Part 4 (2/2)

The size of the const.i.tuency was phenomenal. Its first representative in the Legislature of Ontario used quizzically to describe it: ”Where is my const.i.tuency? Sir, Algoma, is the greatest const.i.tuency on earth, and larger than many an Empire in Europe. On the east it is bounded by the French River, on the south by all the waters of Lakes Huron and Lake Superior, on the west by Manitoba, with an undecided boundary, and on the north by the North Pole, and the Lord knows where.”

Its permanent voters were few and spa.r.s.ely spread along a line of nigh 500 miles. By the Act of Confederation, Algoma was given a special qualification for its voters being for every male British subject of 21 or over, being a householder. Thus it has sometimes been averred that during hotly contested elections the migratory Indians for a while ceased to wander, that ”shack towns” suddenly arose in the neighborhood of the saw mills, composed of small ”slab” sided dwellings in which dusky voters lived until election day was over. It may be from these early seedlings that the several const.i.tuencies which have since been carved out from their great progenitor, have not been unremarkable for eccentricities in methods of ballot and in varieties of voters.

Further diversion of vessel interests from the Niagara Route to the Upper Lakes, and the circ.u.mstances which, within personal knowledge, accompanied it, are a part of the history, and a prelude to the return to the river.

CHAPTER V.

ON THE UPPER LAKES WITH THE WOLSELEY EXPEDITION AND LORD DUFFERIN.

The way having been opened by the _Algoma_ between Georgian Bay and the Sault, with sundry extra trips beyond, N. Milloy & Co., of Niagara, brought up from Halifax, in 1868, the even then celebrated steamer _Chicora_ to increase the service to Lake Superior. No finer steamer was there on the Upper Lakes than the _Chicora_, and none whether American or Canadian, that could approach her in speed; she could trail out a tow line to any compet.i.tor. She had arrived opportunely and had greatly increased her renown by carrying the Wolseley Expedition, in 1870, from Collingwood to the place on the sh.o.r.es of the Thunder Bay where the expedition for the suppression of the Riel Rebellion at Fort Garry was landed.

It was in the arrangements for the movement of this Wolseley Expedition that some difficulties arose which were due to a want of harmony between the local government of the State and that of the National Cabinet of the Federal Government at Was.h.i.+ngton, a condition which is liable to occur at any time under the peculiar provisions of the American Const.i.tution.

Having been compiled in the time of stress for the avoidance of an autocracy and for the development of the individual rights of the several component States, the relations between States and Federal authority were strongly drawn. While in the Canadian Const.i.tution any power which has not been specifically allotted to the Provinces remains in the Dominion Government, which is thus the centre of all power, in the United States the reverse condition exists.

Speedy dealings with foreign nations are thus somewhat hampered on the part of the United States Federal Government.

The only ca.n.a.l lock at that time at the Sault by which the rapids of the Sault River could be overcome and the level of Lake Superior be reached from that of Lake Huron, was on the Michigan side, and owned and controlled by the State of Michigan. As an armed force could not be sent by rail through the United States, it was necessary that all supplies and the men of the Canadian forces for Fort Garry should be forwarded by this water route to the head of Lake Superior, from where they were to take the ”Dawson Route” of mixed road and river transit to Lake Winnipeg and the scene of action. A cargo of boats, wagons, and general supplies for use by the troops had been sent up by the ”Chicora” (Captain McLean), leaving Collingwood on the 7th May, but the steamer was not permitted by the Michigan authorities to pa.s.s through the Sault Ca.n.a.l. Owing to this action immediate steps were imperatively necessary, pending negotiations, to obtain additional tonnage to carry forward the expedition.

Col. c.u.mberland, A.D.C., M.P.P., was sent on a secret duty to Detroit, where he succeeded in chartering the American steamer _Brooklyn_, which was at once sent off with instructions to report for orders above the ca.n.a.l at Point Aux Pins, to Col. Bolton, R.A., Deputy Adjutant General. Being pa.s.sed up the ca.n.a.l, without obstacle, the difficulty was immediately relieved.

Fortunately the ”Algoma” was at the upper end of the route and on Lake Superior. The supplies and stores were accordingly unloaded from the _Chicora_ at the Canadian Sault, portaged across by the twelve miles road to the wharf at Point Aux Pins, on the Canadian side above the Rapids, and sent on up Lake Superior by the ”Algoma,” and ”Brooklyn.”

A similar course was obliged to be adopted with the cargoes of supplies for the expedition brought up on the Canadian steam barge _s.h.i.+ckluna_, and on the schooners _Orion_ and _Pandora_ towed by her.

This was in other ways a remarkable event, as being one in which the ”Coasting Laws of Canada” were for a time, cancelled by the action of a citizen. The ”Brooklyn” being an American boat could not legally carry cargo between two Canadian ports, such as Point Aux Pins and the Landing, so Col. c.u.mberland gave Captain Davis a letter[1] to Mr. Joseph Wilson, the Collector of Customs at the Canadian Sault, authorizing him to permit the American vessel to trade between Canadian ports. As Mr. c.u.mberland was member of Parliament for the district, the local authorities gave immediate attention, especially as everyone on the Canadian side was ready to run all risks and do everything in their power to help the expedition along.

Returning to Collingwood the ”Chicora” left again on the 14th May with two companies of the Ontario Contingest recruited from the Volunteer Militia of the Province, twenty-four horses and more arms and stores. Refusal was again given and the same portaging took place as before, the men during the transfer being encamped near the old Hudson's Bay Fort. Urgent representations had been made to the local State authorities, pointing out that the expedition was pressed for time, much loss might be occasioned, and the rebellion spread if the troops were delayed. The British Minister at Was.h.i.+ngton was using every endeavor to obtain the necessary permission, but without avail. The ”Chicora” returned to Collingwood and left again on 21st May with Col. Garnet Wolseley (afterwards Viscount Wolseley), a detachment of the ”60th Rifles” of the Regulars (the Regiment of H.R.H.

Prince Arthur) and the balance of the expedition. In the absence of the expected permission the same procedure was again followed, and when everything on board had been unloaded the _Chicora_ was pa.s.sed empty through the ca.n.a.l, and reloading the soldiers and all the equipment at the Point aux Pins proceeded up the lake to her destination.

Canada has since then, for her self control and the protection of her trade, built a great ca.n.a.l on her own side, through which ever since it was constructed the United States vessels have been freely allowed to pa.s.s upon exactly the same terms as her own.

Navigation upon the Upper Lakes was in those years in the most primitive condition.

When the ”Chicora” landed the Wolseley Expedition at Prince Arthur's Landing there was no wharf large enough for her to be moored to, so she had to anchor off the sh.o.r.e, and the men and cargo were landed in small boats.

As Col. Wolseley came ash.o.r.e in a rowboat he was met by Mr. Thomas Marks, a princ.i.p.al merchant, and Mr. William Murdock, C.E., who was then in conduct of the Government Railway Exploration Surveys from the sh.o.r.es of Thunder Bay to Fort Garry for what afterwards became the Canadian Pacific Railway.

The Colonel, finding on enquiry that the place had no particular name beyond that of ”The Landing,” proposed that it should be called ”Prince Arthur's Landing.” This was to be in honour of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, who was then serving in his battalion of the Rifle Brigade at that time stationed in Montreal. The name was immediately adopted and was kept unchanged until 1883, when, to mark the eastern end of the Canadian Pacific and to correspond with ”Port Moody,” the then accepted terminus at the western end, it was changed to ”Port Arthur.” The name and reminiscence of the Royal Prince is in this way still happily retained.

Rivalries had begun between the long established hamlet cl.u.s.tered around Fort William, the ancient post of the Hudson Bay Company on the banks at the mouth of the Kanistiqua River, and the newly created village on the sh.o.r.es of the Lake at the ”Landing.” To appease the vociferous claimants of both, the expedition was divided, one part being sent up by the lower river from ”Fort William,” the other by waggon on land from the ”Landing,” to join together again at a point on the Kaministiquia above the Falls, from where they proceeded together by the mixed transport of water and waggon on the ”Dawson Route” to Fort Garry.

There were then few lighthouses on the lakes, and no buoys in the channels.

When a steamer left the sh.o.r.es of Georgian Bay nothing was heard of her until she came in sight again on her return after being away ten days, for there were no telegraphs on the North Sh.o.r.e nor even at the Sault.

The hamlets were few and far spread, being mainly small fis.h.i.+ng villages.

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