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he　two　Provinces。　　This　question　of　the　capitals　is　at　the　present　moment　a　subject　of　great　interest　in　Canada；　but；　as　I　shall　be　driven　to　say　something　on　the　matter　when　I　report　myself　as　being　at　Ottawa；　I　will　refrain　now。　　There　are　two　special　public　affairs　at　the　present　moment　to　interest　a　traveler　in　Canada。　　The　first　I　have　named；　and　the　second　is　the　Grand　Trunk　Railway。　　I　have　already　stated　what　is　the　course　of　this　line。　　It　runs　from　the　Western　State　of　Michigan　to　Portland；　on　the　Atlantic；　in　the　State　of　Maine；　sweeping　the　whole　length　of　Canada　in　its　route。　　It　was　originally　made　by　three　companies。　　The　Atlantic　and　St。　Lawrence　constructed　it　from　Portland　to　Island　Pond；　on　the　borders　of　the　States。　　The　St。　Lawrence　and　Atlantic　took　it　from　the　southeastern　side　of　the　river　at　Montreal　to　the　same　point；　viz。；　Island　Pond。　　And　the　Grand　Trunk　Company　have　made　it　from　Detroit　to　Montreal；　crossing　the　river　there　with　a　stupendous　tubular　bridge；　and　have　also　made　the　branch　connecting　the　main　line　with　Quebec　and　Riviere　du　Loup。　　This　latter　company　is　now　incorporated　with　the　St。　Lawrence　and　Atlantic；　but　has　only　leased　the　portion　of　the　line　running　through　the　States。　　This　they　have　done；　guaranteeing　the　shareholders　an　interest　of　six　per　cent。　　There　never　was　a　grander　enterprise　set　on　foot。　　I　will　not　say　there　never　was　one　more　unfortunate；　for　is　there　not　the　Great　Eastern；　which；　by　the　weight　and　constancy　of　its　failures；　demands　for　itself　a　proud　pre…eminence　of　misfortune？　But　surely　the　Grand　Trunk　comes　next　to　it。　　I　presume　it　to　be　quite　out　of　the　question　that　the　shareholders　should　get　any　interest　whatever　on　their　shares　for　years。　　The　company；　when　I　was　at　Montreal；　had　not　paid　the　interest　due　to　the　Atlantic　and　St。　Lawrence　Company　for　the　last　year；　and　there　was　a　doubt　whether　the　lease　would　not　be　broken。　　No　party　that　had　advanced　money　to　the　undertaking　was　able　to　recover　what　had　been　advanced。　　I　believe　that　one　firm　in　London　had　lent　nearly　a　million　to　the　company；　and　is　now　willing　to　accept　half　the　sum　so　lent　in　quittance　of　the　whole　debt。　　In　1860　the　line　could　not　carry　the　freight　that　offered；　not　having　or　being　able　to　obtain　the　necessary　rolling　stock；　and　on　all　sides　I　heard　men　discussing　whether　the　line　would　be　kept　open　for　traffic。　　The　government　of　Canada　advanced　to　the　company　three　millions　of　money；　with　an　understanding　that　neither　interest　nor　principal　should　be　demanded　till　all　other　debts　were　paid　and　all　shareholders　in　receipt　of　six　per　cent。　　interest。　　But　the　three　millions　were　clogged　with　conditions　which；　though　they　have　been　of　service　to　the　country；　have　been　so　expensive　to　the　company　that　it　is　hardly　more　solvent　with　it　than　it　would　have　been　without　it。　　As　it　is；　the　whole　property　seems　to　be　involved　in　ruin；　and　yet　the　line　is　one　of　the　grandest　commercial　conceptions　that　was　ever　carried　out　on　the　face　of　the　globe；　and　in　the　process　of　a　few　years　will　do　more　to　make　bread　cheap　in　England　than　any　other　single　enterprise　that　exists。　I　do　not　know　that　blame　is　to　be　attached　to　any　one。　　I　at　least　attach　no　such　blame。　　Probably　it　might　be　easy　now　to　show　that　the　road　might　have　been　made　with　sufficient　accommodation　for　ordinary　purposes　without　some　of　the　more　costly　details。　　The　great　tubular　bridge；　on　which　was　expended　1；300；000　pounds；　might；　I　should　think；　have　been　dispensed　with。　　The　Detroit　end　of　the　line　might　have　been　left　for　later　time。　　As　it　stands　now；　however；　it　is　a　wonderful　operation　carried　to　a　successful　issue　as　far　as　the　public　are　concerned；　and　one　can　on＇y　grieve　that　it　should　be　so　absolute　a　failure　to　those　who　have　placed　their　money　in　it。　　There　are　schemes　which　seem　to　be　too　big　for　men　to　work　out　with　any　ordinary　regard　to　profit　and　loss。　　The　Great　Eastern　is　one；　and　this　is　another。　　The　national　advantage　arising　from　such　enterprises　is　immense；　but　the　wonder　is　that　men　should　be　found　willing　to　embark　their　money　where　the　risk　is　so　great　and　the　return　even　hoped　for　is　so　small。　While　I　was　in　Canada　some　gentlemen　were　there　from　the　Lower　ProvincesNova　Scotia；　that　is；　and　New　Brunswickagitating　the　subject　of　another　great　line　of　railway；　from　Quebec　to　Halifax。　The　project　is　one　in　favor　of　which　very　much　may　be　said。　　In　a　national　point　of　view　an　Englishman　or　a　Canadian　cannot　but　regret　that　there　should　be　no　winter　mode　of　exit　from；　or　entrance　to；　Canada；　except　through　the　United　States。　　The　St。　Lawrence　is　blocked　up　for　four　or　five　months　in　winter；　and　the　steamers　which　run　to　Quebec　in　the　summer　run　to　Portland　during　the　season　of　ice。　　There　is　at　present　no　mode　of　public　conveyance　between　the　Canadas　and　the　Lower　Provinces；　and　an　immense　district　of　country　on　the　borders　of　Lower　Canada；　through　New　Brunswick；　and　into　Nova　Scotia；　is　now　absolutely　closed　against　civilization；　which　by　such　a　railway　would　be　opened　up　to　the　light　of　day。　　We　all　know　how　much　the　want　of　such　a　road　was　felt　when　our　troops　were　being　forwarded　to　Canada　during　the　last　winter。　　It　was　necessary　they　should　reach　their　destination　without　delay；　and　as　the　river　was　closed；　and　the　passing　of　troops　through　the　States　was　of　course　out　of　the　question；　that　long　overland　journey　across　Nova　Scotia　and　New　Brunswick　became　a　necessity。　　It　would　certainly　be　a　very　great　thing　for　British　interests　if　a　direct　line　could　be　made　from　such　a　port　as　Halifax；　a　port　which　is　open　throughout　the　whole　year；　up　into　the　Canadas。　　If　these　colonies　belonged　to　France　or　to　any　other　despotic　government；　the　thing　would　be　done。　　But　the　colonies　do　not　belong　to　any　despotic　government。　Such　a　line　would；　in　fact；　be　a　continuance　of　the　Grand　Trunk；　and　who　that　looks　at　the　present　state　of　the　finances　of　the　Grand　Trunk　can　think　it　to　be　on　the　cards　that　private　enterprise　should　come　forward　with　more　moneywith　more　millions？　　The　idea　is　that　England　will　advance　the　money；　and　that　the　English　House　of　Commons　will　guarantee　the　interest；　with　some　counter…guarantee　from　the　colonies　that　this　interest　shall　be　duly　paid。　　But　it　would　seem　that；　if　such　colonial　guarantee　is　to　go　for　anything；　the　colonies　might　raise　the　money　in　the　money　market　without　the　intervention　of　the　British　House　of　Commons。　Montreal　is　an　exceedingly　good　commercial　town；　and　business　there　is　brisk。　　It　has　now　85；000　inhabitants。　　Having　said　that　of　it；　I　do　not　know　what　more　there　is　left　to　say。　　Yes；　one　word　there　is　to　say　of　Sir　William　Logan；　the　creator　of　the　Geological　Museum　there；　and　the　head　of　all　matters　geological　throughout　the　province。　　While　he　was　explaining　to　me　with　admirable　perspicuity　the　result　of　investigations　into　which　he　had　poured　his　whole　heart；　I　stood　by；　understanding　almost　nothing；　but　envying　everything。　　That　I　understood　almost　nothing；　I　know　he　perceived。　That；　ever　and　anon；　with　all　his　graciousness；　became　apparent。　But　I　wonder　whether　he　perceived　also　that　I　did　envy　everything。　I　have　listened　to　geologists　by　the　hour　beforehave　had　to　listen　to　them；　desirous　simply　of　escape。　　I　have　listened；　and　understood　absolutely　nothing；　and　have　only　wished　myself　away。　But　I　could　have　listened　to　Sir　William　Logan　for　the　whole　day；　if　time　allowed。　　I　found；　even　in　that　hour；　that　some　ideas　found　their　way　through　to　me；　and　I　began　to　fancy　that　even　I　could　become　a　geologist　at　Montreal。　Over　and　beyond　Sir　William　Logan；　there　is　at　Montreal　for　strangers　the　drive　round　the　mountain；　not　very　exciting；　and　there　is　the　tubular　bridge　over　the　St。　Lawrence。　　This；　it　must　be　understood；　is　not　made　in　one　tube；　as　is　that　over　the　Menai　Straits；　but　is　divided　into；　I　think；　thirteen　tubes。　　To　the　eye　there　appear　to　be　twenty…five　tubes；　but　each　of　the　six　side　tubes　is　supported　by　a　pier　in　the　middle。　　A　great　part　of　the　expense　of　the　bridge　was　incurred　in　sinking　the　shafts　for　these　piers。

CHAPTER　V。　UPPER　CANADA。

Ottawa　is　in　Upper　Canada；　but　crossing　the　suspension　bridge　from　Ottawa　into　Hull；　the　traveler　is　in　Lower　Canada。　　It　is　therefore　exactly　in　the　confines；　and　has　been　chosen　as　the　site　of　the　new　government　capital　very　much　for　this　reason。　　Other　reasons　have　no　doubt　had　a　share　in　the　decision。　　At　the　time　when　the　choice　was　made　Ottawa　was　not　large　enough　to　create　the　jealousy　of　the　more　populous　towns。　　Though　not　on　the　main　line　of　railway；　it　was　connected　with　it　by　a　branch　railway；　and　it　is　also　connected　with　the　St。　Lawrence　by　water　communication。　　And　then　it　stands　nobly　on　a　magnificent　river；　with　high；　overhanging　rock；　and　a　natural　grandeur　of　position　which　has　perhaps　gone　far　in　recommending　it　to　those　whose　voice　in　the　matter　has　been　potential。　　Having　the　world　of　Canada　from　whence　to　choose　the　site　of　a　new　town；　the　choosers　have　certainly　chosen　well。　　It　is　another　question　whether　or　no　a　new　town　should　have　been　deemed　necessary。　Perhaps　it　may　be　well　to　explain　the　circumstances　under　which　it　was　thought　expedient　thus　to　establish　a　new　Canadian　capital