The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-26
I

Il ls In an Introductory chapter that
Dr. Munro examines the main physlcal
features Of British North America and
indicates the principal sources from which
the population Of the colony has been
drawn He points out that, speaking
generally. we may say that Canada is
divided into the basin Of Hudson Bay
the basin of the 81. Lawrence and the Great
Lakes. the basin Of the St John the basin
of Mackenzie River and the two slopes
Of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The
first Of these. the basin OF Hudson Bay
is much the largest, comprising as II does
sectous Of Ontario, Quebec. Manitoba
md the Northwest Territories While
this region is for the most part level and
the soil well wooded and fertile. the climatic
conditions, except in the southern part
have been such n to prevent any CON
siderable settlements Even at the present
day there j. little agriculture IN the basin
Of Hudson Bay. umnering fishing aud fur
trading occupying the attention u the few
white inhabitants The basin Of the ST
Lawrence and the reat Lakes has been
for The greater part of thrce INJURIES the
NOS, important field Of Canadian activity
This great valley more than 200 miles IN
length presented from the very outset at
tractiye locations for settlements hence II
soon became the centre Of population With
tho exception of a fringe north of Lake
Superior. the whole valley is extremely
fertile and veil drained he climate
corresponds TO that Of northern England
Scotland north Germany and Denmark
the annual temperature averaging between
~ and ~ degrees The air j. dry vet the
rainfall is ample for mixed farming and
elevation above the sea level l. sufficient
TO make the whole valley extremely health
ful The spacious tract has been at sue
co-sive stages Of - exploitation the centre
of the fur trade. the agricultural centre
and the Industrial and commercial centre
Of the colony It wa~ from this region
tina the timber was first cleared and herr
was the soil first made to Yield the colony
Subsistence The basin Of the ST Law
rance is separated into two parts by the
valley Of Ottawa which forms the boundary
he,ween Upper and lower Canada or what
srp now known as the Provinces Of On
tario and Quebec The latter OF these
owing 10 it, uearneSs 10 the Atlantic entrance
20 the colony. was the first to be- settled
Settlements were made at Quebec and Mont
real. and before long the newcomer,
-plehn lOFNlr"lNf~ along ihe northern
shore Of the St Lawrence between these
two points II was not until the second
generation that lands were taken up TO any
considerable extent on the south shore of
the great river
Due emphasis is here laid upon the fact
that the earliest settlers OF CannGa, fer The
most part employees OF trading COMPANIES
were almost exclusively Norman The
merchants Of Dieppe and Rouen controlled
the bulk Of the trade with the colony in its
earlier years. and during the seventeenth
century a considere ble number Of emil
grants Game 10 Canada from these towns
our author finds that down 10 1870 not
more than half a dozen families had mi
grated To- the colonies from other than
northern ports. An examination OF the
Parish registers Of Quebec which have been
ST seems. most diligently and accurately
kept from the outset. reveals that Canada
began her history with an almost unmixed
infusion e the -conquering blood Of Nor
mandie subsequently there happened TO
Canada @ counterpart OF what had befallen
England about a hundred years after The
Norman Conquest little later than 1910
hand of Augerlns settled in Montreal.
but there We're apparently 10 wome q