now along the St John to the St Lawrence?"

SENATOR. "You, sir, have hit the right nail on the head: if that were done I believe it is out of the power of man to describe the benefit which the provinces would derive from it. New Brunswick would rapidly become settled. Halifax would successfully rival Portland. The colonies would get the advantage of the postal contract which England is now obliged to give to the States. St John and Quebec, brought into direct and rapid communication with each other, would increase with giant strides in wealth and importance. The trade of Canada, now shut up for six months in the year, would find an outlet through British ports. The mother country would save money in being relieved from keeping garrisons in Canada even as large as she does now, and the colonists would at length feel that they were brought nearer to England; while a closer intimacy would create increased affection for your laws and civilisation. The great obstacle to the extension of a railway from Halifax to Quebec has been the want of means by which the Governments of the three provinces through which it would run can act in concert. One province may make a railway, but there is no machinery by which the concurrence of all can be obtained, which is absolutely necessary for such a work as you allude to. This has been our great stumbling-block; and the example of the States shows what a detriment it has been to our advancement. There railways are made through wildernesses and prairies without inhabitants, but which soon become settled, cultivated, and wealthy. The lines may not and do not pay, but the State receives enormous advantage, and is indirectly recompensed a hundred-fold."

MERCATOR." Commerce would be benefited in a similar degree by the line you speak of. Vessels could make three voyages to Halifax for two to Quebec in the course

VOL. XCI.-NO. DLV.

of the year; we should save the heavy insurances required for early and late voyages through the St Lawrence; and the trade now crowded into six months would be equally diffused throughout the twelve. I am inclined also to think more favourably of the direct paying prospects than Senator; for half the year the St Lawrence would not compete with it, and for the other half it would give a route to Europe and back more expeditious and safe than any other."

CIVIS." From a superficial observation of the resources of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, I should think that railways through the interior would develop many sources of industry now unknown."

SENATOR." Undoubtedly. Immigration would become rapidly increased, agriculture would be extended in proportion to the amount of labourers coming over to us. Those provisions which we now get from the States to the amount of nearly a million of dollars a-year, we could raise for ourselves; and if any surplus remained, we should become successful competitors with the far West for the European trade, possessing enormous advantages, as we should, in situation over the farmers of the prairies and the Mississippi valley."

CIVIS. "If the advantages are so great, how is it that this railway has not been built before now?"

MERCATOR. "Chiefly for the reason which Senator has assigned; but we think we have a right to ask the mother country to help us."

CIVIS." I fear the doctrine of subsidies to Colonial Governments is exploded, and that the present Chancellor of the Exchequer is one of the most determined enemies to its revival."

SENATOR. "I cannot understand how such a friend to peace as Mr Gladstone can object to the promotion of an object that, by relieving the colonies from a weakness that invites aggression, will perhaps some day prevent a war, one year's expense of which would perhaps

H

pay for two or three railways from Halifax to Quebec."

MERCATOR." When we get to Ottawa, I think I shall be able to show Civis that, if the mother country will comply with the request which will be made upon her Chancellor of the Exchequer this winter, she would not only not lose, but save several thousands per annum."

On our arrival at Ottawa, we had an opportunity of meeting several gentlemen who were on a tour through Canada and the States, for the purpose of investigating the prospects and position of the Grand Trunk Railway, and who were kind enough to put us in possession of certain facts, and permitted us to see papers and documents, from which we think we can lay before our readers a statement respecting the importance of direct communication with Canada, a subject that has since derived additional interest from the state of our relations with America. Since the year 1836, the project of connecting Quebec with the Atlantic, by means of a railroad through British territory, has been anxiously and seriously debated; and during the disputes respecting the boundary question, which were not finally settled for some years afterwards, the probability of St Andrews becoming the Atlantic terminus of this line served as an additional stimulus to the Americans to bring their frontier as near to that harbour as possible. This they finally accomplished, and the mouth of the river St Croix was unfortunately taken as the limit of the boundary of the United States, instead of Penobscot Bay, as it had originally been intended. On the establishment of transatlantic steam navigation, Lord Durham was directed to turn his attention to the formation of a road between Halifax and Quebec; and, after pointing out the difficulties which the relation of the various provinces to each other presented to the undertaking, that

noble Lord remarked, in his report, that the completion of any satisfactory communication between Halifax and Quebec "would in fact produce relations between the provinces that would render a general union absolutely necessary. Several surveys have proved that a railway would be perfectly practicable the whole way. Indeed, in North America the expense of making a railway bears by no means the excessive proportion to that of a common road that it does in Europe. It appears to be a general opinion in the United States that the severe snows and frosts of that continent very slightly impede, and do not prevent, the travelling on railroads ; and if I am rightly informed, the Utica Railroad, in the northern part of the State of New York, is used throughout the winter. If this opinion be correct, the formation of a railroad from Halifax to Quebec would entirely avoid some of the leading characteristics of the Canadas. Instead of being shut out from all direct intercourse with England during half of the year, they would possess a far more certain and speedy communication throughout the winter than they now possess in summer. The passage from Ireland to Quebec would be a matter of ten or twelve days, and Halifax would be the great port by which a large portion of the trade, and all the conveyance of passengers, to the whole of British North America would be carried on."

In 1843, the project of a military road was entertained by the Government of Sir Robert Peel, but was abandoned in consequence of the survey which was then made by Sir James Alexander and Colonel Simmonds, proving how much more advisable it would be to spend the money upon a railroad. And in 1846 a second survey took place, under the auspices of Major Robinson and Captain Henderson, and two reports were consequently made and presented to Parliament.

A line was recommended to be

constructed down the right bank of the St Lawrence, on to the Bay of Chaleur, then, near Northumberland Straits, across the Miramichi river, and so on to Shediac, Truro, and Halifax, with a branch from Shediac to St John. In these able papers, it was shown most plainly that the railway could be constructed at a much less expense than those in the States. The enormous advantages of the line, in a military and mercantile point of view, were pointed out with great minuteness; and the benefit which would result to our fisheries along the Bay of Chaleur and Northumberland Straits was fully considered and demonstrated. Major Robinson and Captain Henderson considered that "it was the one great means by which alone the power of the mother country can be brought to bear on this side of the Atlantic, and restore the balance of power fast turning to the side of the United States. Every new line of railway adds to their power, enabling them to concentrate their forces almost wherever they please; and by the lines, of which there are already some, and there will soon be more, reaching to their northern frontier, they can choose at their own time any point of attack on the long extended Canadian frontier, and direct their whole strength against it. The provinces, therefore, and the empire, having such interest in the formation of the Halifax and Quebec line, it should be undertaken by them in common, as a great public work for the public weal." The subject was taken up with warmth by the Government which succeeded that of Sir Robert Peel; and in 1848 Earl Grey, the Colonial Secretary, in expressing his belief that great advantages would result not only to the territory chiefly interested in the work, but to the empire at large, requested the Governors of the several provinces to bring the matter before their respective Legislatures, in order that the Government might know the degree of importance attached to

the enterprise by them before recommending the Imperial Parliament to afford the necessary assist

ance.

The view which the Provincial Governments took of the project was, that no other measure could be conceived that would so surely consolidate the colonies and perpetuate the connection with Great Britain. The Parliament of Canada passed an Act declaring, "That if her Majesty's Goverment shall undertake the construction of the said railway either directly, or through the instrumentality of a private company, it shall be lawful for the Governor in Council, on behalf of this province, to undertake to pay yearly, in proportion as the works advance, a sum not exceeding £20,000 sterling towards making good the deficiency (if any) in the income from the railway, to meet the interest of the sum expended upon it, and to place at the disposal of the Imperial Government all the ungranted lands within the province lying in the line of railway, to the extent of ten miles on each side thereof; and to undertake to obtain, pay for, and place at the disposal of the Imperial Government all the land required within the province for the line of railway, and for proper stations and termini." The provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, in effect, did the same thing. In 1850 the Hon. Joseph Howe of Nova Scotia was sent to England with the view of inducing the Government to take active measures towards giving effect to the resolutions of the different Legislatures, and on the 10th of March the decision of the Government was conveyed to Mr Howe. The credit of England was to be employed to enable the provinces to raise upon advantageous terms the funds necessary for the works. This assistance was only to be given in case of provision being made for a complete line between Halifax and Quebec; but that of Major Robinson and Captain Henderson was

not insisted upon as a sine quâ non, although any deviation from it was to be subject to the approval of her Majesty's Government. Subsequently, the valley of St John was agreed upon by Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia as the proper route; but this being so great a deviation from the proposed line of Major Robinson, another application to the home authorities was necessary. At this time a change of ministry took place in England, and the Colonial Secretary did not conceive that the Government would be justified in carrying out the pledge of assistance to the project, now that it was so much changed from the original plan. Then came the Russian war, followed by the Indian mutiny, which had the effect of hanging up the matter till 1857, when delegates from Canada and Nova Scotia were again sent to England, and once more the subject was pressed upon the Government, the same arguments being used and similar offers made by the provinces. The following year both branches of the Legislature of Nova Scotia and Canada addressed the Crown, praying"That arrangements may be matured for the early commencement and the completion of this work by the united efforts of the three provinces of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, with such cooperation and aid from your Majesty's Imperial Government as may be commensurate with the greatness of the object, and the magnitude of the national interests which it promotes."

Public meetings were held, resolutions passed, and the Colonial Secretary and the Chancellor of the Exchequer were again waited on, when it was pointed out that Provincial Legislatures, having passed the acts affording assistance to the scheme so far back as 1849, might consider that these acts had fallen into desuetude, and that, as the arrangements had not been carried out, the provinces might think themselves absolved from the pledges

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given ten years previously. noble lord was then deputed to visit British North America and ascertain how far the colonies would be disposed to ratify the engagements of 1849. He reported that the majority of the people in the three provinces were desirous of seeing the work undertaken, and that the acts of 1849 were considered to be in full force. Delegates from Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, were again sent to England for the purpose of pressing the subject on the Imperial Government. They addressed Sir Edward Lytton and the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the autumn of 1858, but a change of Government occurred before any action was taken by the home authorities. We believe that gentlemen have this year come over to England in hopes of inducing the Colonial Office and the Treasury at last to grant them the same assistance promised by Lord Grey in 1851, and which, by a series of untoward circumstances, for which the colonies are not to blame, has never been afforded to them. Since the negotiations commenced in 1849, a line has been opened from Quebec to Rivière du Loup in Canada, from St John to Shediac in New Brunswick, and from Halifax to Truro in Nova Scotia. These are all portions of the great Halifax and Quebec route, to complete which a junction must be made between Truro and Shediac, and between Fredericton and Rivière du Loup, or a length of nearly three hundred and seventy miles of new railway, which it is estimated will cost about £3,000,000.

We believe that the proposal made to the present Government is that the three provinces will each charge their revenues with the payment of £20,000, to meet the interest of capital expended in case the line is not remunerative; that the British Government should guarantee a minimum dividend at 4 per cent on the whole amount, which would amount to £120,000 per annum. For

this she would have the guarantee of the Provincial Governments for £60,000, and the security of the land for ten miles on each side of the line. As to the other £60,000, we should have the payment in our own hands, for we now pay the United States £25,000 for the transmission of mails to Canada, a service which would be transferred to the projected line. We should save £25,000 a-year on the Cunard contract, by Halifax being more than five hundred miles nearer our shores than New York, and we should receive from the United States at least £20,000 per annum for the transmission of their mails by the railway; so that, provided the Provincial Governments meet their engagement, which there can be no reason to doubt their ability or willingness to do, the mother country would be ten thousand a-year richer for this guarantee upon their hands than without it, even if the railway were

never to pay a cent beyond its working expenses.

A golden opportunity now offers itself of completing this great work; public attention is drawn to the locality. The whole nation must feel the necessity for it; the anxiety which pervades us all as to the safe arrival of the army that has just left our shores, and which we are told is supplied with every appliance that can make it formidable to our enemies, would be considerably allayed if we were certain that it could with ease, and without risk, reach its destination. At any rate, let the work be begun. We think we have shown that it can be accomplished without cost to this country; and we believe that, independently of military considerations, it would tend more to establish our supremacy on the American continent, than anything that a bountiful Providence has hitherto given us the means of accomplishing.