"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. We have yet to learn how far
the information has spread, and what influence it may have upon the
movement of the American population. But, great or small, it is a fact
affecting the settlement of the community, which enlarges the general
pressure for a decision as to how large tracts of your territory,
suitable beyond doubt for human habitation, are hereafter to be
governed for the good of the people who may come, and so as to preserve
British ascendency in your part of the Continent. Both Governor Dallas
and myself have had many discussions as to this, and you have before
you already both his views and mine. But the paper gives a
resume of the general case as presenting itself to many
thoughtful persons, known to you in Canada, and belonging to the
various political parties. It was desirable to record their ideas, and
I present them for what they may be worth, wishing you to understand
that the proposal for federation and a joint Custom-house is the view
of Mr. George Brown. On the other hand, Mr. Cartier, and even Mr.
Sandfield Macdonald, desire to see a separate Crown Colony established.
"I now come to the all-important matter of the wise, economical, and
efficient working of the business of the Company in America. The paper
drawn up under the instructions of Governor Dallas by Mr. Hopkins, and
discussed at length between us, is offered to you as an attempt to
solve a difficulty which must be got rid of if more business is to be
done at less cost, and if the competition around you is to be met, as
it easily may be, with thorough success. The deed poll is an
arrangement standing in the way of change and extension of your
operations: it covers legal questions which some day may give you
trouble; and it may be modified in some such manner as that suggested
by your assent in the first place, and by the judicious action of
Governor Dallas, who should receive your instructions soon, consequent
thereon.
"The proposal to substitute a contingent and temporary interest in so
much stock of the Company for the 40 per cent. of profits now given to
the chief factors and traders, may assist you in placing your unissued
shares, in a mode leading to a very large annual saving, to be
accompanied by an evident increase of efficiency. For, able as your
staff is in general, there are many useless, and even mischievous,
persons under pay or profits; and the unfortunate propensities of Sir
George Simpson did not lead in his latter years, I fear, to the
improvement of the moral tone of your servants. There are cases of
favouritism and abuse not at all creditable, such as that of the
employment of Sir George's illegitimate son, and the retention of a
chief trader notoriously useless and drunken, for many years after the
chief factor of his district had reported his demerits to the local
governor. But the service is popular, and there can be no difficulty in
keeping up a staff fully able to cope with the sharp and energetic men
employed by the American traders, - your permanent rivals in business.
"It is perhaps unnecessary further to explain the reasons of my not
proceeding to Red River. As before stated, I had expected to do so in
company with Captains Glyn and Synge, without whom I should have
hesitated to undertake the more extended and responsible task at first
proposed. I did not in any event expect that Governor Dallas would come
to Canada prior to the receipt of your official letter of the 6th July,
and for which I had been waiting from the 30th June until the 20th
July; and when he arrived, and especially when I found that the
purposes of my proposed journey had been in great measure previously
fulfilled by him, it became a question of whether it ought not to be
postponed. He had already folly advised the Governor and Committee of
the 'state of the Red River Settlement,' of its 'suitability for
settlement,' and of the general and highly favourable features of the
tracts, over which he had travelled for 1,800 miles in various
directions.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 52 of 133
Words from 52139 to 53182
of 136421
