C.B., whose acquaintance with the Treaties concluded by Great Britain, enabled him to give me much valuable information. My researches served to prove that no authentic map exists in the Colonial Office, the Foreign Office or the Public Records Office defining the extent of country ceded by the French in 1763.* I found a map published by Arrowsmith, in 1795, in the Foreign Office. This map is inscribed, "by permission to the Hon. Governor and Company of Adventurers trading into Hudson's Bay, in testimony of their liberal communications," and gives no boundary under the Treaty of Utrecht, but bears the letter U in Upper Canada, on the parallel of 50, and the whole word "Upper" north of the height of land; whilst in an edition of the same map, dated 1795, but, as I ascertained from the publisher, published in 1850, the words "Upper Canada " have been erased from their original position, and re-engraved close to the shore of Lake Superior, south of the height of land. My researches in the Public Records Office were materially aided by Mr. Kingston, the librarian, through whose kindness I procured copies of important documents and correspondence having reference to the English Commission, under the Treaty of Utrecht. Some of the documents forwarded from France having failed to reach you, I returned to Paris on the 11th January, completed my researches, and going back to London, left for Canada on the 25th February, arriving here on the 15th inst. In conclusion, I beg respectfully to point out the difficulties which encompass research into such a matter as that with which I have been charged. The examination of the records of nations like those of Great Britain and France, must needs be laborious, even under the most favourable circumstances; but considering that I had been preceded in my researches by many gentlemen, who gave much time and study to the subject, I feel that I have been fortunate in being able to bring to your notice documents that have never been produced before in all the course of the discussion of the Boundary question, as to the claims of the Hudson's Bay Company, and as between the Dominion and this Province. Trusting that the result of my labours has been satisfactory to you, Hon. O. Mowat, M.PP. Attorney-General, &c., &c., Toronto. I am, Sir, Your obedient Servant, THOS. C. SCOBLE. By the Treaty of 1763, the Mississippi, from its source to the sea, was declared to be the boundary between Louisiana and the English possessions. The previous boundaries of Louisiana were, on the north and north-east, the northern and north-eastern watershed of the Missouri from its source in the Rocky Mountains to its junction with the Mississippi-the Illinois country being at times within, and at times without the bounds and jurisdiction of Louisiana. (See the official description, pp. 41-2, ante. French maps concur, as a rule, in the same boundaries.) The This northern boundary of Louisiana, was, prior to the Cession, undoubtedly the southern boundary of Canada, in that direction, up to the sources of the Missouri; and whilst Louisiana was confessedly limited to the Rocky Mountains, the French always claimed that Canada extended beyond those mountains to the Western and Pacific Seas,-having for southern boundary in those quarters New Albion or New Mexico, as the case might be. No geographer or historian has ever claimed that the countries north of Louisiana, and indefinitely westward, were other than part of Canada; sometimes they are referred to, when beyond the limit of actual discovery, as "the unknown lands of Canada." Through these unknown lands the intrepid French commandants and their followers pushed discovery and trade-always seeking for their goal, the Western Sea. They reached the Rocky Mountains, which they probably crossed; but it was left to their Canadian successors French and English to establish on the Pacific slope, the establishments which secured to them its trade, and to one of them,-Sir Alexander Mackenzie, to secure the sovereignty of the territory, to the British Crown, west of the Rocky Mountains. (See Mackenzie's Travels, and the negotiations between the United States and Great Britain respecting the Oregon Question). In the negotiations with the United States the western extension beyond the meridian of the source of the Mississippi could not be claimed by England by virtue of its having been English territory from the beginning, or of its having been French territory, not part of Canada. It was claimed, westward to the Rocky Mountains, as a part of French Canada, and the claim was ultimately conceded. The Treaties of 1783 and 1794, made no change. By the Convention of 1818, however, the par. of 49° become by mutual consent the boundary between the two countries, from the Rocky Mountains eastward to the Lake of the Woods. It will be remembered that until the recent claims of the Hudson's Bay Company, no other country than Canada had ever claimed this western Territory, and that it had always been named and treated as part of Canada, whether French or English. What France ceded then, in 1763, west of the meridian of the sources of the Mississippi, was the country bounded on the south by the parallel of the source of the Mississippi, westerly, -(1) to the South Sea or Pacific Ocean; or (2) to the northerly watershed of the Missouri, according to its situation as shown by maps and geographies of the time, and thence along such watershed to the Rocky Mountains, and thence westward to the Pacific; or (3) to the northerly watershed of the Missouri, as now known, and thence along such watershed to the Rocky Mountains, and thence westward to the Pacific. ANALYSIS OF LINES, SUGGESTED AT VARIOUS PERIODS, FOR THE WESTERLY AND NORTHERLY BOUNDARIES OF ONTARIO; INCLUDING THE LINES NOW CLAIMED BY THE DOMINION AND PROVINCE RESPECTIVELY; THE LINES CLAIMED, OR SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN CLAIMED, OR SUGGESTED AFTER 1713, BY THE NATIONS INTERESTED, OR THEIR REPRESENTATIVES; The principal Lines indicated in Maps of the last Century of various value, AND SOME COMBINATIONS OF CERTAIN OF THESE LINES.* FOR WESTERLY BOUNDARY OF ONTARIO. I. The Boundary of the Province of British Columbia (as established by Imperial Act), from the 49th parallel of north latitude, to the point at which such boundary strikes the boundary of the Territory of Alaska, and thence the said boundary of Alaska to the Arctic Ocean; that is, a line drawn from the said 49th parallel northward, by the Rocky Mountains, to the 120th meridian of west longitude; thence north, by that meridian, to the 60th parallel of north latitude; thence west, by that parallel, to the boundary of Alaska; and thence, along such last mentioned boundary, westerly, to the 141st meridian of west longitude, and north, by that meridian, to the Frozen or Arctic Ocean. [By the Order in Council of August, 1791, it was ordered that the " Province of Quebec should be divided into two distinct Provinces, to be called the Province of Upper Canada and the Province of Lower Canada, by separating the said two Provinces according to the following line of division, viz. To commence at a stone boundary, on the north bank of the Lake St. Francis, &c.; and thence ...... into the Lake Tomiscanning, and, from the head of the said lake, by a line drawn due north, until it strikes the boundary line of Hudson's Bay; including all the territory to the westward and southward of the said line, to the utmost extent of the country commonly called or known by the name of Canada.""-And it appears that the country then commonly called or known by the name of Canada, extended to the Western Sea and to the Frozen Ocean.] *This analysis does not include any lines proposed on either side prior to the Treaty of Utrecht. These were, on the part of the Hudson's Bay Company: the Rivers Albany and Rupert, in 1700; the Albany and East Main Rivers, in 1702; the line from Cape Perdrix to Lake Mistassin, and thence, westward, the parallel of the south-west shore of that Lake, in 1712. And, on the part of the French, they were the parallel of 55°, in 1700-2. In 1712, before the Treaty of Utrecht, the French King instructed his Commissaries to concede the line of 55, or, as an alternative, half of the Bay-presumably the east half; but in 1719-20, they do not appear to have made any formal proposal to the English Commissaries. II. The boundary of the Province of British Columbia, from the 49th parallel of north latitude northwards, by the Rocky Mountains, to the point where these mountains meet the northerly watershed of the Saskatchewan River; thence easterly and north-easterly, fol lowing such northerly watershed of the Saskatchewan, until such watershed meets the northerly watershed of the Churchill River; thence, following such northerly watershed of the Churchill, to and along the height of land which divides the waters which fall into Hudson's Bay from those that fall into the Arctic Ocean, to the said Arctic Ocean. [This variation of the first line arises from the circumstance of the French, whose territory was called Canada, not having had forts or permanent settlements, beyond those on the rivers which flow into Hudson's Bay. The Canadian traders occupied the country of Saskatchewan and the upper Churchill, from the period of its discovery; while the Hudson's Bay Company had up to 1790, but one establishment there, namely Cumberland House, built in 1774. The French Forts on the Saskatchewan dominated over and intercepted the trade of the upper reaches of the Churchill.] III. The same line, to the point where it would meet the northerly boundary of Ontario, in case such northerly boundary does not extend to the Arctic Ocean. IV. The boundary of the Province of British Columbia, from the 49th parallel of north latitude northward, by the Rocky Mountains, to the point where these mountains meet the northerly watershed of the Saskatchewan; and thence along such northerly watershed to the northerly boundary of Ontario. [This line would be a further variation of No. 1. The chief forts and estab ishments of the French in this region were on the Saskatchewan, and appear to have been continuously occupied by them up to 1763. It appears from evidence reported by the Parliamentary Committee, in 1749, that the French had also a fort on Seal River, north and west of the Churchill]. V. A line (so far as the same is north of the international boundary), commencing at the source, in the Rocky Mountains, of the supposed Mississippi River of the Quebec Act, 1774, and of the Royal Commissions of 1774 and 1777, according to maps of the time; and thence either (1) Northwards to the northerly boundary of Ontario, and so drawn as to em brace all the French posts and settlements; or (2) Due north, or as nearly so as the case permits, to the said northerly boundary Ontario. [By the Quebec Act, 1774, the boundary of the Province of Quebec was carried along the bank of the Ohio, "westward to the banks of the Mississippi, and northward to the southern boundary of the territory granted to the Merchants Adventurers of England trading to Hudson's Bay." The Royal Commissions to Sir Guy Carleton, of 1774, and to Sir Frederick Haldimand, of 1777, carried the boundary of the same Province along the bank of the Ohio, "westward to the banks of the Mississippi, and northward along the eastern bank of the said river to the southern boundary of the territory granted to the Merchants Adventurers of England, trading to Hudson's Bay." (See, as to the supposed Mississippi of those times, the memorandum of S. J. Dawson, Esq., M.P.P., at p. 273, ante.] VI. A line commencing at the point (in about the 108th meridian of west longitude), where a due west line from the most north-western point of the Lake of the Woods first crosses the waters of the Mississippi River; and thence either (1) Northwards to the northerly boundary of Ontario; and so drawn as to embrace all the French Posts and settlements; or (2) Due north, or as nearly so as the case permits, to the said northerly boundary of Ontario. [By the Treaty of 1783, the southern boundary of the British possessions was carried to the "Lake of the Woods; thence, through the said Lake, to the most north-western point thereof, and from thence on a due west course to the River Mississippi." The Royal Commission of 1786 carried the boundary of the Province of Quebec to the same most north-western point of the Lake of the Woods, "and from thence on a due west course to the River Mississippi; and, northward, to the southern boundary of the territory granted to the Merchants Adventurers of England, trading to Hudson's Bay." This due west line reaches an affluent of the Missouri-itself a branch of the Mississippi-at about the meridian named. (See Mr. Dawson's memorandum, p. 273, ante.] VII. A line commencing at the point (at about the 105th meridian of west longitude) where a due west line from the most north-western point of the Lake of the Woods first strikes the supposed Mississippi of the Treaty of 1783, and of the Royal Commission of 1786, according to maps of the time; and thence either (1) Northward to the northerly boundary of Ontario; and so drawn as to embrace all the French posts and settlements; or (2) Due north, or as nearly so as the case permits, to the said northerly boundary of Ontario. [A due west line from the most north-western point of the Lake of the Woods, strikes the supposed Mississippi at the meridian named, (see the same memorandum of Mr. Dawson, p. 273, ante.] VIII. A line commencing at the most north-western point of the Lake of the Woods; and thence either (1) Northward to the northerly boundary of Ontario, and so drawn as to embrace all the French posts and settlements; or (2) Due north, or as nearly so as the case permits, to the said northerly boundary of Ontario. [The commissions to the Captains-General and Governors-in-Chief, of Upper and Lower Canada, from 1791 to 1835 inclusive, after describing the line of division between these Provinces, declare-"The Province of Upper Canada to comprehend all such lands, territories, and islands, lying to the westward of the said line of division, as were part of our Province of Quebec." The most north-western point of the Lake of the Woods is described by the Treaty of 1842, as being in latitude 49° 23′ 55′′, north, and in longitude 95° 14′ 38′′, west of Greenwich.] IX. A line, (so far as it is north of the international boundary), commencing at the source (usually assumed to be Turtle Lake), of what is now known as the Mississippi; and thence either (1) Northwards to the northerly boundary of Ontario, and so drawn as to embrace all the French posts and settlements; or, (2) Due north, or as nearly so as the case permits, to the said northerly boundary of Ontario. X. A line following the western watershed of the St. Lawrence system-namely, the height of land west of Lake Superior--from the international boundary, northwards, to the point where such watershed meets the height of land, or the line appearing on certain maps, between 1762 and 1794, as running north-west to or towards Split Lake, and which is identical, or nearly so, with the watershed which divides the waters which fall direct into Hudson's Bay from those that fall into it through the Bourbon or Nelson River and thence, either (1) Along such last-mentioned water shed, to the northerly boundary of Ontario; or (2) Due north, or as nearly so as the case permits, to such northerly boundary, (provided such boundary be not sooner met with). [No claim adverse to the French title, to this portion of the St. Lawrenee system, appears ever to have been preferred on the part of the Hudson's Bay Company, or otherwise, except that involved in the proposal by the Dominion XI. A line (so far as the same is north of the international boundary) drawn due north from the confluence of the Rivers Ohio and Mississippi, to a point where it would meet the northerly boundary of Ontario. [This is the line referred to in the De Reinhart case, and suggested in the "Draft of instructions (see p. 340 ante), "to be given to the Commissioner appointed to act on behalf of the Dominion of Canada, in the survey and location of the boundary line between the North-western Territories and the Province of Ontario, etc.," in 1871. It is founded on the word "northward," in the Quebec Act, 1774, being construed as due north, instead of, as in the Royal Commissions of 1774 and 1777, "northward along the eastern bank of the said river (Mississippi)." This line is in 89° 9′ 27′′ 16 of west longitude, and is upwards of six degrees east of the most north-western point of the Lake of the Woods, mentioned in the Royal Commission of 1786.] FOR NORTHERLY BOUNDARY OF ONTARIO. I. A line commencing at the point where the southerly shore of Hudson's Bay is intersected by a line drawn due north from the head of Lake Temiscamingue, and thence, westerly and northerly, along the said shore, and to the Arctic Ocean. [The Commissions to the Captains-General and Governors-in-chief of Upper and Lower Canada, from 1791 to 1835, inclusive, describe the interprovincial boundary, from the head of Lake Temiscamingue, as "a line drawn due north until it strikes the boundary line of Hudson's Bay." Nine such commissions, subsequent to 1835, describe the same interprovincial line as "drawn due north from the head of the said lake until it strikes (reaches) the shore of Hudson's Bay,"-six such commissions use the word "strikes," and three use the word "reaches."] II. The line appearing in certain maps of De l'Isle, Buache, Longchamps, Vaugondy, Dezauche, etc., between 1713 and 1786, from the interprovincial boundary to the River Nelson; and thence, along the course of the said river, or to and along the Churchill River, or to and along Seal River,-to the shore of Hudson's Bay; and thence, northward, along the said shore, and to the Arctic Ocean. It crosses the interprovincial line a little north of the 50th parallel, its course being thence westerly and north-westerly, following the windings of, and at no great distance from the shores of the Bay. [This line appears, with more or less variation, on many maps of the last century, as those of De l'Isle, Buache, Longchamps, Vaugondy and others. It first appears on an original proof of the "Carte du Canada ou de la Nouvelle France...par Guillaume De l'Isle 1703," now deposited in the Bureau de la Marine in Paris, as an autograph addition by the author and his brother. The addition was subsequently incorporated, as an engraved and coloured line, on certain of De l'Isle's maps of later date. On the original proof mentioned, the line has this inscription "Ligne selon le Mémoire de M. D'Auteuil." M. D'Auteuil was the Procureur-General of Canada, and wrote his memoirs whilst in Paris, 1719-20, in reply to the English claim respecting the limits. He was in close communion with, and advising the French commissaries. See these memoirs, sec. xvii, ante.] III. A line commencing at the point where the southerly shore of Hudson's Bay is intersected by a line drawn due north from the head of Lake Temiscamingue; and thence westward (1) To the middle line between the French and English Posts established before 1763; and thence, following such middle line, (a) To the northerly watershed of the Churchill; and thence along such watershed (which is also identical or nearly so, with the middle line between |