THE president's ADDRESS. Ql 



liead waters of Eraser Eiver, and down it to the gold fields of 

 British Columbia. This project is unquestionably one of great 

 national interest, not only as respects Canada,, but the whole British 

 empire ; — for should its feasibility be thoroughly established, and it 

 be found practicable to form a communication by Railway and 

 Steamer between the head waters of Lake Superior and the shores of 

 the Pacific, it would make Canada the highway to India and China, 

 give to Britain the shortest route, and that within her own terri- 

 tories, to her possessions on the Pacific and her vast dominions in 

 ladia, and open a highway for her commerce with the far East, with 

 which no hostile power could interfere. 



Meanwhile the government of Canada have, as you are all aware, 

 taken steps to obtain reliable information as to the nature and capa- 

 IjUities of the country between Lake Superior and Red River, and 

 there has lately been printed, by order of the Legislative Assembly, 

 a very full and interesting Report of the exploration of that country, 

 'drawn up hj the gentlemen who composed the expedition sent out 

 for that purpose. The primary object of the expedition, as set forth 

 m the instructions given to the party, was to make a thorough 

 examination of the tract of country between Lake Superior and Red 

 River, by which might be determined the best route for opening a 

 facile communication through British territory from that Lake to 

 the Red River settlement, and ultimately to the great tracts of 

 cultivable land beyond them. The gentlemen to whom the task of 

 exploration was committed appear to have done their work tho- 

 roughly, and to one among them, more especially, are we indebted 

 for a large amount of most valuable and interesting information in 

 respect to the soil, climate, geological formation, and natural history, 

 both of the tract of country intervening between Lake Superior and 

 Eort Grarry, and the valleys of the Red River and tlie Assiniboine. 

 I need scarcely say that the gentleman to whom I allude is Professor 

 Hind of Trinity College, the geologist and naturalist to the expe- 

 dition, whose connexion with the Institute, of which he has so long 

 been a most valuable and efficient member, must increase the interest 

 which all of us feel in his labors and researches. 



Nothing, I think, shows more strongly the value of careful syste- 

 matic observation, when conducted by properly qualified persons, 

 than the statements contained in Professor Hind's Report with 

 respect to the soil and climate of the valleys of the Red River and 



