In fact,

dietate in a nation's affairs—not from extensive in- || the restrictions on colonial trade—those restrictions formation, not from the actual fitness of things, which the great (as he has been called) Earl Chatnor from experience-but by dogmas, and technical ham insisted on maintaining, when he said that the terms, and new phrases, so that any smart lad, just colonies ought not to make so much as a nail for a fresh from Cambridge, Oxford, or Manchester horse shoe if it could be sent from hence. The College, may go up to London to a government writings of Edwards, the West Indian, followed situation, to a sinecure, or into the House of Com-up Smith; and practical restrictions on colonial mons, and, without further knowledge of details, trade have ceased for half a century. or experience of any kind, assume the manage- generally speaking, the trade of the colonies is a ment of the most extensive and complicated na- less-restricted trade than our home trade. Smith's tional affairs that the world ever saw ! objection, so long obsolete, has been repeated by M'Culloch in his voluminous, but ill-digested dictionary. From him the anti-colonial spirit and its allegations have been copied without examination, so that there exists a vague prejudice against colonial trade, the public know not very clearly on what grounds. Smith declared, more than seventy years ago, that, notwithstanding the objections (since obviated), the colonies had been of the “very greatest advantage" to England.

We may now turn to the case of Canada; though complicated, and more difficult to understand than all the other colonies put together, we shall endeavour to give a view of its affairs and of our relative position to that most valuable colony.

Our claims on California or on Spain were conceded by the peaceable Lord Aberdeen. Cuba, a valuable Spanish island, worth all the rest of the West India islands, is said to be under terms of sale to the Americans, though Spain owes to British subjects forty millions of money.

The north-western part of the American coast still acknowledges the rule of its early British discoverers and conquerors. The forty-fifth degree of latitude is the general boundary between the United States and the British territory, except in certain The principle on which we traded with them portions which the Americans, by reason of British || seems to have been this—to treat them as part of weakness in the persons of their diplomatic the empire, giving them certain preferences or proagents, have, from time to time, "chisselled" out of tections in this market, while we enjoyed as comthe land. There have been treaties and conven-pensation for the expenses of defence, and partly tions, many; but through them all the Americans of government, an exclusive trade with the have driven "their team." They encroached and colonies. The advantages and disadvantages were squatted on New Brunswick, discovered that it mutual. The colonists saw their position clearly, contained the finest timber in the world, laid claim and found it their interest to co-operate with the to it:-and the British Government sent out Lord mother country. Upon the whole, to whatever Ashburton to make a present of the best part || evils of misgovernment they might occasionally be of the province to the Americans, giving them at subjected, it is admitted, and it is demonstrable, the same time Rouses Point and a few* miles of an that they had fewer causes of complaint than their important military position at the head of Lake fellow-subjects in Britain; the recent treatment of Champlain. the West Indies being a remarkable exception. Colonial-built shipping has all the privileges of British, and has at times competed to the great detriment of the latter. It was at one period quite well understood, and fully assented to by the colonists, that, in lieu of taxation to defray the expenses of defence, we should have their market for our manufactures, to the exclusion, if need were, of foreigners; but this exclusion has long ago been compromised, or commuted into differential duties in favour of British goods. The fairness of these terms, and the full consent of both parties, have been again and again declared by the Canadian merchants, in their recent and present agitation to obtain the opening of the St. Lawrence to foreign shipping, and to place Quebec and Montreal on the footing of free ports, like Bombay or Gibraltar. The Canadians merely protest against the breach of contract on the part of the mother country, and long for a return of the prosperity and resources developed by the old system. The reason why Quebec and Montreal have not equal privileges with other sea-ports in the colonies is this: Quebec is nearly eight hundred miles within the British waters, reckoning from Cape Race. Foreign ships bringWe have said that Canada is an intricate study.ing foreign produce are admitted to discharge, We can only sketch the points for inquiry. Space does not admit of our doing justice to the subject, bat our facts will be unassailable.

Lord Palmerston has not found courage to protest against any such sale of Spanish territory until the debt due to England be provided for. These instances prove the value attached by other countries to territorial possessions and outlets for population; but they also prove that little co-operation is to be expected from our own Government, either in the colonial or foreign departments. There is a confasion, an apathy, or a want of integrity among the men composing the Ministry, for which no remedy can be suggested. It would be easy to suggest useful measures, but men rather than measures are wanted. There are "parties" enough, such as they are; but we want an honest party, men who can be trusted to work out their own promises. If there|| were but truth and honesty in the Cabinet, come from what side of the house it might, there would still be hope for the country.

Adam Smith left upon record his objections to Some thirty or thirty-five square miles, commanding both Lake Champlain and the eastern townships.

Thus,

but not to load with Canadian produce.
German or Prussian ships may take emigrants to
Quebec, but at present they cannot return with
cargoes of Canadian flour or timber. The Cana-
dians deem this a hardship, because freights are at
times scarce, and always dearer than at New York

Hazlitt attributed Edmund Burke's political sagacity to the careful attention he paid to specialities and exceptions from general rules. Now Canada is just an exception to a general rule; it is an inland country, but we treat it as a maritime one. Canada is only approachable by

or Boston. Prussian vessels can fetch cargoes of || these beautiful theories, and that if leaves us in grain into London or Liverpool, and load out with suspense. coals, iron, or other produce of this country, because there exist reciprocity treaties, as they are called, between Prussia and England, in virtue of which Baltic vessels enter British ports on the same terms that English ships are permitted to enter Prussian and other Baltic ports. By this means freights are kept down, and foreigners are encouraged to trade with us, and we are setting a disinterested example to other nations, and even giving up our own advantages in order to promote free trade all the world over.

sea during five months in the year; ships cannot winter there; and during the other months it can only be entered through the United States, a rival, and possibly, at some time or other, a hostile power. Our territory, it is true, is bounded by the Atlantic, but the shorter, and ordinary route to Canada in The difficulties This restriction of colonial trade to British and winter is by New York or Boston. colonial shipping is not peculiar to England: it is and dangers of the voyage to British America have the regulation of every great maritime power in the been much under-estimated in the recent discusworld. Two hundred years ago it was as well sions, and official reports in England, as well as in The north Atlantic is understood, or, indeed, rather better than at pre- Montreal and Toronto. sent, that "Freight is not only the most politic, proverbially stormy; within the Gulph of St. Lawbut the most national and the most certain profit rence the weather does not improve; while the river a country can possibly make by trade.”* By itself is full of small islands, and groups of rocks steadily acting on this maxim the Dutch, from and shoals; there are few light-houses; the pilots very obscure beginnings, became the monopolist are French Canadians, who, by the extraordinary carriers of the world, until Cromwell having forbearance of the English shipowners and merstudied the Dutch policy, adopted it, and in the chants, are allowed an incorporated monopoly of end defeated his rivals with their own weapons. the care of English property. The majority of We talk of Navigation-laws as modern class in- these pilots are notoriously incompetent, and terests! Navigation-laws are the results of more the rates of insurance are the highest paid for than two thousand years' experience. M'Culloch foreign voyages, ranging from 2 to 3 per cent, in refers in his "Literature of Political Economy" to summer, and on the winter voyage home, from 5 to the Rhodian laws, in force three centuries prior to 7 or even 10 per cent. The average rate for the the Christian era, as laws adopted in the Roman West Indian and other long tropical voyages is only code, and thence diffused over the jurisprudence of 1 per cent. Europe and of the civilised world! Canada has been treated on the same general principles on which British, French, or Spanish colonies are treated by their respective governments. servation of the export trade of the North American colonies, for colonial and British shipping, is perfectly just, and originates or coincides with the proverb, that “ 'Charity begins at home." If we do not take care of the colonial shipbuilders they will take care of themselves, and of the colonies too; and as for British shipbuilders, they are, or ought to be, represented in Parliament. We are more jealous of the safety of national than of class interests, and must beg a patient reading of the following dry, yet really interesting details.

The re

Ours is an age of "general principles." The commercial policy of the country is now to be worked by a few rules. The government, and the multiform businesses of this great empire, in fact, are worked, not by practical men who have devoted their time to details, and to practice, but by anybody who can just remember Mr. M'Culloch's simple rules, such as "That the whole world, as to trade, is but as one nation or people, and that therein nations are as persons""that there can be no trade unprofitable to the public"-" that money exported in trade is an increase to the wealth of the nation," and such like short and easy rules, which, if true, must greatly facilitate the trade of legislation, and enable very ordinary persons to govern the country. Still, there is an if at the foundation of

* Davenant on Balance of Trade, page 155. London, 1699. Vide-Principles of Political Economy. Ed. 1825, page 40.

These risks, therefore, are an element of expense; towage above Quebec is inevitably high for a distance of 180 miles, in a current running four or five miles an hour. Lighterage going up is not unusual, and an almost regular item of charge in going down from Montreal. We believe that three hundred pounds is a moderate estimate of additional expense incurred by a ship going beyond Quebec to discharge and load at Montreal.

The Montreal and Toronto men know all this, but they are dissatisfied. They look to New York freights, forget their inland position, and grumble at the British Government, because there is not a sharper competition for freights at their wharves.

Ship

Having witnessed and experienced the evils of accumulation of produce in Montreal, and inadequate shipping to remove it, we dare not make light of the complaints of the Upper Canada people, though we doubt much whether the opening of the St. Lawrence to the United States would secure a regular and cheap supply of shipping. While talking over this matter in Scotland, we have been met with the reply-"Let the Canadians build more ships"-and there is something in this. building is not only a British, it is a large colonial interest, and we have no wish to see deserted the dock-yards of Quebec, or Three Rivers, or of the lower ports, merely to gratify the jealousy of " Young Toronto" at her elder sister. Some real advantage must be procured in exchange. Freights ought always to be 2s. 6d. to 2s. 9d. sterling per barrel of flour cheaper at New York than at Mon||treal-that is if we can rely upon an average

of

statements by the Legislative Council of Canada, || colonial policy of the present ministers, both in the Atlantic Railway Company, and the United States committee, who reported to Congress on this subject.

London and in Montreal, has irritated, but we hope not alienated, the Canadians. We are therefore not surprised at the Montreal people running into the opposite extreme, neglecting agriculture and navigation, and adopting the Manchester and Boston mania for manufactures. Let the Canadians beware: abundance of food is the only sure test and foundation of public wealth. The people of England have not made up their minds to cast off the colonies: they are only awak

British shipowners say that they can compete with all the world, provided you give them fair play—that is, give them untaxed materials for ship-building; untaxed, cheap labour, such as the Prussians have; bring down wages to half the present rates; pay off British hands, and employ Germans, Spaniards, or Negroes. The wants of our revenue forbid the first of these reductions, at least so longing to a sense of their importance; and it is to be as the interest of the national debt is to be paid;|| and there is just as much common sense left us as will secure a preference for British sailors, instead of Germans, Portuguese, or Negroes.

Nothing fluctuates so much and so suddenly as freight: it depends upon the supply and demand. The first ships that left Montreal last summer brought flour at 2s. 4d. to 2s. 6d. a barrel; the last that left in autumn obtained 6s. 6d. to 7s.

We think the Canadians committed a great error in harping too much on freights alone, as an element in the cost of bread stuffs to this country. The extreme agricultural protectionists in England quoted the low prices of the far west, added the freights, and then got up an alarm about being ruined by Canadian competition. Actual observations prove that there is such a thing as a geographical price. Wheat is dear at 75 cents., 3s. a bushel, or 24s. a quarter, in Cleveland, get freights ever so low. The same grain is worth double the money in Liverpool, in fact, is cheap at 48s. a quarter; and after all there may be loss to the speculator. The way to cheapen freight is to invite shipping, as formerly, with cargoes of British productions, instead of banishing trade by hasty and anti-British legislation, If the Canadians would only encourage their own agriculture in the Valley of the St. Lawrence, and, duly considering the natural and artificial advantages of their country, labour to develop its resources, clear the country, increase population, and increase production, we should soon hear less of the shipping monopoly, and more of Canadian exports and Canadian shipping.

hoped that the day is not far distant when the colonies, despite of mere theories, will be "treated as integral parts of the empire," as the provinces of that magnificent British Union, on whose empire the sun never sets.

The colonies must, however, co-operate with the advocates of British and colonial industry in Great Britain, and assist us to defeat the alienation of the only property that really belongs to the people.

Why should not Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Prince Edward's Island, and Canada, be as closely allied to each other as each of them is, or ought to be, to the mother country? Why, but because official jobbery must have five governors where one would be enough. In India, one governor-general rules ninety-five millions. But the northern colonies, with a population under two millions, have five Colonial office proteges to maintain, India is not under the Colonial office: let us emancipate the American colonies from official tyranny, and elevate them to the rank of British provinces. Let us consolidate their interests, redress their wrongs, and protect their industry. The silent oppression of the colonies was the work, not of this nation, but of a clique whose days are numbered, whose power is even now tottering.

There is yet hope for the working people of Great Britain in their colonial connections, and hope for the colonists, that the industrial and social distresses of this country have convinced the masses of our city populations that the colonies are still British territory, and that the colonists may still sympaThe anti-British and anti-thise with us as fellow-citizens of one great nation.

RECENT AUSTRALIAN DISCOVERY.*

||tralia. The early part of the route lay over a country with every inch of which Captain Sturt was familiar. Along the base of a range of low hills, across naked table-lands, through masses of bush, along the bed of a river, and over an undulating stretch of land clothed with varied vegetation, the party proceeded, and at length entered upon wide grassy plains, where the herbage became finer, greener, and closer as the travellers receded further from the coast. The weather in the early part of September was bitterly cold; there was a considerable quantity of ice formed in the waterbuckets, and a keen wind blew throughout the night. But few natives appeared, and these kept aloof from the travellers, until, having traversed a low ridge and

GEOGRAPHICAL discovery has made considerable progress within the last twenty years. From the sunny groups of the Indian Archipelago, as far as the most remote limits of research, travellers have penetrated beyond the boundaries of former enterprise, and laid before the world accounts of spots which had been hitherto regarded almost as the creations of fable. Adventurous men have not been wanting of late to push their researches into those unknown portions of the globe whose character has never before been correctly ascertained, and around which Nature has, apparently with some mysterious end in view, thrown a belt of dangerous and difficult regions, which serve at once to baffle the enterprise and damp the zeal of the explorer. The remotest sources of the Nile still re-encamped upon the borders of a great lagoon, framed main a mystery; the regions surrounding the head of the Niger are involved in comparative obscurity; and the interior of Australia, in spite of the numerous expeditions which have of late years been undertaken, yet remains a question to be discussed and set at rest by future travellers. The centre of that vast island, which some suppose to have been formed by an archipelago, some to consist of a great belt of land encircling an undiscovered sea, has given rise to more inquiry than perhaps any other geographical problem. The adventurous spirit of a Mungo Park might, perhaps, have unravelled the difficult question. We have no such travellers now. Few men would care to toil, alone and unprotected, through so savage a wilderness as that which the explorer must traverse in order to penetrate the remoteness of Australia. The danger of the enterprise deters men from it; and, perhaps, the character of the country is less propitious to the adven-vals. The bullocks, which formed part of the expediturer than even the wild solitudes of Africa. Scarcity of provisions and water, the risk of hostile collision with the natives, the inhospitable nature of the country -these are dangers and obstacles which induce the explorer to set forth attended by a numerous company, and furnished with cumbrous waggons and other means of conveyance. These obstruct the progress, while they increase the comfort, of the traveller, but are, perhaps, unavoidable evils, when we consider the character of the little-known districts of the Australian continent. Captain Sturt had long distinguished himself by his ardour in the cause of discovery. His vigour and perseverance, his talent and patient endurance of privation, were well known; and when, in January, 1843, he|| wrote to the Colonial authorities, tendering his services to lead an expedition into the interior of Australia, the offer was at once accepted. Before the autumn of the same year had fairly set in, a well-arranged party started from Moorundi, a small town on the banks of the Murray. Some sixteen white men, two natives, with horses, bullocks, a boat and boat-carriage, with drags, a cart, and two hundred sheep, two sheep and four kangaroo dogs, were about to start on a journey across a wild and partly unknown waste, to discover the character of the interior of the vast territory of Aus

within hills of a yellow and white colour, a small party of the aborigenes consented to approach. A beautiful green flat afforded abundant pasture for the cattle; and, tempted probably by the snug appearance of the travellers' bivouac, seventeen or eighteen natives came down and joined the train, evincing every sign of an amicable disposition.

A little further on, a gigantic mound, the grave of forty natives, who had perished in an encounter with the whites, testified, however, that peace was not unbroken in that district, and subsequent events added || strength to this observation. The plains, as the travellers advanced, presented striking evidences that a population, far from limited, was near at hand. Beaten paths intersected the grassy lands, some leading from the bush to the river, others running between the fine pastures, while broad cattle-tracks were met at inter

tion, were observed to be wearied with their heavy loads, which suggested to Captain Sturt the idea of seizing two or three of the wild animals. In this he was unsuccessful, so that the party was compelled to proceed with the same insufficient accommodation. At length the descent towards the valley of the Darling was commenced. The country became better wooded, and broad flats of brilliantly green grass alternated with fields of more luxuriant and ranker vegetation. The river was reached, a camp was pitched, just as the sun was throwing his last lingering beams over the landscape. The cattle were turned loose to feed on the rich herbage, while the travellers settled to repose. Amid the branches of a large and hollow gum tree, a new fishing net was observed, carefully arranged; but where the owner intended to use it was a mystery, considering that there existed in the neighbourhood no river whence it appeared possible to obtain fish.

The expedition would have started at an early hour in the morning, had not an aged native come down to visit the encampment. He approached timidly, but, having obtained a near view of the white men, assumed a certain degree of confidence. He recollected having seen Captain Sturt, in a boat on the Murray, when, in company with another party of travellers, fourteen years

"Narrative of an Expedition into Central Australia: performed under the authority of her Majesty's Government, during the years 1844-5-6; together with a Notice of the Province of South Australia in 1847. By Captain Charles Sturt, F.L.S., F.R.G.S. London: T. & W. Boone."

previous, he was proceeding on a journey up that river. || from the encampment, left, after receiving some trifling The old man's demeanour was at first uneasy and suspi- || presents. cious, but it soon appeared that he was in doubt regarding the safety of his fishing net. A word re-assured him, however, and he entered into a free and friendly || conversation.

Keeping at a short distance from the river, whose banks were thickly wooded with timber of little value, the expedition now encountered frequent parties of the natives, who appeared astonished that their property, such as nets, game, and provisions, was not molested. The Darling had dwindled into a mere stream of water, in spite of which abundant verdure covered the flats. An extraordinary circumstance took place on the night|| of the 28th August. When the travellers encamped, soon after sunset, near the bed of the stream, a shallow and diminutive flow of water alone marked its course. On rising in the morning, however, they saw a wide and deep river rolling before them, foaming and frothing| between the steep banks, with an immense volume of water. Whence this flood had come was a mystery. No satisfactory reason was assigned by the natives for the phenomenon. Captain Sturt supposes that heavy rains had fallen on the hills to the north-west, which had poured into the Darling through some unknown channel. At this point the natives, who had followed