the most potent factor in the knitting together of Canada, and has developed the resources of the Dominion to an extent which even the most enthusiastic of the original promoters of the C.P.R. never anticipated.  When British Columbia threw in its lot with the Dominion in 1871, one of the terms upon which the Pacific Province insisted was a guarantee that the Trans-Continental railway should be completed in ten years—­that is, in 1881.  Two rival Companies received in 1872 charters for building the railway; the result was continual political intrigue, and very little construction work.  British Columbia grew extremely restive under the continual delays, and threatened to retire from the Dominion.  Lord Dufferin told me himself, when I was his Private Secretary in Petrograd, that on the occasion of his official visit to British Columbia (of course by sea), in either 1876 or 1877, as Governor-General, he was expected to drive under a triumphal arch which had been erected at Victoria, Vancouver Island.  This arch was inscribed on both sides with the word “Separation.”  I remember perfectly Lord Dufferin’s actual words in describing the incident:  “I sent for the Mayor of Victoria, and told him that I must have a small—­a very small—­alteration made in the inscription, before I could consent to drive under it; an alteration of one letter only.  The initial ‘S’ must be replaced with an ‘R’ and then I would pledge my word that I would do my best to see that ‘Reparation’ was made to the Province.”  This is so eminently characteristic of Lord Dufferin’s methods that it is worth recording.  The suggested alteration in the inscription was duly made, and Lord Dufferin drove under the arch.  In spite of continued efforts the Governor-General was unable to expedite the construction of the railway under the Mackenzie Administration, and it needed all his consummate tact to quiet the ever-growing demand for separation from the Dominion on the part of British Columbia, owing to the non-fulfilment of the terms of union.  It was not until 1881, under Sir John Macdonald’s Premiership, that a contract was signed with a new Company to complete the Canadian Pacific within ten years, but so rapid was the progress made, that the last spike was actually driven on November 7, 1886, five years before the stipulated time.  The names of three Scotsmen will always be associated with this gigantic undertaking:  those of the late Donald Smith, afterwards Lord Strathcona; George Stephen, now Lord Mount-stephen; and Mr. R. B. Angus of Montreal.  The last spike, which was driven in at a place called Craigellachie, by Mrs. Mackenzie, widow of the Premier under whom the C.P.R. had been commenced, was of an unusual character, for it was of eighteen-carat gold.  In the course of an hour it was replaced by a more serviceable spike of steel.  I have often seen Mrs. Mackenzie wearing the original gold spike, with “Craigellachie” on it in diamonds.