Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-02-19

Tho Discovery OF . Pass I'm the Rocky
Mountains BY the British Surveying
Party.
From the Toronto Leader Of he eth sia..,-s
Intelligence has reached the city that Captain
Palliser, who 10 at the head of q surveying party
sent out by the British Government, has discover
ed pass in the Rocky Mountains, about the 5le
kinskski River, fork of the southern branch of
the Saskatchewan, and Bow River. On looking at
Mr. Devines map of this territory, it will be found
that break in the mountains there appears; there
having previously been reason to suppose that
pass existed at that point. That now discovered
Dy Capt Paser is said to be such is suitable for
the construction of Railroad; and it is this fact
which gives the discovery its chief Importance
Near thus spot, Thompson, who was twenty-two
there-at Bow Lake we believe-wild fowl, at that
season, and the lake was clear of ice during the
whole winter. The mildness of the winters Is i'm
portant too in regard to the construction of Rail-
road for where small lake, being merely an ex-
tension of river, such frequently occurs on the
Ottawa, does not freeze, the snow would pack close
and consequently not rise very high from the
ground. The same quantity of snow makes twice
the bulk in some portions of Hudson's Bay terri
tory that it does farther SOUTH The drier it is the
more expansive it becomes; the more humid the
climate, the more closely the snow packs. If Bow
Lake does not freeze, the snow in the neighborhood
canpota1e , Of very :g bulky tendency:
ish Columbia, is to be established before Railroad
to the Pacific be constructed this Palliser Pass
If we may without injustice to any previous explo-
rer SO designate twill be of great importance
Mimi sofa, have project for placing steamers on
the south branch Of the Upper Saskatchewan, next
season. and in case this be DONE the Palliser Pass
immediately above one of the forks of that branch,
wiu pc found situated at the precise point where
1t is wanted: The chances are that we shall see
an overland route, through British territory, to
British Columbia established during the course of
next summer. As a matter of right, the Ameri-
cans have no Pfetensions to navigate the Saskat-
chewan; and the question may arise whether it
would be prudent to allow them to become the
first carriers in the interior Of British territory
From above Lake Superior to the Pacific is the
weak point of the British frontier, and will be
likely at some day to give all the more trouble from
the fact of its being a purely arbitrary line. By
looking to herrights in that quarter in time Great
Britain may prevent vast amount of future trou-
In copying the above, and ardently hop
ing that the discovery of the Pass is correct,
we would observe to the Leader, that if the
British will only 60 ahead with something like
Yankee enterprise, st. Paul nor anybody else
will dispute their right to navigate the Sas-
katchewan. What the whole world of North
western enterprise demands is, that the rivers
and country of the northwest no longer sleep
in the chains of Hudson Bay torpidity, but
should be made forthwith to resound with the
hum Of settlement and the shrill piping of the
steam whistle. Who shall operate the enter
prise of navigating the Saskatchewan will not
be by US matter of dispute with our Cana
dian neighbors, so the thing is only done, well
done, and that quickly!
1t is our opinion, however, that the Pallser
Pass is not the only one which will be discov.
cred in the Rocky Mountains towards the
heads of the Missouri and Saskatchewan
Little is yet comparatively known of that re-
gion. No doubt in the U. s. States territory
passes-of facile ascent and descent through
the mountains-defiles through which mode
rate grades would practically level the noun
tains, and overcome their transit, without an
inclined plane-will yet be brought to light.
At anyrate, we are thankful for the Palliser
discovery, and hope our Canadian neighbors
will rival us in the race for its practical use
in the further development of the regions be-
tween the Lakes and the Mountains and the
Pacific