a large export and import trade, and lines of magnificent dteamers sailing between it, and the countries I have named, laden with merchandise and passengers. Canada has a large number of vessels on the shipping register, mostly owned in the Atlantic ports, but I can see no reason whv a similar prosperity and marine development should not await the Canada of the Pacific. It is to be hoped that Her Majesty's mails to the East will soon be conveyed by the new route to those places to vvhich the distance has been shortened. The subsidies offered for such services would greatly help in the establish- ment of Steamship lines. In this connection it will no doubt have been noticed that the Postmaster-Greneral has within the past few weeks recognised the new route, by advertising for tenders for the conveyance of the mails from Vancouver to Japan. Another important result of the railway will be to make Canadians better acquainted with their brethren in Australasia and in the East. This is being anticipated with pleasure, and it will be mutually advantageous, leading perhaps to a quicker solution of the question of Imperial Federation, in some form or another, an would otherwise be possible. One of the first results of this closer acquaintance will, it is to be hoped, take the form of some arrangement for the conveyance of 15 the mails that now ]m5s to and from England through the United States. This will necessitate the establishment of steam communication, which is of the utJnost importance. The new railway will also be a favourite overland route to the East. Imagine a sail up the St. Lawrence, a view of Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Niagara, then along the shores of the Great Lakes to Winnipeg, across the prairies, and through the magnificent scenery of the Eocky Mountains to British Columbia! Such a scenic feast is sure to prove attractive, and I saall be mistaken if it is not largely patronised. The utility of the railway was also de- monstrated during the recent outbreak, as it enabled troops to be convened from Eastern Canada to within two hundred miles of the disturbances in the North- West Territory in about a week. This was all the more remarkable, because the line was not at the time fully completed along the shores of Lake Superior, and the men had to march over the unfinished portions. ■ So far I have only dealt with the local aspects of the railway, but it is also of great, if not oi' greater, importance as an Imperial work. The value that is attached to the huez Canal is well known, and the money that has been spent to maintain the predominance of English interests in connection with it must amount to a very large sum. Great Britain holds one-fifth of the shares in the Canal, for which alone about four millions sterling were paid, and the events of the past few years have also entailed considerable expenditure. The principal object that has concerned Her Majesty's Government, in recent times, has been to keep the control of this route as the highway to India and the East, through which so much British commerce has passed. It is not for me to discuss the policy that has been adopted, but it is just as well to bear in mind that only a short time ago the accidental sinking of a dredge blocked the canal for a week or ten days. This was in times of peace. If the same thing happened in time of war (and circumstances can easily be imagined by which a purposely-accidental occurrence with the same result might take place), the use of the canal for Imperial purposes would be seriously impaired, if not altogether destroyed. Therefore it is very fortunate for the Empire that the completion of the Canadian Pacific Eailway now affords a quick alternative route to the East, and one that has been made without costing the British Government a penny. It is available for the carriage of both troops and munitions of war. They could be conveyed from Great • • 16 ■ . ' • ; . Britain to China and Japan, and Brisbane or Sydney, as quickly as by the canal, and to India in a very few days more. Indeed, should an English Government, in the event of difficulties being unfortunately anticipated in the East at any time, send troops to Halifax, or British Columbia, as on similar occasions in late years to Malta and Cyprus, they could be carried thence in less time to India than by any other route, without running any risks, and entirely in British territory. Then again, the British fleets command both the Atlantic and Pacific ends of the ne. Halifax is the station of the North American squadron, and Esquimalt of the Pacific squadron. There are coal fields near each port, and graving docks capable of holding the largest vessels are being made. The Imperial importance of the work has been well shown by Professor La^^•rence, of Cambridge, a well-known authority on International Law. He says : — " England's position with regard to the Egyptian question has been greatly altered by the opening of the Canadian Pacific Eailway. ... A free passage through the Canal for our transports is by no means so essential to the defence of the Empire as it was a short time ago. "We have, therefore, far greater liberty of action in dealing with other Powers than we had before. Now that we have an alternative route to India we may be able to purchase other advantages in the settlement of Egyptian affairs by giving our consent to an arrangement concerning the Canal which prudence would formerly have compelled us to decline." The railway, and the country it has opened up, will also be of the utmost importance in connection with food supplies should England ever unhappily be at war with any great power. It will not be long before Canada will be a much larger exporter of cattle and wheat than at present, and these will be brought to the Atlantic ports for shipment. Now, it is very evident that supplies coming by sea a distance of under 3,000 miles can be conveyed with much less danger, and be better protected than vessels having to travel a greater distance, and I think this a matter worthy of consideration. It is therefore desirable to encourage the settlement of the fertile land that has been opened up, not only to help the railway, to relieve the congested population at home, and to assist in providing new markets for British produce, but to secure independent food supplies should the necessity arise. I trust I have been able to show to the satisfaction of this meeting that the Canadian Pacific Bail way is bound to have a marked effect upon the prospective development of 17 the Dominion, and also that the questions of the consolidation and defence of the Empiie are closely connected with it. There are other railways besides the one with which I have been dealing, some with extensive mileage and of great importance ; and I do not in any way under estimate their value because I have not discussed them at more length. They are closely associated with the future of Canada, but have not such an immediate bearing upon the subject of my paper as the Canadian Pacific Eailway. The Colonial and Indian Exhibition, shortly to be opened, will be an event in history, and it is expected that it will be followed by most important results. It will afford the Colonies and India an opportunity of showing, in an effective way, not only to Great Britain but to the world, their resources and capabilities; for although they are growing rapidly, little is yet known of their natural products and manufactures. This want of knowledge is one of the chief reasons why they have not in the past received their proper share of emigration, and why capital has not flowed in as largely as it might have done for the development of their lands, mines, and general industries. "With a population of about ten millions of English speaking people, they occupy a territory sixty times larger than Great Britain, and their external trade in the aggregate is already more than half as large as that of the mother country, but there is, however, room for almost indefinite expansion. It has hitherto been the custom of the world to regard the British Empire as simply Great Britain and Ireland, leaving out the Greater Britain, to use a phrase well known in the Eoyal Colonial Institute, that exists in India, Australasia, Canada, the Cape, and the West Indies. This misconception, which was removed to a certain extent by the action of Australasia and Canada in the troubles in the Soudan last year, will, however, receive a further awakening this year. It is not within my province to deal with all the Colonies on this occasion, but much that I have said applies specifically to Canada. The Dominion Government have taken the matter in hand very wai'mly, and have voted large sums of money for the purposes of the exhibition. It is their intention to pay for the carriage of exhibits both to England and back again ; and agents have been appointed in every province to ensure a creditable display being collected. The space allotted already exceeds that granted to any other Colony or to India, but there are indications that it will not be lai^e 18 enough. The province of Ontario alone has promised to send over an exhibit nearly sufficient to occupy all the space, and a very active interest is also being shown in every part of Canada. Therefore it is probable that the specimens of the minerals, lumber, fisheries, agricultural produce, machinery, and manufactures will form an adequate repre- sentation, never given before outside the Dominion, of the magnitude of its resources. The idea of the exhibition is said to have originated with The Prince of Wales, who has always shown a deep interest in the development of the Colonies, apart from the position he occupies as President of this Institute, and His Eoyal Highness is sure to be respectfully and deservedly congratulated upon having inaugurated the most brilliant, and I hope also one of the most successful, exhibitions of modern times. It was a very happy thought, also, that the exhibition should have been arranged to take place in the fiftieth year of the reign of Queen Victoria, an anniversary which will give rise to much rejoicing in every part of the Empire, not only from the natural loyalty of the Colonies, but from a recollection of the beneficent and brilliant results that have shed a lustre over the rule of Her Most Gracious Majesty. The opportunity will doubtless occur of holding a great Colonial Congress, and this could not be carried out more efficiently than under the auspices of the Eoyal Colonial Institute. Such a Congress, and the discussion of geographical and trade questions, would do much to stimulate the development of the Empire, to strengthen the existing bond of union, and I hope that it may be possible to organise such a gathering. My paper would not be complete without some further mention of the question of emigration. The future of the Dominion is connected with the peopling of those immense areas of land to which I have before referred. The money already spent in developing Canada has been devoted to objects destined, indirectly, to promote immigration and settlement. Land without population is of no value, and natural resources without capital to work them are of little use. The complaint is general of the dearth of employment now prevailing. It is attributed in some cases to over population, foreign competition, the condition of the land laws, and to the amount of capital lying idle. On the other hand, the complaint in the Colonies is that there are not enough inhabitants ; that instead of land-hunger there is abundance for all who chose to come; and that enough capital is not forthcoming to utilise the resources with which Providence has endowed them. The emigration that has taken place to foreign countries in the past represents so much \realth diverted from the Empire. More than five millions of people have left Great Britain during the last thirty years, of whom one and a half millions have gone to the Colonies, and about three millions and a half to the United States. If means could have been devised years ago to direct this stream of wealth to our own possessions, they would have occupied a much stronger position than they do to-day. The Empire would have been all the stronger, and the stream would have continued to flow in that direction, to the advantage of our trade and commerce. Prevention in better than cure, and many of the questions now troubling economists would not have been raised. Now, however, that the advantages of the Colonies are becoming better known and appreciated, they will no doubt attract larger numbers than they have hitherto done. Indeed, having regard to the position of affairs in the United Kingdom, the day cannot be far distant when some arrangement will be possible between the Imperial and Colonial Governments for the organisation of a systematic scheme of emigration, in the spirit of mutual concession and financial assistance. It would be a source of general satisfaction if this should be one of the results of the forthcoming Exhibition. In most of the Colonies land can be obtained in large blocks, and a large and regular system of colonisation would provide employment for thousands, both on the land and in the other industries that follow in its wake. In Canada, the policy of the Government has been to offer to emigrants, in Manitoba and the North-West, 160 acres, as a free grant, with the right to acquire another 160 acres, at from 8/- to 10/- per acre, payable in three years. Free grants of from 100 to 200 acres are also to be obtained in most of the other provinces, and improved farms can be purchased on reasonable terms. There is also plenty of room, not only for those who have money to invest, but for men and women who are not afraid of hard work, and who are prepared to adapt themselves to Colonial life. The conditions of successful settlement are very similar to those that command success anywhere. Canada is not the place for what are known as " soft things," and I have no doubt that disappointment does sometimes arise from unrealised expectations of the kind, or from persons having proceeded without obtaining proper advice as to their suitability, or their prospects, ov as to what they should do on their arrival. A very important part of the question, and one that is now being particularly felt, is the future cateeM of the rising genoration. It cannot be denied that every year the difficulty of finding openings for them becomes greater. The reason is not far to seek. Many hundreds, one might say thousands, apply every year for appointments in the Civil Service, the Army and Navy, only a small proportion of which succeed. The ranks of lawyers, doctors, engineers, architects, and the other professional classes are largely added to annually, but a few of them only have the chance of obtaining a lucrative living. An advertisement for a clerk brings hundreds of applications. The supply is greater than the demand, the market is overcrowded, and it is necessary to find some solution of the difficulty. There is nothing very new in emigration as a remedy, but it has not been taken advantage of to the extent that is desirable. Parents as a rule are not willing to part with their children, and the feeling is a natural one, but the time is rapidly coming when the choice will have to be made between the alternatives of keeping them at home, and impairing their chances of success in life, and of sending them to the Colonies, where there is plenty of room, and where they are wanted. It is advisable that the adoption of the latter course should be decided upon before young men fail in attempts to enter the army, navy, civil service, or the professions. A special training for a colonial life is not necessary, but many things could be taught at school that would be most useful in such circumstances. Besides, it would make the parting so much easier than if suddenly determined upon. Emigration does not involve that complete separation that was the case thirty or forty years ago. Etigular weekly postal communication now exists with the larger Colonies, and any of them can be reached in a few weeks. I do not mean to say that everybody is fitted for emigration, or that it is invariably attended with success, but it is certainly a remedy for the existing state of affairs that demands, and deserves, careful consideration. ' ■. The social condition of the people is also worthy of attention. Many of the questions, now being discussed in Great Britain, have already been solved in the Dominion. Long before School Boards were established in this country, Canada was in the enjoyment of a well-organised system. Every township is divided into sections sufficiently large for a school ; trustees are elected to manage the affairs, and the expenses are defrayed by local rates and Government grants. In districts where the inhabitants are divided in their religious opinions, and mixed schools are not possible, the law enables separate ones to be provided. Teachers il are trained at Normal schools at tho public expense. For those who can afford it — and the cost is very small — there are schools of a hipher grade, managed also by trustees. At these, as well as at many excellent private establishments, a classical education is given, and pupils are prepared for the professions. There are also Colleges possessing Uni- versity powers, endowed with scholarships, open to youths prepared in the lower schools. Toronto, Montreal, and other places have schools of medicine ; and the leading religious denominations have institutions at which young men are prepared for the ministry. For the higher education of girls there are also good schools — in fact, means of educa- tion both for the rich and the poor abound in the Dominion. Then, again, with regard to the liquor traffic, local option prevails, and there are many counties in the different provinces in which no alcoholic drink is sold, the inhabitants having decided by vote, under the terms of what is knovATi as the "Scott Act," that its sale should not be permitted. In the North- West Territories, and in a part of Manitoba, entire prohibition prevails by special statute, and it is partly owing to this restriction, and to the care and good faith of the Hudson Bay Company in past times, that tho Indians have been amenable to the good advice and counsels of the agents, appointed to reside upon their reserves, and that they have made so much progress in civilisation. There is no State Church ; religious liberty prevails, and this freedom has not given rise to any difficulties in connection with the education question. Each denomination raises the money required for its own purposes, and the clergy are selected and paid by the congregations. Marriage with a deceased wife's sister is also permitted by the law of the land. A free and liberal franchise prevails ; members of Parliament are paid for their services, and the Parliaments are quinquennial. The population of Canada ir, cosmopolitan, being composed of English, Scotch, Irish, "Welsh, French, and their descendants, emigrants from Germany, Scandinavia, and most of the other European countries, and from the United States, but they all become Canadians, and join together in working out the destiny of their adopted country. «* Whether from England's fields of bloom, ' ' Or Erin's lanes of emerald green ; '-■■.: 1 ;, Whether from fcfootland's hills of broom, ■ ' , ,. ,■ Or France's vine-clad capes serene ; United on St. Lawrence brink, Stand Ave together maa to man, And all these various titles sink Into one name, Canadian." 22 In uttering these sentiments it is necessary to mention some of the unfortunate events that have made the late year notorious. Biel's rebellion has cast a gloom over the country, and has caused sorrow to enter many a home. It will be generally admitted, now that the trouble is happily at an end, that although the half-breeds may have had grievances, they were no more of a nature to justify an appeal to the arbitrament of the sword than the burning questions of the day in Great Britain. The chief complaints referred to the delay in granting titles to land upon which they had settled, and to the system pf survey that had been adopted. In the first case the matter was complicated by the fact that half-breeds who had received compensation in Manitoba, for their so-called rights, had disposed of their land, or scrip, and had then gone to the North -West to claim the same treatment as their friends settled in that part of the country. There was some difficulty, therefore, in deciding which of the claims were just, and which were not, but the Government showed their dis- position to dispose of them, by appointing a Commission in January, 1885, before the outbreak occurred, to enquire into and to settle the matter. "With respect to the surveys, the new system would, perhaps, have interfered with the existing settlements, but it was never actually carried into effect, and notwithstanding the delay in granting titles to those whose rights could be substantiated, not a man had been deprived of an acre of the land upon which he had squatted. The small number of men who joined Eiel seems to indicate that the grievance was not widespread, and as only a few Indians came to his aid it is evident that they had not much to complain of, but were rather led away by the impetuous nature of their young men. Eiel, it must be remembered, had no stake in the country of a luaterial nature, as he had, aft^r being banished, become an American citizen. liegrettable as the incidents have been, causing the premature ending of so many valuable lives, they were eventful, as showing that unity exist* in the different provinces, that neither Trench nor English in any way favour the disintegration of the Confederation, and that they are all loyal to their country and to their Sovereign. Eiel was tried by the law of the land. He appealed, as he had the right to do, to the Court of Queen's Bench, and to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, but the original sentence was sustained and confirmed. I do not think, 28 however, that there was any personal vindictive feeling against him in Canada, as the result of the first outbreak. This is evidenced by the clemency that was then extended to him, and by the fact that he was subsequently allowed to return to the country. And even now pity is felt for his family, and regret that he should have allowed himself to be led to commit the crime for which he was tried and found guilty. There has been some ebullition of feeling among a portion of the inhabitants of the Province of Quebec, in connection with the matter, and it has caused considerable discussion; but the endeavour to foment an agitation did not prove successful. The French Canadians are as loyal to Her Majesty as their English brethren, and, to use the words of the late Sir George Cartier, " are simply Englishmen, who speak French." They have been associated with the progress of the Dominion, many of the most prominent members of the present and of the late Govern- ments have been French Canadians, and their volunteers fought side by side with those of English extraction in putting down the recent rebellion. History will show, I believe, that the recent excite- ment was not a general expression of popular feeling, although some feeling upon the subject was not unnatural. There may be some controversy as to the causes that led to the rising, but the action of the Government after the outbreak will be proved to have been sanctioned and endorsed by public opinion, and in any case it will not affect the loyalty of the French Canadians to the Queen. I hope and believe that the result of recent events will be to still further cement the different nationalities, and to impress them with the con- viction that it is only by complete unity upon all great national questions that strength will be assured to that "Canada of ours," to which they are, individually, deeply and entirely devoted. After the reading of the paper, a discussion took place, in which the following gentlemen joined : — Sir Charles Tupper, Sir Alexander Gait, Sir Henry Norman, Professor Fream, Dr. Cheadle, Mr. A Staveley Hill, M.P., Mr. Baden Powell, M.P., Mr Lindsay Eussell, Eev. Styleman Herring, Mr. Stephen Bourne, and Mr. J. L. Ohlsen. The proceedings terminated with votes of thanks to Mr. Colmer (proposed by the Duke of Manchester), and to the Chairman (proposed by Sir Charles Tupper).