Mr. FISHER.

Mr. FISHER.

than by steam and of more than fifty tons registered tonnage, and employed in navigating the inland waters of Canada above the harbour of Quebec.

Now, the question was, what were the inland waters above the harbour of Quebec 7 Did they extend to the great * lakes and rivers ? In order to relieve the ambiguity we define the words ' inland waters ' to include all the

Rivers, lakes and other navigable waters within Canada, except salt water bays and gulfs on the sea coast, and includes the River St. Lawrence so far seaward as a line drawn from Cape Chatte on the south shore to Point des Monze on the north shore.

The reason that point was selected was, that in the reciprocity treaty between Great Britain and the United States, that was the point selected internationally as the mouth of the River St. Lawrence, and so we took that international definition as a reasonable one to import into this Bill, defining all within that point to be inland waters.

Mr. FISHER.

6. Your petitioners, therefore, pray that you may, without undue delay, cause an investigation to be made, that facts may be ascertained, and if such facts bear out the above statements, that the work be undertaken with the least possible delay, that we may avail ourselves of the advantages that will be afforded us.

Is it the intention of the government to accede to the legitimate request of the petitioners ?

Mr. FISHER.

Hon. gentlemen opposite sometimes twit me a little with the failure of cold storage, but the Montreal Gazette says my exhibit in Paris was an excellent one.

A large stand, showing Canadian apples, &e., gathered last fall and preserved in the cold storage, attracted great attention. Cold storage is not familiar yet to the crowds, who would * hardly credit that the fine specimens of apples were not wax imitations. Had the French commissioners granted sufficient room, it was the intention of the Canadian commissioners to make cold storage a very prominent exhibit. As it is, all that is to be seen of this marvellous invention is in a little out of the way cellar, where the Linde British Refrigeration Co., of London and Montreal have their system in operation.

And then he goes on to describe the exhibit we have there. Now, let us take extracts from other papers. I have here a statement from the Manitoba Free Press, with the testimony of a prominent citizen of Winnipeg, Dr. McArthur. I do not know the gentleman, but he says :

Canada had the finest display of natural products. Canada had the only cold storage exhibit on the grounds and it excited a great deal of interest.

Here is a statement from a French newspaper, which, to save the nerves of hon. gentlemen opposite, I will not read. But here are one or two statements which I will take almost at haphazard from a large number. I find, from gentlemen who have had experience in exhibition work, and who have no connection with Canada or the Canadian commission in any shape or way. For instance, Mr. B. I. Bose, commissioner for British India, our rivals in the exhibition, occupying the adjoining building to us, and naturally desirous to putting forward their claims, says :-

With over twenty-live years' experience of international exhibitions, I can without hesitation testify that Canada's representation at Paris this year is the best and most perfect that the Dominion has ever made and I believe will result in a great increase of her trade. The elaborate statistical and other works (printed, in both French and English) dealing with the products and resources of the country compare most favourably with those of all other countries and reflect the greatest credit on the government of the Dominion.

(Signed) B. I. ROSE, Commissioner for British India. Here is a gentleman who is engaged in trade in England, and whose business is especially interesting to us, because he is interested in the produce trade-Mr. Walter Stark :

I have been exceedingly pleased in looking over Canada's exhibits, and must say it does both the producers, and those who have been responsible for display, very much credit. Such a splendid display of Canada's products must be an eye opener to Europe and should be of great service to the Dominion.

Here is a French gentleman of special qualifications as a representative of the Chambre

de Commerce de Lyons, and I am afraid, even though it grates on the feelings of hon. gentlemen opposite, I shall have to read it :

Paris, October, 1900.

Having been intrusted by the Chamber of Commerce, of Lyons, to gather the elements of a collection of samples, in connection with the industrial and agricultural production of Canada,

I have received from Mr. Auguste Dupuis, the secretary of the Canadian section at the Paris Exposition, all desirable data and information. The Chamber of Commerce, of Lyons, would receive with acknowledgments any collection it would please the Dominion government to send them.

(Signed) F. VERTAN.

So, here we have an anticipation on the part of a French gentleman, representing the Chambre de Commerce de Lyons, of a large augmentation of the trade between Canada and France in consequence of the exhibition. Here is another gentleman from France, who was particularly authorized to study the products of foreign countries, and especially of colonies, for the purpose of helping the French government in the development of their colony in Algiers :

Mr. Amedee Rebattu, lumber merchant, from Bone (Algeria), a member of the statistical committee of the ' Algerian Statistical Union ' and a member of the jury (class 90) at the exhibition of 1900, asks for information concerning the use and manufacture of cold storage appliances for the preservation of fruit.

He came to us for information and specimens in regard to cold storage. Here is another gentleman, the assistant commissioner general of Great Britain :

Paris, Nov. 29, 1900.

X am delighted to be afforded this opportunity of placing upon record my admiration for the successful manner in which the work of the Canadian section of the Paris exhibition has been carried out.

The installation of the exhibits, combined the most remarkable illustrations of the industrial wealth and progress of the Dominion with general artistic effect which it would be difficult to surpass, whilst the courtesy and experience of the organizers naturally contributed in the highest degree to the success of the'section.

(Signed) EDMUND R. SPEARMAN

Assistant commissioner general of Great Britain.