Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 03.djvu/593

BRITISH COLUMBIA. capita allowance of $13, $15, and $20, respectively, according to the average actual daily attendance of public-school pupils, and all additional expenses are locally provided for. The total cost of education to the province in 1899-1900 was $307,479, and to the cities, $81,886. Schools in the rural districts are under the management of a board of three trustees, while in the city districts the trustees number three, five, or seven, according to the class into which the city falls. The wives of qualified freeholders or leaseholders are eligible for the position of school trustees.

The leading religious denominations, according to the census of 1901 are: Church of England. 40,072; Catholics, 34,227; Presbyterians, 34,170; Methodists, 25,021; Baptists, 6506; and Lutherans, 5332. Among the Chinese and Japanese there were 10,027 Buddhists and 4804 Confucians.

In 1901 the population numbered 178.057, or nearly double that of 1891. the largest rate of increase recorded in any of the Canadian provinces during that decade. In the five-year period, 1890-1900, there were 27,273 immigrants into the province, or nearly twice those of any preceding period of equal length. Only a little over half, or 99,012, were born in Canada, of whom 59,589 were born within the province. Of the other countries represented, the most important are: the British Islands, 30,629; the United States, 17,164; China, 14,570; and Japan, 3515. A sentiment has developed against the Asiatics, and they do not come in as large numbers as formerly. As is common in newly settled countries, the males (114,081) far outnumber the females.

Victoria, the capital, containing a population of 20.800, is situated in the southern extremity of Vancouver Island. Vancouver, the largest city, population 26,200, is situated on the coast of the mainland. Of the other cities, the largest are Nanaimo, 6130; Nelson, 5273; Rossland, 6159; and New Westminster, 6499.

The census of 1901 gives the Indian population as follows: West Coast Agency, 2750; Fraser River Agency, 3380; Babine and Upper Skeena Agency. 2783; Williams Lake Agency, 1899; Northwest Coast Agency, 3994; Kootenay Agency, 562; Cowichan Agency, 2029; Kamloops Agency, 2880; Okanagan Agency, 651; Kwawkewlth Agencv, 1639; bands not counted, about 2500; making a total of 25,068. While the Indians are decreasing in numbers, the amount of the decrease is not known. owing to the uncertain accuracy of earlier estimates. The influences of civilization, however, are thought to have arrested the decay, and there is even an increase in some of the tribes. The status of the coast tribes of British Columbia presents a number of contrasts with that of the Indians of the interior plains and regions farther east. Food is more abundant, the climate is milder, and the Indian is more industrious, and consequently famines are almost unknown, although no annuities or financial assistance is given them. Many of them now own comfortable houses. Land is set aside for the Indians, which they are not allowed to sell without permission from the Government. They are not obliged, however, to remain on these reservations, but may acquire property elsewhere, and under certain conditions are admitted to the rights of franchise. Acts passed by the Indian chiefs and councilors may be enforced if approved by the Government. Their interests are protected by the Indian Department of the Dominion Government. The census returns 6769 as Protestant and 12,628 as Catholic. The Indian schools are conducted on denominational lines.

Captain Cook, the famous explorer, visited a part of the coast of British Columbia in 1778, and ten years later an English settlement was established at Nootka by Captain John Meares, formerly a lieutenant in the British Navy, though it was almost immediately broken up by the Spanish, who claimed the whole coast a-j far as the Russian possessions, on the basis of prior discovery. For some time war appeared imminent between England and Spain, but in 1793 the difficulties between the two Courts were settled by arbitration, England receiving all the northwest coast from Nootka Sound to the Russian trading posts in Alaska. Meanwhile, in 1792, Captain George Vancouver circumnavigated the island which bears his name, besides exploring a part of the coast of the mainland; and in 1793 Alexander Mackenzie, a partner in the Northwest Company, reached the coast of the present British Columbia after an arduous overland journey from Lake Athabasca. For many years the territory now included within the province formed part of 'New Caledonia,' throughout which the Northwest Company and later the Hudson's Bay Company (with which the Northwest Company was amalgamated in 1821) carried on trading operations; and in 1843 a fort was built by the Hudson's Bay Company on the site of the present city of Victoria. A considerable portion of the territory at this time was claimed by the United States, on the strength of the Louisiana Purchase, and feeling ran high, giving origin to the campaign cry of '54-40 or fight.' But under Polk the matter was arbitrated.

In 1849 Vancouver Island was erected into a Crown colony, though it remained under the virtual control of the company. Sir James Douglas occupying both the position of Governor and that of the company's chief factor. In 1856 an assembly was called, though the island was still only sparsely settled. Gold was discovered in the bed of the Fraser River in 1856, and, settlers having arrived in some numbers, New Caledonia was also organized as a Crown colony in 1858 under the name of British Columbia, of which also Douglas acted as Governor for several years. In 1863 an act was passed by the British Parliament establishing as the boundaries of the colony the Pacific Ocean and the frontier of the Russian territory in North America to the west, the sixtieth parallel of north latitude to the north, the one hundred and twentieth meridian of longitude and the summit of the Rocky Mountains to the east, and the northern boundary of the United States to the south. The two colonies were united under the name British Columbia in 1866. and five years later the new province thus created was admitted into the confederation of Canada, the Dominion Government pledging itself to pay a considerable subsidy to the province and to secure the construction within ten years of a railroad connecting the seaboard of the province with the main railway system of Canada. The road, however, was not completed until 1885. Soon after its admission into the Dominion, British Columbia secured a constitution under which a government was organized similar to those of the other