COMPARATIVE POPULATION OF THE LARGEST CITIES AND TOWNS IN CANADA-1851 to 1856 Quebec, Toronto, C. W. St. Johns, Cities, etc. Pop. 1851. Pop. 1856. Cities, etc. Pop. 1551. Pop. 1856. Montreal, C. E... .57,715...65,000 Brockville, C. W.....3,246....5,000 66 .14,112...28,000 St. Hyacinthe, C. E .3,313. .5,000 Sherbrooke, Port Hope, C. W.... 2,476. .4,579 66 2,156. 4,000 Kingston, COMPARATIVE POPULATION OF THE LARGEST CITIES OF EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA-EUROPEAN CITIES TAKEN FROM WEBER'S GERMAN ALMANAC FOR 1853. BRITISH POSSESSIONS IN NORTH AMERICA. NORTH AMERICA, stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, east and west, and from the Arctic regions to the tropics, north and south, contains according to the latest authorities about 8,500,000 square miles of surface, and an estimated population of 60,000,000. The political government include the following areas: Square miles. 400,000 Republic of Mexico. 854,662 200,000 380,000 French Fishing Islands. 120 500,000 .3,200,000 Total square miles...... .8,534,782 BRITISH AMERICA contains nearly the same area as the United States; although the northern portion is not available for the purposes of either agriculture or permanent settlement, yet enough remains of the desirable portion to form a great country. It is divided into the following provinces; all but the Hudson Bay Company's Territory enjoying the free institutions of Great Britain: The most important of the British colonies, is divided into two partsUpper and Lower, or Eastern and Western. The river Ottawa forms the great central boundary. United Canada is bounded on the north and west by the Hudson's Bay Company's Territory, as at present organized; by the United States on the south, and on the east by the Province of New Brunswick and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Although physically, and, to some extent. nationally distinct, the two provinces of Upper and Lower Canada are politically and commercially united under one government and provincial legislature. Seat of Government, OTTAWA CITY, being favorably situated on the south bank of the Ottawa River, 120 miles above Montreal, C. E., and about the same distance from Kingston, C. W. The whole of Canada, about 1,800 miles in length, lies in the valley of the great Lakes and River St. Lawrence, being drained by the latter magnificent stream, which is rendered navigable from Lake Ontario to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, a distance of 750 miles. By the means of Ship Canals and Locks, 2,000 miles of navigation are obtained, extending from the head of Lake Superior, through Lakes Huron, St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Vessels of a large class can now load at Chicago or Superior City and sail direct for Europe, or any other part of the world. The GRAND RAILWAY of Canada extends from Portland, Me., and Quebec to the foot of Lake Huron, a total of 962 miles-thus uniting the Atlantic Ocean and the great Lakes of America by one continuous chain of iron, crossing the St. Lawrence at Montreal by means of the Victoria Bridge. POPULATION OF CANADA, ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS OF 1851. Lower Canada .890,261 | Upper Canada Making a total of. 952,004 1,842,265 Lower Canada ESTIMATED POPULATION 1857. 1,350,923 Making a total of.. .2,571,437 -the most of whom are engaged in agricultural pursuits. Total estimated increase of population in Canada, during five years, 729,172 Executive Government. SIR EDMUND WALKER HEAD, Governor-General of British North America. R. T. Pennefather, Governor-General's Secretary. Capt. Retallack, A. D. C., Military Secretary and Prin. Aid-de-Camp. Colonel Irvine, Provincial Aid-de-Camp. Speaker of the Legislative Council, Hon. E. P. Taché. Postmaster-General, Hon. Robert Spence. Commissioner of Crown Lands, Hon. E. P. Taché. Chief Commissioner of Public Works, Hon. François Lemieux. Provincial Secretary, Hon. Timothy Lee Terrill Pres. of the Council and Min. of Agriculture, Hon. Philip M. Vankoughnet. William H. Lee, Clerk of Executive Council. J. F. Taylor, Clerk of Legislative Council. W. B. Lindsay, Clerk of Legislative Assembly. NOTE.-The Governor-General is selected by the Crown, and generally holds office for six years. The members of the Cabinet, or Executive Council, are appointed by the Governor-General, and hold office (unless removed) so long as they retain the confidence and support of the Legislature- in which they must hold seats. The Government consists of three branches: 1. The Queen, (represented by the Governor), 2. The Legislative Council, and 3. The House of Assembly. PROVINCE OF NOVA SCOTIA, INCLUDING CAPE BRETON. The second in importance and population of the British North American Colonies, is situated to the southeast of New Brunswick. The BAY OF FUNDY, separating Nova Scotia from New Brunswick, is a large expanse of water, being remarkable for its high tides, fogs, storms, and fisheries. It is an arm of the sea, 170 miles long, and from 30 to 60 wide. The Province is naturally divided into two parts: the Peninsula of Nova Scotia, and the Island of Cape Breton. Its area is 18,746 square miles Population in 1851, 276,117. Seat of Government, HALIFAX. Earl of Mulgrave, Lieutenant-Governor. PROVINCE OF NEW BRUNSWICK, Settled by English Loyalists and a few French, is a large and important province, lying east of the State of Maine. The River St. John, 450 miles in length, drains a portion of Maine, Canada, and New Brunswick, being The area navigable to FREDERICKTON, the capital, 84 miles from the sea. of New Brunswick is 27,620 square miles. Population in 1851, 193,800; many of whom are engaged in lumbering and the fisheries. J. H. T. M. Sutton, Lieutenant-Governor. PRINCE EDWARD'S ISLAND. Settled by the descendants of the early Acadian French, English, Scotch, and Irish, are now blended in the general population, being nearly one half Roman Catholics. The island is 130 miles long and about 30 miles wide, having an area of 2,173 square miles. It is cresent-shaped, lying along the southern part of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Population, 72,000. Government, CHARLOTTE TOWN. Dominick Daly, Lieutenant-Governor. ISLAND OF NEWFOUNDLAND. Seat of This important island was discovered by Sebastian Cabot in the month of June, 1497. It was then inhabited by an Algonquin tribe of red Indians and some Esquimaux Indians. The first fisheries were established by the Portuguese, in 1502, since which time it has become so famous and productive, It lies at the entrance to giving employment to a great number of seamen. the Gulf of St. Lawrence, being about 300 miles long, and 200 miles wide. Area, 36,000 square miles. Capital, ST. JOHN. Population about 100,000, being mostly engaged in the fisheries. Newfoundland, no doubt, is destined to be famous, as being the connecting point for the submarine telegraph between Europe and America. The distance is only 1,640 geographical miles from Ireland. Sir A. Bannerman, Governor. HUDSON BAY TERRITORY, OR NEW BRITAIN. This vast territory, stretching across the northern portion of British America, from the coast of Labrador to the Pacific Ocean, includes nominally the following areas: I. Rupert's Land, embracing (as granted by the charter of Charles II., in 1670) all the country watered by rivers falling into Hudson Bay. II. The Indian Territories, including indefinite areas, or sections, drained by the Coppermine, Mackenzie, and Frazer River, etc., extending from the 49th degree north latitude to the Frozen Ocean, and from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, between latitudes 49° and 54° 40′ north. The greater portion of this territory is no doubt destined soon to be governed by United Canada-thus affording an opportunity for British subjects, and others, to settle this vast, and much of it fertile region. Estimated area, 2,500,000 square miles. Lake Winnipeg, receiving the waters of Red River and the Saskatchawan, is a large body of water, being from 10 to 50 miles wide and 240 miles long. Its outlet is Nelson River, a large and mighty stream, interrupted by rapids like unto the St. Lawrence. From this lake westward to the Pacific Ocean the climate is comparatively mild, the whole southern portion being susceptible of sustaining a dense population. YORK FACTORY, lying on the west side of Hudson Bay, in north latitude 57°, is the head-quarters of the Hudson Bay Company. Sir George Simpson, Chief Manager. VANCOUVER'S ISLAND, lying between 48° 20′ and 51° north latitude, and longitude 123° and 128° west from Greenwich, has recently been erected into a separate Government by the Crown of Great Britain. Length, 300 miles; greatest breadth, 75 miles. Estimated area, 16,000 square miles. Population 12,000. Seat of Government, FORT LANGLEY. The climate of this region is peculiarly mild, except for a portion of the winter months. Soil various, but mostly susceptible of high cultivation. Sir James Douglass, Governor. |