The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-12-03
CANADRS GREAT RESL,. :
THE RESOURCES AND CAPACITIES o.
The GREAT MACKENZIE BASIN.

The Area-I.iver havigation-AsrioaliuSa
Po.sib.iitics-Thc Ciimate-Mincrai De-
posits-Torcst Crouth--Crcat Fur Pre-
serye-Extensivc Petroleum Field
An inquiry has been instituted by the
Canadian government into the resources and
capacities Of the immense area included in
what may be regarded as the Great lecken-
zic Basin, the region extending from the Sas-
katchewan to the Arctic shores and from
Huison5 bay 70 the Rocky mountains.
The extent Of the scope OF the inquiry
covers $4,000 square statute miles, which
area includes mono Of the islands Of the Arc
tic Archipelago. IT, coast line on the Arctic
ocean and Huds0n's bay measures about 5000
miles which e-timate does not inchide the
coast lines Of inlets or deeply indeuted bays
Over onc-half Of this coast line, the report
assures u, is easily accessible L. whaling and
sealing craft The navigable coast lines O:
tie larger lakes OF the region in question
amount 70 about 900 miles, while rs total
lacustrine area probably exceeds that OF the
Eastern Canadian American chain Of great
lakes There Is a river savigatlon Ct about
2.75O miles, cf which so miles IS suitable
fer stern wheel steamers, which, with their
barges, may carry 800 tons, the remaining
1850 miles being deep enough for light
draught sea going steamers There IS total
OF about g, 800 miles OF continuous lake coast
and river navigation, broken only IN Two
places
Within tho scope Of the committees in
quiry there is a possible area, It is stated, OF
G50O0O square miles it.ed for the growth OF
potatoes 900 square miles suitable for
barley. and $4,000 square miles suitable for
wheat There IS pastoral area Of eoJ,UVo
square mile, % COJ miles Of which Is open
prairie with occasional groves, the remainder
being more or les wooded, $4,000 square
miles, including the prairie, may be consid
cred a. arabic land. ALolt 10000 square
miles Of the total j. useless for the pasturase
Of domestic animals or for cultivation. Ihis
area comprises the barren grounds aud a
portion Of the lightly wooded region to their
south and west.
Throughout this arabic and pastoral area
latitude bears no direct relation 10 summer
isotherns, the spring flowers and the buds OF
dec.duOus trees appearing as carly north OF
Great Slave lake as at Winnipeg, ST Paul
and Minneapolis, Kingston or Ottawa and
earlier along the Peace, Lard and some
minor western afiiuents of the Great Macken-
+ zie river. where the climate resembles that
Of western Ontario The native grasses and
yetches are equal and in some districts supe'
rior 10 those Of eastern Canada. The pre-
vail!ng southwest summer winds OK the
country in question bring the warmth and
moisture which render possible the far north
ern cereal growth, and sensibly Affect the
climate of the region under consideration as
far north as the Arctic circle and a. far east
as the eastern rim Of the Mackenzie basin.
The forest area has upon 1t a growth OF
trees we'll suited for all purposes Of hous.
and ship building, for mining, railway and
bridging purposes far in excess OF It's OWL
needs, and OF great prospective value to th'
treeless regions Of Canada and the United
States 10 the south, tho growth on the lau
rentian formation being scant; but the allu
vial portion has upon it ION the river Of 81
name aud ol.ewhere) the Lizard, q balsau
poplar. sometimes called Balm Of Gilead oI
rough bark poplar, TO feet high with {
stump diameter OF 5 feet 10 feet the WHIT
spruce, 80 feet high, with stump diameter
Of feet 70 ) ieat the larch Of about tia
same size. and the banksian pine, who's
straight stem Is often lOJ feet long, with onll
? feet OF diameter at the stump.
OF the mines Of this vast region little 1
known. Gold has been found Oh tue wes
shore Of Hudson's bay, and has been SAT-
to exist in certain portions Of the barrel
grounds. Silver, On the Upper Lard an
Peace rivers, copper, upon the Coppernin
river. iron, graphite, ocher, brick and POT
tory clay, mica, gypsum, lime and sandstone
sand for glass and molding, and GSphaltul
are ell known to exist while tho petroleum
area Is so extensive as u justify the belle
that eventually it will supply the larger par
# this continent and bs shipped iroL
Churchill or some mare northern hudson
by port to England.
Salt and sulphur deposits are less eXter
sive. but the former Is found IN crystal
: equal in purity 10 the best rock salt, and
highly saline springs, while the latter
found in tie form Of pyrites; and the fac
that these petroleum Cni salt deposits occu
ID mainly near the line Of division bctweo
deep water navigation and that fitted fc
lighter craft, gives them a possible grea
commercial value. The extensive coal an
d Ignite deposits Of the Lower Mackenzie an
d elsewhere viii he found 10 lie Of great YalJ
J. when the questions Of reducing its iron or,
and the transportation Of the products
J this vast region have to be solved b. steai
sea going or lighter river craft.
< The chef present commercial product
d the country is its furs, which, as the regic
J. in question is the last great fur preserve
: the world arc Of very great present al
D prospective value, al the finer 1urs OF coz
z merce being there found, aud the sales
London yearly amounting to several miillol
4 Of dollars.
The evidence submitted to the committ
> points to the existence in the Athabasca al
Mackenzie valleys Of tue most e1tensi
petroleum field in America, If not in Il
world. The uses Of petroleum, aud cons
ouently the demand for it by all nations, O
}. increasing at such rapid ratio that 1t
D. probable this great petroleum field Nil
Is sumo an enormous value in the near f1tui
10 London Times.