The plan of bringing one's own large yacht from Boston or New York, or even Halifax, has been abandoned generally as causing much loss of time—unnecessary danger and much dis comfort. A new haul-up slip and marine railway at St. Anthony, in the extreme north end of Newfoundland, is specially pro vided for the care of just such boats, as are far the best in the winding uncharted fjords of Labrador. Boats with keels up to 125 ft. long can be hauled up and docked there and taken care of during winter for a nominal price. Information is obtainable from manager, Haul-Up-Slip, St. Anthony, Newfoundland, or medical officer, Grenfell Mission, St. Anthony, Newfoundland.
The temperature in summer is quite moderate, while the water outside the bays is never over to 48°F on the surface, in the bays it rises to 6o° and 65° F, while 70° to 8o° F is common on the land and especially on the rivers and bays. Fog is scarce north of the Straits of Belle Isle, which is one more cogent reason for visitors to join their yachts north of that somewhat treach erous inlet. The velocity of tides on the east coast is almost negligible, being generally i to 2 m. per hour to the southward. In the straits it runs three knots outside Point Amour, the nar rowest part of the inlet. But with strong breezes from the south, it may even run to the northward. In Hudson's Bay, and more so in Hudson's Straits, faster and much greater range of tides occur. For tidal studies, a monograph by Dr. William Bell Daw son can be obtained from the hydrographer's office in Ottawa. There is no excessive amount of rain in summer, and storms are cyclonic in nature, by no means unusually frequent, and nothing like tornadoes or typhoons are ever known on the coast. Even thunderstorms are so scarce, except in the northern mountains, as to be said to be almost non-existent. Magnetic storms, on the other hand, are violent and common. Compasses of a magnetic type are apt to be seriously deflected, and need constant watch ing. The phenomena known as aurora borealis are very common, and the exquisite northern lights are to be seen to some extent on almost every clear night. Sometimes they are of unusual beauty, completely covering the sky from the zenith to the horizon.
Labrador, by decision of the privy council of England, made in 1927, after litigation between Canada and Newfoundland, was granted to Newfoundland, all the land drained by rivers flowing out into the Atlantic ocean being granted to that country. This, owing to the fact that the Hamilton drains the whole of the high plateau into the Atlantic by cutting its huge canyon through the height of land, has given vast forests and mineral veins and un told water powers to the island colony, an asset that has gone a long way to re-establish its credit with the outside world. This was unexpected by Canada and has greatly embittered Quebec, which has thus lost much valuable hinterland, and was far more than Newfoundland expected. It involves a very grave responsi
bility, for no one familiar with it in any expert way except as regards its fisheries is domesticated there.
The country is governed by the laws of Newfoundland—but owing to its isolated and scattered population, it has never had any representative in the Assembly. No law courts exist in Labrador and her ports; crime is very rare, and justice is dispensed by un paid justices of the peace, with appeals to St. John's if desired, but seldom known. The visits of the surrogate courts and a proper magistrate were long ago discontinued, the expense not being justified by the work accomplished. There is practically no drunkenness, and there are no open saloons, but liquor and intoxi cants can be purchased from Newfoundland.
The Labrador hinterland could graze untold quantities of do mestic reindeer, as Alaska is doing under American management. This is shown by the fact that numerous wild caribou once roamed the whole shore. The eider duck, now fast diminishing, could be made as valuable an industry as in Iceland. The hair seals, which mean food, clothing and almost life to the people are fast receding, before the annual attack on the herds by powerful steamers just when the females are having their (one) young. Labrador berries have never been farmed and improved. No survey of its coast exists. As an asset of raw materials for sport, tourist traffic, food supplies, timber, power, minerals, Labrador is invaluable. But it needs specially skilled workers to protect and develop it, and until it gets that it cannot possibly yield its quota to the human race.
There are now three hospitals on the Labrador coast, and three nursing stations in between, built and supported by the Inter national Grenfell Association. There are six wireless stations, so that a visitor can communicate with the outside world in case of need. A fortnightly mail steamer visits all along the east coast as far north as Cape Chidley, and a weekly steamer from Battle Harbour to Bay of Islands unites the end of the railway with the whole coast. The Newfoundland Government has also provided bay boats on the east coast of north Newfoundland, which meet the railway at Lewisporte, and then communicate with the north ern boat. So far as sea service goes there are thus frequent chances to get in and out of the country, though the boats are none of them over 1,5oo tons.