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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 • 6 ti If i ■ u= \s i BRITISH COLUMBIA GOLD MINES: A Paper read before the Liverpool Geological Association, by HON. H. HOLBROOK, -,ite Chief Commissioner of Lands and Wo.ks, and President of the lixecutive Council in the McCreight Government, and many years a Member of the Provincial Parliament, and 21 years a resident of the Province. If* • ' ,< '^fi^'TlCHNESS OF THE MiNES, THE HYDRAULIC GoLD WASHING vm ;eral Resources of the Province fully laid down, TO BRING SUCH (FOR INQUIRY) TO THE NOTICE OF C.AIITALISTS IN GREAT BRITAIN, AND SHOWING BRITISH Columhia to he the Garden and Golden If Province of Canada. r LiVKkl'OuL: ' Printed nv H. I^Iaram, i?, Prbkson's Rpw. « Vkl •«■. ±4-- W w h BRITISH COLUMBIA GOLD MINES: A Paper read before the Liverpool Geological Association, by % HON. H. HOLBROOK, I I . ' ' '*■ Late Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works, and President of the Lxecutive "* J- , ^. Coimcil in the ^tcCrei^ht Oovernment, and many years a Member of the Provincial Parliament, and 21 years a resident of the Province. ■C;-. 't The Richness of the Mlnes, the Hydraulic Gold Washing and gentral resources of the province fully laid down, SO AS TO BRING SUCH (fOR INQUIRY) TO THE NOTICE OF Capitalists in Great Britain, and showing British Columbia to be the Garden and Golden Province of Canada. .' * LIVERPOOL : Printed by B. Haram, i?, Phreson's Row. BRITISH COLUMBIA. -C>«k**il'' Mr. Chairman, and Members of the rrEOLOoicAL Association, WAS aske by pap go louiul by Sun Fmucisuo und Now Voik. Xo doubt the information will bt- intmesting to you, and it will bo a guide to lay before you and the capitalists I have spoken about, and the general British public, the advantages of tlio province for settlement, and the field it t)ffurs for the profitable employment of capital in opening out its gi-eat riches. I will endeavour to show how this capital can be profitably employed. lUit this is a work of some difficulty, as I have to overcome certain prejudices that have arisen in consequence of the accounts given in works written by casual visitors, who came out at various times, stayed a few weeks or months with us, and, as they were the wrong men ^o succeed as colonists, returned home and wrote against the province. Jly thai means tlicy made it a dead letter so far as Great Britain was concerned, and virtually handed over our mines to California, the minors from which place have taken out most of our gold. Indeed, the produce (•four goldfields has actually b<'en included in their returns; and until we liad confederation with Canada, our lands had a small settlement upon them from the same source. We have Avanted a white population to settle on our lands, and do so still ; and we want white labour on our railway works. (.J real advantages are offen^d to both, as well as to capital for our mining industry. I may state witli some diffidence (as I do not like to speak of myself, but it seems to be necessary, in order to show that an account can be given which is trustworthy), that I am able to give a correct and true account of things, after a residence of 21 years in the province, having been engaged in connnerce during the whole period. I have also filled many public offices, and after confetleration with Canada formed part of the first Government — the McCreight Ministry — which inaugurated res- ponsible Government, and assimilated the laws from those of a Crown colony to those applicable to our changed state undt-r a confederation. 1 was chosen as the lirst Chief Commissioner of Lands and AVorks, with full cha' ge of the pul)lic lands and mines, and was at the close of that administration President of the Executive Council. Before that, (and, indeed, for many years after), 1 was a member of the Provincial Parliament when we wore a Crown colony, and assisted and voted in the scheme of confederation as one of that body. 1 mention these matters, as beforesaid, to show that 1 am in a position to give correct information, so far as 1 have been able to learn, and I now wish to give the fruits of my experi- ence and to state results, instead of writing theories or casual impressions. My desire is to do good to the colony I have lived so long in ; and I think I can safely say that British Columbia, so far as the Mainland is concerned, is one of the richest colonies of Great Britain ; that it oflfers great advantages for settlement ; and has unbounded riches in gold, silver, copper, and coal mines. This, too, with a climate the same as the south of England, so far as regards the Frazer Valley, which is very like Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Its chief town was named by Her Majesty New Westminster, which we call the Royal City. Xow, in order to prove the mildness of our climate, I give the readings of the barometer and thermometer, with the rainfall for 1875 and 1876, taken at the Government Observatory, Esquiniault : — doubt the o lay before eral British he field it it its gi'cat profitably overcome mnts given ious times, wrong men e province. h'ituin was the miners he produce and until settlement population hour on our lis to capital ik of myself, )uut can be ct and true ince, having e also filled tncd part of igurated res- of H Crown deration. I ^Vorks, with lose of that 3 that, (and, il Parliament lie scheme of 18 beforesaid, so far as 1 f my experi- impressions. ; and I think Mainland is that it offers I gold, silver, as the south is very like Her Majesty , I give the ill for 1875 t:— OBSERVATIONS, GOVERNMENT OBSERVATORY. 1875 Jan. I Fob. Mar. 'Ap -11 laxiiniiin Buroinuter 30-34 linimnin do -28»-l»» laxiinuin Tliennninetfr. 47' liniinuni do. 8* |eant«fiiiperatureby-«7 'HfM 4;>- •i4-l> 42-7 .•Wl 30-:i'.' 21t-;i.'-, 48- 43 3 34 •« 3 1-2111. 7 70 4in.»t May. June. I July. Auk. 30-31 30-23 2(»-7.'i •21»-.'»4 -2l»-im -2!»-.'>(W|-21»-0;(ll 0.3-|» M-U 1 0!»-I» •2.'V-!» .-W-l ! 42-tl M-> r,:,-7 jm- :m-7 43-0 ■ 4«-l lOiii. i) Urn. 3 loin. 2!7in. 4 llii. 11 2in.02, 731 U 30-343 30-L'7; I •2IC702 •.'0-71»f. 30 on 7(10 4. ''1-4 74 .14 -.1 .-10 •_'2, 2:»-72ii -2001 1 700 4(1-0 (H-1 47-4 Mn. 3 40 S.)pt. Oit. Nov. Dw. ■io-.M .':l-Oi».'. ;* 45-tf 3111. 7 2ill. .14 Nov. Deo. 30-371 20-014 ;IO-()77 •iO- :iit| 400 ;«fO 7111. S 4iii 27 Iin. 7 300(1 -20 80 •20M( .13- 20-1 40-.-. .17-7 nils I ain fall for the year, •2-2in.-U7. I tiling these figures will bear mc out in the statemout I liavo iua(](! about tlui (ilimate. Of course other parts of the province are (litnjreiit. New Westminster, Frazer A'alley, lies in 49'10' North latitude. There is no fViverand ague; all are h(Mvltliy. Further north it become.'* colder, a3 it extends up the coast, to 54°, and at our principal gold iiiiiic.><, 175 inilos above New AVestminster — I mean Carriboo, with IJarkervillc (jr Richville for its principal town — tlicy an; 4,200 feet above soa level, in latitude 53, 3° N. Of course the climate here is difTeicnt, and niiK-h colder. In the country bordering the sea we get the a(lvantag(! of the Japan stream coming across tlu; Pacific and striking Vancouver's Island. This answers the same as th(> (Jiilf .Stream does to Great Ih'itain, ami makes our climate the same for all parts bordering the Pacific ; and no doubt when the railway is completed — which will be the case in two years from now — the wave of population will follow its course (it is this year commencing, and we shall have our resources opened out by a white population), and capital flowing in from British and Eattern Canadian sources for that purpose. I might here mention the Canadian Pacific Railway, which will run 2,500 miles through Canada, connecting the Atlantic with the Pacific. It passes through a most fertile belt, which, lately the feeding ground of the buffalo, will now be used f(jr raising stock and cereals, and has unlimited resources for settlement, some of the most productive land in the world 1} ing along the Saskatchewan Valley and in British Columbia It will also be the road to the Peace River country. We became confederated with Canada in 1870. One of the terms proposed was a coach roacL We had as our Canadian Premier one of the greatest of living British statesmen — I allude to the Eight Hon. Sir John A. Macdonald — and when the delegates came before him he granted as <'*•■ in 1^, one of tho terms a trans-continentttl railway, to be completed in ton years. Hia far-reachinj,' mind saw tho advantages to ho gained, and discovered how a Groiiter Hritain could bo fouiidod, stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacilic, In his first endeavour to carry tliis out, ho was hoatun down and had to give \i\) ofllco, hut lu; returned to power and has now made the scheme of the railway an acc(iiiii)lis]ied fact, and the, finished work will remain as a lasting monument to him. "All hail to the great man who lias accomplished this, antl made Canada so prosperous!" and if you in Great liritain had him as one of your ministers and his grand ideas were carried out, instead of drawing from you most of ycmr })est and most skilful mechanics and workmen, to share our prosporityand find profitable employ- ment for their labour and talents, you would be able to employ t.iem in Great Britain, and the workman, land owner, and capitalist would enjoy the same prosperity that we do in Canada. As I said before, his noble ideas and great abilities have brought immense prosperity to Canada and its loyal inhabitants. I will ni»w describe Ih'itisii Columl>ia. We can only imagine its size when we compare it witli other countries. Let us take as an example Great Britain, — Knglantl, Scotland, and Ireland. Tliese contain an area of 121,115 stpiare miles. Now the mainland of i5ritisl. Columbia which lies between 49 and 54 X. latitude and runs back to the Rocky Mountains, contains an area of 341,305 s(piare miles, and we have besides Vancouver's Island, which is 12,000 square mile?, This latter may bo called one immense coal field. This is British Columbia. Our resources are — our rich land, our timber, and our mines of gold, iron and coal; and there are also to be developed, deposits of copper and silver. The Colony was first created by revocation of the Crown grant to the Huilson Bay Comj)any, on the 3rd November 1858, succeeded ]>y a pro- clamation issued by the then Governor, Sir James Douglass, on the 19th November, 1858, iuovidhig f^r the Government of British Columbia, and declaring English law in force in the Colony. From 1858 the progress of the country was ])rilliant, resembling the marvellous career of California and Australia after tho discovery of gold in those countries. Thousands upon thousands flocked to our golden shores to improve their condition. The original deposits of gold, however, from which the shallow bars and benches of the Frazer River were fed, were not discovered then, nor indeed have they, in the opinion of many scientific )uen and experienced miners, been discovered yet. The mines on the Frazer were, therefore, soon exhausted ; and being unable to sustain the multitudes flocking to them, wertJ to a great extent deserted ; although they have continued up to the present time to be worked, in places, by a considerable number of men. Gold was first found on the Thompson River, which empties into the Frazer at a place called Nicomen. The Thompson and Frazer River cut through the Gold belt, which extends from the head of the Gulf of California, passes through California, Oregon, and British Columbia, and comes out on the Pacific Ocean, near Mount Elias, Alaska. The direction of the belt is N.W. from the gulf to this place in Alaska. lu some parts ^ t lffBJB B Wil WII it IB richer than othors, ftn«l T tliiiik the fiituro will Rho\\ wo have a fuir sliiirrt in Hritish ('olunibia. \V« cuiiunciMtMl miiiin„' t.n tlm Kia/iT liivcr at Hope, 90 milen iVoiu the mouth, ami our luird.N and t'nt«'r[»iisiMj,' men kept forcing their way up stream, amidst privations and sufferings which were enough to appal tlio hravest iiea't, and whifh rest many a n(thle fellow his life. Tlio nature of th<^ deposit, and the eharaetei of the gold was invariably the same ; that is, the ihposit was shaUow and the nietid light, or what is commonly called 'Mhtat gold." (."ompariiig these circumstances with their experience in (California and Australia, certain men determined to i)enetrate the interior in search of coarse gold deposits which they fult assured must exist in tlie neighbourhood somewhere, and at no groat distance. The expedition was successful — gold in paying (^uantitieg was found along Quesnelhi River and its forks, of a much coarser character than any yet taken out. Encourjiged by these; results they ptmetrated still further, until, shortly after, they struck the world- renowned Ciirriboo, a district which has since become so ceh-brated. The year 1861 may be considered as the period of |..'vmanent discoveries in Carriboo^ and from this period may be dated the luaterial and political existence of the Colony in the great family 'f nations. VVilhams' Creek, th- compeer of whicli has never yet bee' urniiJied by any coun*;ry in the history of gold digging, became the parenf of the- Colony's glorious prot.]'(i ity at first, and of its subsequent part pro Oration. It is necessary to bear this in mind, or you cannot intelligently comprehend either of these conditions, in their extreme of affluence or their extrtjme of indigence. Yet both, under the gtiidance of an all-wise Providence, have i>layed no unimportant part in aiding the completion of the great scheme of confederation ; the one by making known the vastnoss and endless wealth of the country, the other by teaching us the necid of resting its future on something more permanent and solid than the fluctuations incident to gold mining. From Williams' Creek exi)lorers started in every direction, as far as the nature of the country admitted. Provisions and tools liad to bo packed (or carried) adding to our knowledge, in a short time, a series of creeks of more or less distinction, which, taken together, in wealth and extent seemed to make the future of the country as permanent as its present was brilliant. The people rose with the granileur of the day, and were prodigal of their means to make the country worthy its reputation. The great want of the country was easy communication from the source of food supply to the mines; a want which, from the character of the country t(j l)e intersected by a waggon-road, was not easily .attained. Yet with a spirit worthy of the pioneers of this Province, the work was commenced and completed in three years, at a total cost of ^T-IS 1,000 ($754,148). I speak now of the main waggon-road, as it stands to-day, a total of 383 miles from Yale to Carriboo a road, it is safe to say, tlia*^ has no eijual in any British Colony for size, convenience, engineering triumphs and durability. In addition to this, there was another road from Douglas, through Lilloet, to Clinton, about 130 miles, which cost £100,000 ($504,955); besides a third trail-road built afterwards to our soutliern g Gold Fields at Kontenay, on which at least X30,000 (or $150,000) was expended ; making a grand total for roads alone of $1,309,100. Independent of these great public works, cities and towns of no mean pretensions in size and beauty simultaneously sprang up, the wants of commerce Avere supplied, and ihe pleasures of refined life were enjoyed to an extent really marvellous when we recollect that the country was only four years old. I now arrive at 1863, the golden era of the Colony. Soon after, its depression commenced, and continued until confederation took place, after which its prospects brightened ; and when the railway is completed and the iron horse is running across, the wave of population will come sweeping to us from the eastern part of Canada, bringing capital and industry in its wake to open out our resources. GOLD MINES. I now particularly wish to draw your attention to our Gold Klines, their present condition and future prospects ; especially to the hydraulic toushiwj, the profits of such in California, and to our Quartz leads. I have already told you that the yield of gold was something wonderful, and it nas so. When estimated in proportion to the number of men working, tiie yield was never equalled by California or Australia, or any other country. Up to 1862, it is safe to say, there never could have been at any one time over 5,000 miners engaged (and the returns say only 4,000) in working the mines, and yet the annual yield was nearly £1,000,000, including over the Bank returns, the estimate of tlie gold taken away in private hands, u per capita average without parallel in the world. I shall now proceed to give you the estimated yield of gold from 1858 to 1882, with the number of men employed, from the returns by the banks and others made out by the Government. J»ut it is a low average, and does not show the result of early days, before the Iwnks came — say from 1858 to 1860, when men carried their own g(jld down. At one time in 1858 it was supposed there were 15,000 people on Victoria Town site, mostly living in tents, waiting to go to Frazer River. How many got there we have only report as a record. Those that went had many difficulties tj contend with, as the Hudson ]>ay Company's Charter was not revoked until 2i^ovember of that year, and the Indians were trouble- some, not being respecters of the law, as at present. They are now law-abiding, and ii\dustrious ; thanks to the lirnniess and discretion exercised by our Judicial Bench, with good and just laws to administer. Many of these men came back disgusted, after leaving gold mining, as they did in Australia, and we lost the chance of their settlement. Unfortunately we are too near California, and the pleasures of spending a winter in San Francisco draw our mining population there. Indeed "Frisco" is used as a harbour of refuge Avhen a disappointment occurs, and many go down there with the gold they have taken out of British Columbia, and embark it in some enterprise, or lose it on the San Francisco Stock Exchange. I give the returns as they are published, but though for the last three years it is a decreasing figure, no less gold was taken out, but a dif ovi lie' oul coJ Ta 01 "^"wm f ilifferent calculation was luudo as tu the gold in private hands. It is evident the present banks want to keep all the <,'ood things to themselves. However, with the Eailway this pleasant arrangement will blow nji, and our gold will go direct to Montreal and Toronto, and the banks there aviU come in. Tabid showiiir/ tlie adadUij Iniown and e.dimaicd yield of Guhl, the numbers of Miners emp/ot/ed, andavcratje earnings per man from 1858 to 1882. 1 1 Amount received Number Average Year. by banks and Miners eariiuiLfs private hands. employed. per mail. DOLLAIIS. DOLLAUS. Onl}' on Kepoit i8r)8 , 6 mos. $520,000 3,000 S173 under stated, and not reliable, 18r.9 1,61. '5,072 4,000 403 1860 2,228,543 4,400 506 1861 2,666,118 4,200 634 Incomplete, 1863 18(i2 \ 1863 \ 4,246,266 4,100 4,400 517 482 1864 3,735,850 4,400 849 1865 3,491,205 4,294 813 1866 2,662,106 2,982 893 1867 •2,480,868 3,044 814 1868 2,372,972 2,390 992 1869 1,771,978 2,369 749 1870 1,336,956 2,348 569 1871 1,799,440 2,450 734 1872 1,610,972 , 2,400 671 1873 1,305,749 2,300 567 1874 1,844,618 2,868 643 1875 2,474,904 2,024 1222 £245 per man. 1876 1,786,648 2,282 783 1877 1,608,182 1,960 820 1878 1,275,204 1,883 (sn 1879 1,290,058 2,124 607 1880 1,013,827 1,955 518 1881 1,046,737 1,898 551 1882 954,085 1,733 about 9 J; 548 millions i?47,141,711, or sterling. As I have already mure than hinted, these r(!turns are not reliable ; they are based on guess work as to the amount taken down in private hands and the number of men engaged in mining. When a bank comes over from the Eastern side l)ke the IJank of Toronto, or ]\Iontreal, we shall have other accounts. The present banks work through San Francisco banks and are bound up ni tiieir interests. lu addition to this there is the gold taken out at Kmirtenay and J>ig Lend, Cohnnbia liiver, in our so;'th('rn gold fields, Avhich goes tlowu the Columl)ia Kiver to I'oriland, ( )regon ; and the gold from Cassiar and Strikoeu liiver in our Northern gold fields, which goes down in private hands direct to San Francisco from Strikeen K ver mouth, which is in Alaska, Uniled States territory, and there is also the (juantity taken away in private hands without passing through the hands of the banks, and going direct to San Francisco. As 10 an example, we can only guess at the amount of gold taken out by the Chinese from what they sell to the banks, and we have no record of the quantity sent to their companies, or retained in private hands. All we know is they are most industrious, and if you ask one what he is making he will perhaps tell you "six bitteo" (3s.) But stand by and watch him wash up from his rocker, and you will probably see him take out $10 (or £2) for his day's work. Then, also, many of our white miners take all they do not require for provisions with them to California, and spend the winter there. We have also record of a few Indians on the Thompson River taking out 830,000, or £6000, for their winter's work. A mining license is granted on i)aynieiit of £1, which gives the right to mine and take up certain quantities of unoccupied gold land, as specified in our mining laws, which gives ?Jso great rights and facilities to companies to take up and mine both land and quartz ledges. Science, machinery and skill, are all now required to obtain gold in Carriboo, which a comparatively small amount of unskilled manual labour obtained before. Let us see how Carriboo has hitherto sustained herself, and judge, therefore, Avliat hopes we have of her success in the future. We will take the history of Williams' Creek, the next after Antler Creek that was struck in Carriboo. It is estimated to have yielded in the short area of two miles and a half some p've million-^ sterling. When we remember that the mining season only lasts live '^v six months the sums appear nearly fabulous — mori^ suited to the pages of glowing fictions than the stern realities of life. I shall now authenticate these statements by giving in detail the amount taken out of several of the principal claims ; for you must know extraordinary as it is in this Creek, there was not, as in the rich streams of California, a single poor blank claim throughout the whole distance of tM'o and a half miles. The depth at which the gold was found varied. At the upper end of the Hats it ran 12 to 20 fe(!t, getting deeper at the lower end, till it reached 00 feet, equally rich. At the upper end of the Creek was the Black Jack, located in 1862, and although worked in the dearest times, when wages were !!^10 or £3 4s. per day per man, realized in two years £40,000 at a cost of £10,000. The Cunningham, located in 1861, took out in four years £100,000. at a cost of £20,000; California Company for the same period, £100,000 at a cost of £20,000; The Steel Company £150,000, about one-third going for expenses. To these may 1)6 added the Abbot, Adams, and a host of others which paid in the same proportion. On the lower portion of the Creek where the diggings were deei)er, the ground paid richer. For instance, the Dillon claims paid, for four men working, the enormous sum of 110 lbs. weight of gold — e(iiiivalent to £4000 — in one day, and in six months gave the owners the handsome fortune of £1 6,000, or .$80,000, each. Below this came the celebrated Barker, Welsh, Caledonia, Mottat, Cameron, Raby, and Prince of Wales. These are some of the lucky ones, and results obtained in the rosy days of Carriboo's glory. The same may be said of Antler Creek, where, at a depth of only 4 and 7 feet, men for a long time made from £10 to £50 per day regularly — 11 of Lightning, Stouts Gulch, Grouae, Conklin, Mosquitoo, Sovereign, Jack Club's Creek, and otliers, all of whicli paid enormously, thougli not so regularly or for so long a period as Williams Creek. No doubt you will say, "but these great doings exist no longer; they arc simply a part of a short and glorious history," and Miereftire it is not wise or safe policy to make them the ground work of attracting fresh population to the Colony. To the precise amount taken, I admit the argument, but no further, for such a conchision, natural as it may be, is the particular error I wish to refute. In the first place, let me remark that these Creeks, which so far have monopolised the capital and energies of our limited population, foim but a small proportion of Carriboo ; the greater part of the remainder of that vast district Ijeing still not only unprospected but almost unexplored ; and secondly, that the "original deposits" of gold Avhich made these particular water sheds so marvellously profitiible have never yet been found. N(»w to accomplish either of these two great things on which the future of tlie Colony or Province so much depends, viz: — to explore and thoroughly i)rosi)ect the country for new diggings, or rediscover the old deposits in the surrounding hills, Ave must have fresh population. To ask an infant to roll over, or walk away with, the carcase of a dead elephant of the largest growth woukl not be more ridiculous than to expect a limited population like ours (in Ihitish Columbia) to do either of these indispensable things, in addition to what they are doing. A gentlemen who lectured on this subject at New Westminster, in a meeting at which, as the then mayor of that city, 1 was chairman, speaking of Mosquitoe Creek, three miles below AViliiams' Creek, said, "IJetween Mosquitoe and Frazer, some 50 miles thence up the river to Fort George 100 miles, thence back from the Frazer to Swamp liiver, i)arallel with Mosquitoe is a large auriferous region, utterly unknown, as I have already said, which henceforth will be carefully prospected, and judging by developments already discovered, will, in the end, become the most poi)ular in Carriboo, because the greater portion will prove the least expensive and difficult to work of any yet known. So you will see it is not an idle boast to say these Creeks — I include Mos(|uito —are worth more to the country to day than Williams' Creek ; not so much from the amount of gold they will yield, as from the now life, vigour, enterprise, and confidence they will inspire ; and because they go far to i^rove that Carriboo really is the country of endless wealth which we hitherto only thought it was. Again, the same person, said all this section alone is capable of supporting 10,000 men. This predn.cion Avas strengthened by results of prospectors, and by the flattering develojmients in Omineca and Findlay branch of Peace Kiver. In the latter stream, one set of six men took out $10,000 in 35 days, crude Avork, besides 40 ounces of native silver in small pieces. So then, so far as new territory is concerned, Ave have evidence of gold along the Avhole gold line commencing at Kourtenay and ending at Cassiar, on the Strikeen Kiver, the diggings in which place have given good results. In the neighbour- hood of Uease Lake Ave have room for a large population as new diggings are opened out, and at Williams Creek there are the whole tailings to !i It ' work over, .ind wo have to prospect furtlier, as we have not tried lieloAV the first bed rm'k. In Australia, at JJallarat, the richest deposits were f(.iind below, and tlien the hills have to be attacked to find wliere tlie lead has gone to, and IJald ^fountain, from which man}'' of the Creeks head, has to be prospected. The redis(.'overy of the old orijiinal deposits which fed the stream beds so !;bnndantly, has, from the experience of C'alifornia, ceased to be problen^atical. As streams are exliausted, men natnrally enqnire into the origin of their deposits, Jind thus they are gradually traced into the adjoining hills. Hence the second era in gold digging, which always ])roves the most permanent, though most costly, system of mining. Miners in California have passed seven years of their lives atul exjjended as much as £20,000 to reach those deposits in the mountains ; and, taken upon the whole, we know the hill diggings in California have yielded thousands of millions of dollars. The action of the water by which the?e deposits iire determined is always arbitrary and eccentric. Jn Carriboo, from the; nature of tin; country, it will prove more diHicult to trace these deposits than it proved in California, but eventually they irill be traced with the same accuracy, to the same extent, and with the same r.'sults. It is only a question of tinit^ and labour; but to us, as in California, the event will give a new lease of long-conlinned prosperity. Our population in the mines have had some large works in Lightning Creek, and in the ^Feadows at the junction of Willow Kiver. They have not as yet been able to overcome the water in the latter. The ^leadows receive many rich streams ; they are ^ome mil s in extent, and are looked at with an avaricious eye. A large sum of money has been expended in pumps and tunnels. l)ut the dilliculties are still unconquered. In California Gold Flat, ^'cvada County, after some 1500 men had drifted in it for three years, was conquered by tumiel, and i)aid enormously. That undertaking fades into oblivion when compared with this one. ^Might we not place it on a par with the (Jreat Sutro Tunnel, — as far as profit goes, — which is to drain all the claims on the Cromstock Silver Ledge in Washoe, and goes through eight miles of rock at a cost of a little over a million sterling. Yet the stock in this undertaking is all taken up in California and the Atlantic States. To drain the ^leadows my informant says, only two miles will require to be cut through gravel. We want a good mining engineer to see the work and report, and if he can succeed, he will have one of the best affairs in the Avorld on hand, for if 1500 men could not work out Gold Flat in three years, 5000 men could not work out the Meadows in ten. So says my authority. One company tried steam punq)s, but did not succeed ; and the ground remains still to be worked, — the water is unconquered. It is now necessary to glance at the formation of the country as regards mineral wealth. But to enable us to do this, Ave have the full information about California, and ours will be found the same, only, 1 believe, richer. The two systems existing at the extreme North and the extreme South are a counterpart of each other in all their relations, divisions, and subdivisions, — from the copper to the gold and silver — in the granite, metamoiphio, slate, trap rock, marble — there is no difference iu character oi* position, so far as I can discover. t$ Taking the copper s^ystem as the base of domarcation, mo find here, as in CaUfornia, it lies in three divisions, and by mastering it, the Avliolo formation is easily understood. In California, the central division is the principal, stretching from the foot hills of the Sierra Nevada, twenty-iive miles East into the mountains, and intersecting the whole State, Nortli and South. On the Western bunnnit of the Sierra Xevada there are three veins of copper, and in the coast range five veins, forming two more divisions parallel to each other, but all three separate and distinct in their formation. The same thing exists in ]>ritish Columbia. Commencing at the AVest, I find the Alberm, Sooke, Howe Sound, and darvi^ Inlet veins corresponding with the coast range in California ; then travelling East, I find the central division extending from the mouth of the 'J'hompson 1 liver twenty-five miles in the interior, and intersecting the whole country North ?nd South ; finally, at the head of Shuswap Lake, two or three veins, which correspond with those on the Western summit of the Sierras, while it is remarkable that the distances from AVest to East l)etween these three divisions are about tlio same as in California. Again, the best gold and silver veins in the two countries are found East of the central copper divisions, and subsidiary rocks, already mentioned, occu- pying the same relative positions throughout the whole fonnation. li, is by no means an idle speculation to establisii this identity, for it ai)pears evident to me that the marvellous wealth extracted from the Californian mines at the present time simply reflects the dostlny of British Columbia lii'frdftcr, when her mines, equally rich and more extensive in gold, silver, iron, copper, lead, and cinnabar, for ([uicksilver — and incom])arab]y richer in coal — are brought under tluf same liberal expenditure, intelligent lal)0ur, and scientific development, an event only to be hastened when i!io. rialitii of the case is known to the world. Therefore, to sum up, let u^;, from the above knowledge and the experience it gives, lay tlie country down. First, Vancouver's Island coal and iron, with the run of the coal basin in Frazer Valley ; then the copper I have spoken about, in its several veins, and the position of those veins, after the marble in some placGS ; then the silver, spurs of which intersect the copper lead ; and, finally, the gold, which is not only to be fouuil in leads in its proper place, but is distributed in the benches all down the Frazer lliver, and can only be got at by HYDRAULIC WASHING. The country for this embraces a vast region, and has untold riches, commencing below Hope, on the Frazer, up the Thompson and IJonaparte Rivers, to the head of the great Shuswap Lake, a distance of 250 miles, to which n)ay be added all the country from Lytton to Quesnelle liiver. The Frazer Valley lies in benches from the river, one al)ove the other, like the subsidence of a lake at differert times, all of which prospect well for gold. Then we have the Quesnelle River to its forks in one (lirection, and to Cottonwood and Lightning Creek in another direction — at least 150 miles more. The gold has not, as we first thought, been carried down river, except in places. Look at Bridge Creek, near Lilloet. There are signs of primitivo deposit in the gold scales. I am afraid to go fully into the subject, and have not space in this paper to do so, and endeavour to show where the gold came from. It is enough to show it is there, and spread over an immense surface of country, and the hydraulic pipe will bring it out, and make Canada one of the largest gold-producing countries in the world, estimated from the fabulous amount of gold in British Columbia. Now, let us see how it will pay. I will take as an authority a work published in San Francisco on this subject. Speaking of hydraulic mining or digging between South and Middle Yuba, it estimates the ground supplied with water by the Canal Company at five miles in length, 350 yards average width, and 40 yards average depth. These figures give a total of 123,000,000 cubic yards. Of this amount only 8 % was washed out in 12 years, the average yield as saved was 30 to 45 cents per cubic yard, hence this mass of auriferous earth would yield X7,600,000. To work dirt under this system, this work computes the cost as follows : Suppose, it says, wages are $4 per day, or 16s., it would cost per cubic yard to wash by the pan sav $20, with the rocker $5, with the long tom $2.50, with sluice 75 cenld, with hydraulics hij the pipe only 20 cents. Now, before I give the results of washing dirt by this system, let me show in another Avay, still plainer, the infinitesmal character of its pay. My authority asserts that the great hydraulic dirt in California of which the world has heard so much during 20 years, avemged only 30 cents to the cubic yard, or a fraction over 1 cent to the cubic foot. Now, a cubic foot of loam dirt without rocks will fill an ordinary gold pan about ten times, so that every prospect a person would obtain on an average the tenth of a cent. Can anything in a business sense be more infinitesmal ? Yet listen to the results. I will only give a few principal claims. Take, for instance, the Blue, Grand Mining Company, in Smatsville, 18 miles from Marysville, which is known to have yielded over XI 20,000. Their sluice boxes are over 3,000 feet long, they are cleaned up eight or nine times a year, and from which are obtained amounts varying up to X10,000 each time. The Live Yankee diggings, at Forest City, have paid £600,0000, while, throughout the State, the less important clean up from a few hundreds to £5,000 each time. In one case, at Manzanita Hill, 510 kegs of powder were discharged to reduce the dirt to a fitting con- dition. Such is the spirit with which this system is adopted and carried out all through California. Suppose it were applied in Ihitish Columbia in a limited way, what a difference it would make. All up the Frazer, as I have said, especially around Lilloet, the benches and hills will pay from 3 to 20 cents to the cubic foot, and at the same time abundance of water and abundance of fall can be obtained. It is the same on the Thompson and Bonaparte Rivers, also on the Quesnelle liiver, to -the Forks, and above them. It is the same in Carriboo ; it is the same nearly everywhere in the upper country ; but the people have to come, as those resident do not and will not understand its wonders. Suppose the Old Aurora at Williams' Creek was blown up like Manzai.'ta Hill, and put under hydraulics, do you not think it would pay more than I cent to the pan, or 10 cents per cubic foot 1 It paid from 1863 to the end of 1867 in dividends about £45,000, at a cost of £20,000. Put the claim under 15 the new system, when three men would do the work of 14, and it would pay again as well as it did in its proudest day. The time will come, and is not far off, when the world will stand amazed at the annual yield of gold coming out of Canadian British Columbia. It would ha out of place to show how easy water can be obtained, and the climate is not against us. I could easily do this, but it is unnecessary. No gr(;at difficulties would occur. QUARTZ. I must, before concluding gold mining, say a few words on the subject of auriferous Quartz, which can be traced from the Island Mountain at the head of Mosquito Creek, tlirough Lowee, Stouts, Wilhams, Grouse, (yhisholme Creeks and Kertleys, over IJall Mountain to Black Bean Creek (»ii the South side of Quesuelle Lake, say a distance of 70 miles. Altliough these ledges are very fine in character, well developed, determined in their course and offer every evidence of being up to the standard of the California ledges, still we want cheap freight, wliich the Kailway will give, to work them to advantage. In the early attempts in California ujany were ruined from expenses and dishonesty of agents, but they are now well worked under a system, and such will have to be the case in British Columbia. It is said there $6 per ton will pay, as $4 per ton will reduce the amalgam. The averag(i yield in California is something like two millions sterling from this source. There are some 41 1 mills producing this, erected at a cost of £1,200,000. The business now is thoroughly understood, and the returns are large. Our Quartz assays large, and we have plenty of it. SILVER. Only a few claims are being taken up — a few at or near Hope, or the Frazer, say the Eureka, Van Braemei*, and others ; but works are at a standstill. At Omenica three or four claims are taken up ; one a ledge of 15 feet wide, and it assays 72 ounces to the ton. There is also a rich claim near the Columbia Kiver, which assays large, not taken up. This industry is in its infancy. GENERAL RESOURCES. liefore mentioning the Coal and Iron on Vancouver's Island, I must, in order to make this paper complete, speak of our other resources in the Mainland, and the prospect there is for settlement and making comfortable and prosperous Homes. You will not fail to observe, our country was built first up on its mineral wealth, and according to the ebbs and floods of our population to San Francisco, so we prospered. There was excessive over- trading, associated with an extravagant value of real estate in Victoria. Confederation with Canada became a necessity, in order to settle the Province, and to assist us in the responsibilities of the indebtedness incurred for the majestic edifice we had created in our roads, which were necessary for access to our mines. Since confederation with the Dominion, confidence is restored, and we find the proper men coming to us to settle on our 16 AGRICULTURAL LANDS wliich 1 now wish to speak about. It was once inaiutainecl that California, oxcept to a liniitud extent, could never become an agricultural country. Industry and enterprise, induced from the same cause working now upon our people — namely, the necessity of productive labour for the means of subsistence— have proved the faiJacy of such a doctrine beyond controversy, for to day California excels the world in her annual exports of cereals. It is not necessary to prove the position I take, that British Columbia is, in the strict sense of tlie word, an agricultural country, or that she will largely participate in the exportation of grain for the world's use. fn siicaking of the Mainland, to which my remarks will be nearlv Sulely couHiied, 1 can safely assert — iirst, that we have, like California, a vastly greater amount of good agricultural land than we have credit given for. Secondly, those lands will support an enornrous resident population, without' the aid of Oreg(m or California. Lastly^ that there is now no country on tlic Paeilic coast, or perhaps in the world, wliere the invest- ment of labour and capital in agriculture pays so well as in IJritish Columbia. In reference to the Iirst position, I may mention the valley of the Lower Frazer, from the junction of the river with tlie Gulf of Georgia to the district of H<)])e, a distance of 100 miles, and containing at least 900 S(iuare miles altogether, or about 800,000 to 900,000 acres, for the most part, Avhere not timbered, arable land, the most fertile belt in the country, and in many places equal to the celebrated valleys of Sacramento, ISan Jose, and Santa Clara, in California, or the Williamette, in Oregon. New Westminster lies 16 miles up the river ; and until after confederation we had only G,000 acres in cultivation up to that place, but since then, most of it has been either pre-empted or bought from Government, until the reserve Avas put on for railway lands. Cattle can feed on this land the whole year, iuid become enormously fat. However, four years back, ■we had only iOO head on this loAver portion. Near the mouth of the river the productive capacity was tested by Mr. AV. Ladner, on his place, and found to be innnense, Avheat to the extent tried yielding as high as GO bushi'ls to the acre ; caiditlowers he sent up to the agricultural show at New Westminster Aveighed as high as 2Glbs., cabbages 411bs., mangel Avur/el 3Glbs., carrots 9Jlbs., turnips 3Glbs., srpiash 761bs. Flax grew Avell, also hops, Avhich averaged '2,5001bs. to the acre, spread over the house, and the ([uality seemed excellent. The land is also suited for barley, oats, and rye, and will groAV about three tons of hay to the acre, all Avithout manure. The loAvest ]tortion of this land Avould lequire to be leveed, or dyked, about three feet high, but that is not expensive. Above NcAV Westminster, for about GO miles, including the settlements of Pitt l^iver, Keitsey, Matsqui, Langley, Sumass, and Harrison River, there are about 25,000 acres in occupation of resident settlers, Avith about 1,600 head of cattle, Avhich has been proved by a succession of crops to yield 35 bushels Avheat to tlie acre, Avith other things in proportion. There are also several parcels ia speculators' hands for puichasc, but I have not the record of their holdings. From this section of country we are supplied in Nevr m ammmmm irrwnri 17 led that icultural 10 cjiuse oductive )f sucli a d in her 'oliiinbia that slie d's use. V solely a vastly \'i^'n for. mlatioii, iiow no ft invest- JJritish *'alley of Geojgia at least for the i in the anieiito, Oregon. deration 3e then, it, until lis land s back, of the 3 place, ligh as 1 show mangel X grew >'er the ted for icre, nil to be Above )f Pitt 318 are head )ushel8 several 3rd of New Westminater with butter, cheese, eggs, Sic Hence to Hope, including the head of the valley, there are 4,000 acres in cidtivation, with 400 head of cattle, the capacity of which may l)e stated as averaging about 35 l)ushels wheat to the acre. While speaking of this section, I must not omit to mention that fruits of every description grow most luxuriantly, especially apples, pears, cherries, plums, and strawl)erri«?s, which for size and flavour cannot be excelled by the world. J will leave yourselves to judge of the remuneration of farming on the ^fainland when I givo the current prices of agricultural produce : — Heef on foot 6 to 8 cents per lb., pork 10 cents, wheat 2 cents per lb., oats 1| cents, barley l\ cents, potatoes 1 cent, cabbages 1 cent, onions 8 cents, apples 4 cents, milk 50 cents per gallon, butter 37^ to 50 cents per lb., cheese 20 to 25 cents per 11)., cherries and strawberries 25 cents per lb., eggs 37| cents per doz., iiay $16, or £3 4s. per ton (the cent is the same value as a halfpenny). Xow, if the whole of this magnificent valley was brought into thorough cultivation, it alone would supply a population of 300,000 souls with the l)i-incipal necessaries of life — beef, flour, fruit, and vegetables. Incident- ally 1 may state there are some coal deposits and outside croppings at Sumass. I should mention tliat my average yield of grain is lower than given by some others in their works and publications, but we are both correct. They give the average yield of choice locations, which a few years back formed the only land under cultivation. I, on the contrary, give the average yield of all the land, without distinction, except timber land, as proved by the present more general experience ; and I think it will be conceded that 35 bushels to the acre is no bad average for wheat, and others in proportion. I now proceed to the valley of the Upper Frazer. From Yale to Lytton, following the progress of agriculture by the same route it followed in the natural course of events, viz., the foot- steps of the early pioneers in search of gold, there is nothing to be said, as the road intersects the iron-bound and barren ban'ier of the Cascade Mountains ; but from Lytton to Soda Creek, a distance of 215 miles, there is much to attract the attention of those interested in the advancement of the colony. If we follow the Frazer up from Lytton to Lilloet, (the garden of the upper valley, where grapes and water-melons mature in the open air), along the banks of the river to Soda Creek ; or from Lytton by the main waggon road through the interior to Soda Creek, toucliing at the settlements of Thompson's River, Cornwall's Cache Creek, Clinton, Williams' Lake, and Lake la Hoche, we And a large amount of land in occupation for agricultural and grazing purposes, probably 100,000 acres or more, of which at least 30,000 are under cultivation in farms ranging from 50 to 1,500 acres. The yield of this land, with a certain amount of irrigation required throughout the Ujiper Frazer, as in many parts of California, has been found, so far, to average from 25 to 30 bushels of wheat to the acre, none of the soil requiring manure, while vegetables of every kind grow to an enormous size, and at the same time retain their quality. Throughout this range of country there are still millions ot acres of good land to be taken up, under pre-emption or purchase, as our population increases. It is gratifying to mark, aa an index of the colony's progress, that the principal supplies of life for the Carriboo miners are now ti drawn from the Upper Frazer, Flour ami hoans in Carriboo soil at 12 J to 15 cents per lb., beef 9 cents per lb. on foot, which formerly were imported from Oregon at three times that cost to the con? .imer. 1 must now turn to another section, for witliout a brief description of it you could not comprehend the vastness and resources of the whole (iountry — I mean the Southern Gohl Fiehls on the Columbia Kiver, some 300 miles East from the country already described, called Kourtenay, Osoyas, and Big Bend. To reach this section tliere are two routes — one from Hope, on the Lower Frazer, through the Similkameen and Okanagan Valleys, and the other from Caclie Creek on the upper Frazer through the Kandoops ami Shuswap Valleys. Through these valleys at present only the choice spots are under cultivation, being ustsd chiefly tor stock raising. After the Cascade Mountains are crossed, the conHguration and character of the country changes, stretching out into endless valleys, in which the celebrated l)unch grass grows, so rich and succulent in nature that for cattle grazing Americans admit they have no equal to it in the Atlantic SUitos, Mexico, or Lower California. At present our herds in these valleys amount to about 20,000 head of horned cattle, and about 10,000 sheep, while they arc capable of mainttiining a million. The fattening quality of these pastures is so great that it is quite common to find a yearling steer reaching the weight of oOO lbs., Avhile out of a drove of beef cattle of 600 head starting for Carriboo, wagers have been made that 450 could be chosen from tiie lot averaging 750 lbs. each. The.se figurtis may appear marvellous, but I assure you they liave become traditional in our history, and will be authenticated by every person familiar with that history. To these valleys must be added the Cliilcoaten Plains, of great extent and c»iually suited for stock raising, stretching from the West side of the Frazer River to the coast range of the Pacific. Tliere is also the great Peace Kiver country, which the late Sir James Douglas, our first Governor, thought so much of. This lies in the same direction, and I see by the newspapers that our British Columbia Government have just agreed to let the Dominion ( lovernment have three and a half million a(!res of land there, receiving as compensation for Railway delays $750,000, which the press state is proposed to be spent in Vancouver's Island. Part of it would do great good to the Mainland if it connected New Westminster (where so much of the people's iimney has been spent in improvements,) with the Canadian Pacific line of railway. To induce a greater occupation of these lauds, our (Government have adopted an extremely wise regulation. According to the Land law passed in the time of the first administration after confederation (the McCreight Ministry), all British Colonists have the privilege of pre-empting 160 acres on the West side of the Cascade range of mountains, and 320 acres on the East side of such range, for the simple fee of two dollars, which is charged to defray the expenses of recording. Occupation is required, aad time given to pay for the land. Land adjoining the pre-empting can also be purchased. To this they have added the Homestead law, which is equally liberal in its provisions, and gives protection to the Homestead to the extent of $2500 ; also the Married Women's Property Act, which enables a wife to hold property independent of her husband ; and lastly, 19 the Registration of Titles Act, wliicli fiiiibles luiul to Ixj safely conveyed ami gives security to mortgages, wliicli hecomo a first diargf' on tlie land when registered. How you want such a laud law as this in (In-at IWitaiu ! Sonic of your legislators would find usefid hints from our Statutes and your merchants and steam .siiip owners might find their advantage in rojiying our stern wheel boats, wiiich will steam up rapids or rivers with only 3 feet of water, liow useful such vessels would he in the rivers of upper India and other Colonies ! I hav(! already alluded to our climate. The Winter may he consiuored to commence in December and end in Mar(;li. On the Upper Frazer and throughout the interior, of course, the winter is a little longer and more severe. It seldom occurs, however, that the cold is intense, or that intense cold lasts more than a few days. Our winters are natural, doing good to man and leaving no evil effects behind. On the contrary, the winters of California are often destructive to the interests of the whole State, although the agent of ruin is not cold. When wet seasons come, and rain pours down for months incessantly, cities are sul)nierged, beautiful homes wasluid away, stock destro^'ed, and the people paralysed with desi)air. It is a grievous sight, that universal wreck of the iriterior wliich these wer winters in California leave behind, and the calamity so often occurs that it more than counterbalances many other advantages possessed by the (lolden State of the Pacific, and makes the inhabitants turn with envy to the climatic advantages of British Columbia. I have spoken above of our agricultural lands, and I must now mention the distance from Great Britain. When the Canadian Pacihr llaibvay is through, the time of transit will be IG to 20 days. Now, the settler has to go to Quebec, say 10 days, thence to San Francisco ])y railway 6 days, or in the emigrant's train 14 days; and up tlio coast to Vancouver's Island 4 days, and 1 utt, and }»orhaps 210 feet from the ^nnnnl bjtlore branches \mj^'m. Tiio \o^n iiscil for spars are 100 to I20fett clear, and cannot be beaten in the world. These spars have been tested in the French shipyards by the most seven* experiments, amd found superior to the Itest Riga spars in flcxiltility, resistance, and density. A sample, in the shape of a Hag pole 90 feet long, can be seen at Ivew CJardens ; also pieces cut out of a tree ."ji feet (lianieter, and 210 feet before branches be!.,'an — the tree, 1 think, was 320 feet high. Our Forests also produce the White Pine in limited growtl like (Quebec lumber, l)esides the Yellow Pine, Spruce J*ine, Henilock, Oaii, Maple, Alder Logwood, Arljutu.s, and Cotton Wood in immense growth. SALMON CANNING. This industry, in Avhich the writer was engaget!, has assumed proportions of great niit-jnitude. The annual product now is about a million dollars, or .£200,000, one third of which will represent labour. The hands employed are fishermen — Indians and white men. The former earn from 4s. to 7s. per day, and the latter 12s. For cleaning salmon IiK I ian women are mostly employed, with a few Chinamen. The former can earn 3s. to 4s. per day. For soldering up and making cans, we employ ('hinamen, with a few white men and boys Chinamen earn £5 to £6 j)(*r month of 28 days, each 10 houis, and 7Jd. per hour overtime; white men 12.s. per day; boys about £2 per month. For boiling and packing, white men at 4s. per day are omjiloyed. We improve each year in labo'ir- saving machinery. We have several runs of salmon in tlie Frazer, which has a course of some 1000 miles. First our spring tish ; they weigh about 16 lbs. and come from May to July ; then we have the Soekeye, weighing to Slbs,. (this is our best fish) ; the run for these commences in July and ends in August. Then we have the summer fisli. With these come up large numbers of white fleshed salmon instead of pink. The flavour is as good, but they will not sell in cans. This run weighs heavy ; you often see tish of £0 lbs. each. Lastly we have the the Cockoes ; tiiey weigh about 8 lbs. and run until October ; so the season Ja'^ts from May to October. I am aware that a certain prejudice exists in England against our fish, and it commandr a less price than the United States fish, say from Columbia River further south. But I maintain that the quality of our fish is much superior to that of the Columbia River fish. The writer of this paper took the prize (bronze medal), at ^the International contest at '1-8 22 the Centennial Exhibition, Philadelphia, against all comers, whether from Great Britain or the United States, for the best quality of can salmon. So, then, it is only a prejudice wo have to overcome in England against Canadian products — a prejudice which the writer would like to be one in overcoming, by introducing his brand again. However, to overcome this prejudice, those putting up salmon must use care. It will take time to accomplish, and depend?; upon the choice of the English people, who will in the end give the preference to the best article ; and I think I may safely add that, on grounds of health alone, canned salmon is preferable to tlie iratAx, now that disease is spread among the British fish. A very good account of our salmon industry is given in the Blue Book on Fish, laid liefore the Canadian Parliament, from tlie report of A. C. Anderson, Ks«|., the Fish(n'i('S Cliief Officer in lU'itisli Columbia. He mentions the different sorts of fish, with the nets and l)oats used to take them. We have .some thirteen canneries in tlie neighbimrliood of ^ew Westminster, one at the Skeeiia, and one at Naaz Kiver. We have, in addition to the salmon, a very dolicati^ fish called Oulchan, the oil from which is most valua1)le for m-nlicinal purposes. We liave also the sardine, the boring in large shoals, cod fish, halibut, dog fish, and Avhale on the coast, all of Mhich in the future will be important industries. We certainly put up a few herrings at Burrards Inlet, and turn them also into oil, but the trade is in its infancy. COAL. I must now leave the Mainland and come to Xanaimo, Vancouver's Island, which is the seat of the coal industry. I copy from the report of the Wellington Colliery Co. for 1876. They say : " Wecmploy 150 white men, 90 Chinese ; have 3| miles railway and 3 locomotives ; our output coal from the mines is 30C tons per day ; miners' wages 12s. to 16s., labourers 8s. to 9s. ; seam of coal, 9 feet thick." They shipped in 1876, 52,000 tons. The A ancouvers Coal Com])any wages are the same ; they shipped in 1876, 75,536 tons. IRON. Iron in Texadu Island, between Vancouver's Island and Mainland, Culph Georgia, exists in large quantities, but is not worked. SALT. Salt springs of great strength are found at Salt Spring Island, and can be used for making salt, alkali and chemicals. Lime is also found on the Islands. Stone for building of fine quality comes from the nciglibour- hood of Nanaimo. In conclusion, in order to make this paper complete, and give every infonuatioD about British Columbia, I must not omit to mention y ■an 23 EDUCATION. This is free to all children. In the first administration after confederation, an act was passed by the Legislature called the " School Act," by which every male above 1 8 years old had to pay an annual school tax of $3 (12s.), and each district of settlers could form themselves, by complying with the provisions of the Act, into a School Board, and apply to Government for a sum of money towards building a School House and expenses. A master or mistress was appointed who had passed an examination, and held first, second, or third class certificates. These were ])aid by the Government, so the settler has all his children educated free. As a proof of the character of the education given, I may mention that in the annual examination some of tlie questions correctly answered by tlie children would puzzle many who had had a first class education in Great Britain. In fact, the character of the education given in the popular schools cannot be better, and first rate scholars are turned out. \^'^e have, in addition, a High School in Victoria, Vancouver's Island, to which students are admitted after examination. TO CONXLUDE. This is British Columbia, its products, and resources. I should occupy too much time if I went into full details ; I have therefore given as short an account as possible. We are a Province of tlie Dominion of Canada, and are proud to belong to a country whose area of land is many thousand miles larger than the United States, and whose inhabitants are noted for their energy, kindness, warm heartedness and loyalty ; and who are an honour to the British flag that flies over them as well as Great Britain. We saw only lately how Canadians rose as one man to present their heartfelt and respectful condolence to Her Majesty on the great loss she had sustained. It made those belonging to her, resident in other countries, proud of Canada, and her prosperous, loyal inhabitants. British Columbia has not been behind; the far west has spoken with the rest, and she considers herself specially favoured, from a Royal Princess having resided there, and won sudi golden opinions for the monarchy of Great Britain by her kindness and affabilitv, assisted by that painstaking nobleman, the late Governer General of the Dominion. The Marquis of Lome and the Princess Louise have together left a name behind that will not easily be forgotten, and made Gre.it Britain respected and honoured on the Pacific Coast. British Columbia is priceless, both to the Dominion and Great Britain, as she commands the great Pacific Ocean. The Railway, when across, — within two years it will be running — will give us the population and capital we require, and tlien British ('olumbia, by pouring forth her wealth, will fulfil her glorious destiny, and will finally refine, ennoble, and enrich the masses, and show by her prosperity and her beautiful climate that she is what I have endeavoured in a short way to describe her, the Golden Province and Garden of the Dominion of Canada. 24 ADDENDA. I copy from an fxi-cllciit work called tho " Pccsources of Ihitisli Columbia, "" puLlished monthly in Mctoria, ^'allcouveI•'s Island, by ^Ir. Munroe Miller, an account of our trade exports and imports, taken from the Blue Books. The work is well worthy of perusal, and contains vast information not taken up in this paper. 1 1 i I 7? S i t lull Australia, New South Wales, itc. Sandwich Islands Central America Switzerland Navi; ,ator Islands Spanish Possessions in Pacific Turkey in Asia Mexico Soiith Amei ica . . Duty collected, no det. return reed Total Belgium . . China .lapan Spanish West Indies . . Spain Eastern Canada Great Britain I'nited States France (iennanv 2 . ■y. H i Year ending .lune 8( OUR IMPORTS. of our purchases. The totals for Columbia will he when the figure;- 1 AHSTRACT VALCE 1 The Mine The Fisheries Tlie Forest Animals ami their Pi-oduce . . Agricultural I'rodncts Manufactures Miscellaneous hid i ! EI.EVEN YEARS surprise to many Mntish Columbia: all in their infancy. The area of t nature shouhl have lieen so long ne TABLK OF P 2 llf 1 y ^ = "^. P <;*3 H 3 =i « ?: 5 ■■'• &. "p 4* to : 'si'^'^ : _. _4k 4. -ip VI — -i':: -I vn to M . "to CJi .- 4k 10 "i-'ct"to"©"c5"05 1— * oc -1 to • EXPORTS.-^; ns, and at the same _ti he province is siifKcie glested. EXPORTS OF BRIT JOi 1— • y — f— "b> 2 i 10 . 4- '- lO 10 4- '■- « lo • i: v 4* ^ a -I to : C-. : : "oc to -I 14 = = VI •71 _ ;_ .. %-A • 0C4..- • 4M - 1 - 1 VI O 00 -C C -I 4- to . X •£. (O CJ 3i • ^ VI 10 t^ 1.9 r »>•• t-. Ob . . ^ to -I 14 -,4 C. 00 2 S~i iiil 5 2^2.^ g 05 to >-"o; Ci ff. h- VI CO -J 4^ M 3 3 2 'J2 ei-3 r J" "o ">-' a u C-. — 14 *r"vig 4k I-. JL.-'O©*.— *• t4"o"^-i"l-'"-- s • 14 • 4- • a 4^ ~i 3c 2 4- JO ■^1 ■ 4k -J iO ^ ,- 4k • ci c. VI c a v> 4k to 1—"^: 2 ^-h >> 3* c - JO ; : : VI oc H- o 4* . . j-1 . . ■ .^ ■ J" • 10 -,; >-' . .op 4- -I -1 -1 . . . — -c 05 to OC -I £ 1iO oc 1o toc-vj o 'to '-i"x'4-"c"to 1,1 w S-_K VI • • «• -I- • 4>- VI to VI ■^ * "■ w X • ■ to — o> oc -c ^ll_l !_. . -,T • -c c: ic *- •-^ ;i5 3 VT • • -1 « :r. 4k Jl , 10 . 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CO y. -C 4- C; 4k 4 c ;: u to i; c» 00 Ii, -J- ^ c »-• *;"u'u"oc"'-- K' '^ -.i"^ t-i O !-• • o • >^ • • oc to VI VI '*^ I-*- C! 4k • • c; 1- 4. --I a: K ». 4 «=io — • ■ C • Of • O C -1 »- - 5 c'3 d i^3 3 ~J • • 10 4.00 ^- 5 S^2 'to ;_>-'«> JO • ■ M "o* ' ' .-< ' 4.- M H-' ^ '■-I to to Oi"ci s.^s o M 10 . . . 4- to OC ^1 Ci-iWc: CO «5 r4 "^S; jL i* ^ ; _u: : : . : '. to '. 40 M . ui OC -I'v: . . cr 4- 4k '^ eI" 00 "52 . . to 00 45 05© v>"©\; 4k"oo o • c • c> a « M • • • -4 -r — • • VI H- & 4: to o» • ¥. w- to_i; ccc ■ • • -llOi- -I . : : : ■ : M 4- to t-i jo 01 Wt0 4:"c. |_1 fc h-* H* . . . . .1* • 4* . "o OC r "i Oi T. O 00 00 oc J*. ti CI >" Oi wpoo-i*. H- oc to "be "4k "c; 00 CO * P .»« lO -J OC iO • cr. g 4» w • • • OC X -1 ~ c; 3 s • C 4k I-. r-i to • © 4: oc ^ © 05 3.1 i n a: S O ■ • • • O' =. C-. • 10 ^ to — 5 5.^i" ^ -Vl to k^ 8S 00 : w ; : : ! en j* : CO 5'."bi''H-' 'tC 4- HJ 1-1 g 45 h- 4k "4. : pjop^^ to i^"^^Ci"o . Ii? IP o» . p • • • • © *. 00 • • >-' -C Op C'l • 4.. c 5 to • i— v: to i-i c^c^ • to 4k -T 4k 00 -T ■ 10 C» 4k - 1 IS. 5i5 00 • w CO w to 015 a S' a ^ >- oe ^ ?L' . • to «"-ii>Jo •c c: b-. ^ w-T-ccs-i CC to 10 1— > M 00 1— > t— 1 45 w'otik .0 ©SCiJ Va t^ tp ot c« to O* t(k »^ Ki M t-t M h-Oi«h- K» to ' M • • Oi O ~4 10 O OO O 4» » W 00 1 P*cf Biitish by ^Ir. an fi'om ins vast iXS V- ^ * 2. c -1 clH ^ ft -^ 'X X ^'^-^■ 2 II IS g --^ - O CO ce o m -I cc ^-1 o CO 00 00 3 5 2 ft ;i5 i _. e" w* ■^•^ 'i. f3 CI- ^ o an o 5 c S = 2 a ^- ? OP, H 3 * I 2. cc g o M ^ ' 2 '^ » |§5;l a p P-gC V, ^,.-jL i •( .* DESIRABLE INVESTMENT. FOR SALE, THE UNDERNEATH VALUABLE PROPERTY, SITUATED AT NEW WESTMINSTER, Will bo sold in separate lots, hy tender, if near the valuation of the ^ undersigned, say on COLUMBIA STREET.— Stone Building, containing 3 stores, lately occupied hy Bank of British Cohinibia, and .1. McColl ; also Shop at side on i-lot 5, block 5, 6G feet fronting Columbia Street, ami about 66 feet deep. Eental £210 ; price asked, £2,-^)00. COLUMBIA STREET.— Adot 1, block 13, not occui)ied, near th| I'arsonage, 33 feet fronting Columbia Street, and 132 feet deep. MARY STREET. — Lots 12 and 13, containing two acres, with good, (hvellingdiouse hard Hnished, A\diich was put up at a c MESSRS. DRAKE & JACKSON, Barristers, Victoria, British Columbia :| Or to H. HOLBROOK, 1 1 Parkgate, near Chester, England. May, 1 54. i ^ IT. j-\y\^\r\.i'r, England. ; i