§ MR. WYLDsaid, he believed that a body of troops was about to be sent from Canada to the Red River Settlement. The distance from the place of embarkation to the Red River Settlement would, by the ordinary route across the lakes, be about 1,200 miles; but it was stated that the troops were to be sent up the river St. Lawrence, round the shore of Labrador, and landed on the eastern shore of Hudson's Bay—a distance of 4,200 miles. He believed that a very strong feeling was entertained on this subject in Canada, as Canadian merchants had offered to convey the troops without expense to the Government to the eastern shore of Lake Superior; he would, therefore, beg to ask the Under Secretary for War whether it is the intention of the Government to adopt the shorter or the longer route?
§ SIR JOHN RAMSDENsaid the hon. Gentleman was perfectly correct in stating that a detachment of troops was being sent round to the Red River Settlement by sea, and which was a much more circuitous route than that by the lakes and overland; but the obstacles in the latter route were so great that it would be almost impossible at present to overcome them. It was true that there was steam communication the whole distance from Toronto to the western end of Lake Superior, but at that point it 883 would be necessary to cross a tract of country 300 miles in extent, which was, he believed, entirely uninhabited, which was intersected by rivers and swamps, and in which, at present, no means of transit existed. That route was, in fact, utterly impracticable, and it had, therefore been deemed necessary that the troops should make the long détour of which the hon. Gentleman complained. He might add, as he had before stated, that these troops had been sent at the request of the Hudson's Bay Company, and at their cost.
§ MR. WYLDsaid, the Canadian Legislature had voted £300 for the formation of a road in the district to which the hon. Baronet had alluded. The country, so far from being impassable, was average prairie land, and he believed the real reason why the troops were not sent by that route was because the Hudson's Bay Company were alarmed lest a road should be opened from Canada to their settlements.
§ SIR JOHN RAMSDENsaid, he had been informed that the Canadian Legislature had passed a Vote for the formation of a road, but that road was not yet opened. It was necessary that the troops should be sent out immediately, and they had therefore been sent round by sea.