NORTH AMKRICA: DOMINION OF CANADA. 333 



There are no news-paper-manufacturing firms in the Province, outside of the Al- 

 berni mill, which, I have been given to understand, is to be resuscitated shortly. 

 We get our supply from a St. Louis paper company, whose mills are located at 

 Oregon City. I have closed a contract for the current year of 15 carloads of 12 

 tons to the car. Laid down here, duty and freight paid, it costs $3.05 per 100 

 pounds. 



I can hardly state the number of publications of all kinds; but, according to 

 population and resources, there are more daily and weekly newspapers in British 

 Columbia than in any other country that I know of. I think the daily newspapers in 

 this Province number 15 and the weeklies about 50. There are possibly 6 monthlies. 

 The total number of publishers I should judge to be between 30 and 40. I can not 

 say anything about other classes of paper than news print. 



There are ample opportunities in this Province for the manufacture of pulp 

 paper, as we have large quantities of wood particularly adapted therefor. The 

 consumption of paper is likely to increase, and that very largely. In eastern Can- 

 ada, there are mills at Merriton, Georgetown, Valleyfield, Toronto, Windsor, Que- 

 bec, and several other places, as well as at Sault Ste. Marie, Ottawa, and I have 

 been informed that a monster mill is now nearing completion somewhere in Quebec. 

 There is likewise to be another mill for pulp somewhere in Algoma, said to be the 

 largest in the world. 



Under the heading of production, I would say that as yet very little of the 

 water power in this Province has been developed. The principal fuel on the coast 

 is coal, bituminous and hard. The facilities for transportation are excellent un- 

 rivaled, I believe, anywhere. There is no paper machinery manufactured in this 

 Province. 



My impression is that all the paper made in Canada, news print as well as finer 

 qualities, is made by machinery. 



The tariff duties vary according to the class of paper. 



Concerning schedule for transportation under Class A, rags are in great de- 

 mand and are realizing from 5 to 7 cents per pound, according to quality. For 

 Class B, products of the mill, we pay, from Oregon City to Vancouver, 20 cents per 

 100 pounds. From Toronto or Montreal, per all rail, the rate is 90 cents per 100 

 pounds. These are carload rates; for smaller quantities, the charge is practically 

 double that asked for carloads. Broken carloads to points in the interior where 

 there is no competition, or what are termed common points, are high, ranging from 

 2 to 2^ cents per pound. With the facilities we possess in this section of the coun- 

 try in the matter of land and water transportation, I have every reason for believing 

 that a golden opportunity presents itself for the establishment here of a paper mill, 

 not too large or too costly, but with a modern plant. We have direct steam com- 

 munication by the Empress Line with China, Japan, and all connections made at 

 ports in these countries; and with the Australasian colonies, by way of Hawaii, 

 Fiji, Suave, and New Zealand. I have seen large quantities of American paper 

 going through in bond from the east and south to points in those countries. 



VICTORIA. 



POPULATION. 



The population of Vancouver Island in 1891, at the time of the 

 last census, was given as 26,849, f which 16,849 were in Victoria, 

 5,000 in Nanaimo, and the remainder in small detached settlements 

 throughout the island. No official data is to be had since that time. 



