Evening star., 1902-02-01
Interesting Description of a Country
but Little Known.
NAVIGATION dF fHE STRAITS
The Future Of the Mackenzie
Basin Minetal Resources.
.PRoJ RAILWAYS

written Tor The Evening Star by John Cnlrlton,
NJ T.. Member OF the Joint High Commission
If the reader will turn to a map of the
dominion of Canada he will find that one
of its prominent physical features is the
great inland sea, Hudson bay, body of
salt water somewhat larger than the Ger
man ocean, covering an area of 100000
square miles, or four times as great as
that covered by the five great American
lakes; and having an extreme length north
and south including its two arms, James
bay at the southern end, and the portion
of the bay west Of Southampton Island, at
the north end, of 1850 miles, and a width
across the bay proper of 600 miles, and with
scundinss in it's deepest part Of over 300
fathoms. This inlard sea was discovered
by Henry Hudson In 1910.
Hudson Bay Company Charter.
In 1870 Charles II granted to Prince Ru-
pert and fourteen others, and their sur
cessors, under the title of the Governor
and Company Of ad-enturers Of England,
trading into Hudson bay Commonly called
the Hudson Bay Company, 1.-The sole trade
and commerce of all those seas, straits,
bays rivers, lakes, creeks and sounds, in
whatsoever latitude they shall be, that lie
within the entrance of the strait, common
ly called Hudson strait, together with all
the lands and territories upon the countries,
coasts and confines of the seas. bays. lakes,
rivers, creeks and sounds aforesaid, not
previously quoted One cannot but be I'M
pressed with the easy off-hand way In
which vast territories and trade privileges
were granted in those early days to favor
ties or for a mere song. This region tnus
granted was held by the company receiving
the grant to embrace all the territory wa
tered by the streams flowing into Hudson
and James bays, and was designated IN
the charter as Rupert's Land. over TINS
vast region the Hudson Bay Company held
sway, and prosecuted their business OF Iuf
trading until 1869, when it surrendered Its
territorial rights to the dominion govern
ment for the sum Of 81 100000 and the
reservation Of one-twenteth of the arabic
land.
Navigation of Hudson Straits.
This great Canadian inland sea connects
with the Atlantic ocean by Hudson straits
and from the period almost Immediately
following the chartering of the Hudson Bay
Company sailing vessels belonging to that
company have annually entered its waters
from the Atlantic. 1t is a question not yet
fully decided as to the length Of time that
the navigation of these straits is available
in each year, but the best data obtained
renders it probable that navigation can be
maintained from about the middle OF June
to the first of December This question is
one of vast Importance as relates to the
future of the country to the west Of this
great body Of water, for an enormous area
Of agricultural land In the country drained
by the Saskatchewan, the Athabasca and
the Peace rivers will find this the most
direct, the economic route to the English
markets. by way of Hudson bay and Hud-
son strait, if the route is practicable one
Even the province of Manitoba may at no
distant day send it's grain to Europe, by
rail, to Fort York or Fort Churchill.
boundaries and Tributaries.
This great body of water is bounded on
the east by Ungava territory. 1t is touched
on the southern end of James bay by the
territories of Ontario and Quebec, and on
the west 1t is bounded by the immense
unorganized territory of Keewatin. 1t is the
receiving basin Of a great number of riv-
ers, and of a portion Of the drainage Of
Minnesota and Dakota, furnished by the
Red and the Rainy rivers. On the east side
from the territory of Ungava it receives,
proceeding from Hudson straits south, the
Langlands, the Arwater, the Little Whale,
the Great Whale, the Mistasilor or Big
river, and the east main. From the portion
of Quebec bordering upon the southeasterly
part of James bay 1t receives the waters
of the large rivers, Rupert and NottaWay.
The Rupert takes its rise in the great
Lake Mistassini, and the Nottaway, flowing
from the southeast, has a basin of over
10000 square miles. with climate and soil
making it an attractive field for settlement.
From the portion Of Ontario bordering up
on the southerly, and westerly side OF
James bay 1t receives the waters of Moose
and Albany rivers. both large streams and
draining an extensive country fit for set
tlement.
Albany river is the boundary between
New Ontario and the territory Of Kee-
watin. Proceeding northward on the west
erly side, 1T receives the waters of the
Severn, the Nelson, the Churchill and other
important rivers. The Nelson river is the
the waters Of the Red river, the Winnipeg
and Rainy rivers and the great Saskatch-
evan, extending from Lake Winnipeg to
the Rocky mountains. North of Nelson
Ill river and other streams enter the bay,
and at the head Of Chesterfield Inlet it
receives the waters of the recently discoy-
cred and extensive river Telzoa.
Tapping the Mackenzie Basin.
The great Mackenzie system of naviga-
ton can be reached from the navigable
waters Of the Telzoa by a short railway
line extending to Clinton and Golden lakes,
from which the navigable system Of the
Mackenzie basin is reached by the outlet
of these lakes, and the waters Of the Great
Slave lake. The Chesterfield Inlet is a
deep, narrow ford, extending from the
bay inland 14O miles, connecting by two
narrow and deep channels with Baker lake,
seventy miles in length. A considera bic
commerce may ultimately develop by this
route. The most natural access, however,
to the waters of the bay. from the fertile
region to the west Of 1t will be by rail-
way line from the excellent harbor of Fort
Churchill to the waters Of Lake Atha-
basca, a distance of perhaps 45O miles from
Hudson bay. This railway at Lake Atha-
basca would connect with the entire Mac
kenzie system. which would require COM
paratively slight expenditure at Slave
river rapids, between Lake Athabasca and
Great Slave lake, to give continuous steam
boat navigation from the Arctic ocean to
Athabasca landing, seventy miles north of
Edmonton, upon the North Saskatchewan.
The extensive and fertile regions drained
by Peace and Athabasca rivers would be
naturally tributary to this route, as both
of these rivers emptyeinto Lake Athabasca.
This great region is abundantIy supplied
with coal, iron and petroleum.
PiscatoriaI Resources.
Hudson bay, 1t is now ascertained. pos
sesses valuable fisheries. The streams en-
tering it from the east side are well
stocked with salmon. 1t has extensive
| cod banks, and the fresh water lakes, which
can be easily reached from this great In
| land sea. such as Great Slave lake, swarm
with white fish and trout The bay abounds
with Walrus white whale narWal stur-