476 APPENDIX 



measures about 5,000 miles, which estimate does not include 

 the coast lines of inlets or deeply indented bays. 



3rd. That over one-half of this coast line is easily accessible 

 to whaling and sealing crafts. 



4th. The navigable coast lines of the larger lakes of the 

 region in question amount to about 4,000 miles, while its total 

 lacustrine area probably exceeds that of the eastern Canadian- 

 American chain of great lakes. 



5th. That there is a river navigation of about 3,750 miles, 

 of which 1,390 miles is suitable for stern-wheel steamers, which 

 with their barges may carry three hundred tons; the remaining 

 1,360 miles being deep enough for light-draught sea-going 

 vessels. 



6th. That there is a total of about 6,500 miles of con- 

 tinuous lake coast and river navigation, broken only in two 

 places. 



7th. That the two breaks in question are upon the Great 

 Slave and Athabasca rivers, the first being now overcome by a 

 3G-mile waggon road from Port Smith southwards on the Great 

 Slave Eiver, and the latter being a stretch of 70 miles on 

 the Athabasca, of questionable navigation above Port McMurray, 

 down which flat boats or scows descend, but cannot ascend, and 

 which about 50 miles of waggon road would overcome, while 

 some improvement of the rapids might render the whole river 

 navigable. 



8th. That with suitable steam crafts this river and lake 

 navigation may be connected with Victoria and Vancouver by 

 way of the mouth of the Mackenzie, the Arctic Ocean and 

 Behring Straits and Sea, and it is now connected on the south 

 by 90 miles of waggon road, between Athabasca Landing and 

 Edmonton, with navigable water in the Saskatchewan Eiver. 



ARABLE AND PASTOEAL LANDS. 



9th. That within the scope of the Committee's inquiry there 

 is a possible area of 656,000 square miles fitted for the growth 

 of potatoes, 407,000 square miles suitable for barley, and 

 316,000 square miles suitable for wheat. 



10th. That there is a pastoral area of 860,000 square miles, 

 26,000 miles of which is open prairie with occasional groves, 

 the remainder being more or less wooded; 274,000 square miles, 

 including the prairie, may be considered as arable land. 



11th. That about 400,000 square miles of the total area is 

 useless for the pasturage of domestic animals or for cultivation. 



