Immigration and the Hudson's Bay Route. 561 



light in high latitudes during the season of navigation is one of the 

 greatest advantages of the Hudson's Bay route. The longest day 

 on the equator is but twelve hours, whereas that on the arctic 

 circle, about 67° N., is twenty-four hours, or equal to both the 

 length of the day and the night together on the equator at the time 

 when the longest day occurs there. The longest day in the latitude 

 of Ottawa is considerably over fifteen and a- half hours, while that 

 of Winnipeg is over sixteen and a-quarter hours ; that of Churchill 

 is about eighteen hours, and that of Hudson Strait is over twenty 

 hours. It will be seen therefore that the great length of the days 

 in the latitudes of the Hudson's Bay route constitute one of its 

 greatest advantages, and it is a fortunate circumstance that the 

 period of these lengthened days corresponds very nearly with the 

 period of navigation in those waters. These facts will render the 

 Hudson's Bay route exceptionally attractive to immigrants, tourists, 

 and travellers generally. 



There is another important consideration. As steamships pecu- 

 liarly fitted to our northern waters will have to be constructed in 

 connection with the Hudson's Bay route, and as the carrying of 

 immigrants will be one of the most important duties of such 

 vessels, particular care will no doubt be exercised to construct them 

 with a view to the comfort and convenience of that class of 

 passengers. A very little skill exercised in this regard will overcome 

 many of the hardships which immigrants have to endure now-a-days 

 in ocean steamers, and as a consequence greater numbers will crowd 

 into the channel of transportation, via the higher latitudes. 



Placing the period of the navigation of Hudson Strait in the 

 seven or eight warmer months of the year, there will be no severe 

 cold weather to endure, while on the other hand all the fatigue and 

 worry, and fretting, and sickness, attendant upon the excessive heat 

 necessarily suffered by the more southern routes, will be happily 

 avoided. The temperature of the route in June, July and August, 

 the hottest months experienced, will be cool and bracing, and in 

 every respect travel by it will be greatly superior to that by any 

 other route. 



I have already hinted at the probable cost of transporting 



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