Rae to Buckingham

At a recent meeting of the Geographical Society a paper was read
by Mr Waddington on a very important and interesting subject,
namely the "Best route through British Territory across the
Rocky Mountains from the Pacific to the Atlantic Seaboard.["]

Mr Waddington deserves much credit for the energy
and perseverance he has shown and the money he has spent in
opening up a road from Bute Inlet on the Pacific to the Fraser
River, and this as far as I know may be the best route. When
however Mr Waddington goes on to say that there is
"uninterrupted navigation" for a Steamer in the Upper Fraser,
and that the Saskatchewan is with one exception equally free
 from obstructions, I must beg to differ entirely from him.

When
I descended the Fraser in 1864, there were at least 4
rapids above whence the proposed road strikes the river, that no
Steamer could have ascended. There are doubtless certain states
of the water when a Steamer might possibly ascend all or some of
these rapids, but these are exceptional cases.

The same may be said of the Saskatchewan, but arising from a
different cause—shallowness of water.

The upper Fraser makes a very large bend to the North, and is
 besides extremely crooked, so that, even if unobstructed by
rapids, it would form a most tedious route.

As far as I have seen there are no physical difficulties in the
way of constructing a railway throughout the whole distance or
if there are difficulties anywhere, they will be found to the
west of the Rocky Mountains.

My only object in venturing to address this communication to Your
Grace, is to state what I believe to be the truth as derived
from my own observation and the opinions of others whom I have
consulted.