The Nevada journal., 1861-05-03
A British Railway from tho Atlantic to
the pacif..

in the Pacific (Bfitish Columbia) may be
but one step in the steady career of pro-
gress by which my dominions in North
America may be ultimately peopled in an
unbroken chain from the Atlantic to the
Pacific by loyal and industrious popula-
ton" The aspiration so strikingly ex-
pressed found fervent echo in the national
heart, and continues to engage the earnest
attention of England, for i. speaks of
great outspread of solid prosperity and of
rational liberty, of the diffusion our civ
ilzation, and of the extension of our NOR
al empire.
Since the royal speech, governments
have done something, and events have done
more, to ripen public opinion into action.
The governments at home and in Canada
have organized and explored. The more
perfect discoveries of our new gold fields
on the Pacific, the Indian mutiny, the COM
pletiou of great works in Canada, the
treaties with Japan and with China the
visit of the Prince of Wales to the Ameri-
can Continent, and, at the moment, the sad
dissensions in the United States, combine
to interest us in the question, and to make
us ask, Chow is this hope to be realized,
but in our time ?"
Our augmenting interest in the East de-
mand, for reasons both of empire and trade,
access to Asia less dangerous than by Cape
Horn, less circuitous even than by P anama
less dependent than by Suez and the Red
Sea. Our emigration, imperilled by the
dissensions of the United States, must fall
back upon colonization. And, commerce
ally, the countries of the East must supply
the new materials and supply the markets
which probable contests between the free
man and the slave may diminish, or may
close elsewhere. Again n nation like ours
cannot stand still. 1t must either march
on triumphantly in the van or fall hope
lessly in the rear. The measure of its
works, must, century by century, rise high
er in the competition of nations. Its great
works in this generation caa alone pcrpet-
uate its greatness in the next.
Let us look at the map: there we see,
coored as British America, a tract washed
by the great Atlantic on the East, and by
the Pacific ocean on the West, and con-
tanning 1000 900 square miles, or one-ninth
of the whole terrestrial surface of the
globe. Part of this vast domain. upon the
east. is Upper and Lower Canada; part;
upon the west is the new colony of British
Columbia. with Vancouver's Island (the
Madeira of the Pacifc); while the largest
portion is held as one great preserve by the
fur-trading Hudson Bay Company, who,
in right of n charter given by Charles II.
in 1910, to kill vermin for skins and mon
opolze the trade with the native Indians
over Il surface many times rs large again rs
Great Britain and Ireland. Still, all this
land is ours, for it owes allcgicnce to the
sceptre of Victoria. Between the magnifi
ficent harbor of Halifax. on the Atlantic,
opcn throughout the year for ships of the
largest class. to Fuca Straits, opposite
Vancouvers Island, upon which are har-
bors equally eligible, intervene, some 5000
miles of road line. For 400 or 1900 miles
of this distance, the Novia Scotian, the Ha-
bitan, and the Upper Canadian have sprea d
more or less, in lines and patches over the
ground until the population Of 10000 of
1859 amounts to 2,25O,O0 in 1860. The
remainder is pcopled only by the Indian
and the hunter, save that at the southern
end of Lake Winnipeg there still exists the
hardy and struggling Red River Settlement.
The combination of recent discoveries
places it at least beyond all doubt that
the best, if not the only, thoroughly
efficient route for a great highway for peo-
pies and for commerce between the the At
lantic and Pacific is to be found through
this British Territory. Beyond that it is
proved that while no practicable passes for
a wagon-road, still less for railway, can
be found through the Rocky Mountains
across the United States territory north
west of the Missouri, there have been dis
covered already no less than three eligible
opening in these mountains once consider
ed as inaccessible to man. While Captain
Palliser prefers the TKananaskis, Captain
Blackiston and Governor Douglas the
"Kootaine," and DR.. Hector the 'Vermil-
lion pass, all agree that each is perfectly
practicable, if not easy, and that even bet
ter openings may probably yet be found as
exploration progresses.
Again, while British Columbia on the
Pacific possesses fine climate, an open
country, and every natural advantage of
soil and mineral it has also been discover
ed that the doubtful region from the Rocky
Mountains eastward up the Lake of the
Woods contains "continuous belt" of
the finest land.
Professor Hind says:-
at is physical reality Of the highest
Importance to the interests of British North
America that this continuous belt can be-
settled and cultivated from few miles
west of the Lake of the Woods to the pas
ses of the Rocky Mountains; and any line
of communication, whether by wagon
road or railroad, passing through it, will
eventually enjoy the great advantage of