The Portland daily press., 1867-11-05
Dominion OF Canada.

. THE LAKE SUPERIOR REGION.
. The London Canadian news, of October 3,
contains an interesting letter from Mr.. Jo-
seph Nelson, dated from Fort William on
Lake Superior, September End. This gentle
man was employed to proceed to the Red
River country and report on its resources and
general condition, the appointment, it is sup
posed, having been made by the Imperial
Government Mr.. Nelson left Toronto in Au-
gust for Owen Sound, being accompanied by
Mr.. Oliver Rowland, son of the Minister of
Internal Revenue. From Owen Sound he
proceeded to Spanish River and the Bruce
Copper Mines. The vein Of &C pper at these
mines is twenty-five feet in width, and be-
comes poorer the deeper it is worked down
ward. 800 to 400 men are employed here,
and an extension of the works is contemplate
ed. On the trip from Bruce Mines to Fort
William, whilst waiting at the Sault, Mr.. Mel.
son saw passing "two large American steam
ers and two large three masted ships heavily
laden with very rich iron ore from the Mar
quette Mines ON the Lake Superior shore OF
Michigan" The next call was at Batchewan- /
lllSy WLlctc At. 1Nuioou, " nIo out ioC, Ioulu
"a long pier with a line of railway upon it
and extending into the bush,' to an iron mine
ten miles in the interior. The mine is own
ed by Americans, who have expended $780,
900, gold, in constructing the railway to their
works. Mr.. Nelson urges the establishment
of steam route on the North shore of Lake
Superior, and the energetic construction Of
road TO Red River, thus inaugurating a liberia
policy for developing the enormous mineral
wealth Of this region. He says = H..
" There are no less than 100 large american
ships and steamers engaged in the trade on
the south shore of Lake Superior, whilst on
the north or British shore, with coast line
of nearly 500 miles, there is but one solitary
British vessel! As the Detroit steamed out
OF the bay 1 thought "a few such steamers as
that, little of the American enterprise, and
an Importation of Cornish miners would soon
develope the mineral wealth of this region"
which I am led to believe is equal to that of
the old days of Chilli and Peru. uA
Mr.. Nelson writes from Thunder Bay. He
says:
have been strolling about here for some
little time prospecting" and find the whole
of the shores of Thunder and Black Bay are
alive Will eApiOrclS lOl. SILVER, copper, ana
gold. Nearly all of them are mining enain-
eers and from the south shore. So. =
MFR. Nelson is agreeably surprised also to
observe the rich agricultural resources of this
region. 5-e.,,
tg THE MILITARY SCHEME.
The Hamilton Times claims to have got
the start of the Government, agents and pub
fishes what it believes to be a sketch Of the
leading features Of the projected Militm Bill
to be introduced by the minister OF War;
Mr.. Cartier, at the coming session Of the Par
lament of the Dominion. We quote from
the Times:
IF our information is correct, the militia will
be divided into three classes, as now, but on a
very different principle. We understand that
each volunteer company will be composed of
one hundred men; that fifty thousand cf
this, the first class, will be organized, each
battalion to be composed of eight companies.
thus making battalion to consist OF eight
hundred men. II sufficient number should
not volunteer to make up the fifty Thousand
OF the first class, then those companies wnicn
cannot get the complement OF men Dy WI
unteering will be filled up by dra,. Az nos aoas
among the unmarried men between a.. .ue 49, 80
of eighteen and forty-fyc Ihis h.ty .hos 1,.t.,
sand will be compelled, by iaw' 10 orhi sixty
"a