"It has not been till to-day that I could have given you any answer
respecting the proposed subsidy to the N. W. Transit.
"I think a short verbal communication would be more satisfactory than
explanation by letter.
"Can you call here to-morrow about 2.30, or, if more convenient, at
Thomas' Hotel - between 11 and 1.
"Yours very sincerely,
"NEWCASTLE."
"DOWNING STREET,
"27 March, 1863.
"MY DEAR SIR,
"I do not on the first blush of your proposal see any great difficulty
in agreeing to it, - if indeed the Imperial Government is in
absolute possession of the tract of country you speak of.
"I have requested Sir F. Rogers to look into this and see you if you
like to call upon him when you come to town.
"I leave London to-morrow morning for, I hope, a fortnight.
"I am, yours sincerely,
"NEWCASTLE."
This letter of the 27th March, 1863, was in reply to a letter from
me: -
"ROSE HILL, NORTHEN,
"March 27th, 1863.
"MY LORD DUKE,
"In looking over the maps very carefully prior to sending in the
documents proposed to be transmitted through your Grace, I find that it
is very probable - from the desirability of carrying a telegraph through
a wooded country, and avoiding the plains, where buffaloes often move
about in square miles of extent - that we may go through the Imperial
territory for a more or less considerable distance. It therefore
strikes me, that what I have before suggested, as to the desirability
of Imperial assistance, may not be reconciled with Mr. Gladstone's
desire to avoid an Imperial contribution of money. I therefore suggest
to your Grace, that the Imperial Government should agree to give a
grant of land of some reasonable extent, also that portion of the
territory lying between the Hudson's Bay territory and British Columbia
which belongs to the Crown, provided a telegraphic and road
communication passes through any portion of that territory.
"If this meets your Grace's views, would it not be better that the fact
of the Imperial Government having made this concession should be
recited in the preamble of the proposed Bill which we are to send to
Canada, and that thus invited to the scheme by a contribution of land,
power to purchase or control should be directly given by a clause to
the Crown? If your Grace will give me your views upon this at once, I
will have the documents prepared accordingly, and transmitted without
delay.
"'Minesota' has given about two millions of acres in aid of works to
extend their rail and water communications in the direction of Red
River.
"I have to thank your Grace for sending me Mr. Foley's report, and,
also, copy of the Minutes of Council as to the Intercolonial and the
western project.
"The territory I allude to is hunted over by the Hudson's Bay Company,
and forms, mainly, a portion of what they call the Athabasca district."
It was matter of deep regret to me that the Government of the day would
not accept any share of the pecuniary responsibility of adding to the
compactness of the Empire, by connecting the two oceans by telegraph
and by road.
