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Y w REPORT OK THE CONFERENCE PRESIDED OVER BY THE DUKE OF MANCHESTER, ON THE QUESTION WHETHER COLONIZATION AND EMIGRATION MAY BE MADE SELF-SUPPORTING OR EVEN PROFITABLE TO THOSE INVESTING CAPITAL THEREIN. [13TH July, 1869.] WITH APPENDIX. EDITED BY * WILLIAM FRESTON. LONDON : J. T. WHEELER, BROADWAY, WESTMINSTER. 1869. Price Sixpence. "There need he no hesitation in affirming that Colo- nization in the present state of the World, is the very best affair of business in which the capital of an old and wealthy country can possibly engage." JOHN STUART MILL. " It is necessary, and very interesting to observe, that Colo- niriation has a tendency to increase employment for capital and labour at home.-— When a Hampshire peasanl emigrates to Australia, he very Hkely enables an operative to live in Lancashire and Yorkshire. Besides making food in the Colony for himself, he makes some more to send home for the manufacturer, who, in his turn, makes clothes or im- plements for the Colonist." EDWAED GIBBON WAKEFIELD, I ^" Kt, \ PREFACE. ^ In order that this pamphlet may be better understood, it IS necessary to make a few introductory remarks. The Poor Law has been considered by many persons to be harsh on the poor man ; but it must be borne in mind that there are two sides to this question, and that the other is the ratepayers'. The total levy under what is caUed "The Poor Rate" was £10,303,000 in 1867, and £11,061,000 in 1868, show- ing an increase of £757,000. The aggregate local taxes raised in 1868, according to Mr. Hunt's return, are equal to 35. 3|f/. in the pound on the rateable value of all England and Wales, which is returned at £100,613,000 nett. In the metropoKs the total local rates for 1868 were as follows : — £ Middlesex (Metropohs) . . 2,684,061 Surrey ditto Kent ditto Total Total of 1861 Total Increase 694,810 223,905 £3,602,776 2,372,287 £1,230,489 ., It is an undoubted fact that the poor and local rates, in certain localities, have increased to a most alarming extent, and are felt to have reached the point at which they have become oppressive. It is also a fact that whenever, owing to the vicissitudes of trade, any large number of workmen are thrown out of employment, in any locality, the Poor Law relief has always to be supplemented by private charity. There is something very repulsive about the words " work- house" and "pauper." Lord Houghton lately said, with some truth, "The real evil of the English Poor Law was that it was eleemosynary in the worst and lowest sense of the word. It said, ' Wo allow you to live ; but to Hve mise- rably.' " " But," he added, " this country has not learnt a better state of things by what was going on abroad; the English principle was not statesmanlike, and it was not ChristianHke — we left the pauper where we found him." The ratepayer, the philanthropist, and the unemployed, and also the mechanic and small capitalist, are all equally inte- rested in the questions involved in this Report. The whole population of this country, judging from the amount of public attention which, has been bestowed on the subject, are anxious to learn, and are much interested in the dis- covery of some remedy for an admitted evil. Emigration is acknowledged, by universal consent, to be the panacea for relieving the distress of the working classes, and reducing the burdens of the ratepayers. The question next arises, how is a man without means to cross the seas, and how is he to support himself and his family in another country ? It must be borne in mind by those who look at the matter from the ratepayers' point of view, that a poor man is not like a bale of goods, that can be shipped abroad and got rid of : he must eat and drink to live ; he has hopes and fears to be satisfied and aUajred, and he cannot be made to go ; -> ' \ f ' > 6 nor would it be right thus to transport a man if it could be done. And then comes the all-important question, " where is the money to come from ?" The answer to this question will be found in this pamphlet. There is another phase of the emigration question, which is, that the colonies are said not to want "paupers." This is quite true in one sense. Those persons who say so, however, should bear in mind that there are two classes of destitute persons. One is the debilitated individual who, through drunkenness or irregu- larity of life, has become broken-down in body and mind, and who regards himself as a pensioner on the rates. Such a person can no more maintain himself in a colony than in England, and for such there is no help. With that defi- nition the word "pauper" may be altogether discarded. An artizan, mechanic, miner^ or agricultural labourer, in good health, although for the time being he may bo destitute, possesses capital in his skill and technical knowledge. Only take him to some place where his services are wanted, and his means of earning a livelihood for liimself and his family is instantly restored. Families consisting of such parents and their children, although the former may not be in the prime of life, have been proved to make valuable colonists, and of such are the bulk of the unemployed who are now so sorely distressed. In the documents printed in the Appendix to the Keport will be found a great deal of information as to the value of such labour, and how it may be turned to account. It is a fact not universally known, and which will be interesting to the readers of this pamphlet to learn, that the emigration from the United Kingdom has been rapidly falling off ever since 1863. The Emigration Commissioners somewhat hastily drew the following conclusion, that " the decrease of the numbers of emigrants probably arose from the gradual improvement in the condition of the people." It is a question which may be very fairly raised, whether the reverse is not the case, and want of means the cause. On this point attention may be called to two facts, — first, that the number of emigrants crossing the ocean in steamers now greatly exceeds the number of those who emigrate in sailing vessels ; and, sacondly, although emigra- tion from these islands is sensibly abating, yet the sums sent across the Atlantic, to promote emigration, amount yearly to larger sums ; pioofs that the generality of persons who seek new homes abroad do not belong to the utterly destitute, but spring from a class every year requiring better treatment, and disposing of larger means — a class of higher value, and only to be had at a higher price. See Tin;es newspaper, July 14th. It wiU be instructive also to glance at the occupations of the emigrants who left these shores in 1868, and the destination of those who have sailed from Liverpool during the last six months, set out in the Appendix. The reader wiU probably be struck with the class of persons who are emigrating, and the marked preponderance of those who sailed for the United States. The effect of the continuance of this on Great Britain and her Colonies is noticed in tbe Report. There is another question of vital importance to consider. Why do the people go to the United States now instead of to British Colonies ? This opens up a large question. The relations between Great Britain and her Colonies have been undergoing a change — that is to say, free Government has been granted to them, in return for which the Colonists are expected to assume certain duties and responsibilities which previously devolved on the Home Government. Pending these changes, the inducements formerly held out to persons to emigrate to the Colonies have been modified, which, in some measure, also accounts for the decrease in emigration mentioned by the Commissioners. •I) :: \ o Has the cost of the voyage any influence on ttie emi- grant's choice P It is an undoubted fact that the autho- rities of the United States have formed a correct estimate of the value of settlers, that they have active agents, and that they hold out great inducements to the better classes of emigrants ; and, lastly, the passage to America costs less than to any other place, Canada excepted. That cost has a great deal to do vath the question is proved by the fact of Canada's taking the most emigrants next after the United States. It is also another undoubted fact that there are millions of acres of land at the Cape of Good Hope, in British KaflFraria, Natal, the West India Islands, Australia and New Zealand, and the new territory of the Dominion of Canada known as the "Fertile Belt," capable of pro- ducing all the articles mentioned in the Eeport, and from which emigrants have ample choice to suit every occu- pation, every disposition, and every constitution, if they could only do so unfettered by the consideration of the cost of the voyage. Upon this question the reader will find information in the documents printed in the appendix. Another question has been raised. What proof is there that the class who are now unemployed and pressing on the poor rates desire to emigrate ? The reader may be referred for a practical answer to the result of the efforts of the Managers of the British Colonial Emigration Fund, the Eev. J. F. Kitto, Miss Eye, and many others, and the emi- gration of the Dockyard Labourers. The letters these people have sent to England, in which they say there are no workhouses and no stone yards in their new homes, are quite affecting. If further proof is necessary, it has been furnished by Mr. Cole, a London guardian, repre- senting a place which had spent £1,000 out cf the rates in assisting emigration in one year, who says that they found the plan had a tendency to dra^y paupers from other unions. if a Why? Because in that union they had a chance of being sent out. The guardians of the poor have the power at present to spend £10 on the emigration of any poor person who is chargeable to the parish, or who would become chargeable to the parish or union if he wanted relief. With this power they could do something, but only in places where such poor persons can, by obtaining remunerative employment from old settlers, obtain the necessaries they require, until they can raise sufficient from land granted to them to support them- selves — a result to be obtained only on a very limited scale. The guardians, however, look at the ratepayers* side of the question and say, " What is the use of our spending momy, if the places of those whom we send out arc to be filled up with others ? " This has proved fatal to the proposal of a Metro- politan Rate discussed at conferences of the Metropolitan . guardians held in the Westminster Sessions House, and presided over by Lord Alfred Churchill. It is also conclusive evidence that a general plan is required which (without attempting to deal Avith the pauper in the workhouses, who must be left to the care of the parish authorities and to private charity) will strike at the root of the evil, and sap the source from which the workhouses are recruited. To do this, attention must be directed to the distressed and unemployed workman, who, with that feeHng of sturdy independence so charac- teristic of the Englishman, often prefers to starve or commit suicide sooner than degrade himself to the level of the pauper. This is the class pointed out by law to be assisted to emigrate to avoid the workhouse by the words " who would become chargeable to the parish or union if he wanted relief," and this is the class also whom the colonies desire to have, and whom the framers of the Report had in their view when they used the words " Selected Emigration." Mr. Ayrton, M.P., who is a member of the Govern- r"') \. ment, has publicly stftod that it is-from the oxorciso of tho power confided to the guardians of tho poor that pecuniary assistance is to bo obtained, and that they ought to carry out the law. What is emigration ? People may talk about emigration as long as they please, but it is, after all, tho outflow of population in accordance with a natural law, like the swarming of bees, and must be voluntary. Transplantation, as Mr, Young crdls it, is colonization. Here, at the outset, arises a difficulty in asking the Home Government to take up and carrj' out the operation — Where are the people to bo sent to? The Government have no land excepting in Labuan and West Australia. The lands in the Colonies are no longer under the control of the Home Govern- ment, and the Colonial Governments say they will not have paupers. Any attempt at wholesale transplantation, by Government, would at once lead to a compHcation with the Colonies. Emigration of the strong and healthy gives fresh life blood to colonies. The America! ' do not hesitate to esti- mate the value of eveiy man who sets foot in the United States at a thousand dollars, and every boy over ten years of age as worth more than his keep. Can it be doubted for one moment that every able-bodied man and boy, in good health, is worth quite as much in either of our colonies; or that the colonial authorities, who would object to paupers, would compete for the possession of such emigrants ? Are distressed workmen really benefited by removal to another country? This question would appear, at first sight, not to require an answer, but it must be borne in mind, that for the very reason that there are no workhouses in the Colonies, it would be a wrong and very cruel thing so to deceive the poor here, as to induce them to leave England and then throw them en to the shore of another mmmmmmmmim m ^ ^ 16 country destitute, without immediate employment or with- out the means of temporary subsistence, and a plan by which they can produce bufficient for tneir own main- tenance in the future.. Can emigration be made remunerative to those investing capital therein ? In considering this question the reader must bear in mind that emigration is of two kinds. 1. Simple emigration, such as that of the dockyard labourers to Canada. 2. Emi- gration ill connection with land. As regards the iirst, no private capitalist can be expected to undertake what Govern- ment, through Lord Granville, has declined to do. Unem- ployed artizans, skilled workmen, and labourers are required in the colonies, and are objects well worthy of the assistance of boards of guardians and the banevclent in this country, and are also sufficiently desirable acquisitions to render it more than probable that colonists and Colonial Governments would be glad to contribute something towards their emigration. The organization, however, for finding out where labcnr is required, making arrangements for payment of the expenses of sending out the mechanics or labourers, receiving and piecing them safely in employment in a new sphere, does not at present exist. The value of such services in England may be instanced by the operations of the Free Labour Society, but neither the philanthropist nor any one else can expf ct such services to he performed on a large s,ale without cost. "Would any reasonable pemon begrudge the private capitalist a margin of profit in return for such benevolent services ? As regards the second — namely, emigration in con- nection with land. No profit need be expected from the poor emigrant; the land will pay the profit. It may be deferred, but it will be cumulative and large, if the selection of the land and emigrants be both good. Those who doubt :: t ™ \ ll this are referred to the early history of the United States, and to the unparalelled rise and progress of the Australian colonies ; and for practical proof to the account of Mr. BergtheU's settlement o^ German weavers set out in the Appendix. The Committeo of the National Emigration Aid Society made what has been called a tour of the vj-overnment offices, and waited upon the Secretaries of State for the Colonies and the Home Department, and the President of the Poor Law Board, accompanied by the metropolitan Members of Parliament ; but, although each of those members of Her Majesty's Government expressed his approval of emigration, and great sympathy with the sufferings of the working classes, it was apparent that no real result had been obtained. Meanwhile, the starving condition of the poor men who were waiting for assistance to emigrate, as the Duke of Manchester leeHngly expressed it, was enough to make the heart bleed. A Conference was decided on and held on the 22nd of June 1 ist, the Duke of Manchester in the chair, at which Sir George Grey, K.C.B., E. B. Eastwick, Esq., M.P., C.B., RRS., r.xl.A.S., &c., &c., Colonel Maude, V.C, C.B., George Duddell, Esq., Captain Bedford Pim, B.N., and several other gentlemen, took part in an animated discussion on the question " whether colonization and emigration may be made self-supporting, or even proj&table, to those investing capital therein ?" — which was ultimately referred to a committee composed of gentlemen acquainted with the subject, of which the Duke consented to be chairman, and Mr. John Bate (the Secretary of the National Emigra- tion Aid Society) to be Hon. Sec. The Report and the documents received by the Com* mittee are now published for general information. The solution of a very difficult question may be found in the combination of some of the proposals set out ia the Appenoix. EEPORT :: Read at a Meeting, at the Rooms of Captain Bedford PiM, K,N., 4, Westminister Chambers, on July IBth, 1869. tM -4- Upon consideration of the various written suggestions Avhich have been made {vide Appendix), and of other infor- mation which they have received verbally, the Committeo report as foUows : — That they are of opinion that selected emigration c^n be made not only self-supporting, but remunerative to those investing capital therein ; and that capital may be profitably employed in facilitating the transfer of destitute persons and their families to places where labour is required, under proper agreements and contracts with the Colonial Govern- ments, Poor Law gaardians, merchants, and landowners, in a manner which will be of the utmost benefit to all parties interested, at the same time supplying an imperial necessity. They are further of opinion that whatever steps may be taken should embrace a plan of a general character, and not one confined to a particular colony or locality. There can be no doubt a" to the unbounded resources of the British territories, and that British capital can nowhere (not even in Indian railways, now sanctioned by the Court of Chan- cery as an investment for trust money) be more safely and profitably invested than in assisting to bring colonial lands into cultivation. The settlement of lands creates population and a demand \ 13 for thoso manufactured goods which now form the export trade of this country, and, by the same means, actually cheapens the importation of necessary articles of consump- tion to this country, such as sugar, cotton, cocoa, coffee, silk, flax, wool, wheat, maize, linseed, and other products of the colonies. A well-organized system of emigration would, no doubt, improve the condition of our home population, by reducing pauperism to a minimum, encourage our manu- facturers by speedily opening up new fields for trade and enterprize, acting and re-acting beneficially both at home and in the colonies. The state of the cotton trade in Preston and its vicinity, indeed throughout Lancashire, is in a wretched condition — constant failures are reported. In the City article of the Times newspaper, of 5th July, instant, the following ap- peared: — "The suspension has been announced of Messrs. George Smith & Sons, of Preston, cotton spinners and manufacturers. As the house had been estabHshed in Manchester nearly half a century, and enjoyed good credit, the liabilities are supposed to bs large. They employed about 200 operatives ; while the firms of Messrs. E. & W. Jackson and Mr. Bourne, which ha-ve also stopped, em- ployed about 300 each, making a total of 800 thrown out of employment." There are rumom's of other misfortunes impending, which will, mthout doubt, throw out of em- ployment a vast number of persons, and cause great distress in that densely populated county during the ensuing winter. The cry is, that the trade is leaving the country, because America no longer supplies us with ail her cotton, and has determined to manufacture for herself, and protect her own manufacturers by prohibitive duties. The best and only answer to this is, to rise to the emer- gency, and say, " We have lost the American trade : let us create a fresh trade i>y invigorating our colonies through the infusion of the labour they require, and growing cotton u there." The same cry of distress is to be heard in the mining districts. It should not be forgotten that gold, copper, and other valuable minerals are products of our own colonies. British skilled labour, for want of organization to meet the exigencies of the times, is being encouraged to settle in the United States, precisely as the Flemings, who introduced the woollen trade, and the French refu- gees, who introduced the silk trade, were encouraged to settle in England. Every man is not designed by nature for an agriculturist, and, consequently, would not succeed, or, indeed, be happy in such occupation. The majority of the destitute persons of our large towns, who would be miserable and helpless during a Canadian winter, would thrive and prosper in a warm climate, where they could sustain themselves and their families without excessive muscular labour : the miner would succeed best, and would be most valuable, where his practi- cal technical education and skill would be aveilable in his special occupation. Hence the necessity of selection. It is melancholy to reflect that if a small proportion only of the British capital expended abroad during the last few years in abortive schemes from wliich no EngHsh person has bene- fited — but ihe speculators who projected them — or if a modicum even of that which has been expended in experi- mentalizing on and creating engines of destruction, had been properly applied in assisting our destitute fellow countrymen to better their position, not only would they have been spared a vast amount of suffering, but many who have been brought to poverty, by losses and failures through the high price of cotton, have been in affluence. What would have been the effect of the Irish emigra- tion if it had been assisted and directed to our colonies instead of betaking itself to the United States? Where would Fenianism have been ? What will be the ultimate effect if the whole emigration which is taking place every \ day, and is likely to take place from Lancasliire, goes to the United States ? i These are questions of great national importance. The result of the Irish emigration to America has been seen, and its effects felt already, and what the result of the other would be it is easy to foretell ; and if the cotton trade goes, the shipping or carrying trade must follow. It is not too late now to avoid such disastrous results. Money invested in the colonies fructifies very fast, and if the difficulty is grappled with at once an immense profit could do^ibtless be returned to those who have the foresight and courage to take up the British colonies. To give these ideas a practical form, it is suggested that an Association should be at once established upon a wide basis, to be called, say, " The Association for promoting the Transfer of Labour and the Settlement of Waste Lands," to be registered as a Joint Stock Company. This Association should have power to purchase, hold, colonize, cultivate, lease, and sell lands in any of the colonies, also to act as agents for the sale of lands in the colonies ; and also to enter into contracts with individuals for labour, and with the Colonial Governments and others for the supply of labour, to bo paid for in land or money ; and to make advances for emigration purposes, by way of loan, under guarantee of colonial governments and otherwise. The Association should also have all such powers as would enable them to carry out all the incidentals of such a programme, with power to establish branches or agencies wherever necessary or desirable. This Association, if formed only on a small scale at first, with a view to future enlargement, would have a locus standi, which the Committee do not possess, to open com- munications with the Colonial Governments as regards lands and labour; and also with merchants and others having ^states upon which labour is required ; and with the Boai'ds 16 of Guardians throughout the country, as to the unemployed and destitute 2)ersons in their unions, and to ascertain to what extent they would be prepared to contribute towards the emigration of such persons ; and the Association would then be in a position to make a definite proposal to the Government to assist by loan of transports in the transfer of destitute persons to the places selected. We have no doubt Avhatever that such a plan, if promptly carried out, under proper management, would be a great success, — not only in supplying one of the wants of the age, but also as a source of profit to those who may think fit to subscribe the necessary capital. This Report was unanimously adopted July 13th, 1869. (Signed) MANCHESTEB, Chairman. APPENDIX. COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED FROM— I 1. The Hon. Geo. Verdon, C.B., Agent-General for Victoria, Australia. 3. W. C. Matne, Esq., Agent for the Colony of New South Wales. 3. C. W. LiQAR, Esq., Surveyor- General of the Colony of Victoria. 4. Robert James Mann, Esq., M.D., F.R.S., &c., &c., &c., Special Ir^iniigration Commissioner of the Natal Government. 6, 6, 7. Enclosures sent by Dr. Mann. 8. J. Berotheil, Esq., of Natal. 9. G.E. BREFFiT,EsQ.,Secretaryof theNatalLandCompany. 10. Captain Bedford Pim, R.N. 11. Alexander Macguegor, Esq., Secretary of the West India Committee. 19. Col. F. C. Maude, R.A., C.B., V.C, &c.. &c. 13. R. D. B. MoRiER, Esq., C.B.,Charg6 d' Affaires, Darmstadt. 14. William Freston, Esq. 15. J. H. Richardson, Esq. 16. Alfred Waddinqton, Esq., of British Columbia. 17. Extract from Captain Palliser's Report on "The Fertile Belt," &c. 18. J. Bate, Esq., Secretary of the National Emigration Aid Society. m 18 1. Letlerfrom the Hon. Gbouqe Veudon, C.B., Ai/ent-Oeneral/or Victoria, Australia. 6, Victoria Cbambors, Victoria Street, 8.W., 20th Juno, 1860. Dear Sir, Tho only way known to me by whicli colonization may be made self-supporting is by means of land and emigration com- panies. In America, and in Canada, grants of land have been made to associations upon the understanding that they make railways and encourage settlement. By what is called the chequer system of survey, which gives the blocks to the Company and the Government alternately, the public is enabled to share the in- creased value which accrues from the sale and settlement of the allotments granted to the Company. Tho Company makes its profits partly from rents, and partly from the increased value of its lands which settlement and improvements produce. I am, &c., &c., GEO. VERDON. 2. Letter from W. C. Mayne, Esq., Aijent of the Government of Neiv South Wales. 118, Cannon Street, E.G., London, 20th June, 1860. Dear Sir, In reply to your letter of the 23rd instant (not received until yesterday), I have but to say that it appears to me impos- sible, under practicable and just conditions, to make emigration self-supporting,— utterly impossible to make it "profitable to those investing capital therein." Having regard to what may be assumed as certain, that, even among the most carefully selected emigrants, there would be some dishonest, some thriftless, some incapacitated, — and that there will be some removed from life during the voyage, or within periods more or less limited after arrival, — it would, to avoid loss under conditions for repayment, be necessary to leave a margin to cover such cases ; and that margin could be secured only by charging the honest, the indus- trious, thrifty, capable, and surviving emigrants with a rate higher than their cost to those investing capital in the business, — a course not just, I submit, to those the most deserving. The profit of emigrating must be looked for by the country sending forth the m 1/ 19 emigrants in the roliof afforded to itself by the removal of super- abundant labour pressing on its resources, and by that receiving them in the gain resulting to it from the supply of labour needed to developo its resources. I am, dear Sir, Fi ithfuUy yours, W. 0. MAYNE, Agent for the Colony of New South Wales. 3. Letter from C. W. Victoria, 4, Royal fiSth June, 1869. LiOAR, Esq., Surveyor-General of Exchanye Avenue, Londnn. Dated Sir, In reply to your letter of the 22nd instant, I have to state that as I have no plan by me, and there is not time to pre- pare the necessary details, I ahouM prefer dealing with general principles, and avoid mentioning r • y particular colony in this early stage of inquiry. As I understand the question, it« object is to ascertain whether action could be taken by the Committee to make itself a powerful agent to equalize, as much as possible, the supply and demand of the laboui* market between this country and the colonies, — at the same time making that agency self-supporting, or even profitable. Such a medium, I iray say, has been long wanting. Hitherto it has been customary to separate the efforts for the promotion of emigration from actual colonization or occupation of land. It is true that the end designed has been to bring the emigrant and the land together ; but the land has not been actually in the hands of those who sent the emigrant forth. On his arrival in the colony the connection has ceased, and tho value his presence has given to the land he has gone upon has been received by, and benefited, those he has gone amongst, and has been in no shape returned tc those who sent him. Before man touches the wilderness and starts it into life, its value is merely nominal. If its value be set down at a few shil- lings per acre by the Colonial Governments, it is because population is expected, and there is a prospect of its being in demand. In- trinsically, wild land has no value ; but let people be brought near it, and it instantly acquires a value. How does this come about ? It is not the labour of the emigrant that causes it ; for it occurs before he has turned a single sod. It is simply his presence which makes it a marketable commodity. To whom, then, should i| i 20 w, 1 this increase in value really belong? To him who goes out, or to those who enable him to go ? 1 consider it should be shared by both ; and it is one of these shares I propose the Committee should rocoivc to cover its expenses, and pay the investors a rea- sonable rate of interest, and to provide for the ultimate return of their capital. To bring land and labour together must pay,— if both be of a suitable kind. It pays those who go and those who remain. This would be clearly seen if we could ask the colonists to return, or request this country to resign its exports and imports to another nation. The benefits are not confined to individuals, or to the commercial portion of our Empire, for the State in its political character shares in it, — as witnessed by the absence of revolution and civil commotion. But, however promising an undertaking may be, it must be conducted on sound principles to ensure success. There must be no shifting of burdens from this country to the colonies. Wherever people have become, from whatever cause, unable to work, or so degraded that they cannot be made to put forth their hands to labour, — there they should remain. The institutions under whicli their present state has occurred should alone be responsible. It should be borne in mind that it is as much an clement of non-success to bring good lands into the hands of the idle and worthless as it is to olTcr bad land to the industrious and strong. As the Imperial Government has declined to apply to Par- liament for a grant of money, and as private charity is nearly exhausted, it will be necessary for the Committee to get itself incorporated to raise funds by subscribed capital, or to promote the formation of a Company for the purpose. The Committee or Company could purchase lands from the Colonial Governments on easier terms than could bo done by private individuals. The dif- ferencf !Vould leave a handsome margin of profit when resold. But to raap the full advantage of the presence of the people sent out, only one-half of the land should be parted with at first, — by reserving every othei' allotment. The value of the unsold parts would soon arise, and furnish a very handsome profit, — enabling the Committee or Company to pay interest in the way of divi- dends, and meet all expenses. So great could the profit be made that it would be necessary to fix a maximum rate of interest, in order to prevent the Committee or Company from becoming solely a commercial transaction, without reference to the public require- ments and wants. The surplus profits above all expenses, and the payment of this maximum rate of interest, should form a fund to be again employed in the objects of colonization and emigration, and devoted to nothing else. Lists of persons desirous of emi- grating should be obtained, and the amount of money that the guar- 21 dians of the poor were willing to oontributo be oaoertained. Communioations with the Colonial QovcrnmontH should be opened, with tho view of learning the extent of available land they are willing to place under offer to tho Coniuiittee or Company, tho price, and whether in cash or deferred payments. A knowledge of such facts as these would enable every one to judge as to the materials to work upon, and to see what capital is required. The first half of the land should be sold in England by auction, with an undertaking that tho proceeds should be expended in tho introduction of labourers and artizans, and their families; the other half not to be sold until the emigrants had given it an increased value. When the acquired blocks wero large, there would arise the necessity for town sites ; and these could be sold at high prices, in small building allotments, as soon as required. The prices at which tho land could bo sold cannot at present be named, as I propose they should vary with the original cost ; but that one uniform rate of profit should be charged alike for all the colonies, based upon the price paid to the colony for tho land. Thus, while to the public there would be a varying rate per acre charged according to the outlay, there would be one untform per- centage of gain to the Committee or Company. This arrangement would prevent capricious action by the Committee or Company, be intelligible to the public, command confidence, and induce the Colonial Governments requiring popu- lation to sell or part with the land on the most reasonable terms. I can conceive nothing more probable than that a Committee or Company, conducting business on broad and generous prin- ciples, doing valuable services to the country, should draw towards it, not only the sympathies of the people, but gain the support of that Government aid now denied to objects of tiie kind. I remain, Sir, Your obedient, humble servant, C. W. LIGAR. 4. Letter from Egbert James Mann, Esq., M.D., F.R.S., rfc, dc, Special Immigration Commissioner of the Natal Go- vernment. :— 15, Buckingham Street, Strand, June 29th, 1869. Mt dear Sir, I have been for some years very carefully considering the question which your Committee is about further to open out, as I have long seen that what is most needed to establish any large u 22 and efHcient nioasnro of settling tho wanto lands of many of our colonies in useful and productive occupution i« to organize some plan in which the entire arrangement shall be a matter of business rather than of philanthropy. Tho question of employment of emigrants in colonial fields of industry us servants and labourers for wages is very narrow con- pared with the question of enabling men of limited means to get n living and provide for a family by the cultivation of waste land by their own hands. In tho first there will always be a compara- tively narrow field of action, and fitful and uncertain success. In the second, the field of action is without limit, and the success may be made steady and sure. Three things aro essential, however, to this issue. 1st. Moans to transport needy men and their families to tho new field of industry. 2nd. Means to feed them there for a short period ranging from to 12 months. 3rd. An organization that will start them in the right way in their new and unfamiliar operations. I have no doubt whatever that the entire cost necessary for these purposes would be fully and gratefully returned, under a plan of due and careful selection of men bound to a system of easy annual repayments ; and that a further charge to cover any incidental loss or uncertainty would also be borne. The neans to meet this outlay might certainly, in some in- stances, bo advantageously contributed by the colonies themselves from their public revenue— a loan being, perhaps, in the first instance raised, to be covered from the annual repayments of the assisted settlers within some such period as 30 years. It would, however, be quite possible, and certainly more fair and satis- factory, that this loan should be contributed by the three parties benefiting by the entire proceeding, namely : — 1st, the colonial communities ; 2nd, the mother country ; and drd, settlers selected for transport. Good land must bo conveyed in freehold to the settler in any "''. arrangement, and it must be made the material guarantee I. S'- completion of the repayments required. would certainly be possible to find the necessary capital as -ire commercial speculation, contemplating the profitable » jstment of money. In this method of procedure the repay- ments made by the settlers would have to be larger to cover the value of the land and the interest of the capital. The returns, however, would of necessity be slow in the first instance in coming in. They could only begin with the growth of the settlers* means through tlieir personal industry. This would, probably, be the great difficulty. 23 ■■* Ik I think both of these (lifllcultfoB might bo mot to iome conni- dorablo extent by material lucasnros of assistanco being oontrl* butod by the Colonial Qovernmont. Thus, at tho present time, the Government of Natal has somo fonr millionH of acres of Crown land available for tho free nettle- ment of immigrants, and is giving allotments of this land to men qualified to turn it to good account. At the present time any man of assured good character, of right qualifications, and with just enough means to support him- self and his family until ho is able to niako the land yield him his livelihood, receives a free grant of 60 acres of land in Natal, with surrounding commonage. If ho has £260 to work with, he receives 100 acres, and has the use of 200 more acres, with right of purchase for 5s, an acre at tke end of five years. If he has £600, he receives a free grant of 200 acres, with a reserve of 400 acres for purchase within five years, for Cs. an acre. Natal possesses great advartagos for settlement of this cha- racter. Ist. A mild genial climate in which the rudest huts are suftlciout shelter at tho first ; in which much of the soil is very fertile, and in which tho principal season of growth is supplied with abundant and certain rain. 2nd. A very large diversity of production, ranging from the sugar, cofi'eo, cotton, and silk of the tropics to the dairy produce, cattle, horses, wool, and grain crops of the temperate regions. 3rd. A considorablo supply of very cheap native labour, 4th. Most of the available land is in open pasture, ready for the plough. 5th. The actual necessaries of life are very cheap. Bat, on tho other hand, the cost of the passage to Natal is somewhat largo. A man with his wife and a family of three children cost about £60 to traasport them to Natal, and about another £G0 to shelter them and to give them a luir start to make a maintenance from the land. A family of this character, whose land is provided free, ought, therefore, to repay something like £10 a year for a term of 12 ye> rs, in order to cover the charge of transport and settlement in the colony. The Natal Government, until very recently, has been contri- buting two-thirds the cost of the passage of selected immigrants, in addition to granting them free holdings of land. This contri- bution has been temporarily suspended in consequence of the recently depressed state of the public revenue, but the action will certainly be resumed as soon as the revenue is again in a pros- peroug stata, and most justifiably ; — for if a loan of £50,000, which would transport to and settle in the colony 500 families, com- prising 2,500 individuals, were taken up by the Government and issued as a fund for the assistance of immigration, the yearly charge for the loan would not exceed £3,000 ; — but the return to ^pp 24 the revenue frora the addition of 2,500 prospcroue and iiidustrioas settlers would amount, upon the nurro west estimate, to between £7,000 and £8,000 per annum. The Colonial Government would certainly contribute liberal assistance to any well considered scheme directed to the introduction and settlement on the land of immif^rants of a satisfactory class. An influential company which holds a very large tract of excellent land in the cole of Natal has for some time been making free grants of land m extension of the Government scheme of immigration, under a plan which is expressed in a printed memorandum enclosed. I append the copy of an oflfer which was recently addressed to the Mayor of Portsmouth by this company in illustration of the assistance that may be looked for in estab- lishing any good scheme of industrial colonization upon the plan of advances to be fully repaid by the recipients of the help. One of the directors of this company some years back inti >duced over 200 Germans into Natal, and settled them upon the land at his own cost. These people were almost exclusively weavers, and were almost entirely destitute of means. They wei-e placed in the colony when its resources were very much below what they are at the present time. Yet every family of those settlers is now possessed of a good holding of land of its own, in many instances approxi- mating to 200 acres, which has been purchased and entirely paid for ; and is now in a very much more prosperous condition than it ever could have held without emigrating. I have myself frequently visited the settlement of these people and satisied myself of their substantial prosperity and good prospects. I am, my dear Sir, Very truly yours> ROBERT JAMES MANN, M.D., {Special Immigration Commissioner of the Natal GoverniTient. *>) «»■ C. Enclosure No. 1. COLONY OP NATAL.— ASSISTED IMMIGRATION AND FREE LAND GRANTS. The Natal Land and Colonization Company, Limited, Which possesses considerable tracts of valuable land, spread about in nearly all parts of the colony, has now completed arrangements which enable it to give small allotmenia of land and facilities for securing passages to the colony. The outline of these arrange- 25 ments is comprised in the following statement of the conditions of th3se land grants :— 1. Applicants must be familiar with farming operations and the management of ,'tock, and must be of good character. Alto- gether unexceptionable evidence on these points must be fur- nished. 2. Applicants must have sufficient means at command to com* mence the cultivation of their land under the facilities afforded. 3. To applicants of this class, 100 acres of good average land -«tI^ will be given. 4. The sum of ^10 must be paid down on acceptance of the application to secure a passage to the colony, and a note of hi^nd must also be given to make a further payment at the end of fifteen months — Of x7, if a passage by sailing ship is taken ; Or of £10, if a passage by steam-ship is preferred. Embarkation will be made by sailing ship at Gravesend, and by steamer at Southampton or Plymouth, at the option of the passenger. In consideration of these payments, the use of an empty barrack is also furnished on arrival at Durban, until the arrangements for proceeding to the allotments are complete. T6. Beyond i,his, the experienced agents of the Company will give the best possible advice in selecting land from the various sites available, in getting transport to the selected locality, in hutting there, and in all other matters which may fii J the settler in commencing his operations. All actual cost of these in-o- ceedings must, however, of necessity be borne by the settler. The influence of the Company will be exerted to guide the settler in making his expenditure in the most prudent and advisable way. and in guarding him from unnecessary and wasteful outlay. 6. The settler will have choice of a large series of sites offered for his selection by the surveyor of the Company, in Natal. On some of these sites one allotment only will be made upon each separate farm ; on other sites arrangements will be effected to locate several settlers together in close contiguity. 7. Each settler will be allowed, within one year of residence, to take up a furtlier holding o" laud in continuation of his grant, to the extent of 200 other acres, upon condition of paying £10 a year for twelve years — the whole land becoming his own pro- perty on completion of the last payment. a. All unavoidable charges for final conveyance of property to the holder, and for exact surveys, must be borne by the immigrant. In every case the land will, of necessity, be subject to the con- ditions on which the original grant fr jm the Crown was made. ^^r .-j» 36 9. Tho immigrant will have the option of taking 60 acres of land instead of 100, and of purchasing 100 acres instead of 200, by twelve yearly payments of £10, in certain exceptionally valuable situations. 10. The immigrant will also have the option of taking 25 acres of land, and of purchasing 50 acres of land, by twelve yearly payments of £10, in coast districts, suitable for coif*.',e planting, and other tropical growths, if he prefer this to the upland and more temperate situations, best adapted to general farming. 11. The settler will be entirely free to give up i;he Company's land, and pursue any other course that may eeem to him more desirable, on the sole condition of his paying his note of hand given to the Company. 12. Families are held to be especially desirable for settlers ; but they can only be accepted when the parents are able to bear the entire charge of the passage for the children, as the cost of pas- sage U so materially increased where many members of one family have to be shipped. Two children under twelve years of age are reckoned as a single adult in the matter of passages. 13. The Company contemplates using itb influence >\nJ position to complete a further organization for the encouragement and help of settlers ; but some little time must elapse before this object can be efficiently and satisfactorily carried out. By order of the Board, G. E. BEEFFIT, Secretary. 41, Threadn^edle Street, London, JIC. -AJ/ 6. Enclosure No. 9. Natal Land & Colon'zation Company Limited, 41, Threadneedle Street. E.G. London, 22nd April, 1869. Sir, The important and patriotic work in which you are engaged of endeavouring tv. open out a prosperous future for portions of the dock-yard labourers who will be thrown out of emplojrment by tho contemplated reduction of the Government establishments, suggests to my Board the propriety of addressing you upon the subject, and of placing before you a plan by which your object mny be ad '^anceu, simultaneously with the bestowal of a direct benefit upo ii a number of industrious and deserving families, as well as ou a young community that is eager for nccessions to its ranks. The Natal Land and Colonization Company, in whose name 27 ^ this communication is made, is at this time engaged in settling certain valuable lands belonging to it in the Colony of Natal upon terms that are ^ ery advantageous to emigrants. The Company would be williug, in order to assist in the effort which you are making, to sot aside an estate of 6,000 acres, well suited for the purpose, and to give to families of assured good character, and recommended by yourself, an allotment of fifty acres to each family, and to attach a further portion of fifty acres to each grant, to be purchased if desired by the holders at 10s. 6d. per acre, payable by easy instalments. The Company will also lay out a village with reserved sites for a church, school, and other public buildings in tUe close vicinity of the agricultural allotments, and will give a village plot to any of the original settlers who desire it, and who comply with the condition of residence and useful occupation. The Company will further undertake, in this case, should the Colonial Government refuse to do so, to receive the K^ettlers in the colony, to transport them to the estate on which they are to be settled, to assist them in the selection of their allot- ments, and to advance to them the means to obtain materials for the erection of their dwellings, provisions, &c., and generally assist them with aid and advice when required. But, as it is not within the scope of thic: Company's arrangements to incur outlay beyond the gift of land, means must be found to cover the bare working cost of carrying out this arrangement. Thus, the lowest estimate that can be made of the charge of transporting say, 30 families, comprising 150 individuals, or say 120 statute adults, to Natal, would be £12 IDs. per statute adult, or £1,500. Another sum of £1,500, reckoned as £50 for each family, would cover the entire charge of reception, settlement upon the land, and advances above referred to. Therefore £3,000 would be sufficient for settling 30 families upon freehold land of their own, in a genial climate, and with a soil yielding freely the most important necessaries of life. But this sum, for various excellent reasons that will almost suggest themselves, should not be placed upon the ground of an actual expenditure. It should be treated as a loan secured upon the land, and to be entirely repaid by the settlers themselves by small annual instalments of £5 during 20 years. Such an advance of £3,000 might be well en- trusted for expenditure to the Colonial Government here and in the colony, who, in all probability, would undertake to recover the amount by annual instalments and remit it home. Should they, however, not be disposed to assist in this manner, this Company t^^ll be prepared to do so. It may, perhaps, be well here to state that this proposal is, not even at the present time, really a matter of experiment. The experiment has been already tried, and has been attended with eminent success. In the year 1847 one of the Directors of the \*~'i 28 Company — at this time in London, and prepared to give his most valuable assistance in organizing this arrangement — at his ewn personal charge conveyed 37 families of poor weavers out of employment, consisting of 234 individuals, from Bremen to Natal, and settled them upon land in that colony, where, within 12 months from leaving Bremen, the whole were comfortably housed and established. These people are now occupying the grants originally made to them in the colony, in circumstances of in- creasing prosperity. The settlement is familiarly and favorably known as New Germany, and its chief village bears the name of the gentleman alluded to, who was its virtual and responsible founder. It is just possible that the final form of this arrangement might be one in which the sum available for the transport and Bottlement of the families could be made a kind of fixed and per- manent emigration fund, to be turned over and over again, as repayments come in, in sending out fresh families. This certainly appears to me to be the most desirable plan that could be adopted, and nothing could be more easy than to secure the certainty that the money should be applied so as to insure the largest prac- tL „ble and most economical results. As this matter is one whicA has an immediate bearing upon a large public interest, and some relation to questions of a charitable and parochial nature which are being anxiously mooted at this present time, it is proposed, if it meet with your sanction, to request the Editor of the " Times " to print a copy of this commu- nication in the columns of his Journal. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, (Signed) G. E. BREFFIT, Secretary. TbD Mayor of Portsmouth. •■•)•;' 4v 7. Enclosure No. 3. 16, Buckingham Street, Strand, June 30, 1869. Mt dbab Sir, Since writing io you yesterday, I have seen the gen- tleman to whom I alluded as having sent the large party of German settlers out to Natal, and he authorizes me to say that he is confident that proper persons may be sent out to the colonies altogether as a piece of profitable commercial business ; and that he will at any time bo prepared xo place his own somewhat large experience in the matter, and all the exact information he pos- Bessei^^ at the command of your Committee. Believe me, Very truly yours, J. Bate, Esq. ROBERT JAMES MANN. 8. Letter from Jonas Ber3theil, Esq., late Member for the ,4; <^ City of Pletermarltzhurgh in the Ler/islative Council, Natal, and for many years a Member of the Government Emigration Board, Natal. 48, Clifton Gardens, 12th July, 1869. Dbak Sib, . Time is too short to allow my contributing anything || in the shape of a letter towards your conference, but enclosed I forward you a sketch on emigration, written by me some time ago, then intended for publication, but has never been published. I also send you a letter, on the same subject, addressed by myself to the Natal Government Agent in London. I have not the reply at hand, but it was extremely favourable. You can make what use you like of these documents, and assuring you that I shall always be happy to assist in the object you have in view. I remain, Your- faithfully, W. Frkston, Esq. J. BERGTHEIL. 8a. Enclosure No. 1. Contributed by J. Berotheil, Esq., of Natal. EMIGRATION TO THE COLONIES. The subject of assisted emigration is one which is at last forcing itself upon the attention of the British public, and which, it is obvious, will also at last force itself upon the serious attention of the British Government. In the meantime, it may prove helpful to the good work if one who has had a somewhat large experience of his own in this particular field asks some public attention to the views that ho has been led to form, and to the suggestions that he is now able to submit from this vantage- ground. The author, as far back as the year 1847, selected some forty- seven German families and transported them to the colony of Natal, and settkd them there. These families were all very poor, and comprised some 237 souls, — including men, women, and children. The heads of the families were principally weavers ; 30 and the whole party had to bo settled in a colony which was at tliat time newly established, and which, therefore, afforded but small facilities for furnishing remunerative occupation for poor men. The party was finally settled and provided for, principally at the personal cost of the writer. The actual position of these people twelve months after their arrival in the colony is very graphically and truthfully described in tlie published accounts which are appended to this paper. Their condition of general prosperity was pretty much the same three years ago, when the writer left the colony for a visit to England. There were at that time two eminently prosperous and happy settlements, which had sprung from the original one. Of these, one, of which the central village, comprising a church and school, bears the writer's name, was called New Germany ; the other is designated New Hanover. Under these names, they are familiarly and favourably known to all who have a personal acquaintance with the young colony. Since the original foundation of these successful settlements, the author has continued to take a lively interest in the subject of emigration. As the member for the capital city of the colony in the Legislative Council, and as a member of the Government Emigration Board, he has been able to give careful study to the subject from a colonial point of view ; and during the last three years he has had occasion, as a director of the Natal Land and Colonization Company, no less carefully to consider the difiBculties which are incidental to it from this side of the Great Ocean. All eflforts of the wealthier classes in Great Britain to encou- rage emigration have been principally caused and stimulated by the unpleasant fact that they find amongst themselves a large, poverty-stricken, and therefore wretched and discontented, popu- lation, — many, and indeed most of them, unemployed artizans. The parish authorities are led to entertain a favourable regard for emigration because it is an important and unquestionable part of their general duty to forward whatever promises to relieve the pressure upon the v;^orkhouses and to reduce the poor-rates. Philanthropists favour emigration, because they know that by it they improve the position and prospects of a considerable number of their fellow-beings. For these several reasons it is that public meetings for fostering emigration arc reported pretty well every day, and that public sympathy is continually appealed to to raise funvis that are adequate for the transport of considerable numbers of the poor out of England to new fields of enterprize and industry. The colonies generally contribute, more or less, towards the cost of procuring and transporting emigrants ; and, in some in- stances, compete with each other in bidding for them. But very few of the colonies are really prepared to receive any material -«».' w ^. 31 number of the class which the British Islands are most interested in sending away. Poor people themselves are also not ready or anxious to emigrate until absolute necessity impels them to do so. The main reason for this is the fact that no eiScient system of emigration, upon the most acceptable principle, has ever yet been entered upon. Industrious poor men, of good principle, shrink from the thought of making application to any charitable source of aid to emigrate, just as they shrink from seeking assistance from an union. They very naturally feel that their having been the objects of "assisted emigration," in the ordinary sense, would compromise their character for independence on their arrival in any colony, and stick to them through their future career very unpleasantly and undesirably. Colonists, on their part, do not desire to have a large number of poor people, for whom they are not able to find remunerative employment, thrown upon their hands. What they especially want, and welcome, is not such men as England is most anxious to expatriate, but men with some little capital at their command. From the author's now somewhat lengthened expeinence in the practical working of emigration, he has arrived at the conviction that he is now in a position to indicate certain things which are essential to make emigration a welcome subject of thonght to the class which can be best spared from the home community, and an established and permanent operation in the colonial depend- encies. Ist. It is matter of the utmost importance that the emigrant should be enabled to apply for his passage and land, not as an affair of charity but as an affair of right, and as a thorough business transaction which contemplates that every penny of cost that shall bo inourred on his accoimt shall be a debt to be repaid in full, with proper interest for the money employed. 2ndly. The emigrant should be authoi'ized to anticipate finding his future life, not an existence of toil as a dependent labourer, but a sphere of independent industry, in which he has before him the certain prize of at least a small freehold, with a comfortable cottage, which he can claim as his own. 8rdly. The settlement of the emigrant upon these ti^-ms of independenco must be managed in such a way that the colonists are conscious he is brought as a recruit to their community with sufficient means to enable him certainly to accomplish his settle- ment and to held his own until he has extracted the wherewithal for the sustenance of himself and his family from the ground. Under such circumstances only can the colonial communities feel willing to welcome any number of immigrants that can be sent to them from the home field. Now these essential conditions might be readily and certainly ensured by the conjoint action of the two parties that will imme- 32 diately find advantage in tha transaction, namely the Home and the Colonial Governments. Thus, for instance, the Natal Govern- ment at tliis present time is making a free gift of 50 acres of good land, with right of purchase of 100 other contiguous acres at a very moderate price, within a reasonable and convenient term, to any settler possessed of some £100 of capital. Now an emigrant with a wife and three children could be settled upon this land by a present outlay of £50 for transport, and £50 for first necessary expenditure, until the land is brought into yielding a sustenance. Therefore, the sum of £100,000 would send out and comfortably settle and start one thousand such families. It would cost the Natal Government to raise this necessaiy capital of £100,000 in the London market about £6 per cent., or £6,000 annually. But with the sub-guarantee of the Home Go- vernment — or, failing their co-operation, of any constituted parochial authorities interested in tho scheme — the suin could assuredly be raised for £4 per cent., or £4,000 aiinual payments. Any immigrant to whom the contemplated settlement was secured, would find no difficulty whatever in repaying £4, per annum to the Cobnial Government, which might remain as a charge upon his property until the full amount of his responsibility was met ; and it is obvious that under such an arrangement his yearly contributions to the direct and indirect taxes of the State would more than suffice to create a sinking fund ample for the final extinction of the loan. The system thus briefly sketched could be expanded to any extent that might be deemed desirable and warranted by circum- stances, literally without cost to any one, without any appeal to public charity, and without any possible inconvenience or charge to colonial communities. If the Home and Colonial Governments, after proper consi- deration, prove to be too timid or too supine to take up the necessary action to secure this most desirable result, there is no reason on earth why it should not be efficiently and advantageously accomplished without their action by the combined influence and consent of private companies and parochial authorities. The Natal Land and Colonization Company is, at this very instant, oifering a free grant of 100 acres of valuable land in the colony of Natal, with some material assistance towards the charge of passage, to immigrants capable of paying ^610 towards the cost of the passage, and capable of finding £60 to bear the necessary expenditure incident to tho first start in colonial life. Now if the Natal Land and Colonization Company, which has made this important preliminary movement toward a healthy system of colonization were to raise a special emigration fund of £100,000, under the conjoint guarantee of their own credit and 33 that of Home oo-operatiug parochial authority, thoy could send to Natal .'md comfortably settle there as independent and prosperous colonists one thousand families, Huch as have been alluded to, and this might be done under an arrangement which would provide that the settlers thus benefited should themselves bear the entire cost and clear it off by twenty annual instalments of repayment. If, in the first instance, this money under the combined security were borrowed at the charge of X5 per cent, annual interest, and -t'6 per cent, as a sinking fund, the first annual charge would be £10,000, the second annual charge i'9,750, the tliird annual charge j£9,500, and so on for ensuing years, at a like rate of diminution. (Signed) JONAS BERGTHEIL, Late Member of the Legislative Council in Natal, and Director of the Natal Land and Colonization Company. 8b. Enclosure No. S. Letter of Mn, Bergthirl to Dr. Mann. EMIGRATION FROM GERMANY. Dear Sir, It is admitted on all hands that Natal is sadly in want of emigrants. When I first arrived here I was very sanguine that a sufficient number might bo had from England, Scotland, or Ireland, but, I confess, I begin somewhat to despair. Germany, on the other hand, •fiers every facility for getting a good class of emigrants suitable for the requirements of Natal, who are, from their habits, pecu- liarly adapted for establishing central points. I am drawing your attention to German emigi'ation, not because they are a better class of emigrants than the English or Scotch, — quite the contrary, — but I am afraid Natal cannot afford to introduce Englishmen whoso wants far exceed those of the Ger- mans. One is as hard working as tho other, but the food on which one would thrive the other would starve. The Germans thoroughly understand the system of small farming ; th y live in communities , all are trained to bear arms ; and are easy subjects to control. The two latter qualifications are particularly advan- tageous to a colony like Natal. Another great advantage in Ger- man emigrants is, that they assist one another. I am fully convinced that four or five settlements, similar to the one I established in 1848 near Tine Town, with whose history, progress, and present position you are well acquainted, would prove a great boon to tho colony. c 111 84 1 ,■!■ . I would propoae that the colony should be allowed to issue, as an experiment, say .f4,0()0 Debenture Bonds, bearing iutorest at 6 per cent. For this sura about 200 adult emigrants— about the some number that I took out with me in 1848— could be intro- duced and settled, I propose that each adult should receive, on his arrival, alternate grants of land of 100 acres, at 10*. per acre, as also I acre of land somewhere in a convenient spot in the settlement where a church and school could bo provided in the neighbourhood. The expense to Government would bo as follows : — Passage money for 200 adults, at i'14 Expense of temporary dwellings, forwarding to settlement, &c., at t'6 per head Total, being X'20 per head . The emigrant, immediately on receipt of his title, to pass a mortgage on the land to Government for t'60, being 10s. per acre for 100 acres, payable as follow : — £ At the end of the first year ... 1 f s. d. 2800 1200 4000 }) It n >t » i» » ti I) second „ third „ fourth „ fifth „ sixth „ seventh „ 2 8 4 10 15 16 This would repay the Government capital and interest, leaving a handsome balance for the payment of land, independent of indirect taxes and prices obtained for intermediate lots by Government. Your experience in the colony will have shown you that, at all events, the children of these German emigrants become, as a general rule, useful and loyal English subjects. The knowledge of the success of the Gorman settlement by the Berlin Missionary Society would greatly facilitate this operation. This is only roughly my idea. If you think anything of it, will you favour me with a few lines, and I will enter more fully on the subject. The annexed sketch will show you how the plan would work. I am, my dear Sir, Yours very truly, To Dr. R. J. Mann, J. BERGTHEIL. Government Emigratiorn Agent for Natal. -If »V 36 -) ^ Sketch. Governmont Debentures . Interest to end of first year First year's payment by emigrants Interest, second year Second year's payment Interest, third year . Third year's payment Interest, fourth year Fourth yeai-'s payment Interest, fifth year . Fifth year's payment Interest, sixth year . l' s. d. 4000 240 Sixth year's payment Seventh ditto 4240 200 4040 242 4282 400 3882 232 4114 600 3614 211 3725 800 2025 176 10 3100 10 2000 1100 10 66 £1166 10 I i-* s. d, 3000 3000 6000 1166 10 Leaving a balance of £4833 10 In favour of Government, or payment of 20,000 acres of land at nenrly 6». per acre. 11 ■li 96 8::. Enclosuue No. d,J'orwariled by Mn. BiinoTiiEiL. THE GERMAN SETTLEMENTS IN NATAL. Abridgtd/rom th« Natal Wixnim o/Uth Deeember, 1848. In tho year 1S47, shortly after tlio establishment of BritiBh rule in Port Natal, Mr. Uergthoil, like many new comers engaged in business, became tho proprietor of tho farms Grant- skloof, Olaroniont, and West Villa. With n fertile tract of country, covering upwards of 16,000 acres of land, which nature had not only eminently adapted for agricultural purposes, but as it were multiplied in quantity by incessant gentle undulations, it occurred to Mr. Bergtheil that a plan might be devised, by tho introduction of emigrants from his own country, of turning tho property to good account in every way, instead of allowing it to bo idle, as nearly all the remainder of the colony is at this date. The execution of this plan involved considerable risk and outlay, to say nothing of difficulties, which are often greater in prospective uncertainty than in present reality. The first risk and outlay having been ventured in the early part of 1847, Mr. Bergtheil proceeded to Germany for tho purpose of obtaining suitable emigrants for carrying out his plans. Here his principal difficulty was not any unwillingness on the part of emigrants to leave their homes, but tho perfect ignorance that prevailed respecting +ho country to which it was proposed to take them, and the prejudices and fears engendered by that ignorance. With tho assistance, however, of Ernest Suffert, Esq., of Bremen, who is interested in the establishment, "Mr. Bergtheil succeeded in obtaining thirty-five families, including upwards of two hundred children and adults. The persons engaged were country mechanics. No unmarried persons were taken except members of the families. This point was very judiciously insisted on, as it was considered unnatural to expect unmarried men without the comforts of home or tho tics of kloJ 'dd about them to settle down contentedly in a foreign land. With a view of diffusing information respecting this colony, M. Bergtheil having failed in procuring a sketch of the country and its capabilities, published a pamphlet composed of extracts of articles, letters, and government notices from this paper, together with a small map kindly furnished by Dr. Stranger, the Surveyor-General. The preliminaries having been so far settled to the satis- •4 k 37 ■ V f ■4 tir faction of all parties, the " Bortlia" wns chartered for the convoyanco of tho oinigrants, who left Bromen Haven on the lUth of November, 18-17. Here, then, wore about two hundred bouIb to bo housed, fed* and, what is far more dinicnilt, comforted and Hatistiod under tho recollections of home, and tho gloomy aspect with uncertainty, which an ignorance or misapprelionsion of tho character of their new residenco were calculated to impart. Unfortunately Mr. Bex-gtheil, who was the main-spring of the whole machinery, depended upon his friend, resident at Natal, for making the necessary arrangements for tho location of the families, and had neglected to be present at this particular juncture. Hearing, however, on reaching Cape Town from Europe, very unfavourable reports as to the conduct of some of tho emigrants, Mr. Borgtheil proceeded forthwith to superintend personally the working out of his plan. On his arrival he found everything at a standstill, and the people living of course at considerable expense, and what was far worse and very dangerous to the undertaking, in a stato of comparative idleness ; as not having been placed on their respective allot- ments, or properly supplied with draught-cattle, the purchase of which had been injudiciously neglected previously +0 their coming, their agricultural operations were delayed, and a season almost if not quite lost. Allowing four months for the passage, one month for delay, owing to the absence of Mr. Borgtheil, and one month for measuring and selecting tho several allotments, during which last we must also include the erection of some kind of buildings — we leave the history of this settlement for the period of six months, and introduce the reader to the emigrant on the day twelvemonth after his embarking for Natal. Turning off tho road to the left as you ride from Pieter- raaritzburg to D'Urban, about 14 miles from the latter town, you see small droves of cattle, including generally a span of oxen and a couple of milch cows. As you ascend the first undulation the homesteads of one or two of the emigrants meet the view. On your way to the centre station, called the " pakhuis," the little farms appear in every direction. From some of the elevations about half-a-dozen may be seen at once, most romantically situated as regards beauty of scenery. All that we passed had houses with glazed windows, or sashes ready for glazing, and appeared to contain at least three apartments, — a temporary out-kitchen is generally a feature in the establishment. Near the house stands the cattle krall, and round the dwelling the garden carefully laid out and well stocked with vegetables, indicating taste, industry and contentment. Besides this, there I* is on each property a considerable number cf acres under cultivation. In some instf lices fencing was commenced, and the garden ground was generally enclosed, although the extent to which it appeared the emigrants proposed carrying on their ploughing, rendered the practicability of enclosing very doubtful, at least at present. We may remark, here, that the planting of mealies (Indian corn), &c., is not only necessary for ensuring supplies, but prepares the ground for cotton^ At one house we alighted, and found the husbandmen busy with the KaiHrs at work in the field. Mr. Bergtheil being the esquire of the estate, wae welcomed in the most cordial manner by the gude wife, who placed some wholesome refreshments before her guests T/ith an air of cheerfulness, not so seen described in any of the countenances delineated in the "Illustrated London News," in representation of continental strife. The repast consisted of homemade bread and homemade butter. Exulting in the fertility of his little farm, the tenant showed his garden well stocked v,'ith beans of various kinds, potatoes and other vegetables— the produoe of seed brought from Germany and planted as an experiment. The ploughed land had been sowed, — one field with oats, another with barley, another with mealies, with patches of beans and potatoes wherethe seed which was not obtainable at the time had run short. The children of the family were all in health and no traces of sickness or sorrow appeared. On our road from this, one of the outermost stations, we passed others seemingly tenanted by more careful people, who took greater pi-ide and more pains to improve their homesteads ; these, however, appeared to enjoy the advantage of the assis- tance of one or two strapping sons. After about half-an-hour's ride through the locations, the beacons of which, marked and numbered, gave an appearance of civilii ation in this unfortunately unmeasured country, we arrived at the principal station. This establishment includes a comfortable dwelling, with sufficient apartments for the accommodation of the manager, with whom resides the amiable and zealous minister and the doctor, all Germans, of pleasant manners, and admirably well selected for promoting harmony and order on the estate; attached to the dwelling is the " pakhuis," where supplies are issued as required by the emigrants. Owing to a rumoured invasion of the colony by the Zulus current at the time of our visit, the emigrants had assembled at the pakhuis and thrown up a palisade with a moat that may serve as a rendezvous and place of defence should danger ever occur. The promptitude with which these arrangements were devised -* V 89 -^ V and carried ont is highly creditable. Pietermaritzbiirg, after all its public meetings, resolutions, and committees of safety appointed during the last three years, has nothing to compare to the German laager. His Honor, the Lieutenant-Governor having appointed Mr. Bergtheil Captain of his own men, the order of enrolment had been so efficiently attended to that on our ai-rival prior to the receipt of the paper containing the Government notice autho- rizing the formation of the corps, a list had been taken of those able to bear arms, and showing also the number who had been in military service, battles, &c., and also those qualified to form a band if required. Among the civil arrangements we must not omit to notice that a schoolmaster is also provided, for whom a schoolroom and apartment are in course of erection. At present the children meet daily in the new chapel for insti'uction. At present Caflfres have been secured at the i*ate of 6s. a month, while mealies are scarce. From so cursory a visit it is not com- petent for us to detail more fully all the obstacles to be encoun- tered; but the ' jpi'ession made is so favorable to the enlightened enterprise of the x>rojectors of this settlement that we do not begrudge the unexpected amount of space it has consumed. One discouragement, however, we must not omit. To the discredit of the English name, we must say that it was not the contagion of heathenism that sent its pestiferous influence to break the peace, order, and prosperity of this well -organized colony, but the bad example of our own countrymen, whoso public desecration of the Sabbath, &c., was calculated to inflict irreparable injury on the moral characters of some of the weaker emigrants. Space compels us to be as brief as possible in our description of the most creditable arrangements on the estate. The day after we arrived was tho Sabbath. It was the anni- versary of the embarkation of the emigrants. The large bell sent its airy summonses, to be repeated in echoes through the sur- rounding dells. Just as the country peasantry in England are seen flocking from their happy homesteads, so the Germans with their children in decent attire were seen repairing to the central station. The new chapel was to be opened, and the Hon. W. Field, with several of the inhabitants of D'Urban attended on the occasion. At the appointed hour, the Kev. Mr. Posselt proceeded to the new place of worship erected within the last six months, and finished and decorated with simple garlands of flowers by the children in a style highly beautiful and commendavory. The Superintendent and family were also present. The new seraphine added to the solemnity and harmony of the service. Mr. Posselt delivered an aftectionate and impressive sermon from the words, " If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget ■*,?■■ If 40 her cunning." Ho referred, with touching eloquence, to the circum- stances of tlie Jews, as described in the exquisitely beautiful psalm in which the text occurs, showed the happiness liis hearers enjoyed even in iheir foreign homes, of not only being free from the \)eT- secutor's arm and scoflFer's taunt, but provided with every facility for repairing to the Zion they were that day founding. Wo regret being compelled to break oflF the outline. At the close of the service the emigrants assembled round Mr. Bergtheil to express their happiness at the arrangements that had been made, and to congratulate him on his birthday. This last expressior of esteem was conveyed by several of the little girls, surprising Mr. B. by crowning him with laurels to viiich was attached some original congratulatory verses. We must not forget the collection. After service there was a collection — of friends who had honoured the occasion by coming from D'Urban — who collected to partake of a hospitable dinner. Mr. Posselt being at one end of the table, and the day not being suitable for congratulatory speeches, the decorum which forbade the expression of what was due is the apology for the neglect. After the German service the native congregation assembled for public worship. Most of these wore European clothing. Thus upwcrds of 15,000 acres of waste land have been turned to account, and instead of joining the poverty-stricken rabble of European mobs, these people are happy. h 9. L.etterfrom G. E. Breffit, Esq., Secretary of Natal Land and Colonization Company, Limited. 41, Threadneedle Street, E.G., London, 6th July, 1869. Wm. Fkeston, Esq., 1, Maida Vale, W. My dkar Sir, I have the pleasure of acknowledging receipt of your letter of yesterday, and, in reply, beg to state that, although I have not had an opportunity of consulting my Directors on the subject, I have no hesitation in at once answering the question put to me in the first part of your letter in the afiBrmative, that is to say, that this Company will be prepared to repeat to your Committee the offer we made to the Mayor of Portsmouth, referred to by you, for another set of emigrants. With regard to the other point named by you, as to whether this Company would be willing to guarantee the repayment of 41 certain advances under the circumstances which you suggest, it is a question if, under their powers, the Directors would be in a position to undertake to do this without obtaining the special authority and sanction of their shareholders in General Meeting for that piu'poae. I shall, however, have much pleasure in sub- mitting this point to my Directors, and, without anticipating any decision they may arrive at regarding it, can only at present say, that that, and any other proposition which your Committee may suggest to us, will ahvays be dealt with in the most liberal spirit by this Company. I am. My dear Sir, Yours faithfully, G. E. BREFFIT, Secretary. To 10. Letter of Captain Bedford Pm, R.N. 4, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, S.W., 29t.h June, 1869. His Grace the Duke cp Manchester, &c., &o., &c., Chairman, Committee of Emiffration, 10, Northumberland Street, Strand, W.C. My Lord Duke, As I may possibly be prevented attending the Committee Meeting next Wednesday, I beg to forward to your Grace, in writing, the few remarks I proposed to make at that Meeting. Emigrants may be divided into two classes, viz., — ^hose capable either wholly or partially of helping themselves ; and those entirely destitute. TL' >'uij means of dealing with the former, in the hope of diver w"S' '« id from emigrating to a country where they speedily beco oe '".jfJ ad-haters, is to redui ■ the passage money to our colonies i^ ' is than at present ruh . to the United States, and to make the Colonial Homestead I;aw at least equally favourable Avitli that of the American States. The emigration of the latter involves a free passage, and work in their new home on arrival. With this class, and this class only, I now propose to deal. The first great question is, what part of the world i& best fitted to receive those of our destitute labouring population ready 42 a 11 1 and willing to emigrate. I answei* the Cape of Good Hope, Brazils, or tho West Indies; but I propose to confine myself exclusively io the West Indies, because it is accessible and adapted to receive our destitute population, and because I happen to have gained more colouialj experience there than elsewhere; while at our late conference I remarked that no gentleman pre- sent seemed to have any practical acquaintance with this most beautiful portion of our colonial empire. As regards accessibility, I may mention that the average length of passage to St. Thomas is about the same as that to Quebec. As regards the climate, I know of no part where the heat is too great for wliite labour; indeed all statistics go to prove that [the average duration of the white man's life is cer- tainly not less than that of the inhabitants of any other country under the sun ; while, perhaps, the hardest labour in the world, namely, stoking on board a steamer in the tropics, falls entirely to the lot of white men. The heavy labour of the Irishman, competing with the Negro on the Levee, at New Orleans, where he has not only heat but a vi V'^t form of yellow fever to contend with, may also be instanc ' hile, at tLo same time, it must not bo forgotten that the or.^ al planters were mainly enabled to cultivate their plantations by the introduction of lads kidnapped from the north of England and Scotland, many of the des-^endants of whom are now to be found scattered over the iL-lands as landowners and men of mark. These are important facts as tending to dissipate the bugbear, that a white man cannot labour in the tropics ; and, in the case of the destitute emigrarit especially important, — indeed a warm climate is entirely in his favour, — inasmuch as all tho necessaries of life are much more easily raised, and the wants of civilization reduced to a minimum ; so that the emigrant's constitution, more or less debilitated by under feeding and previous habits of life, will not be overtasked in the effort to make a living for himself and family, which would not be the case, for example, of the man sent to Canada, and exposed for six months out of the year to all the rigours of an arctic wintor. Having shown that the West Indies can be used as a field for emigration, both as regards its accessibility and climate, I will now point out the advantages it offers as a labour market to tlie destitute emigrant, where he can be secure of housing and feeding his family, and, if sober and industrious, of accumulating a little property. Labour is in great demand all over the West Indien, while there is a superabundance of land ready for occupation directly the labourer has proved his fitness to become a colonist. Thus in Jamaica alone, in spite of the complicated and camber- 43 "▼T •> , some immigration laws, about 1,000 Coolios a year arc imported. These Coolies are paid Is. per day and their rations, while they are only required to work a very short time eacli d ^y, certainly not more than an emigrant of the class I am speaking of should be capable of working. Taking all the West Indian Islands and British Guiana, the planters could probably absorb at least 10,000 of the very poorest of our population per annum, but the utmost they would require could be readily ascertained from the various West Indian agencies and firms in London, Liverpool, Bristol, &c. I would propose that the men bo hired for three years, and be allowed to take out their families ; at the end of that time each man who had strictly fulfilled tho terms of his engagement should have a freehold of 9.{) acres granted as a bonus. To show what a boon this would he, not only to the settler, but to the community amongst whom he was located, 1 will instance the amount of population in the three well known places, showing the room for an expansion of the population. For instance, Guiana has only 2 inhabitants to the square mile, Trinidad 48, and Jamaica, one of the oldest of our colonies, 70; while from the last report it appears tliat more than a third of the total acreage of even Jamaica, the most thickly peopled, is available for the purpose I have eketchea cut above. I would, therefore, suggest tnat a circular be addressed to all those firms interested in the commerce, enterjn-ise, and well- fare of the West Indies, making the fullest enquiries respecting the amount of labour required, the wages, rations, and hours of working, and the housing of the families on arrival. I now come to the question of transport, and here I feel strongly how easily tlio surplus line-of-battle ships, now rotting away in our harbours, could be turned into safe and commodious transports. By taking the guns out ; by reducing the crew to say 50 ; by working the service economically ; I do not hesitate to say that a squadron of five of these vessels, tested experimentally for one year, would not even be felt in the navy estimates, whilst the boon it would confer on givers and receivers is simply in- calculable. In fact, this matter is at the bottom of the whole question, and should be persevcringly followed up until the force of public opinion compels the (jrovernment to form an Emigration Transport Department. But, in the meantime, while senatorial wisdom continuer, to confine itself "to building a monument of blue books in proof of the impractical nature of English statesmanship," something must be done to alleviate the misery of our destitute population, and this may be eftected by the Guardians of the Poor, who, authorized by the Poor Law Board, should be empowered to pay 44 -5 5 . h the passage money of each statute adult to Quiana, or the island of his choice, the sole condition being, that his removal to a new field at the expense of his parish shall absolve that parish from any further outlay on his behalf. I feel confident that a groat opportunity now offers, both to invigorate the commerce, the industry, and the population of o\ir West Indian possessions, and to provide employment for a class of our people reduced to a state of destitution through no fault of their own, but who, stimulated by the suffering and privation they have lately endured, may, in an entirely new sphere of life, surrounded by a beauty of nature they cannot even imagine in their present surroundings of squalid misery, begin a career honourable and lucrative to themselves, highly beneficial to their adopted country, and conducive to the best interests of the land of their birth. In reply to the question, Can emigration be made self-sup- porting, or even profitable to those who invest their money in such an enterprise ? I answer, that in the case of our destitute population, it is the bounden duty of our Goverament, through the Colonial Department, to ascertain if work is to be found in its colonies on the failure of employment at home; through the Poor Law Board to select carefully and scrupulously those fitted for the labour before them ; and, through the Admiralty, to see that our fellow-countrymen are conveyed to their desti- nation in a decent and respectable manner. But, should it be found, after every exertion has been made to arouse the autho- rities to a sense of duty, that no practical response can be obtained, then I hold that a well considered plan of emigration to the West Indies can be made, not only self-supporting, but profitable, by taking a bond from the emigrant for the due re- payment of his passage money and expenses, vrith ihe addition of a fair interest on the advance. I need scarcely say that, looking to the necessity of shortening this letter as much as possible, it has been quite out of my power to go into details, but it will afford me real pleasure to amplify any of the foregoing suggestions so as to make the scheme I propose of practical benefit to the nation ; and I would propose that, in drafting the result of our late conference, the suggestions of each contributor should be embodied under the heading of that section or part to which he has given the most attention, as Australia, New Zealand, Cape of Good Hope, West Indies, &c., &c. By this means nothing will be lost, and from the most unexpected quarter some good may be obtained. I am, my Lord Duke, Yours obediently, BEDFORD P. PIM, Captain Royal Navy, .,. 45 11. Let lev from A. Majgkeoor, Esq., Secretary of the West India Committee. West India Committee Rooma, Walbrook House, July 9, 1869. Dear Sir, I wab duly favoured with j-our note of the 5th instant, which I have communicated to several extensive West India pro- prietors. They are, without exception, of opinion that English labourers cannot be made available in the West Indies. No arrangement with any of them is possible. The only immigrants who have proved efficient are Indian coolies, Chinese, and Portu- guese from Madeira. I am, Yours faithfully, A. MACGEEGOR. Wm. Frbston, Esq., 1, Maida Vale, W. 12. Colonel F. 0. Maude, E.A., V.(J., C.B., says as follows :^ Sii* Charles Wentworth Dilke, in his work, "Greater Britain," Vol. II., p. 110, says: — "It is impossible not to see that the success of South Australia is but another instance of the triumph of small proprietors, of whom there are now some 7,000 or 8,000 in the colony." Yet he says, p. 117, ''.... Adelaide is so distant from Europe that no emigrants come of themselves." .... He attributes the success of the colony, therefore, " to the adoption of the Wakefield land system," the principle of which is to assist immigration, and which has in an incredibly short time rendered South Australia the granary of the Antipodes. To similar causes may be attributed the rapid and extraox'- dinary increase in the prosperity of portions of the colonies of New Zealand, Australasia, and Canada, &c. But it is evident that our colonies have of late years alienated so much of their land, and received so much of the surplus popu- lation of the world, as to have become comparatively independent of both these sources of wealth ; and, although we may consider that their increased prosperity will in future mainly depend upon the wisdom and liberality with which their several Govei'nments may continue to alienate their land and attract the population of other countries, yet it is evident that the power which is wielded by the wage-paid class in tbo colonies at present operates to prevent any overtures being made from the Colonial Governments, or assistance from the Colonial Funds, to the surplus population of Groat Britain. But it is becoming, and will doubtless continue to be, an Impei'ial necessity for us to provide an outlet for the surplus population of this country. The question has been continually asked, How this can best be done ? 1. Private benevolence has been tried and exhausted, according to the best received methods. The sura which has been collected during the past year by all the societies and through all sources falls far short of £10,000, which would, indeed, be an utterly insuflRcient amount to exercise a beneficial influence upon the labour-market, to increase the production of the necessaries of life, and to diminish pauperism, — which three things we hope ihat a comprehensive emigration will effect. 2. Government assistance has been pointedly refused, except that a hope is held out that some aid may be rendered through the machinery of the poor laws. It is evident, therefore, that any scheme of private enterprize should be so arranged as to work harmoniously with the poor-law machinery. And I believe that the prejudices of the colonists would be found an insurmountable barrier to the operation of the poor laws acting per se ; but I hope to show that it is possible to constitute an organization which would supplement their exertions and carry them to a successful issue. What I believe is required is a sort of " buffer " or " conduit," which should act as a con- necting link between the raw pauperism of England and the colonial prejudices of the Antipodes. And, in reply to the prac- tical question, *'How to do it?" T propose — That a corporate body be formed, with an appropriate title, and with a charter from Parliament. Thoy should be empowered to purchase or lease lands from Colonial Governments, in suitable places, upon which they should settle selected poor persons with their families. The cost of the passage of these persons might be distributed over the acreage of the land, and would form the gi'^'^titeminthe cost of such a scheme. The emigrants could remair as servants of the Corporation, at such a rate of wages, and with such conditions as to the purchase of portions of the land upon which they were located, as would enable them in a moderate time to become proprietors of it ; or, in other cases, assistance should be sought, and would in many instances be readily obtained, from planters and other persons in want of labour, who would undertake to recover the amounts thus advanced by instalments from the wages of the persons sent, — • even, it has been thought, consenting in some cases to mortgage their land for this purpose. ^1. m 4r It may also be fairly proaumed that assistance wonld in many caBcs bo rendered by the respective boards of guardians in the metropolis and the provinces towards the passag^e-money of such persons. Powers already exist, under 13 Victoria, cap. 127, whereby guardians may pay a sum not exceeding i;iO for each emigrant. The reasons that this has remained a dead letter are the dread on the part of, for the most part, narrow-minded set of persons of the apparently large outlay, and the natural fear lest their parish should become swamped by the influx of a destitute class anxious to avail themselves of the privilege. Again, according to existing arrangements, all such money so expended would be lost to the ratepayers of the parish ; but, under the management of the proposed Corporation, almost the whole of it could be repaid to the lenders. Indeed, the experience of one colony, New Zealand, shows that 10 per cent, covers all the losses of collecting such money, even with the rather imperfect ma- chinery there existing. Lastly, I would propose the adoption of the chequer principle in the allotment of lands ; by which the land itself may be said to be made to join in the co-operative principle. 13. Communicated by R. D. B. Moiiier, Esq., C.B., &c., &c,, Charge d' Affaires, Darmstadt. Dated 22nd February, 1869. The important meeting of the lOth inst. in aid of the East End Emigration Fund has taken place, but beyond establishing the fact that the work imperatively demanding to be done altogether transcends the limits of private charity, I am unable to see that the meeting led to any practical results. When we are told that in Woolwich alone 600 artificers are waiting to be taken across the seas, and consider that, putting the expenditure at £20 per man, i.e., per family, =£12,000 would be required to effect this dis- location of labour, we are forced to the conclusion that either the work must be left undone or that it must be done by other machinery than that of almsgiving. The repoi-t of Sir Sydney Waterlow's Society for building improved dwellings for the poor, adverted to in the last number of the '* Spectator," has come in most opportunely to point out the direccion which the efforts of emi- gration reformers should take. But it is not alone the animus and philanthropo-economical attitude of Sir Sydney Waterlow's Society which I desire to see copied ; it is, above all, the invaluable prin- ciple, which it has done so much towards successfully establishing, 7 48 k * I of private corporations becoming the " media" through which the gigantic force of imperial credit should be brought to bear on the solution of social questions. I can»-ot pretend to offer any advice as to the form in which this macninery should be applied to emigration, but I have no doubt tliat if the principle wore once brought before the public abundant modes of partial application would be pointed out by more competent correspondents than myself. 1 can only build up a sort of hypothetical skeleton of the body I desire to see clothing itself with flesh and blood. Suppose then that a number of persona belonging to the class we daily see putting down their names for hundreds and thousands towards the guarantee funds of benevolent enterprises were to institute themselves into a bondjide mercantile company for the purpose of enabling the 600 Woolwich artizans, or such portion of them as were pronounced by a colonial expert as fit for colonial purposes, to emigrate; suppose that 100 such' persons each took one i'lOO share, so as to make up the 2,000 required, and that each paid up £S0 per share, making up £3,000, the Government advancing the remaining £9,000 on the joint security of the Com- pany at 3J per cent. The entire risk must be borne by the Com- pany; none by the Government. Securities, therefore, for the entire amount should be lodged in the hands of the Government. If the Company charged 5 per cent, interest to the emigrants (the amount to be paid towards amortisation is a separate affair, depending on circumstances, and need not here be taken into consideration), they Avould, supposing no losses were incurred, make about 9J per cent., on their paid-up capital of £3,000. But 5 per cent, is very much less than on meioantile principles could be charged for money lent on » dividual personal security, and I would, tlierefore, propose that for every £20 advanced to an emigrant he should bind himself to repay in the way of amortisa- tion 22, 23, 24 or 26, according to the probabilities of the case, so as to throw the per centage of losses on the capital recovered. Allowing 2 per cent, to work the concern, and pay for the Home and Colonial staff, there would remain to the shareholders 7J per cent. You will at once perceive where I would endeavour in time to bring in the principle of co-operation. Supposing the 600 emi- grants, or any number of them, were to make themselves mutually liable, all for each and each for all, on the principle of the Schultze Delitsch Credit Banks, the risks would be diminished to a minimum, the premium over the £20 would diminish in proportion, and even the rate of interest might be lowered. Of course, I presuppose that such a society would act in union with an affiliated society in the colony to which it was proposed to ■' ,> i)S) r ,„ ,. 49 send tho emigrants. The individual emigrant shonld never bo allowed to got out of sight of his creditor. As to his selection, the same sort of impassive caution exorcised by insurance societies in estimating the money value of " lives " should be exercised in the estimate of tho money value of each candidate's productive capacities. 14. Communicated by Mb. Freston. EMIGRATION. 1, Maida Vale, London, W. The deputations which have waited upon the Secretary of State for the Colonies, the Home Secretary, and the President of the Poor Law Board have elicited the feeling of the Government, with reference to emigration, to be favourable; and it may bo reasonably expected that every facility short of expenditure of public money requiring a special appeal to Parliament will be given. The object now in view is how to produce a plan of emigration not only self-supporting but also remunerative, as an investment for capital. That philanthropy can be carried out practically upon com- mercial principles and made to pay, has been proved by tho success of Alderman Sir Sydney Watcrlow's Company for Improving the Dwellings of tho Poor. Life insurance societies are another instance, and so are building societies. The Crown, represented by tho Secretary of State for tho Colonics, has large tracts of waste lands in the Colonies. In Great Britain and Ireland a redundant population exists (shnt in by tho sea; who would voluntarily settle on those lands if they could get at them. And the Crown, as represented by the President of the Poor Law Board, has a nmnbor of unemployed labourers whom the industrious classes are now sorely taxed to support, who could be profitably employed on those waste lands. Wanted tho machinery to eifect the combination. Government will not provide the capital, but will give facilities to private enterprise to do so — which means, protect the private capitalists and legalize their proceedings in case of need— as in the case of the Lands Invest- ments Company, tho Lands Drainage Acts, and the private Acts of certain life insurance companies. There are three requisites to success — First.— The best land. Secondly. — A mixed population. Thirdly.— Capital. D "m so As regards tho fu-Ht point, I niu not qualifiod to offor au oi>inion. It occurs to mo that tho lands selected should bo such as would bo approved by capitalists from situation and with reference to markets for produce, as liltoly to acquire permanent value and to bo readily saleable; and also bo such as by climate, fertility, case of cultivation, and readiness of access by water from England, would bo attractive to a superior class of emi- grants, and cheaply and readily reached. In plain English, just such lauds as "a land jobber" would select for speculation. 2. A mixed population. Class!. Labourers and their families and artisans and their families to bo convoyed out upon terms of agreement, previously made, for certain stipulated service to bo rendered in clearing land, building, road making, &c. Class 2. Small capitalists and tradesmen. As regards Class 1, numbers of superior labourers may bo selected during tho ensuing winter who would bo attracted by the offer of constant work and ultimate advancement to inde- pendence to move with thoir families, and who could be relied on to form a settled and industrious sub.stratum of society. In addition to this, parishes would (probably readily with tho sanction of tho Poor Law Board) constitute in the aggregate considevablo funds to assist out mechanics and others out of work, wlio, though not at first tho best labourers, could bo made extremely useful in a place whore all labour is valuable. By means of this labour the lands to bo partially cleared and prepared with roads, &c., for Class 2, who would also be sent out from England, to whom farms partially cleared would be sold out and out, or might bo let to those who had only sufficient capital to stock them, with the option of purchase by instalments. Tradesmen and mechanics would take up the town lands, as they invariably follow population, and both these sets, namely, tho small capitalists, settlers, and the tradesmen in turn become employers of labour, and make room for a new succession of labourers to be brought out from England. 3. Capital. This may be obtained, 1st, from the general public by way of subscription for shares, and 2ndly, by way of loans. Tho distinctive feature of my plan is, that reliance should not be placed wholly upon capitalists, but that it should be partially raised from the classes more particularly interested in and to be benefited by it. No one who has mixed much with the working classes can doubt (although the President of the Board of Trade may bo sceptical) that the education thoy have received already has given them a great desire to better themselves, and that steam- D 61 ral of be buats, iiiilwayH, telegraphs, ami nowspapors havo not only brought the world closer together than it was lifty years ago (to uso a llgurativo oxprossion), but people generally know moro about, it, luul that there in a greater inelination to visit " Foreign Tarts" from the highest to tho lowest throughout soeioty. It ia also evident that the desire to acquire land is becoming moro and moro a dominant feeling. Tho liist impulse of a man rising from tho lower ranks who has saved a littlo money is to livo in his own house. If any proof of tliis is needed, it is only necessary to visit Cambomo, or some half-score towns which could bo named; but, as we are in London, it is only necessary to point to the success of building and land societies. That there ia a groat deal of capital in the hands of this class is evident from the amount in tho Savings' Banks. My plan would bo to establish an agency in every town to place shares and receive money on loan, upon which a per centage would bo paid according to agreement. It is evident that a bettor rato of interest could be safely ottered than is given at present by the Government Savings' Banks, and tho security would bo quite as good. Certain advantages must, of course, bo ofl'ered to shareholders to exchange theii* shares for land and free passages. The investors, by way of loan, would be entitled to repayment in cash upon an agreed notice, or to convert their ni'>ney into shares at any time with similar advantages. Those capitalists who held their shares would be entitled to tho ultimate advantage from tho increased value of the land which has always occui'red in every colony. This plan contemplates settling some agreed area of land to bo obtained by grant in fee- simple, which is the only security for expenditure in tho exportation of labourers and their families from this country; and each settlement would require a com- petent leader resembling tho chefoi a societe en commandite in Franco, with competent assistants. Stores must be established for the supply of every necessary. Theso stores would be a great source of comfort to tho emigrants, and would be a source of profit to the promoters. The head quarters must bo in London, from which all directions must emanate. There is no reason why the plan should not embrace general emigration to all the colonics, but in the first instance a basis of operations must bo selected as a beginning, and it is submitted that the Canadian Dominion at the present time is more likely to meet with favour gonerary than any other colony. After all, the success of the plan will depend chiefly upon the "selection of tho land," and it appears to mo that it is absolutely essential that some competent person be sent out to ^TTf- 6^ negociato for and sccnro a suitable block of land, and to arrange proliminar-los with the Colonial Government ; for which puri30so a sum of money must bo subscribed by the promoters in the first instance. WM. FRESTON, 22nd June, 18C9. 1, Maida Vale, London, W. 15. J. H. Richardson, Esq., 11, Poultry, London, Wrote a letter, stating that the Government of a Southern American Jorder State (uot named) was desirous of attracting farmers from England, Scotland, and Wales, and offered advantages to any farmer bringing over his labourers with him, and that the money paid for thoir passages shoulc! be allowed him from the price of the land. IJr. Richardson also addressed a second and third letter to Colonel Maude, which are as follows : — London, July 5th, 1869. Sir, I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 25th ultimo, and to thank you for the expression of you** valued opinion in which 1 may say I fully concur. I shall be very glad to see you here or to call upon yo.. .vhen you arc in town, to exchange views on the subject of my previous letter. In the meantime I beg to make a suggestion through yon to your Committee aid Association, (which I ohall also make to the Guardians' Emigration Meeting,) that in any plan of emigration that you may finally adopt, or in any Act of Par- liament that may be suggested by you, that the countries to which emigrants ca be sent should not be limited to our colonies, but should include tlie "^nittd States, for it will be found tbat one of the best fields for such labourers will be the Border Southern and Western States of America ; and I believe, from what I know of the country from many years' residence there, that all able-bodied emigrants^ willing to work, would be received cordially. I am confident that, whatever class could be turned to account in oar own colonies, would find a ready livelihood in tliese States, and that the same assistance would be extended by the State Governments in protecting them and in assisting to procure oinployment for them on their arrival. Why then should the nearest and most extensive labour market be overlooked? Why send the emigrants 14,000 miles, if they can find employment within 4,000?* It is of course out of the question tliat, wherever these emigrants go, that they should immediately become farmers. Land may be cheap, but, even if obtained as a free gift, some capital is required to work the farms. Our colonics are anxious to obtain settlers with sufficient capital to farm, but their power to absorb laborers is * See page 03.- [LU] :" 53 ^ ^ very limited ; while we see that the United States are reoeiving 21,000 emigrants each month, who wend their way to the west and the south, and find employment there. The reason for this difference is given in the able essay of Mr. Jenkins, published by your Associa- tion, which states that, — " It is very essential to observe the difference between emigration to America and to our colonies. In the latter the labour market is limited, in the former it is large and constantly In the colonies there are few preat cities and a moderate mcreasmg. commerce ; in the United States there are communities, and a trade vieing with those of the old world. The consequences are natural. The great field for emigrants who have just enough money to pay their passagjs and no more, must be one in which they will find instant occupation at a remuneration." To the fact that the colonies would soou bo overstocked with labour, is to be added that, with the exception of Canada, the cost of passage would be three times that to the United States ; while the time lost in the long voyage to New Zealand or Australia is a con- sideration to the emigrant. The distance has also an importance beyond the first cost ; for it is found that the emigrants assist their friends and relatives to join them, and their power to do so must be governed by the price of the jjassage. For this purpose the poor Irish and Germans have sent millions of pounds from the United States to pay the passage of those left behind. The great cost of removing emigrants to New Zealand and Australia will, in any large scheme, practically leave Canada as the only competitor of the United States ; and Canada is, for certain reasons, not very popular with the working-class emigrant. As with our other colonies, its power of absorbing laborers is limited ; and, though the cost of living is about the same as in the Western States, the wages are lower. Then the scarcity of employment in the winter, the severity of the winter and its duration, lead Englishmen to prefer a more southern ^^ uate. Nor can we wonder that the rigorous winters of Canada are not much liked by Englishmen, when we find that even hardy Scandinavian settlers often leave the country for the south-west, and while thousands of native Canadians are fount', scattered throughout the States in various employments, and many farming western lands. The effect of this opinion of the emigrants is shown by a fact in the Emigration Commissioners' Keport for 1867, that of 27,804 emigrants who ar- rived in Canada in 1800, only 4303 remained, the rest having left for the United States. This tendency of the Englishman to seek a home in the United States should not be overlooked, especially as the capabilities of the United States to find employment for all the emigrants we could send them is adm'*t»d by those who, for other reasons, prefer to select our colonies. The old prejudice that, by sending emigrants there we should be assisting to build up a rival nation which might some day be an enemy, has a poor foundation ; for, the greater the number of English who emigrate there, the better 54 '<.i '.:^ "A S will be the feeling towards the mother coimtry. The hostility occa- Bionally manifested arises mainly from the noisy Irish politicians, who, after all, are but a small class in the whole community : and nothing will so effectually balance the unfriendliness of this class as the love which the English emigrant will cherish for his native country and transmit to his posterity. But we have been at peace with the United States for over 50 years, and, those who know both nations best;, believe that this peace will be lasting, and that the two countries will be drawn into closer bonds of friendship. We are their best and they our best customer. The Board of Trade returns for 1867 show that the commerce between the two countries amounted to £G2,869,812 exclusive of £0,489.006 in gold and silver, which we received from them, which is £696,000 more than the value of the precious metals received by us from Australia. In stating the objecti. ns which some emigrants have to live in Canada, I do not do so to disparage that country, —which I know, from observations on the spot, to be a good field for settlers, and which has a steady demand for labourers, though its labour-market would be easily glutted. The class that you propose to send to the new coun- tries will, I think, do well in those new countries. The exodus from Ireland was composed mainly of this class, but without the intelligence and trade knowledge and experience of the English ; and yet they were soon absorbed in the United States' population, and, as shown by the Emigration Commissioners' Beport, they have during the last nineteen years remitted £18,893,000 sterling,, or an average of £730,000 per annum, to their poor relatives at home, principally to pay their passage to America. Permit me to make one remark on an opinion expressed in the "Essay on Emigration," published by your Association. I cannot say that the result of my own observations, with respect to the position of Englishmen in the United States, is the same as that of the author of that essay. New emigrants, I allow, often nmke them- selves unpopular by obstinate adhesion to the old-world way of doing things, when unsuited to a new country ; but this fault is soon eradi- cated or toned down by experience In many manufacturing towns that are well known to me, the- English frequently hold the best positions as foremen and managers of works. 1 could instance one town in which two of the largest calico-printing establishments in the whole country are under English management ; and all the foremen, the pattern designers, the engravers, the machinists are English, with one or two exceptions, where they are Americans, while the unskilled labourers, the rank and file, arc Irishmen. Nor is this a rare instance. I am certain that, with very few exceptions, Englishmen in the States have the same opportunities for improving their position that the Americans have. Respecting the emigration of children, I think that a large number V -> ''^ 55 ' r- above the age of ten might be comfortably placed in the western and border States, and in Canada, principally among the farmers. From that age children there are always worth more than their board and clothing ; and, in nearly all oases, they would be allowed during the winter months to attend the free public rshools. Great care would necessarily have to be exercised in the selection of employers ; but I am sure that the clergymen, the justices of the peace, and others, would lend their assistance to this end, and would afterwards watch over the interests of the children. A benevolent society in New York has for many years collected the destitute, orphan, and houseless children of that city, and, after a short training, has removed them to the west and distributed them among the respectable farmers who had previously bargained to receive them ; and, in not a few cases, they have adopted them as their own children. The plan there has worked, I believe, to the satisfaction of all parties. In conclusion, I would remark that it would not be necessary to obtain the consent of the United States' Government to receive emi- grants assisted by your scheme ; but it would be advisable to secure the co-operation of the Governments of those individual States willing to receive the emigrants, and it would be desirable for those States to form a Labour Exchange and to take steps for the temporary pro- tection of the emigrants. The Labour Exchange would be estab- lished at some central town of the State, and to it the wants of the employers and the wages they could pay would be sent, and a register would be kept for the use of labourers and employers. The emigrants would have to bi, submitted to the State agent here for his approval, and the passage would have to be paid to the co-operating State ; but these are matters of detail. I am, Sir, Yours obetliently, J. H. RICHARDSO^ Colonel Francis C. Maude, C.B., V.C. •t* 11, Poultry, London, E.G., July 9th, 1869. Dear Sir, I beg to acknowledge receipt of your note of the 7th instant. I think I could convince yru that emigration to the United States will benefit the mother country as weir as the new country. Their present tariff h more hostile to our trade than any future one can be, and yet we see how great the commerce ie. With a little more liberality on tbeir part, which they are now discussing, and the trade between the countries would be enormously increased. But the subject is too wide for me to enter into at this time. As I shall 56 not be able to attend the Meeting of the Guardians, &c., I have addressed a letter, very similar to that to you, dated the 5th July, to Lord Alfred Churchill, the Chairman of the late Meeting, asking him to bring the subject before the Meeting. If he should be absent, or for any reason it should be overlooked, I should feel obliged if you would Bse to it. You are quite at liberty to publish or use in any way either of my letters. The one dated July 5th would, T think, be of interest to those considering emigration. I shall be glad to see you when you are in town, but should be glad if you would let me know the hour you can call, that I may be in the way. I am, dear Sir, Yours faithfully, J. II. RICHARDSON. Col. Francis C. Maude, C.B., V.C. '1 16. Alfred Waddington, Esq., of British Columbia, Sent two pamphlets published by him relating to a railroad through the "Fertile Belt," in the north-western territory of the Hudson's Bay Company, about to be transferred to the dominion of Canada. This tract is 1,000 miles, or thereabcats, in length, lying between Canada and British Columbia. 17. Abstract of Blue Book, dx., on British N. \V. America, (Fertile Belt, iCv.,) — its capabilities for colonization, by Wm. Fekston, Esq., 1, Maida Vale, London. June 26, 1869. North-West Territory : —Resolutions respecting this territory having passed the House of Assembly, the agreement with the Hud- son's Bay Comjiany will shortly be carried out. " The necessity of opening up the territory at once was dwelt upon, as the State of Minnesota, U.S., is pushing forward a new railroad towards Red River. The Government road from Lake Superior has been opened for one-third of its distance already."— (See *' Times," June 25, p. 4. •'The politicians of Ottawa," says the "Daily Telegraph," "desire to see British Columbia joined to the Dominion. The Pacific colonists desire to see themselves, first of all, connected by a railroad. The Canadians desire confederation first, and a railroad afterwards. The result is a '>>.' "See " D. Telegraph," 2ith June, 1869. What is this territory, for which the Canadian Dominion gives .£300,000 ? It is that lying on the frontier of the United States, be- I 1 I 1 67 tween Canada and British Oolurabia— tlic boundary of the United States from the Red River westward being tlie imrtflel of 49° of N. latitude. 7lm district has teen explored by two expeditions despatched for that purpose by the Imperial Government, The last under the command of Captain Palliser, reported on that portion lying between the western shore of Lake Superior and the Pacific Ocean, which was surveyed daring the years 1857, 1858, 1850, and 1860, and which reports were presented to Parliament on the 19th of May, 1863. Immediately to the north of Lake Superior is a considerable amount of alluvial heavily timbered land, but between the western boundary of that lake and the Red River lies a rocky district presenting few spots suitable for settlement, added to which the winter is severe. From the commencement of November until May the whole country is icebound, 60 that vegetation is perfectly dormant, and the spring is very lingering owing to the great extent of surface occupied by the large lakes to the south-east, and by Hudson's Bay on the north-east. Lake Superior and Lake Winnipeg are each 6U0 feet above the level of the sea, and from thence to tiie Rocky Mountains the central region may bo considered as a plain gradually rising until it gains an altitude of 3,000 fjet at the base of the mountain chain. The surface of this slope is marked by steppes by which successive and decided increases of elevation are effected, accompanied by importont changes in the composition of the soil, and consequently in the character of the vegetation. The Red River Settlement ii> in tlie first of these steppes, say 800 to 900 feet above the sea level. As long ago as 18C0 American squatters and lumberers were rapidly settling up the river which is only 140 miles in length within British territory, the best land being about 10 or 12 miles from the Lake Winnipeg, into which it discharges its waters. A steamer was plying on that river from the lake up to a given point. As far back as July, 1857, Mr. Iddings, the Surveyor of the St. Paul's (American) Land Company had laid out two town- ships at Pembina, Minnesota, U.S., at tlie frontier, one en the left bank of the Red River to be called Pembina Town (whicli is now marked on maps), the other on the opposite side called St. Vincents, and to be connected by a bridge. The railway spoken of in the "Times" had already received the sanction of a Legii?lative Act re- quiring it to be nmde in ten years, the terminal station being fixed at St. Vincent's. Captain Palliser speaks very ho), jfully of the future of the Red River Colony, but at that time he considered it too isolated to make ranch progress; and then says, "In the event of railway comnui- nication being extended as far as Pembina, it would not be unreasonable then to entertain the prospect that the Imperial Government might feel justified in encouraging the extension of such railway on the Britisli side of the (frontier) line to the northward and westward, ■F 58 throug> the southern portion of "The Fertile Belt" to the Bocky Mountains ; at all events, as soon as the country showed symptoniB of becoming suificiently populated to warrant such an effort The winter here commences about the 12th November, and lasts nitil the second week in April. The iiarvest for hay ia very abundant, commencing in the beginning of July, and for cereals about the 10th of August. Soil — vegetable mould, varying from two to four, or five feet in depth. The drawbacks mentioned are mosquitoes, locusts, i.e. grasshoppers, and thunderstorms, and the heat in summer is great. The valley of the Assineboine for 70 miles before it falls into the Red River, aftbrda lands of surpassing richness and fertility. The river is navigable by boats 42 feet in length, drawing three feet of water. There can be no question, says Captain Palliser, that the natural ingress to the country is from the south by way of St. Paul's, Crow- wing, and Pembina. It appears, therefore, that in the event of hosti- lities between the Dominion and the United States, this is the key to the country— the more so as to the west of the Red River an arid track of considerable breadth divides the " Fertile Belt " from the United States. The next steppe is 1,600 feet above the sea level. Here, strange to say, there is less snow, and the climate is more favourable. The lands are rolling and well adapted for sheep. The buffalo is here in vast herds. The portion of the Fertile Belt watered by the North Saskatchewan is the choicest for colonizing. Timber is in sufficient quantity for building, also limestone, clay for brick-making, ironstone and coal. The food grown for cattle — goose-grass, peas-grass, vetches, &c., pre- serve their nutritious qualities through the winter, and the buffalo is killed fat in January and February. The next inducement to settle in the Valley of the Saskatchewan is the fact that fires have denuded the territory of forest trees, so that the agricrlturist could commence ploughing at once. At the base of the Rocky Mountains the average temperature is 15'^ higher than that of the western portions of Canada. The result of expeditions in various directions in the Rocky Moun- tains was to prove that at a reasonable outlay a road could be made tlirough the passes to connect the plains of the Saskatchewan with the Columbia Valleys, Mr. Sullivan, the Secretary, says, " In the event of the requirements of commerce, as far as my experience of mountains is concerned, I could not point out so extensive a tract of country where a railway may be brought with comparatively so little expense. M. Bourgeau, the botanist who accompanied the expedition, in a separate report says : — " It remains for me to call the attention of the English Government to the advantage there would be in establishing agricultural districts in the vast plains of Rupert's Land, — and par- ticularly in the Saskatchesvan, in the neighbourhood of Fort Carlton. This district is much more adapted to the cultare of staple crops of f^.' < I 59 7 ' \ f^ -'- temperate climes, wheat, rye, barley, oats, &c., than one would be inclined to believe from this high latitude. There, in order to put thu land under cultivation, it would be only necessary to till the better portions of the soil. The prairies offer natural pasturage as favourable to the maintenance of numerous herds as if they had been artificially created. The construction of houses and pioneer development would involve but little expense ; because, in many parts of the country, independent of wood, one would find fitting stones for building pur- poses,— in others, clay for bricks. The vetches which grow here are as fit for the nourishment of cattle as European clover pasturage. It would be sufficient to shelter domestic animals in winter, and feed them with hay collected beforehand, to avoid mortality by cold or wild beasts, and permit the acclimatization of the other domestic farm- yard animals, the sheep and the pig. The harvest would be the end of August or first week in September, which is a season when the temperature is sufficiently high and rain is rare. Beans, peas, and French beans, cabbages, turnips, carrots, rhubarb, and currants have been cultivated successfully at the Hudson's Bay Company's posts. Gooseberries and raspberries grow wild. Different kinds of vacci- naceie are equally indlgei.ous, and have eatable fruits, which will serve for preserves and confectionery. The only difficulty that would oppose agricultural settlements is the immense distance to traverse over country devoid of roads and almost uninhabited. The assistance of Government, or a company well organized, would be indispensable to the colonization of this country." Here, in the construction of a railway through this country prior to settlement, is a work which would absorb any quantity of convict labour, who could be exported via Hudson's Bay and Lake Winnipeg at the proper season each year.* Tliis done, tiiere is land enough for all the paupers of England to cultivate for generations, and the return would be wheat or flour to feed the manufacturing population of England. • This assumes the Nelson River to be navigable by steamers; upon this point no satisfactory information has been obtainable. — [£