266 NEW TRACKS IN NORTH AMERICA, 
much warmer region. Half-way between Chicago and the 
Pacific the same average temperature is found to exist in ’ 
latitude 50°, more than three degrees north of the proposed — 
line, as is experienced eight degrees farther south in Illinois 
and the regions east of that State. Hence the agricultural — 
value of our Saskatchewan settlements. q 
The northern line will always have to contend against one 
great drawback, that is the closure of Lake Superior to traffic ‘ 
for seven out of twelve months every year. Neither this inland : 
sea nor Lake Michigan become frozen over, but most of their ; 
harbours, and especially their shallow entrances, are always — 
rendered impassable for from five months in the lower basin, — 
to seven, and sometimes eight, in the upper. 
Whilst we are languidly considering whether it is or is not — 
to our advantage to unite our Pacific and Atlantic North | 
American colonies by a national railroad across Canada, the — 
Americans will very probably settle the question for us in a 
way which will not be altogether flattering to our national — 
pride. On this subject the same Report observes :— | 
‘The line of the North Pacific road runs for 1,500 miles | 
near the British possessions, and, when built, will drain the — 
agricultural products of the rich Saskatchewan and Red 
River districts east of the mountains, and the gold country — 
on the Fraser, Thompson, and Kootanie rivers west of the . 
mountains. From China ( Canton) to Liverpool it is 1,500 — 
miles nearer by the 49th parallel of latitude than by the way 
of San Francisco and New York. This advantage, in securing 
the overland trade from Asia, will not be thrown away by the 
English, unless it is taken away by our first building the 
North Pacific road, establishing mercantile agencies at Puget 
ae Sound, fixing mercantile capital there, and getting possession, 
on land and on the ocean, of all the machinery of the new 
