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Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6, il est film^ d partir de Tangle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche i droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. r errata d to It le pel u re, ;on d n 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 32X NEWFOUNDLAND; (IK. A LjriTE n ADDRESSED TO A FHIEND IN IllELANl) IN lIKLATKiN TO THE CONDITION AND CIKCUMSTANCES OF THE ISLAND OK NEWKOINDLAND. Wiii^ m fejjerial ^ic(u tcr ^miijntiaiu RT THK HON. THOMAS TALBOT. Houlron : SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, SEARLK, & RJVlNflTON. CROWN UUILDINGS, 188, FLEET STHEET. 1882. h t ..* 11. F, I'j Nova Scotia Historic;al Society. ^-•Tr % JVlmis d'olleftiou ^K W: ' ••' .w i% NEWF()IIN])LAND; on, A LETTEli ADDHKSSIiD'IO A rHIEND IN IKKLAND IN KllLATlO.N TO TIIM CONDITION AND CIKCl'MSTANCKS OF THE ISLAND OF NEWFOUNDLAND, Mill; an (B^tcM ^ic(u to feigntian. BT THE HON. THOMAS TALBOT. Uoution : SAMPSON LOW, MARSTUN, 8EARLE, it RIYINdTON, CliOVVN BUILDINGS, 188, FLELT STHEKT. 1882. LONDON : PBINTED IIT GII.nEKT AM) IIIVINOTON, MMIIIP, tx. John's sqiauk. C O N T i: N T S. I. II. 111. IV. V. VI. VII. My iirrivitl in St. .lolm's, tlic c ijtitiil of XcwrdUiKllimd — Tlio appciinuicf of the town — Its itopulation iuul l>usinofi.s . Ilarhour^'racc— Its iionulution — Tlitj distrii't of Conception n-xy My fust siinnncr and winter in Newfonndland — A<,'riciilture — Tlie fi.slierics — ScIiooIh ....... The ice-fields, and the Heal- fishery — Annual produce of this industry .......... The Labradore — The cod-fishery upon that coast — The annu.il value of the Newfoundland and Labradore cod-fishery The size and form of the Island of Newfoundland -Its (geogra- phical position— Territorial area— General characteristics . A Newfoundland parliamentary election — Political parties — Extraonlinary riot.s — A political baptism of violence — The military called out — Xo return ...... VIII. My return to St. .John's — The bar : its composition and cbaracter — Tlie press — The Iloi'.-io of Assembly — The Lej^is- lative and E.>kecutivo Councils — Superior education IX. Suspension of the constitution— Amalgamated House — Re- eponsible Government ....... X. A general election — Return of the Liberal Party — Formation of the new ministry— Their policy and conduct—A new election — My first cunditature, and defeat .... XI. Dismissal of the ministry — Dissolution of the House — New elections — Return of the Conservative Party — My return for the capital XII. Signal failure of the Conservative party — Their tenacious hoM of oifice — Their attempt to go into confederation with Canada — General election — Defeat of the Government XIII. The Legislative Council — Delegation to Downing Street — Withdrawal of the military from the colony — The French shore question XIV. Constabulary — Shrievalty — Judiciary — Judicial districts — Circuits .......... XV. Changes in the appearance and condition of St. John's — Pro- gress of the colony — Its present condition . . . . XVI. Newfoundland considered as a field for emigration — Its advan- tages and attractions in this respect — Tlie description of immigrants required. I-4UR I rt II 15 22 31 31 37 'U) •W W 49 52 55 58 G2 -^ \ NEWFOUNDLAND. London, Auiju.t^, 1882. My dkau Sir, — I do not ktu^w tliat I coiiM adopt a bettor plan for ilic purpc^so of convcyiiiLr to yon and otluTs into- rcsti'd in t l»o sul)ject <>f ojui^'ralion a cli'un'r and fuller view of tlio prospects whicli Ne\vlV)nndland presmt^i in that respect, than by foUowin*,' the conrso of my own experiences in that island for tho last foi-ty-fivu years. In this way tho varions snbjocts of interest will present themselves to my view as I fro along' ; and thns I sliall bo enableh it. There were no steamers then plying across tho Atlantic, at least not to Newfoundland ; nor for more than thirty years after- wards. It was a beautiful day when the ctiast-line, outside 8t. John's, first rose to our view. Tho skv looked bluo and lofty ; the atmosphere was clear ; and the sea was I) 2 Xiivjoundlaud. smooth ninl ^liisny a>< \\ liikf, though wo liml it fresh broezo. Am the iMoriiiri^ advanced tlu? ooast-litu', which roso nearly dm- west of us, looked like tlie wall of a rampart, bold, hombre, and massive. It struck me that the vessel would run against it, nml l)o shattiTcd to j)ieces; aH she ran right for it, and there ajipeared no opening in any part of tlu) lino of wall through which slu> could escape. As wo a|)- pro'iched neaici-, howevt r, I obst rved a thin filit in the wall a little to oiu' left, which gradually widened as wo approaclied, until at length wo glidi'd into ft pnssago of tieep still water between lofty perpendicular hills, ono on either sid(>. 'J'his is the entrance to the ]iort of St. John's, and is calleil "The Narrows." .Just as we entered it a Holdier, standing on a shelving rock or platform on the sido of the hill on our right, challenged U3 through ii Bpoaking- trumpet imjuiring the "name of our vessel, whore from, and tho number of days out." We pa.ssed on througli this narrow jiassage for a few minutes; then turnod a litth? to tho left, that is, wt'sterly, — the passage* or opening ajiparently closing behind us; — and in less than half an hour wo dropped anchor in a spacioijs landlocked basin which ran to tlie west- ward, or left of the Narrows, to tho distance of a mile or so. The town rose before us to the northward, cov< of stour» or brick, excopt till) G'tviTiniicnt Ilniist', wliicli is ii rriilly Hue iMiililiri^, fiitiiatcil nt tlif top (if ihc hill alinvc flic town, iiivl :(|ii(> now, but imt \hi'n ; for tliey wcro tlion wit ht lilt vt'j^'ctation of ftiiy kind, and proscnti'tl an a.Mpect barren and dnary. Tlicro w»'ro no roadn worthy f)f tho iiaiM(; hiidiiii; IVoni the tnwn to tho suburbs and outlying villaL,'('s ; then' wcro patlis nicrcly, — iiaiTnw, I'^u^'h, and dirty; and ivcn thoso did now, and tlio chain has been removed. The barracks on Signal ilill are also unoccupied, and falling to decay ; but in tho event of war and of a hostilo invasion, these defences could easily bo re-established. The town of St. John's is a very different ])laco now to what it was when it first presented itself t(j me over foiiy- five years ago. It is now scarcely inferior to any town or city in British North America, either in appearance or in B 2 A ^eivfoiindland. anyof tlioso attributes uhicli are nppropriato to an atlvancod civilization. Its streets are broad, clean, and well-built; the principal or chief business street, Water Street, which runs alon^ the water's cd^o and is nioro than a niilo in lfnive view is ]-)res(ntst- "Ward. It is a well-('ultivat(>d and bloumini^ reicion, inter- spersed with handsonu! and substantial farndiouses, as well as the more rrPtentions abodes of tlu^ wealthier classes. Hero are lawns, fjroves, ponds, and j^Mrdens in eveiy variety, with meadows, sheepwalks, c(n'iilields, and ])astnres, on which tho eye may rest with tho utii.ost ut of it. 'J'hoso foi-tunes, however, have been for tho most part expended in the Old Country, as the Unitetl Kingdom is called there. The successfid merchants have retired homo from time to time, heaving behind them their suns, or tho younger members of the iirms, to conduct tho business. This formed a great obstruction to tlu» prospei-ity oi the colony, and in a great measure nnlitated against the culti- vation of tho soil, as well as against the extension of other industrial pursuits. A country that continu(^s from age to age to bo drained of its wealth, nuist necessarily become torpid a'^d inactive, and thus incapable of supporting an increasiL:g copulation. And such has been the fate of Newfoundland. Kecently, however, there has been a great change in this respect : not that tho periodical retirement of the merchants does not still continue, but its recurrence is less frequent ; and an infusion of capital from other quarters for other industrial objects than tho lisheries — mining, and manufacturing, for instance — contributes in some measure to redeem the disadvantages accruing from this occasional retirement of the wealthy commercial men. The population of St. John's at the present time — that is, including, as I have said before, the outlying villages — is 6 Newfoundland. over 30,000, that is, more than double its number forty- five years ago. And these are not altogether living by the fisheries now. Some of thom — though these are not nu- merrni.s — draw thrir support from farming, mining, and manufacturing pursuits. •?> nARBOURGRACE II. ITS POPULATION THE DISTRICT OF CONCEPTION DAY. After remaining nearly a week in St. John's, I left it for Harbourgrace, to join my father, who was then residing on his farm there, after ^"aving retired from the business of the fisheries. 'J'ho distance from St. John's to Harbourgrace by land is about one hundred miles, and by Innd and water Bcarcely a third of that. At that time it would be almost an herculean labour to travel the distance by land ; so broken, and rugged, and every way wretched were the roads or paths ; and therefore it was scarcely ever attempted except in the winter b ' on, when the ])ostman, or other pedestrian whoso living ,uircd it, scramblinl his way over frozen water and snow-v aW 'r -'ren lands, when he had no other means of travel, li rse and carriage travel was out of the question, for there wai neither horse nor carriage to be had; and, even if so, there were no roads for tnem to go over. We left St. John's about eight o'clock in the morning, and walked to Portugal Cove, along the rude road which I have already mentioned. This road, which is about nine miles long, it took us about four hours to walk. We arrived at the end of it a little before twelve o'clock. Portugal Cove (which has its name from the circumstance, as tradition has it, of some Portuguese sailors having at one time settled or wandered there in the early history of the country) is a small fishing village. With respect to its name, I may observe that the Spaniards and l^ortuguese visiced the coasts of Newfoundland in their ships for the purposes of the cod-fishery, at an early period after the discovery of the island. After rambling about this village for about an hour, we embarked in a small sail-boat, called the packet-boat, which was employed by the Government for the convt^yanco of the mails between St. John's and Carbouear. Carbonear is a small town in Conception Bay, within three miles of Harbourgrace, and the second town in size and importance after St. John's, Harbourgrace being the first. The distance from Portugal Cove to Carbonear is about twenty miles. Newfo u ndla nd. Ifb After tho sails had V^cn shaken out, we wont along for a few minutos on a wind well enoiii^li ; hut suddenly a squall sprung up, and wo wore driven hack towards a reef of very ugly looking rocks. There amsu great confusion and excitement on board ; the two small siiils were imtnediately liauled down, and oars were ]iut (,)ut to try to keep the hoiit olf tho rocks. It was a fearful se(>ne ; the rocks could ho almost touched by the oars as the boat rose upon tho swell and seemed about to plung(> upon the black, i-agged, and pointed mass. She escaped them, however, by the merest chance, and got upon tho wind again. I thought at tho time, as well as often since, how near I was to end my days — and in the morning of my life too — by an inglorious death amid the waves and rocks of a littlo fishing village in the island of Newfoundland ; and that, too, after braving the billows and tempests of an Atlantic voyage. It was a miserable passage, these twenty miles across Conce})tion Bay ; for though we left at one o'clock in tho day, it was near five the next morning befoi-e we arrived at Carbonear. It looked a lonely, dreary j)lace at five o'clock of a June morning ; not a soul vas astir in the town; and a dull, gloomy atmosphere hung about every- where. AVe sot oft" at once for llarbourgraco over a road that was scarcely better, if better at all, than tho road from St. John's to Portugal Cove. It began by ])a«sing over a long winding beach covered with round rumbling stones and seasand, the sea sweeping up half-way uptjn it, — it then wound up a zigzag hill, broken by small streams and boulder rocks, and at last merged into a sort of car or waggon track that twisted itself up along the breast of a steep, rugged hill, lined on either side by tir-trees, and one or two wretched houses (wooden shanties) that shrank back tattered and naked amid stumps of trees and decaying brushw(jod. Having got to tho top of this hill our descent became easy enough, though tho ])ath was still rocky and broken, until we reached tho vall(>y or glen below. This hill which wo had passed over is called Saddle Kill, a place of some noto- riety in the annals of Conception Bay. The road now became smooth enough, though it wound up another hill, which presented a rather picturesque view on either side. There was no cultivated land to be seen, exce])t a small potato or cabbage gai'den here and there ; but there were some rather good stretches of forest land, with winding glens, and fir- crowued hills swelling to the size of diminutive mountains. We reached llarbourgi-ace at about half-past six o'clock. Throughout this walk of three miles between the hours of iive and half-})ast six o'clock on a June morning we never met a single soul, though we walked over a road that con- 8 Newfoundland. ncctod tho two lnr<^ept and most important towns in tbo island outside of St. John's. 'J'liis is accounted for by tlio fact that all the men, as -well as sonio of the wonu-n too, were at the lisluTV ; and none wore ut home except the very old and very young. Wliat 1 have said of the appearance of St. John's applies crpially to llarbourgracc ; it is a fishing-town, hut of much smaller dimensions tlian the capital. It is called a capital too, th(> capital of Conception ]iay. It consists of one long street lying along the water's edge, about a mile in length, and occupied in great part byfish-tiakes and stages. It has some stoi'cs and shops of cojisidei-ablo size and ])i'efensions on the water side, with small main str(>et by nairow lanes, through which a cart and horse can bai-ely pass. The town stands on a Hat, and at some little distance in the rear a hill rises somewhat abruptly to the distance of about amile, where it terminates in a level ridge crtiwned with a iorest of dark lir-tri'cs. Along the slope t»f this hill are jirivato residences surrounded with gardens and fields, and shaded by groups of trees of different kinds — spruce, ash, willow, birch, &c. 'i'hese are the residences of Sf)me of the more comfortable classes, wealthy planters, professional men, and others. The situation of Harbourgrace is nmch better and commodious than that of St. John's ; it is pcn-fectly level, and suitable for a town of ten times the siz(^ of that which now occupies it. As in the case of St. John's tho one street here is called (or rather was called at the time I am referring to) a path; and tbo lanes leading from this to the clumps and rows of houses in tho rear went by the nanus of persons residing in or near them, as Perkiu's Lane, Pitt's Lane, &c. The roads leading from the town in different directions were rough, rude, and ill-constructed, scarcely ])assable for a horse and waggon ; and in no direction did they, such as they were, extend beyond three or four miles from the town j beyond that distance tliey merged into smaller and worse paths. The land all round the town and in the immediate vicinity was rough and scraggy, and badly cultivated, with the exception of a few farr. s which appeared to havo been carefully attended to. But all this has been very nmch altered since ; and the to'vn of Harbourgrace with its sur- roundings and the various approaches to it present at tho present lime an attractive and rather imposing aspect. lb has some large and elegant houses, public and private. The Neivfoundland. H) Roman Catholic cathedral is a very chasto and beautiful edilico ; ami surrounded ])y tlio Episcopal Residence, and that of the Presentation Nuns, it ])reseiits a striking- effect. 'J'hc churclies of tlie otlicr Christian dcnoniinatiDiis arc also very i^'^tod. The buihliii'^s dt-voted to the srveral pubHc institutions, sucli as the Toinporance Hall, the Court House, and the Academic building's arc worthy of admiration. The jKtpulation of llarbourL^raee at the time I arrivi'd tliero was lu'obablv SUOO ; this includes tlie suburbs and oullvint' villai^^es, constituting what is now caUed the electoral district of the town. It is now, however, over 11,0<)0. 'i'licso aro nearly all fishermen, as in the case of St. John's, and indeed of every t(jwn and village ut this pi'opcM'tion is very small, espe- cially outside St. John's and Harbourgrace. The soil in and around Harbourgrace is good, much better than that of St. John's, tlunigh not so carefully and ex- tensively cultivated. The crops it produces aro various and abundant, and the peojile generally are well-to-do. Thoso who cultivate the soil here, and everywhere in Newfound- land, are not exactly what you call farmers in Ireland ; they are proprietors. Every man owns the land lu; cultivates, paying neither rent nor tax for it. It was either made by himself, that is, reclaimed by him from the forest, ho having first obtained a grant of it from the crown at a cost of from one shilling to two shillings and sixpence an acre (seldom, if evei', more) ; or it came to him from his ancestors who had obtained it in the way stated; or he obtained it by pur- chase from those who had reclaimed it. Farmers, as they are called in Ireland, that is, tenant farmers, aro very few in Newfoundland. With the exception of a few in the neigh- bourhood of St. John's I know none. I knew one there many years ago, an Englishman, who held a farm of about eighty acres under lease at a rental of 120/. a year, within a mile of the town. It was land of fair quality, but not very rich ; it produced the usual crops of hay, vegetables, and corn, except wheat. It was capable of producing wheat, for I have seen some fine crops of wheat upon it, but wheat was not considered a profitable crop. He kept a largo dairy stock, and sent his produce of farm and dairy to the St. J(jhn's market. He lived well, and was a respectable and independent man. His lease was for twenty-one years, and at the expiry of that term he retired from the farm with a clear saving of 5000/. At the commencement of his lease bo bad not sufficient to stock the farm — be had to 10 Neivfo2indland. borrow monoy for that purpose. But this was almost an exceptional case. I havo known only ono or two other instances of that kind ; and all these were in the inimodiato vicinity of the cupital^ where they had a good and ready market. The people who cultivate the soil here about Harbour- grace — and what applies to Harbourgraco ap])lies equally to the whole island, with but slight exception — are owners of the soil ; and moreover they do not, save in very rare in- stances, live solely by the produce of their farms. There arc a few merchants, official, and gentlemen of private means who farm their own land ; and those are the persons who carry the cultivation of the soil to the highest pitch, and who have the handsomest and most productive farms. The other cultivators of the soil are the planters. These are the men who conduct the fisheries, having ships and boats of various kinds, and other necessary equipments for that pur- pose. They combine farming with the fisheries, but their farming is of a rather slovenly kind. They employ their fishing crews in spring and autumn to put in and take out the crops; leaving it to their families, that is, the very old and very young members of them, with perhaps an old servant or two, to look after the crops during the summer. Hence their farms present for the most part an untidy and un- polished aspect. But then they are not dependent on their farms for support; the farm constitutes an auxiliary merely to the income from the fisheries. And thus it happens when all goes well, that is, when the fishing season proves prosperous, there is no class of men on the island so well off, so comfortable, and so independent as this planter class. They are the backbone and main strength of the colony. The merchant class lives by these ; for it is by their labour and enterprise they (the merchants) make their profits and realize their fortunes. The fishermen too obtain their living from these, for it is by them the fishermen are employed generally. When, therefore, the planters are successful and prosperous, everything goes well ; all classes — merchants, traders, mechanics, professional men — thrive and flourish. But, on the other hand, whenever the planters fail, when- ever an unsuccessful fishery disappoints and cripples them, the whole social fabric comes toppling down. This is almost literally the case. Harbourgrace is peculiarly situated in this respect ; it is the very centre of the planter interest. It is the capital of Conception Bay, which is one of the largest bays in the island, and has by far the largest fishing population. The population of this bay, with that of St. John's, which is much smaller, constitutes nearly half the entire population n*) n^ Newfoundland. 1 1 of the island. The slioro line of this bay oxtoncls moro than one hundred miles. I was early struck with the peculiarity of the clitnato of Newfoundliuid. I was scarcely a fortiiij^'ht residing at Ilarbourgrace, when on(> ninniing I royo from bed, and looking out of my window, J saw the surrounding country covered with a mantle of snow. This was about the iniddK) of Juno. You can i!nngin(^ what a thrill of gloomy disap- pointment came over me when this evidence of a rigorous Arctic climate presented itself to me. The snow lay about four inches deep on the level ; but in some places, along tho fences and the sides of the houses, it was as many feet ilcep. However, the sun had not set that day before every vestige of this white pall had been swept away, and tho landscape had been looking fresh and blooming. It rarely hap])en3 that such a fall of snow occurs in the month of June; and whenever it does it passes quickly away, without causing the least incouveuicuco. III. MY FIRST SUMMER AND WINTER IN NEWFOUNDLAND — AQRICUL- TUKE — THE FISHERIES — SCHOOLS. I PASSED tho summer : \ autumn months of this my first year in Newfoundland m a way that afforded me much agree- able interest and occupation. ^ly attention was ])retty equally divided between the labours of the land and of the sea. Tho work of agriculture in tho summer season is left entirely in tho hands of a few old people, the main body of the population being engaged in tho fisheries on the coast of Ijabradore, a distance of some !300 miles from their homes. This was the case then, and is so still ; though in the early days of tho fisheries the various populations along the coast of tho island found ample employment near their own doors, from tho abundance of fish that frequented the shores. But latterly, and at the time 1 refer to, the shore fishery had greatly declined, and the coast of Liibradore became the general resort of the fishermen from all parts of the island. Few, save old and young, remained behind; and these attended to the labours of the field, as well as to the catching and curing of fish upon the coast of the island. The farms required but little attention during the summer mouths as the crops had all been sown, the fences rej)aired, and every necessary pro- vision for tho safe conduct of tho farm business made before the planters and their crews had left for the northern fishery, which was generally towards the end of IMay. At their return, which took place in September, they gathered in tho crops. 12 Ne XV fo u ndla nd. and madoovorytliinpj socnrofor tlio wintor, FTowovor, (lnrlnj)oi'tunily <»t' I'XMmiiiiiifjf tlio variuus crops in tli<> iKM^"h))(>ui'li()p rich htam Avliich aro capable of larj^'o ])rodiiction. I>ut on tho wliolo tl)(' cro|)S that aro usually ])ro(luc('d, sucli as hay, pota- toes, turnips, oats, and barley, aro as fiuo and abundant as I liav(^ generally noticed tliem in Ireland. I am writing now of llari)ourgraco and its noighl^ourhood; but my observations liavo equal a])plication to all parts of Concej)tion liay, and I may say, with very bttle exception, to all parts of the island, 'i'lie agriculturi' of tho island is limittMl to tlu^ sea-slioi'o, and is for the most part, as 1 liavo said, an auxiliary merely to tho fisheries. There is no distinct agricultural interest, as you understand it in Ireland. 'J'ho interior land, that is all hind inside a lino of four or five miles from tho sea-coast, is literally untouched. No husbandry has taken place upon tho island except along the margin of tho water in tho great bays where tlio various populations — fishing populations — are settled ; and those populations occupy a belt of coast all round, not exceeding in breadth, as I liave said, four or five miles. Upon this belt they live in small towns and villages, and carry on their fishing operations either in their own neighbourhood or, as is generally the case in those latter years, on tho coast of Labradoro. It may appear strange to you, as surely it did to me at tho time when I first observed it, that a whole country should have remained uninhabited and uncultivated, except a belt of i'our or five miles broad along its coast. But tlio fact is it is tlio greatest fishing country in the world ; and tho people who resorted there from tho beginning found fishing the most profitable business in which they could engage. For the merchant it was a mine of wealth, for the planter it was little less so, and for tho common labourer (tho fisherman) it was unequalled by any field of industr}'- to which ho could devote his time and strength, in the wages which it brought him. Little wonder then that the soil was neglected, except so far as it contributed, as an auxiliary, to the convenience and comfort of tho persons engaged in the fisheries. But besides this it was long forbidden the fishermen to settle upon the soil, or even to remain on tho island after tho fishing season was over. It is only within the present century, or not much earlier, that they were permitted to settle permanently upon it. Before that time they were compelled under a penalty to return to their homes, in England and Ireland, as soon as tho fishing season was over in each year. This was in obedience Newfoundland. n to tlio l.'iws thou ro^uliit in^ tlic fidlioricH ; nml tliosc laws woro cfilltil into existence at tlu' instance of tlio Hi-itish iiierchiints wIkj curried on the ii>lu!:ies, and wlio, witli a view snKly to their own profits, kept the fisliernien under their control, and i'lirhade tlu'in to attend to anything else than tlio prociirinfj of fish and oil to load their ships and amass tiieir fortunes. All l;his will explain to you wiiy Xi-wlonndhind has been kept a desert up to the present time — a desert exce])t the strip of Bca-shoru which 1 have already mentioned. I used sometimes to go out in the bay in the fishin<,'-buat9 during the summer, aud try tho lines. The ■sveather was generally very tine, iid the sea aud sky were redtjKnt of enjoyment. 1 always had two tishenneu in the boat with nie ; aiul alter three or I'our hours' lishing we would return, when successful, with two or more quintals of iish (coilllsh, which is the only Iish they catch along tho shore for tho purpose of prolit). Indeed very little fisli of any other kind, excej)t a small Iish called caplin, which is taken for bait for the cod, is taken along this part (d' the coast. A quintal meaus a hundredweight of cured fish ; about oue hundred aud twenty fishes of fair size go to make up a hundretl- weight of dry or cured fish. The value of this catch of two (piintals, if sold fresh in the market, was about forty shillings; but if salted, dried, and cured, it brought ouly about twenty- four shillings. The prices, however, liuve greatly increased since then, lor a quintal of cured codfish at tho present tiino sells at from twenty to twenty-five shillings. I mean, of course, merchantable fish, that is, fish of the best quality. The summer was very line and beautiful, and between the diversions of I'arming aud lishiug the time passed agreeably enough with me. AVhat at first struck mo as very remark- able was the absence of popidation ; I often passed along the whole line of the chief street or path, which was about a mile in length, without meeting a dozen persons, and theso chieily very old and very young })ersons. This was owing to the fact of the fishing population, that is, tho planters and the fishermen, with most of the members of their families, being absent at the Jiabradore in the prosecution of the cod, salmon, aud herring iisheries. This was, and still is, the case with respect to most parts of tho couutry ; but especially so as regai'ds Couception Bay. They leave gene- rally towards tho end of May, and return at tho middle or end of September. During that time the towns aud villages of this bay, as well as of most of tho other bays, are partially deserted, and look as if they wore stricken by a plague. One gets used to this, iiowever, after a short time, aud be- comes easily reconciled to it. When tho fishiug population returns in the autumn the scene becomes changed, and a 14 Nc%i.'fou ndla nd. universal buzz of animation and cxcitotnont porvadoa town and farm. 'J'ho carj^'oos of fisli and oil brouj^'lit from tlio Lal»radoro aro doj)ositi'il in tho morchants' .stores, wa^ea aro paid, tho ahopH arc crowdt'd, tho streets full of bustle, and every one is fiUed with a ren(;wed life, 'i'ho fields aro also filled with busy and noisy groups of labourers gathoi'ing in the liarvest, and nothinfjf seems wanted to the satisfied air of plenty and enjoynuMit reigning around. 'i'ho months of October and November wero not at all unpleasant. 1 had been led to Ijelievo l)eforo leavin|)ort('d by small annual grants from the (Jovernment and Legislature. They wero badly taught, l)adly furnished, and badly ])aid. Tho teachers were lor the most part okl or crippled lishormen, and broken-down or discharged commercial clerks. Such was tho character of those schools throughout the island ; that is wherever they clumccd to be located, for such as they were they wero even scarce. Tliore wero a fow schools — very few — scattered up and down the bay, of a somewhat better description; but even these were poor, both as regarded teaching and school appliances. Tho public school system has been since very much improved iu botli those respects. There were but few private schools, and these principally in the capital, and in llarbourgrace. Tho teaching iu these was somewhat better than in the Govern- ment sehools. It included some of the In'ghor mathematical branches and bookkeeping ; but in all other respects little could be said in favour of them. There was no classical school in the whole island, with tho exception of ono in tho capital, which was taught by a gentleman who had been brought out from some part of England or Scotland by a few otHcial gentlemen and merchants who had guaranteed Iiim a certain income before he left home. The school, I think, was limited to tho sons of the subscribers, and con- sisted only of some dozen or so of boys. On tho whole tho state of education throughout tho island was in as low a condition as it is possible to conceive. Early in my after- life in the colony 1 devoted much of my attention to this subject, with the view of raising the status of its educa- tional system, and of giving an upward impulse to tho aspirations of its young men. THE ICE-FIELDS IV. AND THE SEAL-FISHERY — ANNUAL OP THIS INDUSTRY. PRODUCE The month of February had not yet passed over when pre- parations were commenced by the merchants and planters i6 Niw/oundUind. for tlio Kcalinj:^ vovngt', wliirli was to bo carrloJ out on tho ^TCJit icr-liclds. 'I'lic sc(mi(» Ixcaiiu' very hiisy and aiiiinatiiipf. 'I'lic yoiiti;^' itifii wli') had Ix-fii visiting mo fur iiistnu'titui (luring tlio prcvi'ius nionllis of tlu! wiiitor Ix'^'an now to j(ivo tliuir attoiitioii to lluir fatlior's sliips, and to pnjviro lor tlio voyago. 1 soon canglit the general contagiun, and niado up my mind to visit the ico-firlds, ani(l(' with their tiinm, Jis lliey call tho ieM. Tl lese f'inis nkulps which tiiey haul with their r<»|^ haj)j)eiietl to bo small, only ouo or two sknips in each. Some had nono. A ^,'00(1 tiM'n consists of from three to five seals, or skiilps. They never carry the cnri'asscs to the ship, oxcopt a few occasion:! llv for cookiti<'. It was jv liad dav's work, for tho Beats were evu lent I V scarce Our (jljject then was to tal of opejiiiio- fv way for the vessel and enabling' her to move on — the dii-ection of h(?r movement dejjeiHliiiL,'-, of course, on tho direction of the wind. Hut we soon tound that all movement was impossible; wo bccamo lirmly bound in the s(»lid ic(>. Wo wcro sonu' fifty miles fi'om the coast now, amid a scene of tho most remarkabli^ character. Wo wei'c stationed in the centre of a plain of ic(* terminated only by the hori/on all round. I{isin<^ here and there over tliis bi'ight and <,'littering plain appeared crystal structures of tho most cnri(jus and strikint' character. These wero iccberf^s — somo resembling castles, somes cathedrals, and Kf)mo appeai'ed ns shapeless masses of marble, or crystal struck d(jwn from some lightnin^-riv(>n palace. Domes, towers, spires, esplanades, galleries shono out from these crystallized frozen masses on every side. It was a wonderful scene, with tho sun glistenin*^ over tho whole lii>ld, and rellected in burning radiance from tho various structures. Wo always avoided coming too near to those masses of ice; for when the ice opens and the sea begins to h(>ave th(>y aro sometimes apt to roll over, and cngul[)h any vessel within their reach. I passed over the ico to one of them on a lino day. It lay about half a mile from our vessel, and appcai-od to be a splendid specimen of the (jlreenland berg (tliey are formed on the coast of (Jreenland). It had a tower, a dome, and several spires. It was not a very large one; not more than two hundred yards long, and about half that in breadth: it was a glorious mass though, there sparkling underabright blue sky and a glowing sun. I walked up tlus sloping gang- way that led from the ice-floor to the lirst galh-ry ; then passed along the gallery and up a winding passage that opened on a wide platform Hanked by a lofty t(nver. Hero 1 lay down under a brilliant sun and in a luxurious atmo- sphere, fancying myself transported far away into somo nameless fairyland, where all was peace and joy and endless bliss. The vessel lay off beneath me stuck in the Ice, like a small boat, and the crew jumping and wrestling around c i8 Neivfoiindland. her like children at play. I next took some turns through the various galleries, arches, and passages that lay along the bases of the towers and turrets of this remark;ible edifice, and then descended and returned to the vessel. I visited several of these bergs during the season, but this was the finest and most diversified of them all. All icebergs are represented as having beneath the water nine times the bulk and weight of the ])art over water ; I have seen small icebergs grounded in what was represented to me as thirty fathoms of water. After a day or two more the ico opened, and the wind freshened; and we sailed away in a south-easterly direction until we reached the strain or parallel of Cape Bollard, near Cape Race, the most southern point of the island. I had taken a quadrant and a chart of the island with me, for the purpose of taking observations of the sun, and ascertaining from time to time the position of the vessel. I remained generally on board with the captain, at his request, and seldom went more than a mile or so away on the ice. One day, however, I rigged myself up in canvas frock and trousers, with gaff, hauling rope, and clasp-knife, and took with rae a little steady man who liad been used to seal- hunting, and whom I regarded as a safe guide. The whole crew paired off, and I followed accompanied by Devereux (such was his name). The ice was close-packed and strong. We went along, probably two miles before we halted, meeting nothing in our way. By this time nothing appeared along the horizon, neither vessel nor man. We lay down on the ice and rested a short time, when we heard a peculiar cry, not unlike that of a baby; and Devereux at once cried, " AVhite coats ! " (the young seals are so called, at least one species of them, for the white or whitish colour of their furs). We jumped up at once, and saw three only, one large and dark in colour — this was the mother — the others small and white. The young ones, though small, were as large as small-sized plump sheep ; their legs, or rather claws — for the short thick substance to which the claws were attached could be scarcely called legs — carried them along very slowly, and we reached them in a few minutes. The old one had escaped through a hole in the ice, and the young ones lay resting on iheh' foreclaws, or flappers as they are called, with their heads raised, and helplessly, and, as it appeared to me, piteously eyeing us. Their eyes were round, full, and black, and really seemed moist with tears. It is said that they do shed tears when about being captured. They looked very pretty and very innocent, and I could not bring myself to strike them. I prevented Devereux also from striking them, for which he appeared to regard me 9> Neiufo u n dla nd. 19 1 ■with small respect. "Wo left tliem to the care of their mother, who no doubt returnotl to thcni after wo had gone. Wo wandered about for some time in search of wliat Devtreux called the main jam or body, that is, one of those multitu- dinous groups of seals lying in large fields of ice, where tha old ones, assembled in largo numbers, have delivered their young. Here tlu-y, young and old, lie about in thousands, iilling the air with their low murmuring cries. I was not so fortunate as to meet with any of those fields. Towards evening the sky began to darken, and a movement began to be felt along the ice all around us. ])ever(Hix saw a change coming, and said that we had no time to lose — tliat wo The air must hasten back to the vessel as fast as wo could became darker and darker every moment, and the horizon seemed to close in upon us. But this was not the worst ; the ice, which was all day one smooth, nnbroken plain covered with its car])et of snow, began now to heave and break. \\Y» were at this time fully two miles from tho vessel. No one appeared in sight anywhere. Not a sound •was heard, except a low rumbling noise running through the ice-field. ^V'e hurried on, returning as closely as pos- sible along the path we had made in our exit in the morn- ing. 1 felt a little excited, but not alarmed. Devereux was a poor walker, and a worse leaper. AV'lieu tho ice began to crack and open our path became interrupted with chasms, more or less Avide, between the ice-pans. Across these we had to spring ; but as soon as they became wide enough to require a good leap to clear them, Devereux was at fault ; he could not accomplish it, but went round to an easier crossing, which compelled me to wait for him, or go around to meet him and help him along. \\"e fre({uently bent down our heads to the ice for the sound of a gun to direct our way (it is the practice to fire guns at dark, or in a fog, to attract to the vessels such of the crew as should happen to be out then), but not a sound reached us. Still we felt pretty confident that we were advancing in the right directio!!, unless the vessel, by reason of the nu)veTnent in tlie ice, had altered her position. This certaiidy gave us some uneasiness. Our progress, however, w^•ls becoming slower, in consequence of tho still wider and more frequent openings in the ice ; for, to go around, as Devereux re- quired, began to be a very tedious process, and was also calculated to put us out of our course. At one parti- cular point in our wa}-^, where there was an opening or chasm of some five or six feet wide, I jutnped across, and told Devereux to go a little to the right, where the chasm seemed narrower, and that 1 should meet him and assist him across We both used our gaffs to narrow the opening, c 2 20 Neivfoundland. by breaking round pieces of ice and throwing them into the opening between the pans. I then told him to spring on b'ghtly to one ol' those lumps, and then on towards me. Ho hesitated, and trembled, and looked frightened ; at last, finding there was no back door, lie stepped on to a small floating piece, and went down. I extended him my gaff, and hauled him near enough to bo able to catch him by tho collar, when I jerked him up to tho pan on which I stood. I never saw a man so deplorably cast down after that. I had to hold him by the arm the remainder of the way until we reached the vessel, which wo had the good fortune of doing before tho night was much advanced — a night of storm and ice-heaving, and sea-roaring of a fearful cha- racter. We had an open sea next day, and got under way, taking a north-easterly course. The ice soon disappeared alto- gether for a day and a night. During nearly the whole of this night I remained on deck, watching the strange and varied aspects of the sky and ocean. It looked as if wo were sailing between hills and forests and groves of rich dark foliage. There seemed to be no sky, no stars, no ocean, but a calm pleasant lake and whispering zephyrs, and, far away, reflections of light from houses and villages on the land ; but we were then at least a hundred miles from any land. It was long after midnight when we came into con- tact with another vessel — a seal-hunter, like our own — and then ensued a state of confusion and rushing and threaten- ing, mixed with unsavoury oaths, in the efforts to separate the vessels, that was frightful to witness. Tuns were even handled in the excitement, but no violence took place. Tho collision occurred in consequence of the lights of both vessels having been shut out from view by the intervention of the sails. They soon, however, got disengaged, both vessels having suffered some slight damage in torn sails and ruptured rigging. For a day or two we passed in and out through skirts of ice, picking up scattered seals as we passed along, until at length we got into a large plain of loose ice, interspersed with lakes of clear blue water. Hero the old seals began to show themselves here and there in the open spaces, and the gunners began to prepare their weapons for action. A certain proportion of every sealing crew are shipped as gunners, whose business it is to shoot and capture the old seals (the hoods, as they are called). For this purpose they take to the small boats, which are carried on deck especially for their use. These gunners are trained and experienced men in their department, and use their weapons with great skill and precision. The guns are long, rough, heavy weapons — a long barrel and large bore — and O Newfoundland. 21 i» carrying a lioavy chargo of powder and sliot. The first time the old seals began to sliow themselves, popping their heads above water, and diving again uj)c)u hearing tlio least noise, I fired at one from the deck ; but though I lodged tho charge at tho very spot where his head a})peared, it did not seem to have had any effect, so sudden was his disappear- ance below. The boats were now launched, and each bt)at was manned by two rowers and a gunner. I took my place in one of them, and after some shots had been delivered by the gunner, without any apparent effect, ho handed me the gun. I stood in tho stern, while one of the rowers sat at the bow (ho is technically called the bow- oar). I kept looking ahead, while the boat moved slowly along. At length a huge seal threw up his big black head above tho water, and 1 fired. At tho moment of firing, the bow of the boat rose suddeidy upwards with the swell of the sea, and tho whole charge fell into the water about five yards from the bow, barely passing over the head of the bow-oar. I felt a sudden hrill of horror pass through my heart, fancying I must have struck him ; but he laughed, and did not look in the least frightened. It was enough for me, however, and, laying down the gun, I had the boat rowed back to the vessel. I then went on board, resolving never again to handle one of those weapons. I saw the gunners sometimes stagger back three feet or more after firing, so great was the rebound from the heavy charge ; and 1 also saw the flesh of the right shoulder of a gunner tai'ned blue and black after a day's firing. Those weapons have been much improved since. After some five weeks of absence we returned home, having less than 1000 seals, young and old. A sucessful voyage ought to have secured us 3000 young seals, or 2000 old and young. This branch of the fisheries has been of comparatively recent origin, not having attained to any considerable im- portance before the commencement of the present century, and the mode of conducting it has been greatly altered within the last twenty years. It is now conducted chiefly by steamers — about twenty in number — and partially by small craft, numbering from twenty to thirty, and varying in size from ten to seventy tons. The produce of the voyage, how- ever, is about the same now as at the time to which I have been referring, and the number of men employed in its prosecution is also nearly the same, that is, about 5000. It is, however, not so profitable to the crews now as then. The crew then received one-half the whole catch of seals, now they only receive one-third in the steamers. The average annual catch is about 400,000 seals, largo and 22 Newfoundland. small; and the average vuluci of these is between 200,000^ and 300,000/., inchuliug the price of the skins. Thus it may 1)0 seen that an industry which employs only about 5000 men, and is pursued only about six weeks in the year— from about the middk; of !March to the last of April — turns in a value of over 200,000/., or nearly a quarter of a million pounds. The value of the seal oil and seal skins shij)ped from Newfoundland last year was about $1,200,000, that is, 210,000/. V. TUK LABRADOHE — THE COD-FISHEIIY UPON THAT COAST — THK ANNUAL VALUE OF TUE NEWFOUNDLAND AND LAUUADOKE COD-FISIJEHY. Thk seal-fishery being over, the work of preparing the land for the summer\s crops commenced, and fei jing, plough- ing, and seed-sowing went rapidly forward. Tin; pliinters shipped their crews for the approaching Labradore tishory, and had them ])art]y occupied in the iields, and })artly about the schooners or vessels to be engaged in the voyage. It was then a busy scene, activity and bustle reigned on every side. I made up my mind to visit the Labradore, and s})end the summer upon its coasts. I accordingly took a berth in one of the planter's vessrls, this planter being an acquaint- ance andfririid of mine. The vessel contained the principal portion of his own family, including his wife and two or three of his sons, smart, active 3'ouug fellows ; these, with his fishing crew of seven or eight men, constituted his por- tion of the passengers. But there was another planter with his crew on board, so that the whole number of passengers amounted to twenty-five or tAventy-six. Some planters not having a vessel of tlieir own take passage in the vessels of other planters, who, according to agreement, carry them, with their crews and stores and other necessaries for the fishery, to tho coast of Labradore and back again, with their summer's produce of fish and oil, at the close of the fishing season. Wo left about the latter end of May on a fine bright morning, and sailed in a north-easterly direction out of the bay (Conception Bay), and then northerly along the eastern coast — the same course that had been taken by the vessel in which I had gone to the seal-fishery a few weeks before. We kept generally pretty close to the shore. The weather was fair enough, though the winds were unfavourable for the greater part of the; passage. In about ten days we arrived at t\o Straits of Belleisle, the northern boundary of Newfoundland, which tliey separate from the Labradore Neivfoundland. 23 i coast. It thus took us ten days to sail a distance of about 300 miles. Wo passed by Bellcislo, and sailed down close by tlio coast of Labradore. The weather was squally as wo passed on, and the vessel had to bo closely watched— some of her sails bein<^ reefed, and some furled — to avoid accident. The coast presented a varied iippcarance, it was a mixture of the wild, grand, and romantic. There were dec]) curving ravines clothed up their steep sides with a luxuriance wf dark fir, and from these camo occasional scjualls which threatened to upset the vessel. Then succeeded bold, lofty cliffs crowned with fir, and then camo shi])ing down from the distant hills a series of open lields or plains covered with long waving grass, until they dipped into the sea, and were lost there. These were natural, not cultivated sweeps of land. There is no cultivation of tho soil on the Labradore coast, at least not to any extent worth mentioninfj. After sailing about half tho day or more alonrations commenced. There were three or four boats on iny friend's fishing-room, and these were manned by two men each. There were four or five per.«ons, including one or two women, kept about the house and stage ; these were called the shore crew, whose business it was to receive the fish at the stage-head from the boats, and put it through its various stages of splitting, salting, washing, drying, and stacking as the fishing progressed. I refrained from going out in the boats for the first week; and contented myself with rambling about the neighbour- hood, examining the other fishing-rooms — of which there were some half-dozen not far distant — and strolling through the glens, and over the hills that lay in romantic confusion around. It was- a rough, irregular region; a succession of narrow valleys and low hills, covered with the never-failing fir and spruce. There was no cultivation at all, except the little cabbage-gardens around the houses of the planters. It was, nevertheless, an interesting scene. One fine morn- ing, at the first streak of dawn, I joined the fishermen who were hastening to their boats to commence the day's fishing. I took my place with two stout, hardy fellows who promised me a turn at their lines if I felt so disposed. Each of the two fishermen in a boat usually worked two lines, and sometimes three when a good spurt occurred; in either case the work was no holiday amusement. We all rowed out through the narrow entrance of the little harbour, and into ? Newfoundland. 25 f the wide bay amid the uumcrous little islands that skirted its shores. After less than an hour's rowing we got on good fishing-, wo put to sea again. Wo returned home the next evening, having in the mean- time secured a snflicicnt snpply of bait. 81iortly after this I vi>ited two Indian wigwams. Tho first I visited was oc('U])ied bv an old woman named Jennv. Slie lived on tlio ilat top of a high blulV, or ledge of rock, on ono of tho small islands, iler house, or wigwam, was shaped like a bee-hive, having- fur entrance a square h(;le intended for a door. She was a small, withered-looking (jld woman, with a flat brown face covered with wrinkles. We brought lu-r some biscuits, and butter, and tea; but she wished to know if we had any rum {mhilncU she called it). We had none ; and she looked disappointed. She spoke a little English, mixed with her own language, and helped both out with signs. When asked if she knew (jod, she blessed herself, and raised her eyes and hands towards heaven. The wigwam contained but one apartment, in which was a bed, covered with blankets and skins of wild animals. She had lived alone for many years, since her daughter and son-in-law, the last members of her family, had gone away nxmi her, to live farther down the coast. While she was youthful and strong, she worked for tho Newfoundland planters in the fishing season, and received food and clothing from them ; but since she became old and feeble, she had to remain at home ; and was supplied by them with what necessaries she re(piired throughunt the year. She lived principally on blubber, and the carcasses of seals, and dried fish. Some of these latter articles were lying about on the rocks near tho wigwam, drying and hardening in the sun. When we rowed away, she crept out after us ; and was the last object we observed as she stood on the margin of the cliff, with her head raised, and her arms stretched out to us. This was her manner of wishing us farewell. The next visit of this kind I made was sorao weeks afterwards, at a place called Indian Tickle, farther down tho shore. The wigwam in this instance was situated on a level, amid low brushwood and stumps of trees — a sort of clei Mg for the purpose of cultivation. This wigwam was large: and better constructed than the other. It was a sort of wooden cabin, with a broken door, and something in tho shape of a window. It belonged to a married couple with a 28 Newfoundland. young family ; tlio father being an Englisliman w])0 worked on a mercantile room, C)r estal)lislnn(>nt, in the neighbourhood. When we upproiiched the cabin, we won; aHsailed by a half- dozen of furious, ragged, half-starved-lookiiig dogs, of a reddish colour; in sha{)e like a greyhound, but larger and stouter. Al'fer tlinging some stones at them, and threaten- ing them with our brandished ■ sticks, they slunk away, keeping their blazing eyes still turned back upon us. Thoso are the Labradoro Indian dogs. Two or three half-naked children, hearing the unusual noise, ran around from tho rear of the cabin, and casting a frightened ghinco at us, rushed into tho open doorway, and closed it behind them. We knocked at the door, being unwilling to shove it in, when a tall, well-shaped, muscular woman opened it, and admitted us. This was tho Indian mistress of the domicile. Sho was loosely clad in cotton stuff, with her black hair, which was very abundant, loosely streaming down her shoulders, ller colour was tho usual tawny, or dirty, greasy yellow ; her features were strong, and not very repulsive. Sho lield a baby in her arms, which sho began to fondle with sportive affection as we passed in with her. TIum'o were apparently two apartments in this wigwam ; for the one we entered had a fire-place near the centre of the floor, in tho hollow of whi, la few woodeu brands were smouldering ; and there was no bed : but there was a sort of canvas partition, or wall, at one side, which concealed some other kind of room behind it There were four children besides tho baby, of various sizes ; the eldest not more than seven or eight years old, all of whom kept close to her side. She did not seem to understand a word we said to her, but always answered with the word no, pronounced in a very soft accent. We took out a cigar or two, and made signs that we wished to light them, when she spoke rapidly to one of the children, who ran to the hole or fire-place in the floor, and took up a small lighted brand, which he presented to us at his arm's length, and then retired to his mother's side. In the meantime she kept fondling tho child, and looking quite pleased ; but we could not get a word from her except mo. There was a gun resting on a sort of rack, by the wall, which I took down and began to examine ; when sho suddenly handed the baby to one of the other children, and stepped up to mo with great majesy, and drawn up to her full height. She took the gun gently from me, placed it quickly to her shoulder, and threw her eyes along tho barrel, talking rapidly, in jerking accents, all the time. She then handed it to me ; and, after having done as she had done, I laid it r^n the rack. She still kept talking, and making signs with her hands j the meaning of it all being, as I took it, that the '# ^ Newfoundland. 29 *1k ^ %* gun was a wcll-fasliioiR'J and excellent weapon. Wo thon wiahod her ^ood-byo, and passed out. Slio followed us to the door with tli(» baby in her arms, and the other children holding by her dress ; and seemed very much gratilied. She was alt(>j,'ether different from Jenny, bein«,', I think, of the mountaineer tribe of Indians. These and the Esquimaux tribe differ considerably in form and features ; aiul arc hostile to each other. 'J'he mountaineers are tho real Ijabradoro Indians, tho Esquimaux being oidy intruders from tho neighbouring shori'S. The Newlbundland Indian, called tho Ked Indian, is an extinct tribe. Not one of them is to be found, either in Newfoundland or tho Ltibradore. They were, I regret to say, most cruelly and barbarously treated by tho early settlers in Newfoundland. In fact, they were shot down like wild beasts ; no attempt whatever having been made to reconcile them to civilization. I visited many harbours and settlements along tho coast during tho summer, and observed tho same activity and bustle prevailing everywhere in the prosecution of tho sum- mer's industry. Besides tho cod-fishery, there were tho salmon and herring fisheries also carried on along the coast; but these were very limited in ext(>nt. Latterly, however, they have assumed a greater degree of importance ; but oven yet they arc not pursued to tho extent which they aro capable of as economic industries. There were a few small mercantile establishments scattered along the coast, belong- ing chiefly to merchants resident in Newfoundland; but tho agents and clerks returned home at the close of the summer's fishery, leaving only a few men in charge during tho winter. There was, properly speaking, no resident population on tho Labradoro then, and consequently nothing in the shape of an organized society. But at present it is somewhat different, as there is a stationary population there now, though very limited ; and some schools have been established there, sup- ported by grants of money from the Newfoundland exchequer. Clergymen, also, of different denominations visit it every year, as also do justices of the peace, sent by the Newfound- land Government ; so that there is hope that it may advance gradually on the line of civilization. It is in great part under the government of Newfoundland. In the first week of September the snow began to fall, and the planters commenced loading their schooners, and making preparations to return home. Towards the end of September, my friend's voyage having been concluded, and a portion of the codfish having been shipped to the European markets, we left for home, where we arrived after a four or five days' passage. The voyage, as the season's fishery is called, was a successful one, it having produced over a thousand quintals 30 Newfoundland. of codfisli, Ix'HJdoH tlio duo complomont of cocl-(»il, nncl spvcrnl hiirrcls of liiM'i'iiigs. Tlio Viiliio of tlio fddUxli was then loss than oiioluilf its viduc at tlio |)re.sOMt timn and for iiuuiy years past. At tliat titno a fjuiutal of cotlti.sli sold at froin ton to twclvo sliilliiiLrM ; at prcsmit it sells at from twenty to t-.venty-fivo sliiilin^rs. 'I'liis applies, Imwever, to tho shore fishery, as the llsliery in tho bays and alont^ tho coast of Newfoundland is calliMl, tho llsii hero bein<^ of a superior ([uality to that taken on tho coast of Labi'adon?. The valm; of my friend's voyai^e, as it was, amounted to about GOO/, currency. (Curri-ney is to sterling'- as twenty- five is to twenty — that is, twenty-five^ shillin^rs eurroney aro about o(iual to twenty shillinjjfs sterling'.) 'J'his left him, after deduct in<^ exj)enaes, somcthin<^ about I.500/. 'J'his was not bad in a ))Usinoss not oceupyinnr moro than four m(»ntiis. The anmnd proiluee of the cotl-llshery both on tho shores of Newfoundland and tho coast of Labradoro was, on an average, about the same then as at the present time, althouudi the ])o])ulation within this period lias more than doubled. Of course tho lo(;al consumption of fish is much greater now than then, but the (luantities exported are much the same, with this dilVerencc! however, that tho value of the lisli now is UK^re than double its value thiMi. The average ciuantity of codfish annually exported from Newfoundland is some- thing over ono million of quintals; some years it exceeds that quantity by nearly a quarter million of cpiintals. Tho value of this, that is, the price paid for it in Newfoundland, varies from a million to a million and a (piarter p(ninds sterling. Of course tho merchant or exporter has his pi .iLs besides on tho sales in the foreign markets. But codlisli is not tho only article of merchandise exported from Newfoundland, though it is tho principal and by far tho most important ; it is tho stai)lo ex])ort. Besides this there aro exported, in moro or less quantities, salmon, herring, halibut, seal- skins, seal- oil, whale-oil, cod-oil, trout, haddock, turbot, caplin, lobsters, sounds, and tongues ; and in lato years, C()p})er-ore, lead, and nickel. 'J'he valuo of tho annual exports from Newfoundland amounts, at an average, to §8,000,000; last year (1881) it exceeded §0,000,000, equal to nearly 2,000,000/. sterling. The annual imports fall little sliort of this amount; they camo last year to nearly §8,000,000. These consist of nearly all the necessaries and some of the luxuries of life— from flour, biscuit, and butter, to velvets, silks, and satins ; together with everything appertaining to tho requirements of the fisheries, and to the various demands of domestic, religious, and social life. Very little is produced in Newfoundland iu comparison with the requirements of the population ; though "«r NeivfoH ndla nd. 31 wo liavo boon rocontly improving vory mucli in thin roapcct. Tim striiles niiulo on tho lines of atlvanccjucnt in overy dirt'ction, siiico tho times I nin relerrinuf to, liiivo been of a most remiirkublu nnJ certainly ehet'ring' diameter. ) m w VI. TUB SIZE AND FORM OF TIIK ISLAND OF NEWFOrNDLAND — 1T3 aEoauAi'iiiCAr, rosnioN — TUiMiiioinAi, area — (!Eni;i;al CUAKAClLlil^TICS. The Island oC Newfoundland is somewliat larf^'or than Ireland ; but not so compact in form, in shape it resem- bles an irre<^ular trianirle, tho sides liciiif^ very ninch in- dented by ba}s. 'i'ho soutlu'rn coast, runnini^ nearly duo cast and west, ftn'ms the base of the triangle, and is tho greatest breadth of tho island; that is, from St. John's (the capital) on the east to Cape liay on tho west. This bno luf^asures something more than o<'0 miles, 'i'he shortest distance from east to W(>st is from tho head of White Hay on tho eastern coast to IJonno iiay on the western, a distance of about fifty or sixty miles. Tho apex of tlio triangle, which is its most northern point, rests on the Strait of JBellisle; and a straight line drawn from this to the ])ase measures something less than 800 miles. JUit these linca do not exactly indicate the territorial area v\' tho island, inasmuch as tho three sides of tho triangle are deeply indented or scooped out by largo bays. 'J'he territorial area is not more than from tlnrty-fivo to forty square miles. Tho bays on tho eastern side are, with perhaps one or two exceptions, the largest ; they are all lying to the northward of St. John's, beginning with Con- ception Bay, the largest by far in point of population, if not of shore line; and then followed by 'JVinity 13ay, Uona- vista Bay, Notre Dame Bay, White Bay, and Hare Bay; — all, except tho last-mentioned, being of very largo extent. The bays on tho southern line, beginning from Cape Kace, lying a short distance south of St. John's, and running westward to Cajjc Bay, are Trepassy Bay, St. Mary's Bay, Blacentia Bay, Fortune Bay, and a few other smaller ones. On the western coast, that is, the line running from Cape Hay to Capo Norman, or Capo Bauld, at tho apex, are tlie Bay of St. George, a very large sheet of water, the Bay of Islands, Bonne Bay, and three or four more of smaller size. This line, continued around the apex and on to Cape John on the eastern line, is what is called the French shore, by virtue of the privilege of fishing which tho French possess 32 Ncwfou ndland. in tho waters along tbis line, and to which I shall refer farther on. The latitude of St. John's (tho capital) is about 47.^° N., and its longitude about 52^° W. The lati- tude of the most southern point, however, that is. Cape Kace, is about 4Gi^, and that of tlie most northern point, Cape Banld, 51 .j°. You will observe from this that tho island is placed in a more southern parallel than Ireland ; that it is, in fact, in nearly the same parallel as France and Rome of the most favoured countries of Europe. Its posi- tion^ therefore, as to climate ought to be regarded as most favourable; yet its climate is not all that its geographical position would indicate. Its relation to the Arctic seas, and to Greenland, produces the difference in point of climate between it and the more favourably situated regions of Europe. But, after all, the climate of Newfoundland is not all that it may be supposed to be from the fact of its being covered with snow for five months of the year. Though this snow continues on the ground so long, yet it is not accompanied with any extreme cold. The thermo- meter in St. John's rarely shows below zero, and scarcely ever more than a half-dozen degrees in an exposed position ; whereas, in the neighbouring provinces of the Dominion of Canada, as well as in some of the northern towns of the United States of America, it is not an uncommon thing for the mercury to descend as low as twenty, and more, degrees below zero. There are winters— ^but these are not common — vrhen the weather is so harsh as to prevent active opera- tions either by land or water; but such weather seldom continues more than a day or two at a time ; and recurs not oftener than two or three times throughout the whole course of the winter. I have seen farmers ploughing in the month of April, and sometimes in March, and even earlier, the ground being comparatively free from frost and snow. But the usual time for preparing the ground for seed is the month of May. The general work of slant- ing and sowing goes forward ; and in the month of August t^e fields present an aspect of beauty and promise not iul':nor to that which is afforded in some of the more favoured districts of Ireland. The population of Newfoundland at the time of my arri'^al there was considerably under 80,000, but now it is scarcely short of 180,000 ; and this population is supported nearly altogether by the produce of the fisheries. A small popu- lation, you will say, for a country larger than Ireland ; and which is capable of giving support to some millions of people if tho soil was turned to account. But it is only by slow degrees that the cultivation of the soil advances ; it is ad- vancing, however, and within tho las^ twenty or thirty years •1 Neivfoundland, Zl considerablo progress has boon in.ido in tliis direction. Tho necessities of a growing* population demand other moans of support than those sup])lied by the fislicries; and unless the inhabitants of tho country resolve to ]iei-ishj or to seek broad elsewhere— neither of which they feel disposed to do — they must turn tlieir attention more earnestly to the cultivation of the soil than they have liitherto done. As long as tho business of the fisheries supplied them with abundance tho land was neglected ; but the fisheries can do this no longer, seeing that while their produce remains stationary the popu- lation is rapidly advancing. It is therefore manifest that the soil nir.st for tho future become an oi^ject of vital interest to both Government and people. In vi(>w of all this tho Legislature has recently made provision for the construction of a railroad through a portion of the island ; a step which, if successful, cannot fail to induce a part of tho ])eople to settle down to the cultivation of tho soil. The population, as I have already stated, is scattered in small towns and villages along the margin of the various bays and headlands of the island. 'J^lie far greater portion is settled ahmg tho eastern coast, from Cape Race to White Bay; this numbers about 137,000. About 32,000 occupy the southern coast, from Cape Race to Cape Ray; and the western shore, from Capo Ray to Cape Norman or Cape liauld, and round to Cape Jfjhn — along which the French ])ossoss the right of fishery— is occu])iod by about 0000. The inhabitants of tho Labradoro numlier about 3000. It is difiicult to give anything like an accurate idea of the soil of Newfoundland, that is, of that porticm of it which lies inside tlu; belt of four or five miles along the coast to which I have already alluded. Tho interior land has never been thoroughly explored, and seldom even travoised from side to side by anybody with the view of examining its soil. But the few persons who have from time to time passed across it, or partially visited its interior, have given a bufiici(>ntiy fair account of it to justify the opinion that it is capable of sup- porting a considerable population in proportion to its area. From what I know of it, and I have examined it carefully, I believe the best portion of its soil to be inferior, except in very small patches, to tho best portions of the soil of Ireland ; but yet there are considerable ti-acts of soil, both towards the eastern and the western sides of the island, wj^ich are equal to the second-class soil of Ireland, and capable of pro- ducing as abundant crops. There are no doubt large sweeps of barren and marshy land to be seen on all sicles along the coast; but such is the case on the coasts cf almost every country, especially en the American side of tho Atlantic. I Lave never seen finer vegetables than those produced in parta D 34 Newfoundland. of Newfoundland ; for instance, potatoes, cabbages, turnips, parsnips, carrots, marrows, cauliflowers, beets, — in short, every sort of vegetable that may be growu in field or garden . VII. A NEWFOUNDLAND PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION — POLITICAL PARTIES — EXTRAORi;iNARY RIOTS — A POLITICAL BAPTISM OF VIO- LENCE — THE MILITARY CALLED OUT NO RETURN. Scarcely had I time to got acquainted with the ciiaracter of the country, and the various pursuits and interests of its m- habitants, before an opportunity presented itself of obtaining an insight into its political condition. The colony had but recently acquired the privileo-e of a Legislature. Only two general elections had taken place since that event ; the second only a few months before my arrival. One of the members for Conception Bay having vacated his seat by ac- cepting tu ) cfiice of stipendiary magistrate at Carbonear, a writ was issued for the election of a member in his place. Two candidates presented themselves to the constituency, one a resident of Karbourgrace, the other of Carbonear j both were Roman Catholics, and belonged to the Liberal Party. Even at this early stage of their parliamentary government the population had divided themselves into two political parties, the one called Tory or Conservative, the other Liberal. Derisively they were called respec- tively, the Merchants' Party and the Priests' Party. And most extraordinary parties they were. After suflBcient inquiry, however, I soon found that the one party (the Merchants' or Conservative) had for thei" guiding principle the resistance to all innovation, a name which they gave to the promotion of any measure that had not the especial benefit of the fisheries for its sole object. Taxation of every kind was ignored by their creed j and so of conse- quence was every civil institution, and every improvement that implied the expenditure of money. The other party (the Liberal or Priests' Party) steered by a principle directly opposite. Hence the Ui..avoidable collision between the two parties. But, in justice to both, in commenting upon their ways and doings, I must say, as things appeared to me then, and as I afterwards found by personal experience, the Liberal Party were by no means remarkable for adhesion to the principle of moral force in carrying out their objects. Conception Bay at this time formed but one electoral district, having a shore line of over 100 miles, and a population of about 24,000. This population has doubled itself since. Ncwfou ndland. 35 The polling was carried on from town to town, and villago to villiige, beginning at Ilarbourgrnco, the chief town, and ending at Carbonear, the second town of importance in the district. 'J'lms tl)o polling occupied three weeks t)r so ; and very naturally, when a sharp contest occurred, tho hostile feelings of parties rose as they went aloiig. Jn this particular contest, as 1 have said, the two candidates were of the same party — both Konian Catholics; tho Liberal Party being chietly composed of Roman Catholics, a circumstance almost unavoidable, seeing that tho priests were the chiefs of the party, or at all events generally regarded as such. Tho Harbourgracc man, wlio was a more [)opular man, and, in a politic'il sense, p'n'haps a bettor man, was not a I'avourito with the priests. He was, it might be, not plian enough, and consequcnitly tho priests opposed him, and suppcn-ted the Carbonear man. The party then split, and it became a contest between Harbourgrace and Carbonear, the respec- tive places of birth and abode of the two candidates. Tho merchants of Harbourgrace, and indeed the influen- tial classes generally in both towns, supported the Harbour- grace candidate, who consequently headed the other all along the lino until they arrived at Carbonear. Hero tho polling was to terminate ; but as the Harbourgrace man was in an immense majority at the opening of the poll iiere, and his success was certain, his opponents felt that nothing remained for thoTu bnfc to nullify the election by creating a riot. Accordingly the polling-booth was invaded by the rioters; the returning officer was knocked down, and the poll-books carried away and destroyed. Then ensued a scene of con- fusion and disorder not easily described. The Harbour- grace men were struck at with sticks and stones, and all sorts of weapons and missiles that camo to hand. They defended themselves in vain, for their assailants were too numerous, and evidently well prepared for the occasion. They fought desperately, however, and occasionally drove back the enemy with irresistible force, inflicting a severe retaliation. Some pistol-shots were said to have been delivered during the melee, which had the effect only of increasing the fury of the combatants I'he fight was con- tinued along the Harbourgrace road, the }fr"\'^urgrace men retreating towards their home until they came within a milo or so of it, when they were met by a number of their fellow- townsmen who had come out to their assistance. Then the Carbonear men began to give way, and to retreat towards their home. Here they attacked all those belonging to Carbonear who had supported the Harbourgrace man. They set fire to one house, and bi'oke in the windows and doors of several others. The night set in, and amid the D 2 36 Neivfoiindland. J darkness wliicli followed were heard all through the town the lerocious shouts of the depredators, and the shrieks of women and children running from house to house for pro- tection. It was a fearful scene — a living pandemonium. The lofty and wide-spreading flames, and crackling sounds of the large house on fire in the midst of tbe little town, joined to the crashing and reverberating noises of the stones that were hurled against the windows and doors on either side of the street, with the combined roaring, shouting, and screaming of the assailants and the assailed, formed such an extraordinary scene that a stranger unacquainted with ita origin, and the motives which inspired it, would have fancied that a party of savages had suddenly come out from the forests and made a raid on the inhabitants of the town for the purposes of murder and plunder. Many persons were severely injured in the course of the onslaught; among others two middle-aged gentlemen, the heads of the two principal commercial houses at Harbourgrace, were fear- fully maltreated. One was confined to his room for several weeks before he recovered from the effects of his ■wounds and injuries ; and the other though temporarily restored to health, yet never fully recovered from the effects of the injuries he had received; and died within a few years afterwards. My share in the business was simply being a Harbourgrace man, and a friend of the Harbourgrace candidate, and having bc'cn present at his nomination, and otherwise known as one who was favourable to his election. I was not a voter ; nor was I in any way interested in the result. However, I did not escape in the mad affray, having barely got off with my life. How often have I thought since, as in the case of the impending shipwreck at the little fishing village of Portugal Cove, how near I was to having my life ingloriously cut off just at its threshold, in a senseless and silly nffray in the little town of Carbonear. But the fury of the storm aid not subside for three or four days afterwards ; nor until a company or two of soldiers had been sent over fr^in St John's by the governor. The consequence of this interruption to the polling, and of the destruction of the poll-books, was that no return was made, and consequently neither candidate was elected. Such \tas the manner in which I was inducted into the mystery of politics in Newfoundland. It was a baptism of violenc3. I was greatly astonished at the whole thing, for I had never been present at an election, not to say an election riot in Ireland ; though I daresay there have been some elections there too not of the most peaceful character. In fact, so little had my attenciou been drawn to political elections before I left Ireland that I had no very (» . Newfound I luid. 37 clear conception of what an election meant. I believe my impression was that gentlemen went to Parliament for the purpose of making speeches on Catholic cmancij)atio!i, and the Repeal of the Union ; and that a seat in Parliament conferred great honour upon its occupant. That was about all I knew of parliamentary elections. But much as I wa3 enlightened by the Conception Bay election, and nnich as I was impressed by its folly and its violence, tlio time wag coming when I was to learn more of Newfoundland politics and parties ; and when I was to appear myself the central figure in the political arena. VIII. MY RETURN TO ST. JOHn's — THE BAR : JTS COMPOSITION AND CHARACTER — THE PRESS — THE HOUSE OP ASSEMliLY — THE LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE COUNCILS — SUPERIOR EDUCA- TION. Shortly after this I went tO' reside in St. John's, feelintr that if I should make up my mind to remain for any lengthened time in the country, the capital was tho most likely place to satisfy my wishes, as being the centre of its commerce, and the seat of its Government and Legislature. 1 soon resolved to study for the bar, and with this view I entered the ofBce of a lawyer. The bar had been but recently incorporated. Before this it was a sort of open bar, where any man might practice, educated or uneducated, and where the practice, as it was, was confined to two or three men who had never studied the law, but who had made its practice auxiliary to their chief business of auctioneers and brokers. These,, with two or three others, regularly trained attorneys from the neighbouring province of Nova Scotia, who had subsequently joined them (it was into the office of one of these I went), constituted the then incorporated bar. I may observe that the several branches of the profession, such as attorney, solicitor, and barrister, w'cre combined in the practice of the same person; and such is the case still, not only in Newfoundland, but also in all the other British provinces of North America, as well as in the United States of America. The bar thus consisted of some half-dozen practitioners, such as I have described. The bench, which consisted of three judges, was not much of an improvement on the bar; tho chief justice, who had been appointed from the English bar, being its only redeeming feature. The two assistant judges were colonists from tho neighbouring provinces, and seemed to be, if they really were not so, of the auctioneer and broker class of lawyers. If 38 Newfoundland. tlio early bar was an extremely open one, the new incor- porated bar was of an extremely strin? '^ far as the Uj)per House or Cabinet permitted them. Yet, notwithstanding this strait-laced system of government and of legislation, a considerable amount of benefit, in tho way of public roads, public education, light-houses, and general improvement, was conferred upon the colony. I began now to devote my chief attention to the subject of public education, which was in a very backward condition. The public schools, as I have already noticed, were of the most humble, elementary character, and it was manifest that if the colony was to advance at all the system of public instruction must bo improved and elevated. I continued to write in the newspapers upon the subject, and then I drafted a bill providing for the establishment of two grammar schools, one at Harbourgraco and one at Carbonear. I entrusted this bill to my friend whose election had been prevented at Carbonear by the riots which I have mentioned, and who now occupied a seat in tho House for the district of Conception Bay. I employed whatever influence I pos- sessed with the members of both branches of the Legislature in order to promote the passage of the measure, and after some delays, and calm, well-conducted debates, it was passed into law. This was the first real advance, in an educational sense, and of course the highest sense, that was made in the 40 Newfotmdland. colony. This was followed up soon afterwards by a measure providing tor tliu cstiiblislitnont of an sicademy at St. John's, a still highor advanco in the sphero of public education. 1 acc<;])tcd a ])rofi's.s()r.ship in this establislinient, a position wliich was ofi'orcd to mo by tho directors in a manner very conipliincntary, and certainly very gratifying to me. I still continued to write for the press, and re[»ort for \\\Vi House of Assendjly. After a few years, however, the p.itrons of tho acjtdeiny, that is, those who had bei'n sending their sons for education there, became dissatisfied in conse(|uence of the exclusion of all religious teaching from the school — it was established on the non-denf)minational pi-inciple, as were also the two grammar schools. The conse({uence was that the Academy Act was repealed, and another act passed for the establishment of three deneuiinatit)nal academies, one for the Komau Catholics, one f(jr tliO Cliurch of England Protestants, and one I'or all the t)ther denonunations and called the (jcneral Protestant Academy. The grant to this last-named academy was afterwards divided between the Wesleyan Methodists and tho Presbyterians, and so increased as to enable them t(j establish two separate academies. Thus there were established in St. John's four denominational academies, all of which have since been working well and satisfactorily. The genernl school system throughout the country was also greatly enlarged and improved. The Roman Catholics having thus obtained the control and management of an academy lor themselves, improved it by the addition of a collegiate establishment for the edu- cation of candidates for tho priesthood ; and the Church of England Protestants followed tho same plan in the interests of their church. So that within a few yeai-s the education of the country was raised i'rom the lowest possible condition — a condition in which the young men of the country might be said to have been brought up in almost total ignorance of every useful and practical branch of knowledge — to a level of usefulness and respectability not surpassed in any of the North American provinces. This was the first upward impulse in the path of real progress which the colony had yet received ; and it was something to be justly proud of. IX. SUSPENSION OP THE CONSTITUTION AMALGAMATED HOUSE- RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT. When a parliamentary constitution was first granted to Newfoundland, it reserabled in form, as I have already Nczvfou ndland. 41 stated, the constitution of En<,Hand ; that is to say, it con- sisted of an Upper and a Lower House, and nn Hxecutive Council or Cabinet, with a governor representing tlie sovc- • reign.' lint the resi'mblanco was only in form; it lacked the principle which could alone gi^'e life and spirit to tho body. That principle wns tho rcsponsihility of the ministry to the reprosentatives of the people, that is, io the Lower House. lUit, apai't fro?n this, tho institution itself was a novelty to the people; and tho almost necessary consecpiencc was that very gross errors were committed from the beginning, both ])y tho constituencies and the members whom they had elected. Intimidation, violence, and outrage Uiarked tho early elections that took place; as I have instanced in tho case of the Carbonear riots. And the conduct of the H(juso of Assembly, tho representative branch of the Legislature, was equally distinguished by an assumption of authority with which it was not at all invested ; as well as by acts of gross injustice and of vicjlence in tho cxereiso of this authority. As an instance of this I need bub mention tho fact that oil one occasion they had a judge, a sheriff, and a medical doctor imprisoned together, for ^7hat they called a breach of their privileges, — the breach consisting in an altercation which occurred in ono of the streets of St. John's in tho middle of the day, between this doctor and a member of tho House, in the course of which tho doctor shook his fist before the face of the member. Tho doctor was arrested and imprisoned by the sergeairt-at-arms by order of tho speaker, and pursuant to a resolution of the House : he was brought lip before one of tho judges of tho Supreme Court under a writ of habtas corpus, and discharged; but was again arrested by order of the House, together with the judge who had released him and the sheriff who had had charge of him, and all three were cast into prison. Such was tho view in which the House regarded its authority, and such was the kind of arrogance and violence with which it asserted that assumed authority. This sort of thing could not be tolerated — murderous riots on the one hand, and an unjusti- fiable and oppressive assumption of power and authority on tho other. The result was unavoidable. The Imperial Government suspended the constitution, and merged tho two branches, the Lower and tho Upper House, into one — called the Amalgamated House. Thus fifteen representatives of the people, and nine or ten nominees of tho Crown sitting in one chamber, constituted the whole legislative machine ; with the governor as representative of the sovereign, either assenting to their acts or dissenting from them, according as his advisers or cabinet, that is the same nominees of the Crown who sat in the House, thought proper to direct him. 42 Newfoundland. This was a curious amendment upon tho first constitution — it was a euro that was worse than tho diseaso. It liad but little effect in checkiiif^ the violence of the representatives, who were tlu^ majority of the House; while it was attended with the additional evil of gross political corruption, and a wr(;tched misapplication of the public funds, — for such gene- rally is the nccompaniment of political amalgamations, when the object of them is to destroy all useful and salutary opposition. Notwithstanding all this, however, much useful legislation was effected by this House, as 1 have shown with respect to the advancement of education; for it was during the existence of the Amalgamated House this advancement had taken place. But yet it was too manifest that it was a system of government that could not work satisfactorily, inasmuch as it militated against the aspirations of {)ublic men to hold the highest or departmental offices of the Govern- ment, and to bo able to dispense public patronage to tho most deserving of their supporters. As it was, they could not romovo the ministry, nor dispense any patronage, llicy were powerless, and the nominees of the Crown held the highest offices of Government fgr life. It was altogether an anomalous and a vicious system of government. It could produce nothing but venal subserviency on the ])art of the representatives, and political corruption on the part of tho ministry. And those things it did produce in abundant crops. It was better, therefore, to return to the former constitution, bad as it was, and labour for its improvement by the infusion of the principle of responsibility into its working. The people thought this, and appealed to the Imperial Government for its restoration. Their appeal was successful. I now devoted my attention, in the press, to the advocacy of the principle of responsibility in the Government. It was a principle that had already been conceded by the Imperial Government to the several Governments of the neighbouring colonics ; and there could be no just reason why it should be withheld from the colony of Newfoundland. They were British subjects, faithful and loyal to the Crown ; they had already laid the foundation of the highest order of education ; they were wealthy and independent by means of their rich and abundant fisheries and a prosperous commerce ; and, therefore, they were entitled to the highest privileges of British subjects. Well, all this was urged ; and a general agitation succeeded. The Conservative, or Merchants' Party, resisted the movement of course ; they could not bear to see their last and best fortress taken. What ! the people to rule : and they, the merchants, to be governed by a ministry appointed by the people ? A desperate struggle ensued. • Newfoundland. 43 I Imvo Raid l)L'f()rc that tlio policy of tlio mprcliants was to keep (ho attention of tlu* pi'o]»l(> altoi^'etlior tixed upon tlio iislu'i-i(.'s, and to repress every nioveiiient that had a tendency to encourage Ji<^ticulture, or nny other pursuit which clashed with their own interests. All iinpr<»venieiits would induco increased taxation, that is, increased duties on imports; and such increased duties would tend to a diininution of their profits, because althout,di they cluii'^ed those duties (which they themselves p;iid in the first instance) upon the pro- visions and goods supplit'd by them to tho fishermen, yet the fishermen might not always ho in a })osition to pay b{ick th(»se charges. Well, they were dtfeated however, and rcsponsiblo Ciovernmuut was granted to the colony. A (JENERAl, ELECTION — RETURN OF THE LIBERAL PARTY — FORMA- TION OF TUE NEW MINISTRY THEIR POLICY AND CONDUCT A NEW ELECTION — MY FIRST CANDIDATURE, AND DIIPHAT. After tlic concession of responsible Government the Ifouso of Assembly set to work to make arrangements for tho carrying out of tlio new Rystem of govi'rnment. They reconstructed the electoral districts, and increased tho number of ro])resentatives to thirty, while the nominees of tho Crown in the Legislative Council were increased to fifteen. The Executive Council, or Cabinet, was to consist of seven members, responsible of course to the Lower House. Writs were then issued for a general election. The Liberal Party left nothing undone in the way of organization to secure suc- cess ; while the other party, apparently not anxious to assume the reins of government under the new order of things, but rather willing to leave tho initiation of the system to those who had sought and w -n it, contented themselves with securing an etHciont minority in order to watch and check the proceedings of their opponents. Though solicited, I refrained from offering myself to any constituency, as I pre- ferred maintaining such a jiosition as would enable me to think and act independently of both parties. I hcnvever exerted all my influence, in the press and on the platform, in favour of the Liberal Party. The contest was conducted with fairness and good-temper throughout the country, and the Liberal Party came out victorious. The new ministry was formed, and the Legislature met. The Conservative Party, though in a minority, presented a good front, for it contained some very intelligent and able men. The policy of the Government was such as might have been expected ; 44 N CIV fan ndland. it aimod at tlio promotion of tlio intorosts of tlio industrial classes by tlio construction of public: highways, thus facili- tating tlio ])ursuit of agriculture ; by tlio crcctif)ii of liglit- liousoH for the benefit of trade and conmioi'f'e; and by otiier W(n'ksofa similar nature and teiidiiiicy. This was all s^^vy well ; but after some tinio the old spirit of arrogance and violence bt'gan to manifest itself; ainl the House became tlio scene of some very irregular and unseemly proceeclings. I offi'red some slight criticisms from timo to time in tlio press, on what appeared to me the arrogant and unjustifiable conduct of tlio ministry. This, however, seemed to have had but ono effect, and that was an unfriendly if not malicious feeling on tho part of tho principal members of the Cabinet towards mo. After a few years of what could scarcely be called successful government a dissolution took place, and a general election followed. Upon this occasion J was presented with a very respectable and influential requisition from the electors of St. John's, soliciting me to bo their candidate for tho capital. Tho signatures to tho requisition were principally of the Liberal Party (tho population of St. John*s was and is still com- posed chiefly of Roman Catholics, tho great majority of whom have been always of the Liberal I'arty, but there were some among them who generally acted with the other, or Conservative Party. I acceded to their desire this time, and presented myself as their candidate. At my first public open-air meeting I was received with unbounded and, cer- tainly to me, most gratifying enthusiasm. 1 felt no doubt of a triumphant return, for opposition appeared to mo to bo hopeless, and quite out of the question. But in a few days after this demonstration I was not a little surprised to learn that a candidate was being brought forward by tho Govern- ment to oppose me. My friends, as well as myself, had no doubt of this proceeding having been prompted by tho spirit of jealousy, mixed perhaps with a little malice. A public meeting was called on the part of my opponent, and he, surrounded by members and officials of the Government, arrived on the platform at the appointed timo; but no sooner had they presented themselves before tho immense multitude who had assembled there, than they were met by an outburst of groans and hisses, and other indications of hostility, which resulted in their hurried retreat from the scene. The ministry, however, determined to press forward their man in the desperate resolve to defeat me. And with this view they had recourse to the priests (the priests were generally regarded as the leaders of the Liberal Party), with the view of enlisting them to carry out their object. Their reason for opposing me, they urged, was that if I was returned I would upset the Government. It was a curious 1 Neivfoundland, 45 II- «i reason — oiio iiuin to upset u CJovonnneJit which boasted of bciii^' iiiviricihli', even il" ho had eiitoitaiiied siicli an idea, whieli I ((Ttainly had not; it was too silly, and yet they absolutely sueei'cdod in ^^'cttin^'- the; priests, to a nnin, t(j sup- port them. Well, tliere was n<» hel|i for it ; I had entered the aren:t, and 1 was not disposi'd to retreat. Jt was a most extraordinary contest. My (tpponent eould scarcely show liimself in the town throu^diout the canvas without beinjjf attended with one or more ]>riests. No meeting could bo held in his behalf witlicjuL beiii^' jin^sitled over and attended by priests. His eflif^'-y was burnt beforo a window from which a priest was strug<(ling t(j address a crowd in tho street in his behalf. In short, it seemed as if the whole priesthood was arrayed against mo in order to prevent my return. Jt was a strange scene. 1, who had done more tlmn any man of tho Jiiberal Tarty in advocating and pro- moting the interests of that party, and who had been so instrumental in tlu^ establishment of tho free Government nnder which they came into power, and without which they would never bo in a position to exercise any power — 1 was to be made the \ ictim of that power which 1 had so helped to create. Well, the contest was left to ourselves, the Con- servativo Party looking on, and taking no part in the extra- ordinary scene — bewildered, no doubt, as to what it all meant. The noiniuation (hiy came round, and I was still, aftei- the most energi'tic canvas day and night by the j^riests against me, surrounded and sustained by the great body of the electors. Two or three priests appeared on tho hustings, attended by some roughs, who had been employed to pre- vent mo from bi'ing heard when I addressed the electors. A row of course succeeded; and I attempted to speak for half an hour, in the midst of roaring and yelling and all sorts of noises, blows being freely interchanged between iny opponents and supporters all the time. The opposing candidate of necessity met tho same fate, tho priests en- deavouring in vain to obtain a hearing for him. At length all retired, the priests leading away their candidate by pri- vate streets, to prevent his being molested ; while the mul- titude, placing me in a chair, carried me in triumph through the town, with banners and a band of music. The inter- vening week, between the day of nomination and the day of polling, was a very busy one with my clerical opponents (for they became now the principals, the opposing candi- date being of no account). They visited almost every elector in the town, and left no resoCirce untried in order to effect their purpose. Even the Old Palace, as it was called — that is, the former residence of tho Roman Catholic bishop — was converted into a place of meeting for the 46 New, jundland. ^j org Hi , i. Newfoundland. 47 A m' M 4> dismissed by the representative of the sovereign from tho position which they had disgraced. I was now called upon again by tho electors of St. John's to stand for tho town. I offered myself immediately, and called a public meeting, at which I was received with, if possible, greater enthusiasm than before. This time 1 did not allow myself, as on the former occasion, to suppose that I would be unopposed; and therefore I was prepared to meet some attempt, al ^U events, at an opposition; but in this respect I was most agreeably disappointed. On tho •evening following my public meeting I received a visit from one of the priests, the leader of the opposition on the recent ooca^jiion, who intimated to me that he came on behalf of tho biihop and priests to offer me their united support. I need n jt say that I felt no less gratified than surprised. But this was not all ; on tue following day I received a visit from tho president of the Roman Catholic College of St. Bonaventure — a doctor of divinity, and a very eminent and distinguished scholar — for the purpose of offering me, with the approval and sanction of the bisL-hop, a professorship in the college. This was also vory gratifying^ and I accepted tho offer. A rather remarkable coincidence occurred in connexion with my return for the capital and my professorship at the college. There was no opposition, and of course I had a walk over. But on the morning of my return, and after tho usual chairing and demonstrations were over, I walked up to the college, and commenced the duties of my professorship. It was a curious combination of events. Thci elections resulted in an almost general defeat of tho Liberal Party ; so I took ray seat on the opposition benches, with only seven or eight members at my side out of a House of thirty members. The Conservatives took the reins of government with a sweepinr maiox'ity. Two or three of the former ministers were returnod, but they were shorn of most of their influence, and I had no confidence in them. The Conservatives applied themselves to the work of government with couoiderablo vigour; but they failed to carry out any works of public utility worthy of the name. In fact they accomplished nothing ; and yet they held on to power with terrible tenacity. The College of St. Bonaventure was a well-conducted institution. Its staff consisted of a president and the usual professors of classics, mathematics, and tho modern languages. The president had the divinity classes, and an- other clerical professor the philosophy classes. I had tho Greek and Latin classics, with one or two of tho modern languages, and tho higher classes of mathematics. There were others who had some of tho junior classes in the several 48 Newfoundland. departments. The pupils, including the divinity students, numbered over 100; among whom were several young UiCi of remarkable talent and ability. The building is large and imposi^jg, constructed of granite, and five stories high. The grounds attached to it are spicious ; ^ nd all the appliances of books, charts, and instruments arc ample, and well adapted to its purposes. The bishop is of course its patron and principal director. It communicates with the palace through a large library, which intervenes between the two buildings. This is the finest apartment of its kind in the country, or perhaps in any part of North America ; and contains one of the best and largest collections of books to be found in a private library anywhere. It belongs to the bishop, — it is his private library; but the professors of the c liege have free access to it. My life in the college, which extended over ten years, was a very agreeable one, nothing being wanted that was calculated to contribute to my comfort and happiness. My duties as a member of the House of Assembly did not at all interfere with those nppertaining to my professor- ship. The House sat only in the evenings, and the session usually occupied from two to three months — seldom more — of the winter season. There is no doubt that the double set of duties were onerous enough ; but then they were accompanied with a sense of one's being devoted to spheres of service where the greatest amount of general public good could be accom- plished ; and this was enough to relieve them of much of their pressure. And I am happy to be able to say that a vast amount of public benefit has been conferred upon ^ho country through the instrumentality of both college and Parliament since the time that I had first the honour of being intimately connected with both. This, you must understand, does not mean that I was the cause of all this good, — that is a species of egoism which I should not wish you to consider me capable of, — all I wish to say is that I have been a contributor to the best of my power aud ability to this most gratifying result. The irregularity and violence which marked the proceed- ings of the House of Assembly in its earlier days, and befo-o the people and their representatives came to understand and rightly appreciate its true nature and objects, had con- siderable eflPect in retarding the advancement of the country; but afterwards, and when experience had moul^Ied the views of political parties, and enlarged their scope of vision, a series of most important measures were adopted ; and the country has advanced proportionately in the road of civiliza- tion. I do not know at this moment where the industrial h % I t t ■Newfound la n d. 49 classes can live better than there. They possosa every facility essential to the acquisition of such comfort and inde- pendence as is necessary for their state. Land and water alike offer them resources of living such as can rarely be found in any country I could mention. There is no part of the globe where there are such abundant fisberies thrown open to the labouring man, who has no direct tax to pay, no license to seek for the application of his industry to his means of living. Of the laud again 'he same is to be said j he (the labourer) may tak':> as much land as he is able to cultivate, and is not charged a shilling for it, beyond the nominal purchase-money he pays, or rather is aupposiul to pay, to the Crown or Government. This purchase-money may not exceed a shilling an acre, and that payable by small instalments running over a number of years) ; but even that is ill effect wiped out by the assistance whicli tho Government affords the poor man in the way of giving him seed and implements, and helping him to put up his little house and appurtenances. Such are the facilities for living which Nev;foundland offers to the poor industrious man. t t xir. SIGNAL FAILURE OF THE CONSERVAriVE PARTY— THEIR TENACIOUS HOLD OF OFFICE — THEIR ATTEMPT TO 00 INTO CONFEDERA- TION WITH CANADA — GENERAL ELECTION — DEFEAT OF THE aOVERNMENT. From the beginning it became manifest that tho Conserva- tive Party was incapable of effecting any good for tho country. No measures of any importance wore attempted to be introduced by them: but still they clung to ofiicn witn unyielding tenacity. The public roads were permitted to go to decay ; the public institutions were neglected ; and destitution and disorder prescited themselves on every side. It is true that for some years after their accession td power ft partial failure of the tisheries occurred ; but they did nothing to mitigate the evil in any practical way : they simply voted sums of money every year for the purchase of Indian meal and molasses, and other provisions to bo dis- tributed among the fishermen, who had been reduced to destitution by reason of the short fisheries ; but they enter- prised no public works. The consequence was that tho public funds were squandered among contractors and jobbers of every kind, who were patronized and employed in this work of distributing poor relief. A general state of cor- ruption, as must be expected under such circumstances, 50 Nczu/oundland. prevailed. The friends and supporters of the Govermnenfc availed themselves of this state of destitution and dis- order to serve their own personal ends ; and scarcely one- half of the amounts voted for poor relief found their way to the really destitute, but went into the coffers of dealers, planters, and persons otherwise outside the sphere of the prevailing distress. Large sums of money wero borrowed from the banks on the credit of the colony, in order to keep up this lavish and anomalous expenditure. The ministry acted, or seemed to act, as if their public functions consisted solely in pandering to their supporters and adherents through the medium of the public treasury, and thereby securing to themselves an uninterrupted tenure of power. They endeavoured to justify this sort of conduct by ever keeping before the public mind, through their interested emissaries, the violent and disorderly conduct of the Liberals — their predecessors in office — and the danger of allowing them again to return to power. Thus they contrived, by means of a do-nothing policy, and a systematic misrepresentation of their opponents, to retain the reins of government for nearly ten years. Then occurred an inci- dent which appeared to favour their personal views and interests — for it would seem as if they had disregarded the public interests altogether — and to this object they began to direct their undivided attention. It was this : the two Canadas — Upper and Lower — had been for many years in a state of turmoil and disorder — which ultimately broke out into a rebellion — in consequence of their being unable to discover any form or system of government that was capable of working for the public advantage of both sections. At length their public men agreed to unite the two sections under one Government, bringing into the confederacy the neighbouring continental provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, if the assent of these latter could be obtained. After various negotiations, this arrangement was adopted, and carried into effect by the Imperial Parliament ; and the confederacy was styled the Dominion of Canada. Our ministry thought they could throw in their lot with this confederacy, and thus relieve themselves of the difficulty which they ',At themselves unable to cope with — the dif- ficulty of governing the country with any hope of success. The colony became immediately aroused ; for it became manifest that the interests of Newfoundland and those of the combined continental provinces were of an entirely different character. NcAvfoundland was free from debt, and had a trade and commerce that ran in distinct channels from the trade and commerce of the Dominion. The Dominion was over-loaded with debt, and possessed no i Ncivfoundland. 5' ropouTcca tliat could bo mado avfiilablo to further tho interests of Newfoundland. Newfoundland possessed an independeut Government ; and could not bear tho idea of becoming a mere appendage to tho Government of Canada. But the terms which our ministry arranged with tho Doniinion for the purposes of this transfer of our destinies to the confederacy were especially repugnant to the feelings of the ])eoplo. Wo were to surrender our self-governnu'nt, our customs duties, our Government House, our principal public buildings and ofHces — in short, everything that afl'ectcd tho status of a self-governing country. The Dominion was to possess, besides, an unlimited power of taxing us, and of doing what they pleased with our lands, our mines, and our fisheries. In compensation for all this, they were to allow us something about 120,000/. sterling a year, to enable us to carry on tho business of our local Government. Our revenue, from customs duties alono, at the time, exceeded this amount ; and is now nearly twice as much. It was evident from all this, that tho pi'oposition thus made, and conditionally accepted by our ministers, ^ras one which an independent colony could not accept, unless it became dead to every consideration of liberty. 'J'hoy would fain have carried the measure in tho House by the adoption of a set of resolutions to that effect ; but thej- failed, some of their own supporters declining to vote for it unless accompanied with a resolution suspending tho confii-raation of the measuro until after a general election — which was then at hand. The resolutions were carried, with this amendment ; and a dissolution ensued. Writs were issued sliortly afterwards, and both parties prepared for tho coming contest. 'Jlie ministry, of course, had a vast advantage in the struggle, by having the treasury at their command, and their hired retainers scattered throughout tho country. The Liberal leaders, however, were not idle ; and everything was done that we conceived necessary for a fair trial of strength. AVe had tho advantage, no doubt, of fighting a Government that fc.ad been tried for over nine years, and found wanting in almost every requisite that could insure a genuine popularity. The excitement became very intense throughout the country, as the time approached when both parties were to appear before the several constituencies. Every electoral district was contested — there was no walk over ; and the result was a most signal victory for the Liberals. There were but six or seven Conservatives re- turned in all, out of thirty representatives. The leaders of the Liberal Party were now, with but one exception, new and untried men, as far as the Cabinet was concorued ; for none of the old Liberal Cabinet, except one, £ 2 52 NeiufotiJidland. had a place in the new Cabinet. Being appointed a member of this Cabinet, I resigned my professorship in St. Bona- venture's College, and accepted an appointment on its directory. Our business in the House was comparatively easy, as wo met with no opposition worthy of the name. We wore therefore in a condition to carry out our policy with perfect freedom. I can look back with unmixed pleasure and satisfaction to the substantial and lasting services which we rendered tho country during our administration. We established tho first direct line of steamships between tho United Kingdom and Newfoundland — a lino of first-class ships, calling semi- monthly, inward and outward. We also extended the road system by opening ma'.i lines between several of tho districts of the island, and improving those which had been neglected before and rendered almost impassable. Wo enlarged and improved the system of elementary education. And we en- couraged the prosecution of agriculture, by annually voting a sum of money to be distributed in rewards to such poor persons as reclaimed from the forests a certain number of acres, sufficient to afford support to themselves and their families. Wo erected several lighthouses where they were most needed along the coast ; and constructed quays or landing-places, and breakwators in several harbours for the accommodation and safety of the fishermen. In short, before we were two years in power the country presented a most gratifying aspect of prosperity, and destitution and pauperism were unknown throughout the land. "«» XTII. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — DELEGATION TO DOWNING STREET — WITHDRAWAL OP THE MILITARY FROM THE COLONY — THE FRENCH SHORE QUESTION. In the course of the first session of the Legislature, after our assumption of the Government, I was appointed to a seat in the Upper House or Legislative Council. The majority of this body were Conservatives, and consisted chiefly of the heads of the principal mercantile houses of the colony. Only one member of the Government held a seat there, and the duty of representing the policy of the Govern- ment devolved upon me. Notwithstanding, however, our diflferences of political opinion I did not find it difficult to carry our measures; and only on very rare occasions was I i Ncivfotindla nd. 53 there maiiifesteJ any marked opposition. At this time it be- came the policy of the Imperial Govcrninont to withdraw the military from the several cohniics in which they liad been stationed, and Newfoundland was of course included in this policy. We, however, entertained the hope that for certain reasons and claims which might bo urged on our behalf, wo should be able to retain the troops stationed in the colony by an appeal to Downing Sti-eet. With this view we decided on sending a delegation to the Colonial I\rinister, the Right Hon. the Earl of Kimberley, the same nobleman who now presides at the Colonial Office. Coupled with this subject was another of very grave importance to the colony, namely, the exercise of French treaty rights on our coasts. Ac- cordingly I was appointed as a delegate for this double mission, in conjunction with one of my colleagues in the Government. Newfoundland from an early date became a battle-ground of BriLi::h and French interests, and for a long time both nations held nearly equal sway in the domain of the fisheries ; but in the peace which followed the cessation of hostilities be- tween them, the privilege of fishing on a portion of the coast o^^ Newfoundland was by treaty conceded to the French. This treaty was made in 1713, and afterwards modified by one or two subsequent treaties and agreements. But the effect of them all was that the French were to enjoy a concurrent right of fishery along the western coast of the island, from Cape Ray to Cape Bauld, .and onward to Capo John on the eastern coast — a line of coast which measures one-third or more of the wi.ole coastal line of the island. At that time the country all along by this part of the coast was a wilderness ; theix) were no inhabitants there, and probably none were ever ex- pected to be there. So that the concession was but of small importance to British subjects, and no annoyance was ea- perienced by them on that head for long years afterwards. Slight disputes occurred sometimes between the fishermen of both nations, but that was all. There was am})le space for them all to fish ; and they did fish, as a rule, with right kindly good feeling. But the time did come at last when British subjects turned their attention to the pursuits of regular trade and commerce, as well as to the cultivation of the soil along that line of coast, and here difficulties commenced. The French began to contend that they had a right to tho use of the land as well as of the water along the coast ; and that English subjects, who began to build houses and culti'- vate gardens there, had no right to do so, and only did so under sufferaiice of their French neighbours. More recently English subjects were compelled to withdraw from mining speculations on that coast in consequence of French pre- 54 Newfoundland. tensions ; but this, of course, in obedience to the Imperial Govornraeut, wlio liad wislu'd for the present to avoid any unpleasant feeling on the part of the French Govern- ment. A good deal of inconvenience to the colonists resulted from this state of things ; and so the objects of our delega- tion embraced this matter. We had some interviews with the minister, the Earl of Kimberley, at Downing Street, who entered into the subjects of our mission with much interest. With respect to the retention of the military in the colony his lordship could not hold out my hope to us; as the policy of the Government in tLttt matter was general, and, at pre- sent at all event'=!, unalterable. On the other subiect. how- ever, ho g; ve us the most gratifying assurance of liis deep interest in it, and his desire to bring about a satisfactory arrangement as soon as a suitaV)le opportunity oiYered for that purpose; but at that particular time considerations of policy, as well as of delicacy, intrrfered to prevent imme- diate action — the Franco -Germau war had then commenced. Though our mission was not successful in every particular, yet we had reason to be gratified with the courteous and friendly mannei- in which we were received by his lordship, and with the warmth of interest he manifested in dealing with the more importan*: subject of that mission — the French treaty rights. His lordship has not since then relaxed his zeal and efforts in our cause ; for upon his return to power a few years ago he at once applied himself to its considera- tion, and has done much towards the removal of the grievances under which the colony has been sutfering ; and although the great evil still remains, the evil, namely, of French obstruction to the agricultural and mining interests of the colony, yet it is to be hoped that his lordship will be able to discover some moans wiercby this r^ost injurious and anomalous stato of things may be removed or miti- gated. The resident population along this line of coast numbers about 9000. The French have no resident population there : according to the treaties they can only use the shore tj the extent of about hulf a milo during the t'shinjf season, that is, the summer month.i. They cannot make any permanent erections on it. They come and go m spring and autumn, leaving when they go the care of their premises and pro- perty to some of our resident people until their return ii] the spring. Of course their erections, though obliged by the treaties to be removed when the fishing season is over are left standing until they return, because there is no desire on the part of the residents to distui'b or inconvenience theru in any way. They all, English and French, live and work # V Newfoundland. 55 together in a kind and noij^'-hbourly spirit, there being ample room for all in the prosecution of the fisheries. Sometimes, but very rarely, inisundcrstuiulings occur, but of so trivial a character that they are not worthy of notice. Some years ago we passed an act authorizing the inhabitants of this region to return two members to represent them in the House of Assembly, but it was not assented to by her Majesty, owing to the then unsettled state of affairs arising under tlio treaties to which I have referred ; but the Earl of Kimberley has recently acquainted the colony with her Majesty's assent to the act. They will therefore have t' eir representatives in the next House of Assembly after the general election which comes off in the autumn of this year. There are stipendiary magistrr.tes, justices of the peace, police officers, and collectors rr cnstomg, and also schools, established at several points along the coast ; some good roads have also been made there, so that the western portion of the island — the French coast, as it is familiarly called — participates in all the advantages of the other parts of the island. The soil in some parts of this western coast is excellent, and several small farms are cultivated with marked success there. In fact some of the best land in the country lies in that region, and whenever immigration takes place the new settlers will find their best account in that portion of our territory. But on this subject I shall say more further on. After the business of my mission had been done I went over to Ireland, and you may imagine what my feelings were upon visiting the old haunts of my boyhood after so long an absence. My nearest and most intimate friends did not know me, nor did I know them, such was tho change that time had made in our appearance. I refrained from acquainting them of my going home from the mere curiosity of learning whether or not we should be able to recognize one another. But, oh ! I cannot describe my feelings. XIV. CONSTABULARY — SHRIEVALXy — JUDICIARY — JUDICIAL DISTRICTS — CIRCUITS. Having returned from our mission, we, in conjunction with our colleagues, at once turned our attention to the establishment of a sufficient body of constabulary to replace the military now about to be withdrawn. The Government having, through the Colonial Office at Downing Street, 56 Neiufou ndland. obtained from the Hoyal Irish Coiistubulary a qualified person for tlie office of inspector, n coriHtfibuhiry corj).s of some sixty men AVas iiuniediiitely ein'ollcd ; and tho military barracks at Fortownscnd, now vacated, were assigned them for their qnarter.s. 'I'liis body has been since increased to about ono hundred, forty of tlu'm being ilistributed through tho various tovvn^ along tho coasts of tho island. They are iv very etlicient body, and supply the necessary requirements as a peace establishment. Our opponents, tho Conservatives, raised a great cry against ur on this head ; they said that the country was left exposed to all tho terrors of a mob rule j and that life and property were all endangered : and further, thai it was our fault that the military were withdrawn. These were charges, however, to which we paid no attention, know- ing the spirit that dictated them. We knew the people of IMewfoundland well ; we knew them to be, as a community, obedient to the laws and attached to the cause of justice and order. At elections, to be sure, they sometimes gave way to their passions; but e^en hero they wero easily restrained by the voice of constituted authority. We had confidence in them ; and we were not disappointed. But behind this confidence, we were prepared, in the event of any unusual disturbance, to act with eflect, and to put down any attempt to overthrow the public peace and security. But nothing has since occurred to show that we had not taken ample security for the public peaje \ and this small corps of about ono hundred men has been proved abundantly suffi- cient for the maintenance of the peace and good order of the whole country. This fact speaks loudly for the character of the Newfoundlanders — a people of the most noble qualities, and imbued with sentimenta of the most enthusiastic loyalty to their sovereign. After some years of administration, in which tho country had arrived at a degree of prosperity which it had never experienced before ; and when little was required beyond moving on steadily in the line of policy we had hitherto pursued, the governor offered me the appointment of sheriiT of St. John^s and of the central district of the island — this was a life appointment. After some consideration and consultation with my colleagues I accepted it. This did not necessarily imply my retirement from the ministry; but then, afU^r some consultation between the governor, the chief justice, and myself, regarding the relationship implied between tho two positions of minister of the Crown and chief executive officer of the law, I concluded that it would bo better to retire. I accordingly withdrew from the Executive Council ; but retained my eeat in the Legisla- tive Council, representing the Government in that branch Nezo/ou ndla nd. 57 of tlio Lc^islaturo. These pos;itions I still retain, both being life appointments. Tlie ottiee of slieriff is one of nrreat responsibility in New- foundland, f(H' the duties of inv ollieo are not continecl t i tho capital and its Hurroujidinnr towns and villages, ealled tho Central District, they extend over the whole country. For although thoro arc two othor sheritfs — one for the nortlieru district, and one for tho southern — their duties chiefly con- sist in attending the circuits of the judges, who annually visit those districts. \\\\i these circuit visits of the judges are not much nioro than nominal, for very little, scarcely indeed any, business is done ; and whenever then; happens to be any it is of a very trivial character. In fact theso visits arc intended merely for a moral effect. J']very caso of i)nportance that arises in any jiart of tluj country is tried and disposed of in the Supreme Court in St. John's, so that I may say in effect that tho whole responsibility of tho execution of the law as administered l>y the Supreme Court of the country devolves upon me as sheriff of the capital and of the central district. I have now held the office for tho last eleven years. The whole administration of justice in Newfoundland is in the hands of three judges, who are called the Supremo Court of the island; one is called chief justice, and tho other two assistant judges. There are of course paid justices of the peace, called stipendiary magistrates, scattered every- where through the country, who attend to the small nuitters incident to such offices. The Supremo Court sits con- tinuously in St. John's, besides making the annual circuit visit 1 have mentioned, each judge taking his turn in such visits. There are two terms held for geneml business, civil and criminal, called the Spring Terra and the Fall Terra, and each of these lasts about a month. Then there are four terms, one in each of the months of February, March, April, and July, called Post Terms. No criminal business, or busi- ness requiring the intervention of a jury is transacted in these terms. And then for tho remainder of tho year ono or more of the judges sit in chambers for business of a minor character. The judicial districts are, as I have said, the central, the southern, and the northern ; but the most important, if not the whole of the business, is done in tho central district, that is, in St. John's, the capital. All the judges reside in St. John's, as do also all the bar, except one or two who reside at Harbourgrace. The law is well adminis- tered, inasmuch as the three judges are men of high charac- ter and ability; and tho bar, which is pretty numerous, contains men of education as well as of distinction in their profession. 58 Newfoundland, When Olio of tho jiidgoa goes on his circuit in sunimoi* ho is usually uccMinpauiod by two or moro of tho junior mcinbora of tho bur, who [)ic'k up somo trifliuf^ fees as thi;y go along, moro, however, in tho way of settling small disputed accounts between fishermen and phmtcrs than in any court busiiujsa properly so called. Tho senior members of tho 'oar, or thoso who have arrived at good practice, seldom or never go on circuit, as there is no business for them to do, at least of a nature that would pay them for their time and trouble. A i XV. CHANQES IN THE APPEARANCE AND CONDITION OP ST. JOHN's — PKOGUESa OF THE COLONY — ITS PRESENT CONDITION. When I compare tho present appearance and condition of St. John's with what it was, in these respects, when 1 first saw it, forty-five years ago, I cannot help feeling as if the wand of a magician had touched it, and converted it into an entirely dificrent place. It was then a big, frowsy, fishing village, straggling and scrambling up tho side of a broken, rugged hill, without plan or arrangement, save what Nature gave in its unrestrained vagaries of swell and hollow, rock and ravine. Its streets were paths, its lanes were muddy water-channels ; and its houses wore wooden sheds, ragged, dusky, and repulsive. There was not one stone or brick house that I remember, except Government House. There were some fair-sized houses and stores along tho water's edge in the Lower Path, as was called the street now named Water Street, and also a few decent houses in the suburbs of the town, where the families of merchants and others resided ; but that was all. The public buildings were few and mean, except the two military barracks, which stood one at each end of the town. These were presentable enough, though they had nothing to boast of. The chief erections of this kind stood on tho hill that lined the entrance, or Narrows, but even they were of wood. There were three or four churches — the Iloman Catholic, the English, the Wes- leyan, and the Independent cliurches — but they were all poor, unsightly wooden structures. The Court House was a small building (wooden too, of course), and served the triple pur- pose of court house, gaol, and parliament house. These con- stituted all the public buildings, except one or two school- houses, erected and supported respectively by the Iloman Catholics and Church of England Protestants, for elementary instruction. There were no factories, no hospitals, no Athenaeum, or hall for literary or scientific objects of any kind. The whole place showed plainly enough what it was Newfoundland. 59 J intcndod for, and wliat tlio occupiitiona of its inhabitants conHistcd of. Tlioro wore fish stores, flakes, and stages enough ; hut nothing else to indicate any higher aspirations than tlie nianipuhition of tisii tor the unitnal sustenanee of the inhabitants. liut now all tliis has (bsa))pearetl, antl a city stands belbro us, wliicli possesses all the recpiisites, all the advantages, and all the attractions that can be affonhMl by any city (of its size at least) on either side of tho Atlantic. S(jine of its public buihbngs are not inferior to any of tho saino kind on the continent of America, and the same may bo said of its institutions of learning. 1 have already men- tioned some of those buildings and institutions. 1 shall mention a few more of them. There is a ])arliament build- ing, of a beautiful styh) of architecture; an Athemeum, whicli, in size, and style of architecture, and ornamental appendage would do credit to any city in tlio world; there are a dozen or so of churches, some of which I have already described ; there are a penitentiary, a lunatic asylum, two or three lios])itals, half a dozen of factories, including one for the manufacture of woollen cloth; and some other establish- ments of a minor kind. Nearly all these buildings I have named are constructed of stone or brick. J3esides all these, there are two banks, very goodly atid imposing structures. These are banks of discount, as well as of circulation, and are admirably adapted to meet all the wants of the trade. They hold ample funds in their vaults to afford security u>r the amount of paper in circulation. I am a stockholder in one of these banks. Their dividends give evidence of tho extent and success of their operations : one pays out half- yearly a dividend at tho rate of from eighteen to twenty per cent, per annum, and the other at tho rate of from ten to twelve per cent. With respect to the requirements for tho purposes of health, and of domestic as well as general convenience, tho town has an excellent supply of water, which is brought through pipes from a distance of five miles outside the town. This was a work of considerable difficulty and labour, and although it cost, from some mismanagement or ignorance on the part of those immediately entrusted with its construction, a far larger sum than it should have cost, yet an abundant supply of pure water is brought into tho town for household purposes, as well as for the use of the shipping and of tho fire companies. The stock of the company incorporated for this purpose lias been secured or guaranteed by the Govern- ment. I am a stockholder in tho company. It pays a dividend of five per cent., at which rate it is fixed in order to make the taxation as light as possible on tho inhabitants. The town is also well supplied with gas. 6o Newfoundland. This wonderful change which has been effected in the capital has to some extent reached the several other towns and villages of the country. Nearly all of them — particu- larly Harbourgracc — have advanced with remarkable strides. They all, or most of them, have their schools (and good ones), their literary institutes, their concert-rooms, and their local manufactures. Sometimes, no doubt, it goes hard with them. I mean they become straitened in their circumstances by reason of partial failure in the business of the fisheries ; and the small extent to which they carry the cultivation of the soil disables them in a great measure from grappling with such reverses. Within the last twenty years, the pursuit of mining has been added to that of the fisheries ; but this business has been hitherto chiefly confined to one small section of the country, and only two mines — copper-mines — have been worked- to any extent. They lie on the northern side of Notre Dame Bay, on the eastern coast, and have yielded a considerable quantity of ore of good quality. But latterly they have not been worked with any great degree of vigour, and would seem to have somewhat failed in fulfilling their early promise. The works of both have been periodically suspended. One, which has been opened only nine or ten years, has changed proprietorship once or twice, and the other, which is the first mine that has been discovered and worked in the country, is at present all but closed in con- sequence of a dissolution of partnership following upon a law-suit between its proprietors. The region in which these mines are situated is called the copper region, by reason of the indications which it exhibits of abounding in that mineral. But whether upon examination it may prove to be sufficiently rich to justify the investment of capital to any great extent in its working is a matter involved in doubt. On the western coast also lies a belt of territory which shows signs of containing copper-ore ; but this has not been tried. In fact, there is scarcely a part of the country in which minerals of one kind or other have not been found ; even gold has been discovered on the southern shore of Conception Bay. But no effort of any account has been made to realize the value of these dis- coveries. The export of ores in the year 187G shows, I believe, the largest quantities of ore ever shipped from the country in any one year ; and these were, of copper-ore, Bomthing over 25,000 tons, which, valued at 5Z. a ton, would amount to over 1 25,000/. \ of lead-ore, about forty tons, which, at lOZ. a ton, gives 400Z. ; and of nickel something less than thirty tons, which, at 70/. a ton, would make about 2000/. Thus, so far, mining has not proved to be an industry of very Newfoundland, 6r flattering promise. However, it may bo said to br only in its first stages, and the future may bring forth something more encouraging. Last year the Government of Newfoundland entered into a contract with a company of capitalists for the construc- tion of a railroad through a portion of the country. This road is to pass over the copper region on the eastern coast, and close to the neighbourhood of the two mines I have mentioned. This will lead in all probability to the mineral exploration of the region, when its value as copper-contain- ing land will be ascertained. The road is to bo about 350 miles in length, including branch lines. About 200 miles of it — that is, from St. John's to Hall's Bay, at the head of Notre Dame Bay — is to run through the wilderness, and over a large extent of territory containing excellent soil, well adapted to farming purposes. This territory is in part covered with large forest trees — an indication of good soil — and the road will tap the copper region I have mentioned. The company counts a good deal upon this double advantage thus afforded them of possessing a soil which can be con- verted at once to farming and mining purposes. For they have obtained from the Government, in part consideration of their building and working the road, a land grant of 5u00 acres a mile on either side of the road along its whole length. This will give them nearly 2,000,000 acres. But these 5000 acres a mile are given them only in alternate blocks on either side of the road, the Government retaining the other blocks ; so that the Government will have the disposal of nearly 2,000,000 acres along tho road. In the event of an agricultural immigration, therefore, to this region, immigrants will best consult their own interests by taking these, the Government lands, for they will be able to obtain them upon better terms than they could expect to obtain the lands of the company. But tho time for an agricultural immigration to Newfoundland is not yet come, though it is close at hand. Besides those lands, the com- pany also receives a subsidy in money to the extent of $180,000 (30,000/. sterling) a year for thirty-five years; tho annual payment being contingent on the road being operated. Should the company, from any cause, throw up the road and cease to operate it, the colony ceases to pay tho money subsidy, and takes the road in liou of its lands and of tho money already paid. It strikes me that this will bo the ultimate result of the bargain ; for I cannot conceive in what possible way the company can derive a revenue from a road which has no inhabitants along 200 miles of its length, and none, save a few hundred working miners, at its northern terminus. This, however, I should regret very 62 Neiv found land. much ; for I do not know anything that would so much conduce to the interior colonization of Newfoundland as tho success of this railroad. There is another company which has obtained a charter this year from our Government for the construction of another road running from a port on the eastern coast to one on the western coast of the island, a distance of about 200 miles. This road will pass over and lead l:o some of tho best land of the country. This road is intended as a portion of a short line of route between Europe and America ; which is to be eflPected by a lino of steamers running from the most western practicable port in Ireland to tho most eastern practicable port in Newfoundland; then continued by rail through the island; then by steamers crossing the Gulf of St. Lawrence; and again by rail through Nova Scotia; and then on to various parts of the Canadian Dominion and the United States. This the company thinks will be a saving of time, to tho extent of at least two days, as compared with all other lines of travel between Europe and America. I doubt it very much ; but I doubt still more the possibility of its being a paying line. That, however, concerns tho company alone ; except in so far as this, that we (the New- foundland Government) grant them, as in the case of the other company, 5000 acres a mile — which will amount to about 1,000,000 acres : this they retain, though they should fail in operating the road. But in any event they must turn the land to account ; and thus the colony must be ultimately benefited. XVI. NEWFOUNDLAND CONSIDERED AS A FIELD FOR EMIGRATION — ITS ADVANTAGES AND ATTRACTIONS IN THIS RESPECT — THE DESCRIPTION OP IMMIGRANTS REQUIRED. From all that T have already said it cannot be difficult for you to form a pretty correct idea and estimate of the cha- racter and resources of Newfoundland, and of its adaptation to the views and prospects of agricultural emigrants. I say agricultural emigrants, because no others would have any business there. Its fishing, commercial, manufacturing, and mining industries, are of such a character that none save those who have been brought up in the colony, or who at least have been long connected with it, could venture to invest capital in them without an almost certain prospect of failure. A few strangers, adventurous persons, have in- vested capital in the fisheries during my time, and have lost it. The mining industry is as yet very limited, and very ■.-j^. Newfoundland. 63 f uncertain; r.nd to invest money in it would bo anything but prudent at tlio present time. Any otlier persons, snclv as professional men, tradesmen, and mechanics, woukl find no scope there for their respective occupations, except in very limited numbers. Tho time will come no doubt, and is perhaps not very remote, when such persons will be required there in large numl)crs. Agricultnral emigrants therefore are the only persons who might fairly hope to succeed by casting their lot in Newfoundland. But even with regard to them the time has not exactly arrived for their proper reception and settlement. That time will have arrived only when the railroad now under construction will have been built, and in full operatic.:, which will bo, probably, in a year or two. The advantages which present themselves to me, in view of future emigration from Ireland, in favour of Newfound- land, are these : First, — The geographical position of New- foundland in relation to Ireland presents an attractive feature in any scheme of emigration which might be adopted by or in behalf of Irish agriculturists. It is much nearer to Ire- land than any other part of America — tho distance between the most eastern point on its coast to tho most western point on the coast of Ireland being only about IGOO miles, a distance now traversed by our line of steamers in less than six days. In almost every passage I have made to Ireland the distance was run in five days and a half. This was of course in summer, and during favourable weather ; but in returning to Newfoundland at the close of the summer, and the commencement of autumn, the passage occupied seven or eight days, sometimes more. But I shall not bo sur- prised if, in the course of a few years, this distance should be accomplished in four days, for the tendency now- adays is towards rapid travelling by water, especially be- tween Europe and America. Second, — The present popula- tion of Newfoundland is composed of Irish, English, and Scotch people, and their descendants, so that as regards habits, manners, and customs, Irish emigrants would feel at homo there, and that is no small consideration. Third, — The climate of Newfoundland is very little different from that of Ireland— the greater length of the winter weather being the principal difference. But I have already said that this does not much interfere with the business of farming, except very rarely. Fourth, — Land cau be obtained in Newfoundland at a much cheaper rate than in any other part of America that I know of. I have said before that tl.c soil of Newfountlland, taken all in all, is not so good as that of Ireland ; but there are large tracts of land in it which are as productive, at least in vegetables, hay, 64 N ew/oH7tciiand, and corn, even wheat, as any second-class land in Ireland, and, in some cases, as any first-class land there. I certainly have seen, in my visits to parts of the Canadian Dominion and of the United States, very many tracts of land inferior to the ordinary run of laud in Newfoundland. At the same 'time there are disadvantages ; the chief, and indeed the very worst of which is, the entire absence from Newfoundland of what in Ireland, as well as in some measure in Canada, and certainly in the United States, is called the farmimj interest, that is, there is no class of farmers, jjroperly so called, in Newfoundland. Those who cultivate land tliero are fishermen— all fishermen — except a few gentlemen who farm merely for the embellishment of their properties, and for the support of their stock, and for their household necessities. These are no»t dependent on their farms for support. The fishermen alone cultivate the soil, and they do this in conjunction with their fishing industry, which is the main source of their support; so that Irish emigrants, or any emigrants settling down upon farms in Newfoundland would be awkwardly placed, inasmuch as they would be deprived of the sympathy of class. Emigration, therefore, should take place in numbers, that is, in families — four or five families, say, who were neighbours, should go together, and settle down in the same section of country. This, of course, will be provided for when the proper time comes ; but until then — until an agent is employed in Ireland by the Newfoundland Government for the purposes of emi- gration, no person should think of leaving Ireland with the view of settling in Newfoundland. I have said an agent employed by the Newfoundland Govermncnt, because it will be more advantageous, as I have already stated, to settle on the Government or Crown lands than on those lands owned by companies and by speculators. Now I wish to say something as to the class of farmers or agriculturists who would be suited to Newfoundland, or whose interest it would be to emigrate at all. Under the recent land law passed by Mr. Gladstone's Government, the farmers of Ireland are placed in a position which will enable them to live on their farms in Ireland with more comfort and real enjoyment of life than they could hope to have ou farms in any part of America. It is an excellent law — a law in every way calculated to promote the comfort, security, and independence of the Irish farmers ; and if they spurn it under any pretext whatever, they will manifest a degree of folly which I cannot believe them capable of. The farmer in Ireland who holds as much as twenty acres, or even less, of good arable land at a fair rent, and with the other advantages provided by that law, will find hia Neivfoundland. 4 65 account in keeping his farm, and availing liimsclf of the benefits wliicli a law so just, so fair, and so admirable in every way, is calculated to confer upon him. Such a man, if lu! had not the sense to value liis position would hud himself most deplorably disappointed if he should liopo to better himself by emigration. Emigration is at best an evil ; and no farmer, by transferring himself to the wilder- ness of America, no matter what part of it ho may select, and whatever his means may be, could possibly arrive during his lifetime at that state of domestic comfort and social happiness which he may find at home. The small farmers who might emigrate with advantage are eitlun' those who have lost their farms, or those whose farms are so small and unproductive that they arc insufficient to sup- port them. But this class ^iiould be helped, either by tlu; Government or by some benevolent society, so as to be enabled to emigrate and settle down on such lands as might be assigned them, or selected for them. And then they would have to commence a life of toil, deprivation, and self-denial which could only terminate in the grave. But then they would have secured an independent provision for their chihiren, a thing they could not have done in Ireland. This, then, is the class, and the only class, of small farmers, including persons brought up on fai-ms and understanding the nature and business of farming, who should emigrate. It is, however, true that if a farmer of means, say of from 500/. to 1 000/. and upwards, should choose to emigrate, he woidd not do wrong in making Newfoundland the object of his destination; for there he would bi> able to select the best lands, of which there is, and will be necessarily for a long time to come, a copious choice. In addition to the cultivation of the soil for domestic purpof^es, ho might turn his attention to sheep and bullock farming with a view- to the home markets \ for the nearness of the island to the ]'higlish markets would give him advantages which the farmers in any other portion of America do not possess. Such a person could not fail of success, and of accomplish- ing in Newfoundland a degree of prosperity which he could never hope for in Ireland ; that is, always providing that he is an intelligent farmer, and a man of industry, energy, and enterprise. ]hit all I have said on this head has reference to, and is dependent upon the success of the railroad system now in progress in the island. Should this fail, and I must confess I have my doubts on this point, then Newfoundland would ofi'er no field to emigrants from Ireland or from any other place. But, as I have said, a year or two, not much more, will be sufl:icient to determine this; and then, if all goes well, the Newfoundland (loveruuent will, through an I" 66 Ncwftm midland. agent in Ireland, proclaim the fact of the success of the railroad, and hold out full encouragement to those farmers and agriculturists of every description or class who may be desirous of changing the scenes of their labours. I should like to give you a correct idea of the cost of reclaiming the soil in Newfoundland, but I fear I should only mislead you by affording you only my own experience in this respect, an experience necessarily confined to the sea-coast. The soil on the sea-coast is the only soil that has ever been cultivated in the island, — as I have stated before, the whole population is settled on the sea-coast. This soil, that is, the soil of the sea-coast, is in general rough and uneven, and mixed with stones ; and its re- clamation therefore is attended with a good deal of labour and expense. An acre of this soil, to clear it of shrub and stones, fence it round, and put it in crop, would cost you at ;in average from ten to fifteen pounds ; some good soil, of course, not so much; and some very inferior soil a great denl more. I speak now of what it would cost a gentleman who pays out of his pocket for everything that is done on his land; but a working farmer would have his farm under way at a far less cost than I have indicated above. How- ever, this does not afford a fair estimate of the cost of clearing land in the interior of the country where the soil is richer and freer from intermixture of shrub and stone. There the land consi.sts of wide, level plains covered with rich natural grasses ; or of glens and valleys, and hill-sides, and river banks, all covered with forest trees. There are lofty eminences scattered here and there between these, — eminences which may be called hills — none of them moun- tains. Now these lands have never been touched by spade or plough ; nay, scarcely even trodden, save by the wild deer and wolf. It is through and along these that our railroad system is to be carried ; and it is here that future immigrants are to take uj) their abodes. The cost per acre of clearing and utilizing a farm of fifty or a hundred acres and upwards in this part of the country, must be com- paratively small, judging from the nature and quality of the soil ; but what that cost may be I cannot take upon myself to say, as no farm has ever been made there. You are as competent, from the description I have given, to form an opinion upon it as I am, I have endeavoured to touch as briefly as possible, con- sistently with clearness, upon the several topics of import- ance and interest relating to Newfoundland, upon which you are desirous of being informed ; and I trust that, among other things, you will see the advantages which the island offers for emigration, under the conditions to which I have Neivfoii ndla nd. 67 referred; that is, to a certain class, and within certain limits,— to honest, industrious, energetic, and enterprisnig agriculturists of the working classes; as well as to tanners possessing some capital, who might devote their attention in part to the raising of sheep and oxen with a view to the home markets. THK END. yt ly V / r.ONDON : I'ltisi'iP HV (iM-nnrr .vnd itiviMiTDN, mmitkd, Sr. .lOll.v's SQTAIfK. I