No sooner was order restored after the Riel rebellion than settlers began to flock into Man itoba. Many farmers from eastern Canada moved west, while from Europe came an ever increasing number of colonists, of British, Scan dinavian and German stock. The newcomers spread beyond the limits of Manitoba, many finding their way into the valley of the Sas katchewan, a few even to the foothills of the Rockies. This Northwestern Territory was governed by the lieutenant-governor of Mani toba and a council of 11 members. In 1876 a change took place. The eastern section of the country, called Keewatin, was placed under the personal control of the lieutenant-governor of Manitoba, while the western was given a resident governor and a council of five mem bers. A few years later four districts were or Alberta, Assiniboia, Athabasca and Saskatchewan. Regina, being situated upon the main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway then under construction, was chosen as the seat of government.
The advent of the railway gave promise of peaceful and rapid progress, when suddenly a second rebellion broke out. At the close of the Red River rebellion many of the Metis with drew westward and settled upon the banks of the Saskatchewan, among their near relatives, the Cree Indians. Here they were disturbed by the encroachment of a hated civilization. Their unrest was increased by a fear of losing their lands through the failure of the Dominion government to issue title deeds. The sudden return from exile of Louis Riel was all that was needed to provoke rebellion. Near Duck Lake, within the angle formed by the North and South Saskatchewan, the first clash took place, between a band of Metis and a force of mounted police and volunteers.
The position of the white settlers of the Saskatchewan Valley was serious. The real danger lay, not in a revolt• of the Metis, but in the possibility of a general rising of the Indians, of whom there were over 30,000 in the Northwest. Prince Albert, Battleford and Fort Pitt lay exposed to attack. The most se rious risings of the Indians took place near Battleford and Fort Pitt, among the followers of Poundmaker and Big Bear. The heart of the rebellion was the village of Batoche, the centre of the Metis settlements. The news of the fight at Duck Lake was the signal for an outbreak among Big Bear's warriors, who mas sacred the male inhabitants of Frog Lake and then drove out the garrison of Fort Pitt. When the report of the rebellion reached Ottawa, the Dominion government took prompt action. The call for volunteers met with an eager response on all sides. In spite of the great distance, within less than two months 4,400 men were placed in the field, all save the Winnipeg con tingent being from eastern Canada.
General Middleton, commander-in-chief of the Canadian militia, who arrived at Qu'Ap pelle in advance of the main force, made the Canadian Pacific Railway the base line of his operations, and prepared to crush the rebellion in all its centres at once. Three places were
in immediate danger: Prince Albert, Battle ford and Fort Pitt; three relief expeditions were provided for in the plan of campaign. General Middleton was to advance from Qu' Appelle to Batoche, Riel's headquarters, Colonel Otter from Swift Current to Battleford, and General Strange from Calgary to Edmonton. The three movements were successfully carried through, the divided forces converging upon Battleford. The bulk of the fighting fell to Middleton's column, which met with deter mined opposition at Fish Creek and Batoche. With Riel, Poundmaker and Big Bear finally in custody, the rebellion was at an end. Riel and eight Indians suffered die death penalty.
The rebellion was not without its good re sults. In recognition of their growing import ance, the Northwest territories were granted representation in the Dominion Senate and House of Commons. The need of a stronger the Northwest became obvious. The old council was abolished and its place taken by an elective assembly, which first met in 1888, at Regina. But this was not of course a final settlement and in 1905 the vast district between Manitoba and British Columbia was divided into two self-governing provinces— Saskatchewan and Alberta.
The discovery in 1897 of rich deposits of gold in the Yukon (q.v.) was the signal for an influx of fortune-hunters. As a result the long standing dispute over the Alaskan bound gathered new importance. In taking over Alaska from Russia in 1867, the United States secured all the rights of that nation as laid down in the treaty of 1825 between Russia and Great Britain. The interpretation of the terms of the treaty was left to a commission, com posed of three representatives from the United States, two from Canada and Lord Alverstone, the chief justice of England. The commission met in London in September 1903. The de cision was, upon the whole, favorable to the American claims. See ALASKAN BOUNDARY COM MISSION.
The growth of the West during the last 30 years has been very marked, the inevitable result of the expansion of the Canadian rail way system and the resultant influx of settlers. Three railway systems now cross Canada from coast to coast: the Canadian Pacific (q.v), the Canadian Northern (q.v.) and the Grand Trunk Pacific (q.v.), the eastern section of which is called the National Transcontinental (q.v). These transcontinental railroads, with their branch lines, have opened up immense tracts of territory to the settler.; and in addition a line is under construction from The Pas, on the Saskatchewan River, to Port Nelson, on Hudson Bay, a distance of 410 miles.