The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-08-19

position occupied by the two races, than even the
officers of the Hudson's Bay Company dared to
hope. Assuming that the Frazer river gold field
is limited in extent and that mining operations
can only be carried on during a few months in the
year, it is scarcely probable, after all, that the
Colony Of New Caledonia will offer sufficient at
traction TO permanent settlers to seriously affect
the growth and prosperity of California, or of the
adjacent territories of Washington and Oregon
That Victoria and Whatcom and one or two other
favorable points on Pugets Sound, will become
eventually cities of some note and consequence,
think is quite likely; but even in that case large
proportion of the supplies required by the settlers
will, for number of years yet to come, be drawn
from San Francisco, and will thus compensate for
the temporary loss sustained by the recent aban-
donment of the poorer California pacers. The
island of Vancouver ITSELF from the extraordinary
fertility of its SOIL and its moist and comparative
ly equable climate, would be well calculated to at
tract the attention of an agricultural popula-
ton, were it not covered, for the most part by
a dense growth of forest trees, interlaced
by impenetrable thickets. There is of course
some cleared land upon the island, but, with the
exception of few farms in the vicinity of Victoria
the lands adapted to immediate cultivation are in
possession of the natives, whose jealousy of in
truders has displayed itself on more than
sion in acts of open violence. 1t is, nevertheless
possible that the future prosperity of the Colony of
New Caledonia may eventually be made dependent
upon other agencies than that of its gold fields
The stream of Canadian emigration has been gradu-
ally tending, for some years past, in North
Westernly direction, and, in consequence of this
movement, strenuous efforts have been made, from
time to time, to overcome the obstacles to settle
ment interposed by The Hudsons Bay Company
The organization of the Colony of New Gale
donia, in connection with the discussions
which took place when the bill for that purpose
was introduced into the British House of Commons,
leave room for doubt that the whole of that
strip of habitable territory extending from the
Great Lakes to the shores of the Pacific, will be
shortly thrown open to all who are ambitious TO
build up for themselves new homes, or to found
new cities in the wilderness. Recent explorations
said moreover TO have established the fact that
there is uninterrupted navigation for vessels of light
draught across the whole of that immense area
which extends from the Great Lakes to the foot of
the Rocky Mountains; and that there is also a re-
markable depression in the mountain chain, through
which canal could be cut that would unite the
head waters of the Saskewatchan river with those
of the Columbia. If this statement should be veri-
fed by subsequent surveys and if the practicability
of constructing such a canal at reasonable expense
were once established beyond controversy, even as
summer route-for the North Western rivers are
ice-bound during seven months in the year-the
fact of uninterrupted wafer communication between
the two oceans would undoubtedly be productive
of vastly beneficial results, not merely to the Colo
ny of New Caledonia but, in far greater degree
to our own territories of Minnesota and Oregon.
1t must be confessed, however, that all that has
been said upon this subject, both in the British
parliament and elsewhere, is merely speculative.
The region through which these rivers flow is
almost a terra incogada. According to some ac-
counts, it is sort of Northern paradise possessing
a mild and salubriOus climate, and a fertile soil
According to other accounts the winters are rgor-
in the extreme, and the land, for the most part
barren, rugged, and uninhabtable. We do not
profess to be able to reconcile these contradictions
nor are we perfectly satisfied, notwithstanding the
confident assertions that were made in the British
of rivers is by any means so complete in all its
connections the speakers had been led to believe
However, this may be, it is quite certain that the
whole value of the project and the future destiny
of the colony of New Caledonia principally de-
pend upon the nature of the climate and the char
acter of the soil. If both of these are adverse to
purposes of settlement the gold fields will offer no
inducements TO the adventures TO remain in so
inhospitable country beyond limited period
Already the excitement appears to be dying out,
and from the Pacific States the immigration to Pu-
gets Sound has received serious check. The mer-
chants, and property holders of California, are
rapidly recovering from the panic into which they
were temporarily thrown, and although no accu-
rate estimate of the mineral wealth of the North
Western territory can be made until the waters
subside, and the deposits on the bars are reached
the intelligence derived from various sources rem
ders it very doubtful whether any of those who
have staked out their claims on the banks of the
river, will be adequately compensated for the dan
gers they have braved the suferings they have I'M
dergone and the perils to which they are still ex-
posed.