Commercial Importance of Hudson's Bay 495 



from the North- West Territories to England, via Hudson's Bay, 

 saves the whole distance between Winnipeg and Montreal. The 

 distance by way of New York is still greater. The advantages of 

 this short route over all others are so numerous that only a few of 

 them can be referred to in this short paper. The great saving in 

 distance represents an important economy in time and money, or in 

 freight and passenger rates. If the grain, cattle, and other produc- 

 tions of the North- West Territories could reach a European market 

 only through Ontario and Quebec, or by way of New York, a large 

 proportion of their value would necessarily be consumed by the long 

 land carriage ; whereas if they can find an outlet at Churchill, there 

 will be an average saving of one thousand two hundred and ninety- 

 one miles as compared with Montreal, and of upwards of one thous- 

 and seven hundred miles as compared with New York, and this 

 without any increase in the length of the sea voyage. In effect, 

 this will place a great part of the farming lands of our North- West 

 Territories in as good a position in regard to a seaport as are those 

 of Ontario west of Toronto ; and consequently will greatly increase 

 the value of every description of farm produce and, therefore, of the 

 farms themselves. Some kinds, which could not be sent out of the 

 country at all by the longer land route, may be profitably exported 

 by the shorter one. For the transportation of both grain and fresh 

 meat, as Colonel Dennis has pointed out, the northern route, besides 

 the shortening of the distance, would have great advantages over 

 all those to the south, owing to its cooler and more uniform temper- 

 ature. Heavy or bulky goods of all kinds ' would, of course, be 

 imported into the North- West by the shortest land route. In regard 

 to the export and import of live stock, this independent route will 

 possess a great importance to these territories. Hitherto cattle, 

 horses, hogs and sheep have there enjoyed an immunity from almost 

 all forms of contagious diseases, and, owing to the healthy nature of 

 the climate for these animals, it is hoped this state of things will 

 continue. The domestic animals in the United States and the older 

 Canadian Provinces being occasionally afflicted with contagious 

 diseases, it becomes necessary for European countries to impose 

 restrictions on their importation. In the event of an epidemic of 



