The river system is very extensive

In the s. e. part, the St. Lawrence, with the chain of Great Lakes, forms, by the aid of canals, uninterrupted navigation from the sea to the head of Lake Superior, a distance of full 1,700 m. From the Rocky Mts. and the plains flow numerous large streams, as the Sas katchewan and Church ill rivers, which find their way to Hudson's Bay, and further n. others, as the Athabasca and Peace, which unite to form the Mackenzie, one of the largest rivers of the continent, which flows to the Arctic Ocean. C. presents a great range of the elements of climate. The s. part is temperate, and in the s. e. there is a sufficient rainfall for the needs of agriculture. The same is true of the s. w. coast, but upon the s. plains the rainfall is often inadequate. On the w. coast the temperature is much higher than in the same latitude on the Atlantic coast. Except the s. w. part of the plains and the Arctic regions, C. is covered with forests, the cutting and manufacture of which forms an important industry. The trade in furs, particularly of the beaver, fox, otter, and marten, has long been profitable. The fisheries are extensive. Coal is mined in Nova Scotia and British Columbia, and petroleum and salt are obtained in Ontario. Agriculture is the leading industry, the cereals and fruit being the principal crops cultivated. The Dominion has a large commerce both upon the lakes and the sea, the average annual imports having a value of ab. $130,000,000 and the exports of ab. $100,000,000. Its railroads have a total length of over 14,000 m. The government is administered by a governor-general appointed by the crown, and by a legislature, the members of the upper house being also nominated by the crown, while those of the lower house are elected by the people. The capital is Ottawa, in Ontario. Other principal cities are Montreal and Quebec in Quebec, St. John in New Brunswick, Halifax in Nova Scotia, and Toronto in Ontario. The first discovery of C., as also of the American continent, was by John and Sebastian Cabot in 1497; the first settlement by Europe ans was made 1541 by JACQUES CARTIER (q.v.), who explored the coasts of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland, and sailed up the St. Lawrence. In 1608 a settlement was made by the French on the present site of Quebec; they continued to occupy the country under the name of New France until 1760, when it was ceded to England (see FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS). By the terms of this ce ion, equal civil and commercial privileges with the British subjects were granted to the French colonists, and a guarantee of freedom in the maintenance of the R. C. religion. This political transformation did not e entially change the character of the population; most of the people remained French in manners, language, and religion. At the American Revolution these provinces were loyal to England, and became an important base of operation against the States. In 1774 England had pa ed an act for the better government of C., providing for a legislative council to be appointed by the crown and for the extension into Canada of the principles and benefits of English ince was divided into Upper and Lower Canada, and a popular law. In 1791 another policy was adopted, by which the provA embly provided for each province. The only serious domestic disturbances have been the insurrection of 1837, which, though shortly suppre ed, secured an extension of political rights by the practical subordination of the Upper to the Lower or popular A embly, and Riel's Rebellion in the n. w., put down 1885. Since 1841 the government has been directly responsible to the people. In 1857 its seat was fixed at Ottawa, and in 1867, under the "British N. American Act," Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick united under the present name. In 1870 Manitoba, in 1871 British Columbia, in 1872 Prince Edward Island, and in 1882 A in i boi a, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Athabasca were admitted. The opening, in 1886, of the Canadian Pacific Railway, with a length of 2,906 m., has contributed greatly to the development of the w. provinces. Pop., 1891, 4,829,411. IMG:content-0706.png:[graphic]