BRITISH NORTH AMERICA. 



127 



and compile information bearing upon the sub- 

 ject of trade with British North America ; and 

 they are empowered to negotiate commercial 

 treaties, subject to the approval of the Imperial 

 Government, from which they derive their au- 

 thority. With regard to the feasibility of ex- 

 tending the trade relations between the "West 

 Indies and Canada, it may be said that for some 

 years past a large and increasing trade has been 

 growing up between the two countries ; but the 

 disproportion between the amount of the im- 

 ports and exports has been hitherto too great 

 to make it appear of much value to the general 

 interests of the province. 



It should also be mentioned that of the total 

 quantity of merchandise imported into Canada 

 from the British and Foreign West Indies, con- 

 sisting of coffee, sugar, molasses, rum, segars, 

 and other articles during the year 1863, more 

 than a moiety was received through the United 

 States. In the year 1863 the total value of the 

 importations from the West Indies amounted to 

 $415,927; the value of the produce imported 

 direct was $130,831 ; through the maritime 

 provinces, $35,677 ; and via the United States, 

 $249,419. The trade with the British West 

 Indies for the above year was as follows : 

 Amount of imports, $132,195; exports only, 

 $57,542. The Canadian trade with foreign 

 countries other than the United States during 

 the same period amounted in the aggregate to 

 $2,875,653. The value of the imports was 

 $2,034,651 ; against exports, $841,002. It will 

 be seen that, although the balance is at present 

 considerably against the province, there yet 

 exists the nucleus of a trade with foreign coun- 

 tries which there is every reason to believe is 

 capable of being greatly extended by the judi- 

 cious measures for that purpose adopted by the 

 Canadian Administration. The exports from 

 Canada to the West Indies consist at present 

 almost exclusively of manufactured goods 

 such as leather, machinery, soap, starch, straw, 

 wooden ware, and whiskey. The fisheries also 

 supply an article of export to the same coun- 

 tries, and will no doubt in the course of a few 

 years largely contribute to swell the annual re- 

 turns of the growing trade. The most impor- 

 tant staples of Canada, namely, agricultural 

 products and the produce of the forest, have 

 not as yet to any great extent been introduced 

 into the West India islands, the trade in these 

 articles having hitherto been nearly monopo- 

 lized by the United States. The high prices, 

 however, of all the exportable articles in this 

 country, the effect of the late war, have sug- 

 gested to the Canadians the possibility of their 

 being able to compete successfully with their 

 neighbors in the West India markets as well as 

 in those of Brazil and Mexico. " Nearly all the 

 exports from the United States to the above 

 countries," the Toronto Globe informs us, ''con- 

 sist mainly of articles which can be furnished 

 by these provinces." If this be the case, and 

 in view of the fact that prices will probably for 

 some years continue to rule almost as high as 



at present in the United States, it is manifest 

 that the Canadians could not have chosen a 

 more favorable opportunity for vigorously pros6- 

 cuting an attempt to extend their trade rela- 

 tions with the nearest foreign countries, and 

 with some of which they at present carry on a 

 considerable import trade. As above stated, 

 Canada in the year 1863 exported to foreign 

 countries other than the United States goods 

 to the value of $841,002; these consisted prin- 

 cipally of cured fish and the produce of the 

 forest. The value of the former article was 

 $494,428, and of .the latter $320,552. The value 

 of the agricultural products exported to the 

 same countries was only $17, 17s, and that of 

 the manufactures of Canada the insignificant 

 amount of $5,299. In negotiating commercial 

 treaties with Cuba, Brazil, and probably Mexico, 

 the Canadian Commissioners, doubtless, will 

 have no difficulty in satisfying the Governments 

 of those countries that, with reference to the 

 two last articles above enumerated, the province 

 is in a position to furnish the one in unlimited 

 quantities, and certain descriptions of manufac- 

 tures to the extent required, much cheaper than 

 they can be procured from the United States, 

 where the taxation is at the present time so ex- 

 ceedingly burthensome. 



In addition to their patriotic attempt to en- 

 large their export trade with foreign countries, 

 the Canadian Government are also about to 

 take steps toward improving tbje communica- 

 tions between Lake Superior and the North- 

 west Territory, which is now virtually incorpo- 

 rated with the province. The Red River Settle- 

 ment is supposed to contain a population of 

 about 12,000 souls ; the gold fields of the Sas- 

 katchewan are also attracting great numbers 

 of enterprising people to that fine country, and 

 it is impossible to exaggerate the importance to 

 Canada of securing the trade of that vast and 

 valuable region, which has hitherto gone to the 

 United States instead of finding its natural and 

 legitimate outlet through Canada. " The people 

 of the Red River," says the only paper published 

 in that country, "are becoming alive to the 

 immense advantages of buying their goods in 

 the comparatively untaxed markets of Canada, 

 as compared with the heavily burthened mart 

 of St. Paul's, from whence they are at present 

 supplied." 



At the close of 1864 the case of the St. Al- 

 ban's raiders was still pending in the Canadian 

 courts, upon a demand for their extradition by 

 the United States. Judge Coursol, of Montreal, 

 had been suspended for his judgment in favor 

 of Young and his followers, and the Canadian 

 Government evinced, by every means in their 

 power, a desire to see justice done, not only to 

 the prisoners themselves, but also to the Gov- 

 ernment and people whose territory had been 

 violated. When brought before Mr. Justice 

 Smith, he sustained the previous judgment by 

 Mr. Coursol, and the prisoners were released 

 from custody, but were again apprehended at 

 the instance of the Canadian Government for a 



