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Les diagrammes sulvants lliustrent la mAthode. sy errata ed to int ine pelure, aifon d 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 CONDITION AN'D PROSPECTS OF CANADA IN 18 54 AS POUHTRAVED ,N THE DESPATCHES OF THE RXGHT HONOnA.I.E THE EARL OF ELGIN AND KINCARDINE, GOVERNOR GENERAL OF CANADA, TO HER MAJESTY'S PRINCIPAL SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLOKIEf. -"'--w-vVA.%/. (Elnebcc : PRINTED BY S. DERBISHIRE & G. DESBAfiATS, Priutor to the Queen's Most Excellent Majesfj'. 1855. A D y E 11 T I S E M E N T . To (-ati; fy \hv numerous inquiries for authentic information as to tlie condition and r«'sourccs of Canada, the followini,' State Papers have been selected from the Archives of that Country by the Comniissioners appointed to suj)erintenil the Canadiaa Contri!)Utions to the great Exposition of 1855, at Paris. The papers n(»\v publish* d consist of seh-ctions IVom tlie Dc'spatehes addressed by the Earl of 1 '1,1(1 n to Her liritannic Majesty's Seerelary (.f Slate for the Colonies diiriiiiL,' the years 1H52, 1H53 and 1H51. Those years formed a portion c^ the period for wliich the Eail of EI<.(in iiUed tl:e exall«'d oiliee of (lovernor (T<'neral of Cajiada and the other Pjritish American Provinces — a fact that gives to all the statements put forth in the followijii; pa.'. at which has gone on the extensive redemption of the wilderness to human wants and the. purposes of hnsbandry, the advancement of manufac- tures, the augmentation of commerce, foreign and inlerctolonial, the amounts of exports and imports, the Railroads and other j)ublie works, the steady increase of shij)ping visiting the Ports of Canada ; and 3. Finally, the amount of customs and other duties and payments fonning tla; revenue of the country, and the items of its public exjK'uditure. There will also be found in the following pages much deeply interesting matter and necessary instruction under the heads of Educatiornil Institutions, and the princi|)les, cost and incidents of tlie Connnon S<-hool system in Canada, and upon the general politics, external and internal, of the countiy. In this publication, thereft)re, which is oliered as a hand- bcxik or companion to the Canadian section of the Great Parisian Exhibition of 1855, will l)e found pourtrayed in colours truthful and authentic, by a mind emiu iitly gifted with powers of discri- mination and philosophy and a perfect mastery of laui^iage lM)th written and spoken, the resoiuresof Canada under all itsseseral heads of prosperity, its peculiar institutions, political and social, its past history, jjresent actual condition, and future prosi)ectB. CANADA. THE EARL OF ELGIN TO SIR JOHN PAOKINGTON, [No. 64.] GOVERNiMENT HOUSE, Quebec^ \8th December, 1354. Sir, I have llio honor to trnnsmit horrwithllic Bhio Tiook for 1853, togrlhor with .'he Public Afconnts and Tables of the Trade and Navigation of the Province for the same year. Evi(h'nees of progr(>ssive prosperity, not less stiiking than those to whi(;h I calh'd attention in my despat('h«'s, No. IIG of the 22nd Dp-- comber, 1852, and No. .58 of the 16tli August, 1853, whicli accomi)anied th(! Bhie Books for 1851 and 1852 respeetively, are furnished in tljese documents. 2. The vahi" f>f Imports into the Province for 1853 is stated at £6,571,527 19s. lOd.,— for 1852, at £ 1,108,457 8s. 5d ; and the duties on Goods entered for consum|)tion in 1853, at £8l5,ib7 15s. 3d.,— in 18.52, at £607,(513 18s. lOd. As a further proof that tliis progress is continuous, I may mention that the Imports for tlie half year ending 5th July, 185-1, an^ valued at £3,836,245 6s. lOd., and the Duties of Customs collected durinir the same period, at £464 935 9s. 4d., while the Imports for the corres- ponding half year in 1853, were £2,811,970 10s. Id., and the Duties, £367,128 4s. lOd. 3. The Ex,,orts for 1853 are valued at £4,890,678 14s. 3d., for 1852, at £3,145,398 14s 4d. On each of the following heads under which they are classed in these returns, Produce of the INIine, of the Sea, of the Forest, Animals and their Produce, Vegetable food, and other Agricultural products, it I I I! llirm is iin crKMoasr over tin' yonr ptccrdini.'. T!u' Miin'ral Ex|)(trl- of tlic ProviiUT arc (|iiiil('(l al llic low nimninl of £2'J,40() 8-'. H(l., 1)111 it is |)rol)iilMC lliat crc many years have piissi'tl, there will he a eoiisideraMe encreur»e on tliis liead. •I. 'I'he finaneial stale of the Province sccnic'i lo nic to justify tlic insertion oftiic following parai^rapli in the Spcreh tlelivcred fnini the Throne at ll:e coirnnenccirienl of the piocnl Session of the Provincial Ptirliament : "Von may prohaljly i,e of o|)ini«»n that the iirosjMTous con- " dition of the Ivev4nne affords an o|i|iorli;nity of which Parlia- •' MienI may properly avail itself to revise llie e?»istinct Raw " Materials employed in ship hnilding and o^her branches of " Mannfactnre wit!ii!i the Province, and lo the reduction of " others to which artich^s entering largely into tin* consuniptioii " of the people are now sn});e(t.'" Resohilioiis ir. the spirit of the alxAc rtM-onnnendation, and wibstitniing to a certain t-xtent s|)ecific for ad valurcm dntics, have passed the Legislative Assemhly. That measures of tliis description should be practicable at a time wiien the nation of •v^'hich this C'o'.ony foiius a part, isengagtal in war with one of llie greatest Kmpin;s oftJK! earth, and that ilie external com- meice t)f the Province should be hiunpered at siu-li a t;risis neith.er l)y war freights nor war insurances^ ji re striking j)roofs both of the i)ovver of England and oi' the liberality of iier Colo- nial policy. 5. As this is probably he last Re|>ort on the u I lairs of Canada >ivtiich I shall have the honor of submitting, I avail njysolf of the opportunity to aj)j)end some statisiics taken from olllcial Svmrce>., supph nienlary to those which accompanied the des- patches to vvliieh 1 have already referred, and illustrative of the advance wh.ich tli(> Province has Ix-en making during the hut few years. Such a review is the more approjiriate at this time, ns the adoption of reci|jroeal freedom of Tr:itle in natural pro- duets with the United Stales, luay be held to inaugurate a new era in the Coujmercial hisltvry of Canada, and to close the period during wdiicli th.e Province has been exposed in the British markets lo the coiui)etitit>n of the United States, without being admitted on equal terms to those of the latter country. This piM-iod of transition frotii n syKlorn of piirtlwl prolrt-tion to |)('rily, and the icniark;'!)!*' d('v<'lo;)CMi«'iil of i!ir |»riti(i|)l(' of sclf-icliiuuM', whicii has tak' n phicc in the I'loviritMi under i-ijvuntstances wliieh I'y many were deei'iM-d di.'-eoii- ra.'dru'. (i. V alue of Imports and Kxporls in ea< li yar fiom IS17 to IS.j.'J, tjoth inclusive : Vmr. fiii/iorfs. I].>iMnts. 1817 £i,f)G(;,H70 i:> £2,20;V)'vJ -3 H I HIS 2,GJ!),oSl 17 II 'J,3()i,.s;}0 17 G ispj i,iG.s,l3() G !» 'i,!!);j,()*/rt ;j IHjO ;3,4H(),1GG 3 5 2,-i:)7,MhG 1 i> 1851 1,10 1,409 2 ',',G6i,nH;j H .| 185:J I,1G8,457 8 5 2,888,21;] 10 .'1 1853 G,57 1,527 19 9 'l,523,OGO 10 1 Imports for the half year cndinij 5th .Inly, 185 I, JC;},8;}G,245 G 10. 7. Kcvenne and Expenditnre in each of the sanu! yt.'ars ; Yrar. li" /'"<■• Kx.jirii'lHAiri'. 18 17 £1 IG,5t.!» 1 1 .C.r/G,'15G fi 4 1818 312,0 - 1849 421,0„>^ 1850 578,822 11 3 1851 G02,2OG 4 9 1852 723,724 7 4 1853 982,334 10 2 G11,GG7 M> 5 8. Tlie inercasc of Expenditure sinee 1817, has eonsisled mainly of the following items : Interest on Puf)He \^eh\ £21,51)0 389,992 II II 370,G13 15 2 437,312 11 3 521,GI3 11 3 535,171 « 7 Exponces of Lci^'islatuve, Educalioa 8,220 ,G()0 O/l i\^rieultur( Hospitals and Charities • ••••• •••••• 4,110 9,8G4 Sinkiii.^ Knnd (not paid in 1847) GO,U0O Administration of Justice. Miscellaneous • •tt«« %••••• ••••• 21,500 34,500 8 0. The Ucvcnuc from Canal Tolls in each yoar from 1847 to IB.'i.'^, Iiiis I n as follows : Yfur. (/ross. AW. 1817 £41,204 4 5 £2.3,;J.)() 12 1K4S 1840 1850 1851 I85tj I85:t 10. 1 138,214 1 3 4G,in;J 5 5;J,;].{5 a 2 U5,I22 G 8 7I,GM| 15 4 8>,8.{() G 1 14,S28 18 3.3,217 14 38,()()7 4 4:],!)75 14 45,777 !) 4 7 8 5(),G1I 19 10 ippi'nd ii slafcmrni of ihc Ships liuili al Qiiflx'c in each of llt.r \(':>VH 1851, 1852, 18.-)3 and 1851 : 1851.... Ships &c. 43.....'3f),3G4 Tons. Schooners 22.... 2,141 Steamers 3.... 150 C8 41,G55 1852. I Ships &e. Schooners Steamers 20.... 20,422 19.. 4 . . . . 1,.')81 572 u 52 28,575 " I8.W.... Ships &e. .50 49,541 " Sehooners&c. .38 3,.377 " Steamers 3.... 85 (C 91 53,003 u . .Foreign Ships regiNtered as IJritish, (• 2,988 (( 1854 to (h Nov. ) Ships &c. > S(!hooners &c. ) Steamers 43.. 25. 8. 7G ..44,1G5 ... 2,G25 ... 518 (( 47,308 u • • It Foreign Ships registered as u 2,522 (( British, 9 II. TIh' niiinhcr of Emiffrnnl5» 'vlio nrrivfd !i1 tlio Port oi Quebec, wm*- in IBH nn,ir)0 IHl'^ .>7,<);iO IHU) ;jM,.int i.'^")<> .'L',:f)2 i«')i jLOTn .'J.'Mlfi l.sj.' ih:).'] ;{(;,(;*>n 1851. •VIJI The yenr IH17, was lliiit oC ilic Irish l-imine, iirul the [innii- jUfntion of that year wms iitieiided with u fri'^'htfnl nmoiint of ilisease aiid inoHnliiy. Since ihiil time, the reifiihitions afleetitiij the pa'^-icni^^er Iruh-, and the Qiinrantine arrjiri'.jeinents for iriimii^rants an-i\ini |)()ssil)h' concentrated in parlicidar |)ortions of the territories to which they mi:,dit proceed, so as to form com- munities complete in themselves, and 1o remain subject to the inllucnces, veliyious and social, under which they had lived previously to Euii:u;ration. It was proposed, if I ri^ditly remem- ber, according to one of those schemes, that large numbers of Irish with tln'ir priests and home associations should l<<> cstJi- blished by (Tovermnent in som«^ unoccupied pari of Canada. I believe that such sliemes, however benevolent their design, rest on a comi)lete misconception of wliat is for the interest both of the Colony and of the lumiigrants. It is almost invariably found that Innnigrants who thus isoiate themselves, whatever their origin or antecedents, lag behind their neighbors ; and I am inclined to think, that as a general rule, in the case of Communities wliose social and political organization is as far advanced as that of the North American ('olonies, it is for the int(>rest of all parties that new coiTi(>rs, instead of dwelling apart and bimnd together by the afHnities whether of sect or 10 I I I;! i! party, wliic'i united them in the fountry which thfy havo loft, ?tlioul(l be at Britain on the prosjjerity of the Colonies, iiad an inllnence in the same dircclioJi. To coun- teract tliesi' tendencies which were calculated, as I ihouii^hl, to be injurious in the long run both to the Mother Country and the Province, public attention was esj)ecially directed, in tlu; S[)eech delivered from tfie Throne in 1849, to luunigration l;y way of the St. Lawrence, as a branch of trade which it \\ as most desirable to cultivate (irrespectively allo.<4ether of its bearing on the seltleuKWit of the Comilry) in consec|uence of the gn^at excess of f']xports o\er Imj)or1s by that route, and the consequent enhancement of hviglits outwards. These views obtained v(My general as-^ent, and the measures which have been ado Died to Emigrants destined for t sinc(< that period to render this route allraciive th beginujig now tvi b- lie west, (the cHect of which i; bh' in tlie yearly eiici<'asing ainoiuit of [mmigiation by way of Quebec from the Continent of Europe,) are calculated not only to promote the trade of the Province, but advania'ji dso to make rM.'iiL'rs of a superior class ac(|uainlcd with it- 14. I append a statement shewing the number and loura^re o fsh ij)s rnt(>red inwaids at Quebec with car j'oe or in balhisf. in each of the years from 184() to 1854, distinguishing Briiish from Foreign vessels. Auu.iig the entries from the United Kingilom mote especially, theiv appears to have been, during this period, a consumt enerease in the proportion which vessels Avith cargo bear to vessels in l)allast— a result duo, it may bo presumed, to llie yearly augmenting importat'on by v/ay of the St. Lawrenc;', of bulky articles, .such as Railway Iron and Salt intended for ilic Western States. EBEC. BALLAST-BRITISH AND FOREIGN. I I RlilSH. FOREIGN. 1. s. In Ballast. With Cargoes. In Ballast. Vessels. Tons. Vessels. Tons. Vessels. Tons. 1846 —TheSO Brit77 UniibG Elsd34 12? 853 21 2S 86 369,137 4,448 19,955 24,433 993 4 17,978 1847 — Th$)43 Briti)34 UnifSlI Elsq{38 ?95 691 38 19 43 309,260 8,306 10,726 13,191 1 1 17 5,846 791 341,483 17 5,846 1 1 11 PORT OF QUEBEC. VESSELS INWARDS— ISJe to I§5J— CARGOES AND BALLAST— BRITISH AND FOREIGN. BRITISH. FOREIGN. FROM. With Cargoes. in Ballast. With C argoes. In Ballast. Vessels. Tons. Ves.«els. Tons. Vessels. Tons. Vessels. Tons. 1845 —The United Kin^^ilom, 342 1U5 13 27 129,550 7,577 7,3b6 5,934 853 21 2-^ 86 369,137 4,448 19,955 24,433 British N. A. Colonies, United kilatos, Elsevvlicro, j 4S7 150,427 - 993 4 17,978 1 1847 — The United Kingdom, , 289 83 11 19 1 19,143 6,034 2,7811 3,:i38 691 38 19 43 309,260 8,306 10,726 13,191 1 British N. A. Colonies, 1 Unit, d States, l£lse where 17 5 846 402 131,795 791 341,483 17 5,846 1848 — The United Kingdom 2S6 101 8 25 1 14,1)37 (SI31 4,1)30 5,879 587 44 73 61 250,982 6,976 43,804 18,999 Britisli N. A. Colonies, ^ United States, 1 437 Klsewhei'e» 2 261 1 • 420 130,977 765 320,761 o 261 1 437 1849 —The United Kingdom, 284 98 29 18 127,022 7,035 18,694 4,314 563 68 76 47 236,698 11,904 45,377 13,500 British N. A. Colonies, United States 1 544 Elsewhere 429 157,065 754 307,479 1 544 lo.'^o — The United Kinnfdoin.. , 299 122 21 23 130,526 10,385 15,588 5,480 386 52 130 52 157,297 8 949 12 4,506 19 7,133 British N. A. Colonies United States 76,535 16,111 4 9 1,880 1,709 44 23 21,981 7 724 ElsH where . 465 161,979 620 2j8.89.2 25 8,095 86 36,838 iftt;i The United Kingdom 381 108 8 25 ISO.873 7,792 4,80« 4,925 443 i 192,875 67 j 10,255 107 64,120 44 17,062 19 6,934 35 13 776 British N. A. Colonies Uiiiletl States 40 14 22,841 5 073 TsI«tHwhpre ..•■••............ 9 2,092 522 198,399 661 284,312 28 9,026 89 41,690 ifi^2 The United Kinf»dom 336 103 6 21 194,776 9,805 2,596 4,269 347 1 UM «!>> 10 1 3 16 3,419 661 980 4,318 25 9 452 British N. A. Colonies 70 102 34 7,836 59,169 11,221 Tinitpil Stales 57 40 35,893 14 215 Elsp where 516 211,446 553 222,038 30 9,378 122 59,560 TR53 The United Kinifdom, 4;i6 160 21 27 216.289 12,35H 9,124 5,314 302 68 139,637 11.454 25 8,653 24 8,209 Rtitish N. A. Colonies.. TTiiilf^ii Statps « 98 i 62,393 43 16,195 6 24 3,898 5,771 54 54 36,159 Tslspwheip •. 19,451 644 243,086 51 1 229,679 55 18,322 132 63,819 1854 —The United Kinffdom 488 108 5 29 241,h76 11.545 2,806 8,991 241 41 46 93 122,145 10.452 30.237 30,91 1 22 2 9 27 8,871 370 5,164 6,925 18 7,195 British N A Colonics • Tlnitpil Stfitps ....................••••••••••••• 37 45 33,970 EUsawher^ •#...•. ■■••••••••«••• 17,360 630 1 265,078 421 193,745 60 21,330 100 58,525 13 15. Tlio large nnioiint of wild UinJ held by individuals and corporations, renders die disposal of die pidjlic domain a (jues- lion of less urgency in this than in some other Coloni«;s. Opinion in the Province runs stronj^ly in favor of facilitalin<( its accjui- .•iition in small lots by actual settlers, and of puttini^ all possible obstacles in die way t>f its falling into tlu' lijiiivls of speculators. This opinion is founded no doulM in [)art on a jealousy of greal landholders, but it is maiidy, I apprehend, attributable to a senwo of tiie inconvenience and damage which are experienced in young countries, when considerable tracts of land are kept out of the Market in the midst of districts that are in course of i«etllement. To this feeling much of the hostility to the Clergy Keserv(>s \vas originally due. The upset j)rice of Government Wild Land in Canada varies from 7s. 6d. currency to Is cur- rency an acre, according to (lualily, and by the rules of the Crown Lanil Department now in force, il is conceded at these rates, except in special cases, in lots of not more than 200 acres, on condition of actual settlement, of erecting a dwelling liouse and clearing one fourth of the lot before tht; Patent can be ob- tained. The j)rice is payable in some parts of the Country in ten yearly instalments ; in others in live, with interest in both cas(-'s from the date of sale. I have little faith in the (^flicacy of such devices to compel actual settlement- They hinder the free circulation of Capital^ are (easily evaded, and seem to be especially out of place where wild lands are subject to taxation for Municipal piir- po.ses, as is the case in Upper Canada. m t i 14 16. I annox a slatomont of iho qunnlityof Pnhlic Land sold in Canada, in 'acli year, from 1H47 lo 1853, l)oi!' inchisive. Statement of acres of Crown Land, sold in Canada, East and West : Year. 1847 1848 1819 1850 1851 1852 1853 Total . . . Acres. 62,.381 34,838 25,444 164,307 197,855 68,210 256,059 809,514 £203,172 Is 2d Statemevt of Clergy Lands in Upper Canada sold under 3 & 4 Vict. cli. 78. Year. 1 Acres. Total value. 1847 196,568 81,373 70,726 93,245 91,706 94,942 150,809 1848 1849 1850 1851 1852 1853 ; Total . . . 779,369 1 £370,322 17s Id 15 Statemi^xt of Clergy Lands in Lower Canada .old under 3 & 4 V let. ch. 78. Year. Acres. Total value. 1851 52,964 59,079 177,483 1852 1853 Total . . . 289,526 £124,220 2s 9d 16 17. A i^!>o(l (k'al of laiid in Lower Cui'ula is hold in Seii,'ni. cry, un Irr a sjicrics of Ft'iulal TiMiurr, with rj^spcct to tlio concliiions of whitjh !i controvrrsy has arisen which tlircatrns, lines-- some (>quitabl(! nunli; of adjusting it Ik' s|)i'«'dily (h'vised, to bo pnKlnctivi' of very serious consivjui-ncos. A certain (dass of Jurists (ontend that by the custom of the Country esta- blished before its conquest by Great Britain, the Sei,:^'niors were bound to concede their lamls in lotsofaf)oul 100 aer i to thi! first applicant, in eonsiileration of the payment of cer tain dues, ami of a rent wliieh never, as they allege, cxc eded one [)enny an aeri;, and Ihey cpiole Edicts of tli'^ French Mon- archs to shinv that the Governor and Intendeiit, wh(>n the Seignior was contumacious, could seize the land, and make the concession In spite of him, taking the rent for the Crown. The Seigniors, on the other hand, plead the decisions of the Courts since the conquest in vindication of their (daim to receive such reuts as they can bargain for. Independently of this controversy, the incidents of tlie teuuri; aj" in other res- pects calculated to exercise an unfavorable inii .-nee on the progress of the Province, antl its abolitiori, if il could be etT'ected without injustice, would, no doubt, be a highly bene- licial measure. 18. A(!cording to the Returns prepared for purposes of taxa- tion, the total amount of the assessed value of real- and per- sonal prop(^rty iu Uj)per Canada is stilted for the year 1853 at JC35,4jj,980 10s. Gd. and the total indebtedness of the Muui- cii -1 Corporation^ as follows: Amount si-cured by Debentures £SoG,077 10 3 Amount unsiM'ured 97,()67 13 5 Stock held by Municipal Corporations. . 540,218 12 7 The Returns, however, on which these latter Estiiniites are ba.sed, are (hdeetive, and no great reliance can be placed on the results arrived at. 19. In 1847, tlie only Railway in the Province was a line 22 mile.s in length, running froui a point on the St. Lawrence opposite Montreal, to the frontier town of St. John, and so hopeless did the prospet:ts of the Province in this respect app(jar to be, at even a later period, that the following paru- grapii occurs in a very carefully prepared document signed by 17 8 5 7 st'Vt^ral inlrllii^ciu Mnclumts, and put forth at tlir close of 1810 with the virw of promoliiii/ llu; anm-xutioii «>f Canida to thi* UniU'd Stales. " While the a-ljoinin >• •tates are covered with " a net work of thrivini^ Railways, Canachi possesses bnt three *' lines, which to!,'eiher scarcely ex'-ee 1 50 luile^ in leii'j;ih, and " the st()cl\ in two of which is hehl at a de[)recialion of from " GO to HO per cent, — !i fatal synipioin of the torpor overspread- *' ing the land." 20. The table given below exhibils the Canadian !?ailways now opeji or in pioinoss of construction, and ihe Ca|>ital expem (i on iheni up to the present time, l)urin^' the p;isi suniiuer at lesist 20,01)0 men have been en;j[at.n'd upon Ilailway Works, and althoui^'h that numl-'cr is considerably iliMunisiieil at present, active o[)erations are slill going on in every [)art of the Provin( e. Sinmltanoonsly with these works, others of much importance, and giving employment to large bodies of men, aie in progress. An nnwi»nted tuunlx-r of Puljlic iiuildings, Stores, Mills, Factories and Dwelling i louses has been erected during the last yoar, in all parts of the Province, and these causes combined have exercised an important inlluence in increasing the money value of labor. TABLE. NAME. Gf eat Western Hiilialo,Biai:tfuri! iiiul Godeiich Loiiilou iuul I'oil Mauley. . . ._ El ie aikl Oiitiii io. Oiitario, J^inicoi) uiul Huron. . . (•laiul riuiikv*) Pint Uope ami LiriUHay.. . . . CobourjjT ami l'eterliui\.ugh. . . Brock viile ami Oilawa Piescotl and Bylow ii IMdtitreal ami .iytown ?''oiiti('al aiul New Vork St. Lawrence ami Clianipluin. Totals Leii^rlli oorripleleil.[ Capita! already : e.vpemled. £ s. d. 'J,8e(i,00() 5011,000 70,000 S5,00(> 750.0., 4,t;(ii),o;'o 80.000 115,000 70.000 3ii0.0()0 85,000 205,000 320,000 10,030,000 (*> Exclusive of 162 Miles belweeu Portland and the Canadian Boundary, lea:»ed for 999 Vear.s. ,ii 18 I'lic Inilllc on tlu'M' llru's is (l('vrl()|(iii,i< itself in ii very rcniiirkiil)l<' niaiincr. Most ol ihosc wlTu-li i-aiiic into oixTiHion in I8:;3, liav«' iicarlv (l(».ibl<'tl tluiir weekly receipts in a period of 12 iriontlis, and lli I'll have on ly oeen (ipened since 1) le eonuiicncenienl i ))r( ' present year, exliiljil rcsulls which )jnise to bi' no less satisliu-Jory. 21. in the SehcMie of the Grand Trinik Uailway is included the Victoria Uridine which crosses the St. Lawri-nce at ISIont- al. At the point ol' crossing, ihe river is nearly two miles ^in rt Widili, l)Ml hv means ( )!' Kmhaiikments the actual lenyth of iIk; Bridge will be reihiced to HOOD leet. It will lie lormed ol' Iruil tubes IG leet wide, and about 20 I'eet high, supported by 25 piers and 2 abutments. 'I'he piers ni'arest the abutments will be 3G leet above the sunuuer level of thi" River, and ris(; grad- ually till they attain at th<^ centre of tlu; IJridge an elevation of GO feet. Th(^ centre piers will be ;jo0 feet apart, and the other.s 210. It is calculated that the weight of Iron in the tubes will bo 10,100 tons, and of Masonry in the piers and abutments 205,000. This slupi'ndons work has been already connnenced in good earnest. The northern embankment is far advancj'd, the abutment attached to it raised to the winter level of the St. Lawrence, (17 ftuU abov«! the summer level) the pier nearest to the embankment is completed, and considerable progress has been mad(! with the next. A special interest attaches to it, because of the phenomena which attend the packing of the ieo on th(! River St. Lawrence, and the pressure to which any obstacle to its progress seems to be exposed. Mr. Stephenson has, however, satisfu'd himself that the pressure is an apprecia- ble quantity, and that the strui!tures which are to be raised hi the River will hv. sullicient to resist it. 22. In 1849 the system of making grants from the public trea- sury for local works, which had been during the earlier history of these Colonies, a fertih; source of waste and jt)bbing, was linally discontinued. Pn^vionsly to that period, it had been ttx) much the habit to (\xpend the siuplus revenues of the Province on minor works of this class, and to invoke ImjK'rial aid, either in the shape of Guarantees, or in some other form, for the ex- ecution of ruidertakings of a more comprehensive and national character. Since the resolution to which I refer was adopted, 19 trea- istory was n Itx) (vince either ic ex- ioiial >pU'd, the rnsoarees and credit of tlic Municipalities have been «o mneli angm.'nted by the general improvenietit of the Country, anJ by judieious leii^islation, that h)eal works have been pro- neeutcd with more vi!j;or, us well as with ijjreater discretion and ceonniny tli;>n before, while the Pro\inciid Funds have been left fre(« lor uDre Ic^itiiinte piirj)oses. In iny despalch which ae.il, I dwell at some lenjrth on the results of this chrui'i;i' of system, an.) I advert 1o it now in passin-^, be(;ause I believe that it has rn iterially contributed to the recent in:lus1riid proi^ress of the Province. 23. The followiii'j^ Statisiics of the Montreal Teleq^raph Com- pany illustrate, the increased activity anrl extension which has been iiu'paricd to the trade of ihe P;-ovince, durini^ the past few years. This line of Telci^re.plt was first worked })etwccn Montreal and ' (>ronto in the m:intli of Anij;ust bSH, and in the antiuun of the ;vun • year it was extended to Quebec. The leu'^th of llu^ 111 linlitiT! and l)ranelies is now fully 1500 niiles^ willi (jl) Olliees for piil)lie. busiiies^i, besides Stations opened for Kailway [)iir|);)ses. [t is (!ouiiecied at the Kails of Niaijara with lines f\teiuled tt) liulialo, Clevi-land, Cincinnati, St. Louis, and New Orleans ; and at Portland with others extending to St. Jolins New-Hnuiswick, Halifax, \ova-Scolia, Boston and New-York. Tlu^ rales of (^liari^e have b(>en r«'duced about 50 percent below whal they were in 1817. In IrtlH the Messages transmitttnl over tiie wires amounted, it is believed, (though no very accurate record of the number was kept at the time) to about 60,000. They rose in 1833 to 161,876 and in 1853 to 242,870, exclusively of reprirts furnished to the public papers, which amount daily to from half a (u)iumn to two columns of printed newspaper matter. 24. I append a tabular statement shewing the annual compara- tive condition of the PostOlIice Department from 1851 inclusive : Date. No. of Post Miles of l»o^t Routes. Miles of nnnual mail travel. No. ol letter."! in previous week. 6 April, 18)1 6ni 810 1,016 1,160 7,595 8618 9,122 10,027 2.487,000 2,0U,S7A 3,130,474 4,015,810 41,000 5 April, 1S52 31 March, 135,^ Uo 1854 71,726 81,896 98,350 >.M- ■'*: 20 The rrroipis from tlio Posi OfTicr in the yrnr rncJinR .Tlsl Miircli, IH5I, w»Tr JL80,9:i5 I 4, lu-in^' JCk>,(iHri iihovc tli.- receipts ol' tlu" previniis yeiir, iiiid the (lishiirsciiients iiH8,7l8 7 0, ineliulijij; XIJ,;;;!) 10 1 of Hrilish Packet posni^'c— shew- ing II (lelicii (in the vearV openitions ol JC7,70.'J 5 «M. 25. I cxlracl from a :L(ciicnil sliilistical ahstiact <'onipih'(l from ri'tiiruN in ilic JMhicatiunal Department for Upper Cana(hi, Honio interestinf,' detixiis wiih respect to :he compyrative state of E(hication in 1,'jiper Canada in the yt-urs from 1817 to IS.").'), inelnsi\e. In the foinKT of these years lh«' Normal School, which may Im* considered the foundation of the system, was instifnted, and at the close ol' tlu' latter, the first volnme issmd from the I'ldncalional I)epar1n)ent to the juil)|ic School libraries which are its crown anil completion. If it may he allirmed of Kcciproeily with the United States, that it introduces a new era in the Commercial History of the Province, so may it, I think, he said of the latter m<'asiire, that it inlrotlncesa new crii in its edncalional and intellectual history. 'Vhv stihiect is so important, that I ninsl bejj^ leave to say a few words npon it before proc'ediiij^r |(, (»ther matters. In order to prevent inis- np, .eheiision, however, I may observe that the temi school Jibrarie«« does not imply ihat the libraries in <|nestion are specially designed for the benefit of common School pupils. They are in point of lad public liliraries intench^J for the use of the general po})nla1ion ; and they are entitled School libraries because their establishment has been jirovided for in the School Acts, and their management confided to the School anthorifics. 26. Public School Libraries then, similar to those w hioh are. now being introduced into Canada, have been in opcralion for several years in !«oine Stales of the neighboring union, and many of the most vi\luable features of the Canadian system have been borrowed from them. In most of the States however, which have ap})ropriated funds for library purposes, the selection of the books has been left to the Trustees appointed by the diflerent districts, many of whom are ill qualified for the task, and thi; consequence has been, that the travelling pedlars who offer the most showy books at the lowest prices, have had the principal share in furnishing the libraries. In introducing the 21 It ion Jiinl iiavc :'ver, ;'tion the [ask, I who the the »«yi«tein into Cnnndn, pr»'cnnlion«« huvr hern takrn wlii(;h will, I Iriist, have \Uv vi\'vv\ ot'oUviatirif^ tliisj^m'at evil. 27. In the School Act of 1850, whicli (irst srf apart a siun of niorx'y lor tlir rslahli-^jinicnt and support of School Libraries, it \< declared to he ili<' duly of tlic ("liief Superintendent (»>' Kdiication to a|)portion the snin "jfranted lor this purpose hy thr Li'ijislatin-e under the fi.llowini,' eoadition : " 'I'hat no aid " should l)e 1,'iven towards the e«ii!il)lisluueiit and support of " any School Library unle^is an equid anioiuit he contributed or " e\|)en(led iVoui local sources for the sarn:," and the Council of Insiruelion is reipiircd to exauiine, and at its discretion, rccoiuruend or disapprove ol' Text lio(>!;s for the use of Schools or Hooks for School Libraries; '' Pros ided that no portion of tho Lei,dslative School (Jraut shall be applied ia aid of any School in which any book is usi'd that has been disapproved of by llu; Council, and public notice ^iven of such disapproval." 2S. TIk' Council of Public lustruclion in the discliar«[" of th'- responsibility tiuis imposed upon it, lias adopted, auio!istablishe(l und(T tlu^se regida- " tions, which is not included in the en i);uidcd in performiiiij^ the task of selecting books for tlies" Libraries, are stated in the following extract IVouT the Minutes of its proceedings : 1. '■'■ The Cotuicil regards it as imperative that no work of a li- centious, vi(!ious or inmioral tend<'n(\v, and no works hostile to the Christian Religion, should be admitted into the Libraries." 2. '' Nor is it in the opinion of the Council compatible with the objects of -tiie Pui)Iic School Libraries to 'introduce .into them controversial works on theology, or works of denomina- tional controversy ; although it would not be desirable to ex- clude all histori(!al and other Avorks in which such topics are referred to and discussed, and it is desirable to include a selection of suitable works on the evidences of natural and revealed religion." 2* 22 3. " In rrgfird to works on ccclosiasticcil history, the Council iasjrce on a scloption ofllie most approved works on each side." 4. " Willi lhes(^ exceptions and within these limitations, it is the opinion ol" the Council that as wide a selection ns possible should be made of useful and ent<'rtainin«[ books of permanent value, adai)led to popular readini^ in the various departments of human knowledge, leaving each Municipality to consult its own taste, and ex<'rcise its own discretion in selecting books from the general catalogue." 5. "The including of any books in the general catalogue is not to be understood ;is the expression of any oj)inion by the Council in regard to ;uiy sentiurents inculcated or cond)ated in such books, but merely as an a(!quiesci'nce on the pnrt of the Council in the purchase of such books by any Municipality, should it think proper lo do so," G. " The general catalogm^ of Books tor public school libraries may l)e modttied ajid enlarged from year to yenr as eircum- stances may suggest, and as suitable new works of value may appear." 29. The Catalogue above referred to, and of which 1 enclose a copy, aflords ample j)roof of the intelligenee and liberal spirit in which the principles above stated have been carried out by the Council of Public Instruction. The Chief Superiniendfnt observes that in the case of the libraries established up to the present time, the local authorities have in a large number of instances assigued the task of selecting books to the Chief Superintendent — that in some they have by a coiinnittee of one or more of themselves chosen all the books desired by them, and that in others I hey have selecled them to the amount of their own appropriation, requesting the Chief Superintendent to choose the remainder to the amount of the apportionment of the library grant. The Chief Superintendent recommends the last as the preferable mode. The total number of volumes issued from the Educational Department to Public libraries in Upper Canada from November 1853, when the issue commenced, to the end of August last, was 62,866. 30. The system of public instruction in Upper Canada is engrafted upon the Municipal Institutions of the Province, to which an organization veiy complete in its details, and admi rably adapted to develope the resources, confirm the credit, and 23 promote the inoml and social interests of a young Cotmtry, was irnparted by an Act passed in 1849. Tlie law by which the Common Schools are regulated was enacted in IbjO, and it cnibnici's all the modificulions and improvements suggested by ex|)erienep in the provisions ol' the several School Acts passed subsequently lo 1841, when the important principle of granting money to each County on condition that an equal amount were raised within it by local assessment, was first introduced into the statute; book. 31. The development of individual self reliance and local exertion, under the superintendeniu; of a central authority exer- cising an inlluence almost exclusively moral, is the ruling prin- cij)l(M)f the system. Accordingly, it rests with the freeholders and hous(d)olders of each school section to decide whether they will support their school by voluntiiry sul)scriptioii, by rate bill for each pupil allimding the school, (which must not, however, exceed Is. per month,) or by rates on property. The trustees elected by the same freeholders and ltons(>hol(lers are required to determine the amount to be raist;d within their respective school sections, for all school purposes whatsoever, to hire teachers from among persons holding legal certificates of qualification, and to agree with them as to salary. On the Local Superintendents appointed by the County Councils, is devolved the duty of apportioning the Legislative grant among the School Sections within the County, of insp(>cting the Schools, and rq:)orting upon ihem to the Chief Superintendent. The County Boards of public Instruction com[)Osed of the Local Superintendent or Superintendents, and the Trustees of the County Grammar School, examine Candidates for the Ollice of Tt^acher, and give certificates of qualification which are valid for the County; the Chief SupcM-intendent giving certi- ficates to Normal School Pupils which are valid for the Pro- vince. While the Chief Superintendent, who holds his appoint- ment from the Crown, aided in specified cases by the Council of Public Instruction, has under his especial charge the Normal and Model Schools, 1 .asides exercising a general control over the whole system ; duties most efficiently ptM-formed by the able head of the Department, Dr. Ryerson, to whom the Inhabitants of Upper Canada are mainly indebted for the system of public 24 Instruction which is now in mch sncce5.r,inl o|)eration among them. 32. The Question of R(>ligioiis Instruction as connecled with the Common School System, presented even more than ordinary diffiituhy in a eomi".nnity where there is so mucli diversity of opinion on religious subjects, and where all denominations are in the eye of the law on a footing of entire equality. It is laid down as a fundamental principle that as the Common Schools are not boarding, but Day Schools, and as the Pupils are under the care of their parents or guardians during the Sunday, and a considerable portion of each week day, it is not intended that the functions of the Common School Teacher should su])ersedo those of the parent and pastor of the child. Accordingly, the law contents itself with providing on this head " That in any "Model or Common School established under this Act, no " child sl;all be required to read or study in or from any Reli- "gious Book, or to join in any ex(!rcisc of devotion or religion, "which shall be objected to by his or her parents or guardians; "Provided always, that within this dirnilatioa pupils shall be " allowed to receive such religious instmctjon as their parents " or guardians shall desire, according to tht^ general regulations " which shall be provided acconling to law." And it author- izes unch'r certain regulations tin? estaljlishment of a separate School for Protestants or Roman Catholics, as the case may be, when the Tea(;her of the Coumion School is of the opposite persuasion. 33. The Council of Public Instruction urges the inculcation of the principles of Religion and Morality upon all the pupils in the school, and prescribes the following regulation upon the subject : " The public religious exercises of each school shall " be a matter of mutual voluntary arrangement between the " trustees and the teaelu>r, and it shall be a matter of mutual " voluntary arrangement between the teacher and the parent " and guardian of each |)upil, as to whether he shall hear such " pupil recite from the seriptm-es or catechism, or other sum- " mary of religious doctrine and duty of the persuasion of such " parent or guardian Such recitations, however, are not to " interfere with the regular exercises of the school." 34. As a further security that these principles will be adhered to, Clergymen recognized by law of whatever denomination, r 1: h r r I (( « 25 are madw ex ojficlo vii^itors of the sfriux)ls in townships, citiest, towns or villages, where they reside, ©r have pastoral charge. And the Chief Superintendent reinariis on this head : '' The Clergy of the county have access to each of its " sclu)ols ; and we know of no instance in whicii tlie school " has been made the place ol' religious discord, but many " instances, especially on occasions of quarterly public exa- " minations, in which the soiuH^l has witnessed the assemblago " and friendly intercourse of (dergy of various religious persua- " sions, and thus become the radiating centre of a spirit of " christian charity and potent co-operati(jn in the primary work " of a people's civilization and happiness." He adds, with reference to the sjibject generally, " The more " carefully tlu; question of religion in connection with a system " of Common Schools is examined, the more clearly I think it " will appear that it has been left where it projierly belongs — " with th(! litX'.al School Mnnicijialities, parents, and managers " of schools — .The (iovemmeni protecting the right of each " parent and child, but beyond this, and beyond the piinciples " and duties of morality common to all classes, neither com- " pelling nor prohibiting — recognixing the duties of })astors and " parents as well as of School Truste(;s and Teachers, and con- " sidering the united lalxiurs of all . Council of Public Instruction for the Normal School : " The Teachers in training shall board and lodge in the " city, in such houses and under such regulations as are ap- " proved of by the Council of Public Instruction." " Each Teacher in training is required every Friday after- " noon, from 3 to 4 o'clock, punctually to attend the classes for " separate religious instruction by the Clergyman of the religi- 26 " ous persuasion to which he or she respcelively belongs. Any " students absenting tWcmselvos from such exercises, will be " required to forward a written exphination of such absence." " The Teachers in training are expected to lead orderly and " regular lives, to be in their respective lodgings every niglil "before half past nine, P.M., and to attend their respective " places of worship with strict regidarity. Any improj)rieties " of conduct will be brought under the special notice of the " Chief Superintendent of Sciiools." I visited the Normal School in the course of a tour which [ recently made through llie western section of the Province, and the address presented to me on that occasion by the Council cf Public Instruction contains information of so much interest, that 1 venture to append an extract from it. "After an interval of three years, w^e, the Members of the Council of Puljlic Instruction for Upper Canada have great pleasure in again meeting Your Excellency." " We cordially welcome Your Excellency on this your first visit to an institution, the erection of which was connnenccd under your Excellency's auspices." " On the occasion of the interesting ceremony performed by your Excellency in laying the cliief corner stone of the Edilice in which we are now assembled, we adverted to the noble and patriotic objects contemplated by the Legislature on its establish- ment. Those objects have been kept steadily and anxiously in view, and we have now much satisfaction in presenting your Excellency with some statistics of the results." " Since the establishment of tlie Normal School in the Autumn of 1817, fourteen hundred and fifty six candidates for admission have presented tliemselves, of whom, twelve hundred and sixty-four, after due examination, iiave been re- ceived ; of these, about one hundred and fifty have been care- fully traiiicd each year, and sent to diilerent parts of Western Canada. That they have been eminently successful in teaching the youth of the Country and elevating the character of our Common Schools, we have been repeatedly assured, and the great and encreasing demand for trained teachers stimulates us to further exertions to increase the number of these meri- torious and valuable publio servant«s/'* 27 "The liberality of the Legislature in recently providing a fund of £500 per annum towards the relief of superannuated or worn out Teachers, the Council cannot but believe will prove a strong ground of encouragement to many to enter a profession hitherto l)ut ill-veqnited, while it cannot fail to provoke increased zeal and exertious on the part of those already engaged therein." " li will be gratifying to Your Excellency to learn that the system of establishing free public libraries throtigliout Uj)per Canada, has been put into successful opi.-ration during 1853 and 1854. Since De('ember of last year, nearly 75,()U() volumes of Books, embr.'ieing the more imi)ortant Depnitments of human Knowleilge, have been circulated through the agency of the Township Municipalities and School Corporations, from which the Council anticipate the most salutary results." " As an illustration of the cordial eoo()eration of the peo])le in promoting the system t)f public Educ^ation esiablishc- by the Legislature, we are rejoiced to add that the very lar^^ sum ontalf a millw II oi doWnvs was last year raised by their free action to promote this object, exclusive of legislative aid." " These facts we are assured will be no less gratifying to Vour Excellency than they are cheering to ourselves, and^ worthy of the people of Upper Canada, and we hope that, in the course of a finv year.-!, when tjie Grammar Schools have been eflectiially incorporated Vv'ith our educational system, the general results of our operations will not be less satisfactory." 36. The census of 1851 gives the following summary of the condition of the poi)ulation of Upper Canada as respects religious belief: Church of England 223, 190 Church ol Scotland 57,5 12 Church of Rome 1()7,G95 Free Church — Presbyterians 05,807 Other Presbyterians 80,799 Wesleyan Methodists 9G,G 10 Episcopal Methodists 43,881 New Connexion Methodists 7,547 Other Methodists 59,585 Baptii«ts 45,353 Lutherans 12,089 28 Congrpqationalists 7,717 Quakeis 7,4()() Bible Clirislians 5,72(> Chrisliaiis 3,093 Second Adventists GG3 Protestants 1,733 Diyeiples 2,0(i t Jews 103 Menonisl.s and Tunkeiv 8,330 Universalists* 2,G84 Unitarians 834 Mormons 247 Not known 6,744 No creed given 35,750 Other creeds not classcxl 7,805 Total Population 952,004 The total number of Teaoliers employed in the Common Schools in Upper Canada in 1852 is stated at 3,258, — I\rale, •!2,451 ; Female, 807, — and the'ir religious faith is given as below : • Church of England 700 Roman Catholics 353 Presbyterians 865 Methodists 893 Baptists 196 Cojigregationalit'ts 68 Lutherans 9 Quakers 45 Christians and Disciples 25 Reported " Protestants " 36 Universalists and Unitarians 23 Other Persuasions 12 Not Reported , 28 The total number of Common Schools reported for that year was 2,914, and of Separate Schools, 18,— of which three were Protestant, and two, Colored Schools. 29 37. On a -om pari son of llic ('('noational condition ol" Upprr Canada in the yoars 1847 and 1853, the followini^ rcsulta aro arrived at : Population bet\v(M.'n tlif ages of 5 and 10 : ^^'^'^ 230,975 ^^^^ 2.68,957 Total Conunon Schools : 1847 2 727 1853 '.'..'.,.'.'3,'U7 Total Pni)ils attending- Do. : 1^'^^'J' 124,839 '^'^•'^3 194,730 Total Stiid(!ntH and Pn|)ils attending Universities, Colleges, Academies, (iranimar. Private and Common Schools: IS'i? 131,300 1853 203,890 Total amount availabli; for Common School Teachers Salaries : 1S47 £ 63,780 l-'^^S 100,881 7 5 Total amount available for Teachers' Salaries, School Houses, Libraries, Apparatus : 1^17 \o report. 1853 £132,900 10 5 Average number of months eacdi School has bctm kept o|)en by a qualilied teacher : 1847 8,| Months 1853 i5 Months. These iigures do not however adequately represent the pro- gress which tlu! Common School system has been mulang, for it has been the ))olicy of the D(!partment rather to encourage the eidargement of the boundaries of existing school sections, than to multiply new ones, and ihroughorU the whole period a very material rise in the standard of qtialification ofcommtm school teachers hiis bec^n talcing place through the instrumen- tality of the normal and modid schools. Free schools also, as distinguished from schools in part supported by rates levied on the pupils, are rapidly encreasing. No separate return of this particular description of schools was made before 1850. In that year 252 were reported, in 1853 the number had risen to 30 1,052. Adverting to those uiul otluM- fiicts of a like nature, the Chief SupcrintcndiMU of Schools for L'ppcr Canada in closing his* report for last year which has jus-t been laid before Parlia- ment and is not ye! in orint, thus ^'ur.u^al•ily sk'Mchesthe result of the educational proeeeilings of the lew pasit years. " ft must ever be a sou ree oi' s.itisfLiction lo Your Exeellency that during tlie period of Your Administration of the (jovernuient of Cauiida, the h'uvs uniK';- wliieh oui- whole school system is now organized have been passed, that our ^'ornial and M»)del Schools hfive been eslnbllsh, d and rendered extensively useful, that the encreuse of pnjjils in o\tr schooL-', the siuns voluntarily provided by the people for tludr support, tlic improvements in the modes of eondueling them, in the houses erected for them, as well as their conveniences and furnilnre, have advanced beyond all pnn'edent, that u general sysiem of Public School Libraries has bi'cn brouglit into successlul operation, and that every feeliiig of the ]»eople is onward in Induration and Know- ledge as well as in Railroads, Manufadmes, Commerce and Agriculture." 38. An encreasc in the legislative provision for School libraries is about to be proposed in the present session, and a sum is to lie specially appropriated for tiie establishment of a Model Grammar School in connection witli the Normal School at Toronto. The Grammar Schools holii an intermediate place between the University and oilier CoUogiate Institutions of the Province, and the Common Schools. The Model Grammar School will raise the standard of tl-.e iniitruotion allbrded by them, and impart to it a certain uniformilj of Character. When this object shall hiive been eirccled, it will hardly be too much to aifirm, that educational facilities, unsuri)assed by those provided in any part of the World, will have been placed within the reach of the youth of Upper Canada of all classi's. 39. The position of the Low^er Province in resjiect of Educa- tion is not so salislactory. Neither Noimal Schools nor public School libraries have yet been established in that section of the Country, although some preliminary steps have been taken towards the introduction of both. T'\e Commissioners of Schools are still in too many instances uncducat(rd, and the teachers indiilerently qualitied for their olfice ; and there are 31 parishes wIumt, nnrlpr one prctrncn nr another, the local con- tribution for the support of Scliof)ls ii^ not levied. It is but fair to say tliut in some districts of Lower Canada fiir removed from the towns and when* the winters are very long and inehMnent, thrif is !i jrood deal of poverty amons^ the inhabi- lants. Xevertheless, pro:,'vess has l)een made of late years, and there are indications of fiu'lher improvement. Soon aft(!r the inlroiliu'tiou of Commiin Schools into F.owt.'r Canada, it was deemed necess:iry, [)irtly because of the imperfect operation of the municijjal system, and partly bc(tausc of the unwillingness of the inhabitants to take siicli burthens voluntarily upon them- selves, to make tiic scdiool lax compulsory, iiist(!ud of leaving it, as in U|)i)er Canada, optional with the miuiicipalities to tax themselves, subject to the condition that no school section should n.'ceive its share of the lA-gishuivt; grant which ilitl n;)t raise an c(|ual amount from local sources. During the earlier years of my adminisfniion, acts of violence were from time to time conuTiitted !>y i!ie opjiorients of the obnoxiou> inipo-t. This species of resistaiice to tlie law lias now ct!US(.'(l, and there apj)e;us to be among tlie population generally, ,i disposition to acipiiesce in its provisions. The total number of Ivlucational Instilulious in Lov^i.m' Canada, has ini-p^asixl from 1727 in 1317, to 2;^..32 in 18.">.'5, and the [)L!pils from 08,133, in Ih-- former, to 108,284, in the latter y(;;ir. This last number includes 3524 girls educated at 53 superior girls schools, and 278G educated at l4 convents, 4923 puj)iis attending 83 independent schools, 11G9 attending 19 [)repar;!toiy classical seliools, and 2110 stu- dents at M Roman Catholic Colleges. The terms of these last mentioned institutions, lor v/iiat puvj)orts to be an education of a higher ordm-, am exceedingly moderate. The whole charge for a student, board and lodging included, being' from £14 to £18 a year. They are able to alford education at this very low rate, partly because they are in general to some extent endowed, and partly because their prolessors, being cv .^jc^dastics, receive no remuneration beyond food and clothiuij^ for their services. 40, It is painful to turn from revie\vuig the progress of the European population and their descendints esliiblished in this portion of America, to contemplate the condition and prospects of the Aboriginal Tribes. It cannot, I (ear, be atlirmed with 32 tnith, that tho difTlcnlf problem of rrronrilinir tliP inlrrrgis of an inferior and n;iiiv<' r!ic(> with tliosc of an intniNivc and su- perior one, has as yet l)een salisfaelorily solved on this (.'onti- nent. In the I'nited Stales, the eouvs.' of proeeedini< pnerally followed ill this matter has been that of coinix'Hiti'j: the Ked- juaii, lliii' which necessarily entails the occasional adoption of harsh measnres, and 'vhich ceases to be |)r:ietical)le when civilization approaches the limits of the terrilory to be occupied. In Canada, the 'J'ribes have been periiiilled to dwell amonijf the sc( ries of ihcir early associations and traditions, on lands reserved from the advan- cing tide of \Vhite Settlement, atid set apart lor iheir use. Hut this system, tlionfj;h more lenient in its operation than the other, is not nnallended with didieallies of its own. 'J'he laws enacted I'or their proleelion, and in the absence" <, I' which they fall an easy prey to the more miscrnpnlons am.*n;,' 'heir ener- getic nei^h!)ors, lend !o ke;>p the"' in a. condition of perpetual pnpillai^e, and the relation sul)sisiiii'..{ between iliem and tho Government., whicii treats llinn, j):ir'.ly as independent jx'oples, and })artly as infants nnd<'r iis I'tiardianship, involves many anomalies and c.intradictions. I'nless there be some reason- able i^ronnd for the hope tliat tli(>y will he evenlua ly af,surbed in llie .'.jjencral poj)iilalion i^f the Coimtry, the C'ani-.dian System is probably destined in liie h)n'^' itm to ;)rov(^ as disastrous to them as that of the I'nited Stii- s. In 181G and 1847, the attempt was lirst made to establish ainowiJ^ thcnn Industrial Bo.arding Sciioois, in part siipport'-d by contriliulions from thea* own lunds. If Soliools of tiiis d-jseriplion !)(^ |>ro|>erIy conduct- ed, it may, I think, be expected, that amon<< the youth trained at thein, a c'^riain propt-rtion at least will be so far civilized, nfi to be capable of ma.kini^ their v.ay in lifc^ without exceptional privileyjes or reslrain'is. It would be, I am inclined to lielieve, expedient that any Indian shewing this capacity, should be permitted, ai'ter suiheien! trial, to receive^ from the Common Property of the Tribe of which he was a member (on the un- derstanding of course that nrither he nor his descendants had thenceforward any claim upon it), a sum equivalent to his in- terest in it, as a means to cnabh" him to start in independent 8d lifn. TliP procpss of irnnsition from ihoir prosont t'd to have an interest in thfui ; and an arrange- uient has been reeenlly dleeted thron^ii the o.erlions of Mr. Oliphant, the prt-sent Superlnten(h'nt General of Indian Affairs, by whieii the Saui^een I'eninsuhi, an Indian Iteserve of great extent and vahie, situated in the M-ry heart of L'|)per Canada, will be brought at onee into the Market, with much advantage both to th(! IndiLUis ans in Canada, the amount of their funds, and the charges now borne upon tbem. Ths amounts staled in the following sciiedule are currency ; all other sums named in this Report are in steriing mon«ey. 34 •13. If mny not ho nltor^ollicr uiij)rolital)Ip at flu* prcfont time t:> loolv sDtncwIiat inort' narrowly into those returns, with tlio view of Qscertaininiif wIi'-iIut any I'acts can he ^'leaned from tliorn, that may serve to iMiistrali- thi; hearinu; which the 'I'reaty relativ(; to Ki-lieries sind to Conimcrce and Navi' Xi: of Bay of Quint6 SauK-ic: and Owen's Sound Cliipi > was Lakes Huron and Simcoe M'ssiss.ijas of Alnwick Do. of Rice and Mud Lakes Manitoulin Island Lake Superior Lake Huron Harons at La Jeune Lorette. Amaliciles, Micmacs and Abenaquis at Isle-Verte > and Poj'p on the St. Lawrence ) Abenaquis ot Becancour Algonquins near Three Rivers Tete de Boule at Wormantashingue, River St. Maurice. . Iroquois at Caughnawaga Do. at Regis Algonquins of River Desert, on the Ottawa Abenaquis of St. Franci? Nipisoiiigs of Lake of Tvpo '^fountains Algonquins of do. Iroquois of do. Population. 2,406 202 1,291 595 154 126 374 343 383 142 210 1,875 1,240 1,422 10,763 167 133 77 63 86 921 498 85 3i0 265 282 326 3,213 Micmacs of Restigouohe Nomadic Tribes on the Saugeen, Lake St. Jean and North Shore of St. Lawrence Annuity. Commutation Money 1854. Investments. Annual Interest. £ s. d. None. 522 10 1,100 600 150 None. 450 1,250 1,200 642 740 £ s. d. 886 12 5 50O 600 7,754 10 109 9 628 5 299 10 77 10 65 13 178 4 170 IB 186 1 71 19 108 n 8 9 7 10 9 2 5 2 s. d. 88,610 5,850 2,900 2,700 None. 3,223 6 7,973 500 2,850 3,655 None. £ s. d. 7,138 16 2 351 174 160 10 None. 192 16 456 9 7 30 167 213 10 None. 2,775 1 8 118,261 13 4 8,884 11 9 LOTER CANADA 1854. .s:2 Oh /IN <0 M _ xmy, has deserted ourcoa^s for many years." The (ollou-ing extract from theOlhcial Re" turn of the Exports of Newloundland bears out these statements : CASKS OF MACKERKL VEAUS. KXl'ORTED. 1832 916 1833 035 183G 149 1837 79 ^^^'^ ' Nonecaught. 1839 4 *= I'l? Nonecaught. l^^^l do. 18^2 d„ 1^13 Z 1844 do. 1S45 do. 1846 do. 1847 do. 1848 do. 1849 do. 1850 do. 1851 do. 3 1853 do. 38 Al a still earlier period the coast of New England would f^ecm to have been their favorite haunt. 46. The exports from Canada of ' products of th(! seas' for the 4 years from 1850 to 1853 both inclusive, averagetl in value JE53,075 6s. 3d. ; an amount greatly exceeded, it may be observed in passing, by that of the imports into the Province of the same class of articles during the same period. The exports of Fish from New-Hrunswick in tln)se y(,'ars, averaged in value JC42,322 2s. Od. I am unable to furnish similar information with respeet to the export.^ from Nova Scotia, but I find that the census of that Province for 18i>I values the total produce of the fisheries at something h'ss than £200,000, and gives 9927 out of a population of 276,1 17, as the number of persons engag<;d in th(;m. The exports offish and oil from Prince Edward Island are inconsiderable, amounting in 1851 (the only year for which I have returns) to about £8,000 in value. As these amounts inclnd*^ produce of the deep sea iislierie?, which arc protected neither by the conveniioi; of 1818 nor by the treaty of 1854, and of the fresh water fisheries which are protected by both, as well as of the inshore sea fisheries which are thrown ojk'u by th(^ one and protected by the other, some estimate may be formed from lliemofthe real commercial value of the Monopoly which it has been sought to preserve at an enormous cost, and with the risk, always imminent, of hostile collision with the Citizens of that Country which both from contiguity, similarity of population, and commercial activity, is calculated, in the absence of obstructive legislation, to be the most valuable customer of the British North American Colonies. vSo long as the Americans are intruders on the fishing grounds, and debarred from landing on the shores of the Colonies for the purposes of their trade, it is impossible to prevent them from resorting to practices which are prejudicial to the fisheries, or to give efiect to regulations for their preserva- tion and extension. Und<^r these circumstances, and looking to the increased energy which will be imparted to this branch of Colonial Industry by ihe co-operation of the United States fishermen, it may reasonably be hoped that the Provinces will reap from it directly and indirectly, greater profits, after the treaty comes mto operation, than they have done during the preceding period of monopoly. 39 for 47. The opening up of the River St. Lawrence and Canals pertaining thereto, to vessels of the United States, which is the third concession made to that country by the treaty in question, alli'cts Canada only ; and it is easy to discover from fads disclosed in llie K(>turns herewilh submitted, that the advantages which the Americans will derive from it, will not be acquired at any cost to the Province. n the general state- ment of the all'airsofthe Province, the St. Lawrence Canals are debited with i:i,.'352,70;i Ms. Od., and the Welland Canal with £l,3Gl,3Gy Kis. 5d., which sums respectively represent the amount simU in iheir conslriu-non. 'I'iie latter canal has been for several years free to vessels of the United States, while from the former they have l)een in a great measure exckided by being refused ptrmission to pass from Montreal to Quebec; and although no doul)t ihere are other circumstances which contribute to the superior produc1i\enc!ss of the VVellantl Canal, it is a fact not allogelher undeserving of notice, as illustra- tive of the tendency of the i\ver svslem, ihat tin; total tonnajre of vessels of all kinds passing through the Welland Canal in 1853, was 1,072,248, against a tonnage o^ G2(),;J99, passing through the St. Lawrence Canals ; The tons of merchandize transported on the former were 005,518, against 651,101 on the latter, and the Revenue from the iormer £53,452 16s. 9d., against £19,726 14s. Od., from the latter. It has been the practice, I am informed, for many years, to build ships of cnnsideral)le tcnmage on the Ohio, at points where timber is abundant, and to Jloatthcm down to the Ocean for sale or export during the season at which the waters are high in the VV^estern Rivers. It is probable that a similar branch of industry will he prosecuted on the shores of the great lakes, when a route to the sea by way of the St. Lawrence is open to American vessels. 48. Of a grand total of exports o!^ Canadian produce and manufacture amounting in lb53, as appears from these returns to £4,890,078 14s. 3d. the exports to the United States are given at £2,205,^06 17s. 4d. Some idea of the magnitude of the trade between Canada and the United Slates, and of the importance of the reciprocity clauses of the treaty as bearing on that trade, may be formed from these figures. It is no doubt true t):at a considerable portion of these exports 3* 40 now passes through the United Sialos in bond, but h may be presumed on tiie other hand, that large amounts* of Canadian produce, which have been liilherto forced by the iiigli Ameri- can duties to seek other mnrkets, will be entered for consump- tion in that country when these duties are ri'inoved. Some idea of the growth of the transit trade through tlie United Slates may be formed froiu the fuel that the value of the nu^rchandize trans- ported in bond to Canada iVom Boston alone, — which was for the year ending the 31^t December 1847, £4,461 I9s. 9d.— amounted for the nine months (mding the ;30lh of Sei)tember 1854, to £977,805 4s. Id. and the value of Canadian produce taken in bond to Boston was for the yen r ending the i3 1st De- cember 1S50, JC13,90() 5s. and for the first three (juarters of 1854, £123,245 8s. Od. 49. l he natural products of Canada entering the markets of the United States may l)e classed under the two following heads : First, articles for which there is in tlie United Stiites or in those cirts of the United States at any rale, which adjoin the jirodiu ing districts of Canada, a demand which is con- stant, though of varying inlenslty. The removal of high duties on the importation of this class of articles from Canad;i,will be obviously a great benciif to the Canadian oxporter, by rais- ing the exchange value oi' his |)r<»duce, or withdrawing further from him the limit l)eyon(l which encieasc of supply will oblige him to submit lo reduction of price. 50. The other class of natural products of Canada, entering that market, consist of article ^^ of which, on an average of years, there is ]->roduccd in the United Stales an amount ex- ceeding the internal consumption of that coiuUry, and with respect to which the United Slates are therefore habitually an expoiling country. It is a sinnewhat more complicated pro- blem in this ease, than in the other, to determine the precise amount of benefit which the Canadian producer will derive from the removal of duties on the importation of his produce into the markets of the United States, and an intimate acquain- tance with the movements of the trade is essential to its sa- tisfactory solution. 51. It might for instance on general grounds, be surmised, that as the United States are in the habit of exporting wheat and flour to a market in which they meet the Canadian produ- 41 eer on equal torms, thr price of these articles in tlie home, muit be detcnninod by that of the Foreign Market, and that tiierefore, except in rare and exceptional (^a^cs, it caji be of little eonse- qiienco to thf Caniidian producer of wheat iind tlour, to be ex- cluded by high duties from t lie njarkets of the United Stales. Experience docs not, however, I apprehend, support this c additional risk of its rejection ])y Congress which their introdactiou would have oc- casioned, it may he well to enepiire whether or not their cwn- tual attainment is likely to be facilitated by its adoj)tion in its present shape. 55. Now it see:ns lo be evident that the exclusion of Colonial bnilt shi})s from the American coasting trade; and registry, can- not in any way atlect th(; ship building arid ship owning inte- rests in the Provinces, unless it have the elU-ct of keeping the price of Coloninl Vessels below that of the United Slates Ves- sels, and the rates of fnMght obtainable by the former bd on in Colonial Ships, and persons in the United States who produce bidky articles ofthf^samo description as iho?e exported from the Colonies, such, for ins- tances as Coal, Timber and Stone, will find that in supj)lying their own Cities on the sea board, they compete at a disad- vantage with the Colonists in conseejuence of the enhanced expense of carriage entailed Uj)on them by their j)rot(?ctive sys- tem. It follows tliat the admission of these articles dutyfree into the American Markets from the Colonics, will have astroner tendency to swell the ranks of that already influential party in the United States, which contends that the rule of free compe- tition is the wisest that a commercial people can adopt, and 43 thfil there is something absurd in j)ropp!ng np !«iea freights by legii^hition when 5714 Do 1853 15 U Do 1851 3306 iHt October, 1851 188^ It is not rxpccted tliiit on tlic first ol' .l.inuary 1855, it will nnnibcr more than 1750 ; and nei,'()t'iations are in progress wliieli will probiihly by that tiuu! have relieved (ireat Britain t)t"tlie i,'real(.'r part olllit! eli;irt!;e on aeeoiuil of Harraeks and ISIilitary Works wiiieli husi been hillierlo borne by the Iinperiul Treasury. Gl. Tlu! change which has taken place in the temper of the public miud, and in the tone of Provincial Stalesmtm in refe- rence to charg(!s of this (lescri|)ti()ii, is even more; iMi|)orlant as bearing on the condition and prospects of the Kmpirt', than thu reducrtion which has been elli'cteil in the actual expenditure incurred by Great Britain. At the connnenccment of the period which forms the subject of tiiis Review, not only was there no willingness on the |)artofllie Colonial CJovernmiMit and Legislature to reliev(! the Motlu r Country from any portion of tliis class of burdens, biU tluM'c was even apj)areutly, in some cascis, a disposition to 1ak(» a not very generous advantage of the liberality with which she bore them. When I arrived in the Province in 1847, I found that c(>rtain articles imjiorted by the (yommissariat for the use of the Trooj)s, and purchased with Britisii Funds, were chargeable on their introduction into the Colony with duties which went into the Provincial Treasury; and it was not until the Sessions of 1849 and 1850, that tlie alterations in the Law wer(> elfected which put f.n end to this anomaly. As there was at that time hardly any smnblanee of a Civil Fon^u in the Province, Ilcr Majesty's Troops were constantly required to render services which would have been discharged more elfectually and more consistently with Britisii practice, by a Body of Police. I am happy to say that a very different spirit lias been manifested in meeting thu requirements which the recent reductions 47 tl)i« *riul I in tlir Militiiry Kstiiblishtuciit of tlir i'rovincr linv«! orni- sioin'fl, — Jind thai there scciriH t»» l)e every dispositidii t(» provida the funds neeoHNiiry f<»r the or^'iinixiition nnd estMhliNhiiient of nil edieienf hx-jd force. Ahhoiitjh I hohl that >o h)n<,' as tho Coh)iii>ts have no voice in th(; Imperial Councils, they are en- titled to jodl; to the Imperial Authorities for protection aj^ninst hostilities which they have no >hare in provokin<^', mid that it is therclore littini,' that Imperial garrisons should be maintsiiiied at certain im|)ortant Military stations, such as Quehec, as a |)le(li;e that this protection, when the continiM-ncy occurs, will not he invoked in vain, I am conlident that not liiui,' will more ('n'ectually tend to the seciuity of the Kmpire, or to the estahlish- nient of a h\>^\\ stnndard ol national and manly morals amon^ the C'olonists, than the assutiiplion by themselves ol some por- tion of the responsibility in respect of sidf defence, and tlu! preservation of internal tran(|uillity, which has heretofon; bc'c^n cast upon the Mother Country. G2. Tli(> Parliament ofCanada. has just given proof of interest in the stru;:i[i,de in which the Empire is involved, and in the alliance now happily subsist in,.^ between the natitins whose descendanls form one people in this Province, by unanimously votiiii,' the sum of £J(),()0(), for the relief of the widows and orphans of the solijiers and sailors belouiifini,' to either of the Allicii Forces, who may fall in the service of ijieir country dnrini^ the present ^^'ar. Is it too much to expect, that, if at some future day, when the material streni(tli of these nourishing Provinces shall have been more fully developed. Her Majesty should chance ty be eni^Mjircd in a contest which carries with it, as the j)rescnt contest does, the sympathies of all her people, the same spirit wfiich prompts to this liberal contribution in the cause of cha- rity, may lead Canadians to desire to share with thear brethren of the Mother Country, the glories and the sacrifices of honor- able warfare ? 6.3. These results have not, it is tme, been attained without the introduction of certain inodilications into the system on which the Government of the Province has been administered, in reference fo which it may be fitting that I should say a few words ])efore clo*' \g this report, as tlieir etVect has been in ccr tain quarters very im])erfee11y apprehended. 48 64. Tlic principles of Constitutional or Parliamentary Govern- ment, admitted in tlicory since the date of the publication of, the report ot the Earl of Diu-haui on Canadian aftairs, have been durintf the past few years, allowed their full effect in practice, nil atleniptrs to give a uictnopoly of otiic*? to one party in the Province, or to relieve the Provincial IMinislers from the rcijjonsibiiity properly aitadiing to their position as servants of the Crovv-n witlnn tlie Colony, have been abandoned. The Governor has accepted frankly as ydvisers, the individuals who have possessed from time to time the confidence of the Country and of the Legislature, on the distinct understanding, faithfully adhered to, that they sliould enjoy his support and favor, so long as lh(>y continued lo merit them by fidelity to the Crown, ;,iul devotion to the interests of the Province. 65. It was not to be expectetl that this system of administra- tion could Y)r honestly carried onf in a coimtry where the fires of recent civil conflict were hardly yet extingnislied, without provoking in some quarters, fpointrnent and irritation. But it ought to be remembered, when th(.'se matters are imi)artially reviewed, that the restdts of the Canadian Rebellion were of a somewhat complicated chara(;teT. While resistance to authority was ])r()mptly and eflcctually Rr"'':^a cnisiu'd, the grievances coni|)lained of by the disaffected were denonnc A by the Officers of th(> Imperial Governm(!nt appointed to i nestigate tliem, in terms hardly less emphatic than those employed by t!io disaHected themselves, nnd, on the faith of these representations, the Parliament of England, .n the hour of triumj)h, had taken measures for their redress. When referring to those grievances the language of tlie report, of the Earl of Dnrham, of Lord Sydenham's |)ublished corrcspondance, and of the biographer of Lord Metcalfe, is nniform. To assume, howfncr, that after the causes had been thus removed the effects remained — to attempt by indirect methods to main- tain a system of exclusivism which had been condemned in principle, was not less illogical than impolitic. It cast a doubt on the sincerity of the Imperial Government, and made it appear that the concessions which it had granted were du". to .something else than the sense of right and justice. Moreover, to any oni; accustomed to watch the movements of opinion, it was obvious that attempts of this nature could not by any so *? 49 exercise of skill on the part of the Governor, be rendered per- manendy succes^^ful. In communities where the jealousy of Imperial interference in local aliiiirs was already so great a special preference by the Governor for one party in the state could not fail sooner or later to expose the party so preferred to suspicion, and to weaken its hold on the^ public mind. While on the other hand the taei that any class of politicians was the objeet of his special distrust had a tendency no less certain to secure for it an amount of po|mlar sympathy, alto- gether dispn jiortioned to its claims on public favor. And as suspicions and symivalhies of this nature, when jirevalent in the country and i*arliamcnt, were sure to tell on the stability of administrations, a Governor adopting this policy, whatever his tact and ability, found liimself inevitably at one time sur- rounded by Coimeillors too feeble to aid him, — at another by party leadtnvs, who conceived that they had attained to olliee against his will, and tliat tliev were tiiere less as Servants cf the Crown, than as tribunes of the people, l>ound to press popular opinions and party intcresls on a n^juctant and irres- ponsible Executive. 1 saw enough of the fruits of this poliey soon afier my arrival in the Pi-f)vinee, to satisfy me that the f^ituation which it created for tiu; Governor was a talse one, and that the perpetual agitation of the pul^iie mind occasioned by it was most unfavorable to the material and moral progress of the community. 66. in a despatch which I addressed to Earl Grey early in 1849, and from which I am at liberty to quote, as it was pub- lished in the Parliamentary papers of tht^ day, I made the following remarks in dfscril)ing the results of the constant antagoni?»m between the Exeeutiv(^ and the popular branch of the Iie2[i>^lature, which had characterized for many years the system of Canadian Administration. "In a society singrdarly democratic in its structure, where diversities of race supplied special elements of confusion, and wliere consequently, it was most importaTit, that constituted anthorlly should be respected, the moral influence of law and Government was enfeebled by the existence of perpetual strife between the powers that ought to have aflbrded each other a mutual support. Xo state of affairs could be imagined less favorable to the extinction of national animosities, and to the iirm establishment of the gentle 50 and benignant control of those liberal insliliitions which it si England's pride and privilege to bestow upon her children. And 1 added, " I am not without hope tlial a .steady adherence to the principles oi" Constitutional (jlovenuiient and the con- tinuance of harmony between the coordinate branches of the Legislature, may lead in process of lime to the correction of those evils." It is a fact of some imjiortanee as justifying the hopes expressed in the latter portion of this paragraph, that during the present Session of the I'rovineial Legislature, in- tensely exciting (juestions, such as those of the Clmgy Jieserves and Seigniorial Tenure, should have been settled on terms which conmiand vimt general a))proval both in and out of Par- liamt^nt, by an administration enjoying the eonlidenee of the Conservative party in the Province. 67. I readily admit tiiat the maintenance of the position and due inOuence of the Covemor is one of the most critical pro- blems that have to be solved in the adaptation of Parliamentary Governnvuit to the Colonial system, and that it is diificult to overestimate the importance which attaches to its satisfactv)ry solution. As the liiii)crial Government and Paliament gra- dually withdraw from Legislative inl(M(erenc(>, and from the exercise of patronage in Colonial a flairs, liur oliice of Governor tends to become, in th(^ most emphatic sens(> of the term, the link which connects the Mother C(Muitry and the Cohmy, and his influence the means by which harmony of action between the local and Imperial authorities is to be preserved. It is not however, in my humble judgment, l)y evincing an anxious desire to stretch to the utmost constitutional principles in his favor, but on the contrary, by the frank acceptance of the conditions of the Parliamentary system, that this influence can be most surely extended and confirmed. Placed by his posi- tion above the strife of parties — holding office by a tenure less precarious tlian the Ministers who surround him — having no political interest to serve but that of the community, whose aflairs ho is appointed to administer — his opinion cannot fail, when all cause for suspicion and jealousy is removed, to have great weight in the Colonial Councils, while he is at liberty to constitute himself in an especial manner the patron of those larger and higher interests, such interests for example as those of education, and of moral and material progress in all its 51 branches, which unlike llio contests of party unite instead of dividing the members of the body politic. The mention of such influences as are an apjireeiable force in the administra- tion of public affairs, may ;)rovokc a sne(!r on the |)art of persons who have no faith in any appeal which is not ad- dressed to the lowest motives of human conduct, but those who have juster views of our couunon natun;, and who have seen influences that are purely moral wielded with judgment, will not be disi)osed to d(;ny to them a high degree of (.ilicacy. (Signed,) I have, &c. ELGIN AND KINCARDINE. p. S. — I hav(; just learnt that the Legislative^ Assembly of Nova Scolia has, by a majority of 31 to 10, passed the law necessary for giving efl'ect to the fishery and reciprocity Treaty, In so fi'f as that Province is con^^.crned — and that the Lieutenant Governor has assented to it in ll(». 7d., being at i he rutr of about £1 Gs. per head on the total popn lift ion. 4. 'Die rxports of articlen of CanadiaTt produce and manufac- ture during tin.- yeur t-nding the 5th January, 1852, arc valued in this return at £2,«i03,;)8d \l^. 2d., as as^^alnst £2,457,886 Is. Id., exported during tiie ycjir which ended on th<' 5ih January, iSol. These amounts iall very far short of the computed value of the imports during the eorres'jonding ter.ii. This is, how- ever, a constantly reeurrin«if characteristic of the annual ^rade returns made up in the I'rovinee, as ajipears from the followin table, which comprises a period of ten years. cars. IMPORTS. 1812 2,127,613 5 8 !S43 1.0!30,!15 3 11 1814 3'5;j0,7(i7 10 10 EXi'.'JUT.^. 1 1 £ S. 1,291,213 9 1,317,958 14 1.680,350 6 d. 101 3 The vmIvio of experts lor tIi»."SO years is co:i!iiH\i to iMoiit- 1845 1S4G 1817 1843 ,444,925 6 8 2,084,;)3i) 6 Of; o-'»i ■■'■'! Ui't'l-';<^ f. - f •> <) j>ji> IJ 6 1, 2, 9i;j,0i> I 9 2O3,05i 3 8 no return sir ur.iil lU ("?.>i ,l'^i. "0 li •34 17 11 2'302,83!) 17 6 inmiKl I'Oits iiuviiijv Lieoii liiiui.'s, lUii. 1819 2JG9.li;0 C 9 2,10.3,078 3 1S50 a* ii<(\ 3 i) .i .:» i t-i .8S( 1 2 1851 4,404,409 2 2,6t;3,9>s3 14 4 Coii^idcral)le sums are no doubt annually drav\ai on Great Ci'itain, and expended in t! :c)\lnce, both on account of the Commissariat and of individuals v.ho have incomes in England. It is prebabic also that a portion of the produce of the loana obtained in England ibr i'^ublic Vvorks in the Province may libi 11 the ^f}h< d It imount moreover, very reasonaLdy be coniecturca tnat tne iowcf?t valua- tionia placed by exporteis u'xm articles which are destined, as is the case with an annuady increasing proportion of the ex- ports of Canada, for marketis where they are subject to ad valorem duties. 5. The arliclos which figure most largely on the list of Ca- nadian exports are : — 1st. Products of the forest. 2d. Agiiciiltural products, the latter being subdivided in these relumy. into, a. Animals and their products, b. V(\u<'tabl(' I'und. c. OlIuT agricultural products. The following statcirienf gives tlie value as reported of the exports of these articles in the years ISiiO and I.Sol respec- tively : — PRODUCTS or THE FOIinST. In 1850. In 1851. JEl, 118,411 15 3 £1,215,927 13 5 AGKlCUr.TUnAl^ PRODUCTS. In 1850. In 1851. n. £129,518 1 1 i:i82,;JuG IG 5 b. 859,754 4 8 773,0 iG 2 2 c. 11,040 7 2 7,814 1 7 £1,000,318 13 2 £304,097 2 These iignres would seem to indicate tliat at ihis prriod tho exports of the j)ro(lac!t< of the forest and of agricuiliu-al products are nearly balanced in respect of value, the advanu^go bein lion tliat since the reduction of tlie duties whicli operated aa a protection to Canadian timber in the British market, the fxpoita of red ]):ne have considerably declined, while those of white pine have increased. This circumf-tance has led the Govern- ment to resolve this year to reduce the tax levied on red piuo timber cut on the public lantls, so as to equalize it to that levied on white pine. Over and above these more considerable exports, it woiild appear from the otheial letums tiiat tlicre were exported frona Canada during the year 1551 — Prodttcts of the seas to the value of. . . £51,225 5 C Products of the mine 17,820 7 6 Manufactures 11,327 10 3 4* 56 6. Further evidence of the growth of the trade and rosources of the colony if^ ftiinishcd in th«* |)ro£Trossivc increase in the revenue derived from tolls on the provincial canuly, as indicated by the followiiig return : CA\/VI. TOf-LS. Years'. Gros« receipts. Net revenue. 1818 i:j;s,Ji4 1 3 i:;io,'>:)9 i 9 1819 l(;,lf)J 8 :} .'}n,47'^ 13 H 18i)0 j4,0o0 \2 .'} iSjajm 7 8 18.31 02,(110 ;5 8 :)2,.'545 .') G A still more striking n'Siilt is ohttiinffl if the tolsil niovctnent of projierty in i^oods, wiin's iiiul tnereluuuli/c!, on the principal canals, iiiuncly, the Vyclisuul, St. Lnwrence und Ch!iinl)ly, in each of thesi.' years renipcetivcly, l)e compared. Tons. IS48 1849 1850 1851 Wellaiid. Tons, 307,011.1 .^51,5fH;.|- ;590,(iOO (i01,(;27', St. Lawrence. Ch!unl*Iy. \ oils. 1 ons. 101,207 18.835 213,153 77,210 288,1 03 1 10.0,0 10 f 150,400.'. no,7 20| 7. I1 limy prol)Ml)ly be eonvcnicnt that I shonid endeavour at tliifs ««taj;e of my n>port to lurnish ns hrielly as possible some information with respect to lh(^iroilu<-iiv!', and in the execution of which the debt ol' the Province has iii;iin!y bfiM) iucurrcd ; in order, how- ever, to renrler my ol)scn-;:(fions on this head in!elli^T;i)le^ it [^ necessary that! should premise, that before 1810, indejiendently of the sums expended f)n works of great magnitude and pro- vincial interest, such as ihe above mentioned canals, the legis- lature of the Province had been in the habit er cent, on the om lay. The revenue from this source, however, a« I have already observed, is progressively increasing ; and it is moreover obvious that the direct, income aeeruinij from such works is by Jio means an ailcipiate representation of their value totlie Pro- vince, J). As illustrative of this point, I may ob.serve that the St. Ijawrence and Wellaud CanaU c(implete a continnons inland navigntifni to Chicago on I.ake Michigan, a distance of 1,587 miles from tide water at Quebec. The length of c;mal in this navigation is G8J miles, with .5.")0^ fe(?t in lockages. These canals are not all of the same dimensions, but properly con- structed vessels conveying 4,000 barrels of flour, or frian 350 to 400 tons (»f freight, can ))ass through them. 'I'he Erie Canal in the Slate of New York, which is the gro.nt rival water route from the west, is 363 miles in Umgtli, with HSS feet of lockages, and is not capable of transporting barges of more than seventy- five tons burllien. Tlie Chambly Canal is a work of sinalleif dimensions, connecting Lake ChaiTiplain with the river Richelieu, which flows into the St. Lawrence at Sorel. The iiaflic on this canal increased, as I have shown, rapidly up to the commencement of the year 1852 ; since which period it has suffered from the competition of an adjoining railway. A i^trong feeling pxi.-ts in certain (juarters in favour of the con- struction of a sliip canal, on a scale at least ecpial to that of the St. Lawrence canals, from some point on the southern bank of St. Lawrence opposite Montreal to Lake Champlain; and the project of a similar work on the Sault St. Marie, to connect Lakes Huron and Superior, is also pressed by many persons. The Government has not, however, yet engaged in either of these undertakings. 53 10. TIic incroasf!\vli it'll Ims taken place within tlio last fo\v years in llic movement of jirodiice on iliese inhuid waters does nol, however, it m.'i> be proper to reniiiik, appear to have been met by a eorreypondin;,' ini.-rease in the iiallie ol'the seaports. The i'ollowing is ii smteinent of ihe number and tonnage of vessels from sea whieh entered inwards and outwards at tho ports of '^iiebee and Montreal, in caeh of the six years prc- ccdinL' \3j2 : Ships. Tonnage. , l,(;y[) C28,3«!) I,(JI)I) G23,79l 184 J ISIG 1847 ISIS IS ID ISoO 18.31 I,IM 1,350 1,3^*B 1,311 r)42,:)05 401,217 i:02,ol3 4H.3,9():) l,!()i) r>73,3()7 Dnrin;T tiio earlier years of this sr-ric^s, N\hile the Canada Corn Act of 1S43 was in operation, an impnise was given to the trade of Quebec aiul "vlciitreai by the preference aeeorded in tlie markets of (Jreat IJiitain to pro.Iiice (-(niveyed by tlie route of the St. (.awrenee. Sinee that preA^renee has been withdrawn, the facilities alFoided l)y the Government of the United States for the transpf)rtalion in bond of Canadian imports an.l exports throiii^h its territory, and the malti|)lieation of railways eonn(>elin;^ the ^oiitlx^rn bank of the St. Lawrence with diilerent points on the coast, have diverted a portion of the trade of that riv(?r from the Canadian seaports to those of the United Slates. As this is, however, a point of considerable importance to the interests of the lower province esp(-'cially, it may be well to lojk into it more closely with the view of inunirino: whether there be any thinor in tho nature of the route itself, or in the nature of the traile, which places the route of the St. Lawrence at a disadvantage in competmg with others for the trad(-' of the great west. 11. The inland navigation of the St. Lawrence route shares with the Erie Canal the inconvenience of being closed during about five months of the year, with this aggravation, however, that its seapoit is subject lo the same drawback. In all other icspccls, whether as regards size raid sl.cilnes;s of canals, free- M (iom iVom iliiprncnt, rnpidity (,f trnnsport, or the capacity for clo;n;.f exlt'iiiiivL' business!, it ims luiqurstionablc advantage* over itf4 rival. 12. Again, !ii:if)>i oti Mrrcator's projcciioii, and the fact that indilli'rcni ship-^, rcculcs^jly na\ i;j,at»'d, lia\c not unfrcciLK'urly been t>inploy() to JO;) miles shorter than that from Liverpo«)l to New-York ; and that, as respects the latter, the ocean loute of the St. Lawrence is l)y no mciius peeidiarly lias'.ardons to well-found sliips, navij^atcd by ollieers \vlio are lhorou,^,d)]y acquaiMi(?d witli it, while it is especially adapted to screv/ or paddle steamships, from the eirenmstance that a ('on^^ideralile portion of the passafje from one eonti' eat to dur other is in smooth water. 'I'liese remarks ree-pi'die;/ the route would nf)t bo eomplete if I were to omit to add, ilnit the Ai'ts n.'cen'iy pass'.'d by the local !r2;i-^latur.' to enconrar1 of^'oodsaiid passengers with oilier competing routes from the west is atU'eicd by them. Timber, as I have already remarked, stil! Ciinslitutes the principal artici ■ of exj)ort from Canada ; and all the timber destined for Europe is .shijjped eiil)er at Quebec, to which j)oint it is conveyed in rafts from the upper country, or at j)oiiits lower down the riv(.'r. N(jw, timber is an artieh^ ol p;reat bulk in proportion to value, and this eiii.'umstanee has an ell'tct on he shipping trad(! of the port, which the following return may serve to illustrate, showing, as it does, that while all the ships that sailed from Quebec in 1S52 left it with cargoes, more than half of those which entered inwards were in ballast. 60 RTATKMrNT i»howin2[ fhff Nunibrr nnd Ton iiftj?^ of Vrf»sf»N en- tered Inwards and Oiituards at tliu Port of Quebec in 1852, ■with Cai-^jMiL's or in iiullast. INWAHUS. Ships. Tons. Willi oargoes biiO 3iJ-l,525 In ballusl C71 280,590 OUTWAUUM. With r.irgoos 1/328 518,580 in balhist \onu. None. It is imnv than probal)U', thi'ivfon;, that so loiiij; an Timber fontinucM to be .shipptMl extensjvcly at (Quebec, freii^hfs oul- ^var(Js will huvu a tendency to rnh' higher at this port than at otliers, whei,' the trade in\v:irds and outward.s is ujore nearly balaneed in respect of hulk. M. The sauie eireumstanees, however, which contribute to raise outward frei;^hts serve to enhance the advantages of the route of the St. Lnwrenee as a chitnnel for trallic inwards. Th. admirable and cajjacious system of inland navi<^alion (!Xtendin,i|[ from Quebec ft)r upwards of 1,500 miles into the interior of tin; continent, and the certainty of obtaining (tiMward freights, are calculated to cause u preference to be given to this over rival routes for the transport of heavy goods such as salt and iron, and of immigrants destined for the vast region^ bordering on tlie great lak(>s. These advantages are not yet generally known, nor have they been appreciated as highly as they deserve. The following n-turn gives the number of immigrants who arrived at the ports of Quebec and New York n^spectively in each of the four last years : Years. Qnebec. N^ew York, 1819 38,191 2L>0,G03 1850 33,29-2 212,796 1851 4I,07() 289,f r and tonnugu of vt^ntsuli^ built ut QufUu.' in each of t(ui years ending with 1852. No. of Vfssoli. Tons. 1843. 1811, 1815. 18 IG. 1847. 48 48 58 40 70 13,785 I5,04(i 26,147 19,7G4 37,176 No. of VeMcls. Ton« 1848. 1849. 18.50. 1851. 1852. 41 37 45 05 42 19,90!) 24,390 30,387 4 1, .505 27,8.56 Few ports oH'cr sucli fiUMlitifs for shij) btiilding ns Qucher, all mat«'rials einploved in the eonslruetion of vi'ssels being cheap, labour, during the winter months at least, abundant, and procurable at moderate rates, and outward freight at all times seeured. The princiipal drawback attending the exten- nion of the business is the increased temptation to flesert from siiips entering the port, occasioned by the demand for seamen to uum now ships. Desertion prevails at Quebec to an extent that is nmeh complaini'd of. The subject is now under tlu? consid<'ration of the Government, with a view to the adoption of some riunedial measure. \ naval school is also about '.o be establish(*d, in the hope that it may indoctrinate some of tiie native ycmth with a taste for seafaring pursuits. 16. Before I pass on to other topi(!s, it may perhaps be advis- able that I should say a few words with respect to the pecuniary responsibilities which the Province is assuming in connexion with the great railway enterprises now- in progress or prospect within it. At the time when the resolution respecting local works to which I have already refciTcd was adopted by the Government, it was urged with much force and justice, that the objections which unquestionably existed to the extension of public aid to undertakings of that class did not apply to works of great magnitude, to which an interest, provincial rather than local, attached, and which were, moreover, in the then circum- stances of the Province, clearly beyond the reach of private enterprize. Within this category, lines of railway of consider- able length, linking together districts of the Province remote 02 from each other, and calculated materially to benefit its general trade, were held to fall. It was accordingly concluded that aid from the funds or credit of the Province might, under proper conditions and restrictions, be tiftbrdcd to these undertakings^ witlioat any departure froia the salutary principle which had been adopted in the case of local works generally. It was re- solved, however, that in administering such aid, the pecuniary interests of the Province; should be more carefully protected than they had been in respect of advances previously made for local works. The Provincial Act, 12 Vict. c. 29 (passed in 1849) was framed on the principle that the sums advanced on the crerlit of the Province in furtherance of undertakings of this class should in no case excvxxi one half of the amount actually expended on the; work, and that the wliole resources and ))ro- perty of the companies should be pledged for their redemption, and for the payment of interest upon them. In all the railway cnterprizes undertaken since thai period, where public aid has been given, this principle has been substantially agreed to. These comprise : — 1st. The St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railway, mnning from the St. Lawrence, opptKitc Montreal, to the frontier line, where it joins an American railway, which will extend, when com))!eted, to Portland, in the State of Maine ; length, 12G miles. 2nJ. The Ontario, Simeoe and Ilnron Railway, running from Toronto to Lake Huron ; length, 90 miles. 3rd. Great Western, from Hamilton to Windsor ; 228 miles. 4th. Quel)cc and Richmond ; lOU miles. 5th. Main Trunk from Toronto to Montreal ; 380 miles. Gth. Quebec and • Trois-Pistoles, on the routt> to the lower Pro- vinces ; IGO miles. The construction of the two last men- tioned lines is provided for in Acts passed during the present session of the Provincial Parliament. 17. That the increased facilities afibrded by these and other measures to the internal and external trade of the Province •-'re called for by the growth of its population and resources is ap- parent from the returns of the census for the year 1851, which are herewith transmitted. These returns stale the total popu- lation of the Province at 1,842,205 ; 890,261 for Lower Canada, 63 952,904 for Upper Canada. In Lower Canada, 94,449 persons occupy lands, l)avin;L? under cultivation 3,00o,517 acrcj?, or rather arp' iits, wliich is the coninion measure of land in Lower Canada, and contains about six scvcnihs of an acre. In Upj^cr Canada, 99,8G0 persons occupy lands, having under cultivation 3,697,724 acres. Jn certain agricultural products, such as llax and hemp and maple sugar, as well as in some domes! io manufactures, as fulled cloth and linen, the returns from Lower Canada exceed tliose from L'pper Canada ; but the produce of wheat and of agricultural products generally is mtich more consideral)Ic in t!io upper than tlie lower Province. 18. The full import of these statistical results cannot, how- ever, be apprehended unless a comparison be institiUed between them and similar rclurns made up at former periods. As tlie censuses of the Province whieli have been ellected at dillcrent times, have beiMi taken under ditlerent systems, and with vary- ing degrees of correctness, it is not })os;-ible to draw from such a comparison inferences which can be consich^red rigorously exact. Sudicient acc(U'acy may, iiowever, be attained for prac- tical piu'poses, and ample proof given that the Province is ad- vancing at ;i r.ite of progress wliich is highly satisfactory. 19. To iM'gin then with the subject of pt)pnlation. At the period of the surrender of the country to Great Britain its popu- lation was estimated at from 00,000 to 05,000. The population was French or French Canadi;m, and was chieflv located in that part of the Province now called Lov/er Canadn. It has received since tiiat jieriod no accessions by immigration ; on the coii1r;!iy, the pi)ssion for moving westward, wliic.h prevails so universally in JN'orlh America, has nfiected the French Ca- nadians to some extent, and considerable numbers arc scattered over other parts of the continent. Nevertheless the census of 1851 gives 005,5:23 as the actual number of the French C'ana- dian |)opulation of Lower Can:tda, besides 20,417 resident in the upper Province. Exhibiting thus an increase* from natural causes alone of upwards of 1,000 })er cent, in ninety years. By the side of this population has grown up another, amounting, in 1351, to 220,733, composed of immigrants from Great Britain and other countries, and of Canadians not of French origin ; making the whole population of this section of the Province 890,261. 64 JO. The progress of Upper Canada in respect of j)opulatu>n has been still more remarkable. In the year 1791, the date of the Constitutional Act, it amounted to... 50,000 In 1811 77,000 1824 151,0')7 1832 2(51,060 1842 486,055 1851 952,004 21. In the absence of systematic local assessments in Lower Canada (for the power of assessment given to INIunicipalities by recent Acts is but partially exercised, and the compulsory as- sessments for the support of common schools are not yet uni- versally enforced), it is difficvdt to obtain direct proof of the growth in wealth of that section of the Province. In Upper Canada also, the changes which have taken place from time to time in the mode of levying assessments and of valuing assess- able property, render the evidence famished tliereby with respect to this point less conclusive than it would otherwise have been. Enough, however, may l)e gathered from the assessment rolls to warrant the })elief that t'uc growth of wealth in Upper Cana- da, of late years, more especially, has not been less remarkable than that of population. 22. The first Act for laving and collecting local assessments in Upper Canada was jjassed in 1793. It divided the popula- tion for purposes of assessment into eight classes, according to property, excepting from as.-fir Canada — Bushels. In !34I 3,351,031 lu 1847 7,553,773 In 1851 12,693,852 nearly quadrupling itself in ten years. l,15n,l3D 1,842,265 4C5,S57 952,004 To each inhabitant. G.GO 10.45 13.33 67 Wheat crop, Low<»r Canada — Mi not 3. To each inhabitant. In 1813 942,835 1,3G In 1831 3,075,8G8 SAd The minot is about one-lweli'ih more than the bushel. Wheat crop, United States— Bushels. To each inhabitant. In 1850.... 100,n9,150 4.33 Value of imports of lirilisli gcjods into Canada — British Imports. Population. In 1851 .. JC2,475,G13 14 7 .. 1,842,265 About Jtil (Js. per head. Value of imports of British goods into the United States- British Imports. Population. In 1850 .. 75,159,424 dollars .. 23,246,301 About 13s jxT head. The British ijnports into the United States increased in 1851 to 93,847,830 dollars, making about i6s. per head on iiio estimated population. 26. To return, however, fora moment from this digression to the point more iramediately in I:and, namely, the assessable property of l;pi)er Canada (and in doing so I feel bound to say that I do not think nmcli reliance should be placed ou com- parative statements such as those presented above, inasmuch as the data on which valuations and estimates are made in different countries aie not always uniform), it is important to ascertain what amount of indebteJnes? for municipnl pur}xif-e9 attaches to this propeity. Tlio l-.est information whieh I am able to obtain on iln?, point leadr- me to believe that it does not at present exceed in all i*572,lI5 12s. 4d. Veiy. stringent provisions for the protection of creditors of mimicipalities, and for regulating and restricting the power of these bc>die3 in the creation of debt, were eontained in an Act (12 Vict. cap. 81), passed in 1319. The Act of this Session which provides for the establishment of a Municipal Loan Fund for Upper Canada, (16 Vict. cap. 22,) has the same object in view. It is hoped that by these means, while the credit of the municipal bodies ]i 6$ in Upper Canada is placet! on an unexceptionable basis, and made available for legitimate purposes, any tendency in par- ticular localitios towards incurring iinpmdent or excessive liabilities may be kept in cliecli. 27. While such is the eondition of the province in respect of material prosperity, its moral and intellectual interests are not neglected ; independently of the Clergy Reserves — of the tithe levied in Lower Canada from the Roman Catholic popuhition for Romiui Catholic purposes — and of various endowments and stpecial grants for eoUegiatc institutions, normal sehools, and other objects of a like character in both sections of the province, the sum of £41,095 17s. lOd. is set apart annually from the public funds for the support of common schools, and divided between Upper and Lower Canada in proportion to tiieir res))c'etive population. Each school munieij)ality, in order to entiile it to obtain the share of this fund allotted to it, is boimd to raise by local taxation at least an equal sum. In Up})er Canada the sums thus raised greatly exceed the required minimum. The Returns for 1851 show that in that section of the province there were in that year . '^5,001 common schools in operation, aflended by 168,159 pupils, and that the total sum available for teachers' salaries, and for the erection and repair of school-houses, was £98,226 15s. 7d., of which sum £20,547 18s. Ud. was parliamentary grant, the remainder being raised by local assessment and rale bills imposed by school trustees. In Lower Canada, where direct taxation is especially distasteful, the levy of a local rate was made com- pulsory, and attended for a time with some difficulty. The people in thlr- part of the province are, however, becoming generally reconciled to a tax from which they derive so palpable a benefit, and the common school system is making satisfactory progress among them likewise. 28. The separation between ecclesiastical and civil affairs in this province is so complete, and the number of denomina- tions in Upper Canada so ccmsiderable, that it is difficult to furnish precise information with respect to the amount of the provision (6r the religious wants of the community. The folr lowing statement is, I believe, tolerably accnrat© :--- Dioceses of the Church of England, three ; clergy, 242 ; poptt- lation, 268,592. C9 ;tor>- the folr :)ptt- DiiKM'sos of the Church of Ron u", seven ; doi-gy, 543 ; jxtpii- I fit ion, 9M,oGl. Clrr'j^y of all dcnoiiiinations in I.owcr Can^dfi, GM ; pofjula- tion, 802,iJ61. Upper Can ida, 8(J9 ; p:)pnlation, 952,004. Oil tills an.'] Ill I?!}' ot)i*;r points rnin^h into rest in;; infortn.-ition is Lfi^'^'n ill ih^' eV'.M'Ileiil lecliircs ori the ;j;n).vf d aii I prosix-cts of Canada, by th" Kev. Mr. Lilli", u e(»j)y o!' \vhi'-!i I had the honour of transinilling 1o you in my DespaJch No. .'35, of fjie lolii April. The followinji: is a siateineu! of the appropriation of the Clergy Ueserv(! Funds in 1851 : — Ciiurch of En,:,'iand, Upper Csmada, £10,391 5s. I Id. Church of En..,dand, Lower Canada, £1,780 i5s. Church of Scotland, U[)per l'anad;i, £5,847 IGs. 7d. Church of Scotland, Lower Canada, £893 7s. 5d. United Synod of the Presbyterian Church., Upper Canada, £l()t 18s. 4d. Ilo.nui Catholic Church, Upper Canada, £l,3G9 17s. 3d. Wesleyan Methodist, Upi)er Canada, £639 5s. 29. As very exaggerated imj)ressions prevail generally with respect to the severity of the climate of Canada, it might not be amiss that I should in this place call attention to the fact that, although the annual range of the thermometer is nnaoubt- cdly very considerable in the eastern districts of the provin(-e, the great lakes, which cover in the aggn-gate an area of 91,860 square miles, materially temper th<' extremes of heat and cold in the western parts, and increase the humidity of the atmos- phere, rendering the climate (>sj)ecially favorable to the cultiva- tion of the cereals. The following is a table of the m<'an maximum and m<\nn minimum temperatures, with the range of \hr diflerent months ifi tiie year, as observed at Toronto, in Her Majesty's observa- tory. The mean being eleven years from 1840 to 1850, both inclusive. 70 .Jnnuiiry F('l>ni:irv Miucli A|)rii May Jiiiif ■ Jnly '^ u<.".st > ■ p . * ' M I )( ' i" «' '• ' I'.n' . . . . ^ . .'•lllDtS' ... • • • • ■ • (MillxT Mean. Maximum. Minimum. Ran '46. ;,>1-G7 4'y^i:] 4U 19-74 ilU 4G;}5 •l-;}7 50-72 ;30-.s;] o3;n 7-5J) 15-92 \>'\1 7IU 17 1)6 53-48 5 1 -8 1 7()-7tJ '28-82 47-94 (il-li 7(r 1 1 3.J-72 40-72 (;(j-.ji 8M- 1 1 It -0.3 44-OG G:r7G 8J-9.S 45()2 38-95 5711 80-1!) ;32-07 42-12 ■ii-ryi) GG-r.) 22-17 41-30 .]G-:>7 57-().} 13-3.3 43 GO 27-lS 15- >5 3-52 4G-27 Annual lucaii, 14-39. Tlif eliiualc of Toronto is u:n'ally more l('m])fraf(^ than lluii of other phuM's ia the same latitude which are situated to tlie east or west of the f?reat Jakes, and at a distance wiiicli removes them from th(>ir inlluence. A very useful j)amj)hlet has been ))ublislie(l on this sal)ject by Mr. Henry Voule Hind, mathema- lieal iinsler, and lecturer in chemistry and natural pliilosophy at the Provincial Normal School, at Toronto, under the title of " A Comp-aralive \'ic\v of the Climate of WesKM-n Canada' considered in rehition to its Inlluence upon Ai^riculturc." 30. As the Post Ollice exercises no mean in/iuence on the so(Mal and inlelh'c-tual interests of a conmiimity, I will close my report with a few remarks on the condition of that depart- ment, which was transferred to the control of the Provincial Authorities in the month of April, 1851. At the period of the transfer an uniform rate of 2d. currency (about 2id.) the half ounce was substituted for the rates, \iu-yini^ according to dis- tance, which were |)reviously levied, and which amounted on the average to 9d. currency (a])out 7Ul.) the half ounce on all letters passing through the ollice. The returns of the depart- ment .show that in the year ending 5th April, 1852,2,931,375 miles were trav'clled by the mail — an increase of 444,360 miles over the precding year, and that 243 new Post Olliees were added lo the establishment. The gross postage revenue for the fu'st year of reduced postage was £59,004 lis. lOd., that of 71 11 the closo )art- iicial f the half dis- ci on )ii all epart- 1,375 miles were 1)1- the lat of the proeedin/:? year having' been £77,007 lOs. 8(1. It fell ^jiort of lilt' e\p."ii(liiiire by JC!),;U)2 Oh. lid. ; but it is cstiniatcd thnt u Slim ol' JC.},2iS7 I3s. 5d. will cover liic dcliciciicv Ibr iIm; current year, 31. The coiidilion of the iiniiiiiis of Canada calls for a pa ■;■. ()«» notice in this report. The J.ei^islalure and (JoNcrinnent oi ih(« Province havi' always been l.indly dis|)osed to tlieni. They have readily, as eircinnstances re(|nired it, passed laws for their protection; and tliey have not had recourse to those nieasup'* of viol-nee and iVaiid which have been adopied (d>^ewhere in order to |orc(> iheni to recede heiore the advan ■<' oi' the wiiite man. Tlie Indians of t!,e upper province, however, such of ihem al lea>. o'' the lower. They have always been held to possess ceriaiii t "itorial rights, which a-^ population and settlcuient have p. ij/rcsscd have been made the subject of ni'<^ociation. Ill return for their formal cessio of lands to the Crown, they have received c»)nipensation in he shapt- of annuities, and been permitted to r<'tain littinii; tract;, .or their own occupation, or for sale for their bcuclit. The Indians of the lower ju'ovinee on the contrary, have no funds (one or two sci'^niories of little value cxc(>i):e;l) save llie annual pr^'sents which they owe lt> the bounty of the liritish Governmetit. Asa partial remedy for this evil, the Provincial Parliament in the year 1351 passed an Act (14 and 15 Vict. cap. 10()), settini,' apart for their use some consi- derable tracts of land, and a s'lm of JC821 18s. 4^(1., per annum. In Upi)er Canadii the Indians inhabiting the settled districts are estimated in round numbers at about 7,5(J0 ; those inha!)iting the unsettled districts at about 3,000. In [^oW(;r Can ida the corres- jionding classes may be slated at 3,500 and 2,000 r(>sj)e('tivelv. The numbers in the unsettled districts cannot be very precisely ascertained, and it is to b(> feared they are diminishing. The Indian po])ulation in the settled districts seems on the whole lo be stationary, or perhaps somewhat advancing. They are also making in ditlerent degrees some progress in civilization. I- am in hopes that the Industrial Schools for the young, to which I called Earl Grey's attention in my Despatch to his Lordship No. 19, of the 31st January, 1849, may prove of essential ser- vice in this respect. 6* 72 32. Viftoic biin|L,nnt( lliis )c|)(>it to an end, I lliiiik it riij;lit to ofW'V a l<'W it'ui:iiks on Uu; M.hjcci ol ilif l'iii\ jiicial Debt, Ex- penditure isml liiroine. Tliiit jKMtiirn ol' the I'liUlic l)el)l of the I*i(»vini*«' wliicli liiij* beim inciirit'd in ili«' <'xe, Xo. 082, oC the 2'2n(l .larniary, 1852, was £119,8H4 Us. U)(l. ; since which jx-riod tiirtlier sums, amount- ing to £18<),()U(), have been paid info this account. The r<> inainiu'' debt ol' tin; Province amounts to jC890,(iGG 2m. Gd., and is partly represented by the local works which, in pursu- ance of the policy adopted in 1849, arc being gradually dis- posed of; making llic total arnoiuit of tlie Provincial Debt £3,659,1 10 15s. Id. Over and above this debt are the liabilities which lh(i Province lias incurred and is still incurring for the promotion :>t' certain railway undertakings. 1 have, however, already staled the conditions on which th«.'se advances are made. It is by no meaJis pvobai)le that lliey will ever entail any charge on the Provincial Treasuiy. The total expenditure of the i^rovince for the year 1851 amounted to £521,6 13 1 Is. 2d., including — Interest on Public Debt £\ 83,749 7 Sinking Fund 60,000 Expenses of the Legislature.. 39,128 18 9 Education 5 1,380 4 Agricultiu'al Societies 10,617 4 3 Hospitals 14,447 4 1 Indian Annuities 6,373 19 5 Leaving for administrative expenditure, properly so called, comprising the cost of the civil government, udministraliou of justice, penitentiary, militia, ])ensions, and a variety of other miscellaneous charges, £152,946 13s. Id., about Is. 8d. per head on the population, an amount which cannot be considered excessive, for on instituting compariicns between expenditiue 73 |)er red nndcr thoso lu'Ofls in Ciimd'.i iiiid in p.iilicnlar slalca dftln* I'liioii it nin?'i nKvfivs he homo in innid that iikuiv ch.irijo:* which arc dcrniycil <»nf of tl.c prnim i;d rcvcnii;' here aro in the Tniit'd Stales thrown on the I'imkUoI the federal jj^oveinnienl or of the iininieipalities. (Sir.) — .'U. The revenne lor the sann' period wa^ «CG92,2U(> 'is. Dd,, coniprisini( — 1st. ileveniie Ironi enstonis, aiiiounliii'/, after dednetion of • duties M InrDcd, and e\p"n-('s of foih-eliiin, whieh were ahoiil i]\r. per cent, on th(! fDial receipts, to £,51\i,H-i:) 2s. (Id. 2d. Revi'iiiie from excise, dcrivei! prineiprilly frotii dnties on .•stills, spirit shops, hawkers und pedlars' licenses, and auction licences, yiddin.; in 1'>.>1, alter dcdiulion of ex- penses of c(t!iection (aliont twelve per cent, on the whole), ,Cl(j,jril> Hs. ;Jd. Ord. Teirilorial eollsistin^• of rents of ferrier. {\])(\ proe(>ed:« of public lands and fon-sts, anio:intiiijf, in 1851, to — (ii-oss revenue JCfJ ! ,0S() ;} 7 :Set do It), !()(,; K) 10 T!ie ii,Teal ilis<'rrpancy hciwcen in'oss ;;n;l net revenue in this ciise is allribntaiile ])artly to the necessarily expen- sive ciiaijcter of the (liilii-s devolvin;.,' on the depart- inenl, anl parily to X\\f redemption of ianil hwA inililia Bcrip, whieh is received in paysmiii of Crown lands. £i51,.'5!)o I 4s. 2d. ol scrip was thus rcdcenii'd during the course of LSf)!. in orlcr to male this point clearer, it mav l-'c pro|>er to miiition, that by a provincial Act, passed in i.'5il (i &. 5 Vict. cap. 100), fire i(i aiiis of land i)) tliis j*roviiicc (with tht^ eA< epiion of f,,'ran!s of lifly acres to actual s;iilei-s in t!ie vicinity ol" public roads in new sciil'MiH nts) were put ati cud to. I'ersons who had claims to land (snch pei^^ons l)eing for the most part U. E. loyalists, ndlilliuii'Mi, ami military settlers,) were bound to ])resent them before the 1st of January 1843, and, if they could make them good, were allowed scrip at the rate of 4s. pvr urw for such claims. ''I'hi.s scrip b» ing receivable as money in sales of Crown lands, the period for makiiig these claims was extended by an Act J 71 pnsMCMl in 1819 (12 Vicf. rnp. .'11) ; Imt all isMUi-s of scrip luivc now ci'iiscd. Tin* totiii nuiot nl of f-crip i.^^-urd under ilicsf Acts is iiltoni JCI !!(>,<'()(), ol" w liicli upwiirds of i;n(),(H)() have l)rcn rcdceiMcd, hcin^' to tliiit cxttnt a U'duc-tion ol'llic piil'lic- d<'l)l ot tin- I'roviMti'. 4. Rcvctmc iVoni li;,'litli(>ns<'s iind tonnaizr duty ^ *''<» '^ I o. Hcvcnuc drrivrd I'loui a tax (»n llic i.-siics ofhanU li-Vlli 18 3 (I. Kcvcniit' from public works, including in- lert'sl on the purchase iii()n<'V ol Ceiiaiii works which have been alienated !>} ll e (Government ."i.'i, 132 10 7. Militia lines G 13 7 8. Fines and rorleitines 1,121 1 II 9. Casual revenue, including certain Cei'S that are funded, interest on uioueys deposited with bank-;, and other uiiscellaneous le- cripts 9,151 12 9 10. Law fees, funded 3,330 18 2 The general result be-in^ — Kevcnne (!92,2(»() 4 G Expenditure :)21,G34 11 2 sihowin^ on the Hnancial transactions of the year an excels in revenue over expen- diture of n(»,:)02 13 7 35. The fore'^oinii" statements aie su!)niitle(l in ihe hope that they may throw some liy^lil on tlie present condition and j)ro."i- pectsofthis inierestiu^' comunmity of our fellow-countrymen, Avhieh under the pro1"ction of Cre;it P^ritain, an i in tlieenjoy- lueiii of Hrilisli institutions, is urowji;^^ up in llie iuunediate vicinity of the I'uited States, at a rate ol' prou'U'ss, less ostenta- tious and vauutetl it may be, but suscej)li!ile, not wl;hstandin pre- vion^'y arrived at. .3. The value of imports into Canada for the year < ndlng the oth .January l.S.'iS, is stated at jC l,l()8,4o'; hs. ."id. against JC1,40'1, lOi) Os. 3i]. for tli( year immedialely jtreccdinu. Here tluMi is a falling oil, though to no great amount, in!o llic causes of which it may be |)ropcr to incjuirc. 4, It will a|)pear, on a ch'se examination of ihc i-eiiuns \A'hich accompany this Despatch, that a considerable portion of the falling oil' in ({uestion has taken plai-e in goods wl:;cli are classed as free goods, the total value of goods imported under this head in 18.31 having been .C372,()58 lis. lUd., :;nd i;i ISr)2 jC2oG,407 16s, 8d. Among tie goods comprised in ;!i:s cate- gory, of which there has been in 1852 a diminished "inporta- lion, are military stores, wheat, to the large importatitin of which from the United States in 1851 I called special attention, in the second paragraph of my Despatch to Sir J n Paking- 76 lo)i, No. IIG, of the 22(1 Doccinbov last, and coin nnd Inillion, wliicli re})rpsrnt in tlit* imports oC 1H51 the sum ol" jCyo,;j97 2.s. 8(1., but are altoj/etlicr omillcd IVoin tlio rctiirnsi ol 1^52. This circuinstanf'cr may in somv iU'asnro ncoonnt for the fact, that tlie diiiiiiiish('(i injoortation for the y(>ar has nol Iccn accom- panied hy a correspond ia<^ diminntion in ihi' revenue Crorn customs, tlie said revenue Iiaving been. £ s. d. y. ,a^, ^ Tross 606,11 t 5 2 ^^"' '"'^ (>:o^ 577;i5.S 15 8 P ,^. , \ (iross G{)7,G1.3 18 11 ^ Xet 5-;9,nin i lo 5. As H'specls (hiiiaiWc arti(des, there appears to iia\e l)cen a tallinu; oH in (a)tton goods, which were imported in 1851 lo the value oi 'JCH02, i92 15s. lid., and in 1852 to the value of JC():i(J,331 17s. Hi\. Of vv(K)llcn.s, linens, and many other ma- nufactures, there was on the other hand an increase in the latter year over ihc fojiner; but on the whole I am inclined to J)eiievc thai importing merchanls, looking to the gr(>at and rapid inorea.NC ihat had n>ce;!lly taken place in the aggregate amount oi' the annu!)l imporls, which had risem from the value of £2,4G8,1;]() Gs. ihl. in l.SiO, to the vahic of £4,K)i, 109 Os, 2d. in 1851, conducted their operations with especial caution during 1852. G. Widi ihe viev. , however, of ascertaining wheth(!r or not the check which had been given in 1852 to the ra})idly progies- .sive increase of Canadian imports was due lo causes which were likely lo be permanent, I have caused returns to b<' pre- pared, showing the comparalive amount and value of the importations during the hrst six months of 1852 and 1853 res- ]>ecliv(dy. Ii apjjcars from these returns that the imports into the province during ihe six moiiUis entling the 5th July 1852 amounl(;d in v;ilne to £1,782, IGl 13s. lid., and, during the six months ending the 5tii .July 1853, to J(;:2,8l 1,970 10s. Id., sho\\'ing an increise of above 50 per cent, in the latter period over the former. 1 may observe further, that the im|)ortation oi articles paying an ad valorem duty of 12^ per cent., which includes cotk);i and otiier manufactures, has increased from £1,198,090 19s. 2d. in the first six months of 1852, to £1,910,055 I's. 3d. duiing the same period of 1853. 77 7. Tlw rxjioits for llie year J852 exceeded tliose of the year preceding. Total Valnc of Exports during 1852. JC 5. (I. From sea ports 1 ,002,200 i} 1 1 From inliind jxnt:^ 1,2^5,923 1 5 4 3,888,214 Ajrainst 2,(503,983 11 for IS.')!. Or, v.'ifh tlie addition in either easf^ of 20 peroenl. lo tlie valuation of exports from the iiihaid ports, in order to approximate lo the actual values, (irand Total of lv\ ports in 1852 3, 145,598 14 3 1851 2,837,785 9 1 I 8. In this statement of exports tlie value of the ships huilt at Quebec in each of the years in (piestion is included. Il In eslimuted for 1851 at £342,369 Ifi fi 1852 at 215,835 12 3 llie estimate ft)r the former year being Uius considerably in excess of that for the lader. Ft may be proper, however, to mention that from information I have received I have reason to know that the returns for the cm-rent year, when completed, will stiow a great increase in shipbuilding at the port of Quebec for 1853 over 1852. 9. The returns herewith transmitted give the followiiig statc;- ment of the comnuMce of Canada, with the under-mentioned countries for the vear 1852 : — Export:: Creat Britain 1,. 388,395 5 North American Colonies.. 106,877 18 British West Indies i 2,868 15 United Stales 1,291,340 1 Other Countries 38,731 18 d. 8 4 5 8 a Imports. £ s. 2,192,098 9 98,820 3 1,0.50 19 1,741,991 15 133,890 9 4 9 ""•JWi^' 78 As regards the commerce with the Unitotl States, lnnvevcr, it is to be remarked thal^it cons^ists both ways to a great (>xtent of goods which })assi thronglij that country in transit. Tie imports from the states comprising hirge amounts of tea, West Indian sugar, and other artitrles not indigenous, and the exports thereto including, among other items, vegetable food to the value of £651,71 1 9s Gd. 10. The revenue from lolls on the provincial canals, which was . ,o.,^ Gross G2,G'0 3 H (Net j2,o I.) 5 . ,Q.,^ Gross G9,o3G ;] 7 wasnil8o2^v- . --^V^o . i- < I Act .) / ,034 1 / 4 and di<> total movement of properly in tons on the canals — 1851 1852 Welland. St. I^awrencc. Chand)]y. 801,6271 743,060 450,400.1 492,575 1U),72G| 87,514 The decrease of traffic on the Chambly Canal is probablv due to the competition of railways wiiich have come receritlv into operation, and afi'ord a direct communicaii(ni from Moiiln^al to the States. 11. The per-centage of increase in the total movement of property on these canals in 1852, as compared with 1848, appears to have been as follows : — Welland 141.5 St. Lawrence 199.8 Ghambly 3G4.G Although the trallic on the Chambly Canal, therefore, fell oil" in 1852, its ratio of increase on the; longer term was hio-hev than that of iIk; other canals. Its rapid growth is attributable to the great demand for Canadian sawed liuiiler which lias sprung up of late years in the United States. 12. The number and tonnage of vessels from sea which entered inwards at the ports of Quebec and Montreal wen;, In 1851 1,4G9 ships.,. 573,397 tons. In 1852 1,332 " 528,738 ^ a 79 'f^ Of which t(,taJs \\\v following were foreign vessels belonging to the unclerrnentioned eountrie:^ : Countries. 1S51. \umber. Tons, V6o2. I \nniber. Ti()yiiur lined i-tbour, and for d'oxious n.'its'jiis ii is dillii-iilt iiiuh-r s:'-li •■inMiin iinnccs to iiscci'l.'dii ^^■il;il iiiny liav;' hrcn llic iHiioiiiit v[' lln; ucliinl yield. Tiic ciiconvjigcMuoiit wliit-li tix- coiupariicr^ have met "whh is at rny i[\\v. such }»>; to iiidiic!' liiciii, al'lrr the expc- i'iencf of two or tiiveo years, to cuiiiiiiiie llu'ir operations. I AA'as uii;;i.'Ii' to visit iIm; iiiosi pro'Jiuii\(' v.oihiiig, hut a oori- siderable (piantily of i<' found c»'en- tnaliy to consist in (heir auriferous deposits. Copper ore, inai:;nelic iind oxyds sp,e.-ular of iron, imt cAhrv materials eiipable of ecjiiouiie application, :\vr fonni in the region so nani'd ; jind althonyh I am if proof to admit o|)inions that are speculative, I am iwMind to say lli;it sialcm'.'nts iiave hfcn mad(^ to me on vvlia) l)ur|>orts *•) l-,e high ;• li.ority, which seem to warrani the e\[)ectation diat some - ; ;'icse articles will, at no distant day, he workeil to advantage. 17. My second visit was paid to the district whieli is pro- bably doing nu»re at the present time' tiian any other single section id' the province to enable (yanada to enter the markets ot the world as a purchaser. In my last year's leport 1 adver- teii to the hiet that the leturiH for IHoO and 1851 showed that in lhos rkel!« Ivcr- bat (Inoo lie ; •ts of ,713 and t lira I 81 proclacls,'' at i-l,il4,;>ll J,-*. KUl. Of ihr vast anioiiiu oi wcalili K'pn'sciitcd in llii.s rstiniati! Iiyllie piodnc'.s ol ilic lorof-r, the vailcy ol lliu Oliawa rurni:-lii'r< a larye and iueivasing' |>ro portion. 18. 'J'liis inij)i»;tanl rcifidn takt's llir name by which it i- det^ignali'd in p'):)iil;ir p;iri inci' jioiii the mighty vlir.dn which (]ow?« ihroiiiih il, an.l w hi-.li, liioiujh il he !>ut a trihnlary of ih" St. I>a\\rencc, is o.ic nl' the hir.r'v-t {)[' the riveis that run uuin- terrupledly from tlis' .-oiu-ce to the discharge within the dotni- iiioMS of the l^iicen. !t drai.is an ;uc:i ol' whont 80,000 sipiarc inih'S, and receives at \arioiis points in its course ihe waters of streams, >oiuc of whi(^h e(jnal in magsiiinth' tlie eliief I'ivcrs of Great i5ritaii. 'I'licse streanrs open up to the enlerpri/.c of l!ie himherman the ahnost ine\haustihh' pine forests with which this region is clothed, and atioril the means of trans- porting their ])rodu('e t(^ mar!a>l. In im])roviiig these natural, advantages considerabh' sums are expendeil by private indi- viduals. JD.30,000 currency was voted by Parliament last ses- sion for the purpose of removing certain ol)tacles to the navi- gation of the I'pper Ottawa, by the construction o;' a canal at a point which is now obstructed by rapids. 19. From the nature of the l)U>iuess, the lumbering t.ade falls necessarily in ii great measure into the hands oi persons of cai)ital, wlm employ large bodies of men at uaint" f" removed from mr.rkets, and who are therefon! calh •' ; mn o make considerable advances in j)roviding food and ^-6^aries for iheir labourers, as well as in building slid(>s and ol'ierwi.-e faeilitating the passage of tiudjcr along the streams iiud riv-T^ Many thousands of men are emp' ved during the winter in these remote for<-sts, preparing tiie iiiub(>r whicii is trauspor'ed during the siiimner in rai's, or, if sawn, in [)oats, to Quebec when destined for Kuglaiin rigorously excluded from ahnosL all the ehantiers, as the dwellings of the Imubeimen in the^e distant regions are styled; and that, notwithstanding the expo- sure of the men to cold daring the winter and wet in the 82 f'priiig, llic result of the experiment lias been entirely sali>ruc- Uny. 20. Tlie Ix'aiinij ;>[ the Inmherini' business on the settle- menl of the eonnlry is a point well worthy of notice. The farmer who imderttilies to eiiltivate mireelaimecl land in new countries i^enerally linds that not only does every stej) of advance which lie makes in the wilderness, by removing him from the centres of trade and civilization, enhatiee thf* cost of all he has to |>Hrchase, Init thai, moreover, it diminishes the value of what he has lo sell. It is not so, however, with the fanner who follows in the wake of the liuiibermen. lie finds, on the contrary, in the wants of the latter a ready demand for all that li" produces, at a i)rice not oidy equal to that procu- rable in the ordinary marts, l)ut increased by the cost of trans- ])OVi from them to the scene of the Imuijerinjf operations. This ciremnstance, no don!)t, powerfully contributes to promote the settlem<'nl of those districts, and attracts |)opnfation to sections of the country wliich, in the absence of any such inducement, ^vo^]d probably remain for long periods uninhabited. 21. The country of the Ottawa, besides its wealth in timber and water power, and considerable tracts o{ fertile soil, is believed to be rich in mi erals, which may probably at some J'utiire period L.; turnei io account. It is also worthy of remark, tliat the route of Ottawa, the Mattawa, Lake Nipis- sing, and French iliver, is that by whicli Europeans first penetrated the \Vest. Along this route Champlain, in 1G15, proceeded iis fir as Lake Xipissing, and thence to the vast and iran(|nil inlanti sea to which he gave the apj)ropriate desi- gnation of La Mer Douce. The llecollet fitlier, Le Caron, bon the* Gospel to t!ie Huron tribes along the same track, and 'Aa.s followed soon alter by Jesuit missionaries wliose endu- rance and snfllerings constitute the truly heroic portion of Ame- ri(.:;n .nnals. 'J'hi^ route has l)cen for some time past in a great .neasure abandoned for that of the Saint Lawrence and the Lal.'^s. The distancn^, however, from M()nlr(>al to the Georgian Bay, immediately facing the entrance to Lake Mi- chigan, is, via the Ottawa^ about 400 uules, against upwards of 1,000 viA tlie St. Lawrence. From this ])oint to the Sault St. Marie, the highest of the three narrows (Sault St. Marie, 83 IS Detroit, and Nin^am,) at wliicli the religions lying on ciilici' side of tiie lour gre.il laUcs, Superior, 'luron, I'lrie, and Onla- rio, approach eaeli oilier, is a distance of about lot) niili^s. It is highly probable, therefore, that Ix'fore many years have elapsed this route Avill be again lo(»ked to as furnishiag a favourable line for railway, if not water eouununieatioii with the fertile regions of the north-AN'csl. 22. I enclose the supplement of a local newspaper, which contains copies of the addresses that were presented to me at various ])oints iu my progress up the O'.tawa. Y'om- (irace will observe with satisfaction the uniform testimony which they bear to the prosperity of the country and the contentment of the inhal)itants. Ue])orts whieli reach me from other parts of the i)roviuce sj)eak on this j)oint the same languag(\ Ca- nada has enjoyed seasons of ])rosj)erity befo 'e, but it is doubt- ful whether any j)revious period in the hisiory of the colony can be cited at which there W'as so entiie an absence of tliose bitter personal and i)arty animosities Avliich divert attention from material interests, and prevent co-operation for the public good . 23. Into the j)olitical cruises which have mainly contributfHl U) this gratifying result I do not now ])ropose to inquire. YV'hen the irritation by which j)eriods of transition are utdiappily attended shall have entirely j)assed away, it is not improbable that Canadians will acknowledge the advantages they have derived I'rom the steady a|)plicaliou of sound principles lo the administration of their all'airs, and that lliey will look back widi satisfaction to the period at wliieh they began to feel practically that ihe interests which they have in counuun are more important than those whic-li divide them, and that faithful allegiance to the Crown is not inconsistent with the exercise of those faculties and the indulgence of those aspiratit)ns wiiich in communities as in individuals are i)roper to maturity. I have, kc. (Signed) ELGIN AND KINCARDINE. His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, &c. &e. &c.