New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-02-23
WHAT TI4 HTDSONS BAY.


to Liverpool by way of New York, or byway OF
Port Nelson and HudsOn's Bay 2 The question
is not so absurd rs it may seem at first to those
who have never examined it. The Canadian
Government has already chartered two railways
with large grants of land for each, one to Mel
son River and the other to Churchill, and the
union of these was afterward authorized. The
distance from Winnipeg to Churchill is about
63O miles, and il is claimed that the railway
can be bui!t for 81. 100000. TO Nelson the
distance is much less. The ground so favofS
that the cost of construction, it is claimed
would not he more than that Of an ordinary
prairie railroad for most of the way. At 600
miles from Winnipeg, then, grain can be load
ed in steamers from Liverpool. The distance
from Churchill or Port Nelson to Liverpool, by
Hudson Strait, is about the same as
from Montreal to Liverpool But in de-
bate on tho subject in the Dominion Parll-
ment, Nj Dawson stated that there is channel
not hitherto followed from HudsOn's Bay to IN
garvey Bay-the latter being not far from the
entrance to the Strlt-by which the distance
could be diminished. In any case, with
Churchill as near Liverpool as Montreal now is
the question becomes simply one Of lee. And
Churchill is six degrees further south than
Archangel, ON the White Sea, whore English
ships trade regularly; indeed, it is about in The
latitude Of tn northern part Of Scotland while
Port Nelson is not further north than Aberdeen.
In the Canadian Parliament, Sir John Mae
donald spoke strongly Of the Importance Of
opening the trade Of IGlson's BdEboth because
Of the needs of Manitoba aad the vast regions
.f MI f,.p 600
miles oa the west coast of the bay the fisheries
will be found Of great value. He stated that
the log-boolls of the IUds0u's Bay vessels
for many years were being examined
with care for evidence as to the
time during which I,uisOns Bay can be naYi-
gated and said, II have no doubt it viii be
"found, when the question is worked out by
"cxpcricnce with steam vessels, tn period dur
ing which the Strait can be r',u'ably navl-
gated will be- considerably extended beyond
"tie present idea" Some time ago, Mr.. Eras-
tus Wnan, of this city, caused log-boobs Of
N.w-London whalcls TO be cXtcn,iJ ely exam
med for evidence on the same point. The in
formation gathered, while highly interesting,
is not conclusive, because all the experienced
navigators suggest that navigation thr0ush.tho
Strait would be practicable much earlier ana
much later in The yo1r for steamers than FOR
sailing vessels. One captain says steamers
"would have no trouble in coming mp to No
yember 1. and some seasons LATER while
nearly all agree that it would be practicable
to enter with steamers about July l. But
il is doubted by some whether, by run
ming close to shore, safe passage can
not be found during a considerable part
of the season which is the most impracti-
cable for sailing vessels. With four months, or
even three, of open navigation by the Strait,
vast quantity of grain and Othcrproducts would
find its way to Liverpool by way Of HudsOn's
Bay.
Ii appears tn at the people of Manitoba are
strongly aroused on this subject. The speeches
made in the Dominion Parliament even affirm
that muchOf the product of our own northern
most regions would ind its way to market by
the same route Though no important division
of trade Is to be reasonably expected, the open
sing of Northern route would doubtless hasten
settlement on both sides of the border west of
Lake Superior, and prove of benefit to both
Nations. Whether the scheme il practicable or
not, it seems, can only be determined by further
Investigation, which the Dominion Government
appears inclined to give without delay.