Excerpt from Canada, an Encyclopedia of the Country, Vol. 3 of 5: The Canadian Dominion Considered in Its Historic Relations, Its Natural Resources, Its Material Progress, and Its National Development

Dominion admitted to be the brightest jewel in the Imperial Crown. As one of the few remaining Fathers of the Confederation of Canada, I may, perhaps, be permitted to glance at the progress of the Dominion during the thirty-one years of its existence marked as it has been by an advance that will compare favourably with that of any other country. A brief contrast between Canada before and since Confederation will not be un-instructive. Then, British North America consisted of six Provinces, without the means of inter-communication by rail, isolated from each other, and separated by hostile tariffs. The old Province of Canada, then composed of Ontario and Quebec, had no means of reaching the Atlantic during the winter except through a foreign country. Its trade was paralyzed, and its six per cent. Bonds could only be sold at a ruinous discount. The antagonism between political parties was such as to render a stable Government impossible.

The Provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island on the Atlantic, and British Columbia on the Pacific were mainly dependent for their trade upon the United States. The great territory of Rupert's Land, then in the possession of the Hudson's Bay Company, was almost wholly occupied by Indians and wild animals. It had practically no communication with Eastern Canada, and was separated from British Columbia by the impassable Rocky Mountains. This great northern half of the continent of North America was simply unknown and regarded in England as a burthen. All this has been changed by Confederation all these isolated provinces, with the exception of Newfoundland, have been united under one central Government. The credit oof the Dominion has been raised until it ranks only second to that of Great Britain. The great N orth-west has been acquired and opened up for settlement by the construction of an inter-oceanic line of railway which spans the continent from Halifax on the Atlantic to Vancouver on the Pacific. Manitoba and the north-west Territories are now recognized as a great granary, capable of furnishing all the wheat or bread which Great Britain is obliged to import. The deepening of the canals on the St. Lawrence, which has been steadily prosecuted, will at an early day give a fourteen-foot navigation, and provide an unbroken waterway from the mouth of the St. Lawrence to the head waters of Lake Superior. Over miles of railway have already been completed. The construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway has brought Yokohama within twenty days of London, less than one - half the time required via the Suez Canal. A steamship line has been established between Canada and Australia.

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