The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1859-04-14

ST. Lawrence and the Lakes are navigable
half across the Continent. From the head
OF Lake Superior to the Red River Settle
ment is but 500 miles, and from the Red
River to the Rocky Mountains there is but
one rapid which . steamer cannot ascend.
The Rocky Mountains reached, there are
four passes at hand. which Captain Palliser,
Of the Royal Engineers, has Just rediscover-
ed and reported practicable, through which
the headwaters Of the Columbia or the
Frazer River can be struck without any
difficulty.
The Canadian Exploring Expedition, of
which Professor Hind was q member, has
surveyed the country from Lake Superior to
the Saskatchewan with care, and Professor
Hind has recently read a paper before the
Canadian Institute which has attracted much
attention. He reports that the South Sas.
katchewan can be easily diverted into the
Assiniboin River, and the latter thereby
made navigabe at all seasons for large
steamers This would make the distance
from the Red River to the Rocky Mountains
about 600 miles less than by the present
water-route. much fear, howe yer, that the
scheme is impracticable. The Saskatche-
wan is a river OF the first class, and to dam
it to the depth or height OF sixty feet, as the
Professor proposes, would not be an easy
matter. Then, again, the current of the
Saskatchewan flows now at the rate Of four
miles an hour. II its course were shortened
so much as is proposed, it appears to me that
this rapidty would be so much increased as
to prevent It's being nayigable at all, except
in particular localities.
II is very currently reported, here, that
Sir. Il. b. LyttOn will be our next Governor.
Sir Edmund Head, who came here six years
ago, coatless and almost shiftless, always
speaks of his term Of Office here as bis en-
gagement." Well, his engagement will
shortly close, and after him, we should vel
come such man as Lytton Bulwer with
open arms. The latter has made himself
very popular as Colonial Secretary, and his
having founded the colony Of New Columbia
gives him great eciat.
1t is not improbable that he might come
charged to initiate, or rather carry out, the
scheme Of contederating the British North
American colonies into a union, similar to
your own, but governed either by British
Lord or one OF the cadets OF the Royal race.
You may rely upon it that, in spite of occa.
si,n'l annexation maniiestos, put forth by
crazy people-we Canadians are rather mon
archial than Republican, at least
An interesting movement is going on at
the Red River now. The district needs
some other government than that of the
Hudsons Bay Company, and the question
arises. shall it be made subject to or part
Of Canada, or shall it be constituted crown
colony! The clergy Of the settlement are
in favor Of the latter course, the people the
former. There seems to be desire on the
part Of the Hudson's Bay Company to side
with the clergy. Perhaps, indeed the Com
pany has set the clergy TO work. The Red
River settlement is the distributing point
for all the Companys supplies, and Il e COL
Letting point Tor most OF their furs. Now,
it it remain in It's present state, or become
Crown colony, the Company will continue
to import their dry goods, hardware, gro
ceres, etc, free of duty, bringing them in
either via Hudson's Bay, or through Mime
sofa in bond. II the country be annexed
to Canada, these goods will have to pay our
rate Of duty, on an average of about 25 per
cent, enough to induce the Company TO
make very strenuous efforts to prevent the
annexation in question