ANOTHER RAILWAY ACROSS AMERICA.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 279, 5 June 1873, Page 6

ANOTHER RAILWAY ACROSS AMERICA.

We, in these colonies, may be at times apt to think too much of ourselves, and to overlook the fact that England has important colonies besides thoso in the Southern Hemisphere. Amongst the other British possessions is Canada — a vast and wealthy tract of couutry, extending right across the American continent, and having prolific resources, which are yet in the infancy of their development. As a maratime community Canada claims to rank third among the Powers of the world. Her greatness in this respect is no doubt largely owing to natural advantages ; but it is not intended that her commerce shall depend exclusively upon her fleet, for — following in the T»ake of the United States — it has been determined to construct a railway across Canada, thus by another link connecting the Atlantic

and Pacific Oceans. To the construction of this line the colony has pledged itself. British Columbia, lying away to the extrcmo west of America, having been j united to Canada on the understanding that such a railway would bo made. It is J is estimated that the projected line will savo 1,000 miles in the direct distance between Liverpool and China, as compared i with the Central Pacific route. A company has i\ndertaken the work, and, according to their charter, the capital stock is to be 10,000,000 dols., supplemented by a Government subsidy in cash of 30,000,000 dols., in addition to 50,000,000 acres of land, in alternate block along the line. The company have power to issue bonds to an extent not exceeding 40,000 dols. per mile, these bonds to be at first charged upon the concern. The required capital, it is said, lias already been subscribed, but unless arrangements satisfactory to the Government are made by the Ist January, 1874, the charter and all contracts under it will bo cancelled. The work is to be completed in about eight years, but the exact route has not yet been decided upon. The charter is vague upon that point, and it is intended to bo, so as to cover a somewhat -vide range of country. " Such railway shall extend from some point on or near Lake Nipissing, and on the south side thereof, to soms point on the Pacific Ocean," are the words of the charter. It would seem, at the first blush, questionable whether this railway, with probably two partially competing lines, will prove a reproductive work. Tli.it, howover, is a matter for the consideration of the Canadian Government, and no doubt they have carefully considered it. But South Australia, having in view the future construction of a railway across the Australian continent, should watch, and may do so with advantage, railway affairs in Canada. That country i 3 certainly setting these colonies an example in the mater of railway construction which they might do well to follow — of course not fully, but to a greater proportionate extont than is at present the case, As the Melbourne "Argus" points out — " With a population not more than double that of these, Canada is to spend between £0,000,000 and £7,000,000 a year on railways for tho next eight years, while all these colonies, taken together, are not spending one-tenth of that sum." — "South Australian Chronicle."