New-York daily tribune., 1858-08-04


New. Caledonia, as they call the Fraser River
region spd its adjunct', witt an interest which
seems out Of proportion to the knowledge en-
bodied in their ststements Ii seems to be the
cue eFpscially Of The Timts to disparsge British
America westward Of the Great Lakes, to extol
the achievements of the HudsOns Bay Company IN
that egop, ard TO suspect most sagaciousy that
the Canadisn Governn ent will be 10th to take this
region (includpg the fee smple) as q gift, on the
usual conditions Of undertaking to provide the
machinery ofjustice and protection for the settlers,
oIen ROADS, &c, &c. We cannot concur in
theee views-can scarcely realize that they
are seriously entertained. The Hu1fon's
Bay Company is money mskingcorporation, which
never attempted anything further than to hunt and
trsp prcftaby the vast region in question: having
monopoly Of ;ts trade and in this it has succeeded,
keeping the savages meantime in good humor with
itself and each other. 1t may readily be conceded
that the Influence of the Hudson's Bay Company on
the vast district subjected to it's sway has on the
whole been eneficent; though the sway of that
Company over the valleys of the Red River of the
North, Saskatchewan and Fraser, ought now to ter
mrate. But that Canada should refuse or hesitate
TO accept tbisregoD ifoered, is not credible Even
though the bargain should prove hrd one, there
caLnot tail 10 be fat pickDgs at the outset for the
rulers of Canada and their favorites; aud these are
pever refused by rulers anywhere. That Canada
has yet vstt tracts Of unmproved laud, Is very
tIue but 90 has this country; yet we are none the
less eager to "apDex" all that lies within reach.
Then it is untrue that the country in question is
generally sterile and its climate intolersble. The
Fraser River region is mainly mountainous and un-
fruitful; but i. embraces ,ome valleys Of decided
fertility, while its Writers far mder than those
of Ea,tern or Lower Canada. We believe the
valley of the Saskatchewan has also warmer VIM
tiers than Canada East, with four times the area of
arabic soil. Under proper regulations, very con-
siderable settlement along the whole British frontier
from Lake Superior to the Pacific, will be effected
within the next ten years
As to the new Gold Region, it seems exceedingly
probable that it will for the present be overdone-
that thousands more will rush thither than can find
room to dig profably or food to est and that great
disappointment snd suffering will be experienced,
esps cAlly during the next Winter. We anticipate
but moderate product Of gold during the present
season. Still the gold there; some of the diggngs
have Welded bountifully AID there is every pros
pect that mary others viii DO IS we'll if not better.
Whoever may make or loose, live or die, the whole
region will be traversed aud explored. The scces-
sble, gold will in due time be dug and washed
out of it; and then the great mass of the diggers
will vanish, leaving moderate residuum Of white
population engaged in mining, numbering,
s.o,k-raising, &c. But let Great Britain push
through ter line Of railway from the Gulf of St.
Lawrence to that Of Georgia, and there can be no
further doub. that the population not oaly Of the
new'y opened region but Of Canada also will
rapidly increa,e, and that great British emporium,
,he rival of San Francisco, Will grow up around
the western terminus of that magnificent artery
That ralwsy completed, the vexed question of
Northwest Passage viii have been practically
solved. and the foundations Of Briti,h commercial
ascendeacy sensbly enlarged and strengthened
Must we wait for the ,pur of British rivalry to
induce US to cous,ruc. Railroad to the Pacific