274 Our North Land. 



tional sunlight appears to compensate, in promoting the growth of 

 plants, for the slightly-diminished quantity of heat. 



" The distance from the central part of the agricultural lands of 

 the North-West Territories, say from a point between the North 

 Saskatchewan and the Peace River to Churchill Harbour, is about 

 the same as to the city of Winnipeg. Now, as the sea voyage from 

 the former to Liverpool is rather shorter than from Montreal to 

 Liverpool, it follows that, by adopting the Hudson's Bay route, the 

 whole distance from Winnipeg to Montreal is saved. By way of 

 Lake Superior this amounts to one thousand two hundred and ninety- 

 one miles, and by way of Chicago to one thousand six hundred and 

 ninety-eight miles. The total distance from Winnipeg to Liverpool, 

 via New York, is still greater than by Montreal. Thus, a consignment 

 of grain or beef sent from the Saskatchewan or Peace River districts, 

 by way of Churchill, might be in Liverpool as soon as it could arrive 

 in Montreal if sent by the St. Lawrence route. Even from Winni- 

 peg, in the south-eastern part of the great fertile area, the distance 

 to Liverpool is at least eight hundred miles less by Churchill than 

 by Montreal. 



"Of course, if this route were once opened, the above immense 

 saving in distance, and consequently in time and passenger and freight 

 rates, would secure for it the preference over all others. The estab- 

 lishment of such an outlet would at once considerably increase the 

 value of all kinds of farm produce throughout the North- West, and 

 consequently of the farms themselves. Indeed, some of the cheaper 

 or more bulky kinds of produce, which would not bear the cost of 

 transportation at all by the longer land lines, might be profitably 

 exported by this route. On account of the cool temperature by this 

 northern route, grain, meat and dairy produce could be sent with 

 much greater safety than by any of the more southern outlets. 



" The question as to whether the grain crops of the North-West 

 can be exported the same year as harvested is a very important one, 

 and awaits solution. The harvesting of these crops occupies nearly 

 the whole of the month of September. The season of steam navi- 

 gation in Hudson's Bay and Strait may prove long enough to enable 

 the earlier part, if not the most of the crop, to be sent out. The harbour 



