higher in its general level than Lake Manitoba. It would require, therefore, not only a canal across Meadow Portage, but also two locks, unless, indeed, one lock might be made to do duty both as a guard-lock and a lift-lock at Mossy Portage, which was somewhat questionable. The navigation of Waterhen River, which connected the waters of Lake Winnipegoosis and Lake Manitoba, might be improved; the engineers reported that it was quite possible, by removing some rocks and boulders in this river, to make it navigable for a small class of steamers, but it would be utterly useless, he thought, under any circumstances, to think of these two lakes being made navigable for any very large steamers. In the first place, these lakes were, generally speaking, shallow. Lake Manitoba was, he thought, nowhere deeper than about eighteen feet, and, while it was very shallow in some places, the bottom of the lake was covered with boulders and a stony formation, which made it somewhat dangerous for any steamer to go very near the shore over a great portion of its surface. At Mossy Portage, where this ridge of land divided Lake Winnipegoosis and its north end from the Saskatchewan River, the work would be somewhat formidable. The level of the lake was about uniform through the year, while the level of the Saskatchewan River varied very much during the season, as a matter of course; and, although in its normal condition, there was not much difference he forgot the present difference, but he knew there was scarcely any-between the level of the waters on the Saskatchewan at that point and that of the waters of the lake south of the portage, still, there would be a serious difference between them at certain seasons, and they would either require to have a lock there, or they would run the risk of diverting the channel of the Saskatchewan into Lake Winnipegoosis and thence southward, with somewhat serious consequences. The project was not pursued any farther than to obtain information as to what it might be desirable, or, rather, what it might be possible to do, because it was determined to prosecute the survey of the

Pacific Railway with a view to invite tenders at as early a day as possible for its construction; and until this was done it was not proposed to do anything further in the direction of making these surveys. There was no doubt a great deal in what the hon. member for Selkirk had said as to the comparative cheapness of freights by water as compared with land carriage; and with these connecting links made between the Assiniboine and Saskatchewan Rivers, there could be no doubt that, with some little improvements in the navigable parts of the Saskatchewan, a vast system of inland navigation could be procured. This was not only quite feasible, but it could be done with less expense, perhaps, than with respect to any system of navigation that had been improved, opening up so much country, in any other part of this continent. On the other hand, they knew comparatively little of the Saskatchewan. ́ In some parts of it there were shifting sand-banks similar to those which existed on some parts of the course of the Mississippi; these sand-banks shifted the channel from year to year, and, although there might be always probably in these places sufficient water for a steamer of reasonable size, this would not always be found in the same place from year to year. A careful survey of the river would therefore have to be made before it would be possible or desirable to undertake any extensive system of navigation, although the system was there beyond all question, and the means existed for utilizing it. He did not propose to give any opinion at all about the improvement of the Assiniboine, from where it fell into Red River to its source, further than to say that representations had been made by the two hon. gentlemen who had spoken to-day, and by many private persons who had written on the subject, which would seem to show that the removal of some boulders would, in the meantime, greatly facilitate the navigation of this river for a considerable distance, and that this could be done at a comparatively small expenditure. He had stated, two or three weeks previously, in the House, in reply to a question, that it was the intention of the Government to have those boulders removed, both from the

Assiniboine River and from a portion of Red River, where the navigation was seriously interrupted during low water, between Selkirk and the city of Winnipeg. He did not apprehend any serious difficulty in having this done during the current season, and, while he should have great pleasure in bringing down the various papers and records which the Government had upon the subject proper of the motion, he did not anticipate having to propose to Parliament anything in connection with the expenditure of money in that direction at the present time. Motion agreed to.

POSTMASTER OF MONTMAGNY.

MOTION FOR PAPERS.

MR. LANGEVIN moved for an order of the House-1st. For copy of any complaint made in 1875 against J. S. Vallée, Esquire, Postmaster of Montmagny; 2nd. Copy of the enquête held in 1875 by Mr. Achille Talbot, Deputy Post-Office Inspector, on said complaint; 3rd. Copy of all corresdence to and from the Post-Office Department on this subject; 4th. Copy of the subsequent enquête held in connection with the matter by W. E. Sheppard, Inspector of Post-Offices at Quebec.

Motion agreed to.

NEW BRUNSWICK MILITARY SCHOOLS.

MOTION FOR RETURNS

MR. DECOSMOS, for Mr. DEVEBER, MR. DECOSMOS, for Mr. DEVEBER, moved for returns showing :

1. The amounts spent yearly since 1867 in the maintenance of Military Schools in the Province of New Brunswick.

2. The number of candidates who have

each year received second-class certificates, and the amount or amounts of gratuity paid.

3. The number of cadets who, at the time

of attending any school held at Fredericton, N.B., were students of the University of New Brunswick; and whether exceptions were made in their favour as regards the hours of attendance at drill and instructions; with a list of those who have held, or now hold, commissions in the active Militia in New Brunswick.

4. The number and names of all passed cadets who have held, and now hold, commissions in the active Militia in New Brunswick, distinguishing between both.

Motion agreed to.

TELEGRAPH CHARGES IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

MOTION FOR CORRESPONDENCE.

MR. DEWDNEY moved for a copy of all correspondence or petitions with reference to the reduction of telegraph charges in the Province of British Columbia. He said that, before he left British Columbia, he had understood that representations had been made to the Government with a view of carrying out what was the object of this motion. The principal reason why the business people of British Columbia advocated and pressed on the Government this change was the increase of business anticipated from the large mining developments which had lately taken place in that Province. At present, the rate of charges from Victoria to Cariboo was, for ten words, he believed, $1.50; and the scale of charges, regulated by the distance of the different stations between those places, per ten words, ranged from 50c. to $1.50. It had been considered for some time that these charges were very exorbitant; and, he felt sure it would lead to a great increase in the business if the charges were very much less. For some time, their telegraph line had been in a very bad condition; and the want of faith in the line always had a very material effect in reducing the amount of business which would otherwise have been done. He understood, in fact had, before leaving British Columbia, seen that the Government were putting the line in perfect order, and, in view of the increase of business anticipated, he trusted that the Government would be able to bring down the charges, at any rate, to the prices adopted on this side of the continent. In British Columbia, and particularly in the mining localities, they would feel perfectly satisfied that, if this were done, the increase of business that would follow such action would be extremely great, and he was sure that, under such circumstances, it would be a hundred-fold. The Western Union line, from San Francisco to Victoria, he believed, had now reduced its rates, and their mining developments must increase the business between Cariboo and San Francisco. To-day, a very

MR. MACKENZIE: 50 cents.

MR. THOMPSON: I beg pardon, I thought the rate was 25 cents.

MR. MACKENZIE: We have to pay additional rates for the Nova Scotia lines.

MR. THOMPSON said that, if the rates were reduced,ten messages would be sent for every one sent at presentfifty, probably, as the hon. member for Yale had said. By the opening of new quartz mines, the business of the line would be enormously increased. During this winter, miners were out continually crossing the mountains on snowshoes hunting for quartz ledges, and, as soon as new discoveries were made, the Provincial Government and press were informed, and telegrams were sent to companies which were being formed in San Francisco and other places by capitalists. If better

and more reliable means could be adopted for the transmission of such information at cheap rates, the business information at cheap rates, the business of the telegraph line would, he believed, become more profitable than either the Montreal or Dominion lines, which were carried on by private enterprise. It was for the Government to find out how the line, which was their property, could be managed at the least possible expense and the greatest profit. In the place where he resided, which was the extreme termination of the line, there was a telegraph operator of the first standing-a gentleman who received a salary which on this side of the continent might be considered large, but which was not much in British Columbia-and very frequently he was not employed, either because the line was not open or that people declined to send messages at such high rates. Indeed, messages could sometimes be sent almost as quickly, at present, by mail as by telegraph, but, if the line was repaired so that messages could be forwarded quickly at ■educed rates, it would be kept busily in operation every day. The remarks made by the hon. member for Yale regarding submarine cables were such as would, he thought, commend themselves to the consideration of the House, as the proposal made was likely to be of great advantage to the country.

MR. LANGEVIN said that, as the mines in British Columbia were now

being wrought, anything the Government could do to provide those with the neighbourhoods proper postal and telegraphic communication would be of incalculable benefit. He fully concurred in what had been said by the hon. gentlemen who had preceded him, and was of opinion that a reduction in the rates charged for telegraphic messages would be a great boon. There was a great rush of members in the direction of the newly discovered quartz mines; money would doubtless be invested there, and great advantages would, in time, accrue to the country. He would certainly support a policy that would lead to a large reduction of the present rates for telegraphic messages.

MR. MACKENZIE said he did not think any correspondence such as that asked for had yet come to band. Some letters or petitions might be on the way hither, but he had seen nothing of them. He might mention, however, that the two members for Victoria called upon him some days ago, and with a representation similar to that contained in the remarks to which they had now given utterance. The matter felt that, as the revenue derivable from was then very fully discussed, and he the line at present was very inadeture, it might be desirable to make a quate as compared with the expendichange in the direction which the hon. gentleman were pressing. During the last financial year the revenue was only $7,325 while the expenditure amounted to $31,109.

MR. THOMPSON: Including the subsidy?

MR. MACKENZIE: Yes. This year, however, the Government had been forced to place a new cable across the straits, and, as hon. gentlemen would observe, a vote of over $40,000 had been rendered necessary in order to cover outlays which were inje vitable unless telegraphic communicat on was established there. He thoug there was a great deal in what had been said as to the desirability of making a less rate than at present, even if it would produce no more revenue. Indeed, the amount received was at present so

MR. KIRKPATRICK moved for a return showing the amount expended upon and chargeable against Fort Frances Lock and works connected therewith, in each calendar year from the commencement of said works to 31st December, 1877; also the amount of work done and earth and rock excavated at said lock in each of said years. The subject was, he said, a very inviting one for remark, but he did not propose, on the present occasion, to take advantage of it, because he hoped another opportunity would be afforded by the Government for discussion thereupon. Perhaps, however, he might be informed whether any change had been made in the construction of the lock, particularly as regarded the depth of water.

MR. MACKENZIE said he could not tell precisely what was done.

MR. KIRKPATRICK said he had noticed in the Public Works Report a short paragraph in reference to the Fort Frances Lock, in which a statement was made as to a canal with seven feet depth of water, and, as he understood a change had been made, he put the question to the Premier.

MR. MACKENZIE: A change has been made, but I cannot say what it is.

MR. KIRKPATRICK: There must be a mistake in the report.

Motion agreed to.

INDIAN RESERVES IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

MOTION FOR RETUrn.

MR. DECOSMOS moved for a return containing a complete copy of the Report or Reports of the Joint Indian Commission for adjusting the extent and boundaries of the Indian Reserves in British Columbia, with an account of the expenditure respecting the same, and accompanied with copies of any remonstrances of settlers against the decisions of the said Commission

ers, and also a map showing the reserves defined and settled by the said Commission. He said he would not occupy the time of the House further than to remark that the hon. member for Yale had already brought the matter before the Legislature.

Motion agreed to.

ADMIRALTY SURVEY OF PORTLAND CHANNEL.

MOTION FOR RETURN.

MR. DECOSMOS moved for a return containing a Report and Chart of the latest British Admiralty Survey of Portland Channel, the eastern water boundary between British Columbia and Alaska. He said he would merely draw the attention of the Government to the fact that, though Portland Channel had been surveyed some years ago by the Admiralty, the Canadian Government had never yet obtained a copy of the chart made, and he hoped it would be obtained from the Admiralty immediately.

MR. MACKENZIE: I think that we have no such chart; at least, I have looked through the papers and I have not found anything of the kind. Perhaps the hon. gentleman will let his motion drop, and we will make a further search. I do not think we have a chart referring to Alaska.

MR. DECOSMOS: I am quite willing to withdraw my motion, but at the same time I think it is important that the Government should have those documents.

Motion, with leave of the House, withdrawn.