VI 



PKEFACE. 



country extending from the Lake of the Woods to the 

 Rocky Mountains, give to this part of British America a 

 more than passing interest. The idea of a route across 

 the Continent of America lying wholly within British 

 Territory, is daily becoming more settled and defined. 



The trade of China and Japan, now on the point of 

 being opened to British enterprise, the gold wealth of 

 British Columbia, and the Feetile Belt forming the 

 northern boundary of the great American desert, all give 

 importance to the Basin of Lake Winnipeg, which in- 

 creases with our contemplation of its possible and indeed 

 probable future. 



The illimitable wastes of Siberia, extending over eighty 

 degrees of longitude, are traversed by Russian couriers 

 in far less time than with all our appliances of steam and 

 telegraph, we can receive "news" from China. The same 

 postal system which there prevails can be far more easily 

 maintained in British America, and with this vast advan- 

 tage, that from the Lake of the Woods to the Eocky Moun- 

 tains the route would lie through a tract of country not 

 only remarkably fertile, but possessing rich stores of 

 timber for fuel, lignite coal, iron, and salt — the most 

 important elements of industry and wealth. 



The chief difficulty in the way of rapid transit across 

 the continent lies between Lake Superior and Rainy Lake. 

 The liberality which has already been manifested by the 

 Parliament of Canada, in voting supplies to explore and 

 open this line of communication, will doubtless be perse- 



