, 1877-11-10


ncr element, the place has been first the
capital of Vancouver Island, until its
union with the mainianl, and then ot
the whole Province Of British Columbia.
Within the past four years, like 1t, sis
ter regions ot the Sound, that whole re
gion is found to contain varied and
mcShuus'abIc agricultural resources, to
say nothing ot its excellent coal at Main.
imO, and the forests ot fir and other lum-
Der on the mninhn1.
Although the floating population Is
perhaps now much less than in former
years, yet the development OF these sure
and fundamental sources Of wealth, is
rapidly increasing its permanent, set
tied population. The permanent pop
ulatlon of the province is now about
10000 inhabitants. Victoria is not only
the capital and most important town,
but she is the natural commercial centre
for industries and resources Of the whole
province. Their growth will he her
growth, and she will increase with the
development OF each new source OF
natural wealth, found IN the province.
Her present population is said to he
about 5000, or one hulfthe ,ntire pop
ulation Of the province Situated us she
is at the door of Puget Sound region,
and connected with it by regular lines of
steam travel, and SO situated that every
steam vessel that visits the Sound is
sure to cali there, coming and going,
her prosperity will be in II great degree
a measure of our growth. Then there
will be so many interests to grow up
together in common that information
valuable to one region will be valuable
to both. Thus, this year the salmon
interests of Frazier and OF the Sound,
began to figure largely as II competing
interest with those of Columbia river.
The mineral and agriculture interests Of
the two regions must be studied in
common. The tide marshes of the Fra.
zier, and the fertile bottom lands of
that valley are similar in character,
and must be reclaimed the same as the
same kinds Of lands have been here, and
made to yield such uneXampled crops
in Whatcome and Snohomish counties
Of this Territory,
For these and similar reasons we in
tend to examine personally, in detail, the
coming year, and compare many Of the
separate districts of that province, with
regions of the Sound having correspond
ing interests and resources, to the mutu-
al advantage perhaps OF both.
The harbor of Victoria is land locked,
safe and secure against all winds, but its
entrance is SO narrow and crooked, that
the largest ocean going vessels do not
like to enter there, but 60 in preference
to Esquimault Harbor, some three or
four miles westward OF Victoria, where
the harbor is all that can he desired for
the largest ships that float.
Should Victoria ever become great
commercial centre like some Of our larg-
est cities, the two towus. or rather the
space between the two hurbors will be
built up so as to form one town; as it is
fine graded macadamised road connects
them together. Over this there should
be constructed at no distant day horse
portation OF freight anil passengers be-
tween the two towns.
1t natural whenever on American
sees so many chances for Yankee enter
prise, many OF them perhaps unimproved
on account of II lack of that keen stTug-
gle for personal preeminenLe, the charac-
ter!stic principle OF our lie here, to
reflect an the chances OF annexation TO
the great American Union of States, and
the benefits to I've conferred thereby. To
large numbers of these people, any such
proposition must be exceedingly distaste-
tul for several reasons. Among these
reasons being the following
AS British province they have us
much IN dividual liberty and independ-
ence as any Territory in the L. $. As
long as the chances Of annexation exists
the home government can never be op-
pIess:ve to any colony.