Though, In My Humble Opinion, Not The Best
Thing, Still The Transmission And Storage Of That Material Would Be
Looked
Upon as an evidence of your intentions, and would help to keep
you right in Canada and in your own
Territory, as also in British
Columbia, and would expedite a final and favourable decision as to the
proposed subsidy. So strong is my opinion, that I am ready to join any
four or five gentlemen of your Committee feeling an interest in the
work, in providing and paying for the material itself, if you will send
it through at once.
"It will, I assume, be apparent to you how necessary it is to keep the
section of telegraph in your own special district in your own hands.
Your organization, also, will enable you to convey and erect material
very cheaply. As to all details, I refer to the papers already sent
over containing full particulars, and showing quantities, kind, cost,
means of conveyance, and, more important than all, character of country
and proposed route; the latter from the personal experience and
knowledge of the country of Governor Dallas and Mr. Hopkins, whose
reliability and capacity as advisers no one will question.
"While in Upper Canada, I received proposals for the establishment of
steamers on your rivers and lakes: and no doubt these could be arranged
for; but as the telegraph is to stand over for the present, I do not
add to the length of this paper by any statement on this head.
"I would call attention, however, to the exploration of Dr. Hector, on
behalf of the Canadian Government, of the lands adjoining Lakes Huron
and Superior. Dr. Hector has surveyed a line of road all the way up to
Dog Lake; and Mr. McDougal, the present Commissioner of Crown Lands,
appears ready to recommend the gradual, but rapid, construction of
roads throughout this territory, and onwards to that of the Hudson's
Bay Company. Possibly you may consider the suggestion which I made in
reference to obtaining an independent outlet to Lake Superior, in the
direction of Superior City, as well worthy of consideration.
"As respects the alleged discoveries of gold, upon which some doubt is
thrown in Mr. Fraser's letter of the 13th, I have merely to add that
the testimony of Governor Dallas is important, and that the report of
Professor Hind appeared to me to contain valuable evidence and
reasoning, which can be tested by the further explorations of a
geographical commission, for which purpose either Professor Hind, or
Sir William Logan, or Mr. Sterry Hunt, or all these well known
Canadians, are at once available. Professor Hind's suggestion as to the
supply of quicksilver by the Company to miners, may or may not be
valuable to a Company desiring to retain the lead of trade in portions
of its own territory; but a reference to his report will show that it
was not proposed to you as an immediate measure, as surmised. In any
case, it is undoubted that gold exists in districts east of the primary
rocks of the east flanks of the Rocky Mountains, and that persons are
seeking for it in greater or less numbers.
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