Separate
[5571, CO 60/13, p. 149; received 5 June
]
15 April 1862
It is with an intense feeling of relief and satisfaction that
I have to inform Your Grace of the disappearance of the last
vestiges of the severest and most protracted winter that probably
ever visited thisColony Colony. The Fraser burst its frozen barriers a
few days ago sweeping before it the vast fields of ice which for
nearly twelve weeks have rendered navigation impossible, and
completely interrupted the communication by water with Yale and Douglas.
The river Steam boats are again at work; the wants of the
country are being rapidly supplied; trade is active; and the
populationgenerally generally full of hope and enterprise.
The accounts from Lytton and the Districts east of the coast mountains, are favourable beyond expectation; no disastrous floods have swept over the fair face of the country; the mountain roads are uninjured and the loss of cattle does not exceed the ordinary
casualties of winter.
2. Emigration is alreadysetting setting in from California. Three
passenger Steamers have arrived at Victoria within the last two days and
a sailing ship is reported with 400 passengers from the same place.
A great part of the California emigration will be diverted
from this country to the United States Territory in Oregon by the
reputed richness of the Salmon river Mines; but should thesemines mines
be unproductive there will no doubt be an immediate rush towards
the Gold Fields of British Columbia, which will in that case be
over run by a not very desirable population.
3. The severity of the weather has hitherto prevented me from
carrying into effect the views relative to the extension of roads,
and facilities of access to the Gold Fields of British Columbiawhich
which I had the honor of laying before Your Grace in paragraph 10
of my Despatch (Separate) of the 24th October last. These
important public works are however to be immediately commenced and
vigorously prosecuted; the Chief Commissioner of Lands & Works
having been authorised to give out contracts for two separate lines
of carriage road, intersecting the best farming Districts in the Colony.
4.
4. One of these roads will connect at Lillooet with the
carriage road from Douglas, of which it is to be a continuation,
starting from Lillooet it will follow the valley of the Fraser to
Pavillon, and from thence the table land or divide which separates
the waters of the Buonaparte from the Streams flowing directly
into Fraser's River, until it reaches WilliamsLake, Lake; beyond which
it will re-enter and follow the valley of the Fraser to the
termination of the road at Alexandria.
5. The other line will commence at Yale and follow the present
Mule road by the passes of the Fraser to Lytton, thence bending South and keeping the banks of Thompson River it will enter the valley of theBuonaparte Buonaparte, a few miles from its debouche, and
follow the course of that Stream, and the table land beyond it
to Axe Lake, and thence take a North West course to Williams Lake, where it will form a junction with the road from Lillooet and continue on the same line to Alexandria.
6. From Alexandria upwards, the country becomes more accessible
for trade; thethe Fraser no longer retaining its dangerous prestige
becomes a smooth and navigable stream presenting few obstacles to
the navigator.
But two rapids occur in the whole distance of 150 miles between
Alexandria and Fort George, and for 350 miles further, following
the South branch of the Fraser to "Tete Jaune Cache"; there exist
no impediments to navigation, more seriousthan than two rapids which
are passable for canoes. Between "Tete Jaune Cache" and Fort
George the river flows with a smooth and easy current more like a
lake in fact than a river; it has in the shallowest part of the
channel no where less than 6 feet of water, and in the narrowest
part is not less than 500 yards wide, and I am satisfied that it
may be safelynavigated navigated for the whole of that distance, by the
small class of Stern wheel Steamers, now in general use between
New Westminster and Hope.
7. The conviction has been forced upon my mind by that and
other circumstances that the Fraser beyond Alexandria will exercise
a very important influence in the development of the Gold Fields
as well asof of the Colony at large. Departing the general North
by West course which it maintains from Hope upwards, one branch bends to the East at Fort George, and then stretching away South
of East towards the Rocky Mountains, it encloses as a base, the
greater part of the Carribou District, thus forming a means of
communication which will lessen the cost of miningoperations operations,
and greatly facilitate the progress of settlement.
8. It may also in another respect have a very important
bearing on the future condition of the Colony, as part of an
overland communication with Canada by a route possessing the
peculiar advantages of being secure from Indian aggression,
remote from the United States Frontier, and traversing a country
exclusively British, and which fromits its position, character and large resources can hardly fail, in the ordinary course of events,
to become the seat of a large population.
In point of actual distance the route will be longer than that
by the Coutonais Pass explored by Palliser, but it is the course
which trade and settlement are naturally taking; and I believe
that a small amount of fostering, would confirmthat that tendency, and
soon lead to its being opened for travel the whole way to Red
river Settlement.
9. By the proposed route the Traveller would start from Victoria,
and proceed by the following stages:
To Yale or Douglas in 2 days by Steamer;
thence to Lillooet or Lytton in 2 days by Stage Coach;
thence to Alexandria in 4 days by Stage Coach;
thence to Fort George in 2 days by Steamer;
thence to Tête Jaune Cache in 5 days by Steamer.
A Stage road as far aslillooet Lillooet is already completed; that to
Alexandria is in progress, and the machinery of a Stern wheel Steam boat to ply on Fraser river beyond Alexandria is now on the way to
that place; so that when these works are finished the entire
passage from Victoria to Tête Jaune Cache maybe be made in fifteen days, and with increased facilities the journey may be performed
in two thirds of that time or ten days.
10. Tête Jaune Cache is remarkable as being the western
terminus of one of the least elevated and most accessible passes
in the Rocky Mountains. It is about one hundred and twenty miles
distant from the opposite terminus at Jasper House on the eastern
slope of the Rocky Mountains, and the ascent on eitherside side towards
the summit level, is so easy as to be scarcely perceptible. This
pass is chiefly frequented by Native Tribes who reside about Tête Jaune Cache, and procure their supplies from Jasper House travelling
to and from that place on horse back over a very rude trail which
may however be converted at little cost into an easy carriage road.
11.
11. The next stage from Jasper House to Edmonton on the Sascatchewan a distance by the present Indian trail of about two hundred miles of level wooded country may be travelled either wholly by land, or, by descending the Elk or Athabasca river, by water
to Fort Assinniboin, and then taking the Assiniboin Portage, a distance of ninety miles,to to Edmonton. In the same manner there is a navigable steam communication by the Sascatchewan river and
Lake Winipeg from Edmonton the whole way to Red River involving perhaps a change of Boats at the Grand rapid near Lake Winipeg.
There is also an overland communication, striking off from the
Sascatchewan at Carlton from whencethe the rich open prairie country
is practicable for carts the whole way to Red river.
12. Thus to complete the thoroughfare as far as Red river
nothing more is really necessary, than to improve the two sections
of road situated as before described, between Tête Jaune Cache and
Edmonton, which would not be a formidableundertaking undertaking, and could,
I feel assured, be accomplished at a total cost not exceeding fifty
thousand pounds. The journey to Red river could then be easily
made in 15 days from Tête Jaune Cache or in twenty five days from
Victoria. When the scheme, to the extent thus suggested, has been executed, the work may be left to the public, as thereported reported discovery of gold in the Sascatchewan, will attract population,
lead to the rapid settlement of the country, and to the placing of
Steam boats, and other means of conveyance upon the route.
13. I will not hazard an opinion on the character of the route
from Red river to Lake Superior; I may however observe that it
presents,to to the best of my recollection, no serious difficulties;
nothing comparable, for example, to the obstacles successfully
encountered in pushing roads through the mountains of British Columbia,
and I may also observe that when that section is completed the
overland route from Canada to British Columbia will be open to the
world, and I believe the effort will cost solittle little, and tend so
much to the public advantage that, when the task is accomplished,
it will be a matter of surprise that the attempt was not sooner
made, and I sincerely trust that the glory of this great national
achievement will be remembered as one of the trophies of Your
Grace's administration.
14. I will make no apology for this digressionas as the question of overland communication with Canada is so closely connected with
the prospective interests of the Colony that I feel assured Your
Grace will not regard it as out of place.
15. To return to the subject of the Yale and Lillooet roads,
I have to inform Your Grace that the first cost and maintenance of
these works is to beprovided provided for by means of tolls levied on all goods leaving the several termini at Douglas, Yale, Lytton, and
Lillooet, a plan which was submitted for consideration; and, as Your Grace will observe by the accompanying petitions, met the urgent support of the people of those Towns who having abundant proofs in the roads already made of the reproductive characterof of such improvements are now fully alive to their extreme value and importance.
To give an idea of their utility in British Columbia where
the absence of navigable rivers almost every where involved the necessity of land carriage, I may cite as an example the present cost of conveying goods inland from New Westminster to Alexandria, which averages about
30cents cents a pound weight (or 600 dollars a ton); a charge that would really amount to a prohibition of trade in any but a gold
producing country.
The saving by the formation of the projected roads, will be
equal to about two thirds of that charge, that is to say goods
will be carried between the same points at an average cost not
exceeding 200 dollars a ton, makinga a positive reduction of 400
dollars in the single item of transport; thus allowing for the
tolls which will come to about 40 dollars a ton; there will remain
to the country a clear gain of 360 dollars a ton besides the saving
of time and the countless other advantages arising from facilities
of inter-communication.
16. These two linesforming forming all together 325 miles have been given out in four contracts, the lines from Lillooet and Lytton to Alexandria, about 150 and 120 miles respectively, to two several companies largely interested in the trade, who have agreed to do
the work entirely at their own expense, in consideration of having
a charter for five years granting aright right of toll, at the rate
of one cent a pound weight on all goods carried over the roads.
The third line from Chapman to Boston Bar has been given out on similar terms, saving that the rate of toll is to be only one half
cent a pound weight, but the fourth and last line from Boston Bar to Lytton is to be made at the Governmentcharge charge and to be paid for in cash as the work progresses.
17. In accepting these terms it was however stipulated by
the Contractors of three of the lines, that they should have the
assistance of a Government loan equivalent in amount to one third
of their outlay; the first payment to be made to them only afterthe the completion of 10 miles of road, and afterwards progressively, at the close of every ten mile section.
The loan, with the current rate of interest thereon, is to
form a first charge, and to be secured on the tolls, so that
there is no risk of loss to the public.
18. Our liabilities for the year on account of these works
will therefore not fall much short ofeighty Eighty thousand pounds, and to meet them I rely, in a great measure, on the loan for which I
applied to Your Grace in my despatch No. 70 of the 15th November
1861. I am consequently anxiously awaiting Your Grace's instructions,
that I may be in a position to raise the sums of money which may
be required in addition to the disposablerevenue revenue of the current year.
19. It is most gratifying to notice the extraordinary degree
of enterprise which has been elicited among the people of the
Colony by the gold discoveries in Carribou, and their unlimited
confidence in the resources of the country; this has, among other
causes led to applications for charters to open roads into Carriboufrom from "Bute Inlet" and "North Bentinck Arm", the parties binding
themselves to open roads, without government aid, and entirely at
their own expense, on condition of being authorised to levy tolls
on goods passing through.
I have accepted these offers, and granted a five years charter
in both cases, the tolls being limited to two cents a pound weight
on goods. I enclose herewiththe the notices issued for the public by the contractors of the rival roads to give an idea of the spirit
of enterprise that is afloat. If not followed by any more valuable
results, these roads will, at least, lead to wider explorations,
and hold monopoly in check, by opening other avenues into the Colony.
20. These roads are all to be completed according to the
specifications, andto to the satisfaction of the Chief Commissioner
of Lands and Works.
21. In conclusion I will merely observe that these works are
on a scale not more than commensurate with the most urgent wants
of the Colony, but notwithstanding that consideration as the cost
will exceed our present means of payment, Ishould should have felt a
degree of hesitation in undertaking their execution, had I not
confidently relied on Your Grace's assistance in raising the
necessary funds by loan in England.
22. I transmit herewith a sketch showing the position of the
roads mentioned in this Despatch, and also of theproposed proposed line of
intercommunication with Red River and Canada.
I have the honor to be
My Lord Duke
Your Grace's most obedient
Humble Servant
James Douglas