96 



CANADA, DOMINION OP. 



these imports for home consumption amounted to 

 $15,0r>o.',>.",o, arid in 1879 to $10,420,344. The National 

 Policy did it* work, and the result was that the im- 

 portation of these products fell to 4,240,849 in 1891, 

 to $:UV.i4.VJ in l^'.'-J. and to x'J.T-f 1.T-; in 1893. In 

 other words, in the tlm-e years 1877, 1878, and 1879, 

 there \vsis an average annual import of these products 

 for consumption of $18,867,641, whereas in tlie last 

 three years there was an average annual import of the 

 same materials tor home consumption of only $3,358,- 

 344. In 1.^77 the farmers of this country sent, of 

 agricultural products and animals and their products, 

 .;.7t'.-j worth, and to the United 

 ; worth, or a total of $25,123,39(5. 

 In L878thal total was increased to $27,644,636 worth 

 distributed, $17,308,793 to Great Britain and $8,984,- 

 02."> to the United States; and in 1879 increased to 

 $-j'j,M."..771 -distributed, $17,690,006 to Great Britain 

 and * I".-M ;.>._'::> to the United States. The average 

 r s ..f those three years amounted to $16,145,520 

 to Great Kritain and $10,017,199 to the United States, 

 a total export of $27,527,267 yearly. The exports to 

 r.ritain in 1892 reached the sum of $36,869,595, 

 and the exports to the United States the sum of $6,- 

 <9, a total of $46,145,590. In 1892-'93 they were 

 $40,420,681 to Great Britain and $6,020,992 to the 

 United States. In these two years the average ex- 

 ports of these products to Great Britain was $38,500,- 

 000; the average export to the United States, $6,333,- 

 000 : and the total averaged $47,690,000. 



Among the more important features of legis- 

 lation during the session was a revision of the 

 tariff. This, while not departing widely from 

 the protective policy of the Government, was 

 largely in the direction of a reduction of customs 

 duties, especially upon imports used in manu- 

 factures. In a few instances the customs im- 

 posts were increased, but all the changes corn- 

 Dined were not expected to affect the revenue to 

 any considerable extent. Several articles were 

 also placed upon the free list, among them being 

 nearlv all those used in dyeing and tanning, 

 brass in various forms, coke, shoe buttons, papier- 

 rnachi', and sugar not above No. 10 Dutch stand- 

 ard in color. Logs and round unmanufactured 

 timber, firewood, railroad ties, ship timber, and 

 ship-planking not specially provided for in the 

 act were also placed upon the free list. 



In the case of books generally, instead of the 

 former ad valorem duty of 1J5 per cent., a duty 

 of 6 cents a pound is imposed ; to which is added 

 on reprints of British copyrights an additional 

 duty of 12^ per cent., which is transmitted in 

 payment of the copyright. 



The treaty of commerce with France, which 

 had been the subject of diplomatic correspond- 

 ence, was ratified during the session of 1894. 

 This could only be done after the consent of the 

 British GoYernment had been given, as Canada 

 has not yet the treaty-making power. The 

 provisions of the treaty are as follow : 



irkling wines gauging 15 by the centesimal 

 looholometer or less, or according to tne Canadian sys- 

 tem of test MILT containing -jt; per cent, or less of alco- 

 hol, and all sparkling wines, shall be exempted from 

 therartai or ./,/ /'./A,/-./,/, duty of ;;o per cent. The 

 'it, duty on common soaps, savous de Marseille 

 (Ca^ti ill be reduced by one half. The 



present duty on nuts, almonds, prunes, and plums 

 shall be reduced one third. Any commercial advau- 

 ranted by ( 'anada to any third power, especially 

 in taritl' matters, shall be enjoyed fully by France, 

 Algeria, and the French eolonie.-. 



The, following articles of Canadian origin imported 

 direct from tha country, accompanied by certificates 

 of origin, shall receive the advantage of the mini- 



mum tariff' on entering France, Algeria, or the French 

 colonies : Canned meats, condensed milk, fresh-water 

 fish, fish preserved in their natural form, lobsters and 

 crayfish so preserved, apples and pears, fresh, dried, 

 or pressed, fruits preserved, building timber in rough 

 or sawed, wood pavement, staves, wood pulp, tanning 

 extracts, common . paper, prepared skins, others 

 whole, boots and shoes, furniture of common wood, 

 flooring in pine or soft wood, and wooden seagoing 

 ships. 



It is stipulated that the advantage of any reduction 

 of duty granted to any other power on any of the ar- 

 ticles enumerated above shall be extended fully to 

 Canada. The treaty is to continue in force until th/ 

 expiration of twelve months after either of the con- 

 tracting parties shall have given notice of their inten- 

 tion of terminating it. 



The important acts of the parliamentary ses- 

 sion remaining to be noticed are : 



To incorporate the Elgin and Havelock Railway 

 Company. 



Respecting the Winnipeg and Hudson Bay Railway 

 Company, and to change the name thereof to the 

 Winnipeg Great Northern Railway Company. 



To incorporate the Dominion Women's Christian 

 Temperance Union. 



To incorporate the St. Clair and Erie Ship Canal 

 Company. 



To incorporate the Duluth, Nipigon and James 

 Bay Railroad Company. 



To incorporate the Wolsely and Fort Qu'Appelle 

 Railway Company. 



To incorporate the Canadian Railway Fire Insur- 

 ance Company. 



To incorporate the Canadian Railway Accident In- 

 surance Company. 



To incorporate the Northern Life Assurance Com- 

 pany of Canada. 



To disfranchise voters who have taken bribes. 



To empower the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge 

 Company to issue debentures, and for other purposes. 



To incorporate the Lake Megantic Railway Com- 

 pany. 



To incorporate the Ontario Mutual Life Assurance 

 Company. 



To incorporate the Cariboo Railway Company. 



To incorporate the Metis, Matane and Gaspe" 

 Railway Company. 



To incorporate the Alberta Southern Railway Com- 

 pany. 



To provide for the better preservation of game in 

 the unorganized territory of Canada. 



To incorporate the alliance of the Reformed Baptist 

 Church of Canada and the several churches connected 

 therewith. 



To incorporate the New York, New England and 

 Canada Company. 



To incorporate the Montreal, Ottawa and Georgian 

 Bay Canal Company. 



To provide for payment of bounties on iron and 

 steel manufactured from Canadian ore. 



The session of Parliament closed on July 23, 

 with the customary address by the Governor- 

 General. 



Railway Subsidies. The most important 

 subsidies granted to railways by Parliament for 

 1894 were the following : To the Nipissing and 

 James Bay Railway, $217,000: Parry Sound 

 Colonization Railway, $64,000 ; United Counties 

 Railway, from Iberville to Sorel, $102,400 ; rail- 

 way from Newport, or Windsor, or Truro, N. S., 

 to a point between Truro and Stewiacke, and 

 from a point on that railway to a point at or 

 near Eastville, $300,000: railway from Lime 

 Ridge northerly through the county of Wolfe, 

 P. Q., for 50 miles of its length. $160.000; Great 

 Northern Railway, $70,000 ; Pontiac and Ottawa 



