The official reports issued by the auditor give the following particulars with reference to the length of Canadian railways, the cost of their construction and equipment, and their receipts in 1866 :

The Victoria Bridge, which is an essential part of the railway system of Canada, crosses the St Lawrence at Montreal. It was opened for traffic on the 17th December 1859. Its total length is 9,184 feet. The number of spans is 25; 24 of 242 feet; one of 330 feet. The height from the surface of the water to the under side of the centre tube is 60 feet; the height from the bed of the river to the top of the centre tube is 108 feet. There are 3,000,000 cubic feet of masonry in the bridge; and the total cost was about $7,000,000.

The Nova Scotia railways have been built and are owned by that province. They consist of a trunk line from Halifax, on the Atlantic, by way of Truro, to Pictou, on the Gulf of St Lawrence, with a branch line to Windsor, on the Bay of Fundy. The distance from Halifax to Truro is 60 miles, and from the main line to Windsor, 33 miles. The railways to Truro and Windsor were completed in 1858. The extension to Pictou, built by a Canadian engineer, Mr Sanford Fleming, and 40 miles in length, was opened in June 1866. The contract price for its construction was

* No returns.

$2,216,500. The earnings of the lines to Windsor and Truro increased from $102,877 in 1859, to $183,954 in 1865. The total cost of their construction was $4,319,507. The Halifax and Pictou Road will connect with the Intercolonial.

In New Brunswick, the St Andrews and Woodstock, or "New Brunswick and Canada" Railroad, was commenced in 1844, but was not completed till 1862. It is 88 miles in length, and was built at a cost of $2,750,000. The province owns stock in it, to the amount of $240,000. The "European and North American" Railway is a public work, owned by the province. It connects the city of St John's, on the Bay of Fundy, with Shediac, on the Gulf of St Lawrence, and has been in operation since 1860. It is 108 miles in length, and cost $4,747,713. The St Stephens' Branch Railway, 18 miles in length, has also been recently opened.*

PUBLIC DEBT.

No Canadian Blue Book having been issued as yet for the fiscal year ending June 1867, the author cannot give, in the precise figures, the debt of Canada. But, deducting all the proper credits, it could not be less than $80,000,000. On the 1st July 1866, accordingly, the debt of the Dominion of Canada would approximate to the following figures:

Canada,
Nova Scotia,

New Brunswick,

$80,000,000

4,858,547

5,702,991

$90,561,538

The "British America Act" provides that the Dominion of Canada shall be liable for the debts and liabilities of each province existing at the Union; that Ontario and Quebec conjointly shall be liable for the amount by which the debt of Canada exceeds $62,500,000, and shall pay five per cent. interest thereon; and that New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, on the other hand, shall receive five per cent. interest on the amounts by which their debts fall short of $8,000,000 and $7,000,000 respectively. The total debt, therefore, of which the Dominion of Canada assumes the liability, in commencing its existence, may be stated at $77,500,000-the sum of the foregoing three amounts.

The following table shows the ordinary revenue and expenditure of each province, during the year 1865:

* Toronto Globe, 1st July 1867. Eighty years' progress, B. N. A. p. 99.

A few years since there was not a single volunteer corps in British North America, while the militia system mainly existed on paper, and the only available force in the event of any necessity, were the regular troops at the various garrison towns. But during the past six years the Canadian volunteer force has swelled to most important dimensions, while statutes have been enacted, which renders the organisation of the "Service" Militia a matter of slight difficulty whenever such a step should be required. Several excellent military schools exist, at which cadets are thoroughly instructed in the principles of their profession, and fitted for command in the volunteer force. Every village of any importance in Ontario has its drill-shed, where the youths of the neighbourhood are trained to arms; and in the province of Quebec the military spirit has also been largely developed during the past few years. The returns supplied in 1866, state that the volunteer force of Lower Canada consists of 2 squadrons of cavalry and 4 separate troops; 2 field batteries of artillery; I battery and 3 battalions of garrison artillery; 3 companies of engineers; 6 battalions of infantry, and 52 separate companies, now organised into administrative battalions; 7 battalions rifles and 14 separate companies-a force altogether of 10,620 men.

Of the Service Militia, there have been balloted 51 battalions, giving 40,545 men. The whole militia force of Lower Canada is about 170,000.

The volunteer force of Upper Canada consists of 2 squadrons of

It may be interesting to place in comparison with the above, a statement of the annual revenue and expenditure of the United States, at different periods in their early history ·-

1792

1795

1800

1802

1804

1805

Rev.
$8,740,766

Ex.
$9,141,569

in only one year, previous to 1805-nearly a generation after the year of independence did the public revenue of the United States exceed the amount of annual revenue with which the Dominion of Canada starts upon its career.

cavalry and 8 separate troops; 6 field batteries of artillery; 2 battalions garrison artillery and 13 batteries; 3 naval companies; 14 battalions infantry and 157 separate companies; 4 battalions rifles and 46 separate companies-a force altogether of 19,380 men. Of the Service Militia, there have been balloted in Upper Canada 61 battalions, giving 48,496 men. The whole militia force of Upper Canada is estimated at 280,000.

In New Brunswick, the volunteer force consists of 4 troops of cavalry; 7 batteries of artillery; I company of engineers; and 21 companies of infantry-numbering altogether 1,791 men. The Service Militia number 35,412 men, and the "Sedentary," 7,184.

In Nova Scotia, there are 898 volunteers, and 59,379 "First Class" Militia, which includes all ranks between 16 and 45 years of age.

By the census of 1861, it appeared that the number of men capable of bearing arms in the several provinces, between the ages of 20 and 60, was :

But while Canada and the maritime provinces have made prodigious strides in other respects, their educational progress also has been very great. In 1865, there were in Upper Canada 4,303 Common Schools, attended by 383,652 pupils, of whom 204,320 were boys, and 179,332 were girls. The number of children reported as not attending any school was 42,141. Of the 4,303 Common Schools 3,595 were entirely free, and in the remaining 708 the highest fee charged was 25 cents a month. The total expenditure for Common Schools, in 1865, was $1,355,879. There were also 152 Roman Catholic Separate Schools, with an average attendance of 8,518. There were 104 Grammar Schools, with 5,754 pupils, and a Normal School, with two, Model Schools attached, for the training of teachers. There were 260 private schools and academies, attended by 5,966 pupils, and deriving an income of $50,899. Finally, Upper Canada, in 1865, had 16 colleges, attended by 1,820 students, and receiving an income from legislative and other sources of $150,000, and a further sum of $44,000 in fees.

The number of schools, and pupils, in Lower Canada, in 1865, was as follows:

:

The numbers given under the head of "Primary," include also the Protestant Dissentient Schools, of which, in 1865, there were 146, with 4,763 pupils. The "Superior" Schools, comprise the Universities and the Schools of Theology, Law, and Medicine. The amount raised by the municipalities in Lower Canada, in 1865, for the support of Primary Schools, was $597,448. In 1855-ten years previously-the amount was only $249,136.

In Nova Scotia, in 1866, there were 989 Common Schools in operation, attended by 43,771 pupils. The provincial grant for Common School education was $67,068, and the amount raised by the people for salaries, $124,673. Besides the Common Schools, there are 5 County Academies in operation, attended by 1,200 pupils; 10 other Academies, with 680 pupils; and 7 Colleges; in five of these, which sent in returns, there were 24 professors and 207 students. The total amount voted by the Legislature of Nova Scotia for educational purposes, in 1865, was $93,263.

In New Brunswick, in 1865, the number of teachers of public schools was 826, and the number of pupils enrolled, 29,975. The amount expended by the Government on Common and Superior Schools, for the year ending 31st October 1865, was $91,373; and, by local districts, $101,114. The University of New Brunswick has five professors, and an income of about $13,000 per annum, of which the Government pays about $9,000. The whole amount expended by the Government for education, in 1865, was $112,940.

COMMERCE AND TRADE.

Shortly after the union of Upper and Lower Canada, the trade and commerce of these provinces commenced to increase. Owing, however, to the unsettled state of the country caused by the rebellion, and the absence of railway communication, their volume was not very noticeable until after 1851. The following table will give the best idea of the progress made from that year :—