Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-21
OUR RELATIONS WITH CANADA.
Testimony Taken by the Senate Inves.
tigating Committee.


Testimony Taken by the Senate Inves.
tigating Committee.
INTERESTING DEvELoPMENTs-wHAro GEN. NILES
sAYs-oUR DEFENshLEss FRoSrIER-cIrIEs
WHICH BRITISH FLEETS COULD DKsrRoY-sEAL
AND FISHERY QUEsrIoNs-rARIFr, ETC.
Mr.. Hoar, chairman Of the Senate committee
upon relations Of commerce and business with
Canada, presented to the Senate today the tes-
timony which has been taken by that commit
tee THIS testimony was not accompanied by
report 1t is understood tn at the committee
will make a report of its conclusions at later
period after additional testimony shall have
been taken at Detroit, Buffalo and some other
points. The testimony already taken comprises
some 200 printed pages. 1t consists of testi-
mony OF military men, railroad officials, prom
inent business men OF the United States and
Canada, men engaged in the fishing industry
along the whole extent of our northern
boundary from California to Maine. The tes-
tlmony covers all the points Of vital into rest
10 the relations between the United States and
the dependencies of Great Britain in North
America.
GEN. MILES ON THE MILITARY SITUATION.
The first witness examined was Gen Nelson
A. Miles, in command on the Pacific coast. His
testimony is q valuable contribution to the
military situation. and one passage of it at
least will be probably read with startling inter-
est by all Americans. Gen. Miles, commenting
upon the defenseless condition OF the United
States upon our northwestern border, said: Il
will state what is well known in regard to
canada. believe that the railway system of
British Columbia could be occupied by American
troops in ten days; in other words, that the
principal part Of British Columbia could be
occupied by American troops, not, however,
through Victoria. That is on the Island of VAN
couver, occupied by British forces, a place
where the British government has expended
millions in building dry docks and navy yards
and has made some surveys for her fortifica-
tions. They have there at this time u feet of
war ships under the command Of British ad-
miraL l think it is fair to say, what every
Intelligent man must know, that during that
ten days
THE BRITISH FLEET COULD DESTROY EVERY TOWN
and city on Puget Sound, destroy our railroad
system there and occupy our outlets for that
northwestern country. They could also send
ships up the Columbia river and destroy the
city OF Portland and that railway system.
There is not q gun or earthwork on Puget
Sound, nor single artillery soldier. There
are few obsolete guns at the mouth of the
Columbia, at Fort Candy; bu: that is not now
occupied by troops. That is the condition of
affairs north of the harbor of San Francisco.
South Of the harbOr of San Francisco there is
not gun In position, round Of ammunition
nor single artillery soldier to defend the har-
bors and cities of San Diego, Santa Barbara
and San Pedro, the terminus of one of the rail-
roads and from those points a small force
could destroy the railway system in southern
California"
THE FoRTIFIcATIoNs AT EsoUIMAULr.
The testimony contains an account Of the
British Notifications at Esquimault where it is
reported that Great Britain is now concentrat-
ing war vessels, with view to possible contin-
genclcs IN Behring sea. A great number Of
witnesses discuss in all its relations the ques-
ton OF subsidies to steamers from the Pacific
coast to China, notably the lines which have
been subsidized by Great Britain in connection
with the Canadian Pacific railroad and which
constitute q continuous subsidized line from
China to Liverpool over the Canadian Pacifi,.
The general policy and effect Of the Canadian
Pacific railroads upon the United States rail-
roads Is discussed by the friends and oppo-
nents OF that system. One of the
CURIOUS FEATURES OF THE TESTIMONY
is consideration of the possible transfer Of
portion Of the fisheries interest from the Allan
tic to the north Pacific coast. The testimony
gives the latest information as to the salmon
industry on the Pacific coast and the coal pro-
duction along the northern frontiers and in the
northwestern states. The testimony is an i'm
portant contribution to many subjects con-
nected with the tariff debate The very i'm
portant lumber question, which is SO much dis
cussed, is fully considered in the testimony.
Nearly every question
CONNECTED WITH THE TARIFF
as affected by the relation between the United
States and Canada is treated on both sides in
this testimony. The managers Of the Trans
continental railway system IN set forth at length
their complaint at the competition of the
is
Bile by the fact that these roads
are not subject to the operations Of the
interstate commerce law. A great many diff
terent remedies for the evils of which the
United States roads complain are suggested.
Host of the American railway managers main
tain that the Canadian Pacific is ininical
to American railway interests. Many
OF them suggest that the long and short
haul and the pending sections of the interstate
commerce law should be repealed The ad-
yocates and the opponents of reciprocity state
their cases ut length. Some very curious infor-
nation Is given as to the nature of
THE ALASKA SEAL FISHERIES.
Most of the fishermen engaged in the food
fishing Oh the north Atlantic coast insist that
the seals are very destructive of food fish, and
that it will be benefit to the country when
they shall all disappear. There is abundant
evidence to show that seals are destroyed an
the most wantOn manner by shooting ire
are in the breeding season.
The testimony contains full information as to
the wool-growing interests aud the wooden
manufacturing industry the Pacific coast
and along the northwestern border.
THE FISHERY QUESTION.
The relations of the fishery question on the
Atlantic and Pacific coasts are set forth. One
Of the fishermen of the northwestern coast
said it requires over forty million pounds of
food fish per day to supply the seals, and that
1t may become necessary on that coast to get rid
OF the seals In order to preserve the food fish
for mankind. Some of the fishermen predict
that with the existing methods of hunting the
SEALS there will not be any seals in Behring
sea in five years time.
The testimony contains a vast deal of detailed
Information as to The resources Of
THE NEW NORTHWEST.
The advocates of commercial union. of re-
ciprocity, of free raw material, have been per-
mitted to state their views at length. The
complaints of the New England fishermen and
the opera tions OF the modus vivendi in Canada
are detaIed. There is exhaustive information
as to ma.orial political condition of Canada.
There il complete information as to the ves-
sells fisheries of the United States Some light
ia thrown upon the controversy between New
foundland and France rs to the French fisher
les at the Island of st. Pierre and Miauelon.
which are such q sensational feature of Cana
dian news just now. The rights of the Ameri-
can fishermen under the several treaties with
Great Britain are considered.