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COLONIAL     INSTITUTE 


3  ^  mm 


REPORT    OF   PROCEEDINGS 


PEOOBEDINGS 


ROYAL  COLONIAL  INSTITUTE. 


VOLUME  THE  SEVENTH. 

1875-76. 


PUBLISHED    BY    THE    INSTITUTE, 
15,  STEAND,  W.C. 

1876. 
(The  rights  of  Publication  and  Translation  are  reserved.) 


Dft 

10 


The  Council  of  the  Royal  Colonial  Institute  are  not  responsible  in 
any  way  for  the  opinions  expressed  by  the  Authors  of  the  several  Papers 
inserted  in  this  Volume . 

Members  on  changing  their  addresses  are  particularly  requested  to 
notify  the  change  to  the  Honorary  Secretary,  in  order  that  delay  in 
forwarding  the  transactions  and  other  communications  may  be  avoided 
as  much  as  possible. 

FREDERICK  YOUNG, 

Honorary  Secretary. 
ROYAL  COLONIAL  INSTITUTE, 

15,  Strand,  W.O. 

July,  1876. 


THE   ROYAL  COLONIAL  INSTITUTE. 

ROOMS:   15,  STRAND,  W.C. 


COUNCIL  OF  1876-77. 


PRESIDENT. 
HIS  GRACE  THE  DUKE  OF  MANCHESTER. 

VICE-PRESIDENTS. 

HIS  ROYAL  HIGHNESS  THE  PRINCE  CHRISTIAN,  E.G. 
HIS  GRACE  THE  DUKE  OF  ARGYLL,  K.T. 

HIS  GRACE  THE  DUKE  OF  BUCKINGHAM  AND  CHANDOS,  G.C.S.I. 
THE  MOST  NOBLE  THE  MARQUIS  OF  NORMANBY,  K.C.M.G. 
THE  RIGHT  HON.  THE  EARL  OF  CARNARVON. 
THE  RIGHT  HON.  THE  EARL  OF  DUFFERIN,  K.T.,  K.C.B.,  G.C.M.G. 
THE  RIGHT  HON.  THE  EARL  OF  GRANVILLE,  K.G. 
THE  RIGHT  HON.  VISCOUNT  BURY,  K.C.M.G. 
THE  RIGHT  HON.  LORD  CARLINGFORD. 

THE  RIGHT  HON.  SIR  STAFFORD  H.  NORTHCOTE,  BAET.,  C.B.,  M.P. 
THE  RIGHT  HON.  GATHORNE  HARDY,  M.P. 
THE  RIGHT  HON.  STEPHEN  CAVE,  M.P. 
THE  RIGHT  HON.  LORD  LISGAR,  G.G.B.,  G.C.M.G. 
THE  RIGHT  HON.  VISCOUNT  MONCK,  G.C.M.G. 
EDWARD  WILSON,  ESQ. 

COUNCILLORS. 


HENBY  BLAINE,  ESQ. 

SIE  CHAELES  CLIFFORD. 

MAJOB-GEN.  SiE  H.  C.  B.  DAUBENEY, 

K.C.B. 

F.  S.  DUTTON,  ESQ.,  C.M.G. 
H.  W.  FBEELAND,  ESQ. 
A.  R.  CAMPBELL-JOHNSTON,  ESQ. 
H.  J.  JOUEDAIN,  ESQ. 
F.  P.  LABILLIEBE,  ESQ. 
SIE    RICHAED  GEAVES  MACDONNELL, 

K.C.M.G.,  C.B. 
SIE  GEOEGE  MACLEAY,  K.C.M.G. 

GlSBOENE  MOLINEUX,  ESQ. 


JACOB  MONTEFIOEIE,  ESQ. 

H.  E.  MONTGOMEBIE,  ESQ. 

SIE  CHAELES  NICHOLSON,  BAET. 

ALEXANDEE  RIVINGTON,  ESQ. 

S.  W.  SILVEB,  ESQ. 

SIE  CHAELES  E.  F.  STIELING,  BAET. 

H.  B.  T.  STBANGWAYS,  ESQ. 

J.  DUNCAN  THOMSON,  ESQ. 

SIE  R.  R.  TOEEENS,  K. C.M.G. 

WILLIAM  WALKEE,  ESQ. 

SIE  C.  WINGFIELD,  K. C.S.I.,  C.B. 

LEONAED  WEAY  ESQ. 

JAMES  A.  YOUL,  ESQ.,  C.M.G. 


TRUSTEES. 

SIE  JOHN  ROSE,  BAET.,  K. C.M.G.         j       HON.  AETHTTB  KINNAIBD  M.P. 
JAMES  SEAEIGHT,  ESQ. 

HON.  TREASURER. 
W.  C.  SAEGEAUNT,  ESQ.,  C.M.G. 

HON.  SECRETARY. 

FEEDEEICK  YOUNG,   ESQ. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS, 

1875-76. 


FAGB 

Council  of  1876— 77 iii 

Objects  of  the  Eoyal  Colonial  Institute  vii 

List  of  Fellows ix 

Colonial  Museum  Deputation 1 

Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question  6 

Ordinary  General  Meeting :  Acclimatisation,  by  Edward  Wilson,  Esq.  ...  36 

Eeport  on  the  Gambia  Question  68 

Ordinary  General  Meeting:  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies,  by  Lieut.- 

GeneralJ.  J.  Bisset,  C.B 86 

Memorial  on  the  Cession  of  the  Gambia  122 

Memorial  to  Her  Majesty  on  recognition  of  the  Colonies  in  the  Eoyal 

Title 124 

Ordinary  General  Meeting :  Adjourned  Discussion  on  Lieut.-General 

Bisset's  paper  on  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies  125 

Ordinary  General  Meeting :  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific,  by  Coloman 

Phillips,  Esq 149 

Ordinary  General  Meeting :  The  Progress  of  Victoria,  by  the  Eight 

Eev.  Bishop  Perry 214 

Ordinary  General  Meeting  :  New  Zealand,  by  the  Hon.  William  Fox  ...  247 
Ordinary  General  Meeting :  Colonisation  of  Central  Africa,  by  Lieut. 

V.  Lovett  Cameron,  E.N.,  C.B 274 

Ordinary  General  Meeting  :  Wines  of  Australia,  by  J.  T.  Fallen,  Esq.  ...  297 

Conversazione  326 

Annual  General  Meeting  331 

General  Index  .  338 


THE   ROYAL  COLONIAL  INSTITUTE, 

15,  STRAND,  LONDON. 


ESTABLISHED   1863. 


IMIOTTO— "  TJl^ITEID 


OBJECTS. 

"To  provide  a  place  of  meeting  for  all  Gentlemen  connected 
with  the  Colonies  and  British  India,  and  others  taking  an  interest 
in  Colonial  and  Indian  affairs  ;  to  establish  a  reading-room  and 
library,  in  which  recent  and  authentic  intelligence  upon  Colonial 
and  Indian  subjects  may  be  constantly  available,  and  a  museum  for 
the  collection  and  exhibition  of  Colonial  and  Indian  productions ; 
to  facilitate  interchange  of  experiences  amongst  persons  represent- 
ing all  the  Dependencies  of  Great  Britain  ;  to  afford  opportunities 
for  the  reading  of  papers,  and  for  holding  discussions  upon  Colonial 
and  Indian  subjects  generally ;  and  to  undertake  scientific,  literary, 
and  statistical  investigations  in  connection  with  the  British  Empire. 
But  no  paper  shah1  be  read,  or  any  discussion  be  permitted  to  take 
place,  tending  to  give  to  the  Institute  a  party  character."  (Eule  I.) 

MEMBEBSHIP. 

There  are  two  classes  of  Fellows,  Kesident  and  Non-Eesident, 
both  elected  by  the  Council  on  the  nomination  of  any  two  Fellows : 
the  former  pay  an  entrance-fee  of  £3,  and  an  Annual  Subscription 
of  £2  ;  the  latter  £1  Is.  a  year,  and  no  entrance-fee.  Resident 
Fellows  can  become  Life  Members  on  payment  of  £23,  and  Non- 
Resident  Fellows  on  payment  of  £10.  The  former,  after  the  pay- 
ment of  five  or  more  annual  subscriptions,  may  commute  for  the 
sum  of  £15. 

PRIVILEGES  OF  FELLOWS. 

Use  of  rooms,  papers,  and  Library.  All  Fellows,  whether  re- 
siding in  England  or  the  Colonies,  have  the  annual  volume  of  the 
Proceedings  of  the  Institute  forwarded  to  them. 

The  support  of  all  British  subjects,  whether  residing  in  the 
United  Kingdom  or  the  Colonies — for  the  Institute  is  intended  for 
both — is  earnestly  desired  in  promoting  the  great  objects  of  extend- 
ing knowledge  respecting  the  various  portions  of  the  Empire,  and 
in  promoting  the  causes  of  its  permanent  unity.  Contributions  to 
the  Library  will  be  thankfully  received.  A  Fund  has  been  opened 
for  increasing  the  Library,  to  which  money  donations  are  invited. 

FREDERICK  YOUNG,  Hon.  Kec, 


LIST  OP  FELLOWS. 


(Those  marked  *  are  Honorary  Fellows.) 
(Those  marked  t  have  compounded  for  life.) 

*farof  RESIDENT    FELLOWS. 

Election 


1872 
1875 
1874 
1874 
1868 


1872 


1875 
1874 

1876 
1873 
1868 

1876 

1874 

1874 
1872 


1872 


1874 
1874 
1868 


ABRAHAM,  AUGUSTUS  B.,  Eeform  Club,  Pall  Mall,  S.W. 
ACTON,  EOGEE,  11,  Crescent  Place,  Mornington  Crescent,  N.W. 
ADDEBLEY,  AUGUSTUS  J.,  3,  Porchester  Gate,  W. 
ADLEK,  J.  H.,  79,  Coleman  Street,  E.G. 

,  THE  EIGHT  HON.  THEEAKL  OF,  Airlie  Lodge,  Campdeu  Hill, 

Kensington,  W.,  and  Brookes'  Club,  S.W. 
ALCOCK,  COLONEL  T.  ST.  L.,  22,  Somerset  Street,  Portman  Square, 

W. 

fANDEESON,  EDWAED  E.,  39,  Eastbourne  Terrace,  Hyde  Park,  W. 
ANDERSON,   WILLIAM    MATHEE,    Oriental  Bank,   40,   Threadneedle 

Street,  E.G. 

ANNAND,  WILLIAM,  42,  Belgrave  Eoad,  S.W. 
ARBUTHNOT,  MAJOR,  E.A.,  Carlton  Club,  S.W. 
ARGYLL,  His  GEACE  THE  DUKE  OF,  K.T.,  Argyll  Lodge,  Campden 

Hill,  Kensington,  W. 

AENEY,  SIE  GEORGE  A.,  Hanover  Square  Club,  W. 
ASHLEY,  HON.  EVELYN,  M.P.,  61,  Cadogan  Place,  S.  W.,  and  2,  Hare 

Court,  Temple,  E.G. 

ATKINSON,  CHAELES  E.,  Algoa  Lodge,  Beckenham,  Kent. 
AULD,   PATEICK,  Auldana  Vineyard   Office,  Mill  Street,  Hanover 

Square,  W. 
BADENOCH,  EEV.  DR.  G.  E.,  Clarence  Chambers,  12,  Haymarket, 

S.W. 

BANNER,  EDWAED  G.,  11,  Billiter  Square,  E.G. 
BARCLAY,  SIR  DAVID  W.,  BT.,  42,  Holland  Eoad,  Kensington,  W. 
BARE,  E.G.,  76,  Holland  Park,  W. 


x  Royal  Colonial  Institute. 


Year  of 
Election. 

1870 
1869 
1876 
1873 
1874 
1868 
1869 
1868 


BEDINGFELD,  FELIX,  C.M.G.,  86,  Green  Street,  Grosvenor  Square,  W. 

BEEE,  JULIUS,  28,  Park  Crescent,  Portland  Place,  W. 

BEETON,  H.  C.,  2,  Adamson  Eoad,  South  Hampstead,  N.W. 

BELL,  WM.  MOOEE,  Bolton  Hall,  near  Wigton.  Cumberland. 

BENJAMIN,  Louis  ALFRED,  65,  Eussell  Square,  W.C. 

BENNETT,  C.  F.,  55,  Queen's  Square,  Bristol. 

BERGTHEIL,  J.,  38,  Warwick  Eoad,  Maida  Hill,  W. 

BLACHFORD,  THE  EIGHT  HON.  LORD,  K.C.M.G. ;  Athenaeum  Club, 

S.W. ;  and  Blachford,  Ivybridge,  Devon. 
ELAINE,  D.P.,  2,  Suffolk  Lane,  Cannon  Street,  E.G. 
BLAINE,  HENRY,  2,  Cleveland  Eoad,  Castle  Hill,  Baling,  W. 
BONWICK,  JAMES  (care  of  Mr.  Beddow),  22,  South  Audley  Street,  W. 
BOURA,  F.  W. 

BOURNE,  C.  W.,  Eagle  House,  Eltham,  S.E. 
BOUTCHER,  EMANUEL,  12,  Oxford  Square,  Hyde  Park,  "W. 
BRAND,  WILLIAM,  109,  Fenchurch  Street,  E.G. 
BRIGGS,  THOMAS,  Homestead,  Eiclimond,  Surrey. 
BROAD,  CHARLES  HENRY,  Castle  View,  Weybridge,  Surrey. 
BROGDEN,    JAMES,    Seabank    House,    Portcawl,    near    Bridgend, 

Glamorganshire. 
BROWN,  J.  B.,  F.E.G.S.,  90,  Cannon  Street,  E.G.,  and  Bromley, 

Kent. 
BROWN,  COL.  SIR  T.  GORE,   KC.M.G.,  and  C.B.,  7,  Kensington 

Square,  W. 
BUCHANAN,   A.,   M.D.,   48,  Eastbourne  Terace,  W.,   and  Junior 

Athenaeum  Club. 
BUCKINGHAM  AND   CHANDOS,   His   GRACE   THE  DUKE    OF,    G. C.S.I., 

Chandos  House,  Cavendish  Square,  W. 
BURGESS,  EDWARD  J.,  29,  Palmerston  Buildings,  E.G. 
BURTON,  W.  H.,  Auldana  Vineyard  Office,  Mill  Street,  Hanover 

Square,  W. 

BURY,  THE  EIGHT  HON.  VISCOUNT,  K.C.M.G.,  65,  Prince's  Gate,  S.W. 
BUTTERWORTH,  EGBERT  L.,  70,  Basinghall  Street,  E.G. 
BYL,  P.  G.  VANDER  (Consul-General  for  the  Orange  Free  State 

Eepublic),  102,  Harley  Street,  W. 

CAMPBELL,  DONALD,  Christchurch  College,  Oxford. 

CAMPBELL,  EGBERT,  Union  Bank  of  Australasia,  Prince's  Street,  E.G., 

and  Buscot  Park,  Berkshire. 

CARDWELL,  THE  EIGHT  HON.  VISCOUNT,  74,  Eaton  Square,  S.W. 
fCARLiNGFORD,  THE  EIGHT  HON.  LORD,  7,  Carlton  Gardens,  S.W. 
CARNARVON,  THE  EIGHT  HON.  THE  EARL  OF,  Colonial  Office,  S.W. 


Resident  Fellows.  xi 

CARPENTER,  MAJOR  G.,  K.A.,  Army  and  Navy  Club,  Pall  Mall,  S.W- 
CARVILL,  P.  G.,  J.P.,  Beuvenue,  Eosentrerer,  Co.  Down;  23,  Park 

Crescent ;  and  Reform  Club,  S.W. 

CAVE,  THE  EIGHT  HON.  STEPHEN,  M.P.,  35,  Wilton  Place,  S.W. 
CHALLIS,  J.  H.,  Eeform  Club,  Pall  MaU,  S.W. 
CHESSON,  F.  W.,  3,  Lambeth  Terrace,  S.E.,  and  Canadian  Govern- 
ment Buildings,  King  Street,  Westminster,  S.W. 
CHILDERS,  THE  EIGHT  HON.  HUGH,  M.P.,  17,  Prince's  Gardens,  S.W. 
CHOWN,  T.  C.,  29,  Pembroke  Gardens,  Kensington,  and  Thatched 

House  Club,  S.W. 
CHRISTIAN,  H.R.H.  THE  PRINCE,  K.G.,  Cumberland  Lodge,  Windsor 

Great  Park. 

CHURCHILL,  LORD  ALFRED  SPENCER,  16,  Rutland  Gate,  S.W. 
CLARK,  CHARLES,  20,  Belrnont  Park,  Lee,  Kent. 
ICLARKE,  HYDE,  D.C.L.,  32,  St.  George's  Square,  S.W. 
CLIFFORD,  SIR  CHARLES,  Hatherton  Hall,  Cannock,  Staffordshire; 
CLOETE,  WOODBINE,    3,  Clement's  Lane,    E.C.,  and  St.   Stephen's 

Club,  Westminster,  S.W. 

CLOETE,  HENRY,  11,  King's  Bench  Walk,  Temple,  E.G. 
COLE,  MAJOR-GENERAL  J.  AMBER  (late  15th  Foot),  United  Service 

Club,  PaU  MaU,  S.W. 
COLOMB,  CAPTAIN  J.  C.  E.,  Droumquinne,  Kenmare,  County  Kerry, 

Ireland. 

COLTHURST,  J.B.,  4,  Danes  Inn,  Strand,  W.C. 
COODE,  SIB  JOHN,  35,  Norfolk  Square,  W.,  and  2,  Westminster 

Chambers,  S.W. 

|CooDE,M.  P.,  Cooper's  Hill  College,  Staines. 
COOPER,  SIR  DANIEL,  BART,  20,  Prince's  Gardens,  S.W. 
*CORVO,  H.  E.  SUR  JOAO  ANDRADA,  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs, 

Portugal. 

COSENS,  FREDERICK  W.,  27,  Queen's  Gate,  S.W. 
Cox,  SLOPER,  Highlands,  Gipsy  Hill,  S.E, 
jCRAwsHAY,  GEORGE,  23,  Upper  Thames  Street,  E.G. 
CROLL,  ALEXANDER,  Mavas  Bank,  Grange  Eoad,  Upper  Norwood. 
CROLL,  COLONEL  ALEXANDER  ANGUS,  10,  Coleman  Street,  E.G.,  and 

Granard  Lodge,  Eoehampton. 
CROSSMAN,   COLONEL  W.,   E.E.,   30,   Harcourt  Terrace,   Eedcliffe 

Square,  S.W.,  and  Junior  United  Service  Club. 
CURRIE,  DONALD,  13,  Hyde  Park  Place,  W. 
GUMMING,  GEORGE,  Junior  Athenasum  Club,  Piccadilly,  W. 
CURWEN,  EEV.  E.  H.,  Plumbland  Eectory,  Carlisle. 
CURWEN,  EEV.  A.  J.,  Harrington  Eectory,  Cumberland. 


xii  Royal  Colonial  Institute. 

Year  of 

DAINTREE,  EICHABD,  C.M.G.,  82,  Charing  Cross. 

DALGETY,  F.  GONNEBMAN,  16,  Hyde  Park  Ten-ace,  Hyde  Park,  W. 

DAUBENEY,  MAJOB-GENEBAL  SIE  H.   C.  B.,  K.C.B.,    36,  Elvaston 

Place,  S.W. 

DAVIS,  STEUAET  S.,  1,  Taviton  Street,  Gordon  Square,  W.C. 
DEVEBELL,  W.  T.,  27,  Queen  Street,  E.G. 
DOMVILLE,    MAJOB-GENEBAL  J.    W.,   (B.A.,)     Kushgrove    House, 

Woolwich,  S.E. 
DONELLY,  NICHOLAS  (care  of  J.  Farmer,  Esq.),  22,  Basinghall  Street, 

S.W. 

DOUGLAS,  STEWAET,  5,  Chester  Terrace,  Eaton  Square,  S.W. 
Du  CANE,  SIE  CHABLES,  K.C.M.G.,  8,  Chesterfield  Street,  Mayfair, 

W. 

fDuciE,  THE  EIGHT  HON.  THE  EAEL  OF,  16,  Portman  Square,  W. 
DU-CBOZ,  F.,  52,  Lombard  Street,  E.G. 
DUDDELL,  GEOEGE,  Queen's  Park,  Brighton. 
DUFF,  WILLIAM,  11,  Orsett  Terrace,  Bayswater,  W. 
DUFFIELD,  ALEXANDEE  J.,  Savile  Club,  Savile  Eow,  W. 
DUNCAN,  MAJOE  F.,  M.A.,  D.C.L.,  Eoyal  Artillery,  Woolwich. 
DUNCAN,  WILLIAM,  83,  Gloucester  Terrace,  Hyde  Park,  W. 
DUPEAT,  M.  LE  VISCOMTE,  Consul-General  for  Portugal,  8,  St.  Mary 

Axe,  E.G.,  and  46,  Palace  Gardens  Terrace,  W. 
DUEHAM,  JOHN  HENEY,  31,  Great  St.  Helen's,  B.C. 
DUTTON,  F.  H.,  11,  Cromwell  Crescent,  South  Kensington,  S.W. 
DUTTON,  F.  S.,  C.M.G.  (Agent-General  for  South  Australia),  8, 

Victoria  Chambers,  Westminster,  S.W. 
DUNN,  JAMES,  47,  Prince's  Gardens,  South  Kensington,  S.W. 


EDWAEDS,  STANLEY,  17,  Chapel  Street,  East  Mayfair,  and  6,  King's 

Bench  Walk,  Temple,  E.G. 
ELCHO,  THE  EIGHT  HON.  LOBD,  M.P.,  23,  St.  James's  Place,  St. 

James's,  S.W. 

ELDEE,  ALEXANDER  LANG,  Campden  House,  Kensington,  W. 
ELLIOTT,  EOBEET  H.,  88,  Park  Lane,  W.,  and  Clifton  Park,  Kelso, 

Eoxburghshire,  N.B. 
ENGLEHEAET,  J.  D.  G.,  Duchy  of  Lancaster  Office,  Lancaster  Place, 

W.C. 
FAIEFAX,  T.  S.,  Middle  Temple,  E.G.,  and  Junior  Carlton  Club, 

Pall  Mall,  S.W. 

FANNING,  WM.  BOZEDOWN,  Whitchurch,  Beading. 
FABMEE,  JAMES,  6,  Porchester  Gate,  Hyde  Park,  W. 


1872 


Resident  Fellows. 


,  FREDERICK  (Secretary  of  the  Trust  and  Loan  Company  of 

Canada),  7,  Great  Winchester  Street  Buildings,  E.C. 
?ERGUSSON,  THE  EIGHT  HON.  SIR  JAMES,  BART.,  K.C.M.G.,  Carlton 

Club,  Pall  Mall,  S.W.,  and  Kilkenan,  N.B. 
?ILBY,  M.B.,  East  Croydon,  and  Jerusalem  Coffee  House,  E.C. 
LOCKING,  ADOLPHUS,  106,  Fenchurch  Street,  E.C. 
?ORSTER,  ANTHONY,  Finlay  House,  Brittany  Eoad,  St.  Leonards-on- 

Sea. 

FORSTER,  EIGHT  HON.  W.  E.,  M.P.,  80,  Eccleston  Square,  S.W. 
FORTESCUE,  THE  HON.  DUDLEY,  9,  Hertford  Street,  Mayfair,  W. 
FRANKLIN,  SELIM,  43,  Albemarle  Street,  W. 
^FREELAND,  HUMPHREY  W.,  16,  Suffolk  Street,  S.W.  ;   Athenaeum 

Club  ;  and  Chichester. 
FRERE,  GEORGE,  16,  Great  College  Street,  W. 
FRESHFIELD,  WILLIAM  D.,  5,  Bank  Buildings,  E.C. 
*FROUDE,  J.  A.,  M.A.,  F.E.S.,  5,  Onslow  Gardens,  S.W. 

IGALTON,  CAPTAIN  DOUGLAS,  C.B.,  12,  Chester  Street,  Grosvenor 

Place,  S.W. 

GAWLER,  COLONEL  J.  C.  (late  73rd  Foot),  Tower,  E.C. 
GILLESPIE,  EGBERT,  55,  Onslow  Square,  S.  W. 
GODSON,  GEORGE  E.,  8,  Albert  Mansions,  Victoria  Street,  S.W. 
GOSCHEN,  THE  EIGHT  HON.  G.  J.,  M.P.,  69,  Portland  Place,  W. 
GOULD,  CHARLES. 

GRAIN,  WILLIAM,  50,  Gresharn  House,  Old  Broad  Street,  E.C. 
GRANVILLE,  THE  EIGHT  HON.  THE  EARL  OF,  K.G.,  18,  Carlton  House- 

Terrace,  S.W. 
GREAVES,  EDWARD,  Avonside,  Warwick. 

GREENE,  FREDERICK,  142,  Westbourne  Terrace,  Hyde  Park,  W. 
GREEN,  GEORGE,  Glantou  House,  Sydenham  Eise,  S.E. 
GREGORY,   CHARLES  HUTTON,  C.M.G.,  2,   Delahay   Street,    West- 

minster, S.W. 

GRIEVE,  THOMAS  K.,  48,  Jewin  Street,  Aldersgate  Street,  E.C. 
GRIFFITH,  W.  DOWNES,  57,  Harcourt  Terrace,  S.W. 
GUY,  GEORGE,  42,  Haverstock  Hill,  N.W. 
GWYNNE,  FRANK  A.,  Eoyal  Thames  Yacht  Club,  Albemarle  Street, 

Piccadilly,  W. 

HALIBURTON,  A.  L.,  K6,  The  Albany,  Piccadilly,  W. 
HALIBURTON,  E.  G.,  National  Club,  Whitehall  Gardens,  S.W. 
HALL,  ARTHUR,  35,  Craven  Hill  Gardens,  W. 
HALL,  HENRY,  4,  Glynde  Terrace,  Lavender  HiD,  S.W. 


xiv  Royal  Colonial  Institute. 


Year  of 
lecti  n. 


HALL,  JOHN  F.,  79,  Cannon  Street,  E.G. 

HAMILTON,  ABCHIBALD,  17,  St.  Helen's  Place,  E.G. 

HAMILTON,  EGBERT,  17,  St.  Helen's  Place,  E.G. 

HAMILTON,  THOMAS,  J.P.,  32,  Charing  Cross,  S.W. 

HARDY,  THE  BIGHT  HON.  GATHOENE,  M.P.,  War  Office,  and  17,  Gros- 

venor  Crescent,  S.W. 
HARRINGTON,  THOMAS  MOORE,  National  Bank  of  Australasia,  149, 

LeadenhaU  Street,  E.G. 

HARRIS,  JOHN  M.  YELBANA,  Anerley  Koad,  Norwood,  S.E. 
HAUGHTON,  JOHN,  Manor  House,  Long  Stratton,  Norfolk. 
*HECTOR,  THOMAS,  M.D.,  C.M.G. 
HENTY,  WILLIAM,  12,  Medina  Villas,  Brighton. 
HILL,  JOHN  S.,  32,  Great  St.  Helen's,  E.G. 
HINCKS,  CAPTAIN  A.  S.,  Junior  United  Service  Club,  S.W. 
HODGSON,  ARTHUR,  Clopton,  Stratford-on-Avon,  and  Windham  Club, 

St.  James's  Square,  S.W. 

fHoGG,  QUINTIN,  5,  Richmond  Terrace,  Whitehall,  S.W. 
HOLLINGS,  H.  DE  B.,  M.A.,  New  University  Club,  St.  James's  Street, 

S.W. 
HOLMS,  JOHN,  M.P.,  16,  Cornwall   Gardens,  South  Kensington, 

S.W. 

HOUGHTON,  LORD,  Travellers'  Club,  Pall  Mall,  S.W. 
fHousTouN,  G.  L.,  Johnstone  Castle,  Johnstone,  Eenfrewshire,  N.B. 
HUME,  WILLIAM  BURNLEY,  124,  Harley  Street,  W. 

IRWIN,  J.  V.  H.,  4,  Boscobel  Gardens,  Regent's  Park,  N.W. 

JAMIESON,  HUGH,  Junior  Carlton  Club,  PaU  Mall,  S.W. 
JAMIESON,  T.  BUSHBY,  Windham  Club,  St.  James's  Square,  S.W. 
JENKINS,  EDWARD,  M.P.,  20,  Southwell  Gardens,  South  Kensington, 

S.W. 
JOHNSTON,  A.  E.  CAMPBELL,  F.E.S.,  F.B.G.S.,  Heatherley,  near 

Wokingham,  Berks  ;   Athenaeum  Club ;    and  84,  St.  George's 

Square,  S.W. 

JONES,  SIR  WILLOUGHBY,  BART.,  Cranmer  Hall,  Fakenham,  Norfolk. 
JOURDAIN,  H.  J.,  54,  Gloucester  Gardens,  W. 
JULYAN,  SIR  PENROSEG.,  K.C.M.G.  and  C.B.,  Downing  Street,  S.W. 

KARUTH,  FRANK,  Oakhurst,  The  Knoll,  Beckenham,  Kent. 
KIMBER,  HENRY,  79,  Lombard  Street,  E.C. 
KING,  HENRY  S.,  65,  Cornhill,  E.C. 


Year  of 
Election. 

1869 
1875 
1876 
1873 
1869 


1875 
1876 
1876 
1875 
1873 
1869 
1874 
1869 


1869 


1874 

1874 


1875 


1871 

1872 

1869 
1873 

1874 
1868 
1872 


1874 


1873 
1869 

1874 
1874 
1869 
1869 

1872 


Resident  Fellows.  xv 

,  HON.  ARTHUB,  M.P.,  2,  Pall  Mall  East,  S.W. 
KNIGHT,  A.  H.,  62,  Holland  Park,  Kensington,  W. 
KNIGHT,  JOSEPH  J.,  Mera  Lodge,  Bexley  Heath,  Kent. 
KNIGHT,  WM.,  4,  Old  Square,  Lincoln's  Inn,  W.C. 
LABILLIERE,  FRANCIS  P.,  5,  Pump  Court,  Temple,  E.G.,  and  5, 

Aldridge  Koad  ViUas,  W. 
LANDALE,  EGBERT,  Dulwich  Hill,  S.E. 
LANDALE,  WALTER,  15,  Bury  Street,  St.  James's,  S.W. 
LARDNER,  W.  G.,  2,  Burwood  Place,  Hyde  Park,  W. 
LAWRENCE,  W.  F.,  New  University  Club,  St.  James's  Street. 
LAVINGTON,  J.  W.,  14A,  Austin  Friars,  E.G. 
LEVESON,  EDWARD  J.,  Cluny,  Sydenham  Hill,  S.E. 
LEVIN,  NATHANIEL,  44,  Cleveland  Square,  W. 
LINDSAY,  LIEUT. -COLONEL  LOYD,  V.C.,  M.P.,  2,  Carlton  Gardens, 

S.W. 
LISGAR,  THE  EIGHT  HON.  LORD,  G.C.B.,  G.C.M.G.,  Arthur's  Club, 

St.  James's  Street,  S.W. 

LITTLETON,  HON.  HENRY,  Teddesley,  Penkridge,  Staffordshire. 
*LLOYD,  SAMPSON  S.,  M.P.,  President  of  the  Associated  Chambers 

of  Commerce  of  the  United  Kingdom,  Birmingham. 
fLow,  W.  ANDERSON,   59,    Eadcliffe  Gardens,  South  Kensington, 

S.W. 

LUBBOCK,  SIR  JOHN,  BART.,  M.P.,  15,  Lombard  Street,  E.G. 
LYONS,  GEORGE,  M.A.,  66,  Old  Broad  Street,  E.G. 

MACARTHUR,  ALEXANDER,  M.P.,  Kaleigh  Hall,  Brixton,  S.W. 
MACARTHUR,  WILLIAM,  M.P.,  1,  Gwyder  Houses,  Brixton,  S.W. 
MACCARTHY,  JUSTIN,  48,  Gower  Street,  W.C. 
MCDONALD,  H.  C.,  116,  Fenchurch  Street,  E.G. 

SIR  EICHARD  GRAVES,  K.C.M.G.,  and  C.B.,  66,  Onslow 

Gardens,  S.W.*;  Athenasum  Club  ;  and  Sorrento  House,  Co. 

Dublin,  Ireland. 
MACEWEN,  JOHN  T.  HOWIE,  Old  Swan  Wharf,  E.G.,  and  3,  Stanley 

Gardens,  Kensington  Park,  W. 

,  ALEXANDER,  25,  Sackville  Street,  W. 
MACFIE,  E.  A.,  Eeforni    Club,  S.W. ;    and  Dreghorn,   Colinton, 

Edinburgh,  N.B. 
MCKERRELL,  E.  M.,  Junior  Carlton  Club,  Pall  Mall,  S.W. 

,  C.  W.,  69,  Cromwell  Eoad,  South  Kensington,  S.W. 
MACKINNON,  W.,  Balmakiel,  Clachan,  Argyleshire,  N.B. 
MCLACHLAN,  ARCHIBALD,  Hatherley  Hall,  Cheltenham. 
MACLEAY,  ALEXANDER  D.,  Carlton  Club,  Pall  Mall,  S.W. 


Royal  Colonial  Institute. 

MACLEAY,    SIR   GEORGE,   K.C.M.G.,  Pendell  Court,  Bletchingley, 

Surrey 

MACNAB,  D.  M.,  Union  Club,  Trafalgar  Square,  S.W. 
tMAcPnERSON,  JOSEPH,  Devonshire  Club,  St.  James's,  S.W. 
MAITLAND,  WILLIAM,  2,  Eoyal  Exchange  Buildings,  E.G. 
MANBY,  LIEUT.-COLONEL  CHARLES,  60,  Westbourne  Terrace,  Hyde 

Park,  W. 
•[MANCHESTER,  His  GRACE  THE  DUKE  OP,  1,  Great  Stanhope  Street, 

W.,  and  Kimbolton  Castle,  St.  Neot's. 
MARSH,  M.  H.,  Eamridge,  Andover,  Hants. 
MARTIN,  EDWARD,  2,  New  Square,  Lincoln's  Inn,  W.C. 
MATTHEWS,  WILLIAM,  46,  Avenue  Koad,  Eegent's  Park,  N.W. 
MEREWETHER,  F.  S.  S.,  Peacocks,  Ingatestone,  Essex. 
MAYNE,  EDWARD  GRAVES,  M.A.,  40,  Elgin  Eoad,  Dublin. 
MILLER,  JOHN,  Sherbrooke  Lodge,  Brixton,  S.W. 
MILLIGAN,  DR.  JOSEPH,  6,  Craven  Street,  Strand,  W.C. 
MILTON,  THE  EIGHT  HON.  VISCOUNT,  17,'  Grosvenor  Street,  W. 
MOLINEUX,  GISBORNE,  1,  East  India  Avenue,  E.G. 
MONCK,  ET.  HON.  VISCOUNT,  G.C.M.G.,  14,  St.  James's  Place,  S.W. 
MONTAGU,  J.  M.  P.,  Downe    Hall,  Bridport,  Dorset,  and  51,  St. 

George's  Eoad,  Pimlico,  S.W. 
MONTEFIORIE,  JACOB,  1,  Oriental  Place,  Brighton. 
IMoNTGOMERiE,  HUGH  E.,  17,  Gracechurch  Street,  E.G. 
MOOR,  HENRY,  Sussex  Square,  Brighton. 
MOORE,  WM.  FREDK.,  5,  Queen's  Eoad,  Eichmond,  Surrey. 
MORGAN,  SEPTIMUS  VAUGHAN,  6,  The  Boltons,  South  Kensington, 

S.W. 

MORT,  W.,  1,  Stanley  Crescent,  Notting  Hill,  W. 
MOSENTHAL,  JULIUS  DE,  1,  Bier  Lane,  E.G. 
MUIR,  HUGH,  32,  Lombard  Street,  E.G. 
MUTTLEBURY,  JAMES  W.,  Junior  Carlton  Club,  Pall  Mall,  S.W.,  and 

47,  Leinster  Gardens,  W. 

+NAZ,  VIRGILE,  C.M.G.,  care  of  Messrs.  Chalmers,  Guthrie,  &  Co., 

9,  Idol  Lane,  E.G. 

NELSON,  WILLIAM,  Moorlands,  Kenilworth. 
NICHOLSON,  SIR  CHARLES,  BART.,  26,  Devonshire  Place,  Portland 

Place,  W. 
NORTHCOTE,  THE  EIGHT  HON.  SIR  STAFFORD  H.,  BART.,  C.B.,  M.P., 

86,  Harley  Street,  W. 

NORTON,  GEORGE,  Wyvil's  Court,  Swallowfield,  Beading. 
NUTT,  E.  W.,  Conservative  Club,  St.  James's  Street,  S.W. 


Year  of 
Election. 


Resident  Fellows.  xvii 

OMMANEY,  H.  M.,  24,  Surrey  Street,  Strand,  W.C. 

O'NEILL,  JOHN  HUGH,  Canada  Government  Buildings,  King  Street, 

Westminster,  S.W. 

I OPPENHEIM,  HERMANN,  17,  Eue  de  Londres,  Paris. 
OPPENHEIMER,  JOSEPH,  52,  Brown  Street,  Manchester. 
OTWAY,  AJRTHUK  JOHN,  19,  Cromwell  Eoad,  S.W. 

PALMER,  HENKY  POLLARD,  15,  Coleman  Street,  E.G. 

PAGET,  JOHN  C.,  90,  Albert  Street,  Eegent's  Park,  N.W. 

PATERSON,  J.,  15,  Coleman  Street,  E.G. 

PATTERSON,  MYLES,  28,  Gloucester  Place,  Hyde  Park,  W. 

PERCEVAL,  AUGUSTUS  G.,  Langfords,  Buckhurst  Hill,  Essex. 

PERRY,   THE  EIGHT   EEV.  BISHOP,    82,  Avenue   Eoad,    Eegent's 

Park,  N.W. 

PETER,  JOHN,  Conservative  Club,  St.  James's  Street,  S.W. 
PHILPOTT,  EICHARD,  3,  Abchurch  Lane,  E.G. 
fPiM,   CAPTAIN  BEDFORD,  E.N.,  M.P.,  Leaside,   Kingswood   Eoad, 

Upper  Norwood,  S.E. 

fPooRE,  MAJOR  E.,  Old  Lodge,  Stockbridge,  Hants. 
PORTER,  EGBERT,  Westfield  House,  South  Lyncombe,  Bath. 
POTTER,  EICHARD,  21,  Old  Broad  Street,  E.G. 
PRANCE,  EEGINALD  H.,  2,  Hercules  Passage,  E.G.,  and  Frognall, 

Hampstead,  N.W. 
PRATT,  J.  J.,  Consul-General,  South  African  Eepublic,  24,  Coleman 

Street,  E.G. 

PBINCE,  J.  SAMPSON,  34,  Craven  Hill  Gardens,  W. 
PUGH,  W.  E.,  M.D.,  Victoria  Lodge,  Hurstpierpoint,  Sussex,  and 

Junior  Athenaeum  Club,  Piccadilly,  W. 
PUNSHON,  EEV.  DR.  MORLEY,  64,  Holland  Eoad,  Kensington,  W. 

QUIN,  THOMAS  F.,  F.E.G.S.,  Whitelands,  High  Street,  Clapham, 
S.W. 

EAE,  JAMES,  32,  Phillimore  Gardens,  Kensington,  W. 

fEAE,  JOHN,  LL.D.,  F.S.A.,  9,  Mincing  Lane,  E.G. 

EAMAGE,  W.  W.,  London  and  Colorado  Co.,  Winchester  Buildings, 

Old  Broad  Street,  E.C. 

EAMSDEN,  EICHARD,  Camp  Hill,  Nuneaton,  Warwickshire. 
EENNIE,  J.  T.,  Aberdeen,  and  52,  Lime  Street,  E.C. 
EICHARDSON,  WILLIAM,  Limber  Magna,  Ulceby,  Lincolnshire. 
EICHMAN,  H.  J.,  46,  Clanricarde  Gardens,  Bayswater,  W. 
EIDGWAY,  LIEUT.-COLONEL  A.,  2,  Waterloo  Place,  Pall  Mall,  S.W. 
b 


xviii  Royal  Colonial  Institute. 


Year  of 
Election. 

1872 

1869 


1868 
1869 

1874 
1875 

1875 
1875 
1876 


1874 


1874 
1868 

1873 
1869 
1872 
1868 
1871 
1874 
1868 
1869 
1873 

1874 
1873 

1874 
1875 
1868 
1872 
1868 
1868 
1875 
1874 


1872 


,  ALEXANDER,  Brooklands,  Upper  Norwood,  S.E. 
IOBINSON,  MAJOR  CHARLES  W.,  Eifle  Brigade,  South  Camp,  Alder- 
shot. 

KOCHE,  ALFRED  E.,  81,  Palmerston  Buildings,  E.G. 
ilosE,   SIR  JOHN,  BART.,  K.C.M.G.,  Bartholomew  House,  Bartholo- 
mew Lane,  E.G.,  and  18,  Queen's  Gate,  S.W. 
Eoss,  HAMILTON,  Lane's  Hotel,  St.  Alban's  Place,  S.W. 
RUSSELL,  G.  GREY,  care  of  Messrs.  Eussell,  Le  Cren,  and  Co.,  37, 

Lombard  Street,  E.G. 
RUSSELL  PHILIP,  Palace  Hotel,  Buckingham  Gate,  S.W. 
RUSSELL,  THOMAS,  Haremare  Hall,  Hurstgreen,  Sussex. 
EYALL,  E.,  1,  Guildhall  Chambers,  E.G. 


ST.  JEAN,  M.  LE  VISCOMTE   ERNEST   DE    SATJE,  Junior   Athenaeum 

Club,  Piccadilly,  W.,  and  Malvern  Wells,  Worcestershire. 
[•SANDERSON,  JOHN,  Buller's  Wood,  Chislehurst,  Kent. 
•JARGEAUNT,  W.  C.,  C.M.G.,  New  Government  Buildings,  Downing 

Street,  S.W. 
SASSOON,  ARTHUR,  12,  St.  George's  Place,  Hyde  Park  Corner,  S.W. 

,  HELMUTH,  Osnabruck  House,  Denmark  Hill,  S.E. 
SCOTT,  ABRAHAM,  12,  Farquhar  Eoad,  Upper   Norwood,  S.E 
SEARIGHT,  JAMES,  7,  East  India  Avenue,  E.G. 
SEROCOLD,  G.  PEARCE,  Eodborough  Lodge,  Stroud,  Gloucestershire. 
SHIPSTER,  HENRY  F.,  10,  Gloucester  Place,  Hyde  Park,  W. 

,  S.  W.,  4,  Sun  Court,  Cornhill,  E.G. 
SIMMONS,  P.  L.,  29,  Cheapside,  E.G. 
SMITH,  W.  H.,  M.P.,  The  Greenlands,  Henley-on-Thames,  and  2, 

Hyde  Park  Street,  W. 
SOPER,  W.  G.,  14,  Fenchurch  Street,  E.G. 
SPENCE,   J.    BERGER,    F.E.G.S.,   &c..,   Erlington  House,   Whalley 

Eange,  Manchester. 

SPICER,  JAMES,  50,  Upper  Thames  Street,  E.G. 
STEIN,  ANDREW,  Protea  House,  Cambridge  Gardens,  Netting  Hill,  W. 
SPOWERS,  ALLAN,  33,  Queensboro'  Terrace,  Hyde  Park,  W. 
STANFORD,  EDWARD,  55,  Charing  Cross,  S.W. 
STEPHENS,  WILLIAM,  3,  Apsley  Terrace,  Acton,  W. 
STEVENS,  JAMES,  Eeform  Club,  Pall  Mall,  S.W. 
STEVENSON,  L.  C.,  Hall  Place,  Bexley. 

Sm  CHARLES,  BART,  Glorat,  Milton  of  Carnpsie,  Stirling- 
shire, N.B.,  and  Junior  Carlton  Club,  Pall  Mall,  S.W. 
STOVIN,  EEV.  C.  F.,  59,  Warwick  Square,  S.W, 


Year  of 
Election. 


Resident  Fellows.  xix 

STKANGWAYS,  H.  B.    T.,    21,  Denmark   Hill,    Wimbledon,   and  5, 

Pump  Court,  Temple,  E.G. 

BUTTON,  HON.  GRAHAM  MANNERS,  Arthur's  Club,  St.  James's  St.,S.W. 
SWALE,  REV.  H.  J.,  M.A.,  J.P.,  The  Elms,  Guildford,  Surrey. 
SWANZY,  ANDREW,  122,  Cannon  Street,  E.G.,  and  Sevenoaks,  Kent. 
SYNGE,  MAJOR-GENERAL  MILLINGTON,  E.E.,  Old  Hall,  Southborough, 

Kent. 
SYMONS,  G.  J.,  62,  Camden  Square,  N.W. 

TAIT,  SIR  PETER,  Southwark  Street,  S.E. 
TAYLOR,  CHARLES  J.,  61,  Leinster  Square,  W. 
*TENNYSON,  ALFRED,  D.C.L.,  16,  Albert  Mansions,  S.W. 
THOMSON,  J.D.,  St.  Peter's  Chambers,  Cornhill,  E.G. 
TIDMAN,  PAUL  FREDERICK,  84,  Leadenhall  Street,  E.G. 
TINLINE,  GEORGE,  17,  Prince's  Square,  Hyde  Park,  W. 
TOOTH,  FREDERICK,  The  Briars,  Eeigate,  Surrey. 
TORRENS,  SIR  EGBERT  E.,  K.C.M.G.,  Eeform  Club,  PaU  Mall,  S.W. 
TRIMMER,  EDMUND,  75,  Cambridge  Terrace,  W.,  and  41,  Botolph 
Lane,  E.G. 

UNNA,  FERDINAND,  12,   Lancaster  Gate,   and   1,   Colemau  Street 
Buildings,  Moorgate  Street,  E.G. 

WALKER,  EDWARD,  17,  Gracechurch  Street,  E.G. 

WALKER,  SIR  JAMES,  K.C.M.G.  and  G.B.,  Hillmore,  near  Taunton. 

WALKER,  WM.,  F.E.G.S.,  48,  Hilldrop  Eoad,  Tufnell  Park,  N.W. 

WALLS,  ANDREW  M.,  11,  Leadenhall  Street,  E.G. 

WATSON,  PETER,  64,  Old  Broad  Street,  E.G.,  and  Sutton  House, 

Hounslow. 

WATTS,  HENRY,  E.,  Marlborough  Chambers,  49,  PaU  Mall,  S.W. 
WEBB,  WILLIAM,  Newstead  Abbey,  near  Nottingham. 
WELLINGS,  HENRY,  New  Travellers'  Club,  George  Street,  Hanover 

Square,  W. 

WESTERN,  CHARLES,  E.,  96,  Inverness  Terrace,  W. 
WESTGARTH,  WILLIAM,  St.  Andrew's  House,  Change  Alley,   E.G., 

and  10,  Bolton  Gardens,  S.W. 
WHITE,  EGBERT,  Mildmay  Chambers,  82,  Bishopsgate  Street  Within, 

E.G. 
WHITEHEAD,  HERBERT  M.,  Conservative  Club,  St.  James's  Street, 

S.W. 
WILLS,  GEORGE,  White  Hall,  Hornsey  Lane,  N.,  and  26,  Budge 

Eow,  E.G. 


xx  Royal  Colonial  Institute. 


Year  of 
Election. 

1874 
1868 

1874 


1869 
1872 
1873 
1828 

1873 
1868 


1875 
1868 
1874 


1869 


WILLIAMS,  W.  J.,  Clarence  Club,  1,  Eegent  Street,  S.W. 

WILSON,  EDWARD,  Hayes,  Kent. 

WINGFIELD,  SIR  CHARLES,  K.C.S.I.,  C.B.,  31,  Park  Street,  Grosvenor 

Square,  W. 

WINGROVE,  E.  W.,  South  End  House,  Twickenham. 
WINGROVE,  E.  P.,  24,  Abbey  Place,  St.  John's  Wood,  N.W. 
WOLFEN,  AUGUSTUS,  8,  Philpot  Lane,  E.G. 
WOLFF,  SIR  HENRY  DRUMMOND,  K.C.M.G.,  M.P.,  44,  Park  Lane,  W., 

and  Boscombe  Tower,  Eingwood,  Hants. 
WOOD,  J.  DENNISTOUN,  2,  Hare  Court,  Temple,  E.G. 
WRAY,  LEONARD,  Eagle  Lodge,  Eamsgate,  and  Lonsdale  House, 

Fulham,  S.W. 

YARDLEY,  S.,  8,  Victoria  Chambers,  Westminster,  S.W. 

YOUL,  JAMES  A.,  C.M.G.,  Waratah  House,  Clapham  Park,  S.W. 

YOUNG,  ADOLPHUS  W.,  M.P.,  126,  Mount  Street,  W.;  Eeform  Club, 

S.W.;  and  Hare  Hatch  House,  Twyford,  Berks. 
YOUNG,  FREDERICK,  5,  Queensberry  Place,  South  Kensington,  S.W. 


Non-Resident  Fellows.  xxi 

KteoJo?.  NON-RESIDENT    FELLOWS. 

1874  ALBERGA,  D.  J. 

1872  |  ALLAN,  THE  HON.  G.  W.,  Moss  Park,  Toronto,  Canada. 

1873  f  ALLAN,  SIR  HUGH,  Montreal,  Canada. 

1875  •  fALLPORT,  MORTON,  Hobart  Town,  Tasmania. 

1876  j  ALMON,  M.  B.,  Maplewood,  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia. 

ANDERSON,  DICKSON,  Montreal,  Canada. 
ANDERSON,  W.  J.,  Cape  Town,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
ARCHER,  A.,  Queensland. 
ARMITAGE,  GEORGE,  Victoria,  Australia. 

ARNOT,  DAVID,  Eskdale,  Griqualand  West,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
ATHERSTONE,  DR.    GUYBON,    Grahamstown,    Cape   of  Good  Hope. 
(Corresponding  Secretary.) 

BABBER,  A.  H.,  Wairarapa,  Wellington,  New  Zealand. 

BALDWIN,  CAPTAIN  W.,  Dunedin,  New  Zealand. 

BAM,  J.  A.,  M.H.A.,  Cape  Town,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 

BARRY,  His  HONOUR  MR.  JUSTICE,  Griqualand  West,  Cape  of  Good 
Hope. 

BAYNES,  HON.  EDWIN  DONALD,  President  of  Antigua,  St.  John's, 
Antigua,  West  Indies. 

BEERE,  D.  M.,  Waipukurau,  Hawkes  Bay,  New  Zealand. 

BENSUSAN,  RALPH,  Cape  Town,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 

BERKELEY,  T.  B.  H.,  M.L.A.,  St.  Kitt's,  West  Indies. 

BIRCH,  His  EXCELLENCY  A.  N.,  Lieut.-Governor  of  the  Straits 
Settlements. 

BIRCH,  W.  J.,  Lake  Taupo,  and  Napier  Club,  Napier,  New  Zealand. 

BIRCH,  W.  J.  (Jim.),  Lake  Taupo,  New  Zealand. 

BLYTH,  CAPTAIN,  Transkeian  Territory,  South  Africa. 

BOURINOT,  J.  G.,  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Commons,  Ottawa,  Canada- 

BOWEN,  EDWARD,  Sherbrooke,  Quebec,  Canada. 

BOYD,  JAMES,  Hobart  Town,  Tasmania. 

BRADSTREET,  ROBERT,  Natal,  South  Africa. 

BRIDGE,  H.  H.,  Hawkes  Bay,  New  Zealand. 

BRODRIBB,  W.  A.,  Brookely,  near  Brighton,  Melbourne,  Australia. 

BRODRIBB,  W.  A.  (JuN.),  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 

BROUGHTON,  FREDERICK,  Great  Western  Railway  of  Canada,  Hamil- 
ton, Ontario. 

BROUGHTON,  J. 

BROWN,  HON.  CHARLES,  M.L.C.,  Queenstown,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 

BROWN,  THE  HON.  THOMAS,  Bathurst,  River  Gambia,  West  Africa. 


xxii  Royal  Colonial  Institute. 


Year  of 
Election. 

1876 
1876 
1869 
1876 
1871 
1873 
1872 
1872 


BRUCE,  J.,  Cape  Town,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
BUCHANAN,  ARCHIBALD  B.,  Brisbane,  Queensland. 
BULWER,  SIR  HENRY  ERNEST  LYTTON,  K.C.M.G.,  Governor  of  Natal. 
BURGERS,  HON.  J.  A.,  M.L.C.,  Cape  Town,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
BURKE,  SAMUEL  CONSTANTINE,  Assistant  Attorney-General,  Jamaica. 
BURNS,  A.,  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia. 
BUTLER,  MAJOR  W.  F.,  C.B.  (late  69th  Eegiment). 
BUTTON,  EDWARD,   Transvaal  Eepublic,  South  Africa  (care  of  S.  B. 
Garrard,  Esq.,  57,  Westbourne  Grove,  W.) 

CAMPBELL,  A.  H.,  Toronto,  Canada. 

CAMPBELL,  HON.  C.  J.,  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia. 

CAMPBELL,  CHARLES  J.,  Toronto,  Canada. 

CAMPBELL,  W.  H.,  LL.D.,  Georgetown,  British  Guiana. 

CARON,  ADOLPHE  P.,  M.P.,  Quebec,  Canada. 

CATTANACH,  A.  J.,  Toronto,  Canada. 

CHADWICK,  F.  M.,  Grenada,  West  Indies. 

CHARNOCK,  J.  H.,  Lennoxville,  Quebec,  Canada. 

CHASE,  HON.  J.  CENTLIVRES,  M.L.C.,  Port  Elizabeth,  Cape  of  Good 

Hope. 
CHIAPPINI,  Dr.,  Cape  Town,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 

,  HURRYCHUND  (Political  Agent  for  Native  Princes). 
,  H.  B.,  Port  Elizabeth,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
CLARK,  COL.  SIR.  ANDREW,  K.C.M.G.,  C.B.,  K.E.,  Commissioner 

of  Public  Works,  Simla,  India. 
fCLEGG,  THOMAS,  West  Africa. 
COLLIER,   CHARLES    FREDERICK,    Barrister-at-Law,   Hobart    Town, 

Tasmania. 

COMMISSIONG,  W.  S.,  Grenada,  West  Indies. 
CORNWALL,  CLEMENT  FRANCIS,  Ashcroft,  British  Columbia. 
CORNWALL,  HENRY,  Ashcroft,  British  Columbia. 
CRAUFORD,  CAPTAIN  F.,  E.N.,  Eiver  Plate,  Brazil. 
CRAWFORD,  JAMES  D.,  Montreal,  Canada. 
CRESWICK,  HENRY,  Melbourne,  Australia. 
CROOKES,  HON.  ADAM,  Q.C.,  LL.D.,  Toronto,  Canada. 
CUMBERLAND,  COLONEL  FREDERICK  W.,  Toronto,  Canada. 
CURRIE,  JAMES,  Mauritius. 

DANIEL,  S.  C.,  Grenada,  West  Indies. 
DANGAR,  W.  J.,  Sydney,  New  South  Wales. 

N.    DARNELL,    Postmaster-Geueral    of    British    Guiana, 
Georgetown,  Demerara,  West  Indies. 
1875  j  DAVIS,  P.  (JuN.j,  Pietermauritzburgh,  Natal. 


Non- Resident  Fellows. 


xxni 


DAWSON,  G.  P.,  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia. 

DENNISON,  LIEUT-- COLONEL  GEORGE  T.,  Commanding  the  Governor 

General's  Body  Guard,  Toronto,  Canada. 
DE  EOUBAIX,  P.  E.,  Cape  Town,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
DOMVILLE,  CAPTAIN  JAMES,  M.P.,  St.  John's,  New  Brunswick. 
DOUTRE,  JOSEPH,  Q.C.,  Montreal,  Canada. 

DOUGLAS,  ARTHUR,  Hilton,  near  Grahamstown,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
DOYLE,  SIR  HENRY  W.  H.,  KT.,  Chief  Justice,  Bahamas. 
DUFFERIN,    EIGHT   HON.    THE  EARL   OF,  K.P.,   K.C.B.,  G.C.M.G., 

Governor- General  of  Canada. 

,  HON.  MR.  JUSTICE,  Judge    of   the  Supreme    Court    for 

Lower  Canada,  Knoulton,  Quebec,  Canada. 

ELLIOTT,  WILLIAM  THOMAS,  Rockhampton,  Queensland. 

EDGAR,  J.  D.,  Toronto,  Canada. 

•[EDWARDS,  DR.  W.  A.,  Port  Louis,  Mauritius. 

ELMSLEY,  HENRY,  Toronto,  Canada. 

ERSKINE,  MAJOR  HON.  D.,  Natal,  South  Africa. 

ESCOMBE,  HARRY,  Durban,  Natal,  South  Africa, 

FALLON,  J.  T.,  Albury,  New  South  Wales. 

FIFE,  G.  E.,  Brisbane,  Queensland. 

FINLAYSON,  J.  H.,  Adelaide,  South  Australia. 

FITZGERALD,  CHARLES  (late  38th  Foot  and  1st  West  India  Eegiment). 

FITZGIBBON,  E.  G.,  Town  Clerk  of  Melbourne,  Australia. 

FITZHERBERT,  .HON.   WILLIAM,  C.M.G.,  M.H.E.,  Wellington,  New 

Zealand. 

FLOWERS,  JAMES,  Cape  Town,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
FORSYTE,  WILLIAM  L.,  Montreal,  Canada. 
Fox,  HON.  WILLIAM,  Wellington,  New  Zealand. 
FRANCIS,  HON.  J.  G.,  Melbourne,  Australia. 

GHINN,  HENRY,  Australia. 

GIBB,  COLONEL,  E.A.,  Calcutta,  India. 

GIBBS,  S.  M.,  Colran  Station,  Murumbidgee,  New  South  Wales. 

GIDDY,  E.  W.  H.,  Treasurer-General,  Diamond  Fields,  South  Africa. 

GILPIN,  EDWARD,  M.A.,  F.G.S.,  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia. 

GLANVILLE,  THOMAS  B.,  Grahamstown,  South  Africa. 

GLOVER,  THOMAS,  Quebec,  Canada. 

GOLLAN,  DONALD,  Mangatata,  Hawkes  Bay,  New  Zealand. 

GOODLIFFE,  FRANCIS  GK,  Cape  Town,  Cape  of  Good  Hope, 

GOODLIFFE,  JOHN,  Durban,  Natal,  South  Africa. 

GOODRICKE,  D.  G.,  Durban,  Natal. 

GOODHICKE,  J.  E.,  Durban,  Natal. 

GORDON,  JOHN,  Toronto,  Canada. 


xxiv  Royal  Colonial  Institute. 

Tear  of 
Election. 

GRAHAM,  JOHN,  Victoria,  British  Columbia. 
GRAVES,  JOHN  BULLER,  Biverina,  New  South  Wales. 
GRIFFITH,  T.  B.,  Grenada,  West  Indies. 
GURNEY,  FBANK,  Grenada,  West  Indies. 

HARDY,  C.  BURTON,  Adelaide,  South  Australia. 

HADDON,  F.  W.,  Melbourne,  Australia. 

HARRIS,  MAJOR  G.  DOUGLAS,  B.A.,  Mexico. 

HART,  LIONEL,  British  Sherbro,  West  Africa. 

HECHLER,  BEV.  PROFESSOR  W.  H. 

HELLMUTH,  THE  BIGHT  BEV.  ISAAC,  Lord  Bishop  of  Huron,  Norwood 

House,  London,  Canada. 
HEATHERINGTON,  A.,  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia. 
HENDERSON,  JOSEPH,  Pietermauritzburgh,  Natal. 
HENNESSY,  JOHN  POPE,  C.M.G.,  Governor  of  Barbadoes. 
HETT,   J.  BOWLAND,  Clerk  of  the  Legislative  Assembly,  Victoria, 

British  Columbia. 
HEWAT,  CAPTAIN  J. 
HEWETT,  — ,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
HIDDINGH,  HON.  J.,  M.L.C.,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
HIGGINS,  D.  W.,  Victoria,  British  Columbia. 
HILL,  P.  CARTERET,  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia. 
HUGEL,  ADOLPHE,  Midland  Bailway  of  Canada,  Port  Hope,  near 

Toronto,  Canada. 

HUGHES,  HENRY  KENT,  Adelaide,  South  Australia. 
t  HUGHES,  W.  W.,  Wallaroo,  South  Australia. 
HULL,  HUGH  MUNRO,  Clerk  of  Parliament,  Hobart  Town,  Tasmania. 

(Corresponding  Secretary.) 
HUMAN,  J.  Z.,  M.H.A.,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
HUNTINGTON,  HON.  L.  S.,  Montreal,  Canada. 
HYAMS,  ABRAHAM,  Golden  Spring,  Jamaica. 
HYDE,  CHARLES  TUNSTAL,  Provost  Marshal,  Barbadoes. 

IRVING,  HENRY  T.,  C.M.G.,  Governor  of  Trinidad. 

JACKSON,  THOMAS  WITTER,  Chief  Magistrate  of  the  Gambia. 
t  JENKINS,  H.  L.,  Indian  Civil  Service. 
JETTE,  L.  A.,  Montreal,  Canada. 

JOHNSON,  MATTHEW  TROTTER,  Victoria,  British  Columbia. 
JOHNSON,  G.  CUNNINGHAM,  J.P.,  Grenada,  West  Indies. 
JOHNSON,  Boss,  M.L.A.,  Cape  Town,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
JONES,  S.  TWENTYMAN,  Stanmore,  Rindebosch,  near  Cape  Town. 
JORDAN,  HENRY,  Tygum,  Logan  Kiver,  Queensland. 


Non-Resident  Fellows.  xxv 

Year  of 
Election. 

1875    KEEFEE,  SAMUEL  C.  E.,  Brooksville,  Ontario,  Canada. 
1872     KELSEY,  J.  F.,  Bowen,  Port  Denison,  Queensland. 
1869    KEB,  KOBEKT,  Auditor-General,  Victoria,  British  Columbia.  (Corre- 
sponding Secretary.) 
KINGSMILL,  JOHN  JACHEREAU,  County  Judge,  Walkerton,   Ontario, 

Canada. 

KINGSMILL,  NICOL,  Toronto,  Canada. 
KBIEL,  BEV.  H.  T.,  Aliwal,  North,  Cape  Colony. 

LAUBIE,  COLONEL  (Staff),  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia. 

LEEB,  P.  G.,  Cape  Town,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 

L'ESTBANGE,  CAPTAIN  CHAMPAGNI,  Nova  Scotia. 

LEVEY,  CHABLES  E.,  Quebec,  Canada. 

LEVEY,  G.  COLLINS,  Melbourne,  Australia. 

LEWIS,  ALBERT,  St.  Vincent,  West  Indies. 

LIARDET,  LIEUT.  E.  A.,  B.N.,  Her  Majesty's  Consul,  Navigator's 

Islands. 
LOGGIE,  J.  CBAIG,  C.M.G.,  Inspector-General  of  Police,  Freetown, 

Sierra  Leone,  West  Africa. 

LONGDEN,  SIB  JAMES  B.,  K.C.M.G.,  Governor  of  British  Guiana. 
LOVESY,  CONWAY  W.,  Puisne  Judge,  British  Guiana. 
LYNN,  W.  FBANK,  Winnipeg,  Manitoba. 
Louw,  M.  J.,  M.L.A.,  Cape  Town,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 

MACDONALD,  A.  J.,  Port  Elizabeth,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 

MACDONALD,  MURDO,  Port  Elizabeth,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 

MACDOUGALL,  HON.  WM.,  C.B.,  M.P.,  Montreal,  Canada. 

MACIAS,  COLONEL  J.  M.,  Havana,  Cuba. 

MACKENZIE,  GEOBGE  POYNTZ,  Toronto,  Canada. 

McMASTER,  ALEXANDER,  Waikaura,  Otago,  New  Zealand. 

MoMuKBAY,  J.  S.,  Barrister,  Toronto,  Canada. 

MACNAB,  BEV.  DR.,  Bector  of  Darlington,  Canada. 

MACPHEBSON,  ALEX.,  Port  Louis,  Mauritius. 

MACPHEBSON,  COL.  HEBBEBT,  V.C.,  C.B.,  Bengal  Staff  Corps. 

MASON,  HENBY  SLY-,  Victoria,  British  Columbia. 

MABAIS,  P.  J.,  M.L.C.,  Pretoria,  Transvaal  Bepublic. 

MAUDE,  COLONEL,  F.C.,  V.C.,  C.B.,  Boyal  Artillery,  Ontario,  Canada. 

MELBOUBNE,  CHABLES  SYDNEY  DICK,  Bockhampton,  Queensland. 

MENDS,  W.  FISHEB,  Grenada,  West  Indies. 

MILLS,  CAPTAIN  CHARLES,    Under- Colonial  Secretary,  Cape  Town, 

Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
MILNER,  HENRY,  Natal,  South  Africa. 
MOLTENO,  HON.  J.  C.,  M.L.A.,  Cape  Town,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 


xxvi  Royal  Colonial  Institute. 

Tear  of 
Election. 

MOODIE,  G.  P.,  Member  of  the  Volksraad,  Transvaal  Republic, 

South  Africa. 

MOODIE,  THOMAS,  M.L.A.,  Swellendam,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
MORTLOCK,  W.  E.,  Adelaide,  South  Australia. 

NAIRN,  CHARLES  J.,  Pourerere,  Hawkes  Bay,  New  Zealand. 

NAIEN,  JOHN,  Pourerere,  Hawkes  Bay,  New  Zealand. 

t  NELSON,  FREDERICK,  Havelock,  Hawkes  Bay,  New  Zealand. 

NIOHOLLS,  C.  J.  H.,  Kerry,  Queensland. 

NIND,  PHILIP  HENRY,  M.L.A.,  Brisbane,  Queensland. 

NORDHEIMER,  SAMTiEL,  Toronto,  Canada. 

NORMANBY,  THE  MOST  NOBLE  THE  MARQUIS  OF,  K.C.M.G.,  Governor 

of  New  Zealand. 
NOWLAN,  JOHN,  M.H.A.,  Sydney,  New  South  Wales. 

O'HALLORAN,  J.  S.,  Clanfergeal,  South  Australia. 

O'MALLEY,  EDWARD  L.,  Attorney-General,  Kingston,  Jamaica. 

ORGIAS,  P.,  M.D.,  Grenada,  West  Indies. 

OUSELEY,  GORE,  Indian  Civil  Service. 

OUSELEY,  MAJOR  RALPH,  Bengal  Staff  Corps. 

t  PAINT,  HENRY  L.,  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia. 

PARKES,  SIR  HARRY,  K.C.B.,  Ambassador  at  the  Court  of  Japan, 

Yedo. 

PARKER,  WILLIAM  ALEXANDER,  Chief  Justice,  British  Honduras. 
PEARCE,  BENJAMIN  W.,  Victoria,  British  Columbia. 
PmLEppo,  HON.  MR.  JUSTICE,  Straits  Settlements. 
PHILLIPS,  COLEMAN,  Auckland,  New  Zealand. 
PINE,  SIR  BENJAMIN,  K.C.M.G. 
PINSENT,  ROBERT  J.,  Q.C.,  St.  John's,  Newfoundland. 
POOLE,  HENRY,  Cape  Breton,  Nova  Scotia. 
fPoRTER,  W.  (late  Attorney-General),  Cape  Town,  Cape  of  Good 

Hope. 

POTTS,  THOMAS,  St.  John's,  New  Brunswick, 
t  PRENTICE,  EDWARD  ALEXANDER,  Montreal,  Canada. 
PRESTOE,  HENRY,  Trinidad,  West  Indies. 

REINECKER,  BERNHARD  HENRY,  Auditor  of  the  Gold  Coast  Colony, 

Cape  Coast  Castle,  West  Africa. 
RHIND,  W.  G.,  Victoria,  Australia. 
RHODES,  J.  Hawkes  Bay,  New  Zealand. 
ROBERTSON,  HON.  J.,  M.P.,  St.  John's,  New  Brunswick. 
ROBINSON,  CHRISTOPHER,  Q.C.,  Beverley  House,  Toronto,  Canada. 
ROBINSON,  JOHN,  M.L.C.,  Durban,  Natal. 


Tear  of 

Election. 


Non-Resident  Fellows.  xxvii 

EOGEES,  HON.  ALEXANDER,  M.L.C.,  Acting  Judge,  Bombay. 

EOLFE,  GEORGE,  Melbourne,  Australia. 

ROLLESTON,    CHRISTOPHER,    Auditor-General,  Sydney,   New    South 

Wales. 

RONALD,  A.  B.,  Victoria,  Australia. 

ROWE,  SAMUEL,  C.M.G.,  Governor  of  Sierra  Leone,  West  Africa. 
RUSDEN,  GEORGE  W.,  Clerk  of  Parliament,  Melbourne. 
RUSSELL,  H.  C.,  Government   Astronomer,  Sydney,  New   South 

Wales. 
RUSSELL,  HON.  HENRY  ROBERT,  M.L.C., Mount  Herbert.Waipukurau, 

Hawkes  Bay,  New  Zealand. 
RUSSELL,  JOHN,  Melbourne,  Australia. 
RUSSELL,  LOGAN,  D.  H.,  M.D.,  Government  Park,  near  Spanish 

Town,  Jamaica. 

RUSSELL,  PURVIS,  Woburn,  Hawkes  Bay,  New  Zealand. 
RUSSELL,    ROBERT,    LL.B.,    Barrister,    Government    Park,    near 

Spanish  Town,  Jamaica. 
RUTLEDGE,  WILLIAM,  Belfast,  Port  Ferry,  Victoria,  Australia. 

fSi.  GEORGE,  HENRY  Q.,  Toronto,  Canada,  and  Montpelier,  France. 

SAMUEL,  HON.  SAUL,  C.M.G.,  Sydney,  New  South  Wales. 

SANJO,  J.,  Yedo,  Japan. 

fScoiT,  SIR  J.  (late  Governor  of  British  Guiana). 

SEWELL,  HORACE  R.,  Quebec,  Canada. 

SHARPE,  HENRY  (Provost  Marshal),  Grenada,  West  Indies. 

SHAW,  CAPTAIN  E.  W.,  Indian  Staff  Corps. 

SHEPSTONE,  HON.  THEOPHILUS,  C.M.G.,  M.L.C.,  Pietermauritz burgh, 

Natal. 

SHEPSTONE,  THEOPHILUS,  JUN.,  Pietermauritzburgh,  Natal. 
SHERIFF,  HON.  W.   MUSGRAVE,  Attorney- General,  Grenada,  West 

Indies. 

SIMMONS,  HON.  CHARLES,  M.L.C.,  Grenada,  West  Indies. 
SMIDT,  ABRAHAM  DE,  Cape  Town,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
fSMiiH,  HON.  DONALD  A.,  M.P.,  Montreal,  Canada. 
SMITH,  SIR  FRANCIS,  Chief  Justice  of  Tasmania,  Hobart  Town. 
SMITH,  JAMES  F.,  Barrister,  Toronto,  Canada  . 
SNAGG,    SIR   WILLIAM,    KT.,   Chief  Justice,  Georgetown,  British 

Guiana. 

SPENSLEY,  HON.  HOWARD,  M.L.C.,  Melbourne,  Australia. 
STAHLSCHMIDT,  THOS.  LETT,  Victoria,  British  Columbia. 
STANFORD,  J.  F.,  Diamond  Fields,  South  Africa. 
STANFORD,  ROBERT  HARLEY,  Cape  Town,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
•^STEPHENS,  ROMEO,  Montreal,  Canada. 


xxviii  Royal  Colonial  Institute. 

Year  of 
Election. 

1873    STEWART,  EGBERT,  General   Manager,  Standard   Bank  of  British 

South  Africa,  Port  Elizabeth,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
STUDHOLME,  JOHN,  Canterbury,  New  Zealand. 

ITENNANT,  THE  HON.  DAVID,  M.L.A.,  Speaker    of   the    House  of 

Assembly,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
THIBANDEAU,  ALFRED,  Quebec,  Canada. 
THOMPSON,  J.  EOGERS,  Levuka,  Fiji. 
THOMPSON,  THOMAS,  Transvaal  Eepublic,  South  Africa. 
THOMSON,  MATTHEW  C.,  Eockhampton,  Queensland. 
THOMSON,  W.  A.,  M.P.,  Eideau  Club,  Ottawa,  Canada. 
THORNE,  CORNELIUS,  China. 


THOZET,  ANTHELME,  Queensland. 

TIFFIN,  HENRY  H.,  J.P.,  Napier,  New  Zealand. 

TROUPE,  H.  E.,  Auckland,  New  Zealand. 


TRUTCH,  HON.  J.  W.,  Lieut.-Governor  of  British  Columbia. 
TYSSEN,  G.  E.,  Victoria,  Australia. 

UNIACKE,  A.M.,  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia. 

VEITCH,  DR.  J.  T.,  Penaiig,  Straits  Settlements. 
VERDON,  SIK  GEORGE,  K.C.M.G.  and  C.B.,  Melbourne. 

WALKER,  EDWARD  NOEL,  Assistant  Colonial   Secretary,  Kingston, 

Jamaica. 

WALKER,  MAJOR  JOHN,  London,  Canada. 
tWALKER,  E.  B.  N.,  M.A.,  F.E.GKS.,  Gaboon,  West  Africa. 
WARD,  J.  H.,  Grenada,  West  Indies. 
WARD,  WILLIAM  CURTIS,  Victoria,  British  Columbia. 
WATSON,  THOMAS,  Chairman  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  Cape 

Town,  Cape  of  Good  Hope.     (Corresponding  member.) 
WELD,  HON.  FREDERICK  A.,  Governor  of  Tasmania. 
WHITE,  THOMAS,  Bloemfontein,  Orange  Free  State,  South  Africa. 
WHITEHEAD,  PERCY,  Leolrop,  Harrismith,  Orange  Free  State,  South 

Africa. 

WHITFIELD,  E.  H.,  Georgetown,  British  Guiana. 
WHITMAN,  JAMES,  Annapolis  Eoyal,  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia. 
WILMOT,  ALEXANDER,  J.P.  Port  Elizabeth,  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
WILSON,  JOHN  N.,  Napier,  Hawkes  Bay,  New  Zealand. 
WOODS,  EGBERT  STUART,  Q.C.,  Chatham,  Canada. 
WYATT,  CAPTAIN  (late  Cape  Mounted  Eifles). 
WHITMORE,  COLONEL,  The  Grange,  Hawkes  Bay,  New  Zealand. 

YOUNG,    SIR  WILLIAM,    Chief  Justice    of   Nova   Scotia,    Halifax, 
Nova  Scotia. 


THE  ROYAL  COLONIAL    INSTITUTE, 

SESSION    1875-76, 


COLONIAL  MUSEUM  DEPUTATION. 

A  DEPUTATION  from  the  Council  of  the  Eoyal  Colonial  Institute 
waited  upon  Lord  Carnarvon  at  the  Colonial  Office  011  Saturday,  the 
7fch  August,  1875,  on  the  subject  of  establishing  a  Colonial  Museum 
i:i  London.  The  deputation  was  introduced  by  the  Hon.  Arthur 
KINNAIRD,  M.P.,  and  consisted  of  Messrs.  H.  W.  Freeland,  Or. 
Molineux,  J.  A.  Youl,  Edward  Wilson,  Alexander  Eivington, 
Sir  Charles  Clifford,  Sir  Eichard  Graves  MacDonnell,  F.  P. 
Labilliere,  and  Frederick  Young,  Hon.  Sec. 

The  Hon.  ARTHUR  KINNAIRD,  M.P.,  said  he  had  been  asked  to 
introduce  the  deputation  of  the  Council  of  the  Eoyal  Colonial  Insti- 
tute. He  was  quite  sure  his  Lordship  felt  as  much  interest  as 
the  members  of  the  Institute  in  this  important  subject,  and  knowing 
that  his  Lordship's  tune  was  so  occupied,  he  should  without 
further  remark  call  on  Mr.  Young  to  read  the  Memorial. 

Mr.  FREDERICK  YOUNG,  Honorary  Secretary,  accordingly  read  the 
following : — 

To  THE  EIGHT  HONOURABLE  THE  EAEL  OF  CARNABVON, 
SECEETAsy  OP  STATE  FOE  THE  COLONIES. 

The  Memorial  of  the  President,  Vice-Presidents,  and  Council  of  the  Royal 
Colonial  Institute— Sheweth, 

That  this  Institute  has  been  founded  for  the  purpose  of  promoting  the  best 
interests  and  strengthening  the  ties  between  England  and  her  Colonies. 

That  among  the  most  effective  means  of  attaining  this  object  is  the  diffusion 
as  widely  as  possible  among  the  people  of  the  various  parts  of  the  Empire, 
•whether  residents  in  Great  Britain  itself  or  the  Colonies,  of  the  most  extensive 
practical  information  on  all  Colonial  subjects. 

For  this  purpose,  a  knowledge  of  all  the  natural  productions,  as  well  as  the 
raw  and  manufactured  materials  of  every  description  coming  from  the  Colonies, 
is  most  essential.  In  order  to  attain  this  object,  it  is  of  the  utmost  importance 
that  a  permanent  Colonial  Museum,  worthy  of  the  Nation,  should  be  established 
in  London,  as  the  centre  and  Metropolis  of  the  Empire. 

That  your  Memorialists  are  anxious  that  steps  should  be  taken,  without  further 
delay,  to  found  a  Museum  of  this  description. 


2  Coloniul  Museum  Deputation. 

They  are  aware  that  the  subject  has  already  been  brought  under  the  con- 
sideration of  both  the  Home  and  Colonial  Governments,  but  up  to  this  time  no 
practical  result  has  been  attained. 

They  are  also  informed  that  a  site  has  already  been  obtained  for  the  for- 
mation of  an  "Indian"  Museum,  and  they  respectfully  submit  that,  con- 
sidering1 the  vast  number  of  English  people  who  emigrate  to  the  varioixs 
Colonies,  it  is  at  least  equally  important  that  a  Colonial  Museum  should  also  be 
established  in  London. 

That  the  importance  of  the  Colonies  is  not  secondary  to  that  of  India  is 
illustrated  by  the  returns  for  1874,  which  show  that  the  trade  of  the  United 
Kingdom,  with  the  Indian  possessions,  is  about  £66,000,000,  while  the  trade 
with  the  other  British  possessions  for  the  same  period  is  £92,000,000.  In 
addition  to  this,  it  must  always  be  remembered  that  the  Colonies  are  inhabited 
by  people  of  English  origin,  and  speaking  the  English  language. 

They  venture  to  think  that  if  Her  Majesty's  Government  would  avail  them- 
selves of  the  present  favourable  opportunity  of  granting  a  site  in  some  central 
position  in  London  for  a  Museum,  the  various  Colonies  would  be  induced  to 
contribute  towards  the  erection  of  a  suitable  building,  and  an  adequate  pro- 
vision for  its  maintenance. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  draw  your  Lordship's  attention  to  the  fact,  that  it 
would  be  of  the  most  inestimable  advantage  to  all  Colonists  visiting  this 
country  to  be  able  to  see  the  productions  of  their  own  Colonies,  and  to  have 
the  opportunity  of  comparing  them  with  those  of  others,  while  it  would  be 
no  less  advantageous  to  English  capitalists  as  well  as  to  the  mass  of  the 
people  of  this  country,  whether  they  contemplate — as  many  of  them  do — 
becoming  Colonists  themselves,  or  remaining  at  home,  to  be  practically  ac- 
quainted with  the  vast  and  varied  riches  and  resources  of  their  own  great 
Empire. 

Your  Memorialists  venture  therefore  to  press  on  your  Lordship  the  earnest 
desire  they  feel  that  you  should  take  into  your  early  and  favourable  considera- 
tion the  suggestion  they  have  now  the  honour  to  make  to  you,  feeling  that 
the  question  is  one  of  the  deepest  importance,  which  if  taken  up  in  a  liberal 
and  comprehensive  spirit  cannot  fail  to  be  of  the  greatest  benefit  to  the  whole 
Empire. 

August  1th,  1875. 

Mr.  FKEDERICK  YOUNG  said,  in  presenting  the  Memorial  to  his 
Lordship,  he  did  not  think  it  was  necessary  to  add  any  remarks  of 
his  own,  as  it  expressed  so  fully  the  object  for  which  they  waited  on 
him  that  morning ;  he  therefore  contented  himself  with  handing  it 
in  without  further  observation,  as  he  knew  that  his  Lordship  was 
extremely  pressed  for  time. 

Mr.  H.  W.  FREELAND  said,  that  having  moved  a  resolution  at  the 
Annual  Meeting  of  the  Koyal  Colonial  Institute  to  the  effect  that 
the  Council  should  open  communications  with  the  Home  and 
Colonial  Governments  on  the  subject  of  a  Colonial  Museum,  he 
begged  to  be  allowed  to  offer  a  very  few  remarks.  His  remarks  might 
have  been  more  practical  if  he  had  had  the  opportunity  of  seeing  the 
answers  of  the  different  Colonial  Governments  to  the  Circular  of 
Lord  Kimberley  of  the  llth  of  March,  1875,  but  as  Lord  Carnarvon 
had  told  their  President  that  he  did  not  think  it  advisable  to  pro- 
duce those  answers  at  present,  no  doubt  he  had  good  reason  for 
that  course.  The  importance  of  the  project  spoke  for  itself,  and 
was  sufficiently  dwelt  on  in  the  Memorial.  The  advantages  of  cuch 


Colonial  Museum  Deputation.  3 

a  Museum  could  hardly  be  exaggerated.  They  were  chiefly  twc- 
fold — commercial  and  educational,  but  they  were  also  great  in  a 
scientific,  ethnographic,  mechanical,  social,  and  political  point  of 
view.  He  should  have  said  something  on  the  subject  of  the  value 
of  such  a  Museum  to  intending  emigrants,  but  that  matter  had 
been  dealt  with  in  the  Memorial.  As  to  the  nature  of  the  objects,  he 
thought  that  they  should  illustrate  not  only  the  material  resources 
of  the  different  Colonies,  but  also,  as  far  as  possible,  where  such 
existed,  their  ethnographic  peculiarities.  The  mode  of  arranging 
objects  was  matter  of  detail  for  the  future.  They  might  be 
arranged  according  to  classes  of  objects  or  according  to  the  Colonies. 
Commercial  men  might  perhaps  prefer  the  former  method,  the 
Colonies  the  latter,  as  preserving  their  several  individualities.  There 
was  then  the  important  question  of  site,  which  he  thought  should  be 
left  open  for  the  present.  On  the  subject  of  a  site  for  the  Indian 
Museum,  opinions  at  present  were  divided.  He  thought  that  they 
might  all  agree  on  the  principle  that  the  site  of  the  Colonial 
Museum  should  be  independent  of,  but  if  possible  contiguous  to, 
the  site  that  might  be  ultimately  fixed  on  as  the  site  of  a  Museum 
for  India.  In  conclusion,  he  thought  that  if  Her  Majesty's  Govern- 
ment  would  deal  energetically  with  this  question,  they  would  take 
an  important  step  in  cementing  more  closely  together  the  mother 
country  and  the  Colonies  of  our  widely-scattered  Empire,  and  in 
rendering  that  Empire  perpetual. 

Mr.  EDWARD  WILSON  remarked  that  his  Lordship  must  fully 
appreciate  the  great  importance  of  establishing  such  a  Museum  in 
this  country,  if  for  no  other  reason  than  the  necessity  of  dispelling 
the  ignorance  which  exists,  even  amongst  well-informed  people, 
respecting  Colonial  matters.  His  Lordship  probably  had  experience 
of  the  extent  of  such  ignorance,  but  it  was  conspicuously  observable 
by  Colonists  mingling  in  English  society.  (Lord  CARNARVON  :  It  is 
quite  true.)  He  described  the  admirable  manner  in  which  the 
Algerian  museum  in  Paris  was  arranged,  and  remarked  that  when 
the  French,  who  had  had  such  small  success  in  colonising,  were 
able  to  show  so  much,  it  was  not  to  our  credit  that,  with  the  vast 
and  extensive  regions  from  which  we  should  be  able  to  draw  a 
collection  of  objects,  we  had  not  yet  attempted  to  establish  any 
museum  of  the  description  mentioned.  He  hoped  that  his  Lordship 
would  assist  them  to  do  so.  It  was  difficult,  considering  the  local 
jealousies  which  existed  in  the  Colonies,  to  induce  any  of  them  to 
initiate  any  great  undertaking  of  general  advantage,  but  if  the 
Imperial  Government  were  to  make  a  sufficient  commencement, 
there  was  every  hope  that  the  Colonial  Governments  might  COE- 


4  Colonial  Museum  Deputation. 

tribute  their  support  to  the  establishment  of  such  a  work  of  general 
importance  to  the  whole  Empire. 

Sir  CHARLES  CLIFFORD  would  only  allude  to  one  practical  proof 
that  the  Colonies  would  thoroughly  support  an  institution  of  this 
kind  if  patronised  and  earned  out  under  the  sanction  of  the 
Government.  As  a  Colonial  Commissioner  for  New  Zealand  at  the 
Vienna  Exhibition,  he  witnessed  the  anxiety  of  all  the  Colonies  to 
•vie  with  each  other  in  displaying  all  the  products  of  their  countries 
to  the  best  advantage,  and,  as  most  of  these  were  afterwards  pre- 
sented to  Vienna  museums,  it  is  certain  the  Colonies  would  be  too 
glad  to  be  represented  in  a  similar  manner  in  a  country  where  it  is 
tenfold  their  interest  to  be  thoroughly  known  and  appreciated. 

Sir  KICHARD  GRAVES  MACDONNELL  said  that,  not  having  been 
able  to  attend  the  last  meeting  of  the  Council  of  the  Colonial 
Listitute,  he  had  no  opportunity  of  there  stating  his  views  on  the 
important  question  submitted  to  his  Lordship.  As  to  its  importance, 
he  entirely  agreed  with  Mr.  Wilson's  excellent  remarks  on  that 
point.  Individually,  however,  he  felt  that  it  would  be  wisest  to 
connect  the  proposed  Colonial  Museum  with  that  for  India,  which 
had  already  a  more  or  less  established  existence.  Bearing  in  mind 
also  those  occasional  local  and  narrow  jealousies  amongst  the 
Colonies,  alluded  to  by  Mr.  Wilson,  he  felt  that  they  would 
probably  be  diminished,  if  not  wholly  removed,  by  blending 
together  in  one  comprehensive  whole,  for  the  purposes  of  a 
Museum,  all  the  dependencies  of  the  British  Empire,  whether  Indian 
or  strictly  Colonial.  That  might  be  called  a  sentimental,  but  not  on 
that  account  a  less  potential,  consideration.  He  suggested  also  the 
practical  advantages  and  facilities  which  anyone  in  quest  of  infor- 
mation on  such  subjects  would  derive  from  the  proximity  of  the 
exhibitions  of  Colonial  and  Indian  produce,  and  from  their  being  all 
brought  together  under  the  patronage  of  the  Imperial  Government, 
under  one  suitable  uniform  management,  beneath  one  roof,  and  in  a 
building  worthy  of  Great  Britain  and  her  splendid  dependencies. 
Added  to  these  considerations,  he  felt  that  it  might  probably  be  a 
convenience  to  the  Government,  if  disposed  to  advance  the  vieAvs 
o?  the  deputation,  to  have  the  option  of  giving  one  large  suitable 
site,  instead  of  seeking  for  two  sites.  There  were  other  reasons  he 
could  urge,  but  he  would  not  detain  his  Lordship  further  than  to 
state  that  he  had  been  expressing  his  own  views  only,  not  having 
had  an  opportunity  of  conferring  with  his  colleagues  in  the 
Council. 

Lord  CARNARVON,  in  reply,  said  he  fully  appreciated  the  object  of 
the  deputation,  having  been  in  correspondence  since  he  came  into 


Colonial  Museum  Deputation. 


office  with  some  of  the  Colonies  on  the  subject.  There  were 
difficulties  in  the  way,  but  he  was  not  without  hope  of  bringing 
matters  to  a  satisfactory  conclusion.  He  might  say  that  he  had 
already  received  offers  in  support  of  the  proposal  to  the  extent  of 
£9,000  or  £10,000,  but  that  was  barely  more  than  one-third  of  the 
amount  required.  He  was  heartily  in  favour  of  the  project,  and 
would  lose  no  opportunities  of  pushing  it  forward.  As  to  the 
suggestion  of  annexing  the  Indian  and  Colonial  Museums,  he 
thought  there  might  be  an  advantage  both  in  the  administration  and 
possibly  in  the  expense  if  the  two  were  contiguous  to  each  other, 
without  necessarily  being  combined.  With  regard  to  the  selection 
of  a  site,  that  was  as  difficult  as  it  was  to  obtain  the  money  from 
the  Treasury.  However,  he  was  entirely  in  accord  with  their 
wishes,  and  they  might  rest  assured  that  he  would  take  every 
opportunity  of  furthering  the  objects  held  in  view  by  the  deputation. 


(6) 


REPORT    ON    THE    NEWFOUNDLAND   FISHERY 
QUESTION. 

His  GRACE  THE  DUKE  OF  MANCHESTER,  the  President  of  the  Royal 
Colonial  Institute,  having  called  the  attention  of  the  Council  to  the 
subject  of  the  Fisheries  of  Newfoundland,  they  appointed  a  Com- 
mittee, in  the  month  of  March  last,  for  the  purpose  of  collecting 
information  and  drawing  up  a  Report  upon  this  important  Imperial 
question. 

Having  occupied  much  time  in  preliminary  researches  into  kthe 
past  history  of  the  question,  and  collected  a  variety  of  important 
documents  bearing  upon  the  subject,  the  Committee  have  agreed 
to  the  following  Report,  setting  forth  all  the  facts  of  interest  and 
importance  relating  to  it. 

They  have  to  acknowledge  the  valuable  information  they  received 
in  the  course  of  its  preparation  from  the  Hon.  F.  B.  T.  Carter,  the 
Premier  of  Newfoundland,  during  his  recent  visit  to  England,  as 
well  as  the  assistance  rendered  by  the  Hon.  C.  F.  Bennett,  and  Mr. 
R.  J.  Pinsent,  the  late  Solicitor-General  of  Newfoundland. 

The  Council  have  accepted  the  Report  of  the  Committee,  and  now 
present  it  to  the  Fellows  of  the  Royal  Colonial  Institute.  They  can- 
not doubt  that  it  will  be  read  with  the  deepest  attention,  contain- 
ing, as  it  does,  in  their  judgment,  a  complete,  succinct,  impartial, 
and  exhaustive  exposition  of  the  facts  of  a  question  of  most  vital 
importance  to  the  interests,  not  only  of  the  inhabitants  of  New- 
foundland, but  of  the  whole  British  Empire. 

From  this  Report  it  will  be  seen — 

1.  That  the  French  have  only  been  allowed  certain  rights  of 
fishing  in  the  waters  of  Newfoundland  concurrently  with  British 
subjects,  and  not  to  the  exclusion  of  the  latter. 
.  2.  That  the  French  have  only  a  right  to  occupy  temporarily  por- 
tions of  the  shore  for  fishing  and  for  drying  fish,  and  that  they  may 
occupy  no  more  of  the  shore  than  is  requisite  for  such  purpose,  nor 
for  any  time  beyond  the  fishing  season,  the  right  of  occupation 
ceasing  at  the  end  of  each  season. 

8.  That  the  concurrent  right  of  fishing  was  limited  to  the  sea,  at 
distances  from  the  shore,  varying  at  different  periods,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  taking  codfish. 


Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question.  7 

4.  That  British  fishermen  are  not  prohibited  from  using,  nor 
have  the  French  any  exclusive  right  of  using,  any  engines  or 
machines  for  taking  fish. 

5.  That  the  French  have  no  right  to  take  fish  of  any  description 
in  the  estuaries  or  rivers  of  Newfoundland,  whether  on  the  so-called 
"  French  Shore  "  or  elsewhere. 

6.  That  no  judicatory  rights  are  conferred  on  the  French  by  the 
Treaties,  and  therefore  the  interference  exercised  by  their  cruisers 
in  disputes  between  subjects  of  the  two  nations  is  unjustifiable. 

7.  That  there  is  nothing  in  any  of  the  Treaties  to  justify  the  as- 
sertion of  a  right  to  exclude  British  subjects  from  occupying  and 
settling  on  the  land  on  that  part  of  the  coast  called  the  "  French 
shore,"  between  Cape  St.  John  and  Cape  Kay.     Such  a  claim,  in 
fact,  affects  the  right  of  sovereignty  in  Newfoundland. 

FEEDEEICK  YOUNG, 

London,  November,  1875.  HONORARY  SECRETARY. 


REPORT  ON  THE  NEWFOUNDLAND  FISHERY  QUESTION. 

The  Committee  appointed  by  the  Council  of  the  Eoyal  Colonial 
Institute  to  investigate  the  French  claims  respecting  the  Newfound- 
land Fisheries  have  agreed  to  the  following  Eeport : — 

The  claims  now  put  forward  by  France  upon  the  coast  of  New- 
foundland, and  virtually  enforced  by  her  squadron  there,  may  be 
resolved  into  two  classes : 

CO 

A  claim  to  the  exclusive  right  of  fishery  on  that  part  of  the  coast 
extending  from  Cape  St.  John  to  Cape  Eay,  a  distance  including 
abcut  one  half  oHhe  entire  coast  of  Newfoundland,  to  which  the 
Treaty  of  Paris  (1763)  only  gave  her  a  concurrent  right. 

(II.) 

A  claim  to  prevent  the  British  inhabitants  of  Newfoundland  from 
any  occupation  of  land,  situated  within  such  limits,  for  mining, 
agricultural,  or  other  purposes  ;  in  fact,  a  claim  to  virtual  territo- 
rial sovereignty  of  the  same. 

From  a  strict  investigation  of  the  whole  question  in  regard  to 
both  these  claims,  it  appears — 


8  Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question. 

First, That  the  following  list  embraces  the  whole  of  the  Treaties, 

Declarations,  Acts  of  Parliament,  Conventions,  and  Decrees,  ever  made 
and  entered  into  by  Great  Britain  with  France  in  relation  to  the 
Newfoundland  fisheries,  viz.  : — 

Treaty  of  Utrecht llth  April,  1713. 

Treaty  of  Paris 10th  February,  1763. 

Treaty  of  VersaiUes         3rd  September,  1783. 

British  Declaration         3rd  September,  1783. 

*  Expired  with  Treaty  of  1783,  which  was  annulled  by  war,  1793. 

Act  of  Parliament,  28  Geo.  HI.  c.  35 1788. 

Expired  with  Treaty,  1783,  which  was  annulled  by  war,  1793. 

Treaty  of  Amiens,  Art.  15          1802. 

Merely  confirms  Treaty  of  Versailles. 

Definitive  Treaty  of  Peace,  Art.  13       30th  May,  1814. 

Confirmed  by  Art.  11  of  the  Definitive  Treaty  of  20th  November,  1815. 

Act  of  Parliament,  5  Geo.  IV.  c.  51      1824. 

Expired  31st  December,  1834  ;  see  Act  2  &  3  Wm.  IV.  c.  79. 

Convention          4th  April,  1857. 

Not  confirmed  by  Local  Government  of  Newfoundland. 

Decree  (France) 4th  April,  1857. 

Relates  to  the  above  Convention. 

Act  of  Parliament,  G.B.  2  &  3  Wm.  IV.  c.  79 1832. 

Expired  31st  December,  1834. 

So  that  in  the  history  of  British  Imperial  legislation  in  connection 
with  France  in  reference  to  the  Newfoundland  fisheries,  there  are 
now  only  in  force — 

1.  Treaty  of  Utrecht         1718. 

2.  Treaty  of  Paris 1763. 

3.  Treaty  of  VersaiUes 1783. 

4.  Definitive  Treaty  of  Peace,  Art.  XIII 1814. 

and  as  all  these  are  very  brief,  we  propose  to  give  them  in  their 
order. 

(1) 
TREATY  OF  UTRECHT. 

"Treaty  of  peace  and  friendship  between  Great  Britain  and 
France,  signed  at  Utrecht,  llth  April,  1718. 

•The  annotations  of  Treaties,  &c.  are  given  as  they  appear  in  the  collection  of 
Mr.  Hertslett,  Librarian,  Foreign  Ofiice. 


Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question.  9 

Extract  (Translation). 

"  XIIL*  The  Island  called  Newfoundland,  with  the  adjacent  Is- 
lands, shall,  from  this  time  forward,  belong  of  right  wholly  to  Great 
Britain ;  and  to  that  end  the  town  and  fortress  of  Placentia,  and 
whatever  other  places  in  the  said  Island  are  in  the  possession  of  the 
French ,  shall  be  yielded  and  given  up  within  seven  months  from 
the  exchange  of  the  ratifications  of  this  treaty,  or  sooner  if  possible, 
by  the  most  Christian  King,  to  those  who  have  a  commission  from 
the  Queen  of  Great  Britain  for  that  purpose.  Nor  shall  the  most 
Christian  King,  his  heirs,  and  successors,  or  any  of  their  subjects,  at  any 
time  hereafter  lay  claim  to  any  right  to  the  said  Island  and  Islands,  or 
to  any  part  of  it  or  them. 

"Moreover  it  shall  not  be  lawful  for  the  subjects  of  France  to 
fortify  any  place  in  the  said  Island  of  Newfoundland,  or  to  erect 
any  buildings  there,  besides  stages  made  of  boards,  and  huts  neces- 
sary and  usual  for  drying  of  fish  ;  or  to  resort  to  the  said  Island 
beyond  the  time  necessary  for  fishing  and  drying  of  fish.  Bvt  it 
shall  be  allowed  to  the  subjects  of  France  to  catch  fish  and  to  dry  them  on 
land,  in  that  part  only  and  in  no  other  besides  that,  of  the  said  Island  of 
Newfoundland,  which  stretches  from  the  place  called  Bonavista,  to  the 
Northern  point  of  the  said  Island,  and  from  thence  running  down 
by  the  western  side,  reaches  as  far  as  the  place  called  Point  Eiche.  t 
But  the  Island  caUed  Cape  Breton,  and  also  all  others,  both  in  the 
mouth  of  the  river  St.  Lawrence,  and  in  the  gulf  of  the  same  name, 
shall  hereafter  belong  of  right  to  the  French ;  and  the  most  Chris- 
tian King  shall  have  all  manner  of  liberty  to  fortify  any  place  or 
places  there. 

"  Done  at  Utrecht,  the  llth  April,  1713. 
"  (Signed) 

"  JOHN  BRISTOL,  C.P.  (L.S.)  HUXELLES  (L.S.) 

"  STKATFORD  (L.S.)  MESNAGEK  (L.S.)." 

(2) 

TREATY  OF  PARIS. 

' '  Definitive  Treaty  between  Great  Britain  and  France  (and 
Spain),  signed  at  Paris,  the  10th  February,  1763. 

Extract  (Translation). 

"  V.J  The  subjects  of  France  shall  have  the  liberty  of  fishing  and 
drying  on  a  part  of  the  coasts  of  the  Island  of  Newfoundland,  such 

*  Renewed  by  Art.  V.  of  the  Treaty  of  Paris,  1763. 
t  These  boundaries  are  altered  by  the  Treaty  of  1783. 
j  Renewed  by  Art.  VI.  of  the  Treaty  of  Versailles,  1783. 


10          Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question. 

as  it  is  specified  in  Article  XIII.  of  the  Treaty  of  Utrecht ;  which 
Article  is  renewed  and  confirmed  by  the  present  Treaty  (except 
what  relates  to  the  Island  of  Cape  Breton,  as  well  as  to  the  other 
islands  and  coasts  in  the  mouth  and  in  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence). 
And  his  Britannic  Majesty  consents  to  leave  to  the  subjects  of  the 
Most  Christian  King  the  liberty  of  fishing  in  the  Gulf  of  St.  Law- 
rence, on  condition  that  ilie  subject?  of  France  do  not  exercise  the  said 
fislwry  but  at  the  distance  of  three  leagues  from  all  the  coasts  belonging 
to  Great  Britain,  as  well  as  those  of  the  Continent,  as  those  of  the  Islands 
situated  in  the  said  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence.  And  as  to  what  relates  to 
the  fishery  on  the  coasts  of  the  Island  of  Cape  Breton  out  of  the 
said  Gulf,  the  subjects  of  the  Most  Christian  King  shall  not  be  per- 
mitted to  exercise  the  said  fishery  but  at  the  distance  of  fifteen 
leagues  from  the  coasts  of  the  Island  of  Cape  Breton  ;  and  the 
fishery  on  the  coasts  of  Nova  Scotia  or  Acadia,  and  everywhere  else 
out  of  the  said  Gulf,  shall  remain  on  the  footing  of  former  Treaties. 

"  VI.  The  King  of  Great  Britain  cedes  the  Islands  of  St.  Pierre 
and  Miquelon  in  full  right  to  His  Most  Christian  Majesty,  to 
serve  as  a  shelter  to  the  French  fishermen ;  and  his  said  Most 
Christian  Majesty  engages  not  to  fortify  the  said  Islands  ;  to  erect 
no  buildings  upon  them,  but  merely  for  the  convenience  of  the 
fishery ;  and  to  keep  upon  them  a  guard  of  fifty  men  only  for  the 
police. 

"  Done  at  Paris,  the  10th  February,  1763. 

"(Signed)  CHOISEUL,  Due  DE  PEASLIN(L.S.) 

"BEDFORD,  C.P.S.  (L.S.)        EL.  MARQ.  DE  GRIMALDI  (L.S.)." 

(3) 
TREATY  OF  VERSAILLES. 

"  Definitive  Treaty  between  Great  Britain  and  France,  signed  at 
Versailles,  3rd  September,  1783.* 

Extract  (Translation  as  laid  before  Parliament). 

"  IV.  His  Majesty  the  King  of  Great  Britain  is  maintained  in  his 
right  to  the  Island  of  Newfoundland,  and  to  the  adjacent  Islands, 
as  the  whole  were  assured  to  him  by  the  Thirteenth  Article  of  the 
Treaty  of  Utrecht  ;  excepting  the  Islands  of  St.  Pierre  and  Mique- 
lon,  which  are  ceded  in  full  right,  by  the  present  Treaty,  to  His 
Most  Christian  Majesty. 

"V.  His  Majesty  the  Most  Christian  King,  in  order  to  prevent 
the  quarrels  which  have  hitherto  arisen  between  the  two  nations  of 

*  Renewed  by  Art.  XIII.  of  the  Definitive  Treaty  of  Peace,  1814. 


Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question.         11 

England  and  France,  consents  to  renounce  the  right  of  fishing, 
which  belongs  to  him  in  virtue  of  the  aforesaid  Article  of  the  Treaty 
of  Utrecht,  from  Cape  Bonavista  to  Cape  St.  John,  on  the  eastern 
coast  of  Newfoundland,  in  fifty  degrees  north  latitude ;  and  His 
Majesty  the  King  of  Great  Britain  consents,  on  his  part,  that  the 
fishery  assigned  to  the  subjects  of  His  Most  Christian  Majesty,  be- 
ginning at  the  said  Cape  St.  John,  passing  to  the  north,  and  de- 
scending by  the  western  coast  of  the  Island  of  Newfoundland,  shall 
extend  to  the  place  called  Cape  Eaye,  situated  in  forty-seven  de- 
grees fifty  minutes  latitude.  The  French  fishermen  shall  enjoy  the 
fishery  which  is  assigned  to  them  by  the  present  Article,  as  they  had  the 
right  to  enjoy  that  which  was  assigned  to  them  by  the  Treaty  of  Utrecht. 

"  VI.  With  regard  to  the  fishery  in  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence, 
the  French  shall  continue  to  exercise  it  conformably  to  the  Fifth 
Article  of  the  Treaty  of  Paris. 

"  Done  at  Versailles,  the  3rd  of  September,  1783. 
« (Signed) 

"  MANCHESTER  (L.S.)  GRAVIEB  DE  VERGENNES  (L.S.)." 

(4) 

"  Article  XIII.  of  the  Definitive  Treaty  of  Peace,  1814. 

"Definitive  Treaty  between  Great  Britain  and  France.  Signed 
at  Paris,  the  30th  May,  1814.* 

"  XIII.  The  French  right  of  fishing  upon  the  Great  Bank  of 
Newfoundland,  upon  the  coasts  of  the  Island  of  that  name,  and  of 
the  adjacent  Islands  in  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  shall  be  replaced 
upon  the  footing  in  which  it  stood  in  1792." 

The  Articles  of  these  four  Treaties  are  now  the  sole  basis  on 
which  France  can  found  any  legal  ground  to  fishery  rights  on  the 
coast  of  Newfoundland. 

Now,  what  are  those  rights,  as  so  curtly  and  graphically  therein 
set  forth  ? 

The  Article  XIII.  of  the  Definitive  Treaty  of  Peace  of  1814  states, 
that  it  (the  right  of  fishing  upon  the  coasts  of  Newfoundland)  "  shall 
be  replaced  upon  the  footing  in  which  it  stood  in  1792  "—that  is, 
on  the  footing  it  derived  under  the  three  Treaties  of  Utrecht,  Paris, 
and  Versailles.  It  can  stand  upon  no  other,  for  no  other  noiv  exists  ; 
and  if  any  others  ever  have  existed,  giving  any  greater  extension  of 
privileges,  they  have  expired  or  been  annulled. 

Firstly, — The  last  Treaty  of  Versailles,  prior  to  1792,  after  merely 
changing  the  locality  of  the  previous  right,  states  with  regard  to  it : 

*  Confirmed  by  Art.  XI.  of  the  Definitive  Treaty  of  28th  November,  1815. 


12          Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question. 

"  T/M  French  fishermen  shall  enjoy  the  fishery  riyht  which  is  assigned  to 
them  by  the  present  Article,  as  they  had  the  riyht  to  enjoy  that  ichich  icas 
assigned  to  them  by  the  Treaty  of  Utrecht."  Passing  over  the  Treaty 
of  Paris  (1763),  which  restricts  and  binds  the  rights  of  French 
fishermen  upon  the  coasts  of  Newfoundland  to  a  far  greater  extent 
than  is  now  sought  to  be  enforced  against  them,  the  language  of 
Article  XIII.  of  the  Treaty  of  Utrecht  is  not  only  sufficiently  plain 
to  show  that  there  never  was  any  intention  to  give  the  French  the 
sole  and  exclusive  right  of  fishing  upon  any  part  of  the  coast,  as  will 
appear  from  the  words  themselves,  viz.  :  "  It  shall  be  alloived  to  the 
subjects  of  France  to  catch  fish,  and  to  dry  them  on  land,  in  that  part 
only,  and  in  no  other  besides  that,  of  the  said  Island  of  Newfoundland, 
which  stretches"  &c.,  but  even  goes  so  far  as  to  state,  as  if  from  the 
fear  that  such  a  sole  and  exclusive  right  might  be  claimed,  "  nor 
shall  the  Most  Christian  King,  his  heirs  and  successors,  or  any  of  their 
subjects,  at  any  time  hereafter  lay  claim  to  any  right  to  the  said  Island 
and  Islands,  or  to  any  part  of  it  for  them.'1 

Therein  an  exclusive  or  sovereign  right  to  any  part  was  distinctly 
and  expressly  ignored  and  forbidden,  while  granting  to  the  French 
only  a  certain  limited  and  permissive  right  to  catch  and  dry  fish. 

Secondly, — It  appears  that  custom  has  never  given  to  the  French 
any  sole  or  exclusive  right  of  fishing  upon  a  certain  portion  of  the 
coast  of  Newfoundland.  On  the  contrary,  in  practice,  the  British 
there  have  ever  exercised  concurrent  rights  of  fishing  with  the 
French. 

Persistent  in  their  exertions  to  obtain  concessions  from  the 
British  Government,  the  French  have  construed  the  desire  of  Eng- 
land for  peace,  as  giving  them  a  right  which  we  contend  has  no 
legal  basis.  By  the  bare  fact  of  usurpation  they  are  now  claiming, 
and  to  a  certain  extent  exercising,  a  sovereign  right  over  portions 
of  an  English  Colony  which  is  totally  incompatible  with  the  dignity 
of  the  British  nation. 

Among  the  best  works  upon  that  Colony  is  a  "  History  of  its 
Government,  &c.,"  by  John  Keeves,  Esq.,  a  former  Chief-Justice  of 
Newfoundland,  published  in  London,  1793  ;  and  to  show  how  early 
after  the  peace  of  Utrecht  the  French  commenced  their  aggressive 
measures  upon  the  coast,  and  how  steadfastly  their  unwarrantable 
claims  have  been  opposed,  it  is  only  necessary  to  refer  to  Mr. 
Eeeves's  book. 

In  Part  II.  page  63,  Mr.  Keeves  states :  "  At  the  peace  of  Utrecht 
we  were  put  into  possession  of  Newfoundland  in  a  way  we  had  not 
enjoyed  it  before  for  some  years.  Placentia,  and  all  the  parts  occu- 
pied by  the  French,  were  now  ceded  to  the  King  of  Great  Britain, 


Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question.          13 

in  full  sovereignty;  the  French  retaining  nothing  more  than  a  license  to 
come  and  go  during  the  fishing  season" 

Again,  page  55  :  "  It  had  become  a  doubt  whether  that  part  of 
the  Island,  lately  ceded  by  the  French,  was  subject  to  the  provisions 
of  Stat.  10  and  11  Will.  III."  (a  Statute  passed  in  the  year  1698, 
intituled,  "  An  Act  to  encourage  the  trade  to  Newfoundland),"  "  the 
point  was  brought  forward  in  consequence  of  the  Lieutenant- 
Governorof  the  garrison  at  Placentia,  and  some  of  the  French  planters, 
having,  on  leaving  the  place,  disposed  of  their  plantations  for 
money,  and  in  this  manner  attempted  to  convey  a  riylit  of  property,  &c. 
This  matter  was  brought  before  the  Board  of  Trade,  and  their  lord- 
ships were  of  opinion  that  Stat.  10  and  11  Will.  Ill-  extended  to  the 
ceded  lands,  and  that  all  the  beaches  and  plantations  there  ought  to  le 
left  to  the  public  use,  and  be  disposed  of  as  directed  by  that  Act;"  thus 
showing  how  strong  the  right  was  against  any  exclusive  claim,  and 
how  clearly  the  public  right  to  use  every  portion  of  the  coast  of 
Newfoundland  was  recognised. 

The  same  author  continues,  page  59  :"  The  parts  that  had  been 
surrendered  by  the  French  occasioned  in  various  ways  great  con- 
test and  discontent.  We  have  before  seen  that  it  was  the  opinion 
of  the  Board  that  those  parts  all  fell  under  the  regulations  of  Stat.  10 
and  11  Will.  III. ;  and  this  ic as  confirmed  by  the  'opinion  of  the  law 
officers."  And  as  further  showing  that  concurrent  rights  were  then 
exercised  by  the  British  with  the  French,  Mr.  Keeves  (page  92) 
states  it  to  be  a  matter  of  serious  complaint  on  the  part  of  the  mer- 
chants of  Newfoundland  (1798),  "  that  the  French  parts  were  not  so 
open  far  fishing-ship*  to  get  room  as  they  should  be." 

The  interests  of  Newfoundland  seem  to  have  been  sadly  neglected 
by  the  Imperial  Government,  whereas,  from  the  importance  of  its 
fisheries  a  sa  nursery  and  training-school  for  British  seamen,  that 
Colony  has  probably  contributed  more  than  any  other  of  the  same 
population  to  the  maritime  strength  and  renown  of  England. 

In  a  debate  in  the  House  of  Commons,  March  25th,  1823,  Dr. 
Lushington  said  :  "  There  never  had  been  a  Colony  so  neglected  as 
that  of  Newfoundland;"  and  in  a  subsequent  debate,  April,  1829, 
on  the  Newfoundland  Fisheries,  Mr.  Eobinson  stated  :  "  The  truth 
was,  that  up  to  the  present  time  the  interests  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Newfoundland  had  given  way  to  the  interests  of  private  individuals 
in  this  country." 

It  seems  unfair  that  such  a  hardy  and  gallant  race  should  have 
to  struggle  not  only  with  the  unjust  discrimination  of  bounties  paid 
by  the  French  and  other  foreign  Governments,  but  also  with  the 
keenly  felt  neglect  of  the  mother  country,  to  whom  they  naturally 


14          Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question. 

turn  for  protection  in  those  rights  which  by  solemn  Treaties  she 
has  assured  them. 

Anspach's  "  History  of  Newfoundland,"  published,  London,  1827, 
contains  much  valuable  information  relative  to  the  Island  and  its 
Fisheries  ;  but  nowhere  is  the  subject  of  the  French  concessions 
treated  as  the  absolute  grant  of  a  sole  and  exclusive  right ;  indeed, 
had  it  been  so  then  considered,  the  inhabitants  of  Newfoundland 
would  have  taken  up  arms  at  once  to  resist  the  claim ;  and  Mr. 
Anspach  throughout  his  able  history  speaks  of  the  fish-trade  to 
Newfoundland  being  allowed  to  France  "  under  restrictions,"  and  of 
the  strong  feeling  against  its  being  so  allowed  even  "  under  restric- 
tions." 

A  subsequent  history  of  Newfoundland  by  the  Rev.  Charles  Ped- 
ley,  published,  London,  1863,  deals  minutely  and  conclusively  with 
the  French  claims  to  an  exclusive  right  of  fishery  on  any  portion  of 
the  coast,  as  unfounded  in  law  and  unsanctioned  by  treaty.  The 
opinions  of  Mr.  Pedley  "are  of  great  value  from  his  residence  in 
Newfoundland,  and  his  laborious  researches  into  the  Ancient  Ec- 
cords  of  the  Colony  since  1764,  placed  at  his  disposal  by  Governor 
Bannerman.  On  page  48  Mr.  Pedley  states:  "By  the  Treaty  of 
Utrecht,  Great  Britain  was  solemnly  confirmed  in  the  exclusive 
sovereignty  of  the  entire  territory  ;  but  the  French  were  recognised 
as  having  the  right  of  fishing  concurrently  with  the  English  along 
certain  portions  of  the  shore." 

On  page  105,  speaking  of  Sir  Hugh  Palliser,  the  Governor  of 
Newfoundland  in  1764,  as  sent  to  devise  and  carry  out  the  local 
rules  necessary  to  give  effect  to  the  Definitive  Treaty  of  Paris,  "  by 
establishing  on  a  practical  basis  the  intercourse  between  the  sub- 
jects of  two  rival  nations  having  a  concurrent  right  of  fishing  on 
the  same  coast,"  Mr.  Pedley  states:  "  The  instructions  from  the 
Governor  were  careful  to  show  that  within  those  boundaries  the 
French  had  no  superior  rights  or  privileges  over  the  British  fisher- 
men ;"  and  he  quotes  a  portion  of  such  rules  issued  by  Governor 
Palliser  (June  19th,  1764),  for  tho  guidance  of  the  commanders  of 
King's  ships,  Admirals,  &c.,  as  follows  :  "  To  take  the  most  exact 
and  particular  care  that  the  said  subjects  of  France  be  permitted 
and  allowed  in  common  with  the  King's  subjects,  to  choose  their 
stations  there  during  the  fishery  season." 

The  Act  of  28  Geo.  III.  cap.  35,  which  expired  with  the  Treaty  of 
1783,  was  regarded  by  the  authorities  of  France  as  having  enlarged 
their  former  privileges,  and  as  having  conferred  on  them  an  exclu- 
sive rijht  over  the  coasts  and  waters  in  question.  Mr.  Pedley  states 
this  (page  153)  "  to  be  a  conclusion  which  has  always  been  success- 


Report  on  the  Neii'foundland  Fishery  Question. '       15 

fully  resisted  by  those  entrusted  with  the  charge  of  the  British 
fisheries."  The  reason  for  its  being  found  necessary  to  pass  the 
Act  referred  to  clearly  appears  in  ths  5th  Clause  of  the  Joint  Ad- 
dress to  Her  Majesty  of  the  Legislative  Council  and  House  of 
Assembly  of  Newfoundland,  dated  the  24th  of  April,  1872.* 

The  despatch  No.  67  of  Governor  Hamilton,  to  his  Grace  the 
Duke  of  Newcastle,  dated  28th  September,  1853,  goes  into  the 
whole  question,  and  is  a  most  excellent  argumentative  paper  in  de- 
fence of  British  rights  in  Newfoundland.  Upon  this  point  Governor 
Hamilton  states  : — 

"  Under  that  Treaty  (Utrecht)  the  fishery  was  always  concurrent. 
The  mode  in  which  that  fishery  has  been  carried  on  concurrently 
by  the  two  nations  is  clearly  evinced  by  the  proclamations  of 
Governors  Palliser,!  Shuham,J  and  Duff,§  set  out  in  the  printed 
papers  accompanying  your  Grace's  despatch." 

Governor  Darling,  also,  in  the  enclosure  with  his  despatch  to  Mr. 
Labouchere,  No.  66,  July  23rd,  1856,  states  :— 

"  Several  proclamations  of  the  Governors  of  Newfoundland, 
between  the  years  1763  and  1783,  warning  British  subjects  against 
improper  interference  with  the  French  in  the  exercise  of  their  rights, 
advert  to  these  rights  as  rights  in  '  common,'  or  '  concurrent'  rights, 
with  those  of  British  subjects;"  and  he  also  mentions  the  names 
of  Governors  Palliser,  Shuhara,  and  Duff. 

Lord  Stanley,  then  Colonial  Secretary,  in  his  despatch  to  Gover- 
nor Sir  John  Harvey,  No.  104,  29th  July,  1843,  acknowledges  the 
concurrent  rights  of  British  subjects.  The  following  is  a  portion  of 
his  lordship's  despatch  : — 

"  Sir, — I  have  the  honour  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your 
despatch  of  the  llth  of  last  November,  relative  to  the  claim  of  the 
French  to  the  exclusive  right  of  fishing  on  those  parts  of  the  Island 
of  Newfoundland,  on  which  a  right  of  fishing  for,  and  curing  cod, 
has  been  conceded  to  French  subjects  by  treaty. 

"  Having  referred  this  despatch  for  the  consideration  of  the  Earl 
of  Aberdeen,  I  have  received  two  letters  in  answer,  dated  28th  of 
February  and  the  19th  of  this  month,  which  convey  his  lordship's 
opinion,  that  Great  Britain  is  bound  to  permit  the  subjects  of  France 
to  fish  during  the  season,  in  the  districts  specified  by  the  Treaty  and 
Declaration  of  1783,  free  from  any  interruption  on  the  part  of  British 
subjects  ;  but  if  there  be  room  in  these  districts  for  the  fishermen  of 
both  nations  to  fish,  without  interfering  with  each  other,  this 
country  is  not  bound  to  prevent  her  subjects  from  fishing  there." 

*  Sec  Appendix,  page  31.         f  Palliser,  19th  June,  17G4  ;  27th  July,  17GJ. 
i  Shuham,  24th  June,  1772  ;  27th  July,  1773.  §  Di:ff;  7th  July,  177.3. 


16          Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question. 

Had  Lords  Aberdeen  and  Stanley  understood  the  French  to  pos- 
sess the  exclusive  right  of  fishing  on  the  coast  referred  to,  no  question 
as  to  "room"  could  give  the  British  any  right  to  fish  there;  but 
the  principle  is  the  same  in  fishing  as  in  the  erection  of  fishing 
establishments,  neither  must  be  done  so  as  to  interrupt  the  French, 
and  if  so  proved  on  complaint  to  have  been  done,  both  must  be 
removed  by  the  British  Government  or  authorities,  but  not  by  the 
French ;  for  the  Declaration  states  : — 

"For  this  purpose,"  namely,  to  prevent  British  subjects  from  in- 
terrupting the  fishery  of  the  French,  "  His  Britannic  Majesty  will 
cause  the  fixed  settlements  which  shall  be  formed  to  be  removed." 
The  provision  which  secured  the  French  fishermen  from  interrup- 
tion was  not  intended  to  limit  the  natural  right  of  fishing  possessed 
by  British  subjects.  The  object  was  merely  to  prevent  them  from 
depriving  the  French  of  the  concurrent  right  of  fishing  ceded  to 
them  by  treaty. 

Now  it  must  first,  under  the  Declaration  on  which  the  French 
base  the  claim  to  an  exclusive  right,  be  proved  to  the  satisfaction  of 
His  Britannic  Majesty  that  such  fishery  of  British  subjects,  and  the 
fixed  settlements  which  they  may  form  there  (where  the  French 
are  allowed  to  fish),  do  interrupt  the  French  fishery,  before  they  can 
be  removed,  and  then  His  Britannic  Majesty,  or  the  British  autho- 
rity, not  the  French,  is  the  only  power  entitled  to  remove  them. 
But  the  French  now  usurp  a  territorial  sovereignty  on  the  soil  of 
a  British  Colony,  take  the  law  into  their  own  hands,  and  destroy 
British  property. 

This  system  cannot  last  much  longer.  It  is  the  British,  not  the 
French,  who  have  cause  to  complain  of  violation  of  their  rights. 
The  Assembly  of  Newfoundland  is  overwhelmed  with  petitions  from 
poor  fishermen  who  have  had  their  sole  property  destroyed  by  the 
unwarrantable  action  of  the  French  cruisers,  to  which  the  reports 
of  British  naval  officers  bear  testimony.  Among  others,  those  of 
Captain  Hosldiis,  of  H.M.S.  Eclipse,  and  of  Commander  Kuowles, 
of  H.M.S.  Lapwing,  may  be  found  in  the  Newfoundland  "  Journal 
of  Assembly  "  for  1873,  pages  708  to  739. 

Commander  Knowles  writes  : — 

"  The  French  prohibit  the  English  the  use  of  cod  seines,  salmon, 
and  herring  nets,  and  bultows  (all  of  which  engines  they  themselves 
use) ;  the  English  are  therefore  restricted  to  the  use  of  the  hook 
and  line  and  jigger  alone. 

During  my  second  cruise  in  September,  1872,  I  found  that  the 
French  naval  officers  were  talcing  more  active  measures  to  prevent 
the  inhabitants  encroaching  on  their  rights,  having  made  several 


Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question.         17 

seizures  of  nets,  and  cutting  moorings,  &c."  of  English  vessel", 
"  even  in  places  where  their  own  people  were  not  actually  fishing" 

Captain  Hoskins  reports  (page  738),  under  date  October  9th, 
1872  :— 

"In  the  earlier  part  of  my  report  I  have  alluded  to  the  gocd 
sense  and  good  feeling  usually  shown  by  the  French  naval  officeis 
charged  with  the  protection  of  their  fisheries  in  dealing  with  our 
people  settled  on  the  French  shore,  and  their  readiness  to  meet  us 
half  way  in  preventing  the  unparalleled  state  of  affairs  created  there 
by  the  treaties,  from  resulting  in  national  animosities  and  acts  of 
violence. 

"I must  regret  that  the  commander  of  the  Diamant  has  thought 
fit  to  depart  from  this  wise  course,  and  to  make  a  raid  on  the  nets 
of  our  fishermen  throughout,  as  far  as  I  can  learn,  the  whole  of  the 
French  shore,  without  asking  for  the  intervention  of  one  of  our 
vessels,  and  without  (in  many  cases  certainly)  any  warning  or 
notice  having  been  given  to  the  sufferers. 

"  Each  such  departure  from  the  conciliatory  policy  hitherto  pur- 
sued must  accelerate  the  inevitable  crisis,  and  if,  as  appears  probable, 
the  French  having  put  a  construction  on  the  treaties  at  variance  with 
the  wording,  and  entirely  in  their  own  favour,  are  preparing  to 
enforce  their  claims  in  their  own  way  and  without  consulting  us, 
that  crisis  cannot  be  far  off." 

It  seems  to  be  a  most  anomalous  state  of  things  that  the  citizens 
of  the  United  States  should  fish  on  that  coast  without  interruption 
from  the  French,  and  that  the  natives  of  the  soil  should  alone  be 
exposed  to  such  high-handed  treatment  and  precluded  from  the 
exercise  of  their  natural  rights. 

Before  closing  this  division  of  the  report,  it  would  be  well  to  call 
attention  in  a  special  manner  to  the  fact  that  the  Treaty  of  Utrecht 
gave  to  the  French  the  concurrent  right  only  of  fishing  at  the 
islands  of  St.  Pierre  and  Miquelon  ;  that  subsequently  those  islands 
were  conveyed  in  full  right  to  the  French,  subject  to  conditions. 
Now  if  it  had  been  intended  to  convey  to  them  an  exclusive  right  of 
fishing  on  the  whole  of  the  so-called  French  shore,  suitable  language 
would  undoubtedly  at  that  time  have  been  used  to  convey  such 
meaning. 

Thirdly, — It  is  strong  evidence  in  favour  of  the  right  of  the 
British  to  enjoy  with  the  French  the  fisheries  in  Newfoundland,  that 
a  continuous  struggle  has  been  made  to  resist  the  exclusive  claims 
of  the  latter  ever  since  they  were  put  forth  ;  and  we  now  propose  to 
devote  a  portion  of  the  remainder  of  this  report  to  a  brief  history 
of  such  struggles  as  shown  by  the  Parliamentary  debates,  first  pre- 


18         Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question. 

mising  that  it  is  mostly  due  to  the  laxity  of  the  British  Imperial 
Government  in  not  enforcing  its  treaty  stipulations  with  France, 
that  the  latter  has  heen  emboldened  step  by  step  to  put  forth  un- 
justifiable pretensions,  until  she  has  reached  the  length  of  assuming 
virtual  sovereignty  over  British  soil. 

In  the  House  of  Commons,  June  5th,  1834,  Mr.  George  Kobinson 
directed  attention  to  the  question  "whether  France  by  the  terms  of 
the  Treaty  of  Utrecht  (for  no  others  were  important)  had  an  exclu- 
sive right  to  that  fishery,  or  only  in  participation  with  this  country;" 
adding  in  the  course  of  his  speech,  "  For  his  part,  he  was  convinced 
that  there  was  not  a  word  in  the  treaties  which  conveyed  to  France 
the  exclusive  right  of  fishing  on  the  coast  in  question.  Not  only  had 
they  no  right  of  exclusive  possession  of  the  fishery,  but  the  French 
were  prohibited  from  remaining  permanently  011  the  coast ;  and  it 
was  provided  that  they  should  go  from  France  to  the  fishery,  and 
at  the  end  of  the  season  return  to  France.  On  what  grounds,  there- 
fore, the  assumption  rested  he  did  not  know." 

On  behalf  of  the  Government,  Mr.  Poulett  Thomson  (afterwards 
Lord  Sydenham)  replied: — 

"  The  House  was  probably  aware  that  this  subject  had  been  under 
the  consideration  of  successive  Governments  in  this  country  since 
1783  .  .  .  and  he  recommended  the  hon.  member  (Mr.  Bobinson) 
to  withdraw  his  motion,  assuring  him  that  attention  should  be  paid 
to  it." 

In  the  same  debate,  Mr.  Baring  said : — 

"  He  must  say  that  the  British  fishermen,  whether  on  the  coast 
of  Newfoundland  or  in  the  Channel,  had  not  the  attention  paid  to 
them  which  they  formerly  received ;  and  that  the  British  Govern- 
ment evinced  an  apathy  with  respect  to  our  fisheries  which  was 
highly  reprehensible." 

Again,  in  May,  1835,  Mr.  Kobinson  brought  forward  his  "  motion 
relative  to  the  rights  of  British  subjects  to  a  concurrent  fishery  on 
that  part  of  the  coast  of  Newfoundland  commonly  called  the  French 
shore ;  "  and  stated  in  his  speech,  "  The  question  arose  out  of  the 
construction  put  upon  a  treaty  entered  into  between  England  and 
France  in  1813,  and  though  so  long  a  period  as  twenty- one  years 
had  elapsed,  the  Government  had  given  no  answer  to  the  persons 
engaged  in  this  fishery  as  to  how  the  treaty  was  to  be  construed. 
This  was  very  strange,  and  he  would  ask  the  Government  how  long 
after  twenty-one  years  were  British  subjects  to  wait  before  they  were 
told  whether  they  had  a  right  concurrent  with  the  French  of  fishing 
on  their  own  coast  ...  He  protested  against  any  further  delay 
in  adjusting  this  question.  The  French  had  an  interest  in  having 


lleport  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question.         19 

the  settlement  of  tlie  question  indefinitely  postponed,  because  whilst 
it  was  so,  they  arrogated  to  themselves  the  right  of  interrupting  all 
others  fishing  on  the  coast.  France  had  no  other  right  of  fishing 
than  that  given  by  the  Treaty  of  Utrecht,  and  that  was  nothing 
more  than  a  permissive  right  to  fish." 

The  Government  again  on  this  occasion  postponed  giving  any 
definite  reply. 

The  main  grounds  on  which  the  French  base  their  claim  to  an 
exclusive  right  of  fishing  would  seem  to  be  drawn  from  the  Decla- 
ration— usually  called  the  British  Declaration — attached  to  the 
Treaty  of  1783.  This  Declaration  is  marked  in  Herstlett  as  having 
expired  with  the  Treaty  of  1783,  which  was  annulled  by  the  war 
between  Great  Britain  and  France  of  1793.  But  even  supposing 
the  Declaration  still  in  force,  no  better  refutation  can  be  given  to 
such  an  assumption  than  the  despatch  of  Mr.  James  Crowdy — the 
officer  then  administering  the  Government  of  Newfoundland — to  the 
Bight  Honourable  Sir  John  S.  Packington,  Colonial  Secretary  of 
State,  dated  22nd  September,  1852,  and  to  be  found  (page  195)  in 
the  "  Journal  of  Assembly  "tof  Newfoundland  for  1857. 

In  Section  4  of  that  despatch,  Mr.  Crowdy  most  aptly  states : — 

"  The  very  terms  of  the  Declaration  in  question,  whilst  forbidding 
the  English  fishermen  « to  interrupt  by  their  competition,  or  to 
injure  the  stages  '  &c.  of  the  French,  recognise  their  presence  ;  and 
the  whole  question  would  appear  to  be  settled  by  the  concession  on 
the  part  of  our  Government  to  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  in 
the  Treaty  of  1818,  of  the  same  rights  which  had  been  conceded  to  the 
French  in  that  of  1783." 

But  for  conclusive  proof  of  the  utter  invalidity  of  these  French 
claims,  we  come  to  a  period  in  their  discussion  under  an  authority 
which  ought  to  settle  the  question.  We  refer  to  the  note  of  Lord 
Palmerston,  July  10th,  1838,  to  Count  Sebastiani,  the  French  Am- 
bassador, of  which  the  following  extract  is  copied  from  the  "  Journal 
of  Assembly  "  of  Newfoundland  for  1857.  His  Lordship  says  : — 

"  I  now  proceed  to  answer  that  part  of  your  Excellency's  note 
which  relates  to  the  conflicting  opinions  that  are  entertained  as  to 
the  true  interpretation  of  the  Declaration  annexed  to  the  Treaty  of 
September  3rd,  1783,  and  in  which  your  Excellency  urges  the 
British  Government  to  disavow  the  claim  of  the  British  subjects  to 
aright  of  fishery  upon  the  coasts  in  question"  (Newfoundland) 
"  concurrent  with  the  rights  of  the  subjects  of  France. 

"  And  in  the  first  place,  I  beg  to  observe  that  it  does  not  appear 
to  the  British  Government  that  either  your  Excellency's  represen- 
tation, or  that  of  your  predecessor,  has  shown  that  any  specific 


20          Eeport  on  the  Netvfoundland  Fishery  Question. 

grievance  lias  been  sustained  by  French  subjects,  in  consequence  of 
the  doubts  which  are  said  to  be  entertained  upon  this  question,  so 
as  to  prove  that  there  is  any  pressing  necessity  for  the  call  which 
the  French  Government  makes  in  this  respect  upon  that  of  Great 
Britain. 

"  But  the  British  Government  is,  nevertheless,  willing  to  enter 
into  an  amicable  examination  of  the  matter,  with  a  view  to  set- 
those  doubts  at  rest,  although  it  is  my  duty  to  say  that  the 
British  Government  are  not  prepared,  according  to  the  view 
which  they  at  present  take  of  the  matter,  to  concede  the  point  in 
question. 

"  The  right  of  fishery  on  the  coast  of  Newfoundland  was 
assigned  to  French  subjects  by  the  King  of  Great  Britain  in  the 
Treaty  of  Peace  of  1783,  to  be  enjoyed  by  them  by  the  Treaty  of 
Utrecht. 

"But  the  right  assigned  to  French  subjects  by  the  Treaty  of 
Utrecht  was  '  to  catch  fish  and  to  dry  them  on  land '  within  the 
district  described  in  the  said  Treaty,  subject  to  the  condition  not 
'  to  erect  any  buildings '  upon  the  island  besides  stages  made  of 
boards,  and  huts  necessary  and  usual  for  drying  offish,'  and  not  to 
'  resort  to  the  said  island  beyond  the  time  necessary  for  fishing  and 
drying  of  fish.' 

"A  Declaration  annexed  to  the  Treaty  of  1783,  by  which  the  right 
assigned  to  French  subjects  was  renewed,  contains  an  engagement 
that  '  in  order  that  the  fishermen  of  the  two  nations  may  not  give  a 
cause  for  daily  quarrels,  His  Britannic  Majesty  would  take  the  most 
positive  measures  for  preventing  his  subjects  from  interrupting,  in 
any  manner,  by  their  competition,  the  fishery  of  the  French  during 
the  temporary  exercise  of  it,  which  was  granted  to  them,'  and  that 
His  Majesty  would  '  for  this  purpose  cause  the  fixed  settlements 
which  should  be  found  there  to  be  removed.' 

"  A  counter  declaration  stated  that  the  King  of  France  was  satis- 
fied with  the  arrangement  concluded  in  the  above  terms. 

"  The  Treaty  of  Peace  of  1814  declares  that  the  French  right  'of 
fishery  at  Newfoundland  is  replaced  upon  the  footing  upon  which  it 
stood  in  1792.' 

"  In  order,  therefore,  to  come  to  a  right  understanding  of  the 
question,  it  will  be  necessary  to  consider  it  with  reference  to  histo- 
rical facts,  as  well  as  with  reference  to  the  letter  of  the  Declaration 
of  1783  ;  and  to  ascertain  what  was  the  precise  footing  upon  which 
the  French  fishery  actually  stood  in  1792. 

"  Now,  it  is  evident  that  specific  evidence  would  be  necessary,  in 
order  to  show  the  construction  which  the  French  Government  now 


Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question.        21 

desire  to  put  upon  the  Declaration  of  1783,  is  the  interpretation 
which  was  given  to  that  Declaration  at  the  period  when  the  Decla- 
ration was  framed ;  and  when  the  real  intention  of  the  parties  must 
have  been  best  known.  It  would  be  required  for  this  purpose  to 
prove  that,  upon  the  conclusion  of  the  Treaty  of  1783,  French  sub- 
jects actually  entered  upon  enjoyment  of  an  exclusive  right  to  catch 
fish  in  the  waters  off  the  coast  in  question  ;  and  that  they  were  in 
the  acknowledged  enjoyment  of  the  exercise  of  that  right  at  the 
commencement  of  the  war  in  1792.  But  no  evidence  to  such  effect 
has  been  produced.  It  is  not  indeed  asserted  by  your  Excellenc}', 
nor  was  it  contended  by  Prince  Talleyrand,  in  his  note  of  1831,  to 
which  your  Excellency  specially  refers,  that  French  subjects  were, 
at  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  in  1792,  in  the  enjoyment  of  such  an 
exclusive  right ;  and,  moreover,  it  does  not  appear  that  such  right 
was  claimed  by  France,  or  admitted  by  England  at  the  termination 
of  the  war  in  1801,  or  at  the  peace  of  1814. 

"  It  is  true  that  the  privilege  secured  to  the  fishermen  of  France 
by  the  Treaty  and  Declaration  of  1783 — a  privilege  which  consists 
in  the  periodical  use  of  a  part  of  the  shore  of  Newfoundland  for 
the  purpose  of  drying  then:  fish — has  in  practice  been  treated  by  the 
British  Government  as  an  exclusive  right  during  the  fishing  season, 
and  within  the  limits  prescribed ;  because  from  the  nature  of  the 
case  it  would  scarcely  be  possible  for  British  fishermen  to  dry  their 
fish  upon  the  same  part  of  the  shore  with  the  French  fishermen, 
without  interfering  with  the  temporary  establishments  of  the  French 
for  the  same  purpose,  and  without  interrupting  their  operations. 
But  the  British  Government  has  never  understood  the  Declaration 
to  have  had  for  its  object  to  deprive  the  British  subjects  of  the 
right  to  participate  with  the  French  in  taking  fish  at  sea  off  that 
shore,  provided  they  did  so  without  interrupting  the  French  cod- 
fishery  ;  and  although,  in  accordance  with  the  true  spirit  of  the 
Treaty  and  Declaration  of  1783,  prohibitory  proclamations  have 
been  from  time  to  time  issued,  on  occasions  when  it  has  been  found 
that  British  subjects,  while  fishing  within  the  limits  in  question, 
have  caused  interruption  to  the  French  fishery,  yet  in  none  of  the 
public  documents  of  the  British  Government,  neither  in  the  Act  of 
Parliament  of  1788,  passed  for  the  express  purpose  of  carrying  the 
Treaty  of  1783  into  effect ;  nor  in  any  subsequent  Act  of  Parlia- 
ment relating  to  the  Newfoundland  fishery ;  nor  in  any  of  the 
instructions  issued  by  the  Admiralty  or  the  Colonial  Office  ;  nor  in 
any  proclamation  which  has  come  under  my  view,  issued  by  the 
Governor  of  Newfoundland,  or  by  the  British  Admiral  upon  the 
station  ;  does  it  appear  that  the  right  of  French  subjects  to  an 


22          Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question. 

exclusive  fishery,  either  of  cod-fish,  or  of  fish  generally,  is  specifi- 
cally recognised. 

"  In  addition  to  the  facts  above  stated,  I  will  observe  to  your 
Excellency,  in  conclusion,  that  if  the  right  conceded  to  the  French 
by  the  Declaration  of  1783  had  been  intended  to  be  exclusive 
within  the  prescribed  district,  the  terms  used  for  defining  such 
right  would  assuredly  have  been  more  ample  and  specific  than  they 
are  found  to  be  in  that  document ;  for  in  no  other  similar  instru- 
ment which  has  ever  come  under  the  knowledge  of  the  British 
Government,  is  so  important  a  concession  as  an  exclusive  privilege 
of  this  description  accorded  in  terms  so  loose  and  indefinite. 

"  (Signed)  PALMEKSTON. 

"  To  His  Excellency  Count  SEBASTIANI." 

This  despatch  of  Lord  Palrnerston  might  have  been  considered 
conclusive  on  the  question. 

In  May,  1857,  upon  a  question  put  by  Sir  John  Packiiigton  in 
the  House  of  Commons  as  regards  the  then  proposed  Convention 
bstween  Her  Majesty  and  the  Emperor  of  the  French,  upon  the 
subject  of  the  Newfoundland  fisheries,  Mr.  Labouchere,  Secreta-ry 
for  the  Colonies,  stated  : — 

"  The  right  hon.  gentleman  was  aware  that  questions  of  a  very 
complicated  and  embarrassing  nature  had  arisen  between  the 
Governments  of  England  and  France  with  regard  to  fishery  rights 
of  the  latter  in  the  waters  of  Newfoundland,  and  that  these  ques- 
tions arose  out  of  Treaties.  The  two  Governments  had  for  several 
years  attempted  to  arrive  by  negotiation  at  a  satisfactory  solution 
of  the  questions,  and  the  Government  of  this  country  had  also  been 
in  constant  communication  with  the  Colonial  authorities  upon  the 
point ;  but  unfortunately  those  communications  and  negotiations 
had  never  led  to  any  satisfactory  result.  At  length  an  attempt 
had  been  made  by  Her  Majesty's  Government  to  arrive  at  a  termi- 
nation of  the  difficulty  by  taking  another  course  ;  and  having  had 
all  the  facts  before  them,  they  had  thought  the  best  chance  they 
could  have — for  it  was  but  a  chance — of  coming  to  a  resolution 
that  would  be  satisfactory  to  the  two  Governments,  was  to  conclude 
a  Convention  with  France,  without  any  previous  communication 
with  the  Colony,  while  an  express  stipulation  should  be  inserted  in 
that  Convention  that  it  should  have  no  effect  unless  it  should  be 
ratified  by  the  Colonial  Legislature.  Such  a  Convention  had  been 
framed  and  sent  over  to  Newfoundland ;  but,  he  was  sorry  to  say, 
that  the  result  had  been  that  the  Colony  had  most  unequivocally 
refused  to  adopt  it,  and  it  had  therefore  of  course  become  inopera- 
tive." 


Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question.         23 

The  above  Convention  would  have  suited  France  well  enougl1, 
for  it  would  have  entirely  ruined  the  British  fisheries  in  Newfound- 
land. 

In  this  Convention  we  first  find  the  term  exclusive  right  to  fish 
stipulated  for,  and  accorded  to,  the  French,  and  we  find  it  stipu- 
lated that  the  French  naval  officers  should  be  entitled  to  enforce  tbe 
said  French  exclusive  right  of  fishing,  by  expulsion  of  vessels  cr 
boats  attempting  concurrent  fishing. 

Article  XVI.  says :  "  The  privilege  of  French  subjects  to  cut 
wood  for  the  repair  of  their  fishing  erections,  and  fishing  vessels 
from  Cape  St.  John  to  Kock  Point  may  be  exercised,  as  far  as  re- 
quired, for  the  purpose,  but  not  on  private  land,  without  consent  of 
the  occupier."  It  appears,  therefore,  that  at  the  time  this  Conven- 
tion was  drawn  up,  the  French  Government  did  recognise  our  rights 
to  occupy  laud  on  the  shore  in  question. 

In  1845  a  Commission,  of  which  Mr.  Thomas,  a  merchant  of 
Newfoundland,  was  a  member,  representing  English  rights,  and 
Captain  Fabvre,  on  the  part  of  the  French  Government,  in  vain 
attempted  to  settle  the  question. 

In  1859  Captain  Dunlop,  E.N.,  and  the  Hon.  Mr.  Kent,  on  the 
part  of  England,  and  Captain  Montaignac  de  Chauvance  and  M.  de 
Gobineau,  on  the  part  of  France,  were  sent  to  Newfoundland  to 
investigate  and  report  on  fishery  questions,  and  made  separate 
reports  to  their  respective  Governments,  having  generally  agreed 
upon  all  the  points,  except  some  of  no  great  importance.  In 
reference  thereto,  on  a  question  put  by  Mr.  Arthur  Mills  to  the 
Secretary  of  State  for  Foreign  Affairs,  in  the  House  of  Commons, 
12th  March,  1861,  Lord  John  Russell  replied  : — 

"  The  Commission  on  the  Newfoundland  fisheries  made  their  re- 
port in  August,  1859,  and  in  March,  1860,  a  gentleman  (Captain 
Dunlop,  E.N.)  was  sent  to  Paris  with  a  view  to  his  coming  to  some 
arrangement  with  the  French  Government  on  the  subject.  He 
stayed  in  Paris  some  time,  and  came  to  an  arrangement  with  the 
Government  which  had  been  all  but  completed,  but  there  were  two 
points  upon  which  a  difference  prevailed.  In  November  Her 
Majesty's  Government  made  a  proposition  to  the  French  Govern- 
ment in  regard  to  those  two  subjects,  and  they  have  not  yet  received 
an  answer." 

But  probably,  from  the  reasons  given  before  by  Mr.  Eobinson,  the 
French  interest  in  keeping  the  question  indefinitely  postponed,  no 
settlement  was  arrived  at. 

We  beg,  in  conclusion,  to  advert  briefly  to  the  second  class  or 
heading  into  which  this  question  has  resolved  itself :  a  claim  on 


24        Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question. 

the  part  of  the  French  to  prevent  the  inhabitants  of  Newfoundland 
from  any  occupation  of  land  within  the  disputed  district  for 
mining,  agricultural,  or  other  purposes  ;  hi  fact,  a  claim  to  virtual 
territorial  sovereignty  of  a  great  portion  of  the  coast  of  Newfound- 
land. 

In  the  House  of  Lords,  May  22nd,  1868,  Lord  Houghton,  on 
rising  to  present  a  Petition  from  the  House  of  Assembly  of  New- 
foundland, praying  that  the  restrictions  with  regard  to  grants  of 
land  on  the  so-called  French  coast,  imposed  on  them  by  Her 
Majesty's  Secretary  of  State  for  the  Colonies,  in  a  despatch  dated 
7th  of  December,  1866,  may  be  removed,  said  : — 

"  That,  as  the  Petition  proceeded  from  so  important  a  body  as 
the  Colonial  Legislature,  he  felt  it  proper  to  accompany  its  presen- 
tation with  a  few  remarks." 

The  Petitioners  stated  that  :— 

"  Your  Petitioners  desire  to  bring  under  the  consideration  of 
your  most  honourable  House  a  grievance  to  which  your  Petitioners 
in  this  island  are  now  subjected.  Her  Majesty  the  Queen  has  the 
territorial  dominion  over  the  island  of  Newfoundland  and  its  depen- 
dencies, and,  as  a  consequence,  Her  Majesty's  Government  of  this 
Colony  has  the  authority  to  issue  grants  within  the  island  for  min- 
ing, agricultural,  and  other  purposes. 

"  This  right  was  never  questioned  until  the  year  1866,  when,  by 
a  despatch  from  the  Eight  Honourable  the  Earl  of  Carnarvon, 
Secretary  of  State  for  the  Colonies,  to  His  Excellency  Governor 
Musgrave,  bearing  date  the  7th  day  of  December,  1866,  the  issue 
of  grants  of  land  in  that  part  of  this  island  called  the  '  French 
shore  '  was  prohibited. 

"  The  French  shore  referred  to  in  the  said  despatch  includes  at 
least  one  half  of  the  territory  of  Newfoundland,  and  the  restriction 
thus  placed  upon  the  Local  Government  is  in  effect  a  denial  of  the 
exercise  of  those  rights  which  your  Petitioners  most  humbly  sub- 
mit belong  to  the  British  Crown,  and  therefore  to  their  enjoyment 
by  Her  Majesty's  subjects  in  this  island. 

"Believing  that  the  Government  of  this  Colony  has  a  clear  right 
to  issue  grants  for  mining  or  other  purposes,  the  Legislature,  on 
the  9th  day  of  April,  1867,  in  reply  to  the  said  despatch,  passed 
certain  resolutions  and  addresses  declaratory  of  such  rights,  and 
transmitted  the  same  to  the  Secretary  of  State  for  the  Colonies, 
through  His  Excellency  Governor  Musgrave,  to  which  neither  His 
Excellency  nor  your  Petitioners  have  received  any  reply. 

"The  restriction  contained  in  the  said  despatch  has  had  the 
effjct  of  preventing  the  exercise  of  British  territ  rial  dominion, 


Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question.        25 

and  of  depriving  Her  Majesty's  subjects  of  the  power  of  taking 
advantage  of  the  mineral  and  other  resources  which  exist  within 
the  said  French  shore. 

"  The  importance  of  this  subject  to  the  people  of  this  Island 
is  such  that  your  Petitioners  feel  aggrieved  that  no  reply  has  been 
received  to  the  remonstrance  of  the  Legislature,  and  that,  so  far  as 
your  Petitioners  are  informed,  no  action  has  been  taken  by  the  Im- 
perial Government  to  assert  the  undoubted  right  of  the  British 
Crown,  and  to  place  within  the  reach  of  Her  Majesty's  subjects  in 
this  Island  the  mineral  and  agricultural  resources  which  exist  within 
the  said  territory. 

"  For  some  years  past  the  Legislature  of  this  Island,  though  em- 
barrassed by  financial  difficulties  arising  from  the  distress  prevalent 
amongst  the  labouring  population,  have  voted  large  sums  of  money 
for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  a  mineralogical  survey  of  the  Island, 
which  will,  to  a  great  extent,  be  valueless  if  that  portion  of  the 
Island  be  withheld  from  the  use  of  Her  Majesty's  subjects. 

"  Your  Petitioners  therefore  humbly  pray  that  your  most  honour- 
able House  will  be  pleased  to  make  inquiry  into  the  matter,  and  to 
cause  the  restriction  contained  in  the  Eight  Honourable  the  Earl  of 
Carnarvon's  despatch  to  be  removed,  so  as  to  place  the  Local 
Government  in  a  position  to  exercise  those  functions  necessary  to 
ensure  to  your  Petitioners  their  territorial  rights." 

In  the  course  of  his  remarks  Lord  Houghton  stated : — 

"  The  colonisation  of  the  French  coast  had  begun  long  since ; 
several  populous  settlements  had  been  made  on  that  coast,  and  no 
other  attempt  was  ever  made  to  move  them.  At  the  present 
moment  a  very  large  population,  in  some  thirty  or  forty  consider- 
able stations  of  English  subjects,  on  the  coast  were  living  in  a 
condition  of  society  such  as  existed  nowhere  else  on  the  face  of  the 
globe.  They  were  squatters  living  without  jurisdiction,  without 
law,  without  any  punishment  of  crime  or  enforcement  of  rights, 
acknowledging  as  it  were  no  sovereign." 

It  appears  strange  that  such  a  state  of  things  should  exist  after 
the  language  of  Mr.  Labouchere,  once  Secretary  of  State  for  the 
Colonies,  who,  in  a  speech  made  in  the  House  of  Commons  upon  a 
motion  by  Viscount  Bury  upon  this  question,  March  10th,  1859, 
said  : — 

"  I  think  the  people  of  Newfoundland  should  have  clearly  secured  to 
them  the  right  to  cultivate  and  build  upon  their  own  territory" 

The  Hon.  Mr.  Little,  then  Attorney- General  of  Newfoundland, 
under  date  14th  September,  1872,  writes : — 

"  Earl  Kimberley,  in  his  letter  to  the  Under- Secretary  of  State, 


26          Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question. 

bearing  date  the  26tli  of  June,  1872,  fairly  and  plainly  states  '  that 
the  territory  (so  called  French  shore)  witJiout  doubt  belong*  to  Her 
Majesty,'  consequently  I  respectfully  submit  that  Her  Majesty  has 
the  undoubted  right  of  directing  the  management  and  government 
of  that  territory  in  such  manner  as  Her  Majesty  may  deem  most 
conducive  to  the  interests  of  Her  subjects  resident  there." 

Keferring  to  Lord  Kimberley's  Despatch,*  No.  42,  to  Governor 
Hill,  dated  6th  of  August,  1873,  his  Lordship  states  (Sec.  5)  that 
"  in  May,  1872,  an  address  from  the  Legislative  Bodies  "  (of  New- 
foundland) "  was  presented  to  Her  Majesty,  praying  for  the  removal 
of  restrictions  affecting  the  territorial  rights  of  the  people  of  the 
Island." 

This  joint  address  from  the  Legislative  Council  and  House  of 
Assembly  of  Newfoundland  is  so  emphatic  in  its  respectfully 
earnest  appeal  for  the  acknowledgment  of  an  undoubted  right,  that 
we  recommend  its  careful  perusal  as  given  in  full  in  the  Appendix. 

In  the  concluding  section  (No.  9)  of  the  same  Despatch,  his 
Lordship  states  : — 

"  It  appears  to  Her  Majesty's  Government  that  the  suggestions 
contained  in  the  Report  of  the  Joint  Committee  of  both  Houses, 
which  was  transmitted  in  Governor  Musgrave's  despatch  of  the 
29th  of  April,  1867,  will  afford  a  reasonable  basis  for  the  negotia- 
tions which  are  now  to  be  resumed  ;  but  before  proceeding  further, 
they  desire  to  learn  the  views  of  the  Colonial  Government,  and  I 
have  to  request  you  to  bring  this  despatch  under  the  notice  of  your 
Ministers,  and  to  report  to  me  at  an  early  opportunity  whether  they 
have  any  objection  to  the  course  proposed." 

In  accordance  with  this  request,  a  series  of  Joint  Resolutions 
from  both  Houses  of  Newfoundland  were  passed  on  the  23rd  of 
April,  1874,  stating  in  preamble,  "  That,  with  the  view  of  termi- 
nating the  long-pending  contentions  that  have  arisen  respecting  the 
rights  of  both  nations  under  the  Treaties,  it  is  expedient  that  nego- 
tiations should  be  resumed  for  that  purpose  on  the  basis  of  the  said 
report  (1867)  as  suggested  in  the  said  (Lord  Kimberley's)  Despatch." 
This  report,  with  some  amendments,  is  given  in  full  in  the  Appen- 
dix, page  81,  to  which  we  beg  to  refer. 

These  Resolutions  are  now  believed  to  form  the  basis  of  negotia- 
tions between  the  English  and  French  Governments  in  regard  to 
the  settlement  of  this  question.  It  must  be  admitted  that  the  sug- 
gestions of  the  Legislature  of  Newfoundland  are  most  moderate, 
and  amply  meet  all  the  just  claims  of  the  French. 

*  See  Appendix,  page  28. 


Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question.          27 

On  the  4th  of  June,  1874,  in  the  House  of  Commons,  Mr. 
Bourke  said  :  "  He  wished  to  appeal  to  the  right  honourable  and 
gallant  Member  for  Stamford  (Sir  John  Hay)  to  postpone  a  motion 
of  which  he  had  given  notice  in  reference  to  the  Newfoundland 
Fisheries.  He  did  so  on  these  grounds — the  subject  had  been,  and 
then  was,  under  consideration,  and  negotiations  were  going  forward 
both  with  the  Colony  of  Newfoundland  and  the  French  Govern- 
ment on  the  subject.  What  he  wished  was  that  the  right  honour- 
able and  gallant  baronet  would  postpone  his  motion  until  Her 
Majesty's  Government  were  prepared  to  make  a  statement  on  the 
subject." 

Sir  John  Hay  replied :  "  He  had  no  difficulty  in  acceding  to  the 
request  of  his  honourable  friend,  inasmuch  as  his  sole  object  was 
to  assist  in  settling  a  very  difficult  question." 

Such  is  the  position  of  the  question  at  the  present  time.  The 
temper  and  patience  of  the  people  of  Newfoundland  have  been 
sorely  tried  for  over  one  hundred  years.  But  this  state  of  things 
cannot  be  expected  to  last  for  ever.  The  time  has  arrived  when 
national  policy  imperatively  demands  that  the  question  should  be 
finally  settled ;  so  that  British  subjects  may  no  longer  be  deprived 
of  the  right  of  fishing  in  their  own  waters,  and  colonising  and 
developing  the  resources  of  their  own  territory.  The  interests  of 
Newfoundland  are  most  seriously  affected  by  its  being  kept  open, 
and  those  of  the  Empire  require  that  its  rights  of  sovereignty 
within  its  own  dominions  should  be  maintained  inviolate. 


APPENDIX. 

FT  may  bo  added,  by  way  of  Appendix,  that  the  value  of  the  products  of 
the  Newfoundland  Fisheries,  as  furnished  from  Custom-House  returns  for 
1874,  was  8,500,960  dols.,  equal  to  £2,127,490  Newfoundland  currency; 
that  the  shipping  employed  therein  amounts  to  60,405  tons,  that  the  num- 
ber of  persons  engaged  in  said  fisheries  was  48,200,  and  the  capital  invested 
,£1,340,000  sterling.  "  Besides  "  (as  Lord  Houghton  stated  in  his  speech 
referred  to)  "  its  value  as  a  fishing  station,  there  had  been  discovered  large 
copper  mines,  mountains  of  statuary  marble  and  mineral  wealth,  and  also, 
more  lately,  the  existence  of  petroleum  in  large  quantities — all  of  which,  if 
these  restrictions  on  the  grants  of  land  were  continued,  would  be  excluded 
from  the  profitable  enjoyment  of  the  Colony." 

The    following    documents    bearing   further    on  the  question  are  also 
appended : — 


28          Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question. 

LORD   KlMBERLEY   TO   GOVERNOR   HlLL. 

Newfoundland.    No.  42. 

Downing  Street,  §th  August,  1873. 

g1Rj — With  reference  to  previous  correspondence,  I  have  the  honour  to 
transmit  to  you  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  the  Foreign  Office  covering  a  copy  of 
a  despatch  from  Her  Majesty's  Ambassador  at  Paris,  and  of  a  note  from 
the  Due  de  Broglie,  expressing  the  readiness  of  the  French  Government 
to  resume  negotiations  respecting  the  Newfoundland  Fisheries,  and  pro- 
posing that  the  two  Governments  should  be  represented  by  Special  Com- 
missioners. 

2.  Her  Majesty's  Government  cannot  doubt  that  this  announcement  will 
be  received  with  satisfaction  by  your  Ministers  and  the  Colonists  generally, 
as  representations  on  this  subject  have  been  repeatedly  made  to  them  by 
the  Newfoundland  Government  and  Legislature  since  the  former  negotia- 
tions were  broken  off. 

3.  In  1866  the  Executive  Council,  by  a  minute,  which  was  transmitted 
iu  the  Governor's  despatch  of  the  llth  June,  urged  upon  him  the  propriety 
of  re-opening  correspondence  with  Her  Majesty's  Government  upon  the 
question  connected  with  the  exercise  of  territorial  rights  on  the  so-called 
"  French   Shore ; "  and  in  April,  1867,  Her  Majesty's  Government  were 
requested,  by  a  report  of  the  Joint  Committees  of  the  Legislative  Bodies,  to 
resume  negotiations  with  the  French  Government,  certain  propositions  being 
stated  as  the  basis  of  such  negotiations. 

4.  The  subject  was  again  considered  in  1868,  and  in  March,  1870,  en 
Address  relating  to  the  so-called  "  French   Shore "  was  presented  to  the 
Governor.    The  Legislative  Council  were  informed,  in  reply,  that  the  ques- 
tion was  under  the  consideration  of  the  respective  Governments  of  Great 
Britain  and  France. 

5.  In  August,  1870,  Mr.  Bennett  and  some  of  the  Newfoundland  Minis- 
ters who  were  then  in  England  urged  upon  Her  Majesty's  Government  the 
importance  of  settling  these  questions;  and  in  May,  1872,  an  Address  from 
the  Legislative  Bodies  was  presented  to  Her  Majesty  praying  for  the  re- 
moval of  restrictions  afTecting  the  territorial  rights  of  the  people  of  the 
Island. 

6.  Her  Majesty's  Government  are  fully  alive  to  the  considerations  which 
render  it  important  that  the  long-standing  differences  as  to  the  French  fish- 
ing rights  and  the  settlements  of  the  so-called  "  French  Shore  "  should,  if 
possible,  be  adjusted. 

7.  They  regret  that  impediments  should  be  thrown  in  the  way  of  the  colo- 
nisation of  a  large  portion  of  valuable  territory,  and  that  the  development 
of  the  mineral  and  other  resources  of  the  Colony,  which  are  believed  to  be 
very  considerable  in  the  vicinity  of  the  so-called  "  French  Shore,"  should 
be  delayed  by  the  want  of  a  clear  understanding  with  the  French  as  to  free 
access  on  the  part  of  the  British  settlers  to  the  seaboard.     The  fact  that  the 
population  of  certain  places  near  that  Shore  has  been  rapidly  increasing, 
makes  it  on  this  account  alone  most  desirable  to  arrive  at  a  definite  agree- 
ment with  the  French  Government,  with  a  view  to  prevent  the  recurrence 


Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question.         29 

of  collisions  and  misunderstandings  which,  but  for  the  forbearance  and  co- 
operation of  the  Naval  officers  of  the  respective  Governments,  might  lead 
to  serious  difficulties  between  the  two  Governments. 

8.  With  respect  to  this  latter  point,  I  need  only  refer  to  the  complaints 
made  in  the  yeare  1869,  1870,  and  1871 ;  and  more  especially  to  the  seizure 
and  confiscation,  by  a  French  officer  in  August,  1872,  of  nets  the  property 
of  British  subjects  ;  and  to  a  collision  which  threatened  to  take  place  this 
year  owing  to  the  announcement  that  the  French  officers  were  prepared  to 
insist  on  enforcing  the  claim  of  the  French  to  an  exclusive  right  of  fishing, 
but  which  has  been  happily  averted  by  orders  recently  given  to  the  officers 
of  both  Governments. 

9.  The  whole  subject  has  not  been  lost  sight  of  by  Her  Majesty's  Govern- 
ment, who  have  from  time  to  time  been  in  communication  upon  it  with  the 
French  Government ;  but  for  reasons  which  your  Ministers  will  understand, 
no  favourable  opportunity  has  recently  presented  itself  for  resuming  nego- 
tiations.   It  appears  to  Her  Majesty's  Government  that  the  suggestions 
contained  in  the  Report  of  the  Joint  Committee  of  both  Houses,  which  was 
transmitted  in  Governor  Musgrave's  despatch  of  the  29th  April,  1867,  will 
afford  a  reasonable  basis  for  the  negotiations  which  are  now  to  be  resumed  ; 
but  before  proceeding  further,  they  desire  to  learn  the  views  of  the  Colonial 
Government,  and  I  have  to  request  you  to  bring  this  despatch  under  the 
notice  of  your  Ministers,  and  to  report  to  me  at  an  early  opportunity  whether 
they  have  any  objection  to  the  course  proposed. 

I  have,  &o. 

(Signed)        KIMBERLEY. 
Governor  HILL,  C.B.,  &c.  &c.  &c. 


MB.  E.  HAMMOND  TO  THE  UNDER-SECRETARY  OF  STATE,  COLONIAL  OFFICE. 

Foreign  Office,  July  Uth,  1873. 

SIR, — With  reference  to  my  letter  of  the  9th  instant,  and  to  previous  cor- 
respondence, I  am  directed  by  Earl  Granville  to  transmit  to  you,  for  the 
Earl  of  Kimberley's  consideration,  a  copy  of  a  despatch  from  Her  Majesty's 
Ambassador  at  Paris,  enclosing  a  copy  of  a  note  from  the  Due  de  Broglie 
expressing  the  readiness  of  the  French  Government  to  resume  negotiations 
respecting  the  Newfoundland  Fisheries,  and  suggesting  the  appointment  of 
a  Special  Commission  with  the  object  of  settling  the  questions  at  issue. 

I  am,  &c. 

(Signed)        HAMMOND. 
The  UNDER-SECRETARY  OF  STATE,  Colonial  Office. 

LORD  LYONS  TO  EARL  GRANVILLE. 

Paris,  June  12th,  1873. 

MY  LORD, — With  reference  to  my  despatch,  No.  629,  of  the  2nd  instant, 
and  to  your  Lordship's,  No.  317,  of  the  9th  instant,  I  have  the  honour  to 
enclose  a  copy  of  a  note  dated  also  the  9th  instant,  which  I  received  last 
night  from  the  Due  de  Broglie. 


30          Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question. 

It  expresses  the  willingness  of  the  French  Government  to  resume  nego- 
tiations respecting  the  Newfoundland  Fisheries,  and  proposes  that  the  two 
Governments  should  be  represented  by  Special  Commissioners. 

I  have,  &e. 

(Signed)        LYONS. 
The  EARL  GRANVILLE,  K.G.,  &c.  &c.  &c. 


THF  DUKE  DE  BBOGLIE  TO  LORD  LYONS. 

Versailles,  July  Qth,  1873. 

AMBASSADOR, — In  recent  circumstances  your  Excellency  has  shown  the 
advantages  that  an  understanding  on  the  question  of  the  Newfoundland 
Fisheries  would  initiate  for  France  and  England  ;  and  you  added  that  the 
Government  of  Her  Britannic  Majesty  was  prepared  to  enter  upon  the 
subject  in  amicable  discussion  with  us. 

I  hasten  to  acquaint  you  that  the  French  Government,  who  desire  equally 
to  see  abolished  a  state  of  affairs  of  which  the  disadvantages  are  not  disputed, 
are  quite  disposed  to  renew  negotiations,  and  to  adopt  measures  to  arrive  at 
a  conclusion  so  desirable  in  their  eyes. 

The  Cabinet  of  London  will  judge,  I  hope,  that  the  best  course  to  follow, 
in  order  to  facilitate  a  solution,  is  to  entrust,  as  in  preceding  circumstances, 
to  Special  Commissioners  the  duty  to  represent  the  respective  interests ; 
and  I  will  be  thankful  to  your  Excellency  to  be  good  enough  to  acquaint 
me  if  it  accepts  this  proposition. 

Accept,  &c.  &c. 

(Signed)         BBOGLIE. 
His  Excellency  Lord  LYONS,  &c.  &c.  &c. 


LORD   KlMBERLEY  10   GOVERNOR  HlLL. 

Newfoundland.    No.  57. 

Downing  Street,  October  6th,  1873. 

SIB, — I  have  the  honour  to  acknowledge  your  despatch,  No.  79,  of  the 
Jtlh  ultimo,  transmitting  certain  Resolutions  adopted  at  a  meeting  of  your 
Executive  Council  upon  the  subject  of  the  rights  of  Fishery  claimed  by  the 
French  Government  under  Treaty,  oa  that  part  of  the  coast  of  Newfound- 
land commonly  called  the  French  Shore. 

Her  Majesty's  Government  regrets  to  find  that  your  Ministers  are  not 
prepared  to  adopt,  as  a  reasonable  basis  for  negotiations  with  the  French 
Government,  the  suggestions  contained  in  the  Report  of  the  Joint  Com- 
mittee of  both  Houses  ;  but  they  regret  still  more  the  tone  and  language  of 
these  Resolutions.  Her  Majesty's  Government  are  prepared  to  uphold  the 
legitimate  rights  of  British  subjects  under  the  Treaty,  but  your  Ministers 
must  be  aware  that  the  exact  limits  of  those  rights  have  been  in  dispute  for 
many  years,  and  a  settlement  of  grave  questions  of  this  kind,  which  is  so 


Report  on  tiic  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question.         81 

much  to  be  desired  in  the  interest  of  all  parties,  can  only  be  obtained  by 
mutual  forbearance  and  concession,  and  iiot  by  characterising  the  claims  of 
the  French  Government  as  preposterous  and  untenable,  nor  by  assuming 
that  the  construction  of  the  Treaty  adopted  by  the  Colonial  Government  is 
not  open  to  difference  of  opinion. 

I  have,  &c. 

(Signed)        KIMBERLEY. 
Governor  HILL,  C.B..  &c.  &c.  &c. 


JOINT  ADDRESS  TO  HER  MAJESTY 

Journal  of  the  House  of  Assembly  of  Newfoundland  for  1872.  Page  173. 

Wednesday,  242ft  April,  1872. 

"  The  Hon.  the  Premier,  from  the  Joint  Committee  of  the  Legislative 
Council  and  Assembly  appointed  to  prepare  an  Address  to  Her  Most  Gra- 
cious Majesty,  praying  Her  Majesty  to  cause  to  be  removed  the  restrictions 
in  connection  with  the  French  Shore  under  which  this  Colony  so  incon- 
veniently labours,  presented  the  Report,  which  he  handed  in  at  the  Clerk's 
table,  where  it  was  read  as  follows : — 

"  To  the  Queens  Most  Excellent  Majesty. 
"  MOST  GRACIOUS  SOVEREIGN, — 

"We,  Your  Majesty's  loyal  and  dutiful  servants,  the  Legislative  Council 
and  House  of  Assembly  of  Newfoundland,  beg  most  humbly  to  approach 
tbe  foot  of  the  Throne  and  to  state  as  follows: — 

"  1.  The  present  relations  of  British  and  French  subjects  resident  on  that 
portion  of  the  coast  of  this  Island  commonly  designated  the  French  Shore, 
are  of  such  a  nature  as  to  press  inj  uriously  upon  the  interests  of  British 
subjects,  and  at  the  same  time  to  endanger  the  peace  and  harmony  that 
should  subsist  between  the  subjects  of  Great  Britain  and  France  in  the 
exercise  of  those  rights  secured  to  them  respectively  by  existing  Treaties. 

"  2.  By  the  Thirteenth  Article  of  the  Treaty  of  Utrecht,  '  the  Island 
called  Newfoundland  belongs  of  right  to  Great  Britain,'  but  it  is  '  allowed 
to  the  subjects  of  France  to  catch  fish  and  to  dry  them  on  land,'  within 
certain  limits  mentioned  in  that  Treaty,  while  they  are  forbidden  '  to  erect 
any  buildings  there,  besides  stages  made  of  boards,  and  huts  necessary  and 
usual  for  drying  fish,  or  to  resort  to  the  said  island  beyond  the  time  neces- 
sary for  fishing  and  drying  fish.' 

"  3.  By  the  Fourth  Article  of  the  Treaty  of  Versailles,  1783, '  His  Majesty 
the  King  of  Great  Britain  is  maintained  in  his  right  to  the  Island  of  New- 
foundland,' as  it  was  assured  to  him  by  the  Thirteenth  Article  of  the  Treaty 
of  Utrecht,  while  the  French  fishermen  shall  '  enjoy  the  fishery  which  is 
assigned  to  them  by  the  present  article  as  they  had  a  right  to  enjoy  that 
which  was  assigned  to  them  by  the  Treaty  of  Utrecht.' 

"  4.  The  only  alterations  effected  by  the  Treaty  of  Versailles,  as  regards 
the  fishery  rights  assigned  to  the  French  by  the  former  Treaty  of  Utrecht, 


32          Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question. 

"  First, — An  exchange  of  the  line  of  coast  from  Cape  Bonavista  to  Point 
Richo  for  that  extending  from  Cape  St.  John  to  the  northernmost  point  of 
the  island,  and  thence  southward  to  Cape  Bay,  which,  in  point  of  fishery 
privileges,  was  a  greatly  increased  concession  to  the  French. 

"  And,  secondly, — The  islands  of  St.  Pierre  and  Miquelon  were  ceded  in 
full  right  to  France,  subject  to  the  modification  in  His  Majesty's  Declara- 
tion accompanying  the  Treaty.  V\'.i.i,  ihese  exceptions  the  Treaty  of  Utrecht 
forms  the  basis  of  our  territorial  and  fishery  rights. 

"  5.  There  are  certain  portions  of  the  strand  which  the  French  have 
during  peace  continuously  occupied,  but  which  in  time  of  war  were  taken 
possession  of  and  occupied  by  British  settlers,  who  refused  to  surrender 
them  on  the  restoration  of  peace ;  and  in  order  to  carry  out  the  terms  of 
the  Treaties,  it  was  found  necessary  to  pass  the  Act  of  His  Majesty  28th 
George  III.,  cap.  35,  to  enable  His  Majesty  to  remove  them,  which  Act  was 
never  put  in  force  for  any  other  purpose.  The  last  time  it  was  put  in 
operation  was  at  the  termination  of  the  war  in  1814,  in  compliance  with 
the  requirements  of  the  Treaty  of  Paris.  There  were  at  the  same  time  other 
portions  of  the  strand  in  like  manner  permanently  occupied  by  British  sub- 
jects, and  have  continued  to  be  so  to  the  present  time.  There  is  no  desirr, 
nor  have  any  attempts  been  made,  to  dispossess  the  French  of  the  premises 
occupied  by  them.  On  the  contrary,  British  subjects  have  been  employed 
to  take  care  of  them,  and  are  still  so  employed  during  the  absence  of  the 
French  in  winter,  and  it  rarely  happens  that  any  such  property  is  injured  or 
molested. 

u  6.  On  some  occasions  disputes  between  British  and  French  fishermen 
have  occurred  during  the  exercise  of  their  rights,  and  thus  serious  collisions 
have  happened.  In  order  to  prevent  such  collisions  the  Governors  of  New- 
foundland have  from  time  to  time  appointed  magistrates  on  that  shore  ftr 
the  preservation  of  law  and  order ;  but  from  the  departure  of  Sir  J.  Gaspard 
Le  Marchant,  about  the  year  1852,  succeeding  Governors  have  been  restricted 
in  making  any  such  appointments. 

"  7.  The  population  of  that  portion  of  the  Island  has  been  of  late  years, 
and  is  still,  greatly  on  the  increase ;  but  such  now  is  the  anomalous,  incon- 
venient, and  unsatisfactory  state  of  things  arising  from  the  absence  of  any 
recognised  jurisdiction  or  established  system  of  law  and  order,  that  life  and 
property  are  rendered  insecure,  and  collisions  of  the  gravest  character  occur, 
not  only  among  the  British  settlers  themselves,  but  also  between  them  and 
the  French  fishermen. 

"  8.  It  was  not  until  the  year  1866  that  any  restrictions  were  placed  on 
the  exercise  of  our  territorial  rights,  and  the  limits  from  the  coast  inwards 
subsequently  prescribed  were,  from  the  nature  of  the  case,  inoperative  and 
in  fact  nugatory,  inasmuch  as  the  British  population  for  the  greater  part 
were,  and  still  are,  actually  resident  within  those  limits  in  the  prosecution  of 
their  fisheries. 

"  9.  The  temporary  right  of  the  French  to  the  use  of  the  land,  as  may  be 
seen  by  reference  to  the  afore-mentioned  Treaties,  is  immediately  upon  the 
sea-coast,  and  rarely  extends  beyond  a  few  hundred  yards  inland.  It  is 
limited  simply  to  the  strand  immediately  bordering  upon  the  sea,  and  this 


Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question.         33 

only  for  the  purpose  of  '  curing  and  drying  their  fish '  during  the  fishing 
season.  In  point  of  fact,  the  French  only  occupy  a  fractional  part  of  the 
large  extent  of  coast  on  which  they  are  permitted  the  right  of  fishing ; 
whereas  British  subjects  are  resident  on  all  parts  of  the  coast  where  there  is 
safe  anchorage. 

"  10.  It  is  important  to  observe  that  this  part  of  the  coast  embraces  by  far 
the  best  portion  of  the  Island  for  agricultural,  lumbering,  mining,  and  other 
industrial  pursuits.  And  were  these  restrictions  to  be  continued,  settlers 
would  be  deprived  of  the  right  of  roadways,  and  of  water  privileges  whence  to 
ship  the  produce  of  their  industry  to  market. 

"  11.  Another  and  most  seriously  prejudicial  circumstance  arising  from 
the  existing  state  of  things  is,  that  the  Colony  is  deprived  of  the  revenue 
which  would  otherwise  be  derived  from  the  trade  on  that  part  of  the  coast, 
besides  which  shelter  and  encouragement  are  thus  afforded  for  smuggling. 

"  12.  Were  a  well-organised  judicial  system  established  there,  it  would 
tend  not  only  to  the  preservation  of  peace  and  good  order,  but  also  to  the 
protection  of  Colonial  and  French  Treaty  rights. 

"  13.  On  a  review  of  the  whole  case  it  is  evident,  we  humbly  submit,  that 
the  policy,  comparatively  recent,  pursued  by  the  Imperial  Government 
towards  this  Colony,  in  the  restrictions  so  imposed,  have  placed  the  large 
British  population  resident  on  the  so-called  French  shore  in  a  position 
the  most  deplorable,  and  such  as  is  unparalleled  in  any  other  civilised 
country  in  the  world.  Life  and  property  are  insecure,  the  vast  resources 
which  are  known  to  exist  on  that  portion  of  the  coast  are  rendered 
unavailable,  and  the  revenue  which  should  flow  into  the  Colonial  Exchequer 
under  the  influence  of  a  regularly-constituted  order  of  things  is  lost  to 
the  country. 

"  14.  We  do  not  deem  it  necessary  to  repeat  those  further  arguments 
which  have  so  often  been  urged  before  in  support  of  British  rights  upon  that 
part  of  the  coast.  We  most  humbly  and  earnestly  pray  Your  Majesty  to 
cause  to  be  removed  the  restrictions  in  reference  to  the  appointment  of  magis- 
trates, and  also  those  affecting  our  territorial  rights,  which  press  so  in- 
juriously and  inconveniently  upon  the  interests  of  Your  Majesty's  subjects  in 
this  Colony,  and  which  we  should  humbly  observe  are  at  variance  with  the 
rights  secured  to  this  Colony  by  Acts  of  the  Legislature,  which  Acts  were 
subsequently  ratified  by  Your  Majesty. 

"  Passed  the  Legislative  Council,  24th  April,  1872. 

"  (Signed)     EDWARD  MORRIS,  President. 

"  Passed  the  House  of  Assembly,  24th  April,  1872. 

"  (Signed)    THOMAS  R.  BENNETT,  Speaker." 

JOINT  RESOLUTIONS. 
Journal  of  the  House  of  Assembly  of  Newfoundland  for  1874. — Page  104. 

23rd  April,  1874. 

"  The  Chairman  reported  from  the  Committee,  that  they  had  considered 
the  business  to  them  referred,  and  had  come  to  certain  resolutions  thereon, 
which  they  had  directed  him  to  report  to  the  House,  and  he  handed  the 
resolutions  in  at  the  Clerk's  table,  where  they  were  read,  as  follows : — 

D 


34          Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question. 

"  Resolved, — That  this  Committee  having  had  under  consideration  the 
report  of  the  joint  Committee  of  the  Legislative  Council  and  this  House, 
adopted  by  both  branches  in  the  Session  of  1867,  on  the  subject  of  French 
right  of  fishery  on  the  coast  of  this  Island,  together  with  the  despatch  of  the 
Right  Hon.  the  Earl  of  Kimberley  to  his  Excellency  the  Governor, 
bearing  date  the  6th  August,  1873,  are  of  opinion  that  with  the  view  of 
terminating  the  long-pending  contentions  that  have  arisen  respecting  the 
rights  of  both  nations  under  the  Treaties,  it  is  expedient  that  negotia- 
tions should  be  resumed  for  that  purpose  on  the  basis  of  the  said  report, 
as  suggested  in  the  said  despatch,  which  report,  with  some  amendments,  is 
as  follows : — 

"1st.  Your  Committee  submit  that  no  question  can  arise,  under  the 
Treaties,  as  to  the  dominion  of  the  soil  on  the  so-called  French  shore,  in 
common  with  the  whole  I4and  of  Newfoundland,  belonging  to  the  Crown 
of  Great  Britain  ;  and  such  right  in  all  negotiations  between  the  two  nations 
on  the  subjeet  of  the  Treaties  has  never  been  impeached ;  but  certain  pri- 
vileges are  claimed  by  the  French  under  these  Treaties  and  accompanying 
Declarations,  in  making  erections  and  otherwise  on  the  coast  for  fishing 
purposes;  and  it  is  contended  that  British  subjects  are  prohibited  from 
having  fixed  settlements  there. 

"  2nd.  Your  Committee  further  submit  that,  without  French  permission, 
it  is  lawful  for  British  subjects  to  construct  buildings  and  reside  therein  for 
purposes  apart  from  those  of  fishery,  and  to  make  use  of  the  strand  for  all 
purposes  essential  to  the  exercise  of  the  territorial  dominion  of  the  interior 
land,  and  that  the  term  '  fixed  settlements,'  referred  to  in  His  Britannic 
Majesty's  Declaration,  applies  only  to  such  as  are  in  connection  with  the 
fisheries.  On  the  coast  are  French  establishments  of  a  substantial  character, 
unauthorised  by  the  Treaties. 

"  3rd.  It  would  appear  to  your  Committee  that  the  objection  to  issuing 
grants  and  licenses  has  arisen  from  the  construction  given  by  the  French  to 
their  Treaty  rights  to  the  use  of  the  shore  in  connection  with  the  fishery  ; 
and  whilst  it  is  advisable  that  any  uncertainty  on  this  point  thould  be 
removed  by  amicable  arrangement,  yet  your  Committee  submit  that  the 
territory  being  unquestionably  in  Great  Britain,  the  local  executive  is 
authorised  to  issue  grants  and  licenses  for  agricultural,  mining,  and  other 
purposes,  which  have  not  for  their  object  the  interruption  of  the  French  by 
competition  in  the  fishery.  Your  Committee  are,  however,  aware  that  in  the 
construction  of  the  Treaties  as  regards  the  respective  rights  and  privileges  of 
the  subjects  of  both  notions,  there  has  not  been  general  acquiescence,  and 
they  would  recommend  a  concurrence  in  any  fair  adjustment  for  the  better 
observance  and  execution  of  existing  Treaties  which  did  not  concede  any 
further  rights  of  fishery  to  the  French  on  the  coast  of  this  Island,  nor  any 
rights  or  privileges  whatever  at  Belle  Isle  and  Labrador. 

"  With  this  view,  and  in  the  acceptance  of  the  suggestions  of  Her  Majesty's 
Imperial  Government  for  resumption  of  negotiations  with  the  Government 
of  France,  in  order  that  the  utilisation  of  territorial  rights  may  no  longer  be 
obstructed — 

"Your  Committee  recommend  that  the  Legislature  should  state  to  Her 


Report  on  the  Newfoundland  Fishery  Question.         35 

Majesty's  Government  that  they  are  not  prepared  to  agree  to  any  concessions 
to  the  Government  of  France  which  should  convey  to  the  French  rights  of 
fishery  which  they  do  not  now  possess,  under  existing  Treaties ;  but  they 
would  recommend  the  Legislature  to  consent  that  the  valuable  and  im- 
portant right  to  purchase  bait,  both  herring  and  caplin,  on  the  southern 
coast,  be  conceded  to  the  French,  at  such  times  as  British  subjects  may  law- 
fully take  the  same,  upon  the  terms  herein  contained  being  agreed  upon. 

"  It  being  thus  clearly  understood  that  any  further  concession  with  regard 
to  rights  of  fishery  are  to  be  excluded  from  the  negotiations,  your  Committee 
are  of  opinion  that  it  would  be  desirable,  for  the  interest  of  all  parties,  if  Her 
Majesty's  Government  should  be  able  to  make  such  an  arrangement  with  the 
Government  of  France  as  would  embrace  the  following  matters,  viz.  :— 

"  1st.  The  establishment  of  a  Joint  Naval  Commission,  which  shall  only 
take  cognisance  of  such  matters  as  relate  to  the  fisheries,  and  in  case  of  dis- 
agreement reference  be  made  to  the  respective  Governments;  all  other 
questions  to  be  dealt  with  by  competent  authorities. 

"  2nd.  That  the  existing  British  Settlements  in  St.  George's  Bay,  Cod 
Roy  and  Bay  of  Islands,  Bonne  Bay,  and  White  Bay  shall  remain  undis- 
turbed ;  and  there  shall  be  no  interruption  by  the  French  to  fishing  by  the 
British  in  those  Bays,  nor  interference  with  their  buildings  and  enclosures 
there,  nor  with  any  erection  or  buildings  on  any  part  of  the  coast  where  the 
French  have  a  temporary  right  of  fishing,  which  do  not  actually  interfere 
with  the  fishing  privileges  of  the  French,  as  shall  be  determined  by  the 
Commissioners  ;  nor  shall  British  subjects  be  molested  in  fishing  on  any 
part  when  they  do  not  actually  interrupt  the  French  by  their  competition, 
the  claim  asserted  by  the  French  to  the  exclusive  right  of  fishery  not  being 
warranted  by  the  terms  of  her  Treaties. 

"  3rd.  That  no  building  or  enclosure  which  shall  have  been  erected  for  five 
years  shall  be  removed  as  interfering  with  the  French  fishing  privileges, 
without  compensation,  to  be  determined  only  by  the  Commissioners  ;  but  no 
compensation  shall  be  payable  for  any  such  building  or  enclosure  hereafter 
erected  without  consent  of  the  Commissioners. 

"  4th.  That  the  Commissioners  should  determine  the  limit  or  boundary 
line  to  which  the  French  may  prosecute  their  fishery  ;  the  British  having  the 
exclusive  right  of  salmon  and  all  other  fishing  in  rivers. 

"  5th.  That  the  breadth  of  strand  of  which  the  French  should  have  the 
right  of  temporary  use  for  fishing  purposes  should  be  defined,  thus  removing 
objections  to  grants  of  land  for  all  purposes  beyond  the  boundary  so  to  be 
defined,  and  within  the  same  for  mining  purposes,  right  being  reserved  to 
the  British  Government  to  erect  on  such  strand  works  of  a  military  or  other 
public  character;  and  to  British  subjects  for  wharves  and  buildings  neces- 
sary for  mining,  trading,  and  other  purposes,  apart  from  the  fishery,  in  places 
selected  with  the  permission  of  the  Commissioners. 

"  Passed  the  House  of  Assembly,  23rd  April,  1874." 


D  2 


(86) 


FIEST  OEDINAKY  GENEEAL  MEETING. 

THE  First  Meeting  of  the  Session  1875-6  was  held  on  Tuesday, 
December  14th,  at  the  Pall  Mall  Bestaurant. , 

In  the  unavoidable  absence  of  his  Grace  the  Duke  of  Man- 
chester, the  chair  was  taken  by  Major-General  Sir  CHARLES 
DAUBENEY,  K.C.B. 

Mr.  F.  YOUNG  (Honorary  Secretary)  having  read  the  minutes  of 
the  last  Ordinary  General  Meeting,  the  same  were  confirmed.  He 
also  announced  that  since  last  meeting  sixty-two  new  Fellows  had 
been  elected — twenty-nine  resident  and  twenty-three  non-resident, 
and  read  a  long  list  of  books  which  had  been  presented  to  the 
Institute. 

Mr.  F.  YOUNG  stated  that  it  had  been  proposed  by  the  Council  to 
make  a  slight  alteration  in  one  of  the  rules  of  the  Institute,  so  that 
the  number  of  Vice-Presidents  may  be  increased;  and  such  inten- 
tion had  been  notified  in  the  usual  way,  by  being  put  up  in  the  rooms 
for  one  month  before  the  first  General  Meeting.  The  alteration 
which  was  now  submitted  to  the  members  for  approval  was  as 
f  jllows : — 

"  That  instead  of  the  words  not  exceeding  '  twelve '  in  cap.  1  sec.  3  of 
the  Rules,  the  words  not  exceeding  '  twenty '  be  inserted." 

The  resolution,  having  been  put  by  the  CHAIRMAN,  was  unani- 
mously carried. 

Mr.  WILSON  then  read  the  following  paper  :— 

ACCLIMATISATION. 

To  such  of  us,  at  all  events,  as  have  had  any  experience  of 
Australia,  it  should  not  be  necessary  to  say  much  in  favour  of  the 
project  of  acclimatisation,  for  there,  indeed,  we  are  pretty  nearly 
all  acclimatised  together.  Having  brushed  aside — perhaps  in  a 
somewhat  too  peremptory  manner — our  dusky  fellow-subjects,  the 
original  occupants  of  the  soil,  we  have  occupied  their  lands,  with 
what  success  my  hearers  very  well  know.  We  have  taken  with 
us  almost  all — if  not  absolutely  all — the  useful  and  beautiful 
animals  by  which  we  have  been  accustomed  to  surround  ourselves. 
And  we  have  found,  I  think  without  a  single  exception,  that  they 
thrive  at  least  equally  well  as  in  their  old  homes, — some  of  them 
certainly  very  much  better  than  in  the  lands  from  which  we 
brought  them. 

In  ventilating  the  idea  of  acclimatisation,  we  have  long  felt  the 
want  of  a  new  word  more  accurately  defining  our  meaning.  What 


Acclimatisation.  37 

we  seek  to  do  is  rather  to  distribute  the  good  things  of  the  earth 
than  necessarily  to  acclimatise  them.  In  what  we  have  done  we 
have  discovered  some  wonderful  facilities  for  adaptation  to  a  new 
climate  and  a  new  set  of  surroundings ;  but,  as  a  rule,  our  principal 
efforts  should  probably  be  directed  to  simpler  forms  of  distribution 
— taking  the  good  things  of  one  country  to  some  other  country,  or 
rather,  to  all  other  countries,  in  which  all  those  good  things  might 
be  advantageously  introduced  and  established. 

It  seems  a  singular  factthat  in  the  complete  furnishing  of  the  earth, 
so  much  has  been  left  for  us  to  do.  A  bountiful  Providence  has 
showered  upon  mankind  a  profusion  of  good  things,  but  whether 
from  wanton  disregard,  from  a  lazy  want  of  observation,  or  from 
whatever  other  cause,  there  seems  to  have  been  a  singular 
negligence  in  the  use  of  opportunities  of  distributing  them.  It 
seems  as  if  the  task  had  been  left  to  us  of  conveying  suitable  things 
from  one  place  to  another,  and  we  have  been  contented  to  perform 
this  task  in  a  very  perfunctory  and  hap-hazard  way. 

We  are  assured  by  our  scientific  friends  that  animated  nature 
presents  us  with,  I  think,  about  one  hundred  and  forty  thousand 
varieties ;  and  of  all  this  prodigious  wealth  of  beauty  and  ex- 
cellence of  various  forms,  we  have  practically — at  least  so  far  as 
domestication  is  concerned — only  availed  ourselves  of  some  thirty 
or  forty !  In  fact,  I  think  it  would  puzzle  our  friends  to  enumerate 
more  than  that  number  of  things  with  which  we  have  thoroughly 
identified  ourselves. 

Much  has  undoubtedly  been  done  in  the  acclimatisation  or  dis- 
tribution of  useful  things,  but  what  has  been  done  seems  to  be  almost 
trivial  in  comparison  with  the  possibilities ;  and  I  have  long 
argued  that  what  has  been  done,  whether  by  private  enterprise  or 
by  public  effort,  is  a  mere  fraction  in  the  work  that  we  have  to  do. 
I  hold  that  this  is  the  proper  interpretation  of  the  original  command 
to  man  :  "  Be  fruitful  and  multiply,  and  replenish  the  earth,  and 
subdue  it ;  and  have  dominion  over  the  fish  of  the  sea,  and  over  the 
fowl  of  the  air,  and  over  every  living  thing  that  moveth  upon  the 
earth."  I  consider  that  it  is  a  waste  of  opportunity  to  have  done  so 
little,  and  that,  having  paved  the  way  by  opening  up  fresh 
countries  by  conquest  or  colonisation,  the  grand  scheme  of 
distribution  should  be  elaborated  scientifically,  systematically,  and 
exhaustively.  I  hold  that  we  should  never  rest  until  every  country 
on  earth  is  duly  furnished  with  every  good  thing  which  that 
country  is  capable  of  maintaining. 

And  here  I  wish  to  say  explicitly  that  in  the  term  "  good  "  I 
refer  to  things  not  simply  useful  in  a  practical  and  economic  or 


38  Acclimatisation. 

mercantile  sense,  but  good  in  the  sense  of  adding  in  any  way  to 
the  legitimate  enjoyment  of  mankind. 

Having  helped  to  agitate  this  idea  in  many  circles  for  many 
years,  and  in  that  process  having  been  associated  with  many  most 
excellent  and  philanthropic  men,  I  have  been  struck  with  the 
difficulty  of  impregnating  the  minds  even  of  such  men  with  tho 
entirety  of  this  idea.  One  has  a  speciality  of  one  kind — another  is 
apt  to  have  formed  a  very  energetic  opinion  in  some  other 
direction ;  but  I  have  rarely  found  any  man  capable  of  enter- 
taining the  idea  of  the  exhaustive  application  of  the  process  of 
distribution. 

I  have  somewhere  endeavoured  to  illustrate  my  meaning  by 
remarking  that  with  no  wish  to  underrate  the  value  of  any 
contribution  to  any  section  of  society,  it  has  been  my  object  to  apply 
the  adaptation  of  this  principle  literally  to  all,  to  fairly  grapple 
with  the  grandest  of  such  efforts,  but  never  to  rest  in  dealing 
even  with  the  comparatively  insignificant.  I  do  not  seek 
simply  to  furnish  new  articles  of  export  or  import  to  the  merchant 
and  manufacturer.  I  do  not  wish  to  limit  ourselves  to  adding 
new  forms  of  useful  productions  to  the  gardener  or  the  agri- 
culturalist. I  do  not  ask  you  to  stop  at  a  desire  to  supply  fresh 
forms  of  amusement  to  the  sportsman.  I  wish  to  do  all  that  can  be 
done  legitimately  in  all  these  directions.  But,  as  I  have  stated 
elsewhere,  my  interpretation  of  the  project  of  acclimatisation  has  a 
scope  beyond  all  this,  and  which  will  never  be  adequately  fulfilled  till, 
including  all  the  good  things  of  the  various  sections  of  the 
community  to  which  I  have  alluded,  we  have  exhausted  everything 
that  a  beneficent  Creator  has  afforded.  A  prominent  feature  in 
our  scheme  is,  by  attention  to  even  seeming  trivialities,  to  lighten 
the  path  of  the  wayfarer  and  to  furnish  new  pets  to  the  child. 

To  those  who  have  studied  what  can  be  done  in  this  way,  and 
have  had  some  little  opportunity  of  observing  the  wonderful  effects 
of  efforts  to  render  the  world  more  interesting  and  beautiful,  it 
becomes  a  matter  of  the  most  pleasurable  contemplation  as  to  how 
interesting  and  how  beautiful  the  world  would  become,  if  full 
justice  were  done  to  this  scheme. 

We  have  all  felt  in  our  trips  by  land  or  by  water  what  interest 
was  given  to  the  day  in  putting  up  a  few  coveys  of  partridges ;  in 
the  rousing  of  a  hare,  springing  from  her  lair  close  under  our 
feet ;  in  a  flight  of  flying  fish ;  or  in  a  sudden  flitting  across  the 
landscape  of  a  flock  of  bright-coloured  paroquets. 

There  is  no  vast  practical  value  in  any  of  these  things,  but  their 
passing  across  our  fields  of  vision  adds  life,  and  colour,  and 


Acclimatisation.  39 

incident  to  our  daily  existence ;  and  I  want  to  see  a  great  deal 
more  of  this.  At  present  it  seems  as  if  the  world  were  only 
partially  furnished,  as  if,  in  point  of  fact,  we  were  contented  to 
drag  on  existence  in  a  world  ludicrously  unfurnished,  as  compared 
with  its  capabilities.  What  should  we  think  of  Her  Gracious 
Majesty,  if  we  heard  that  she  entertained  her  guests  at  her  splendid 
palace  at  Windsor  upon  bare  deal  tables,  and  allowed  them  to  sleep 
on  the  ground  ?  How  would  our  club-houses  in  Pall  Mall  and 
St.  James's-street  look  if  supplied  only  with  the  fittings  of  an 
ordinary  barrack  or  national  school  ?  We  have  long  since  been 
told,  in  his  own  cheery  way,  by  our  noble  President,  how  happily 
he  passed  the  day  of  attaining  his  majority,  riding  over  the  wilds 
of  North  America  in  a  pair  of  corduroy  trousers,  much  split  across 
the  knees.  But  we  should  feel  greatly  surprised  if  he  had  carried 
such  primitive  doings  into  his  maturer  life,  and  startled  his  friends 
at  the  "  Carlton,"  the  House  of  Lords,  or  in  the  stately  halls  of 
Kimbolton,  with  -any  such  apparition  as  he  described.  And  yet 
this  represents  the  condition  with  which  we  content  ourselves 
in  regions  which,  however  delightful  and  however  capable  of  beauty, 
would  be  infinitely  more  beautiful  and  infinitely  more  delightful,  if 
adequately  furnished  with  everything  that  Nature  has  so  bountifully 
supplied. 

I  was  riding,  recently,  through  one  of  our  English  parks — 
exceedingly  beautiful,  umbrageous,  and  furnished  with  all  that 
hydrangea,  fern,  and  rhododendron  could  supply ;  but  as  I 
passed  out  at  the  gate,  after  a  ride  of  something  like  three  miles, 
I  remarked  to  my  companion  that  I  thought  we  had  not  seen 
a  single  living  thing ! 

Now  let  us  fancy  what  a  dreadful  waste  of  opportunity  is  here 
represented.  Without  any  great  stretch  of  the  imagination 
perhaps  fifty  things  could  be  suggested  which  would  have  lent 
variety  and  animation  to  the  scene— not  necessarily  expensive, 
not  necessarily  entailing  any  elaborate  treatment  or  care — to 
render  a  ride  through  such  regions  one  continuous  round  of 
enjoyment,  instead  of  leaving  upon  the  mind  that  dreary  sense  of 
solitude  and  of  wasted  opportunity. 

In  the  remarks  with  which  I  am  intending  to  trouble  you,  I  wish 
to  make  it  distinctly  understood  that  in  the  project  of  acclima- 
tisation according  to  my  interpretation,  is  included  the  whole 
vegetable  as  well  as  animal  kingdom,  although  those  who  know  me 
best  consider  that  having  rather  a  craze  in  the  latter  department, 
I  may  not  be  very  earnest  in  the  former.  On  the  contrary,  no  one 
can  have  formed  a  higher  estimate  than  myself  of  our  duty  in 


40  Acclimatisation. 

covering  the  earth  with  beautiful  forms  of  vegetation,  and  adding 
to  our  useful  products  of  the  garden,  the  orchard,  the  farm,  and  the 
forest. 

After  glancing  hastily  at  the  remarkable  successes  lately  achieved 
ia  India  through  the  introduction  of  the  tea-plant  and  the  cin- 
chona, and  trying  to  estimate  the  future  results  of  those  valuable 
plants,  let  us  look  for  a  moment  at  what  is  being  done  in  various 
parts  of  the  earth  by  some  of  the  native  trees  of  Australia.  We 
have,  of  course,  all  heard  of  the  Eucalyjrtus  globtihis,  and  may  notice 
the  very  frequent  references  to  that  wonderful  tree  which  meet  us 
constantly  in  the  papers.  Opinions  are  divided  as  to  the  merits 
associated  by  enthusiasts  with  this  tree  ;  and  men  of  high  scientific 
attainments  still  challenge  the  authenticity  of  the  reports  of  its 
more  sanguine  adherents.  At  the  same  time,  it  is  worth  while 
remembering  the  very  important  fact  that,  from  some  cause  or 
another,  where  the  gum-tree  grows  swamps  appear  to  lose  their 
deadly  character.  The  astonishing  power  of  this  tree  in  the  con- 
sumption of  stagnant  water  has  been  tested  by  actual  experiment 
by  a  scientific  American,  who  calculates  that  a  moderate-sized  tree 
will  drink  up  something  like  seventy  gallons  of  water  in  twenty- 
four  hours,  giving  out  in  return  that  peculiar  aromatic  odour  which 
many  people  believe  to  be  a  specific  against  miasma. 

I  have  always  taken  humbler  ground  in  advocating  the  claims  of 
this  won'derful  tree.  It  is  adapted  for  a  very  large  area  of  the 
more  temperate  regions  of  the  earth.  It  is  stated  by  Dr.  Mueller 
to  be  the  fastest-growing  tree  in  the  world  ;  and  if  it  has  no  other 
merit,  it  has  that  very  important  one  of  being  good  fuel. 

But  trees  have  other  uses  than  this.  We  have  reason  to  believe 
that  the  welfare  of  many  nations  has  been  seriously  compromised 
by  the  reckless  destruction  of  their  timber ;  that  the  climate  has 
been  thereby  modified,  the  rainfall  influenced,  and  the  whole  order 
of  the  seasons  greatly  affected.  We  are  accustomed  to  hear  Spain 
referred  to  warningly  in  this  respect ;  and  those  of  us  who  have 
travelled  through  that  country  must  have  been  impressed  with  the 
parched  and  arid  look  of  immense  portions  of  its  surface. 

We  may  then  glance  at  the  wonderful  results  of  the  cultivation 
of  the  larch  in  Scotland.  The  larch  is  not  indigenous  to  Scotland, 
and  yet  what  wonderful  effects  have  been  produced  by  its  diligent 
cultivation !  Hill-sides  have  been  clothed,  the  landscape  has  been 
beautified,  shelter  has  been  given  to  varied  crops  and  varied  forms 
of  stock ;  and  it  would  be  difficult  to  enumerate  the  advantages 
that  the  introduction  of  this  one  beautiful  tree  has  conferred  upon 
our  industrious  and  intelligent  neighbours  in  the  North.  I  was 


Acclimatisation.  41 

lately  speaking  to  a  very  competent  authority  about  the  condition 
of  New  Zealand,  and  was  assured  that  unless  attention  were  paid 
to  the  effective  clothing  of  that  country  with  some  form  of  timher, 
before  the  native  forests  are  destroyed,  the  results  could  not  fail  to 
be  most  disastrous.  From  the  peculiar  form  of  those  islands,  and 
their  situation  in  latitudes  liable  to  prodigiously  high  winds,  the 
whole  country  would  be  so  blown  over  by  perpetually  recurring 
tempests,  that,  without  adequate  tree  protection,  it  would  be 
impossible  to  do  justice  to  their  otherwise  great  opportunities. 

It  is  only  the  student  of  trees  who  can  heartily  appreciate  the 
value  of  this  form  of  addition  to  our  landscape ;  but,  considering 
the  illimitable  variety  available  in  form  and  colour,  there  seems 
something  really  sad  in  the  small  devotion  of  public  attention  to 
this  department  of  the  development  of  the  resources  of  the  different 
nations,  particularly  of  the  temperate  zones. 

It  was  with  great  pleasure  that  I  lately  came  accidentally  into 
contact  with  a  gentleman  at  the  head  of  the  Forest  Department  of 
one  of  the  Indian  Presidencies,  and  found  how  thoroughly  they 
were  impressed  with  their  necessities  in  this  way,  and  what  admi- 
rable steps  they  were  taking  to  do  justice  to  the  occasion.  I  was, 
however,  very  grieved  to  learn  from  him  that  so  little  attention  is 
devoted  to  forestry  as  a  national  object  in  England,  that  we  had  to 
send  away  our  young  men,  preparing  themselves  for  forest  cultiva- 
tion, to  schools  in  Germany  to  fit  them  for  future  usefulness  in 
such  work.  Is  it  not  a  little  shocking  that  a  country  with  the 
dependencies  of  Great  Britain,  with  all  their  splendid  varieties  of 
soil  and  site  and  climate,  should  not  recognise  as  thoroughly  as 
any  people  the  importance  of  this  special  branch  of  what  we  call 
acclimatisation  ? 

I  now  wish  to'point  to  a  particular  feature  of  this  great  scheme, 
to  which  I  want  energetically  to  direct  the  attention  of  my  hearers. 
The  project  being  large,  and  the  subjects  to  be  dealt  with  being 
very  various,  it  seems  obvious  that  different  forms  of  enterprise  are 
not  only  permissible,  but  requisite.  Some  things  may  be  fairly 
introduced  by  the  individual,  some  things  may  be  properly  left  to 
the  enterprise  of  associations,  some  things  rise  to  the  dignity  of 
national  effort,  and  can  only  be  properly  dealt  with  by  national 
resources.  It  is  in  this  latter  department  that  I  think  we  shall 
find  a  lamentable  deficiency.  Statesmen  and  politicians  are  too 
absorbed,  forsooth,  in  the  details  of  their  several  routines  to  con- 
descend to  such  forms  of  usefulness  as  these.  Yet,  allowing  great 
scope  to  private  enterprise  and  to  co-operative  association,  there 
still  seem  some  things  so  large  that  only  national  resources  can 


42  Acclimatisation. 

properly  cope  with  them  ;  and  it  seems  a  pity  that  Government?, 
naturally  humane  and  beneficent,  should  not  spare  some  portion  c  f 
their  attention  for  such  directions  as  these.  In  point  of  fact,  it 
seems  almost  as  if  we  were  going  backward.  It  would,  I  think, 
puzzle  my  hearers  to  quote  any  great  national  effort  of  this  kind  in 
recent  years  ;  although  we  all  know  that  in  the  romantic  catas- 
trophe of  the  Bounty  resulting  in  the  formation  of  one  of  the 
most  interesting  communities  in  the  world,  that  of  the  Pitcairn 
Islanders,  Captain  Bligh  was  at  the  time  of  the  mutiny  engaged 
in  a  Queen's  ship  in  conveying  the  bread-fruit  tree  from  the  South 
Sea  Islands  to  the  West  Indies. 

I  shall  not  soon  forget  the  circumstance  of  my  broaching  a  pro- 
position of  a  similar  nature  to  the  late  Duke  of  Newcastle.  In 
those  days  we  were  stumbling  about  in  the  preliminary  stages  of 
the  experiment  of  conveying  the  salmon  to  Australia,  a  project  in 
which  our  friend  Mr.  Youl  has  since  been  so  brilliantly  successful. 
I  tried  to  convince  his  Grace  that  amongst  the  less  employed  of 
the  vessels  of  the  Eoyal  Navy  some  one  might  be  set  apart  for  so 
interesting  an  experiment  as  this.  It  is  something,  in  these 
matter-of-fact  modern  days,  to  be  able  to  stagger  an  English  Duke 
and  Cabinet  Minister ;  and  I  shall  not  readily  forget  the  expression 
with  which  the  Duke  asked  me  what  I  thought  John  Bright  would 
say  if  he  heard  that  the  Queen's  ships  were  being  converted  into 
herring-boats  ?  I  need  scarcely  add  that  my  very  startling  pro- 
posal received  no  acceptance  ;  although  I  must  say,  in  justice  to 
the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  that  he  always  showed  the  most  sympa- 
thetic feeling  for  the  whole  project  of  acclimatisation,  and  once 
encouraged  us  with  the  remark,  that  "  it  assumed  almost  a  form  of 
creation  itself." 

Here  I  would,  by  the  way,  render  hearty  homage  to  the  ready 
reception  of  our  overtures  on  the  part  of  another  Duke  and  Cabinet 
Minister,  and  especially  as  the  concession  then  so  frankly  made 
is  capable,  I  believe,  of  being  utilised  to  a  much  greater  extent  than 
wo  are  at  all  at  present  aware  of.  I  went  as  one  of  a  deputation, 
many  years  ago,  to  the  Duke  of  Somerset,  who  was  then  the  First 
Lord  of  the  Admiralty,  and  endeavoured  to  interest  him  in  our 
project,  and  to  secure  his  co-operation  through  the  vessels  of  Her 
Majesty's  service.  We  were  received  in  the  most  kindly  and  sym- 
pathetic manner,  and  there  and  then  was  issued  an  order,  still 
existent,  to  all  captains  in  the  Navy  to  render  to  our  cause  every 
service  in  their  power. 

Of  this  very  much  greater  use  may  be  made  than  what  at  first 
may  seem  probable.  In  the  process  of  distribution  those  things 


Acclimatisation.  43 

seein  most  thoroughly  adapted  to  a  country  which  come  from  some 
other  country  corresponding  in  climate,  latitude,  &c.  For  instance, 
take  the  three  countries  of  nearly  corresponding  latitudes — South 
America,  South  Africa,  and  Australia.  We  find  them  provided,  in 
the  one  case,  with  the  cassowary ;  in  the  second,  with  the  ostrich  ; 
in  the  third,  with  the  emu — three  birds  in  many  respects  ana- 
logous, and  leading  to  well-founded  expectations  that  where  any 
one  of  the  three  can  live,  all  three  can  live  equally  well.  But 
between  countries  of  corresponding  latitudes  there  is  but  little 
opportunity  of  traffic,  as  the  productions  of  those  countries  so 
nearly  correspond  that  there  is  not  much  opportunity  of  inter- 
change, and  consequently  of  inter-communication  by  ship.  In 
such  circumstances,  it  seems  obvious  that  a  little  timely  assistance 
rendered  by  unemployed  vessels-of-war  might  greatly  hasten  on 
this  replenishing  of  the  earth,  for  which  I  am  humbly  pleading, 
and  supply  new  forms  of  beauty  and  usefulness  in  directions  to 
which  it  would  be  otherwise  difficult  to  convey  them. 

I  have  .often  looked  at  the  fine,  roomy  decks  of  those  large  ships, 
and  thought  of  the  more  than  motherly  care  bestowed  by  honest 
Jack  upon  anything  in  the  nature  of  a  pet  confided  to  his  charge, 
and  have  mourned  over  the  small  results  from  such  splendid 
opportunities. 

Let  us  take  a  case  in  point.  I  select  the  herring  of  our  northern 
seas.  Let  us  reflect,  in  the  first  place,  upon  the  prodigious  num- 
bers in  which  it  visits  our  coasts  ;  the  rich  harvests  it  affords  to 
some  of  the  most  manly  and  enterprising  of  our  race ;  the  oppor- 
tunity it  gives  for  the  cultivation  of  the  very  best  seamen  in  the  world. 
That  my  hearers  may  form  some  adequate  idea  of  the  importance  of 
this  fish,  both  as  an  article  of  export  and  as  one  contributing  to 
the  food  of  the  people,  it  may  be  stated  that  in  the  year  1874 
no  fewer  than  2,047,599  barrels,  containing  on  an  average  700  fish 
each,  were  caught  by  boats  owned  by  Great  Britain  and  Ireland, 
and  of  this  quantity  more  than  a  million  barrels  were  exported. 
Then  let  us  consider  the  ease  with  which  this  useful  fish  is  pre- 
served, and  rendered  capable  of  transmission  to  the  very  ends  cf 
the  earth,  and  its  astonishing  savoriness  when  it  gets  there.  Let 
us,  last  and  not  least,  trace  its  power,  in  rendering  palatable  food 
otherwise  insipid.  I  ask  you  to  accompany  me  to  the  Irish  cabin, 
in  which  poverty  and  unsatisfied  appetite  are  apt  to  take  such 
sorrowful  forms,  and  appreciate,  as  far  as  one  can  appreciate,  the 
virtues  of  that  highly-flavoured  little  fish,  which  is  reported  to  add 
relish  to  the  family  dish,  and  even  when  reduced  to  its  infinitesimal 
form,  at  once  leads  to  the  economising  of  the  family  resources, 


44  Acclimatisation. 

and  stimulates  the  imagination  of  the  child,  in  constituting  an 
ingredient  of  the  meal  known  as  "  potatoes  and  point." 

We  have  already,  I  understand,  in  the  Southern  Hemisphere,  a 
very  excellent  fish  nearly  related  to  the  hen-ing — I  mean  the 
pilchard,  which  sometimes  shows  iDaulf  in  shoals  upon  our  coasts 
in  Australia,  and  of  which  I  have  recently  heard  very  favourable 
reports  when  found  along  the  shores  of  South  Africa.  The  exist- 
ence of  so  nearly  related  a  congener  would  seem  to  point  to  the 
obvious  suitableness  of  the  vast  southern  oceans  for  the  herring ; 
and  I  ask  my  hearers  to  imagine  the  service  rendered  to  mankind 
by  the  transmission  of  such  a  fish  to  seas  of  such  expanse.  It  does 
not  seem  as  if  the  transmission  of  the  herring  to  the  south  should 
be  a  matter  of  any  serious  difficulty.  It  would  not  require  to  be 
nursed  during  long  months  with  the'paternal  care  lavished  by  Mr. 
Youl  upon  his  favourite  salmon.  It  seems  as  if  all  that  would  be 
necessary  would  be  to  secure  the  ova  in  a  fertile  condition  in  these 
temperate  seas,  and  convey  it  as  rapidly  as  possible  into  seas  of 
corresponding  latitude  in  the  southern  hemisphere.  Set  Mr.  Frank 
Buckland  a  job  like  this,  and  within  a  few  weeks  the  thing  would 
be  done,  and  we  might  leave  it  to  the  herring  itself  to  indicate  its 
arrival  on  all  our  coasts  in  its  own  peculiar  way,  and  in  its  charac- 
teristic wealth  of  numbers. 

If  it  be  argued  that  there  is  anything  infra  dig.  in  the  employ- 
ment of  ships  provided  for  the  noble  game  of  war  in  offices  com- 
paratively so  insignificant  as  the  conveyance  of  the  spawn  of  fish, 
I  think  it  would  be  well  for  us  occasionally  to  remodel  our  estimate 
of  the  relative  value  of  the  victories  of  war  as  compared  with  the 
less  pretentious  victories  of  peace.  To  the  practical  mind,  influ- 
enced fairly,  if  not  extravagantly,  by  conceptions  of  utilitarianism, 
there  is  something  exceedingly  horrifying  in  the  waste  apparent  in 
the  simple  preparation  for  possible  wars.  We  go  on  board  one  of 
the  splendid  vessels  constituting,  for  instance,  our  Channel  Fleet, 
and  we  see  expensiveness  of  the  most  pronounced  type  meeting  us 
at  every  step.  Thousands  of  the  finest  fellows  in  the  world  are 
idling  away  their  time,  and  pining  for  more  active  and  more  intel- 
ligent employment.  We  may,  unhappily,  want  them  some  day  for 
the  final  purpose  for  which  they  are  engaged ;  but  that  day  may 
never  come,  and  meantime  it  seems  to  me  a  form  of  waste  amount- 
ing to  absolute  sinfulness  to  lose  any  opportunity  of  utilising  such 
tremendous  forms  of  usefulness.  The  men  themselves  would  be 
very  much  better  occupied  by  some  simple  form  of  employment, 
and  they  would  feel  prouder  and  more  contented  in  their  several 
spheres  if  they  were  impressed  with  the  idea  that  they  were  doing 


Acclimatisation.  45 

something  of  a  useful  character.  These  ships,  during  the  winter 
months,  are  many  of  them  ordered  off  to  milder  climates  for  the 
sake  of  the  health  of  the  crews.  They  go  to  Madeira,  Lisbon, 
Oporto,  or  wherever  else  it  may  be.  It  seems  to  me  that  they 
might  still  go  to  a  mild  climate,  and  be  employed  in  the  meantime. 
They  should,  of  course,  be  kept  within  reach  of  recall.  For,  if  the 
worst  came  to  the  worst,  even  Prince  Bismarck,  in  his  most  fero- 
cious mood,  will  never  be  able  to  eat  us  up  in  a  week ;  and,  in  any 
case,  vessels  might  be  better  employed  in  such  work  in  pleasant, 
sunny  seas,  than  in  running  one  another  down  in  an  Irish  fog. 

We  ought,  I  think,  as  a  nation,  to  do  a  great  deal  more  than  we 
do  in  such  directions.  It  might  save  us  from  imputations  very 
unpleasant,  and  not  unattended  with  formidable  danger.  In  recent 
years,  for  instance,  we  have  shown  our  hatred  of  war  and  its 
horrors  to  such  an  extent  that  we  are  apt  to  be  charged  by  our 
Continental  neighbours  with  having  lost  our  grand  old  heroic 
spirit — with  having  become  tainted  with  a  low  mercenary  sentiment, 
and  with  having  sunk  into  liability  to  pusillanimous  terrors.  This 
is  a  very  bad  character  to  have,  and  the  fact  of  such  a  suspicion 
existing  may  lead  some  day  to  such  insult  or  line  of  policy  upon 
the  part  of  other  powerful  States  as  may  result  in  a  terrible  retri- 
bution. Would  it  not  be  better  to  be  able  to  say  to  such  Powers, 
"  We  do  not  believe  in  wars.  We  see  the  folly  of  such  prodigious 
expenditure  in  preparation  for  such  murderous  business.  We 
think  we  can  employ  the  flower  of  our  youth  better  than  in  dress- 
ing them  in  special  array,  and  reserving  them  for  the  murder  of 
then-  fellow-creatures.  We  do  this  because  we  have  become  con- 
vinced of  the  mischiefs  and  horrors  of  war — not  from  cowardice, 
not  from  having  lost  that  warlike  spirit,  of  which  we  have  shown 
some  signs  in  tunes  past,  not  even  from  motives  of  a  narrow 
economy.  The  same  sums  which  you  waste  in  so  objectionable  a 
manner  we  spend  in  exploration,  in  colonisation,  in  the  interchange 
of  all  kinds  of  valuable  commodities,  and  in  covering  the  earth  with 
all  manner  of  good  things.  If  you  ask  us  what  we  are  doing  with 
the  flower  of  our  manhood,  we  point  to  the  Northern  and  Southern 
Poles,  to  the  least  known  regions  of  the  sources  of  the  Nile,  to  the 
centre  of  Australian  deserts,  to  the  heights  of  the  Kocky  Mountains 
and  the  Himalayas.  As  the  principal  explorers,  colonisers,  mer- 
chants, and  acclimatisers  of  the  earth,  we  find  an  ample  and  an 
adequate  mode  of  expenditure.  And  we  ask  you  whether  it  is  not 
better  so  to  employ  our  more  energetic  spirits  than  in  condemning 
them  to  the  barracks  and  the  parade-ground  :  so  to  employ  our 
money  than  in  wasting  it  in  gunpowder  and  pipe-clay." 


46  Acclimatisation. 

Let  us  take  another  case,  adapted  apparently  for  national  effort 
— the  transference  from  South  Africa  to  Australia  of  some  of  that 
prodigious  wealth  of  animal  life  in  which  the  former  so  abounds. 
In  Australia  there  is  no  indigenous  deer  or  antelope.  In  South 
Africa  there  are  such  varieties  of  animal  life  that  their  enumera- 
tion would  be  tedious.  How  interesting  to  introduce  amongst  our 
Australian  colonies  some  of  those  beautiful  types.  But  South 
Africa,  like  Australia,  produces  wheat,  and  wool,  and  wine, 
the  orange,  the  fig,  and  the  olive.  And  the  very  similarity  of  pro- 
ducts, which  seem  to  indicate  ease  of  adaptation  in  a  new  thing, 
arrests  intercommunication  and  prevents  traffic.  A  Queen's  ship  or 
two,  in  their  passages  round  the  Cape,  might  render  services  which, 
not  so  offered,  might  never  otherwise  be  available. 

And  now  for  a  glance  at  our  fresh-water  fishes.  Has  it  ever 
occurred  to  my  hearers  to  calculate  the  awful  waste  of  space  and 
opportunity  in  the  still  waters  of  this  country  ?  While  we  have 
the  lordly  salmon  sailing  up  and  down  our  rivers,  we  can,  perhaps, 
have  little  to  urge  as  to  the  occupation  of  our  running  waters.  Of 
course,  much  more  scope  should  be  given  him  by  sweeping  away 
the  little,  miserable  obstructions  by  which  one  landholder  tries  to 
steal  a  march  upon  another  in  securing  more  than  his  fair  share 
of  the  salmon  as  they  pass  to  and  fro.  Still,  at  all  events,  the 
rivers  are  tolerably  provided  with  very  beautiful  fish.  But  what 
can  we  say  of  our  ponds,  canals,  and  some  of  our  smaller  lakes  ? 
We  can  say  carp,  and  tench,  and  roach,  and  pike.  Is  there  no 
better  fish  in  all  the  world  for  such  purposes  than  these  ?  It  is 
urged  that  with  proper  attention  in  the  preparation  even  they  may 
be  made  eatable  ;  but  I  demur  altogether  to  the  recognition  of  a 
fish  which  is  greatly  dependent  on  its  cooking  for  becoming  pala- 
table food.  A  fish,  like  every  other  animal,  should  have  some 
decided  excellence  in  itself ;  and  I  have  every  reason  to  believe 
that  there  are  plenty  of  better  fishes  in  the  world  which  might 
easily  be  introduced  and  cultivated  in  our  still  fresh  waters  to  very 
much  better  effect  than  our  little  bony  and  muddy  friends  that  I 
have  enumerated.  We  once  succeeded  in  sending  home  living 
specimens  of  the  Murray  cod  of  Australia,  which  does  very  well 
there  in  our  waterholes,  stagnant  during  several  months  at  a  time, 
and  which  might  be  found  to  suit  the  English  climate.  I  am  far 
from  saying  that  this  is  the  most  suitable  of  all  fish  ;  on  the  con- 
trary, I  should  think  that  there  must  be  many  others  much  more 
suitable.  I  believe  there  are  several  kinds  of  fish  in  the  North 
American  waters  which  might  easily  be  introduced.  And  I  have 
seen  the  sterlet  in  the  tanks  of  the  Brighton  Aquarium,  which  I 


Acclimatisation.  47 

have  also  seen  swimming  in  the  tanks  of  the  markets  in  North 
Germany,  and  which  is  reported  to  be  a  very  manageable  and  pala- 
table fish. 

If  we  once  get  a  good  fish,  we  ought  then  to  utilise  our  still  waters 
much  more  thoroughly  than  we  do,  combining  perhaps  with 
that  utilisation  the  forms  of  amusement  which  seem  to  be  so 
popular.  A  pond  should  be  treated  like  a  poultry-yard — furnished 
Tv'ith  a  certain  quantity  of  its  special  occupants,  and  these  duly 
supplied  with  some  sort  of  food,  causing  them  to  pass  rapidly  to  a 
useful  and  edible  stage,  and  constituting  the  water,  like  the  land, 
11  u  available  addition  to  our  resources  in  the  way  of  food  supply. 
What  can  be  done  in  that  way  may  be  judged  of  by  a  statement 
made  to  me  by  the  late  Mr.  Fennell,  that  one  of  the  proprietors  on 
the  Tay  had  let  his  fishing  for  something  like  six  thousand  a  year ; 
but  by  mismanagement  the  tenants  had  rendered  the  thing  unpro- 
fitable, and  had  to  give  up  the  arrangement.  On  this  the  proprie- 
tor took  the  matter  into  his  own  hands,  placed  it  under  proper 
supervision,  cleared  a  profit  of  twelve  thousand  a  year,  paying 
him  a  better  rental  per  acre,  Mr.  Fennell  assured  me,  than  any 
dry  laud  he  had  in  the  county. 

Let  us  imagine,  then,  the  enormous  space  devoted  to  ponds, 
minor  lakes,  canals,  &c.,  over  the  United  Kingdom,  now  almost 
useless ;  and  let  us  try  to  estimate  what  that  area  would  produce  in 
circumstances  of  proper  scientific  and  systematic  cultivation. 

Thus  far  I  have  instanced  those  things  the  treatment  of  which  I 
consider  either  suited  to  national  effort  or  to  the  action  of  asso- 
ciations. When  we  come  to  minor  matters  with  which  individuals 
are  in  the  highest  degree  competent  to  deal,  I  wish,  after  some 
little  experience  in  such  matters,  to  give  my  hearers  a  hint  which, 
if  accepted,  may  be  a  source  of  very  great  happiness  to  them. 

While  surrounded  more  or  less  continuously  by  such  beautiful 
things  as  those  whose  cause  I  am  pleading,  the  mere  happiness  of 
.such  surrounding  is  dependent  to  a  great  extent  upon  the  associa- 
tion of  idea.  The  same  thing  will  supply  a  very  varying  amount 
of  enjoyment  to  different  individuals.  One  person  may  have  an 
extreme  appreciation  of  colour,  of  beauty  of  form,  of  special  ele- 
ments of  movement,  of  excellence  of  song,  or  of  some  other  quality 
in  an  object.  And  thus  it  is  that  one  person  walks  through  the 
country  or  lounges  in  a  garden  absorbed  in  some  consideration 
miles  away  from  the  objects  by  which  he  is  surrounded,  while 
another  plunges  with  an  ecstacy  beyond  expression  into  every  little 
detail  of  which  alone  the  educated  and  sympathetic  nature  is 
capable.  But  imagine  the  pleasure  of  appreciation  of  a  particular 


48  Acclimatisation. 

form  of  beauty,  of  whatever  kind,  to  one  who  has  done  something 
to  introduce  that  particular  form  of  beauty  into  new  regions,  and 
to  bring  it  under  the  notice  of  other  appreciative  eyes  and  ears. 
I  wish  to  make  this  distinctly  understood,  and  I  would  take  an 
illustration  which  occurs  to  me  very  frequently  in  my  country 
walks. 

In  the  year  1858  I  sent  out  to  Melbourne,  under  the  care  of  a 
kind  and  attentive  friend,  a  consignment  of  the  common  song 
thrush  of  England.  They  were  turned  out  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Melbourne,  soon  bred,  and  freely  scattered  over  a  considerable 
area,  and  when  I  was  last  in  the  colony  I  noticed  them  in  the 
gardens  around  Melbourne  fluttering  about  the  bushes,  and  singing 
as  cheerfully  as  in  their  native  land.  Since  that  day  the  song  of 
the  thrush  has  been  productive  of  a  degree  of  pleasure  to  my  ears 
very  difficult  to  describe ;  for  admiring,  as  one  must  admire,  the 
wonderful  richness  and  beauty  of  its  note,  I  always  feel  that  in 
having  done  something  to  introduce  to  new  observers  that  admir- 
able quality  of  song,  the  song  itself  reaches  my  ears  with  very 
greatly  enhanced  agreeableuess.  Indeed,  I  often  think  that  nobody 
in  the  world  hears  the  thrush  sing  with  the  pleasure  that  I  hear  it. 
And  I  say  to  any  one  who  may  feel  inclined  to  challenge  this  state- 
ment, "  Go  and  try  the  experiment." 

Is  it  too  much  to  hope  that  out  of  the  large  number  of  men  who 
have  attained  such  brilliant  success  in  the  splendid  dependencies  of 
the  Empire,  it  should  become  a  sort  of  fashion  for  each  one  to  take 
up  some  one  or  two  obviously  suitable  additions  to  the  country  with 
which  he  has  been  specially  identified,  and  never  rest  until  he  has 
made  it  his  own  ?  Is  it  not  a  sort  of  duty  that  we  owe  to  the 
countries  which  have  done  so  well  by  us  ?  Such  service  would  be 
a  graceful  tribute,  and  free  us  from  imputations  which  I  am  afraid 
many  of  us  deserve  ;  in  showing  a  disposition  on  our  part  to  regard 
success  of  a  very  remarkable  degree  more  as  a  result  of  the  magni- 
ficent opportunities  which  have  been  afforded  us,  than  as  proceeding 
from  any  transcendent  merits  of  our  own. 

There  are  small  things  and  inexpensive  coming  within  the  scope 
of  our  scheme  as  well  as  the  more  pretentious  things  to  which  I 
have  alluded.  For  instance,  by  a  recent  ship  I  sent  out  to  Mel- 
bourne a  consignment  of  the  common  glow-worm,  having  twice 
before  succeeded  in  landing  them  in  the  colony  apparently  quite 
healthy,  and  lighting  their  beautiful  little  lamps  as  cheerfully  as 
in  an  English  lane.  One  might  be  asked,  "  Why  send  out 
such  trivial  things  as  glow-worms  ? "  But  I  have  all  along 
endeavoured  to  vindicate  the  claims  of  the  comparatively  trivial. 


Acclimatisation.  49 

Let  us  fancy  what  an  addition  might  be  made  to  our  beautiful 
summer  evenings  in  Australia  by  a  few  things  like  these  !  The 
young  people  of  those  lands,  like  the  young  people  of  other  lands, 
will  fall  in  love  with  one  another,  and  will  indulge  in  their  evening 
rambles  ;  and,  as  in  other  lands/probably  they  will  occasionally  fall 
a  little  short  of  topics  for  conversation.  What  debt  of  gratitude 
would  they,  so  circumstanced,  not  owe  to  anyone  who  should  pro- 
vide them  with  such  materials  as  the  light  of  the  glow-worm  and 
the  song  of  the  nightingale  ? 

Another  hint — trivial,  but  suggestive.  At  my  own  place  I  have 
a  sheet  of  water,  with  a  small  island  in  the  centre,  covered  with 
rhododendrons,  magnolias,  and  some  larger  trees.  In  the  course 
of  last  summer  it  occurred  to  me,  as  a  happy  inspiration,  that 
this  little  island  had  worn  sufficiently  long  its  comparatively  un- 
tenanted  look,  and  that  I  ought  to  take  steps  for  its  occupation.  I 
consequently  placed  on  it  a  couple  of  the  little  monkeys  which  our 
kind  friend,  Mr.  Jamrach,  so  readily  supplies  at  so  moderate  a 
price.  And  the  success  has  been  so  pronounced  as  to  elevate  the 
whole  thing  into  a  distinct  discovery.  I  really  do  not  know  when 
I  have  seen  anything  mpre  enjoyable  than  the  darting  about  over 
the  upper  branches  of  the  trees  of  these  playful  and  beautiful  little 
creatures.  They  have,  of  course,  to  be  taken  in  for  shelter  during 
the  winter  months  ;  but  during  summer  they  have  retained  their 
health  perfectly,  and  have  seemed  to  be  as  happy  as  the  day  was 
long.  Having  myself  seen  the  wild  monkey  in  Ceylon,  and  also 
watched  the  little  party  which  has  long  delighted  the  inhabitants 
of  the  Rock  of  Gibraltar,  I  knew  pretty  well  the  amusement  that 
these  little  things  would  afford  in  a  semi-wild  condition ;  but  I  had 
no  idea,  until  I  had  the  opportunity  of  watching  leisurely  the 
doings  of  these  little  creatures,  of  the  great  enjoyment  derivable 
from  their  wonderful  playfulness,  gracefulness,  and  agility.  Indeed, 
I  have  often  found  myself  led  to  think  that  our  good  friend  Mr. 
Darwin,  when  he  walked  off  with  our  tails,  has  also,  perhaps,  been 
guilty  of  depriving  us  at  the  same  time  of  many  of  our  most  en- 
gaging and  attractive  qualities. 

The  peopling  of  the  little  island  with  such  interesting  inhabitants 
lias  also  had  another  good  effect ;  for  their  fame  has  spread  rather 
widely  through  the  neighbourhood,  and  the  young  people  are  pro- 
mised by  affectionate  parents  that  if  they  will  but  keep  quiet  and 
behave  prettily  for  a  certain  length  of  time  they  shall  be  brought 
down  the  first  fine  day  to  see  me  and  my  monkeys.  And,  in  thus 
being  able  to  hold  out  an  incentive  to  youthful  virtue,  it  is  a 
pleasure  to  feel  that  there  still  lingers  in  one's  path  some  forms 
E 


50  Acclimatisation. 

of  usefulness  ;  and,  rapidly  waning  as  one's  opportunities  may  be 
in  larger  matters,  it  is  a  great  comfort  to  find  oneself  fit  to  be  thus 
classed  with  Mrs.  Winslow's  Soothing  Syrup,  and  other  mucli- 
prized  narcotics,  as  a  "real  blessing  to  mothers." 

There  is  a  deeper  value  in  all  this  than  at  first  sight  appears  to 
be  the  case.  In  devoting  one's  attention  to  matters  like  these,  little 
by  little  grows  up  the  unspeakable  love  for  all  these  things.  It  is 
singular  to  notice  how  rapidly  and  inevitably  that  love  grows ;  and 
in  varying  and  enhancing  the  attractions  of  a  country  life  to  our 
young  people,  we  lead  their  thoughts  into  healthier  channels  than 
they  are  apt  sometimes  to  find,  and  do  more  than  we  can  well 
calculate  in  diverting  their  ideas  from  the  frivolities  and  dissipations 
of  the  town. 

And  to  the  grown  man  not  less  than  to  the  child  are  hints  like 
these  capable  of  useful  application.  How  many  of  us  do  we  see 
impressed  with  too  great  earnestness  in  a  special  pursuit,  and  that 
pursuit  running  more  immediately  in  the  direction  of  money  ! 
Over  and  over  again  have  I  pleaded  seriously  with  most  estimable 
men  so  situated,  and  have  begged  of  them,  almost  on  my  knees,  to 
consider  whether  some  modification  of  life  would  not  be  advantageous 
to  them  and  all  belonging  to  them.  "  You  are  rich  enough,"  I  have 
said,  "too  rich  probably;  for,  when  you  are  no  longer  here,  the 
money  which  you  are  so  anxious  to  store  up  will  probably  make 
your  sons  idle  and  hand  over  your  daughters  to  the  fortune-hunter. 
Modify  your  efforts  in  that  way — accept  the  relaxation  of  a  little 
holiday-making,  pleasantly  applied,  and  keep  yourselves  alive  as  the 
advisers  of  your  sons  and  daughters  during  the  more  critical  phases 
of  their  careers,  instead  of  hurrying  through  the  counting-house  to 
the  grave,  leaving  behind  you  overloaded  coffers,  which  will  work 
more  harm  than  good  even  to  those  you  love  the  best." 

It  is  sad  to  one  of  country  tastes  to  notice  most  intelligent  people 
habitually  rushing  into  the  narrow  courts  and  alleys  of  this  murky 
city,  spending  the  long  hours  of  every  week-day  in  gloomy,  half-lit 
offices,  and  burying  themselves  in  what  I  call  the  rabbit-warrens 
and  rat-holes  of  E.G.,  when  they  might  beneficially  afford  a  certain 
percentage  of  their  time  for  purer  air,  and  for  identification  with 
things  which  they  would  find  more  delightful  than  they  can  believe, 
if  they  would  but  take  the  trouble  to  become  intimate  with  them. 

We  must  now  turn  to  a  very  serious  department  of  this  scheme. 
I  allude  to  the  possible  mischiefs  which  may  be  done  by  the  intro- 
duction, by  accident  or  mistake,  of  something  which  may  turn  out 
to  be  objectionable ;  and  this  is  a  matter  which  deserves  very  grave 
consideration,  as  any  mistake  is  calculated  greatly  to  add  to  the 


Acclimatisation.  51 

influence  of  that  very  large  section  of  mankind  who  sneer  at  all  this 
kind  of  enterprise.  Any  fool  can  sneer.  In  fact,  as  far  as  niy 
observation  goes,  the  more  complete  the  fool  the  more  perfect  he  is 
apt  to  be  in  this  very  mischievous  accomplishment.  This  is  an 
animal  which  there  is  no  necessity  to  acclimatise  or  distribute. 
He  is  able  to  take  good  care  of  himself.  You  find  him  in  every 
land,  making  himself  perfectly  at  home,  and  indicating  powers 
of  reproduction  which  leave  far  behind  even  the  rabbit,  the  rat,  or 
the  house-fly.  Poor  patient  labourers  in  the  cause  which  I  am 
advocating  have  been,  and  are  even  now,  seriously  encumbered  by 
the  sneers  of  those  who,  doing  little  or  nothing  for  the  world 
themselves,  try  to  compensate  for  then:  apathy  and  uselessness  by 
seeking  to  disparage  the  work  of  others. 

Meantime,  grave  mistakes  may  easily  be  made,  and  we  must 
always  be  on  our  guard  against  the  accidental  introduction,  probably 
through  the  agency  of  some  lurking  parasite  or  seed  of  noxious 
weed,  of  something  which  may  perhaps  creep  in  amongst  more 
eligible  associates.  It  has  always  been  held  that  we  owe  the 
Bathurst  Burr,  which  for  a  long  time  gave  such  trouble  to  our 
settlers  in  New  South  Wales,  to  seeds  introduced  originally  in  the 
mane?  and  tails  of  horses  from  Valparaiso.  We  know  what  the 
thistle  has  done  for  us  in  Australia,  and  remember  the  aggressive 
yellow  "  Capeweed,"  which  is  establishing  itself  in  many  parts  of 
the  colonies.  We  have,  of  course,  heard  of  the  misdeeds  of  the 
sparrow  and  the  rabbit ;  and  while  we  are  certain  to  introduce 
incidentally  such  things  as  the  house-fly  and  the  bug,  and  our 
faithful  companion  the  Norway  rat,  and  other  troublesome  camp 
followers  which  hang  on  the  track  of  civilised  man,  we  ought  to 
be  always  on  our  guard  to  minimise  these  evils  as  far  as  possible. 

But  in  dealing  with  great  work  we  must  not  be  deterred  by 
craven  fear  of  possible  danger.  Are  we  not  to  have  the  vine 
because  of  the  Pliyloxera  vastatrix  ?  Are  we  to  forego  the  potato 
because  some  vigilant  eye  has  detected  the  American  beetle  ?  The 
very  nature  of  civilisation  involves  many  such  troubles,  and  we 
must  deal  with  them  in  an  intelligent  spirit,  seeking  out  the 
best  mode  of  coping  with  a  particular  trouble,  and  opposing  its 
progress  with  a  stern  hand.  We  hear  of  certain  wealthy  gentle- 
men in  Victoria  who  have  been  committed  to  the  expenditure  of 
thousands  a  year  in  endeavours  to  keep  down  the  rabbit.  I  recol- 
lact  seeing  a  paragraph  in  the  Field  newspaper  many  years  age, 
iatimating  that  the  natural  enemy  of  the  rabbit  was  the  black  pole- 
cat, and  that  the  introduction  of  a  few  specimens  of  that  animal 
would  save  all  those  thousands  a  year.  And,  perhaps,  when  so 

E  2 


52  Acclimatisation. 

modifying  natural  action  as  we  do  by  the  prosecution  of  our  special 
form  of  enterprise,  we  ought  to  accustom  ourselves  to  look  to 
natural  modes  of  checking  nuisances  rather  than  to  artificial 
modes.  Nature  has  a  wonderful  faculty  for  balancing  the  various 
forms  of  animated  life  with  which  she  has  to  deal.  If  a  bird 
becomes  too  numerous,  a  special  hawk  appears  to  have  been  sent 
to  keep  it  in  check ;  and  so  throughout  the  piece. 

The  sparrows,  which  are  apt  to  do  so  much  mischief  in  the 
gardens  in  neighbourhoods  to  which  they  have  been  recently 
introduced  and  in  which  they  most  congregate,  should  have  been 
dealt  with  in  a  very  resolute  way  long  before  they  attained  such 
a  position.  A  sparrow  which  comes  over  the  garden-wall  in 
the  early  summer  after  the  young  peas  or  ripening  fruit,  should  be 
shot  in  flagrante  delicto.  When  he  has  once  tasted  these  delicacies 
he  is  perfectly  certain  to  come  back,  and  very  soon  will  bring  his 
father  and  mother,  brothers  and  sisters,  wife  and  little  ones.  He 
takes  some  time  to  make  the  discovery,  but,  having  made  it,  he 
becomes  a  very  inveterate  character  indeed.  We  unfeathered 
bipeds,  alas  !  have  no  monopoly  of  criminality.  Amongst  sparrows 
and  wild  animals  generally  there  is  the  convict  character,  easily  dis- 
cernible, and  just  as  pronounced  as  amongst  ourselves  ;  and  the 
convict  must  be  dealt  with  as  we  ought  to  deal  with  our  own  con- 
victs— in  a  very  uncompromising  manner  indeed.  A  false  senti- 
mentalism  amongst  them,  as  amongst  ourselves,  may  gradually 
convert  an  ordinary  well-doer  into  a  very  objectionable  character. 
Crime  in  pea-stealing,  as  crime  in  watch-stealing  and  bank -breaking, 
should  be  nipped  in  the  bud. 

Wild  animals  are  a  great  deal  more  amenable  to  a  form  of 
education  than  is  generally  supposed.  I  say  this  advisedly,  as  I 
have  had  many  illustrations  of  it  in  my  own  case.  On  one  occasion 
I  rented  a  very  excellent  vineyard,  in  the  fruit  of  which  I  was 
greatly  interested.  At  the  bottom  of  an  adjacent  paddock  was  the 
slaughterhouse  of  the  neighbouring  village,  haunted,  as  such  places 
usually  are,  by  the  carrion  crow  of  the  colony.  As  my  grapes  began 
to  ripen,  my  men  told  me  that  they  were  so  attacked  by  the  crows, 
that  unless  something  were  done  I  should  not  have  a  single  grape. 
I  gave  them  a  gun  or  two,  and  told  them  when  they  shot  crows  to 
hang  them  up  by  the  heels  ;  and  I  rigged  up  in  the  vineyard  a  few 
scarecrows  of  more  than  usually  ferocious  aspect.  My  success  in 
thus  checking  the  attack  at  its  outset  was  a  matter  of  profound 
surprise,  and  has  impressed  me  ever  since.  After  a  few  days,  not 
a  crow  ever  came  into  that  vineyard.  I  used  to  see  them  sailing  up 
and  down  along  the  outside  of  the  fences,  glancing  towards  my 


Acclimatisation.  53 

grapes  with  a  disdainful  eye,  and  describing  me  one  to  another,  in 
as  plain  language  as  a  crow  could  use,  as  a  very  bloodthirsty 
and  disreputable  person,  with  whom  no  properly-constituted 
carrion-crow  would  be  justified  in  holding  any  communication 
whatever. 

It  is  all  very  well  to  laugh  at  this  remark,  but  those  of  us  who 
have  mixed,  as  all  of  us  should  seek  to  mix,  with  what  are  some- 
times playfully  termed  "dumb  animals,"  will  soon  get  to  learn  their 
language  quite  as  well  as  we  understand  the  language  of  each  other; 
and  in  many  instances  it  will  be  found  a  much  more  agreeable  lan- 
guage than  what  has  been  somewhere  quaintly  described  as  the 
cackle  of  the  daws  of  parliaments,  or  the  shrieks  of  the  kites  of 
officialdom. 

Perhaps  amongst  the  legitimate  functions  of  acclimatisation 
may  be  enumerated  Eradication.  In  setting  about  so  serious  a  task 
as  that  of  remodelling  the  arrangements  of  Nature  herself,  we  ought, 
I  think,  to  assert  our  right  to  destroy  some  things  for  the  purpose 
of  smoothing  the  path  of  more  valuable  things.  Many  of  my 
hearers  will  recollect  the  terrible  ravages  of  the  wild-dog  in  Aus- 
tralia, and  the  serious  expense  and  anxiety  consequent  upon  his 
once  almost  ubiquitous  existence  there.  We  have  stood  upon  very 
little  ceremony  with  this  rapacious  rascal ;  and  over  hundreds  of 
miles  of  country  where  he  once  roamed,  not  a  single  specimen  is 
now  ever  seen.  Our  Indian  fellow-subjects  ought  long  since  to 
have  taken  example  by  what  we  have  done  in  Australia  with  the 
wild  dog,  in  coping  with  that  dreadful  character,  the  tiger.  It  was  a 
most  shocking  thing  to  hear  in  the  discussion  upon  the  paper  read 
by  Lord  Napier  of  Ettrick  to  the  Society  of  Arts,  that  the  wild  beasts 
of  India  are  calculated  to  destroy  annually  something  like  ten 
thousand  of  our  fellow-subjects ;  ravaging  whole  districts,  condemning 
large  and  fertile  tracts  to  sterility,  and  horrifying  us  with  the 
knowledge  that  individual  animals  have  been  known  to  have 
destroyed  one  or  two  hundred  of  our  fellow-creatures.  It  was  a 
shocking  thing,  when  the  discussion  recently  occupied  the  columns 
of  the  daily  press,  to  find  any  man  coming  forward  to  justify  the 
preservation  of  the  tiger,  on  the  plea  that  without  his  existence  India 
would  be  so  intolerably  dull,  that  the  more  active  spirits  amongst 
the  military  and  officials  would  not  consent  to  accept  service  there. 
It  is  surely  a  dreadful  thing  when  "  sport,"  as  it  is  called,  is  pur- 
chased at  such  a  price  as  this. 

Eradication  may  appear  a  singular  form  of  acclimatisation,  but 
it  is  not  the  less  necessary  to  clear  a  way  for  the  introduction  of  a 
good  thing  by  the  removal  of  something  not  so  good.  And  in 


54  Acclimatisation. 

venturing  upon  so  serious  a  business  as  that  modification  of  natural 
resources  with  which  it  seems  to  have  been  a  part  of  the  designs  of 
Providence  that  we  should  be  charged,  one  must  be   prepared  to 
deal  resolutely  with  an  injurious  thing,  whenever  its  mischievous  - 
ness  becomes  apparent.     And  we   should  deal  with  it  not  only 
resolutely,  but  with  intelligence.     I  think  there  is  great  opportunity 
for  reducing  to  a   sort  of   science   the   process   of    dealing    with 
objectionable  things.     We  neglect  this  too  much,  and,  consequently, 
are  not  only  subjected  to  endless  annoyances,  but  the  very  process 
which  I  am  advocating  is   objected  to   by  timorous  men  on  the 
ground  that,  in  attempting  to  introduce  a  good  thing  you  may  bo 
unconsciously  introducing   something  very  seriously  objectionable. 
Man  ought  to  be  more  confident  in  his  superior  intelligence,  and 
should  be  prepared  to  use  that  intelligence  in  keeping  the  upper 
hand  of  such  forms  of  even  serious  annoyance.      To  the  sparrow 
which  comes  over  the  wall,  at  least  as  promptly  as  to  the  Emperor 
who  audaciously  strides  across  the  boundary  of  international  rights, 
one  should  always  be  prepared  to  say — "My  friend,  I  am  essentially 
a  man  of  peace.     But  it  is  as  well  that  it  should  be  always  un- 
derstood, with  the  utmost  distinctness,  that  I  do  not  intend  to  stand 
any  nonsense  of  whatever  kind."    For  want  of  this  resolution,  and 
the  knowledge  of  the  necessity  of  its  exercise,  with  what  annoyances 
are  we  not  constantly  met.     We  know  so  well  the  fussy  and  incom- 
petent house-mistress,  helpless  in  presence  of  the  minor  troubles 
with  which  every  establishment  is  apt  to  be  beset.     What  can  we 
think  of  the  competency  of  a  poor  creature,  who  babbles  of  flies, 
and  gnats,  and  ants,  and  who  considers  that  black-bettles  and 
mice  are  the  necessary  accompaniments  of  cheese  and  jam  ?    We 
know  the  ignorant  and  cowardly  gardener,  who  quails  before  the 
cricket,  the  woodlouse,  the  aphis, and  the  red-spider;  and  the  farmer, 
who  despairs  of  his  root  crops  because  the  turnip-beetle  flies  forward 
open-mouthed  and  barks  at  him  as  he  enters  the  paddock.     Wo 
ought  to  accustom  ourselves  to  deal  peremptorily  and  effectually 
with  all  such  things.     A  man  has  more  sense  than  a  sparrow,  an 
aphis,  or  a  turnip-beetle;  and  a  woman,  if  she  is  good  for  anything, 
has  more  sense  than  a  mouse  or  a  cockroach  !     And  it  is  the  duty 
of  people  to  keep  such  things  in  proper  subjection. 

In  a  recent  paper  I  saw  a  notice  that  the  wolves  in  France  num- 
bered, with  their  whelps,  each  spring  about  two  thousand,  and  that 
each,  preying  upon  live  stock  to  the  extent  of  £40  a  year,  cost  tho 
farmers  many  times  that  amount  in  the  necessity  of  folding  some- 
thing like  twenty  millions  of  sheep  !  We  know  what  this  means  by 
our  experience  of  Australia,  where,  as  I  have  said,  the  dingo  has, 


Acclimatisation.  55 

under  the  beneficent  influence  of  strychnine,  been  very  extensively 
annihilated.  A  large  settler  there  told  me  that,  in  a  country  once 
very  subject  to  their  ravages,  he  has  now  never  seen  a  single  speci- 
men for  more  than  fifteen  years. 

In  ah1  that  I  have  said  I  wish  to  let  it  be  distinctly  understood  that 
I  have  dealt  with  the  subject  in  the  capacity  of  a  lover  of  nature — 
in  no  sense  as  a  sportsman.  I  wish  to  see  the  earth  filled  up  with  all 
manner  of  good  things,  to  be  utilised  in  their  several  ways  ;  but  I 
have  small  sympathy  with  the  man  so  quaintly  described  by  the 
French  critic  as  rising  in  the  morning  and  saying  :  "  What  a  fine 
day !  Let  us  go  out  and  kill  something  !"  I  cannot  understand  the 
pleasure  of  inflicting  death.  It  seems  to  me  that  the  logic  of  the 
thing  would  point  rather  in  the  way  of  increasing  life,  to  enjoy  the 
fineness  of  the  morning,  than  in  signalising  the  pleasant  weather 
by  an  act  of  destruction. 

No  one,  I  am  certain,  can  enjoy  his  walks  in  the  country  more 
than  I  have  done,  although  I  never  saw  a  fox-hunt,  or  a  hare 
coursed,  or  shot  a  game  bird,  in  my  life.  Even  in  this  country, 
addicted  to  sport  as  it  is,  I  cannot  help  expressing  the  belief  that 
worthy  paterfamilias,  with  an  affectionate  wife  and  loving  children 
dependent  upon  him,  may  be  better  employed  than  in  breaking  his 
neck  over  our  fences.  And  it  seems  singular  that  a  man  cannot 
enjoy  the  pleasures  of  a  ramble  in  the  country  without  seeking  for 
something  to  kill ;  without  encumbering  himself  with  a  piece  of 
complicated  ironmongery,  weighing  from  six  to  nine  pounds, 
troublesome  even  when  quiescent,  and  in  action  noisy,  ill-smelling, 
and  liable  to  serious  accident  to  oneself  or  friend. 

I  now  have,  in  approaching  the  conclusion  of  my  paper,  to 
address  a  few  words  of  friendly  remonstrance  to  a  class  to  which  I 
think  this  remonstrance  should  not  have  been  required.  I  allude 
to  our  scientific  men ;  and  I  say,  with  some  sadness,  that  it  appears 
to  me  that,  with  a  few  most  honourable  exceptions,  our  scientific 
friends  have  not  devoted  their  attention,  and  have  not  given  the 
assistance  to  this  cause,  which  the  world  has  a  right  to  have 
expected  from  them. 

Such  successes  as  have  been  achieved  have  been  worked  out  by 
the  more  ordinary  practical  men  of  the  world ;  and  the  blunders 
that  have  been  made,  the  expenses  that  have  been  uselessly  incurred, 
the  time  that  has  been  lost,  and  the  want  of  perfectness  in  the 
elaboration  of  the  whole  scheme,  I  believe,  is  in  some  sort  attribu- 
table to  the  want  of  sympathy  with  us  in  quarters  in  which,  I  think, 
we  have  had  the  best  title  to  look  for  it.  One  would  unwillingly  say 
anything  to  hurt  the  feelings  of  men,  earnest  enough  in  their 


56  Acclimatisation. 

careers,  and  favouring  the  world  with  invention,  discovery,  and  good 
effort  of  various  kinds.  But  in  such  work  as  I  have  endeavoured  to 
depict  here,  it  is  a  sorrowful  spectacle  to  contemplate  (if  there  be 
any  justice  in  the  suspicion  which  I  throw  out)  that  Science  shows 
a  disposition  to  stand  with  folded  hands — with  a  sort  of  incredu- 
lous smile  upon  her  intelligent  face,  and  conveying  to  us  more 
earnest  spirits  a  kind  .of  misgiving  that  she  really  does  not  wish  us 
to  succeed.  Why  this  should  be,  I  am  utterly  at  a  loss  to  conceive. 
My  interpretation  of  Science  is  that  one  of  its  special  uses  is  to  ren- 
der its  learning  and  discovery  lyractically  useful  to  the  busy  world. 
And  I  think  that  scientific  man  is  false  to  the  great  cause  which 
he  represents,  who  is  content  to  arrange,  guard,  and  survey  his 
wonderful  collections,  without  being  constantly  impressed  with  the 
wish  to  utilise  each  several  thing  to  the  utmost  extent  of  which  it 
is  capable. 

One  sometimes  is  driven  to  wonder  whether  the  only  explanation  of 
such  laxity  as  I  seem  to  see,  may  be  found  in  the  misgiving  that 
on  a  future  day — thanks  to  the  enterprise  of  such  as  are  doing  so 
much  to  modify  the  surface  of  the  earth — they  will  be  driven  to 
the  necessity  of  re-writing  their  catalogues,  and  remodelling  their 
musty  old  cabinets.  But  it  is  sad  to  think  of  such  knowledge, 
stored  up  in  abundance  in  so  many  varied  quarters,  and  not  as 
practically  available  as  it  seems  that  it  might  be  and  should  be  made. 

I  know  what  severe  things  may  be  said  of  me  in  speaking  thus 
plainly  of  a  section  of  society  for  which  we  all  feel  so  great  a  res- 
pect and  affection.  I  throw  out  the  hint,  however,  in  the  most 
friendly  spirit — in  sorrow,  not  in  anger — and  I  only  beg  of  them, 
however  indignant  they  may  be  with  me,  to  occasionally  ask  them- 
selves whether  they  have  really  endeavoured  to  popularise  their 
favourite  science  to  the  utmost  extent  of  which  they  conceive  it  capable. 

In  this  brief  review  of  the  arguments  for  and  against  this  scheme 
of  acclimatisation,  I  have  said  that  I  have  rarely  met  a  man  readily 
appreciative  and  receptive  of  the  entire  scheme,  and  that,  amongst 
many  reasons  for  justifying  neglect,  it  is  not  very  common  to  find 
a  good  one.  One  such  man  I  found,  and  one  such  reason;  and 
with  a  reference  to  them  I  will  conclude  my  paper.  My  friend  had 
himself  done  "  yeoman's  service  "  in  the  good  cause,  and  had  a  heart 
for  further  effort  as  expansive  as  the  cause  itself.  We  had  been 
one  day  discussing  its  varying  phases,  when  he  somewhat  startled 
me  with  the  most  formidable  objection  I  have  yet  heard  to  it : 
"  Why,  if  the  world  ever  became  as  varied  and  interesting,  and 
bright  and  beautiful,  as  this  project  seeks  to  make  it,  we  should 
none  of  us  ever  wish  to  go  to  Heaven." 


Acclimatisation.  57 


DISCUSSION. 

Mr.  TOMKINSON  said  his  friend  Mr.  Wilson  would  be  glad  to 
know  that  glow-worms  had  existed  to  his  knowledge  in  South 
Australia  for  some  time.  Eabbits,  also,  were  so  plentiful  there  that 
it  had  been  found  necessary  to  pass  an  Act  of  Parliament  to  eradi- 
cate them;  and  on  one  estate  above  13,000  rabbits  had  been 
killed  in  four  months.  With  regard  to  the  suggestion  that  the 
polecat  was  the  natural  enemy  of  the  rabbit,  he  might  mention 
that  a  friend  of  his  hi  Australia  had  tried  the  experiment  of  placing 
cats  with  their  litters  into  the  wombat  holes  where  rabbits  bred, 
but  without  success.  The  kittens  and  the  rabbits  fraternised  with 
each  other  as  a  happy  family.  They  had  the  natural  wild  cat,  a 
very  destructive  creature,  which,  however,  preferred  sucking  the 
blood  of  domestic  fowls. 

Mr.  J.  B.  BROWN  thought  they  were  greatly  indebted  to  Mr. 
Wilson  for  his  excellent  paper,  so  full  of  truly  valuable  suggestions. 
He  hoped  the  members  of  the  Institute  would  be  especially  guarded 
on  this  occasion  against  taking  narrow  or  contracted  views  of  this 
important  and  interesting  subject,  as  it  well  deserves  to  be  treated 
in  the  like  sympathetic  spirit,  and  on  the  broad  and  liberal  basis, 
Mr.  Wilson  has  himself  treated  it.  He  trusted  that  members 
would .  direct  their  earnest  attention  to  the  practical  question  of 
how  Mr.  Wilson's  wishes — which  might  well  be  the  wishes  of  every- 
one who  had  listened  to  him — could  be  carried  out,  and  how  some 
grand  scheme  could  be  brought  into  immediate  use,  in  which 
scientific  men,  as  well  as  our  intelligent  Colonial  officials,  and  both 
our  merchant  and  Queen's  ships  could  largely  and  gracefully  assist. 
He  was  sure  the  noble  Lord,  who  now  so  worthily  occupies  the 
post  of  Colonial  Secretary — and  of  whose  Colonial  administration 
they  all  had,  irrespective  of  party,  reason  to  be  proud — would  give 
all  the  assistance  in  his  power  to  promote  any  such  beneficent 
scheme,  and  he  hoped  the  subject  would  in  the  discussion  to-night 
be  grasped  with  that  grasp  and  in  that  spirit  to  which  it  was  so 
eminently  and  worthily  entitled. 

Mr.  KERBY-NICHOLLS  considered  the  subject  of  acclimatisation 
formed  an  important  link  in  the  great  chain  which  they  hoped  would 
long  bind  the  interests  of  the  Colony  to  those  of  the  mother  country. 
The  paper  referred  to  what  should  be  done,  but  they  might  also 
glance  at  what  had  already  been  accomplished.  In  the  Australian 
Colonies  an  inestimable  benefit  had  been  conferred  by  acclimati- 
sation in  various  ways.  They  all  knew  that  the  Continent  of 


53  Acclimatisation. 

Australia  possessed  a  fauna  and  flora  peculiar  to  itself,  both  of 
which  were  ill- adapted  to  the  requirements  of  a  white  population  ; 
and  some  might  remember  that  when  Captain  Cook  first  dis- 
covered that  country,  the  largest  indigenous  animal  was  the  kan- 
garoo. But  what  a  change  had  been  brought  about  since  then  by 
a  careful  system  of  acclimatisation  !  Australia  could  now  boast  a 
large  white  population,  owning,  according  to  the  latest  statistics — 
he  would  give  the  figures  in  round  numbers — 1,000,000  horses, 
5,000,000  horned  cattle,  and  43,000,000  sheep.  Nor  were  these 
animals  of  an  inferior  class :  the  cattle  were  remarkable  for  their 
good  points,  the  sheep  for  the  excellent  quality  of  their  wool,  while 
the  breed  of  horses  would,  all  things  considered,  compare  favour- 
ably with  that  of  this  country.  As  a  further  result  of  acclimati- 
sation, South  Australia,  one  of  the  youngest  Colonies  of  the  group, 
now  exported  annually  about  200,000  tons  of  bread-stuffs,  while 
her  vineyards  produced  large  quantities  of  excellent  wine.  In 
Victoria  and  New  South  Wales  the  benefits  of  acclimatisation 
might  be  seen  in  many  ways,  and  notably  in  the  introduction  of 
European  grasses  into  the  vast  pastoral  districts,  and  which  were 
rapidly  taking  the  place  of  the  less  nutritious1  native  grasses.  In 
Queensland — which  afforded,  perhaps,  one  of  the  finest  fields  in 
the  world  for  acclimatisation — the  sugar  cane  had  been  introduced 
with  very  beneficial  results  in  the  alluvial  districts  bordering  the 
principal  rivers.  He  believed  that  if  the  coffee-tree  were  intro- 
duced into  the  northern  territory  it  would  be  found  to  flourish  re- 
markably well,  and  if  the  swamp  lands  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Gulf 
of  Carpentaria  were  brought  under  cultivation,  rice  might  be  ad- 
vantageously grown.  Mention  had  been  made  in  the  paper  before 
the  meeting  of  the  Eucalyptus  globulus,  the  medicinal  properties  of 
which  were  being  widely  recognised.  He  might  state  that  this 
tree  had  been  introduced  into  various  countries  of  late.  He  had 
seen  the  tree  growing  in  Hong  Kong,  in  various  cities  of  Japan,  in 
San  Francisco,  in  Southern  California,  in  Northern  California, 
and  in  New  York.  He  was  not  aware  whether  it  had  been  intro- 
duced into  this  country,  and  would  like  to  know  whether  it  was 
capable  of  being  cultivated  here.  It  had  been  introduced  into 
Italy,  and  had  also  been  cultivated  with  great  success  in  India. 
He  might,  perhaps,  be  excused  for  reading  the  following  remarks 
upon  the  tree  from  the  Acclimatisation  Society  of  Paris  : — 

"  THE  EUCALYPTUS  GLOBULUS. — The  experiment  of  planting  this  tree  in 
the  unhealthy  Campagna  of  Rome  with  the  object  of  destroying  the  influence 
of  the  miasmatic  exhalations  from  the  ground  has  been  tried  for  several 
years,  particularly  in  the  locality  of  the  Monastery  of  St.  Paul  Trois 


Acclimatisation.  59 

Fontaines,  where  a  priest  named  Gildas  has  had  the  plants  under  culti- 
vation. In  some  communications  addressed  to  the  Societe  d'Acclimatation 
de  Paris,  M.  Gildas  states  that  the  trees  have  thriven,  and  that  he  believes 
they  have  given  indications  of  their  power  in  arresting  disease,  though  a  s 
yet  they  are  not  sufficiently  numerous  to  produce  much  effect.  The  most 
important  statement  made  by  him,  however,  is  that  a  decoction  made  from 
the  leaves  of  the  tree  possesses  valuable  properties  in  cases  of  fever,  and 
that  many  persons  have'bsen  cured  of  that  disease  by  drinking  the  '  elixir,' 
which  is  also  a  preventive  of  fever.  A  similar  preparation  of  the  leaves  in 
the  form  of  a  powder  is  also  made,  which  has  the  advantage  of  keeping 
good  longer  than  the  decoction.  The  merits  of  the  discovery  will  be  placed 
under  the  notice  of  the  medical  profession,  and  a  more  reliable  report  will 
probably  soon  be  made." 

With  regard  to  the  power  this  class  of  tree  possessed  of  destroying 
the  injurious  influence  of  miasma  and  thereby  averting  disease,  it 
was  his  belief  that  the  wonderful  absence  of  epidemic  diseases  in 
Australia  arose  principally  from  the  wide  distribution  of  this 
peculiar  growth  or  family  of  trees,  which  extended  from  one  end  of 
the  Continent  to  the  other.  In  fact,  comparatively  speaking,  there 
was  hardly  a  square  foot  of  land  in  Australia  without  its  gum-tree. 
Its  only  fault  was  that  it  afforded  but  little  shade  in  a  hot  climate, 
through  its  leaves  being  small  and  hanging  perpendicularly. 

Mr.  MICHIE  said  that  from  various  experiments  he  had  made  on 
the  gum-tree  in  Australia,  he  was  satisfied  that  nothing  could 
exceed  their  efficacy  in  converting  swamps  into  dry  land.  The 
medicinal  properties  of  the  tree  also  appeared,  by  respectable  scien- 
tific authority,  to  be  pretty  well  established  on  both  sides  of  the 
world.  He,  as  well  as  Mr.  Wilson,  felt  considerable  reliance  and 
confidence  in  the  wisdom  with  which  Providence  had  distributed  the 
infinitely  various  plants  and  animals  throughout  the  globe,  and  ho 
(Mr.  Michie)  therefore  thought  they  should  be  extremely  careful 
how  they  proceeded  when  undertaking  to  improve  on  the  opera- 
tions of  nature,  inasmuch  as  lamentable  mistakes  had  already  been 
made  in  connection  with  this  subject.  Sir  Arthur  Helps,  in  one  of 
his  most  interesting  works,  had  shown  that  in  a  particular  district 
in  the  South  American  Continent  the  rabbit  had  taken  possession 
of  the  land,  and  had  nearly  extinguished  every  other  form  of  life  ; 
and  it  was  a  curious  fact  that  something  like  the  same  result  had 
come  about  in  portions  of  Australia.  Mr.  Wilson,  in  his  en- 
thusiasm, was  disposed  to  make  light  of  these  consequences,  and 
appeared  to  forget  unfortunate  people  who  suffered  from  them. 
It  might  fairly  be  doubted  whether  the  redoubtable  polecat  or  any 
other  distinguished  exterminator  would  be  found  competent  to  put 
down  the  rabbit.  He  knew  of  an  instance  where  the  rabbit  had 


60  Acclimatisation. 

taken  possession  of  a  paddock  of  6,000  acres,  and  its  owner  had 
agreed  to  give  a  person,  who  considered  himself  accomplished  in 
suppressing  this  form  of  nuisance,  £1  per  acre  for  the  destruction 
of  these  animals.  The  task  was  rrul^rtaken,  the  work  supposed  to 
be  completed,  the  £6,000  paid,  but  shortly  afterwards  in  that  ex- 
tensive paddock  rabbits  abounded  as  before.  Fortunately,  per- 
haps, for  the  perplexed  proprietor,  the  country  was  shortly  after- 
wards visited  by  a  flood,  which  did  the  work  better  than  the  pro- 
fessed rabbit  extinguisher.  He  considered  it  was  a  mistake  to 
introduce  a  prolific  creature  like  this  into  a  sparsely-populated 
country,  for  the  American  and  Australian  experience  alike  showed 
it  must  become  an  almost  impracticable  nuisance.  Again,  what 
had  been  the  result  of  the  feat  of  that  patriotic  Scotchman  who 
had,  it  was  said,  introduced  the  thistle  into  Australia  ?  Victorian 
legislators,  again,  had  been  driven  to  vote  large  sums  of  the  public 
money  to  put  down  this  particular  form  of  the  Scotchman's  en- 
thusiasm. In  the  Kilmore,  and  some  other  districts,  you  could 
not  travel  many  miles  without  finding  large  tracts  of  this  thistle — 
a  plant,  be  it  remembered,  not  of  the  modest  character  and  pro- 
portions of  the  poet's  "  symbol  dear,"  but  a  gigantic  fellow, 
two-thirds  the  height  of  that  room  ;  for  everything,  animal  or  vege- 
table, grew  larger  in  that  part  of  the  world  than  in  this.  It  was, 
therefore,  quite  futile  to  think  that  the  thistle  would  ever  be  ex- 
tinguished in  that  country,  and  our  Scotchman  had  thus  become 
as  immortal  as  his  own  work  He  had  listened  with  some  as- 
tonishment [io  Mr.  Wilson's  statement  about  the  thrush,  and  he 
was  disposed  to  attribute  this  also  to  his  enthusiasm ;  and  he 
could  not  help  thinking  that  when  Mr.  Wilson  came  out,  as  he  had 
stated,  to  East  St.  Kilda,  and  had,  as  he  supposed,  listened  with 
such  charmed  ear  to  the  note  of  the  thrush — being  in  that  respect 
so  much  more  fortunate  than  himself  (Mr.  Michie),  who  had  lived 
there  upwards  of  eighteen  years,  and  had  never  heard  the  thrush 
once — he  must,  in  fact,  have  been  listening  to  the  chirruping  of 
his  (Mr.  Michie's)  sparrows,  which  Mr.  Wilson's  ardent  imagina- 
tion had  converted  into  the  mellifluous  notes  of  the  thrush.  The 
sparrow  within  two  years  of  his  introduction  had  established  him- 
self as  the  same  little  impudent,  dominating,  irrepressible  fellow 
with  whom  they  were  all  so  familiar  in  their  own  streets,  When 
he  first  came  to  question  the  alleged  virtues  of  the  sparrow,  he  was 
told  he  was  prejudiced  against  him,  and  that  if  he  lost  his  fruit  he 
should  consider  the  compensation  he  received.  He  was  anxious 
to  be  reasonable,  and  he  patiently  awaited  the  promised  compen- 
sation. He  was  told  to  bear  in  mind  the  number  of  insects  which 


Acclimatisation.  61 

were  got  rid  of  by  the  sparrows.  He  had  done  so,  and  made  a 
study  of  the  subject.  He  had  frequently  collected  all  sorts  of 
insects  to  test  the  sparrow  appetite,  and  had  drawn  the  sparrows 
to  the  prepared  feast ;  but  with  what  result  ?  "Why,  they  turned 
up  their  noses,  he  was  going  to  say,  but  certainly  they  turned 
away  their  beaks  with  contempt,  but  whenever  his  fruit  was  ripen- 
ing, they  were,  to  use  a  common  expression,  "  all  there."  It 
should,  therefore,  be  always  kept  in  view  that,  as  a  condition  pre- 
cedent to  trying  any  experiment  in  what  was  called  acclimatisa- 
tion, a  careful  and  discriminating  regard  should  be  had  to  all  the 
conditions  surrounding  the  work,  and  a  sort  of  debtor  and  creditor 
account,  as  it  were,  should  be  made ;  and  not  until  they  felt  as- 
sured that  the  proposed  experiment  was  of  a  character  which  would 
really  carry  with  it  a  balance  of  good  to  the  country  proposed  to  be 
benefited,  should  the  work  be  carried  out.  He  had  tried  to  obtain 
some  satisfactory  information  as  to  the  success  of  the  introduction 
of  salmon  into  Australia,  but  regretted  that  he  had  not  been 
successful.  He  had  heard  of  one  salmon  having  been  actually 
caught,  but  the  evidence  even  on  this  point  seemed  to  be  obscure 
and  unsatisfactory.  Whether  the  hitherto  uncertain  fruits  of  this 
unquestionably  valuable  experiment  of  Mr.  Youl's— to  whom  their 
respect  should  not  be  measured  merely  by  results — was  to  be  re- 
ferred to  one  cause  or  another— difficulty  of  obtaining  appropriate 
food,  or  the  presence  of  too  many  predacious  fish  in  the  southern 
hemisphere — could  be  only  matter  of  speculation  as  yet,  but  at  any 
rate  they  could  aU  congratulate  themselves  as  well  as  Mr.  You], 
that  the  trout,  a  fish  scarcely  inferior  to  the  salmon,  was  now  well 
established  in  Australia  and  Tasmanian  waters.  In  conclusion,  he 
desired  to  express  the  gratification  with  which  he  had  listened  to 
many  passages  of  Mr.  Wilson's  carefully-prepared  paper,  although 
he  had  not  been  able  to  go  with  him  in  every  particular  towards 
which  he  had  invited  their  concurrence. 

Mr.  STKANGWAYS  did  not  quite  agree  with  Mr.  Wilson  in  some 
respects.  In  South  Australia  a  thrush  was  known  as  a  thrush,  but 
in  Victoria  it  appeared  from  Mr.  Michie's  remarks  that  it  was 
known  as  something  else.  With  reference  to  the  Scotch  thistle  in 
South  Australia,  he  wished  to  make  two  remarks  :  first,  that  the 
plant  never  came  from  Scotland,  and  was  not  a  thistle  at  all ;  and 
in  the  second  place,  it  was  not  introduced  by  a  Scotchman  but  by 
an  Irishman.  This  man  had  some  seeds  sent  to  him,  and  not 
knowing  what  they  were  he  distributed  them  amongst  his  friends, 
who  planted  them,  and  up  came  the  wild  artichoke,  which  was  now 
called  the  Scotch  thistle.  He  had  shot  a  few  rabbits  in  England 


62  Acclimatisation. 

and  in  Australia,  and  if  Mr.  Michie  could  get  him  a  contract  to 
clear  an  estate  of  rabbits,  in  any  part  of  the  world,  at  £1  per 
acre,  he  should  be  very  glad  to  undertake  the  work.  No  doubt 
rabbits  had  become,  in  some  parts  of  Australia,  a  considerable 
nuisance,  but  it  was  owing  to  the  fact  that  no  one  took  the  trouble 
of  looking  after  them  ;  some  landowners  had  made  them  a  nuisance 
to  themselves  and  their  neighbours,  and  now  the  neighbours  in 
South  Australia  were  to  be  rated  to  have  them  destroyed.  As  to  the 
acclimatisation  of  animals,  he  agreed  with  what  Mr.  Wilson  had 
said,  although  it  must  be  remembered  there  was  scarcely  an  animal 
of  any  description  in  Australia  that  was  not  the  result  of  acclimatisa- 
tion. The  whole  of  the  people  there,  as  well  as  in  this  country, 
were  acclimatised.  He  had  no  faith  in  voting  large  sums  of  public 
money  for  works  of  acclimatisation,  as  it  invariably  led  to  jobbery  : 
the  best  way  for  its  being  properly  done  was  by  being  looked  after 
by  the  people  who  subscribed  the  money.  As  to  using  ships  of  war 
for  sending  fish  out  to  the  Colonies,  he  did  "not  agree  with  Mr 
Wilson ;  and  he  should  be  very  sorry  if  it  went  forth  to  the  world 
that  the  opinion  of  the  Colonial  Institute  was  that  England  should 
incur  the  serious  risk  of  disarming,  for  he  maintained  the  best  way 
to  preserve  peace  was  to  always  be  prepared  for  war. 

Mr.  WILSON  said  he  had  not  mentioned  anything  about  disarming 
in  his  paper. 

Mr.  STEANGWAYS  said  that  Mr.  Wilson  had  alluded  to  his  ex- 
perience of  the  carrion-crow  of  Australia,  and  that  he  thought  he 
was  a  very  cunning  sort  of  bird ;  but  if  that  gentleman  had  let  that 
crow  alone,  no  doubt  he  would  have  found  out  that  the  vegetable 
diet  did  not  agree  with  him,  and  would  soon  have  returned  to 
its  ordinary  food.  The  Eucalyptus  ylobulus  was  the  blue-gum  of 
Tasmania,  and  was  an  exceedingly  valuable  wood  for  many  pur- 
poses ;  but  as  to  its  medicinal  properties,  he  had  very  lately  read  that 
some  chemists,  having  made  a  careful  examination  of  it,  had  been 
unable  to  find  any  alkaloids  from  which  its  medicinal  value  was 
supposed  to  be  derived.  It  would  be  very  strange  if  it  should  turn 
out  that  the  tree  had  such  a  remarkable  value,  for  no  one  living  in 
Australia  knew  that  they  had  such  a  valuable  thing  close  to  them. 
He  believed  that  its  real  service  was  that  of  an  evaporating  pump. 
He  knew  several  instances  in  South  Australia  where,  after  the 
gum-trees  had  been  destroyed,  springs  of  water  had  appeared  where 
there  was  no  spring  before.  The  gum  was  a  tap-rooted  tree,  and 
being  an  evergreen  would  draw  a  large  quantity  of  moisture  from 
the  soil,  and  as  the  soil  dried,  miasma  would  cease  to  be  produced. 

Dr.  HOOKER,  of  Kew,  said  that  Mr.  Wilson  had  assumed  that 


Acclimatisation.  C3 

the  Government  and  scientific  men  had  done  nothing  for  the 
acclimatisation  of  plants  abroad  ;  but  when  he  made  that  state- 
ment, he  could  hardly  have  remembered  what  his  fellow-colonist, 
Dr.  Mueller,  had  done  by  his  labours  and  writings  ;  he  surely  must 
have  forgotten  Allan  Cunningham  in  New  South  Wales  and  Walter 
Hill  in  Queensland ;  and  he  could  not  have  visited  India  or  the  West 
Indian  Colonies,  where  for  fifty  years  scientific  men  under  the  Go- 
vernment had  been  exerting  their  influence  in  introducing  useful 
plants.  It  might  be  true  that  only  thirty  to  forty  different  kinds  of 
animals — though  he  should  have  thought  that  there  very  many 
more — had  been  acclimatised,  but  certainly  one  hundred  times  that 
number  of  useful  and  ornamental  plants  had  been  dispersed  over 
the  globe  by  scientific  men.  Mr.  Wilson  had  mentioned  the  bread- 
fruit, but  had  forgotten  that  it  was  introduced  in  the  West  Indies 
by  Government,  and  through  the  exertions  of  a  scientific  man  (Sir 
J.  Banks).  He  had  said  that  it  would  be  difficult  to  instance  a 
case  of  the  Government  having  introduced  a  plant,  forgetting 
that  the  cinchona — which  was  already  returning  thousands  of 
pounds  to  the  Indian  Treasury — was  introduced  by  the  Govern- 
ment, and  wholly  through  the  agency  of  scientific  men.  At 
present  the  Government  was  actively  engaged  in  introducing 
Liberian  coffee  into  all  parts  of  the  world.  Mr.  Wilson  had 
objected  to  the  word  "  acclimatisation,"  but  suggested  no  other : 
would  he  object  to  one  to  which  scientific  men  could  help  him, 
viz.  "  naturalisation,"  a  word  which  covered  everything  meant  by 
acclimatisation,  and  was  equally  practical,  scientific,  and  more 
harmonious  ?  He  had  listened  with  great  attention  to  Mr.  Wilson's 
paper,  but  there  were  many  difficulties  in  the  way  of  acclimatisa- 
tion which  had  been  overlooked.  It  was  true,  science  had  not  done 
everything,  and  practice  had  often  failed,  and  there  were  many 
things  had  been,  and  more  which  could  -only  be,  introduced  by 
heavy  scientific  labour.  One  difficulty  was,  that  no  one  ever  knew 
exactly  whether  such  and  such  a  climate  was  suited  to  such  and 
such  a  plant.  For  instance,  the  Eucalyptus  ylolulus,  the  most 
southcrnly  of  Australian  gums,  would  not  grow  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  London,  and  yet  another  kind  of  gum-tree  withstood  many 
winters  at  Kew,  though  it  came  from  the  hottest  part  of  South 
Australia.  Dean  Herbert  used  to  say:  "  Plants  do  not  grow  where 
they  like,  but  they  grow  where  other  plants  will  let  them ;"  and 
this  he  believed  was  a  perfectly  true  saying,  and  one  worthy  of  the 
careful  consideration  of  all  acclimatisers  of  plants. 

Mr.  YOUL  said,  with  refereucej  to  the  salmon  experiment  at  the 
British  Museum,  three  fish  might  be  seen,  sent  home  from  Tasmania 


64  Acclimatisation. 

by  Mr.  Morton  Allport,  one  of  the  Salmon  Commissioners,  to  Dr. 
Gunther,  for  his  opinion  upon  them.  He  pronounced  two  to  be 
brown  trout,  and  the  other  a  salmon  trout,  the  latter  having  in  its 
stomach  several  undigested  sardines,  a  fish  never  found  except  in 
salt  water — a  proof,  therefore,  that  this  fish  had  only  just  returned 
from  the  sea.  Mr.  Morton  Allport  has  made  the  natural  history  of 
fish  his  study  for  many  years,  and  he  disagrees  with  Dr.  Gunther, 
and  declares  his  conviction  that  the  fish  is  a  true  salmon,  and  not 
a  salmon  trout — a  grilse,  in  fact,  just  returned  from  the  sea. 
Several  fish  of  a  similar  character  have  been  caught  in  the  Der- 
went,  and,  after  careful  examination,  judged  to  be  the  grilse  of  the 
true  salmon.  It  seems  almost  incredible  that,  as  at  least  6,000 
salmon  smolts  have  been  liberated  from  the  breeding-ponds  of  the 
Plenty,  and  only  150  salmon-trout  smolts,that  they  should  be  continu- 
ally catching  the  latter,  and  not  one  of  the  former.  He  had  received 
many  letters  from  residents  and  non-residents  of  Hobart  Town, 
telling  him  that  they  were  certain  that  the  salmon  are  naturalised  in 
the  Derwent ;  and  they  have  seen  many  hundreds  of  young  fish, 
and  some  big  salmon.  With  reference  to  the  Eucalyptus  globtdus, 
the  blue-gum  of  the  Colonies,  to  which  reference  had  been  made, 
he  did  not  believe  it  indigenous  anywhere  except  in  Tasmania, 
and  there  it  was  only  found  growing  on  the  northern  side  of  the 
island.  It  was  the  leaves  of  this  tree  which  had  been  found  so 
beneficial  in  medicine ;  and  it  is  possible  that  the  leaves  of  the 
other  Eucalypti  spread  over  Australia  had  not  this  quality.  Dr. 
Mueller  is  reported,  some  two  years  ago,  to  have  discovered  it  grow- 
ing some  100  miles  from  Melbourne.  One  word  with  regard  to  the 
interesting  paper  read  by  Mr.  Wilson  :  no  one  could  with  greater 
propriety  have  prepared  such  a  paper,  for  he  had  for  many  years, 
and  to  a  great  extent,  practised  what  he  has  preached. 

Mrs.  LEWIS,  as  working  in  the  same  cause  with  Mr.  Wilson, 
begged  to  say  that  the  various  speakers  who  had  more  or  less  ably 
spoken,  had  lost  sight  of  the  wider  and  larger  bearing  of  the  paper. 
The  question  was  not  what  was  to  be  done  with  the  overwhelming 
Scotch  thistle,  with  the  impudent  sparrow,  with  the  too  prolific 
rabbit,  or  anything  of  that  kind,  but  how  far  human  endeavours 
could  increase  the  value  of  life  by  enriching  those  regions  into  which 
perhaps  then:  erratic  tendencies  led  them.  There  had  never  been 
a  nation  since  man  lived  on  the  face  of  the  globe  so  colonising  as 
the  British  islanders,  for  in  the  first  record  given  to  them,  long  before 
the  remarkable  men  came  from  Marseilles,  there  was  this  little 
passage  left  by  the  Carthagenian  explorers  :  "  The  Britishers  exist 
in  large  numbers,  and  are  commercially  inclined."  Those  first 


Acclimatisation.  65 

Britishers  then  went,  and  could  go  no  further,  than  the  shores  of 
the  Baltic,  but  from  those  shores  they  had  gone  to  every  place,  and 
taken  something  with  them  to  enhance  its  value.  The  principle 
they  had  to  decide  that  night  was  the  appropriation  or  assimilation 
of  various  vegetables  and  various  animals,  and  whether  they  would 
increase  the  value  of  the  lands  to  which  particularly  English  people 
go.  Surely  there  could  not  be  a  doubt  about  it.  There  was  no 
lady  or  gentleman  present  who  would  like  to  leave  and  return  back 
to  Australia  simply  with  the  kangaroo  ;  and  there  was  no  honest 
person  present  who  could  say  that  he  quarrelled  with  Mr.  Wilson's 
principle.  She  spoke  first  for  his  principle,  and  secondly  for  the 
beautiful  and  ideal  shape  in  which  he  had  clothed  it ;  and  no  man 
had  a  right  to  disclothe  it.  Mr.  Wilson  wished  to  impress  upon 
them  that  there  was  a  great  ideal  in  really  introducing  whatever 
nature  and  God  had  given  in  one  land  into  another,  as  far  as 
climate  would  allow.  She  went  further  than  Mr.  Wilson,  and 
would  say  they  wanted  assimilation  in  England.  There  were  things 
that  would  allow  larger  numbers  to  live  well  and  to  be  happy ; 
and  it  was  a  first  principle — and  all  the  Australian  colonisation 
showed  nothing  more  clearly  than — that  every  man  and  woman, 
according  to  their  ability  to  gain  their  livelihood,  had  a  right  to 
make  life  as  happy  and  enjoyable  as  possible.  It  was  on  these 
broad  grounds  that  Mr.  Wilson  brought  forward  his  paper.  He  had 
clothed  his  opinion  in  an  ideal  shape,  and  the  Colonial  Institute 
had  a  right  to  recognise  the  leading  feature  of  the  idea,  that  the 
mother  country  should  try  by  all  its  power,  by  Government  or  by 
private  endeavour,  to  make  the  lands  which  England  colonised  as 
happy  and  as  comfortable  as  possible. 

Dr.  OKD  thought  no  one  having  listened  to  the  paper  could  have 
failed  to  see  two  things :  first,  very  lofty  thought,  and  second,  keen 
and  incisive  intelligence.  Most  of  the  discussion  of  the  evening 
seemed  to  have  consisted  in  fault-finding,  but  wherever  great 
things  had  to  be  done  much  more  might  be  accomplished  by  seeing 
the  good  than  by  dreading  the  bad.  When  facing  difficulty,  men 
were  either  weak  or  strong.  It  was  the  strong  men  who  knew  how 
to  take  the  good  out  of  things  and  how  to  crush  the  bad,  and  that 
was  exactly  what  Mr.  Wilson  had  been  steadily  enforcing.  They 
had  reason  to  thank  themselves  for  acclimatisation,  for  he  did  not 
know  what  they  would  have  done  in  England  if  some  sturdy 
adventurers — some  Hawkins,  or  Drake,  or  Ealeigh — had  not  in 
Queen  Elizabeth's  time  brought  over  from  the  West  two  weeds  of 
the  night-shade  family,  the  potato  and  tobacco.  The  potato  was 
spoken  of  as  a  "restorative"  in  the  writings  of  that  period, 


66  Acclimatisation. 

although,  perhaps,  now  it  might  not  be  considered  as  such ;  and 
from  botanical  books  of  that  time  it  might  be  seen  that  grasses 
were  collected  from  all  manner  of  places  for  the  sake  of  certain 
salts  contained  in  them.  The  meaning  of  all  this  was,  that  the 
diet  of  the  people  was  deficient  in  a  kind  of  material  absolutely 
necessary  to  health,  for  the  prevention  of  scurvy  and  allied  dis- 
eases, which  were  then,  owing  to  bad  diet,  frightfully  destructive. 
These  things  are  hardly  heard  of  now,  and  beyond  all  doubt  the 
potato  has  had  a  predominant  share  in  sweeping  them  away.  A 
little  bit  of  acclimatisation  effected  by  a  rough  sailor  has  thus  pro- 
duced a  widespread  and  permanent  benefit  to  mankind  in  Europe, 
and  such  considerations  might  remind  the  Society  (as  had  been 
suggested  by  the  preceding  speaker)  that  there  was  work  to  be 
done  at  home  as  well  as  in  the  Colonies. 

Mr.  WILSON,  in  reply,  said  if  Dr.  Hooker  had  not  left  he  should 
have  reminded  him  of  a  passage  in  the  paper  where  he  said, 
speaking  about  scientific  men,  "  with  some  most  honourable 
exceptions,"  and  amongst  those  exceptions  Dr.  Hooker  and  his 
father  would  occupy  a  very  prominent  position.  Mr.  Michie  was 
an  excellent  man,  but  his  path  had  fallen  in  stony  places,  and  if  he 
got  confused  between  a  sparrow  and  a  thrush  they  must  have  every 
consideration  for  him.  He  (Mr.  "Wilson)  had  certainly  not  mis- 
taken the  twittering  of  the  sparrow  for  the  song  of  the  thrush,  as 
suggested  by  Mr.  Michie.  He  had  referred  in  his  paper  to  some 
persons  who  were  so  occupied  with  other  subjects  that  they 
wandered  amongst  beautiful  things  without  appreciating  them.  He 
knew  such  men  by  the  dozen,  and  from  the  bottom  of  his  heart  he 
pitied  them. 

The  CHAIRMAN  said  they  were  indebted  to  other  countries  for  a 
very  large  proportion  of  the  vegetables  now  naturalised  in  this 
country,  and  this  was  one  result  of  people  travelling  about  and 
bringing  home  with  them  the  products  of  the  various  countries 
they  had  visited,  and  he  thought  it  was  only  natural  when  people 
resided  in  Colonies  such  as  Australia  that  they  should  try  and 
grow  everything  they  could  for  their  comfort  and  gratification. 
The  lady  who  had  addressed  them  had  very  properly  called  them 
to  order  by  bringing  them  back  to  the  real  question  before  them, 
and  he  would  not  spoil  anything  she  had  said  so  well  by  attempt- 
ing to  repeat  it.  He  would  merely  say  that  he  thought  Mr.  Wilson 
had  endeavoured  to  show  that  it  was  not  only  the  absolute  neces- 
saries of  life  which  he  proposed  to  naturalise  (for  that  he  thought 
was  a  better  word  than  acclimatise),  but  that  they  should  also,  as 
far  as  possible,  endeavour  to  produce  those  things  which  rendered 


Acclimatisation.  67 

nature  beautiful  as  well  as  useful.  In  conclusion  he  begged  to 
propose  a  vote  of  thanks  to  Mr.  Wilson  for  his  very  able  and  lucid 
address. 

The  resolution  was  carried  unanimously. 

The  HON.  SECRETAEY  announced  that  the  next  meeting  would  be 
held  on  the  18th  of  January,  at  which  General  Bisset  would  read 
a  paper  on  South  Africa. 


(68) 


EEPOET  ON  THE  GAMBIA  QUESTION. 

THE  Committee  to  whom  the  question  of  the  Cession  of  the  Gambia 
to  France  was  referred,  beg  to  submit  to  the  Council  of  this 
Institute  the  following  facts  bearing  on  the  subject : — 

To  begin  with  the  commercial  aspect  of  the  question,  it  appears 
by  the  following  table  that  the  trade  of  the  Gambia  since  1869  has 
been  gradually  increasing  :  — 

Imports.  Exports.  Total. 

1869      £94,027     £109,312     £203,3-39 

1870      91,996     142,517     234,513 

1871       102,064     153,100     255,164 

1872  » 123,088     127,225     250,313 

1873       114,404     110,816     225,220 

1874  Returns  not  yet  published. 

For  1874  the  trade  will  show  great  improvement,  for  the  ground- 
nut export  for  that  year  was — 

Ground  Nuts     20,053  tons     £191,303 

Hides         No.  18,823  5,700 

Wax 91  tons     13,000 


Showing  a  total  in  these  items  alone  of  £210,003 

There  is  no  doubt  that  these  returns  do  not  exhibit  the  trade  in 
as  favourable  a  light  as  the  facts  justify.  The  exports  of  ground- 
nuts, for  instance,  have  exhibited  since  1837  a  steady  increase  in 
quantity  ;  but  as  the  Customs  authorities  at  Bathurst  do  not  accept 
the  market  value  at  the  place  and  time  of  shipment,  adopting  an 
arbitrary  valuation  of  their  own,  the  exports  are  made  to  appear  of 
less  value  than  they  really  are. 

As  a  further  instance  it  may  be  added  that  just  prior  to  1869, 
when  the  previous  proposal  of  cession  was  mooted,  the  Custom-house 
officers  reduced  the  declared  value  of  the  ground-nuts  from  £10  to 
£9  a  ton,  and  now  they  have  further  reduced  it  to  £8,  whereas 
the  real  average  selling  price  at  Bathurst  has  been  £9  10s.  to 
£10  for  that  period. 

The  different  methods  adopted  at  the  various  ports  of  ship- 
ment along  the  West  Coast  prevent  any  fair  comparison  being 
made  between  the  different  Colonies.  At  one  place  the  price  in 
the  English  or  other  market  is  adopted ;  at  another  the  shipping 
value  at  place  of  shipment ;  at  another  an  arbitrary  valuation, 
fixed  at  the  pleasure  of  the  local  officials. 


The  Gambia  Report."  G9 

An  example  of  the  manner  in  which  the  Customs  returns  are 
prepared  at  various  ports  will  suffice.  At  Sierra  Leone  the  ground- 
nuts exported  were  valued  at  £10  per  ton  in  1869  and  1870,  while  at 
the  Gambia  they  were  put  down  at  £8  10s.  to  £9,  and  this  in  face 
of  the  fact  that  in  England  the  Gambia  ground-nut  brings  from 
20s.  to  30s.  higher  price  than  the  Sierra  Leone  article. 

The  export  of  hides  from  the  Gambia  has  been  very  con- 
siderable, as  many  as  120,000  being  in  store  at  Bathurst  at 
one  time  ;  but  it  suddenly  fell  in  1865,  owing  to  pleuro -pneumonia 
breaking  out,  and  destroying  the  cattle  all  over  the  country.  It  is, 
however,  now  recovering,  and  is  again  becoming  an  important  item 
in  the  trade. 

Beeswax  also  is  an  important  article  of  the  commerce  of  the 
Gambia,  averaging  about  95  tons  a  year,  valued  at  £145  per  ton. 

Much  has  been  urged  about  the  greater  proportion  of  the  trade 
of  the  Gambia,  principally  ground-nuts,  being  with  France ; 
but  this  is  no  argument  on  which  to  support  the  assertion  that 
the  trade  is  mostly  in  French  hands. 

It  simply  arises  from  the  fact  that  British  merchants  on  the 
Gambia  find  the  best  market  for  their  goods  in  France.  The  truth 
is,  that  the  great  bulk  of  the  trade  is  in  British  hands.  The  goods 
purchased  with  the  money  produced  by  it  are  principally  British, 
which  would  not  be  likely  to  continue,  were  the  Gambia  given  up 
to  France.  But  it  is  not  only  on  the  Gambia  that  the  principal 
trade  is  with  France.  The  bulk  of  the  ground-nuts  and  palm- 
kernels  from  Sierra  Leone  generally  goes  also  to  France,  as  may  be 
seen  by  official  returns  : — 

Great  Britain.  France, 

Ground  Nuts,  18C8         ...  7£  tons     ....     ...     6,624  tons 

1869  ...       £3,816    value  ...        £56,502  value 

1870  ...  69    tons     8,680  tons 

Palin  Kernels,  1868         ...  787      „       4,905     „ 

1869  ...    5,847   „   2,700  „ 

1870  ...    1,276   2,634  „ 

Again,  the  whole  export  trade  of  Sierra  Leone  shows  a  strong 
foreign  tendency,  as  appears  by  the  following  figures  : — 

1868.  1869.  1870. 

Exports  to  Great  Britain     £66,077  ...  £140,042  ...  £  81,456 

France                        90,153  ...  105,585  ...  147,199 

United  States            45,509  ...  57,001  ...  39,118 

Other  parts                94,668  ...  83,103  ...  81,715 


Total  £290,467 


70  The  Gambia  Eeport. 

Although  the  Gambia  has  been  upwards  of  250  years  in  British 
possession,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  our  establishments 
there,  in  the  earlier  days,  were  kept  up  for  the  export  of  slaves 
to  the  southern  parts  of  North  America  and  the  West  India 
Islands. 

When  the  slave  trade  was  abolished,  there  was  no  legitimate 
commerce  to  replace  it,  until  the  British  merchants,  who  had 
established  themselves  during  our  temporary  occupation  on  the 
Senegal  and  at  Goree,  finding  it  impossible  to  carry  on  their  trade 
under  the  French  flag,  in  consequence  of  the  vexatious  restrictions 
imposed  on  them,  emigrated  to  the  Gambia,  where  they  established 
themselves  after  the  peace  of  1814. 

They  and  their  descendants  have  opened  up  and  carried  on  a 
legitimate  trade,  and  introduced  the  cultivation  of  the  ground- 
nut along  the  banks  of  the  river  and  its  tributaries  for  a  distance 
of  400  miles. 

The  capability  of  the  country  for  this  particular  product  is 
unlimited,  provided  roads  were  established  from  the  adjacent 
countries,  and  proper  protection  afforded.  The  country  also  pro- 
duces excellent  cotton,  and  large  quantities  of  beeswax  and  ivory 
can  be  collected.  Bathurst  is  only  ten  days'  by  steamer  from  Liver- 
pool, and  in  three  days  more  goods  can  be  landed  870  miles  in  the 
interior — facilities  possessed  by  no  other  Colony  on  the  coast, 
French  or  English. 

Since  1870  all  the  troops  have  been  withdrawn  from  the  Gambia, 
and  also  the  parliamentary  grant  in  aid  of  revenue,  which  for  that 
year  was  £1,000. 

There  is  no  public  debt,  and  the  Colony  is  entirely  self-supporting. 

The  revenue,  which  in  1870  was  estimated  at  £17,000,  was  in 
1874  very  materially  augmented  by  increased  taxation,  the 
estimated  amount  for  this  year  being  over  £22,000. 

With  the  Colonial  funds,  a  small  steamer  has  been  purchased 
for  the  police  of  the  river,  and  other  Government  purposes  ;  and  a 
force  of  armed  police  is  also  maintained  at  the  sole  expense 
of  the  Colony.  The  Civil  List  includes  pensions  to  former 
officials.  Neither  in  the  expenditure  of  the  revenue,  nor  in  the 
appointment  of  the  officials,  have  the  taxpayers  any  voice. 

When  the  cession  of  the  Gambia  was  last  advocated,  Sir  A. 
Kennedy  adduced  as  a  reason  for  the  transfer  the  insignificance  of 
the  trade  of  the  Colony.  This  argument  if  admitted  would 
apply  with  greater  force  to  the  following  possessions,  for 
their  total  annual  imports  and  exports,  as  taken  from  the  Blue- 
Book  for  1873,  faU  far  short  of  those  of  the  Gambia :— 


The  Gambia  Report.  71 

St.  Kitts        £135,514 

Dominica       124,572 

Montserrat 57,483 

Turk's  Island            45,030 

Tobago           89,323 

Virgin  Islands          10,441 

whereas  the  trade  of  the  Gambia,  in  a  bad  year,  as  shown  by  the 
peculiar  system  of  valuation  adopted  by  the  local  Customs  officials, 
has  amounted  to  £225,000. 

Doubtless  we  may  be  told  that  British  interests  will  be  protected 
by  treaty  stipulations  and  guarantees.  Past  experience,  however, 
proves  that  little  value  is  to  be  attached  to  engagements  of  this 
kind.  Take,  for  instance,  the  Treaty  of  1814,  when  Senegal  was 
restored  to  the  French ;  in  a  very  few  months  the  English 
merchants  were  obliged  to  sacrifice  their  property,  and  quit  tho 
place.  Take  the  late  case  of  Fernando  Po,  when  that  island  was 
given  up  to  the  Spaniards.  And  it  is  a  significant  fact  in  support 
of  this  view,  that  while  in  the  British  Settlements  of  the  Gambia 
and  Sierra  Leone  are  to  be  found  many  French  merchants  settled, 
and  carrying  on  a  large  and  profitable  trade,  not  a  British  subject 
is  to  be  met  with  at  Goree  or  on  the  Senegal. 

On  this  point  Sir  Arthur  Kennedy  wrote,  in  a  despatch  to  Lord 
Granville  in  1869 :  "I  believe  the  transfer  would  be  far  from  popular 
with  the  French  residents,  who  greatly  prefer  carrying  on  business 
under  British  rather  than  French  rule." 

At  the  present  time  the  French  merchants  on  the  Senegal  are 
petitioning  their  Government  to  put  on,  not  only  differential,  but 
almost  prohibitory  duties  on  certain  British  manufactures,  as  also  a 
differential  tax  on  British  shipping,  without  which  protection  the 
French  merchants  admit  they  are  unable  to  cope  with  the  mer- 
chants of  the  English  settlements  in  selling  ground-nuts  in  their 
own  market. 

To  proceed  to  the  political  aspect  of  the  question. 

The  argument  used  to  depreciate  the  importance  of  the  Gambia 
as  a  British  possession  applies  with  far  greater  force  to  Sierra 
Leone,  where  so  much  money  has  been  expended,  both  by  the 
Imperial  Government  and  Public  Societies,  while  little  or  nothing 
has  been  done  for  the  Gambia  in  that  way. 

The  extended  area  of  land  brought  yearly  under  cultivation 
is  the  means  of  affording  maintenance  for  large  numbers  of  people, 
besides  instilling  habits  of  industry,  and  inducing  them  to  give  np 
their  predatory  warfare  as  a  means  of  livelihood.  This  is  surely 
some  proof  that  civilisation  is  taking  root  among  the  natives. 

It  is  also  worthy  of    serious  consideration  by  Her  Majesty's 


72  The  Gambia  Report. 

Government,  before  handing  over  the  Gambia  to  France,  whether 
they  are  prepared  to  abandon  the  opportunity  of  extending  British 
influence  and  civilisation,  and  to  sacrifice  the  trade  of  the  Niger, 
as  well  as  that  of  the  Gambia  ;  for  with  the  latter  river  in  their 
possession,  the  French  will  be  in  Timbuctoo  long  before  we  could 
reach  that  place  from  the  mouth  of  the  Niger,  as  that  river  is  not 
navigable  above  Egga. 

The  importance  of  the  Gambia  (a  river  navigable  at  all  seasons 
of  the  year  for  400  miles  from  the  sea)  as  a  direct  means  for  pene- 
trating, by  a  short  and  accessible  route,  into  the  interior,  and 
striking  the  trade  of  the  Upper  Niger,  is  determined  by  the  fact 
that  native  caravans  now  carry  on  an  overland  trade  by  a 
road  from  the  head  of  the  Gambia  navigation  to  Segou  on  the 
Niger.  From  an  itinerary  given  a  short  time  ago  to  the  present 
acting  Governor  of  the  Gambia  by  one  of  the  native  traders  who 
frequently  passes  over  this  route,  it  appears  that  Timbuctoo  can 
be  reached  from  Bathurst  by  a  combined  water  and  land  journey  in 
46£  days.  This  road  is  so  much  traversed  by  native  traders  and 
the  natives  of  the  interior  coming  down  to  the  Gambia  to  cultivate 
the  ground-nut,  that,  compared  with  other  trade  routes  in  those 
parts,  it  is  comparatively  secure  from  danger  to  life. 

The  proposed  cession  would  hand  over  to  a  foreign  power 
the  possession  of  a  noble  water  highway,  giving  easy  access  to  the 
interior,  and  of  all  the  territorial  rights  which  the  undisputed  pos- 
session of  it  gives ;  also  of  settlements  on  the  banks,  formed  by 
the  enterprise  and  industry  of  British  subjects,  who  have  given 
value  to  the  land,  and  formed  establishments  suited  to  the  require- 
ments of  civilised  life. 

The  parts  of  the  coast,  it  is  understood,  from  which  the  French 
are  to  withdraw,  if  the  cession  takes  places,  are  not  French 
territory,  but  merely  small  trading  stations  established  on  native 
soil  They  are  without  Government  staff  or  public  buildings,  and 
without  mercantile  and  other  establishments,  such  as  there  are  on 
the  Gambia.  Nor  do  they  contain  any  considerable  popula- 
tion. 

The  French  are  to  retire,  it  is  said,  from  the  Mellicourie,  Assince, 
Grand  Bassam,  and  Whydah. 

The  Mellicourie  is  a  native  river,  the  sovereignty  of  which  the 
chiefs  offered  to  Great  Britain  eleven  years  ago,  but  it  was 
declined. 

The  French  have  there  a  small  comptoir,  or  trading-post,  with 
a  resident  Consular  Agent,  for  which  they  pay  annual  rent  to  the 
native  chiefs.  Beyond  that  there  is  no  Government  establish- 


The  Gambia  Report,  73 

ment,  and  outside  the  factory  they  exercise  no  jurisdiction 
whatever.  English  and  other  merchants  enjoy  equal  rights  of 
trade  there  with  the  French.  Even  if  the  latter  retire  the 
difficulties  are  not  removed,  as  the  other  foreign  traders  would 
have  to  be  dealt  with,  and  the  Island  of  Matacong,  off  the  mouth 
of  the  Mellicourie,  has  fallen  into  the  hands  of  Americans. 

The  revenue  of  Sierra  Leone  undoubtedly  suffers  from  the 
contiguity  of  a  foreign  trading-post ;  hut  Her  Majesty's  Govern- 
ment could,  we  feel  assured,  find  other  remedies  for  this  inconve- 
nience than  the  sacrifice  of  the  Gambia. 

At  Assini  there  is  a  French  merchant,  who  is  the  only  re- 
presentative of  his  country.  The  English  trade  there  already  on 
equal  terms. 

The  case  of  Grand  Bassam  is  similar  to  that  of  Assini. 

At  Whydah  there  are  two  old  forts,  occupied  respectively  by 
an  English  and  French  trader,  under  the  sovereignty  of  the  King 
of  Dahomey. 

Should  the  exchange  be  effected,  the  French  would  retain  between 
the  Gambia  and  Sierra  Leone  two  very  important  rivers,  viz.  the 
Nunez  and  Pongas,  which  would  remain  as  injurious  to  Sierra 
Leone  trade,  as  the  Mellicourie  is  now. 

The  greater  portion  of  the  public  works  and  property  of  the 
Gambia  has  been  created  by  Colonial  taxation,  and  in  equity  should 
be  regarded  as  the  property  of  the  Colonists,  and  not  of  the  Imperial 
Government. 

The  gravest  aspect  of  the  question  is,  however,  presented  in  the 
contemplated  transfer  against  their  consent  of  some  15,000  native 
British  subjects  to  a  foreign  power,  whose  religious  and  political 
institutions  they  view  with  aversion,  and  with  whose  language 
they  are  unacquainted.  It  is  surprising  that  such  a  project  should 
be  entertained,  when  we  call  to  mind  how  severely  enforced  transfers 
of  populations  have  been  condemned  by  the  public  opinion  of  Europe ; 
and  when  it  is  remembered  that  on  an  exchange  being  made  a 
few  years  ago  of  English  and  Dutch  Settlements  on  the  Gold  Coast, 
the  inhabitants  of  Commendah  had  to  be  coerced  by  arms 
into  renouncing  their  allegiance  to  Her  Majesty,  and  passing  under 
another  flag. 

Eeprehensible  as  such  instances  of  disposing  of  the  property 
and  persons  of  a  people  against  their  wih1  have  been  justly  held 
to  be,  this  procedure  is  still  more  open  to  censure  in  the  present 
case,  where  the  native  population  consists  mainly  of  the  de- 
scendants of  Africans  rescued  from  bondage  by  our  cruisers, 
who  have  been  brought  up  in  the  Protestant  religion,  and  have 


74  The  Gambia  Report. 

been  led  to  regard  themselves  as  the  especial  objects  of  British  care 
and  protection. 

Moreover  it  does  not  appear  that  any  effectual  step  has  been 
taken  to  consult  the  disposition  of  the  people  of  the  Gambia, 
while  it  stands  on  record  that  when  the  transfer  of  that  settlement 
was  first  mooted  in  1869,  they  protested  strongly  against  it.  What 
their  views  now  are  on  the  subject  may  be  learnt  from  the 
petition  (see  Appendix  A),  in  which  their  repugnance  to  the  pro- 
posed change  is  expressed  in  forcible  terms. 

In  adopting  this  Eeport  of  the  Committee,  the  Council  of  the 
Eoyal  Colonial  Institute  therefore  feels  that  it  is  its  duty  to  enter 
an  emphatic  protest  against  the  cession  of  the  Gambia,  on  com- 
mercial, political,  and  Imperial  grounds,  as  well  as  from  a  sense  of 
the  obligations  imposed  upon  the  British  Empire  not  to  abandon 
or  hand  over  without  their  consent,  to  a  Foreign  power,  any  of  its 
subjects,  who  desire  to  retain  the  privileges  and  benefits  of  its  rule. 

The  Council  therefore  trusts  that  the  project  of  this  cession  may 
be  immediately  given  up,  even  were  the  advantages  to  be  expected 
from  it  more  obvious  than  they  appear. 

FBEDEBICK  YOUNG, 

January,  1876.  HONORARY  SECRETARY. 


APPENDIX  A. 

To  the  Right  Honourable  EARL  CARNARVON,  Her  Majesty's  Secretary  of  State 
for  the  Colonies. 

The  humble  petition  of  the  undersigned  inhabitants  of  the  settlements  on 
the  River  Gambia  respectfully  showeth : — 

That  your  petitioners  are  merchants,  traders,  artizans,  and  other  inhabi- 
tants residing  in  the  settlements  on  the  River  Gambia. 

That  your  petitioners  have  been  informed  that  the  transfer  of  these 
settlements  to  the  French  is  now  being  negotiated  by  Her  Majesty's 
Government. 

That  your  petitioners  were  at  first  reluctant  to  give  credence  to  the  report 
of  the  intention  of  Her  Majesty's  Government,  as  your  petitioners  would 
not  believe  that  Her  Majesty's  Government  would  undertake  a  transfer 
involving  an  interference  with  the  social  habits  and  opinions  of  thousands 
of  Her  Majesty's  loyal  and  dutiful  subjects  without  consulting  their  wishes, 
or  giving  them  any  official  notification  of  their  intention. 

That  in  the  year  1870,  when  the  subject  of  the  transfer  was  first  ap- 
proached, your  petitioners  had  the  honour  of  addressing  a  petition  to  Lord 


The  Gambia  Report.  75 

Granville,  the  then  Secretary  of  State  for  the  Colonies,  deprecating  the 
transfer  as  being  opposed  to  their  wishes  and  interests,  and  respectfully  but 
firmly  submitting  their  protest  against  being  denationalised. 

That  your  petitioners  still  view  the  prospect  of  the  cession  of  these  settle- 
ments to  France  with  great  alarm,  and  naturally  feel  a  great  aversion  to 
being  summarily  transferred  into  the  hands  of  a  foreign  power  whose 
language,  habits,  and  institutions  are  diametrically  opposed  to  their  own, 
and  whose  policy,  as  evidenced  at  Senegal  and  Goree,  your  petitioners  feel 
sure  will  materially  interfere  with  their  social  and  religious  rights. 

That  your  petitioners  beg  to  assure  your  lordship  that  the  whole  popula- 
tion of  these  settlements  is  opposed  to  this  transfer,  because  they  are  averse 
to  French  rule ;  because,  as  loyal  subjects  of  the  Queen,  they  are  attached 
to  British  institutions ;  because  they  love  political  and  religious  liberty, 
and  because  by  their  industry  they  have  acquired  property  in  these  settle- 
ments which  the  projected  transfer  would  materially  affect. 

That,  besides  other  advantages,  these  settlements  afford  to  the  geogra- 
phical or  scientific  explorer  easy  access  to  the  vast  interior  of  Africa,  which, 
notwithstanding  recent  explorations,  still  remain  a  terra  incognita  to  the 
European  world. 

That  your  petitioners  beg  to  call  your  lordship's  attention  to  the  fact  that 
the  settlements  are  self-supporting,  and  practically  independent  of  the 
mother  country,  that  they  have  no  public  debt  to  liquidate,  that  they  have 
a  revenue  at  present  sufficiently  adequate  to  their  requirements,  and  which, 
with  a  little  retrenchment  and  economy,  would  be  more  than  ample  to  meet 
the  requisite  expenditure. 

Should  it  be  necessary,  your  petitioners  are  ready  and  willing  to  submit 
to  an  extra  taxation  rather  than  be  given  over  to  a  foreign  power. 

That  the  results  consequent  on  the  transfer  of  these  settlements  to  France 
are  matters  of  great  concern  to  your  petitioners:  those  who  have  commer- 
cial and  landed  interests  in  the  settlements  will  either  be  forced  to  sell  out 
at  a  sacrifice  and  seek  new  homes  elsewhere,  or  else  adopt  the  unpleasant 
alternative  of  remaining  under  a  government  obnoxious  to  them;  and  those 
who  have  no  property  to  dispose  of  will  of  necessity  be  obliged  to  adopt  the 
latter  course. 

For  the  foregoing  and  other  reasons  too  numerous  to  set  forth,  your  peti- 
tioners are  anxious  here  to  record  their  dissent  from  and  firm  opposition  to 
a  scheme  so  summary  in  its  nature,  and  fraught  with  such  evil  conse- 
quences to  your  petitioners  and  their  children. 

In  conclusion,  your  petitioners  would  humbly  pray  that  your  lordship 
would  move  Her  Majesty's  Government  to  forego  any  further  negotiation 
on  the  subject  of  the  transfer,  and  abandon  a  scheme  so  detrimental  to  the 
social  and  religious  interest  of  your  lordship's  petitioners. 

And  your  petitioners,  as  in  duty  bound,  will  ever  pray. 

(Signed)  J.  D.  RICHARDS, 

S.  J.  FORSTER, 
Bathurst,  River  Gambia,  H.  G.  DODSON, 

7th  October,  1875.  and  149  others. 


76  The  Gambia  Report. 

APPENDIX  B. 

(COPY.) 

Downing  Street,  September  15,  1871. 

SIR, — I  am  directed  by  the  Earl  of  Kiraberley  to  acknowledge  your  letter 
of  the  14th  ultimo,  enclosing  the  reply  of  certain  Gambia  merchants  to  Sir 
A.  Kennedy's  despatches,  regarding  the  proposed  transfer  of  that  settlement 
to  the  French. 

As  Her  Majesty's  Government  have  abandoned  the  project  of  this  transfer, 
Lord  Kimberley  thinks  it  would  be  useless  to  continue  the  controversy,  and 
his  lordship  feels  sure  that  Sir  A.  Kennedy  will  be  found  fully  disposed  to 
further  the  interests  of  the  settlement,  and  to  co-operate  with  the  Adminis- 
trator in  all  measures  which  may  be  calculated  to  promote  its  prosperity. 
I  am,  Sir,  your  obedient  Servant, 

(Signed)        H.  T.  HOLLAND. 
T.  F.  QUTN,  Esq. 


APPENDIX  C. 

On  the  debate  on  Sir  John  Hay's  motion  in  the  House  of  Commons  for 
pflpers,  16th  July,  1870,  Mr.  Monsell  made  certain  statements  which,  not 
being  in  our  opinion  correct,  we,  the  undersigned,  submit  for  the  informa- 
tion of  Members  of  both  Houses  of  Parliament  the  following  replies  : — 

MR.  MONSELL'S  STATEMENTS. 

The  settlement  has  been  in  our  possession  280  years,  and  comprised  only 
thirty-nine  males  and  eight  females. 

REPLY. 

The  hon.  member  has  gone  back  to  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  who,  in  158P, 
granted  a  patent  to  some  merchants  of  Exeter  to  trade  there  ;  this  was  sub- 
sequently abolished,  and  the  present  settlement  was  formed  on  the  island  of 
St.  Mary's  in  1816,  that  is,  54  years  ago  instead  of  280. 

It  is  clear  that  Mr.  Monsell  entirely  ignores  the  existence  of  the  coloured 
and  native  population,  when  he  says  the  settlements  did  not  contain  more 
than  39  males  and  8  females — even  for  the  white  population  the  last  census 
gives  117  males  and  14  females.  Numbers,  however,  should  not  influence 
the  discussion  of  the  principle  involved. 

MR.  M. 

Mr.  Monsell,  in  quoting  a  letter  of  Mr.  Brown's,  August,  1859,  desired  to 
show  a  discrepancy  between  the  statement  therein  contained  and  Mr. 
Brown's  statement  of  facts  as  to  the  population  of  these  settlements. 

REPLY. 

The  date  of  the  letter  is  1869  (not  1859),  and  if  the  honourable  member 
had  given  the  letter  in  extenso  no  discrepancy  would  have  appeared,  because 
in  the  letter  of  1869  Mr.  Brown  was  describing  only  the  island  of  St.  Mary's 


The  Gambia  Report.  77 

and  the  number  of  its  inhabitants;  whereas,  in  the  statement  of  facts 
quoted  by  Sir  John  Hay,  the  number  of  inhabitants  given  comprise  those 
of  all  the  settlements,  viz.  Bathurst,  British  Combo,  Fort  Bullen,  Albreda, 
and  McCarthy's  Island. 

MB.  M. 

The  question  of  the  cession  of  the  Gambia  was  suggested  by  the  Governor- 
General,  Sir  Arthur  Kennedy,  and  his  statement  of  13th  March,  18G9,  was 
still  more  specific,  that  it  would  be  for  the  interests  of  the  Colony  to  cede 
the  Gambia,  that  the  situation  of  the  settlement  rendered  it  unhealthy  for 
four  months  in  the  year. 

KEPLY. 

What  can  the  opinion  of  Sir  Arthur  Kennedy  be  worth  ?  He  never  spent 
ten  days  in  the  Gambia,  never  went  up  the  river  beyond  Bathurst,  knows 
nothing  of  the  trade  and  resources  of  the  river,  or  of  the  different  tribes 
inhabiting  the  banks  of  it.  Why  should  not  the  opinions  be  taken  of  such 
men  as  Sir  Richard  Graves  McDonnell  (now  Governor  of  Hong  Kong), 
who  spent  over  eight  years  in  the  colony,  filling  respectively  the  offices  of 
Chief  Justice  and  Governor,  thoroughly  knew  the  character  of  the  natives, 
as  well  as  the  sources  of  the  river  and  the  trade  thereof ;  or  Sir  John  Isles 
Mantell  (now  one  of  the  Stipendiary  Magistrates  for  Manchester),  who  for 
twenty-seven  years  resided  in  the  Gambia,  holding  the  appointments  of 
Queen's  Advocate,  and  subsequently  that  of  Chief  Justice ;  or  Brigadier- 
General  O'Connor,  who  for  over  six  years  was  Governor  of  the  Gambia,  and 
is  now  Commander-in-Chief  in  Jamaica;  or  of  Colonel  S.  J.  Hill  (now 
Governor  of  Newfoundland),  who  resided  for  some  time  at  McCarthy's 
Island  and  at  Bathurst,  and  subsequently  held  the  appointments  of  Gover- 
nor of  Cape  Coast  and  of  Sierra  Leone;  or  of  Daniel  Robertson  (late 
Colonial  Secretary  of  the  Gambia),  who  resided  there  upwards  of  thirty 
years,  and  has  now  retired  on  his  well-earned  pension.  These  gentlemen 
have  all  held  high  official  situations,  and,  from  their  long  residence  and 
local  knowledge,  are  far  better  able  to  give  an  opinion  upon  the  question  of 
the  proposed  cession  than  an  officer  having  so  little  personal  experience  as 
Sir  Arthur  Kennedy. 

MR.  M. 

In  the  Blue  Book  published  in  18G6  or  1867  there  was  a  statement,  that 
between  the  years  1857  and  18CG  the  number  of  births  was  about  1,200,  and 
the  number  of  deaths  2,300. 

REPLY. 

The  Blue  Book  for  1867  gives  the  number  of  births  for  Bathurst  and 
McCarthy's  Island  at  118,  and  the  deaths  at  66.  No  I'egister  is  kept  for 
British  Combo,  Barra,  or  Albreda. 

Mu.  M. 

Sir  Arthur  Kennedy  went  on  to  say  that  the  revenue  depended  mainly  on 
the  export  of  gold  dust  (sic  in  Report),  meaning  probably  ground-nuts, 
which  must  be  precarious  and  fluctuating. 


78  Tlie  Gambia  Report. 

REPLY. 

Sir  Arthur  Kennedy  is  incorrect  in  so  stating.  Take  the  revenue  for  1867 
— the  last  one  published — and  it  will  be  seen  by  the  Blue  Book,  at  page  15, 
that  the  revenue  raised  was  .£21,641  5s.  10d.,  of  which  only  £-4,783  6s.  was 
on  ground-nuts,  the  balance  being  from  other  sources.  Of  course,  ground- 
nuts, like  all  cereal  crops,  are  dependent  upon  the  seasons,  the  harvests 
being  good  or  bad,  in  all  countries,  in  proportion  as  the  weather  is  favour- 
able or  otherwise. 

MR.  M. 

The  deficiency  of  the  revenue  in  1869  was  £3,667.  The  value  of  the 
imports  to  the  Gambia  in  1869  was  £94,207,  and  of  the  exports  £91,000, 
about  one  fifth  of  which  came  from  Great  Britain. 

REPLY. 

It  is  notorious  to  everyone  connected  with  the  Gambia  that  1869  was  a 
very  exceptional  year,  and  owing  to  native  wars,  famine,  cholera,  and  the 
early  cessation  of  rain,  there  was  an  immense  failure  of  crops.  It  is  not, 
therefore,  fair  to  form  an  estimate  of  the  Gambia  trade  on  the  result  of  such 
an  exceptional  year.  According  to  the  Blue  Book  for  1867,  the  total  imports 
to  Gambia  were  £193,420  10s.  8d.,  of  which  the  imports  from  the  United 
Kingdom  amounted  to  £104,367  8s.,  whilst  from  France  it  was  only 
£37,565  13s.  The  total  exports  were  £214,382  7s.,  of  which 
£157,643  11s.  6d.  went  to  France,  not  wholly  as  the  proceeds  of  French 
trade,  but  chiefly  of  English,  because  Marseilles  is  a  better  market  for  all 
oleaginous  seeds  than  England.  The  money  for  the  English  portion  came 
to  England  for  the  purchase  of  goods  to  be  again  employed  in  the  trade. 

MB.  M. 

So  far  as  regarded  the  feelings  of  the  native  population,  Sir  Arthur  Ken- 
nedy had  made  inquiries  on  the  subject,  and  was  of  opinion  they  would 
not  offer  any  serious  opposition  to  the  transfer  of  the  Colony  to  France. 

REPLY. 

The  whole  of  the  British  population  of  the  Settlements  on  the  Gambia, 
European  as  well  as  native,  are  strongly  opposed  to  the  proposed  cession, 
and  expressed  themselves  so  to  Sir  Arthur  Kennedy.  The  Aborigines  are 
well  known  to  be  against  it  to  a  man. 

THOMAS  BROWN. 
THOMAS  F.  QUIN. 
Thatched- House  Club,  St.  James's  Street,  26*7t  July,  1870. 


The  Reply  of  the  undersigned  Merchants  of  the  Gambia  to  the  Des- 
patches of  Sir  Arthur  Kennedy,  C.B.,  to  the  Secretary  of  State  for  the 
Colonies,  urging  the  Cession  of  the  Settlements  on  the  River  Gambia  to 
France  (printed  by  order  of  the  House  of  Commons,  10th  August,  1870,  on 
the  motion  of  Admiral  Sir  John  Hay,  Bart.,  C.B.),  exposing  their  sophistry 
and  the  gross  incorrectness  of  alleged  facts. 


The  Gambia  Report.  79 

NOTE. — In  the  printed  papers  laid  before  Parliament,  Sir  Arthur  Kennedy 
is  addressed  as  the  Governor  of  the  Gambia;  this  is  in  virtue  of  his  office 
as  Governor  in-Chief  of  the  West  African  Settlements.  It  is  essential, 
however,  to  bear  in  mind  he  never  resided  ten  days  consecutively  in  the 
Gambia,  never  went  up  the  river,  and  knows  nothing  of  the  native  tribes 
about  whom  he  writes. 

SIR  A.   KENNEDY'S  DESPATCHES. 

Sir  A.  Kennedy  to  Earl  Granville,  dated  29th  April,  1869  (Paragraph  10) : 
— "  But  I  must  at  the  same  time  assure  your  Lordship  that  the  natives  of 
tie  country  in  question,  who  are  highly  intelligent,  would  regard  any  nego- 
tiations with  a  view  to  giving  over  their  country  to  French  occupation  in  the 
light  of  a  sale  of  their  country  by  Great  Britain  to  France,  and  that  it  would 
irretrievably  damage  our  prestige  on  the  Coast,  and  raise  a  spirit  of  uni- 
versal distrust  against  us." 

REPLY. 

We  must  confess  it  is  with  very  much  surprise  that  we  read  such 
words  written  by  Sir  A.  Kennedy,  who,  in  all  his  letters  on  the  subject  of 
tlie  cession  of  the  Gambia,  an  old-established  British  colony,  so  ardently 
advocates  the  very  principle  which  he  herein  so  strongly  recommends  the 
Government  not  to  adopt.  What  possibly  could  raise  a  spirit  of  universal 
distrust  against  us  more  than  the  cession  of  the  Gambia  to  a  Foreign 
Power,  contrary  to  the  wishes  of  its  inhabitants  ;  and  what  would  more  irre- 
trievably damage  our  prestige  on  the  Coast  than  such  a  line  of  policy  ? 

SIR  A.  K. 

Sir  A.  Kennedy,  in  his  letter  No.  4,  of  23rd  September,  1869,  gives  the 
following  reasons  for  recommending  the  cession  of  the  Gambia  : — 

1.  The  expense  of  maintaining  troops  in  the  Settlement— about  .£20,000 
a  year — which  sum  I  believe  to  exceed  the  whole  mercantile  profits  of  the 
place. 

REPLY. 

This  expense  is  no  longer  incurred,  as  the  troops  have  been  removed  over 
a  year.  As  to  Sir  A.  Kennedy's  appreciation  of  the  whole  mercantile  profits 
of  the  place,  it  is  so  manifestly  absurd  that  it  does  not  merit  any  detailed 
refutation  from  us. 

SIR  A.  K. 

2.  The  hopelessness  of  extending  civilisation  among  the  peculiar  popula- 
tion which  surrounds  and  composes  the  bulk  of  the  settlement. 

REPLY. 

This  is  an  assertion  of  Sir  Arthur  Kennedy's  which,  we  submit,  arises 
from  his  want  of  knowledge  of  this  River. 

Before  1837  we  had  a  large  mahogany  trade,  and  the  soil  was  compara- 
tively very  little  cultivated.  The  mahogany  trade  declined  at  home  in 
value,  and  the  attention  of  the  natives  was  directed  to  the  cultivation  of  the 
ground-nut  by  the  merchants.  In  1837  the  whole  export  was  071  tous  ;  in 
1867  the  export  was  19,133  tons  ! 


80  The  Gambia  Report. 

The  effect  of  this  increased  production  has  put  under  cultivation  very 
large  tracts  of  land,  and  has  given  employment  and  maintenance  to  great 
numbers  of  people.  It  has  attracted  the  natives  from  the  far  interior  to 
come  down  to  the  banks  of  the  River  to  grow  these  nuts,  and  they  have 
lately  cultivated  cotton  to  a  large  extent,  and  have  learnt  to  manufacture 
country  cloths,  the  demand  for  which  is  so  great  that  it  is  only  when  there 
is  a  superabundant  crop  they  can  be  induced  to  sell  the  raw  material  to  the 
merchants  at  the  present  low  prices.  We  think  we  have,  by  these  fact?, 
abundantly  proved  that  the  Colony  has  progressed,  and  is  capable  of  further 
improvement. 

And  as  to  the  hopelessness  of  extending  civilisation  among  the  ''peculiar 
population  which  surrounds  and  composes  the  bulk  of  the  Settlement,"  with 
all  due  deference  to  Sir  A.  Kennedy's  vague  assertion,  we  maintain,  that  if 
"  civilisation  "  means  education  and  the  adoption  of  European  habits  and 
customs,  the  Gambia  Settlements  have  made  extraordinary  and  remarkable 
progress  within  the  last  quarter  of  a  century. 

Sm  A.  K. 

3.  The  precarious  nature  of  the  revenue  and  probability  of  ultimate 
failure   of  the  ground-nut  crop,   which  forms  the   staple   export  of  the 
Settlement. 

REPLY  IST. 

All  crops — whether  wheat,  barley,  cotton,  potatoes,  &c ,  &c. — are  occasion- 
ally liable  to  failure,  but  we  are  not  aware  that  the  ground-nut  is  more 
subject  to  it  than  other  vegetable  productions. 

The  ingenious  inference  sought  to  be  drawn  is,  that  the  revenue  is  chiefly 
dependent  on  the  export  duty  of  those  nuts ;  but  a  reference  to  the  Blue 
Book  and  Estimates,  with  which  Sir  Arthur  Kennedy  is  supposed  to  be 
acquainted,  will  show  that  out  of  a  revenue  of  115,518  15s.  for  1869  the 
export  duty  on  the  ground-nut  was  only  .£2,342  Os.  lid. 

REPLY  2ND. 

Sir  Arthur  appears  wholly  to  have  omitted  from  his  calculation  the  ex- 
portation of  wax  and  hides,  the  trade  of  which  is  entirely  in  the  hands  of 
the  English.  Previous  to  the  cattle  plague  in  1885,  which  almost  extermi- 
nated the  oxen,  we  had  a  large  trade  in  hides.  The  exportation  in  ISC  5 
was  104,122  hides,  which  has  materially  fallen  off  owing  to  the  dearth  of 
cattle ;  but  it  is  now  gradually  recovering,  and  we  anticipate  it  will  again 
reach  its  former  standard.  The  exportation  of  beeswax  for  1869  was 
£15,495  5s.  10d.,  all  British. 

SIR  A.  K. 

4.  That  the  trade  is  now  almost  exclusively  French,  and   will  become 
more  so  yearly. 

REPLY. 

Mr.  Fowler,  in  his  statement,  which  is  almost  entirely 
adopted  by  Sir  Arthur,  puts  the  exports  thus  :  Ground-nuta 
exported  by  English  houses,  £45,233  10s. ;  by  French  houses, 
£28,732  10s.  Hides  exported  by  the  English,  £1,734  18s.  ; 
and  by  the  French,  £245  5s.  Here,  then,  out  of  an  exporta- 


The  Gambia  Question.  81 

tion  of  .£74,946  5s.,  the  English  portion  is  .£46,968  8s.;  to  £46,968     8     0 
this  we  must  add,  as  per  Blue   Book  and  Custom  House 
Keturns  for  1869,  the  following  exports  by  the  British  : — 

Beeswax £15,495     5  10 

Ivory  262  16     0 

Oxen 192     0     0 

Kaw  Cotton  32215     0 

16,272  16  10 


£63,241     4  10 

Do  these  figures  show  the  trade  to  he  exclusively  French  ?  We  assert,  and 
challenge  Sir  Arthur  to  deny,  that,  by  official  statistics,  it  is  shown  that  four- 
fifths  of  the  ground-nuts,  palm  kernels,  and  benniseed,  raised  and  collected 
at  Sierra  Leone,  Sherbro',  the  Moriah  and  Samo  Country  (better  known  as 
die  Rivers  Malicoree  and  Fourecaria),  are  exported  to  France,  and  all  their 
hides  and  much  of  their  ginger  to  America.  But  what  does  this  prove 
beyond  the  fact  that  every  sensible  merchant  endeavours  to  sell  in  the 
dearest  and  buy  in  the  cheapest  market?  But  is  this  any  reason  why  his 
nationality  should  be  changed  ? 

SIR  A.  K. 

6.  The  probability,  if  not  certainty,  of  frequent  collisions  with  the  sur- 
rounding native  tribes,  which  renders  the  maintenance  of  an  expensive 
protective  force  necessary. 

REPLY. 

We  have  now  been  more  than  twelve  months  without  any  protective 
force,  and  had  no  frequent,  or  indeed  any,  collision  with  the  surrounding 
tribes.  We  do  not  deny  the  necessity  of  a  protective  force,  the  expenses  of 
which  we  are  ready  to  defray  if  allowed  the  requisite  control  over  the 
management  of  our  finances. 

SIR  A.  K. 

7.  The  responsibility  of  maintaining  the  settlement  without  any  result  or 
prospective  advantage.    I  have,  on  the  other  hand,  pointed  out  in  former 
despatches  the  advantages  which  would  accrue  to  our  commerce  generally, 
and  the  prosperity  of  the  settlement  of  Sierra  Leone  in  particular,  if  the 
Samo  and  Moriah  countries  were  freed  from  French  domination,  and  left  to 
manage  their  own  affairs  under  their  existing  treaties  with  Great  Britain. 

REPLY. 

All  troops  being  withdrawn,  and  these  settlements  now  requiring  no  aid 
from  Imperial  funds,  the  annual  consumption  of  British  manufactures  is  a 
profit  to  Great  Britain.  This  is  clear  proof,  in  the  opinion  of  Sir  Arthur 
Kennedy,  that  the  prosperity  of  the  Samo  and  Moriah  country  is  "  inju- 
riously affected  by  the  domination  of  the  French  ;"  yet  he  does  not  hesitate 
to  advocate  the  infliction  of  such  "injurious  domination  "  on  the  Gambia 
settlements. 

SIR  A.  K. 

I  believe  that  the  transfer  would  be  far  from  popular  with  the  French 
residents,  who  greatly  prefer  carrying  on  business  under  British  rather  than 
French  rule. 


82  The  Gambia  Report. 

REPLY. 

Is  not  this  an  additional  proof  that  "French  domination  "  is  "  injurious  to 
conamerce,"  when  French  merchants  prefer  to  remain  under  English  rule  ? 
Why,  then,  force  English,  French,  and  native-born  subjects,  against  their 
will,  to  accept  it?  It  is  a  significant  fact  that  not  one  English  mercantile 
firm  is  to  be  found  established  in  the  French  settlements  of  Senegal  or 
Goree. 

SIR  A.  K. 

At  present  all  the  advantages  derived  from  the  settlement  are  enjoyed  by 
the  French,  while  the  responsibility  of  its  maintenance  devolves  upon 
Great  Britain,  the  French  trade  contributing  little  or  nothing  towards  its 
expenditure  or  protection ;  and  the  French  houses  settled  there  fully  appre- 
ciate this  (to  them  desirable)  state  of  things. 

REPLY. 

Can  any  sensible  person  suppose  that  English  merchants  would  for  along 
series  of  years  continue  a  trade  that  was  not  advantageous  to  them  ?  We 
leave  Sir  A.  Kennedy  to  explain  the  contradiction  apparent  in  his  argu- 
ments when  he  says  that  the  French  trade  contributes  little  or  nothing 
towards  the  expenditure  or  protection  of  the  settlements.  For  our  parts,  we 
are  totally  at  a  loss  to  understand  either  his  statement  or  the  language  in 
which  he  attempts  to  convey  it. 

SIR  A.  K. 

Any  opposition  which  would  probably  be  offered  would  be  the  noise  made 
by  a  few  persons  locally  interested  to  enhance  the  value  of  their  property. 

REPLY. 

The  remonstrances  of  the  merchants,  the  protest  of  the  King  of  Combo, 
and  the  petition  from  the  native  population  of  Bathurst,  in  reporting  upon 
which  the  late  Administrator,  Major  Bravo,  in  writing  to  Earl  Granville, 
said,  "  I  feel  bound  to  inform  your  lordship  I  am  of  opinion  that  whatever 
intelligence,  respectability,  property,  or  feeling  there  may  be  in  natives  of 
these  settlements,  it  is  almost  unanimously  represented  by  the  petitioners," 
fully  negatives  Sir  Arthur  Kennedy's  assertion. 

SIR  A.  K. 

The  rivers  Gambia  and  Senegal  run  nearly  parallel  to  each  other ;  the 
former  navigable  for  300  miles,  and  nearly  uniting  at  their  sources,  would 
give  the  French  a  valuable  and  cheap  means  of  controlling  the  territory 
lying  between  them,  which  is  valueless  to  us. 

REPLY. 

Sir  Arthur  Kennedy's  geographical  knowledge  appears  to  be  greater  than 
that  of  the  Geographical  Society  in  London,  as  the  sources  of  the  Gambia 
have  never  yet  been  visited,  but  are  supposed  to  exist  among  a  range  of 
lofty  mountains. 

SIR  A.  K. 

The  inhabitants  of  Bathutst  are  a  mixed  body,  unwarlike,  and,  as  has 
been  proved  by  the  military  protection  we  have  been  often  compelled  to 


The  Gambia  Report.  83 

afford  them,  quite  incapable  of  defending  themselves  against  their  warlike 
and  fanatical  Mahomedan  neighbours,  who  are  steadily  increasing  in  num- 
bers and  influence,  and  who  can  only  be  kept  in  check  by  military  control. 

REPLY. 

The  island  of  St.  Mary's  has  never  been  attacked,  but  on  all  occasions 
when  British  interests  have  been  menaced  the  inhabitants  have  readily 
enrolled  themselves  in  the  militia,  and  in  volunteer  coi-ps  have  co-operated 
with  the  regular  troops,  rendering  such  effective  assistance  as  to  earn  the 
thanks  of  the  officers  in  command  and  the  governors  for  the  time  being. 
We  may  state  the  fact  that  M'Carthy's  island  has  now  been  five  years 
without  regular  troops,  and  although  the  tribes  surrounding  it  are  the  most 
warlike  and  fanatic  in  the  river,  the  small  militia  force  there  (only  occa- 
sionally called  out)  has  been  sufficient  to  deter  them  from  attacking  the 
island.  But  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  Colonel  G.  D'Arcy,  our  Ad- 
ministrator, and  Governor-in-Chief  Major  Blackall,  did  not  denude  the 
island  of  all  arms  and  ammunition,  as  Sir  Arthur  Kennedy  has  done  with 
Bathurst. 

SIB  A.  K. 

Sir  Arthur  Kennedy  to  Earl  Granville,  in  his  letter  of  29th  July,  1870, 
No.  61,  writes  : — 

"  I  am  informed,  on  authority  which  I  consider  reliable,  that  the  King  of 
Combo,  so  far  from  being  opposed  to  the  contemplated  transfer,  will  be 
glad  to  see  the  settlement  transferred  to  the  French;"  and  Sir  Arthur 
Kennedy  instructs  Colonel  Anton,  the  Acting  Administrator  in  the  Gambia, 
to  ascertain  the  feelings  of  the  King  of  Combo,  whereupon  the  Acting 
Administrator  sends  Mr.  Smith,  the  manager  of  British  Combo,  to  see 
the  King  of  Combo. 

REPLY. 

By  the  report  of  Mr.  Smith,  the  manager  of  Combo,  given  at  page  105  of 
the  printed  papers,  the  King  of  Combo's  reply  does  not  justify  Sir  Arthur 
Kennedy's  report  that  the  King  would  be  glad  to  see  the  settlement  trans- 
ferred to  the  French  ;  and  in  April  last,  when  disturbances  were  anticipated 
from  his  kingdom,  Mr.  Fowler's  threat  of  handing  them  over  to  the  French 
had  the  effect  of  quieting  them.  Is  this  any  evidence  of  their  desire  for 
this  settlement  to  be  occupied  by  the  French  ?  We  are  aware,  from  per- 
sonal knowledge  of  the  King  and  his  subjects  generally,  that  they  are 
utterly  and  unanimously  opposed  to  the  transfer;  and  this  assertion  of  ours 
can  be  easily  verified. 

SIB  A.  K. 

A  single  gun-boat  can  protect  Bathurst,  if  it  be  worth  protecting;  and  if 
the   settlement  be   retained  under    British  rule,  I  think  the  inhabitants 
should  be  distinctly  informed  that  Her  Majesty's  Government  cannot  be 
.  responsible  for  defensive  aid  beyond  those  limits. 

REPLY. 

We  quite  agree  with  this,  which  shows  that  a  very  small  protective  force 
only  is  necessary ;  and  we  quote  from  Admiral  Patey's  report,  dated  4th 
August,  1869  (Blue  Book,  page  16),  where  he  writes  :— 
G  2 


84  The  Gambia  Report. 

"  I  conscientiously  believe  that  a  small  steamer,  costing  about  .£3,000, 
with  a  couple  of  guns,  would  be  more  effective,  and  produce  a  greater  im- 
pression amongst  the  natives  up  the  river,  where  the  vessel  could  penetrate, 
than  the  mere  display  of  troops  at  Bathurst,  who  cannot  be  seen  by  those 
who  require  the  most  effect  to  be  made  on  them." 

SIR  A.  K. 

In  paragraph  6  he  writes  : — 

"  I'believed  that  they  would  be  wholly  defenceless  against  native  aggres- 
sion when  Great  Britain  renounced  all  further  responsibility  on  behalf  of 
the  settlement,  and  hence  they  would  be  placed  under  the  protection  of 
France,  who  was  able  and  willing  to  defend  and  forward  civilisation 
amongst  them." 

REPLY. 

Sir  Arthur  Kennedy  did  all  he  could  to  make  us  so,  leaving  the  Colony 
without  a  field-piece,  a  rocket-tube,  a  rifle,  or  a  cutlass,  and  also  without 
ammunition. 

Sir  Arthur  Kennedy,  in  his  letter  to  Earl  Granville,  No.  4,  23rd  Septem- 
ber, 1869,  page  3,  gives  as  one  of  the  reasons  of  the  transfer  the  liopeless- 
nfts  of  extending  civilisation. 

SIB  A.  K. 

In  Despatch  No.  1,  dated  29th  April,  1869,  at  page  1  of  the  printed 
papers,  he  writes: — 

"  I  have  before  stated  that  the  possession  of  Gambia  and  Bulama  is 
greatly  desired  by  Mr.  Braouezec,  who  represents  France  on  this  coast ; 
and  I  feel  sure  that  the  cession  of  either  of  these  would  prove  more  than  an 
equivalent,  from  a  French  point  of  view,  for  their  abandonment  of  the  right 
of  sovereignty  claimed  by  them  over  the  Moriah  and  Samo  country. 

"  This  arrangement  would  tend  to  consolidate  the  territory  belonging  to, 
or  under  the  protection  of,  both  nations.  Moreover,  the  French  mode  of 
colonisation  on  this  coast  would  be  better  suited  to  the  natives  surrounding 
Bulama,  and  bordering  on  the  River  Gambia,  than  the  mild  sway  of  Great 
Britain." 

N.B. — Bulama  was  afterwards  given  up  to  Portugal  on  the  decision  of 
the  President  of  the  United  States,  who  was  requested  by  the  British  and 
Portuguese  Government  to  act  as  arbitrator. 

REPLY. 

Surely  Mr.  Braouezec's  desire  is  no  reason  for  making  the  transfer. 

The  Rivers  Mallecoree  and  Fourecaria,  or,  as  Sir  Arthur  Kennedy  de- 
signates them,  the  Moriah  and  Samo  country,  are  not  French,  but  native 
rivers,  where,  under  treaties  with  the  native  chiefs,  French  and  English 
subjects  have  factories  or  trading  stations  ;  and  to  get  the  French  Govern- 
ment to  withdraw  from  these  native  rivers,  the  Gambia  is  to  be  transferred 
to  the  French.  There  is  no  mutual  exchange  of  territory,  or,  as  the  French 
journal  La  Qironde  of  the  2nd  of  April,  1871,  expresses  it  — 

"  Lord  Granville,  L'a  cede  a  la  France,  sans  aucun  equivalent  pecu- 
niaire,  quoiqu,  une  evaluation  recente  eut  porte  a  un  demi-million  sterling 


The  Gambia  Report.  85 

la  valeur  des  possessions  Anglaises.  La  cession  faite  par  les  Franqais  de 
leurs  droits  acquis  au  sud  de  la  Gamble  parait,  aux  yeux  des  redacteurs  du 
Globe  et  de  quelques  autres  feuilles,  une  chose  insignifiante.  Tel  est  1'etat 
des  choses,  et  il  n'est  pas  sans  importance  pour  les  negociants  Frangais  en 
rapports  assez  actifs  d'affaires  avec  la  cote  d'Afrique  d'etre  renseignes  a  cet 


As  we  have  shown  by  reference  to  official  documents  that  Sir  Arthur 
Kennedy's  statements  are  so  at  variance  with  facts,  we  think  further  com- 
ment unnecessary. 

Is  it  on  such  evidence  as  this  that  a  British  settlement  is  to  be  trans- 
ferred to  a  foreign  power  against  the  wishes  of  the  whole  community? 

THOMAS  BROWN  &  Co. 
THOMAS  C.  CEJOWN. 
THOMAS  F.  JOHNSTON  Qum. 
THOMAS  F.  QUIN; 


SECOND  ORDINARY  GENERAL  MEETING. 

THE  Second  Ordinary  General  Meeting  of  the  Session  was  held 
at  the  Pall  Mall  Eestaurant  on  the  18th  January,  1876,  His  Grace 
the  DUKE  OF  MANCHESTER,  President,  in  the  chair. 

Mr.  FREDERICK  YOUNG,  Honorary  Secretary,  having  read  the 
minutes  of  the  First  Ordinary  General  Meeting,  which  were  con- 
firmed, Lieut.-Gen.  BISSET,  C.B.,  read  the  following  paper  : — 

SOUTH  AFRICA  AND  HER  COLONIES. 
YOUR  GRACE,  Members  of  the  Institute,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen, — 
Having  been  invited  to  give  an  address  on  the  subject  of  South 
Africa  and  her  Colonies,  I  have  not  hesitated  from  doing  so, 
although  I  am  quite  sure  there  are  many  in  this  room  more  com- 
petent than  myself.  I  will,  however,  endeavour  to  give  a  short 
account  of  the  country  with  which  I  have  been  so  long  associated. 

I  purpose  dividing  the  subject  under  consideration  into  three 
epochs,  viz.  the  past,  the  present,  and  the  future  ;  and  I  shall  pro- 
pose to  give  a  brief  account  of  each  of  the  four  Colonies — the 
Cape,  Natal,  the  Orange  Free  State,  and  the  Transvaal  Republic. 

I  will  not  refer  to  the  first  discovery  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  in 
1486,  for  that  is  a  matter  of  history,  as  is  also  that  the  Colony  was 
first  founded  by  the  Dutch  in  1652 — a  small  settlement  extending 
gradually,  until  the  frontier  reached  the  great  Fish  River. 

In  1796  the  Cape  was  taken  by  England,  given  back  to  the 
Dutch  in  1803,  and  retaken  in  1806,  since  which  time  it  has  been 
a  dependency  of  the  British  Crown.  The  area  of  the  Colony  is  about 
350,000  square  miles,  divided  into  thirty-three  electoral  districts, 
with  a  population  of  about  600,000,  which  gives  a  proportion  of 
about  two  individuals  to  the  square  mile.  The  inhabitants  may 
be  roughly  divided  as  follows  :  Europeans,  185,000  ;  Hottentots, 
80,000  ;  Kaffirs,  110,000  ;  other  coloured  races,  137,000.  In 
British  Kaffraria,  a  province  lately  incorporated  into  the  Colony, 
there  are  about  8,000  Europeans  and  80,000  Kaffirs. 

The  first  British  settlers  proceeded  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  in 
1820,  and  from  that  date  the  country  has  advanced  to  its  present 
great  prosperity.  These  early  settlers  had  great  privations  to 
endure,  but  that  indomitable  pluck  and  perseverance  which  always 
accompany  an  Englishman  prevailed,  and  they  are  now  reaping 
their  reward. 

In  fifteen  years  the  settlers  had  increased  their  flocks  and  herds, 
and  were  living  in  comparative  prosperity,  when,  in  1835,  a  Kaffir 
war  broke  out,  which  devastated  the  whole  of  the  frontier  districts. 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  87 

Sir  B.  D'Urban  was  at  the  time  Governor  of  the  Colony,  a  far- 
seeing  and  humane  statesman.  The  Kaffirs  were  punished,  and  in 
a  measure  conquered,  for  they  had  not  up  to  that  time  become 
possessed  of  fire-arms,  or  aware  of  their  own  power.  Their  country 
was  taken  possession  of  up  to  the  Kie  Kiver,  under  the  name  of  the 
Province  of  Queen  Adelaide,  and  held  by  military  occupation  ;  had 
this  been  continued,  the  Kaffirs  would  have  been  civilised  years  ago. 

Unfortunately,  this  policy  was  not  approved  by  the  Home  Govern- 
ment, and  the  country  was  given  back  to  the  Kaffirs,  the  Governor 
recalled,  and  a  Lieutenant-Governor  sent  out,  with  power  to  make 
treaties.  Not  only  was  the  Province  of  Queen  Adelaide  abandoned, 
but  a  tract  of  country  between  the  Fish  and  Keiskama  Eivers,  here- 
tofore kept  neutral,  was  also  relinquished  to  the  Kaffirs. 

These  concessions  were  taken  as  weakness  on  our  part,  and 
were  the  cause  of  the  two  great  Kaffir  wars  which  followed.  I 
cannot  here  help  relating  that  one  of  the  military  posts  abandoned 
in  the  neutral  territory  above  alluded  to,  which  had  cost  £60,000, 
fell  to  the  possession  of  the  Kaffir  chief,  Maccomo,  who  immediately 
sold  it  "as  it  stood"  to  a  trader  for  two  cows,  valued  at  the  out- 
side £5. 

The  Lieutenant-Governor,  acting  under  the  influence  of  the 
"  Philipine  party"  then  dominant  in  England,  made  "treaties" 
with  the  Kaffirs  most  unjust  towards  the  frontier  farmers.  The  Kaffirs 
are  the  greatest  cattle  robbers  in  the  world,  and  these  treaties  held 
out  a  premium  for  them  to  steal :  for  instance,  a  farmer  was  not 
allowed  to  claim  compensation  for  losses  of  cattle  unless  he  could 
prove  that  an  armed  herd  was  with  them  at  the  time  they  were 
stolen  ;  and  if  he  saw  his  own  cattle  in  Kaffirland,  with  his  own 
"brand  mark"  on  them,  he  could  not  recover  them  unless  he 
proved  that  he  traced  the  "spoor"  from  his  farm,  and  handed  it 
(the  spoor)  over  to  the  authorities  on  the  border  of  Kaffirland. 

These  and  similar  conditions  were  most  unjust  to  the  Colonists, 
and  were  among  the  causes  which  led  to  the  emigration  of  the 
Dutch  into  the  interior  of  Africa.  Another  cause  of  discontent 
was  the  liberation  of  their  slaves — not  so  much  from  the  act  itself, 
but  from  the  injudicious  manner  in  which  it  was  done.  The  slaves 
were  valued  by  English  Commissioners  far  below  then*  real  value  ; 
they  were  paid  for  by  drafts  payable  in  England,  and  there  was 
then  little  or  no  circulating  medium  in  the  Colony;  the  consequence 
was  that  the  Dutch  had  to  part  with  their  drafts  for  one-tenth  of 
their  value. 

This  portion  of  the  Cape  inhabitants  became  so  dissatisfied  with 
the  English  Government  about  this  period  (1836-7)  that  they 


88  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

formed  into  bands,  and  passed  over  the  Colonial  frontier  to  the 
North,  became  the  pioneers  of  the  vast  continent  of  South  Africa, 
and  the  names  of  the  leaders  of  these  bands  will  ever  be  memor- 
able in  the  annals  of  that  portion  of  the  world — viz.  Pieter  Eetief, 
Gert  Mauritz,  Peit  Uys,  Potgieter,  Pretorius,  Erasmus,  &c. 

The  history  of  these  people  after  leaving  the  Colony,  their  wan- 
derings in  the  wilderness  with  their  flocks  and  herds,  their  primitive 
habits  and  customs,  and  then-  battles  with  the  natives,  would  record 
facts  more  thrilling  than  many  a  romance. 

After  the  war  of  1835,  the  Colonists  again  prospered  until  another 
Kaffir  war  broke  out,  in  1846-7,  when  the  frontier  districts  were  a 
second  time  reduced  to  poverty  and  desolation.  During  this  war, 
Kaffirland,  up  to  the  Kie  Eiver,  had  to  be  re-taken  possession  of, 
and,  after  peace  was  proclaimed,  held  by  a  military  force.  A  third 
war  broke  out  in  1850,  which  lasted  for  three  years,  and  cost  this 
country  over  £3,000,000  of  money.  These  wars  were  most  ruinous 
to  the  country,  and  nothing  but  the  perseverance  of  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  race  could  have  overcome  such  disasters. 

Since  the  war  of  1850-1853  there  has  been  no  collision  with  the 
natives  of  the  Cape  Colony,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  such  a  general 
understanding  will  be  come  to  in  South  Africa,  on  native  policy,  as 
will  make  them  matters  of  the  past. 

Before  proceeding  to  the  present  prosperous  state  of  the  country, 
it  might  be  well  for  me  to  give  a  short  sketch  of  the  Kaffirs  them- 
selves, although  little  is  yet  known  of  their  early  history  or  origin 
beyond  mere  tradition. 

The  Kaffir  tribes,  under  the  name  of  Amaxosas,  inhabited  the 
country  between  the  great  Fish  Eiver  and  the  Umtata  Eiver,  where 
they  join  the  Abatembee,  or  Tambookee  tribes  ;  these  again  join  the 
Amapondas,  who  extend  east  ward  along  the  coast  until  they  amal- 
gamate with  the  Zulus  in  Natal.  From  60  to  100  miles  inland 
from  the  sea  there  is  a  range  of  mountains,  running  east  and  west, 
which  divides  these  several  tribes  from  the  races  of  the  interior. 

The  numbers  of  the  coast  tribes  inhabiting  the  country  between 
the  Cape  Colony  and  Natal  may  be  put  down  something  as 
follows : — • 

The  Amaxosas,  or  Kaffirs          about  250,000 

The  Tambookees,  or  Abetembu         „     100,000 

Minor  Independent  Tribes  „     50,000 

The  Amapondas,  or  Faku's  People  ,,     125,000 


Making  a  total  of  near 525,000 

As  I  said  before,  the  origin  of  these  races  is  yet  a  matter  of  con- 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 


89 


jecture  ;  the  Amapondas  and  Tambookees  were  no  doubt  the  Abori- 
gines of  Natal  before  Chaka  drove  them  out  of  that  country.     But 


OE      KAFFIR 


3,  Ngeweleslie,  Sonlo 


Gwali 


Titi 


Kobel, i 


Mate 


the  country,  the  mineral  wealth  is  something  enormous,  and  in 
the  future  of  South  Africa  will  be  quite  beyond  conception. 

I  need  not  tell  many  of  those  present  that  the  first  diamond 
was  discovered  in  South  Africa  in  March,  1867,  and  up  to  the  pre- 
sent time  over  £12,000,000  worth  have  been  found  at  the  Diamond 


88  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

formed  into  bands,  and  passed  over  the  Colonial  frontier  to  the 
fiftftTTift  t.lifi  T>ioneers  of  the  vast  continent  of  South  Africa, 


Minor  Independent  Tribes  „     50,000 

The  Amapondas,  or  Faku's  People  „     125,000 

Making  a  total  of  near 525,000 

As  I  said  before,  the  origin  of  these  races  is  yet  a  matter  of  con- 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  89 

jecture  ;  the  Amapondas  and  Tambookees  were  no  doubt  the  Abori- 
gines of  Natal  before  Chaka  drove  them  out  of  that  country.  But 
the  Kaffirs  claim  a  separate  history,  and  by  their  traditions  are 
said  to  have  sprung  from  a  chief  named  Xosa,  from  whom  they 
take  their  name  ;  their  descent  is  thus  carried  back  for  twelve 
generations — viz.  Xosa,  Tshawe,  Ncwangu,  Sikomo,  Togu,  and 
Gconde — from  whom  again  sprang  the  present  divided  tribes, 
according  to  the  accompanying  genealogical  table. 

This  "  tree  "  brings  the  Kaffir  nation  down  to  the  present  day  ; 
but  some  of  the  old  chiefs  have  died  since  I  left  the  Cape  in  1867, 
and  have  been  succeeded  by  their  sons.  It  will,  I  fear,  with  all  I 
have  before  me,  take  up  too  much  time  to  go  into  the  laws  and  cus- 
toms of  these  people ;  suffice  it  to  say  that  many  of  them  are 
curious  and  interesting,  and  throughout  bear  a  Jewish  or  Hebrew 
type.  I  have,  since  leaving  South,  visited  North  Africa,  and 
observed  many  habits  and  customs  amongst  the  Moorish  tribes 
similar  to  those  of  the  Kaffirs.  You  are  aware  that  all  these 
tribes  still  carry  out  the  primitive  custom  of  polygamy  ;  that  they 
have  their  great  wife,  and  their  right-hand  and  left-hand  wives  and 
children,  each  of  these  having  certain  tribal  rights  (some  of  them 
of  recent  introduction),  which  tend  more  and  more  to  break  up 
the  magnitude  of  the  tribes  into  petty  chieftainships,  and  thus 
lessen  their  power  for  combination.  Did  time  admit,  I  would  enter 
more  into  this  subject  ;  as  it  is,  I  must  pass  to  the  present  of  the 
Cape  Colony. 

Ladies  and  gentlemen,  when  I  tell  you  that  the  revenue  of 
the  Cape  in  1836  was  only  £180,000,  that  in  1873  it  had  risen  to 
£1,280,000,  and  will  this  year  exceed  £2,000,000,  I  am  sure  I  need 
not  add  how  prosperous  that  Colony  is  at  the  present  moment.  The 
exports  were,  in  1856,  £1,300,000  ;  in  1873,  £4,000,000  ;  in  1874, 
£4,500,000;  and  will  this  year  exceed  £5,000,000. 

The  chief  article  of  export  is  wool,  merino  sheep  having  been 
first  introduced  into  the  country  about  the  year  1836  ;  of  this 
article  43,000,000  Ibs.  weight  were  exported  in  1874,  valued  at 
£3,000,000,  over  33,000,000  Ibs.  of  it  having  been  shipped  from  the 
Eastern  Provinces — the  homes  of  the  British  settlers  of  1820 — and 
1,500,000  Ibs.  from  the  new  Province  of  British  Kaffraria.  Next 
to  wool,  which  will  always  remain  the  chief  staple  commodity  of 
the  country,  the  mineral  wealth  is  something  enormous,  and  in 
the  future  of  South  Africa  will  be  quite  beyond  conception. 

I  need  not  tell  many  of  those  present  that  the  first  diamond 
was  discovered  in  South  Africa  in  March,  1867,  and  up  to  the  pre- 
sent time  over  £12,000,000  worth  have  been  found  at  the  Diamond 


90  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

Fields,  which  is  at  the  rate  of  £2,000,000  a  year — over  £150,000 
a  month ;  but,  to  bring  it  nearer  home,  say  £5,000  worth  a  day. 
This,  as  you  will  perceive,  is  alone  a  great  source  of  wealth  to  a 
country  ;  and  by  accounts  received  by  recent  mails  it  appears  that 
large  diamonds  of  great  value  have  lately  been  found ;  and  in 
addition  to  the  known  sources  of  mineral  wealth  it  is  now  reported 
that  a  silver  mine  has  also  been  discovered. 

South  Africa  has  also  "  black  diamonds"  as  well  as  white  and 
yellow  ones — •!  do  not  mean  the  Kaffirs  and  the  Hottentots,  I  mean 
coal.  In  Natal  vast  coal  fields  exist,  extending  over  an  area  of 
above  300  square  miles,  and,  strange  to  say,  they  were  discovered 
in  the  county  of  "  Newcastle,"  bringing  forcibly  to  mind  the  old 
English  saying. 

While  Lieutenant-Governor  of  that  Colony  I  visited  these  black 
diamond  fields,  and  saw  seams  quite  twelve  feet  thick,  with  only 
a  few  feet  of  soil  above  this  strata  of  coal ;  at  other  places  layers 
of  it  run  horizontally  into  mountains,  so  that  there  would  be 
no  necessity  to  go  down  into  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  as  in  Eng- 
land, to  the  great  risk  of  human  life ;  but  it  would  be  brought 
along  its  own  plane,  and  run  down  into  trucks  on  to  the  rail- 
way. 

The  railway  now  being  constructed  at  Natal — from  Durban  to 
Pietermauritzberg —  must,  and  will  eventually,  be  continued  on 
to  this  deposit  of  wealth,  and  it  will  mingle  with,  and  impel  the 
trains  on  the  same  line  with  grain  of  every  description,  for  which 
the  country  is  so  highly  adapted ;  with  wool,  and  with  all  other 
varieties  of  produce — to  say  nothing  of  the  vast  productions  from 
the  Transvaal  and  the  interior  of  Africa. 

I  have  so  far  only  alluded  to  the  two  most  valuable  minerals, 
viz.  that  of  "  black"  and  "  white"  diamonds,  but  the  whole  con- 
tinent of  South  Africa  is  a  mine  of  future  wealth,  for  I  am  aware 
that  metals  of  every  description  are  there  in  abundance.  Many  of 
the  hills  are  composed  of  "  iron,"  another  great  material  of  the 
future  :  the  hills  around  Graharnstown,  the  capital  of  the 
Eastern  Province,  abound  in  it,  and  only  require  access  to  coal 
and  capital  to  convert  it  into  iron  roads,  and  articles  of  agriculture 
and  commerce  now  imported  from  other  countries.  This  valuable 
ore  exists  in  all  the  Colonies  and  States  in  South  Africa. 

Copper  also  extensively  exists,  and  the  Narnaqualand  Mines 
are  said  to  be  the  richest  and  most  paying  in  the  world ;  the 
supply,  I  believe,  unlimited.  I  need  only  say  that  the  original 
price  of  the  Cape  Copper  Mining  Company  was  £5  per  share,  and 
they  are  now  £38  10s.  This  metal  crops  up  in  many  other  parts 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  91 

of  the  country,  and  only  requires  the  development  of  coal  to  be 
worked  to  advantage.  The  great  mountain  ranges  extending  from 
Cape  Town  to  the  Eastern  Provinces,  and  from  thence  to  Natal, 
contain  this  and  other  valuable  metals,  while  quantities  of  lead 
ore  of  a  very  pure  description  (containing  a  large  percentage  of 
silver)  is  found  in  the  Trans  Vaal  Republic,  and  I  am  not 
therefore  surprised  that  a  silver  mine  has  been  discovered. 
Iron,  coal,  copper,  plumbago,  and, ''last  but  not  least,"  gold  is 
known  to  be  there  in  abundance,  and  I  have  no  doubt  but  that  all 
these  metals  will  be  further  discovered  in  the  Cape  and  Natal 
Colonies. 

Before  concluding  this  part  of  my  subject  I  must  allude  to  one 
other  deposit,  which  will  in  the  future  enable  the  princes  of  Africa 
(as  it  has  done  the  princes  of  England  and  other  countries) 
to  build  their  marble  palaces.  I  do  not  mean  our  noble  royal 
princes  only,  but  the  princes  of  wealth,  of  civilisation,  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  of  progress.  I  must  tell  you  that  in  1866,  while  in 
company  with  Mr.  Shepstone  and  Dr.  Sutherland,  we  came  upon 
a  deposit  of  marble  in  Natal,  extending  over  an  area  of  thirty  square 
miles,  many  hundred  feet  thick,  and  within  four  miles  of  the 
Umzimkulu  mouth,  which  will  one  day  become  a  most  important 
port  in  that  part  of  the  world. 

To  return  to  the  Cape  Colony :  I  need  scarcely  tell  you  that 
the  geographical  position  of  Green  Point  is  in  latitude  34°-  21', 
and  longitude  18°  29',  the  mean  temperature  is  61°  26'  Fahr.  in 
the  shade,  and  the  annual  rainfall  about  25  inches  ;  but  the  latter 
varies  greatly  in  different  parts  of  the  Colony,  the  greater  portion 
falling  in  the  Cape  districts  during  the  winter  months,  while  the 
reverse  is  the  case  in  the  Eastern  Province. 

During  1874,  1,171  English,  and  249  foreign  ships  were  entered 
at  the  several  ports  in  the  Cape  Colony,  with  a  tonnage  of 
615,000,  and  77,000;  making  a  total  of  1,458  ships,  with  a  ton- 
nage of  700,000,  and  employing  30,000  sailors.  The  number  of 
ships  proceeding  from  the  Colony  would  naturally  be  about  the 
same. 

Many  of  these  ships  are  steamers.  The  Union  Steamship  Com- 
pany, and  Messrs.  Donald,  Currie,  &  Co.,  now  run  five  ships  monthly 
to  and  from  the  Cape  and  from  the  Cape  coastways  to  Natal ;  their 
combined  tonnage  in  1872  was  about  20,000  ;  in  1875  it  increased 
to  over  40,000,  with  an  average  passage  of  twenty-five  days,  as 
against  from  thirty-two  to  thirty-three  days  in  1872. 

The  Union  Company  has  been  subsidised  by  Government  for  the 
conveyance  of  mails  since  1857.  Under  the  new  contract  (1876) 


92 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 


the  mail  service  will  be  performed  alternately  by  the  above  two 
companies  running  weekly,  and  very  superior  ships  are  being 
constructed. 

The  chief  articles  of  produce  taken  from  the  Colony  by  these  ships 
were  (1874)  :— 


1.  Wool 

2.  Ostrich  Feathers 

3.  Goat  Skins 

4.  Sheep  do. 

5.  Angora  hair 

6.  Copper  Ore 


...     42,620,481  Ibs.  valued  at  £2,948,571 


36,829  „ 
1,478,761  „ 
1,462,367  „ 
1,036,570  „ 

13,646  tons 


205,640 
194,323 
144,538 
107,139 
321,434 


These  are  the  chief  items,  but  the  declared  value  of  the  total 
export  of  produce  for  the  year  1874  amounted  to  £4,138,838 
sterling.  During  the  year  just  come  to  a  close  (1875),  the  ratio 
of  progress  has  been  still  greater,  as  is  manifested  by  an  increase 
of  over  £400,000  to  the  revenue. 

Thus  the  present  epoch  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  must  be  con- 
sidered most  prosperous  ;  but  I  look  forward  to  the  future  with 
still  more  hope.  The  inauguration  of  a  system  of  railways  through- 
out the  country  will  add  greatly  to  its  prosperity.  The  want  of 
transport  and  white  population  has  heretofore  been  a  great  draw- 
back :  the  one  will  be  overcome  by  the  carriage  by  "rail,"  and  the 
expenditure  in  the  construction  of  the  railway  will  draw  the  other. 
Some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  amount  paid  for  carriage  of  in- 
land transport  when  I  tell  you  that  in  one  year  (1872)  over 
£600,000  was  paid  for  waggon  hire  between  Port  Elizabeth  and 
Grahamstown  alone,  a  distance  under  100  miles. 

You  are,  no  doubt,  aware  that  £5,000,000  of  money  is  about  to 
be  spent  in  the  construction  of  railways  in  the  Cape  Colony,  while 
£1,000,000  is  also  about  to  be  expended  in  the  same  manner  in 
the  sister  Colony  of  Natal. 

Gentlemen,  with  all  the  virtues  of  the  Dutch  colonists,  they  are 
nevertheless  a  non-progressive  people,  and  it  has  been  the  Dutch 
interest  (and  that  of  some  influential  Englishmen  who  have  inter- 
married with  them)  which  has  so  long  resisted  the  advance  of  rail- 
way communication.  And  they  themselves  will  derive  the  greatest 
benefit  from  it,  for  this  reason :  heretofore,  the  Eoman-Dutch  law  of 
inheritance  has  prevailed  in  the  Cape  Colony,  and  the  large  estates 
of  the  old  Dutch  farmers  have  been  so  subdivided  within  the  last 
two  or  three  generations  that  their  offspring  have  become  very 
small  holders  of  land  ;  and  where  once  the  old  possessors  lived  in 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies,  93 

affluence  and  riches,  on  the  produce  of  their  flocks  and  herds, 
the  present  generation  can  scarcely  exist  for  want  of  room,  and 
their  persistence  in  following  the  pastoral  pursuits  of  their 
ancestors ;  the  cultivation  of  the  soil  for  export  purposes 
being  heretofore  out  of  the  question  for  want  of  railway  con- 
veyance. 

A  railway  will  revolutionise  all  this  as  the  iron  road  passes 
through  the  fertile  districts  of  the  Colony,  every  one  of  which  is 
capable,  more  or  less,  of  being  brought  under  agricultural  process. 
These  small  farmers  will  reap  the  benefit,  and  the  large 
holders  of  land  will  be  able  to  subdivide  and  sub-let  their  estates, 
and  become  (as  in  England)  the  landed  gentry  of  the  country,  with 
their  tenant  farmers  and  tenants,  the  latter  the  yeomanry  of  the 
Colony, 

The  whole  of  the  Cape  Colony  is  capable  of  maintaining  at  least 
ten  persons  to  the  square  mile,  whereas  now,  in  many  parts,  one 
farmer  possesses  nine  square  miles  to  himself.  All  the  land  in  the 
Western  Provinces  is  particularly  adapted  to  the  cultivation  of 
wheat,  and  other  kinds  of  grain.  Large  tracts  in  the  Cape, 
Stellenbosch,  Paarl,  Malmesbury,  Piquet  Berg,  Clanwilliam, 
Worcester,  Caledon,  Swellendam,  and  Kiversdale,  and  part  of 
George,  are  particularly  so  suited,  the  soil  consisting  of  loam  and 
clay  mixed  with  decomposed  gramte  and  gravel ;  while  Victoria 
West,  Beaufort,  and  Oudtshorn  are  still  more  fertile,  but  the  soil  of 
a  drier  nature  and  therefore  requiring  irrigation,  which  capital  and 
reservoirs  will  in  time  produce.  In  the  remainder  of  George,  and 
thence  on  to  Uitenhage,  the  soil  is  of  a  most  prolific  nature,  and 
includes  a  belt  of  forest  lands  from  the  Knysna  to  the  Zietzakama, 
capable  of  maintaining  a  very  large  population ;  it  is  well  watered, 
and  the  soil  most  productive.  This  tract  of  land  is  bounded  on  the 
south  by  the  sea,  and  to  the  north  by  a  range  of  mountains  running 
east  and  west  varying  from  twenty-five  to  fifty  miles  from  the  sea. 
This  locality  is  wonderfully  suited  for  European  emigrants.  North 
of  this  range  are  the  splendid  valleys  of  the  Long-Kloof,  capable  of 
producing  anything  in  the  world.  They  were  formerly  large  stock 
farms,  but  are  now  so  subdivided,  that  for  the  want  of  roads,  and 
the  means  of  transport,  the  sons  of  the  old  rich  Dutch  proprietors 
are  very  poor. 

Uitenhage,  the  first  of  the  Eastern  Province  Districts,  is  of 
a  mixed  nature  ;  a  portion  of  the  soil  is  fertile,  but  much  of  it 
is  of  a  dry  nature  and  poor.  The  village  of  Uitenhage  will,  not- 
withstanding, one  day  become  a  flourishing  town,  when  the  railway 
is  opened  from  Port  Elizabeth.  Port  Elizabeth  itself  is  the  great 


94  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

sea-port  of  the  Eastern  Provinces,  and  is  a  town  of  very  great 
commercial  importance,  as  may  be  judged  by  its  exports,  amount- 
ing in  value  during  1874  to  the  sum  of  £2,863,975,  while  the 
custom  dues  yield  £360,000  a  year  towards  the  Colonial  revenue. 

Albany  is  one  of  the  richest  counties  in  the  Eastern  Province;  it 
formed  the  original  locations  of  the  British  settlers  of  1820,  and 
from  the  energy  of  these  men  sprang  the  present  prosperity  of  the 
Colony.  Lower  Albany,  the  land  of  my  youth,  is  still  to  me  a 
"  fairy  land;"  it  embraces  hill  and  dale,  park  and  pasture  lands, 
and  is  withal  fertile  to  a  degree.  This  "district"  embraces  the 
second  Port  of  the  Eastern  Province,  named  after  H.E.H.  Prince 
Alfred.  Extensive  marine  works  are  still  being  carried  on  there. 
The  exports  are  considerable,  and  the  Custom  duties  amount 
to  £50,000  per  annum.  Victoria  East  adjoins  it,  and  is  of  the 
same  nature  of  country. 

The  districts  north  of  Grahamstown  (the  capital  of  the 
Eastern  Province),  viz.  Fort  Beaufort,  Somerset,  Cradock,  Graaf 
Kienet,  Eichmond,  Colesburg,  Albert,  and  Aliwal  North,  are  more 
pastoral  counties,  although  capable  of  great  agricultural  resources, 
and  with  the  aid  of  water  would  be  the  most  productive  in  the  world. 

I  have  now  only  to  include  Queenstown,  lying  north  of  British 
Kaffraria,  one  of  the  richest  provinces  in  the  Colony  for  all 
purposes,  and  British  Kaffraria  itself,  to  complete  my  little  history 
of  the  Cape  Colony.  The  latter  province  is  also  one  of  the  most 
productive  in  South  Africa,  and  has  a  great  future  before  it ;  a 
railway  is  now  being  constructed  through  its  capital  (King  William's 
Town)  to  Queenstown,  in  direct  communication  with  the  interior 
of  the  country,  and  it  has  its  own  little  sea-port  of  East  London. 

The  only  drawback  to  this  province  is  the  great  disproportion  of 
white  to  black  population,  which  may  any  day  become  a  source 
of  danger,  unless  a  very  judicious  policy  be  maintained  in  regard 
to  the  natives.  The  country  east  of  Kaffraria,  which  extends 
between  that  province  and  Natal,  is  of  the  same  fine  nature  of  soil, 
is  entirely  inhabited  by  native  tribes,  but  becoming  more  and 
more  fertile  as  you  proceed  eastward. 

This  terminates  my  account  of  the  Cape  Colony,  and  I  shall  in 
the  next  place  proceed  with  some  account  of  Natal. 

NATAL. 

The  Colony  of  Natal  was  thus  named  from  the  auspicious 
day  on  which  it  was  discovered  by  the  Portuguese  in  1497.  The 
Dutch  Government  visited  the  country  in  the  seventeenth  century, 
claimed  it  as  a  sort  of  dependency  of  the  Cape  Colony,  and  in  that 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  95 

way  it  became  ceded,  with  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  to  the  English 
Government  in  1806. 

In  1823  two  English  officers,  named  Farewell  and  King,  visited 
the  country  with  a  view  to  open  up  trade  with  the  then  powerful 
and  despotic  chief  of  the  Zulus,  named  Chaka.  Very  little  inter- 
course, however,  took  place. 

In  1828  Chaka  was  assassinated,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  brother 
Dingaan,  who  ruled  the  country  with  great  power,  until  the  arrival 
of  a  portion  of  the  Dutch  emigrant  farmers  from  the  Cape 
Colony  at  the  latter  end  of  1837,  the  remaining  portion  of  these 
farmers  continuing  their  wanderings  to  the  north  into  what  is  now 
the  Orange  Free  State  and  Transvaal  Eepublic. 

Dingaan  received  the  Dutch  with  apparent  friendliness,  and  on 
February  4th,  1838,  made  a  cession  to  the  "  Boers"  of  the  country 
extending  from  the  Umzimvubu  Eiver  to  the  Tugela  Eiver,  almost 
identical  with  the  present  limits  of  Natal.  The  Dutch  were  located 
in  camps  or  "  laagers,"  in  different  parts  of  the  country  between 
the  Dragonsberg  and  the  sea. 

Soon  after  signing  this  cession  to  the  Dutch,  and  profess- 
ing great  friendship  towards  the  "  white  man,"  Dingaan  invited  a 
large  number  of  them  to  visit  him  at  his  "  great  place."  Pieter 
Eetief  and  about  seventy  emigrants  complied  with  this  apparently 
friendly  invitation.  I  must  tell  you  that  these  "  great  places  " 
are  peculiar  constructions — a  sort  of  village  of  huts,  surrounded 
with  a  double  fence  or  stockade  of  interwoven  bush.  On  the  third 
day  of  the  conference  (4th  February,  1838)  when  the  Dutch  had 
entered  this  "trap,"  they  were  invited  to  lay  aside  their  arms 
and  join  in  friendly  intercourse,  when,  on  a  given  signal,  the 
Zulus  rose  upon  them,  and  murdered  them  almost  to  a  man.  One 
or  two  only  escaped  to  carry  the  evil  tidings  to  the  wives  and 
families  of  the  slaughtered  fathers  and  sons.  Pieter  Eetief  and 
many  leaders  of  the  Dutch  fell  on  this  occasion. 

This  treachery  had  been  so  preconcerted  that,  simultaneously 
with  the  onslaught  at  the  "great  place,"  thousands  of  the  Zulu 
warriors  fell  upon  the  almost  defenceless  camps,  and  in  one  day 
no  less  than  600  men,  women,  and  children  were  butchered  by 
the  enemy.  A  terrible  state  of  war  continued  until  the  follow- 
ing December,  by  which  time  the  Dutch  had  been  augmented  by 
their  relations  from  the  north  of  the  Dragonsberg,  when  Dingaan 
was  attacked  and  defeated. 

Dingaan  was  thereupon  deposed,  and  Panda,  a  younger  brother 
more  favourable  to  the  white  man,  was  installed  chief  of  the  Zulu 
nation  north  of  the  Tugela  Eiver,  Natal  remaining  in  possession 


96  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

of  the  Dutch.  Panda  remained  king  of  the  Zulus  until  he  died  at 
the  end  of  1872 ;  and  in  1873  his  son  Cetywayo  was  formally 
installed  by  Mr.  Shepstone,  Secretary  for  Native  Affairs  at  Natal, 
as  his  successor. 

Notwithstanding  the  defeat  of  Dingaan,  strife  with  the  other 
tribes  in  Natal  did  not  cease  ;  and  in  November,  1838,  the  English 
Government  sent  the  first  British  force  there  from  the  Cape.  It 
consisted  of  Major  Charters,  E.A.,  Commanding  ;  Lieut.  Levinge, 
E.A.,  Lieut.  Fuller,  E.E.,  Captain  Jervis,  Lieut.  Sherson,  Lieut. 
Harding,  Assistant-Surgeon  Malcolm,  and  100  rank  and  file  72nd 
Highlanders,  twenty  gunners  E.A.,  and  Deputy-Assist.-Com.-Gen. 
Home.  This  little  force  arrived  by  sea  in  the  barque  Helen,  landed 
at  the  "  Point,"  and  took  possession  of  a  "rayon"  of  two  miles  round 
the  present  port  of  Durban.  Four  Englishmen  were  found  to  be 
residing  at  Natal  at  this  time — viz.  Dunn,  Tohey,  Ogle,  and  King ; 
also  one  American  missionary,  who  was  devoting  his  life  to  propa- 
gate Christianity. 

This  British  force  was  sent  to  Natal,  not  so  much  to  help  the 
Dutch,  as  to  prevent  the  further  effusion  of  blood;  and  as  the 
magazines  of  powder  belonging  to  the  Dutch  were  at  the  "  Point," 
and  taken  possession  of  by  the  English,  they  had  no  alternative 
but  to  make  peace  with  the  natives. 

The  Dutch  held  possession  of  Natal  at  this  time  (1838-9)  by  six 
rudely-fortified!  positions,  viz.  one  on  the  Tugela  Spruit,  composed 
of  a  turf  rampart,  commanded  by  Pretorius  (late  President  of  the 
Transvaal  Eepublic) ;  one  on  the  present  site  of  Pieterniauritzberg, 
a  stockaded  camp  commanded  by  Eudolph  ;  one  called  the  Upper 
Umlas  Laager,  with  abbattis  of  bush,  commanded  by  De  Lange  ; 
one  the  Lower  Umlas  Laager,  a  stockaded  camp,  commanded  by 
Landman  ;  one,  the  present  site  of  D'Urban,  stockaded  camp,  com- 
manded by  Kemp  ;  and  one  other,  called  the  Umgene  Laager. 

There  were  other  camps  in  different  parts  of  the  country,  formed 
by  the  waggons  in  which  these  migratory  people  travel  about, 
interwattled  with  bush.  It  was  at  some  of  these  camps  that  the 
great  slaughter  of  the  Dutch  families  by  the  Zulus  took  place,  and 
the  bra  very  displayed  by  some  of  the  women  would  rival  the  courage 
of  the  Middle  Ages. 

Peace  having  been  established  between  the  Dutch  and  the 
native  tribes  in  Natal,  the  British  troops  were  withdrawn  to  the 
Cape  towards  the  end  of  1839,  the  Dutch  retaining  possession  of 
the  country,  and  hoisting  the  tricolor  flag.  There  was  very  little 
intercourse  with  the  Cape  Colony,  as  it  took  a  month  to  perform 
the  journey  with  a  waggon,  or  a  fortnight  on  horseback. 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  97 

The  Dutch  remained  in  possession  of  Natal  from  1839  until 
1842.  In  the  latter  year  they  threatened  to  attack  the  Amaponda 
nation,  residing  on  the  Umzimvubu,  or  St.  John's  Eiver.  These 
tribes  had  always  been  in  alliance  with  the  Cape  Government,  and 
they  numbered  about  120,000  souls.  The  Governor  of  the  Cape 
Colony  (Sir  George  Napier)  thereupon  sent  a  military  force  over- 
land to  protect  "  Faku's  people,"  and  then  to  march  on  and  retake 
Natal.  I  had  the  honour  to  accompany  that  expedition  ;  but  tune 
does  not  admit  of  my  giving  a  detailed  account  of  the  march 
through  a  wild  and  unknown  country,  &c.  &c.  Suffice  it  to  say, 
that  the  troops  reached  Natal,  and  after  some  fighting  with  the 
Dutch,  and  the  brave  defence  made  by  Major,  now  Lieut.- 
General,  T.  C.  Smith,  and  his  little  handful  of  men,  who  were 
"shut  up"  and  besieged  by  the  Boers  (having  to  live  on  horse- 
flesh), until  they  were  reinforced  by  troops  from  Capetown  (by 
sea)  under  the  command  of,  now,  General  Sir  J.  Cloete,  negotia- 
tions were  entered  into,  and  peace  was  made. 

In  1845  Natal  was  proclaimed  a  portion  of  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  and  in  1856  it  became  a  separate  Colony.  The  area  of 
Natal  is  about  15,000  square  miles,  or  10,000,000  acres.  It  is 
divided  into  nine  counties  or  districts,  and  may  be  called  the  gem 
of  South  Africa.  Port  D'Urban  is  situated  in  latitude  29°  58', 
longitude  31°  4',  while  latitude  30°  south  and  longitude  30°  east 
crosses  exactly  in  the  centre  division  of  the  Colony.  It  is  more 
fertile  and  tropical  than  the  Cape  Colony,  and  the  rains  are  more 
regular  and  abundant,  the  average  fall  being  about  thirty  inches. 
The  rain  falls  during  spring  and  summer.  The  weather  in  winter 
is  clear  and  dry. 

The  soil  of  Natal  is  very  productive,  and  suited  for  almost  every 
description  of  produce.  The  coast  lands  yield  sugar,  coffee,  arrow- 
root, rice,  tea,  cotton,  tobacco,  &c.  &c.  ;  whilst  the  Colony  generally 
produces  wheat,  maize,  millet,  sweet  potatoes,  and  all  kinds  of 
cereals,  &c.  &c.,  and  as  a  pastoral  country  is  suited  for  horses, 
cattle,  sheep,  goats,  &c.  &c. 

Taking  the  year  1874,  which  was  not  considered  a  favourable 
one,  the  English  farmers  raised  over  100,000  muids  of  maize 
(Indian  corn),  over  10,000  tons  of  sugar,  1, 200,000  Ibs.  of  coffee, 
and  70,000 Ibs.  of  tobacco;  whilst  the  natives  produced  366,557 
rnuids  of  maize,  140,000  of  millet,  41,000  of  sweet  potatoes,'  1,800 
cwt.  of  coffee,  and  527  tons  of  sugar — the  natives  cultivating  in  all 
141,000  acres  of  land.  The  average  yield  of  sugar,  taking  the 
whole  country,  is  l£  tons  per  acre. 

The  "  stock"  in  the  Colony  in  1874  was  somewhat  as  follows  : 
H 


98  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

In  possession  of  Europeans— 14,000  horses,  126,000  cattle,  250,000 
sheep,  32,000  Angora  goats,  25,000  common  goats;  while  the 
natives  possessed  10,000  horses,  376,000  cattle  (about  one  to  each 
soul),  50,000  sheep,  173,000  goats,  and  3,000  pigs — the  latter,  in 
my  idea,  showing  a  great  sign  of  progress. 

The  shipping  entered  for  Natal  during  that  year  was  173  vessels 
with  a  tonnage  of  64,156  tons,  130  of  the  ships  being  English. 
The  value  of  exports  for  the  year  was  £770,000,  the  chief  articles 
being— 

136,655  cwt.  of  Sugar,  valued  at  £159,078 
7,888,994  Ibs.  of  Wool  „  338,935 

202,802  Hides  „  86,028 

183,690  Sheep  Skin  ...  28,596 


249,368  Game  Skins'... 
Gold  Dust  and  Bars  . . . 

Gold  Quartz  

Ivory  

Cotton,  40,960  Ibs 


54,387 

24,710 

380 

9,036 

1,167 


I  merely  mention  these  articles  to  show  you  that  they  are  becom- 
ing material  articles  of  export ;  while  there  are  others  equally  so, 
although  yet  not  so  productive. 

With  regard  to  the  pasture  lands,  as  you  see  by  the  stock,  it  is 
suited  for  every  description  of  useful  animals,  the  uplands  being 
best  suited  for  wool  sheep  and  other  small  stock  ;  and  I  have  myself 
no  doubt  that  a  belt  of  country,  between  the  coast  and  up-country, 
will  yet  be  a  great  cotton-producing  tract.  On  the  coast  the 
vegetation  is  so  great  that  cotton  produces  "bolls"  all  the  year 
round,  and  is  therefore  not  a  paying  crop,  owing  to  the  continued 
labour  of  picking. 

The  Colony  of  Natal  is  capable  of  carrying  a  very  large  Euro- 
pean population.  The  soil  is  very  prolific,  and  it  only  requires 
railroads  and  means  of  transport  to  make  it  one  of  the  most  pro- 
ductive export  countries  in  the  world. 

There  is  but  one  drawback  to  the  country,  and  that  is  the  great 
preponderance  of  native  population  over  the  white  or  Europeans. 
These  numbers  are  as  follows  :  White  inhabitants,  18,000  ;  natives, 
350,000 ;  while  between  Natal  and  the  Portuguese  settlement  at 
Delagoa  Bay  there  are  over  400,000  more  natives,  and  to  the 
south-west,  between  Natal  and  the  Cape  Colony,  there  are  about 
250,000  natives.  This,  gentlemen,  is  a  most  serious  consideration 
in  the  future  of  Natal,  and  of  South  Africa  itself. 

Up  to  the  present  time  there  has  been  no  war  between  the 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  99 

natives  in  and  about  Natal  and  the  English,  with  the  exception  of 
the  unfortunate  collision  with  the  chief  Langalibalele,  peace 
having  chiefly  been  maintained  through  the  great  influence  of  Mr. 
Shepstoiie,  the  Secretary  for  Native  Affairs.  The  Zulus  in  Natal 
have  heretofore  looked  upon  the  white  man  as  their  protector 
against  their  former  despotic  chief  Panda,  beyond  the  Tugela 
Eiver,  but  they  are  now  nearly  as  numerous,  and  certainly,  if 
united,  as  powerful  as  those  whom  they  were  formerly  afraid  of ; 
and  if  universal  pressure  or  coercive  measures  are  suddenly  brought 
to  bear  on  them,  the  Zulu  people  within  Natal  will  unite  together, 
and  there  will  be  a  war  with  the  Colonists. 

Nothing  but  the  most  prudent  legislation  towards  the  natives 
in  Natal,  until  both  civilisation  and  progress  do  their  work,  can 
prevent  a  war  in  that  country.  Eailroads,  European  emigration, 
civilisation,  and  progress  may  prevent  it.  In  the  meantime,  the 
Government  must  be  firm,  but  most  just,  towards  them. 

The  great  mass  of  this  vast  population  have  really  no  claim  on 
the  lands  of  Natal,  for  they  are  mostly  refugees  from  Zululand 
proper  ;  but  they  have  been  allowed  to  come  into  the  Colony,  and 
encroach  upon  the  locations  originally  allotted  to  the  tribes  in  the 
country,  iintil  they  are  now  so  crowded  that  they  have  become 
discontented. 

The  native  tenure  of  land  in  Natal  is,  I  consider,  on  a  wrong 
principle.  It  is  given  out  in  territorial  locations,  and  the  chief's 
followers  do  not  thereby  acquire  individual  rights.  An  alteration 
in  this  respect  should  be  introduced,  granting  individual  titles  to 
each  man  or  head  of  a  family,  which  would  induce  them  to  improve 
the  land,  thus  become  loyal  subjects,  and  attached  to  their  own 
homesteads,  and  so  be  weaned  from  the  chiefs  to  the  paramount 
Government.  So  far  as  the  past  is  concerned,  this  should  be  done 
with  the  consent  of  the  chief ;  but  I  would  enlarge  the  locations, 
while  there  is  still  Government  land  available,  giving  out  the  new 
lands  on  these  conditions  only,  and  to  natives  who  are  willing  to 
give  up  polygamy  and  other  objectionable  native  customs  ;  but  this 
istoolong  and  importantasubject  to  enter  into  in  an  address  like  this. 

While  on  the  native  subject,  however,  I  propose  to  give  you  a 
brief  account  of  the  origin  of  the  Zulu  nation,  as  it  maybe  interest- 
ing to  many  in  this  country,  if  not  in  the  room.  I  am  indebted  for 
much  of  the  information  I  am  about  to  relate  to  my  old  friend  and 
companion,  the  Hon.  T.  Shepstone. 

Towards  the  end  of  the  seventeenth  century  the  present  territory 
of  Natal  was  populated  by  nearly  1,000,000  natives  belonging  to 
different  tribes,  who  lived  at  peace  with  each  other  in  a  primitive, 

H2 


100  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

rural,  and  happy  condition.  This  state  of  things  continued  until 
about  the  year  1812,  when  the  first  great  disturbance  took  place, 
caused,  as  in  the  days  of  Adam,  by  the  first  fruit  of  "  knowledge." 
Up  to  this  time  the  tribes  between  St.  John's  River  and  the  Tugela 
had  lived  at  peace;  plenty  abounded,  flocks  and  herds  were 
numerous,  and  as  the  soil  is  productive,  corn  and  grain  "  filled  the 
land." 

Little  quarrels  between  tribes  would  and  did  take  place,  but  it 
was  then  the  custom  for  the  "  men  "  to  meet  and  fight  it  out  in 
"  one  day,"  and  not  let  the  sun  go  down  upon  their  wrath.  After 
the  fight  young  warriors  would  hand  their  weapons  to  those 
returning  home,  and  they  would  themselves  proceed  with  the 
conquerors  or  vanquished  to  court  and  win  their  lady-loves. 

The  country  was  thickly  populated,  mostly  under  petty  but 
independent  chiefs,  there  was  little  or  no  rivalry,  and  when  these 
minor  disputes  did  take  place,  the  women  would  look  on  and 
witness  the  result,  mingling  together  on  the  termination  of  the 
quarrel. 

In  1812  these  peaceful  tribes  first  tasted  the  fruit  of  the  "  tree 
of  knowledge,"  the  seed  of  which  fruit  came  from  the  white  man 
and  the  Cape  Colony,  inaugurating  what  I  shall  call  the  second,  or 
turbulent,  phase  of  the  Natal  native  history. 

North  of  the  Tugela  Eiver  there  resided  about  this  time  a  very 
powerful  tribe  called  the  Umtetwas,  under  a  chief  named  lobe. 
All  minor  tribes  living  in  his  neighbourhood  were  tributary  to  him, 
and  amongst  these  petty  tribes  were  the  now  powerful  Zulus. 

lobe  had  two  "  great  sons,"  who  were  ambitious,  and  wishing  to 
usurp  their  father's  kingdom,  formed  a  plot  to  kill  their  sire. 
The  conspiracy  becoming  known,  the  chief  ordered  their  execution, 
and  sent  a  party  to  carry  the  mandate  into  effect.  Tana,  the 
eldest  son,  was  killed ;  but  Godongwana,  the  second  son,  escaped 
by  jumping  over  a  very  high  palisade  which  surrounded  the  kraal, 
and  over  which  none  of  the  warriors  could  follow  him.  While 
jumping,  however,  a  barbed  assaigai  was  hurled  at  him,  and  entered 
his  back,  but  he  escaped  under  cover  of  the  night,  and  was  found 
the  next  day  by  his  sister,  who  extracted  the  spear,  secreted  and 
tended  him,  and  when  able  to  move  assisted  him  to  escape  dis- 
guised in  her  own  robe  or  garment. 

He  fled  to  neighbouring  tribes,  but  these  not  only  feared  to 
protect,  but  endeavoured  to  kill  him  ;  and  it  is  said  his  escapes  were 
miraculous,  owing  to  the  virtues  of  his  sister's  "  kaross."  This 
young  prince  was  thus  driven  from  "pillar  to  post,"  and  eventually 
fled  into  the  Cape  Colony,  where  he  entered  into  service. 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  101 

The  old  chief,  his  father,  forgave  his  absent  son  before  he  died, 
and  nominated  Godongwana  as  his  successor ;  but  the  tribe,  be- 
lieving him  to  be  dead,  raised  a  younger  brother  to  the  chieftain- 
ship. Things  thus  went  on  for  many  years,  when  in  1812  rumours 
reached  the  Umtetwa  tribe  that  Godongwana  was  alive,  and 
returning  to  claim  his  kingdom.  He  was  described  as  a  "  mighty 
man  and  beast,"  or  as  a  man  sitting  upon  an  animal  called 
"  Injomane,"  known  afterwards  as  a  horse ;  for  up  to  that  time 
no  horse  had  been  seen  by  the  natives  of  Natal. 

This  semi-civilised  chief  soon  arrived,  deposed  his  younger 
brother,  who  was  killed,  and  was  himself  proclaimed  King  of  the 
Amatetwa  tribes ;  for  the  nation  declared  that  his  "  wound  was 
his  witness,"  and  his  name  was  from  thenceforward  changed  to 
Dingiswayo,  or  the  "  Wanderer." 

While  in  the  Cape  Colony  he  saw  regiments  of  regular  soldiers  for 
the  first  time,  learned  the  value  of  discipline  and  trained  armies  as 
compared  with  the  rude  warfare  of  his  own  people,  and  at  once, 
therefore,  organised  his  own  warriors  into  trained  bands  of  regiments 
and  companies,  and  very  soon  established  a  formidable  army  :  with 
these  he  waged  war,  and  conquered  all  the  minor  undisciplined 
tribes. 

He  was  not,  as  is  usual  with  savages,  a  bloodthirsty  chief, 
for  he  spared  both  women  and  children,  nor  did  he  capture  the 
cattle  of  the  vanquished  or  destroy  their  corn,  but  merely  subju- 
gated them  to  his  own  rule,  making  them  his  vassals. 

His  more  powerful  neighbours,  however,  began  to  inaugurate  the 
same  military  system,  and  Dingiswayo  afterwards  fell  a  victim 
to  his  own  mode  of  attack,  for  he  and  his  guards  were  overpowered 
when  in  advance  of  his  army,  taken  prisoners,  and  he  was  put 
to  death  by  a  chief  who  had  often  been  his  own  prisoner,  and 
released  from  the  circumstance  of  having  been  a  "  companion  of 
his  father." 

Dingiswayo  was  only  the  introducer  of  this  military  system ;  it 
was  perfected  under  a  much  more  powerful  and  bloodthirsty  chief. 
Senzangakona,  then  chief  of  the  small  tributary  tribe  of  Zulus, 
owing  allegiance  to  Dingiswayo,  had  an  illegitimate  son  of  great 
talent  and  ambition,  named  Chaka,  who,  while  still  a  very 
young  man,  assumed  so  much  authority  that  he  was  banished, 
together  with  his  mother,  from  the  tribe.  Chaka  took  refuge  with 
the  Unitetwas,  about  the  time  Dingiswayo  was  organising  his  army, 
and  full  of  fire  and  energy,  at  once  entered  one  of  the  regiments 
as  an  ordinary  warrior,  and  soon  became  of  great  repute  as  a 
soldier. 


102  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

Chaka  did  not  approve  of  Dingiswayo's  forbearance  towards  the 
conquered  tribes,  believing  that  they  would  afterwards  form  com- 
binations against  the  supreme  ruler ;  he  himself  being  of  opinion 
that  a  conquerer  should  inflict  such  injury  as  would  utterly  disor- 
ganise, if  not  destroy,  those  conquered,  a  system  which  he  after- 
wards ruthlessly  carried  out. 

While  Chaka  was  still  serving  in  Dingiswayo's  army,  and 
making  himself  acquainted  with  his  system  and  what  he  con- 
sidered its  defects,  his  father  Serzangakona  died,  and  although  he 
was  not,  as  an  illegitimate  child,  entitled  to  assume  command  of 
the  tribe,  yet  the  question  was  referred  to  Dingiswayo  as  para- 
mount chief,  and  he  nominated  Chaka  over  the  Zulus,  from 
knowing  his  qualities  as  a  soldier,  and  being  aware  of  his  loyalty 
to  himself. 

Chaka  requited  this  friendship  by  remaining  faithful  to  Dingis- 
wayo up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  and  it  was  a  combined  movement 
of  the  two  chiefs  that  drove  the  first  defeated  tribes  from  beyond 
the  Tugela  into  the  'present  territory  of  Natal,  in  1812,  which 
was  the  prelude  to  the  extermination  or  dispersion  of  its  hitherto 
peaceful  inhabitants. 

After  Dingiswayo's  death  Chaka  became  paramount  ruler  north 
of  the  Tugela,  and  the  numerous  tribes  which  he  defeated  retreated 
into  the  Natal  country,  falling  again  upon  the  unwarlike  tribes, 
plundering  and  scattering  them  in  turn.  From  that  date  wave  after 
wave  of  desolation  swept  over  the  land  in  the  shape  of  retiring 
tribes  before  Chaka,  carrying  all  before  them ;  terror  and  self-pre- 
servation turning  friends  into  foes,  and  every  man's  hand  was  raised 
against  his  neighbour  :  atrocities  of  a  most  shocking  nature  were 
perpetrated. 

This  was  only  the  prelude  to  horrors  to  come,  for  after  Chaka 
had  subjugated  the  tribes  north  of  the  Tugela,  he  sent  his  armies 
into  Natal  to  ravage  that  country,  and  to  spare  neither  man, 
woman,  or  child,  and  to  burn  and  destroy  everything  :  his  theory 
being  to  destroy  all  human  beings  except  those  under  his  own 
sovereignty.  Some  tribes  did  become  his  vassals,  joined  his  army, 
and  in  like  manner  fell  upon  their  former  Mends  with  greater 
animosity. 

These  wars  of  extermination,  as  they  were  called,  were  carried 
on  from  year  to  year,  incorporating  some  of  the  tribes,  and  entirely 
destroying  others,  or  driving  them  back  into  Kaffirland  on  the 
eastern  border  of  the  Cape  Colony.  It  was  thus  that  the  Fingoes, 
once  a  powerful  tribe  at  Natal,  were  driven  in  amongst  the  Kaffirs, 
and  became  their  dogs — a  synonymous  term  with  that  of  bonds- 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  103 

man  or  slave — until  they  were  released  by  that  humane  Governor 
Sir  B.  D'Urban,  in  1835  ;  and  it  is  curious  that  Mr.  Shepstone  and 
myself  were  the  officers  who  escorted  them  into  the  Cape  Colony. 

Those  tribes  who  tried  to  hold  out  against  Chaka,  or  to  remain 
in  their  own  country,  had  great  privations  to  endure,  and  had 
to  live  in  rocks,  glens,  and  caves.  First  their  cattle  were  captured 
by  the  "  exterminators  "  (army),  then  the  stores  of  grain  were 
destroyed ;  nor  could  they  cultivate,  as  it  drew  attention  to  the 
locality ;  so  the  people  had  at  last  to  live  upon  their  own  starving 
dogs  and  wild  roots.  No  wonder,  therefore,  that  the  country 
became  depopulated,  and  filled  with  the  dead  and  dying,  and  as 
the  remnant  of  the  old  residents  express  it  to  this  day,  "  The 
assaigai  killed  the  people,  but  hunger  killed  the  country." 

One  would  think  this  bad  enough,  but  worse  befel  these  poor 
creatures,  for  one  man,  more  vile  than  the  rest,  conceived  the 
horrible  idea  of  feeding  on  his  fellow-man  :  numbers  of  starving 
wretches  soon  rallied  round  him  and  formed  a  band  of  cannibals, 
augmented  by  similar  bands  in  other  parts  of  the  country,  who 
hunted  for  human  beings  as  dogs  hunt  for  game,  and  thus 
acquired  a  taste  for  human  flesh,  which  continued  long  after  the 
necessity  ceased.  They  became  so  formidable  that  it  was  not  until 
after  the  arrival  of  the  Dutch  emigrant  farmers,  in  1837,  that 
the  last  of  their  bands  were  dislodged  from  the  Beggersburg  and 
driven  out  of  the  country,  and  old  men  still  alive  relate  their 
escape  from  the  hands  of  these  cannibals,  after  hearing  them- 
selves discussed  as  to  whether  they  would,  when  killed,  eat  tender 
or  tough. 

In  less  than  ten  years  Chaka  depopulated  more  than  two-thirds  of 
the  whole  of  the  country  now  constituting  Natal,  and  in  1828  had 
become  the  undisputed  sovereign  of  all  South-eastern  Africa,  from  the 
Umzimvubu,  or  St.  John's  Eiver,  to  King  George's  Eiver,  far  north 
of  Delagoa  Bay,  including  a  large  portion  of  what  is  now  the 
Orange  Free  State  and  Transvaal  country,  and  also  of  the  tribe 
and  territory  of  his  former  patron  and  master,  Dingiswayo. 

Thus  the  Zulus  passed  through  three  important  phases  in  less 
than  half  a  century  :  first  we  have  a  simple,  primitive  people  with- 
out civilisation ;  secondly,  the  same  people  with  a  little  knowledge, 
reducing  their  own  happy  country  into  a  wilderness,  causing 
rivers  of  blood  to  flow,  and  annihilating  whole  communities  ;  the 
third  phase  is  the  present  state  of  Natal,  and  the  future  yet  to  come. 

The  railway  now  in  progress  from  Durban  to  Pietermauritzburg 
and  along  the  coast,  will  be  the  first  stepping-stone  towards  this 
future ;  the  second  will  be  the  continuation  of  the  railroad  to  the 


104  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

coal  mines  and  iron  deposits  in  the  Newcastle  Division,  and  thence 
on  to  the  Orange  Free  State  and  Transvaal  Kepublic. 

These  measures  will  bring  European  emigration  to  the  country, 
it  will  bring  wealth  and  progress,  and  enable  a  vast  population 
to  raise  and  export  a  great  variety  of  produce,  which  cannot  now  be 
done  for  want  of  transport ;  and  in  a  military  point  of  view,  it  will 
enable  you  to  move  troops  with  facility  to  any  part  of  the  country. 

ORANGE  FREE  STATE. 

Your  Grace,  I  shall  now  proceed  to  give  a  short  account  of  the  two 
Dutch  States  adjoining  the  English  Colonies  in  South  Africa.  They 
are  both  of  them  off-shoots,  as  it  were,  from  the  Cape  Colony. 
The  Orange  Free  State  was,  up  to  1835,  inhabited  by  small  native 
tribes  under  petty  chiefs,  viz.  Betjouanas,  Korannas,  Basutos, 
Borolongs,  &c.  and  also  by  some  settlements  of  Hottentots  and  half- 
castes  from  the  Colony  under  Captain  Adam  Kok,  Waterboer,  and 
others.  The  country  up  to  that  time  was  covered  with  vast  herds 
of  game  of  every  description. 

When  the  Dutch  emigrant  farmers  passed  over  the  Orange 
Eiver  (the  boundary  of  the  Cape  Colony)  in  1836,  large  tracts  of 
this  country  fell  an  easy  conquest  to  them ;  a  few  of  them  re- 
mained in  occupation  of  the  country,  living  in  their  waggons  and 
tents,  tending  their  flocks  and  herds,  but  being  almost  as  migratory 
as  the  game.  The  great  body  of  these  "  pioneers  of  South  Africa" 
passed  on,  however,  inland,  one  portion  of  them  diverging  over 
the  Dragonsberg  into  what  is  now  Natal  country,  where  those 
battles  previously  described  took  place  with  the  Zulus. 

The  other  portion  of  these  Dutch  farmers  also  had  their  troubles 
with  the  natives  of  the  interior,  and  had  a  good  deal  of  fighting  with 
the  then  powerful  Matebelee  nation  under  Mazulekatze,  before 
they  conquered  the  country  which  is  now  the  Transvaal  Eepublic. 

The  Orange  Free  State  and  Transvaal  Eepublic  were  for  a 
long  time  under  one  general  government,  if  such  it  could  be 
called,  and  the  names  of  Boshoff,  Potgieter,  Pretorius,  and  others, 
will  be  found  enrolled  as  their  chief  magistrates.  In  1861  the 
last-named  was  at  the  head  of  both  states ;  in  that  year  a  separa- 
tion of  the  governments  took  place,  and  they  are  now  two  distinct 
governments,  with  a  President  and  Volksraad,  or  council,  to  each. 

The  Free  State  has  passed  through  two  or  three  phases,  and  two 
collisions  with  the  British  troops,  before  it  was  recognised  as  an 
independent  state.  In  1846  Sir  Harry  Smith  as  High  Commis- 
sioner took  possession  of  the  country,  and  it  was  held  by  the  British 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  105 

Crown,  under  the  name  of  the  "  Sovereignty,"  until  January  1852, 
when  it  was  surrendered  by  Sir  G.  Clarke,  who  was  sent  out  from 
this  country  as  Her  Majesty's  Special  Commisioner,  with  full  powers 
to  relinquish  the  territory. 

Under  his  authority  a  convention  was  entered  into  by  two 
commissioners  (Messrs.  Hogge  and  Owen)  on  the  part  of  Her 
Majesty's  Government,  and  a  deputation  of  Dutch  authorities  on 
behalf  of  the  emigrant  farmers.  Under  the  terms  of  this  convention 
the  country  was  relinquished  to  the  Dutch,  who  now  claim  and  hold 
both  these  States. 

It  was  most  unwise  policy  to  relinquish  this  country.  Many 
English  subjects  had  settled  there  on  the  faith  of  its  being  British 
territory,  and  petitioned,  without  avail,  that  it  should  not  be 
surrendered. 

The  capital  of  the  Free  State,  Bloemfontein,  is  situated  in  lati- 
tude 29°  south,  and  is  from  90  to  100  miles  from  the  diamond 
fields.  The  level  of  the  country  is  about  5,000  feet  above  the  sea, 
with  splendid  pastoral  plains,  intersected  here  and  there  with  low 
ranges  of  hills,  and  dotted  over  with  little  hillocks  called  "  koppies," 
apparently  upheaves  of  rock.  It  is  a  very  healthy  country  for 
Europeans,  and  suited  for  all  kinds  of  stock,  particularly  for  wool 
sheep. 

This  State  held  a  portion  of  its"  present  territory  by  agree- 
ment from  Adam  Kok,  Captain  of  the  Griqua  people  (Hottentots 
and  half-castes),  but  as  many  disputes  arose  therefrom  Sir  George 
Grey,  Her  Majesty's  High  Commissioner,  offered  that  chief  a  portion 
of  "  No-man's-land,"  then  vacant,  between  the  Cape  Colony  and 
Natal,  to  which  he  and  his  people  removed  in  1864-5,  selling  his 
lands  over  the  Orange  Eiver  to  the  Free  State. 

They  also  acquired  about  2,000,000  acres  formerly  belonging 
to  the  Basutos  ;  this  addition  to  the  Free  State  was  ceded  by  the 
Chief  Moshesh  as  war  indemnity,  in  1865,  and  confirmed  to  the 
Dutch  by  the  award  of  Her  Majesty's  High  Commissioner  in  1869. 

The  Free  State  now  contains  an  area  of  about  70,000  square 
miles,  with  a  population  of  nearly  50,000  Europeans,  and  about 
the  same  number  of  coloured  races,  including  servants  and  farm 
labourers. 

The  country  abounds  in  mineral  wealth.  Diamonds,  garnets, 
and  other  precious  stones  are  found  in  considerable  numbers,  and 
the  State  has  a  great  future  before  it.  Wheat  and  grain  of  all 
sorts  can  be  raised  there  to  any  extent,  only  requiring  capital  and 
enterprise,  and  means  of  carriage  to  a  port. 

It  is  divided  into  fourteen  districts,  with  twenty-five  towns  and 


106  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

villages,  each  returning  so  many  members  to  the  Volksraad  or 
Council,  presided  over  by  His  Honour  President  Brand,  a  gentle- 
man of  Dutch  descent,  and  formerly  a  barrister  of  the  Cape  Colony. 

TKANSVAAL  EEPUBLIC. 

The  Transvaal  Eepublic  is  the  second  Dutch  state  in  South 
Africa,  but  by  far  the  most  important  one  of  the  two;  it 
extends  at  present  between  latitudes  22°  to  27°  south,  and 
from  longitudes  25°  to  32°  east,  but  to  the  north  its  real  limits 
are  almost  unbounded.  It  adjoins  the  Orange  Free  State, 
part  of  Basutoland,  Natal,  Zululand  north  of  the  Tugela,  and 
there  is  only  a  small  tract  of  country  in  possession  of  natives 
between  the  Transvaal  territory  and  the  Portuguese  settlement 
at  Delagoa  Bay. 

The  area  is  said  to  be  120,000  square  miles,  with  a  population  of 
40,000  whites  (Europeans)  and  250,000  coloured.  The  revenue  and 
expenditure  is  about  £72,000  a  year,  but  this  sum  gives  very  little 
idea  of  the  present  or  future  of  the  country ;  the  people  are  of 
primitive  habits,  and  object  to  taxation,  but  they  are  rich  in  lands 
and  in  flocks  and  herds. 

The  Transvaal,  like  the  Free  State,  is  situated  on  a  higher 
plateau  than  the  English  Colonies,  and  embraces  a  healthy  climate 
for  Europeans,  but  as  you  proceed  north-east,  some  of  the  districts 
are  subject  to  fever  and  the  "  Tzitse"  fly. 

The  pasturage  is  well  adapted  for  all  kinds  of  stock,  and  the  soil 
most  productive.  The  country  is  divided  into  twelve  districts,  viz. 
Potchefstroom,  Pretoria,  Eustenberg,  Lydenberg,  Marabastad, 
Waterberg,  Heidelberg,  Wakkerstrom,  Utrecht,  Christiania, 
Nazareth,  and  Marico. 

The  country  is  governed  by  a  President  (His  Honour  Thos.  F. 
Burgers),  elected  in  1872,  with  an  Executive  Council,  and  a  Legis- 
lative Council,  consisting  of  a  Speaker  and  thirty  members. 

The  great  future  of  the  Transvaal  exists  in  its  mineral  wealth. 
The  first  diamond  discovered  in  South  Africa  was  found  north  of 
the  Vaal  Eiver  in  1866,  in  a  portion  of  the  country  claimed  by  the 
Griqua  chief  Waterboer,  a  territory  the  boundaries  of  which  are 
in  dispute  between  the  English,  the  Free  State,  and  the  Trans- 
vaal Republic. 

Diamonds  have  since  been  found  in  the  districts  of  Pretoria, 
Marico,  Eustenberg,  and  Waterberg.  Gold  is  found  in  alluvial 
deposits,  and  in  reefs  of  quartz,  in  Marabastad  and  Pretoria  ; 
while  the  gold-bearing  strata  extend  for  200  miles  north  of  the  seat 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  107 

of  government  (Pretoria) ;  auriferous  quartz  existing  also  through 
Lydenburg  and  Rustenburg  districts  down  to  the  Griqua  country. 

The  Transvaal  is  also  rich  in  coal,  iron,  cobalt,  copper,  nickel, 
lead,  tin,  and  silver,  besides  sulphur  and  saltpetre. 

The  country  is  well  watered  and  healthy  for  both  human  beings 
and  for  stock  of  every  description.  The  soil  is  fertile,  and  suited 
for  the  production  of  all  sorts  of  grain  and  cereals ;  some  of  the 
districts  are  semi-tropical,  and  produce  coffee,  sugar,  cotton,  rice, 
&c.,  particularly  the  districts  of  Eustenburg  and  Marabastad. 

The  white  population  consists  mostly  of  emigrant  farmers  from 
the  Cape  Colony  and  Natal ;  the  Republic  was  first  formed  in 
1840,  and  is  recognised  as  an  independent  State  by  the  Sand 
River  Convention  of  1852.  The  revenue  is  derived  from  simple 
taxes,  viz.  quit-rent  on  farms,  transfer,  and  import  duties,  capita- 
tion tax,  and  Kaffir  taxes.  The  exports  consist  of  gold  and  other 
metals  ;  wool,  hides,  skins,  ostrich  feathers,  and  stock — many 
thousands  of  oxen  being  sent  to  the  Cape  Colony  and  Natal  for 
slaughter  and  draught  purposes,  and  thousands  of  sheep  for  the 
butcher. 

The  relationship  between  the  Dutch  States  and  the  English 
Colonies  in  South  Africa  has  not  heretofore  been  very  cordial. 
Both  States  consider  they  have  grievances :  the  one  for  our 
assumption  of  Griqua-land  West,  and  for  taking  the  Basutos 
under  British  protection,  just  at  the  time  they  were  about  to  be 
conquered  after  a  protracted  war ;  and  the  other,  on  the  long- 
disputed  boundary  question  between  the  Republic  and  the  natives 
on  the  Vaal  River,  the  Free  State,  and  Griqua-land  ;  and  also  on 
their  construction  of  the  terms  of  the  Convention  of  1852,  claiming 
that  the  words  "free  trade"  include  exemption  from  custom  dues 
at  English  ports. 

While  Lieut. -Governor  of  Natal  in  1866  I  induced  the  then 
President  of  the  Transvaal  (Pretorius)  to  pay  me  a  visit.  I 
received  him  with  the  usual  honours,  and  from  that  time  a  better 
feeling  has  existed  with  that  Colony.  I  submitted  the  question 
of"  custom  dues  "  to  the  Legislative  Council,  and  obtained  a  remis- 
sion of  duty  on  all  Government  stores  and  on  machinery  ;  but  this 
has  not  entirely  satisfied  the  Republic,  and  they  are  now  about  to 
open  up  a  trade  through  Delagoa  Bay  with  a  view  to  save  the  im- 
port duties  charged  at  English  ports,  and  have  entered  into  a  treaty 
with  the  Portuguese  Government  upon  the  subject. 

Since  the  discovery  of  gold  and  mineral  wealth  in  the  Trans- 
vaal, an  influx  of  many  thousands  of  English  and  other  nationali- 
ties have  proceeded  there,  and  very  marked  effects  have  been 


108  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

produced.  Land  and  fixed  property  has  considerably  risen  in  value, 
and  that  country  will  soon  occupy  a  most  important  position  in 
South  Africa. 

GRIQUALAND  WEST. 

Griqualand  West,  or  the  Diamond  Fields,  is  but  a  small  terri- 
tory in  South  Africa,  but  I  need  not  say  it  is  a  most  important  one, 
for  since  the  discovery  of  the  first  diamond  in  1866,  the  prosperity 
of  that  small  dependency,  and  of  the  South  African  Colonies  and 
States  generally,  has  rapidly  advanced. 

The  country  was  at  the  time  occupied  by  a  Griqua  captain 
named  Waterboer  and  his  people,  who  declined  to  migrate  with 
Adam  Kok  when  Sir  George  Grey  offered  a  portion  of  "  No-man's- 
land"  to  them.  Between  1868  and  1870,  so  many  thousands  of 
Europeans  flocked  to  the  diamond  fields,  that  it  became  neces- 
sary for  some  sort  of  government  to  be  organised. 

From  the  pressure  of  these  circumstances  Captain  Waterboer 
offered  his  territory  to  the  British  Government,  and  on  the  27th 
October,  1871,  a  proclamation  was  issued  accepting  the  proffered 
allegiance  of  the  Griqua  chief  and  his  people,  while  other  procla- 
mations were  also  issued  extending  Colonial  law  to  the  new  pro- 
vince and  appointing  commissioners  to  administer  the  government. 

Subsequently  a  Lieutenant-Governor  and  a  regular  Government 
staff  was  appointed,  and  the  territory  vested  by  commission  in  the 
"  Governor"  of  the  Cape  Colony;  but  the  Province  has  not  yet  been 
regularly  annexed  to  the  Cape  Colony,  and  is  consequently  a 
matter  of  dispute  between  the  Dutch  and  English  Colonies  in 
South  Africa. 

It  now  includes  a  large  tract  of  land  heretofore  claimed  by  petty 
native  tribes,  including  Waterboer  and  his  people,  the  country 
being  but  sparsely  populated. 

Since  the  diamond  discoveries  the  population  has  increased  to  be- 
tween 60,000  and 70,000,  of  which  about  15,000  are  Europeans,  but 
the  numbers  vary  by  emigration  to  and  going  from  the  fields. 
The  revenue  is  already  about  £70,000  a  year. 

The  "  farm "  on  which  the  town  of  Kimberley  has  been 
erected  was  purchased  by  the  Local  Government  only  the  other 
day  for  £100,000,  since  which  time  more  than  that  sum  has  been 
realised  in  building  lots  sold  to  residents,  while  the  mines  on  it 
remain  in  the  hands  of  the  Government. 

The  pasture  lands  of  the  country  are  very  good,  and  the  Govern- 
ment have  lately  sold  a  number  of  farms,  realising  about  £25,000 
for  the  land,  but  retaining  the  mineral  rights. 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  109 


BASUTOLAND. 

Basutoland  is  a  native  territory  adjoining  the  Orange  Free  State, 
north  of  the  Orange  Eiver,  annexed  to  the  Cape  Colony  by  Sir 
P.  Wodehouse,  in  1871.  It  contains  about  7,000  square  miles, 
with  a  native  population  (Basutos)  of  120,000  souls.  The  lowlands  or 
plains  are,  like  the  Free  State,  about  5,000  feet  above  the  sea,  but  the 
mountains  which  bound  the  country  on  the  south  and  east  are 
from  7,000  to  9,000  feet  high.  It  is  a  very  rich,  fertile,  and  pro- 
lific territory.  Large  quantities  of  grain  and  corn  are  annually 
raised,  and  the  pasture  lands  are  good  for  all  kinds  of  stock  ;  while 
coal,  copper,  and  iron  also  abound. 

The  Basutos  were  at  war  with  the  Orange  Free  State  when 
the  former  applied  to  come  under  British  protection,  and  the  war 
was  thus  put  an  end  to.  They  now  pay  a  hut-tax  to  the  Govern- 
ment which  yields  a  revenue  of  about  £12,000  a  year,  and  is  more 
than  enough  to  pay  their  able  chief  magistrate  (C.  Griffiths,  Esq.), 
and  other  officers  who  govern  the  country  by  special  laws  and 
regulations.  French,  London,  and  Wesleyan  missionaries  have 
laboured  amongst  these  tribes  for  many  years,  with  more  success 
than  is  usual  amongst  South  African  tribes. 

In  1852,  whilst  what  is  now  the  Orange  Free  State  was  still  in 
British  possession  as  the  "  Sovereignty,"  and  while  the  Cape  Colony 
and  the  Kaffirs  were  at  war,  the  Basutos  threatened  the  small 
English  force  left  to  protect  the  country,  and  Sir  George  Cathcart 
marched  a  column  of  troops  over  the  Orange  Kiver,  when  an  en- 
gagement took  place  with  the  Basutos,  and  they  showed  themselves 
to  be  formidable  enemies. 

In  1865  a  portion  of  this  tribe  also  made  an  inroad  into  Natal 
and  carried  off  a  considerable  quantity  of  stock,  for  which  compen- 
sation was  not  fully  made.  They  were  then  at  war  with  the  Free 
State,  and  hostilities  continued  until  they  were  taken  under  British 
protection  in  1868. 

The  tribe  itself  is  of  recent  origin,  and  became  powerful  from  the 
ability  of  the  chief,  Moshesh.  There  are  several  table-topped 
mountains  in  the  country,  with  almost  inaccessible  approaches,  to 
which  the  natives  retreat  in  war  time,  and  from  which  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  dislodge  them.  Thaba  Bosigo  has  never  been 
taken,  although  attacked  several  times  by  the  Dutch  forces.  The 
area  on  the  top  of  the  'mountain  is  considerable,  water  and  pastur- 
age abundant,  while  the  approach  is  narrow,  steep,  and  easily 
defended. 


110  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

Moshesh  partly  made  his  tribe  by  what  is  called  "lending 
•wives  "  to  his  people.  The  African  custom  is  to  buy  your  wife,  and 
when  a  follower  could  not  afford  to  pay  for  the  luxury  he  would  go 
to  the  chief,  who  would  buy  the  wife  for  him,  and  according  to 
native  law  the  children  would  owe  double  allegiance  to  the  chief. 

I  shall  only  allude  to  two  other  native  reserves  which  are  under 
British  protection :  one  under  Mr.  Austin,  near  the  Wit-berg, 
on  the  left  bank  of  the  Orange  River,  numbering  about  15,000  ; 
the  other  a  Fingoe  settlement  formed  in  a  portion  of  Krilli's 
country,  east  of  the  Kei  Eiver,  from  which  that  chief  and  his  tribe 
were  expelled  in  1857-8. 

These  Fingoes  were  a  portion  of  those  residing  in  the  Cape 
Colony,  where  the  settlements  became  overcrowded  ;  the  country 
was  offered  to  them  while  vacant,  and  from  40,000  to  50,000  moved 
into  it,  and  are  now  very  prosperous. 

FEDERATION. 

Mr.  President,  ladies,  and  gentlemen, — I  purpose  conclud- 
ing this  address  with  a  few  words  on  a  subject  which  I  consider 
most  important  for  the  future  prosperity  of  South  Africa, 
and  that  subject  may  be  summed  up  in  the  word  Federation. 
I  do  not  bring  forward  this  "idea"  from  any  recent  excitement 
prevailing  in  the  South  African  Colonies  ;  I  bring  it  forward  from 
conviction  that  South  Africa,  as  a  whole,  can  never  become  a  great 
and  prosperous  country  without  it. 

I  was  stationed  in  Canada  soon  after  a  similar  scheme  had  been 
carried  into  effect  in  that  now  great  Dominion  ;  a  country  that  had 
hitherto  been  divided  against  itself,  with  a  series  of  petty  govern- 
ments, the  one  antagonistic  to  the  other,  their  rules  and  regulations 
clashing,  and  the  people  almost  at  enmity  with  each  other. 

At  the  present  moment  it  is  one  united  power  for  all  good  and 
general  purposes,  each  State,  nevertheless,  arranging  and  providing 
for  its  own  local  Government.  It  is  at  once  apparent  how  strong 
such  unity  makes  a  country,  when  I  tell  you  that  there  are  now 
630,000  fighting  men  enrolled  in  Canada,  and  that  40,000  of  them 
come  out  voluntarily  for  drill  every  year.  This  will  evince  how 
strong  she  has  become  within  herself,  and  what  an  adjunct  to  the 
British  Crown. 

So  also  must  South  Africa,  in  my  opinion,  federate  into  one 
great  Colony.  Canada  has  no  internal  enemies  ;  South  Africa  has 
vast  hordes  of  savages,  and  without  unity  each  separate  Colony  is 
powerless  to  stem  or  oppose  a  rising  of  the  natives,  or  to  enact 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  Ill 

universal  regulations  for  the  good  government  of  them,  particularly 
as  regards  the  acquisition  of  arms  and  ammunition.  At  present  one 
Colony  prohibits  the  possession  of  arms  by  the  natives,  except  under 
certain  circumstances,  while  the  other  Colony  admits  free-trade  in 
fire-arms,  and  no  less  than  500,000  have  been  sold  to  the  coloured 
races  within  the  last  five  or  six  years,  and  500,000  Ibs.  of  powder 
were  imported  last  year  alone.  This  bears  a  most  serious  aspect 
for  the  future  of  South  Africa,  for  these  arms  will  certainly  circulate 
throughout  the  whole  country,  while  separate  legislation  is  likely  to 
bring  on  local  wars. 

This  is  only  one  feature  of  the  case,  but  unity  is  equally  neces- 
sary in  a  commercial  point  of  view.  I  have  endeavoured  to  show 
you  the  wealth  of  the  country  lying  within  the  limits  of  the  four 
Colonies — viz.  the  Cape,  Natal,  the  Orange  Free  State,  and  the 
Transvaal  Eepublic — the  exports  and  imports  of  which  now 
yearly  amount  to  over  seventeen  millions  of  pounds  sterling ;  but  I 
will  not  again  go  into  statistics.  My  object  is  to  show  you  the  im- 
portance of  federation.  The  interior  of  South  Africa  is  boundless, 
the  future  wealth  of  it  is  enormous,  the  high  table-lands  and  fertile 
valleys  are  capable  of  producing  everything  in  the  world,  and  Dame 
Nature  has  been  so  lavish  in  her  bounties  that,  in  some  of  these 
tracts,  man  does  not  live  by  the  "  sweat  of  his  brow,"  but 
subsists,  like  the  beasts  of  the  field,  on  what  nature  provides.  The 
very  grass  yields  seed  like  corn,  and  I  have  seen  it  sold  in  the  mar- 
ket at  Grahamstown  under  the  name  of  "  manna,"  the  food  from 
heaven . 

Well,  sir,  as  the  blood  circulates  through  man,  going  from  and 
returning  to  the  heart,  so,  with  federation,  will  commerce  flow 
through  South  Africa,  to  and  from  England ;  but  without  this 
unity,  the  great  interior  will  be  tapped  by  arteries,  that  will  run 
crossways  and  cut  off  the  smaller  streams  flowing  inwards,  thus 
carrying  the  commerce  of  the  great  future  eastward,  away  from 
England  and  into  other  countries.  Gentlemen,  this  is  a  most  im- 
portant consideration  for  this  country  and  for  South  Africa. 

But,  sir,  I  go  beyond  this  in  my  idea  of  federation  :  I  say  that 
England  should  herself  federate  with  all  the  British  Colonies.  The 
present  ties  are  becoming  more  and  more  broken,  whereas  they 
should  be  brought  closer  and  closer  together.  You  may  ask,  How 
is  this  to  be  done  ?  and  I  will  tell  you.  Each  British  Colony  should 
have  a  representative  in  this  country,  and  that  representative  should 
have  a  seat  in  the  British  House  of  Parliament.  It  might  be  said 
that  such  a  member  would  be  incompatible  with  the  Constitution, 
as  the  Colonies  do  not  directly  contribute  to  the  expenditure  of  this 


112  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

country.  Granted  ;  but  let  the  representative  member  sit  in  the 
House  all  the  same.  Do  not  let  him  vote,  but  let  him  speak,  par- 
ticularly upon  all  Colonial  subjects. 

I  say,  sir,  that  the  ignorance  displayed  in  the  House  of  Com- 
mons when  any  Colonial  subject  crops  up  is  something  monstrous, 
not  only  by  members,  but  by  ex-Colonial  Ministers,  who  ought  to 
know  better  j  and  I  am  sure  this  fact  will  present  itself  to  most 
colonists  here  to-night. 

It  would  be  the  duty  of  such  representative  to  bring  forward  the 
requirements  and  wishes  of  the  Colony  from  which  he  is  deputed, 
and  when  any  case  arises  in  the  House  concerning  the  Colony, 
he  should  be  able  to  rise  and  make  a  clear  statement  of  facts  on 
the  subject.  This  would  bring  the  bond  of  union  between  England 
and  her  Colonies  into  more  harmony. 

I  would  go  beyond  even  this.  I  would  offer  federation  to  every 
people  or  nation  speaking  the  English  language.  I  would  offer  it 
to  the  great  Anglo-Saxon  Eace  who  parted  from  England  on  this 
very  question ;  it  would  be  holding  out  the  right  hand  of  fellowship 
to  the  great  American  people,  and  if  it  did  nothing  else  it  would 
draw  us  closer  together  in  friendship  and  alliance. 

Such  nationality  has  become  the  great  policy  of  the  day.  Look 
at  Italy  :  look  at  Germany  and  Prussia.  The  latter,  from  a  series 
of  independent  kingdoms,  has  become  a  vast  empire,  and  almost  a 
standing  menace  to  Europe.  Her  organised  army  now  consists  of 
2,420,000  men,  with  a  standing  army  in  peace  time  (1874)  of 
401,659,  exclusive  of  the  one-year  volunteers.  In  opposition  to 
this,  I  say,  gentlemen,  that  if  England  federated  with  her  great 
Colonies,  they  could  and  would,  in  the  event  of  war  or  any  great 
calamity,  bring  great  resources  in  both  men  and  money  to  aid  the 
parent  country. 

Ladies  and  gentlemen,  looking  round  me,  and  seeing  as  I  do 
many  Cape  friends  and  South  African  Colonists,  I  am  impelled  as  a 
last  word  to  pay  a  tribute  of  respect  to  the  memory  of  one  of  South 
Africa's  most  worthy  heroes  and  defenders — a  man  who  would 
have  been  great  had  he  lived  in  any  part  of  the  world,  but 
one  who  made  that  country  his  home,  gave  his  substance  for 
the  good  of  it,  and  his  life  in  its  defence.  I  am  sure  I  need  not 
tell  you  that  I  allude  to  the  late  Sir  Walter  Currie,  a  man  loved 
and  respected  by  his  friends,  and  respected  yet  dreaded  by  his 
country's  enemies  ; — followed  so  soon  to  the  grave  by  his  devoted 
wife,  a  lady  beloved  equally  by  rich  and  poor — by  the  one  for  her 
virtues  and  hospitality,  by  the  other  for  her  friendliness  and 
charity. 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  113 

DISCUSSION. 

Mr.  CAMPBELL-JOHNSTON,  who  has  recently  returned  from  the 
Cape,  said  the  interesting  paper  they  had  just  heard  read,  had 
doubtless  instructed  them  concerning  points  of  information  little 
known,  but  which  ought  to  be  better  known,  he  would  not  say 
respecting  the  Cape  only — for  they  were  all  too  apt  to  call  South 
Africa  "  the  Cape  " — but  respecting  vast  territories  fully  equal  to 
Europe  in  dimensions.  (Hear,  hear.)  The  country  marked  on 
the  large  map  before  them  as  the  Cape  Colony  was  as  great  as  the 
empire  of  Germany  and  Prussia  put  together  in  1871.  Perhaps 
it  would  make  the  subject  more  familiar  to  their  minds  if  he  drew 
a  parallel  respecting  Natal,  also  the  two  Free  States  of  South 
Africa,  with  other  places.  The  Colony  of  Natal  was  about  the  size 
of  Switzerland.  The  Orange  Free  State  was  nearly  as  large  as 
England  and  Wales  together  with  Scotland.  The  South  African 
Free  State  of  Transvaal  equalled,  if  taken  only  up  to  the  Limpopo 
river,  half  the  size  of  the  Cape  Colony,  or  was  as  large  as  England, 
and  Scotland  and  Ireland  if  they  liked,  for  it  could  be  extended  to 
any  distance.  (Laughter.)  There  was  plenty  of  room  for  it  to 
spread  out,  as  we  had  done  in  India  and  elsewhere.  He  mentioned 
these  facts  concerning  some  of  the  countries  of  South  Africa 
because,  he  regretted  to  say,  that  he  found  most  maps  unreliable. 
The  one  before  them,  however,  seemed  to  be  an  exception,  being 
more  truthful,  as  it  took  in  more  of  South  Africa  than  most  of 
them,  and  allowed  the  background  of  the  Transvaal  to  be  extended 
as  far  as  you  choose.  Pointing  to  the  spots  on  the  map,  he  said  : 
"  There  is  the  Kalahara  Desert  on  the  one  side,  and  the  territory 
towards  the  sea-coast  and  Delagoa  Bay,  so  recently  awarded  by 
President  MacMahon  to  the  Portuguese."  (Lieut.-General  BISSET  : 
"  Yes,  that's  what  you  will  get  from  your  enemies  when  you  go  to 
arbitration.")  Well,  he  (Mr.  Campbell-Johnston)  had  the  honour 
to  know  the  President  of  the  Transvaal  Eepublic— Mr.  Burgers. 
He  was  at  present  in  Holland,  and  had  contrived  to  make  arrange- 
ments with  the  Portuguese,  as  many  present  would  be  aware,  for  a 
railway  from  Delagoa  Bay  up  to  the  Transvaal  frontier,  and  this 
railway  would  be  carried  on  to  Pretoria,  the  capital  of  the  Trans- 
vaal, and  have  Delagoa  Bay  as  a  port.  From  this  line  another 
might  go  on  to  the  Orange  Free  State — say  to  Bloemfontein,  its 
capital,  and  further  on  amongst  the  diamond-fields — thus  connect- 
ing the  whole  of  the  Transvaal  with  the  sea-coast  by  a  shorter 
route  than  any  other — by,  in  fact,  the  shortest  route  feasible.  As 
they  had  already  heard  to-night,  this  great  country  called  South 


114  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

Africa  was  teeming  with  undeveloped  wealth,  and  the  interior  por- 
tions of  it  required  the  shortest  communication  with  the  sea-coast. 
This  was  a  good  sign,  and  showed  that  ideas  of  progress  were  in 
the  minds  of  the  people.  For  too  long  a  sort  of  contentedness  with 
a  sleepy  condition  of  things  had  prevailed,  and  that  much  to  the 
prejudice  of  the  best  interests  of  South  Africa — our  Colonies 
included.  There  had  been  an  absence  of  competition  or  rivalry, 
the  soul  of  trade  and  enterprise.  He  was  not  a  Dutchman,  but  a 
loyal  Englishmen  ;  yet  he  believed  that  a  railway  over  forty  miles 
of  land  from  Delagoa  Bay  into  the  Republic  would  be  felt  bene- 
ficially over  the  whole  of  the  Transvaal,  and  the  Orange  Free  State, 
and  everywhere  in  South  Africa — beautiful  countries,  well  watered, 
and  in  some  places  timbered ;  all,  except  just  on  the  coast,  most 
healthy ;  abounding  with  mineral  wealth ;  and  which  would  soon  be 
populated  not  by  English  people  alone,  but  by  people  from  all 
parts  of  Europe  and  the  rest  of  the  world — Germans,  Chinese,  and 
others — as  it  was  now  by  some  of  the  best  families  of  a  past  era — 
descendants  of  Dutch  and  of  French  Huguenots.  After  all,  the 
Dutch — slow  though  they  may  be — were  a  fine  people.  Although 
slow,  they  were  methodical,  and  established  their  ways  where  they 
went,  which  many  other  people  did  not  do.  The  Dutch  in  South 
Africa  had  not  merely  passed  through  the  country,  they  had  stayed 
— they  had  adopted  it — it  was  their  home.  He  had  been  a  good 
deal  amongst  them,  and  might  have  occasionally  pointed  with  his 
finger  to  a  spot,  and  said,  "  Why  do  you  not  make  a  railway  here, 
a  canal  there,  or  put  up  a  bridge  at  this  spot,  or  do  something  else 
at  that."  But  they  would  answer,  and  with  great  justice  he 
thought,  "  We  have  to  live  here,  and  to  bear  the  consequences  of 
our  acts,  whilst  you  are  a  mere  traveller,  passing  through  the 
country,  and  perhaps  judging  hastily  of  what  might  be  best  to  do 
here  or  there."  There  is  no  doubt  they  were  impatient  of  taxation, 
and  ever  had  been ;  but  if  history  tells  the  truth,  so  were  we,  and 
we  have  no  particular  love  of  taxation  now.  He  had  in  some 
measure  given  them  a  geographical  outline  of  the  country,  and 
tried  to  point  out  the  way  in  which  one  should  look  at  South  Africa 
to  understand  it.  He  began  his  trip  at  Port  Elizabeth,  in  the 
eastern  province  of  the  Cape  Colony,  situated,  as  they  knew,  in 
Algoa  Bay,  a  very  different  place  from  Delagoa  Bay.  He  was 
advised  by  some  friends  to  travel  with  horses,  and  in  an  "  American 
spider,"  as  it  is  called.  He  did  so,  but  soon  found  that  he  had 
made  a  great  mistake.  Horses  were  not  suitable  animals  for 
travelling  any  long  distance  in  South  Africa.  In  the  first  place  a 
considerable  sum  had  to  be  paid  for  them,  and  they  were  liable  to 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  115 

many  accidents  and  diseases,  and  were  not  easily  replaced  every- 
where. In  the  next  he  had  to  pay  not  unfrequently  fifteen  shillings 
a  day  for  days  together  for  each  horse,  and  as  he  had  always  four — 
most  of  the  way  six  and  sometimes  seven — this  would  not  suit. 
Although  the  price  of  their  food  was  most  exorbitant,  it  was  mostly, 
at  the  season  he  travelled,  very  bad,  and  could  not  sustain  a  horse 
for  the  purpose  of  a  good  day's  journey.  At  Bloemfontein  his 
horses  were  knocked  up,  and  he  had  to  go  by  public  conveyances  to 
the  diamond-fields  and  back  while  the  horses  were  recruiting. 
These  are  the  fields  for  the  ownership  of  which  there  was  now  a 
great  dispute  between  us  and  the  Orange  Free  State.  If  those  in 
this  room  would  observe  the  map  before  them  they  would  think 
these  fields  should  from  their  position  belong  to  the  Orange  Free 
State — it  looked  as  if  they  were  cut  out  of  the  Orange  Free  State. 
They  were  on  the  east  side  of  the  Vaal  Eiver,  so  was  the  Orange 
Free  Slate,  and  they  were  not  on  the  Cape  Colony  side  of  the 
Orange  Eiver.  The  Orange  Eiver,  after  much  consideration  and 
debate  at  home,  had  been  many  years  ago  declared  the  boundary 
to  the  Cape  Colony  on  the  north.  As  they  had  heard  from  General 
Bisset,  what  is  now  called  the  Orange  Free  State,  had  been  held 
by  us  under  the  name  of  the  "  Sovereignty"  until  January,  1852, 
when  it  was  given  up  by  Sir  G.  Clarke,  who  was  sent  out  from 
this  country  as  Her  Majesty's  Special  Commissioner,  to  relinquish 
that  territory — to,  in  short,  cast  it  off,  and  all  those  who  were  there 
and  had  acquired  property  there.  This  was  done  much  against  the 
wishes  of  some  of  the  inhabitants.  These  even  implored  and 
begged  that  they  might  not  be  cast  off.  But  once  cast  off,  through 
their  enterprising  character  they  soon  prospered.  Fatally,  in 
some  respects  for  them,  a  few  years  ago,  diamonds  were  found  on 
the  Vaal  Eiver ;  and  then,  under  one  pretext  or  another,  that  portion 
on  which  is  situated  the  diamond-fields  was  snatched  back,  and  as 
the  Orange  Free  State  considers,  not  without  good  cause,  in  a  most 
unjust  manner.  Under  these  circumstances,  it  is  difficult  to 
understand  how  we  can  ask  or  invite  the  Orange  Free  State  to 
join  us  in  a  system  of  confederation.  Was  it  likely  that  the  autho- 
rities in  the  Orange  Free  State  could  swallow  their  feelings,  and 
bring  their  hearts  to  join  in  a  confederation  with  their  spoilers  ?  He 
thought  it  would  be  best,  first,  to  do  justice  to  the  Orange  Free  State, 
and  then  he  believed  the  way  would  be  open,  after  wounds  had  been 
healed  up,  to  think  of  confederation.  He  knew  President  Brand 
of  that  State — an  Africander,  who  might  be  proud  of  his  descent 
— the  name  defines  from  whom.  His  father  before  him — 
who  recently  died  Speaker  of  the  Cape  Colony  House  of  Assembly 
i2 


116  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

— was  a  man  in  whose  soul  a  spirit  of  independence  ever  burnt,  and 
who  in  his  youth  had  suffered  for  his  declaration  of  those  senti- 
ments publicly  and  in  print — also  born  of  parents  in  South  Africa. 
Mr.  Burgers,  the  President  of  the  Transvaal,  is  another  Africander. 
Again,  Mr.  Molteno,  the  Premier  of  the  Cape  Colony,  is  another,  or 
as  good  as  one,  for  he  has  been  in  South  Africa  from  his  early 
youth;  and  there  are  hundreds  besides,  all  men  of  mark  and 
of  education,  good  types  of  the  South  Africanders.  Under  such 
men  confederation  or  unity  will,  as  a  matter  of  course,  come 
about.  It  may  be  right  to  keep  this  in  view.  All  in  England 
seem  to  be  in  favour  of  some  scheme  of  federation,  but  I  think  it 
is  advisable  to  allow  it  to  shape  itself  out  in  South  Africa.  It  will 
be  accomplished  in  tune,  but  it  will  never  be  secured  but  with 
deference  to  the  opinions  of  the  South  Africanders,  and  if  not 
treated  with  delicacy  may  be  postponed  for  a  long  time — possibly, 
by  rough  management,  for  ever.  Justice,  dignity,  and  carefulness, 
not  to  interfere  in  the  local  politics  of  the  country,  especially  in 
those  of  the  two  Free  States,  may  assist  the  measure — the  reverse 
may  be  fatal  to  it,  for  ever.  The  two  Free  States  are  not  vassals, 
and  if  they  desire  it  should  be  most  assuredly  acknowledged  in  the 
proper  quarter,  as  other  independent  States  are.  He  had  been  led 
to  enlarge  more  than  he  intended  on  these  points  in  consequence  of 
what  had  been  remarked  by  General  Bisset,  with  reference  to  the 
descendants  of  the  Dutch  in  South  Africa.  Before  sitting  down,  he 
would  also  say  that  he  had  not  only  travelled  through  the  Cape 
Colony  and  the  Orange  Free  State,  but  had  made  some  stay  in  the 
Transvaal,  at  Pretoria,  as  well  as  elsewhere.  He  had  visited  the 
gold-fields,  Pilgrim's  Best,  and  Mac  Mac  ;  had  traversed  Natal  from 
one  end  to  the  other,  from  the  west  to  the  east  coast,  from  New- 
castle to  Durban  deliberately,  in  his  own  private  waggon  with 
oxen,  and  must  say  he  found  the  Dutch  descendants  conservative, 
and  averse  to  much  change.  What  had  been  remarked  about 
Natal  and  Zululand  should  be  seriously  considered.  Certainly, 
twelve  or  fourteen  Kaffirs  to  one  white  man  (and  he  believed  they 
were  nearer  twenty  to  one  white  man)  was  a  state  of  things 
pregnant  with  danger,  especially  as  the  natives  could  not  be  induced, 
under  the  present  system  of  management,  to  work.  There  is  an 
awkward  saying  about  the  devil  finding  mischief  for  idle  hands 
to  do.  He  could  not  see  how  federation  could  alter  the  Kaffir 
difficulty.  As  to  the  two  Free  States,  they  have  no  reason-  to  be 
afraid  of  Kaffirs.  They  are  not  in  the  same  position  as  Natal  is  in 
regard  to  them,  and  were  never  likely  to  become  so  ;  and  they  are 
inhabited  by  a  practically  religious  people,  and  our  fellow-Christians. 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  117 

Dr.  ATHERSTONE,  whom  his  Grace  introduced  as  a  leading  geolo- 
gist from  the  Cape,  said,  as  a  colonist,  fifty  years  of  whose  life  had 
been  spent  at  the  Cape,  he  should  fail  in  his  duty  were  he  to  be 
silent  on  a  subject  of  such  vast  importance  not  only  to  the  Cape 
but  to  the  parent  country.  He  felt  that  he  must  congratulate  his 
friend  upon  the  admirable  paper  he  had  read,  and  the  skill  with 
which  he  had  interwoven  the  personal  and  public  experience  of 
well  nigh  a  lifetime  spent  in  the  Colony  with  the  mass  of  valuable 
and  interesting  information — commercial  and  political — which  he 
had  laid  before  them.  On  his  arrival  from  the  Cape,  after  an 
absence  of  thirty-five  years,  he  must  confess  that  he  was  not  a  little 
surprised  at  the  profound  ignorance  which  appeared  to  prevail  in 
England  on  subjects  connected  with  South  Africa.  (Hear,  hear.) 
He  found  that  there  was  a  vague  kind  of  notion  that  South  Africa 
was  a  Kaffir-breeding  island  somewhere  in  the  South  Seas— (laugh- 
ter)— which  it  was  perhaps  wisest  to  let  alone.  He  was  indeed 
astonished,  but  he  thought  he  had  discovered  some  slight  explana- 
tion of  this  marvellous  want  of  information.  Last  week,  at  the 
Educational  Congress  held  at  King's  College,  he  saw  in  the  show- 
room the  maps  used  in  the  elementary  schools,  and  looking  at  their 
unequal  and  disproportionate  size,  it  occurred  to  him  that  the 
reason  for  the  erroneous  ideas  he  found  so  prevalent  might  be 
traced  to  the  varying  scale  on  which  these  maps  are  drawn.  In 
fact,  he  attributed  it  to  the  imperfect  knowledge  of  physical  geo- 
graphy imparted  in  these  elementary  schools.  An  uniform  scale 
should  be  adopted ;  but  he  found  England  represented  as  ten  times 
as  large  as  the  whole  of  the  South  African  Colonies — (laughter) — 
(and  these  impressions,  recollect,  were  made  in  childhood,  when  the 
brain  is  soft  and  impressionable,  and  retains  them  for  life)  whereas, 
in  point  of  fact,  the  Cape  Colonies  were  nearly  ten  times  as  large 
as  all  England,  their  area  being  500,000  square  miles,  and  that  of 
England  only  58,000.  In  fact,  the  only  country  in  Europe  of 
superior  area  was  Russia.  It  might  have  been  expected  that  their 
commerce,  chiefly  with  Great  Britain,  amounting  to  some  ten 
millions  of  exports  and  seven  millions  sterling  of  imports  yearly, 
would  have  sufficed  to  correct  these  inadequate  ideas  about  our 
vast  possessions  in  South  Africa.  The  mineral  resources  were  as 
unlimited  as  the  country  was  extensive.  Her  diamond-fields  and 
copper  mines  were  the  richest  and  most  productive  in  the  world. 
Her  undeveloped  gold-fields,  coal,  lead,  iron,  awaited  but  the  aid  of 
British  enterprise  and  capital.  The  climate  of  South  Africa  is,  as 
is  well  known,  the  most  salubrious  in  the  world.  All  these  con- 
siderations ought  to  be  sufficient  to  draw  attention  more  closely  to 


118  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

the  material  welfare,  the  social  condition,  and  the  progress  of  the 
inhabitants  of  that  portion  of  the  British  Empire.  But  what  had 
been  the  case  ?  In  consequence  of  the  neglect  of  the  Home 
Government  for  the  last  fifty  years,  instead  of  progress  proportion- 
ate to  the  vast  resources  which  the  country  possesses,  there  had 
been  war  after  war,  costing  the  parent  country  over  £8,000,000 
sterling  for  Kaffir  wars  alone,  to  say  nothing  of  the  cost  to  the 
Colonies  themselves.  He  thought  the  principal  cause  of  all  the 
dissatisfaction  which  prevailed  might  be  summed  up  in  one  word. 
It  was  the  same  which  lost  to  England  her  American  Colonies — 
the  want  of  fair  representation.  (Hear,  hear.)  The  extreme  con- 
stituencies of  the  eastern  and  western  provinces  of  the  Cape  were 
so  far  distant  that  unequal  representation  existed.  On  the  frontier 
districts,  600  miles  away  from  Capetown,  it  was  impossible,  from 
the  social  condition  of  the  inhabitants,  to  find  competent  men 
willing  to  travel  600  miles  to  attend  Parliament  for  three  months 
in  the  year.  It  was,  indeed,  too  great  a  sacrifice  to  make.  The 
only  men  fit  for  the  position  and  available  were  professional  men, 
who,  as  a  rule,  had  other  engagements.  The  result  was  that  in  the 
eastern  province,  so  far  distant  from  Capetown  in  the  extreme  west, 
any  person  had  to  be  accepted  who  volunteered  to  undertake  the 
duties  of  representation.  To  this  fact  was  to  be  attributed  most  of 
the  dissatisfaction  and  excitement  which  for  years  past  had  caused 
so  much  "inconvenience"  and  discontent.  "We  had  the  apparent 
boon  of  representative  institutions  without  representation,  and 
until  some  means  were  devised  for  being  virtually  and  equally 
represented,  instead  of  one  section  or  other  being  virtually  dis- 
franchised by  distance,  it  was  not  likely  there  would  be  harmony 
in  the  Cape  Colony.  The  means  of  communication  were  also  very 
difficult  and  tedious.  If  the  bullock-waggon  be  discarded,  with  all 
its  uncertainties  and  delay,  the  only  alternative  was  a  sea  voyage 
in  the  worst  season  of  the  year.  He  was  aware  that  the  Constitu- 
tion Ordinance  provided  for  this  difficulty  by  the  insertion  of  a 
clause  empowering  the  Governor  to  assemble  Parliament  in  the 
eastern  province  if  found  to  be  desirable,  and  on  one  occasion  of 
unusual  political  excitement  a  Parliament  was  accordingly  held  at 
Grahamstown,  the  eastern  capital ;  but  since  then,  which  was 
some  ten  years  ago,  Parliament  continued  to  be  held  in  Capetown, 
at  the  extreme  end  of  the  Colony.  There  was  another  subject  in 
the  paper  to  which  he  wished  to  draw  attention.  They  had  some 
very  sunny  pictures  drawn  of  the  Cape  Colony — they  were,  in  fact, 
quite  coleur  de  rose.  But  there  was  a  shady  aspect  as  well.  The 
population  of  the  Colony  was  about  one  million,  of  which  275,000 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies,  119 

natives  were  massed  on  the  frontier.  They  existed  there  as  so 
much  dynamite — (laughter) — requiring  the  utmost  care  and  man- 
agement and  knowledge  of  native  character  to  prevent  explosion. 
One  would  have  thought  that  the  directing  and  controlling  power 
would  be  near  at  hand  in  case  of  need ;  but  what  was  the  fact  ? 
With  all  this  explosive  material  on  the  frontier  the  heads  of 
Departments — Governor,  Lieut.-Governor,  Legislature,  and  even 
the  Commander-in- Chief  of  the  Cape  forces — reside  as  far  as  pos- 
sible from  the  seat  of  danger — some  700  miles  off !  The  frontier 
and  the  eastern  border  are  the  most  populous  and  productive, 
owing  to  simple  and  natural  causes,  namely,  that  the  eastern  sides 
of  all  continents  are  watered  by  the  moisture  condensed  and 
thrown  down  by  the  mountain  ranges,  producing  fertility  and  a 
loosened  soil.  From  the  same  causes,  the  winds  passing  over, 
deprived  of  their  moisture,  the  western  sides  are  scenes  of  compara- 
tive desolation.  He  had  travelled  lately  far  beyond  Natal  many 
hundred  miles  over  the  Drakensberg  Mountains,  through  the 
Transvaal  and  Free  State,  and  on  a  former  occasion  all  through 
Namqualand  also,  examining  all  these  countries.  He  was  elated 
with  joy  at  finding  so  much  mineral  wealth,  but  it  was  all  left  to 
chance  development,  and  the  risk  of  another  explosion.  Steps 
are,  however,  now  being  taken  in  the  Cape  Colony  to  break  down 
the  feudal  power  of  the  native  chiefs  by  substituting  British  law 
and  individual  rights  of  property,  and  the  people  had  now  the 
right  of  purchasing  land.  He  had  been  recently  on  the  Fish  Biver, 
and  had  seen  a  Kaffir  chief  offering  £2,000  for  a  farm.  This  was 
the  only  mode  of  preventing  Kaffir  wars,  and  he  was  glad  that  his 
friend  in  Basutoland  had  been  so  successful  in  his  efforts  to  restrain 
the  power  of  the  chiefs  for  mischief.  Still  this  work  must  be  done 
with  the  utmost  care  and  judgment.  It  was  the  only  feasible  plan 
which  could  be  adopted,  for  when  the  Kaffirs  had  a  stake  in  the 
country,  and  enjoyed  the  protection  of  British  power,  they  would 
be  always  anxious  for  peace.  (Hear,  hear.)  He  hoped,  in  conclu- 
sion, that  the  wise  measures  of  Earl  Carnarvon  for  the  construction 
of  a  system  of  federation  would  proceed.  (Hear,  hear.)  He  could 
not  see  why  the  English  could  not  act  in  harmony  with  their 
former  fellow-colonists,  the  Dutch.  They  had  been  driven  away 
by  the  same  grievances  of  which  we  complained,  the  want  of  pro- 
tection and  equal  justice,  and  when  they  find  that  we  are  prosper- 
ing they  will  naturally  wish  to  be  incorporated  in  the  general 
scheme  of  federation.  But  the  only  means  of  accomplishing  this 
was  by  a  sound  system  of  representation.  Let  these  reforms  and 
changes  be  effected,  and  South  Africa  would  become  one  of  the 


120  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

most  valuable,  as  it  was  one  of  the  most  extensive,  dependencies  of 
the  British  Crown.     (Cheers.) 

Mr.  THOMAS  WATSON,  President  of  the  Cape  Town  Chamber  of 
Commerce,  in  answer  to  a  call  from  the  Chairman,  said  he  could 
fully  endorse  the  remarks  of  the  last  speaker  in  regard  to  the  pro- 
found ignorance  which  had  hitherto  prevailed  in  England — even 
amongst  the  otherwise  intelligent  classes — respecting  South  Africa. 
The  only  effective  way  perhaps  to  get  rid  of  such  want  of  informa- 
tion would  be  the  reading  and  publication  of  such  papers  as  we  had 
just  been  listening  to,  and  to  have  such  meetings  of  the  supporters 
of  this  institution  as  we  saw  this  evening.  He  was  sure  that 
General  Bisset  well  merited  the  thanks  of  all  present,  as  well  as 
of  the  public  generally,  for  the  trouble  and  care  he  had  taken  in 
drawing  up  his  address.  He  had,  however,  made  one  or  two  slight 
mistakes,  more  especially  in  regard  to  the  construction  of  railways. 
He  had  said  "  that  if  a  line  was  open  between  Port  Elizabeth  and 
Uitenhaye,  communication  and  commerce  would  be  greatly  bene- 
fited," while  the  fact  was  that  the  railway  in  question  had  already 
been  open  for  traffic  for  several  months.  General  Bisset  had  also 
told  us  that  a  line  of  railway  between  Durban  and  Pietermaritz- 
burg,  in  Natal,  was  in  course  of  construction.  He  (Mr.  Watson) 
was  not  aware  that  the  actual  making  of  such  a  line  had  yet  been 
commenced.  However,  these  might  be  matters  of  little  conse- 
quence. When  he  first  arrived  in  South  Africa,  some  thirty-three 
years  ago,  he  found  great  dissatisfaction  prevailing  in  some 
quarters  in  consequence  of  the  sudden  setting  free  of  all  the  slaves 
at  one  time.  This,  he  believed,  was  the  principal  cause  of  the  great 
antipathy  felt  by  many  of  the  Dutch  farmers  against  the  Govern- 
ment of  England,  In  an  inland  district  in  which  he  resided  for 
some  years  these  people  had  abandoned  their  farms,  previously 
occupied,  not  for  the  rearing  of  woolled  sheep,  as  now,  but  prin- 
cipally for  the  breeding  of  the  common  Cape  sheep,  goats,  and 
cattle,  without  receiving  any  compensation  whatever,  and  pro- 
ceeded with  their  flocks  and  families  to  the  northward,  beyond  the 
Orange  Eiver.  There  were  certain  prejudices  still  existing  in  the 
minds  of  some  of  these  people  which  he  feared  might  be  a  serious 
obstacle  in  carrying  out  the  idea  of  federation.  He  believed  that 
there  was  a  large  majority  of  colonists  in  both  provinces  in  favour 
of  the  scheme,  but  he  saw  great  difficulty  in  carrying  it  into  effect. 
Even  if  the  general  question  of  confederation  were  agreed  to  to- 
morrow, he  would  like  to  see  the  man  capable  of  framing  a  work- 
able programme.  He  was  sorry  that  his  friend,  Dr.  Atherstone, 
in  the  course  of  his  remarks  had  referred  to  the  eastern  and 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  121 

western  provinces,  because  this  was  a  sore  subject  at  the  Cape,  and 
it  would  be  better  for  all  parties  if  no  direct  reference  to  it  were 
made.  He  had  intended  to  touch  upon  several  other  points,  but  at 
that  late  hour  of  the  evening  he  would  not  detain  the  meeting  by 
going  further  into  particulars,  but  must  say  that,  in  his  opinion, 
the  Cape  Colony  had  not  been  slow  in  its  progress  during  the  last 
eight  or  ten  years.  Within  a  period  of  six  years  its  revenue  had 
more  than  doubled — (hear,  hear) — and  it  was  moreover  satisfactory 
to  find  that  it  was  still  increasing.  Dr.  Atherstone  had  referred  to 
the  inconvenience  of  Parliament  meeting  at  Capetown,  on  account 
of  the  distance  many  of  the  members  had  to  travel ;  but  when  all 
the  railways  now  projected  were  completed,  with  quicker  steam 
communication  along  the  coast,  it  would  not  be  of  so  much  con- 
sequence whether  the  Parliament  met  in  the  eastern  or  western 
province,  more  especially  now  when  the  Colony  is  extending  tele- 
graphic communication  in  various  directions  inland — an  advantage 
which  he  hoped  before  long  to  see  extended  to  Europe,  by  which 
the  colonies  of  South  Africa  would  be  united  by  an  additional  tie 
to  the  mother  country. 

On  the  motion  of  Mr.  FREDERICK  YOUNG  the  discussion  was 
adjourned  to  February  15th. 

His  Grace  the  DUKE  OF  MANCHESTER  hoped  that  when  the  dis- 
cussion was  re-opened  he  should  again  see  a  number  of  gentlemen 
present  able  to  take  part  in  the  consideration  of  the  topics 
advanced  by  Lieut. -General  Bisset.  But  before  they  separated 
to-night  he  wished  to  say  cursorily  that  he  did  not  entirely  agree 
with  his  friend's  plan  for  a  federation  of  the  Empire,  and  that  at 
the  next  meeting  he  should  state  what  the  ideas  were  which  he 
preferred  to  those  advanced  by  Lieut. -General  Bisset. 

Mr.  FREDERICK  YOUNG  said  he  felt  that  he  must  endorse  the  state- 
ment which  his  Grace  had  made. 

The  company  then  separated. 


(122) 


MEMOEIAL  ON   THE   CESSION   OF   THE    GAMBIA. 

FORWARDED     16iH    FEBRUARY   To    THE    RIGHT    HON.    THE    EARL    OF 
CARNARVON,  SECRETARY  OF  STATE   FOR  THE   COLONIES. 

The  Memorial  of  the  President,  Council,  and  Fellows  of  the  Eoyal 
Colonial  Institute— Sheweth, 

That  although  the  Council  of  the  Royal  Colonial  Institute  have  had  the 
honour  of  acquainting  your  Lordship  with  their  views  upon  the  proposed 
cession  of  the  Gambia,  through  the  medium  of  a  Report,  recently  adopted 
hy  the  Council,  your  Memorialists  are  so  convinced  of  the  importance  of  the 
question  that  they  now  desire  to  press  upon  your  Lordship  the  reasons  which 
lead  them  to  the  conclusion  at  which  they  have  arrived.  Those  reasons  are 
as  follows  : — 

(1.)  That  this  country  has  contracted  obligations  to  some  thousands  of 
native  subjects,  which  cannot  with  honour  be  abandoned  against  the  will  of 
such  subjects. 

(2.)  That  to  transfer  them  to  a  nation  of  a  different  religion,  and  which 
does  not  carry  out  the  principles  of  toleration  so  completely  as  they  are 
acted  upon  by  Great  Britain,  would  be  to  add  additional  injury  to  the 
wrong  of  handing  them  over  against  their  consent  to  a  Foreign  Power. 

(3.)  That  to  transfer  aboriginal  subjects,  understanding  our  language  and 
government,  in  exchange  for  those  claimed  by  another  Power  unacquainted 
with  both,  is  very  likely  to  give  rise  to  much  confusion  and  inconvenience, 
as  well  as  to  occasion  native  wars. 

(4.)  That,  except  for  advantages  of  the  highest  and  most  undoubted  Im- 
perial importance,  which  your  Memorialists  submit  cannot  be  shown  to  be 
likely  to  result  from  the  proposed  transfer  of  the  Gambia  to  France,  it  is 
most  undesirable  to  part  with  any  of  the  territories  of  the  Empire.  Where 
such  abandonment  and  loss  of  territory  have  taken  place  in  the  past,  they 
have,  as  a  rule,  invariably  been  the  cause  of  subsequent  regret.  As  notable 
examples,  the  abandonment  of  the  Orange  Free  State  in  South  Africa,  the 
loss  of  San  Juan,  and  the  exchange  of  the  West  African  Settlements  of  the 
Dutch,  leading  to  the  Ashantee  war,  may  be  mentioned  :  the  value  to  the 
Empire  of  the  two  former,  and  the  policy  with  regard  to  the  latter,  being 
quite  disregarded  at  the  time  when,  through  the  action  of  the  Imperial 
Government,  or  from  want  of  proper  steps  being  taken,  they  were  lost  to  the 
Empire.  The  importance  of  the  interests  involved  in  all  of  them  is  now, 
when  too  late,  fully  appreciated. 


Memorial  on  the  Cession  of  the  Gambia,  123 

(5.)  Your  Memorialists  are  convinced  that  the  same  will  be  our  future 
experience  with  regard  to  the  Gambia  should  we  give  up  its  possession.  Our 
commerce  with  the  interior  of  Africa  js  clearly  only  in  its  infancy ;  in  fact, 
it  cannot  be  said  to  have  been  opened  up ;  but  just  at  the  time  when  its  im- 
portance is  beginning  in  some  degree  to  be  appreciated,  it  is  proposed  that 
we  should  give  up  a  river  which  is  admitted  to  be  the  most  extensive  and 
important  which  we  possess. 

There  are  two  arguments  in  favour  of  the  cession  or  exchange,  to  which 
your  Memorialists  desire  to  reply.  It  is  urged  that  by  extending  the  author- 
ity of  the  British  Government  over  a  continuous  line  of  coast  of  consider- 
able length,  the  importation  of  arms  may  be  prevented,  and  the  injury  to 
the  revenues  of  the  British  Settlements,  occasioned  by  importation  of  goods 
into  ports  not  within  our  control,  would  be  prevented.  The  other  argument 
is  that  the  revenues  of  the  Gambia  will  not  be  sufficient  for  the  require- 
ments of  the  Settlement  without  aid  from  this  country. 

With  regard  to  the  former,  your  Memorialists  submit  that  it  is  highly  im- 
probable that  either  the  importation  of  arms  would  be  prevented,  or  the 
injury  to  the  revenues  of  the  other  settlements  remedied,  by  the  exchange 
of  the  Gambia  for  such  rights  as  the  French  claim  over  other  places  on 
the  coast. 

At  Whydah,  for  instance,  the  Portuguese  claim  supreme  authority,  and 
your  Memorialists  are  unaware  of  any  guarantees  against  claims  being  put 
in  by  them,  or  any  other  nation  hereafter,  to  this  trading  port. 

It  is  also  by  no  means  improbable  that  any  claims  which  we  might  set  up 
in  certain  parts  of  the  coast,  in  virtue  of  the  proposed  arrangement  with  the 
French,  might  be  resisted  by  the  King  of  Dahomey,  who  already,  we  under- 
stand, has  proclaimed  his  authority  over  Whydah. 

The  risk  of  serious  complications  and  even  war  with  him  or  other  native 
chiefs  will,  therefore,  be  incurred,  which  would  cause  far  greater  financial 
derangement  and  expense  than  could  ever  be  compensated  by  any  improved 
means  of  collecting  revenue  on  the  coast.  The  justice  of  sacrificing  one 
Settlement  for  the  financial  convenience  of  another  cannot,  it  is  submitted, 
be  maintained. 

With  regard  to  the  revenues  of  the  Gambia  not  being  sufficient  for  the 
maintenance  of  the  Settlement,  your  Memorialists  would  point  out  that  the 
expenditure  was  augmented  in  consequence  of  the  withdrawal  of  the  pro- 
tection which,  up  to  May,  1870,  had  been  afforded  by  the  Imperial  Govern- 
ment. There  is  little  doubt,  however,  that  if  the  Gambia  had  had  the  advan- 
tages bestowed  in  its  development,  with  which  other  settlements  along  the 
coast  have  been  favoured,  its  trade  and  revenues  would  now  be  in  a  much 
more  flourishing  condition. 

Your  Memorialists  submit  that,  considering  all  the  circumstances  of  the 
case,  there  is  no  reason  for  Great  Britain  to  abandon  so  important  a  posses- 
sion, which  secures  her  such  a  valuable  highway  into  the  interior. 

(Signed),  MANCHESTER, 

President* 


(124) 


MEMOBIAL   TO    HEE    MAJESTY   ON    EECOGNITION    OF 
THE  COLONIES  IN  THE  EOYAL  TITLE. 

FORWARDED  10  LORD  CARNARVON  ON  24TH  FEBRUARY. 

To  the  Queen's  Most  Excellent  Majesty — 

The  humble  petition  of  Her  Majesty's  loyal  and  dutiful  subjects, 
the  President,  Vice-Presidents,  and  Council  of  the  Royal  Colonial  Institute, 
— Sheweth, 

That  your  petitioners  desire  to  approach  Your  Majesty  with  the  expression 
of  the  most  profound  veneration  and  loyalty  for  Your  Majesty's  Throne  and 
Person. 

That  in  common  with  the  rest  of  Your  Majesty's  subjects,  your  petitioners 
hail  with  great  satisfaction  Your  Majesty's  gracious  intention,  as  announced 
in  your  speech  to  Parliament,  of  taking  an  additional  style  and  title  in 
connection  with  your  Indian  Empire. 

That  your  petitioners  venture  to  express  their  belief  that  Your  Majesty's 
loyal  subjects  inhabiting  your  vast  Colonial  Dominions  would  derive  the 
highest  gratification  if  some  similar  recognition  were  accorded  to  them. 

That  your  petitioners  are  led  to  think  that  their  Memorial  will  receive 
Your  Majesty's  gracious  consideration,  from  the  fact  that  in  the  Proclamation 
issued  in  1858,  notifying  Your  Majesty's  assumption  of  the  Government  of 
India,  Your  Majesty  was  designated  as  "  Queen  of  the  United  Kingdom  of 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  and  of  the  Colonies  and  Dependencies  thereof  in 
Europe,  Asia,  Africa,  America,  and  Australasia." 

Your  petitioners  therefore  pray  that  Your  Majesty  will  be  graciously 
pleased  to  assume  such  additional  style  and  title  as  shall  distinctly  indicate 
Your  Majesty's  sovereignty  over  the  whole  of  the  Colonial  Dominions. 

And  your  petitioners  will  ever  pray  &c. 

(Signed)     MANCHESTER, 
President  of  the  Royal  Colonial  Institute. 


(125) 


THIKD  ORDINARY  GENERAL  MEETING. 

The  Third  Ordinary  General  Meeting  was  held  at  the  PaU  Mall 
Restaurant,  on  Tuesday,  February  15th,  1876,  His  Grace  the  DUKE 
OF  MANCHESTER,  President,  in  the  chair. 

Mr.  FREDERICK  YOUNG,  Hon.  Secretary,  read  the  Minutes 
of  the  last  meeting,  which  were  confirmed. 

The  adjourned  Discussion  was  then  resumed  on  the  Paper  of 
Lieut.-General  Bisset,  C.B.,  on 

SOUTH  AFRICA  AND  HER  COLONIES. 
Mr.  FREDERICK  YOUNG  said,  in  rising  to  continue  the  discussion 
which  was  adjourned  at  their  last  meeting,  he  hoped  the  company 
would  understand  that  he  did  so  in  conformity  with  a  well- 
established  rule,  that  any  gentleman  moving  the  adjournment  of 
a  debate  should  commence  the  discussion  at  the  next  meeting. 
He  had  no  wish  to  usurp  the  position  of  those  gentlemen  he  saw 
around  him,  who  from  their  practical  experience  were  much  better 
qualified  to  speak  on  the  subject  of  General  Bisset's  paper.  In 
the  few  remarks  he  intended  to  make,  he  would  not  stop  to  pass 
in  review  the  observations  of  the  General  on  the  beauties,  and  also 
of  the  importance  of  the  great  and  flourishing  Colonies  of  South 
Africa.  He  would  confine  himself  principally  to  the  question  of 
federation.  But  before  speaking  on  that  subject  he  desired  to 
thank  the  General  individually  for  his  very  valuable  paper.  He 
(Mr.  Young)  agreed  perfectly  in  all  that  the  General  had  said  with 
regard  to  the  importance  of  the  federation  of  the  whole  of  the 
South  African  Colonies.  The  author  had  shown  most  conclusively 
that,  commercially,  socially,  and  politically,  the  advantages  of  a 
perfect  federation  of  those  Colonies  would  be  very  great  indeed. 
From  a  commercial  point  of  view  there  could  be  little  doubt  of 
the  great  advantages  that  would  accrue  to  them  all.  Then,  as 
regards  the  social  aspect  of  the  question,  we  knew  very  well 
how,  from  an  intimate  relationship  between  nations  as  well  as 
individuals,  prejudices  were  removed  and  good  feeling  was  es- 
tablished. Again,  with  respect  to  its  political  side,  the  General  had 
made  out  his  case  most  conclusively,  for  as  the  whole  of  that  vast 
country  was  surrounded  by  a  native  population,  both  warlike  and 
enterprising,  it  was  of  the  greatest  possible  importance,  for  the 


126  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

sake  of  mutual  protection,  that  all  those  Colonies  should  be  united. 
(Hear,  hear.)  Whatever  views  we  might  hold  upon  the  subject 
or  upon  the  plan  suggested  by  the  present  Colonial  Secretary  for 
producing  such  a  federation,  he  (Mr.  Young)  thought  that  both 
the  people  of  this  country  and  our  fellow-countrymen  in  the 
Colonies  had  to  thank  Lord  Carnarvon  for  his  persistent  and 
energetic  action  in  the  matter.  The  motive  which  dictated  his 
Lordship's  views  ought  to  be  looked  at  broadly,  and  we  ought  to 
give  him  the  greatest  credit  for  the  desire  he  felt  to  produce  such 
a  grand  result.  He  hoped  and  trusted  that  his  Lordship's  pro- 
position to  federate  all  these  Colonies  would  be  successful,  and 
that  it  would  be  received  by  the  people  in  South  Africa  as  the 
wisest  solution  of  the  present  difficulty.  (Hear,  hear,  and  cheers.) 
General  Bisset,  in  his  paper,  said  he  looked  forward  to  something 
higher  than  the  federation  of  South  Africa ;  and  with  that  remark 
he  (Mr.  Young)  entirely  concurred.  He  hoped  the  question  of 
federation,  the  key-note  of  which  was  now  being  struck  in  South 
Africa  and  in  the  Australian  Colonies,  might  some  day  culminate 
in  Imperial  federation,  so  that  the  Colonies  might  be  represented 
in  one  Imperial  Assembly.  "Whilst  acknowledging,  however,  that 
he  was  a  most  pronounced  federalist,  he  could  not  agree  with 
the  way  General  Bisset  proposed  that  the  federation  of  the 
Empire  should  be  brought  about.  The  General  suggested  that  the 
Colonies  should  send  representatives  to  our  present  Parliament, 
and  that  they  should  have  a  voice  in  that  Parliament,  but  no 
votes.  Now  that  proposition,  attractive  as  it  looked,  would  not 
accomplish  the  great  end  he  hoped  to  see,  whilst  he  (Mr.  Young) 
was  sure  such  a  proposal  would  be  distasteful  to  the  Colonies. 
(Hear,  hear.)  The  Colonies  would  not  be  satisfied  unless  they 
had  equal  representations  with  ourselves,  and  could  express  their 
views  on  the  same  platform.  Another  point  of  the  General's,  to 
which  he  took  exception,  was  his  remark  that  all  English-speaking 
people  should  have  a  voice  in  the  English  Parliament.  Really,  if 
the  question  was  not  a  grave  and  solemn  one,  he  hoped  the 
General  would  excuse  him  if  he  told  him  that  that  idea  seemed 
almost  ludicrous.  Why,  a  scheme  might  just  as  well  be  suggested 
in  which  every  foreign  nation  should  be  represented  in  the  Eng- 
lish Parliament.  (Hear,  hear.)  The  United  States  of  America 
was  undoubtedly  a  foreign  nation,  and  what  should  be  desired 
would  be,  that  every  part  of  the  British  Empire  only  should  be 
represented  in  the  English  Parliament.  There  was  another 
point  upon  which  he  wished  to  say  a  word  or  two.  It  was 
now  happily  the  order  of  the  day  for  the  Colonies  to  be 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  127 

recognised  in  the  Eoyal  Speech  to  Parliament,  and  the  present 
occasion  was  no  exception  to  the  rule.  In  the  Queen's  Speech, 
delivered  on  February  8th,  there  was  a  clause  which  must  have 
struck  all  the  members  of  the  Colonial  Institute  most  forcibly, 
and  that  was  the  clause  wherein  Her  Majesty  expressed  her  in- 
tention of  adopting  another  title.  (Hear,  hear.)  He  had  no 
objection  to  Her  Majesty's  recognising  the  great  country  of  India 
in  this  way,  but  he  thought  if  it  was  determined  that  Her  Majesty 
was  to  assume  a  new  title  at  all,  there  was  a  much  larger 
portion  of  her  dominions  even  than  India  which  ought  to  be 
taken  into  consideration  in  connection  with  this  subject — her 
Colonies.  It  might  be  difficult,  and  no  doubt  would  be,  to  find  a 
title  sufficiently  comprehensive  to  take  in  all  the  Queen's  domin- 
ions, but  at  the  possible  risk  of  being  called  presumptuous,  he 
would  suggest  that  Her  Majesty  should  assume  some  such  title  as 
that  of  Queen  or  Empress  of  Britannia,  or  Colonia,  or  of  the 
British  Dominions — some  title,  in  short,  which  would  be  ex- 
pressive of  the  fact  that  Her  Majesty  was  the  ruler  of  the  whole 
Empire  in  its  integrity.  He  hoped  that  this  subject  would  come 
under  the  consideration  of  the  Council  of  the  Institute  at  an  early 
day,  in  order  that  a  memorial  might  be  presented  to  Her  Majesty, 
praying  her  to  assume  some  such  title  as  he  had  mentioned,  for 
the  purpose  of  showing  our  fellow-countrymen  in  the  Colonies 
that  they  were  considered  as  an  important  portion  of  the  ancient 
English  monarchy,  and  as  integral  parts  of  the  Greater  Britain  of 
the  future.  (Applause.) 

Mr.  HENRY  CLOETE  said  that,  as  a  Cape  Colonist,  and  one  who 
naturally  took  a  great  interest  in  anything  connected  with  South 
Africa,  he  desired  to  make  a  few  observations  on  General  Bisset's 
paper.  What  he  was  about  to  say  on  the  subject  he  would  distribute 
under  three  heads.  (1)  He  would  criticise  General  Bisset's  paper, 
stating  wherein  he  disagreed  with  him,  supplying  omissions,  and 
leaving  that  wherein  he  agreed  with  him  to  be  collected  from  that 
which  he  passed  by  unnoticed.  (2)  He  would  make  some  remarks 
with  reference  to  Dr.  Atherstone's  address.  (3)  He  would  do  likewise 
with  reference  to  Mr.  Campbell-Johnston's  address.  That  General 
Bisset's  paper  was  an  exceedingly  interesting,  comprehensive,  and 
instructive  one,  that  it  must  have  cost  him  a  great  deal  of  trouble 
and  research  to  have'  placed  on  record  so  many  facts  relating  to 
the  historical,  political,  financial,  commercial,  and  social  condition 
of  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies,  he  need  hardly  state.  The  manner 
in  which  the  address  was  received  manifestly  showed  that  its  value 
was  appreciated  by  the  audience.  He  was  sure  every  South  African 


128  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

Colonist  present  joined  with  him  (the  speaker)  in  thanking  the 
General  for  expending  so  much  time  and  labour  in  endeavouring, 
as  he  himself  remarked,  "  to  dispel  those  mists  and  ignorances 
which  existed  in  the  minds  of  the  English  public  with  reference  to 
matters  relating  to  South  Africa."  Seeing,  then,  his  appreciation 
of  the  paper,  the  General  would,  he  was  sure,  not  take  it  amiss 
when  he  criticised  some  details  wherein  he  disagreed  with  him,  but 
would  rather  accredit  to  him  the  honest  motive  of  putting  things  in 
that  light  which  appeared  to  him  to  be  truest.  Upon  referring  to 
the  paper  read,  he  found  the  statement,  "  that  the  Kaffirs  were  the 
greatest  cattle  robbers  in  the  world."  That  statement,  no  doubt, 
was  true  in  the  main — cattle-lifting  certainly  was  their  speciality ; 
but  then  it  was  subject  to  some  qualification.  Upon  first  sight  that 
statement  would  lead  one  unacquainted  with  the  Kaffirs  to  conclude 
that  they  were,  without  exception,  the  greatest  thieves  in  the  world. 
Now  that  was  not  so,  for  the  Zulus — a  Kaffir  tribe — were  a  very 
superior  race,  being,  as  a  rule,  very  honest  and  trustworthy,  and 
having  a  great  sense  of  honour  ;  such,  at  least,  had  been  his  expe- 
rience of  them.  (General  BISSET  :  The  Zulus  are  quite  distinct 
from  the  Kaffirs.)  Mr.  Cloete  said  he  thought  he  would  challenge 
that  statement,  because  he  considered  it  too  sweeping,  and  cal- 
culated to  create  wrong  impressions  concerning  the  character  of 
that  class  of  South  African  natives.  The  General  had  related  to 
the  meeting  the  treachery  that  Dinghaan  and  his  followers  (who 
were  Zulus)  practised  upon  the  Dutch  Colonists  in  1838,  and  doubt- 
less he  would  plead  that  as  a  justification  for  including  the  Zulus 
amongst  the  other  Kaffir  tribes,  and  stigmatising  them  with  the 
common  name  of  thieves  and  untrustworthy  persons.  Now  he 
(Mr.  Cloete)  contended  that  that  was  no  proof  whatever  of  the 
character  of  the  Zulus  individually,  for  anyone  acquainted  with 
native  character  would  admit  that  the  chiefs  exercised  great  influence 
over  their  tribes,  taken  as  a  whole.  If  a  tribe  was  governed  by  a 
cruel  chief,  such  as  the  General  admits  Dinghaan  to  have  been, 
the  tribe  collectively  would  be  guilty  of  inal-practices  which,  under 
another  and  more  humane  chief,  they  would  naturally  shrink  from. 
In  short,  individually,  the  character  of  the  Zulus  was,  as  he  (Mr. 
Cloete)  had  stated,  but  if  under  the  governance  of  a  cruel  ruler, 
there  was  no  knowing  to  what  extremes  they  might  be  goaded  by 
his  evil  influence.  The  General,  in  his  enumeration  of  the  staple 
commodities  of  the  Cape  Colony,  forgot  to  mention,  if  not  the  chief, 
at  least  one  of  the  principal,  commodities — wine.  He  might  have 
had  an  innocent  object  in  view  for  his  conduct— namely,  not  to 
speak  of  anything  which  was  in  disfavour  with  his  audience  ;  and 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  129 

Cape  wine  certainly  was  in  bad  odour  with  the  wine-drinking  section 
of  the  community  in  England.  Well,  whatever  opinions  the  English 
people  might  entertain  as  to  the  quality  of  Cape  wines,  he  (Mr. 
Cloete)  might  assure  them  that  they  often  drank  it  under  a  disguised 
name.     Again,  much  of  the  Cape  wine  sold  in  London  was  not 
Cape  wine  at  all,  but  stuff  manufactured  for  the  purpose  of  keeping 
the   Cape  wine  in  as  low  repute  as  possible,  so  as  to  enable  the 
dealers  to  procure  the  latter  at  as  low  a  rate  as  possible,  in  order 
to  make  the  largest  possible  profits.     Englishmen  might  ask,  Why 
don't  the  Cape  people  remedy  this  ?     There  was  the  rub.     The 
only  effectual  remedy,  to  his  thinking,  was  to  be  found  in  the  esta- 
blishment of  a  company  or  agency  in  London  for  the  sale  of  Cape 
wines — like  the  Bodega,  for  Spanish  wines — and  a  combination  on 
the  part  of  the  producers  at  the  Cape  for  the  avowed  purpose  of 
selling  their  wine  only  to  their  company  or  through  their  agency, 
who  would  dispose  of  the  genuine  wine,  and  not  rubbish,  as  Cape. 
Then  he  was  sure  the  public  would  desist  from  despising  Cape 
wines,  for  he  knew  that  there  were  good  wines  made  and  to  be  had 
at  the  Cape,  and  if  once  the  English  public  had  the  opportunity  of 
tasting  the  genuine  article,  they  would  think  so  too.    (Hear,  hear.) 
The  General  attributed  the  non-advancement  of  railway  communi- 
cation in  South  Africa  to  the  non-progressive  tendencies  of  the 
Dutch.     He  (Mr.  Cloete)  would  like  to  ask  him  whether  the  fact 
that  railway  communication  was  slowly  developed  was  not  rather 
due  to  the  force  of  circumstances,  namely,  that  the  country  was 
then  too  poor  to  undertake  such  gigantic  public  enterprises  with 
regard  to  railways  as  it  undertook  now ;  whether  their  old  form  of 
government  (the  being  governed  from  Downing- street),  which  lacked 
Colonial  representation,  and    consequently    the   advancement  of 
Colonial  interests,  had  not  to  answer  for  a  deal ;  and  whether  the  non- 
development  of  the  country  and  its  resources  at  that  time  required 
the  means  of  transport  which  now,  since  the  increased  development 
of  the  country,  was  an  absolute  necessity.    That  his  argument  was 
the  correct  one,  was  proved  by  the  fact  that  there  were  as  many 
Dutch  Colonists  now  as  there  were  then,  and  yet  see  what  was 
being  done  for  railway  communication  now  when  circumstances 
had  altered,  and  a  demand  for  transport  was  felt.     The  General 
further  remarked,  that  it  was  due  to  the  Eoman  Dutch  law  of 
inheritance  which  until  lately  had  prevailed  in  the  Colony,  "  that 
the  large  estates  of  the  old  Dutch  farmers  had  been  so  subdivided 
within  the  last  two  or  three  generations  that  their  offspring  had 
become  very  small  holders  of  land."     Further  on  he  said,  "  One 
farmer  possessed  nine  square  miles  to  himself."     Evidently  there 


130  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

was  some  discrepancy  between  those  two  statements.  The  fact  of 
the  matter  was,  that  the  Roman  Dutch  law  did  not  subdivide  the 
estates  to  such  an  extent  as  the  General  would  lead  his  audience  to 
suppose,  but  he  was  quite  correct  in  saying  that  in  many  parts  one 
farmer  owned  nine  square  miles.  What  the  Koman  law  of  inheri- 
tance did,  was  to  subdivide  the  interests  in  the  property,  and  not 
the  property  itself.  The  modus  operandi  of  the  Eoman  Dutch  law 
was  as  follows :  The  ancestor  died ;  his  descendants  as  a  rule 
succeeded  to  his  property  equally,  whether  by  devise  or  intestary ; 
the  property  was  then  either  sold,  each  child  receiving  his  or  her 
proportionate  share  out  of  the  proceeds,  or  one  of  the  descendants 
took  over  the  interests  of  the  others  in  the  property  at  a  valuation. 
The  effect  of  the  proceeding  was  manifestly  that  the  property  fre- 
quently changed  hands,  or  that  the  descendants  who  took  over  the 
property  at  a  valuation  became  impoverished,  not  that  the  estate 
itself  was  subdivided.  Where  the  estates  had  been  so  subdivided 
other  causes  had  been  at  work — causes  which  he  would  not  stop  to 
explain  for  fear  of  wearying  his  listeners,  and  which  were  quite 
irrelevant.  Further  on  in  his  paper  the  General  said,  speaking 
about  the  British  settlers  of  1820,  "  And  from  the  energy  of  these 
men  sprang  the  present  prosperity  of  the  Colony."  Now  he  (Mr. 
Cloete)  thought  that  assertion  was  hardly  fair,  seeing  that  only  the 
Eastern  Province — a  designation  which  he  used  with  great  reluc- 
tance, for  he  considered  that  there  ought  not  to  be  any  distinction 
between  the  Eastern  and  Western  Provinces — was  populated  by 
the  settlers  of  1820.  What  about  the  inhabitants  of  the  Western 
Province — Dutch  settlers  and  their  descendants,  had  they  not  added 
their  quota  towards  raising  the  united  provinces  to  their  present 
prosperous  condition  ?  He  took  the  same  objection  to  that  state- 
ment which  he  took  to  a  previous  one,  namely,  that  it  was  too 
sweeping,  and  ought  to  be  qualified.  The  General  next  alluded  to 
the  discontent  of  the  natives.  He  (Mr.  Cloete)  took  exception  to 
that  statement,  because  he  had  no  evidence  to  that  effect,  and  that 
was  the  more  curious,  seeing  that  he  read  the  Colonial  papers  re- 
gularly. The  information  he  had  gained  through  those  and  official 
sources  went  to  prove  that  the  natives  were  as  contented  as  they 
well  could  be.  (Hear,  hear.)  That  they  were  becoming  more 
civilised,  was  proved  by  the  fact  that  they  contributed  largely 
towards  the  establishment  of  schools  and  churches  amongst  them  ; 
and  the  fact  that  they  bought  largely  agricultural  implements, 
showed  that  they  were  becoming  more  industrious.  Another 
inconsistency  occurred  in  the  General's  paper  where  he  spoke  of  the 
discovery  of  diamonds  on  the  banks  of  the  Vaal.  In  one  place  he 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  131 

stated  that  the  first  diamond  was  found  in  1866,  in  another  in  1867. 
(General  BISSET  :  A  misprint.)   Of  course  he  knew  full  well  that  that 
was  merely  an  oversight  on  the  part  of  the  author  ;  but  the  reason 
why  he  stopped  to  comment  on  that  statement  was,  because  bethought 
that  nobody  knew  when  the  first  diamond  was  found,  for  he  had  it 
on  authority  from  the  farmers  residing  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Vaal  river 
and  from  the  natives,  that  traders  actually  had  bought  diamonds 
long  before  the  fact  that  diamonds  were  to  be  found  in  that  locality 
was  made  public.     When  the  General   said,  "The  relationship 
between  the  Dutch   States  and  the  English  Colonies  in  South 
Africa  had  not  heretofore  been  very  cordial,"  he  (Mr.   Cloete) 
thought  he  must  have  meant  to  say,  that  the  relationship  between 
the  Dutch  States  and  the  Imperial  Government  had  not  been  as 
cordial  as  it  might  have  been.     As  regards  the  relationship  of  the 
Colonies,  inter  se,  they  had  been  very  cordial.     Speaking  of  Griqu- 
land  West,  the  General  said,  "  But  the  province  has  not  yet  been 
regularly  annexed  to  the  Cape  Colony."     Mr.  Cloete  said  he  could 
assure  the  General  that  it  never  would  be  annexed  until  its  finan- 
cial condition  appeared  more  rosy.     The  occupation  of  that  province 
had  been  a  mistake  from  beginning  to  end.     When  drifting  on  to 
insolvency,   the   Cape  Legislature  was    requested  to  annex  the 
province,  but  they  graciously  declined  doing  the  Imperial  Govern- 
ment that  little  favour.    Lastly,  then,  was  the  question  of  federation. 
He  agreed  with  the  General  absolutely  that  if  South  Africa  was  to 
become  a  great  country,  it  was  expedient  that  they  should  federate. 
(Hear,  hear.)     The  old  maxim  that  "  Unity  makes  strength,"  was 
too  true  ever  to  be  controverted.     But  voluntary  federation — and 
by  voluntary  federation  he  meant  where  no  coercion  was  employed, 
for  if  the  Colonies  were  coerced  the  result  would  be  a  vicious 
federation,  and  one  which  would  tend  rather  to  sever  the  links  of 
unity  and  brotherhood,  instead  of  bringing  them  closer  and  riveting 
them — was,  as  Mr.  Watson  had  remarked,  impracticable  just  now. 
Federation  as  he  (Mr.  Cloete)  understood  the  term,  and  as  it  was 
defined  by  Mr.  Austin,  meant,  "  That  the  several  united  govern- 
ments of  the  several  united  societies,  together  with  a  government 
common  to  those  united  societies,  are  jointly  sovereign  in  each  of 
these   societies,  and  also  in  the  larger  society  arising  from  the 
federal  union."     A  federation  of  that  kind  required  the  relinquish- 
ing of  some  sovereignty  on  the  part  of  the  States  joining  the  federal 
union.     Did  the  General  imagine  for  a  moment  that  the  Dutch 
Independent  States  were  prepared  to  adopt  such  a  course  ?    Did  he 
picture  to  himself  South  Africa  united  under  the  British  flag  ?     If 
he  did  so,  he  could  assure  him  his  imagination  was  indeed  vivid. 


132  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

Did  not  the  General  in  bis  paper  state  that  the  Dutch  Eepublics 
had  reason  to  complain  of  the  treatment  they  had  received  at  the 
hands  of  the  Imperial  Government  ?  And  did  he  think  that  old 
sores  were  healed  in  a  day,  or  that  deep-rooted  antipathies  could  he 
removed  in  a  hour  ?  Again,  the  General  referred  to  the  Canadian 
federation,  and  drew  a  parallel  between  that  federation  and  the 
proposed  South  African  one.  He  forgot  that  the  Canadian  States 
before  they  were  united  were  composed  of  people  as  a  rule  of  the 
same  nationality,  or  if  not  of  the  same  nationality,  at  least  they 
were  so  assimilated,  that  the  'distinction  was  rather  nominal  than 
real.  The  people  in  the  South  African  States  were,  on  the  other 
hand,  of  different  nationalities,  widely  distinct ;  still  speaking 
different  languages,  their  habits  and  customs  were  different,  and 
they  had  opposite  interests.  Though  he  regretted  it  very  much, 
Mr.  Cloete  said  he  was  compelled  to  say  that  he  thought  there 
would  be  no  federation  of  South  Africa  just  yet.  When  their 
railway  systems  were  so  developed  that  the  States  were  upon 
intimate  intercourse  with  each  other,  and  the  Imperial  Government 
more  conciliatory  in  its  tone  towards  the  Dutch  Eepublics,  then, 
ex  necessitate  rerum,  federation  would  follow.  (Hear,  hear.)  It 
might  not  be  out  of  place  here  to  remark  that  he  considered  the  Cape 
Ministry  had  acted  rightly  in  the  matter  of  the  federation  contro- 
versy. (Hear,  hear.)  They,  as  the  repositories  of  the  rights  of  the 
people,  ought,  as  they  did  in  this  case,  to  guard  them  jealously. 
Every  young  State  was  jealous  of  its  rights,  and  justly  too,  if  bad 
precedents  were  sought  to  be  established.  Eesponsible  government, 
as  he  understood  the  term,  was  local  self-government,  restricted 
only  in  this,  that  its  actions  must  not  conflict  with  Imperial 
interests.  From  that  definition  it  followed  that  the  internal 
administration  of  such  a  State  as  had  responsible  government, 
ought  to  be  controlled  entirely  by  the  responsible  Ministry  of  that 
State.  Was  that  done  in  the  case  he  was  speaking  of?  No  ;  Lord 
Carnarvon  not  only  named  the  number  of  delegates,  but  also  the 
individual  delegates.  Further,  an  Imperial  agent  was  sent  out,  apro- 
ceedingwhich  he  (Mr.  Cloete)  considered  most  insulting  to  Sir  Henry 
Barkly,  for,  to  his  thinking,  Sir  Henry  was  virtually  superseded 
as  representative  of  the  Queen  in  South  Africa.  When  the  Imperial 
agent  took  the  management  of  the  federation  scheme  into  his  own 
hands,  what  did  the  Imperial  agent  do  ?  Stumped  the  country, 
agitated  the  people,  and  stirred  them  up  against  the  existing  Minis- 
try by  inflammatory  speeches.  Was  that  constitutional  ?  He  (Mr. 
Cloete)  thought  that  no  rational  being  would  say  that  it  was.  The 
position  taken  up  by  the  Cape  Ministry,  namely,  that  Lord  Car- 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  183 

narvon  had  no  right  to  initiate  such  a  federation  scheme  without 
consulting  them — although  he  would  not  deny  that  it  would  not 
have  been  more  gracious  if  he  had — he  considered  untenable. 
There  was  no  doubt  in  his  (Mr.  Cloete's)  mind,  that  such  a  scheme 
ought  to  emanate  from  the  parent  country.  (Hear,  hear.)  That 
the  Ministry  might  have  been  more  polite  in  their  minute,  when 
replying  to  Lord  Carnarvon's  despatch,  he  would  also  acknowledge ; 
but  then  Mr.  Molteno  confessed  that  he  was  not  a  polite  letter- 
writer.  No,  he  was  something  more  than  that :  he  was  honest  to 
a  degree — (hear,  hear) — straightforward,  and  had  the  welfare  of  the 
whole,  not  any  particular  part,  of  the  Colony  at  heart.  When  the 
time  came  for  the  Premier  to  resign  office — which  he  hoped  for  the 
interests  of  the  Colony  might  be  long  deferred — he  was  sure 
the  country  would  unanimously  declare  that  John  Molteno  had 
been  a  benefactor  indeed  to  them,  and  if  it  did  not,  his  works 
would  be  monuments  of  his  usefulness.  He  would  now  proceed 
with  his  remarks  upon  Dr.  Atherstone's  address.  From  what  had 
fallen  from  that  gentleman,  Mr,  Cloete  said  he  implied  that  he  had 
brought  his  pony  "  separation"  with  him  from  South  Africa,  after 
riding  him  almost  to  death  there.  But  what  seemed  most  remark- 
able was,  that  Dr.  Atherstone  advocated  "  federation,"  and  almost 
in  the  same  breath  urged  "separation."  Mr.  Cloete  said,  to  his 
mind,  those  positions  seemed  diametrically  opposed.  His  opinion 
respecting  federation  he  had  already  expressed ;  his  views  on 
separation  were  summed  up  briefly  thus — ruin  and  destruction  to 
the  now  prosperous  Cape  Colony.  (Hear,  hear.)  Had  the  expense 
of  keeping  up  petty  governments  entered  into  the  mind  of  Dr. 
Atherstone  ?  Had  he  considered  other  collateral  antagonisms  that 
must  arise  when  a  large  State  was  split  up  into  several  smaller 
ones  ?  And  what  were  the  arguments  by  which  Dr.  Atherstone 
justified  the  adoption  of  such  a  course  as  separation?  He  said 
the  distance  of  the  Western  from  the  Eastern  districts  was  the 
cause  of  unequal  representation,  and  rendered  the  Eastern  districts 
virtually  disfranchised,  because  the  services  of  no  fit  men  could  be 
procured  by  the  Eastern  constituencies  to  represent  them  in  Par- 
liament. What  would  Messrs.  Paterson,  Spragg,  Godleinton, 
Watermeyer,  Wood,  and  many  other  leading  men  of  the  Eastern 
Province,  in  both  the  Lower  and  Upper  Houses  of  Parliament,  say 
to  that  statement  ?  Mr.  Cloete  said  his  opinion  was  that  the 
Eastern  districts  were  as  well,  if  not  better,  represented  in  Parlia- 
ment, as  regards  the  fitness  of  their  representatives,  as  the  Western 
districts  were.  Dr.  Atherstone's  next  argument  was  that  the  Cape 
was  at  the  end  of  the  Colony,  and  that  therefore  it  was  not  the 


134  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

proper  seat  of  government.  The  transference  of  the  seat  of 
government  to  Grahamstown  was  what  was  aimed  at  in  that 
remark.  But  saying  nothing  about  the  expense  of  removing  a 
government  and  staff,  and  accommodating  them,  unfortunately 
Grahamstown — being  situated  at  the  other  end  of  the  Colony — was 
on  that  account  liable  to  the  same  objection  as  Capetown  as  a  seat 
of  government.  A  few  remarks  on  Mr.  Campbell-Johnston's  ad- 
dress, in  conclusion.  That  gentleman  seemed  to  have  singled  out 
the  Dutch  Kepublics,  especially  the  Transvaal  Eepublic,  as  the 
object  of  his  address.  Why  he  should  have  done  so,  seeing  that  the 
title  of  General  Bisset's  paper  was  "  South  Africa  and  her 
Colonies,"  of  course  he  (Mr.  Cloete)  knew  not,  unless  it  was  due  to 
the  friendship  which  existed  between  Mr.  Campbell-Johnston  and 
the  presidents  of  the  Kepublics.  But  be  that  as  it  may,  he  (Mr. 
Cloete)  took  a  decided  exception  to  a  remark  of  his,  which  amounted 
simply  to  this,  that  the  British  Government  knowingly  swindled 
the  Free  State  out  of  the  diamond-fields.  (Mr.  CAMPBELL- JOHNSTON  : 
I  said  snatched,  not  swindled.)  Now  as  a  Colonist  and  a  British 
subject,  he  felt  hurt  whenever  the  justice  and  uprightness  for  which 
England  had  been  and  still  was  so  justly  famed  over  the  known 
world,  was  assailed.  If  Mr.  Campbell-Johnston  had  given  his 
reasons  for  his  assertion,  he  (Mr.  Cloete)  would  not  perhaps  have 
felt  so  strongly  upon  the  point,  but  here  he  came  and  made  a 
serious  accusation  unsupported  by  any  proof.  Mr.  Cloete  did  not 
for  a  moment  believe  that  the  British  Government  knowingly 
defrauded  the  Free  State  out  of  then*  just  dues,  but  he  thought  that 
misconceptions  arose,  and  sometimes  were  complicated,  through 
obscure  and  imperfect  representations  made  to  the  Colonial  Office 
in  London.  He  was  sure  that  the  British  Government  would  be 
only  too  ready  to  make  reparation,  if  it  could  be  proved  that  they 
had  been,  even  unintentionally,  the  cause  of  any  wrong.  He  con- 
cluded by  thanking  the  audience  for  having  accorded  him  such  a 
patient  hearing.  (Applause.) 

Mr.  KEEKT-NIOHOLLS  contributed  a  few  remarks  upon  Imperial 
federation.  He  was  not  acquainted  with  the  internal  government 
of  the  Cape,  and  therefore  would  only  speak  on  the  general  merits 
of  General  Bisset's  paper,  which  all  must  acknowledge  con- 
tained much  valuable  information.  (Hear,  hear.)  Those  who  had 
studied  the  external  and  internal  problems  of  Colonial  politics 
could  not  fail  to  perceive  that  the  question  of  Imperial  federation 
was  of  vast  importance,  not  only  when  considered  in  relation  to 
the  political  and  commercial  prestige  of  the  mother  country,  but 
likewise  when  considered  in  its  bearing  upon  the  welfare  of  the 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  135 

Colonies,  which  were  rapidly  assuming  the  position  of  wealthy  and 
powerful  States.  That  the  question  was  a  very  difficult  one  to 
deal  with  there  could  be  no  doubt,  and  although  many  ideas  had 
been  advanced  concerning  it,  he  did  not  see  that  it  had  yet  met 
with  any  practical  solution.  Although  they  might  not  all  concur 
in  the  views  set  forth  by  General  Bisset,  he  thought  they  would 
be  unanimously  of  opinion  that  the  gallant  General's  ideas  might 
lay  claim  to  a  certain  degree  of  candour,  not  to  say  originality. 
While  fully  acknowledging  the  importance  of  Imperial  federation, 
General  Bisset  frankly  showed  them  how  it  was  to  be  brought 
about.  He  said  that  each  Colony  should  send  a  representative  to 
the  British  House  of  Commons,  and  that  these  so-called  repre- 
sentatives should  be  allowed  to  speak,  but  not  to  vote.  Now  the 
question  of  Imperial  federation  was  one  in  which  great  and  vital 
interests  were  involved,  and  before  a  satisfactory  solution  could  be 
arrived  at,  the  subject  must  be  impartially  considered  from  two 
distinct  points  of  view — Imperial  and  Colonial.  If  we  offered  to 
the  Colonies  any  form  of  Imperial  federation  based  upon  repre- 
sentation in  the  Imperial  Councils  of  the  State,  we  must  extend  to 
them  a  proportionate  representation  and  voting  power.  We  could 
not  say  to  them,  "We  shall  be  happy  to  have  your  representation  and 
hear  your  voice,  but  you  must  not  vote  ;  in  other  words,  you  may 
bark,  but  not  bite."  How  was  it  to  be  expected  that  the  Colonies 
would  agree  to  such  a  form  of  representation  as  that,  which  was 
in  direct  opposition  to  the  spirit  of  our  own  constitution,  and  con- 
trary to  the  acknowledged  principles  of  free  representative  govern- 
ment ?  Supposing,  to  illustrate  the  point,  that  these  Colonial  repre- 
sentatives did  find  themselves  in  the  House  of  Commons  under 
such  circumstances.  What  position  could  they  occupy  ?  What 
weight  would  they  carry  with  them  ?  They  would  by  their 
peculiar  and  limited  powers  be  left  entirely  "  out  in  the  cold," 
and  to  his  mind  they  would  be  like  so  many  flies  in  amber,  and 
the  world  would  be  apt  to  wonder  not  only  how  they  got  there,  but 
why  they  got  there.  The  relationship  existing  between  Great 
Britain  and  her  Colonies  was  without  a  parallel  in  history.  The 
Greeks  and  the  Eomans  created  vast  Colonies,  which  were  founded 
by  conquest  and  retained  by  force  of  arms.  We  also  had 
dependencies  which  we  had  acquired  in  the  same  way,  such  as  India 
and  other  places  ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  we  had  gone  forth  and 
peopled  new  and  sparsely-populated  countries,  and  had  raised  power- 
ful Colonies,  which,  to  judge  from  their  rate  of  progress,  bid  fair  to 
outrival  the  mother  country  in  population  and  greatness.  But  we 
had  gone  further  than  that.  We  had  extended  to  these  Colonies, 


136  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

speaking  the  same  language  and  adopting  the  same  laws,  a  form  of 
representation  to  all  intents  and  purposes  identical  with  our  own  ; 
we  had  permitted  them  to  assume  a  responsible  form  of  govern- 
ment ;  we  had  withdrawn  State  aid,  and  had,  if  he  might  use  the 
expression,  allowed  them  to  sink  or  to  swim  according  to  their 
power  of  flotation.  Now  that  power  of  flotation  had  been,  happily 
for  the  Colonies,  wonderfully  great.  Buoyed  up  with  high  hopes 
and  aspirations,  and  placed  in  new  countries  possessing  a  bound- 
less material  wealth,  they  had  come  to  the  surface,  and  had  not 
only  assumed  the  importance  of  flourishing  States,  but  almost  of 
powerful  nations.  (Hear,  hear,  and  cheers.)  Although  the 
Colonies  were  called  dependencies  of  .the  Crown,  it  must  be 
conceded  that  there  was  very  little  spirit  of  dependence  amongst 
the  Colonists  themselves.  Eesponsible  government,  the  sentiment 
of  nationality  which  had  sprung  up  with  it,  and  other  causes,  had 
taught  them  to  know  their  political  and  material  strength  and  im- 
portance ;  and  whilst  he  believed  they  would  hail  with  readiness, 
nay,  even  with  pride,  any  form  of  Imperial  federation  in  which 
their  interests  would  be  fairly  represented,  he  was  sure  they  would 
stand  firmly  aloof  from  any  scheme  of  Imperial  federation  in 
which  they  could  not  enjoy  relatively  the  same  privilege  with  our- 
selves. The  Colonies,  mindful  of  the  important  position  they  had 
acquired  for  themselves  in  the  world,  would  be  apt  to  look  upon 
Imperial  federation  in  a  very  matter-of-fact  way.  They  would  say,  Qui 
bono  ?  and  if  arguing  the  point  with  the  mother  country  they  might 
justly  add,  "  You  gave  birth  to  us,  you  nursed  us  when  in  our 
swaddling-clothes,  you  sent  us  to  school  in  our  own  parliaments  to 
learn  how  to  govern  ourselves,  and  now  that  we  have  attained  our 
majority,  and  are  likely  to  cut  a  big  figure  in  the  world,  you  talk 
about  Imperial  federation,  and  ask  us  to  enter  into  a  bond  of 
eternal  fellowship."  Or  they  might  say,  in  reply  to  the  gallant 
General,  "  You  invite  us  to  your  home  like  so  many  good  little 
children,  you  ask  us  to  sit  at  your  table  and  tell  you  all  we  know  of 
our  far-off  countries  ;  but  then,  with  the  air  of  a  stern  mentor,  you 
give  us  a  tremendous  rap  over  the  knuckles  that  makes  us  wince 
again,  and  you  say,  My  little  dears,  you  must  keep  your  fingers  out 
of  the  pie."  Mr.  Nicholls  said,  recognising,  as  we  must,  the  great 
political  and  commercial  eminence  to  which  the  Colonies  had 
attained,  it  seemed  clear  to  his  mind  that  any  form  of  Imperial 
federation  must  be  based  upon  measures  of  equality,  and 
assimilated  as  near  as  possible  to  our  present  constitution  and 
form  of  government.  In  other  words,  if  we  invited  the  Colonies 
to  enter  into  an  Imperial  federation,  we  must  meet  them  as  near 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  137 

as  circumstances  would  allow  upon  an  equal  footing,  and  extend  to 
them  relatively  the  same  constitutional  privileges  with  ourselves. 
We  could  not  at  this  late  stage  say  to  the  Colonies,  "  You  shall  do 
this,"  nor  could  the  Colonies  say  to  us,  "  You  shall  do  the  other." 
There  must  be  an  equal,  voluntary,  and  conjoint  action  on  the  part 
of  the  mother  country  and  the  Colonies,  and  community  of  com- 
mercial interest  in  time  of  peace,  and  a  firm  and  united  action  in 
time  of  war,  must  form  the  principal  links  in  the  great  hond  of 
union.  It  could  not  be  denied  that  Great  Britain  at  the  present 
day  occupied  the  most  important  position  among  nations.  But  how 
had  that  been  brought  about  ?  Had  not  the  Colonies  had  a  great 
deal  to  do  with  that  wonderful  supremacy  ?  Had  they  not  poured 
wealth  into  our  coffers  ?  Had  not  their  ships  gone  forth  carrying 
our  flag  into  every  corner  of  the  world  ?  If  any  further  proof  of 
that  were  wanted,  he  might  mention  that  according  to  the  latest 
statistics,  those  of  1874,  the  exports  from  Great  Britain  to  Canada, 
Australia,  New  Zealand,  and  the  Cape  amounted  to  £35,000,000, 
while  the  imports  to  the  United  Kingdom  from  those  countries 
were  £38,000,000,  thus  leaving  a  surplus  in  favour  of  the  Colonies 
of  over  £3,000,000.  The  question  naturally  suggested  itself  how 
long  would  this  state  of  affairs  last,  and  what  could  be  done  to 
consolidate  this  rapidly-increasing  power.  He  did  not  wish  to 
speak  in  the  spirit  of  an  alarmist,  but  he  believed  that  the  political 
millennium  had  not  arrived  when  we  might  turn  our  swords  into 
ploughshares  and  their  spears  into  pruning  hooks.  With  7,000,000 
of  armed  men  upon  the  Continent,  practically  within  a  few  miles 
of  our  shores  and  with  a  powerful  nation  creeping  up  to  the  con- 
fines of  our  Indian  Empire,  there  was  no  telling  how  soon  a 
change  might  come  over  the  spirit  of  our  dream ;  and  he  was  firmly 
of  opinion  that  if  anything  was  to  be  done  in  the  matter  of 
Imperial  federation,  there  might  never  be  a  better  opportunity 
than  the  present  to  take  the  initial  step  in  that  direction.  So  far 
as  his  own  experience  taught  him,  he  believed  that  the  spirit 
animating  British  Colonists  at  the  present  time  was  that  of  love 
for  the  mother  country  and  loyalty  for  the  Crown  ;  but  it  should 
not  be  forgotten  that  the  population  of  the  Colonies  was  composed 
of  various  elements,  which  might  now  be  said  to  be  in  a  transitory 
state,  and  that,  irrespective  of  the  foreign  element  which  was 
being  constantly  introduced,  a  race  of  native-born  Colonial  sub- 
jects was  rapidly  taking  the  place  of  the  old  British  blood;  and 
unless  some  intimate  bond  of  union  was  brought  about  to 
strengthen  and  to  foster  this  spirit  of  love  and  loyalty  for  British 
power  and  influence,  it  was  one  that  would,  in  the  ordinary  course 


138  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

of  circumstances,  become  gradually  less,  and  finally  die  out ;  and 
when  once  secession  had  set  in  and  the  time  for  action  had  arrived, 
we  might  see  a  host  of  Eepublics  spring  up  around  us — as  we  had 
before  seen  in  our  early  colonisation  of  America — in  place  of  a 
loyal  people,  ready  to  do  battle  in  the  cause  of  a  great  and  united 
Empire.  (Cheers.)  He  concluded  by  testifying  his  appreciation 
of  General  Bisset's  interesting  paper. 

Mr.  H.  E.  MONTGOMERIE  contributed  a  few  remarks  respecting 
the  Canadian  scheme  of  federation.  That  Dominion,  he  said,  had 
been  quoted  by  General  Bisset  as  a  somewhat  parallel  case  to  that 
of  the  South  African  Colonies,  and  exception  had  been  taken  by  a 
previous  speaker  to  the  Canadian  scheme  on  the  ground  that  while 
in  South  Africa  there  was  a  great  diversity  of  language,  in  Canada 
they  had  not  such  an  element  to  deal  with.  Now  he  might 
mention  that  in  the  province  of  Quebec  the  majority  of  the  people 
were  French,  and  to  such  an  extent  did  their  interests  predominate, 
that  the  proceedings  in  the  Quebec  Assembly  were  carried  on  both 
in  French  and  English,  and  all  documents  had  to  be  printed  in 
both  languages  ;  the  same  rule  also  prevailed  in  the  Dominion 
Parliament.  He  did  not  think  the  Dutch  element  in  South  Africa 
would  be  more  difficult  to  deal  with.  The  progress  and  success  of 
federation  in  the  North  American  Colonies  was,  he  considered, 
such  as  to  give  the  greatest  encouragement  to  future  efforts  in  that 
direction.  He  thought  the  very  name  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada 
suggested  an  excellent  appendage  to  the  title  of  Her  Majesty  the 
Queen.  We  had  a  Canadian  Dominion,  and  there  was  no  doubt 
that  in  time  we  should  have  a  West  Indian  Dominion,  an  Australian 
Dominion,  and  a  South  African  Dominion,  and  if  the  Queen  were 
to  assume  the  title  of  "  Queen  of  the  British  Dominions,"  in 
addition  to  that  by  which  she  is  now  known,  he  thought  it  would 
be  at  once  comprehensive  and  sufficient.  (Hear,  hear,  and  cheers.) 

Mr.  STRANGWAYS  (late  Attorney- General  for  South  Australia) 
said  he  could  quite  agree  with  what  was  said  by  Mr.  Cloete  to  the 
effect  that  there  was  as  good  wine  made  at  the  Cape  as  anyone 
could  wish  to  drink.  There  was  the  "  Constantia,"  which  was  ex- 
cellent and  had  a  world- wide  fame,  but  some  of  the  Cape  sherry 
was  very  bad,  and  yet  this  latter  wine,  which  was,  he  thought, 
largely  advertised  in  the  Times  and  other  daily  newspapers  under 
other  names,  was  much  admired  by  people  in  this  country.  He 
had  drunk  at  the  Cape  as  nice  a  sherry  as  he  would  wish  for.  But 
with  regard  to  the  main  question  of  the  paper — the  question  of 
federation — General  Bisset  would  have  the  Colonies  send  repre- 
sentatives to  the  English  Parliament  who  should  not  vote,  but 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  139 

speak.  All  lie  (Mr.  Strangways)  knew  was,  that  when  he  was  in 
the  Legislative  Assembly  of  South  Australia  it  was  the  vote  he 
cared  for,  and  he  thought  Mr.  Disraeli,  if  asked,  would  say  that 
the  principal  thing  he  looked  to  was  the  number  of  names  on  the 
division  list.  Mr.  Strangways  said  he  felt  sure  the  General's 
scheme  would  not  work.  Fancy,  if  America  was  introduced  and 
the  hon.  member  for  the  Eocky  Mountains  made. his  appearance — 
a  tall,  thin,  gaunt  Kentucky  back-woodsman,  walking  up  the  centre 
of  the  House  and  fmaking  his  way  towards  some  old  county 
member,  who  perhaps  might  be  doing  what  he  might  facetiously 
call  attending  to  his  duties  in  Parliament,  namely,  having  a  snooze 
in  a  quiet  corner  with  his  hat  over  his  eyes,  and  fancy  the  hon. 
member  for  the  Eocky  Mountains  patting  the  county  member  on 
the  back  and  saying,  "  Wall,  old  'hoss?  "  what  would  be  the  effect 
upon  the  members  of  the  British  Parliament  ?  The  effect  he  (Mr. 
Strangways)  considered  might  be  more  easily  imagined  than 
described.  He  thought  he  was  one  of  the  first  who  ventured  in 
June  last  to  make  some  remarks  in  favour  of  Lord  Carnarvon's 
views  of  the  federation  of  the  Cape  Colonies,  and  now  he  would 
refer  to  some  of  the  blunders  that  had  been  made.  In  the 
Langalibalele  affair  the  Cape  Legislature  was  snubbed  by  Lord 
Carnarvon,  who  had  afterwards  to  be  content  with  the  removal  of 
the  chief  from  Eobin  Island  to  another  place,  to  be  kept  at  a 
greater  expense  to  the  Cape  Government.  Then  Sir  Garnet 
Wolseley  was  sent  out  to  Natal  to  see  all  that  was  to  be  seen.  He 
reduced  the  proportion  of  elected  representatives  in  the  Legislature 
and  substituted  nominee  members,  and  was  freely  accused  in  the 
local  papers  of  drowning  the  liberties  of  the  country  in  sherry  and 
champagne,  and,  after  he  left,  the  Colonists  found  that  they  had  to 
pay  a  bill  of  some  £4,000  for  expenses.  Then  there  was  Mr. 
Froude's  visit.  "When  it  was  arranged  that  that  gentleman  should 
go  to  the  Cape,  people  began  to  ask,  Who  is  Mr.  Froude  ?  All  that 
was  said  was  that  Mr.  Froude  was  a  great  admirer  of  Queen 
Elizabeth.  (A  laugh.)  The  arrival  of  Mr.  Froude  in  the  Colony 
was  undoubtedly  considered  as  a  slur  upon  the  Government.  It 
was  true  he  was  well  received  in  places,  but  the  Cape  people  cared 
little  or  nothing  about  his  opinions ;  they  merely  went  to  see  him 
just  in  the  same  way  as  people  in  this  country  would  go  and  see  a 
black  boy  at  a  country  fair.  (Hear,  hear,  and  laughter.)  Now 
these  were  the  three  points  on  which  Lord  Carnarvon  started  his 
scheme  of  federation.  He  (Mr.  Strangways)  knew  the  feelings  of 
Colonists  as  well  as  anyone  in  that  room,  and  while  he  would 
admit  that  it  was  possible  to  lead  our  fellow-countrymen  on 


140  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

the  other  side  of  the  world,  he  was  sure  it  would  be  impossible  to 
drive  them  ;  and  he  had  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  had  Mr. 
Froude  been  sent  out  to  Australia  to  act  ill  the  same  way  as  he  had 
done  in  South  Africa,  he  would  have  been  sent  back  in  double 
quick  time.  (Hear,  hear.)  Very  serious  mistakes  had  been  made 
with  regard  to  the  proposed  federation  of  South  Africa — mistakes 
which  would  postpone  the  carrying  out  of  that  federal  union  which 
they  all  so  much  desired  to  see ;  and  he  (Mr.  Strangways)  thought 
the  best  thing  now  was  to  let  the  subject  remain  in  abeyance  for 
some  little  time,  until  the  ill-feeling  which  now  existed  had  passed 
away.  So  far  as  regards  the  Dutch  not  joining  in  any  scheme  of  federa- 
tion, that  was  merely  a  question  of  £  s.  d.  Give  them  some  rail- 
ways and  telegraphs,  and  they  would  most  probably  not  object  to 
join.  After  insisting  upon  his  suggestion  made  some  time  ago  in 
the  press  of  establishing  a  line  of  telegraphic  communication 
through  Central  Africa  between  Cairo  and  Capetown,  Mr. 
Strangways  concluded  by  remarking  that  he  thought  the  Colonial 
Office  seemed  to  desire  to  go  back  to  its  old  traditions  in  respect  of 
treating  the  Colonies  as  children.  He  was  confident  they  would 
rebel  against  such  treatment,  and,  if  persisted  in,  great  disturbance 
must  be  the  result. 

Mr.  F.  P.  LABILLIEEE  said  it  seemed  to  him  that  one  promi- 
nent fact  was  brought  out  by  every  discussion  of  the  Institute, 
and  appeared  conspicuously  in  General  Bisset's  paper,  namely, 
that  there  was  a  unity  not  only  of  interests  and  sympathies, 
but  also  of  political  questions  and  political  policies,  existing 
in  the  various  portions  of  the  Empire.  (Hear,  hear.)  For 
instance,  the  question  of  inter- colonial  federation,  which  had 
been  so  much  considered  in  this  discussion,  was  identical  with 
that  which  was  discussed  and,  by  the  force  of  circumstances, 
settled  in  Canada  ten  years  ago.  Similar  pressure  —  the  need 
of  joint  action  for  purposes  of  greater  general  security — had 
brought  forward  the  question  in  South  Africa,  and  he  had  no 
doubt  it  would  soon  have  to  be  discussed  in  connection  with  Aus- 
tralia. He  should  first  like  to  refer  to  what  General  Bisset  had 
said  upon  the  surrender  of  the  Orange  Free  State.  He  (Mr. 
Labilliere)  maintained  that  amongst  political  blunders  perpetrated 
in  connection  with  the  Colonies,  none  had  been  more  glaring 
than  that  of  parting  with  that  State.  It  had  to  a  considerable 
extent  brought  about  the  present  unsatisfactory  condition  of  affairs, 
for  it  had  strengthened  the  Free  State  influence,  which  was  one  of 
the  most  serious  difficulties  in  the  way  of  South  African  federation. 
With  all  our  knowledge  of  the  Colonies,  he  was  afraid  we  had  yet 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  141 

to  learn  wisdom  by  experience,  and  to  be  taught  the  value  of  all 
our  territories  and  of  many  tracts  adjacent  to  them.  Judging  by 
the  action  of  the  Imperial  Government,  New  Guinea  and  other 
islands  were  worth  little  or  nothing  ;  but  he  ventured  to  say  that  if 
we  allowed  those  desk-able  places  to  slip  from  our  hands,  ten  or 
twenty  years  hence  people  would  look  upon  the  present  indifference 
with  regard  to  them  as  a  blunder  on  a  par  with  the  abandonment 
of  the  Orange  Free  State.  During  the  present  week,  Parliament 
was  to  be  asked  to  give  up  one  of  our  great  highways  to  the  heart 
of  Africa — the  Gambia.  Should  this  be  carried  out,  another  cause 
of  future  regret  and  reproach  will  be  furnished.  It  was  to  be 
hoped  that  Downing  Street  would  learn  the  lesson  the  neglect 
which  caused  the  loss  of  the  Island  of  St.  Juan,  and  the  deliberate 
abandonment  of  the  Orange  Free  State,  should  assuredly  teach. 
He  would  now  say  a  few  words  upon  federation.  He  was  one  of 
those  who,  with  Mr.  Young,  thought  there  was  something  higher 
and  grander  even  than  inter- colonial  federation,  and  that 
was  Imperial  federation.  In  arranging  for  the  former,  we 
should  always  bear  in  view  the  latter.  He  would  not  enter 
into  details  with  respect  to  federation  From  the  earliest  times 
down  to  the  present,  we  had  examples  of  that  form  of  govern- 
ment, and  therefore  no  student  of  history  required  to  be  told  what 
a  federal  government  meant.  Though  an  advanced  Imperial 
federalist,  he  did  not  agree  with  General  Bisset's  scheme.  In 
fact,  when  the  gallant  General  mentioned  that  the  United  States 
should  form  part  of  our  confederation,  he  fairly  took  his  (Mr. 
Labilliere's)  breath  away.  He  deeply  regretted  the  separation  of 
the  United  States,  and  the  causes  which  produced  it,  but  feared 
it  could  not  be  recalled.  It  was  not  in  general  profitable  to 
speculate  as  to  what  would  have  happened  if  the  events  recorded 
in  history  had  not  taken  place  ;  but  if  the  relations  between 
England  and  her  American  Colonies  had  been  as  happy  a  century 
ago  as  are  those  with  her  Colonies  at  the  present  day,  we  can  easily 
perceive  what  shape  events  would  have  taken.  The  colonists  were 
Americans  of  the  third  or  fourth  generation,  and,  though  the 
grandsons  and  great-grandsons  of  the  persecuted  Puritans,  whom 
Stuart  oppression  had  driven  from  this  country,  were  as  true  and 
loyal  to  the  British  Crown  as  any  men  could  possibly  be.  George 
Washington  wore  the  British  uniform  and  fought  under  the 
British  flag,  and  he  would  have  been  perfectly  willing  to  have  died 
under  it  if  he  had  been  allowed  to  do  so — (hear,  hear) — but  he  was 
compelled  to  revolt.  We  can  therefore  well  perceive,  and  may, 
with  the  greatest  advantage,  reflect  upon,  the  course  events  would 


142  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

have  followed  had  the  unhappy  cause  of  separation  between 
England  and  the  United  States  not  arisen  a  hundred  years 
ago.  A  little  later,  England  became  engaged  in  the  great  war 
with  Napoleon ;  and  would  the  Colonies  have  taken  advantage 
of  that  to  have  broken  away  from  her  ?  As  a  colonist  by  birth 
and  feeh'ngs,  he  indignantly  repudiated  the  imputation  of  mean 
cowardice — for  it  was  nothing  less — made  against  them  by  those 
who  assert  that  the  Colonies  will  choose  the  time  of  some  foreign 
war  to  separate  from  the  mother  country.  Never  !  Nothing  would 
be  more  calculated  to  link  the  bonds  of  union  closer  than  a  great 
war.  Well,  then,  how  would  the  Americans  have  acted  in  the 
war  of  Napoleon  ?  Can  we  doubt  that  they  would  have  thrown 
themselves  heartily  into  it  in  support  of  this  country?  Ships 
equipped  by  them  would  have  fought  under  Nelson  at  Trafalgar, 
and  regiments  of  them  would  have  served  under  Wellington  in  the 
Peninsula  and  at  Waterloo.  Thus  their  claim  to  some  share  in  the 
Imperial  Government  would  have  become  conspicuous,  and  the 
foundation  would  have  been  laid  of  their  federal  union  with  this 
country,  which,  by  this  time,  would  have  become  more  complete. 
He  would  conclude  with  a  quotation  from  a  leading  article  in  the 
Times  of  Nov.  80th,  1872,  in  which  the  question  was  considered 
whether  the  Independence  of  the  United  States  was  necessary. 
Speaking  of  Mr.  Gladstone's  remarks  at  a  dinner  given  by  Mr. 
Cyrus  Field,  the  article  suggests  the  following  weighty  reflections  : 
"  To  quarrel  now  because  George  III.  and  Lord  North  vainly  en- 
deavoured to  lay  a  tax  on  the  Boston  trade,  would  be  an  extra- 
vagance of  pugnacity  only  to  be  paralleled  by  an  Irish  faction  fight ; 
and  if  we  disagree  at  all  from  Mr.  Gladstone's  remarks  on  the 
original  causes  of  separation,  we  disagree  from  him  in  regarding 
that  separation  as  inevitable.  When  he  says  that  Great  Britain 
was  struggling  against  nature,  and  even  against  Providence,  in 
opposing  American  independence,  we  take  leave  to  doubt  whether, 
if  both  nations  had  then  known  their  own  interests,  American 
Independence  would  ever  have  been  proclaimed.  Since  it  is  now 
too  late  to  undo,  it  is  safe  to  regret  events  which  passed  a  century 
ago ;  and  we  hold  ourselves  perfectly  free  to  believe  that,  but  for 
George  III.  and  Lord  North,  these  islands  and  the  United  Provinces 
might  have  continued  under  the  same  Government — modified,  no 
doubt,  by  the  very  nature  of  such  association,  yet  still  embodying 
the  spirit  of  that  constitution  which  Burke's  genius  would  have 
known  how  to  develop."  He  thoroughly  sympathised  with  all 
the  projects  of  inter-colonial  confederation,  but  in  working  them 
out  we  should  ever  remember  that  Imperial  confederation  should 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  143 

be  the  keystone  of  the  arch  of  all  our  systems  of  government  in 
the  Empire. 

Mr.  BAM,  M.L.A.,  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  on  being  called  upon  to 
make  a  few  observations,  remarked  that  after  what  had  been  stated 
by  General  Bisset,  and  by  Mr.  Glanville  on  a  former  occasion, 
very  little  remained  to  be  said  about  South  Africa.  They  had 
heard  of  the  vast  extent  and  the  numerous  resources  of  those 
Colonies ;  they  had  been  made  acquainted  with  the  number  of  the 
natives,  and  had  learnt  what  was  being  done  to  civilise  them;  and 
General  Bisset  had  told  them  that,  notwithstanding  the  wealth 
and  resources  of  the  country,  it  had  made  but  slow  progress.  Now, 
whilst  admitting  that  in  years  past  the  condition  of  the  Cape  was 
anything  but  satisfactory,  yet  since  they  had  been  given  a  free 
constitution  and  responsible  government,  the  Colony  had  made 
rapid  strides,  and  it  was  now  one  of  the  most  hopeful  of  the 
British  possessions.  The  present  population  of  the  Cape  Colony 
(to  which  he  would  specially  confine  himself)  was  considerably  over 
600,000,  exclusive  of  the  natives  of  Kaffirland  and  Basutoland,  and 
its  revenue  was  about  £1,250,000  sterling.  On  referring  to  Mr. 
Noble's  descriptive  handbook  of  the  Colony — which  book  all  who 
desired  to  become  more  acquainted  with  the  Cape  should  read — he 
found  some  interesting  statistics  with  reference  to  the  live  stock  of 
the  Colony.  In  1865,  the  number  of  horses  in  the  Colony,  quoting 
them  in  round  numbers,  amounted  to  228,000  ;  in  1875  they  had 
decreased  to  207,000,  owing  to  a  prevailing  horse  sickness  a  few 
years  ago.  On  the  other  hand,  mules  and  asses  had  increased 
from  24,000  to  30,000  during  the  same  period  :  that  was  because 
the  country  farmers  now  generally  use  mules.  The  draught  oxen 
and  other  cattle  in  1865  numbered  692,000  ;  in  1875  there  were 
1,097,000.  The  wool  sheep  during  the  same  time  had  increased 
from  8,000,000  to  10,000,000,  while  the  Cape  sheep  had  decreased 
from  1 ,470,000  to  944,000.  He  might  mention  that  some  of  the  tails 
of  these  sheep  weighed  upwards  of  20  Ibs.,  the  average  being  from 
6  to  8  Ibs.  They  were  melted  into  fat,  which  served  as  an  excel- 
lent substitute  for  butter ;  at  one  time  it  was  sold  at  3d.  to  6d.  per 
lb.,  but  when  he  left  the  Colony  it  could  not  be  purchased  for  less 
than  2s.  6d.  per  lb.  In  1865  the  angora  goats  amounted  to 
121,000 ;  in  1875  they  had  increased  to  973,000.  On  the  other 
hand,  Cape  goats  decreased  during  the  same  period  from  2,148,000 
to  2,123,000.  Pigs  in  1865  numbered  78,000,  in  1875  ;  they  had 
increased  to  110,000.  As  regards  ostriches,  in  1865  there  were 
only  80 ;  in  1875  the  number  as  given  by  Mr.  Noble,  was  22,257; 
nearly  £250,000  in  value  of  feathers  was  exported  during  last 


144  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

year.  With  all  these  facts  before  him,  he  thought  the  Colony  bade 
fair  to  be  an  excellent  one  for  emigrants,  and  he  was  glad  to  note 
that  since  1873  Mr.  Fuller,  the  Cape  Emigration  Agent  in  London, 
had  sent  out  over  8,000  people.  It  was  very  gratifying  that  the 
Colony  had  lately  been  brought  so  very  prominently  before  the  eyes 
of  the  world,  and  this  led  him  to  a  subject  of  importance  not  only 
to  the  Cape  Colony,  but  also  to  the  Home  Government :  he  need 
hardly  say  that  he  alluded  to  the  question  of  federation.  A  great 
deal  had  been  said  and  done  with  regard  to  that  matter.  Upon 
the  arrival  of  the  first  despatch  in  the  Colony  a  great  deal  of  dissatis- 
faction prevailed,  because  the  Cape  Ministry  considered  it  to  be 
dictatorial,  and  they  would  not  allow  themselves  to  be  dictated  to  by 
the  Home  Government ;  but  he  believed  Lord  Carnarvon  did  not 
intend  to  disturb  their  equilibrium.  Personally  he  (Mr.  Bam)  was 
in  favour  of  the  proposed  conference.  Not  many  years  ago  the 
subject  of  the  federation  of  South  Africa  was  taken  into  consideration 
by  a  commission,  who  reported  that  federation  was  desirable ;  and, 
so  far  as  he  could  see,  the  matter  remained  the  same  as  it  was 
then.  He  considered  Lord  Carnarvon  acted  very  indiscreetly  when 
he  selected  his  own  Commissioner,  and  so  did  Mr.  Froude,  when  he 
unnecessarily  agitated  the  minds  of  the  people  of  the  Colony.  (Hear, 
hear.)  There  were  very  few  South  African  colonists  who  were 
not  in  favour  of  a  conference.  It  had  been  said  by  several  that  the 
time  was  inopportune,  but  he  (Mr.  Bam)  thought  that  the  present 
time,  when  complaints  were  being  continually  sent  home,  was  most 
opportune.  He  had  no  doubt  that  the  Orange  Free  State  and  the 
Transvaal  would  ultimately  join  in  a  confederation,  but  nothing 
better  than  a  conference  would  help  to  solve  that  question.  With 
regard  to  Mr.  Molteno,  he  maintained  that  that  gentleman  had 
acted  fairly  throughout.  Doubtless  a  more  liberal  spirit  would 
soon  come  over  "  the  spirit  of  his  dream,"  and  he  would  conclude 
that,  as  the  South  African  Colonies  were  ah1  members  of  one  family, 
a  closer  union  was  necessary.  Circumstances  were  so  rapidly 
advancing,  and  events  moved  on  so  quickly,  that  it  was  not  un- 
reasonable to  suppose  that  the  present  state  of  feeling  might 
soon  change,  and  that  at  no  distant  date  we  might  hear  of 
one  prosperous  South  African  Dominion.  (Hear  hear,  and 
cheers.) 

Mr.  DONALD  CUBRIE,  who  had  the  disadvantage  of  speakin- 
when  the  time  for  continuing  the  meeting  had  already  been  very 
much  protracted,  rose  in  answer  to  the  request  of  the  noble  Chair- 
man, and  made  a  few  remarks  which  were  well  received  by  the 
whole  meeting,  as  dictated  by  the  spirit  of  conciliation  and  har- 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  145 

mony.  Mr.  Currie  pointed  out  with  reference  to  the  question  which 
has  been  raised  with  respect  to  confederation  generally  of  all  the 
British  Colonies,  and  the  admission  to  Parliament  of  representatives, 
that  this  would  involve  a  disadvantage  and  a  necessity :  a  disadvan- 
tage, seeing  that  the  colonists  would  not  like  to  have  any  share  of 
the  National  Debt  and  Imperial  Taxation — a  necessity  that,  in  his 
opinion,  such  confederation  could  only  take  place  after  Australia, 
the  Cape,  and  other  Colonies,  had  seen  their  way  to  follow  the 
example  of  the  North  American  Colonies,  and  formed  themselves 
into  confederacies.  With  respect  to  the  interest  of  South  Africa, 
which  he  said  was  the  special  object  before  the  meeting,  Mr.  Currie 
pointed  out  the  gravity  of  the  present  crisis.  He  considered  there 
was  no  time  so  important  in  the  interests  of  the  Cape  Colonies 
and  Natal  as  the  present.  From  certain  proceedings  during  last 
year,  embarrassment  and  complications  had  arisen  between  the 
Cape  and  the  mother  country,  which,  added  to  the  already  existing 
and  somewhat  long-standing  conditions  of  affairs  between  England 
and  the  Eepublics,  required  to  be  smoothed  away.  He  urged  the 
necessity  for  the  exercise  of  sound  judgment  and  tact  in  present 
circumstances ;  the  duty  of  everyone — colonist  or  dweller  at  home 
— was  to  avoid  irritating  language.  He  deprecated  the  severe 
criticism  upon  public  men  which  had  characterised  the  speeches  of 
some  of  the  preceding  speakers,  and  also  the  spirit  of  jocularity 
which  was  allowed  to  trifle  with  so  important  a  subject  on  the  part 
of  others.  Mr.  Currie  insisted  that  Mr.  Molteno,  as  Prime  Minister 
of  the  Cape  and  head  of  the  responsible  government,  was  bound  and 
entitled  to  express  his  views  with  independence  and  freedom. 
He  protested  against  remarks  which  had  been  made  derogatory  to 
Mr.  Froude ;  while  as  respects  Lord  Carnarvon,  he  declared  that 
no  Colonial  Minister  had  shown  so  deep  an  interest  in  South 
Africa,  and  that  it  would  be  a  foolish  and  impolitic  course  for  any 
one,  colonist  or  other,  to  use  any  language  calculated  to  moderate 
the  earnestness  with  which  his  Lordship  sought  the  welfare  of  their 
country.  Mr.  Currie  earnestly  urged  everyone  to  do  what  he  could 
for  the  practical  development  of  what  was  best  for  the  social, 
political,  and  material  interest  of  South  Africa  as  a  whole.  He 
expressed  regret  that  DelagoaBay  had  been  adjudged  a  foreign  pos- 
session, but  showed  in  clear  terms  that  in  the  long  run  the  good  of 
South  Africa  would  be  furthered  by  the  energy  of  the  Dutch  capi- 
talists, who  had  in  Holland  (as  he  was  informed  by  President 
Burgers)  agreed  to  assist  the  Transvaal  in  its  railway  enterprise. 
Mr.  Currie  pressed  upon  the  colonists  to  hurry  forward  their  own 
new  colonial  lines  of  communication  with  the  interior,  and  prog- 


146  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

nosticated  for  their  large  inland  territory  a  great  and  increasing 
progress  and  prosperity. 

Mr.  WATSON  said  he  was  anxious  to  offer  some  explanation 
respecting  the  few  remarks  he  made  on  Lieut. -General  Bisset's 
paper  at  the  last  meeting.  From  what  he  had  subsequently  heard, 
he  was  afraid  an  impression  had  got  abroad  that  he  was  opposed 
to  federation.  Now  this]  was  a  great  mistake,  because  he  was 
decidedly  in  favour  of  a  confederation  of  the  States  of  South  Africa, 
if  such  a  measure  could  be  satisfactorily  carried  out ;  at  the  same 
time,  he  could  not  shut  his  eyes  to  the  fact  that  considerable  diffi- 
culty would  be  experienced  in  its  accomplishment.  He  wished  also 
to  explain  that,  while  speaking  of  the  dissatisfaction  which  prevailed 
amongst  the  Dutch  farmers  when  he  first  arrived  at  the  Cape,  in 
1842,  he  never  meant  to  infer  that  the  abolition  of  slavery  was  a 
mistake  in  itself,  because  no  true  Englishman  could  maintain  that ; 
but  he  thought  the  process  of  emancipation  was  carried  out  in  a 
somewhat  objectionable  manner,  by  which  the  owners  of  slaves 
were  suddenly  deprived  of  their  usual  supply  of  labour. 

Dr.  ATHERSTONE  said  Mr.  Cloete  had  accused  him  of  riding  a 
hobby-horse  "  separation,"  and  at  the  same  time  of  advocating 
federation.  On  reference  to  the  printed  speech,  he  considered  Mr. 
Cloete  would  find  he  had  made  a  mistake.  He  (Dr.  Atherstone) 
thought  it  was  singular  bad  taste  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Cloete  to 
criticise  General  Bisset's  paper  in  the  way  he  had  done. 

The  noble  PRESIDENT  said :  In  the  few  remarks  I  shall  make  I 
shall  endeavour  to  set  a  better  example  by  not  speaking  at  so  great 
a  length  as  many  here  present  have  done  to-night.  The  subject 
has  indeed  been  so  very  fully  discussed  and  treated  of,  that  there 
are  few  points  to  which  I  wish  to  refer.  I  should  like  first  to  say 
a  word  upon  irrigation.  It  struck  me  when  I  was  at  the  Cape  that 
no  other  country  in  the  world  was  capable  of  greater  improvement 
by  means  of  irrigation  than  South  Africa.  (Hear,  hear.)  The  soil 
gets  hardened  by  the  great  heat  of  the  sun,  and  the  water  from  the 
clouds  runs  away  very  rapidly,  but  if  that  water  could  be  stored  it 
might  soften  and  enrich  the  land,  and  make  it  prolific  instead  of 
being,  as  it  sometimes  is,  a  nuisance.  (Hear,  hear.)  Now  I  wish 
to  say  that  I  can  bear  testimony  to  the  excellence  of  some  of  the 
Cape  wines.  As  long  ago  as  1844  I  bought  a  quantity  of  a  wine 
called  "  Dry  Pontac,"  which  I  found  to  be  of  excellent  quality.  I 
will  now  say  a  word  upon  a  very  important  question  which  has  been 
alluded  to  to-night — namely,  the  proposal  which  has  been  made  by 
Government,  that  the  Queen  should  make  an  addition  to  her  title. 
It  has  been  said,  and  very  properly,  that  if  Her  Majesty  recognises 


South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.  147 

the  country  of  India,  she  should  also  recognise  the  magnificent 
territories  which  have  been  won,  not  by  blood  or  by  fighting — very 
few  have  been  gained  by  wars — but  which  have  been  won  from  the 
wilderness  by  the  enterprise  and  perseverance  of  our  fellow- country- 
men ;  and  I  quite  agree  that  it  would  be  a  graceful  act  for  the 
Ministry  to  advise  the  Queen  to  add  to  her  title  one  which  should 
acknowledge  the  success  of  the  British  race  in  peopling  the  desolate 
parts  of  the  world.  (Hear  hear,  and  cheers.)  I  think  the  suggestion 
to  add  to  the  title  of  "  Queen  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,"  the 
"Dominions"  would  answer  every  purpose,  and  make  it  as  concise 
and  effective  as  any.  But  a  still  more  important  point  to  which  I 
wish  to  refer  —  and  one  on  which  I  think  I  rather  ruffled  the 
General's  temper  on  the  last  occasion— (a  laugh) — is  the  question 
of  Imperial  federation.  (Hear,  hear.)  I  highly  approve  and  praise 
the  idea  of  a  confederation  of  the  whole  of  the  South  African 
Colonies.  As  Mr.  Currie  remarked,  the  first  step  towards  the 
federation  of  the  Empire  must  be  the  federation  of  the  Colonies — 
(hear,  hear) — and  I  welcome  every  step  in  that  direction,  as  I  think 
such  steps  must  lead  to  Imperial  federation.  (Hear  hear,  and 
cheers.)  So  far  I  agree  with  General  Bisset,  but  I  do  not  agree 
with  the  way  in  which  he  proposes  that  Imperial  federation  should 
be  carried  out.  I  do  not  believe  that  such  federation  can  be  carried 
out  by  bringing  representatives  to  sit  in  the  British  House  of 
Commons.  They  would  only  be  there  in  small  numbers,  and  if 
they  voted  their  votes  would  always  be  outnumbered — (hear,  hear) — 
and  I  certainly  do  not  think  it  would  be  wise  for  the  representatives 
of  a  single  Colony,  much  less  of  a  group  of  Colonies,  to  sit  in  the 
English  Parliament,  unless  they  were  allowed  to  vote.  I  have  no 
doubt,  however,  some  means  may  be  found  by  which  our  Colonies 
may  be  represented  here.  I  have  myself  suggested,  on  more  than 
one  occasion,  that  representatives  should  be  sent  to  form  a  council, 
such  as  the  Indian  Council — which,  by  the  way,  I  have  recently 
learnt  has  alone  the  power  to  sanction  expenditure — to  sit  around 
the  Secretary  of  State  for  the  Colonies.  I  think  in  the  Indian 
Council  we  have  a  model  which  might  be  followed  in  the  federation 
of  the  Empire ;  and  if  the  Colonies,  when  they  send  their  repre- 
sentatives, would  place  some  money  in  their  hands,  and  offer  to 
assist  in  the  development  of  the  power,  the  grandeur,  and  the  unity 
of  the  Empire,  those  representatives  would  have  as  much  influence 
and  as  much  power  over  the  policy  of  the  Empire  as  the  British 
House  of  Commons  itself.  (Hear  hear,  and  cheers.)  The  idea  of 
Imperial  federation  I  consider  an  admirable  one,  and  in  seeking  to 
develop  it  I  think  we  cannot  do  better  than  take  hints  from  the 

L2 


148  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies. 

system  adopted  in  the  India  Office  by  the  India  Council.  I  will 
now  offer  your  best  thanks  to  General  Bisset,  and  congratulate  you 
and  him  upon  the  most  interesting  discussion  his  paper  has  called 
forth.  (Applause.) 

General  BISSET  said,  at  that  late  hour  he  would  not  detain  those 
present  by  replying  seriatim  to  the  remarks  made  by  the  several 
gentlemen  who  had  spoken,  but  would  only  express  his  satisfaction 
at  the  interesting  discussion  which  his  address  on  South  Africa 
had  called  forth — a  discussion  of  much  importance  to  the  future  of 
the  Colonies  and  to  this  country.  He  felt  much  gratified  by  the 
manner  in  which  his  paper  had  been  received  by  the  press,  and  by 
the  interest  evinced  by  the  assemblage  on  each  occasion. 


(149) 


FOUKTH  OKDINABY  GENEEAL  MEETING. 

THE  Fourth  Ordinary  General  Meeting  was  held  at  the  Pall  Mall 
Eestaurant,  on  Tuesday,  21st  March,  1876.  His  Grace  the 
PRESIDENT  in  the  chair. 

Mr.  FREDERICK  YOUNG  (Hon.  Sec.)  read  the  minutes  of  the  last 
meeting,  which,were  confirmed ;  he  then  read  the  following  Paper, 
by  Mr.  COLEMAN  PHILLIPS,  of  Auckland,  New  Zealand,  on  the 

CIVILISATION  OF  THE   PACIFIC. 

PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 

THE  civilisation  of  the  Pacific  should  be  at  the  present  time  an 
interesting  subject  for  discussion.  We  have  lately  added  Fiji  to 
our  Colonial  dominion.  France  is  acquiring  a  firm  foothold  in  the 
South  Seas,  and  is  rapidly  peopling  New  Caledonia  with  convicts. 
Germany  and  America  are  becoming  interested  in  some  of  the 
groups  of  fertile  islands.  War  vessels  of  all  nations  are  cruising 
amongst  them,  ready  at  any  moment  to  plant  the  flag  of  the  par- 
ticular country  which  they  represent,  and  indelibly  mark  their 
name  upon  the  page  which  the  history  of  the  Pacific  will  occupy  in 
the  annals  of  the  world.  The  Australasian  Colonies  are  agitating 
for  the  annexation  of  the  islands  to  England,  whilst  at  home 
deputations  have  waited  upon  Ministers  in  order  to  suggest  Im- 
perial action.  It  may  therefore  be  advisable  to  consider  their  past 
and  present  history. 

GEOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION. 

By  the  Pacific  is  meant  the  central  portion  of  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
including  all  those  groups  of  islands  between  30°  north  and  south 
of  the  equator,  and  stretching  eastward  from  the  Pelew  Islands  to 
Easter  Island.  This  immense  area,  commonly  called  Polynesia, 
is  divided  by  the  equator  into  the  North  and  South  Pacific,  which 
division  may  be  again  best  divided  into  Eastern,  Central,  and 
Western  Polynesia.  The  names  of  the  principal  groups  of  islands 
contained  within  these  divisions,  together  with  their  population, 
area,  &c.  &c.  will  be  found  in  Appendix  (A).*  I  include  New 
Guinea  in  Polynesia,  although  it  is  doubtful  to  which  of  the  three 

*  Melanesia  and  Micronesia  are  somewhat  indefinite  titles  given  to  certain 
islands  inhabited  by  the  Papuan  or  black  races.  Micronesia  principally  com- 
prises the  Gilbert,  Marshall,  and  Caroline  Islands,  amongst  which,  however, 
many  pure  Polynesians  are  found.  Melanesia  is  simply  Western  Polynesia. 


150  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

divisions  it  should  belong,  Malaysia,  Australasia,  or  Polynesia. 
Few  persons  are  much  acquainted  with  this  portion  of  the  Pacific 
Ocean  or  its  extent.  It  is  only  when  we  are  led  to  consider  the 
present  or  future  welfare  of  the  islands  which  it  contains,  that  we 
find  ourselves  dealing  with  so  vast  an  area  of  the  earth's  surface,  some- 
thing like  20,000,000  square  miles.*  The  importance  of  this  fact 
it  is  necessary  to  remember,  for  the  water  which  separates  the 
various  groups  of  islands  is  not  only  valuable  in  itself,  but  at  the 
same  time  so  much  a  naturally  prepared  highway  for  future  inter- 
insular  commerce. 

DISCOVERY. 

The  Pacific  Ocean  was  discovered  and  formally  taken  posses- 
sion of  for  Spain  by  Vasco  Nunez  de  Balboa  in  the  year  1513. 
Crossing  the  American  Isthmus,  he  was  the  first  European  who 
gazed  upon  it.  Descending,  he  stepped  into  its  waters,  and  with 
drawn  sword  and  in  full  armour  took  possession  for  his  Sovereign 
of  all  lands  and  islands  the  Ocean  might  contain,  even  unto  the 
Poles.  In  1520,  Magellan,  a  Portuguese,  in  the  Victory,  f  pass- 
ing through  the  Straits  which  now  bear  his  name,  was  the  first  to 
sail  across  the  Pacific  (so  called  by  him  from  the  tranquillity  of  his 
voyage  through  it,  in  comparison  with  the  stormy  sea  he  en- 
countered at  and  near  the  Straits).  Magellan  discovered  the 
Ladrone  and  Philippine  Islands.  Alvaro  de  Mendana  discovered 
and  took  possession  of  the  Solomon  Islands  for  Spain.  He  also 
discovered  the  Marquesas  and  Santa  Cruz,  which  he  attempted 
ineffectually  to  colonise,  and  where  he  died. 

The  Dutch  are  represented  by  Tasman,  who  in  1643  discovered 
the  Friendly  Islands  and  Fiji.  Also  by  Commodore  Eoggenein, 
who  in  1772  discovered  Easter  Island — that  curious  spec  of  isolated 
land  upon  which  stand  colossal  images  of  stone  men.  Sailing 
from  thence  to  the  East  Indies,  the  Commodore  touched  upon 
Samoa,  New  Britain,  and  New  Guinea. 

England,  however,  mainly  achieved  the  exploration  of  the  Pacific. 
Many  expeditions  were  fitted  out  by  the  British  Government 
during  the  reign  of  George  III.,  although  I  must  not  pass  over  in 
silence  the  voyages  of  English  navigators  of  a  much  earlier  period, 
amongst  which  stand  those  of  Sir  Francis  Drake  and  old  Sir 
Constantine  Phipps,  first  Lord  Mulgrave  (the  founder  of  the  family 
of  a  distinguished  Vice-President  of  this  Society,  the  Marquis  of 

*  The  Pacific  Ocean  contains  a  superficial  area  of  70,000,000  square  miles, 
t  The  Victory  performed  the  first  voyage  round  the  world. 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  151 

Normanby),  who  in  William  and  Mary's  reign  discovered  and 
named  the  Mulgrave  Islands.  But  of  all  English  navigators  in 
the  Pacific,  the  name  of  James  Cook  stands  pre-eminent.  He 
discovered  New  Caledonia,  so  named  for  its  resemblance  to  Scot- 
land, Norfolk  Island  (part  of  the  Society  Group),  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  and  many  others.  He  surveyed  the  New  Hebrides, 
Society  and  Friendly  Islands ;  determined  the  insularity  of  New 
Zealand  by  passing  through  Cook's  Straits ;  *  explored  the  then 
unknown  Eastern  Coast  of  Australia  for  2,000  miles,  and 
circumnavigated  the  globe  in  a  high  southern  latitude,  in  order 
to  decide  the  question  whether  any  continent  existed  north 
of  a  certain  parallel.  Captain  Cook  performed  three  voyages. 
The  first  left  Plymouth  in  1768,  fitted  out  for  the  purpose  of 
observing  the  transit  of  the  planet  Venus  at  Tahiti  (the  Society 
Islands  were  so  named  by  Cook  in  honour  of  the  Koyal  Society, 
which  had  induced  the  Government  to  fit  out  the  expedition).  The 
second  left  England  in  1772,  in  order  to  settle  the  vexed  question 
of  the  existence  of  a  Southern  Continent.  The  third  left  in  1776, 
for  the  purpose  of  discovering  a  passage  to  the  Pacific  in  the 
direction  of  Hudson's  and  Baffin's  Bays,  or  as  Cook  preferred,  from 
the  Pacific  to  the  Bays.  It  was  at  the  Sandwich  Islands,  which  he 
then  discovered  and  named  after  his  patron  the  Earl  of  Sandwich, 
that  he  met  with  his  death — December  1778.  James  Cook  was, 
indeed,  a  great  discoverer  and  navigator.  The  correctness  and 
minuteness  of  his  surveys  have  won  the  admiration  of  the  most 
accomplished  seamen  who  have  succeeded  him. 

Beside  Cook,  the  names  of  Anson,  Byron,  Wallis  (who  in  1767 
discovered  and  took  possession  of  Tahiti  for  George  III.),  Marshall, 
Gilbert,  and  other  English  navigators  are  indelibly  marked  on  the 
history  of  the  Pacific. 

France  is  represented  in  the  Pacific  by  the  names  of  La  Perouse 
and  D'Entrecasteaux,  whose  expeditions  encountered  more  than 
ordinary  misfortunes. 

MISSIONS. 

During  the  latter  portion  of  the  last  century,  the  accounts  pub- 
lished by  Wallis,  Cook,  and  other  voyagers  in  the  South  Seas,  the 
visit  to  London  of  Omai,  the  Society  islander,  concerning  whom 
Cowper  wrote,  the  tragic  death  of  the  great  navigator  himself, 
and  the  mutiny  of  the  Bounty,  kept  public  attention  in  England 


*  New  Zealand  was  formerly  supposed  to  be  a  portion  of  a  great  southern 
continent. 


152  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

fixed  upon  the  Pacific  and  the  state  of  the  Polynesian  islanders.  A 
strong  desire  was  expressed  for  the  religious  improvement  of  the 
natives,  and  the  London  Missionary  Society,  at  that  time  but 
newly  formed,  gratified  that  desire  by  sending  away  eighteen  mis- 
sionary clergymen  to  the  Society  Islands.  On  March  3rd,  1797, 
the  Duff,  the  first  missionary  vessel,  anchored  in  Matarai  Bay, 
Tahiti,  where  Cook  in  1768  observed  the  transit  of  Venus. 

When  the  history  of  the  Pacific  is  written,  the  year  1797  will  be 
noted  for  the  actual  commencement  of  civilisation  therein.  Pre- 
vious to  that  date  the  Islanders  had  been  taught  to  fear  rather 
than  admire  modern  civilisation.  The  teachings  of  the  Spaniards 
can  hardly  be  caUed  civilised.  Between  1668  and  1681  the  Island 
of  Guam,  in  the  Ladrones,  was  nearly  depopulated  by  them  of  its 
40,000  inhabitants — a  notable  instance  of  Spanish  dealings  in  the 
Pacific.  Our  missionaries  have  carried  out  a  totally  different 
policy  to  that  formerly  pursued  by  the  Spaniards.  From  1797  to 
the  present  date,  the  loss  of  life  has  been  always  on  the  missionary 
side.  Quietly  and  bravely  have  English  missionaries  advanced, 
reclaiming  island  after  island  from  barbarism,  at  what  cost  only 
the  missionary  records  tell,  until  there  are  few  islands  now  left 
which  have  not  yielded  to  their  gentle  influence.  No  monument 
exists  to  commemorate  this  noble  work,  or  to  tell  of  the  many  lives 
which  it  has  cost.  Cannibalism,  immolation,  suicide,  idolatry, 
infanticide,  tabu,  polygamy,  domestic  slavery,  tribal  and  internecine 
strife,  have  all  been  conquered.  The  rising  generation  is  almost 
entirely  ignorant  of  the  dark  deeds  of  its  predecessors. 

The  London  Missionary  Society  commenced  the  work  of  plant- 
ing missionaries  simultaneously  at  the  Society,  Marquesas,  and 
Friendly  Islands.  The  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society  began  its 
labours  in  the  Friendly  Islands  in  1831,  and  in  Fiji  in  1835.  The 
Church  of  England  (or  rather  the  Society  for  the  Propagation 
of  the  Gospel)  about  the  year  1850  directed  its  attention  to  the 
Loyalty,  New  Hebrides,  Banks,  Santa  Cruz,  and  Solomon  Groups, 
or,  briefly,  Milanesia.  In  1820  the  American  Board  of  Foreign 
Mission  took  charge  of  the  Sandwich  Islands.  The  Presbyterian 
clergy  are  endeavouring  to  Christianise  the  New  Hebrides.  Eoman 
Catholic  missionaries  have  spread  themselves  wherever  they 
thought  that  their  labours  were  required,  and  two  or  three  local 
bodies  have  been  formed  for  the  especial  purpose  of  assisting  the 
cause.  It  would  be  unfair  to  mention  conspicuously  the  name  of 
any  single  clergyman.  All  have  zealously  devoted  their  energies, 
and  so  many  their  lives,  to  the  great  work  of  Christianity  and  civili- 
sation— Williams,  Gordon,  Baker,  Patteson,  are  almost  household 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  153 

words.     Too  much  praise  cannot  be  bestowed  upon  missionary 
labour  in  the  Pacific. 

COMMEECE. 

Such  is  a  brief  outline  of  the  past  history,  first  discovery,  and 
then  missionary  zeal.  Unlike  India,  Africa,  America,  and  Aus- 
tralia, wherein  discovery  was  followed  by  commerce  and  then  by 
religious  teaching,  Polynesia  first  received  religious  civilisation, 
and  now  commerce  is  stepping  in,  and  we  are  becoming  still  more 
deeply  interested  in  the  welfare  of  the  islands.  As  yet  commerce 
has  been  of  very  slow  growth,  although  the  exceeding  fertility  of 
the  islands,  their  tractable  inhabitants,  and  the  general  wealth  of 
the  Pacific,  have  long  been  all  known.  The  great  distance  of 
Polynesia  from  the  principal  centres  of  commerce  must  have  been 
the  cause  of  this  slow  progress.  Steam,  however,  is  lessening  the 
distance ;  population  is  flowing  over  from  the  Australasian 
Colonies,  and  a  large  trade  is  springing  into  existence.  It  was  not 
until  some  few  years  since,  when  the  Colonies  of  Australia  began 
to  take  an  interest  in  the  islands,  that  commerce  assumed  any 
degree  of  importance.  The  American  War  turned  the  attention  of 
those  Colonists  to  cotton-growing,  and  many  persons  from  the 
Colonies  commenced  to  form  plantations.  Previous  to  that  date  a 
few  merchants  in  the  principal  groups  carried  on  a  small  traffic, 
and  one  or  two  associated  companies  endeavoured  to  profit  by  the 
evident  wealth  of  the  Islands  ;  the  celebrated  South  Sea  Company 
of  the  last  century,  which  resulted  in  what  is  commonly  called  the 
"  South  Sea  Bubble,"  being  the  first  attempt.  There  were  also,  as 
there  still  are,  many  traders,  who,  fitting  out  in  Australasian 
ports  small  vessels  with  suitable  articles  of  trade,  cruised  amongst 
the  islands  and  bartered  with  the  natives,  as  the  Carthagenians  of 
old  bartered  with  the  Africans.  (This  sort  of  trading  appears  to 
be  very  suitable  to  Polynesia,  and  is  likely  to  increase.  When  the 
resources  of  the  islands  are  better  opened  up,  trading  schooners 
will  give  place  to  resident  merchants.)  Trade,  however,  is  entirely 
in  its  infancy.  The  natives  are  hardly  sufficiently  educated  to 
demand  much  from  us.  As  yet  their  wants  are  few.  The  people 
of  Western  Polynesia,  and  nearly  all  Central  Polynesia,  have 
not  sufficient  civilisation  to  want  at  all ;  a  little  calico  and 
a  few  knives  being  all  that  is  at  present  required.  I  do 
not  suppose  that  the  Pacific  Islands  import  more  than 
£700,000  per  annum,  one  half  of  which  is  for  the  use  of  the 
resident  whites,  the  other  half  for  native  use.  As  the  population 
of  the  Pacific,  exclusive  of  New  Guinea,  must  number  something 


154  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

over  a  million,  it  will  readily  be  seen  that  trade  is  in  its  infancy. 
Nearly  all  that  we  have  yet  obtained  is  the  surplus  natural  pro- 
duction— cocoa-nut  oil,  beche-de-mer,  pearl  shell,  whale  oil,  sandal 
wood,  &c.  Other  productions,  such  as  cotton,  coffee,  sugar, 
tobacco,  &c.  &c.  have  yet  to  be  'raised.  An  attempt  has  been 
made  to  grow  cotton,  but  the  uncertainty  of  obtaining  the  neces- 
sary labour  has  almost  caused  its  abandonment.  How  sadly  the 
Pacific  needs  protection,  and  how  necessary  it  is  for  commerce  to 
be  under  some  sort  of  regulation,  is  shown  in  the  fact  that  imme- 
diately an  exotic  production  was  attempted  to  be  raised,  the  poor 
islanders  suffered  one  of  the  greatest  wrongs  which  the  white  race 
could  inflict — the  wrong  of  slavery. 

"  BEACH-COMBERS." 

In  addition  to  the  merchants  and  traders,  who  followed  the 
footsteps  of  the  missionary  clergy,  and  opened  up  the  resources  of 
the  islands,  there  also  existed  a  class  of  men  who  have  played  a 
most  important  part  in  the  civilisation  of  the  Pacific,  and  done 
much  harm  to  the  cause.  These  men  are  commonly  known  by  the 
name  of  "beach-combers"  (degenerate  whites,  principally  escaped 
convicts  and  runaway  sailors).  Taking  up  their  residence  with 
some  tribe,  it  was  easy  for  them  to  gain  a  livelihood.  At  first  the 
natives  naturally  regarded  them  as  far  superior  to  themselves.  In 
war,  manufacture,  and  cultivation,  their  better  knowledge  soon 
placed  them  in  the  position  of  right-hand  men  to  ambitious 
chieftains.  Acting,  however,  more  like  demons  than  reasonable 
beings,  they  quickly  lost  the  respect  of  the  islanders,  who,  in  many 
instances,  were  glad  to  relieve  themselves  of  their  presence.  The 
history  of  any  particular  island  will  prove  that  the  doings  of  the 
"beach-combers"  were  more  conspicuous  for  their  wickedness  than 
for  anything  else.  From  such  men  as  these  the  natives  first  gained 
their  intimate  knowledge  of  the  white  race ;  the  consequence  being 
that  the  task  of  the  missionary  was  and  still  is  rendered  more 
difficult  from  the  knowledge.  The  beach-combers,  however,  as- 
sisted in  teaching  the  natives  the  first  principles  of  trade  and 
industry,  so  that  a  little  good  sprang  from  much  evil.  There  were 
also  a  few  God-fearing  men  amongst  them,  although  the  majority 
were  sad  specimens  of  civilisation. 

SLAVERY. 

That  a  species  of  slavery  in  the  form  of  kidnapping  did  exist 
there  is  but  little  doubt.  Spanish  and  Peruvian  atrocities,  the 
Daphne,  Peri,  and  Carl  investigations,  besides  other  well-authenti- 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  155 

cated  instances,  amply  prove  that  fact.  I  happened  to  go  on  board 
the  Carl,  in  Fiji,  after  her  return  from  her  slaving  cruise,  and  I 
shall  never  forget  seeing  the  badly-obliterated  blood-stains  and  shot- 
torn  timbers  of  the  vessel's  hold,  in  which  so  many  unfortunate 
natives  had  lost  their  lives.  The  planters  of  Queensland  and  Fiji 
may  attempt  to  exculpate  themselves  from  all  blame,  but  it  was 
not  at  their  suggestion  that  the  kidnapping  was  suppressed.  Had 
the  Home  Government  refrained  from  interfering,  kidnappers 
would  still  be  gathering  their  ill-gotten  gains.  It  is  true  that  the 
Queensland  Government,  as  soon  as  it  recognised  the  evil,  en- 
deavoured to  prevent  it ;  but  a  young  Colony  was  powerless  to 
suppress  it.  Not  that  any  individual  planter  perhaps  was  to  blame. 
Three-fourths  of  the  cotton-growers  in  Fiji  desired  the  suppression 
of  the  traffic,  but  if  any  person  wanted  labourers,  and  these 
labourers  had  "passed  the  Consul,"  little  inquiry  was  made  as  to 
how  they  were  originally  obtained.  Fortunately  kidnapping  has 
had  but  a  short  reign.  On  June  27th,  1872,  the  British  Parlia- 
ment passed  an  Act  for  "  the  prevention  and  punishment  of  out- 
rages upon  natives  of  the  islands  in  the  Pacific  Ocean."  Our 
cruisers  will  see  that  the  Act  is  enforced,  and  the  disgraceful  blot 
upon  the  fair  face  of  the  Pacific  will  soon  disappear.  It  still  exists 
in  a  modified  form.  Degraded  Englishmen  can  still  find  sufficient 
protection  under  a  foreign  flag  to  carry  out  the  nefarious  practice, 
and  late  accounts  state  that  New  Caledonia  is  supplied  with  kid- 
napped natives.  All  labour  vessels  under  a  foreign  flag  should  be 
regarded  by  our  cruisers  with  the  utmost  suspicion.  The  British 
Parliament  has  gained  the  gratitude  of  the  natives  by  acting  as  it 
has  done.  The  enforcement  of  the  Act  has  much  strengthened  the 
widespread  opinion  that  England  is  the  natural  protector  of  the 
Pacific. 

With  regard  to  domestic  slavery,  I  have  before  stated  that  this 
form  of  servitude  yields  readily  to  missionary  teaching.  Mission 
history  affords  numerous  instances  of  this  fact. 

INHABITANTS,  FROM  WHENCE  DERIVED. 

The  Pacific  Islanders  appear  to  be  principally  derived  from  two 
stocks — the  Malayan,  long-haired  and  light-coloured,  and  the 
Papuan,  crisp-haired  and  dark-coloured.  Those  islands  in  close 
proximity  to  the  Australian  Continent  are  principally  inhabited  by 
the  latter  race — New  Guinea,  or  Papua,  New  Britain,  New  Ireland, 
the  Solomon,  Santa  Cruz,  Banks,  New  Hebrides,  Loyalty,  and  New 
Caledonia  groups,  or,  briefly,  Milanesia.  The  remaining  islands  of 
the  Pacific,  or  Polynesia,  excepting  Fiji  and  the  New  Hebrides,  in 


156  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

which  groups  both  races  appear  to  combine,  are  inhabited  by  the 
former  type.  It  was  formerly  understood  that  New  Guinea  was 
solely  peopled  by  the  crisp-haired  race,  but  late  travellers  inform 
us  of  other  native  types.  The  origin  of  the  Papuan,  Australasian, 
and  Polynesian  races  is  a  most  interesting  question.  Many  of  the 
characteristics  of  the  negroes  of  the  Australian  Continent  will  be 
found  in  New  Caledonia.  When  we  become  better  acquainted  with 
New  Guinea  we  may  perhaps  be  able  to  discover  whether  the  pecu- 
liar features  of  the  Papuan  race,  dark  colour  and  crisp  hair  (the 
Australian  negroes  have  long,  wavy  hair)  owe  their  origin  to  Africa 
or  Madagascar,  or  simply  to  the  fact  of  residence  upon  so  large  an 
island  situated  under  the  Equator.  In  Ellis's  "  Polynesian  JRe- 
searches  "  the  following  passage  occurs :  "  The  striking  analogy 
between  the  numerals  and  other  parts  of  the  language,  and  several 
of  the  customs  of  the  aborigines  of  Madagascar  and  those  of  the 
Malays  who  inhabit  the  Asiatic  islands,  many  thousands  of  miles 
distant  in  one  direction,  and  of  the  Polynesian,  more  remote  in 
another,  shows  that  they  were  originally  one  people,  or  that  they 
had  emigrated  from  the  same  source."*  I  imagine  that  the  author, 
by  using  the  term  Polynesia  meant  also  to  include  Melanesia,  as  he 
must  have  been  acquainted  with  the  difference  which  exists.  In 
an  able  paper  upon  the  native  ownership  of  land  in  Fiji,  Mr.  J.  B. 
Thornton  remarks,  "  The  highly  elaborate  Fijian  system  of  rela- 
tionship, which  resembles  in  almost  every  particular  that  of  the 
Seneca,  Iroquois,  and  other  American  Indians  on  the  one  hand, 
and  that  of  the  people  of  South  India,  speaking  the  Dravidian 
language  (Tamil)  on  the  other,  points  to  a  bygone  existence  of  the 
communal  family,  a  state  now  regarded  with  horror  and  disgust, 
and  forbidden  by  stringent  and  elaborate  laws."  Indian  writers, 
also,  have  often  been  struck  with  the  resemblance  of  many  Poly- 
nesian habits  and  customs  to  those  of  the  Hindoos.  It  will  thus 
be  seen  that,  when  fairly  investigated,  the  origin  of  the  Polynesian 
islanders  will  not  be  a  very  difficult  problem  to  solve.  But,  what- 
ever may  be  their  origin,  in  future  dealings  with  the  natives  we 
have  only  to  consider  the  marked  peculiarities  of  the  two  races. 
The  inhabitants  of  Western  Polynesia  are  more  treacherous  and 
cruel  than  the  Polynesians  proper.  We  should  be  more  careful 
in  trusting  them.  Both,  however,  are  much  less  ferocious  than 
either  the  Maoris,  Malays,  or  American  Indians.  I  do  not  think 
that  the  whole  of  the  inhabitants  of  Polynesia  will  give  as  much 
trouble  to  any  colonising  power  as  New  Zealand  gave  to  England. 

*  Vol.  II.  P.  48. 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  157 

COLONISATION. 

The  actual  work  of  colonisation  has  as  yet  been  small.  Tradi- 
tion does  not  even  give  the  name  or  race  of  the  people  who  cut  the 
stone  images  on  Easter  Island,  or  erected  the  immense  buildings 
whose  ruins  exist  upon  many  islands  in  the  Caroline  group, 
"  Hundreds  of  acres  in  some  localities  being  covered  with  the 
remains  of  walls,  canals,  and  earthworks  of  the  most  stupendous 
character."  * 

SPAIN. 

Spain  was  the  first  colonising  nation  in  the  Pacific,  but  the 
attempts  of  the  Spaniards  have  met  with  very  poor  results.  They 
were  compelled  to  abandon  many  of  their  settlements.  That 
Government  now  only  possesses  the  Ladrone  and  Bonin  groups. 
(The  Philippine  Islands  belong  rather  to  Malaysia  than  Polynesia.) 
The  aboriginal  inhabitants  of  the  Ladrone  Islands  have  simply 
been  exterminated.  We  have  to  congratulate  ourselves  upon  the 
fact,  that  the  Spaniards  confined  their  colonising  efforts  to  so 
small  a  number  of  islands.  Anga's  " Polynesia"!  supplies  the 
following  information  :  "  It  is  said  that  Americans  and  Sandwich 
Islanders  have  been  allowed  to  settle  themselves  of  late  years  on 
the  Island  of  Agrigan  (Ladrone),  on  condition  of  acknowledging  alle- 
giance to  Spain  ;  also,  that  the  island  is  being  peopled  with  natives 
kidnapped  from  other  ports  of  Polynesia."  "  The  Bonin  Islands 
have  no  native  population.  Japanese  junks  occasionally  visit  the 
group  :  a  few  Japanese  have  established  themselves  on  the  Northern 
Islands.  On  some  of  the  others  there  are  British  subjects  located, 
for  the  purpose,  it  is  supposed,  of  carrying  on  a  contraband  trade 
with  Japan." 

Spain  also  claims  dominion  over  some  of  the  neighbouring 
islands  in  the  Pelew  and  Caroline  groups,  yet  hardly  a  dozen  of  her 
subjects  are  settled  upon  them.} 

FRANCE. 
In  1842  France  obtained  the  sovereignty  of  the  Marquesas  by 

*  H.  B.  Sterndale.  t  1866  Edition. 

J  The  "Statesman's  Tear  Book"  for  1875  gives  the  folio-wing  information 
concerning  the  Spanish  possessions  in  the  Pacific  : — 

Name-  GeographteS'MilM.     Population. 

Philippine  Islands 3,100 

Caroline  Islands  and  Palaos    43. 1 

Marian  Islands  (Ladrone)    19.6 

3,162.7  4,352,879 


158  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

treaty,  and  established  a  military  colony  upon  Nukuhiva.  In  1859 
that  experiment  was  abandoned.  A  few  officials,  and  a  couple  of 
Roman  Catholic  missionaries,  who  have  given  up  all  hope  of  con- 
verting the  natives,  and  taken  to  planting,  alone  remain  on  the 
group. 

In  1844  the  French  Government  established  a  protectorate  over 
Tahiti,  or  the  Society  Islands,  and  consequently  over  the  Paumotas 
(Low  Archipelago),  as  there  has  always  existed  a  close  connection 
between  the  two  groups. 

In  1853  France  took  official  possession  of  New  Caledonia. 

With  the  exception  of  soiling  a  fair  island  with  the  refuse  of  her 
population,  France  has  not  made  any  colonising  effort.  The  natives 
are  not  benefited  by  the  contact,  and  the  resources  of  the  islands 
are  not  developed.  No  matter  how  anxious  the  authorities  at  home 
may  be  for  the  progress  of  the  Colonies,  French  officials  abroad 
alone  represent  their  country :  the  nation  does  not  appear  to  follow 
Government  action.  French  occupation  in  the  Pacific  deteriorates 
but  does  not  improve  the  native  islanders,  who  are  first  awed  into 
submission,  and  then  demoralised.  Eeligious  instruction  is  supplied 
by  the  Eoman  Catholic  missionaries,  who  can  always  rely  upon  the 
bayonets  of  the  gens-d'armes  for  assistance.  France  has  found  it 
impossible  to  do  anything  with  the  Marquesas,  although  a  finer  or 
more  intelligent  race  of  natives  does  not  exist.  The  immorality  of 
the  Tahitians  is  a  standing  disgrace  to  French  occupation.  The 
natives  of  the  Loyalty  Islands,  over  whom  France,  I  suppose, 
claims  sovereignty  (I  have  not  seen  any  official  notification  of  the 
fact),  would  much  prefer  our  English  missionaries  to  the  Eoman 
Catholic  missionaries  and  French  bayonets.  If  the  English  mission- 
aries would  but  speak  out,  what  a  charge-sheet  could  they  bring 
against  France  and  the  French  in  the  Pacific  !  Oppression  of  white 
industry,  bribery,  forcible  conversion  of  the  natives,  kidnapping, 
&c.  &c.  would  be  but  a  few  of  the  charges. 

Whether  France  claims  the  sovereignty  over  any  other  groups 
of  islands  is  uncertain.  Her  right  to  claim  anything  at  all  is  a 
matter  of  dispute.  The  manner  in  which  the  Protectorate  was 
established  over  Tahiti  was  quite  unworthy  of  a  great  nation. 
New  Caledonia  was  taken  possession  of  without  even  the  nominal  con- 
sent of  the  native  population.  They  hardly  knew  anything  of  the 
circumstance.  The  treaty  made  with  Admiral  du  petit  Thuars,  by 
which  France  claims  the  sovereignty  of  the  Marquesas,  is  no  doubt 
a  curious  document.  Neither  were  the  interests  of  the  many  Pro- 
testant missionaries,  the  only  foreigners  who  could  well  claim  any 
interest,  considered.  The  natives  generally  knew  nothing  of  France, 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  159 

had  never  committed  any  offence  against  that  Government,  and 
did  not  desire  its  interference.  They  had  been  accustomed  to 
regard  England  and  the  English  as  their  friends,  and  next  to  Eng- 
land, America.  English  missionaries,  English  men-of-war,  and 
English  traders,  were  always  beside  them,  and  many  American 
whalers  ;  of  France  they  were  utterly  ignorant.  But  they  were 
powerless  ;  the  English  Government  did  not  think  it  necessary  to 
support  the  Queen's  subjects  resident  in  the  islands,  and  France 
acted  as  she  pleased.  It  must  be  very  mortifying  to  our  mission- 
aries to  see  so  much  of  their  labour  completely  thrown  away. 
After  devoting  many  years  to  the  Loyalty  group,  after  rendering 
these  islands  habitable,  France  steps  in  and  reaps  the  advantage. 
Our  clergymen  have  to  leave  the  group,  for  although  France  pro- 
fesses the  greatest  religious  tolerance,  it  is  of  no  use  their  staying. 
The  Eoman  Catholic  missionaries  will  not  work  amicably  with 
Protestant  clergymen  ;  and  as  the  first  receive  the  active  support 
of  the  Government,  the  second  had  better  leave  the  field.  The 
New  Hebrides  are  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  New 
Caledonia.  Nearly  every  island  in  the  group  has  been  stained  with 
the  blood  of  English  missionaries.  Sydney  and  New  Zealand 
traders  have  opened  up  the  resources  of  the  group,  and  a  few  Eng- 
lishmen are  settled  there.  France  may  claim  the  New  Hebrides, 
and  the  English  'Government  may  allow  her  to  quietly  take  pos- 
session of  that  which  British  energy  has  rendered  valuable,  but 
England  would  hardly  be  acting  fairly  either  to  the  natives  or  to 
English  subjects. 

In  the  case  of  New  Caledonia,  the  action  of  the  Home  Govern- 
ment is  hardly  to  be  admired.  In  1774,  as  I  have  already  re- 
marked, New  Caledonia  was  discovered  by  Cook,  who  so  named  it 
in  consequence  of  its  resemblance  to  Scotland.  It  was  duly  taken 
possession  of  for  George  III.,  and  was  at  one  time  included  either 
in  the  commission  of  the  Governor  of  New  South  Wales,  or  in  that 
of  Sir  George  Grey's  commission  as  Governor  of  New  Zealand. 
In  1854  the  French  took  possession.  Hearing  that  military  bar- 
racks, &c.,  were  being  erected,  Sir  George  Grey  went  down  and 
informed  the  French  Admiral  that  New  Caledonia  was  British 
territory.  On  his  return  to  New  Zealand,  he  reported  the  cir- 
cumstance to  the  Colonial  Office,  and  the  matter  ended  by  his 
commission  being  cancelled  so  far  as  concerned  New  Caledonia.  The 
Government  of  the  time  did  not  wish  to  go  into  the  question.*  The 


*  My  authority  for  this  statement  is  Sir  George  Grey  himself. 


160  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

Sydney  papers  of  the  day  bitterly  lamented  the  inaction  of  the 
Home  Authorities. 

With  regard-  to  Tahiti,  French  occupation  means  absolute 
authority.  Now,  the  British  public  contributed  thousands  of 
pounds  to  the  cause  of  civilisation  in  this  group,  and  the  records 
of  the  London  Missionary  Society  testify  to  the  loss  of  life  which 
the  work  entailed.  For  nearly  fifty  years  the  head-quarters  of  our 
missionaries  in  the  Pacific  were  established  in  the  group  ;  yet  the 
French  were  quietly  allowed  to  add  it  to  their  Colonial  possessions. 
In  Appendix  B  will  be  found  a  short  account  of  the  manner  in 
which  France  established  the  Protectorate,  also  a  copy  of  the  peti- 
tion for  protection,  which  is  a  most  curious  document.  It  will  be 
seen  that  the  poor  Queen  had  to  especially  stipulate  for  the  Eng- 
lish missionaries  to  be  allowed  to  pursue  their  calling  unmolested. 
That  the  clause  was  necessary,  is  shown  in  the  fact  that  our  clergy- 
men, since  that  date,  have  been  expelled  from  the  group,  only  one 
remaining.  I  believe,  however,  that  it  is  their  intention  to  again 
return.* 

Writing  upon  the  civilisation  of  the  Pacific,  one  is  almost  in- 
clined to  say,  that  the  advent  of  the  French  drove  the  true  civilisers 
— the  English  missionaries — from  the  field.  Is  it  not  time  that  this 
portion  of  international  law  should  be  looked  into,  especially  as 
regards  the  Pacific  ?  English  Missionaries  are  also  British  sub- 
jects. Surely  no  foreign  power  has  the  right  to  occupy  lands  in 
which  they  reside,  without  paying  some  deference  to  their  interests. 
If  any  nation  has  acquired  a  vested  interest  in  the  Pacific,  England, 
through  her  missionaries,  planters,  and  traders,  has  most  assuredly 
done  so.  Certainly  no  foreign  power  ought  to  occupy  any  such 
islands  without  at  least  informing  the  British  Government  of  its 
intention  so  to  do. 

I  purposely  use  the  word  occupy,  as  it  possesses  a  peculiar 
meaning.  Colonies  are  acquired  by  conquest,  cession,  or  occupa- 
tion. No  power,  with  the  exception  of  Spain,  has  acquired  a 
colony  in  the  Pacific  by  conquest,  neither  does  any  power  wish  to 
do  so.  Cession  and  occupation  appear  to  be  the  favourite  modes 
of  acquiring  possession  therein.  In  a  ceded  group  of  islands,  such 
as  Fiji,  the  voice  of  all  interested  is  taken,  and  no  injury  to  any 
foreign  interests  is  committed.  France,  however,  chooses  to 
occupy  certain  islands,  viz.  New  Caledonia  and  the  Loyalty 
Groups,  whereby  that  Government  greatly  injures  all  foreign 
interests,  besides  ignoring  the  native  population.  In  my  opinion 

*  Statistics  of  the  Protestant  Missionary  Society,  1872  to  1873. 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 


161 


the  only  fair  and  international  mode  of  acquiring  these  islands 
is  by  cession.  Civilised  nations  ought  to  treat  the  Pacific 
Islands  somewhat  differently  to  their  usual  customs.  It  must 
be  remembered  that  the  islanders  can  make  use  of  all  then- 
islands.  There  are  no  vast  tracts  of  unused  land  in  the  Pacific, 
such  as  there  were,  and  still  are,  in  Australia  and  New  Zealand, 
upon  which  the  surplus  population  of  Europe  can  find  place. 
Every  acre  of  land  in  Polynesia  has  an  owner,  and  every  man 
knows  his  land.  The  manner  in  which  New  Zealand  was  taken 
possession  of  was,  I  suppose,  international,  but  certainly  most  un- 
dignified—two war  vessels,  belonging  to  two  great  Powers,  actually 
racing  to  see  which  should  first  raise  the  flag  of  the  country  which 
they  represented,  and  by  that  simple  operation  claiming  the  land. 
International  law,  so  far  as  regards  this  portion  of  the  globe,  sadly 
requires  some  little  alteration. 

The  nation  whose  subjects  have  devoted  many  years  to  the 
civilisation  of  any  particular  spot,  or  whose  protection  is  sought 
for,  is  the  one  entitled  to  the  sovereignty  of  the  land.  No  disin- 
terested power  at  the  caprice"  of  a  moment  has  the  right  to  raise 
its  flag  and  occupy  the  land,  That  proceeding  partakes  more  of 
conquest  than  of  occupation.  France  by  nominal  fair  means  has 
acquired  Tahiti,  the  Pamnotas,  and  the  Marquesas,  and  by  actual 
might  New  Caledonia.  Our  Government  should  not  acknowledge 
her  right  to  any  other  islands.  If  a  notification  were  sent  to  the 
French  Government  that  British  subjects  have  certain  vested 
interests  in  the  Loyalty,  New  Hebrides,  and  other  groups  of  islands 
near  to  French  possessions,  a  great  deal  of  trouble  may  hereafter 
be  prevented.* 

*  The  "  Statesman's  Year  Book  "  for  1875  affords  the  following  information 
concerning  French  possessions  in  the  Pacific  :— 


Name. 

Date  of 
Acquisition. 

Area,  Square 
Kilometres. 

Population. 

1.  COLONIES  — 
New  Caledonia    
Loyalty  Islands  
Marquesas   

1854 
1864 
1841 

17,400 
2,147 
1,244 

29,000 
15,000 
100CO 

IT.  PROTECTED  COLONIES 

20,791 

54,000 

Tahiti  an  d  Dependencies  
Touamoton  Islands    
Gambier       
Touboua'i  and  Vaoiton          .     ... 

1841 
1844 
1844 
1845 

1,175 
6,600 
30 
103 

13,847 

8,000 
1,500 
550 

7,908 

23,897 

1G2  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

It  appears  to  me  that  the  entire  action  of  the  French  Government 
in  the  Pacific  was  taken  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  good  con- 
vict station,  and  at  the  same  time  obtaining  good  naval  stations. 
England  was  making  use  of  Australia  and  Tasmania  for  a  similar 
purpose,  and  France  desired  to  do  likewise  in  the  Pacific  ;  the  civili- 
sation of  the  native  being  the  last  consideration.  England  fore- 
stalled France  in  the  acquisition  of  New  Zealand,  and  so  saved  that 
Colony  from  being  a  French  convict  station.  French  official  docu- 
ments testify  that  neither  Marquesas  nor  Tahiti  were  considered 
suitable  for  the  purpose.  New  Caledonia  was  chosen,  and  there 
are  now  nearly  10,000  convicts  on  the  island.  I  attach  (Appendix  C) 
a  copy  of  the  official  notification  of  the  act  of  taking  possession, 
which  was  made  in  the  presence  of  the  officers  of  the  corvette  Le 
Phoque  and  the  French  missionaries.  The  Admiral  was  compelled 
to  build  a  block-house  for  the  protection  of  the  very  flag  which  he 
erected. 

With  regard  to  the  convicts  at  present  upon  the  island,  they 
will  no  doubt  in  time  gradually  extend  themselves  over  Australasia 
and  the  Pacific.  It  can  hardly  be  said  that  they  will  be  of  any  ad- 
vantage to  the  cause  of  civilisation  therein  ;  rather  the  opposite.  I 
sincerely  trust  that  the  Australasian  Colonies  will  endeavour  to 
prevent  any  other  European  Power  following  in  the  footsteps  of 
France.  Every  country  should  maintain  its  own  degraded  citizens. 
Colonising  from  a  convict  root  may  be  a  problem,  but  the  time  has 
gone  by  for  its  solution.  It  is,  in  my  opinion,  almost  an  impera- 
tive duty  for  the  Australian  Colonies  to  discourage  by  every  means 
in  their  power  the  continuation  of  the  convict  station  at  New 
Caledonia.  If  France  requires  a  Colony  in  the  Pacific  so  near  to 
our  own,  let  the  Colonies  see,  for  their  own  benefit  and  for  the 
benefit  of  the  Pacific,  that  free  emigrants  are  sent,  no  matter  how  poor. 

GEKMANY. 

Germany  is  principally  represented  in  the  Pacific  by  the  well- 
known  firm  of  Messrs.  Godefroy  &  Co.,  of  Hamburg,  who  in  1858 
established  their  head-quarters  at  Samoa.  From  Samoa  they  have 
"  pushed  their  agencies  southward  into  the  Friendly  Archipelago 
(Tonga)  and  other  islands  ;  northward,  throughout  the  whole  range 
of  the  Kingsmills  and  the  isles  in  their  neighbourhood,  that  is  to 
say,  Tokeran,  the  Ellice,  and  Gilbert  Groups,  and  the  Marshalls  or 
Kalicks,  through  the  Carolines,  and  to  Yap,  a  great  island  at  the 
entrance  of  the  Luzon  Sea,  where  they  purchased  3,000  acres  of 
land,  formed  a  settlement,  and  established  a  large  depot  intended  as 
an  intermediate  station  between  their  trading  posts  at  the  Navigator 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  163 

Islands  (Samoa),  and  their  old-established  agencies  in  China  and 
Cochin.  Between  Samoa  and  Yap  (one  of  the  Pelew  islands),  a 
distance  of  3,000  miles,  the  firm  have,  or  had  lately,  an  agent  at 
every  productive  island  inhabited  by  the  copper-coloured  race 
(Malay),  upon  which  the  natives  are  as  yet  sufficiently  well  dis- 
posed to  permit  a  white  man  to  reside."  * 

The  Germans  make  good  settlers,  although  mere  traders.  It  is 
doubtful  whether  they  have  added  much  to  the  civilisation  of  the 
Pacific.  They  barter  such  a  quantity  of  firearms,  or  so  much  calico, 
for  an  equivalent  in  copra  (dried  cocoa-nut,  from  which  the  oil  is 
extracted  after  its  arrival  in  Hamburg).  In  order  to  obtain  a  mo- 
nopoly of  this  material,  one  of  the  principal  instructions  to  their 
agents  is  to  oppose  the  missionary.  The  minds  of  Polynesian  chiefs 
are  systematicaUy  poisoned  against  missionary  teaching.  If  it  were 
possible,  German  traders  would  keep  the  natives  in  their  present 
savage  state  in  order  to  profit  by  their  labour  ;  of  course,  the  mis- 
sionary prevents  this.  The  result  of  German  opposition  to  mis- 
sionary teaching  even  in  Samoa  is  lamentable,  civil  war  amongst 
the  native  tribes  being  constant.  The  Germans  fan  the  flames  by 
supplying  the  belligerents  with  arms.  In  Fiji  the  German  residents 
strongly  supported  Maafu  in  his  opposition  to  King  Thakombou, 
and  the  desire  of  the  chiefs  to  cede  the  country  to  England.  Had 
we  not  taken  possession,  Maafu,  with  German  aid,  would  have  been 
King  of  Fiji.  The  German  settlement  in  Apia  (Samoa)  consists  of 
some  2,500  acres  of  land,  purchased  at  about  ninepence  per  acre, 
and  paid  for  by  arms  and  ammunition.  What  this  means  anyone 
acquainted  with  natives  can  easily  understand.  It  is  a  pity  that  so 
enlightened  a  firm  as  Messrs.  Godefroy  should  thus  oppose  the  ad- 
vance of  civilisation.  A  present  profit  may  be  made  out  of  the  civil 
war  among  the  natives,  but  it  will  be  of  no  advantage  in  the  end, 
when  Samoa  becomes  depopulated  of  its  inhabitants.  As  to  the 
missionary,  Messrs.  Godefroy  should  remember  that  had  it  not 
been  for  his  teaching  they  would  not  now  be  established  where  they 
are,  and  also  the  fact  that  every  year  the  missionary  is  opening  up 
new  fields  for  commerce.  The  Germans  treat  their  labourers  well, 
but  are  not  very  particular  as  to  how  they  are  obtained.  A  German 
man-of-war  occasionally  visits  the  Pacific  in  order  to  look  after  the 
interests  of  the  colonists.  German  policy  at  the  present  time  is  not 
a  colonising  policy,  otherwise  Samoa  would  long  since  have  fallen 
under  their  flag.  At  any  moment,  however,  Germany  may  take 
possession  of  the  group. 


*H.  B.  Sterndale. 
M  2 


164  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

AMERICA. 

America  is  but  slightly  interested  in  the  Pacific  :  there  are  a  few 
merchants  in  the  Sandwich  group  and  a  few  whalers  amongst  the 
islands.  The  masters  and  crews  of  American  whalers  have  done 
much  harm  during  the  past  fifty  or  sixty  years  ;  they  have  been  the 
cause  of  a  great  many  of  the  atrocities  which  have  occurred. 
Wantonly  did  the  ignorant  captains  murder  and  wrong  the  natives, 
who  revenged  themselves  upon  the  next  vessel  which  happened  to 
touch  their  shores.  Numerous  acts  of  cruelty  on  the  part  of  the 
islanders  must  be  excused  ;  all  accounts  prove  that  they  have  gene- 
rally acted  from  a  spirit  of  revenge.  The  whites,  and  especially 
the  American  whites,  must  bear  a  great  part  of  the  blame.  Luckily 
these  occurrences  are  becoming  less  frequent.  At  the  same  time, 
it  is  only  fair  to  state  that  there  are  many  whaling  captains  who 
treated  the  natives  in  a  Christianlike  manner.  Of  late  years  the 
whaling  industry  has  greatly  fallen  off.  Whether  the  United  States 
Government  will  claim  any  portion  of  the  Navigator  Group  is  an 
open  question.  On  February  17th,  1872,  Maunga,  chief  of  Pango 
Pango,  Tutuila,  signed  a  treaty  or  agreement  with  Commander 
Mead,  of  the  United  States  S.S.  Narrgansett  granting  the  ex- 
clusive right  to  the  U.S.  Government  of  using  that  harbour  as  a 
coaling  and  naval  station  for  a  private  line  of  steamers  running 
between  San  Francisco  and  New  Zealand  and  their  own  ships  of 
war,  and  binding  himself  not  to  grant  a  like  privilege  to  any  other 
power.  This  agreement  was  made  to  depend  upon  its  ratification 
by  the  U.S.  Government.  In  the  same  year  the  chiefs  of  Samoa 
petitioned  that  Government  for  protection  ;  no  action  has  yet  been 
taken  by  the  Senate  in  either  of  these  matters. 

ENGLAND. 

Until  October,  1874,  English  action  in  the  Pacific  was  confined  to 
private  energy  and  enterprise ;  the  Imperial  Government  paid  no 
attention  to  the  hoisting  of  ensigns  and  taking  possession  of  islands 
in  England's  name  by  discoverers  and  captains  of  men-of-war  ; 
Pitcairn  Island,  however,  being  an  exception.  On  November  29th, 
1838,  Captain  Elliot,  in  H.M.S.  Fly  took  possession  of  this 
island,  memorable  for  having  afforded  refuge  to  the  mutineers  of 
the  Bounty  A  brief  account  of  the  matter  may  be  interesting. 
Captain  Bligh  stated  that  the  original  cause  of  the  mutiny  was  the 
connection  formed  by  the  crew  while  at  Tahiti  with  the  Tahitian 
women ;  but  the  islanders  flatly  deny  the  assertion,  and  attribute  it 
to  his  own  perverse  temper  and  tyrannical  conduct.  Putting  Bligh 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  165 

and  seventeen  of  the  crew  in  an  open  boat,  off  lofoa,  one  of  the 
Friendly  Islands,  April  28th,  1789,  the  mutineers  sailed  for 
Tonbouai,  where  they  attempted  to  establish  themselves,  but  the 
natives  were  too  hostile.  Eeturning  to  Tahiti,  some  of  the  muti- 
neers landed,  but  the  remainder  (Christian  and  eight  men),  keeping 
their  place  of  destination  secret,  took  the  vessel  on  to  Pitcairn 
Island,  where  they  burnt  her  January  23rd,  1790.  Those  who 
remained  at  Tahiti  were  picked  up  by  the  Pandora  which  frigate 
was  sent  out  in  search  as  soon  as  Bligh  returned  to  England.  In 
1808  the  American  ship  Topaz  discovered  the  retreat  of  the 
mutineers,  and  in  1814  H.M.  ships  Britain  and  Tagus  touched 
at  the  island.  In  1888  it  was  taken  possession  of  by  Eng- 
land, and  in  1850  the  greater  number  of  the  inhabitants  at  their 
own  request  were  removed  to  Norfolk  Island,  having  outgrown 
their  diminutive  home.  Norfolk  Island  is  also  British  territory, 
the  English  Government  having  twice  used  it  as  a  convict  station. 
Captain  Cook  was  its  discoverer.  Until  1788  the  island  had 
remained  uninhabited,  but  in  that  year  a  small  number  of  convicts, 
with  a  party  of  marines,  were  sent  there  from  Australia.  It  was 
finally  abandoned  in  1855,  and  is  now  the  head-quarters  of  the  Mela- 
nesian  Mission,  and  the  residence  of  the  Pitcairn  islanders.  Nor- 
folk Island  is  included  in  the  Commission  of  the  Governor  of  New 
South  Wales. 

In  1864  the  inhabitants  of  Earotonga,  the  principal  island  of  the 
Hervey  or  Cook's  Group,  petitioned  Queen  Victoria,  through  the 
Governor  of  New  Zealand,  for  protection ;  but  Her  Majesty's 
Government  did  not  grant  the  prayer. 

On  October  10th,  1874,  Fiji  was  unconditionally  ceded  to  the 
British  Crown.  The  history  of  that  cession  is  contained  in  a  valu- 
able and  concise  paper,  read  before  this  Society  by  F.  W.  Chesson, 
Esq.  In  Appendix  D  will  be  found  a  copy  of  the  ^Resolution  arrived 
at  by  the  King  and  chiefs  to  cede  their  country  to  England. 

A  few  private  individuals,  British  subjects,  claim  certain  islands 
by  right  of  purchase  or  occupation.  For  example,  Messrs.  Houlder 
Brothers,  of  London,  own  three  small  guano  islands  in  Eastern 
Polynesia  ;  Mr.  Brander,  of  Tahiti,  Palmerston  Island,  in  Central 
Polynesia ;  one  Eli  Jennings  owns  and  lives  upon  Quiros  Island ; 
and  Messrs.  Godefroy  &  Co.  claim  and  own  many  others.  There 
are  hundreds  of  similar  uninhabited  islands  in  the  Pacific  which 
may  thus  be  acquired.  In  what  manner  the  title  to  such  acquisi- 
tion will  be  treated  by  the  great  Powers  is  a  question  for  the  pur- 
chaser or  occupier  to  consider. 

At  the  present  time,   therefore,    Spain  actually  possesses  and 


166  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

occupies  the  Ladrone  and  Bonin  Groups,  together  with  a  few  islands 
in  the  Pelew  and  Caroline  group ;  France,  Tahiti  and  a  few  of  the 
Georgian  Islands,  the  Paumota,  Marquesas,  and  New  Caledonia 
Groups  ;  England,  the  Fiji  Group,  Pitcairn  and  Norfolk  Islands ; 
and  America  has,  or  has  not,  a  certain  claim  upon  the  Navigators' 
Group,  according  to  the  decision  of  the  United  States  Government. 
NATIVE  GOVERNMENTS. 

The  other  islands  are  under  the  rule  of  their  native  chiefs.  Three 
of  the  principal  groups  aim  at  possessing  certain  forms  of  Constitu- 
tional government — the  Sandwich,  Navigator,  and  Friendly  Islands. 
This  movement  has  been  brought  about  by  the  influence  of  the  resi- 
dent whites,  principally  Englishmen.  Many  other  islands  have  also 
certain  forms  of  Monarchial  government,  such  as  Earotonga  and 
Huahine,  together  with  fair  codes  of  laws,  framed  by  the  missionaries. 

In  1863  the  reigning  chief  of  the  Sandwich  Islands,  King  Kame- 
hamha  V.,  granted  his  subjects  a  new  Constitution  (the  first  Consti- 
tution of  1840  was  granted  by  Kamehamha  III.)  based  upon  the 
English  model — King,  Lords,  and  Commons. 

I  may  be  allowed  to  make  a  slight  digression  in  order  to  explain 
the  position  of  America  with  regard  to  the  Sandwich  Islands  and 
Samoa.  The  United  States,  it  appears,  cannot  protect  foreign  lands 
without  altering  certain  clauses  of  the  Republican  Constitution, 
which  are  antagonistic  to  the  Government  despotically  ruling  foreign 
possessions.  The  President  is  very  anxious  to  protect  Cuba,  San 
Domingo,  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  perhaps  Samoa ;  but  protection 
means  annexation,  and  the  Senate  will  pause  before  breaking  down 
the  fundamental  principles  of  the  Constitution.  Cuba  may  be  ad- 
mitted into  the  Union  as  a  new  State,  as  it  very  nearly  approaches 
the  standard  of  landed  area  and  population  required  to  constitute  a 
State ;  but  the  other  three  places  will  require  different  treatment. 
Indirectly,  American  citizens  are  being  encouraged  to  take  such 
action  as  will  afford  the  Senate  an  opportunity  of  publicly  endors- 
ing national  claims  over  these  particular  spots,  should  it  at  any  time 
wish  to  do  so.  The  cordial  reception  at  Washington  of  any  member 
of  the  reigning  family  of  the  Sandwich  Group,  the  Sarnana  Bay 
Company  in  San  Domingo,  Commodore  Meade's  action  with  respect 
to  Pango  Pango  harbour,  Samoa,  and  the  appointment  of  an  Ameri- 
can citizen  to  the  chief  administrative  post  in  that  group,  are 
instances  of  this  movement,  all  of  which,  I  believe,  receive  the  pri- 
vate support  of  the  President,  who  is  a  very  strong  Protectionist. 
There  is  very  little  doubt  but  that  the  Sandwich  Islands  will  fall 
eventually  under  the  American  flag. 

The  Friendly  Archipelago,  or  Tonga,  is  ruled  by  a  native  king  and 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  167 

council  of  chiefs  :  this  group  possesses  the  best  native  Government 
in  the  Pacific.  King  George  Tabou  administers  the  greater  portion 
of  the  executive  duties  of  the  Government  personally,  and  he  ad- 
ministers them  well.  His  power  is  almost  absolute.  The  laws  are 
simple  and  well  framed,  the  King  paying  much  attention  to  the 
advice  of  the  missionaries,  who,  having  no  direct  interest  in  com- 
merce, can  best  advise  him  upon  questions  of  a  conflicting  nature. 
There  are  many  English  planters  upon  the  islands,  and  more  flock- 
ing in  :  the  group  is  becoming  very  valuable.  One  great  trouble  is 
looming  before  it — the  succession  to  the  crown.  The  King  is  over 
70  years  of  age,  and  the  heirs- expectant  are  beginning  to  talk  of 
his  successor.  In  the  Pacific  there  are  always  many  claimants  for 
the  chief  authority,  and  they  have  each  their  supporters.  The  ques- 
tion is  generally  settled  by  war,  and  these  wars  of  succession  are  most 
cruel  and  devastating — might  usuaUy  overcoming  right.  A  similar 
war  is  likely  to  happen  in  Tonga.  The  real  well-wishers  of  Tonga 
hope  that  England  will  interfere  and  prevent  the  dark  cloud  from 
bursting,  for  it  most  assuredly  will  devastate  the  island  and  cost 
hundreds  of  lives. 

The  Tonguese  are  a  most  warlike  race,  and  the  most  daring 
navjgators  in  the  Pacific.  Their  sympathies  are  entirely  English, 
and  their  chiefs  have  steadily  assisted  the  work  of  the  Wesleyan 
missionaries ;  indeed,  but  for  them,  Fiji  would  still  be  a  land  of 
cannibals.  The  Tonguese  for  more  than  a  century  have  had  much 
influence  in  Fijian  matters — their  warriors  playing  the  part  of 
powerful  mercenaries  to  the  quarrelling  chieftains.  Maafu,  a 
Tongan,  carried  out  for  himself  a  chieftainship  in  the  Windward 
Islands  of  that  group,  and  would  have  ousted  Thakombau,  had  it 
not  been  for  our  interference.  He  is  the  most  likely  man  to  succeed 
King  George  in  Tonga,  although  he  has  no  just  right  to  the  crown. 
Maafu  is  a  great  chief,  and  his  friendship  is  worth  cultivating.  He 
rules  his  subjects  well ;  white  settlers  upon  his  islands  can  plant  and 
trade  in  perfect  safety. 

The  action  of  Sir  Hercules  Eobinson,  in  inviting  Thakombau  to 
Sydney,  is  highly  to  be  commended ;  it  would  be  a  great  advantage 
if  similar  hospitality  were  extended  to  Maafu.  Is  it  not  advisable 
for  the  Australian  Colonies  to  pay  some  such  attention  to  the  prin- 
cipal Polynesian  chief  ?  The  practical  lesson  of  civilisation  would 
be  a  great  one,  and  the  bond  of  friendship  between  the  islands  and 
the  Colonies  much  strengthened.  It  can  hardly  be  doubted  but  that 
the  Sultan  of  Zanzibar  will  derive  much  benefit  from  his  late  visit 
to  England,  and  the  advancement  of  civilisation  in  Eastern  Africa 
be  consequently  strengthened. 


168  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

The  Navigator  Group,  or  Samoa,  is,  I  believe,  desirous  of  obtain- 
ing a  representative  form  of  government,  but  matters  are  in  a  very 
unsettled  condition.  Colonel  Steinberger,  U.S.A.  (who  is  said  to 
have  been  a  special  Commissioner  sent  by  President  Grant  to  inves- 
tigate and  report  upon  the  petition  for  American  protection  made  by 
the  chiefs)  has  very  lately  been  appointed,  or,  more  correctly  speak- 
ing, has  obtained  the  appointment  of,  Prime  Minister  for  life.  It 
is  to  be  hoped  for  this  gentleman's  sake  that  the  office  mil  continue. 
I  am  also  informed  that  a  gentleman  in  the  Civil  Service  of  the 
United  States  Government,  Mr.  Platt,  has  been  very  lately  sent  to 
assist  Colonel  Steinberger. 

The  desire  of  these  little  communities  to  possess  some  form  of 
government  which  can  administer  internal  affairs,  and  be  recognised 
by  foreign  Powers,  is  very  laudable  ;  but  it  is  doubtful  whether  any 
of  them  will  long  maintain  the  position  which  they  have  assumed. 
They  will  find  themselves  far  better  off  under  the  rule  of  some 
great  Power  than  under  their  own.  Eepresentative  Constitutions  are 
quite  unsuitable  to  them.  Democracies  cannot  exist  within  the 
tropics.  The  great  body  of  the  natives  implicitly  obey  the  orders  of 
their  chief. 

Previous  to  the  cession  of  Fiji,  the  native  Government  passed  an 
Act  allowing  manhood  suffrage  to  both  natives  and  Europeans.  The 
consequence  would  have  been  that  the  power  of  nominating  and  re- 
turning the  whole  of  the  representatives  would  have  fallen  into  the 
hands  of  about  four  chiefs.  Our  form  of  government — Queen, 
Lords,  and  Commons — is  not  found  to  work  well  in  the  West  Indies, 
neither  will  it  in  the  Pacific.  The  people  may  eventually  be  taught 
to  exercise  the  power  of  election,  but  at  present  they  cannot  be  en- 
trusted with  it.  Neither  is  the  aristocratic  form  of  government — 
king- elected  and  chiefs — suitable,  as  the  white  settlers  must  possess 
a  powerful  voice  in  the  administration.  In  my  opinion,  the  only 
form  of  government  suitable  is  an  absolute  monarchy,  the  Crown 
being  assisted  by  a  mixed  council  of  native  chiefs  and  influential 
white  residents,  this  being  analogous  to  one  of  our  pure  Crown 
Colonies. 

In  such  tropical  islands  as  these  there  can  only  be  two  classes — 
labourers  and  employers  of  labour ;  there  cannot,  for  many  genera- 
tions to  come,  be  a  middle  class.  Employers  of  tropical  labour 
must  therefore  be  rulers,  unless  a  power  steps  in  to  protect  the 
labourer ;  that  power,  for  the  benefit  of  all  concerned,  must  rule 
absolutely  or  not  at  all.  Wherever  coloured  labour  is  used  the 
white  employers  look  upon  it  degradingly.  The  planters  require  to 
be  held  in  check  just  as  much  as  the  natives.  The  whites  in  Fiji 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  160 

utterly  ignored  the  existence  of  the  native  population,  except  as 
consumers  of  imported  goods,  possible  labourers,  and  payers  of  a 
tyrannical  poll-tax.  In  many  other  islands  the  same  feeling  pre- 
vails. It  is  to  be  hoped  that  white  settlers  will  be  more  liberal  in 
their  ideas,  and  recognise  the  advantage  of  absolute  government. 
It  is  not  at  all  unlikely  that  many  other  groups  of  islands  will  set 
up  certain  forms  of  government. 


ISLANDS  STILL  RETAINING  OLD  CUSTOMS. 

The  following  are  those  islands  which  still  follow  their  old  forms 
of  government,  or  rather  old  customs :  In  the  North  Pacific  :  the 
Caroline,  Marshall  and  Gilbert,  or  Kingsmill  Groups  ;  a  few  islands 
in  Eastern  Polynesia ;  the  Phoenix  and  Ellice  Groups  in  Central 
Polynesia  ;  all  the  isles  of  Western  Polynesia,  with  the  exception  of 
New  Caledonia,  and  the  numerous  small  islands  which  lie  scattered 
amongst  all  the  principal  groups.  In  most  of  these  islands  the 
missionary  clergyman  alone  represents  the  bright  side  of  modern 
civilisation,  and  tempers  the  savage  habits  of  the  chiefs.  In 
Western  Polynesia,  however,  it  is  hardly  yet  safe  for  a  missionary 
to  land  or  a  trader  to  leave  his  vessel.  New  Guinea  is  a  terra 
incognita,  and  its  inhabitants  are  but  little  known.  New  Britain  and 
New  Ireland,  the  Admiralty  and  the  Louisade  Islands,  are  almost 
in  a  similar  position. 

From  some  of  these  islands  the  principal  portion  of  the  labour 
employed  in  Queensland  and  the  Pacific  was,  and  still  is,  obtained. 
Possessing  no  government,  or  any  power  which  the  whites  could 
respect,  the  simple  inhabitants  were  at  the  mercy  of  those  who 
resorted  to  their  shores ;  luckily,  our  cruisers  will  now  be  some 
protection  to  them. 

LABOUB   TKADE. 

Placing  upon  one  side  the  painful  incidents  connected  with  kid- 
napping, I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  the  employment  of  native 
labour  by  cotton-planters  and  others  has  been  beneficial,  especially 
the  employment  of  labour  foreign  to  any  particular  locality.  The 
mere  fact  of  seeing  other  islands,  other  tribes,  and  a  higher  civilisa- 
tion, has  led  thousands  of  natives  to  reconsider  and  abolish  their 
barbarous  customs,  and  to  listen  more  readily  to  missionary  teach- 
ing. Anyone  who  has  seen  a  large  number  of  natives  collected  from 
perhaps  ten  different  islands  of  Western  Polynesia  or  the  Equator 
upon  a  well-ordered  plantation,  would  hardly  doubt  that  the  lesson 


170  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

those  natives  received  during  their  three  or  five  years' residence  upon 
that  plantation  tended  to  make  them  better  members  of  the  human 
family  on  returning  to  their  respective  homes.  Official  papers  con- 
cerning the  annexation  of  Fiji  testify  that  Polynesian  labourers 
upon  Fijian  plantations  aie  far  better  off,  so  far  as  regards  food, 
clothing,  and  house  accommodation,  than  when  upon  their  native 
islands. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Melanesian  Mission  Report  for  1873 
totally  disagrees  with  this  opinion.  The  report  states,  with  refer- 
ence to  the  New  Hebrides  and  Banks'  Islands,  "that  the  labour 
trade  is  depopulating  them,  and  that  the  returned  labourer  does  not 
convey  back  the  knowledge  of  any  useful  art,  or  even  anything  of 
civilisation.  It  is  therefore  the  business  of  those  who  carry  on  the 
Mission  to  do  all  they  can  to  prevent  and  oppose  a  traffic  the  effects 
of  which  they  see  to  be  pernicious." 

In  this  I  think  that  the  Mission  is  decidedly  in  the  wrong.  Bishop 
Patteson  himself  never  demanded  the  entire  suppression  of  the 
traffic  ;  he  only  demanded  its  proper  regulation.  Neither  do  I 
think  that  the  trade,  except  in  one  or  two  minor  instances,  is 
depopulating  the  islands  ;  it  may  lessen  the  population  of  any  par- 
ticular spot,  but  only  for  a  time.  When  the  report  above  referred 
to  was  written  there  were  many  hundreds  of  New  Hebrides  and 
Banks'  Islanders  in  Queensland  and  Fiji,  waiting  to  be  returned 
to  their  different  homes.  That  the  labourer  returns  without  having 
gained  any  knowledge  of  civilisation  or  useful  arts  is  a  statement 
which  can  only  be  excused  on  the  ground  of  missionary  zeal.  It  is 
to  be  hoped  that  the  clergy  will  not  oppose  the  labour  traffic,  but 
suggest  proper  rules  for  its  management,  and  lend  their  aid  in 
seeing  them  earned  out.  The  extension  of  commerce  and  the  em- 
ployment of  labour  will  assist  rather  than  retard  missionary  work. 

The  Presbyterian  Report  for  1873,  concerning  their  mission  in 
the  New  Hebrides,  contains  the  following  significant  statement : 
"  We  expected  to  find  a  people  who  would  at  least  hear  the  Word  of 
God  and  receive  instruction,  but,  on  the  contrary,  the  great  majority 
of  those  among  whom  we  are  stationed  literally  close  their  eyes,  and 
refuse  to  be  taught  anything  either  sacred  or  secular." 

When  it  is  remembered  that  thirty-five  years  of  missionary  labour 
have  been  devoted  to  this  group,  such  a  statement  is  very  sig- 
nificant. 

Missionaries  cannot  ascribe  this  to  the  labour  traffic,  for  that  has 
only  been  in  operation  of  late  years.  In  my  opinion,  it  results  from 
the  fact  that  commerce  does  not  properly  support  missionary  teach- 
ing, In  Eastern  and  Central  Polynesia  commerce  has  followed  in  tlie 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  171 

footsteps  of  the  missionary,  and  the  natives  are  now  orderly  and 
well  conducted ;  but  in  the  New  Hebrides  commerce  has  no  footing, 
and  the  natives  listen  to  nothing,  either  sacred  or  secular.  It  is  true 
that  a  few  natives  return  to  their  islands  somewhat  demoralised.  If 
they  carry  back  a  gun  and  a  little  ammunition,  they  are  not  slow  in 
using  them  against  their  old  enemies,  but  they  would  do  the  same  with 
bows  and  arrows.  It  is  a  question  whether  even  the  vices  of  civili- 
sation are  not  better  than  their  own  previous  savage  customs : 
unfortunately  they  are  apt  to  add  the  two  together.  Still,  mission- 
aries cannot  expect  to  keep  the  islands  closed  until  they  have 
evangelised  the  natives  ;  commerce  must  spread,  and  the  first  step 
is  to  take  advantage  of  native  labour.  When  the  excitement  con- 
nected with  kidnapping  has  passed  away,  it  will  be  found  that  the 
employment  of  labour  has  been  beneficial,  especially  in  spreading 
the  power  and  superiority  of  the  white  race  among  the  islands  yet 
unvisited  by  missionary  clergymen. 

WILL  THE  NATIVE  POPULATION  DIE  OUT  ? 

Whether  the  native  population  will  die  out,  is  an  important 
question.  The  labour  traffic  may  have  somewhat  thinned  the  popu- 
lation of  a  few  islands,  not  from  rough  usage  at  the  plantations,  but 
from  the  mere  fact  of  a  certain  number  of  the  natives  being  unable 
to  stand  the  change  of  climate.  Change  of  residence  may  or  may 
not  be  good,  but  that  question  is  subordinate  to  the  great  one 
before  us — Whether  the  natives  generally  will  survive  the  contact 
with  the  white  race  ?  I  believe  they  will.  The  idea  that  native 
races  die  out  upon  the  appearance  of  the  white  race  is  true  only  in 
a  limited  sense.  In  my  opinion  the  statement  only  applies  to  lands 
situate  in  temperate  or  cold  zones,  which  happened  to  possess  or  do 
still  possess  an  aboriginal  population  ;  it  does  not  apply  to  tropical 
or  semi-tropical  lands — they  are  beyond  its  influence.  Thus  the 
Indians  in  some  parts  of  America,  and  the  Maories  in  New  Zealand, 
are  certain  to  die  out,  being  unable  to  survive  the  contact  in  tempe- 
rate zones  with  the  more  fitting  white  race.  The  American  Indians 
are  being  gradually  driven  into  the  central  part  of  the  continent, 
which  is  their  proper  residence.  They  will  for  a  time  range  free 
over  the  southern  portion  of  the  continent,  because  circumstances 
are  still  favourable  for  their  habitation.  The  Maories  are  gradually 
dying  out,  because  it  was  an  error  for  any  portion  of  the  Malayan 
race  to  wander  so  far  south.  Certain  climates  kill  native  races  just 
as  surely  as  contact  with  the  white  race.  We  found  very  few  Mao- 
ries or  Malays  in  the  middle  island  of  New  Zealand  :  they  could  not 
exist  there.  The  American  Indians  have  also  much  Malayan  blood 


172  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

in  their  veins;  their  place  is  within  the  tropics.  Tropical  races 
cannot  compete  with  the  more  fitting  races  beyond  the  tropics,  and 
white  races  cannot  compete  with  native  races  within  the  tropics. 
No  one  could  possibly  assert  that  the  white  race  will  extinguish  the 
East  Indian,  the  Chinese,  or  the  Malayan,  neither  will  it  the  Poly- 
nesian. I  am  well  aware  that  the  aboriginal  inhabitants  of  the  "West 
India  Islands  have  nearly  disappeared,  but  in  the  first  instance  they 
were  almost  exterminated  by  the  Spaniards.  I  do  not  think  that  it  is 
for  our  interest  to  exterminate  the  Polynesians.  "When  the  epidemic 
of  measles  was  lately  devastating  Fiji,  I  heard  many  well-informed 
persons  remark  that  if  50,000  natives,  more  or  less,  died  off,  the  less 
trouble  would  be  given  to  the  Colonial  Government.  Now  a  greater 
mistake  could  not  possibly  be  made.  Every  native  dying  is  a  loss 
to  the  Government.  It  is  t®  be  hoped  that  not  only  the  health,  but 
the  natural  increase  of  the  Fijians,  will  be  carefully  looked  after. 

Figures  purporting  to  show  the  decrease  of  any  particular  island 
cannot  be  relied  upon.  It  was  formerly  supposed  that  the  Sand- 
wich Islands  contained  a  population  of  400,000  inhabitants,  and 
New  Zealand  200,000.  Later  calculations  inform  us  that  they 
now  contain  respectively  58,000  and  30,000.  It  is  doubtful  whether 
the  first  ever  numbered  more  than  100,000  or  the  second  50,000. 
Captain  Cook,  generally  so  correct,  was  sadly  out  in  his  estimate  of 
native  population. 

As  soon  as  certain  sanitary  regulations  are  attended  to,  and  infan- 
ticide put  a  stop  to,  I  believe  the  population  of  the  Pacific  will 
increase.  That  of  Java  has  nearly  quadrupled  itself  since  181G, 
and  it  is  a  curious  fact  that  the  few  remaining  aboriginal  inhabitants 
of  the  West  India  Islands  are  of  late  years  increasing  in  numbers. 

EESIDENT  LABOUR. 

It  is  also  important  for  us  to  know  whether  the  Polynesians  will 
supply  a  fair  amount  of  voluntary  labour.  I  consider  that  they  will 
do  so,  but  too  much  cannot  be  expected  of  them  at  first.  That 
natives,  unaccustomed  from  their  birth  to  work  or  even  to  be  provi- 
dent, will  suddenly  labour  twelve  hours  a  day  for  six  days  in  the 
week,  cannot  surely  be  expected.  The  galling  bitterness  of  labour 
to  those  indolent  kidnapped  natives  must  indeed  have  been  great. 
Twelve  hours'  constant  labour  in  the  tropics  means  the  most  rigo- 
rous slavery,  and  only  obtainable  under  compulsion.  Nature  is  so 
bounteous  that  there  is  no  necessity  for  the  natives  to  work  ;  the 
cocoa-nut,  the  bread-fruit,  and  the  plaintain  are  amply  sufficient  to 
supply  their  wants,  and  those  trees  require  but  little  attention.  One 
bread-fruit  tree  will  almost  entirely  support  a  small  family.  Besides 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  173 

yielding  three  or  four  crops  a  year,  its  bark  furnishes  them  with 
native  cloth  for  clothing,  and  its  timber  is  the  most  valuable  for 
canoe  and  house  building.  Natives  require  but  very  little  more. 
The  taxes  which  the  chiefs  levy  are  paid  by  the  labour  of  the 
women  ;  the  men  never  work.  As  soon  as  the  Fijians  (for  instance) 
fully  understand  that  their  chiefs  have  now  no  right  to  levy  uncer- 
tain taxes,  their  cup  of  happiness  will  be  complete.  The  present 
generation  will  settle  comfortably  down  for  the  rest  of  their  lives, 
and  do  little  or  nothing. 

We  must  accept  this  state  of  things,  and  endeavour  to  provide  a 
remedy.  In  my  opinion  the  remedy  is  to  be  found  in  the  coming 
generation,  which  should  be  taught  to  labour  six  or  eight  hours  each 
day  of  its  own  free  will.  I  think  that  it  lies  in  our  power  to  teach 
them.  Education,  example,  and  necessity  (resulting  from  a  greater 
population  striving  for  existence)  are  the  means  at  our  command. 
We  have  only  to  use  them.  The  aim  is  a  noble  one,  the  instruments 
are  well  suited  to  attain  it.  We  have  only  to  guard  against  errors 
at  the  outset,  and  there  is  very  little  doubt  but  that  we  shall  be  able 
to  obtain  eight  hours'  labour  per  day  from  each  male  native  in 
Polynesia. 

In  the  correspondence  relating  to  the  cession  of  Fiji,  Sir  Hercules 
Eobinson,  under  the  heading  of  "  Lala  or  Service  Tenures," 
remarks :  "  I  think  that  when  the  Land  Commission  shall  have 
decided  on  the  native  reserves,  that  the  chief  of  every  qali  should  be 
acknowledged  as  the  owner  of  the  lands  of  the  qali  or  tribe,  and  the 
guardian  of  the  interests  of  his  people  in  such  lands.  The  people 
of  every  qali  should  be  viewed  as  tenants  of  such  lands  under  the 
chief,  with  hereditary  rights  of  lesseeship,  subject  to  the  duties  of 
lessees  towards  the  chief  proprietor,  to  whom  they  should  pay,  as  a 
head  rent  for  his  support,  such  lala  as  may  be  mutually  agreed  on, 
in  the  shape  of  labour  or  produce." 

In  support  of  this  opinion,  Sir  Hercules  alleges  the  following 
reasons :  "  It  appears  to  me  that  it  would  be  impolitic  on  the  part 
of  the  Government,  and  unjust  towards  the  chiefs  and  the  people, 
to  interfere,  for  the  present  at  all  events,  with  this  system,  which  on 
the  whole  works  well,  and  is  cheerfully  acquiesced  in  by  all  con- 
cerned. For  many  years  to  come,  Fiji  can  only  be  governed  as  a 
British  Colony  through  the  instrumentality  of  the  native  chiefs. 
The  effect  of  abolishing  these  service  tenures  would  therefore  be  to 
weaken  the  power  of  the  only  subordinate  agency  available  at 
present  for  the  good  government  of  the  country :  and  the  people, 
freed  from  existing  restraining  influences,  would  give  way  to  their 
natural  improvident  and  slothful  inclinations,  and  would  become, 


174  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

as  pointed  out  by  Mr.  Thurston,  in  his  able  and  interesting  paper 
on  the  native  ownership  of  land  in  Fiji,  useless  and  perhaps 
troublesome." 

I  am  sorry  that  I  cannot  agree  with  Sir  Hercules  Eobinson.  Our 
acting  in  the  manner  suggested  simply  means  recognising  the  chief- 
tains as  a  class,  and  supporting  their  position.  This  in  my  opinion 
is  inadvisable  for  two  reasons :  firstly,  because  we  desire  to  obtain 
the  voluntary  —  not  compulsory  —  labour  of  the  natives  ;  and 
secondly,  because  we  do  not  require  any  native  aristocracy  to  assist 
us  in  governing  the  islands. 

With  regard  to  my  first  objection,  it  must  be  remembered  that  up 
to  the  present  time  contracts  for  Fijian  labour  have  always  been 
made  with  the  chiefs.  So  many  labourers  have  had  to  bind  them- 
selves to  the  planters  for  a  certain  time  at  the  will  of  the  chief. 
This  is  a  form  of  domestic  slavery  which  will  most  assuredly  be 
continued,  if  we  acknowledge  the  chiefs  as  owners  of  the  tribal 
lands  and  guardians  of  the  interests  of  the  people.  The  chiefs  are 
certain  to  influence  any  labour  contract :  the  native  will  never  be  a 
free  agent.  Ought  we  not  to  avoid  this,  not  so  much  for  the  benefit 
of  the  present  generation — which  would,  perhaps,  be  kept  out  of 
mischief  by  being  compelled  to  work — but  for  the  sake  of  the  popula- 
tion to  come,  whose  voluntary  labour  we  desire  to  obtain  ?  The 
interference  of  any  persons,  especially  chieftains,  may  be  found 
disastrous.  The  islanders  should  work  of  their  own  free  will,  and 
it  is  for  us  to  educate  them  into  habits  of  industry.  Whether  the 
present  generation  will  labour  or  not  is  a  matter  of  no  particular 
importance.  Our  planters  can  import  labour  from  elsewhere,  but 
for  the  future  our  object  should  be  to  have  a  resident  voluntary 
labouring  population  upon  every  island.  In  my  opinion  all  com- 
pulsory means,  such  as  recognising  a  native  aristocracy,  should  be 
avoided. 

As  to  my  second  objection,  anyone  acquainted  with  the  Pacific 
knows  how  unjust  and  tyrannical  is  the  system  pursued  by  the 
chiefs  in  their  method  of  taxation.  The  greater  number  of  the 
natives  live  in  a  state  of  pure  villenage,  which  Blackstone  describes 
as  "one  where  a  man  holds  upon  terms  of  doing  whatsoever  is 
commanded  of' him."  Now,  nothing  can  be  more  demoralising  than 
such  a  state  of  things.  Of  ail  taxes  an  uncertain  tax  is  the  worst, 
and  the  sooner  we  put  a  stop  to  the  practice  in  Fiji  the  better.  If 
we  recognise  and  support  the  chiefs  as  a  class  we  shall  not  put  a 
stop  to  the  practice.  The  natives,  in  spite  of  every  regulation,  will 
still  regard  their  chiefs  as  divine  and  obey  their  commands,  espe- 
cially when  they  find  them  supported  by  the  Government.  We 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  175 

ought  not  to  make  the  mistake  of  treating  the  Polynesians  in  the 
same  manner  as  we  treat  the  Indians  or  Cingalese.  India  and 
Ceylon  contain  so  numerous  a  population,  that  it  is  found  very 
difficult  to  interfere  with  established  customs.  In  the  Pacific 
islands,  however,  the  population  is  so  small  that  we  can  deal  with 
it  directly.  Besides,  we  have  to  raise  up  a  population,  and  we 
surely  do  not  require  the  assistance  of  a  native  aristocracy. 

Fiji  contains  about  140,000  natives,  upon  a  superficial  area  of 
7,400  square  miles.  Jamaica  has  a  population  of  506,000,  upon  an 
area  of  4,256  square  miles  ;  there  is  every  likelihood  of  the  popula- 
tion of  Fiji  soon  rivalling  in  numbers  that  of  Jamaica.  Will  it  not 
be  far  better  for  us  to  deal  with  that  population  directly  than  through 
the  intervention  of  chiefs  ?  Sir  Hercules  Kobinson  observes  that 
we  must  be  just  towards  the  chiefs.  True  enough;  but  there  is  no 
necessity  for  us  to  acknowledge  them  as  owners  of  tribal  lands. 
We  can  recognise  the  present  generation  as  guardians  of  the  tribal 
interests  by  appointing  them,  as  Sir  Hercules  has  done,  to  magis- 
terial posts  in  their  different  districts.  This  would  fully  suffice,  and 
indeed  is  all  that  is  required.  The  chiefs  desire  to  retain  their 
dignified  position,  and  we  allow  them  to  do  so  ;  but  they  have  ceded 
their  country  for  their  country's  benefit,  and  I  cannot  but  consider 
that  the  existence  of  a  native  aristocracy  is  hardly  required.  The 
lands  should  vest,  as  far  as  possible,  in  each  native,  not  in  the 
chiefs,  the  Government  alone  retaining  the  final  right  of  disposal* 
To  the  chiefs  will  be  allotted  a  larger  share  of  land  than  to  simple 
members  of  a  tribe.  They  will  also  receive  a  small  salary  from  the 
Government.  Let  them  be  given  to  understand — and  they  are 
highly  intelligent — that  their  sons  must  be  taught  to  cultivate  their 
lands,  that  industry  in  itself  is  a  golden  precept,  that  idleness  has 
been  the  root  of  all  the  wars  and  troubles  of  Polynesia,  and  I  believe 
the  chiefs  themselves  will  agree  with  me  that  the  sooner  a  native 
aristocracy  is  allowed  to  disappear,  and  all  natives  alike  bred  up  in 
habits  of  industry,  the  better  it  will  be  for  their  future  interests.  If 
the  sons  of  chiefs  choose  to  educate  themselves  for  magisterial  posts, 
and  if  a  native  magistracy  is  required,  let  them  by  all  means  occupy 
their  father's  position ;  but  for  us  deliberately  to  recognise  and 
support  a  native  hereditary  aristocracy,  by  vesting  in  them  the  tribal 
lands,  to  winch  even  now  they  are  not  entitled,  would,  in  my 
opinion,  be  a  terrible  blunder. 


*  The  natives  are  too  improvident,  even  the  chiefs  themselves,  to  be  entrusted 
with  the  power  of  absolute  sale.  In  my  opinion,  the  term  "  fee-simple"  is  not 
applicable  to  tropical  countries,  a  title  by  leasehold  being  all  that  is  required. 


176  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

IMPORTED  LABOUR. 

I  have  before  stated  that  the  true  wealth  of  the  Pacific,  and  indeed 
of  all  tropical  countries,  does  not  rest  in  the  soil  nor  in  its  productions, 
but  in  the  amount  of  resident  voluntary  labour  obtainable  to 
cultivate  the  soil.  To  prove  this  statement  it  is  only  necessary  to 
refer  to  the  West  Indies.  Immediately  after  the  emancipation  of 
the  slaves,  estates  which  were  worth  £50,000  would  hardly  realise 
£5,000 ;  the  liberated  negroes  refused  to  work,  and  the  planters 
were  ruined.  It  is  therefore  the  primary  duty  of  any  Government 
to  superintend  and  supply  the  demand  for  labour,  if  it  desires  to 
advance  the  prosperity  of  tropical  lands. 

Hitherto  the  labour  supply  has  been  conducted  by  private  indivi- 
duals, and  the  evils  which  have  arisen  to  both  labourers  and 
employers  prove  the  necessity  of  Government  interference.  In 
Fiji,  Samoa,  and  Tahiti  the  greater  portion  of  the  labour  used  has 
been  imported  from  the  neighbouring  islands  ;  but  the  supply  is  un- 
certain and  very  small.  It  may  almost  be  said  that  there  is  no 
labour  to  be  obtained  in  the  Pacific.  The  removal  of  a  few  natives 
from  one  group  of  islands  to  another,  whereby  the  first  group  be- 
comes depopulated  for  a  time,  means  no  supply :  it  is  doubtful 
whether  such  a  transfer  is  advisable  either  for  the  sake  of  economy 
or  for  health.  Neither  is  any  certain  supply  to  be  found  in  the 
resident  population. 

The  existence  of  140,000  men,  women,  and  children  upon  7,400 
square  miles  of  tropical  land,  as  is  the  case  in  Fiji,  affords  no  supply — 
hardly  twenty  to  the  square  mile.  Java  contains  a  population  of 
337  to  the  square  mile,  and  Ceylon  87.  My  general  estimate  of  the 
population  of  the  Pacific  (vide  chart)  is  1,200,000,  upon  a  superficial 
area  of  98,000  square  miles,  giving  about  twelve  to  the  square  mile. 

Tropical  lands  require  a  far  denser  population,  and  the  Pacific 
must  look  either  to  the  natural  increase  of  the  population  or  to 
foreign  countries,  in  order  to  obtain  a  fair  supply  of  labour.  The 
natural  increase  will  be  found  much  too  slow  a  process,  and  the 
only  remaining  alternative  will  be  to  import  labour  from  abroad 
under  Government  superintendence.  In  South  Eastern  Asia  there 
exists  a  labour  market  able  to  supply  the  world.  China  and  India 
contain  a  population  which  is  commencing  to  burst  the  bounds  that 
have  so  long  restrained  them  within  certain  limits.  That  popula- 
tion is  beginning  to  emigrate,  and  soon  a  flood  of  Asiatics  will  pour 
through  the  long-closed  gate  of  South-Easteru  Asia,  and  scatter 
themselves  over  the  eastern  and  western  tropical  and  temperate 
zones. 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  177 

Now  tlio  Pacific  islands  lie  close  at  hand,  and  a  little  regulation 
will  direct  a  stream  of  labour  which  will  amply  supply  any  demand. 
This  simple  fact,  this  proximity  to  India  and  China,  renders  the 
Pacific  islands  the  most  valuable  within  the  tropical  belt ;  the  cost 
of  passage  (a  very  great  consideration)  will  be  small  compared 
with  that  to  the  West  Indies.  A  two  or  three  years'  contract  with 
the  Asiatic  labourer  will  pay  in  the  Pacific,  whereas  a  sis  or  seven 
years'  contract  will  hardly  pay  in  the  West  Indies.  Employers  of 
tropical  labour  will  soon  perceive  this  important  fact,  and  a  great 
number  will  flock  to  the  islands  of  the  Pacific  as  soon  as  they  are 
assured  of  sufficient  Government  protection. 

In  Fiji,  Sir  Arthur  Gordon  will  doubtless  look  after  these  matters ; 
but  ought  not  the  Imperial  Government  to  take  up  the  subject  ?  If 
the  statement  is  correct  that  the  true  wealth  of  tropical  countries 
rests  in  the  labour,  should  not  the  Imperial  Government  look  after 
the  interests  of  all  its  tropical  possessions  by  superintending  and 
regulating  the  supply  of  foreign  labour.  The  West  Indies,  the 
Mauritius,  Natal,  Ceylon,  Northern  Australia,  Queensland,  Fiji,  &c. 
all  demand  tropical  labourers,  which  India  and  China  can  easily 
supply.  The  Eegistrar-General  of  Bombay  informs  us  that  the 
population  of  India  is  increasing  two  millions  annually.  It  is  quite 
impossible  for  India  to  support  its  present  population,  together  with 
such  a  yearly  increase ;  should  not,  therefore,  a  proper  system  of 
emigration  be  determined  upon  ?  Our  tropical  possessions  and  the 
Pacific  can  easily  absorb  a  vast  number  of  labourers,  and  India 
would  be  greatly  relieved.  If,  however,  caste,  prejudice,  or  custom 
cannot  be  overcome,  there  is  a  plentiful  supply  of  labour  to  be 
obtained  from  China  :  many  Chinese  are  already  in  the  islands,  but 
many  more  are  required.  The  Chinese  make  good  settlers,  and 
infuse  some  of  their  own  untiring  energy  into  the  people  around 
them.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  Imperial  Government  will  remove 
the  restrictions  which  were  lately  imposed  upon  Chinese  emigrants 
from  Hong  Kong. 

There  is  very  little  doubt  but  that  the  Imperial  Government  can 
easily  arrange  a  liberal  labour  supply  from  Asia  if  it  favourably 
considers  the  proposal ;  but  we  have  something  else  to  consider  be- 
sides the  mere  importation  of  labourers — we  must  endeavour  to  retain 
them  after  their  term  of  service  has  expired.  Increase  of  population  in 
Polynesia  means  increase  of  wealth.  Fiji  can  well  support  a 
million  inhabitants,  and  when  the  little  Colony  contains  that  popu- 
lation it  will  also  possess  a  very  fair  supply  of  voluntary  labour. 
Necessity  will  then  compel  the  natives  to  work  more  strenuously 
than  they  do  at  present ;  the  struggle  for  existence  will  be  greater, 


178  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

and  a  greater  amount  of  labour  must  result.  It  will  therefore  be 
seen  that  the  present  inhabitants  of  Fiji  are  not  alone  to  be  con- 
sidered— a  large  increase  must  be  provided  for,  and  it  is  consequently 
necessary  for  the  Government  to  gravely  consider  the  land  question. 
As  much  land  as  possible  should  be  retained,  in  order  to  provide  for 
future  increase,  and  foster  future  settlement.  Sir  Hercules  Bobin- 
son  might  not  have  fully  considered  this  subject  when  he  proposed 
that  tribal  lands  should  vest  in  the  chiefs. 

An  unavoidable  mistake  has  been  made  in  the  "West  Indies,  which 
should,  if  possible,  be  avoided  in  Polynesia.  The  supply  of  female 
to  male  coolies,  in  anything  like  proportionate  numbers,  has  been 
much  too  small,  and  the  result  has  been  found  to  be  thoroughly 
demoralising — marriage  laws  have  been  completely  thrown  aside. 
Too  many  male  labourers  ought  not  to  be  introduced  without  a 
proportionate  number  of  females. 

FEMALE  LABOUB. 

If  we  ever  wish  to  arrive  at  voluntary  labour,  we  must  put  a  stop 
to  female  labour.  The  social  status  of  the  female  in  the  Pacific 
sadly  requires  raising.  At  present  she  is  a  mere  domestic  slave, 
her  very  life  being  often  in  the  power  of  her  husband.  It  lies  in 
our  power  to  ameliorate  her  condition  so  far  at  least  as  regards 
labour  in  the  fields.  Such  a  step,  of  course,  will- be  antagonistic  to 
the  planting  interest ;  but  the  question  is  not  one  of  competition 
between  sugar  and  cotton  growers.  We  cannot  regard  these 
islands  solely  in  a  planter's  light — the  country  must  be  ruled  for 
its  own  benefit ;  and  the  prohibition  of  female  labour  in  the  fields, 
except  perhaps  at  crop-tune,  is  greatly  to  be  desired.  If  Fiji,  for 
instance,  offers  a  cheerful  residence,  certain  hours  of  male  labour 
only,  and  fair  opportunities  for  independent  cultivation,  it  will  more 
readily  obtain  a  greater  population  than,  say,  New  Caledonia,  where 
opposite  rules  may  prevail.  If  the  West  Indies,  by  using  female 
labour,  can  produce  slightly  cheaper  than  Polynesia,  the  dis- 
advantage must  be  put  up  with,  although  I  fancy  that  compensating 
advantage  will  be  found  in  the  Pacific.  I  trust  that  the  time  is  not 
far  distant  when  female  labour  in  the  fields  will  be  prohibited  in  all 
our  tropical  possessions  :  it  is  only  a  remnant  of  slavery,  and 
should  be  abolished.  The  female  can  cultivate  the  home  plot  if  she 
chooses  to  do  so,  while  the  husband  works  upon  the  plantation  of 
the  white  settler  ;  but  no  contract  should  be  allowed  to  be  made  for 
her  services.  For  the  benefit  of  coming  generations  the  position  of 
the  female  must  be  raised. 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  179 

INFANTICIDE. 

The  suppression  of  infanticide  is  also  one  of  the  most  important 
subjects  which  demands  our  consideration.  At  first  the  mission- 
aries found  it  a  very  hard  task  to  overcome  the  wide-spread 
custom ;  and  even  now  in  Christianised  Fiji  the  custom  is  still 
secretly  observed.  Women  who,  by  contract  made  with  the  chiefs, 
are  compelled  to  perform  a  certain  amount  of  field  labour  upon  white 
plantations,  find  it  necessary  to  kill  their  children  either  before  or 
immediately  after  birth.  They  cannot  work  upon  plantations, 
attend  to  their  husbands,  pay  their  husband's  taxes,  and  also  look 
after  their  children.  Naturally  enough  the  children  are  neglected, 

Formerly  three  or  four  women  shared  the  work  required  to  be 
fulfilled  at  the  husband's  command ;  but  polygamy  was  very  rightly 
suppressed.  Unfortunately,  all  the  work  of  a  household  is  now  to  be 
performed  by  the  one  wife. 

Until  very  lately,  a  great  portion  of  the  female  children  were 
killed  and  the  male  children  preserved  for  warriors.  The  mother 
of  a  boy  waited  upon  him  like  an  obedient  slave — the  boy  was  his 
mother's  master ;  so  he  grew  up,  and  so  the  man  became  ;  the  boy 
was  not  taught  to  be  industrious,  and  industry  could  not  be 
expected  from  the  man.  Now  if  we  put  a  stop  to  female  field 
labour  we  shall  also  put  a  stop  to  infanticide.  A  mother  will  have 
time  to  look  after  her  children  of  both  sexes,  and  she  will  teach 
them  all  to  assist  her  in  her  duties.  The  boys  as  well  as  the  girls 
will  be  taught  habits  of  industry,  and  the  race  generally  will  be 
improved. 

Travellers  in  the  Pacific  know  how  graceful  the  young  girls  are, 
and  how  hideous  they  become  immediately  after  marriage :  the 
work  which  they  have  to  do  is  the  cause  of  this,  for  they  are  mere 
beasts  of  burden.  They  cannot  avoid  the  marriage  state,  otherwise 
they  would  willingly  do  so.  Women  formerly  strangled  themselves 
upon  the  death  of  their  husbands,  but  the  custom  was  prohibited. 
I  almost  believe  they  were  glad  to  escape  from  their  weary  life. 
The  scanty  population  of  Polynesia  results  from  female  degrada- 
tion and  consequent  infanticide.  A  woman's  life  is  so  degraded 
that  she  has  no  interest  in  rearing  the  children  she  bears,  especially 
female  children. 

Besides  direct,  indirect  infanticide,  resulting  from  carelessness, 
bad  feeding,  and  neglect,  prevails  to  an  alarming  extent.  The  mor- 
tality amongst  infants  is  something  frightful.  It  would  well  repay 
the  Government  to  erect  public  nurseries  for  the  preservation  of 
infant  life  in  every  village  in  Fiji. 
H  2 


180  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

In  the  French  Colonies  the  practice  of  concubinage  is  general, 
and  it  is  well  known  that  such  a  system  is  not  at  all  conducive  to 
the  increase  of  the  population. 

In  Western  Polynesia  both  direct  and  indirect  infanticide  is  very 
common,  children  in  the  New  Hebrides  and  Solomon  Islands  being 
frequently  buried  alive.  I  sincerely  trust  the  missionary  clergy  will 
soon  be  able  to  thoroughly  establish  themselves  in  those  islands. 

HEALTH  OP  THE  ISLANDERS. 

As  yet  the  natives  have  not  considered  any  sanitary  regulations  : 
their  houses,  although  comfortable  and  suited  to  the  tropics,  are 
badly  drained  and  ill  ventilated,  the  greater  number  of  them  being 
extremely  unclean  habitations.  Mat  upon  mat  is  often  piled  upon 
the  naked  earth,  until  the  bottom  layer  is  a  mass  of  decomposition  ; 
the  consequence  is  that  vermin  abound,  and  the  natives  have  to  re- 
sort to  the  use  of  lime  in  order  to  keep  themselves  personally  free 
from  the  pest.  Contagious  diseases  of  every  kind  spread  amongst 
them  like  wildfire  :  an  epidemic  kills  them  off  by  thousands.  Should 
we  not  endeavour  to  prevent  this  ?  The  natives  should  be  induced 
to  build  their  houses  upon  higher  ground,  not  upon  the  sea-shore, 
also  to  keep  them  in  open  spaces.  In  many  inland  villages  I  have 
seen  the  rank  vegetation  clustering  around  the  very  walls  of  the 
huts,  which  sometimes  it  is  even  difficult  to  discover  ;  a  traveller  all 
at  once  stumbles  on  a  native  village  buried  in  the  luxuriant  growth 
of  the  tropics.  More  wood  and  stone  should  be  used  in  the  con- 
struction of  the  private  dwellings  ;  coral  will  make  a  good  floor, 
when  wood  is  not  to  be  obtained  ;  the  mat  should  not  be  so  much 
relied  upon. 

The  natives  are  also  very  improvident  in  their  domestic  habits, 
sometimes  gorging  to  excess,  at  other  times  almost  starving:  they 
have  no  regular  hours  for  taking  food,  but  the  principal  meal  is 
towards  evening.  Their  chief  article  of  diet  is  vegetable,  which  ren- 
ders them  incapable  of  sustaining  any  very  prolonged  labour.  It  is 
doubtful  whether  the  free  use  of  the  cocoa-nut  is  beneficial  to  health ; 
in  my  opinion  maize  would  be  found  far  more  nutritious.  The 
dense  coast  population  of  Ceylon  is  chiefly  supported  by  the  cocoa- 
nut  ;  and  we  often  hear  of  great  epidemics  raging  in  that  island — 
some  10,000  natives  were  carried  off  by  cholera  in  1867. 

Hardly  sufficient  attention  is  paid  to  the  purity  of  the  water 
supply,  upon  which  health  in  the  tropics  so  greatly  depends.  Where 
running  water  is  used,  the  streams  are  generally  fouled  by  the 
natives,  and  standing  water  ought  to  be  avoided  :  the  great  amount 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  181 

of  vegetable  decomposition  constantly  taking  place  soon  charges 
standing  water  with  a  pestilential  deposit. 

Some  of  the  islands  are,  however,  in  themselves  very  unhealthy. 
These  are  principally  to  be  found  in  Western  Polynesia.  Why  they 
should  be  so  is  a  difficult  matter  to  determine.  In  many  instances 
the  islands  surrounding  any  particular  spot  are  healthy,  whilst  the 
spot  itself  is  the  abode  of  fever  and  ague.  Indeed,  it  is  oftentimes 
found  that  three  sides  of  an  island  are  healthy,  while  the  fourth  is 
totally  the  opposite. 

The  prevailing  winds  have  much  to  do  with  the  subject,  and  like- 
wise the  neighbourhood  of  the  Australian  continent.  Large  deposits 
of  vegetable  matter  in  a  state  of  decomposition  will  also  be  found  to 
greatly  influence  the  healthy  condition  of  the  atmosphere.  For 
these  reasons  the  windward  side  of  any  island  is  more  healthy  than 
the  leeward,  in  consequence  of  receiving  the  steady  current  of  the 
south-east  trade  winds. 

In  the  report  of  Commissioners  Commodore  Goodenough  and  Mr. 
Layard  concerning  the  cession  of  Fiji,  there  is  a  paper  containing 
some  observations  by  Dr.  Messer  upon  the  health  of  the  islands. 
That  gentleman  states  that  the  Fijian  Archipelago  is  singularly 
free  "  not  only  from  tropical  diseases,  but  also  from  most  of  those 
diseases  which  in  England  and  other  countries  yearly  cause  a  large 
amount  of  sickness."  This  is  saying  a  great  deal  for  future  white 
residence  in  that  group.  It  would  be  of  the  utmost  advantage  if  our 
medical  officers,  generally,  in  the  Pacific  would  report  upon  the 
health  of  the  islands,  as  the  most  healthy  are  the  most  valuable  for 
European  residence.  The  climate  of  an  unhealthy  island  will  greatly 
retard  the  work  of  colonisation.  Our  information  on  the  subject  is 
at  present  very  vague,  but  I  think  I  am  fully  entitled  to  say  that 
the  Pacific  islands  are  more  healthy  and  more  suitable  for  Euro- 
pean residence  than  the  West  Indies  or  British  Guiana. 

LANGUAGE  AND  EDUCATION. 

The  education  of  the  islanders  has  been  principally  confined  to 
religious  teaching.  Nothing  else  could  possibly  have  been  expected 
nor  anything  better  imparted.  Whilst,  however,  perfectly  agreeing 
with  what  has  already  been  done,  I  think  that  it  will  be  found  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  pay  more  attention  to  secular  and  industrial  edu- 
cation, especially  in  those  islands  which  have  been  Christianised. 
The  Melanesian  Mission  in  Norfolk  Island,  and  the  Wesleyan  Train- 
ing Schools  in  Tonga  and  Fiji,  combine  the  three  :  an  extension  of 
this  plan  is  alone  required.  I  am  quite  certain  that  the  mis- 


182  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

sionarieg  will  cordially  assist  in  any  matter  connected  with  the 
welfare  of  the  natives.! 

Both  secular  education  and  industrial  habits  must  be  inculcated, 
and  the  more  compulsory  the  system,  the  better  it  will  be  for  the 
natives.  There  should  not  be  any  hesitation  in  the  course  to  be 
pursued.  The  lazy  habits  of  past  generations  have  to  be  rooted  out, 
and  compulsory  means  are  the  most  suitable  for  the  work.  Boys  and 
girls  should  be  compelled  to  attend  the  schools,  and  the  Fijian 
Government  should  consider  the  advisability  of  establishing  such 
schools  in  every  village.  Public  nurseries  and  public  schools  might 
well  be  combined.  One  great  difficulty  exists  with  regard  to  secular 
education.  Each  group  of  islands  has  not  only  one  language,  but 
in  many  instances  distinct  district  dialects, — the  missionaries  say, 
distinct  languages.  The  Eev.  H.  Codrington,  in  one  of  his  early 
lectures,  remarks  :  "  It  is  not  that  each  island  has  its  own  language, 
but  that  there  are  many  languages,  mutually  unintelligible,  on  one 
island.  I  have  a  little  chart  of  a  part  of  the  New  Hebrides — the 
Shepherd  Islands,  including  Tisiko  and  Fate :  there  are  twelve 
islands  and  thirteen  tongues,  mutually  unintelligible." 

Western  Polynesia,  however,  possesses  a  greater  diversity  of  lan- 
guage than  Eastern  or  Central  Polynesia,  in  consequence  of  having 
been  populated  not  only  by  colonies  of  Asiatics,  and  Papuan,  and 
Australian  negroes,  but  also  by  many  wanderers  from  Polynesia 
itself,  driven  westward  by  the  trade  winds.  New  Hebrides  and  the 
Solomon  Islands  contain  many  settlements  of  pure  Polynesians.  In 
Eastern  and  Central  Polynesia  the  different  dialects  of  the  parent 
Malayan  tongue  are  not  so  numerous.  They  must,  however,  rank 
as  distinct  languages  in  consequence  of  the  missionary  clergy  having 
been  compelled  to  erect  them  into  that  position.  The  Sandwich, 
Society,  Cooks,  Samoan,  Tongan,  and  Fijian  islands  have  each  their 
published  Bibles,  grammars,  dictionaries,  and  vocabularies :  portions 
of  the  Scriptures  have  also  been  translated  into  some  of  the  lan- 
guages spoken  in  the  following  islands :  Marquesas,  Caroline,  Mar- 
shall, Gilbert,  New  Hebrides,  Banks,  Loyalty,  New  Caledonia 
Groups.  The  press  has  indeed  aided  Christianity  in  the  Pacific. 

Whether  it  is  advisable  to  continue  this  bountiful  supply  of  lan- 
guage is  very  doubtful.  A  population  of  little  over  a  million  does 
not  require  twenty-five  to  thirty  different  languages ;  it  would  be 
much  better  for  the  natives  to  learn  one  useful  language,  which  could 
be  used  as  a  medium  for  imparting  secular  education,  than  the  pre- 
sent numerous  dialects  of  one  or  two  parent  tongues.  One  language 
is  amply  sufficient  for  Eastern,  Central,  and  Northern  Polynesia, 
another  for  Western  Polynesia.  In  my  opinion  two  languages  are 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  188 

alone  required — one  founded  upon  a  Malayan,  the  other  upon  a 
Papuan  basis.  The  subject  is  very  important,  as  the  future  work  of 
government  in  the  Pacific  will  be  much  aided  by  such  a  simplifica- 
tion, as  the  cost  of  ruling  the  islands  will  be  increased  in  proportion 
to  the  number  of  languages.  It  is  also  doubtful  whether  the  Eng- 
lish language  is  suitable  to  the  tropics ;  the  natives  under  our  rule 
will  pick  it  up,  but  it  is  much  too  harsh  to  become  the  popular  lan- 
guage in  Polynesia ;  French  and  Spanish  are  both  more  suitable. 
It  would,  however,  be  better  for  the  English  language  to  be  taught 
than  the  numerous  native  languages  which  are  at  present  being  in 
a  manner  built  up.  Australia  will  contribute  a  large  number  of 
English-speaking  people  to  the  population  of  the  Pacific,  and 
South  Eastern  Asia  many  Indian  and  Chinese.  The  necessity  for 
having  one  language  common  to  all  and  easy  of  acquisition  is  hence 
evident. 

POSITION  OF  THE  AUSTRALASIAN  COLONIES. 

The  position  of  the  Australasian  Colonies  with  regard  to  these 
islands  is  very  important,  as  the  trade  of  the  Pacific  is  almost  cer- 
tain to  be  conducted  from  their  ports  for  many  years  to  come. 
There  are  few  safe  harbours  in  Polynesia,  and  the  rise  and  fall  of 
tide  is  very  slight ;  consequently  the  Australasian  ports  must  be 
largely  relied  on  for  many  purposes. 

The  carrying  trade  of  the  Pacific  will  have  to  be  principally  con- 
ducted by  means  of  small  vessels  of  80  to  150  tons,  either  steam  or 
sail,  or  a  combination  of  both.  Auxiliary  screw  wooden  schooners 
will  be  found  most  suitable.  Australasia  can  supply  these  vessels 
better  and  cheaper  than  any  other  country.  One  or  two  ports  of 
the  Western  Coast  of  America  may  share  in  the  trade,  but  the 
Australasian  ports  are  likely  to  be  the  most  relied  upon. 

Colonial  shipping  will  also  supply  a  cheap  freight  for  island  pro- 
duce to  European  markets.  At  present,  outward  English  shipping 
to  Australia  cannot  always  rely  upon  a  homeward  freight.  Vessels 
have  constantly  to  go  from  Melbourne,  Sydney,  and  New  Zealand  to 
India  and  China,  in  order  to  obtain  a  return  cargo.  The  trade  of 
the  Pacific  will  supply  that  shipping  with  a  return  freight,  and  both 
will  mutually  profit.  Of  course,  eventually,  the  islands  will  require 
their  own  lines  of  vessels,  and  accommodation  will  be  required  in 
the  English  docks  for  the  Pacific  trade,  just  as  it  is  required  for 
the  West  Indian. 

The  islands  will  draw  from  the  Colonies  their  supply  of  coals, 
building  materials,  flour,  and  other  standing  articles  of  consump- 
tion ;  also  a  vast  quantity  of  material.  Towns  are  yet  to  be  built, 


184  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

roads  and  bridges  to  be  constructed ;  small  dry  docks,  mills,  foun- 
dries, machinery,  water,  and  gasworks,  lighthouses,  telegraphs  con- 
necting group  to  group  and  island  to  island  ;  indeed,  all  the  wants 
of  civilisation  have  yet  to  be  supplied,  and  the  Colonies  are  certain  to 
share  largely  in  the  supply.  At  present  the  islands  possess  abso- 
lutely nothing — cultivation  and  production  have  hardly  commenced. 

The  imports  and  exports  of  the  British  possessions  alone  in  the 
West  Indies  amount  to  fifteen  million  sterling.  The  Pacific  hardly 
imports  more  than  £700,000  per  annum.  The  "West  Indies  employ 
a  million  tons  of  English  shipping;  not  a  vessel  leaves  an  English 
port  for  the  Pacific. 

It  is  almost  certain  that  the  resources  of  the  Pacific  will  shortly 
be  greatly  developed,  and  the  position  of  Australasian  Colonies  with 
regard  to  that  development  is  a  very  important  consideration. 
Australasia  is  as  valuable  to  the  Pacific  as  the  Pacific  is  to  Austra- 
lasia ;  indeed,  if  the  islands  would  consult  their  best  interests,  and 
also  look  to  their  geographical  position,  instead  of  seeking  protection 
from  America,  France,  and  Germany,  they  would  petition  the  Aus- 
tralian Colonies  for  assistance.  It  is  for  the  interest  of  these  Colo- 
nies to  render  such  assistance,  whereas  the  Powers  above  named 
have  no  particular  interest  in  the  matter. 

Which  of  the  Colonies  will  take  the  lead  in  the  island  trade  is 
uncertain,  but  in  my  opinion  New  Zealand  from  its  position  is  likely 
to  do  so.  Auckland  is  1,200  miles  nearer  the  greater  number  of 
the  groups  than  Sydney  or  any  Australian  port.  For  nine  months 
in  the  year  the  south-east  wind  prevails,  and  New  Zealand  lies  to 
the  windward  of  Australia.  Auckland  is  likely  to  become  the  soat 
of  a  large  ship-building  trade,  possessing  as  it  does  a  good  harbour, 
and  plenty  of  iron,  coal,  and  timber.  Sydney  will  supply  a  grcai 
amount  of  merchandise,  Queensland  meat,  and  South  Australia 
flour,  &c. 

New  Zealand  likewise  possesses  another  great  advantage  over 
Australia — its  beautiful  climate,  a  fit  sanitarium  for  tropical  in- 
valids ;  many  planters  even  now  resort  to  that  Colony  in  order  to 
recruit  their  health.  Ladies  and  children  will  find  it  of  the  utmost 
advantage  to  annually  leave  the  islands  for  a  couple  of  months,  in 
order  to  escape  the  summer  heat. 

The  bond  of  union  between  tho  Colonies  and  the  islands  must 
become  a  very  strong  one ;  population  is  gradually  overflowing  ; 
Colonial  merchants  are  establishing  agencies  in  the  Pacific ;  and 
there  will  hardly  be  a  planter  who  will  not  possess  many  friends  in 
one  or  other  of  the  Australian  Colonies. 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  185 

CULTIVATION  AND  PRODUCTION. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  productions  of  the  Pacific  will  not  be 
confined  to  almost  one  article  of  consumption,  viz.  sugar,  as  is 
the  case  in  the  West  Indies.  Demand  willl  doubtless  regulate  cul- 
tivation, but  it  is,  nevertheless,  a  fact  that  planters  possess  a 
strange  habit  of  following  a  given  lead :  if  one  produces  cotton,  all 
produce  cotton ;  if  sugar  cultivation  is  determined  upon,  cotton  trees 
are  rooted  up,  and  cane  planted.  Now  there  is  ample  room  in  the 
Pacific  for  the  cultivation  of  many  tropical  productions,  and  it  will 
be  found  more  payable  to  rely  upon  many  than  upon  one.  Fiji,  for 
instance,  may  be  divided  into  three  zones  :  the  low  river  or  water 
lands,  suitable  for  the  sugar-cane ;  the  higher  lands,  suitable  for 
cotton  ;  and  the  hill  or  uplands,  suitable  for  coffee.* 

The  West  Indian  planters,  after  suffering  great  losses,  are  be- 
ginning to  perceive  that  it  is  advisable  to  increase  the  number  of 
their  productions.  In  the  Pacific,  sugar,  cotton,  and  coffee  will  not 
be  found  the  only  payable  crops.  In  fibrous  productions  the  supply 
of  the  raw  material  is  unlimited.  The  owners  of  paper-mills  in 
England  are  seeking  for  new  fibres ;  the  Pacific  islands  possess 
numerous  payable  plants :  coir,  ramie,  alue,  pine-apple  (the  cele- 
brated "pina"  of  the  East),  Chinese  nettle-grass,  and  others  of  a 
similar  rich  variety.  Manilla  hemp  can  be  obtained  in  any  quantity ; 
the  plant  from  which  this  hemp  is  prepared  being  an  ordinary 
plantain  tree,  indigenous  to  the  islands,  and  regarded  almost  as  a 
weed. 

Of  the  cocoa-nut  tree  itself  little  need  be  said  ;  its  value  is  well- 
known.  In  Ceylon,  each  tree  is  reckoned  to  be  worth  four  shillings 
annually.  There  are  millions  of  cocoa-nut  trees  in  Polynesia ;  scores 
of  small  islands  are  to  be  found  covered  with  them,  and  totally  un- 
inhabited, oil  and  fibre  wasting  at  the  rate  of  thousands  of  pounds 
annually.  Those  planters  who  gave  up  cotton-growing  a  short  time 
ago  in  Fiji,  and  took  to  cultivating  and  producing  from  the  cocoa- 
nut,  gained  much  profit  by  the  change.  In  my  opinion,  the  prepa- 
ration of  cocoa-nut  fibre  and  oil,  and  Manilla  hemp,  would  afford 
home  employment  for  the  whole  of  the  native  population. 

Tea,  rice,  arrowroot,  indigo,  ginger,  cinnamon,  tobacco,  fruits, 
and  innumerable  other  tropical  productions  will  all  pay  for  culti- 
vation. 

Whale  oil,  Beche-de-mer,  fungus,  pearl-shell,  sandal-wood,  tor- 

*  The  coffee  plant  requires  to  be  cultivated  at  an  elevation  of  at  least  1,200 
feet  above  the  sea  level.  Ceylon  exports  about  £2,000,000  -worth  of  coffee 
annually. 


186  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

toise-shell,  &c.  have  to  be  collected,  and  valuable  timber  to  be  cut 
and  exported. 

The  islands  possess  a  great  number  of  very  valuable  woods. 
Timber  in  the  tropics  is  either  very  hard  or  very  soft ;  there  is  no 
medium.  The  soft  wood  is  useless ;  but  the  hard  wood,  such  as 
teak,  mahogany,  &c.  is  very  valuable.  In  many  islands  there  are 
virgin  forests  of  hard- wood  trees,  in  which  civilised  man  has  hardly 
yet  placed  a  foot. 

Planters,  however,  must  not  be  too  much  led  away  by  the  appa- 
rent resources  of  the  Pacific.  I  have  before  remarked  that  the  true 
wealth  of  the  islands  lies  in  the  available  labour,  not  in  the  produc- 
tions :  they  should,  therefore,  as  a  preliminary  to  cultivation,  make 
certain  of  their  labour  supply.  No  reliance  can  be  placed  upon 
resident  labour  for  the  present.  A  native  does  not  care  about  work- 
ing upon  his  own  island ;  the  planter  must,  therefore,  import  from 
abroad  a  certain  number  of  hands  required  to  perform  the  principal 
work  of  the  plantation  all  the  year  round.  He  should  select  suitable 
lands  near  some  large  native  village,  and  only  rely  upon  the  resi- 
dent natives  in  crop-time — even  then  as'sparingly  as  possible.  In 
Ceylon,  Tamil  labourers  are  principally  employed,  the  Cingalese 
doing  all  the  light  carrying  work. 

Neither  is  money  to  be  hurriedly  made.  A  planter  ought  to  erect 
a  comfortable  home  upon  his  plantation  :  it  is  a  great  mistake  for 
a  European  to  live  in  the  wretched  manner  that  I  have  witnessed 
upon  various  plantations.  A  fortune  is  not  to  be  made  in  a  year 
or  two  ;  planting  in  the  Pacific  requires  as  much  careful  considera- 
tion and  calculation  as  farming  in  England.  Only  a  percentage 
upon  the  capital  employed  can  be  expected — perhaps  fifteen,  per- 
haps twenty  per  cent.,  perhaps  more,  according  to  circumstances 
and  the  experience  of  the  planter.  In  some  islands  a  greater  per- 
centage may  be  relied  on  than  in  others ;  certain  productions 
succeed  better  in  certain  localities.  First  of  all  choose  a  healthy 
island ;  consider  whether  it  is  fairly  situated  out  of  the  track  of 
hurricanes,*  and  cultivate  the  productions  most  suitable  to  it.  Where 
a  British  subject  now  resides  makes  little  difference :  the  last  Poly- 
nesian Act  empowers  the  High  Commissioner,  Sir  Arthur  Gordon, 
to  protect  all  British  subjects  in  the  Pacific. 

The  rainfall  also  requires  consideration.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that 
observations  will  be  systematically  commenced  in  the  English  and 
French  possessions,  and  also  by  the  missionaries,  in  order  to  arrive 

*  Information  concerning  the  hurricane-track  is  as  yet  somewhat  scanty : 
the  statistical  chart  attached  affords  some  little  information  upon  the  point. 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  187 

at  a  fair  estimate  of  this  very  important  subject.  The  observations 
of  any  private  gentleman  periodically  forwarded  to  one  of  the  Colo- 
nial observatories  would  be  of  much  public  value. 

A  safe  principle  to  be  guided  by  is  to  separate  agriculture  from 
manufacture  as  much  as  possible.  Unless  the  greatest  care  is 
taken,  the  profit  which  may  be  realised  by  the  one  will  be  lost  in 
the  other.  I  am  induced  to  make  these  remarks  in  the  hope  that 
they  will  at  least  direct  the  attention  of  intending  planters  to  past 
experience.  The  West  Indies,  Ceylon,  Mauritius,  and  other  islands 
supply  volumes  of  experience,  which  only  requires  to  be  studied  in 
order  to  make  cultivation  in  the  Pacific  a  most  profitable  pursuit. 

THE  POLYNESIAN  SCHEME. 

With  regard  to  the  profits  which  commercial  speculation  is  likely 
to  realise  in  the  Pacific,  I  cannot  do  better  than  refer  to  the  Poly- 
nesian scheme  lately  proposed  by  the  New  Zealand  Government, 
for  opening  up  the  resources  of  the  islands,  and  so  warmly  taken 
up  by  Sir  Julius  Vogel.  Having  originated  the  scheme,  I  think 
that  I  can  give  a  fair  explanation  concerning  its  intention :  its  scope 
may  be  misconceived  unless  some  such  explanation  be  given. 

Whilst  cruising  amongst  the  islands  in  1872,  I  was  struck  with 
the  necessity  which  plainly  existed  for  bringing  capital  to  bear  upon 
the  undeveloped  resources  of  the  Pacific.  The  only  plan  which 
occurred  to  me  was  the  natural  one  of  an  Associated  Company. 
Certain  of  the  groups  possessed  forms  of  Government  quite  un- 
suitable to  them,  while  others  had  no  Government  at  all.  A  power- 
ful company  would  not  only  be  liable  to  govern  itself,  but  also 
establish  numerous  stations  to  which  all  classes  of  settlers  would 
look  for  assistance  and  protection.  The  objects  of  the  Company 
were  three :  (1)  To  trade,  cultivate,  and  manufacture ;  (2)  To  supply 
labour ;  (3)  To  acquire  ultimate  dominion. 

Of  the  first,  little  need  be  said.  The  opening  for  trade,  cultiva- 
tion, and  manufacture  is  well  known. 

Our  possessions  in  the  West  Indies  import  and  export  annually 
about  £15,000,000,  Ceylon  £8,000,000,  and  Mauritius  £5,000,000, 
whilst  the  Pacific  hardly  does  anything  in  comparison.  The  only 
consideration  was,  firstly,  whether  it  was  advisable  to  go  into  the 
matter  upon  a  large  or  small  scale  ;  and,  secondly,  whether  a 
monopoly  was  advisable.  I  suggested  the  advisability  of  taking  up 
the  subject  in  the  widest  sense,  in  consequence  of  so  many  small 
attempts  having  failed.  An  influential  company  would  be  able  to 
command!  good  men  and  far  better  experience  than  a  small  com- 
pany :  it  has  generally  been  found  that  small  companies  do  not 


188  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

pay.  With  regard  to  a  monopoly,  I  failed  to  see  its  utility.  There 
is  plenty  of  room  in  the  Pacific  for  half  a  dozen  such  companies  as 
I  proposed.  The  history  of  the  Java  Trading  Company  is  not  such 
a  one  as  to  recommend  its  repetition  elsewhere. 

As  to  the  second  object,  the  labour  supply.  In  1872  the  labour 
supply  was  carried  on  in  a  most  wretched  manner.  Men  and 
vessels  were  engaged  in  it  utterly  unfitted  for  the  traffic.  The 
greater  number  of  the  men  were  not  very  desirable  citizens  in  any 
country,  and  most  of  the  vessels  were  small,  rotten  slavers,  of  a 
few  tons  burthen".  Twenty  and  thirty  labourers,  sometimes  more, 
were  often  carried  400  and  500  miles  in  a  vessel  of  ten  tons  or  so. 
I  need  not  refer  to  how  the  labourers  were  obtained.  Names  were 
painted  out,  canoes  were  run  down,  clergymen  were  vilely  personi- 
fied, and  all  sorts  of  shameful  ruses  were  carried  on  to  decoy  the 
natives.  Matters  sadly  required  mending,  and  it  struck  me  that 
the  company  could  mend  them  by  supplying  good  men,  good  vessels, 
and  being  responsible  to  Government  officers  for  all  transactions. 
Since  that  time  I  have  found  no  reason  to  alter  my  views  ;  I  still 
think  that  the  labour  traffic  should  be  under  direct  Government 
inspection.  All  our  tropical  possessions  require  labourers;  and 
dealing  in  men's  lives — whether  Polynesian,  Indian,  or  Chinese — 
should  be  a  Government  question.  The  trade  is  of  sufficient 
importance  to  merit  the  attention  of  a  powerful  company. 

The  third  object,  ultimate  dominion,  can  be  briefly  dismissed. 
There  is  little  likelihood  of  the  Imperial  Government,  now  that  it 
has  taken  action  by  annexing  Fiji,  supporting  or  favouring  any 
undertaking  which  has  for  its  object  the  acquisition  of  vested  in- 
terests. Great  companies  give  too  much  trouble  to  be  encouraged. 
At  the  time  when  I  proposed  the  scheme,  England  had  not  taken 
action,  and  the  attempt  of  t the  white  settlers  to  erect  petty  inde- 
pendent native  states  appeared  to  me  open  to  failure.  A  powerful 
company  might  gradually  attain  such  a  position,  that  it  eventually 
would  be  enabled  to  hand  over  the  sovereignty  of  any  island  to 
Great  Britain,  should  the  Imperial  Government  choose  to  accept 
it.  The  East  India  Company,  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  the 
New  Zealand  Company,  the  African  Company,  and  many  others 
are  precedents  for  my  proposal,  and  no  one  can  deny  that  those 
companies  have  done  much  for  England. 

A  Polynesian  Company  would  greatly  benefit  the  cause  of  civili- 
sation in  the  Pacific,  not  by  regenerating  the  natives,  but  by  assist- 
ing the  missionary.  I  especially  proposed  that  it  should  work 
hand  in  hand  with  the  missionary  clergy,  and  in  Western  Polynesia 
they  sadly  want  such  assistance.  There,  commerce  does  not  follow 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 


189 


religious  teaching  sufficiently  fast  ;  petty  warfare  and  all  the 
horrors  of  barbarism  reign  supreme.  A  white  man  dares  not  land 
upon  many  of  the  islands.  Even  the  lives  of  the  commanders  of 
our  men-of-war  are  not  respected.  The  company  could  mitigate 
these  evils  by  simply  supporting  missionary  effort  and  offering 
constant  rewards  for  voluntary  labour.  The  missionaries,  on  the 
other  hand,  would  find  it  far  better  to  work  with  such  a  company 
as  I  proposed  than  to  combat  the  numerous  adventurers  who  only 
vilify  them. 

Such,  briefly,  was  the  design  of  the  scheme.  In  whatever 
manner  it  may  be  commented  upon  I  can  only  say  that  its  designs 
were  based  upon  the  broadest  and  most  beneficial  principles.  I  am 
not  responsible,  neither  do  I  exactly  agree  with  the  form  in  which 
the  scheme  was  proposed;  but  its  promulgators  can  easily 
amend  any  defects  should  they  deem  it  necessary.  I  believe  the 
idea  will  be  carried  out,  as  capital  must  be  introduced  into  the 
islands,  and  the  associated  or  contract  principle  is  the  principle  of 
the  age.  That  it  will  benefit  the  islands  I  am  certain,  as  also  the 
Australian  Colonies,  for  it  would  vastly  assist  in  strengthening  the 
bond  of  union  which  is  beginning  to  grow  up  between  them. 

SHALL  ENGLAND  COLONISE  ? 

Having  now  briefly  touched  upon  the  principal  matters  connected 
with  the  civilisation  of  the  Pacific,  it  is  time  to  consider  the  action 
which  England,  as  a  colonising  Power,  should  take  with  regard  to 
those  islands. 

It  is  quite  impossible  for  them  to  remain  in  their  present  con- 
dition ;  foreign  Powers  are  certain  to  interfere. 

I  have  pointed  out  that  the  petty  native  kingdoms  are  too  weak  to 
properly  administer  the  duties  of  government  for  any  length  of 
time.  The  natives  cannot  rule  themselves,  neither  can  they  rule 
the  white  people  who  are  settling  amongst  them.  They  know 
this,  and  they  are  anxious  for  annexation  or  protection  by  some 
strong  Power.  Nearly  the  whole  of  Eastern  and  Central  Polynesia 
look  towards  England.  The  natives  have  been  accustomed  from 
their  infancy  to  regard  our  good  Queen  as  their  Queen,  and  our 
men-of-war  as  their  natural  protectors  ;  even  in  Samoa,  the  chiefs 
of  which  have  been  induced  to  petition  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment for  protection,  this  feeling  prevails.  In  my  opinion,  the 
general  body  of  the  natives  of  Samoa  prefer  to  be  annexed  to  Eng- 
land rather  than  to  any  other  nation.  In  1869  the  Fijian  chiefs 
petitioned  the  United  States  Government  for  protection ;  it  is  very 
easy  to  get  up  such  a  petition. 


190  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

The  only  question  to  consider  is  whether  it  is  advisable  for  us  to 
take  any  further  and  immediate  action.  Fiji  has  been  annexed, 
and  the  labour  traffic  is  being  regulated.  Shall  we  leave  matters 
for  time  to  arrange,  or  is  it  worth  while  to  lay  down  a  definite 
policy  with  regard  to  Polynesia  ?  For  myself,  I  believe  that  it  is  to 
our  interest  to  acquire  every  spot  of  land  in  the  Pacific,  not  only 
for  its  intrinsic  value,  but  in  order  to  prevent  other  Powers  obtaining 
such  valuable  possessions.  As  Colonies,  they  would  become  very  valu- 
able, for  we  should  then  possess  nearly  all  the  insular  land  in  the 
tropics,  and  such  land  is  of  far  greater  value  for  certain  tropical 
productions  than  continental  lands. 

As  naval  stations  they  are  very  important.  In  the  uncertain 
state  of  naval  warfare  we  ought  to  take  every  precaution  to  main- 
tain our  supremacy  at  sea.  Ironclads  are  at  present  relied 
upon  for  national  safety ;  in  a  short  time  ironclads  may  be  con- 
demned to  coast  defence  purposes.  Smaller,  lighter  armed,  and 
more  numerous  vessels  may  be  considered  a  better  fighting  fleet. 
Short  distance  stations,  and  many  coaling  depots,  will  consequently 
be  required.  If  we  took  possession  of  the  Pacific  islands  we  should 
gain  a  great  advantage  over  the  war  vessels  of  any  European 
nation,  as  the  Pacific  is  almost  the  only  portion  of  the  globe  in 
which  foreign  Powers  can  establish  naval  stations.  We  have  it  in 
our  power  to  thoroughly  command  the  Indian  and  Pacific  Oceans, 
and  we  should  be  careful  of  throwing  the  chance  away.  France  is 
as  yet  the  only  European  Power  which  has  perceived  the  advantage 
of  having  naval  stations  in  the  Pacific  ;  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  other 
European  Powers  will  not  be  allowed  to  follow  her  example,  as  the 
acquisition  of  such  positions  affords  them  an  admirable  basis  of 
operations  against  our  Asiatic  and  Australian  possessions.  In  the 
event  of  war  we  should  have  to  guard  against  a  great  nest  of  Pacific 
hornets,  which  might  cost  far  more  than  preliminary  precaution. 
It  would  be  almost  a  pity  to  see  these  islands  fall  into  the  hands  of 
many  nations,  and  so  eventually  become  merely  the  fortified  ren- 
dezvous of  half  a  dozen  great  Powers.  The  argument  that  the 
Malay  islands  are  open  to  occupation  does  not  apply.  They  are,  in 
the  first  place,  too  far  away  to  be  of  any  use  as  coaling  stations  ; 
and,  secondly,  are  too  difficult  of  acquisition.  The  Dutch  find  it  a 
difficult  task  to  subdue  the  Malays.  The  Pacific  islands  are  easily 
acquired,  and  for  this  reason  they  should  be  especially  valuable  to 
us,  as  they  will  entail  no  expense.  A  regiment  of  British  soldiers 
will  never  be  required  in  Polynesia.  Our  present  Australasian 
squadron  is  almost  sufficiently  powerful  to  keep  order  in  the  whole 
of  that  portion  of  the  globe. 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  191 

Another  reason  for  the  Imperial  Government  taking  action  is  the 
fact  that  our  Australasian  Colonies  would  be  greatly  benefited 
thereby.  They  are  constantly  petitioning  the  Home  Government 
to  take  action,  and  then-  leading  statesmen  even  offer  monetary 
assistance.  It  appears  to  me  that  their  petitions  should  be 
attended  to,  but  then-  offers  of  monetary  assistance  declined.  I 
take  it  that  whatever  benefits  the  Australasian  Colonies  also  benefits 
the  mother  country ;  for  although  the  Colonies  reasonably  imagine 
that  they  will  derive  much  profit  from  the  trade  of  the  Pacific  being 
supplied  from  then.'  ports,  yet  we  must  not  forget  that  the  Colonies 
themselves  are  supplied  from  England.  English  shipping  and 
English  manufactures  will  be  principally  used — in  fact,  nearly  all 
that  the  Pacific  requires  will  be  drawn  from  the  mother  country. 

With  regard  to  the  offer  of  monetary  assistance,  it  appears  to  me 
that  it  would  hardly  become  the  mother  country  to  charge  one 
group  of  Colonies  for  that  which  benefits  general  interests.  Indeed, 
I  do  not  see  how  the  Imperial  Government  could  accept  it  unless 
they  were  allowed  to  have  some  voice  in  the  administration  of  those 
particular  islands  the  cost  of  whose  government  they  were  partly 
defraying.  It  is  the  desire  of  the  Colonies  to  develop  the  trade 
of  the  Pacific,  and  by  doing  so  they  will  simply  extend  English 
commerce. 

At  present  the  Colonies  petition  the  English  Government  to  take 
action,  but  we  must  not  forget  that  in  a  short  time  they  will  be 
sufficiently  powerful  to  act  for  themselves.  Had  they  possessed  the 
slightest  voice  in  foreign  affairs,  France  would  never  have  been 
allowed  to  take  possession  of  New  Caledonia.  If  the  Imperial 
Government  will  only  consider  Australasian  interests,  the  Pacific 
islands  may  yet  form  a  part  of  a  future  Australasian  Confederation. 

I  have  no  wish  to  hint  at  the  various  obstacles  which  may  pre- 
vent Ministers  from  taking  any  further  and  immediate  action  in  the 
Pacific :  I  only  desire  to  point  out  that  some  definite  policy  is 
necessary.  It  is  not  always  advisable  to  leave  time  to  solve  difficult 
questions.  We  may  not  find  in  Samoa  that  which  we  found  in  Fiji, 
— another  Thurston  to  advise  the  chiefs  as  to  what  is  best  for  their 
country's  interest,  neither  will  the  suppression  of  the  labour  traffic 
afford  a  stalking-horse  for  future  action.  The  broad  question  to 
be  considered  is,  whether  England  should  pursue  the  old  policy  of 
colonisation,  which  has  helped  to  make  her  what  she  is,  or  whether 
we  should  allow  the  Pacific  to  work  its  own  civilisation.  Our  mis- 
sionaries have  opened  the  way  to  commerce :  is  France  alone  to 
profit  by  it  ?  Are  the  Australian  Colonies  quietly  to  witness  the 
trade  which  they  are  fostering  absorbed  by  foreign  nations  ?  Are 


192  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

our  Eastern  possessions  to  be  left  unguarded  ?  Is  it  advisable  to 
allow  the  Pacific  islands  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  many  nations  ? 
These  questions  are  worthy  of  attention,  and  I  trust  that  they  will 
receive  some  little  consideration. 

FINAL  REMARKS. 

I  must  now  bring  the  paper  to  an  end.  The  subject  upon  which 
it  treats  is  so  extensive  that  the  great  difficulty  under  which  I  have 
laboured  is,  not  to  find  what  to  say,  but  what  to  leave  unsaid.  In 
a  paper  such  as  this  it  is  almost  impossible  to  do  justice  to  so  great 
a  subject.  Many  important  matters  have  been  omitted.  But  slight 
reference  has  been  made  to  New  Guinea :  the  civilisation  and  colo- 
nisation of  that  island  must  be  a  task  of  tune.  In  my  opinion  the 
various  groups  of  islands  referred  to  require  far  more  immediate 
attention  than  New  Guinea.  Their  colonisation  is  forcing  itself 
upon  our  attention,  although  it  has  taken  nearly  a  hundred  years 
for  the  question  to  ripen  into  its  present  importance. 

New  Guinea,  as  I  have  before  remarked,  is  a  terra  incognita :  there 
is  not  much  danger  of  any  great  Power  attempting  to  colonise  it  for 
some  time  to  come.  All  that  we  require  at  present  is  the  protection  of 
our  trade  through  Torres  Straits,  and  the  Eoyal  Colonial  Institute  has 
duly  brought  that  important  point  before  the  notice  of  the  Imperial 
Government.  That  the  civilisation  of  New  Guinea  will  be  found  a 
more  easy  task  than  that  of  the  Malay  Islands  is  true,  but  there  is 
no  necessity  for  us  immediately  to  perform  the  task.  Our  mission- 
aries will  first  lead  the  way.  I  notice  that  in  May  last  the  Wesleyan 
missionary  barque,  John  Williams,  left  Fiji  with  a  deputation  of 
white  missionaries  and  about  fifteen  native  teachers  for  the  purpose 
of  taking  the  first  steps  to  plant  Christianity  on  the  north-west  of 
the  island,  and  at  the  same  time  the  islands  of  New  Britain  and 
New  Ireland.  The  London  Missionary  Society  has  selected  the 
south  coast.  There  is  very  little  doubt  but  that  these  noble  efforts 
will  succeed :  yet  the  task  is  a  difficult  one.  The  natives  are  some- 
what fierce  and  treacherous,  and  the  climate,  so  far  as  we  are 
acquainted,  very  unhealthy.  It  would  be  of  much  advantage  if  the 
Home  Government  directed  our  war  schooners  to  visit  the  new 
stations  occasionally.  Nothing  has  been  found  more  hurtful  to 
missionary  enterprise  than  the  solitary  condition  of  the  clergy.  For 
many  months  they  are  left  to  themselves  to  straggle  with  their 
numerous  difficulties.  The  one  or  two  mission  vessels  cannot  per- 
form the  necessary  work  of  visiting  all  the  stations.  I  trust  the 
Societies  at  home  will  seek  a  little  co-operation  in  this  matter 
from  the  Imperial  Government. 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  193 

In  the  body  of  the  paper  it  will  be  observed  that  reference  has 
often  been  made  to  the  West  India  Islands.  In  my  opinion  the 
past  history  of  those  islands  will  be  found  a  very  valuable  precedent 
for  future  action  in  Polynesia. 

The  opening  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  by  a  canal  has  a  most 
important  bearing  upon  the  future  of  the  Pacific.  The  successful 
accomplishment  of  that  great  work  will  vastly  increase  the  value  ol 
the  islands.  Through  them  will  pass  a  great  trade  to  Australasia 
and  Eastern  Asia,  and  back  again  to  the  Western  hemisphere. 
Great  circle  tracks  are  almost  certain  to  be  followed,  and  one  or  two  of 
these  tracks  cut  the  islands.  Such  a  traffic  must  greatly  benefit  tho 
Pacific.  The  opening  of  the  canal  will  also  permit  the  island  trade 
going  direct  to  English  markets,  as  the  distance  will  then  not  be 
much  greater  than  to  any  other. 

That  the  canal  will  be  constructed  is  almost  a  certainty ;  a  late 
American  Commission  upon  the  subject  does  not  consider  the  diffi- 
culties insurmountable.  The  cause  of  civilisation  would  be  greatly 
advanced  if  America,  France,  and  England  warmly  took  up  the 
subject  ;  our  own  Government,  I  believe,  is  fully  alive  to  its 
importance. 

In  conclusion,  I  may  be  allowed  to  express  an  earnest  wish  that 
the  Imperial  Government  will  consider  the  advisability  of  pursuing 
some  definite  policy.  Action  in  Polynesia  should  not  be  made  to 
depend  upon  the  mere  question  of  the  suppression  of  slavery.  It  is 
not  too  much  to  consider  that  the  islands  will  eventually  form  a 
great  confederation,  but  much  depends  upon  the  manner  in  which 
they  are  acquired  by  the  Great  Powers.  The  tendency  of  late 
years  in  the  West  Indies  has  been  towards  such  a  confederation. 
Under  a  Federal  system  the  cost  of  government  will  not  be  so 
great,  taxes  will  be  more  uniform,  and  the  labour  supply  can  be 
better  regulated — three  very  important  considerations  in  tropical 
countries.  I  trust  that  Great  Britain  will  act  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  enable  the  islands  eventually  to  form  a  powerful  confederation. 

I  cannot  close  this  paper  without  adding  one  tribute  of  respect  to 
the  memory  of  the  latest  martyr  to  the  cause  of  civilisation  in  the 
Pacific,  Captain  James  Graham  Goodenough,  Commodore  of  the 
Australian  station.  Admired  and  respected  by  all  who  knew  him, 
loved  and  esteemed  by  all  his  officers,  his  loss  will  be  deeply  felt. 
He  fell  a  martyr  in  the  attempt  to  restore  confidence  in  the  minds  of 
the  savage  natives  of  Santa  Cruz,  after  having  successfully  brought 
about  the  annexation  of  Fiji  to  the  British  Crown.  Few  events, 
since  the  death  of  Captain  Cook,  have  created  so  powerful  an  im- 
pression upon  the  public  mind.  Bishop  Patteson  and  Commodore 


194  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

Goodenough  have  both  fallen  victims  to  the  treachery  of  these  parti- 
cular islanders.  When  are  these  losses  to  cease  ?  Almost  a  cen- 
tury since,  La  Perouse  and  his  unfortunate  comrades  were  cast  away 
upon  these  very  islands,  and  not  one  returned  to  tell  the  tale.  Is  it 
not  time  for  us  to  regard  these  natives  as  dangerous  to  humanity  ? 
The  lives  of  our  sailors  and  traders  in  the  Pacific  are  at  their  mercy. 
The  late  Commodore  would  not  allow  them  to  he  punished ;  but 
have  we  not  a  duty  to  perform  ?  Should  we  not  at  once  take  steps 
to  prevent  the  future  loss  of  valuable  lives  ?  England  cannot  afford 
to  lose  such  sons  as  John  Coleridge  Patteson  and  James  Graham 
Goodenough ! 


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APPENDIX  (A.) 
EXPLANATION  OF  CHART. 

As  the  accompanying  statistical  chart  of  the  Pacific  Islands  is  the  first  of 
the  kind  attempted,  I  trust  that  every  allowance  will  he  made  for  inaccura- 
cies. I  have  found  it  very  difficult  to  ohtain  any  reliable  information; 
even  the  missionary  accounts  vary  considerably. 

Notice  has  only  been  taken  of  the  principal  groups,  although  scattered 
amongst  them  are  numerous  solitary  islands  of  much  value.  For  example, 
Savage  Island,  or  Nine,  population  5,000,  discovered  by  Cook  1773  ;  Wallis' 
Island,  population  3,000,  the  residence  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Bishop  of 
Oceania ;  Ocean  Island,  population  2,000 ;  Pleasant  Island,  population 
1,400,  so  named  from  its  beauty;  Gambier  Island,  population  1,500,  under 
French  protection ;  Easter  Island,  Fanning  Island,  and  many  others. 

The  names  of  the  various  groups  are  somewhat  confusing;  in  many 
instances  I  have  given  those  by  which  they  are  most  popularly  known.  It 
is  difficult  to  name  correctly  the  two  groups  generally  called  the  Society 
Islands. 

Captain  "Wallis,  I  believe,  named  them  the  Georgian  Islands,  in  honour  of 
George  III.  Cook  called  them  the  Society  Islands,  in  honour  of  the  Royal 
Society.  Mr.  Ellis  calls  the  Eastern  Group  (Tahiti)  the  Georgian  Islands, 
and  the  Western  Group  the  Society  Islands.  I  think  that  Tahiti  should  be 
called  the  Society  Islands,  as  it  was  there  that  Cook  made  his  observations. 

With  regard  to  the  number  of  islands  which  each  group  is  stated  to 
contain,  it  is  necessary  to  explain  that  most  of  them  are  mere  rocks,  or 
chains  of  islets  upon  one  great  reef,  or  numerous  islands  enclosed  by  one 
reef;  there  are  very  few  large  volcanic  islands  in  any  particular  group. 

Fiji,  for  example,  stated  to  contain  200,  has  only  three  or  four  large 
islands,  and  six  or  seven  small  ones,  whilst  the  remainder  are  mere 
spots,  containing  perhaps  two,  perhaps  a  thousand,  acres  each.  The  Island 
of  Hogolue,  commonly  so  called,  in  the  Caroline  Group,  is  an  immense  atoll, 
or  coral  reef,  enclosing  a  vast  lagoon,  having  a  circumference  of  some  300 
miles.  Within  the  lagoon  are  four  great  islands,  each  from  twenty  to  twenty- 
five  miles  in  circumference,  and  more  than  twenty  smaller  uninhabited  cays, 
covered  with  cocoa-nut  and  other  trees. 

The  difference  between  the  volcanic  and  coral  islands  it  is  important  to 
distinguish,  as  the  former  are  more  suited  for  the  growth  of  coffee,  cotton, 
sugar,  tobacco,  &c.  than  the  latter. 

Exclusive  of  New  Guinea,  the  area  of  the  islands  maybe  about  03,000 
square  miles,  or  five  times  as  great  as  our  West  Indian  possessions,  except- 
ing of  course  British  Guiana.  The  gross  area  of  any  group  is  only  un 
approximation,  and  cannot  be  relied  on.  By  reducing  kilometres  into  miles, 
I  have  been  enabled  to  arrive  at  some  idea  of  the  superficial  area  of  the 
French  possessions. 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  199 

A  further  survey  of  the  Pacific  is  sadly  needed.  Since  the  Herald  and 
Commodore  Wilkes'  expedition,  but  little  has  been  added  to  the  Admiralty 
charts;  I  am,  however,  somewhat  uncertain  whether  the  Imperial  Govern- 
ment has  not  lately  directed  a  few  necessary  surveys  to  be  undertaken. 

The  population  of  any  group  marked  with  an  asterisk  is  purely  conjec- 
tural. One  writer  supposes  the  New  Hebrides,  for  instance,  to  contain 
200,000  natives,  another  60,000.  I  prefer  to  underrate,  rather  than  over- 
rate, the  native  population.  The  total  of  the  numbers  given  in  the  chart 
amounts  to  843,612,  to  which  must  be  added  the  population  of  the  Phoenix, 
Santa  Cruz,  New  Ireland,  New  Britain,  Louisade,  and  Admiralty  groups, 
and  also  the  inhabitants  of  the  numerous  solitary  islands  before  referred  to. 
Exclusive  of  New  Guinea,  the  population  of  which  it  is  quite  impossible  to 
conjecture,  there  cannot  be  less  than  1,200,000  natives  in  Polynesia. 

The  foreign  residents  are  principally  European.  I  do  not  consider  that 
there  are  more  than  25,000  whites  in  the  Pacific,  of  which  number  about 
15,000  are  in  New  Caledonia. 

The  total  of  the  imports  amounts  to  ^557,829,  and  exports  .£598,215. 
Add  to  these  sums  the  imports  and  exports  of  the  Tongan  Archipelago,  the 
only  remaining  group  of  any  present  commercial  importance,  also  the  goods 
sold  by  the  trading  schooners  in  exchange  for  island  produce,  and  the  grand 
total  of  imports  and  exports  will  not  exceed  ^61,450,  000  per  annum.  The 
supply  of  the  French  convict  station  at  New  Caledonia  can  hardly  be  in- 
cluded under  a  commercial  heading. 

The  following  table  gives  a  few  statistics  concerning  other  tropical 
countries  :  — 


Population.  Imports.  Exports. 
British  Possessions  in                                                                   £  £ 

the  West  Indies   ...1871  19,988  1,089,818  5,186,086  5,804,093 

British  Guiana  .........  1871  76,000  193,491  1,897,183  2,748,720 

Mauritius  ...............  1871  708  316,042  1,807,382  3,053,054 

Ceylon  ..................  1872  24,454  2,405,287  5,169,524  3,163,153 

Java  .....................  1871  51,336  17,298,200  4,213,428  7,459,735 

Philippine  Islands*  ...  65,100  4,319,269 

In  comparison  with  these  figures,  the  result  of  my  calculations  and 
approximations  may  be  given  as  follows:  — 

SquSeaMiles        Copulation.          Imports.  Exports. 

£  £ 

Pacific  Islands  ...............           98,000        1,200,000           700,000  750,000 

New  Guinea  ..................         260,000  130,000 

It  will  therefore  be  seen  that  the  Pacific  Islands,  possessing  a  superficial 
area  of  five  times  the  extent  of  our  possessions  in  the  West  Indies  proper, 
and  a  greater  population,  does  not  at  present  consume  one-eighth  of  the 
amount  annually  imported  by  those  islands. 

*  In  1871,  the  Philippine  Islands  exported  to  Great  Britain  alono  £1,391,254, 
and  imported  £463,359. 


200  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 


APPENDIX  (B.) 
A  SHORT  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  CIRCUMSTANCES  THROUGH  WHICH  TAHITI  FELL 

UNDER  THE  PROTECTION  OF  FRANCE. 

(Extract  from  a  Narrative  of  a  "  Trip  to  Tahiti."  By  W.  K.  BULL,  1858.) 
THE  French  deserve  credit  for  the  way  the  town  of  Papeti  is  laid  out;  the 
Government  Offices  and  Government  House  are  very  good  buildings.  T 
believe  the  French  are  anxious  for  the  advancement  and  prosperity  of  the 
island,  if  they  only  knew  how  to  accomplish  it.  They  have  lately  offered 
premiums  for  the  cultivation  of  the  sugar-cane  and  for  coffee ;  but  what 
puzzles  me  is  what  the  French  want  with  Tahiti  at  all— in  fact,  it  is  only  a  sort 
of  toy  for  them,  it  brings  them  in  nothing.  The  revenues  from  fines,  and  their 
little  petty  regulations,  must  be  all  absorbed  in  the  collection  ;  it  is  in  no 
way  self-supporting,  and  the  expense  of  government  must  be  so  much  every 
year  out  of  pocket.  As  a  naval  station  it  must  be  entirely  useless,  as  in 
the  event  of  a  war  between  England  and  France,  in  about  the  first  ten 
minutes,  not  only  Tahiti,  but  every  other  French  possession  in  the  South 
Seas,  would  of  course  be  taken  from  them.  It  may  be  proper  that  I 
should  now  give  some  information  relative  to  the  possession  of  Tahiti  by 
the  French,  and  ho\v  it  was  accomplished.  It  has  been  under  French 
government  for  about  fifteen  years ;  for  many  years  previously  it  was  known 
to  the  world  as  the  head-quarters  of  Protestant  missionary  enterprise. 
Protestant  Missions  were  established  there  in  about  1790,  the  attention  of 
the  Christian  world  having  been  directed  to  Tahiti  by  the  very  interesting 
account  given  of  the  natives  by  Capt.  Cook,  in  his  voyages  round  the  world. 
It  was  at  Tahiti,  Protestant  missions  were  first  established,  extending  on  to 
the  other  Society  Islands,  the  Harvey  Group,  &c.  &c. 

The  French  had  a  Koman  Catholic  missionary  station  at  Gambier,  a 
small  island  lying  due  east  of  Tahiti ;  it  was  the  wish  of  the  Propaganda  at 
Rome  to  extend  operations  and  spread  their  faith  ;  for  this  purpose,  in  about 
1840,  they  instructed  some  French  Roman  Catholic  priests,  from  their  station 
at  Gambier,  to  proceed  on  to  Tahiti.  At  Tahiti  we  are  told  that  a  law 
existed  relating  to  strangers  landing  on  those  shores,  none  being  permitted 
to  land  or  reside  there  without  consent  of  the  sovereign  and  chiefs.  The 
Roman  Catholic  priests  in  due  time  arrived,  and  you  may  easily  imagine 
that,  with  the  Protestant  missionaries,  they  were  the  very  last  persons  they 
wished  to  see ;  in  answer  to  inquiries,  they  announced  the  object  of  their 
coming  was  to  teach  the  Roman  Catholic  religion ;  the  priests  were  told  that 
they,  the  Tahitians,  had  already  teachers,  and  were  perfectly  satisfied  with 
them ;  to  this  a  rejoinder  is  given  by  the  priests  that  these  teachers  were 
teachers  of  a  false  religion ;  this  led  to  a  decided  answer  being  given  them 
by  the  sovereign  and  chiefs  assembled.  Permission  to  stay  at  the  island 
was  refused.  Their  attention  was  directed  to  the  law  upon  the  matter 
relating  to  strangers,  and  they  were  ordered  forthwith  to  depart. 

The  French  Consul  stated  he  knew  of  no  such  law  in  existence  as  that 
referred  to  ;  that,  if  any,  it  was  only  missionary  law,  made  for  the  sovereign 
and  chiefs,  and  not  by  them. 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  201 

The  French  Consul  gave  them  a  house  to  reside  in,  but  here  they  were 
not  permitted  to  stay ;  the  natives,  acting  by  instructions  from  the  authori- 
ties, took  the  roof  off  the  house,  carried  the  priests  by  force  to  the  boats,  and 
made  them  return  to  the  ship.  When  information  of  this  affair  reached 
Rome,  indignation  was  roused,  France  was  appealed  to,  and  a  man-of-war 
sent  to  Tahiti,  demanding  satisfaction,  an  indemnity  of  4,000  dollars,  a 
treaty  also  was  insisted  on,  and  that  for  the  future  there  should  be  toleration 
for  the  Roman  Catholic  religion,  and  grants  of  sites  of  land  for  places  of 
worship.  The  captain  of  the  French  man-of-war  threatened  to  fire  on  the 
town  in  case  of  refusal.  Capt.  Thomas,  of  the  Talbot,  an  English  man-of- 
war,  was  lying  in  the  harbour  at  this  time,  and  it  may  easily  be  imagined 
these  proceedings  were  most  repugnant  to  his  feelings,  but  having  no  power 
to  act,  all  he  could  do  (to  use  his  own  phrase)  "  was  to  show  his  teeth,  but 
not  bite."  During  the  negotiation  the  French  captain  spoke  in  insulting 
terms  of  Pomare,  calling  her  a  "  liar ;  "  to  resent  this  the  English  captain 
double  shotted  his  guns,  placed  his  ship  between  the  two  French  frigates, 
and  demanded  an  apology  :  the  apology  was  promptly  given.  This  affair 
naturally  led  to  a  period  of  excitement,  and  there  was  no  knowing  any 
moment  biit  the  inflammable  materials  might  burst  into  a  flame  ;  as  for  the 
English  sailors,  they  enjoyed  the  fun  immensely,  for  Jack  had  his  feelings 
as  well  as  his  officers,  and  every  night  they  would  sing  at  the  top  of  their 
voices  in  the  ears  of  the  Frenchmen,  "  Rule  Britannia,"  making  the  harbour 
ring  again.  Ultimately,  to  prevent  the  destruction  of  property  at  Papete,  the 
amount  of  the  fines  inflicted  by  the  French  was  paid  by  the  European  resi- 
dents, and  the  quarrel  in  the  meantime  settled.  A  short  time  only  had 
elapsed,  however,  when  another  source  of  quarrel  was  opened  up.  Pomare 
was  willing  to  give  land  to  the  Roman  Catholics  for  religious  purposes  from 
her  own  property,  but  the  priests  insisted  upon  land  which  belonged  to  her 
people,  and  was  not  hers  to  give.  At  Tahiti,  as  well  as  other  islands  in  the 
South  Seas,  a  very  different  state  of  things  prevails  to  that  of  the  aborigines 
of  Australia.  Every  man  has  his  land,  the  boundaries  of  which  he  knows 
as  well  as  any  nobleman  in  England  does  his  estate.  Pomare's  refusal  was 
construed  by  the  priests  into  an  infraction  of  the  treaty  ;  in  addition  to  this, 
complaint  was  made  that  an  outrage  had  been  committed  upon  some 
Frenchman ;  another  French  man-of-war  arrived,  10,000  dollars  was  this 
time  insisted  upon,  and  demand  made  that  if  unpaid  Tahiti  should  be 
placed  under  French  protection.  The  Queen  fled  to  Eimeo,  an  island 
opposite,  where,  separated  from  her  advisers  and  unable  to  raise  the  money, 
she  was  bamboozled  into  signing  a  document,  praying  for  Tahiti  to  be  a 
French  protectorate ;  the  result  is,  that  Pomare  is  Queen  of  Tahiti  now  only 
by  name,  receiving  an  income  of  .£2,000  a  year  from  the  French  Government,* 
and  all  laws  are  made  and  administered  by  the  French.  Thus,  after  a 
period  of  sixty  years  of  toil  and  congratulation  (sic),  was  the  Protestant 
Mission  in  Tahiti  annihilated. 

With  the  occupation  by  the  French  came  stringent  restrictions  on  the 
Protestant  missionaries— their  independence  and  usefulness  was  at  an  end 

*  Had  it  not  been  for  the  Empress  Eugenic  the  allowance  would  have  quickly 
been  discontinued. 


202  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

(for  ba  it  known  the  toleration  and  religious  liberty  insisted  on  by  Roman 
Catholics,  when  subordinate,  is  very  different  to  that  accorded  by  them  when 
dominant),  the  place  was  made  too  hot  to  hold  them,  and  only  one  Protes- 
tant missionary  now  resides  in  Tahiti,  and  he  is  not  permitted  to  preach  to 
the  natives.  The  desire  on  the  part  of  the  Roman  Catholics  to  introduce 
their  religion  in  Tahiti,  after  it  had  been  for  so  many  years  the  field  of  labour 
and  suffering  on  the  part  of  the  Protestant  missionaries,  would  appear  to 
some  a  great  hardship,  and  the  act  of  refusing  them  to  reside  there  was  per- 
fectly unjustifiable;  others  would  view  it  in  a  different  light,  and  contend  that 
the  refusal  came  altogether  from"  missionary"  influence;  that  the  simple 
circumstances  of  the  missionaries  acting  as  religious  teachers  in  the  island, 
in  no  way  warranted  the  assumption  of  such  a  power,  that  to  use  it  was  to 
exercise  on  their  part  all  the  rights  and  privileges  of  sovereignty  without 
any  of  the  legal  pretensions,  and  that  the  Protestant  missionaries  have  no 
just  right  or  claim  to  have  the  whole  field  undisturbed  to  themselves.  But 
whatever  difference  of  opinion  may  prevail  upon  this  matter,  it  cannot  be 
denied  that  the  way  in  which  the  French  possessed  themselves  of  Tahiti, 
was  both  pitiful  and  contemptible,  and  altogether  unworthy  the  part  of  a 
great  nation ;  independently  of  this,  it  was  anything  but  an  agreeable  sight 
in  the  eyes  of  the  world  to  see  a  polite  and  gallant  people  like  the  French 
engaged  in  despoiling  a  defenceless  woman  of  her  rightful  dominions.  The 
possession  of  Tahiti  by  the  French,  with  the  overthrow  of  the  Protestant 
missions  there,  created  a  great  stir  at  the  time  in  the  religious  world,  but 
Great  Britain  refused  to  enter  into  the  strife ;  she  had  just  got  the  start  of 
France  in  the  race  for  New  Zealand,  and  was  unwilling  to  embroil  the 
nation  in  war  for  so  small  a  possession  as  Tahiti.* 

ACTE   DU   pROTECTORAT. 

Tahiti,  le  9  septembre  1842. 

Parceque  nous  ne  pouvons  continuer  a  gouverner  par  nous-meines,  dans 
le  present  etat  de  choses,  de  maniere  a  conserver  la  bonne  harmonie  avec  les 
gouvernements  etrangers,  sans  nous  exposer  a  perdre  nos  lies,  notre  liberte , 
et  notre  autorite,  nous  les  soussignes,  la  Reine  et  les  grands-chefs  de  Tahiti, 
nous  ecrivons  les  presentes  pour  solliciter  le  Roi  des  Francais  de  nous 
prendre  sous  sa  protection  aux  conditions  suivantes  : 
1°  La  souverainete  de  la  Reine  et  son  autorite,  et  1'autorite  des  principaux 

chefs  sur  leurs  peuples  sont  garanties  ; 
2°  Tous  les  reglements  et  lois  seront  faits  au  nom  de  la  Reine  Pomare,  et 

signes  par  elle ; 
3°  La  possession  des  terres  de  la  Reine  et  du  peuple  leur  sera  garantia.   Ces 

terres  leur  resteront.    Toutes  les  disputes  relativement  au  droit  de 

propriete,  ou  des  proprietaries  des  terres,  seront  de  la  juridiction  speciale 

des  tribunaux  du  pays ; 

4°  Chacun  sera  libre  dans  1'exercice  de  son  culte  ou  de  sa  religion ; 
5°  Les  eglises  existant  actuellement  continueront  d'etre,  et  les  missionnaires 

anglais  continueront  leurs  fonctions  sans  etre  molestes,  et  il  en  sera  de 

*  A  more  correct  but  lengthier  account  of  the  matter  is  to  be  found   in 
<(  Pritchard's  Polynesian  Reminiscences." 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  203 

meme  pour  tout  autre  culte;  perscmne  ne  pourra  etre  moleste  ni  con- 
trarie  dans  sa  croyance. 

A  cette  condition,  la  Heine  Pomare  et  ses  grands-chefs  demandent  la  pro- 
tection, du  Hoi  des  Fran9ais,  laissant  entre  ses  mains  ou  aux  soins  du 
gouvernemeut  fran9ais,  ou  a  la  personne  nominee  par  lui  et  avec  1'approbation 
de  la  Heine  Pomare,  la  direction  de  toutes  les  affaires  avec  les  gouverne- 
ments  etrangers,  de  meme  que  tout  ce  qui  concerne  les  residants  etrangers, 
les  reglements  au  port,  etc.,  etc.,  de  prendre  telle  mesure  qu'il  pourra  juger 
utile  pour  la  conservation  de  la  bonne  harmonic  et  de  la  paix. 
(Signe)  POMARE, 

PARAIRA,  Eegent,  UTAMT,  HITOTI,  TAT!. 

Je,  soussigne,  declare  que  le  present  document  est  une  traduction  fidele 
du  document  signe  par  la  Reine  Pomare  et  les  chefs. 

(Signe)     ARI  TAIMAI,  Envoye  de  la  Heine. 


APPENDIX  (C.) 

THE  Moniteur,  of  February  14th,  1853,  contains  the  following  note  concern- 
ing the  taking  possession  of  New  Caledonia  : — 

"  Le  gouvernement  frangais  etait  desireux  depuis  longtemps  de  posseder 
dans  les  parages  d'outre-tner  quelques  localites  qui  puissent  au  besoin  recevoir 
ses  etablissementspenitentiaires. 

"  La  Nouvelle-Caledonie  lui  ofFrait  toutes  les  conditions  desirables. 

"En  vertu  des  ordres  de  1'Empereur,  les  ministres  de  la  Marine  et  des 
Colonies  a  prescrit,  le  1"  mai  dernier,  a  M.  le  contre-amiral  Febvrier-Des- 
pointes,  commandant-en-chef  des  forces  navales  fra^aises  dans  1'Ocean 
Pacifique,  de  se  diriger  vers  la  Nouvelle-Caledonie. 

"  Conformement  aux  instructions  qui  lui  avaient  ete  transmiscs,  le  contre- 
amiral  Febvrier-Despointes,  apres  s'otre  assure  que  le  pavilion  d'aucune 
nation  maritime  ne  flottait  sur  la  Nouvelle-Caledonie,  a  pris  solennellement 
possession  de  cette  ile  et  de  ses  dependauces,  y  compris  1'ile  des  Pins,  au 
nom  et  par  ordredeS.  M.  Napoleon  III.,  Empereur  des  Frangais. 

"  Aussitot  que  le  pavilion  de  la  France  a  ete  arbore  sur  les  terres  do  la 
Nouvelle-Caledonie,  il  a  ete  salue  de  vingt-et-un  coups  de  canon,  et  des  cris 
repetes  par  1'etat-major  de  Tequipage  de  :  '  Vive  1'Empereur ! ' 

"  Les  rapports  olQciels  constatent  que  cette  prisede  possession s'est  effectuee 
non-seulement  avec  les  formalites  legales  usitees  en  pareille  circonstance, 
mais  sans  resistance  aucunede  la  part  des  naturels. 

"  Toutefois,l'on  a  du  prendre  provisoirement  des  rnesures  defensives  en  cas 
d'attaque,  etjusqu'a  present  1'occupation  de  File  est  toute  militaire,  en  atten- 
dant qu'elle  puisse  otro  soumise  au  regime  ordinaire  de  nos  autres  colonies. 

"  Voici  la  copie  des  proces-verbaux  de  la  prise  en  possession  de  la  Nouvelle- 
Caledonie  et  de  1'ile  des  Pins,  en  date  des  24  et  29  septembre  1853  : — 

"  Je  soussigno,  Auguste  Febvrier-Despointes,  contre-amiral,  commandant- 
en-chcfles  forces  navales  francaises  daus  la  mer  Pacifique,  agissant  d'apres 
les  ordres  de  mon  gouvernement,  declare  prendre  possession  de  1'ile  de  la 
Nouvelle-Caledonie  et  de  ses  dependancas,  au  nom  de  S.M.  Napoleon  III, 
Empereur  des  Francais. 


204  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

"  En  consequence,  le  pavilion  fra^ais  est  arbore  sur  ladite  ile  (Nouvelle- 
Caledonie),  qui,  a  partir  de  ce  jour,  24  septembre  1853,devientainsi  que  ses 
dependances,  colonie  francaiso. 

"  Ladite  prise  de  possession  est  faite  en  presence  de  MM.  les  officiers  de 
la  corvette  a  vapeur  le  Phoque,  et  de  MM.  les  missionnaires  fra^ais  qui  ont 
signe  avec  nous. 

"Fait  a  terre,  au  lieu  de  Balade  (Nouvelle  Caledonte),  les  heure,jour, 
mois  et  an,  qua  dessus. 

"  Ont  signe :  E.  de  Bovis,  L.  Candeau,  A.  Barazer,  Roui/eyron,  Fores- 
tier,  J.  Vigouroux,  A.  Cany,  Muller,  Butteaud,  Mallet,  L.  Deperiers,  A. 
Amet,  L.  de  Marce,  le  contre-amiral  Febvrier-Despointes. 

"  Ce  jourd'hui,  jeudi,  29  septembre  1853. 

"  Je  soussigne,  Auguste  Febvrier-Despointes,  contre-amiral,  commandant- 
en-chef  les  forces  navales  fra^aises  dans  la  mer  Pacifique,  agissant  d'apres 
les  ordres  de  mon  gouvernement,  declare  prendre  possession  de  1'ile  desPins, 
au  nom  de  S.M.  Napoleon  III.,  Empereur  des  Francais. 

"  En  consequence,  le  pavilion  franQais  est  arbore  sur  ladite  ile  des  Pins, 
qui  a  cornpter  de  ce  jour,  29  septembre  1853,  devient,  ainsi  que  ses  depen- 
dances, colonie  frar^aise. 

"L'ile  continuera  a  etre  gouvernee  par  son  chef,  qui  relevera  directement 
de  1'autorite  fran9aise. 

"  Ladite  prise  de  possession  faite  en  presence  de  MM.  les  raissionnaires 
fran^ais,  des  officiers  du  Phoque,  et  du  chef  Ven-de-Cyon,  qui  ont  signe  avec 
nous. 

•'  Fait  a  terre  en  double  expedition,  les  jours,  mois,  et  an,  que  dessus  : 

"  Ont  signe:  E.  de  Bovis,  A.  Barazer,  L.  Candeau,  A.  Cany,  L.  Deperiers, 
Mallet,  Muller,  Chapuy,  Goujon,  A.  Galle,  A.  Amer,  le  chef  de  1'ile,  V.  X., 
le  contre-amiral  commandant  Febvrier-Despointes." 


APPENDIX  (D.) 

RESOLUTION  OF  THE  KING  AND  CHIEFS  OF  FIJI  TO  CEDE  THEIR  COUNTRY  TO 
ENGLAND. 

Resolution  of  Thakombau,  Tui  Viti,  and  Vunivalu,  and  other  high  cbiefs 
of  Fiji,  in  Council  assembled,  handed  by  them  to  His  Excellency  Sir  Hercules 
George  Robert  Robinson,  at  an  interview  held  at  Nasova,  on  Wednesday, 
September  30th,  1874. 

Unto  Her  Majesty  Queen  of  Great  Britain, 

We,  King  of  Fiji,  together  with  other  high  Chiefs  of  Fiji,  hereby  give  our 
ountry,  Fiji,  unreservedly  to  Her  Britannic  Majesty,  Queen  of  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland;  and  we  trust  and  repose  fully  in  her  that  she  will  rule 
Fiji  justly  and  affectionately,  that  we  may  continue  to  live  in  peace  and 
prosperity. 

And  we,  desiring  these  Conferences  may  terminate  well  and  satisfactorily, 
request  Her  Britannic  Majesty's  Ambassador  unto  us,  Sir  Hercules  George 
Robert  Robinson,  will  confer  with  our  advisers  who  have  our  confidence  in 
these  matters. 

(Signed)     CAKOBAU  R. 

D.  WILKINSON,  Chief  Interpreter. 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  205 


DISCUSSION. 

The  Kev.  Dr.  MULLENS,  Foreign  Secretary  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society,  said  he  was  sure  the  audience  would  all  be  of  one 
mind  as  to  the  unusual  excellence  of  the  paper  read  to  them  by  Mr. 
Young.  It  was  something  marvellous  that  Mr.  Phillips  had  been 
able  to  include  the  vast  amount  of  information  he  had  gathered  on 
his  subje'ct  into  one  paper.  He  had  told  them  about  the  races  of 
Polynesia,  and  had  given  them  a  geographical  lecture,  while  at  the 
same  time  he  had  spoken  upon  their  relation  to  the  religious  world, 
and  to  the  commercial  enterprises  of  the  Australian  Colonies. 
There  was  not  one  of  those  subjects  upon  which  he  had  touched 
without  throwing  light  upon  it ;  indeed,  he  had  left  very  little  for 
anybody  else  to  say.  Interested  largely,  however,  in  a  number  of 
these  Polynesian  islands  through  his  connection  with  the  London 
Missionary  Society,  perhaps  the  audience  would  kindly  permit  him 
to  say  a  little  respecting  them.  Mr.  Phillips  had  mentioned  the 
names  of  several  missionaries  who  had  gone  to  the  Pacific — men 
connected  with  the  London  Missionary  Society,  the  Wesleyan 
Missionary  Society,  and  the  Church  Missionary  Society — and  he 
was  glad  to  hear  him  bear  testimony  to  their  usefulness  and  to  the 
importance  of  their  work.  In  one  part  of  his  paper  Mr.  Phillips 
said:  "I  do  not  think  these  Polynesians  are  capable  of  receiving 
much  higher  education  than  they  have  received ;  "  but  he  (Dr. 
Mullens)  hoped  that  as  days  went  on  attempts  would  be  made  to 
increase  very  largely  the  general  knowledge  of  these  interesting 
tribes.  The  introduction  of  a  larger  number  of  honourable  mer- 
chants tha-oughout  the  Pacific  would  be  most  welcome.  For  several 
years  past  very  friendly  relations  had  subsisted  between  the  natives 
of  the  Hervey  Group  and  some  merchants  in  the  province  of 
Auckland.  Whalers  were  in  the  habit  of  running  up  to  the  islands 
for  refreshment  after  the  hard  work  of  then-  whaling  life,  to  get 
coffee,  tea,  fresh  beef,  and  the  like,  and  to  be  reminded  of  their 
English  friends  and  English  homes.  The  natives  of  the  Austral 
Islands  also  sent  their  produce  to  Auckland  in  return  for  timber, 
which  they  used  for  building  purposes ;  and  he  could  assure  the 
company  that  some' of  the  buildings  in  those  islands  were  of  a  very 
superior  kind,  and  greatly  to  be  admired. 

In  connection  with  the  present  discussion,  it  was  interesting  to 
notice  the  number  of  the  Pacific  groups  which  had  been  Christian- 
ised during  the  last  eighty  years  in  the  East.  Tahiti  and  its 
neighbours  were  the  first  to  receive  civilising  influences.  The 


206  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

Paumota  group  are  coral  islands  connected  with  them ;  and  they 
and  the  Austral  Islands  were  the  next  that  were  Christianised. 
The  Hervey  Islands,  including  Earotonga,  foUowed  next,  and  they 
have  been  Christian  for  fifty  years.  The  Marquesas  were  up  to 
the  present  only  partially  so.  The  French  tried  their  hands  at 
civilising  them  a  little  while  ago,  but  they  only  partially  succeeded. 
There  was,  however,  a  hope  that  the  3,000  or  4,000  natives  still 
living  in  the  Marquesas  would  at  no  distant  date  yield  to  the 
influences  of  civilisation,  under  the  teaching  of  native  missionaries 
from  Hawaii.  Turning  to  the  west,  the  Samoan  Group  were 
thoroughly  civilised.  The  Messrs.  Grodefroy,  a  German  firm,  by 
their  trading  operations  had  done  a  great  deal  of  good  in  those 
islands,  also  in  the  Ellice  Group  and  the  Gilbert  Islands.  Their 
trade  was  so  good  that  not  only  did  they  have  vessels  running  to 
the  Australian  Colonies,  but  also  to  England  and  Germany.  The 
Friendly  Islands,  which  had  for  a  long  time  been  under  the  govern- 
ment of  one  king,  were  highly  civilised  through  the  teaching  of  the 
Wesleyan  missionaries.  The  Fijis,  he  trusted,  would  make  pro- 
gress, though  they  had  been  very  backward,  owing  to  the  supersti- 
tions of  the  natives  and  the  inveterate  habit  of  cannibalism.  The 
intelligence  from  Sir  Arthur  Gordon  that  the  Fijians  would  now 
relinquish  their  cannibalistic  practices  and  come  under  order  and  law 
as  administered  by  him  in  the  name  of  the  Queen,  must  be  con- 
sidered as  highly  satisfactory.  Looking  beyond  Fiji,  their  eyes 
alighted  upon  places  which  were  as  yet  dark  and  uncivilised.  The 
Loyalty  Islands  were  all  Christian  ;  but  the  French  would  not  allow 
missionaries  in  New  Caledonia,  and  the  people  in  that  great  island 
were  to  this  day  barbarous.  The  New  Hebrides  were  occupied  by 
Presbyterian  missionaries ;  the  Banks  and  the  Solomon  Groups  were 
the  sphere  of  Bishop  Patteson.  The  inhabitants  of  the  Caroline 
Islands  were  under  the  instruction  of  American  missionaries,  who 
were  connected  with  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  everyone  knew  the 
great  progress  which  the  latter  had  made  since  they  had  accepted 
Christianity  from  American  missionaries.  They  had  a  King,  a 
Parliament,  a  Prime  Minister,  a  Chief  Justice,  and  a  great  many 
other  pleasant  institutions,  for  the  benefit  of  about  55,000  people. 
It  was  impossible  to  look,  except  with  pleasure,  at  the  change  which 
had  been  effected  in  the  Pacific  during  the  last  eighty  years.  One 
thing  he  must  notice  here.  The  author  of  the  paper  seemed  rather 
scandalised  that  the  natives  of  the  Pacific  did  not  like  to  work 
twelve  hours  a  day  !  Now  working  twelve  hours  a  day  was  a  very 
English  institution,  and  "  the  hard  drive  "  and  competition  among 
the  English  might  be  considered  the  cause  of  it.  The  natives 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  207 

thought  life  not  worth  having  at  such  a  price  ;  and  probably  many 
present  would  say  that  they  were  in  the  right.  Mr.  Phillips  thought 
the  remedy  for  the  present  state  of  things  was  to  be  found  in  the 
coming  generation,  which  he  would  have  taught  to  labour  six  or 
eight  hours  a  day  of  its  own  free  will,  and  no  doubt  all  would  like 
to  see  them  more  diligent.  Passing  to  another  question — the 
exchange  of  commodities — much  good  had  been  done  by  the  intro- 
duction of  new  articles  amongst  the  natives.  For  instance,  a 
considerable  orange  trade  was  at  the  present  time  being  carried  on 
between  Tahiti  and  San  Francisco,  by  schooners  built  in  Tahiti. 
These  oranges  had  been  introduced  all  over  the  Pacific  by  the 
missionaries.  It  was  from  them  that  the  natives  had  learned  ship- 
building, navigation,  carpentery,  smiths'  work,  and  the  like.  It 
was  the  missionaries  who  had  first  written  and  printed  their  many 
languages.  In  this  way  the  resources  and  the  comforts  of  the 
Polynesian  Islands  were  constantly  increased  and  developed. 
Mr.  Phillips  thought  that  a  trade  of  .£700,000  a  year  was  a  small 
one ;  but  he  (Dr.  Mullens)  considered  that  for  £700,000  worth  of 
goods  to  go  out  to  the  Pacific  in  a  single  year  was  highly  satisfac- 
tory. But  Mr.  Phillips  was  rather  ambitious.  He  would  stimulate 
them  to  build  towns,  to  construct  roads,  bridges,  docks,  water- 
works, gas-works,  and  what  not.  He  seemed  altogether  to  forget 
the  famous  lines — 

"  Man  wants  but  little  here  below, 
Nor  wants  that  little  long." 

But  tune  would  show  what  was  in  store  for  these  interesting  races, 
and  he  was  sure  that  everyone  would  wish  to  see  them  take  an 
honourable  place  in  the  future  history  of  the  world. 

Mr.  ALEXANDER  MACAETHUK,  M.P.,  thought  that  Dr.  Mullens 
had  misunderstood  what  Mr.  Phillips  said  about  the  education 
of  the  islanders.  He  would  read  the  author's  remarks  on  the 
subject.  He  said :  "  The  education  of  the  islanders  has  been 
principally  confined  to  religious  teaching.  Nothing  else  could 
possibly  have  been  expected,  nor  anything  better  imparted. 
Whilst,  however,  perfectly  agreeing  with  what  has  already  been 
done,  I  think  it  will  be  found  absolutely  necessary  to  pay  more 
attention  to  secular  and  industrial  education,  especially  in  those 
islands  which  have  been  Christianised.  The  Melanesian  Mission 
in  Norfolk  Island  and  the  Wesleyan  training-schools  in  Tonga  and 
Fiji  combine  the  three  :  an  extension  of  the  system  is  alone  re- 
quired." Now  he  (Mr.  MacArthur)  thought  the  author  was  quite 
right  when  he  said  the  natives  were  capable  of  receiving  higher 


208  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

education,  and  should  have  it.  He  remembered  looking  over  a 
report  of  an  examination  of  a  school  or  college  in  one  of  those 
islands  not  long  ago,  and  he  noticed  with  pleasure  that  mathematics 
and  the  higher  branches  of  secular  education  had  been  successfully 
studied.  With  reference  to  the  civilising  influence  of  missionaries  in 
those  islands,  he  might  mention  that  some  years  since,  while  travel- 
ling, he  had  the  gratification  of  seeing  Rarotonga,  where  the  agents 
of  the  London  Missionary  Society  were,  and  he  was  told  by  a  gentle- 
man on  board  the  vessel  who  had  visited  the  island,  that  "  there 
was  not  a  single  child,  unless  those  of  very  tender  age,  in  Rarotonga 
who  could  not  read  and  write."  In  proportion  to  the  population,  in 
fact,  the  state  of  education  in  those  islands  was  much  better  than 
it  was  in  this  country.  He  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  King  George 
in  Sydney,  and  he  must  say  he  considered  him  highly  intelligent. 
As  a  ruler  he  had  been  very  successful.  He  hoped  when  the  King 
died,  the  civilising  influences  of  mission  work  in  Tonga,  largely 
encouraged  by  him,  would  prevent  the  evil  consequences  which  the 
author  feared  might  then  occur.  "With  regard  to  the  state  of  affairs 
in  Tahiti  he  could  endorse  all  that  Mr.  Phillips  had  said.  Of  its 
present  position  it  might  be  said  that — 

"  Every  prospect  pleases, 
And  only  man  is  vile." 

Previous  to  1844  Tahiti  was  in  a  very  moral  state,  the  natives 
were  being  educated,  and,  in  fact,  they  were  as  much  civilised  and 
Christianised  as  they  well  could  be  under  the  circumstances.  But 
when  the  French  went  there  the  natives  became  demoralised.  He 
was  glad  to  learn,  however,  from  Dr.  Mullens  that  affairs  in  Tahiti 
were  now  in  a  much  better  condition.  He  had  heard  statements 
made  respecting  the  French  authorities,  to  which  he  could  not  give 
expression  in  a  meeting  like  that.  With  regard  to  the  trade  of  the 
Pacific,  he  thought  with  Dr.  Mullens  that  £700,000  a  year  was  a 
very  considerable  amount,  but  it  must  be  remembered  that  that  trade 
was  gradually  increasing.  He  was  sure  the  natives  would  welcome 
merchants  who  would  deal  honourably  with  them.  Unhappily, 
many  had  gone  there  for  the  purpose  of  swindling,  and  by  in- 
troducing spirits  had,  by  deception  and  unfair  dealings,  irritated 
the  natives  and  greatly  embittered  them  against  Europeans.  In 
conclusion,  he  trusted  that  missionary  work  would  be  extended 
throughout  all  the  islands  of  the  Pacific.  He  felt  sure  they  had  a 
bright  future  before  them. 

Sir  WILLIAM  YOUXG  (Chief  Justice  of  Nova  Scotia)  said  he  had 
been  much  interested  in  the  discussion  and  in  the  many  curious 
and  striking  facts  that  had  been  brought  out  and  given  its  value. 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  209 

There  was  one  principle  that  lay  at  the  root,  which,  as  he  thought, 
should  never  be  lost  sight  of  when  contemplating  the  missionary 
labours  that  had  done  so  much  for  the  Pacific.  Both  in  the  early 
history  of  the  East  India  Company  and  in  the  Western  hemisphere 
there  had-  been,  as  they  all  knew,  a  great  jealousy  of  missionaries. 
But  this  feeling  had  passed  away,  and  now  they  attracted 
admiration  in  place  of  scorn.  The  principle  he  sought  to  enforce 
was  that  science,  commerce,  and  Christianity  were  no  longer  to  be 
accounted  as  hostile  powers,  but  should  move  in  harmony,  sup- 
porting each  other,  and  effecting  by  their  combination  results 
which  neither  of  them  could  achieve  unaided  and  alone.  He 
desired  to  mention  also  some  facts  unknown  to  the  essayist,  and 
which  showed  that  British- Am  erica  had  not  been  indifferent  to 
the  progress  of  Christianity  in  the  Pacific.  Missionaries  from  his 
own  and  the  adjoining  provinces  had  done  a  great  work  in  the 
Hebrides.  One  enthusiast  and  his  helpmate  had  set  a  noble 
example  in  founding  churches  and  schools  among  a  savage  race, 
and  two  or  three  devoted  men  had  fallen  victims  in  the  cause. 
There  was  one  little  incident,  too,  that  was  worth  preserving, 
A  missionary  vessel  had  been  built  and  equipped  mainly  by  the 
Sunday-school  children,  and  as  she  sailed  for  the  distant  shores  of 
the  Pacific,  with  her  flag  fluttering  at  the  fore,  he  could  not  help 
thinking  that  she  reflected  a  purer  glory  on  the  people  than  a  ship 
carrying  in  her  bosom  the  instruments  of  destruction  and  armed 
with  all  the  panoply  of  war. 

Mr.  EDWARD  WILSON  remarked  that  while  doing  honour  to  the 
paper  they  had  heard  read,  they  ought  also  to  do  honour  to  the 
magnificent  map  exhibited.  It  had  been  so  stimulating  to  his 
imagination  that  he  felt  quite  surprised  at  the  vastness  of  the 
future  which  was  there  exhibited.  Some  little  misgiving  naturally 
came  across  one's  mind  in  times  like  the  present,  and  that  was, 
supposing  they  carried  out  the  idea  of  the  author  to  the  letter  and 
annexed  the  whole  of  those  islands,  what  effect  would  it  have  upon 
the  Queen's  title,  now  such  a  topic  for  discussion.  They  must  be 
a  little  on  their  guard  in  that  respect.  The  subject  of  the  civilisa- 
tion of  the  Pacific  had  for  long  been  an  exceedingly  interesting  one, 
and  a  very  exciting  one  to  the  imagination,  since  Sir  Julius  Vogel 
startled  the  world  with  his  lion-hearted  proposition  to  annex  the 
whole  lot.  When  one  came  to  consider  the  details  of  that  proposi- 
tion it  was  found  that  there  was  a  great  deal  that  was  very  well 
worth  looking  at.  We  dwellers  in  a  northern  country,  with  very 
limited  sources  of  production,  had  some  difficulty  in  realising  the 
capacity  of  those  tropical  regions  heated  by  a  vertical  sun,  watered 


210  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

by  frequent  rains,  many  of  them  of  volcanic  origin,  possessing  very 
rich  soil,  and  capable  of  producing  such  a  large  variety  of  material 
as  to  puzzle  even  those  bred  and  born  upon  the  land.  Some  few 
years  ago  he  remembered  reading  a  statement  of  an  American 
captain — a  man  of  science  and  a  competent  authority — who, 
speaking  of  some  almost  unknown  island  of  the  Malay  Archipelago, 
differing  in  no  material  respect  from  several  of  the  islands  so  admir- 
ably described  by  Mr.  Phillips,  startled  his  audience  by  stating  that 
if  all  mankind  were  starving  they  might  come  to  that  one  island 
and  be  fed.  The  article  to  be  supplied  in  such  profusion  was  not 
one  of  a  particularly  tempting  character  :  it  was  sago.  Still,  such 
a  statement  was  something  astounding,  even  if  sago  should  be  all 
they  had  to  look  to.  Whilst  listening  to  the  author's  remarks  on 
the  future  of  the  Polynesian  Group,  he  was  reminded  of  a  conversa- 
tion with  which  he  had  been  much  impressed  at  the  time  with  a 
very  intelligent  man — a  travelled  soldier — some  years  ago.  The 
discussion  was  upon  Australia  and  its  future,  and  the  gentleman 
remarked  :  "I  have  long  since  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the 
time  will  come  in  which  Australia  will  be  the  great  naval  power  of 
the  world.  I  say  this  for  many  reasons.  Her  immense  coast  line 
will  rapidly  develop  great  activity  in  shipping,  steam  communica- 
tion, &c.  The  Colonies,  steadily  developing  in  trade  and  resources, 
will  become  like  some  other  new  country,  audacious  and  aggressive. 
After  a  while  you  will  annex  the  whole  of  the  islands  in  the  Pacific, 
and  developing  them  you  will  become  a  very  potential  empire." 
Then  he  added :  "  Never  having  any  need  to  fear  military  aggression, 
your  efforts  at  defence  will  all  be  directed  towards  the  sea,  and  you 
will  become  the  greatest  naval  power  in  the  world ;  "  and  he  wound 
up  by  saying,  "  and  the  future  mistress  of  India."  Well,  to  say  the 
least,  here  was  a  man  of  large  imagination.  There  was  no  doubt 
the  resources  of  the  Pacific  were  very  great,  and  under  the  guidance 
of  our  intelligent  race  they  might  be  almost  indefinitely  developed. 
He  thought  that  they  were  all  very  much  obliged  to  Mr.  Phillips 
for  his  paper,  and  he  only  hoped  that  it  would  make  an  impression 
upon  the  minds  of  people  here,  and  cause  them  to  consider  what 
the  Polynesian  Islands  were  capable  of  doing  for  us,  for  themselves, 
and  for  the  world  at  large. 

Mr.  MONTGOMEEIE  said  it  might  be  as  well  to  add  as  a  foot-note  to 
the  author's  remarks  on  the  Samoan  Group  that  Colonel  Steinberger 
had  signally  failed  in  his  endeavour  to  set  himself  up  as  monarch 
of  those  islands.  His  navy,  in  the  shape  of  a  small  schooner,  had 
been  seized  by  the  British  and  American  Consuls,  and  the  islands 
had  reverted  to  their  former  state. 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  211 

Mr.  LABILLIEEE  said  that  considering  the  interest  which  the 
question  of  the  annexation  of  New  Guinea  had  excited  in  the 
Institute,  it  was  undesirable  that  the  remarks  upon  that  subject  of 
the  author — with  whose  views  he  (Mr.  Labilliere)  was  disposed  in 
almost  every  other  respect  to  agree— should  go  unchallenged. 
Important,  as  it  no  doubt  was,  that  England  should  acquire  pos- 
session of  all  the  Polynesian  Islands,  he  thought  they  only  had  to 
look  on  the  map  to  see  that  the  position  of  most  consequence  to  us 
was  New  Guinea.  The  new  route  discovered  by  Captain  Moresby, 
which  shortened  the  distance  to  China  by  800  miles,  was  of  itself  a 
sufficient  reason  for  annexation,  and  it  was  still  more  important  to 
British  interests  that  we  should  have  the  entire  control  of  Torres 
Straits.  Besides,  whereas  the  other  Pacific  Islands  comprised  only 
98,000  miles,  New  Guinea  covered  an  area  of  260,000  square  miles, 
only  about  one-half  of  which — 130,000 — comprised  the  territory 
which  had  been  claimed  by  the  Dutch.  Again,  Mr.  Phillips  had 
stated  that  there  were  not  very  many  valuable  harbours  in  the 
Pacific,  whereas  Captain  Moresby  had  told  them  that  there  were 
several  very  important  harbours  in  New  Guinea,  besides  those 
previously  known.  Whatever  the  extent  of  country  available  for 
European  settlements  in  New  Guinea — be  it  little  or  much — it  was 
of  the  utmost  importance  that  England  should  secure  every  avail- 
able part  of  the  coast,  and  all  the  valuable  harbours.  He  therefore 
thought  the  author's  idea  in  placing  more  importance  on  the  Pacific 
Islands  than  on  New  Guinea  was  altogether  erroneous.  With 
respect  to  the  defences,  it  was  quite  evident  that  England  would 
require  to  keep  up  a  larger  force  in  the  Pacific  if  the  Polynesian 
Islands  were  taken  possession  of  by  other  Powers,  than  if  she  owned 
the  whole  of  them  herself. 

Mr.  KERKY-NICHOLLS  described  the  various  islands  he  had  visited 
in  Western  Polynesia  with  much  exactness.  The  author,  he  said, 
had  pointed  out  that  New  Caledonia  was  discovered  by  Cook  in 
1774.  He  might  add  that  the  French  first  formally  took  possession 
of  it  in  1853,  landing  at  a  place  called  by  the  natives  Balade,  where 
Cook  first  sighted  the  island.  Cook  endeavoured  to  circumnavigate 
the  island,  but  was  baffled  in  his  attempts  by  the  numerous  out- 
lying reefs  which  encircle  it.  Sailing  to  the  southward,  he  dis- 
covered the  small  isle  called  by  the  natives  Kunaie,  twenty-eight 
miles  distant  from  the  mainland,  and  named  it  the  Isle  of  Pines, 
from  the  number  of  pine-trees  he  found  growing  there.  New 
Caledonia  was  two  hundred  miles  in  extent  from  north  to  south, 
with  an  average  breadth  of  thirty  miles,  giving  an  area  of  6,000 
square  miles.  Although  one  of  the  least  fertile,  it  was  one  of  the 

p2 


212  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific. 

largest  islands  in  the  western  part  of  Polynesia.  It  was  traversed 
from  north  to  south  by  a  high  mountain  range,  and  although  the 
country  was  generally  mountainous,  there  was  some  good  land  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  coast.  When  the  French  took  possession  of  New 
Caledonia  they  formed  a  convict  settlement  at  Port  de  France,  on 
the  south-west  coast,  now  called  Noumea.  The  present  population 
of  New  Caledonia  consisted  of  about  40,000  natives,  3,000  free 
colonists,  1,400  officials,  600  soldiers,  4,000  deporte,  or  political 
prisoners,  and  7,000  convicts.  The  Loyalty  Islands,  to  the  east- 
ward of  New  Caledonia,  from  which  they  were  separated  by  a  fine 
channel  of  forty  miles  in  width,  also  belonged  to  the  French,  and 
possessed  much  the  same  natural  features  as  New  Caledonia. 
The  New  Hebrides,  to  the  north-east  of  New  Caledonia,  were  a 
fertile  group  of  volcanic  islands,  about  400  miles  in  extent.  The 
largest  of  them  was  first  discovered  in  the  sixteenth  century  by  the 
Spanish  navigator  Don  Quiros,  when  in  search  of  the  Great 
Southern  Continent.  He  named  the  island  Australia  del  Esperitu 
Santa-Australia  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  believing  that  he  had  in  reality 
discovered  the  long  looked-for  Continent  of  Australia  ;  but  he  made 
no  further  explorations  to  satisfy  himself  as  to  the  truthfulness  of 
his  conjectures.  In  the  different  narratives  which  had  been  brought 
to  light  on  this  important  voyage,  no  mention  was  made  of  any 
other  island.  Quiros  spoke  of  only  one  "Big  Land,"  and  in  his 
memorial  to  Philip  III.  on  the  colonisation  of  the  supposed  new 
continent,  he  described  it  as  abounding  in  gold,  silver,  and  pearls. 
These  visions,  which  seemed  to  shadow  forth  to  the  adventurous 
Spaniards  the  prospect  of  a  new  Eldorado,  were  soon  after  dispelled 
by  the  French  navigator  Bourgarville,  who  discovered  many  of  the 
northern  islands  of  the  Archipelago,  and  named  them  the  Great 
Cyclades.  Captain  Cook,  after  discovering  the  Friendly  Islands  in 
1774,  sailed  to  the  northward,  and  sighted  one  of  the  southern 
islands  of  the  New  Hebrides,  called  Tanna,  and  found  a  fine  port 
on  its  eastern  side,  which  he  named  after  his  vessel  Port  Ecsolu- 
tion.  Cook  afterwards  circumnavigated  most  of  the  other  islands, 
and  gave  to  them  the  name  they  now  bear.  Mr.  Nicholls  described 
the  New  Hebrides  as  being  exceedingly  fertile,  possessing  high 
mountain  ranges,  fine  harbours,  and  spacious  bays,  and  inhabited 
by  a  very  warlike  race.  The  islands  were  separated  from  each 
other  by  navigable  straits.  Banks'  Islands,  a  small  group  to  the 
northward  of  the  New  Hebrides,  were  discovered  by  Captain  Bligh 
in  1789,  during  his  remarkable  voyage  in  an  open  boat  from  Tefooa 
to  Timor,  after  the  mutiny  of  the  Bounty.  The  Santa  Cruz 
Group,  to  the  northward  of  Banks'  Island,  would  long  be  remem- 


Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.  213 

bered  as  the  scene  of  the  most  disastrous  events  connected  with  the 
history  of  the  Pacific  Islands.  The  two  discovery  ships  under  La 
Perouse  was  wrecked  there  in  1788,  and  most  of  the  crews  murdered. 
Captain  Carteret,  an  English  captain,  also  had  a  boat's  crew 
murdered  there.  Bishop  Patteson  was  shot  on  the  island  of 
Mikapau,  and  the  brave  Commodore  Goodenough  fell  a  victim  to 
the  treachery  of  these  savages  only  a  few  months  since.  He  might 
add  that  before  Bishop  Patteson  went  there  he  narrowly  escaped 
being  murdered  himself.  The  Solomon  Islands  somewhat  resem- 
bled the  New  Hebrides  in  appearance,  but  were,  if  anything,  more 
beautiful  and  attractive  to  the  eye.  The  natives  there  were  very 
warlike  and  treacherous.  With  regard  to  New  Guinea,  the  value 
of  that  country  both  in  a  commercial  point  of  view  and  as  a  strategic 
position,  when  considered  in  relation  to  our  Australian  Colonies, 
was  now  fully  recognised.  He  had  visited  the  southern  end,  and 
found  the  country  much  as  it  had  been  described  by  other  travellers. 
Something  had  been  said  about  the  labour -trade,  for  which  the 
islands  had  become  notorious.  His  own  opinion  was  that  great 
advantage  had  resulted  to  the  islanders  by  being  brought  into  con- 
tact with  civilisation,  and  he  was  confident  that  the  efforts  of  the 
missionaries  would  be  more  successful  as  the  natives  were  brought 
further  to  the  'centre  of  civilisation,  and  one  of  the  first  steps  in 
that  direction  had  been  the  introduction  of  them  into  the  Austra- 
lian Colonies.  In  conclusion,  he  said  he  had  no  doubt  that  the 
proposed  canal  through  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  would  be  of  great 
commercial  value  to  the  Pacific. 

The  PRESIDENT  said :  I  do  not  propose  to  address  you  at 
any  length.  I  have  not  had  the  advantage  of  being  nearly  murdered 
in  Santa  Cruz,  and  I  am  not  in  a  position  to  give  you  any  informa- 
tion upon  the  Polynesian  Group.  I  am  glad  to  hear,  however,  that 
the  island  which  the  French  hold  is  not  one  of  the  best  of  the 
Eastern  Archipelago.  I  am  sure  I  only  express  the  feeling  of  every 
one  present  when  I  propose  that  Mr.  Young  should  convey  our  best 
thanks  to  Mr.  Phillips  for  his  most  able  and  interesting  paper,  and 
our  admiration  of  it.  I  think  we  might  also  thank  Mr.  Young  for 
the  labour  he  undertook  in  reading  so  lengthy  a  paper.  I  have 
only  further  to  state  that  it  is  proposed  that  the  next  meeting  of 
the  Institute  should  take  place  on  Tuesday,  the  25th  of  April. 

Mr.  FKEDK.  YOUNG,  in  announcing  the  subject  for  the  next  meet- 
ing, remarked  that  it  would  afford  him  the  greatest  pleasure  to 
convey  the  thanks  of  the  meeting  to  Mr.  Phillips  in  New  Zealand, 
and  he  hoped  many  more  non-resident  Fellows  would  send  home 
such  papers  as  he  had  the  honour  of  reading  that  evening. 


214 


FIFTH  OKDINAEY  GENEKAL  MEETING. 

THE  Fifth  Ordinary  General  Meeting  took  place  at  the  Pall  Mall 
Restaurant,  on  the  25th  April,  His  Grace  the  DUKE  OF  MANCHESTER 
in  the  chair. 

The  Minutes  of  the  last  Meeting  having  been  read  by  Mr. 
FREDERICK  YOUNG,  Honorary  Secretary,  and  confirmed,  the  Right 
Rev.  Dr.  PERRY,  Lord  Bishop  of  Melbourne,  proceeded  to  read  the 
following  paper,  entitled 


THE  PEOGEESS  OF  VICTOEIA. 

The  subject  on  which  I  have  undertaken  to  read  a  paper  this 
evening,  is  "  The  Progress  of  Victoria ; "  but  it  may  be  well  for  me, 
before  speaking  of  the  progress,  to  describe  briefly  the  position,  ex- 
tent, and  chief  physical  characteristics  of  the  Colony.  Some  of  my 
hearers  are  perhaps  as  well  acquainted  with  them  as  I  am  ;  but 
many  probably  have  a  very  imperfect  knowledge  of  them,  and  will 
be  glad  to  receive  more  exact  information.  If  I  may  judge  from 
the  remarks  which  I  have  frequently  heard,  very  few  persons  who 
have  not  visited  Australia  realise  the  great  size  of  this  southern 
island,  and  its  consequent  variety  of  climate  and  the  diversified 
features  of  its  several  parts ;  so  that  Queensland,  which  is  the 
northernmost  Colony,  and  Victoria,  which  is  the  southernmost, 
are  usually  regarded  as  having  the  same  near  resemblance  to  each 
other  as  two  adjacent  provinces  of  France  or  Spain.  This  latter 
Colony,  Victoria,  of  which  I  am  going  to  speak,  is  only  about  one- 
thirty-fourth  of  the  whole  island ;  and,  although  some  part  of  what 
I  shall  say  may  be  applicable  to  all,  much  will  be  true  only  of  that 
small  portion  of  it. 

Victoria,  as  you  will  see  from  the  map,  borders  on  one  side 
upon  N.S.W.,from  which  it  is  separated  by  a  straight  line  from  its 
south- easternmost  point,  Cape  Howe,  to  the  source  of  the  Murray, 
and  thence  by  that  river  as  far  as  the  141st  degree  of  east  longitude, 
which  separates  it  on  its  western  side  from  South  Australia.  On 
the  south  it  is  bounded  by  the  ocean.  Its  extent  is  estimated  at 
about  3,000  square  miles  less  than  Great  Britain.  Its  climate  is 
salubrious,  and,  except  during  the  hot  winds,  pleasant.  These 
frequently  occur  during  the  summer  months,  and  are  certainly  very 
disagreeable  to  those  who  are  exposed  to  them ;  but  they  are  not 
unhealthy,  and  very  seldom  last  more  than  three  days.  They  are 


The  Progress  of  Victoria.  215 

always  followed  by  a  cool  breeze,  and  sometimes  by  rain  from  the 
south — a  most  acceptable  relief  from  the  suffocating  dust  which 
usually  accompanies  them.  The  deficiency  of  water  for  a  large 
portion  of  the  year  throughout  almost  the  entire  country  is  its  great 
natural  drawback.  Very  few  of  the  rivers  marked  upon  the  map 
are  perennial.  During  the  summer  they  in  most  cases  become  a 
series  of  pools,  or,  in  Colonial  language,  water-holes ;  and  in  these  the 
water  is  generally  brackish.  Springs  are  very  rare,  and  the  water, 
obtained  by  sulking,  like  that  of  pools  in  the  beds  of  rivers,  isgener 
ally  unfit  for  use.  The  supply  of  rain,  however,  in  most  years  is  on 
the  whole  plentiful,  so  that  water  may  be  stored  up  in  tanks  and 
reservoirs,  and  thus  the  injurious  consequences  of  droughts  be  in  a 
great  measure  prevented. 

A  remarkable  peculiarity  in  Victoria  is,  that  it  contains  no 
indigenous  plants  or  fruit-trees,  nor,  with  the  exception  of  waterfowl 
and  a  few  other  birds  and  fish  (the  kangaroo  can  hardly  be  con- 
sidered an  exception),  any  native  animals,  fit  for  the  sustenance  of 
Englishmen.  But  all  the  best  fruit-trees  and  vegetables  of  the 
temperate  zone,  and  all  useful  domestic  animals  which  have  been 
introduced,  thrive  exceedingly.  The  Colony  is  estimated  to  contain 
upwards  of  40,000,000  of  acres  of  land  available  for  pastoral  or 
agricultural  purposes,  and  much  of  this  is  exceedingly  rich.  In 
some  districts  the  climate  and  soil  are  favourable  for  the  cultivation 
of  the  common  cereals,  wheat  and  oats  ;  in  others  for  that  of  maize, 
hops,  and  arrowroot.  Besides  apples  and  pears  and  other  English 
orchard  fruits,  apricots  and  peaches,  grapes  and  melons,  and  even 
oranges  and  olives,  ripen  freely  on  standard  trees  in  the  open  air. 
So  likewise,  besides  roses  and  pinks  and  other  flowers,  which  are 
commonly  seen  in  gardens  here,  the  cottage  gardens  there  exhibit 
the  geranium,  the  myrtle,  the  oleander,  the  azalea,  the  cactus,  and 
other  choice  plants,  which  usually  require  for  their  preservation  in 
England  the  warmth  of  a  conservatory  in  the  winter,  and  a  sheltered 
spot  or  sunny  wall  in  the  summer.  Hence  the  difference  between 
the  gardens  and  orchards  of  the  two  countries  is  very  marked,  and 
the  more  so  from  the  rapid  and  luxuriant  growth  and  the  profuse 
blossoming  of  all  flowers  and  shrubs,  and  from  the  abundant  crops 
and  large  size  of  fruit  in  Victoria.  I  have  been  particularly  struck 
with  mulberries  which  I  have  seen,  each  equal  to  at  least  two  of 
any  that  I  ever  saw  in  England.  And  here  I  may  mention  that  re- 
cently, through  the  enthusiastic  exertions  of  a  lady  (enthusiasm  in 
a  good  cause  is  a  very  valuable  quality),  the  white  mulberry,  with  a 
view  to  the  breeding  of  silk- worms  and  manufacture  of  silk, 
has  been  largely  planted,  and  found  to  flourish.  As  I  have 


216  The  Progress  of  Victoria. 

already  intimated,  sheep  and  cattle  and  horses,  together  with 
poultry  of  every  kind,  breed  prolificly,  as  in  a  congenial  home,  in 
Victoria. 

If  the  country  contains  scarcely  any  native  animals  fit  for  the 
food  of  man,  on  the  other  hand  it  contains  none,  except  snakes, 
which  are  dangerous  to  the  life  of  man.  No  carnivorous  quadruped 
larger  than  the  native  dog,  which  is  destructive  only  of  sheep,  and 
now  almost  extinct,  is  to  be  found  there.  Snakes,  I  believe,  are 
objects  of  terror  in  the  imagination  of  most  Englishwomen,  if 
not  most  Englishmen  ;  but  they  seldom  cause  alarm  to  the  Colonist. 
They  are  not  often  seen,  except  in  out-of-the-way  places.  In  all  my 
journeys  through  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  Colony  I  do  not 
think  that  I  saw  a  dozen  alive.  Nor,  unless  under  provocation  of 
some  kind  or  other,  will  they  ever  attack  you.  They  are  always  as 
glad  to  get  away  from  you  as  you  can  be  to  get  away  from  them. 
It  has  been  remarked  that  "the  insect  world  is  nowhere  so 
variously  and  widely  distributed "  as  in  Australia ;  and  this  is 
certainly  true  of  Victoria.  Flies  and  mosquitoes,  spiders,  moths, 
caterpillars,  and  hoc  genus  omne  abound.  Some  of  these  in  par- 
ticular seasons  are  very  destructive  of  the  crops,  and  others, 
e.g.  the  mosquitoes,  are  exceedingly  annoying,  especially  to  new- 
comers. 

Victoria  is  diversified  by  mountains  and  lakes,  forests,  open 
plains,  and  tracts  of  lightly-timbered,  park-like,  undulatory  land. 
In  many  parts  the  scenery  might  be  described  as  beautiful,  were  it 
not  for  the  dull,  monotonous  foliage  of  the  trees.  These  are  for  the 
most  part  of  the  Eucalyptus  family,  and  are  distinguishable  from 
one  another,  not  by  their  leaves,  which  are  all  alike,  long  and 
narrow,  and  of  a  dull,  dry  green,  but  by  their  bark,  which  is  exceed- 
ingly various,  and  in  some  species  of  a  very  peculiar  character. 
Many  of  the  forest  trees  grow  to  an  enormous  size.  Mr.  Trollope, 
in  his  truthful  and  interesting  work  upon  Victoria,  alludes  to  one 
which  the  Inspector  of  State  Forests  met  with  lying  prostrate  across 
a  river-bed,  and  found  by  measurement  to  be  435  feet  in  length  to 
the  top  of  the  trunk,  where  it  had  been  broken  by  its  fall,  and  to  be 
in  diameter  18  feet  at  five  feet  from  its  root,  and  three  feet  at  its 
smaller  end.  Its  height  before  it  fell  he  estimated  to  have  been 
not  less  than  500  feet,  which  is  greater  than  that  of  any  other 
known  tree  in  the  world. 

From  this  brief  description  of  the  country,  you  will  perceive  that 
it  is  well  fitted  to  become  the  home  of  millions  of  the  British  race ; 
but  its  distance — a  ten  or  twelve  weeks'  voyage  in  a  sailing  ship  from 
England — would  have  prevented  it  under  ordinary  circumstances  from 


The  Progress  of  Victoria.  217 

being,  for  many  generations  to  come,  thickly  peopled.  Already 
however,  although  little  more  than  forty  years  have  elapsed  since 
the  first  Englishman  built  his  hut  there,  it  has  become  one  of  the 
most  populous  and  wealthy  provinces  of  the  British  Empire ;  and  I 
will  now  proceed  to  describe  to  you  the  stages  and  causes  of  its  pro- 
gress. 

The  first  settlers  in  this  south-east  corner  of  Australia  were  ad- 
venturers, who  crossed  over  with  some  sheep  and  cattle  and  a  few 
horses  from  the  adjacent  island,  then  known  as  Van  Diemen's 
Land,  now  Tasmania,  in  1834  and  1835.  These  were  shortly  after 
followed  by  others  from  the  Sydney  side  of  the  Murray,  and  thus 
gradually  a  number  of  squatters,  as  they  were  termed — i.e.  persons 
sitting  down  upon  unoccupied  and  previously  unknown  land — esta- 
blished themselves  with  their  flocks  and  herds.  For  importing  the 
various  goods  which  they  required,  and  exporting  their  wool,  &c., 
the  seaport  towns  of  Melbourne  and  Geelong  on  Port  Philip  Bay,  and 
Portland,  about  225  miles  to  the  westward,  were  founded,  at  each 
of  which  a  few  merchants  established  themselves,  and  opened  com- 
mercial relations  with  England.  In  1836,  the  Government  of  New 
South  Wales,  in  which  Colony  it  was  situated,  sent  a  magistrate  to 
preside  over  the  settlement,  which  received  the  name  of  the  District 
of  Port  Philip.  The  climate  and  land  proving  favourable  for  the 
breeding  and  feeding  of  their  stock,  the  squatters,  as  a  body, 
although  subjected  to  some  reverses,  greatly  prospered,  and  spread 
themselves  further  and  further  over  the  interior;  and  the  progress  of 
the  district  was  such  that  the  population,  which  in  1836  numbered 
only  234,  had  in  January,  1848,  when  I  first  landed  in  Melbourne, 
increased  to  upwards  of  30,000.  Melbourne  itself  then  contained 
about  12,000  inhabitants,  Geelong  about  8,000,  and  Portland  and 
Belfast,  another  seaport  town  which  had  risen  up  about  45  miles 
east  of  Portland,  a  few  hundred  each.  There  were,  besides,  two  or 
three  suburban  villages  round  Melbourne,  and  one  in  the  midst  of  a 
small  agricultural  district  about  40  miles  inland.  During  the  next 
three  years  •  and  a  half  the  population  and  wealth  continued 
gradually  to  increase,  and  in  the  beginning  of  October,  1851 — i.e. 
fifteen  years  after  the  settlement  had  been  first  officially  recognised 
— its  inhabitants  amounted  to  nearly  80,000.  This  progress, 
though  rapid,  was  not  very  extraordinary,  and  while  it  afforded  a 
reasonable  ground  for  demanding  its  separation  from  New  South 
Wales,  and  constitution  as  a  distinct  Colony,  gave  no  reason  to 
expect  that  it  would  speedily  reach  any  high  degree  of  prosperity. 
Its  western  neighbour,  South  Australia,  with  its  rich  copper  mines, 
seemed  likely  to  leave  it  far  behind.  But  in  that  month  an  event 


218  The  Progress  of  Victoria. 

occurred  which  produced,  in  the  course  of  the  next  twenty-five  years, 
the  most  remarkable  change  ever  I  believe  known  within  so  short 
a  space  of  time  in  any  part  of  the  British  Dominions.  How  great 
that  change  has  been  the  following  statistics  will  serve  to  show  you. 

In  1851  the  population  was  under  80,000 :  it  now  exceeds 
800,000.  Then  the  city  of  Melbourne  contained  about  20,000 
inhabitants,  now,  with  its  suburbs,  it  contains  upwards  of  180,000: 
Whitaker's  Almanac  for  1875  says  200;000 ;  but  I  think  that  is  an 
exaggeration.  Geelong,  also,  has  greatly  increased,  as  have  like- 
wise Portland  and  Belfast ;  and  "Warrnambool,  another  seaport  on 
the  same  coast,  has  grown  into  an  important  town.  Moreover,  in 
addition  to  these,  there  have  sprung  up  the  large  inland  towns  of 
Ballaarat,  Sandhurst,  and  Castlemaine,  together  with  a  number  of 
smaller  size,  and  scores  o?  villages  and  hamlets  scattered  through 
the  whole  extent  of  the  Colony.  In  18oO  the  exports  amounted  to 
somewhat  less  than  £1,000,000.  I  have  not  had  an  opportunity  of 
ascertaining  the  amount  of  the  imports,  but  may  assume  that  they 
did  not  greatly,  if  at  aU  exceed  that  sum.  In  1873,  the  last  year 
for  which  I  have  seen  the  returns,  the  exports  had  reached 
£15,000,0000,  and  the  imports  £16,500,000.  The  revenue,  which  in 
1850  was  less  than  £260,000,  in  1873  amounted  to  about  £4:000,000. 
During  this  period  the  quantity  of  land  under  tillage  increased 
from,  it  might  be,  a  few  thousand  to  nearly  1.000,000  acres.  I 
might  multiply  particulars  of  a  similar  kind,  but  perhaps  I  shall 
convey  a  more  vivid  idea  of  the  greatness  of  the  change  by 
narrating  some  circumstance  of  my  own  experience. 

In  October,  1851,  my  wife  and  I  could  mount  our  horses  in  Mel- 
bourne and  take  our  afternoon  ride  in  whatever  direction  we  pleased, 
without  meeting  any  obstacle,  over  miles  of  unenclosed  country 
whereas  in  February,  1874,  when  we  left  Victoria,  all  the  land 
around  and  in  the  vicinity  of  the  cUy  was  occupied,  either  by  public 
parks  or  gardens,  or  by  suburban  towns,  or  by  private  mansions  or 
villas.  Before  the  discovery  of  the  gold-fields,  when  I  made  a 
visitation  tour — which  I  was  accustomed  to  do  every  autumn 
(driving  my  wife  in  a  Whitechapel  cart,  with  a  shaft  horse  and  an 
outrigger,  then  the  safest  and  most  convenient  mode  of  travelling), 
whatever  course  I  took  I  drove  along  bush  roads  or  no  road  at  all, 
unimpeded  by  fences,  but  obliged  by  the  nature  of  the  country  or 
want  of  bridges  to  deviate  continually  from  the  direct  route ;  not 
seeJng  for  hours  together  any  living  creature  except  a  flight  of  par- 
rots or  cockatoos,  or  a  herd  of  kangaroo,  with  now  and  the  a,  at 
rare  intervals,  a  shepherd  and  his  sheep,  or  a  bullock-c3  uver  and  his 
team  of  oxen.  No  dwelling  or  trace  of  cultivation  '"'.dicated  the 


The  Progress  of  Victoria.  219 

presence  of  man  until  the  squatter's  hut,  where  we  were  to  make  a 
meal  or  spend  the  night,  and  its  wool-shed  and  little  garden  and 
cultivation  paddock  (the  name  given  to  the  piece  of  enclosed  land 
where  the  oaten  hay  for  the  horses  was  grown)  appeared  in  the 
distance.  There  we  were  always  sure  of  a  kindly  welcome  from  the 
inmates,  and  the  best  accommodation  which  their 'rough  and  homely 
mode  of  life  admitted  of.  Sometimes,  but  not  often,  we  were 
obliged  to  take  up  our  abode  at  a  bush  inn,  such  as  I  will  not  under- 
take to  describe.  Very  different  was  the  character  of  these  same 
journeys  before  we  left  Victoria.  Then  we  travelled  in  a  comfortable 
carriage,  driven  by  a  London  coachman,  along  macadamised  roads, 
over  substantial  bridges,  between  fences,  which  were  often  the 
boundaries  of  eviensive  corn  fields  ;  passing  from  time  to  time  some 
farmer's  comfortable  homestead,  going  through  small  villages  and 
occasionally  a  considerable  town,  until  we  reached  our  home  for  the 
night  at  a  substantial  parsonage,  or  the  comfortable  house  of  a 
country  gentleman,  or  perhaps  a  bank  manager's  hospitable  apart- 
ments, or,  if  none  of  these  were  to  be  had,  at  rooms  in  a  well- 
furnished  and  well-managed  inn,  or,  as  it  was  called,  hotel.  This 
was  our  experience  when  we  travelled  in  our  own  ca.rriage  ;  but  we 
were  able  to  visit  many  of  the  inland  towns  by  the  various  railways, 
which  now  connect  them  with  Melbourne  and  one  another,  and  thus 
journeys,  which  formerly  had  occupied  several  days,  could  be  accom- 
plished in  a  few  hours. 

In  reviewing  the  progress  of  Victoria,  the  construction  of  these 
railways  deserves  special  notice.  There  is  now  one  from  Melbourne 
to  Geelong  (45  miles),  thence  in  a  north-westerly  direction  to  Bal- 
laarat  (55  miles),  and  on  to  Ararat  (52  miles  further),  a  total  length 
of  152  miles.  There  is  another  from  Melbourne  northward  through 
Castlemaine  and  Sandhurst  to  Echuca  upon  the  Murray — the  river 
which,  as  I  have  mentioned,  separates  Victoria  from  New  South 
Wales— a  distance  of  156  miles  ;  and  a  third,  187  miles  in  length, 
in  a  north-easterly  direction  to  Wodonga,  a  village  at  another  point 
of  the  Murray,  opposite  to  Albury,  a  town  of  New  South  Wales, 
which  is  the  centre  of  a  rich  wine-producing  d;strict.  One  has  also 
recently  been  completed,  connecting  Castlemaine  with  Ballaarat,  and 
passing  through  the  towns  of  Maryborough,  Chines,  and  Creswick. 
Another  has,  I  believe,  already  been  commenced  from  Melbourne  to 
Sale,  the  chief  town  of  Gippsland,  which  is  the  eastern  district  of 
the  Colony.  Besides  these,  one  branches  off  from  the  Geelong  rail- 
way to  Williams  town,  the  chief  port  of  Melbourne,  and  another 
belonging  to  a  private  company  connects  the  city  with  Sandridge, 
its  other  port,  and  also  with  its  various  suburban  towns  and  villages. 


220  The  Progress  of  Victoria. 

The  facility  of  conveyance,  both  for  persons  and  goods,  afforded  by 
the  formation  of  macadamised  roads,  the  erection  of  bridges,  and 
above  all  the  construction  of  railways,  is  to  those  who  can  remember 
the  difficulty  of  transport  in  the  early  days  of  the  Colony  as  aston- 
ishing a  change  as  any  that  they  have  witnessed. 

Another  particular,  in  which  the  progress  of  the  Colony  has  been 
very  remarkable,  is  the  multiplication  of  post-offices  and  the  estab- 
lishment of  telegraphic  communication.  During  the  early  years  of 
my  episcopate,  when  we  were  upon  a  journey  in  the  interior,  we 
had  often  no  opportunity  for  many  days  together  of  sending  or  re- 
ceiving letters ;  whereas  now  "  Bradshaw's  Guide,"  a  Colonial 
imitation  of  the  well-known  English  monthly  publication,  contains 
the  names  of  about  800  places  at  which  there  is  a  post-office,  and 
120  at  which  there  is  a  telegraph-office.  I  well  remember  the  feel- 
ing produced  in  me  by  the  first  sight  of  a  straight  line  of  telegraph 
posts,  extending  for  many  miles  along  an  opening  cut  for  them  in  a 
primeval  forest,  which  had  never  previously  been  traversed  by 
man. 

I  might  speak  of  the  transformation  of  Melbourne  by  the  improve- 
ment of  old  and  construction  of  new  streets,  the  erection  of  various 
public  edifices,  the  laying  out  of  gardens  and  parks,  the  building  of 
handsome  private  residences,  and  the  multiplication  of  banks,  mer- 
cantile houses,  and  all  kinds  of  shops ;  also  of  the  increase  of 
shipping  in  the  bay,  the  formation  of  docks  at  Williamstown,  the 
establishment  of  steam  communication  with  England  and  the 
neighbouring  Colonies,  and  many  other  particulars.  But  I  should 
probably  weary  you  if  I  were  to  dwell  any  longer  upon  such  mate- 
rial statistics. 

I  pass  on,  therefore,  to  a  change  of  another  kind,  viz.  that  which 
has  taken  place  in  the  character  of  the  people.  I  know  that  in 
England  the  Colony  is  generally  supposed  to  have  suffered  from, 
instead  of  benefiting  by,  the  discovery  of  gold  in  this  respect,  and 
that  some  old  colonists  share  in  that  opinion;  but  in  my  judg- 
ment it  is  altogether  erroneous  ;  for,  whereas  before  the  gold-fields 
were  discovered  the  educated  class  consisted  only  of  the  superin- 
tendent of  the  district,  a  single  judge,  a  few  officers  of  Government, 
magistrates,  and  military  men,  a  few  clergymen,  half  a  dozen  law- 
yers, two  or  three  bankers,  three  or  four  medical  men,  a  few — very 
few — merchants,  and  some  score  or  two  of  squatters,  together  with 
their  wives  and  families,  the  proportion  of  ladies,  especially  in  the 
interior,  being  very  small ;  now,  besides  the  Governor  and  his  staff, 
there  are  a  Chief  Justice  and  four  other  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court, 
a  large  number  of  county  court  judges,  police  magistrates,  and 


The  Progress  of  Victoria.  221 

officials  of  every  description,  a  numerous  bar  and  body  of  solicitors, 
an  abundant  supply  of  physicians,  surgeons,  and  general  practi- 
tioners, together  with  bankers,  merchants,  and  country  gentlemen 
(no  longer  squatters),  clergymen  (both  of  our  own  and  other 
Churches),  and,  not  least  valuable,  university  professors  and  masters 
of  public  and  other  schools.  Nor  is  there  any  longer  a  manifest 
disproportion  between  the  sexes.  The  society  which  we  enjoyed  in 
Melbourne  before  we  left  the  Colony  was  not  inferior,  either  in  quantity 
or  quality,  to  what  one  in  our  rank  of  life  can  ordinarily  enjoy,  else- 
where than  in  London,  in  this  country  ;  and  I  should  not  have  been 
at  all  afraid  to  ask  an  English  friend  to  join  a  company,  not  speci- 
ally selected  to  meet  him,  at  my  table  at  Bishopscourt.  Besides  this 
upper,  there  is  a  large,  intelligent,  and,  speaking  generally,  upright 
middle  class,  consisting  of  shopkeepers  and  others,  who  need  not 
fear  comparison  with  those  of  a  corresponding  class  in  England. 
And,  lastly,  whereas  before  the  discovery  of  gold  many  of  the  work- 
ing men  were  expiree  convicts  (no  convicts  were  ever  transported  to 
Victoria  itself),  and  those  who  were  free  immigrants  were  largely 
addicted  to  intemperance,  now  artisans  and  labourers  of  all  kinds, 
including  the  miners,  are,  as  a  class,  equal  if  not  superior,  intel- 
lectually and  morally,  to  their  fellows  in  England. 

One  class,  however,  and  that  perhaps  the  most  influential  in  Eng- 
land, is  lacking  in  Victoria,  viz.  that  of  intelligent,  highly-educated 
men  of  fortune,  living  upon  their  incomes,  who,  having  their  time  at 
their  own  command,  can  devote  their  attention  to  public  affairs, 
and,  being  perfectly  independent,  are  not  liable  to  be  biassed  by  any 
personal  pecuniary  consideration.  It  is  to  be  remembered  that 
almost  all  above  25  years  of  age  now  in  the  Colony  were  born  in 
the  British  Isles,  and  that  either  they  themselves  or  their  parents 
emigrated  thither  for  the  purpose  of  making  money.  As  yet,  there- 
fore, scarcely  a  single  individual  (I  cannot  recollect  one)  is  living 
quietly  upon  his  own  private  means.  All  are  engaged  in  business 
of  one  kind  or  another.  Men  of  property  without  any  special 
employment  are  almost,  if  not  altogether,  unknown,  and  the  want 
of  them  is  greatly  felt.  Such  men,  whatever  may  be  said  against 
them,  constitute  a  most  valuable  class  in  any  country. 

Such  has  been  the  marvellous  progress  of  Victoria  since  October, 
1851.  I  now  proceed  to  mention  the  causes  to  which  it  is  to  be 
ascribed.  It  is  owing,  as  you  all  know,  to  the  discovery  of  the  gold- 
fields  ;  but  that  discovery,  considered  by  itself,  does  not  afford  a 
sufficient  explanation  of  the  results  which  followed.  None  such 
were  anticipated  when  it  was  made.  Most  thoughtful  men  then 
foretold  nothing  but  evil  from  it.  In  a  conversation  which  I  had 


222  The  Progress  of  Victoria. 

with  an  old  friend,  a  clergyman,  who  had  just  come  to  labour  with 
me  in  the  ministry,  he  contended  that  in  no  gold-producing  country 
could  there  exist  the  domestic  virtues,  the  social  order,  the  moral 
and  religious  principles  which  are  essential  to  the  real  prosperity 
and  happiness  of  a  people.  I  argued  against  his  gloomy  prognos- 
tications upon  the  ground  that  the  purpose  of  God  in  originally 
storing  up  the  metal  in  the  earth,  and  afterwards  bringing  it  to 
light,  must  be  for  good,  and  not  for  evil.  At  first,  however,  he 
seemed  likely  to  turn  out  the  truer  prophet,  for  the  immediate 
results  of  the  discovery  were  all  confirmatory  of  his  apprehen- 
sions. 

On  its  announcement  in  Melbourne  there  was  a  sudden,  complete 
upturning  of  society.  So  great  was  the  excitement  that  men  of  all 
classes,  lawyers  and  medical  men,  merchants,  clerks,  and  officers  of 
Government,  as  soon  as  they  could  free  themselves  from  their  exist- 
ing engagements,  abandoned  their  previous  employments,  and  started 
for  what  was  not  improperly  called  "the  diggings."  Passing 
through  the  city  one  day  shortly  afterwards  I  did  not  see  in  it,  I 
believe,  more  than  a  dozen  men,  and  most  of  these  were  packing 
drays  for  Golden  Point.  This  first  effect  of  the  discovery  is  well 
described  by  Mr.  Trollope. 

A  few  weeks  afterwards  a  number  of  successful  diggers  returned 
to  town  to  keep  their  Christmas  holidays,  which  they  did  in  a  very 
different  manner  from  that  in  which  this  holy  season  ought  to  be 
observed.  Having  suddenly  acquired  sums  of  money  far  beyond 
what  they  had  ever  dreamed  of  possessing,  they  knew  not  how  to 
spend  their  riches  except  in  rioting  and  debauchery,  and  the  most 
foolish  and  useless  extravagance.  It  was  reported  at  the  time,  and 
very  probably  with  truth,  that  one  man  lighted  his  pipe  with  a 
pound  note,  and  that  another  put  a  five-pound  note  into  a  lady's 
hand  in  the  street,  bidding  her  go  and  buy  a  new  bonnet  with  it. 
In  consequence  of  this  influx  of  wild  holiday-makers,  the  city  was 
for  a  time  a  scene  of  the  wildest  intemperance  and  confusion. 

And  this  was  not  the  worst ;  for,  so  soon  as  the  news  reached  the 
neighbouring  Colonies  of  Van  Diemen's  Land  and  New  South  Wales, 
there  began  to  pour  in  from  these  a  stream  of  men  and  women  of  a 
character  by  no  means  such  as  to  improve  the  social  and  moral 
condition  of  Victoria.  Of  this  immigration  the  result,  as  might  be 
expected,  was  a  large  amount  of  crime.  Bobbery  and  murder, 
before  almost  unknown,  became  common.  Even  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  the  city,  on  the  public  road,  a  gentleman  known  to  have 
money  with  him  was  fired  at  and  wounded  as  he  was  on  his  way  in 
the  morning  to  his  office.  The  Superintendent,  Mr.  La  Trobe,  and 


The  Progress  of  Victoria.  223 

his  wife,  narrowly  escaped  being,  in  Colonial  language,"  stuck  up," 
with  a  number  of  others,  during  an  afternoon's  drive. 

Nor  was  tVe  prospect  encouraging  when,  upon  the  arrival  of  the 
intelligence  in  England,  a  multitude  of  people  of  various  classes 
and  characters  and  habits,  all  hoping  in  some  way  or  other,  if  not 
to  make  large  fortunes,  at  least  to  obtain  a  comfortable  main- 
tenance, flocked  to  the  land  of  promise.  In  1852,  and  each  of  the 
foUowing  years,  tens  of  thousands— 50,000, 60,000,  and  even  70,000 
in  one  year — men,  women,  and  children,  poured  out  of  the  British 
Isles  into  Melbourne.  Very  grievous  was  the  disappointment  that 
they  experienced  on  their  arrival.  Men  with  wives  and  families, 
and  with  only  a  few  pounds  in  their  pockets,  instead  of  procuring 
at  once,  as  they  expected,  lucrative  employment,  could  obtain  no- 
thing suitable  to  do,  and  were  obliged  to  pay  the  most  exorbitant 
prices  for  the  necessaries  of  life.  As  no  accommodation  for  such 
numbers  could  be  found  in  the  city,  leave  was  given  them  to  pitch 
tents,  which  many  had  providentially  brought,  on  a  waste  piece  of 
suburban  land.  Thus  there  grew  up  what  was  known  as  Canvas 
Town,  an  encampment  of  hundreds  of  families,  crowded  together 
without  any  order  or  sanitary  arrangements,  and  consequently  the 
scene  of  much  disease  and  suffering,  and  of  many  deaths. 

At  this  time  also  there  prevailed  a  great  scarcity  of  the  neces- 
saries of  life.  The  exorbitant  prices  of  all  agricultural  produce  may 
be  judged  of  from  the  fact  that  hay  was  sold  at  £40,  £50,  and  in 
one  instance  that  I  heard  of,  £70  a  ton ;  even  in  Melbourne  the 
price  was  as  high  as  £30. 

Gradually,  however,  and  almost  imperceptibly,  these  evils  dis- 
appeared. Murders  and  robberies  were,  by  the  exertions  of  a 
numerous  and  efficient  police,  so  far  put  a  stop  to  that  life  and  pro- 
perty became  as  secure  in  Victoria  as  in  England.  Immigrants  of 
ah1  classes  found  employment  suited  to  their  respective  qualifications 
and  former  habits  of  life.  Agriculture,  trade,  and  commerce 
flourished,  and  the  Colony  grew  up  to  its  present  height  of  pros- 
perity. 

The  providential  circumstances  by  which  all  this  has  been  accom- 
plished are  very  remarkable.  I  have  often  when  in  Victoria  directed 
public  attention  to  them,  and  I  will  now  relate  them  to  you. 

(1)  The  first  is  the  time  at  which  the  gold-fields  ivere  discovered. 
Herein  was  very  manifestly  displayed  the  over-ruling  providence  of 
God.  For,  if  the  discovery  had  been  made  some  years  earlier, 
before  the  squatters  with  their  sheep  and  cattle  occupied  the  country, 
the  thousands  of  immigrants  who  poured  into  it  must  have  perished 
for  want  of  food.  But,  in  consequence  of  it  being  deferred  for  a 


224  The  Progress  of  Victoria. 

period  of  fifteen  years,  an  abundance  of  beef  and  mutton  was  pro- 
vided for  their  sustenance.  Moreover,  during  those  years  commer- 
cial relations  had  been  established  with  Europe  and  America,  so 
that  supplies  of  all  other  articles  that  were  required  could  speedily 
be  imported.  Nor,  although  the  new  population  were  very  inade- 
quately supplied  with  the  ordinances  of  the  Church,  was  the 
restraining  and  sanctifying  influence  of  the  Gospel  altogether  want- 
ing ;  for  a  bishop  and  a  small  body  of  clergy  of  our  own  Church,  and 
some  clergymen  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  together  with  ministers 
of  other  denominations,  had  arrived,  and  were  engaged  in  the  duties 
of  their  sacred  office. 

The  delay  in  the  discovery  during  all  these  years  is  the  more  re- 
markable, because  no  reason,  except  the  will  of  God,  can  be  assigned 
for  it.  In  some  places  the  ore  was  actually  lying  upon  the  surface 
of  the  ground.  I  have  myself  seen  a  nugget  coated  with  moss.  It 
had  also  been  found,  as  I  have  been  assured  by  trustworthy  persons 
(and  the  fact  is  mentioned  in  the  "  Life  of  the  late  Sir  Roderick 
Murchison  ")  in  small  quantities,  some  years  previously,  in  different 
parts  of  the  country.  Nay,  in  the  preceding  year,  1850,  a  large 
nugget,  weighing  several  ounces,  of  which  a  piece  was  shown  to  me 
by  Mr.  La  Trobe,  had  been  brought  into  Melbourne.  Yet,  although 
it  was  known  with  tolerable  certainty  whereabouts  this  had  been 
found,  and  a  rich  field  was  afterwards  discovered  in  the  vicinity, 
the  crowd  who  flocked  thither  "  to  prospect,"  as  the  phrase  is, 
returned  unsuccessful.  I  mention  this  last  circumstance,  because 
the  delay  of  a  single  year  was  at  that  time  a  matter  of  great  im- 
portance. Not  until  July  1st,  1851,  did  the  separation  from  New 
South  Wales,  so  long  desired  and  urgently  demanded,  take  place, 
and  the  Colony  of  Victoria  come  into  existence.  Up  to  that  time  all 
the  revenue  of  the  district  was  paid  into  the  Treasury  at  Sydney, 
and  the  Superintendent  received  all  his  orders  from  the  Government 
there.  Hence,  if  the  gold-field  of  Ballaarat  had  been  discovered  in  the 
previous  year,  the  promptitude  of  action  and  large  expenditure, 
which  the  emergency  required  for  the  maintenance  of  order  and 
settlement  of  the  many  difficult  questions  that  arose,  would  have 
been  impossible.  Seeing,  then,  how  needful  this  delay  in  the  dis- 
covery of  the  gold-fields  was  for  securing  a  supply  of  food  for  the 
crowds  of  immigrants,  and  for  the  maintenance  of  law  and  order, 
and  the  preservation  of  religious  principles,  the  time  of  the  dis- 
covery is  a  providential  circumstance,  which,  when  we  are  consider- 
ing the  progress  of  Victoria,  ought  to  be  especially  noticed. 

(2)  The  second  remarkable  providential  circumstance  deserving 
of  notice  is  the  character  of  the  gold-fields  which  were  first  discovered. 


The  Progress  of  Victoria.  225 

They  were  literally  gold-fields ;  tracts  of  alluvial  soil,  in  which 
the  gold  lay  at  depths  of  a  few  feet  below  the  surface,  and  whence 
it  could  be  extracted  without  any  mining  skill  or  costly  machinery ; 
merely  by  the  use  of  a  common  pickaxe,  a  shovel,  a  cradle  (i.e.  a 
wooden  trough,  sloping  downwards,  with  ledges  in  it,  which  could 
be  rocked  like  a  cradle,  and  was  something  like  one  in  shape),  and 
a  shallow  tin  dish.  The  ore  found  in  the  fields  was  also  so  abun- 
dant that  a  party  of  diggers,  usually  consisting  of  three  or  four 
men,  almost  invariably  succeeded  in  obtaining  an  ample  remunera- 
tion for  then:  labour.  At  the  same  time  the  work  was  very  laborious, 
and  the  life,  without  any  shelter  but  a  miserable  tent,  and  with  no 
one  to  cook  for  them  or  perform  other  domestic  duties,  was  one  of 
much  hardship  and  privation. 

The  beneficial  results  of  this  divine  arrangement  will  be  apparent, 
if  you  call  to  mind  the  condition  of  the  Colony  at  that  time,  and 
for  several  years  afterwards.  Immigrants,  as  I  have  said,  were 
pouring  into  it  at  the  annual  rate  of  50,000  or  60,000  ;  and  a  large 
number  of  these  were  husbands  and  fathers,  and  were  unable  to 
obtain  employment  in  the  trades  and  professions  in  which  they  had 
been  engaged  in  their  native  land.  What  was  this  multitude  to  do 
for  the  support  of  themselves  and  their  families  ?  The  only  course 
open  to  them  was  to  go  to  the  gold-fields,  and  accordingly  crowds 
flocked  thither,  leaving  their  wives  and  children  behind  in  Mel- 
bourne or  Geelong.  But  if  skill  in  mining  or  costly  machinery 
had  been  required  for  extracting  the  ore,  it  would  have  been  useless 
for  them  to  go  ;  for  they  had  neither  skill  nor  money.  All  that 
they  had  was  bodily  strength  and  a  will  to  work.  The  character  of 
the  gold-fields,  however,  was  such  that  these  were  sufficient.  Three 
or  four  could  form  a  party,  get  a  tent,  tools,  &c.,  select  a  piece  of 
ground  and  have  it  marked  out  for  them  (there  was  enough  for  all 
applicants,  and  the  Government  wisely  put  no  hindrance  in  their 
way),  and  proceed  to  work.  Digging  down  until  they  came  to  the 
"wash  dirt,"  the  stratum  containing  the  ore,  and  laying  this  care- 
fully aside  on  the  surface,  they  had  afterwards  only  to  wash  away 
the  stones  and  greater  part  of  the  earth  with  which  the  gold  was 
mixed  by  rocking  it  in  the  cradle,  taking  out  any  nuggets  which 
showed  themselves  in  the  process,  and  then,  by  means  of  the  tin 
dish  with  a  little  water  in  it,  held  in  a  sloping  direction  and  gently 
shaken,  get  rid  of  the  remainder  of  the  earth.  The  grains  of  gold 
left  at  the  bottom  were  the  reward  of  their  labour. 

In  this  manner  the  mass  of  immigrants  were  enabled  on  their 
arrival  to  obtain  enough  to  support  themselves  and  their  families, 
until  they  found  an  opportunity  of  betaking  themselves  to  some 

Q 


226  The  Progress  of  Victoria. 

more  congenial  occupation.  This  the  greater  number  were  very 
glad  to  do ;  for,  as  I  have  observed,  gold  digging  was  laborious 
work,  and  entailed  upon  those  engaged  ha  it  great  hardships  and 
privations.  This  was  not  then  generally  known  in  England,  and  I 
had  once  a  very  amusing  instance  of  the  extent  of  misconception 
which  might  exist  upon  the  subject.  One  morning  an  elderly  gen- 
tleman called,  and  told  me  that  he  had  come  to  Melbourne  with  his 
son,  who  was  bent  upon  going  to  the  gold-fields,  and  that  they  had 
brought  with  them  a  landing-net,  for  the  purpose  of  fishing  out 
nuggets  from  the  streams,  in  which  he  fancied  they  were  to  be 
found,  and  bringing  them  to  shore  like  a  salmon  which  had  been 
hooked  by  a  fisherman. 

Such  an  idea  was  probably  entertained  by  few,  if  any,  besides 
this  gentleman  and  his  son ;  but  a  belief  that  the  gold  was  attain- 
able with  very  little  trouble  was  certainly  prevalent,  and  hence  it 
was  supposed  that  the  digging  population  was  an  idle,  lawless 
class.  This  character,  as  a  body,  they  never  deserved.  Undoubtedly 
there  were  upon  the  gold-fields,  especially  when  first  discovered, 
many  ruffians  and  dishonest  men,  but  these  were  seldom  diggers. 
Digging  was  too  hard  labour  for  them.  The  keeping  of  sly  grog- 
shops and  stores  of  various  kinds  was  an  employment  more  suited 
to  their  habits  and  tastes.  The  unattractive  nature  of  a  gold 
digger's  life  was  a  providential  safeguard  against  it  being  adopted 
by  lazy,  profligate  fellows ;  and  if  such  were  not  always  deterred 
from  entering  upon  it,  they  were  prevented  from  continuing  in  it. 
Hence  the  diggers  soon  became,  on  the  whole,  an  honest,  hard- 
working, orderly  class.  The  only  outbreak  which  ever  occurred 
among  them  was  caused  by  the  licensing  system — a  mode  of  taxing 
them  exceedingly  irritating  in  itself,  and  the  more  so  from  the 
means  used  by  some  officers  of  Government  to  prevent  its  evasion. 
After  that  obnoxious  system  was  discontinued,  and  a  duty  on  the 
exportation  of  gold  substituted  for  it,  no  further  resistance  was  ever 
offered  to  the  administration  of  the  law  on  the  gold-fields. 

Before  passing  on  I  would  mention  another  thought  which  has 
occurred  to  me  in  connection  with  those  early  rich  alluvial  fields. 
Often  formerly,  when  I  looked  upon  a  large  tract  of  land  with 
scores  of  pits  of  a  few  feet  square  or  round,  as  the  case  might  be, 
at  just  such  a  distance  from  each  other  as  to  allow  of  the  earth  dug 
out  being  heaped  up  between  them,  I  have  inwardly  lamented  the 
enormous  waste  of  labour  which  the  scene  before  me  indicated,  and 
regretted  that  the  work  had  not  been  carried  on  in  a  scientific 
manner,  and  no  more  of  the  surface  been  disturbed  than  was  requi- 
site for  obtaining  the  ore  from  beneath.  But  one  day  it  flashed 


The  Progress  of  Victoria.  227 

upon  my  mind  that  that  very  waste  of  labour— the  working  with 
simple  implements  by  small  parties,  who  appropriated  to  them- 
selves the  gold  which  they  severally  found — was  the  very  means  of 
producing  the  beneficial  results  of  which  I  have  already  spoken. 
If  machinery  had  been  employed,  the  multitude  of  immigrants 
would  have  been  deprived  of  their  only  remunerative  occupation. 
Thenceforward  I  always  looked  upon  an  old  worked-out  alluvial 
gold-field  and  its  multitudinous  pits  and  heaps  of  earth,  a  most 
desolate  spectacle  in  itself,  with  a  feeling  of  thankful  satisfaction. 

(3)  A  third  remarkable  providential  circumstance,  which  has  greatly 
promoted  the  progress  of  Victoria,  is  the  manner  in  u-hich  the  gold- 
fields  and  gold-mines  are  distributed.  I  have  already  observed,  that 
after  a  little  while  the  great  majority  of  the  new  immigrants, 
abandoning  the  work  of  digging  for  gold,  resumed  in  their  new 
country  the  various  occupations  which  they  had  pursued  in  the 
old ;  and  it  will  readily  be  perceived  how  the  opportunity  for  so 
doing  occurred.  For  a  gold-field,  and  still  more  a  number  of  con- 
tiguous gold-mines  (which,  as  I  shall  hereafter  explain,  are  to  be 
distinguished  from  gold-fields),  becomes  almost  immediately  the 
centre  of  a  mixed  population.  The  diggers  and  miners  require  to 
be  fed  and  clothed,  and  to  be  supplied  with  tools,  and,  when  sick, 
with  medicine  and  medical  advice.  Hence  arises  a  need  for  all 
kinds  of  tradesmen,  and  for  artisans  and  other  workmen.  Very 
soon  also,  if  the  gold  digging  or  mining  continue,  there  will  be 
transactions  in  business  and  disputes,  wherein  the  aid  of  lawyers 
will  be  wanted.  Books  and  amusements  of  all  sorts  will  likewise  be 
desired,  andthus  a  town,  larger  or  smaller,  according  to  the  abundance 
and  permanence  of  the  ore,  will  spring  up.  Moreover,  the  agricul- 
tural land  in  the  neighbourhood  will  be  brought  under  cultivation, 
and  the  adjacent  country  become  occupied  by  a  rural  population. 
In  this  manner  the  various  inland  towns  have  been  formed. 
Ballaarat,  Castlemaine,  and  Sandhurst,  with  the  smaller  towns  of 
Creswick,  Climes,  Talbot,  Maryborough,  Dunolly,  and  others,  in  the 
centre  and  northern  part  of  the  Colony,  Beechworth  and  other 
small  towns  in  the  north-east,  Ararat  and  others  towards  the 
west,  with  others  eastward  in  the  mountains  of  Gippsland,  and 
some  small  ones  near  to  Melbourne  and  Geelong,  have  all  been 
centres  of  alluvial  gold-fields,  and  are  still  centres  of  more  or  less 
important  mining  districts ;  while  Kyneton  in  the  centre,  Wanga- 
ratta  in  the  north-east,  Sale  in  Gippsland,  and  Hamilton  in  the 
west,  together  with  a  number  of  small  towns  and  villages,  are 
centres  of  agricultural  districts,  and  owe  their  existence  and 
growth  to  the  farmers  around  them. 
Q2 


228  The  Progress  of  Victoria. 

Now  what  I  wish  you  to  observe  is  that,  if  gold  had  been  found 
only  at  or  near  to  Golden  Point,  in  the  vicinity  of  Ballaarat,  where 
it  was  first  discovered,  the  great  mass  of  the  people  would  have 
been  crowded  together  there ;  Ballaarat  would  have  been  the  only 
large  inland  town,  and  the  land  in  its  neighbourhood  alone  would 
have  become  valuable  for  cultivation.  But  a  few  weeks  afterwards 
another  gold-field  was  discovered  at  Forest  Creek,  in  the  vicinity 
of  Castlemaine,  and  another  at  Bendigo,  near  to  Sandhurst,  whence 
the  origin  of  these  two  towns.  Then,  at  intervals  during  the  next 
few  years,  gold-fields  or  mines  were  found  at  all  those  places  along 
the  whole  length  of  Victoria,  from  the  mountains  of  Gippsland  on 
the  east  to  the  foot  of  the  Grampians  on  the  west,  where  the 
several  mining  towns  to  which  I  have  referred  are  situated.  Owing 
to  this  providential  distribution  of  the  gold  the  population,  instead 
of  being  crowded  around  one  spot,  is  spread  over  the  whole  Colony, 
and  the  produce  of  every  part  is  within  a  convenient  distance  of 
some  inland  market.  To  this  also  is  to  be  ascribed  the  compre- 
hensive character  of  many  of  the  improvements  of  which  I  have 
spoken,  the  extension  of  metal  roads,  followed  afterwards  by 
railways,  from  Melbourne  and  other  seaports  in  all  directions,  and 
the  construction  of  them  from  one  inland  town  to  another, 
together  with  the  erection  of  bridges  in  every  part  of  the  country. 
Very  little  reflection  is  required  to  perceive  how  greatly  the  wealth 
of  the  Colony  has  been  increased,  and  the  prosperity  and  comfort 
of  the  people  promoted  by  its  entire  area  being  in  this  way  made 
available  for  the  various  uses  for  which  the  soil  and  climate  of  its 
several  parts  render  them  suitable. 

(4)  One  other  providential  circumstance  remains  to  be  noticed, 
viz.  the  manner  in  which  the  gold-fields,  when  they  had  served  the  purpose 
of  providing  a  maintenance  for  the  thousands  of  newly-arrived  im- 
migrants, were  gradually  worked  out,  and  their  place  occupied  by  the 
gold-mines.  In  a  few  years  after  its  discovery  each  alluvial  gold- 
field  ceased  to  yield  a  remunerative  amount  of  ore,  and  there- 
fore was  deserted,  or  taken  possession  of  by  the  Chinese.  The 
consequences  of  this,  if  the  precious  metal  had  not  been  dis- 
covered elsewhere,  would  have  been  most  disastrous.  For,  notwith- 
standing the  fertility  of  the  soil  and  excellency  of  the  climate, 
agriculture  and  pasture  would  not  alone  have  supplied  adequate 
occupation  for  the  thousands  whom  the  gold  had  attracted  to 
Victoria ;  nor  would  wool  and  other  articles  of  export  have  sufficed 
for  maintaining  its  commercial  prosperity.  The  revenue  must 
have  fallen  off,  trade  must  have  declined,  professional  men  must 
have  lost  their  practice,  and  the  artisan  and  labourer,  from  want 


The  Progress  of  Victoria.  229 

of  employment,  sunk  into  destitution.  No  such  evils,  however, 
occurred ;  for,  before  the  yield  of  the  gold-fields  hegan  to  diminish, 
gold  mines  had  been  discovered,  and  the  failure  of  the  former  was 
more  than  compensated  by  the  increasing  number  and  richness  of 
the  latter. 

Nor  has  this  been  the  only  benefit  resulting  from  the  discovery 
of  gold-mines.  Another,  and  one  of  great  importance,  has  been 
conferred  upon  the  Colony  by  the  altered  mode  of  obtaining  the 
ore.  For  enabling  you  to  understand  this,  I  will  briefly  explain 
the  character  of  these  mines.  They  are  of  two  kinds,  deep-sinkings 
and  quartz-reefs.  In  the  former  the  gold  is  found  in  the  earth  at 
great  depths,  sometimes  several  hundred  feet  below  the  surface  ; 
in  the  latter  it  is  found  in  its  matrix,  the  quartz.  Both  require 
for  their  working  capital  and  skill.  For  deep  -sinkings  shafts  must 
be  sunk,  the  sides  boarded  up  to  prevent  the  earth  from  falling  in, 
the  water  pumped  out,  and  then,  when  the  auriferous  soil  has  been 
reached,  the  lead  followed  by  galleries  underground.  For  reefs  the 
rock  must  be  quarried,  the  auriferous  stone,  which  often  lies  at  a 
great  depth,  taken  out,  burnt,  and  crushed  to  powder ;  then  the  mass 
of  quartz-dust  washed  away,  and  the  gold-dust,  by  processes  which  I 
need  not  stop  to  describe,  separated  from  the  residue.  Thus  gold- 
mining  has  become,  like  other  mining  in  this  country,  a  business,  in 
which  men  of  capital  may  invest  their  money,  for  which  steam  engines 
and  other  machinery  are  required,  and  which  furnish  regular  employ- 
ment for  a  number  of  both  skilled  and  unskilled  labourers.  The  men 
engaged  hi  it  have  not  to  endure  any  peculiar  hardships  or  priva- 
tions. They  receive  wages,  and  go  to  their  work  and  leave  off  at 
fixed  hours,  living  usually  with  then:  wives  and  families  at  the 
towns  or  villages  which  the  mines  have  brought  into  existence ; 
and  if  they  differ  in  any  respect  from  the  corresponding  class  in 
this  or  other  countries,  I  believe  it  to  be  in  their  greater  desire  to 
improve  their  condition,  and  raise  themselves  in  the  world.  Such 
is  the  opinion  which  my  observation  has  led  me  to  form  of  the 
present  mining  population  of  Victoria. 

The  commercial  progress  of  the  Colony,  and  the  growth  and  im- 
provement of  Melbourne  and  its  suburbs,  have  been  only  the 
natural  results  of  the  enormous  increase  of  the  population,  the 
general  prosperity  of  all  classes  of  the  people,  and  the  large  revenue 
derived  from  the  export  duty  on  gold,  and  the  sale  of  the  public 
lands.  I  need  not  therefore  occupy  your  time  by  describing  the 
operation  of  these  causes  in  the  crowding  of  the  Bay  with  shipping, 
the  multiplication  of  banks  and  insurance  offices,  the  establishment 
of  mercantile  firms  and  various  houses  of  business,  the  erection  of 


230  The  Progress  of  Victoria. 

great  public  buildings,  such  as  the  Houses  of  Parliament,  the 
Government  offices,  the  Library,  and  Post-office,  the  construction  of 
docks  and  piers  for  the  landing  of  goods  and  passengers,  the 
opening  of  railway  communication  between  the  city  and  its  ports, 
the  foundation  of  hospitals,  benevolent  asylums,  and  other  charitable 
institutions,  the  establishment  of  a  university,  together  with  public 
and  private  schools  adapted  to  the  various  classes  of  scholars ;  and, 
lastly,  the  springing  up  around  the  city  of  large  suburban  towns, 
together  with  a  multitude  of  detached  villas,  the  residences  of 
officers  of  Government,  professional  men,  and  others.  All  this  you 
can  picture  for  yourself.  I  may,  however,  mention  that,  although 
Melbourne  cannot  be  compared  with  Sydney  or  Hobart  Town  for 
beauty  of  situation,  yet  in  its  vicinity  is  much  pretty  scenery,  and 
many  pleasant  sites  have  been  and  still  may  be  found  for  such 
villas  as  I  have  referred  to.  Also  that,  when  it  was  laid  out, 
through  the  foresight  of  Mr.  La  Trobe,  a  large  quantity  of  land  was 
reserved  and  permanently  set  apart,  as  in  London,  for  public 
gardens  and  parks,  and  thus  every  facility  is  afforded  to  the 
people  for  the  enjoyment  of  fresh  air  and  healthful  recreation. 
Another  advantage  which  the  city  possesses  is  an  abundant  supply 
of  excellent  water.  This  is  furnished  by  underground  pipes  from 
a  reservoir  constructed  at  a  distance  of  twenty  miles,  and  usually 
designated  from  the  place  in  which  it  is  situated,  the  Yan-Yean. 
The  comfort  which  this  affords  for  laying  the  dust  in  the  street,  and 
for  the  use  of  gardens,  as  well  as  for  household  purposes,  is 
unspeakable. 

In  this  description  of  the  progress  of  Victoria  and  its  causes,  I 
have  expressed  freely  my  own  views  both  as  to  the  character  of 
the  people,  and  as  to  the  remarkable  combination  of  providential 
circumstances,  by  which  the  Colony  has  attained  to  its  present 
height  of  prosperity.  Some  of  my  hearers  will  probably  think  the 
picture  I  have  drawn  is  too  highly  coloured,  and  that  neither  do  the 
people  deserve  the  commendation  I  have  bestowed  upon  them,  nor 
is  the  condition  of  the  Colony  really  so  prosperous  as  I  have  repre- 
sented it.  In  support  of  their  opinion  they  may  refer  to  the 
unseemly  proceedings  which  on  several  occasions  have  disgraced 
the  Legislative  Assembly  ;  to  the  charges  of  corruption,  which  have 
been  formerly  current  against  certain  members  of  Government ;  to 
the  unwise  restrictions  upon  commerce,  and  the  successive  impo- 
tent attempts  to  prevent  capitalists  from  investing  their  money  in 
the  land.  They  may  point  also  to  the  recent  diminution  of  the 
revenue  (I  am  glad  to  see  by  the  papers  that  there  has  been  an 
increase  during  the  past  year),  the  prevalent  complaints  of  the 


The  Progress  of  Victoria.  231 

stagnation  of  trade,  the  emigration  which  has  been  going  on  to 
the  neighbouring  Colonies,  and  other  evidences  of  retrogression. 
Nor  do  I  deny  that  there  is  a  dark  side  of  the  picture  ;  and  upon 
this,  although  I  do  not  intend  to  dwell  upon  it,  I  will,  before  con- 
cluding, make  one  or  two  remarks. 

In  the  Act  of  the  Imperial  Parliament,  by  which  a  Constitution 
was  given  to  the  Colony,  a  clause  was  introduced,  authorising  the 
local  legislature  to  modify  it  from  time  to  time  without  reference  to 
the  mother  country.  This  always  appeared  to  me  very  unwise. 
For  the  possession  of  such  a  power  by  a  young  community 
naturally  excited  a  desire  to  exercise  it,  and  within  a  little  while 
the  right  of  manhood  suffrage  was  demanded  and  conferred.  Now, 
bearing  in  mind  that,  as  I  have  noticed,  the  class  of  educated  men 
with  independent  fortunes  and  their  time  at  their  own  disposal, 
which  exercises  so  great  an  influence  in  England,  does  not  exist  in 
a  young  country  like  Victoria,  you  will  easily  understand  how  the 
other  classes,  and  especially  the  labouring  classes,  are  liable  to  be 
led  away  by  mob  oratory  and  specious  arguments.  Hence  men, 
utterly  unworthy  of  such  a  position,  frequently  have  been  elected 
to  sit  in  the  Legislative  Assembly,  and  sometimes  succeeded  in 
obtaining  high  offices  in  the  Government.  The  consequence  is,  that 
not  only  has  the  character  of  the  Colony  greatly  suffered  in  the 
estimation  of  the  English  public,  but  also  a  line  of  policy  has  been 
pursued  greatly  detrimental  to  its  interests.  While  residing  at 
Melbourne  I  deemed  it  right,  in  the  position  I  held,  to  abstain  alto- 
gether from  the  discussion  of  political  questions,  which  did  not 
affect  the  religious  or  moral  welfare  of  the  community ;  but  now, 
having  ceased  to  exercise  any  episcopal  functions,  and  being  per- 
manently settled  in  England,  I  do  not  feel  myself  under  any 
obligation  to  continue  silent.  I  therefore  do  not  hesitate  to  express 
my  opinion  that  unwise,  not  to  say  unjust,  legislation  as  to  the  land 
has  wasted  the  public  estate,  driven  away  some  and  ruined  other 
valuable  colonists,  and,  by  inducing  men  who  were  utterly  unfitted 
for  the  work  to  betake  themselves  to  farming,  has  subjected  many 
families  to  want  and  misery.  Neither  do  I  doubt  that  the  legisla- 
tion as  to  commerce  has  greatly  retarded  the  growth  of  the  Colony, 
and  operated  very  injuriously  upon  its  material  prosperity. 

Nevertheless,  notwithstanding  these  drawbacks,  which  are  owing 
to  the  infirmities  of  human  nature,  the  progress  of  Victoria  has  not 
been,  so  far  as  I  can  judge,  seriously  interrupted.  Although  many 
have  been  disappointed  of  acquiring  wealth  so  rapidly  as  they 
expected,  and  some  have  been  subjected  to  privation  and  suffering 
which  they  did  not  anticipate,  yet  it  may,  I  believe,  be  said  that 


232  The  Progress  of  Victoria. 

in  every  class  of  the  community  uprightness,  diligence,  and 
sobriety,  have  been  generally  rewarded  with  an  adequate  measure 
of  success.  I  entirely  concur  with  Mr.  Trollope  in  the  opinion  that, 
"As  to  the  substantial  prosperity  of  Victoria,  no  one  who  has 
visited  the  Colony  can  entertain  a  doubt.  It  is  to  be  seen  in  the 
daily  lives  of  the  colonists,  in  the  clothes  which  they  wear,  in  the 
food  which  they  eat,  in  the  wages  which  they  receive,  in  the 
education  of  the  children,  and  in  the  general  comfort  of  the  people." 

One  circumstance  certainly  does  cause  me  apprehension  for  the 
future — the  establishment  of  a  system  of  public  education  by  the 
State,  which  seems  to  me  to  combine  in  it  almost  every  possible 
evil.  The  instruction,  up  to  the  standard  of  an  ordinary  English 
parochial  school,  is  given  gratuitously,  which  is  quite  needless  in  such 
a  Colony  as  Victoria,  and  puts  the  country  to  an  enormous  expense. 
The  schools  are  entirely  under  the  control  of  the  Ministry  for  the 
time  being,  and  thus  constitute  a  Government  monopoly,  which, 
according  to  the  principles  of  political  economy,  is  most  objectionable. 
Worst  of  all,  the  law  positively  forbids  not  only  all  religious 
instruction,  but  all  recognition  of  such  a  being  as  God  and  such  a 
thing  as  religious  obligation.  The  necessary  result  of  such  atheistic 
education  would  seem  to  be  that  a  large  proportion  of  the  young 
will  grow  up  in  absolute  ignorance  of  Christianity,  and  without  any 
moral  principles  to  restrain  them  from  giving  way  to  every  passion, 
and  indulging  to  the  utmost  every  sensual  and  covetous  desire.  I 
can  only  hope — but  I  do  confidently  hope — that  somehow  or  other, 
in  the  providence  of  God,  the  pernicious  effects  of  this  system  may 
be  counteracted,  and  Victorian  children  trained  up  to  lead  that 
godly,  righteous,  and  sober  life,  which  is  essential  for  the  enjoy- 
ment and  the  imparting  of  true  happiness.  This  hope  I  confidently 
cherish  from  the  several  instances  which  I  have  brought  under  your 
notice  of  the  good  providence  of  God  in  the  history  of  the  gold-fields, 
and  yet  more  from  the  harmony  which  subsists  among  the  ministers 
and  earnest  members  of  the  several  branches  of  the  Church  of 
Christ  in  the  Colony,  and  which  must  ere  long  make  their  influence 
effectual  for  the  remedying  of  so  flagrant  an  evil. 

I  may  venture  therefore  to  close  this  Paper  with  the  favourite 
motto  of  the  Colony — 

ADVANCE,  VICTOEIA  ! 

DISCUSSION. 

Mr.  ALEXANDER  M'ABTHUB,  M.P. :  I  have  been  waiting  in  the 
hope  that  some  gentleman  from  Victoria  would  rise.  I  have  never 
had  the  privilege  of  being  an  inhabitant  of  Victoria ;  but  I  have 


The  Progress  of  Victoria.  238 

visited  that  Colony  frequently,  and  have  been  there  before  the  Lord 
Bishop  arrived  in  the  Colony,  and  can  endorse  his  description  of 
that  time.  I  think  there  was,  when  I  first  visited  Melbourne,  the 
stump  of  one  of  the  old  forest  trees  standing  in  one  of  the  streets 
of  Melbourne.  There  were  no  footpaths ;  and  to  show  what  the 
condition  of  the  streets  was,  I  may  say  I  remember  making  the 
observation  to  a  friend  of  mine,  that  it  was  a  capital  place  to  learn 
to  ride,  for  you  frequently  had  to  jump  over  a  chasm  in  the  road- 
way. We  must  all  feel  grateful  to  the  Lord  Bishop  for  the  history 
he  has  given  us  in  the  interesting  paper  he  has  read.  He  has 
traced  the  history  of  the  Colony  of  Victoria  from  the  commence- 
ment, and  in  everything  he  has  said,  gentlemen  connected  with  that 
Colony  will  fully  agree.  There  is  one  thing  to  which  I  may  refer, 
and  that  is,  to  his  remarks  on  the  want  of  men  of  intelligence  and 
position  who  have  time  to  devote  to  the  work  of  the  government 
of  the  Colony.  It  is  quite  true  that  such  a  want  exists,  and  it  is 
true  that  mistakes  have  been  made;  but  I  think,  taking  the 
Colonies  as  a  whole,  and  taking  into  account  that  the  gentlemen 
engaged  in  the  work  have  had  no  previous  experience  with  regard 
to  legislation,  and  must  have  been  engaged  in  active  business  even 
while  devoting  some  of  their  time  to  legislative  duties,  I  think  on 
the  whole  the  legislation  has  been  very  satisfactory.  (Cheers.) 
It  has  been  as  good]  as  we  could  have  expected,  notwithstanding 
there  have  been  some  mistakes.  Mistakes  are  made  in  older  coun- 
tries on  the  Continent  of  Europe,  and  mistakes  have  been  made 
even  in  England.  (Cheers.)  Allowances  must  be  made  for  men 
who  have  not  been  used  to  legislation  in  this  country,  and  who  are 
therefore  comparatively  new  to  the  work.  "We  must  congratulate 
ourselves  that  so  many  of  our  own  people  have  gone  out  to  Aus- 
tralia ;  and  we  cannot  help  regretting  that  we  could  not  direct  into 
the  Australian  Colonies  that  stream  of  emigration  which  has  been 
flowing  to  America.  (Cheers.)  In  the  first  place,  we  send  out 
numbers  to  America  (I  will  not  say  to  a  hostile  country,  but  where 
those  who  go  out,  from  Ireland  especially,  often  become  bitter 
enemies  of  England),  whereas,  if  we  could  send  them  to  our 
southern  Colonies,  they  would  not  only  increase  the  prosperity  of 
those  Colonies,  but  would  strengthen  the  British  Empire.  (Cheers.) 
There  is  another  remark  of  the  Lord  Bishop's  which  I  fully  endorse, 
and  that  is,  what  he  has  said  as  to  the  mistake  made  in  legislation, 
which,  I  believe,  has  retarded  the  progress  of  the  Australian 
Colonies,  and  especially  the  Colony  of  Victoria — I  mean  the  de- 
parture from  the  principles  of  free  trade.  (Cheers.)  I  believe  it 
has  retarded  them  much  ;  but  they  have  begun  to  see  their  error 


234  The  Progress  of  Victoria. 

at  length,  and  I  hope  no  very  long  period  will  elapse  ere  they 
return  to  the  principles  of  free  trade.  The  Bishop  has  referred  to 
the  difficulty  of  travelling  in  the  early  days  of  the  Colony.  I  recol- 
lect going  up  to  Castlemaine,  and  going  over  to  Bendigo,  where 
I  was  invited  to  take  tea  with  a  party  of  diggers.  We  had  mutton 
chops,  a  cake  called  "  damper,"  and  tea,  and  we  had  but  one  knife 
among  the  whole  party ;  this  happened  to  be  my  own  pocket- 
knife,  and  with  this  and  a  wooden  skewer,  which  did  duty  for  a 
fork,  we  made  a  capital  meal,  after  which  I  returned  to  Castle- 
maine and  spent  the  night,  for  the  first  and  last  time  in  my  life, 
under  a  bullock-dray,  where  I  slept  very  comfortably.  At  that 
time,  at  Bendigo,  the  gold  was  found,  as  described  by  the  Bishop, 
at  the  depth  of  about  two  feet  under  the  surface,  and  the  nuggets 
were  about  the  size  of  small  beans  or  peas.  Now,  gold-mining  has 
become  a  work  for  capitalists,  and  the  gold  reefs  of  Victoria  and 
New  South  Wales  are  likely  to  last  for  ages  to  come.  I  endorse, 
too,  to  a  great  extent  the  sentiments  expressed  as  to  education. 
It  is  a  difficult  matter  to  deal  with  even  here,  and  more  difficult 
there;  but  I  think  a  system  like  that  adopted  by  the  London 
School  Board  would  be  the  best,  by  which,  though  religious  edu- 
cation may  be  given,  no  one  is  compelled  to  receive  sectarian 
education ;  and  I  think  if  such  a  system  had  been  adopted  in 
Victoria,  it  would  have  been  better  for  the  Colony  than  the  present 
system  there.  The  Bishop  has  also  referred  to  the  harmony  exist- 
ing between  the  different  ministers  of  religion  in  the  Colony.  I 
have  frequently  observed  this,  and  I  believe  a  great  deal  of  that 
harmony  arose  from  the  conduct  of  the  Lord  Bishop  himself — 
(cheers) — for  he  was  always  ready  to  join  with  the  ministers  of 
other  denominations  in  any  good  work,  and  ever  ready  to  promote 
and  maintain  a  Christian  spirit  of  love  and  charity.  I  beg  to 
propose  a  vote  of  thanks  to  his  Lordship  for  his  highly  interesting 
and  valuable  paper.  (Cheers.) 

Mr.  H.  CRESWICK  (of  Melbourne) :  I  rise  to  second  the  vote  of 
thanks  to  the  Lord  Bishop,  and  at  the  same  time  say  that  I  have 
felt  the  greatest  regret  at  hearing  that  the  Bishop  has  almost 
separated  himself  from  Victoria,  which  is  largely  indebted  to  him 
for  its  position  as  one  of  the  first  of  our  Australian  Colonies. 
Having  grown  up  with  Victoria,  I  can  say  that  his  Lordship  has 
given  us  a  most  comprehensive  paper  on  that  Colony.  There  is 
no  question  on  which  he  has  not  touched,  and  that  in  such  a  mode 
as  to  make  us  all  feel  obliged  to  him.  Our  southern  Colonies  have 
experienced  a  growth  which  is  not  only  important  to  themselves, 
but  which  is  also  an  additional  glory  to  this  country,  (Cheers.) 


The  Progress  of  Victoria.  235 

I  think  we  are  not  altogether  done  justice  to  in  England ;  we  are 
not  sufficiently  considered  as  an  integral  part  of  the  mother- 
country.  We  hand  into  it  month  by  month  our  produce  of  gold 
and  of  other  valuable  commodities.  I  do  not  think  the  question  of 
free  trade  has  been  altogether  fairly  considered  with  reference  to 
Victoria.  While  in  England  I  am  a  free  trader ;  I  am  not  so  in 
the  Colony.  This  may  seem  a  contradiction,  but  protection  to  a 
young  Colony  is  that  which  free  trade  is  to  England.  We  have  a 
beautiful  climate,  and  we  have  a  very  mixed  rising  population, 
which  has  to  be  directed  in  industrial  pursuits,  and  I  am  in  favour 
of  protection  for  that  reason.  I  ask  you  to  consider  to  what  extent 
protection  may  be  beneficial  for  a  rising  country  before  condemning 
it.  I  now  come  to  the  question  of  education,  which  is  a  very  im- 
portant one.  I  think  the  secular  system  is  sound.  (Cheers.)  If 
the  clergy  want  to  influence  the  young,  as  they  should  do,  let  them 
do  it  by  means  of  Sunday-schools,  and  by  religious  classes  and 
lectures.  I  certainly  would  force  the  Bible  upon  everyone  if  I 
could,  but  not  any  special  dogma.  Let  each  denomination  support 
its  own  religious  instruction.  It  would  be  impossible  for  me  to 
add  much  to  what  his  Lordship  has  said,  and  I  am  delighted  that 
he  has  been  able  to  devote  so  much  time  and  thought  to  our 
interests.  Doubtless,  it  will  do  us  good.  We  ought  to  be  con- 
sidered a  part  of  England — (cheers) — and  I  do  not  see  why  we 
should  not,  nor  why  we  should  not  be  represented  in  Parliament. 
Some  gentleman  near  me  says  there  is  not  room ;  but  there  is  room 
enough.  Why  should  not  the  House  of  Commons  contain  1,075 
members  as  well  as  675.  I  have  children  born  in  the  Colony  who 
care  little  for  the  mother-country ;  but  feeling  myself  an  English- 
man, I  wish  to  do  all  that  can  be  done  to  promote  and  maintain  in 
my  children,  and  in  the  Colonies  generally,  the  English  feeling,  and 
we  ought  to  consider  to  what  extent  some  representation  at  home 
would  further  and  strengthen  such  a  feeling.  (Cheers.) 

Mr.  H.  W.  FKEELAND  :  I  plead  guilty  to  having  made  the  remark 
that  there  is  not  room  enough  for  representatives  of  the  Colonies 
in  the  House  of  Commons.  (Cheers  and  laughter.)  I  believe  that 
my  honourable  friend  the  Secretary  entertains  a  different  opinion. 
He  is  entitled  to  hold  and  to  express  his  opinion ;  but  I  am  equally 
entitled  to  hold  mine,  which  I  wish  to  express,  upon  this  question, 
as  to  whether  it  is  desirable  or  very  feasible  to  associate  the 
Colonies  in  this  way  with  the  mother-country.  I  hold  the  opinion 
that  there  is  not  room.  We  are  all,  no  doubt,  liable  to  make 
mistakes  ;  but,  if  you  look  at  the  work  of  the  House  of  Commons, 
you  will  see  that  it  is  overburdened  with  work  already.  I  don't 


236  The  Progress  of  Victoria. 

mean  to  say  that  the  House,  of  which  the  noble  Duke  in  the  chair 
is  a  member,  is  overburdened  with  work — (laughter) — and  if  any 
means  could  be  devised  to  make  that  House  the  representative  of 
the  Colonies,  I  think  that  there  might  be  then  an  opening  through 
which  the  Colonies  might  find  a  mode  of  making  their  voices  heard 
in  the  Legislature  of  the  mother-country.  I  think  this  is  a  plan 
which  may  be  considered  Utopian,  and  all  such  ideas  may  be  called 
Utopian  ;  but  the  House  of  Commons  is  at  present  burdened  with 
work  which  it  is  incompetent  to  discharge,  and  unless  you  reduce 
the  work  of  the  House  of  Commons  by  expanding  our  small  and 
frequently  corrupt  municipalities  into  district  parliaments,  and  in 
this  way  disburthen  Parliament  of  duties  and  local  business,  which 
it  is  now  incompetent  to  discharge,  I  can  hardly  see  how  you  can 
make  room  for  Colonial  representatives  in  the  House  of  Commons. 
As  regards  the  representation  of  the  Colonies  in  Parliament,  we 
must  consider  that  they  can  only  have  a  few  members — 
Mr.  FREDERICK  YOUNG  ;  No,  no. 

Mr.  FREELAND  :  If  you  take  representatives  according  to  numbers, 
where  will  England  be  ? 

Mr.  YOUNG  :  In  her  proper  place. 
Mr.  FREELAND  :  But  will  she  consent  to  this  ? 
Mr.  YOUNG  :  The  Colonies  are  English  too. 
Mr.  FREELAND  :  And  I  hope  they  will  remain  English ;  but  the 
further  you  go  into  this  question,  the  further  you  get  into  difficulties 
and  confusion.  Again,  it  seems  to  me  that  at  present  there  is  no 
Colony  where  they  are  asking  for  representation  ;  and  not  only  do 
they  not  ask  it,  but  England  would  not  at  present  consent  to  give 
it.  That  being  so,  I  do  not  see  the  practical  utility  of  discussing 
this  question  at  present.  I  should  not  have  gone  into  it  had  I  not 
been  challenged  on  account  of  my  hasty  remark.  As  to  the  progress 
of  Victoria  (and  everyone  will  thank  the  Lord  Bishop  for  his  able 
and  exhaustive  paper),  I  can  only  hope  that,  whether  the  Colony  be 
represented  in  Parliament  or  not,  its  progress  may  continue  to  be 
such  as  he  has  represented  it  at  present  to  be.  And  now,  turning 
to  a  subject  on  which  difference  of  opinion  is  strong,  and  which  is 
a  subject  of  great  importance,  I  hope  that  in  the  Colony  of  Victoria 
education  will  continue  to  be  conducted  upon  the  broadest  and  the 
most  unsectarian  basis  that  the  advocates  of  School  Boards  and 
the  heads  of  Government  Departments  can  by  any  means  devise. 
My  blood  boils  when  I  hear  people  talk  of  godless  education,  as 
if  any  education  which  leads  a  man  to  study  the  God  of  nature  in 
His  works  could  be  godless;  as  if  what  leads  us  to  look  at 
astronomy,  and  the  wonders  of  the  heavens,  and  of  orbs  sustained 


The  Progress  of  Victoria.  237 

in  space,  could  be  godless ;  or  as  if  what  leads  us  to  look  at  the 
works  of  nature,  at  the  material  universe,  and  at  its  infinite  per- 
fections, could  be  godless.  When  I  hear  the  words  "  godless 
education,"  they  call  forth  a  feeling  which  I  cannot  find  words  in 
the  English  language  to  give  adequate  expression  to.  Science  is 
godly ;  the  works  of  nature  are  godly ;  and  the  education  which 
men  call  godless,  because  it  is  unsectarian,  is  godly,  because  it  is 
the  true  way  of  leading  up  the  mind  through  the  works  of  nature 
to  nature's  God. 

Mr.  F.  P.  LABILLIEEE  :  I  rise  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  the 
subject  of  the  evening  is  the  progress  of  the  Colony  of  Victoria, 
not  that  of  the  representation  of  Colonies,  nor  the  interesting 
question  of  Imperial  federation,  nor  even  sectarian  education. 
(Laughter  and  cheers.)  I  am  rather  tempted  to  follow  Mr.  Free- 
land,  but  shall  resist  the  temptation.  (Laughter.)  The  fact  that 
my  friend,  who  has  so  often  twitted  me  with  being  an  enthusiast 
on  the  question  of  Imperial  federation,  should  have  gone  out  of  his 
way  to  drag  the  subject  into  this  discussion,  shows  to  what  a 
great  depth  it  has  settled  in  men's  minds.  Federal  government 
does  not  mean  representation  of  the  Colonies  in  the  House  of 
Commons  by  a  few  members  who  could  be  counted  on  one's 
fingers,  it  means  the  creation  of  a  distinct  federal  Parliament, 
like  that  of  America,  or  like  that  of  Germany  or  Switzerland.  I 
have  been  so  far  led  astray  from  the  subject  by  the  last  speaker, 
but  must  now  return  to  it.  Having  been  born  in  Victoria,  I  am, 
of  those  present  this  evening,  almost,  if  not  quite,  that  very  veri- 
table and  extremely  venerable  person,  the  oldest  inhabitant. 
(Laughter.)  My  recollection  cannot,  however,  extend  as  far  as 
that  of  some  gentlemen  who  did  not  come  to  the  Colony  until  after 
I  was  born  there.  I  first  distinctly  remember  Melbourne  just  this 
time  twenty-nine  years  ago — shortly  before  the  Bishop's  arrival — 
and  also  two  circumstances  connected  with  a  visit  to  the  town  a 
year  or  two  years  previously.  I  can  just  remember  seeing  the 
boys  riding  the  goats,  which  at  that  time  used  to  browse  about 
Collins-street;  and  I  recollect  seeing  for  the  first  time  soldiers 
in  the  British  uniform — a  sight  which,  by  the  total  withdrawal  of 
the  red-coats,  Colonial  children  can  now  no  longer  see.  I  think  it 
might  have  been  well  to  have  left  a  few  troops  in  our  Colonies,  that 
at  least  the  uniform  of  the  Imperial  army  might  be  familiar  to 
native-born  colonists.  I  don't  know  how  far  my  very  strong 
Imperial  feelings  may  have  had  their  origin  in  the  fact  of  my 
having  seen  these  soldiers  marching  through  the  streets  of  Mel- 
bourne. I  was  speaking  as  recently  as  Saturday  to  Mr.  Stead,  one 


238  The  Progress  of  Victoria. 

of  the  last,  if  not  the  only,  survivor  of  those  who  landed  at  Port 
Philip  Bay  about  the  same  time  as  Batman,  and  he  said  that  he 
remembered  Melbourne  when  it  consisted  of  two  sod  huts — one 
sheltering  Mr.  Batman's  party,  and  the  other  the  party  of  Mr. 
Fawkner.  I  think  it  is  desirable  that  the  early  history  of 
Colonies  which  have  made  such  progress  should  be  recorded  in  our 
transactions.  There  is  one  gentleman  I  see  opposite  who  will,  I 
hope,  give  us  some  account  of  his  experience,  that  is  Mr.  Henty ; 
he  is  identified  with  the  early  history  of  Victoria,  for  his  family 
founded  the  first  settlement  in  the  Colony  at  Portland  in  November, 
1834,  some  months  before  the  other  parties  arrived  at  Port  Philip 
Bay.  I  most  heartily  concur  with  everything  that  has  been  said  in 
praise  of  the  zeal,  energy,  and  wisdom  with  which,  during  his 
episcopate  of  a  quarter  of  a  century,  the  Eight  Eev.  Prelate  devoted 
himself  to  develop  the  social,  moral,  and  religious  progress  of 
Victoria. 

Mr.  JAMES  A.  YOUL:  My  Lord  Duke,  in  compliance  with  the 
request  of  the  previous  speaker,  Mr.  Labilliere,  that  he  would  be 
glad  if  there  was  anyone  present  who  knew  personally  anything 
connected  with  the  first  settlement  of  Victoria,  to  state  it  for  the 
information  of  the  Fellows,  I  may  say  that  Mr.  John  Batman,  who 
no  doubt  was  the  founder  of  Melbourne,  was  once  my  overseer, 
afterwards  rented  a  small  farm  of  mine,  but  at  the  time  he  crossed 
Bass's  Straits  for  Port  Philip  was  living  on  his  own  freehold  pro- 
perty in  Tasmania.  But  it  should  not  be  forgotten  that  previously 
to  Mr.  Batman's  party  taking  possession  of  the  country  where 
Melbourne  now  stands,  that  part  of  the  Colony  of  Victoria  had 
been  occupied  by  some  members  of  the  family  of  Henty,  one  of 
whom  I  now  see  before  me  in  this  room.  They  at  first  formed  a 
whaling  establishment  at  Portland  Bay,  about  100  miles  west  of 
Melbourne,  and  afterwards  a  sheep  station  in  the  interior,  which 
they  called  Merino  Downs.  When  Sir  Thomas  Mitchell  made  his 
famous  journey  from  New  South  Wales,  and  passed  some  fifty  miles 
inland  from  where  Melbourne  now  stands,  on  his  way  to  the  sea- 
coast,  to  his  astonishment,  on  approaching  Portland  Bay,  he  saw 
at  some  distance  huts  and  cottages,  and  supposing  the  inmates  to 
be  runaway  convicts,  he  approached  them  with  great  caution,  when 
he  was  agreeably  surprised  to  find  the  head  of  the  establishment 
was  a  perfect  gentleman,  and  by  name  Henty.  It  is  rather  sin- 
gular the  circumstances  which  led  to  Mr.  Batman's  going  over  to 
Port  Philip.  While  Col.  Arthur  was  Governor,  Tasmania  was 
overrun  with  bushrangers,  and  a  very  alarming  attack  having  been 
made  by  a  large  party  of  armed  men  on  a  gentleman's  residence 


The  Progress  oj  Victoria.  239 

near  Launceston,  and  that  town  threatened  by  them,  the  Governor 
thought  it  his  duty  to  leave  Hobart  Town,  the  seat  of  Government, 
and  proceed  to  Launceston  to  organise  more  efficient  parties  of 
military  and  police  to  go  in  pursuit  of  these  marauders.  It  so  hap- 
pened that  Mr.  Batman,  then  a  tenant  of  mine,  succeeded  with  a 
party  under  his  command  in  capturing  the  leader,  Brady,  and  some 
of  his  gang ;  hearing  the  Governor  was  crossing  the  country,  he 
met  him,  and  was  the  first  to  tell  the  good  news.  The  Governor 
was  so  very  much  struck  with  his  intelligence  and  enterprising  char- 
acter, that  he  frequently  afterwards  employed  him  in  pursuit  of  the 
aboriginal  natives,  in  which  he  was  most  successful.  Tasmania 
becoming,  as  was  then  thought,  pretty  well  stocked  with  cattle  and 
sheep,  Batman  determined  to  make  an  expedition  over  to  Port 
Philip,  to  see  if  there  was  plenty  of  good  land  to  be  found 
there.  He  chartered  a  small  schooner  for  this  purpose,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  finding  the  river  Yarra  and  plenty  of  good  land  on  its 
banks.  Eeturning  to  Tasmania,  he  made  his  discoveries  known  to 
a  few  capitalists  and  to  the  Governor,  and  by  the  latter 's  influence 
succeeded  in  forming  a  company,  with  Batman  at  its  head,  who 
chartered  vessels  and  conveyed  sheep,  cattle,  horses,  stores,  &c., 
&c.,  with  servants,  in  fact  everything  necessary  to  found  a  new 
Colony,  which  they  did  on  the  river  Yarra,  where  the  city  of 
Melbourne  now  stands. 

Mr.  FOSTER  FITZGERALD  :  I  had  hoped  that  Mr.  Henty  would 
have  been  induced  to  give  us  an  account  of  his  political  experience. 
I  shall  only  make  one  remark  on  the  Imperial  question,  which  is 
to  corroborate  the  statement  of  the  Bishop  of  Melbourne,  as  to  the 
great  want  of  men  of  education  and  leisure,  who  could  turn  their 
attention  to  the  Government  of  the  Colony.  It  strikes  me,  how- 
ever, that  in  his  remarks  he  has  not  sufficiently  brought  foward, 
that  there  is  a  large  number  of  highly  educated  men,  and  that  the 
intellectual  culture  of  the  place  has  reached  a  higher  standard 
than  perhaps  would  be  inferred  from  his  Lordship's  remarks.  He 
also  had  omitted  a  subject  of  great  interest,  which  I  can  state  of 
my  own  knowledge :  when  the  Bishop  first  arrived  in  his  diocese 
there  were  only  two  Church  of  England  clergymen  in  the  whole 
of  it ;  at  the  present  time  the  diocese  had  been  divided  into  two, 
and  in  the  two  divisions  of  Melbourne  and  Ballaarat  there  were  120 
clergy  of  the  Church  of  England.  I  quite  agree  with  what  Mr. 
Creswick  has  stated  as  to  the  conciliatory  character  of  his  Lord- 
ship's conduct,  and  as  to  his  readiness  to  co-operate  with  other 
denominations  in  the  promotion  of  laudable  objects.  My  chief 
reason  for  making  these  remarks  was,  that  from  the  omission 


240  The  Progress  of  Victoria. 

of  any  observation  of  his  Lordship  to  the  intellectual  progress 
of  the  country  (he  had  only  referred  to  primary  education)  an  im- 
pression might  be  left  on  the  minds  of  those  who  did  not  know  the 
Colony,  that  society  was  less  advanced  than  was  really  the  case. 

Mr.  WILLIAM  HENTY  :  I  belong  not  to  Victoria  but  to  Tasmania, 
and  when  I  went  out  there  emigration  from  England  was  not  what  it  is 
now — it  was  going  to  an  almost  unknown  sphere,  when  separation 
from  English  friends  was  supposed  to  be  almost  for  ever.  Our 
family  represented  for  those  days  a  good  type  of  family  colonisation, 
consisting  of  father,  mother,  sister,  and  seven  brothers.  I  am  not 
able  to  give  much  information  as  to  the  Colony  of  Victoria.  Mr. 
Youl  has  told  you  of  my  brothers  having  settled  at  Portland  Bay, 
close  to  the  region  which  Sir  Thomas  Mitchell  passed  through. 
Sir  Thomas  came  out  at  Portland  in  high  spirits  at  the  discovery 
of  such  a  rich  country,  and  then  said  he  should  name  that  district 
Australia  Felix.  Hearing  from  one  of  the  farming  men  the  name 
of  Henty,  he  searched  for  them,  and  riding  up  to  the  blacksmith's 
shop,  where  my  brother  Edward  happened  to  be  engaged  mending 
some  bullock  chains,  he  addressed  him,  "  My  man,  can  you  tell 
me  where  I  can  find  Mr.  Henty  ?  "  "  Yes,"  said  my  brother,  "  I 
can;  he  is  in  the  blacksmith's  shop  mending  bullock  chains." 
Many  stories  are  told  of  the  time  of  the  gold  discoveries.  For 
instance,  so  universal  was  the  rush  of  the  labouring  classes,  that 
it  was  said  Geelong  was  almost  denuded,  only  one  man  being 
left,  and  he  had  but  one  leg,  and  that  had  to  be  tied  to  a  post  by 
a  rope,  and  at  the  last  the  rope  broke.  There  is  one  point  worthy 
of  note,  which  may  be  added  to  those  so  well  introduced  in  his 
Lordship's  interesting  address:  I  mean  the  way  in  which  the 
courts  of  justice  were  administered ;  and  though  I  don't  want  to 
reflect  on  another  country,  I  must  point  to  the  contrast  in  this 
respect  which  Australia  offered  to  California,  where  the  judges 
were  bribed  and  justice  became  a  mockery,  till  the  scandal  led  to 
the  organisation  of  vigilance  committees.  Nothing  of  the  sort 
ever  occurred  in  Victoria,  where  order  was  constantly  maintained 
and  justice  regularly  administered. 

Mr.  KERBY-NICHOLLS  remarked,  that  the  very  able  paper  read  by 
the  Bishop  of  Melbourne  treated  of  a  settlement  which  stood  fore- 
most amongst  the  rising  Colonies  of  Australia.  Tracing,  as  his 
Lordship  had,  in  a  very  lucid  way,  the  rise  and  progress  of  Victoria 
from  its  earliest  history  up  to  the  present  time,  they  had  been  able 
to  form  a  very  accurate  idea  of  the  rapid,  and  he  might  say  un- 
paralleled, strides  which  the  Colony  had  made  towards  that  politi- 
cal and  social  advancement  which  had  secured  to  it  such  a  marked 


The  Progress  of  Victoria.  241 

pre-eminence,  not  only  in  the  southern  hemisphere,  but  likewise  in 
this  part  of  the  world.  (Cheers.)  In  fact,  it  was  impossible  to  con- 
template the  progress  made  by  the  Australian  Colonies  generally, 
within  the  past  thirty  years,  without  wonder  and  admiration.  At 
the  beginning  of  that  period  the  white  population  of  Australia 
was  considerably  below  200,000.  The  vast  interior  of  the  country 
was  unexplored,  New  South  Wales,  the  parent  Colony,  possessed 
two  settlements,  the  one  of  2,500,  the  other  of  2,000  souls ;  these 
were  now  known  to  the  world  as  the  flourishing  and  important 
Colonies  of  Victoria  and  Queensland.  South  Australia  was  at  this 
time  a  mere  baby  of  eight  years  old.  But  if  they  looked  at  these 
countries  now,  they  saw  at  once  how  great  had  been  the  change. 
Australia  had  been  explored  from  its  nearest  to  its  farthest  shores. 
Its  vast  coast  line  of  8,000  miles  was  encircled  with  thriving  towns 
and  prosperous  communities  ;  railways  had  been  laid  down,  and 
the  interior  of  the  country,  which  was  at  one  time  supposed  to  be 
a  desert,  was  now  traversed  by  a  telegraph  line  nearly  2,000  miles 
in  length,  while  the  gunyah  of  the  savage  had  given  place  to  mag- 
nificent cities,  which  for  wealth,  beauty,  and  commercial  import- 
ance, might  rank  with  many  of  the  foremost  cities  of  the  old 
world.  (Cheers.)  When,  in  1851,  Victoria  was  proclaimed  an  inde- 
pendent Colony,  the  inhabitants  found  themselves  the  undisputed 
possessors  of  a  vast  and  magnificent  territory,  well  watered,  fertile 
beyond  comparison,  endowed  with  resources  of  the  most  varied 
order,  and  possessing  every  bounty  of  nature  that  could  give  the 
assurance  of  national  greatness.  How  Victoria  had  profited  by 
those  advantages  both  politically,  socially,  and  in  a  commercial 
point  of  view,  had  been  abundantly  shown  in  his  Lordship's  ex- 
haustive paper.  But  notwithstanding  all  that  rapid  advancement 
and  commercial  prosperity,  which  at  one  time  bid  fair  to  make 
Melbourne  the  capital  of  Australia  and  the  emporium  of  Colonial 
trade,  he  believed  that  the  first  and  most  dangerous  step  towards 
retrogression  made  of  late  years  by  the  Colony  had  been  the  mis- 
taken policy  of  protection.  (Hear,  hear.)  Whatever  the  advocates 
of  protection  might  say  to  the  contrary,  it  must  be  conceded  that 
the  principle,  when  applied  to  a  new  country  where  labour  was 
scarce,  was  a  mistake  from  beginning  to  end.  In  setting  up  that 
policy  Victoria  had  aimed  to  become  the  great  producer  of  the 
south,  and  although  she  might  have  the  capital  "and  the  material 
resources  within  herself,  she  had  not  the  labour,  and  what,  he 
would  ask,  were  the  two  former  without  the  latter;  and,  further- 
more, he  believed  that  a  great  deal  of  valuable  labour  had  been 
diverted  from  the  Colony  by  the  protective  policy,  which  had  caused 


242  The  Progress  of  Victoria. 

many  of  the  ordinary  necessaries  of  life  to  become  dearer  than 
they  otherwise  would  be,  for  it  should  not  be  forgotten  that  the  10 
and  20  per  cent,  ad  valorem  duty  imposed  by  Victoria  upon  imported 
articles,  became  as  50  and  100  per  cent,  to  the  needy  immigrant, 
and  to  the  man  who  had  to  support  a  family.  (Cheers.)  If  they  con- 
sidered protection  as  embodied  in  the  present  tariff  of  Victoria,  the 
principle  was  both  unsound  and  indefensible — firstly,  by  causing 
the  country  to  pay  a  higher  duty  than  the  exigencies  of  the  public 
service  required ;  and,  secondly,  by  compelling  the  individual  to 
pay  a  higher  price  for  every  article  he  purchased  than  it  was 
actually  worth.  That  such  a  policy  might  suit  the  views  of  a  few 
wealthy  capitalists  was  probable — (cheers) — for  it  enabled  them  to 
make  experiments  in  local  industries  which  might  or  might  not 
thrive  ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  it  was  incontestably  proved  by  the 
Customs  Eeturns,  that  the  people  of  Victoria  were  at  that  moment 
actually  paying  at  the  rate  of  £500,000  a  year  for  this  costly  in- 
cubus of  protection.  (Hear,  hear.)  Now  it  was  a  well-ascertained 
fact  that  the  industry,  and  therefore  the  labour  of  a  country, 
throve  most  when  capital  was  employed  to  the  greatest  advantage  ; 
if,  therefore,  it  could  be  proved  that  the  prosecution  of  profitable 
industry  had  reached  its  maximum  in  the  Colony,  and  that  there 
was  still  surplus  labour  unemployed  and  in  distress,  perhaps  a 
protective  policy  of  a  judicious  and  discriminating  character  might 
become  tolerable  as  the  best  form  of  a  poor-rate ;  but  it  would  be  a 
ridiculous  libel  on  Victoria  to  assert  that,  while  yet  in  her  infancy, 
there  was  any  necessity  to  devise  means  for  the  relief  of  distress, 
owing  to  the  want  of  employment  for  a  population  that  numbered 
only  eight  individuals  to  the  square  mile,  which  possessed  one  of 
the  finest  countries  in  the  world  as  yet  comparatively  undeveloped, 
which  had  over  12,000,000  head  of  live  stock  on  its  pastures,  whose 
yearly  exports  amounted  to  over  £15,000,000,  and  whose  mines 
had  yielded,  in  less  than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  gold  to  the  almost 
fabulous  amount  of  168,000,000  pounds  sterling.  If  such  a  country, 
whose  present  population  was  considerably  under  a  million,  and 
which  was  capable  of  supporting  with  ease  the  whole  population 
of  the  British  Isles,  and  whose  policy  should  be  to  attract  popula- 
tion to  its  shores,  raised  a  stockade,  or  might  he  say  a  "  stone 
wall"  of  monopoly  and  protection  against  the  free  trade  of  the 
outer  world,  they  could  not  be  surprised  if  they  saw  that  country 
lose  ground  in  its  struggle  for  Australian  supremacy.  But  another 
of  the  grave  evils  attending  protective  tariffs  of  the  strongest  kind 
imposed  by  Victoria,  was  to  lessen  the  chances  of  a  united  con- 
federation of  the  Australian  Colonies.  If  the  Colonies  were  kept  in 


The  Progress  of  Victoria.  243 

a  constant  state  of  ebullition  by  commercial  jealousies,  and  divided 
against  themselves  by  hostile  tariffs,  slight  provocation  would  convert 
diplomatic  disputes  into  lasting  quarrels,  whereas  a  liberal  free 
trade  policy  and  the  establishment  of  a  uniform  system  of  tariffs 
throughout  Australia,  would  be  the  first  and  most  lasting  step 
towards  confederation,  by  sweeping  away  existing  intercolonial 
jealousies,  and  extending  that  friendly  intercourse  and  interchange 
of  commodities  which  ought  to  exist  between .  these  young  and 
rising  communities.  But  setting  aside  the  drawback  of  protection, 
and  considering  the  past  history  of  Victoria,  they  could  not  but 
admire  that  spirit  of  industry  and  enterprise  which  had  char- 
acterised the  Victorians  in  most  of  their  undertakings.  To  any 
one  who  had  visited  their  magnificent  country,  who  had  seen  their 
fine  cities  and  rising  towns,  who  had  travelled  on  their  network  of 
railways,  and  become  acquainted  with  their  vast  pastoral,  agricul- 
tural, and  mining  industries,  that  spirit  of  progress  must  have 
become  strikingly  apparent  in  many  ways,  and  he  considered  that 
it  behoved  Victoria  to  endeavour  to  maintain  her  superiority  by 
entering  upon  that  free  trade  policy  pursued  by  the  neighbouring 
Colonies.  In  conclusion,  he  might  add,  that  it  must  be  a  matter 
for  congratulation,  not  only  to  all  Australians  present,  but  more 
especially  to  Victorians,  when  they  found  in  the  foremost  minister 
of  their  Church  a  gentleman  so  able  and  so  willing  to  come  forward 
and  bear  testimony  to  the  prosperity  and  greatness  of  their  country; 
and  he  could  not  conceive  that  there  was  anything  more  calculated 
to  foster  and  develop  the  friendly  feeling  which  ought  to  exist 
between  the  mother  country  and  the  Colonies,  than  the  reading  of 
such  a  paper  as  that  to  which  they  had  had  the  privilege  of  listen- 
ing to  at  that  meeting.  (Cheers.) 

The  PRESIDENT,  the  Duke  of  Manchester :  I  may  now,  I  think,  make 
a  few  remarks  before  conveying  your  thanks  to  the  Eight  Kev.  Prelate 
to  whom  we  must  all  feel  indebted  for  the  excellent  paper  we  have 
heard.  I  would  remark  that,  referring  to  the  want  of  birds  and 
animals  in  Australia,  I  am  led  to  hope  that  Mr.  Youl  will  take  note 
of  that  remark  of  the  Bishop,  and  will  extend  to  the  birds  that  pro- 
cess of  acclimatisation  which  he  has  extended  to  the  salmon  in  Tas- 
mania. (Laughter.)  This  is  not  a  joke,  as  I  am  disposed  to  think 
that  this  very  want  of  balance,  arising  from  the  absence  of  small 
animals  and  especially  birds,  has  much  to  do  with  the  great  abun- 
dance of  insects  in  Australia.  Mr.  Henty  made  some  remarks 
which  were  most  complimentary  to  the  miners  and  to  the  popula- 
tion of  Victoria,  with  regard  to  their  conduct  during  the  raining 
fever,  and  showing  a  strong  contrast  as  compared  to  the  conduct 
R  2 


244  The  Progress  of  Victoria. 

of  the  miners  in  California,  which  gave  rise  to  the  saying  that 
"  gold  was  of  use  to  the  country  in  which  it  was  found,  hut  not  to 
the  men  who  found  it."  This  was,  because  finding  the  gold  was 
likely  to  make  the  men  desperados,  and  they  became  turbulent  and 
lawless.  I  am  glad  to  find  that  this  was  not  the  case  in  Australia. 
I  may,  perhaps,  relate  an  anecdote  of  this  period ;  it  concerns  a 
man  who  had  been  employed  by  my  father  in  Ireland.  He  was  a 
mason,  and  had  emigrated  to  Australia ;  he  was  engaged  in  build- 
ing a  house  when  the  gold  discovery  was  announced,  and  his 
comrades  all  went  off  to  the  diggings.  He  went  to  the  quarry, 
quarried  a  load  of  stones,  loaded  them  and  drew  them  to  the  house, 
made  up  mortar,  used  the  load  of  stones,  then  went  back  for 
another,  and  persevered  in  this  way  till  he  had  completed  the 
house.  He  then  built  another,  and  so  on,  and  ultimately  became 
proprietor  of  a  whole  street  in  Melbourne.  His  name  is  Bennett, 
and  he  was  mayor  of  Melbourne  at  the  time  when  the  Prince  of 
Wales  came  of  age.  He  was  from  Tanderagree.  Mr.  Labilliere 
disclaimed  the  idea  of  discussing  the  subject  of  representation, 
"vowing  he  would  ne'er  consent,  consented."  (Laughter.)  I  agree 
with  Mr.  Freeland  that  there  would  not  be  room  in  the  House  of 
Commons,  but  I  do  not  agree  with  what  he  said  about  the  House 
of  Lords.  I  have  said  before  now,  that  I  thought  it  a  fault  in  the 
House  of  Lords  that  there  is  no  representative  of  the  Colonies  in 
that  House.  There  are  representatives  of  the  Colonial  service, 
but  there  are  no  colonists.  But  if  we  are  at  any  time  to  have 
representation  of  the  Colonies  here,  I  hope  the  Colonies  will  give 
their  representatives  the  power  of  voting  money.  They  cannot  be 
thoroughly  efficient  as  representatives  unless  they  have  the  power 
of  the  purse.  This  leads  me  to  remark  upon  what  we  have  heard 
from  the  Right  Eev.  Prelate  about  the  want  of  men  of  sufficient 
independence  to  devote  time  to  politics  without  having  to  attend  to 
business.  I  have  noticed  that  in  Canada  this  is  also  the  case,  and 
there  a  person  who  has  not  any  active  business  pursuits  is  pitied 
by  his  friends  as  having  nothing  to  do.  While  I  was  over  there,  I 
only  heard  of  two  persons  in  this  condition.  This  is  not  from  any 
want  of  means,  for  there  are  many  enormously  wealthy  men  there 
in  business,  and  it  would  seem  as  though  they  cannot  well  exist 
without  work.  So  that  there  may  well  be  men  who  could  afford 
the  leisure  to  give  their  time  to  the  representation  of  the  Colonies 
in  this  country,  if  ever  such  a  scheme  should  be  carried  out.  Mr. 
Mac  Arthur  spoke  of  a  scheme  to  divert  emigration  to  our  own 
Colonies,  which  seems  to  be  very  desirable  if  it  could  be  effected. 
I  have  long  thought  some  such  thing  should  be  done.  It  was  tried 


Tht  Progress  of  Victoria.  245 

by  one  who  has  lately  passed  away  from  us  too  soon,  the  late  Lord 
Lyttelton.  I  believe  that  colonisation  on  a  small  scale  may  be 
made  profitable,  and  I  myself  with  some  others  entered  into  a 
scheme  of  that  kind  some  years  ago.  We  got  a  grant  of  land  in 
the  Northern  Island  of  New  Zealand,  and  I  am  told  that  our  shares 
are  now  selling  at  a  profit  of  60  per  cent.  Our  plan  was  that  of 
Belling  the  land  to  settlers  in  lots  chequerwise,  to  be  paid  for  by 
instalments.  As  these  lands  were  cultivated  the  adjoining  lands 
became  very  valuable,  and  rural  lands  which  we  bought  from 
Government  for  15s.  per  acre  were  sold  at  £9  10s.,  while  town  lots 
sold  at  £20,  and  one  lot  at  as  high  as  £224.  With  regard  to  the 
want  of  people  of  independent  means,  one  remark  struck  me,  that 
it  is  evident  that  they  are  not  without  culture  and  intellect,  and 
this  report  coming  from  the  bishop,  a  man  who,  as  you  are  aware, 
obtainedthe  highest  distinctions  in  his  college — (cheers) — is  no  small 
praise.  I  may  now  thank  him  in  your  name  for  his  sympathies 
no  less  than  for  his  services.  (Cheers.) 

The  BISHOP,  in  reply,  said :  Of  the  representation  of  the  Colonies 
in  Parliament,  or  any  system  of  confederation,  I  shall  not  speak,  as 
I  do  not  think  these  subjects  have  any  relation  to  that  of  my  paper. 
(Cheers  and  laughter.)  Nor  will  I  discuss  the  general  question  of 
education.  I  will  only  repeat,  that  I  think  the  system  introduced 
into  Melbourne  to  be  a  very  bad  one  ;  and  will  add,  that  Sunday- 
schools  cannot  supply  the  want  of  religious  instruction  in  day- 
schools,  and  that  the  clergy  have  too  much  to  do  in  the  ministry 
of  the  Word,  and  other  duties  attendant  on  it,  to  be  able  to  devote 
sufficient  time  for  the  education  of  children.  With  respect  to  any 
scheme  for  promoting  emigration,  I  would  observe  that  some  valu- 
able export  is  essential  for  the  prosperity  of  a  Colony.  The  success 
of  the  Canterbury  settlement  arose  from  the  pastoral  district 
behind  it.  If  it  had  not  been  for  the  country  at  the  back  of  Christ 
Church,  that  Colony  could  not  have  succeeded.  Hence  in  planting 
a  Colony  you  must  always  consider  what  will  be  the  exports,  for 
unless  there  be  some,  you  cannot  expect  the  people  to  be  able  to 
obtain  a  livelihood.  Mr.  Henty  landed,  I  think,  at  Portland  Bay  in 
the  year  before  Mr.  Batman  went  to  Port  Philip.  My  friend,  Mr. 
Fitzgerald,  appears  to  have  misunderstood  what  I  said  about  intel- 
lectual culture.  What  I  remarked  was,  that  there  was  a  want  of 
men  of  intellectual  culture  who  were  not  engaged  in  business,  and 
so  had  leisure  for  attending  to  the  affairs  of  the  Colony.  Most 
men  who  have  been  brought  up  to  business  are  unwilling  to 
retire  from  it,  and  hence  Victorians,  even  when  they  have  realised 
considerable  property,  are  not  content  to  live  upon  it.  I  used  to 


246  The  Progress  of  Victoria. 

think  it  a  pity  that  there  were  so  many  men  in  England  who  have 
nothing  to  do,  but  I  have  learned  to  change  my  opinion  on  that 
point,  for  I  now  feel  that  it  is  this  class  which  gives  its  peculiar 
character  to  our  country.  (Cheers.)  Mr.  Fitzgerald  also  appears 
to  have  thought  that  I  had  given  an  unfavourable  idea  of  the  social 
condition  of  Victoria.  Now  I  meant  to  do  just  the  contrary  ;  for  I 
regard  the  social  condition  to  be  very  much  higher  than  people 
here  generally  suppose  it  to  be.  My  reason  for  not  saying  any- 
thing respecting  the  growth  of  the  Church  of  England  in  the 
Colony  was,  that  I  could  not  properly  speak  of  its  growth  without 
also  speaking  of  the  growth  of  other  Churches.  The  Church  of 
England  has  certainly  grown  very  greatly,  and  yet  the  proportion 
of  clergymen  to  the  population  is  less  than  it  was  at  the  time  of 
the  discovery  of  the  gold-fields,  and  a  much  larger  number  of  its 
people  are  now  destitute  of  its  ministrations.  I  did  speak  of  the 
absence  of  lawlessness  among  the  people,  but  I  did  not  think  it 
necessary  to  notice  the  regular  and  upright  administration  of 
justice;  for  our  English  judges  may  be  assumed  to  be  above  all 
temptation  to  receive  bribes,  and  free  from  all  suspicion  of  a 
wilful  maladministration  of  the  law. 


(247) 


SIXTH  OEDINAEY  GENERAL  MEETING. 

THE  Sixth  Ordinary  General  Meeting  took  place  at  the  Pall  Mall 
Restaurant,  on  Tuesday,  23rd  May,  the  President,  the  DUKE  OF 
MANCHESTER,  in  the  chair. 

Mr.  LABILLIEBE  said :  In  the  absence  of  Mr.  Young,  which  we  must 
all  regret,  I  am  acting  for  him  this  evening.  Mr.  Young  looked 
forward  with  much  interest  to  hearing  Mr.  Fox  upon  New  Zealand, 
as  he  takes  particular  interest  in  that  Colony  ;  and  I  am  sure  we 
must  be  sorry  for  the  cause  of  his  disappointment  in  not  being 
present  to-night. 

Mr.  LABILLIEBE  read  the  minutes  of  the  last  meeting,  which 
were  confirmed. 

Mr.  WILLIAM  Fox  then  delivered  the  following  address  on 

NEW  ZEALAND. 

Mr.  Fox,  referring  to  the  intimation  which  had  been  given,  that 
he  would  read  a  Paper  that  evening,  apologised  for  not  having  pre- 
pared one.  He  had  been  too  much  engaged,  and  even  if  he  had 
had  the  time,  he  could  not  have  compressed  his  thirty  years' 
experience  into  the  requisite  space.  He  therefore  preferred  to 
address  the  Institute  orally,  and  would  confine  himself  to  such 
salient  points  as  might  be  likely  to  interest  those  who  listened  to 
him  ;  a  few  words  on  the  past  history  of  New  Zealand — its  present 
condition — and  perhaps  a  suggestion  or  two  as  to  its  future. 

The  most  remarkable  feature  connected  with  the  origin  of  the 
Colony  was  that  it  was  one  of  the  only  two  which  had  been  esta- 
blished on  what  was  known  as  the  Wakefield  system — a  system 
which  some  forty  years  ago  excited  considerable  controversy,  and 
had  vehement  opponents  as  well  as  supporters.  It  was  only 
carried  out  in  South  Australia  and  New  Zealand.  As  regards  the 
former,  he  would  leave  it  to  others  to  describe  the  undoubted 
success  of  the  system  in  that  Colony.  As  regarded  New  Zealand, 
his  verdict  was  that  it  had  there  also  been  a  great  success.  In  the 
North  Island  it  was  true  its  operation  had  been  greatly  impeded, 
and  the  result  less  favourable  than  in  the  Southern.  The  opposi- 
tion which  the  New  Zealand  Company  met  with  at  the  hands  of  the 
Imperial  Government,  and  other  bodies  unfriendly  to  the  coloni- 
sation of  the  islands  ;  the  long  and  exhaustive  feuds  which  resulted  ; 
the  difficulty  of  obtaining  sufficient  land  from  the  natives  on  which 
to  carry  out  the  experiment;  and  the  refusal  of  the  Imperial 


248  New  Zealand. 

Government  to  confirm  the  title  to  such  lands  as  were  obtained — 
these  circumstances  disturbed  the  conditions  necessary  for  success, 
and  nearly  destroyed  the  Colony  in  its  infancy.  But  in  the 
Southern  Island  it  was  different.  The  feuds  between  the  British 
Government  and  the  Company  had  ceased  before  operations  were 
commenced  there ;  there  were  no  native  difficulties ;  and  every 
facility  existed  for  fairly  trying  the  experiment  in  the  settlements 
of  Otago  and  Canterbury.  And  though  unforeseen  causes  had  there 
to  some  extent  diversified  the  expected  features  of  the  new  com- 
munities, yet  it  might  be  safely  asserted  that  the  very  remarkable 
success  of  those  provinces — the  most  remarkable  of  any  instance 
of  modern  colonisation — had  resulted  mainly  from  the  adoption  of 
the  principles  of  the  Wakefield  system. 

Mr.  Wakefield's  idea  was  that  a  Colony  ought  to  be,  as  far  as 
possible,  a  reproduction  of  the  old  society  from  which  it  "hived 
off" — a  selection  of  what  was  good,  and  a  rejection  of  what  was 
bad,  in  the  parent  state.  He  had  observed  that  the  greatest  impedi- 
ment in  the  way  of  creating  such  a  community  was  the  dispersion 
of  the  colonists,  which  prevented  mutual  help  and  that  "  co-opera- 
tion of  employments  "  called  by  Adam  Smith  division  of  labour, 
which  lies  at  the  foundation  of  the  progress  of  all  civilisation.  This 
fatal  dispersion  Mr.  Wakefield  attributed  to  the  reckless  and  impro- 
vident distribution  of  the  waste  lands,  which  led  every  colonist  to 
aim  at  becoming  a  large  land-owner,  whether  qualified  to  use  land 
or  not.  He  had  had  the  recent  example  of  Swan  Eiver  before  him, 
where  the  dispersion  was  so  great  that  capitalists  were  unable  to 
find  the  labourers  for  whose  passage  to  the  Colony  they  had  paid, 
or  if  they  found  them,  it  was  probably  not  as  labourers  available 
for  hire,  but  as  independent  owners  of  vast  territories  wastefully 
thrown  away  by  the  Government  without  any  return.  Mr. 
Wakefield  proposed  to  get  rid  of  this  evil  by  abolishing  free  grants 
of  land,  and  charging  for  it  what  he  termed  "  a  sufficient  price," 
that  is,  a  price  to  be  regulated  by  and  to  vary  with  the  circumstances 
of  each  case,  and  which,  he  hoped,  would  prevent  the  acquisition 
of  land  by  those  who  could  not  use  it,  and  at  the  same  time  provide 
the  funds  necessary  to  import  the  labour  by  which  it  might  be 
cultivated,  and  to  construct  the  roads  and  other  public  works  by 
which  it  might  be  made  accessible.  Though  in  some  particulars 
the  system  has  not  been  fully  carried  out,  yet  on  this  fundamental 
point  New  Zealand  has  adhered  strictly  to  the  leading  principle; 
and  to  this  day  in  it  alone  of  the  Australasian  Colonies  the  proceeds 
of  the  sale  of  the  waste  lands  is  treated  as  a  sacred  fund  for  the 
purposes  of  immigration  and  public  works,  and  never  placed,  as 


New  Zealand.  249 

in  the  Australian  Colonies,  to  the  credit  of  the  general  revenue, 
or  expended  for  the  purposes  of  the  general  administration  of  the 
Government.  The  result  of  the  system  on  the  whole  (allowing  for 
its  very  imperfect  trial  in  the  North  and  some  disturbing  causes  in 
the  South)  has  been  to  secure  concentration  of  population,  and  to 
promote  the  execution  of  public  works,  the  opening  up  of  difficult 
country  otherwise  inaccessible,  and  its  preparation  for  settlement 
by  the  immigrants  whose  importation  has  been  largely  provided  for 
from  the  Land  Fund. 

The  opponents  of  the  Wakefield  system  seem  to  be  placed  on  the 
horns  of  this  dilemma — either  they  must  contend  that  it  is  better 
to  undertake  a  great  work  like  that  of  founding  a  new  Colony,  and 
annexing  a  new  province  to  the  Empire,  in  a  mere  haphazard  way 
and  without  any  system  or  method  whatever ;  or  they  are  bound 
to  offer  some  other  plan  better  than  that  of  Mr.  Wakefield.  They 
have  had  forty  years  and  upwards  to  do  this,  and  have  not  done  it, 
and  it  may  be  fairly  inferred  that  no  better  can  be  devised.  It  may 
be  supposed  that  the  question  is  not  now  one  of  practical  conse- 
quence, for  we  have  ceased  to  colonise.  The  Imperial  Government, 
at  all  events,  from  the  time  of  the  Stuarts,  has  never  colonised. 
It  has  what  it  calls  a  Colonial  policy ;  but  that  only  means  a  policy 
of  interference,  after  someone  else  has  founded  a  Colony  and  given 
it  to  the  Empire,  whether  systematically  as  in  New  Zealand,  or 
without  system  as  in  the  Fiji  Islands.  It  is,  however,  hoped  that 
a  broader  view  is  taken  of  his  functions  by  the  noble  lord  now  at 
the  head  of  the  Colonial  Office,  and  there  are  some  who  would  fain 
see  that  institution  taking  the  initiative  in  colonising  New  Guinea 
and  the  countless  island  groups  of  the  Pacific,  which  may  otherwise 
slip  through  our  hands,  and  become  the  appendages  of  foreign  and 
perhaps  hostile  Powers.  America  may  not  care  to  go  south  of  the 
line,  but  France  and  Germany  are  there  already,  and  probably 
aiming  at  further  acquisition ;  and  it  will  be  a  national  calamity  if 
the  apathy  of  what  ought  to  be  the  Colonising — not  the  Colonial 
— Office  should  prevent  the  extension  of  the  Empire  by  the  acqui- 
sition of  the  noble  heritage  of  the  Pacific,  so  admirably  suited  for 
the  establishment  of  English-speaking  communities  and  the  habits 
of  English  life  and  civilisation.  The  existing  inhabitants  will  not 
long  occupy  them.  The  certain  decay  and  annihilation  of  the 
Polynesian  races  is  a  problem  full  of  interest  to  the  ethnologist, 
the  philanthropist,  and  the  statesman.  It  is  pitiable  to  note  that 
these  fine  races  seem  destined  to  disappear  at  no  remote  period  ; 
not  owing  to  the  advent  of  other  races,  but  to  causes  inherent  in 
their  own  social  systems  and  apparently  constitutional  physical 


250  New  Zealand. 

degeneration.  Mr.  Fox  did  not  believe  in  the  trite  maxim  that 
"  the  foot  of  the  white  man  trod  out  the  life  of  the  red."  He  was 
satisfied  that  these  races,  particularly  that  of  New  Zealand,  were  in 
rapid  decadence  when  Captain  Cook  first  visited  them.  Their 
communistic  habits  of  life,  their  habitual  cannibalism,  not  for 
luxury  or  revenge,  but  as  a  matter  of  daily  diet,  and  the  incessant 
wars  carried  on  to  obtain  this  unnatural  food,  were  quite  sufficient 
to  destroy  any  people ;  and  he  had  no  doubt  the  process  of  extinc- 
tion attributable  to  these  causes  had  been  going  on  long  before  Cook's 
arrival,  and  the  decadence  once  commenced  continued,  though 
the  causes  might  have  been  modified.  When  the  Colony  was  com- 
menced in  1840,  it  was  estimated  that  the  population  of  natives 
was  114,000;  it  is  now,  by  census,  not  more  than  50,000,  and  many 
believe  this  to  be  a  great  exaggeration,  and  place  it  at  no  higher  than 
85,000.  At  this  pace  it  is  certain  that,  unless  some  entire  change  of 
habit  and  life  can  be  brought  about,  of  which  there  seems  h'ttle  hope, 
the  days  of  the  Maori  are  numbered :  a  very  few  years  will  see  the 
last  of  them,  and  many  now  in  this  room  may  live  to  see  the  event. 
The  progress  of  New  Zealand  has  been  greatly  retarded  by  wars 
with  the  natives.  Altogether  they  have  had  not  less  than  fifteen 
years'  war — nearly  half  the  existence  of  the  Colony's  life.  It  is  diffi- 
cult to  say  what  had  caused  them.  He  would  not  like  to  say  that  it 
was  because  the  Colony  had  had  military  Governors.  That  might 
be  a  case  of  "  causa  pro  non  causa,"  but  he  simply  stated  the  fact. 
The  first  two  Governors  were  captains  in  the  Navy,  and  it  was 
during  the  term  of  office  of  the  second,  Captain  Fitzroy,  that  hos- 
tilities commenced — hostilities  by  which  we  gained  little  credit, 
and  which  greatly  destroyed  the  prestige  of  the  British  soldier, 
before  believed  by  the  natives  to  be  invincible.  Governor  Grey, 
who  followed  Captain  Fitzroy,  had  three  wars  in  his  first  term  of 
office.  Colonel  Sir  Gore  Brown,  who  succeeded  him,  got  into 
the  big  war  which  lasted  upwards  often  years,  employed  Governor 
Grey  during  great  part  of  his  second  term,  and  was  only  brought 
to  an  end  when  the  Colony  obtained  the  luxury  of  a  civilian 
Governor  in  the  person  of  Sir  George  Bowen.  He  repeated,  he 
would  not  say  these  things  were  cause  and  effect,  but  he  knew  the 
natives  thought  so.  He  was  talking  with  a  chief  not  long  after  Sir 
George  Grey's  return  to  the  Colony,  during  the  truce  of  1861,  and 
he  was  pointing  out  that  the  Queen  had  sent  out  Sir  George  as  a 
man  to  make  peace.  "  We  don't  think  so,"  said  the  Maori ;  "  we 
have  always  regarded  him  as  a  man  of  war.  Did  he  not  fight  at 
the  Bay  of  Islands,  at  Wanganui,  at  Heretonga  ?  Is  he  not  a 
soldier  by  profession  ?  He'll  fight,  you  will  see."  He  then  asked 


New  Zealand.  251 

"It  is  to  make  a  road,"  I  replied ;  "he  had  no  civilians."  "All 
that  is  very  well,"  answered  my  astute  friend  ;  "  but  I  have  often 
observed  that  when  a  man  builds  a  gaol,  it  is  never  long  till  some- 
body is  put  into  it.''  It  is  quite  clear  that  the  chief  had  heard  the 
story  of  the  tanner  who  thought  that  for  defending  a  city  there  was 
nothing  like  leather  ;  and  he  inferred  that  soldier-governors  would 
solve  political  difficulties  by  the  short  method  of  the  sword.  Mr. 
Fox  had  no  doubt  the  Governors  of  New  Zealand  had  all  acted  con- 
scientiously, but  they  might  have  erred  notwithstanding,  and  some 
at  least  of  our  wars  might  have  been  avoided  by  better  judgment. 
But  this  he  was  bold  to  affirm,  that  the  colonists  were  not  in  any 
case  responsible  for  the  wars.  The  Home  Government  had,  till 
long  after  the  commencement  of  the  last  of  them,  most  jealously 
kept  in  its  own  hands  the  administration  of  native  affairs,  of  pur- 
chases of  native  lands,  and  the  direction  of  all  military  operations. 
These,  even  after  responsible  government  was  given  to  the  colonists 
in  other  matters,  were  retained  exclusively  in  the  hands  of  the 
Colonial  Governors,  who  acted  without  the  advice  of  the  colonists 
and  entirely  without  their  control.  There  was  an  impression  in 
England  that  all  these  wars  had  been  brought  on  by  the  rapacity 
of  the  colonists  to  get  land.  He  denied  the  imputation.  The  first 
war,  in  1843,  was  attributable  to  the  imposition  by  the  Governor 
of  taxes  which  drove  away  a  large  fleet  of  whalers  from  the  Bay  of 
Islands,  with  which  Heke,  the  local  chief,  had  carried  on  a  not 
creditable  trade.  He  defied  the  British  authorities,  cut  down  the 
Queen's  flag,  and  burned  the  town  of  Kororarika.  The  second  war 
was  caused  by  a  midshipman  of  a  Queen's  ship  "  skylarking  "  with 
a  pistol,  which  accidentally  went  off  and  wounded  a  chief  in  the 
cheek.  The  young  men  of  his  tribe,  to  avenge  the  indignity  of 
wounding  a  chief's  head,  massacred  the  family  of  a  neighbouring 
settler.  The  military  commander  of  a  neighbouring  post  caught 
five  of  the  murderers,  subjected  them  to  a  process  which  military 
lieutenants  call  trial  by  court-martial  (a  process  unknown  to 
English  law),  and  hung  them  on  the  spot,  as  they  no  doubt  richly 
deserved.  The  tribe  rose,  and  a  war  of  some  months  followed. 
The  two  other  wars — that  of  the  Hutt  under  Governor  Grey,  and 
the  Taranaki  war  under  Governor  Brown — did  involve  disputes 
about  land  ;  but  the  land  purchasers  were  the  Governors,  the  wars 
were  of  their  commencing,  they  carried  them  on  chiefly  with 
Imperial  troops  and  the  British  Navy,  and  no  colonist  was  in  any 
way  responsible.  It  is  hard  that  the  burden  of  a  heavy  war  debt 
should  be  imposed  on  their  shoulders  for  the  acts  of  the 
representatives  of  the  Imperial  Government. 


252  New  Zealand. 

Talking  about  Governors  was  a  delicate  topic,  particularly  for 
him  (Mr.  Fox),  who  had  been  in  very  close  relations  with  so  many. 
He  might  observe,  however,  that  their  position  had  been  greatly 
changed  of  late.  They  could  not  now  initiate  wars  or  carry  them 
on  without  the  consent  of  the  colonists.  It  is  not  very  long  since 
a  Governor — not  of  New  Zealand,  however — could,  and  did,  order 
men  and  women  to  be  flogged  for  walking  over  the  Government 
House  grass-plot.*  They  could  not  do  that  now.  Their  position 
in  self-governing  Colonies  is  now  analogous  to  that  of  Her  Majesty 
in  this  country.  The  business  of  governing  is  done  by  the  Ministers, 
and  it  is  only  in  extreme  cases,  where  a  Governor  may  dismiss  his 
Ministers  (subject  to  the  control  of  Parliament),  or  cases  where 
Imperial  rights  are  involved,  and  perhaps  in  the  prerogative  of 
mercy  in  cases  of  life  and  death,  that  the  Governor  can  act  inde- 
pendently of  his  Ministers.  Still,  the  Governor  is  not  reduced  to  a 
mere  "  Amphytrion  ou  on  dine,"  the  mere  dispenser  of  vice-regal 
hospitalities,  which  I  am  bound  to  say  they  do  dispense  with  a  very 
liberal  hand.  If  a  Governor  is  an  educated  man,  has  common 
sense,  and  is  familiar  with  political  principles  and  precedents,  he 
may  be  of  much  use  in  advising  with  his  Ministers,  though  it 
would  be  highly  improper  for  him  to  take  a  side  in  party  politics, 
or  engage  in  political  intrigues.  It  is  his  duty  also  to  set  a  high 
social  example,  and  to  interest  himself  not  only  in  the  general 
progress  of  the  Colony,  but  as  far  as  possible  in  the  personal 
welfare  and  prosperity  of  the  colonists,  engaged  in  the  great  battle 
of  Colonial  life.  And  they  generally  do  exhibit  much  sympathy  in 
these  matters.  They  make  periodical  "  progresses  "  through  the 
Colony  over  which  they  rule,  and  are  hospitably  entertained  in  the 
centres  of  population.  Of  course  they  are  expected  to  admire  a 
good  deal  and  make  laudatory  speeches.  There  is  a  story  of  one 
of  them  (for  the  truth  of  which,  however,  he,  Mr  .Fox,would  not  vouch, 
nor  would  he  say  in  which  Colony  it  happened),  who,  being  on  a 
tour  of  that  sort,  had  been  entertained  at  a  certain  place  for 
several  days,  when,  before  the  ship  arrived  which  was  to  take  him 
away,  the  programme  of  sight-seeing  ran  out.  An  ingenious 
member  of  the  Entertainment  Committee  suggested  an  exhibition 
of  men  with  wooden  legs  :  there  was  nothing  else  left  to  be  shown. 
The  exhibition  took  place,  and  the  Governor  proved  quite  equal  to 
the  occasion.  He  made  an  excellent  speech,  declaring  "he  had 
travelled  all  the  world  over,  but  had  never  seen  such  a  fine  lot  of 


*  The  fact  is  stated,  with  particulars,  in  a  book  of  good  authority—"  Clarke's 
Colonial  Law." 


New  Zealand.  253 

wooden-legged  men,  and  didn't  believe  there  was  another  Colony  in 
the  British  dominions  which  could  have  produced  them."  Colonists 
are  like  Americans — they  always  like  to  have  the  "  biggest  "  show 
of  the  biggest  wooden  legs,  wooden  nutmegs,  or  anything  else. 

And,  now,  what  sort  of  people  were  the  New  Zealand  colonists  ? 
How  did  they  live — what  did  they  do  ?  A  very  eminent  member  of 
Her  Majesty's  Government  had  stated  the  other  day  that  colonists 
were  men  who  went  abroad  to  get  rich,  came  home  to  spend  their 
money,  and  get  made  High- Sheriffs.  As  there  were  about  eight 
million  British  colonists  and  only  forty  High- Sheriffs,  this  was 
rather  a  flight  of  imagination.  There  was  another  idea  of  what 
colonists  were.  He  had  read  an  advertisement  in  the  Times,  in 
which  they /were  asked  for  "  old  clothes  for  the  Colonies."  He  could 
assure  them  they  never  wore  other  people's  cast-off  clothes  in  the 
Colonies ;  they  dressed,  class  for  class,  better  than  in  England ; 
and  he  did  not  believe  there  was  an  old-clothes'  shop  in  any  of  the 
Colonies — at  all  events  in  New  Zealand.  It  was  a  pity  that  these 
gentlemen, whether  Prime  Ministers  or  advertising  old-clothes'  men, 
did  not  restrain  their  imaginations  and  give  us  facts.  The  wealthier 
classes  of  colonists — merchants,  landowners,  sheep-farmers — lived 
very  much  as  the  same  classes  did  here.  They  had  good  houses  ; 
well-furnished,  pretty  gardens,  full  of  fruit  and  flowers ;  drove 
carriages  or  rode  on  handsome  horses ;  and  generally  lived  as 
comfortably  as  large  means  would  enable  them.  If  his  hearers 
were  transplanted  to  Christchurch,  Dunedin,  or  Auckland,  they 
would  in  this  respect  scarcely  know  they  were  out  of  England.  The 
humbler  classes  were  relatively  still  better  off.  High  wages  soon 
enabled  large  numbers  to  purchase  estates  and  become  independent. 
Men  who,  if  they  had  remained  in  England,  would  inevitably  have 
died  in  the  workhouse,  were  to  be  found  owners  of  fine  freehold 
estates  of  hundreds  and  even  thousands  of  acres,  cultivated  and 
stocked,  living  in  good  houses,  and  their  sons  and  daughters 
swarming  off  in  similar  positions.  These  men  might,  and  often 
did,  become  magistrates  and  members  of  the  Legislature,  and 
occupied  positions  to  which  no  ordinary,  and  few  extraordinary, 
labourers  in  England  could  by  possibility  aspire.  The  secret  of  it 
all  was  that  Colonial  life  was  progressive,  alnd  every  man,  if  he  was 
industrious  and  sober,  rose  as  the  surrounding  society  did.  Nothing 
grieved  him  so  much,  on  his  return  to  England,  as  to  see  nearly  all 
the  philanthropic  and  religious  energy  of  the  country  struggling  in 
a  death-throe  with  the  enormous  burden  of  vice,  pauperism,  igno- 
rance, and  misery  which  crushed  it  almost  to  the  ground,  and 
engaged  it  in  a  perpetual  war  with  social  evil.  Mr.  Bright  said,  on 


254  New  Zealand. 

one  occasion,  that  every  working-man  carried  another  man  on  his 
back.  A  friend  of  his  (Mr.  Fox's),  a  merchant  in  Liverpool,  had 
calculated  that  he  walked  to  his  office  every  morning  with  seven  pau- 
pers on  his  back.  During  the  thirty-two  years  he  had  known  New 
Zealand  he  (Mr.  Fox)  had  never  seen  a  street  beggar.  He  did  not 
say  there  were  no  social  evils  in  a  new  country,  but  they  were  in  a 
comparatively  very  small  proportion.  "Whatever  energy  a  man  had 
he  could  expend  in  promoting  the  progress  of  good,  and  need  not 
be  consumed  in  grappling  with  corroding  evil.  In  walking  among 
the  population  of  England's  manufacturing  or  mining  districts,  he 
seldom  saw  a  smile  on  the  faces  of  the  working  classes.  He  saw 
brutalised  faces,  scowling  faces — the  nearest  approach  to  a  smile, 
the  drunkard's  leer.  In  the  Colonies  it  was  not  so — people  were 
bright  and  cheerful,  and  he  was  greatly  struck  with  the  contrast  in 
many  parts  of  England.  There  was  a  feeling  of  what  he  called 
"  elbow-roomishness  "  in  New  Zealand.  Mankind  were  not  treading 
on  each  others'  heels.  There  was  not  the  harassing  competition 
there  is  in  England.  There  were  only  400,000  Europeans  in  a 
country  as  big  as  Great  Britain  and  Ireland.  For  further  par- 
ticulars of  Colonial  life  he  might  refer  them  to  Lady  Barker's  book 
and  others.  Lady  Barker's  book  left  a  pleasant  taste  in  the  mouth, 
but  her  experience  was  limited  to  a  particular  phase  of  Colonial 
life  and  a  particular  locality:  the  Government  handbook,  edited 
by  Sir  Julius  Vogel,  and  one  by  Mr.  Silver,  contained  more  infor- 
mation, and  would  repay  perusal 

They  would  like  to  know  something  about  the  climate  of  New 
Zealand.  It  was  difficult  to  describe  a  climate  which  was  1,000 
miles  long.  It  was  like  describing  the  climate  from  London  to 
Rome.  He  had  heard  the  climate  of  England  was  the  best  in  the 
world,  but  he  had  not  found  it  so  by  experience — very  much  the 
reverse.  The  New  Zealand  climate  had  great  varieties.  In  the 
extreme  north  it  approached  the  tropical :  snow  was  never  seen 
there.  The  banana  grew  and  fruited,  but  he  believed  did  not  ripen. 
Citrons  and  lemons  ripened;  he  was  not  sure  about  the  orange.  At 
Otago  there  was  snow  in  the  winter,  and  they  had  fine  crops  of 
English  fruits — currants,  strawberries,  gooseberries,  and  so  forth. 
On  the  whole,  the  climate  was  one  of  the  most  equable  and  healthy 
in  the  world.  This  was  attributable  to  the  fact  that  the  islands 
were  surrounded  by  sea,  which  tempered  the  winter  cold;  and 
there  were  mountain  ranges  running  through  the  centre  up  to 
13,000  feet  high,  covered  with  perpetual  snow,  which  modified  the 
summer  heat,  so  that  no  extremes  were  known.  Anything  that 
will  grow  and  flourish  in  England  will  do  so  there,  and  many 


New  Zealand.  255 

things  that  will  not  grow  here  are  quite  naturalised  there.  Peaches 
grow  as  standards  ;  he  counted  480  large  grafted  ones  on  a  single 
tree  in  his  garden — one  of  a  row  of  eight — on  the  shore  of  Cook's 
Strait,  in  the  middle  of  the  Colony.  After  a  windy  night,  seven 
wheelbarrowfuls  of  those  fine  peaches  were  given  to  the  pigs. 
His  neighbours  had  their  own  supply.  The  natural  forests  were 
very  beautiful ;  except  in  Ceylon,  he  had  seen  none  to  equal  them 
anywhere.  There  was  the  Bata,  a  gigantic  forest  tree,  covered  all 
over  with  large  bunches  of  scarlet  myrtle  flowers,  making  whole 
valleys  the  colour  of  a  soldier's  coat.  There  were  the  exquisitely 
graceful  tree-ferns,  and  the  grand  Nikau  palm.  Their  forests  were 
not  quite  so  lofty  as  the  groves  of  Calaveras  or  Mariposa,  where 
the  trees  were  so  high  that  the  Americans  said  it  took  two  men  and 
a  boy  to  see  to  their  tops.  But  they  were  very  grand,  and  nearly 
all  evergreen ;  only  a  few  of  the  smaller  ones  were  deciduous  :  so 
they  had  no  fall  of  the  leaf  and  no  naked  boughs  in  winter.  Bu  b 
though  their  forests  were  of  great  size  in  some  parts,  they  were 
already  finding  it  necessary  to  protect  them,  so  great  is  the 
destruction  of  timber  in  a  new  country.  The  present  Prime 
Minister,  Sir  J.  Vogel,  had  taken  up  the  question  with  great  ability, 
and  inaugurated  a  Government  department  of  forestry,  for  pur- 
poses of  conservation  and  reproduction.  There  was  an  able  article 
ou  the  subject,  reviewing  the  New  Zealand  Parliamentary  papers 
compiled  by  Sir  Julius  Vogel,in  the  Edinburgh  Review  for  October  last. 
The  question  was  of  vital  importance.  Destruction  of  forests  means 
an  entire  change  of  climate — floods  and  droughts — and  a  fertile 
country  possibly  rendered  uninhabitable  ;  to  say  nothing  of  the  desir- 
ability of  not  being  dependent  on  other  countries  for  a  necessary  life. 
There  is  some  of  the  finest  scenery  in  the  world  in  New  Zealand. 
There  is  in  the  Southern  Island  a  chain  of  gigantic  mountains, 
ranging  from  8,000  to  nearly  14,000  feet  high,  their  bases  washed 
by  the  waves  of  the  Pacific,  their  shoulders  clothed  with  magni- 
ficent forest,  their  sides  furrowed  with  gullies  bearing  huge  glaciers, 
and  their  summits  covered  for  some  thousands  of  feet  with  per- 
petual snow.  Of  these  Southern  Alps,  Mount  Cook  is  the  crowning 
peak.  The  glaciers  on  its  western  side  are  perhaps  the  most 
remarkable  anywhere.  They  descend  from  the  usual  "neve,"  or 
solidified  snow  region,  at  8,000  or  10,000  feet  high,  almost  to  sea 
level,  their  bases  being  not  more  than  600  to  700  feet  above  the 
sea.  For  hundreds  of  feet  up  the  sides  and  alongside  of  these  great 
frozen  masses  grows  the  semi-tropical  forest  of  New  Zealand — a 
feature  not  known  in  any  other  glacier  he  (Mr.  Fox)  had  seen.  There 
is  nothing  in  Switzerland  either  grander  or  more  beautiful  than  tli3 


256  New  Zealand. 

western  faces  of  Mount  Cook  and  the  adjacent  ranges.  He  hoped 
some  member  of  the  Alpine  Club,  or  other  person  of  prehensile 
propensities,  would  come  out  and  try  to  scale  their  lofty  peaks.  He 
doubted  if  Mount  Cook  would  not  baffle  the  best  climbers,  at  least 
if  approached  from  its  western  side.  The  Northern  Island  also  had 
its  peculiar  scenery.  The  great  central  Lake  of  Taupo,  and  the 
volcanic  region  which  extended  on  either  side  of  it  for  nearly  200 
miles,  was  full  of  beauty  and  wonderment.  There  were  hot  lakes, 
in  which  the  inhabitants  of  whole  villages  bathed  all  day ;  there 
were  the  exquisite  White  Terrace  and  Pink  Terrace,  formed  by 
silicious  deposits  from  the  active  geysers  which  intermittently  burst 
from  their  highest  steps  and  flowed  down  their  delicately-coloured 
marble  sides,  the  top  of  each  step  containing  a  bath  of  hot  water, 
with  the  choice  of  almost  any  temperature  from  200  downwards. 
There  were  mud  volcanoes,  sputtering  wells,  fumeroles,  solfaterras, 
and  every  variety  of  volcanic  action  ;  lakes  of  cerulean  blue,  and  of 
brightest  emerald  green.  The  traveller  needed  no  blanket :  the 
ground  he  lay  on  was  almost  too  warm,  and  he  might  hear  beneath 
his  head  the  thundering  of  what  seemed  some  gigantic  Nasmyth 
hammer,  pounding  away  in  the  subterranean  ^orkshop  among  the 
fires  which  were  but  a  few  feet,  perhaps  inches,  below.  Every  now 
and  again  there  would  be  the  hiss  and  roar  of  some  fierce  geyser 
sending  out  columns  of  boiling  water  and  clouds  of  steam  a  few 
yards  from  his  sleeping-place.  Nothing  could  inspire  the  soul  with 
a  feeling  of  greater  awe  than  to  stand  face  to  face  with  these  great 
works  of  the  Creator,  and  become  conscious  for  the  first  time  of 
the  existence  of  those  great  internal  forces  which  shake  the  world, 
and  to  know  that  they  are  but  a  few  inches  from  your  feet.  The 
dweller  in  the  black  country  of  Lancashire  or  the  fiats  of  Norfolk 
could  not  conceive  how  solemn  and  how  grand  a  thing  it  was  to 
look  nature  in  the  face  among  such  surroundings. 

He  should  now  say  a  few  words  about  the  sources  of  the 
material  prosperity  of  the  Colony.  They  had  two  or  three  great 
staple  products.  The  first  confirmed  the  truth  of  the  famous  pro- 
verb about  "the  golden  foot  of  the  sheep."  Sheep  had  been  a 
great  source  of  their  prosperity.  Twenty-four  years  ago  they  had 
barely  sheep  enough  to  afford  mutton  chops  for  their  then  small 
population.  Now,  there  are  about  12,000,000  sheep  in  the  Colony, 
among  400,000  people.  He  believed  New  Zealand  was  destined  to 
own  more  sheep  some  day  than  all  Australia,  because  it  had  a 
greater  capability  for  growing  the  English  grasses,  which,  generally 
speaking,  could  not  be  grown  in  Australia.  The  export  of  wool 
from  New  Zealand  already  amounted  to  about  £2,000,000  worth 


New  Zealand.  257 

per  year.  Another  great  source  of  wealth  was  gold.  The  gold- 
fields  had  been  worked  for  about  twenty  years  and  had  exported  in 
that  period  gold  to  the  value  of  about  £30,000,000  sterling,  or 
nearly  7,000,000  ounces.  There  were  probably  hundreds  of  miles 
long  of  auriferous  mountains,  with  gold-bearing  sea  beaches  and 
alluvial  flats. 

The  Colony  had  also  great  agricultural  capabilities.  There  were 
vast  alluvial  plains,  particularly  in  Otago  and  Canterbury,  and 
various  other  parts  of  the  Colony,  on  which  there  were  already 
several  millions  of  bushels  of  grain  grown  every  year.  In  1874 
the  Colony  exported  to  England  not  far  from  a  million  bushels  of 
wheat  alone,  after  having  provided  for  the  food  of  its  own  popula- 
tion. *  Large  quantities  of  other  cereals  (oats  and  barley)  are  also 
grown  ;  and  very  large  tracts  annuaUy  broken  up  by  the  plough, 
and  laid  away  with  English  grasses.  The  capacity  for  carrying 
live  stock  is  increased  by  this  operation  in  the  proportion  of  about 
five  to  one. 

The  Colony  has  other  exports,  as  Kauri  gum,  flax,  timber,  and 
other  things,  which  bring  up  the  total  exports  to  the  amount  of 
more  than  £5,000,000.  It  is  balanced  by  a  considerably  larger 
amount  of  imports,  which,  however,  has  been  unduly  swelled  during 
the  last  three  years  by  importation  of  railway  plant.  The  amount 
of  imports  and  exports  is  very  large  for  a  population  of  400,000 
Europeans  and,  say,  40,000  natives. 

Coal  and  iron  exist  in  large  quantities.  Of  the  former  there  are 
large  fields  in  both  islands,  of  two  sorts — common  bituminous,  and 
German,  or  brown  coal.  The  seams  are  of  great  thickness,  varying 
from  ten  or  twelve  feet  to  between  fifty  and  sixty,  and  averaging  pro- 
bably quite  twenty-five.  These  are  chiefly  accessible  from  the  surface 
or  horizontally ;  what  may  lie  below  is  not  yet  known.  The  iron  ores 
are  also  of  two  sorts  :  the  titanic,  which  is  similar  in  appearance 
to  sportsmen's  gunpowder,  and  lies  in  millions  of  tons  along  the 
sea-coast  generally  with,  but  easily  separable  from,  the  sea  sand ; 
the  other  is  the  ordinary  carbonate.  Not  much  progress  has  yet 
been  made  in  working  either,  for  want  of  spare  capital  and  from 
other  causes.  The  titanic  iron-sand  is  difficult  to  smelt,  and 
hitherto  experimenters  have  failed  to  give  it  a  commercial  value. 
But  he  (Mr.  Fox)  was  assured  in  America  that  a  similar  ore,  which 
is  found  in  Labrador  and  New  York,  is  successfully  smelted  at 

*  The  latest  statistics  I  have  access  to  are  for  1874.  The  exact  amount  of 
wheat  exported  that  year  was  933,314  bushels,  of  which  779,332  went  to 
Great  Britain  and  -151,913  to  other  places,  chiefly  Australia,  some  of  the  latter 
possibly  being  reshipped  for  Great  Britain.  (Government  statistics  for  1875.) 

S 


258  New  Zealand. 

Chicago  and  Albany.     Lead  and  silver  ores  of  very  great  richness 
are  reported  to  have  been  recently  discovered  at  Hoketika. 

Now  a  few  words  about  railroads.  Some  eight  years  ago  the 
Colony  was  involved  in  a  native  war,  and  its  condition  was  very 
discouraging.  Entire  stagnation  prevailed.  In  ten  years  little  or 
no  immigration  had  gone  to  the  Colony,  in  some  parts  the  popula- 
tion was  even  leaving ;  there  were  few  public  works  in  execution, 
and  little  money  to  execute  them  with.  There  seemed  to  be  only 
one  way  out  of  the  difficulty,  and  that  was  to  re-create  the  spirit  of 
colonisation,  and  to  restore  permanent  peace  with  the  native  race. 
The  Government  (of  which  I  had  the  honour  to  be  a  member) 
adopted  a  plan,  devised  by  Sir  Julius  Vogel,  then  the  Colonial 
Treasurer,  for  borrowing  in  England  a  loan  of  £10,000,000,  to  be 
expended  over  a  term  of  ten  years,  on  the  construction  of  rail  and 
ordinary  roads,  and  the  revival  of  emigration.  We  thought  this 
might  yet  pull  the  Colony  out  of  the  abyss  into  which  it  appeared 
to  be  falling.  The  Colonial  Parliament  endorsed  the  plan,  and  the 
greater  part  of  the  money  has  been  borrowed  and  expended  in  the 
way  intended.  Great  part  of  the  railways  is  completed,  and  as 
soon  as  any  portion  is  open  it  has  so  far  proved  remunerative,  and 
doubtless  will  be  much  more  so  when  the  connections  are  finished. 
It  is  hoped  that  in  less  than  two  years  more,  about  1,200  miles 
(chiefly  trunk  line)  will  be  finished  substantially,  uniting  the  two 
ends  of  the  island.  He  (Mr.  Fox)  was  occasionally  asked  if  the 
Colony  were  not  going  too  fast.  He  could  only  say  that,  though 
the  plan  was  originally  intended  to  be  executed  in  ten  years,  it 
would  be  evidently  all  the  better  for  the  Colony  if  it  were  done  in 
less  time.  If  a  ready-made  railroad  could  have  been  imported  at 
once  it  would  have  been  the  best  thing,  and  next  to  that  it  will  be 
best  to  get  the  work  completed  as  fast  as  possible,  so  as  to  get  the 
quickest  possible  return.  Friends,  therefore,  need  not  fear  the 
rapidity  with  which  the  Colonial  borrower  has  been  recurring  to 
the  Imperial  lender.  The  money  has  been  all  expended  in  repro- 
ductive work,  and  remains  an  asset  which  will  justify  the  Colony 
if  it  wants  more  to  borrow  more  on  the  security  of  its  increased 
return.  He  held  that  as  long  as  a  road  remained  to  be  made,  or 
an  emigrant  to  be  imported  for  whom  work  could  be  found,  the 
Colony  would  be  justified  in  borrowing,  and  English  capitalists 
find  advantage  in  lending.  They  had  better  lend  their  money  to 
New  Zealand  colonists  than  to  Sultans  and  Khedives.  Let  them 
trust  men  of  their  own  flesh  and  blood,  their  own  religious  faith 
and  commercial  principles,  and  they  need  not  be  afraid  of  never 
seeing  their  money  again. 


New  Zealand.  259 

Two  questions  were  often  put  to  him,  and  he  would  now  conclude 
by  answering  them.  Gentlemen  and  ladies  who  had  got  a  "  dear 
boy  "  (such  boys  often  "  very  dear  ")  would  say,  "  Our  dear  boy  has 
been  in  his  father's  office,  and  he  does  not  like  it ;  and  he  has  tried 
so  and  so,  and  doesn't  like  it ;  but  he  thinks  he  would  like  New 
Zealand:  would  you  advise  us  to  send  him?"  I  always  refuse 
(said  Mr.  Fox)  to  answer  that  question  categorically.  I  don't 
know  the  "dear  boy,"  and  whether  he  has  any  qualification  for  a 
Colony  or  not :  New  Zealand  may  not  suit  him,  or  he  may  not  suit 
New  Zealand.  His  parents  may  send  him  out  with  pocketsful  of 
money,  and  he  may  come  back  in  a  year  or  two  with  his  hands  in 
his  pockets,  and  nothing  else.  He  would  refer  papa  and  mamma  to 
general  results.  Thirty-five  years  ago,  a  little  band  got  together 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Wakefield  system  :  himself  and  his  friend 
Sir  Charles  Clifford,  who  was  present,  were  among  them.  In  round 
terms,  they  were  nobody  and  had  nothing.  Now  they  had  grown 
to  400,000  people,  with  an  annual  revenue  of  nearly  £2,000,000, 
exports  and  imports  of  £5,000,000  each  :  these  figures  only  the 
indicators  of  a  vast  amount  of  accumulated  wealth ;  and  to  whom 
did  it  belong  ?  Why,  to  the  little  band  he  had  mentioned,  and 
the  rest  of  the  400,000  who  had  followed  in  their  tracks  with  no 
greater  advantages.  They  were  farm  labourers,  small  tradesmen, 
mechanics,  young  lawyers,  doctors,  parsons,  everybody  and  nil 
sorts.  They  were  the  owners  of  all  that  fine  property.  Success 
had  been  the  rule,  and  failure  the  exception.  If,  therefore,  the 
"  dear  boy  "  came  back  and  declared  the  Colony  was  "  no  good," 
pray  don't  believe  him;  it  is  he  that  is  "no  good"  and  not  the 
Colony. 

The  remaining  question  is,  How  about  the  future  of  New 
Zealand  ?  He  (Mr.  Fox)  was  neither  a  prophet  nor  the  son  of 
a  prophet,  and  he  could  not  predict  the  future,  but  he  might  refer 
them  to  the  past.  He  had  told  them  what  the.  Colony  had  done  ; 
why  should  it  not  continue  to  do  the  like  ?  They  had  a  fine  fertile 
country,  and  though  the  population  at  present  was  not  much  bigger 
than  that  of  Birmingham,  there  were  70,000,000  of  acres  with 
vast  resources  in  them,  all  of  which  had  to  be  developed.  Could 
that  country  stand  still  ?  In  a  very  few  years  it  would,  under  Pro- 
vidence, have  a  million  of  people  in  it.  Humanly  speaking,  it 
must  grow,  it  must  increase  in  prosperity,  and  it  will  reward  those 
who  have  faith  in  it.  In  conclusion,  he  begged  to  thank  the  Insti- 
tute for  the  patient  hearing  it  had  given  him,  and  trusted  that 
neither  his  time  nor  theirs  had  been  altogether  wasted  by  the  hour's 
occupation. 

s  2 


260  New  Zealand, 


DISCUSSION. 

Sir  CHARLES  CLIFFORD  :  I  can  only  interpret  the  telegraphic  signs 
which  I  see  his  Grace  the  Chairman  making  to  mean  that  he 
wishes  me  to  propose  a  vote  of  thanks  to  Mr.  Fox  for  the  admirable 
and  instructive  address  we  have  just  listened  to.  It  is,  perhaps, 
hardly  proper  that  I  should  be  the  one  to  do  this,  not  having 
gained  much  information  from  that  address,  and  therefore  not 
having  so  much  to  be  thankful  for  as  many  others  in  this  room. 
I  had  the  pleasure  of  landing  in  New  Zealand  with  Mr.  Fox  from 
the  same  vessel,  in  the  very  earliest  days  of  the  Colony.  We  were 
five  months  making  the  voyage  from  Portsmouth  to  Wellington  ; 
we  could  now  make  the  voyage  there  and  back  again  hi  little  more 
than  half  the  time.  From  that  period  to  the  present  I  have  been 
intimately  acquainted  with  him,  have  witnessed  all  his  exertions, 
and  well  know  how  much  the  country  is  indebted  to  him,  both 
socially  and  politically,  for  the  position  it  has  since  attained.  There 
is  no  one  who  could  arrive  in  England  from  New  Zealand  more 
capable  of  giving  you  a  full  and  truthful  history  of  the  past,  or  of 
prognosticating  the  prospects  of  the  future  of  that  country.  You 
may,  therefore,  with  confidence  yield  your  belief  to  everything  you 
have  just  heard.  Mr.  Fox  commenced  by  discussing  the  question 
of  Colonial  government.  I  perfectly  well  remember  the  first  ten 
years  of  New  Zealand's  political  existence,  when  the  leading  strings 
were  held  in  Downing- street.  During  that  period  the  energies  of 
the  people  seemed  to  flag,  few  things  seemed  to  prosper,  and  the 
general  dulness  was  such  that  many  of  the  leading  colonists 
formed  plans  for  re-emigrating  to  what  they  thought  might  be 
more  favoured  regions.  At  the  end  of  that  time  the  Colonial  Office 
and  the  British  Parliament,  thinking  the  Colony  might  manage  its 
own  affairs  better  than  those  who  were  16,000  miles  away  from  them, 
did  us  the  honour  of  intrusting  to  us  the  first  constitution  ever 
granted  to  a  British  Colony.  Within  two  years  from  the  day  of 
gaining  the  power  of  governing  ourselves,  you  would  not  have 


New  Zealand.  261 

known  the  country.  It  sprung  suddenly  into  energy  and  life. 
It  commenced  those  efforts  and  began  that  career  which  has  now 
developed  itself  in  the  manner  with  which  you  are  all  acquainted. 
From  not  being  able  to  borrow  ten  million  shillings,  it  can  now 
easily  obtain  ten  million  pounds ;  and  the  justifiable  belief  of  the 
public  in  its  resources  and  its  honesty  is  such  as  to  enable  it  to 
borrow  any  reasonable  amount  for  the  purpose  of  still  further 
developing  those  great  resources  with  benefit  to  it  and  advantage 
to  England.  Nothing  shows  so  clearly  the  capacity  of  the  English 
race  for  self-government.  The  more  the  Colonies  are  left  to 
manage  their  own  affairs,  the  stronger  will  be  the  tie  to  the  mother 
country,  and  greater  the  strength  of  the  British  Empire.  Mr.  Fox 
has  alluded  to  the  decay  of  the  native  race.  He  was  perfectly 
correct.  There  is  not  time  now  to  go  into  that  argument,  but  it 
can  be  clearly  shown  that  they  had  been  rapidly  decreasing  long 
before  we  took  possession  of  the  islands,  from  causes  over  which 
we  had  no  control,  but  which  have  lessened  in  intensity  since 
our  occupation.  If  anything  can  save  the  remnant  now  existing, 
it  will  be  the  fostering  care  of  the  present  Government.  You 
have  had  described  to  you  the  social  and  material  resources  of  the 
country  with  a  vividness  and  reality  that  I  trust  you  will  not  easily 
forget,  and  that  your  knowledge  will  be  imparted  to  others  as 
widely  as  possible.  Not  only  those  present,  but  your  friends  will 
then  know  there  are  few  places  in  the  world  where  they  can  obtain 
more  useful  amusement,  real  profit,  and  individual  information 
than  in  the  islands  of  New  Zealand.  His  Eoyal  Highness  the 
Prince  of  Wales  the  other  day  strongly  advised  all  those  of  his 
countrymen  who  could  afford  it  to  visit  India,  whether  in  search 
of  health,  pleasure,  or  profit.  I  would  not  be  so  disloyal  as  to 
interfere  with  His  Koyal  Higlmess's  advice  :  I  would  simply  re- 
commend those  who  have  tried  all  that  Hindostan  can  offer  them, 
to  extend  their  journey  to  New  Zealand,  convinced  that  my  country 
would,  at  any  rate,  suffer  nothing  by  the  comparison.  I  beg  to 
propose  that  the  thanks  of  this  meeting  be  given  to  Mr.  Fox  for 
the  admirable  and  interesting  address  he  has  favoured  us  with. 

The  Eev.  PAHTAQUAHONG  CHASE,  chief  of  the  Ojibbeway  Indians, 
said  it  gave  him  great  pleasiire  to  have  the  honour  to  speak  to  such 
an  intelligent  audience.  He  felt  greatly  embarrassed  after  hearing 
such  an  eloquent  speech  from  Mr.  Fox,  at  being  able  to  convey  his 
feelings  to  them.  He  hailed  from  British  North  America,  one  of  Her 
Majesty's  dominions.  He  belonged  to  the  Ojibbeway  nation  of 
Indians,  and  was  chief  of  the  natives  of  that  country.  His  fore- 
fathers were  the  chiefs,  and  when  the  British  Government,  in  1812, 


262  New  Zealand. 

recognised  his  grandfather,  who  was  chief  in  possession,  he  was  re- 
ceived by  King  George  HI.  at  Court,  and  acknowledged  by  that  King 
as  chief  of  the  nation,  and  he  then  wore  the  plate  given  by  that 
King  in  1812,  which  had  descended  from  that  time  in  the  male 
line.  His  grandfather  exerted  his  powers  for  the  welfare  of  his 
own  nation  and  the  community  at  large ;  and  the  medal  he  wore 
had  descended  to  him  (Mr.  Chase),  which  his  son  would  eventually 
succeed  to  as  the  hereditary  chief.  His  nation  were  not  people  of 
letters.  They  had  no  institutions  of  learning,  and  no  laws  like 
other  civilised  nations.  His  forefathers  lived  by  hunting,  and 
clothed  themselves  with  the  skins  of  the  animals,  and  lived  upon 
their  flesh  alone,  without  such  other  luxuries  as  bread,  &c.  He  had 
mingled  in  the  society  of  Englishmen  during  the  last  six  months, 
of  whom  he  had  heard  and  read  when  a  youth.  His  people  were 
sitting  under  a  cloud  of  darkness.  They  had  no  laws,  no  justice, 
no  authority,  excepting  the  authority  of  the  chief.  He  had  come 
to  this  country  for  the  welfare  of  his  community.  They  had  what 
was  called  a  grand  Indian  council  in  the  two  Provinces  of  Quebec 
and  Ontario,  which  were  partially  civilised  and  surrounded  by  a 
French  community  and  people  from  England,  Ireland,  and  Scot- 
land, and  his  people  were  learning  to  speak  the  English  language. 
He  was  the  President  of  that  Council.  No  British  white  man's 
blood  had  ever  been  spilt  by  his  people.  They  had  always  lived 
in  peace  and  goodwill  with,,  the  English  nation.  They  had  spilt 
the  blood  of  the  foreign  white  man,  owing  to  imperfect  understand- 
ing of  treaties,  when  they  had  taken  the  laws  into  their  own 
hands,  especially  as  regarded  those  of  the  United  States  ;  but  he 
was  happy  to  say  it  had  not  been  the  case  in  the  British  posses- 
sions. He  was  present,  empowered  and  authorised  by  his  people, 
to  come  to  England  to  visit  the  Queen,  and  he  had  had  the  honour 
of  seeing  Her  Majesty,  which  he  should  tell  the  Grand  Council  on 
the  28th  of  June,  which  would  then  meet,  as  it  did  every  three 
years.  He  was  a  clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  had 
been  in  holy  orders  thirteen  years.  Before  being  ordained  he  was 
in  the  Civil  Service  of  Canada  for  thirteen  years,  but  desiring  to 
minister  to  the  spiritual  welfare  of  his  people,  he  resigned  his  posi- 
tion, and  he  had  been  preaching  the  glorious  Gospel  as  a  missionary 
— the  Gospel  which  had  elevated  England,  and  which  had  raised  it 
so  high  that  the  world  looked  upon  it  as  the  city  upon  the  hill 
whose  light  could  not  be  hidden,  as  a  glorious  example  to 
benighted  nations.  He  had  three  different  languages,  the  Mohawk, 
the  Iriquois — that  of  the  Indian  people — and  the  Ojibbeway  lan- 
guage. He  had  territory  ten  miles  square,  with  a  population 


New  Zealand.  263 

of  1,400  souls.  He  had  been  appointed  to  take  charge  of  the  Dela- 
wares  and  the  Mohawks,  and  he  had  succeeded  in  building  up  a 
new  church  for  the  Mohawk  people,  and  by  means  of  the  Gospel 
had  enabled  them  to  live  in  peace  and  blessedness.  He  had  three 
congregations,  with  260  communicants  out  of  1,400  souls,  and  he 
spoke  with  pride  of  the  reformation  he  had  effected  amongst  his 
people.  He  had  come  to  England  to  endeavour  to  get  subscrip- 
tions for  building  a  third  church,  and  he  would  return  in  a  few 
days  to  his  country  and  tell  his  Council  that  he  had  succeeded 
in  obtaining  the  required  amount,  and  had  found  a  Christian  people 
in  England.  If  spared,  his  life  should  be  devoted  to  the  teaching 
of  his  people  to]  follow  the  English  example  of  civilisation  and 
Christianisation. 

Sir  EICHABD  GRAVES  MACDONNELL,  K.C.M.G.  and  C.B.,  said  he  had 
not  intended  to  have  spoken,  but  could  not  refrain  from  making 
some  observations  on  a  matter  of  extreme  interest  connected  with  a 
subject  to  which  Mr.  Fox  had-  more  than  once  adverted.  He  should 
not  like  Mr.  Fox's  observations  recorded  amongst  their  proceedings 
without  some  explanation.  He  understood  Mr.  Fox  to  claim  for 
New  Zealand  a  special  merit  in  adhering  to  the  Wakefield  theory 
of  expending  the  money  received  for  sale  of  public  lands  in  the 
Colony  on  the  introduction  of  emigrants. 

Mr.  Fox  :  Yes  ;  and  on  public  works. 

Sir  EICHAED  MACDONNELL  :  Quite  so  ;  public  works  to  be  carried 
out  by  emigrants  imported  with  the  Land  Fund.  Mr.  Fox,  how- 
ever, had  implied  that  New  Zealand  had  attained  her  special  pros- 
perity by  treating  her  Land  Fund  as  entirely  sacred  and  devoted  to 
those  objects,  and  he  had  also  implied  that  other  Colonies,  who  had 
not  done  so,  had  gravely  erred.  Now  that  was  a  subject  of  ex- 
treme importance ;  and  no  such  broad  statement  was  really  correct, 
because  circumstances  beyond  their  control  had  necessarily  shaped 
the  policy  of  some  of  the  Colonies.  He  would,  however,  confine  him- 
self now  to  what  had  occurred  with  the  Australian  Colony,  which  he 
knew  best — South  Australia,  whose  government  he  had  administered 
for  nearly  seven  years.  South  Australia  had  been  in  a  very  peculiar 
position  as  regarded  importation  of  emigrants.  If  they  would  look 
at  the  map  before  them  they  would  see  that  New  Zealand  was  pro- 
tected by  a  continuous  seaboard,  and  emigrants  once  imported  there 
would  find  it  difficult  to  escape  from  it.  The  very  contrary  was 
the  case  with  South  Australia.  When  he  arrived  there  in  1855,  the 
furore  of  the  gold-fields  excitement  had  scarcely  abated.  Moreover, 
South  Australia  was  separated  from  Victoria  by  merely  an  imaginary 
border-line ;  whilst  there  were  many  easy  means,  chiefly  by  sea,  of 


264  New  Zealand. 

going  from  Adelaide  to  Portland  or  Melbourne.  At  that  time  the 
temptation  was,  in  fact,  almost  irresistible  ;  and  the  emigrants  who 
would  otherwise  have  tilled  their  lands  and  carried  on  their  public 
works,  left  them.  Therefore  the  money  expended  on  their  passage 
was  in  this  way  almost  wholly  applied  to  the  advancement  of  the 
neighbouring  Colony.  When  he  first  arrived  the  Land  Fund  had 
been  and  was  then  being  used  for  its  legitimate  purposes  as  completely 
as  ever  it  was  in  New  Zealand.  All  of  it  which  was  not  forestaUed 
by  the  Emigration  Commissioners  in  England,  was  entirely  in  the 
control  of  the  Governor,  but  he  asked  them  to  consider  what 
occurred  during  the  first  year  of  his  government,  1855-56.  The 
Land  Fund  had  proved  most  prolific  ;  and  the  Emigration  Commis- 
sioners in  England  actually  sent  out  in  that  year  more  than  12,000 
emigrants,  whilst  unfortunately  the  population  of  the  Colony  was 
at  that  time  less  than  80,000.  It  was  impossible,  evidently,  that 
so  scanty  a  population  could  assimilate  and  utilise  such  a  sudden 
influx  of  strangers.  Nothing  could  be  more  wholesome  than  good 
beef  as  diet  for  a  working-man,  and  if  suitable  time  were  allowed 
he  could  get  with  advantage  through  a  ton  of  it ;  but  an  attempt  to 
force  him  to  eat  a  stone  weight  of  it  at  once  might  kill  him.  This 
was  precisely  what  had  occurred  in  South  Australia.  The  great  want 
of  that  and  of  all  new  Colonies  was  of  course  people — people  settled 
on  the  land  and  working  the  land ;  but  when  they  were  sent  out 
in  such  numbers  there  was  neither  time  nor  opportunity  to  settle 
them  ;  and  probably  not  more  than  4,000  out  of  those  12,000  emi- 
grants, who  had  cost  so  much  (about  £16  per  head)  became  finally 
an  addition  to  the  permanent  population  of  South  Australia.  They 
might  fancy,  moreover,  how  much  the  difficulty  of  the  position 
was  augmented  when  he  told  them,  that  of  the  above  number  no 
less  than  4,004 — for  he  had  good  reason  to  recollect  the  exact 
figures — were  able-bodied  single  ladies.  Now  he  questioned  whether 
any  other  man  than  himself  ever  had  previously  such  a  number  of 
single  women  thrust  upon  him.  He  saw  that  they  sympathised 
with  him,  and  he  owned  that  he  had  never  been  so  embarrassed. 
He  did  what  he  could  for  them — built  them  barracks,  offered  to  pay 
their  fare  and  all  expenses  to  any  employers  willing  to  take  them 
off  his  hands,  for  he  was  sorry  to  have  to  add  that  they  were  occa. 
sionally  very  unruly.  Now,  as  women  in  a  state  of  rebellion  were 
not  so  easily  dealt  with  as  men,  he  might  mention  that,  by  a  "happy 
thought,"  they  were  on  one  occasion  reduced  to  obedience  by  the  cool- 
ing effects  of  water  from  a  fire-engine.  Surely  he  might  put  it  to  Mr. 
Fox's  candour  to  say  whether,  with  such  experience,  the  Colony 
which  soon  afterwards  obtained  control  over  all  the  Land  Fund 


New  Zealand.  265 

was  not  justified  in  using  part  of  it  for  other  purposes  than  im- 
porting emigrants  in  such  numbers  as  to  embarrass  them  or  desert 
them  for  the  neighbouring  Colony.  The  meeting  must,  however, 
not  suppose  because  Mr.  Fox  was  so  eloquent,  that  all  the  talent 
and  energy  of  that  part  of  the  world  was  centred  in  New  Zealand. 
On  the  contrary,  despite  the  special  difficulties  which,  as  he  had 
shown,  were  connected  with  emigration  in  South  Australia,  he 
could  inform  Mr.  Fox  that  in  proportion  to  its  population  the  pro- 
gress of  that  Colony  had  been  more  marked  and  more  rapid  in  the 
most  important  points,  than  that  of  New  Zealand.  Take,  for  ex- 
ample, the  number  of  acres  reclaimed  and  tilled,  as  given  in  the 
latest  statistics  (those  for  1874),  presented  by  Mr.  Hayter  to  the 
Victorian  Parliament,  and  they  would  find  that  whilst  the  320,000 
inhabitants  of  New  Zealand  had  only  about  550,000  acres  under 
cultivation,  the  200,000  settlers  of  South  Australia  had  cultivated 
no  less  than  1,330,000.  In  other  words,  whilst  there  were  nearly 
seven  acres  of  cultivated  land  to  every  man,  woman,  and  child  in 
South  Australia,  there  was  barely  one  acre  and  two-thirds  of 
an  acre  per  head  .to  the  population  of  New  Zealand.  Moreover, 
whilst  the  limited  population  of  South  Australia  raised  nearly  ten 
millions  of  bushels  of  wheat  in  1874,  New  Zealand  raised  less  than 
three  millions,  though  it  exceeded  South  Australia  in  other  cereals. 
The  total  trade,  or  imports  and  exports,  per  head  in  South  Australia 
is,  however,  perhaps,  much  the  same  as  that  in  New  Zealand,  viz. 
between  .£41  and  £42  per  head,  but,  unlike  New  Zealand,  with 
a  large  healthy  balance  in  South  Australia  in  favour  of  the  exports. 
They  might  perhaps  think  that  these  results  have  been  obtained 
by  extravagant  expenditure,  and  that  they  may,  therefore,  have 
been  too  dearly  purchased,  and  cannot  be  regarded  as  durable. 
Now,  he  did  not  want  quite  to  overwhelm  Mr.  Fox  with  figures,  but 
it  was  very  remarkable  that  the  taxation  in  New  Zealand — viz. 
more  than  £4  per  head — is  considerably  more  than  double  that  in 
South  Australia,  which  is  only  £1  16s.,  whilst  New  Zealand's  debt 
at  the  end  of  1874  was  more  than  treble  that  of  South  Australia. 
He  had,  however,  said  already  quite  enough  to  prove  that  the 
management  of  the  Land  Fund  in  any  Colony  must,  to  a  certain 
degree,  be  shaped  occasionally  by  the  special  circumstances  of  the 
Colony ;  and  as  an  old  Governor  in  Australia,  he  had  felt  much 
pleasure  in  pointing  out  that  (despite  of  many  adverse  circumstances 
at  starting)  the  results  of  a  departure  for  a  time  from  the  excellent 
Wakefield  theory  had  not  made  South  Australia  less  prosperous  than 
New  Zealand.  On  the  contrary,  British  energy  had  proved  quite 
as  sufficient  in  the  former  as  in  the  latter  Colony  to  develop  its 


266  New  Zealand. 

resources,  and  uphold  its  favourite  motto  of  ''Advance,  Australia." 
(Applause.) 

Colonel  THOMPSON  wished  to  offer  a  few  words  of  protest  against 
Mr.  Fox's  suggestion  that  the  frequent  wars  in  New  Zealand  were 
"  attributable  possibly  to  the  fact  of  the  majority  of  the  Governors 
having  been  members  of  the  naval  or  military  services."  He  (Col. 
Thompson)  did  not  think  men  who  knew  what  war  was,  and  what 
it  entailed,  more  likely  to  rush  into  it  than  those  who  had  no  such 
practical  experience.  Under  Capt.  Hobson,  the  first  Governor,  no 
war  took  place.  Under  Capt.  Fitzroy,  the  aggression  was  entirely 
on  the  side  of  the  natives,  who  commenced  the  war — an  equal,  if 
not  the  greater,  portion  of  the  tribes  siding  with  MS  in  the  contest. 
Capt.  Grey,  the  next  Governor,  found  the  war  going  on  when  he 
arrived  in  the  country,  and  brought  it  to  a  close  at  the  earliest 
possible  period.  This  was  the  war  in  the  north  of  New  Zealand 
alluded  to  by  Mr.  Fox,  and  having  served  through  it  he  was  per- 
sonally acquainted  with  the  facts.  The  hostile  tribes  (probably 
through  a  consciousness  of  being  in  the  wrong)  bore  no  malice  to 
their  foes  at  its  close  :  in  proof  of  which  he  might  mention  an 
incident  which  occurred  at  a  feast  of  peace  given  to  the  enemy  by 
our  allies,  at  which  one  of  the  former  called  out  to  the  European 
officers  present  to  point  out  to  him  which  of  them  it  was  who  aimed 
the  gun  that  cut  their  flag-staff  in  two.  Being  asked  why  he  wished 
to  know,  he  said,  "  Because  the  shot  that  struck  the  flag-staff  also 
cut  my  wife  and  child  in  two ;  and  he  thought  the  least  that  officer 
could  do  was  to  come  and  shake  hands  with  him."  He  did  not 
consider  the  wars  in  New  Zealand  were  the  fault  of  either  the 
Governors  or  the  colonists,  but  were  almost  inevitable  in  a  country 
as  larg*e  as  Great  Britain,  occupied  by  a  comparative  handful  of 
natives,  owning  vast  tracts  unused  by  and  therefore  useless  to 
them,  but  of  which  they  are  as  proud  and  tenacious  as  any  duke 
could  be  of  his  valuable  possessions  in  this  country ;  while  an 
enterprising  race  had  left  their  native  land  with  the  sole  purpose  of 
occupying  and  cultivating  these  hitherto  unused  and  uncultivated 
tracts.  What  Mr.  Fox  had  said  of  the  decrease  of  the  native 
inhabitants  was  perfectly  true  ;  but  he  did  not  think  it  was  owing 
to  the  advent  of  Europeans,  as  they  were  manifestly  decreasing  in 
numbers  before  the  country  was  colonised  ;  one  cause  he  had 
heard  assigned  being,  that  when  the  influence  of  missionaries  had 
induced  them  to  give  up  their  tribal  feuds,  they  ceased  dwelling  en 
the  heights  before  then  selected  as  defensible  positions  against  their 
foes,  and  built  their  villages  for  greater  convenience  on  the  low, 
and  often  damp  and  swampy,  grounds,  bordering  their  rivers  and 


New  Zealand.  267 

lakes,  causing  thereby  consumption,  scrofula,  and  other  diseases. 
He  thoroughly  endorsed  all  that  had  been  said  by  Mr.  Fox  in  praise 
of  New  Zealand  as  a  place  to  settle  in,  having  served  in  that 
country  for  fifteen  years.  In  proof  of  the  estimation  in  which  it 
was  held  by  those  who  served  in  it,  he  might  mention  that  fifteen 
officers  and  nearly  one  thousand  men  of  the  regiment  he  belonged 
to  left  the  service  to  settle  there,  and  when  leaving  the  Colony  he 
was  beginning  to  fear  there  would  not  be  a  man  left  in  the  regiment 
to  carry  the  colours  on  their  arrival  home.  Mr.  Fox  had  spoken 
with  favour  of  different  works  upon  New  Zealand,  but  had  modestly 
omitted  one  of  not  less  interest  than  the  others,  namely,  the 
"History  of  the  Wars  in  New  Zealand,"  by  Mr.  Fox. 

Mr.  EDWARD  WILSON  said,  before  the  last  speaker  addressed  them 
he  was  rising  to  call  his  friend,  Sir  Kichard  MacDonnell,  to  order, 
upon  a  little  discrepancy  in  his  eloquent  remarks.  He  was  rather 
severe  about  the  Colony  which  used  to  be  a  good  neighbour  to  him 
while  in  South  Australia,  and  charged  Victoria  with  running  away 
with  his  emigrants  in  a  selfish  and  hungry  manner.  But  he  had  after- 
wards favoured  us  with  particulars  of  a  large  assortment  of  "  able- 
bodied  females,"  and  said  that  with  so  large  a  tribe  had  he  been  en- 
cumbered in  a  single  day, that  he  did  not  know  what  to  do  with  them. 
He  (Mr.  Wilson)  thought  at  that  critical  period  of  his  existence  the 
Colony  referred  to  might  have  lent  him  some  assistance,  of  which 
he  ought  to  retain  some  grateful  recollection.  But  now  to  pull  Mr. 
Fox  a  little  to  pieces  in  view  of  the  interesting  speech  he  had  made 
them — for  they  must  recollect  it  was  not  a  paper  he  had  read,  but 
it  was  something  which  he  had  favoured  them  with  viva  voce,  and 
with  a  great  degree  of  eloquence.  Mr.  Fox  held  a  very  sanguine 
opinion  of  the  future  of  New  Zealand,  in  which  he  (Mr.  Wilson) 
most  heartily  and  most  gladly  participated,  but  on  one  point  he 
thought  Mr.  Fox  allowed  his  zeal  for  his  adopted  country  a  little  to 
override  facts  and  observations  of  adjacent  countries.  He  did  not 
know  what  experience  Mr.  Fox  may  have  had  of  the  large  continent 
within  a  few  days'  sail  of  New  Zealand,  when  he  favoured  them 
with  the  idea  that  English  grasses  would  not  grow  in  Australia. 
Where  did  he  get  that  evidence  ?  He  based  on  this  fact  his  convic- 
tion that  the  time  was  coming  when  flocks  of  sheep  in  New  Zealand 
would  quite  outnumber  the  whole  of  the  group  of  Colonies  on  the 
continent.  A  little  examination  into  facts  would  scarcely  justify 
that  statement.  He  (Mr.  Wilson)  had  been  a  squatter  and  an 
experimental  farmer  in  those  Colonies,  and  he  could  only  say  ho 
never  saw  English  grasses  grow  better  than  they  did  there.  Mr. 
Fox  was  deceived  if  he  imagined  he  had  a  monopoly  of  English . 


268  New  Zealand. 

grasses.     Mr.  Fox  had  favoured  them  with  questions  of  emigration 
as  mixed  up  with  the  very  important  scheme  of  that  grand  old 
colonist,  Gibbon  Wakefield,  and  he  was  interested  to  note  the  points 
of  difference  in  Mr.  Fox  and  Sir  Eichard  MacDonnell  on  that  point. 
He  (Mr.  Wilson)  was  talking  to  an  experienced  man  on  emigration 
the  other  day  in  reference  to  Mr.  Wakefield's  bust,  which  had 
recently  been  executed,  and  which  was  to  be  placed  in  the  Colonial 
Office,  and  he  was  much  struck  by  the  remark,  that  he  had  no 
hesitation  in  saying  that  if  they  had  had  the  sense  to  adhere  to 
that  magnificent  scheme  introduced  by  that  excellent  man,  the 
Australian  Colonies  would  have  been  much  more  prosperous  than 
they  are  even  without  all  the  gold  they  have  since  found.     That 
being  the  case,  it  seemed  dreadful  to  think  of  the  way  in  which  they 
had  given  up  that  system,  and  with  what  a  sort  of  incomprehensible 
spirit  they   had  never   found   a   better.     Had  that  system  been 
maintained,  and  had  they  been  in  the  way  of  improving  the  popu- 
lation which  that  scheme  would  have  given,  they  might  draw  in 
vain  on  their  imaginations  as  to  what  the  present  state  of  those 
Colonies  would  have  been.     Mr.  Fox  had  favoured  them  with  an 
admirable  dissertation  upon  the  plucky  and  spirited  way  in  which 
New  Zealand  had  gone  into  the  money  market — to  the  terror  of  a 
great  many  weak-minded  people,  who  preferred  Turkish  bonds  or 
Egyptian  securities — and  borrowed  large  sums,  and  was  now  pre- 
pared to  justify  what  it  had  done,  was  doing,  and  intended  to  do, 
by   the  result   they  saw  accruing  from  such   a  scheme.      There 
was  an  important  point  in  dealing  with  the   whole   question  of 
emigration,  as  to  what  is  the  real  money  value  of  a  man.     He  had 
often  tried  to  elaborate  the  price  of  a  man — a  good  hard-working 
man,  who  could  do  a  good  many  useful  things  in  all  the  forms  of 
farm  labour — and  he  had  lately  come  across  a  paragraph  in  an 
American  newspaper  in  which  they  had  worked  out  the  price  of  a 
good,  healthy,  vigorous  man.  With  great  accuracy  they  had  valued 
him  at  exactly  £166  13s.  4d.    Well  now,  New  Zealand  gets  this  man 
for  about  £20.     Where  did  the  capitalist  ever  make  better  invest- 
ment than  that  ?     Not  in  Manchester  cotton,  in  Leeds  woollen 
goods,  or  Birmingham  ironware,  or  any  other  staple  commodity. 
On  that  point  he  heartily  congratulated  New  Zealand,  and  when 
he  saw  those  ships  going  out  full  of  those  £20  people,  he  was 
delighted. 

Mr.  FITZGIBBON  observed  that  amongst  the  physical  features  of 
New  Zealand  which  Mr.  Fox  had  described  and  credited  with  the 
effect  of  elevating  the  soul,  there  were  some  that  had  yet  another 
property,  that  of  restoring  health  to  the  body.  He  referred  to  the 


New  Zealand.  269 

hot  springs,  which — and  he  had  excellent  reason  for  being  satisfied 
with  them — furnished  a  powerful  remedy  for  rheumatic  affections, 
and  which,  being  now  easily  and  conveniently  accessible,  were 
certain  to  prove  of  great  medicinal  benefit  not  to  the  inhabitants 
of  New  Zealand  only,  but  also  to  those  of  the  Colonies  of  the  main- 
land of  Australia  suffering  from  such  complaints,  and  for  whom 
otherwise  such  a  means  of  cure  could  scarcely  be  obtained,  except 
at  the  trouble  and  cost  of  a  visit  to  some  of  the  older  used  hot- 
springs  of  Europe. 

Mr.  DENNISTOUN  WOOD  thought,  in  the  first  place,  the  meeting 
might  congratulate  itself  on  the  fact  that  Mr.  Fox  had  been  so  busy 
that  he  had  been  unable  to  commit  his  thoughts  to  paper,  because 
he  was  sure  that  the  racy  and  humorous  remarks  he  had  made  were 
in  some  respects  an  agreeable  contrast  to  the  long  statistics  with 
which  they  were  often  regaled.  There  were  one  or  two  points  on 
which  he  ventured  to  differ  from  him.  Mr.  Fox  had  said  that  the 
advent  of  the  white  race  in  New  Zealand  had  had  nothing  what- 
ever to  do  with  the  diminution  in  the  number  of  the  Maories,  which 
proceeded  from  internecine  wars  and  from  their  habits  of  canni- 
balism. As  far  as  they  knew,  the  New  Zealanders  had  always 
been  cannibals,  and  were  always  fighting  with  each  other,  and  if  it 
were  those  habits  of  fighting  and  eating  each  other  which  were 
leading  to  their  extinction,  how  did  it  happen  that  if,  according  to 
tradition,  New  Zealand  was  peopled  by  a  few  canoefuls  of  Maories, 
who  landed  in  the  North  Island,  at  no  very  distant  period  their 
descendants  had  increased  before  the  English  landed  on  the  islands 
to  60,000  ?  If  those  habits  always  prevailed  among  them,  how 
was  it  that  the  New  Zealanders,  who  at  first  were  only  a  few  hundreds 
in  number,  had  reached  as  many  as  60,000  ?  Another  point  on 
which  he  differed  from  Mr.  Fox  was  with  regard  to  the  opinion  that 
the  prosperity  of  New  Zealand  was  in  great  measure  owing  to  the 
Wakefield  system.  One  of  the  principal  features  of  that  system 
was  that  there  should  be  a  sufficient  price  for  land ;  the  definition 
of  a  sufficient  price  being  a  price  so  high  as  to  prevent  people  from 
becoming  landowners  too  rapidly.  As  far  as  he  knew,  the  price  of 
land  had  varied  in  New  Zealand  from  5s.  to  £2  an  acre.  What  was 
the  sufficient  price,  5s.  or  £2  ?  Mr.  Fox  stated  that  the  system  had 
been  in  continuous  operation,  and  yet  at  the  end  of  his  discourse  he 
stated  that  for  a  number  of  years  there  had  been  no  emigration 
going  on  at  all.  How  was  it  that  there  was  such  a  cessation  of 
emigration  for  so  long  a  time  while  yet  the  Wakefield  system  still 
continued,  for  it  was  an  essential  part  of  that  system  that  a  great 
portion  of  the  proceeds  of  the  land  should  be  applied  to  bring  out 


*270  New  Zealand. 

emigrants  ?  No  doubt  it  was  a  good  thing  to  apply  a  portion  of  the 
Land  Fund  to  public  works  and  to  emigration,  but  he  apprehended 
that  that  would  have  been  done  had  Mr.  Wakefield  never  been  born. 
What  had  been  the  operation  of  the  system  in  Australia  ?  for  he 
apprehended  that  fixing  the  price  of  land  in  that  country  at  £1  per 
acre  was  carrying  out  the  Wakefield  system.  Did  that  lead  to  the 
concentration  of  the  population  of  Victoria  ?  On  the  contrary,  it  was 
dispersed  all  over  the  Colony.  When  he  (Mr.  Dennistoun  Wood)  first 
went  out  to  Victoria,  Mr.  Wilson,  who  had  that  evening  proiessed 
himself  an  admirer  of  the  Wakefield  system,  was  continually  ex- 
claiming, "Unlock  the  land!"  What  brought  the  population  to 
Victoria  ?  Not  the  Wakefield  system,  but  the  discovery  of  gold. 
The  whole  system  had  been  in  operation  for  years,  and  the  whole 
population  was  only  70,000,  whereas  it  was  now  upwards  of  800,000. 
The  same  thing  could  be  observed  in  other  Australian  Colonies.  If 
there  was  one  thing  more  than  another  which  he  detested,  it  was 
the  arrogance  and  self-sufficiency  of  a  man  who  thought  that  he 
knew  better  how  a  man  should  conduct  his  own  business  than  the 
man  himself  did.  The  Government,  forsooth,  was  to  prevent  a  man 
going  away  to  some  remote  part  of  the  Colony  where  his  labour  would 
be  unprofitable  ;  but  if  a  man  found  his  labour  unprofitable,  did  he 
need  Mr.  Wakefield,  or  anybody  else,  to  prevent  him  from  following  an 
unremunerative  occupation  ?  That  was  in  another  form  the  idea 
which  now  prevailed  in  some  of  the  Australian  Colonies — in  Victoria 
especially.  The  Governments  there  had  taken  it  into  their  heads 
that  they  knew  better  what  occupation  the  people  should  follow  than 
the  people  themselves  did,  and  they  tried  to  bolster  up  some  occu- 
pations at  the  expense  of  others,  and  imposed  duties  upon  certain 
articles  in  order  to  get  people  to  betake  themselves  to  particular 
branches  of  industry  instead  of  to  those  which,  if  the  State  had 
not  interfered,  they  would  have  found  most  profitable.  Was  the 
Wakefield  system  ever  heard  of  in  California  ?  What  raised  the 
population  of  that  country  from  a  few  hundreds  to  tens  of  thou- 
sands, and  made  it  a  great  country,  with  large  cities,  railways, 
and  all  the  appliances  of  civilisation  ?  The  American  Government 
never  attempted  by  its  land  system  to  dictate  to  the  people  how 
they  should  employ  themselves,  and  whether  they  should  scatter 
themselves  over  that  State  or  not.  New  Zealand  had  prospered, 
not  because  of  any  theories  of  Mr.  Wakefield,  but  because  of  the 
enterprise  of  the  inhabitants  and  its  good  government,  which 
inspired  the  people  of  this  country  with  such  feelings  of  confidence, 
that  they  sent  their  money  to  be  invested  in  a  land  where  they  knew 
it  would  yield  them  a  good  return. 


New  Zealand.  271 

Mr.  EDWARD  WILSON  :  Mr.  Wood  has  made  personal  reference  to 
me,  and  I  would  say,  in  reply,  that  although  I  raised  the  echoes 
in  a  vigorous  style  on  the  topic,  "  Unlock  the  land,"  yet  Mr.  Wood 
may  search  any  writing  of  mine,  but  he  will  never  find  a  single 
word  directed  to  the  unlocking  the  lands  upon  anything  but  the 
Wakefield  system.  My  cry  of  "  Unlock  the  lands  "  was  with  refer- 
ence to  the  fact  that  at  that  time  there  was  not  sufficient  land  in 
the  market ;  but  it  always  inculcated  the  idea  of  bringing  out 
emigrants  with  certain  percentage  of  the  proceeds. 

The  PRESIDENT  :  Ladies  and  gentlemen,  before  I  express  your 
thanks  to  Mr.  Fox  for  his  most  eloquent  speech,  I  would  call  your 
attention  to  one  circumstance  which  seems  to  me  very  interesting. 
We  heard,  first,  speeches  from  two  of  the  pioneers  of  New  Zealand 
— that  flourishing  Colony  of  Great  Britain  at  the  Antipodes — and 
those  speeches  were  followed  by  one  from  a  chief  of  the  ancient 
race,  which  were  our  predecessors  in  North  America.  It  reminds 
you  of  the  extent  of  the  Queen's  dominions  and  the  grandeur  of 
the  British  Empire.  Mr.  Fox  alluded  to  the  "  dear  boys."  I  am 
sorry  to  say  that  a  good  many  ladies  fancy  I  may  be  able  to  assist 
them  in  providing  for  their  "  dear  boys."  They  seem  to  forget  that 
the  Ministers  of  the  day  have  not  many  vacancies  to  which  they 
can  appoint  the  "  dear  boys,"  and  that  they  have  friends  of  their 
own  and  their  own  colleagues  who  would  probably  have  a  better 
claim  than  any  "dear  boy"  that  I  might  recommend.  But  I 
have  always  found  it  a  very  convenient  answer  to  give  to  those 
ladies,  when  they  have  asked  me  to  help  them  in  that  way,  to 
suggest  that  they  should  go  and  try  their  fortunes  in  the  Colonies  ; 
and  certainly  among  those  I  have  not  omitted  to  mention  New 
Zealand,  with  which  I  have  been  in  a  certain  degree  connected  for 
a  quarter  of  a  century,  and  although  I  have  not  yet  seen  it  as  I 
should  like,  yet  I  have  received  favourable  accounts  of  it,  both  in  a 
literary  and  a  pecuniary  sense.  Another  point  Mr.  Fox  referred  to 
was  received  almost  with  a  laugh,  when  he  talked  about  the  pos- 
sibility of  coals  being  brought  from  New  Zealand  to  England.  He 
also  mentioned  a  fact  which  struck  me  would  have  been  thought 
thirty  years  ago  quite  as  impossible,  that  is,  that  the  New  Zealand 
wheat  should  keep  down  the  price  of  wheat  in  England  to  such  an 
extent  that  it  is  not  worth  while  to  grow  it  in  England.  He  men- 
tions that  last  year  1,000,000  bushels  of  wheat  were  sent  from 
Canterbury  and  Otago  into  England.  I  find  my  Colonial  papers 
show  how  much  has  been  sent  during  one  month  from  other  parts. 
I  intend  shortly,  when  I  meet  my  tenants,  to  call  their  attention  to 
the  fact  that  wheat  in  England  now  fetches  no  more  than  40s.  a 


272  New  Zealand. 

quarter,  and  they  tell  me  it  would  not  pay  them  if  they  could  get 
45s.  for  it,  and  that  with  the  quantities  grown  in  the  Colonies 
there  is  no  chance  of  our  being  able  to  grow  wheat  in  England  at  a 
profit.  The  supply  of  breadstuffs  to  the  manufacturing  districts  of 
Europe  is  an  opening  for  the  colonists,  of  which  they  have  availed 
themselves,  and  would  tend  to  their  advantage,  although,  perhaps, 
not  to  that  of  the  English  farmer.  The  latter  must  learn  to  accom- 
modate himself  to  altered  circumstances.  I  was  glad  to  hear  Mr. 
Fox's  defence  of  the  colonists  of  New  Zealand  against  the  attack 
that  used  to  be  made  upon  them,  but  which  I  am  happy  to  say  is 
of  late  years  quite  forgotten — accusing  the  colonists  of  giving  rise 
to  the  native  wars,  as  you  all,  who  are  connected  with  New 
Zealand,  know  to  be  unfounded.  I  do  not  think  the  Europeans 
are  to  blame  for  those  wars.  In  the  same  way  the  colonists  of 
South  Africa  were  blamed  for  the  Kaffir  wars — I  believe,  as  un- 
justly as  the  colonists  of  New  Zealand ;  and  I  am  glad  to  have 
heard  so  eloquent  a  defence  for  the  colonists  as  Mr.  Fox  gave. 
He  began  his  speech  by  apologising  for  not  writing  a  paper  to  read 
to  us,  lest  the  information  he  possessed  being  so  full,  he  might  be 
tempted  to  write  many  large  volumes  of  the  history  of  New 
Zealand.  I  was  almost  inclined  to  hope  some  day  that  he  might 
do  that,  and  write  at  length  his  experience  of  the  rise  and  progress 
of  New  Zealand,  of  which  he  may  say,  "  Quorum  pars  magna  fui."  I 
am  sure  I  am  only  expressing  your  feeling  in  thanking  Mr.  Fox  for 
his  most  interesting  address  on  a  most  interesting  Colony. 

Mr.  Fox,  in  reply,  thanked  the  meeting  very  much  for  the  manner 
in  which  they  had  passed  the  resolution  which  had  been  proposed  to 
them.  He  was  bound  to  reply  to  one  or  two  remarks  which  had 
been  urged,  in  the  best  possible  temper  and  with  the  utmost 
courtesy,  by  gentlemen  who  criticised  some  portions  of  what  he  had 
said.  Sir  Kichard  MacDonnell  appeared  to  misunderstand  him  ; 
but  he  was  glad  to  hear  the  statement  which  Sir  Kichard  made 
with  regard  to  the  prosperous  advancement  of  South  Australia, 
because  to  his  mind  it  was  exactly  a  case  in  point.  He  (Mr.  Fox) 
stated,  when  he  spoke  of  New  Zealand,  that  South  Australia  was 
one  of  the  two  Colonies  founded  on  the  Wakefield  principle ;  and 
the  more  prosperous  Sir  Eichard  showed  it  to  be  the  more  it  sup- 
ported his  (Mr.  Fox's)  view,  that  that  system  was  the  most  satis- 
factory for  establishing  a  Colony  upon.  As  to  the  remarks  which  fell 
from  Mr.  Wilson  with  regard  to  his  (Mr.  Fox's)  ignorance  of  the 
English  grasses,  he  must  stand  corrected,  because  Mr.  Wilson's 
experience  of  Australia,  he  presumed,  was  greater  than  his  own. 
What  had  led  him  (Mr.  Fox)  to  entertain  that  view — which  to  a  great 


New  Zealand.  273 

extent  he  still  persisted  in— was,  that  when  in  South  Australia  he  did 
not  see  one  blade  of  English  grass,  and  a  very  experienced  English 
farmer  told  him  that  it  could  not  be  grown  there.  In  the  parallel 
latitudes  of  New  South  Wales  and  Queensland,  English  grasses,  he 
thought,  could  not  be  grown  to  advantage.  However,  he  would  be 
glad  to  find,  for  the  sake  of  his  sister  colonies,  that  he  was  mistaken, 
if  it  were  so.  Mr.  Dennistoun  Wood  appeared  to  doubt  the  facts 
stated  restricting  the  decrease  in  the  native  population,  and  its 
being  attributable  to  their  cannibalistic  and  communistic  habits. 
Mr.  Wood  had  asked  when  did  that  decrease  commence  ? — 
how  did  the  race  increase  with  that  habit  prevailing  to  the  extent 
alleged  since  the  arrival  of  the  canoes  from  some  other  part  of 
the  Pacific  ?  But  that  raised  questions  of  extreme  difficulty,  and 
was  a  problem  which  he  (Mr.  Fox)  could  not  solve.  There  must 
have  been  a  period  during  which  the  New  Zealand  race  was  an  in- 
creasing race ;  but  they  could  not  fix  the  termination  period  nor 
trace  the  causes  of  it,  but  he  contended  that  with  the  habits  of  life 
in  which  they  indulged,  and  which  were  common  to  them  when 
Captain  Cook  discovered  them — they  could  not  have  been  an  in- 
creasing people  then,  but  must  have  been  already  on  the  decrease. 
With  regard  to  Mr.  Dennistoun  Wood's  remarks  on  the  Wakefield 
system,  he  must  leave  him  on  one  of  the  two  horns  of  a  dilemma, 
he  (Mr.  Fox)  had  spoken  of :  either  he  thought  it  better  to  com- 
mence a  great  undertaking,  like  that  of  establishing  a  new  Colony, 
without  any  system  at  all,  or  he  must  come  forward  and  tell  them 
what  was  a  better  system  than  that  of  Mr.  Wakefield.  He  (Mr. 
Fox)  thought  they  must  accept  that  system,  or  have  no  system'at  all. 
He  did  not  think  the  instance  of  California  and  Victoria  with  their 
gold-field  a  very  happy  illustration.  It  was  precisely  to  prevent  such 
conditions  that  the  Wakefield  system  was  proposed,  and  by  means 
of  it  that  New  Zealand  avoided  Vigilance  Committees  and  other 
organisations  of  the  sort.  He  hoped  when  they  went  about  found- 
ing another  Colony,  that  they  would  proceed  not  upon  the  hap- 
hazard system,  but  upon  the  wiser  system,  which  would  give  them 
all  the  advantage  of  combined  capital  and  labour,  which  would 
make  them  a  happy  and  a  civilised  community. 


(274) 


SEVENTH  OEDINAEY  GENEEAL  MEETING. 

ft  THE  Seventh  Ordinary  General  Meeting  of  the  Session  was  held 
at  the  Pall  Mall  Eestaurant,  on  the  18th  of  June,  1876,  His  Grace 
the  DUKE  OP  MANCHESTER,  President,  in  the  chair. 

Mr.  FREDERICK  YOUNG,  Honorary  Secretary,  having  read  the 
minutes  of  the  last  meeting,  which  were  duly  confirmed,  Lieut. 
CAMERON  read  the  following  paper  : — 

COLONISATION  OF  CENTEAL  AFEICA. 

I  have  been  asked  here  to  speak  to-night  on  the  subject  of  the 
Colonisation  of  Central  Africa.  Perhaps  people  would  think 
Central  Africa,  through  which  I  have  travelled,  is  not  a  place  to  be 
colonised,  but  before  we  arrive  at  any  such  conclusion  we  must 
remember  first  that  the  word  "  colonisation"  bears  different  interpre- 
tations. The  idea  of  European  population  (new  populations) 
replacing  the  aborigines,  is  not  the  original  meaning  of  the  word 
colonisation,  nor  what  I  mean  by  colonisation.  The  real  meaning 
of  colonisation  is  that  at  present  exemplified  in  our  tenure  of  India. 
The  Eomans  were  the  greatest  colonists  of  the  whole  world.  They 
did  not  send  citizens  out  to  take  possession  of  new  countries,  but 
they  sent  out  governors,  soldiers,  and  sailors,  to  take  a  country  and 
rule  it  for  the  benefit  of  the  people  themselves.  That  is  the  way  I 
hope  and  believe  Central  Africa  will  be  colonised.  I  do  not  believe 
that  any  large  portions  of  Africa  can  at  any  time  be  profitably 
worked  by  the  manual  labour  of  white  men,  especially  of  the 
Anglo-Saxon  race,  but  I  believe  the  Anglo-Saxons  may  direct  the 
course  of  labour  in  that  country,  and  employ  it  so  as  to  make  it  of 
great  use  to  the  British  Empire.  The  country  which  I  traversed  in 
Africa  lies  between  the  latitudes  of  13°  and  4°  S.,  and  stretches 
from  the  east  to  the  west  coast.  The  questions  to  be  looked  at  in 
talking  on  this  subject  are,  What  can  be  got  out  of  that  country  ? 
What  does  it  produce  at  the  present  time  ?  What  can  it  produce 
under  a  wise  Government  ?  What  is  the  state  of  the  country,  and 
how  can  it  be  benefited  by  the  colonisation  of  the  Anglo-Saxon 
race? 

With  regard  to  the  country  generally,  first  of  all,  on  leaving 
Zanzibar  on  the  east  coast,  we  pass  through  a  country  close  to  the 


Colonisation  of  Central  Africa.  276 

sea,  of  great  richness,  between  the  mountains  which  form  the  boun- 
dary between  the  low-lands  of  the  coast  and  the  plateau  of  the  in- 
terior, where  sugar-cane  and  the  most  tropical  products  can  be 
grown.  The  island  of  Zanzibar  itself  produces  more  cloves  than 
any  place  of  equal  extent  in  the  world.  Passing  those  mountains 
we  come  to  Ugogo,  Unyamiwise,  &c.  from  which  districts  a  great 
portion  of  the  ivory  which  we  have  at  present  is  exported.  Of 
this  ivory,  only  a  small  portion  comes  to  England,  the  Chinese 
and  Hindoos  taking  a  very  large  proportion  of  that  exported  via 
Zanzibar.  At  Ujiji  I  struck  a  country  comparatively  new,  the 
previous  portions  of  my  route  having  passed  through  districts  ex- 
plored by  Burton  and  Speke,  and  through  which  Mr.  Stanley  and 
Dr.  Livingstone  had  also  travelled.  All  these  travellers  have 
brought  back  reliable  descriptions  of  the  country  which  I  had  seen 
up  to  this  point.  On  the  Tanganyika  I  struck  new  ground,  at  the 
south  end,  and  surveyed  the  southern  portion  of  the  lake,  being 
about  two-thirds  of  its  whole  extent.  A  large  portion  of  the 
country  on  the  shore  of  Lake  Tanganyika  is  now  depopulated,  but 
stories  are  told  of  it  having  produced  great  crops  in  days  gone  by. 
In  one  country  in  particular,  on  the  S.E.  portion  of  the  lake, 
cotton  grows  wild,  and  is  also  cultivated  to  a  great  extent.  The 
cloths  imported  from  the  coast  are  of  little  or  no  value,  as  the 
people  make  the  cloth  themselves,  which  they  use  for  their  clothing. 
All  round  Lake  Tanganyika  there  are  large  mountains,  some  of 
them  rising  to  enormous  altitudes.  The  Tanganyika  itself  is  2,760 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  while  the  mountains  surrounding  it 
rise  in  places  to  the  height  of  3,000  feet  above  the  lake,  on  which 
mountains  admirable  sanitaria  might  be  formed  in  case  of  the 
country  being  occupied.  Passing  on  from  Tanganyika,  I  went  up 
to  Nyangwe,  on  the  Lualoba,  the  farthest  point  reached  by  Dr. 
Livingstone  on  his  last  journey.  On  my  way  to  Nyangwe,  I  passed 
places  where  coal  and  iron  are  to  be  found.  The  people  were 
industrious,  though  in  some  places  rather  uncivilised,  and  they  kept 
down  the  surplus  population  by  the  practice  of  cannibalism.  At 
Nyangwe  I  tried  to  get  boats  to  go  down  the  river  Congo,  and  as  I 
failed,  I  then  struck  south,  and  went  down  to  the  country  of  Urua, 
of  which  Kasongo  is  chief.  Passing  through  there  I  saw  immense 
quantities  of  oil  palms,  these  trees  in  places  growing  like  grass,  and 
I  found  Urua  to  be  a  great  country,  under  the  rule  of  one 
sovereign — a  country  which  might  be  compared  in  extent  to  the 
Austrian  and  German  Empires.  From  there  I  struck  away  through 
new  countries,  some  of  them  fertile,  and  some  on  the  watershed, 
where  they  are  flooded  every  year,  produce  very  little  but  fish; 
T2 


276  Colonisation  of  Central  Africa, 

and  I  came  to  Kibokwe,  where  the  greater  portion  of  the  wax  im- 
ported into  this  country  is  produced,  and  from  there  I  struck  down  to 
Benguela,  passing  through  Bihe  on  my  way.  The  whole  of  this 
country  I  traversed,  and  is  one  of  enormous  richness,  in  which 
there  are  gold,  and  iron,  and  other  mines.  There  is  no  one  of  these 
natural  products  developed  to  its  true  extent.  The  mines  are  of 
various  sorts,  and  are  such  as  to  render  it'  one  of  the  richest  coun- 
tries in  producing  metal  in  the  world.  They  have  gold ;  they  have 
copper;  they  have  iron;  and  last,  but  by  no  means  least,  they  have 
coal  mines.  The  people  are  very  fair  smiths,  and  in  many  places 
I  have  seen  then:  work  turned  out  equal  to  much  that  is  turned 
out  in  a  country  village  in  England,  and  it  must  be  remembered 
they  have  none  of  the  means  or  the  appliances  that  Europeans 
have.  This  country,  westward  of  the  Lake  Tanganyika,  is  a  mar- 
vellously well-watered  fertile  country,  and  a  country  also  which  is 
by  no  means  unhealthy.  Before  leaving  Tanganyika,  I  had  been 
down  with  fever  oftener  than  I  care  to  remember,  but  since  leaving 
there  I  have  only  had  five  or  six  attacks  of  fever.  :  And  then  one 
must  remember  in  saying  this  that  in  travelling  as  I  did  one  never 
gave  the  climate  a  fair  chance.  One  had  not  got  enough  to  eat,  or 
proper  shelter,  or  many  necessaries;  and  therefore  the  climate 
always  had  the  best  of  us.  We  were  not  fighting  at  fair  odds.  I 
believe  that  to  Europeans  with  proper  means,  appliances,  stores, 
and  food,  the  climate  would  not  prove  by  any  means  so  unhealthy 
as  the  centre  portion  of  British  India,  and  there  are  many  spots 
which  might  be  formed  into  admirable  sanitaria.  Close  to  the 
coast  (within  100  miles  of  the  West  Coast  of  Africa)  I  was  at  a 
height  of  5,580  ft.  above  the  sea,  with  a  comparatively  cool  climate, 
and  there  is  no  reason  why  anybody  who  has  lived  in  the  south  of 
Europe  could  not  live  and  work  hi  the  high  and  elevated  countries 
of  Bihe  and  Bailunda.  With  regard  to  the  social  state  of  this 
country,  at  present  it  is  one  of  the  most  lamentable  things  on  the 
face  of  the  earth.  The  whole  of  Africa  is  one  vast  slave  field.  We 
can  look  north  at  Morocco ;  there  the  Arabs  of  the  desert  go  travel- 
ling to  purchase  and  sell  slaves.  They  travel  up  all  through  the 
country  near  Lake  Ichad,  and  from  there  they  export  slaves. 
Khartoum  is  a  vast  depot  for  slaves.  We  go  south,  where  we  find 
all  the  Kaffirs  on  the  frontiers  of  the  Cape  Colony  are  owners  of 
slaves.  Slaves  are  taken  from  Zanzibar  to  Muscat,  and  other 
Arabian  ports.  People  trading  from  the  west,  and  going  to  the 
east,  buy  and  sell  slaves  in  Central  Africa,  and  wherever  one  travels 
in  Africa  the  slave  trade  is  going  on,  and  increasing  from  day  to 
day  ;  and  I  have  passed  through  whole  districts  which  have  been 


Colonisation  of  Central  Africa.  277 

utterly  and  entirely  depopulated,  and  rendered  desolate  by  the 
traffic  in  slaves.  Now  this  country,  if  not  taken  in  hand,  one  day  or 
another  must  become  simply  an  overgrown  wilderness,  and  its  valu- 
able products  will  be  lost.  It  will  become  more  difficult  day  by  day 
to  prevent  the  growth  of  these  crimes,  until  the  country  is  taken  in 
hand  by  a  strong  and  determined  Government,  or  by  some  great 
company,  like  the  East  Indian  Company,  which  would  have  the 
power  of  governing,  and  be  able  to  carry  on  its  work  in  a  perfectly 
upright,  independent,  open  manner,  and  in  a  way  such  as  would 
defy  the  cavillings  and  the  evil  speaking  of  anybody  and  everybody 
in  the  world.  Fortunately  for  the  country  there  are  the  great 
water  systems  of  the  Zambesi  and  the  Congo  intersecting  it  in 
many  directions.  From  the  coast  up  to  the  falls  of  Yelala  is  a 
distance  of  160  miles,  and  large  steamers,  if  they  have  sufficient 
speed,  can  go  up  to  within  ten  miles  of  these  falls.  The  river  has 
an  enormous  current  at  its  mouth,  and  differs  from  all  others  in 
Africa  in  not  having  any  bar.  From  the  point  to  which  steamers 
can  go  from  the  coast,  a  tramway  of  thirty  miles  in  length  would 
be  sufficient  to  carry  the  materials  of  the  steamers  to  navigate  the 
upper  waters  of  the  rivers.  From  there  a  good  steamer  could 
easily  travel  to  a  vast  distance.  I  know  by  the  levels  I  have  taken 
myself  that  any  ordinary  steamer  could  navigate  the  upper  portions 
of  the  river.  We  need  not  seek  those  American  steamers  that  can 
go  anywhere  where  there  is  a  heavy  dew — we  do  not  want  one  of 
those  ;  we  can  get  a  decent  boat  to  go  up  this  river,  the  Congo,  with 
the  exception  of  one  small  rapid,  and  that  rapid  has  been  shot  by 
native  canoes,  and  therefore  any  steamer  can  go  up  or  down  it,  one 
can  go  to  Lake  Mocra ;  one  can  go  to  Lake  Lanji  and  lake  Kassali ; 
one  can  go  by  three  branches  of  the  river  to  latitudes  8°  or  9° 
south  before  coming  to  any  important  rapids.  By  navigable 
affluents  of  the  Congo  we  can  reach  within  twenty  miles  of  the  river 
Zambesi,  which  debouches  at  Kilimani.  The  Zambesi  also  com- 
municates with  Lake  Nyassa,  which,  from  the  investigations  of  Mr. 
Young,  we  have  now  discovered  overlaps  in  latitude  the  southern 
end  of  the  Tanganyika,  and  by  a  laud  journey  of  150  miles  the 
navigable  waters  of  the  Congo  will  be  brought  into  communication 
with  Lake  Nyassa.  The  Zambesi  also  comes  over  nearly  to  the 
west  coast.  Some  of  its  branches,  close  to  Bihe,  are  navigable  for 
steamers  drawing  two  or  three  feet  of  water.  Indeed,  the  two  rivers 
nearly  cut  the  Continent  into  two  halves,  and  those  two  rivers  can 
be  joined  by  a  canal  twenty  miles  in  length  at  two  or  three  places, 
so  as  to  make  an  uninterrupted  water  communication  from  one 
coast  to  another.  My  idea  in  opening  this  country  is,  that  we 


278  Colonisation  of  Central  Africa. 

should  take  possession  of  the  country  at  the  mouth  of  the  Congo. 
It  belongs  to  nobody  at  present,  except  the  natives,  who  are  mostly 
pirates,  the  English  Government  allowing  nobody  else  to  have  a 
claim  to  that  territory.  The  Portuguese  under  one  treaty  were 
allowed  up  as  far  as  the  mouth  of  the  Congo.  I  think  there  was  a 
slave  treaty  of  Vienna,  which  Lord  Liverpool  was  mainly  instru- 
mental in  carrying,  whereby  they  had  a  sort  of  right  over  it ;  but 
the  Portuguese  not  fulfilling,  but  contravening,  those  treaties,  our 
Government  would  not  allow  the  claim  of  the  Portuguese  as  the 
mouth  of  the  Congo  being  Portuguese  territory. 

I  believe  that  by  putting  steamers  on  the  river  Congo,  above  the 
falls,  we  can  go  over  almost  the  whole  of  Africa.  Now  the  river 
coming  from  the  North  into  the  Congo  would  bring  us  into  close  com- 
munication with  the  traders  who  come  down  from  Egypt.  Here  we 
shall  have  open  to  us  the  greatest  ivory  country  in  the  world — and 
a  country  which  besides  produces  spices,  pepper,  sugar,  metals,  and 
minerals  of  all  sorts  and  descriptions — by  an  easy  communication 
with  the  West  Coast.  For  traders  from  Alexandria  it  is  a  distance 
of  8,000  or  4,000  miles  up  the  Nile  to  get  to  this  country ;  but  we 
should  only  want  a  journey  of  700  or  800  miles  by  water  (being  a 
quarter  of  the  distance),  and  a  much  finer  river  to  do  it  by.  The 
same  is  the  case  with  the  Zambesi,  which,  however,  unfortunately 
is  in  the  hands  of  the  Portuguese.  Another  means  of  opening  up 
the  country  is  by  entering  it  from  the  East  coast,  and  acquiring  a 
concession  and  running  tramways  from  Mombassa,  which  seems  to 
be  a  very  good  harbour,  and  then  passing  a  depression  in  the 
mountains.  We  could  run  tramways  to  communicate  with  the 
Tanganyika,  and  also  to  bring  in  the  Victoria  Nyanza,  thus  making 
one  great  road  right  across  the  Continent.  If  we  are  ever  able  to 
get  this  part  of  Africa  opened  up  to  us,  there  are  many  political 
considerations  which  may  prove  of  great  utility  in  the  future  to 
the  great  empire  of  which  we  are  proud  to  be  members.  Cape 
Colony  and  Natal  are  all  at  present  talking  of  Confederation,  which 
we  sincerely  hope  will  come  about.  But  behind  them  are  the 
Boers  and  the  Kaffirs.  These  fellows,  as  they  are  now  placed,  defy 
us.  They  say  they  can  do  what  they  like.  "  We  can  depart  with 
our  flocks  and  our  waggons,  and  '  trek  further  a-field,'  and  we  can 
go  into  a  country  where  every  man  can  whack  his  own  niggers,  and 
if  the  English  like  to  follow  us,  we  can  fight  them."  But  the 
moral  influence  of  the  English  in  Central  Africa  behind  the  Boers 
and  Kaffirs,  to  use  a  Yankeeism,  would  be  that  "  they  would  cave 
in"  at  once.  The  moral  influence  of  the  British  flag  behind  those 
fellows  would  prevent  them  giving  our  Colonies  in  South  Africa  any 


Colonisation  of  Central  Africa.  279 

trouble  whatever.  Then  the  Mahominedan  power  of  Egypt  is 
spreading  south.  It  has  reached  Albert  and  Victoria  Nyanza  Lakes. 
but  what  is  that  power  doing,  notwithstanding  its  extension  is  being 
partly  carried  out  by  British  officers  ?  Those  officers  have  worked 
unselfishly  and  for  the  best.  A  man  can  only  answer  for  what  he 
has  done  there  while  he  remains  there.  Directly  they  leave,  their 
labours,  except  for  the  acquisition  of  territory,  are  rendered  of  no 
effect.  As  to  their  exterminating  the  slave  trade,  what  they  have 
done  is  little  or  no  good.  Whilst  they  have  been  there  they  have 
done  marvels;  but  directly  their  backs  are  turned,  the  disease 
breaks  out  afresh.  Thus,  by  bringing  that  country  into  easy  com- 
munication by  trams  with  the  West,  we  should  take  away  all  the 
trade  from  those  fellows,  the  Levantine  Greeks,  who  carry  on  the 
slave  trade,  and  who  are  the  greatest  scoundrels  on  the  face  of 
the  world.  They  are  the  renegades  and  offscourings  of  all  nations. 
Many  of  them  go  travelling  there  apparently  to  get  what  ivory 
they  may,  but  really  their  object  is  to  get  as  many  slaves  as  they 
possibly  can.  That  is  the  great  thing  they  go  for.  Portuguese 
officials  have  treated  me  remarkably  well,  and  I  want  to  render  all 
due  thanks  to  them  for  what  they  have  done.  But  the  Portuguese 
on  both  coasts  are  simply  a  mere  block  to  the  civilisation  and  the 
opening  up  of  Africa.  The  other  day  there  was  a  dispute  about 
Lorenzo  Marques,  a  place  to  which  we  have  an  undeniable  right. 
The  decision  was  given  against  us  by  arbitration.  From  Delagoa 
Bay — that  is  the  southernmost  point  on  the  West  Coast  to  Cape 
Delgado — the  Portuguese  claimed  the  right  of  sovereignty  over 
the  whole  coast.  What  are  those  rights  of  sovereignty  ?  Ten 
years  ago  the  Portuguese,  though  then  they  had  no  guns  in  their 
forts,  which  were  not  honeycombed,  had  lots  of  slaves  waiting  the 
chance  to  export  them.  I  went  into  Ibo ;  there  were  no  guns  fit 
for  use.  I  went  a  little  farther  north,  and  there  no  foreign  ships 
could  trade,  inasmuch  as  there  were  Portuguese  orders  to  prevent 
any  foreign  trade.  What  power  had  the  Portuguese  there  ?  None 
whatever.  They  built  a  fort,  about  the  size  of  this  room,  at  Pomba 
Bay,  and  put  a  garrison  in  it  of  ten  or  twelve  men.  I  do  not 
know  what  became  of  the  garrison,  but  I  saw  the  fort  in  ruins ; 
and  that  is  what  they  call  having  possession  of  a  coast  line.  At 
the  little  colony  of  Nyumbani  they  have  got  a  garrison  of  twenty 
men,  and  twenty  or  thirty  black  fellows,  which  takes  the  sovereignty 
of  the  coast.  On  the  West  Coast  it  is  rather  better,  as  they  have 
regular  custom-houses.  Instead  of  having  prohibited  the  trade, 
they  have  differential  duties  favouring  their  own  flag  in  the  custom- 
houses. The  Government  of  Lisbon  are  doubtless  honest  in  their 


280  Colonisation  of  Central  Africa. 

ideas,  but  they  do  not  go  the  right  way  about  matters,  and  their 
officials  are  so  badly  paid  on  the  West  Coast,  that  in  order  to  get 
the  means  of  Irving  they  are  obliged  to  resort  to  bribery  and 
corruption.  I  know  that  if  they  paid  their  officials  ten  times  as 
much  as  at  present,  and  charged  half  the  duties,  they  would  get  about 
twenty  times  the  revenue  that  they  do  from  the  African  colonists. 
Now  a  nation  whose  affairs  are  carried  on  in  that  way  can  never  do 
anything  to  open  up  a  country,  or  do  any  good  for  it.  Another  thing 
is,  that  from  the  West  Coast  the  traders  have  penetrated  the  interior, 
flying  the  Portuguese  flag,  and  calling  themselves  Portuguese.  Some 
are  whites,  some  mulattos,  and  some  blacks.  These  people  are 
not  under  the  control  of  the  Government  of  Lisbon.  They  have 
a  little  country,  not  quite  as  big  as  this  country,  and  on  the 
whole  they  have  not  got  the  men  or  the  energy  to  work  as 
Englishmen  work.  They  have  not  got  the  men  to  send  out  to 
look  after  these  traders,  and  these  traders,  who  go  out  without  any 
restraint,  are  far  worse  than  people  who  have  a  little  idea  of  civilisa- 
tion. They  go  into  the  interior  and  procure  slaves  by  the  greatest 
cruelty,  murder,  and  rapine,  and  there  is  no  crime  of  which  they 
are  not  guilty.  And  then  the  slaves  are  smuggled  away  from  the 
East  Coast  in  the  same  way  that  they  were  smuggled  away  from  the 
West  Coast.  I  cannot  speak  positively,  but  the  ivory  that  is 
brought  to  England  is  tainted  with  the  blood  of  thousands  and 
thousands  of  these  unfortunate  wretches  murdered  in  the  centre 
of  Africa.  Now  this  country  of  Africa — the  country  known  as 
Africa — we  have  heard  it  so  called  to-day,  is  a  country  which  I 
hope  some  day  will  belong  to  England,  a  country  of  which  the 
races,  many  of  them,  have  very  many  good  points.  There  are 
many  of  them  who,  I  believe,  have  a  great  deal  of  pith  in  them, 
especially  the  women,  because  they  are  forced  to  be  industrious. 
You  see  large  plantations  carefully  cultivated ;  their  huts  well 
built ;  their  villages  arranged  in  order ;  their  trees  planted  alongside 
of  the  streets,  and,  in  fact,  to  think  that  people  who  have  been  shut 
off  entirely  from  the  outer  world  for  the  number  of  years  which 
they  must  have  been,  to  arrive  at  such  a  state,  proves  that  there 
must  have  been  a  good  deal  in  them.  But  those  people,  by  their 
constant  internal  wars  and  squabbles,  fermented  by  the  various 
traders,  instead  of  advancing  in  the  race  of  civilisation,  are  going 
back,  and  will  go  back,  until  the  country  is  opened  up  ;  and  it  can 
only  be  done  by  means  of  colonisation.  The  way  I  have  sketched 
out  by  the  river  and  by  the  tramway,  I  believe  to  be  the  most 
effectual  methods  for  effecting  it.  To  do  that,  a  company  is 
required  with  large  powers — such  powers  perhaps  as  those  held 


Colonisation  of  Central  Africa.  281 

by  the  East  India  Company,  or  something  of  that  sort — a 
company  that  would  work  and  find  men  to  go  there  and  work 
thoroughly  for  it.  There  is  another  question  which  may  interest 
some  here,  which  is  the  missionary  side  of  the  question.  I  will 
allow  that  an  enormous  amount  of  work  has  been  done  by 
missionaries,  but,  at  the  same  time,  the  best  friends  of  the 
missionaries,  if  they  will  speak  candidly,  must  allow  that  there 
has  been  a  great  deal  of  harm  done  by  some  of  them.  On 
the  other  hand,  of  course  such  men  as  Bishop  Steer,  Bishop 
McKenzie,  Bishops  Patterson  and  Selwyn,  and  others,  the 
Church  Missionary  Society  at  Moubasa,  have  done  a  world  of  good ; 
but  the  best  and  most  perfect  working  mission  I  ever  saw  was  the 
French  Jesuit  Mission  at  Bagamoyo.  Other  missionaries  I  have 
seen  of  various  denominations.  I  do  not  want  to  pass  a  sweeping 
condemnation  at  all  on  them.  For  instance,  there  is  Bishop 
Crowther :  I  would  honour  him  for  his  worthy  efforts — a  man  who, 
once  a  slave  himself,  now  a  Bishop  of  our  Church,  has  gone  up 
country  500  miles  to  establish  his  Mission  Stations  on  the  Niger, 
and  has  trained  his  sons  up  as  gentlemen  and  clergymen  of  the 
Church  of  England  ;  but  there  are  many  men  who  go  there  who 
think  they  are  going  to  do  a  great  deal,  but  who  are  totally  unfit 
to  be  missionaries  at  all ;  and  the  fact  is,  the  black  man  knows  a 
gentleman  when  he  sees  one,  just  as  well  as  anyone  else  would, 
and  a  man  who  goes  out  as  a  missionary  to  Africa  should  be  a 
thorough  gentleman  by  birth,  breeding,  and  education.  The  man 
who  goes  out  to  trade,  you  do  not  expect  to  be  looked  at  like  a 
gentleman.  But  it  is  no  use  sending  out  as  missionaries  half- bred 
men,  or  men  who  have  been  disappointed  as  haircutters,  or  one 
who  has  been  seventeen  years  a  cobbler,  or  one  who  has  been 
apprenticed  to  a  carpenter,  and  who  suddenly  felt  the  spirit  of 
missionary  work  moving  within  him.  It  is  no  good  their  going. 
They  write  home  (I  have  seen  ridiculous  things  written  by  them) 
ludicrous  letters,  which  talk  of  giving  up  everything  for  the  poor 
negro,  and  that  his  forlorn  condition  touched  their  hearts.  No, 
they  go  out  there  and  have  a  wife  sent  out  to  them  by  contract. 
They  have  £300  or  £400  a  year,  a  comfortable  house,  not  only  fire 
and  fuel  found  them,  but  they  have  their  champagne  and  their 
luxuries,  and  then  write  home  of  the  hardships  they  are  undergoing, 
and  their  suffering,  and  after  being  five  or  six  years  out  there,  they 
come  and  retire,  and  make  a  sensation  in  England  by  talking  of 
what  they  have  been  undergoing  for  the  poor  dear  negro.  I  think 
the  poor  dear  negro  would  be  better  if  these  cobblers,  carpenters, 
and  haircutters,  would  return  to  their  original  occupations  of  boot- 


282  Colonisation  of  Central  Africa. 

mending  and  haircutting.  I  only  want  now  to  say  that  that 
country,  Central  Africa,  can  be  easily  colonised,  as  the  term  coloni- 
sation was  used  by  the  Eomans  ;  that  we  may  establish  our  stations 
here  and  there,  wherever  we  may  find  it  most  healthy  ;  and  that 
by  steamers  on  the  rivers,  and  by  tramways  on  the  land,  we  could 
form  the  means  of  communication  which  would  surpass  or  be  done 
as  cheaply  as  those  of  any  other  country  in  the  world.  Perhaps 
in  order  to  do  this  we  may  call  upon  our  other  Colonies  to  assist  us 
in  an  united  empire ;  every  one  part  should  help  the  other. 
We  may  go  to  India  for  troops  before  we  have  disciplined  the 
natives  of  Africa.  We  may  draw  upon  some  of  the  fellows  I  have 
seen  working  in  Ansley  Bay,  hard-working  fellows,  not  above  taking 
a  load  upon  their  shoulders,  and  working  with  the  pickaxe  and 
shovel,  as  well  as  carrying  a  musket.  I  believe  those  men  can  be 
made  intensely  useful  in  Africa.  I  have  seen  many  Balooches  men 
in  Africa,  who  are  the  worst  people  in  the  world  to  ill-treat 
slaves,  but  under  the  proper  control  I  believe  they  could  be  put  to 
great  use.  You  may  go  to  China  to  get  a  superabundance  of 
population  to  cultivate  the  land  and  cotton  ;  and  you  may  go  to 
Natal  to  get  Kaffirs  to  drive  the  mules,  but  on  the  whole,  the 
British  Empire  contains  all  that  is  necessary  to  colonise  Central 
Africa,  and  it  can  be  done,  and  should  be  done  ;  and  I  hope  the  day 
is  not  far  distant  when  we  shall  see  the  Union  Jack  flying  perma- 
nently in  the  centre  of  Africa,  and  not  merely  passing  through  it, 
as  when  I  carried  it  there.  (Cheers.) 


DISCUSSION. 

Dr.  ATHEESTONE  :  After  the  highly-interesting  remarks  we  have 
heard  from  Lieut.  Cameron,  I  think  there  can  be  no  necessity 
for  me  to  dwell  upon  the  advantages  of  colonisation  for  Central 
Africa.  It  must  be  obvious  to  all,  inasmuch  as  I  believe  it  will  be 
found  to  be  the  only  feasible  plan  for  effectually  preventing  that 
inhuman  traffic  in  slaves  which  the  British  nation  has  contributed 
such  an  enormous  amount  to  abolish.  There  is  no  other  praticable 
mode  of  abolishing  slavery  than  by  neutralising  its  causes  at  its 
source  and  centre  ;  by  dealing  with  it  at  its  very  cradle  amongst 
those  vast  productive  lake-regions  which  we  have  just  heard  so 
graphically  described.  It  appears  that  the  whole  of  the  interior  of  the 
African  continent — with  the  exception  of  some  parts  near  its 
western  coast — instead  of  being,  as  originally  supposed,  a  desert,  is 
teeming  with  life,  animal  and  vegetable,  capable  of  supporting  a 
dense  population ;  in  fact,  as  populous  as  any  part  of  the  world. 


Colonisation  of  Central  Africa.  283 

Some  forty  years  ago  the  British  nation  granted  twenty  millions 
sterling  for  the  purpose  of  buying  up  and  freeing  the  slaves  in  its 
own  colonial  empire,  by  which  munificent  act  the  nation  stands 
publicly  pledged  to  carry  out  the  total  abolition  of  slavery.  The 
British  people,  therefore,  are  clearly  the  most  proper  people  to 
carry  out  this  scheme  of  African  colonisation ;  and  I  hope,  as 
Lieut.  Cameron  has  said,  that  the  day  is  not  far  distant  when 
we  shall  see  at  least  the  commencement  of  this  grand  national 
undertaking.  Supposing  that  part  of  these  twenty  millions  voted 
by  the  nation  towards  suppressing  the  slave  trade  had  been  spent 
in  reaching  these  productive  lake  regions  of  Central  Africa,  by 
means  of  a  railway  from  the  fertile  and  healthy  colony  of  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope,where  you  have  an  elevated  plateau  and  level  prairie- 
lands  extending  almost  the  whole  of  the  distance  without  any  break, 
and  with  scarcely  a  mountain  intervening  from  the  diamond-fields, 
at  Kimberley,  to  the  Zambesi,  and  on  to  the  lakes,  what  would 
have  been  the  results  at  the  present  time  ?  We  should  have  had 
the  commerce  of  England  extending  over  the,  whole  of  Africa; 
slavery  would  have  been  extinct ;  and  we  should  have  had  an  Anglo- 
African  Empire  on  the  type  of  our  British  Indian  Empire, 
governed,  not  as  Lieut.  Cameron  advocates,  on  the  old  Eoman 
military  system,  but  on  British  principles  of  conciliation  and  kind- 
ness, where  mutual  confidence  and  trust  supersedes  and  renders 
unnecessary  Eoman  military  rule.  That  I  believe  to  be  the  only 
possible  way  of  colonising  Central  Africa.  You  will  say  that  the 
idea  of  a  railway  from  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  is  Utopian — perhaps 
so — but  it  will,  I  think,  be  found  far  more  practicable  to  reach  the 
central  lake  regions  through  the  healthy  and  comparatively  level 
plateau  which  I  have  described,  than  by  either  the  Congo  route, 
with  its  unhealthy  swamps  and  hostile  tribes,  or  by  the  Zambesi 
from  the  East  Coast,  with  its  "tsetse  fly,"  fever,  rapids,  and  all 
kinds  of  obstructions.  It  is  quite  clear  that  we  cannot  remain 
much  longer  without  electric  communication  with  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  the  only  Colony  at  present  unconnected  by  cable  with  the 
parent  country.  There  are  at  present  two  lines  under  consideration 
by  the  Home  Government — one  an  eastern  line  from  Aden,  via 
Mauritius  to  Natal,  the  other  on  the  west,  via  Madeira  and  St. 
Helena,  to  Capetown.  Along  the  line  which  I  propose  for  a  railway 
to  open  up  to  our  commerce  the  lake  districts  of  the  interior,  we 
have  already  500  miles  of  telegraph  laid  down  and  completed, 
extending  from  the  coast  to  Kimberley ;  from  the  north  also  the 
Khedive  of  Egypt  has  500  miles  from  Cairo  to  Khartoum. 
(A  VOICE  :  He  has  1,000.)  Now,  if  instead  of  the  ocean  cable 


284  Colonisation  of  Central  Africa. 

lines,  either  of  which  will  cost  at  least  a  million  and  a 
half  sterling,  these  already  existing  telegraph  lines  were  con- 
nected, by  continuing  the  telegraph  from  Khartoum  down  the 
Nile  and  through  the  lake  districts  over  tracts  now  well  known, 
and  from  thence  to  the  Zambesi  to  the  eastward  of  lake  'Ngami, 
through  peaceful  native  tribes,  on  to  Kimberley,  I  believe  it  would 
not  cost  more  than  one-fifth  of  the  sum  required  for  the  sea  cable. 
The  actual  distance  between  the  two  points  is  not  much  more  than 
2,500  miles,  but  say  3,000  ;  our  Cape  telegraph  cost  on  an  average 
about  £4:5  per  mile,  but  say  £100  per  mile  to  give  the  fullest 
estimate  for  deviations,  &c.;  we  have  thus  £300,000  for  the  whole 
line,  or  one-fifth  of  the  estimated  cost  of  the  cable  line.  Here, 
then,  is  a  practicable  scheme  for  connecting  the  Cape  with  England, 
and  also  the  little  nucleus  of  civilisation  just  established  on  the  lakes, 
named  "  Livingstonia."  In  time  of  war  the  cable  may  be  picked 
up  by  an  enemy ;  the  over- land  line  would  be  more  secure,  and 
might  easily  be  protected  by  subsidising  the  native  chiefs  through 
whose  territories  it  passes.  Perhaps  Lieut.  Cameron  can  give  us 
some  idea  of  the  number  of  chiefs  we  shall  have  to  subsidise  from 
Khartoum  to  Zambesi.  South  of  this  there  is  no  necessity  at  all 
for  this  protection,  it  would  not  be  interfered  with.  If  these  chiefs 
were  paid  in  Manchester  goods,  blankets  and  goods,  the  money  they 
best  like  and  understand,  say  £2  2s.  a  month,  or  £25  a  year,  and 
if  there  are  fifty  of  them,  the  charge  for  protection  would  be  only 
£1,000  a  year,  and  payment  might  be  made  contingent  on  the 
line  being  kept  free  from  obstruction.  This,  I  think,  may  be  con- 
sidered a  reasonably  practical  commencement  of  the  colonisation  of 
Africa,  and  not  so  Utopian  as  at  first  sight  it  may  appear.  In 
Australia  nearly  2,000  miles  of  telegraph  have  been  successfully 
carried  from  south  to  north,  over  a  totally  unexplored  country ;  and 
when  we  consider  that  the  line  I  propose  has  been  travelled  by 
several  travellers,  and  is  now  known  through  its  whole  length,  it 
cannot,  I  think,  be  deemed  impracticable.  Of  one  thing  we  may 
be  well  assured,  that  no  system  of  permanently  checking  slavery 
and  abolishing  the  slave  trade  will  prove  effectual,  except  that  of 
civilising  and  raising  them  out  of  the  depth  of  barbarism,  by 
giving  them  wants  and  making  them  labour  to  supply  those  wants, 
for  labour  is  the  first  stage  of  civilisation,  and  when  labour  is 
value,  the  chiefs  will  find  it  to  their  interest  to  keep  and  not  sell 
then:  working  subjects.  What,  I  would  ask,  has  been  the  practical 
effect  of  blocking  up  the  outlets  on  the  coast  by  war  steamers,  and 
shutting  out  the  markets  ?  Do  not  the  chiefs,  in  order  to  maintain 
then-  power  and  prestige,  knock  these  poor  creatures  on  the  head, 


Colonisation  of  Central  Africa,  285 

butcher  them  by  thousands  at  their  annual  "  Customs  "  along  the 
coast  and  elsewhere  ? 

Lieut.  CAMERON  :  I  beg  your  pardon,  there  you  are  wrong  :  I  have 
been  on  the  coast  and  seen  it. 

Dr.  ATHERSTONE  :  I  quite  agree  with  Lieut.  Cameron  that  civili- 
sation is  the  only  means  of  effectually  removing  slavery,  by 
destroying  its  cause.  Instead  of  damming  up  its  outlets,  let  in 
trade,  I  say,  free  commerce  and  free  thought,  and  so  stamp  out 
heathenism  and  its  institutions,  ameliorate  the  condition  of  the 
people,  and  render  their  minds  fit  to  receive  the  truths  which  the 
Evangelical  party  are  anxious  to  cram  down  them  without  previous 
preparation.  Thus  only  shall  you  succeed  in  your  object,  the 
abolition  of  slavery.  (Cheers.) 

Mr.  ALEX.  MCARTHUR,  M.P. :  I  had  no  intention  of  saying  a  word 
on  this  occasion,  but  some  remarks  that  have  fallen  from  Lieut. 
Cameron  have  induced  me  to  do  so.  I  am  sure  we  have  all  listened 
with  great  attention  to  the  interesting  description  he  has  given  of 
his  travels.  I  am  sure  we  all  honour  him  very  highly  for  the  work 
he  has  done,  and  we  are  all  happy  to  meet  him  here  this  evening. 
With  respect  to  the  remarks  he  has  made  in  reference  to  Christi- 
anity in  Africa,  and  to  missionaries  and  missionary  reports,  I  venture 
to  think  he  has  not  seen  a  very  large  extent  of  this  missionary 
work.  I  also  think  he  has  not  seen  the  most  successful  part  of 
missionary  work  there,  or  I  believe  he  would  have  formed  a  different 
opinion  to  that  which  he  has  formed.  I  recollect  hearing  a  few 
years  ago  a  celebrated  traveller  from  Africa  take  precisely  opposite 
ground.  He  argued  that  the  men  sent  to  Africa  were  too  highly 
educated,  that  they  were  not  the  right  class,  that  we  wanted  men 
to  be  sent  there  who  could  build  their  own  houses,  erect  their  own 
fences,  and  teach  the  natives  a  great  many  useful  things.  I  believe 
the  Bush  missionaries  were  very  successful  in  doing  that  kind  of 
work,  and  I  have  heard  them  highly  extolled  for  it.  But  I  would 
ask  Lieut.  Cameron  what  he  thinks  of  such  a  man  as  Dr.  Moffat. 
He  was  a  working  gardener.  He  became  a  Christian  man,  and 
went  out  as  a  Christian  missionary,  I  believe  from  as  pure  motives 
as  ever  influenced  any  man.  He  laboured  in  Africa  for  forty  or 
fifty  years,  and  a  statement  made  by  him  a  few  weeks  ago,  when  a 
deputation  waited  on  Lord  Carnarvon  to  remonstrate  against  the 
proposed  cession  of  Gambia  to  France,  will  be  sufficient  to  show 
that  missionary  labour  has  done  a  great  deal  towards  extending 
civilisation  and  commerce  in  Africa.  Dr.  Moffat  stated  that  when 
he  first  went  out  to  the  part  where  he  laboured  there  was  no 
civilisation,  no  Christianity — not  a  pound's  worth  of  British  manufac- 


286  Colonisation  of  Central  Africa. 

tured  goods  were  sold  there  ;  but  that  now  there  are  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  pounds'  worth  sold  annually.  I  have  no  hesitation  in 
saying  that  that  great  result  was  due  to  the  devoted  labours  of  Dr. 
Moffat.  Then  I  would  ask  Lieut.  Cameron  what  he  would  say  of 
Livingstone, who  was  a  man  of  comparatively  humble  origin,  but  who 
was  a  man  of  great  energy,  indomitable  courage  and  perseverance,  and 
a  man  of  honour,  of  whom  this  country  is  justly  proud.  Again,  I  would 
ask  him  what  he  thought  of  Wm.  Shaw,  who  for  forty  or  fifty  years 
laboured  in  Kaffirland,  and  who  not  only  accomplished  a  great  deal 
of  good  there  in  regard  to  Christianity  and  civilisation,  but  who  was 
of  great  use  to  the  British  Government,  and  received  their  thanks, 
I  believe,  no  less  than  three  times  for  the  services  he  rendered 
there  during  the  Kaffir  wars.  I  might  give  other  illustrations,  but 
I  think  I  have  said  sufficient  to  show  that  whilst  it  is  desirable 
to  have  the  best  men,  the  most  highly  educated,  and  the  most 
gentlemanly  men  you  can,  still  men  may  have  all  these  qualifica- 
tions, and  may  not  be  good  missionaries.  On  the  other  hand,  you 
may  have  men  whose  educational  and  other  advantages  have  not 
been  so  great,  but  who  are  Christian  men,  who  go  out  there  from 
Christian  motives,  and  who  are  doing  a  great  deal  of  good  Christian 
work.  Lieut.  Cameron  has  not  condemned  all  missionaries.  He 
has  qualified  his  statements,  and  I  am  glad  he  did  so  ;  but  I  think 
whatever  we  may  do  for  the  extinction  of  slavery  or  the  extension 
of  commerce,  we  shall  find  that  missionary  labour  is  a  valuable 
auxiliary,  and  that  without  it  you  will  never  extinguish  slavery 
or  carry  on  commerce  successfully  as  you  might  otherwise  do.  The 
two  must  go  hand  in  hand  together  in  Africa  ;  and  I  believe  that 
just  in  proportion  as  they  do,  so  will  you  succeed.  But  I  do  not 
think  we  shall  accomplish  that  work  by  disparaging  the  labour  of 
missionaries,  or  by  trying  to  produce  the  impression  that  many  of 
them  go  out  there  because  they  cannot  live  in  this  country.  I  have 
known  many  men  who  went  out  there,  and  I  never  knew  a  man  who 
went  out  from  pecuniary  considerations.  I  may  also  observe,  that 
while  I  give  Lieut.  Cameron  credit  for  pure  motives  and  truthful 
statements,  as  far  as  his  experience  has  gone,  yet  he  has  not  had 
all  the  experience  in  the  world.  I  was  last  week  conversing  with 
a  gentleman  who  has  been  through  a  great  part  of  Kaffirland  and 
that  part  of  Africa,  and  who  gave  a  very  high  character  of  the  good 
missionaries  have  done  and  are  doing  in  that  country.  I  should 
therefore  be  sorry  that  this  large  and  influential  audience  should  go 
away  with  the  idea  that  they  are  impostors,  or  that  they  went  to 
Africa  with  the  intention  of  doing  nothing  but  living  in  idleness 
and  luxury.  I  think  our  policy  should  be  to  encourage  them  by 


Colonisation  of  Central  Africa.  287 

every  means  in  our  power,  and  by  doing  so  we  shall  but  promote 
commerce,  civilisation,  and  Christianity  in  Africa.  (Cheers.) 

Mr.  KNIGHT  :  My  Lord, — It  is  hard  that  when  the  people  of  this 
country  have  done  a  logical  thing,  it  should  be  called  in  question. 
The  gentleman  (Dr.  Atherstone)  who  so  ably  began  this  discussion, 
says  that  we  forget  that  Africa  was  the  cradle  of  the  slave  trade 
when  we  spent  twenty  millions  on  the  emancipation  of  the  West 
Indian  slaves.  But  this  was  not  so.  The  twenty  millions  so  spent 
put  this  country  in  a  position  before  the  world  to  carry  out  her 
present  noble  policy  with  regard  to  the  slave  trade. 

Eight  Eev.  Bishop  PERRY  :  Before  the  last  speaker  but  one  ad- 
dressed the  meeting,  I  was  about  to  ask  Lieut.  Cameron,  when  he 
made  his  reply,  to  have  the  goodness  to  explain  more  fully  what  he 
intended  to  say  respecting  missionary  enterprise  in  Africa.  I  am 
sure  he  did  not  mean  to  cast  censure  upon  it  generally ;  but  he 
used  some  expressions  which  were  likely,  I  think,  to  convey  a 
wrong  impression  to  his  audience.  I  shall  therefore  be  very  glad 
if  he  will  take  the  opportunity  of  stating  more  fully  what  his  views 
are.  I  understood  him  to  speak  in  high  commendation  of  some  of 
the  missionaries  at  the  same  time  that  he  spoke,  apparently  from 
personal  knowledge,  of  others  unworthy  of  their  office. 

Mr.  MICHIE  :  My  Lord  Duke, — I  cannot  presume  to  dilate  on  the 
subject  on  which  Lieut.  Cameron  has  given  us  so  much  valuable 
information  this  evening ;  but  as  the  discussion  threatens  either  to 
go  off  or  to  be  swallowed  up  in  a  sort  of  collateral  issue,  I  venture, 
with  the  indulgence  of  the  audience,  to  make  a  few  observations. 
I  quite  agree  with  the  right  rev.  gentleman  who  has  just  spoken  as 
to  the  caution  necessary  to  any  speaker  in  approaching  the  subject 
of  missionaries  and  their  work ;  and  had  Lieut.  Cameron  been  as 
politic  in  picking  his  phrases  as  he  had  been  intrepid  in  his  ex- 
plorations, he  would  have  escaped  the  sort  of  thing  he  must  expect 
on  the  present  occasion.  Some  years  ago  I  met  in  the  streets  of 
Melbourne  a  gentleman,  a  nephew  of  a  late  celebrated  Lord  Chan- 
cellor, this  gentleman  having  just  then  returned  from  the  Fiji 
Islands,  then  in  their  infancy  as  a  'British  settlement.  On  in- 
quiring of  him  how  they  were  getting  on,  the  answer  was,  "That 
they  would  do  very  well  but  for  those  confounded  missionaries  " — 
(laughter) — and,  doubtless,  there  were  missionaries  and  missionaries. 
Injudicious  selections  were,  of  course,  sometimes  made  for  this  work 
as  for  every  other ;  but  bad  as  some  of  them  might  be,  they  could 
hardly  be  worse  than  were  many  of  their  critics — in  Fiji,  at  any 
rate,  and  probably  in  Africa;  whilst,  on  the  other  hand,  there 
were  many  excellent  men  engaged  in  missionary  work,  and  he 


288  Colonisation  of  Central  Africa. 

might  venture  to  say  that  the  right  rev.  gentleman  they  had  just 
heard,  and  such  men  as  Bishops  Selwyn  and  Patterson,  so  far  from 
scorning  the  name  of  missionary,  would  feel  proud  of  the  title. 
Coming  to  Lieut.  Cameron's  work,  I  think  his  views  very  reason- 
able as  to  the  future  possible  and  beneficial  colonisation  of  the 
interior  of  Africa ;  and  that  the  cautious  and  prudent  observations 
which  had  been  made  in  that  room  some  months  back  by  the 
Governor  of  a  Colony  (quoting  a  Cabinet  Minister),  to  the  effect 
that  we  had  quite  enough  black  business  on  our  hands,  must,  like 
everything  else,  be  subordinated  to  experience,  which  in  these 
stirring  times  modifies  our  conclusions  on  the  most  important 
subjects  almost  from  day  to  day.  Doubtless  there  were  good 
emigration  fields,  as  Lieut.  Cameron  had  said,  in  the  interior  of 
Africa ;  and  that  being  so,  all  the  rest  of  the  business  of  emigra- 
tion was  merely  the  application  of  means  to  ends.  Christianity 
had  been  a  great  means  of  civilisation,  no  doubt ;  but  I  cannot  go 
all  the  way  with  Lieut.  Cameron  in  his  contemptuous  reference  to 
Eoman  colonisation.  I  am  glad  to  see  that  Lieut.  Cameron  by  a 
gesture  denies  this ;  for  certainly  a  colonisation  which  brought  so 
large  a  portion  of  the  world  within  Koman  rule,  could  not  have 
been  without  many  merits.  The  Eomans  brought  within  their 
own  citizenship  the  peoples  they  subjugated,  which  probably  was 
the  secret  of  their  power.  They  all  recollected  the  expression, 
"  Take  heed  what  thou  doest,  for  this  man  is  a  Koman  " — an  ex- 
pression which  by  no  means  indicated  that  a  man  was  a  Eoman  by 
birth,  a  privilege  which  he  might  just  as  well  hold  by  adoption. 
The  besb  of  all  colonisation,  doubtless,  was  that  referred  to  by 
Archbishop  Whately,  where  contributions  from  every  class  of  our 
society,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  should  go  forth  into  the 
waste  places  of  the  earth,  and  thus  starting  in  the  new  society 
with  all  the  moral  and  social  good  which  had  been  achieved  in  the 
old,  extend  human  civilisation  and  happiness  by  the  most  effective 
means  to  such  noble  ends.  (Cheers.) 

Mr.  STRANGWAYS  :  If  Lieut.  Cameron  had  had  as  much  experience 
of  the  delicate  touch  required  in  alluding  to  missionaries  as  I  have 
had,  he  would  have  known  better  than  to  make  a  disparaging 
allusion  to  them  in  this  city.  He  might  as  well  attempt  to  walk 
through  Donnybrook  Fair  with  the  tail  of  his  coat  behind  him,  and 
not  expect  to  be  molested.  (Laughter.)  I  believe  there  have  been 
one  or  two  instances  of  bad  missionaries ;  but  it  is  not  a  good  plan, 
when  alluding  to  a  case  of  that  kind,  to  do  as  a  Cockney  sportsman 
does  with  a  covey  of  partridges — let  fly  into  the  bosom  of  them : 
you  should  mark  the  old  cock-bird,  and  bring  him  down,  and  not 


Colonisation  of  Central  Africa.  289 

uselessly  wound  the  others.  If  Lieut.  Cameron  had  done  that  now, 
probably  no  one  would  complain ;  but  the  result  of  what  he  has 
done  will  be,  that  very  many  with  missionary  tendencies  will,  be 
down  upon  him,  and  he  will  have  enough  to  do  for  the  next  three 
months  in  protecting  himself.  One  tiling  struck  me  :  I  should  like 
to  know  where  Lieut.  Cameron  got  his  information.  How  does  he 
know  that  the  missionaries  in  South  Africa  had  champagne  ?  Did 
he  taste  it ;  and  if  he  did,  was  it  good  ?  (Laughter.)  For  my  part,  I 
certainly  say  I  see  no  greater  objection  to  a  missionary  drinking  cham- 
pagne when  he  can  get  it  than  I  can  to  a  sailor  drinking  champagne 
if  he  can  get  it,  and  I  never  knew  an  instance  of  a  sailor  refusing  it 
when  he  got  the  chance.  I  will  say  with  respect  to  missionaries,  that 
unquestionably  very  many  men  in  the  world  know  that  there  have 
been  instances  in  which  curious  persons  have  got  into  the  service 
of  the  Missionary  Societies ;  but  I  have  seen  some  uncommon 
curious  persons  who  have  managed  to  get  into  Her  Majesty's  Navy 
now  and  then;  and  I  am  confident,  if  you  are  to  compare  the 
missionaries  as  a  body  with  the  Navy  or  any  other  service,  and  take 
into  consideration  the  class  of  work  they  have  to  do,  the  result  will 
not  be  so  unsatisfactory.  I  don't  think  you  can  have  the  one  class 
without  occasionally  getting  the  other ;  though  I  must  confess  that 
when  I  read  some  of  the  reports  which  come  from  distant  parts  of 
the  world,  I  sometimes  have  great  difficulty  in  swallowing  them. 
Lieut.  Cameron  said  that  a  man  going  out  for  missionary  work 
ought  to  be  a  gentleman  by  birth,  breed,  and  education.  I  have 
no  objection  to  any  man  in  any  capacity  possessing  all  three  of 
these  qualifications  ;  I  think  it  is  an  advantage  to  him  if  he  doe?. 
(Hear,  hear.)  But  I  would  take  the  liberty  of  saying  that  some 
of  the  most  awful  "duffers"  I  have  met  with  in  Australia  have 
been  gentlemen  by  birth,  gentlemen  by  breed,  and  gentlemen 
by  education — (hear,  hear,  and  laughter) — but  they  were  no  good 
to  themselves,  no  good  to  their  relations,  no  credit  to  the 
country  from  which  they  came,  and  no  benefit  to  the  country 
in  which  they  lived.  As  missionaries  and  colonisation  have  been 
mixed  up  so  promiscuously  this  evening,  it  is  almost  difficult  to 
separate  them.  When  a  missionary  got  troublesome  in  Fiji  they 
ate  him,  and  so  got  rid  of  that  trouble.  I  remember  a  man,  who 
had  been  a  missionary  in  Fiji,  being  pointed  out  in  Australia  as 
being  the  only  one  who  had  lived  there  for  a  given  number  of 
years,  and  had  escaped  consumption.  I  am  glad  to  find  Dr. 
Atherstone  so  warmly  taking  up  the  proposal  I  made  in  this  room 
some  months  ago,  and  in  print  some  twelve  months  ago — that  is, 
for  a  telegraph  through  the  centre  of  Africa.  The  more  I  think  of 


290  Colonisation  of  Central  Africa. 

it,  the  more  convinced  I  am  that  there  is  no  difficulty  in  doing  it. 
If  Dr.  Atherstone  will  go  into  the  matter,  he  will  find  his  figures 
are  not  sufficiently  large :  the  distance  is  much  greater,  and  the 
cost  must  he  larger  in  amount,  But  having  had  something  to  do 
with  the  telegraphs  across  Australia,  which  cost  some  three  hundred 
and  twenty  thousand  sterling,  I  believe  the  telegraph  wires  from 
Cairo  can  he  brought  into  communication  with  the  telegraph  wires 
at  Capetown  at  a  cost  of  something  like  three  quarters  of  a 
million.  When  you  consider  that,  you  are  not  going  through 
unknown  and  partly  desert  country  like  Australia — and  you  must 
remember  that  in  the  latter  everything  had  to  be  earned  an  average 
distance  of  over  300  miles — you  will  see  that  there  is  no  greater 
difficulty  in  constructing  a  telegraph  in  one  country  than  in  the 
other.  Energy  and  perseverance  overcame  the  difficulty  in  Aus- 
tralia, and  the  same  will  overcome  the  difficulties  in  Central  Africa. 
I  believe  that  all  telegraph  engineers  now  are  united  in  saying, 
that  you  should  never  think  of  laying  a  submarine  cable  when  you 
can  lay  a  land  line.  The  latter  you  can  use  at  any  point  by  merely 
attaching  an  instrument  to  it ;  the  former  you  can  only  use  at  the 
termini  of  the  cable ;  and  if  a  cable  does  break  down,  as  they  often 
do,  many  months  may  elapse  before  you  can  bring  it  into  operation 
again.  As  to  the  settlements  of  Central  Africa,  I  have  never  been 
there,  although  I  have  some  Mends  who  have  been  in  the  more 
southern  parts.  I  believe  there  is  no  difficulty  whatever  in  esta- 
blishing a  settlement,  and  a  successful  one,  in  Central  Africa. 
Lieut.  Cameron  has  told  us  that  a  large  portion  is  some  3,000 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  I  believe  I  am  right  in  that 
altitude ;  and  experience  tells  us  that  Europeans  can  live  in  com- 
fort, and  keep  themselves  in  good  health,  even  in  the  Tropics, 
where  the  country  is  at  an  altitude  of  2,000  to  3,000  feet  above  the 
sea.  There  is  no  reason  to  think  that  Africa  is  very  different  from 
other  countries  under  the  Tropics ;  and  I  believe  that  a  settlement 
might  be  made  there,  and  maintained  there,  without  any  difficulty 
whatever.  Having  paid  considerable  attention,  by  reading,  to  other 
countries,  as  a  rule  I  find  that  where  you  have  a  large  number  of 
grass-feeding  animals  indigenous  to  the  soil,  there  is  no  great 
difficulty  in  Europeans  living  there  as  well.  The  country  winch 
grows  grasses  necessary  for  feeding  large  animals,  almost  invariably 
will  produce  food  necessary  for  man.  Further  than  that,  I  believe 
there  is  truth  in  the  Yankee  saying  that "  A  country  which  will  grow 
niggers  will  grow  better  things."  (Laughter.)  And  whan  we  find 
strong,  able-bodied,  and  intelligent  people  occupying  that  country,  I 
believe  that,  if  they  have  a  sufficient  number  of  Europeans  to  guide 


Colonisation  of  Central  Africa.  291 

them  and  show  them  how  to  turn  tilings  to  account,  they  might 
form  there  one  of  the  finest  settlements  in  the  world.  At  the 
present  time  English  trade  is  utterly  stagnant ;  men  don't  know 
what  to  do.  There  are  no  orders  coming  in  from  abroad,  and 
people  know  not  what  to"  do  with  their  money.  The  miners  are 
not  on  strike,  but  the  iron  and  other  works  are  being  stopped.  But 
here  is  a  large  country  available,  and  it  only  requires  capital  and 
enterprise  to  develop  it.  I  would  separate  a  statement  of  facts 
from  statements  of  opinion.  As  to  the  larger  portion  of  the 
country,  Lieut.  Cameron's  statements  are  not  new;  but  every 
statement  Lieut.  Cameron  has  made  as  to  the  greater  portion  of 
the  country  that  is  to  the  east  before  he  struck  off  for  the  Congo 
River,  has  been  corroborated  by  Livingstone,  Stanley,  Speke, 
Grant,  and  others ;  so  that  we  may  take  it  as  an  unquestionable 
fact  that  the  statements  which  Lieut.  Cameron  has  made  here  this 
evening  are  not  merely  individual  opinions  of  himself,  but  that  the 
country  has  produced  the  same  impressions  upon  the  other  persons 
that  have  crossed  it ;  and  if  that  country  is  as  he  represents  it  to 
be,  and  the  inhabitants  are  as  he  represents  them,  I  repeat  that  I 
believe  there  would  be  no  difficulty  whatever  in  forming  a  successful 
settlement  there.  I  think  we  must  all  feel  that  whatever  may  be 
the  results  to  Lieut.  Cameron  personally  on  account  of  the  attack 
that  he  has  made  upon  the  missionaries  as  a  body,  we  must  all  feel 
exceedingly  glad  to  find  that  one  of  our  own  countrymen  is  not  to 
be  deterred  by  any  difficulties  that  may  come  in  his  way ;  that  he 
is  quite  ready  to  lead  a  party  of  natives,  or  of  any  other  nations, 
across  any  unknown  tract  of  country,  and  we  are  glad  to  see  him 
back  giving  us  a  good  account  of  the  country;  and  he  may  be 
assured  that  when  the  time  comes,  when  there  are  persons  to  be 
again  led  into  that  country,  he  will  find  there  are  plenty  ready  to 
follow  his  brilliant  example.  (Cheers.) 

Mr.  T.  B.  H.  BERKELEY  :  I  really  hope,  in  conjunction  with  the 
last  speaker,  that  this  will  not  degenerate  into  a  discussion  of 
missionaries.  It  is  a  great  deal  more  interesting  to  discuss  the 
subject  we  have  heard  from  Lieut.  Cameron  independent  of 
what  he  may  have  said  about  missionaries.  I  did  not  myself 
gather  from  what  he  said  about  missionaries  that  anything  so 
disparaging  was  meant  as  seemed  to  be  entertained  by  some  of 
those  that  have  spoken.  We  have  come  here  not  to  discuss  Exeter 
Hall  questions,  but  as  a  meeting  of  the  Eoyal  Colonial  Institute 
to  do  honour  to  one  of  whom  the  British  nation  is  justly  proud ;  and 
I  am  sure  I  may  say,  on  behalf  of  the  Institute,  that  we  heartily 
welcome  Lieut.  Cameron  here.  Lieut.  Cameron  has  entertained 
u2 


292  Colonisation  of  Central  Africa. 

us  to-night  with  his  views  on  the  colonisation  of  a  great  continent, 
and  if  he  has  dropped  an  unfortunate  word  about  missionaries,  I 
am  sure  we  will  not  take  it  in  a  cantankerous  spirit.  I  know  very 
little  about  the  map  before  me.  It  is  an  enormous  tract  of  country, 
and  I  have  listened  with  great  pleasure  to  the  description  which 
Lieut.  Cameron  has  given  us  of  his  travels ;  and  I  hope  that  the 
day  will  come  when  we  shall  see  this  vast  continent  colonised  by 
Britons.  I  feel  sure  that  we  have  all  listened  with  great  pleasure 
to  Lieut.  Cameron's  able  address.  (Cheers.) 

Mr.  H.  E.  MONTGOMEEIE  :  Allusion  has  been  made  by  Dr. 
Atherstone  to  other  schemes  for  the  colonisation  of  Africa,  differing 
from  what  has  been  submitted  to  us  by  Lieut.  Cameron,  and  he 
proposes  that  the  continent  should  be  opened  from  north  to  south, 
in  preference  to  Lieut.  Cameron's  proposal,  which  is  to  open  it  from 
west  to  east.  The  main  feature  in  Dr.  Atherston's  plan  is  the 
establishment  of  the  electric  telegraph,  but  I  should  hesitate  to 
trust  to  his  estimate  of  the  probable  expense,  or  even  to  the  much 
larger  figure  submitted  by  Mr.  Strangways.  One  serious  drawback 
to  the  keeping  up  of  a  telegraphic  line  has,  I  think,  been  overlooked 
by  Dr.  Atherstone.  He  has  certainly  made  some  provision  against 
its  destruction  by  the  natives,  by  the  proposal  to  subsidise,  wliile 
it  remains  intact,  the  various  chiefs  through  whose  territories  it 
may  pass  ;  but  you  cannot  subsidise  the  elephants  and  the  giraffes. 
We  know  that  in  India,  where  the  electric  wire  is  carried  through 
jungles  frequented  by  elephants,  the  posts  sustaining  it  were 
frequently  torn  down  by  these  animals,  and  it  became  necessary  to 
erect  instead  strong  pillars  of  stone,  and  in  some  instances 
monoliths,  at  great  expense,  as  the  only  mode  of  maintaining  the 
line  in  working  order.  The  expense  of  a  line  of  such  pillars  along 
the  3,000  or  4,000  miles  intervening  between  Khartoum  and 
Kimberley  would,  I  fear,  render  it  necessary  first  to  civilise  the 
country  and  so  reduce  the  wild  animals,  before  introducing  the 
electric  telegraph,  instead  of  reversing  the  process,  as  proposed  by 
Dr.  Atherstone. 

Mr.  LABILLIEEE  :  There  are  two  subjects  to  which  I  would  beg 
the  attention  of  this  meeting  for  a  brief  space  of  time :  one,  Sir 
George  Campbell  on  Central  Africa,  and  the  other,  the  missionaries. 
On  a  previous  occasion  when  I  had  the  honour  to  address  this 
Institute  on  the  views  of  Sir  George  Campbell,  I  had,  unfortunately, 
to  differ  with  that  gentleman.  Sir  George  has  recently  published 
an  able  paper  on  the  subject  of  the  civilisation  of  Central  Africa. 
I  am  rather  surprised  that  no  notice  has  been  taken  of  it  in  the 
course  of  this  discussion.  He  points  out  the  importance  of  these 


Colonisation  of  Central  Africa.  293 

territories  to  which  Lieut.  Cameron  has  called  so  much  attention. 
Sir  George  Campbell  speaks  of  the  value  of  the  high  lands  of  the 
tropics  for  the  cultivation  of  certain  products,  and  shows  that  their 
extent  is  very  limited,  and  he  points  out  that  if  we  could  take 
possession  of  this  portion  of  Africa  and  govern  it,  as  we  have 
governed  India,  we  should  derive  from  it  advantages  as  great,  if  not 
even  greater,  than  those  we  have  derived  from  that  portion  of  the 
Empire.  But  Sir  George  arrives  at  the  conclusion  that  the  work  is 
altogether  beyond  our  power  simply  because  the  population  of  these 
kingdoms  is  only  some  34,000,000,  and  that,  therefore,  we  are 
incapable  of  undertaking  to  govern  Africa,  having  already  our 
hands  fully  occupied  with  India.  That,  my  Lord  Duke,  is  a  very 
important  consideration  in  favour  of  the  maintenance  of  the  unity 
of  the  Empire.  The  consolidation  of  the  Empire,  and  the 
organisation  of  some  central  system  of  government  for  it,  instead 
of  its  becoming  disintegrated,  as  Sir  George  would  have  it — and  the 
formation  and  organisation  of  such  a  united  empire  is  perfectly 
attainable  —  would  more  easily  enable  us  to  hold  and  govern 
Central  Africa  than  we  have  held  and  governed  India.  And  now 
a  word  about  missionaries.  (No,  no.)  I  shall  not  attempt  to  add 
to  the  superabundance  of  jokes  of  every  description  which  we 
have  heard  this  evening  with  regard  to  them.  The  whole  subject 
seems  to  have  been  treated  as  a  joke ;  but  I  must  say  in  fairness  to 
missionaries  that  it  is  necessary  we  should  remember  what  they 
have  done  in  various  parts  of  the  Empire.  Who  have  civilised 
New  Zealand  ?  Is  it  not  the  missionaries  ?  (No,  no.)  According 
to  the  testimony  which  we  have  upon  our  records  even  this  session, 
who  was  it  civilised — (Expressions  of  impatience  at  the  further 
discussion  of  this  point).  My  Lord  Duke,  the  question  has 
already  been  discussed,  and  in  fairness  I  feel  bound  to  answer 
certain  observations  which  have  been  made  with  regard  to  mis- 
sionaries this  evening.  We  have  it  upon  the  records  of  our 
proceedings  that  we  are  indebted  to  missionaries  for  opening  up 
and  civilising  the  Islands  of  the  Pacific.  We  have  the  testimony 
of  facts,  which  may  be  opposed  to  these  observations,  that 
missionaries  have  civilised  Madagascar.  I  think  that  when  one 
view  of  the  question,  no  matter  how  unsubstantial  it  may  have 
been,  has  been  presented  to  us,  as  it  has  been,  we  are  entitled  and 
we  ought  as  fair  men  to  look  upon  the  other  side  of  the  question  ; 
and  if  we  do  so,  we  shall  find  the  testimony  of  results  in  favour 
of  missionaries,  in  spite  of  all  the  superficial  sneers  that  may  be 
uttered  against  them. 
Mr.  FITZGIBBON  :  I  understand  Lieut.  Cameron  to  advocate  a 


294  Colonisation  of  Central  Africa. 

scheme  of  colonisation  for  Central  Africa,  in  •which  the  Govern- 
ment should  take  the  initiative,  and  for  which  extensive  powers, 
such  as  were  enjoyed  by  the  East  India  Company,  should  be  given 
by  Act  of  Parliament,  whilst  my  friend,  Mr.  Michie,  praises  the 
ancient  classic  plan,  where,  in  the  founding  of  a  Colony,  each  class 
of  the  parent  community  should  have  representation  from,  as  we 
may  suppose  with  us,  a  prince  of  the  blood  royal  and  members  of 
our  highest  aristocracy,  down  through  the  several  ranks  to  the 
lowest  grade  of  society.  But  I  venture  to  think  that,  if  the  realisa- 
tion of  either  of  these  schemes  be  waited  for,  the  great  region  of 
Central  Africa  will  never  be  colonised  from  Great  Britain.  It  is 
not  the  modern  practice  or  policy  of  the  Imperial  Government  to 
initiate  colonisation ;  the  rule  is  rather  that  colonisation  takes  place 
without  intervention  of  the  Government  until  the  colonists  require 
to  be  governed.  But  towards  this,  the  practical  aspect  of  colonisa- 
tion, it  seems  to  me  that  Lieut.  Cameron  is  doing  excellent 
service.  Some  centuries  ago  a  book  was  published  purporting  to 
describe  a  newly-discovered  country  of  great  wealth  and  interest, 
named  Utopia,  and  the  author  was  immediately  applied  to  by  an 
enterprising  merchant- adventurer  for  sailing  directions  by  which  he 
might  get  there.  Now,  what  Sir  Thomas  More  could  not  do  for 
him  as  to  Utopia,  Lieut.  Cameron  has  no  difficulty  in  doing 
as  to  Central  Africa :  he  points  out  the  routes  by  which  it  can  be 
reached,  describes  the  kind  of  colonisation  for  which  it  is  suited — 
not  an  entire  European  population,  but,  as  in  India,  a  sufficiency  of 
Europeans  to  constitute  a  governing  and  guiding  class,  and  develop 
the  productions,  vegetable,  animal,  and  mineral,  the  principal  and 
most  valuable  of  which  he  has  enumerated — its  spices,  ivory,  iron, 
coal,  and  greatest  of  all  colonising  incentives,  gold.  In  so  doing, 
he  cannot  fail  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  enterprising  men  of 
the  present  day,  of  those  who,  as  a  previous  speaker  has  pointed 
out,  in  the  stagnation  of  manufactures  and  dearth  of  employment 
for  capital,  are  in  difficulty  as  to  the  profitable  investment  of  their 
money,  and  of  thousands  of  others  seeking  a  wider  field  of  opera*- 
tion  for  their  personal  energies.  If  the  encouraging  description, 
which  Lieut.  Cameron  has  given  of  Central  Africa  as  to 
climate  and  otherwise,  should  induce  an  organisation  of  such 
capital  and  men,  the  colonisation  of  the  country  and  the  suppres- 
sion of  the  slave  trade  are  certain  of  accomplishment,  still  more 
readily  if  he  can  indicate  the  locality  of  a  payable  gold-field,  for  a 
community  of  English  or  Australian  gold  diggers  would  make 
short  work  with  the  Levantine  Greeks,  vagabond  Arabs,  and  such 
like,  who,  as  Lieut.  Cameron  tells  us,  are  the  traffickers  in  slaves. 


.Colonisation  of  Central  Africa.  295 

His  Grace  the  DUKE  OF  MANCHESTER  :  Ladies  and  gentlemen, 
before  I  make  any  reference  to  Lieut.  Cameron,  I  will  make 
one  remark  on  what  Mr.  Montgomerie  said  about  telegraphs.  What- 
ever may  be  the  merits  of  Mr.  Strangway's  idea,  in  support  of  Dr. 
Atherstone,  with  regard  to  a  telegraph  line  from  the  North  to  the 
South  of  Africa,  I  scarcely  think  the  question  of  the  posts,  on 
which  such  a  line  would  have  to  be  raised,  is  of  any  importance  to 
the  question.  I  can  assure  Mr.  Montgomerie,  if  he  had  lived  in  the 
Midland  Counties,  and  seen  the  constant  annoyance  and  inconveni- 
ence arising  from  the  construction  of  telegraph  lines  on  posts, 
owing  to  the  high  winds  and  snow-storms,  lately  experienced,  he 
would  be  convinced,  as  I  am,  that  we  have  been  under  a  total  mis- 
take in  raising  our  telegraph  lines  upon  posts,  instead  of  laying 
them  in  the  ground.  To  leave  that  point,  I  am  sure  I  have  only  to 
look  around  this  hall  and  see  such  a  large  gathering,  and  the  fixed 
attention  with  which  Lieut.  Cameron's  speech  was  listened  to, 
to  be  assured  that  I  entirely  express  your  opinion  and  your  feeling, 
in  offering  him.  as  so  many  other  assemblies  of  his  fellow  country- 
men have  done,  a  most  hearty  welcome  on  his  return,  and  admira- 
tion for  the  pluck,  perseverance,  and  endurance  which  he  has 
shown  upon  his  noble  enterprise.  (Cheers.)  I  have  no  doubt  that 
it  was  the  same  bold  and  impetuous  spirit  which  led  him  to  do 
what  he  has  done,  which  perhaps  made  him  hastily  make  the 
remark,  which  I  am  sure  he  regrets  ;  at  least,  if  I  had  made  that 
remark,  I  should  have  most  bitterly  repented  it.  For  my  part,  I 
have  heard  quite  enough  of  missionaries,  and  I  hope  we  shall  hear 
no  more  of  them  this  evening :  by  that,  I  by  no  means  wish  to 
depreciate  the  great  and  good  works  they  have  performed.  I  con- 
gratulate Lieut.  Cameron,  in  your  name,  for  what  he  has  done, 
and  I  thank  him  also  in  your  name  for  the  suggestions  which  ho 
has  made  for  the  further  civilisation  and  development  of  Central 
Africa.  In  reference  to  that  I  may  perhaps  read  a  letter,  which  I 
most  appropriately  received  this  morning,  which  shows  that  the 
idea  alluded  to  by  Lieut.  Cameron  has  already  spread  to  con- 
siderable distance.  This  letter  is  dated  Cincinnatti,  from  D.  P. 
Kennedy.  I  congratulate  the  members  of  the  Eoyal  Colonial  Insti- 
tute that  the  name  of  our  body  has  reached  the  centre  of  North 
America,  and  that  our  reputation,  as  I  am  happy  to  see,  is  spreading. 

"  CINCINNATI,  U.S.,  May  26th,  1876. 
<l  DUKE  OF  MANCHESTER, 

"  President  of  the  Royal  Colonial  Institute,  England. 
"  Excuse  the  liberty  I  have  taken  in  addressing  yon.     My  reason  for  so 
doing  is  the  following  :  I  understand,  from  newspaper  authority  and  other 


296  Colonisation  of  Central  Africa. 

sources,  that  there  is  every  prospect  of  an  African  Company  being  organised 
in  your  country,  for  the  purpose  of  a  general  civilisation  of  the  country 
known  as  Africa.  What  opportunity  would  there  be  for  a  few  energetic 
young  men  to  obtain  positions  in  such  an  organisation  as  the  above  ? 

"  If  not  too  much  trouble,  please  answer  this  letter,  or  refer  to  the  parties 
more  directly  interested. 

"  Respectfully, 

"  (Signed)      D.  P.  KENNEDY." 

This  gentleman  seems  to  suppose  that  on  the  earth  there  is  a 
United  States,  England,  and  a  few  other  countries,  and  it  is  flatter- 
ing to  the  British  race  that  he  should  think  so,  and  I  must  say 
there  is  some  ground  for  Ins  opinion ;  for  when  we  come  to  look 
around  the  earth  and  see  where  the  British  race  has  settled  itself, 
where  it  has  possessed  itself  of  dominion,  and  that  where  it  does 
settle  itself  it  develops  the  country  and  makes  it  part  of  England 
in  a  way  that  no  other  country  in  the  world  does,  I  think  Mr. 
Kennedy  is  justified  in  talking  of  other  countries  as  a  "  country 
known  as  Africa."  I  need  not  enter  further  into  this  question,  but  I 
hope  Lieut.  Cameron  may  find,  as  this  Mr.  Kennedy  suggests, 
active  and  intelligent  young  men,  that  he  will  find  numhers  of 
them,  in  this  country  to  carry  out  his  scheme.  Mr.  Fitzgibbon 
talked  of  gold  being  the  great  promoter  of  civilisation.  You  have 
many  instances  of  how  it  has  acted.  It  is  what  promoted,  originally, 
the  colonisation  of  California  and  Victoria,  and  in  other  coun- 
tries, where  a  great  quantity  of  gold  has  been  found,  it  has  pro- 
moted the  colonisation  and  the  civilisation  of  them.  I  hope  that 
with  the  other  merits  and  advantages  that  Lieut.  Cameron  has 
described  as  being  possessed  by  Central  Africa,  he  may  succeed 
in  some  organisation  for  its  colonisation  and  development.  I 
thank  in  your  name  Lieut.  Cameron  for  his  able  address,  and 
for  having  paid  us  the  compliment  of  attending  here  to  night. 
The  vote  of  thanks  was  recorded  amidst  cheers. 


(297) 


EIGHTH  OEDINAEY  GENEEAL  MEETING. 

THE  Eighth  Ordinary  General  Meeting  of  the  Session  was  held 
at  the  Pall  MaU  Restaurant,  on  the  20th  of  June,  1876,  Mr. 
FBEDEEICK  YOUNG  in  the  chair. 

The  CHAIRMAN  announced  that  the  Duke  of  Manchester  would 
not  he  able  to  take  the  chair  that  evening,  owing  to  an  unavoidable 
engagement  elsewhere. 

The  Minutes  of  the  last  meeting  were  read  and  duly  confirmed. 

Mr.  J.  T.  FALLON  then  read  the  following  Paper  on — 

THE  WINES  OF  AUSTEALIA. 

When  I  had  the  honour  of  appearing  in  the  hall  of  the  Society 
of  Arts  on  the  3rd  December,  1873,  for  the  purpose  of  reading  my 
Paper  on  "Vines  and  Wines,"  I  stated  that  in  many  favourable 
districts  in  Australia  pure  natural  wines,  as  a  rule,  range  above  the 
maximum  strength  fixed  by  the  English  Customs  tariff  of  26  per 
cent,  of  proof  spirit,  and  I  thought  it  unjust  that  the  Australian 
producer  should  be  charged  for  an  article  made  from  the  pure  juice 
of  the  grape  the  maximum  duty  of  2s.  6d.  per  gallon,  which  in  effect 
excludes  Australian  producers  from  the  English  market.  A  discussion 
ensued,  in  which  several  gentlemen  took  part.  Dr.  Thudichum,  in 
reply,  entered  a  protest  against  the  statement  that  Australian  wine 
was  produced  from  a  must  which  would  yield  a  larger  percentage 
of  proof  spirit  than  26.  The  must,  he  said,  "  had  been  measured 
by  one  of  the  Australian  companies,  and  the  result  published  in 
the  Australian  Mercury  *  of  May  6th,  1865.  From  the  density 
there  given  by  simple  calculations,  it  was  easy  to  be  seen  there  was 
no  grape  in  Australia,  as  there  was  none  anywhere  else,  which  by 
the  ordinary  method  of  vinification  could  give  wine  of  the  strength 
mentioned.  As  to  the  duty,  he  could  not  assume  that  Australian 
wines  were  above  the  standard  of  26.  If  in  Australia  there  wore 
grapes  grown  which,  by  a  natural  course  of  fermentation,  produced 
a  wine  with  29  per  cent,  of  proof  spirit,  that  fact  ought  to  be 
established  by  a  scientific  commission  and  thoroughly  authenticated, 

*  There  is  no  such  paper  as  the  Australian  Mercury. 


298  The  Wines  of  Australia. 

because  it  would  simply  upset  the  whole  scientific  facts  established 
throughout  the  world." 

In  reply  to  Dr.  Thudichum  and  the  other  gentlemen  who  had 
spoken  on  my  Paper,  I  said  I  had  no  figures  to  prove  that 
Australian  wines  exceeded  26  per  cent.,  but  I  nevertheless  asserted 
most  strongly  that  grapes  had  been  grown  on  my  own  vineyard, 
which  in  favourable  seasons  gave  a  higher  amount  of  alcohol 
than  that  mentioned.  The  grapes  mentioned  in  my  paper, 
Eeisling,  Verdeilho,  Aucarot,  Shiraz,  Burgundy,  Carbinet,  I  had 
tested  frequently,  and  found  them  to  yield  from  26  to  upwards  of 
30  per  cent,  of  proof  spirit  in  good  seasons.  The  same  result 
could  be  obtained  from  many  of  the  vineyards  in  the  country 
bordering  on  the  river  Murray,  from  the  Albury  and  Corowa 
district  on  the  New  South  Wales  side  of  that  river,  from  Wagunyah, 
the  Ovens,  and  the  Sandhurst  districts  in  Victoria,  and  from  the 
wines  of  South  Australia  as  a  rule.  In  fact,  the  wine-producing 
country  in  New  South  Wales  and  Victoria  may  be  said  to  be  fairly 
divided  by  the  great  Australian  Alps,  or  dividing  range.  The  wines 
produced  on  the  south  side,  although  possessing  rare  excellencies  of 
their  own  which  commend  them  to  the  public,  are  of  a  compara- 
tively low  spirit  strength,  and  very  few  of  them,  whether  grown  in 
New  South  Wales  or  Victoria,  would  contain  anything  approaching 
26.  On  the  north  side,  the  climate,  soil,  and  seasons  are  different ; 
the  rains,  which  set  in  early  in  autumn  along  the  seaboard  seldom 
reach  north  of  the  dividing  range,  which  acts  as  a  kind  of  natural 
barrier,  and  as  the  rain,  when  it  approaches  so  far  inland,  expends 
itself  upon  the  mountain  ridges,  the  vineyards  on  the  north  side 
enjoy  perfect  immunity  not  only  from  rain,  but  from  the  chilling 
influence  of  the  south  wind.  The  grape  is  exposed  for  a  consider- 
able time  before  and  at  the  vintage  to  a  warm  sun  from  a  cloudless 
sky.  The  result  is  a  continuous  dry  heat,  which  is  considerably 
intensified  by  the  radiation  from  the  level  forest  and  plains  of 
Biverina.  By  this  means  a  "  must "  of  far  greater  density  is  pro- 
duced, and  consequently  wines  of  a  higher  spirit  strength.  Thus 
it  will  be  seen  that  although  a  correct  test  may  be  had  of  the 
wines  produced  on  the  south  side  of  the  dividing  range,  it  affords 
no  proof,  nor  does  it  even  give  an  idea,  of  what  can  be  produced  on 
the  north  side.  It  would  be  as  unreasonable  to  expect  a  similar 
quality  of  wine  from  localities  as  diverse  as  Spain,  France, 
Switzerland,  or  the  Ehineland. 

Many  persons  who  may  have  probably  had  inferior  samples  of 
Australian  wine  put  before  them,  which  had  been  imperfectly  made 
and  from  an  unfavourable  locality,  condemn  Australian  wines 


The  Wines  of  Amtralia.  299 

generally.  I  met  a  gentleman  who  was  a  connoisseur  of  wine,  and 
who  said  he  had  tasted  Australian  wines,  but  did  not  like  them.  I 
asked  him  to  come  and  taste  some  samples  which  I  had.  He  did 
so,  and  went  away  with  a  very  different  impression.  We  have  such 
diversity  of  climate  and  soil,  and  the  extent  over  which  Australian 
wines  are  produced  is  so  great,  that  no  wonder  that  persons  not 
conversant  with  these  facts  should  be  induced  to  form  erroneous 
impressions.  To  the  Australian  the  above  remarks  are  quite  clear, 
for  he  knows  that  in  grapes,  as  in  wheat  and  other  cereals,  a  far  larger 
amount  of  alcohol  can  be  obtained  than  the  European  article  can 
yield.  An  English  farmer  would  be  surprised  to  learn  that  because 
a  bushel  of  wheat  cannot  be  grown  here  above  62  Ibs.,  that  in 
Australia  a  bushel  of  wheat  will  turn  the  scale  at  69  and  even 
70  Ibs.  Practical  experience  has  often  upset  theories  fixed  as  a 
standard  for  years  by  the  scientific  world.  Although  fully  convinced 
myself  of  the  strength  of  Australian  natural  wines,  I  was  unable 
to  place  any  figures  before  the  meeting  to  prove  what  I  then  most 
positively  asserted.  I  promised  that  as  early  as  possible  after  niy 
return  to  the  Colony  I  would  obtain,  through  the  Governments  of  the 
Colonies  of  Victoria  and  New  South  Wales,  the  proofs  of  what  I 
then  asserted ;  and  that,  notwithstanding  the  doctrine  laid  down  by 
scientists  and  theorists,  I  would  prove  I  was  right  in  what  I 
stated. 

Having  that  object  in  view,  and  in  pursuance  of  my  promise,  I 
communicated  with  the  Hon.  the  Commissioner  of  Trade  and 
Customs  in  Victoria,  and  with  the  Hon.  the  Colonial  Treasurer, 
who  is  the  head  of  the  Customs  department  in  New  South  Wales, 
requesting  them  to  appoint  thoroughly  competent  officers  to  examine 
and  report  upon  the  must  produced  from  the  vineyards  in  1875. 
My  request  was  favourably  entertained  by  the  respective  Govern- 
ments, who  saw  that  the  interests  of  an  important  and  leading 
industry  were  at  stake,  and  the  result  was  that  the  chief  inspector  of 
distilleries  in  each  Colony  was  appointed  to  conduct  precise  technical 
examinations,  to  obtain  samples  of  must  and  grapes,  and  by  means 
of  the  most  rigorous  tests,  ascertain  the  spirit  strength  of  our  pure 
natural  wines,  with  the  view  of  setting  at  rest  a  question  of  much 
importance  not  only  to  the  Australian  vigneron,  but  to  the  scientific 
world. 

The  officers  of  both  Governments  met  by  appointment  in  Albury, 
viz.  Mr.  Lesley  A.  Moody,  chief  inspector  of  distilleries,  Victoria  ; 
Mr.  Heath,  inspector  ;  and  Mr.  H.  A.  Lurnsdaine,  chief  inspector  of 
distilleries  for  New  South  Wales.  The  better  to  enable  them  to  cer- 
tify to  tests  made  by  them,  they  operated  upon  fruit  instead  of  a  must, 


300  The  Wines  of  Australia. 

reduced  to  a  liquid.  They  took  their  own  men  into  the  vineyard,  and 
had  the  fruit  picked  under  their  personal  inspection,  brought  to  the 
press,  and  the  juice  expressed  under  their  own  immediate  directions. 
They  had  the  liquid  put  into  jars  which  they  brought  with  them 
for  that  purpose.  The  samples  collected  each  day  were  taken 
to  Albury  and  placed  in  charge  of  Mr.  Singleton,  the  inspector  of 
police,  who  is  also  an  Inspector  of  Distilleries  for  the  district 
of  Albury,  to  be  taken  care  of,  and  to  prevent  the  samples  being 
tampered  with,  until  Messrs.  Moody  and  Lumsdaine  had  done  their 
researches,  and  were  ready  to  leave.  While  Messrs.  Moody  and 
Lumsdaine  were  selecting  samples  of  grapes  from  the  different  vine- 
yards on  the  New  South  Wales  side  of  the  Murray,  Mr.  Heath  was 
pursuing  his  researches  among  the  vineyards  on  the  Victorian  side. 
The  result  was  that  samples  were  thus  secured  from  the  principal 
vineyards  in  the  districts  bordering  on  the  Murray  and  Ovens,  in 
the  north-east  part  of  Victoria,  and  operated  upon  by  the  officers 
above-named.  The  results  I  intend  now  to  lay  before  you.  I  may 
here  observe  how  much  more  satisfactory  it  was  to  the  public  and 
to  myself,  instead  of  having  a  Eoyal  Commission  appointed,with  an 
expensive  official  staff  to  superintend  the  investigation,  making  a 
pretence  of  inquiring  into  a  matter  of  which  they  knew  really 
nothing,  to  have  had  skilled  officers  of  the  highest  position  and 
integrity.  The  appointment  of  Messrs.  Moody,  Lumsdaine,  and 
Heath  was  beyond  question  the  very  best  that  could  have  been 
made.  Their  position  places  them  above  the  suspicion  of  having 
allowed  themselves  to  be  influenced  by  anyone,  while  to  their  task 
they  brought  not  only  practical  skill,  but  scientific  experience,  and 
the  results  reported  therefore  come  before  the  British  public  in  a 
creditable  and  authoritative  aspect,  which  conclusively  "  upset  the 
whole  scientific  facts  "  which  Dr.  Thudichum  believes  to  be  "  esta- 
blished throughout  the  world."  I  submit,  therefore,  that  in  this 
matter  experiment  has  upset  a  widely-received  scientific  "  fact." 

The  authority  on  which  I  venture  to  form  this  opinion  is  given  in 
the  following  official  reports,  viz. : — 

THE  CHIEF  INSPECTOR  OF  DISTILLERIES  AND  REFINERIES  TO  THE  UNDER 
SECRETARY  FOR  FINANCE  AND  TRADE. 

Department  of  Distilleries  and  Refineries, 

Cliief  Inspector's  Office,  Sydney, 

September  20,  1875. 

SIR, — I  do  myself  the  honour  to  submit,  for  the  information  of  the  Hon. 
the  Finance  Minister,  the  result  of  experiments  conducted  by  me  on 
certain  samples  of  Colonial  wine  made  from  grape  must,  personally 


The  Wines  of  Australia.  301 

collected  by  Mr.  Moody  and  myself  at  vineyards  in  the  Albury  and  adjacent 
districts. 

My  instructions  being  to  act  in  concert  with  Mr.  Moody,  I  visited,  in 
company  with  that  officer,  several  principal  vineyards  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  Albury,  and  procured  such  samples  as  were  obtainable  at  the 
time  of  our  visit.  At  a  later  period  of  the  vintage  I  collected  additional 
samples  of  must  at  Albury  and  at  vineyards  in  the  neighbourhood  of  How- 
long  and  Corowa,  conveying  the  samples  to  Albury,  and  leaving  them  in 
charge  of  Superintendent  Singleton,  of  the  Police  Force,  who  also  holds  an 
appointment  as  an  Inspector  of  Distilleries  in  this  Colony,  for  delivery  to 
the  Chief  Inspector  of  Distilleries  of  Victoria. 

The  arrangement  being  that  the  samples  should  bo  taken  to  Melbourne 
and  remain  there  till  fermented  and  tested  by  Mr.  Moody,  that  gentleman 
most  obligingly  and  with  much  care  forwarded  to  me  in  the  latter  part  of 
June  ten  samples  for  analysis  in  Sydney. 

Allowing  a  short  interval  after  the  arrival  of  the  wine,  I  proceeded,  with 
the  help  of  a  gentleman  who  was  then  in  my  department  and  was  well 
qualified  by  his  antecedents  to  assist  in  the  operation,  to  submit  the  sam- 
ples to  very  careful  analysis — repeating  the  distillation  of  each  sample  three 
or  four  times  to  ensure  accuracy. 

The  experiments  have  been  conducted  according  to  recognised  formula, 
and  the  results  are  shown  in  the  accompanying  statement.  There  is  suffi- 
cient agreement  between  them  and  those  obtained  by  Mr.  Moody  to 
controvert  the  opinions  which  have  been  pronounced  by  high  authorities  as 
to  the  limit  within  which  spirit  is  capable  of  being  naturally  developed  in 
grape  wines. 

The  hypothesis  that  26  per  cent.,  and  in  rare  and  very  exceptional  cases 
28  per  cent.,  is  the  highest  percentage  capable  of  development,  is  certainly 
not  supported  by  the  recent  experiments  made  in  this  Colony  and  in 
Victoria. 

The  value  of  the  experiments  now  reported  is  enhanced  by  the  fact  that 
they  were  carried  out  separately  by  Mr.  Moody  and  myself,  and  without 
the  interference  of  interested  persons ;  and  that  the  wines  operated  on  were 
unquestionably  pure  and  unadulterated. 

The  reasonable  and  sufficient  agreement  between  the  tests  thus  separately 
and  independently  made  indicates  the  correctness  of  the  instruments  used, 
and  of  the  'procedure  adopted.  On  this  point  I  may  observe  that  I  was 
fortunate  in  procuring  from  the  Branch  Royal  Mint  in  Sydney  a  newly- 
imported  chemical  balance,  by  Oertling,  by  which  I  was  enabled  to  obtain 
accurately  to  the  tenth  of  a  grain  the  specific  gravity  of  the  several 
distillates. 

In  concluding  my  observations,  I  consider  it  not  inconsistent  with  my 
duty  to  point  out  that  the  determination  of  a  higher  percentage  than  26  and 
28  per  cent,  of  proof  spirit  in  Australian  wines  having  now  been,  as  it 
appears  to  me,  conclusively  established,  it  will  be  alike  unjust  and  discou- 
raging to  the  wine-makers  of  this  and  other  wine-producing  Colonies  of 
Australia  if  the  present  tariff  be  adhered  to  by  the  Imperial  Government. 
Such  an  adherence  is  tantamount  to  a  differential  duty  in  favour  of  meagre 


302 


The  Wines  of  Australia. 


Continental  wines,  and  against  many  superior  wines  of  New  South  Wales, 
Victoria,  and  South  Australia,  which,  though  containing  more  natural 
alcohol  than  wines  of  the  Continent,  are  at  the  same  time  richer  in  other 
properties  which  give  excellence  to  the  quality  of  wines  generally. 

Having  communicated  with  the  proprietors  of  some  celebrated  vineyards 
in  this  Colony  with  the  view  of  obtaining  samples  of  pure  and  unfortified 
wine  for  the  purpose  of  further  investigation,  I  hope  to  be  in  a  position  to 
make  another  report  on  the  subject  which  has  called  forth  the  present 
communication. 

In  conclusion,  I  desire  to  express  my  acknowledgments  to  Professor 
Liversidge,  of  the  Sydney  University,  and  Mr.  C.  Watt,  Government 
Analyst,  for  assistance  cheerfully  accorded  on  more  than  one  occasion  of 
reference  during  the  course  of  my  investigation. 

I  have,  &c., 

HENRY  LUMSDAINE, 

'  Chief  Inspector  of  Distilleries,  £c. 


STATEMENT  showing  the  alcoholic  strength  of  the  undermentioned  samples  of 
wine,  made  from  grape-must,  collected  at  Albury  and  other  Murray  River 
vineyards,  during  the  vintage  of  1875,  by  the  Chief  Inspector  of  Distilleries 
of  Victoria  and  the  Chief  Inspector  of  Distilleries,  New  South  Wales,  as 
ascertained  by  distillation  conducted  by  the  latter  officer  in.  Sydney. 


Name  and  Mark  of  Wine. 

Original  gravity 
of  Must. 

Specific  Gravity 
of  Wine  before 
distillation. 

Percentage  of 
Proof  Spirit. 
Standard   vI96 
@  60°  F. 

Pineau  F  
Muscat  P  

1142-2 
.  1132-5 

9909 
989'0 

32-4 
31-6 

Vcrdcilho  F.   ...             

1123-1 

S88-8 

28-7 

Aucarot  S  

1142-5 

1008-9 

29-3 

VerdeilhoS  
Verdeilho  B.,  No.  7    
VerdeilhoR  

1132-2 
1184*8 

1135-5 

990-1 

1000-1 

986-1 

31-8 
29-2 
30-8 

Pineau  A  

1120-0 

989-0 

28-4 

VerdeilhoB.,  No.  2  
VerdeilhoC.'  

1120-0 
1125-0 

988-5 
988-7 

30-0 
*28-0 

1  This  distillate  tried  by  Hydrometer  only. 


HENRY  LUHSDAINE, 

Chief  Inspector  of  Distilleries. 


Chief  Inspector  of  Distilleries'  Office,  Sydney, 
September  21,  1875. 


The  Wines  of  Australia.  303 

Office  of  Chief  Inspector  of  Distilleries,  Melbourne, 
September  4,  1875. 

SIR, — In  pursuance  of  the  investigation  of  the  alcoholic  strength  of 
Australian  wines,  a  progress  report  of  which  was  made  by  me  on  the  10th 
June  last,  I  have  now  the  honour  to  state  that,  assisted  by  Mr.  George  Heath, 
Inspector  of  Distilleries,  I  have  completed  the  alcoholic  analysis  of  201 
samples  of  must  and  wine  collected  from  various  vineyards  throughout  the 
Colony,  of  which  I  append  a  tabulated  statement. 

Of  these,  25  are  the  produce  of  musts  which  were  collected  in  the  Beech- 
worth  and  Murray  districts,  as  stated  in  my  report  above-mentioned,  and 
treated  in  a  similar  manner  to  those  collected  by  H.  Lumsdaine,  Esq.,  the 
Chief  Inspector  of  Distilleries,  of  New  South  Wales,  and  myself,  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Albury.  A  certificate  signed  by  Mr.  Heath  is  appended. 
The  remaining  105  are  from  wines  sent  to  me  from  the  various  vineyards 
and  persons  enumerated ;  the  senders  having  assured  me  that  the  wines 
were  perfectly  pure,  without  any  addition  of  adventitious  spirit. 

Some  few  samples  forwarded  were  so  exceptional  in  spirit  contents,  that, 
having  no  written  assurance  of  their  not  being  fortified,  I  omitted  them 
from  the  list. 

The  quality  of  the  wines  tested  was  in  general  very  good,  and  in  many 
cases  might  be  called  excellent. 

The  speciality  of  most  of  the  produce  of  the  vineyards  situated  in  the 
northern  portion  of  the  Colony  is  that  it  is  full-bodied,  rich,  and  fruity, 
caused  doubtless  by  the  greater  warmth  and  dryness  of  climate  there, 
which  ripen  the  grape  thoroughly  and  give  a  very  high  gravity  Of  must. 
The  characteristics  of  these  wines  are  similar  to  those  of  Spain  and  Portugal, 
while  those  made  in  the  southern  districts  resemble  the  wines  of  Germany 
and  the  Rhine  and  the  northern  and  midland  districts  of  France. 

The  produce  of  the  same  description  of  grape  grown  in  the  districts  to 
the  north  of  the  dividing  range  and  that  grown  to  the  southward  or  sea- 
ward side,  makes  wine  of  a  distinctive  character. 

My  experience  of  some  years  of  the  vineyards  of  the  Colony  leads  me 
to  the  conclusion  that  the  character  of  the  wine  made  is  improving  year  by 
year ;  and  as  Victoria  possesses  soils  and  climates  of  such  variety,  and  so 
suitable  for  the  growth  of  wines  of  so  many  descriptions  and  of  a  superior 
class,  I  am  sanguine  of  a  great  future  for  this  produce,  when  greater  expe- 
rience, knowledge,  and  capital  are  brought  to  bear  on  it,  and  vignerons 
can  be  induced  to  see  the  policy  of  limiting  their  vines  grown  to  those 
only  which  experience  shows  to  be  suitable  to  the  soil  and  climate  of  their 
vineyards. 

One  or  two  good  wines  will  find  a  readier  market,  be  easier  and  more 
cheaply  manufactured,  and  therefore  more  profitable,  than  a  large  variety 
of  medium  quality. 

The  return  which  accompanies  this  letter  shows  that  the  musts  collected 
by  Mr.  Lumsdaine,  Mr.  Heath,  and  myself,  which  were  pressed  in  our 
presence  and  fermented  under  our  charge,  and  therefore  could  not  have 
been  tampered  with  by  interested  persons,  contain  a  percentage  of  proof 


304  The  Wines  of  Australia. 

spirits  much  higher  than  it  has  hitherto  been  supposed  a  wine  would 
develop  naturally ;  the  limit,  unless  under  exceptional  circumstances,  being 
supposed  not  to  exceed  26  per  cent.  (J.  B.  Keene,  Esq.,  of  H.M.  Customs, 
London,  considers  that  the  cases  La  which  the  wines  of  Australia  are  past 
the  strength  of  28  per  cent,  of  proof  spirit  naturally  are  so  rare  as  to  be 
quite  isolated).  It  cannot  therefore  be  now  said  that  wines  which  exceed 
that  limit  are  necessarily  artificially  fortified. 

I  believe  that  the  practice  of  fortifying  wines  in  Victoria  is  by  no  means 
general,  and  only  resorted  to  to  bring  up  wines  of  a  low  and  inferior 
quality  and  for  particular  trades ;  the  better  class  of  wines  do  not 
require  it. 

The  process  adopted  in  the  alcoholic  analysis  of  the  wines  is  similar  to 
that  pursued  by  the  Customs  in  England  for  ascertaining  duty,  and  laid 
down  by  J.  B.  Keene,  Esq.,  in  his  work  on  gauging,  and  has  been  carefully 
followed  out,  except  that  the  hydrometer  has  not  been  wholly  depended  on  ; 
each  sample  of  the  distillate  having  been  weighed  to  the  tenth  of  a  grain, 
and  the  strengths  calculated  by  specific  gravity  according  to  Sykes' 
tables. 

The  instrument  sused  were  stills,  similarto  those  employed  by  the  Customs 
in  England,  thermometer  and  specific  gravity  bottles  tested  at  the  Mel- 
bourne Observatory,  and  delicate  Oertling  balance  ;  and  in  order  to  ensure 
the  greatest  amount  of  accuracy,  the  experiments  were  conducted  by  Mr. 
Heath  and  myself  at  our  respective  private  residences,  where  our  attention 
would  not  be  disturbed  by  our  ordinary  official  work. 
I  have  the  honour  to  be,  Sir, 

Your  most  obedient  Servant, 

LESLEY  C.  MOODY, 

Chief  Inspector  of  Distilleries. 

The  Assistant-Commissioner  of  Trades  and  Customs. 


Office  of  Chief  Inspector  of  Distilleries, 

Melbourne,  1st  September,  1875. 

I  hereby  certify  that  the  distillates  numbered  10G  to  130  (25)  in  the 
accompanying  list,  are  from  the  produce  of  grapes  collected  in  the  Murray 
and  Beechworth  districts  of  Victoria,  in  April,  1875,  and  the  juice  pressed 
out  before  me.  The  musts,  as  pressed,  were  given  into  my  charge,  in  which 
they  remained  till  distilled  in  Augast  of  this  year,  and  the  percentage  of 
proof  spirits,  British  standard,  carefully  determined  according  to  the  English 
Customs  formula.  I  further  certify  that  no  adventitious  spirit  whatever 
has  been  added  to  any  of  the  samples  referred  to. 

GEORGE  HEATH, 

Inspector  of  Distilleries. 


The  Wines  of  Australia. 


305 


Statement  showing  the  percentage  of  Proof  Spirits  British  Standard  of 
the  following  Wines  collected  in  Albury,  N.S.W.,  and  various  districts  of 
Victoria,  and  distilled  under  the  supervision  of  the  Chief  Inspector  of 
Distilleries,  Victoria. 


Name  of 
Wine. 

From  whom 
received. 

Name  of 
District. 

Name  of  Vineyard. 

Colour 
of 
Wine. 

1 

i 

1 

Pineau  F  .  . 
Muscatel  F 
Verdeilho  F 
Aucarot  S.  . 
Verdeilho  S 
Verdeilho  B 
Verdeilho  R 
Pineau  A  .  . 
Verdeilho  B 
Verdeilho  C 
Carbinet  D 

H.  Lumsdaiue 
ditto 
ditto 
ditto 
ditto 
ditto 
ditto 
L.  A.  Moody, 
ditto 
ditto 
ditto 

Albury,  N  S.W. 

ditto 
ditto 
ditto 
ditto 
ditto 
ditto 
ditto 
ditto 
ditto 

Brown. 
White. 
do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 
Brown. 
White, 
do. 
Red. 

1875  34.1 
1875  33  1 
167529.7 
1875  29  2 
187532.6 
187529.9 
1875  31.8 
187529.2 
187529.9 
1875  31.3 
1875  29-6 

Shiraz  

E.  Greer  &  Co. 

ditto 

do. 

187525.0 

Aucarot  

ditto 

ditto 

White. 

187530-9 

Shiraz    

ditto 

ditto 

Red. 

1872  31-6 

Malbec  ... 

ditto 

ditto 

do. 

1872^29-3 

Verdeilho  .  . 

ditto 

ditto 

White. 

1873'30.4 

Carbinet    .  . 

ditto 

ditto 

Red. 

187327-6 

Aucarot  .... 

ditto 

ditto 

White. 

1871  30-7 

Shiraz  

ditto 

ditto 

Red. 

187330-9 

Muscatel  .  . 

ditto 

ditto 

Brown. 

187329-1 

Shiraz  

ditto 

ditto 

Red. 

1871  30-2 

Tokay  
Verdeilho  .  . 

J.  T.  Fallon  .  . 
ditto 

ditto 
ditto 

Murray  Valley. 

White. 
White. 

1873  27-4 
187328. 

COMMISSION  FROM  His  EXCELLENCY  THE  GOVERNOR. 


L.8. 

A.  MUSOHAVE.J 


Excellency  Anthony  Musgrave,  Esquire,  Com- 
panion of  the  Most  Distinguished  Order  of  Saint 
Michael  and  Saint  George,  Governor  and  Com- 
mander-inChief  in  and  over  the  Province  of  South 
Australia  and  its  Dependencies,  dec.  : 


To  the  Honourable  WILLIAM  MILNE,  President  of  the  Legislative  Council  ; 
JOHN  WILLIAM  LEWIS,  of  Adelaide,  Esquire,  Collector  of  Customs; 
RICHARD  SCHOMBURGK,  of  Adelaide,  Esquire,  Dr.Phil.,  Director  of 
the  Botanic  Gardens  ;  SAMUEL  DAVENPORT,  of  Adelaide,  Esquire, 
J.P.  ;  and  ROBERT  DALRYMPLE  Ross,  of  Adelaide,  Esquire,  J.P., 
greeting  : 

KNOW  ye  that  I,  relying  on  your  prudence  and  fidelity,  have  appointed 
you,  and  by  these  presents  do  give  unto  you,  or  any  three  of  you,  full  power 
and  authority  diligently  to  inquire  and  report  what  alcoholic  strength  is 
attained  by  the  juice  of  grapes  shown  in  this  Province  by  or  under  the 


306  The  Wines  of  Australia. 

ordinary  and  natural  process  of  fermentation,  and  for  the  purpose  aforesaid 
to  examine  and  re-examine,  viva  voce  or  in  writing,  or  both  viva  voce  and  in 
writing,  all  witnesses  who  shall  attend  before  you  for  the  purpose  of  giving 
evidence  on  the  matter  aforesaid;  and  I  give  to  you,  or  any  three  of  you, 
full  power  and  authority  to  do  all  sirch  other  acts  and  things  as  may  be 
necessary  and  lawfully  done  for  the  due  execution  hereof:  And  I  require 
you,  without  delay,  to  report  to  me  the  result  of  your  inquiries  in  the  matter 
aforesaid. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  the  public  seal  of  the  said  Province,  at 
Adelaide,  in  the  Province  aforesaid,  this  eighteenth  day  of 
M  arch,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  seventy-four,  and  in  the  thirty-seventh  year  of  Her 
Majesty's  reign. 

By  command, 

ARTHUR  BLYTH, 

Chief  Secretary. 


The  above  Special  Commission  was  appointed  by  the  South  Australian 
Governor,  who,  after  careful  examination  into  this  matter,  brought  up  a 
very  elaborate  report,  showing  results  as  to  the  proportion  of  alcohol, 
corresponding  to,  if  not  exceeding,  the  proportion  found  in  the  wines  of  New 
South  Wales  and  Victoria. 

Notwithstanding  the  discrepancies  which  occur  in  the  statements 
which  I  now  lay  before  you,  they  all  pretty  fairly  agree  as  to  the 
specific  gravity  of  the  must,  and  these  alone  cannot  fail  to  interest 
inquirers  on  this  question.  They  show  that  Australia  is  capable  of 
producing  full-bodied  natural  wines  of  a  high  order,  and  that  the 
statement  made  by  me  upwards  of  two  years  ago,  "  that  Australian 
wines  by  the  ordinary  course  of  fermentation  produced  a  wine  con- 
taining upwards  of  26  per  cent,  of  proof  spirit"  was  perfectly 
correct.  The  figures  which  I  place  before  you  not  only  support  me, 
but  prove  that  those  who  differed  from  me,  and  held  that  "  there 
were  no  grapes  produced  in  Australia,  as  there  were  none  any- 
where else,  which  by  the  ordinary  laws  of  fermentation  could  give 
upwards  of  26  per  cent.,"  were  labouring  under  a  wrong  impression 
in  adopting  the  popular  theory  of  the  day.  The  discrepancy  in 
the  spirit  strength  of  the  samples  tested  arose  partly  from  some  of 
the  grapes  not  being  thoroughly  ripe.  Other  samples  may  have 
been  grown  on  low-lying  situations,  and  some  of  the  samples  of 
must  were  too  new,  and  had  not  fully  generated  all  the  alcohol 
they  were  capable  of  developing,  at  the  time  of  distillation.  My 
experience  in  shipping  wines  from  Australia  to  London  is,  that 
whatever  may  be  the  spirit  strength  before  shipment,  the  wine 
acquires  additional  strength  during  the  voyage. 


The  Wines  of  Australia.  307 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  above  statement  that  the  great  bulk  of 
Australian  wines  exceed  26  per  cent,  of  natural  spirit,  and  could 
not  be  admitted  into  Great  Britain  without  paying  2s.  6d.  per 
gallon  duty,  thus  exposing  the  Australian  producer  to  adverse  com- 
petition in  the  markets  of  the  mother  country  equal  to  a  surcharge 
of  one  hundred  and  fifty  per  cent.  The  effect  of  this  difference  in 
duty  is  to  exclude  almost  entirely  the  colonists  from  sending 
their  pure,  generous,  and  unadulterated  wines  to  a  market  where 
they  are  so  heavily  handicapped.  I  believe  it  was  the  in- 
tention of  the  framers  of  the  present  Customs  Act  of  1861,  to  fix 
the  standard  or  maximum  so  as  to  admit  all  pure  natural  wines  at 
the  minimum  duty  ;  and  for  the'purpose  of  enabling  them  to  fix  the 
limit,  they  adopted  the  report  of  a  Eoyal  Commission  which  had  been 
appointed  to  collect  statistics  from  the  different  wine-producing 
countries  in  Europe.  Now,  by  the  figures  shown  above,  it  is  clearly 
proved  that  Australian  wines  exceed  the  limit  stated  in  that  report, 
and  I  therefore  submit  that  the  Australian  vignerons  have  a  right  to 
ask  the  British  Government  to  alter  the  maximum  from  26  to  30. 
This  would  to  a  great  extent  meet  the  case,  and  would  place  the 
Australian  product  in  fair  competition  with  European  wines,  and 
afford  encouragement  to  an  industry  which  is  doubtless  destined  to 
be  one  of  the  leading  staple  articles  of  produce  in  Australia,  and  one 
which  will  not  only  give  healthful  employment  to  a  number  of 
Australian  vignerons,  but  also  open  up  a  large  field  for  the  occupation 
of  the  surplus  labour  of  Great  Britain.  In  my  opinion  it  would  be  the 
interest,  if  not  the  duty,  of  this  country  to  afford  encouragement  to 
settle  her  surplus  labour  in  her  own  Colonies,  when  the  fact  is  known 
that  there  is  a  far  better  field  for  the  industrious  labourer  there  than 
is  to  be  found  elsewhere.  In  America  at  the  present  time,  in  the 
centres  of  population,  it  is  more  difficult  to  obtain  employment 
than  it  is  in  England  ;  in  Australia  there  is  a  wide  field,  no  com- 
petition in  this  industry  under  notice,  and  by  honest  exertion  in  a 
few  years  a  man  could  purchase  his  homestead  and  be  his  own 
master. 

It  may  here  be  argued  that  by  altering  the  maximum  from  26  to 
80,  it  would  admit  brandied  Continental  wines,  and  hence  would 
be  a  loss  to  the  revenue.  I  believe  the  quantity  of  European  wines 
that  would  come  within  the  range  of  this  alteration  would  be  very 
small  indeed,  and  inconsiderable  as  regards  revenue.  As  the  wines 
of  Spain  and  Portugal  are  fortified  to  a  much  greater  extent  than 
the  limit  named,  and  as  the  taste  is  formed  in  this  country  to  drink 
those  spirituous  wines,  the  producers  are  bound  to  furnish  the 
articles  they  have  been  in  the  habit  of  supplying  this  market  with, 
x2 


808  The  Wines  of  Australia. 

and  upon  the  continuance  of  the  supply  of  a  uniform  article  their 
reputation  is  based  :  they  neither  could  nor  would  make  any  alter- 
ations in  the  articles  to  be  shipped  to  the  English  market.  The 
result  would  be  (without  any  perceptible  loss  to  the  revenue),  that  a 
pure  and  unadulterated  wine  would  be  placed  before  the  British 
public,  and  a  taste  cultivated  for  the  unsophisticated  juice  of  the 
grape,  instead  of  strong  spirits,  thereby  encouraging  sobriety 
and  morality  among  the  people  of  this  country.  It  might  be 
put  in  another  way :  "  Why  don't  you  make  your  wines  so  as  to 
come  within  the  Is.  duty?"  In  reply  to  this  I  should  say :  "  In  ask- 
ing us  to  do  so,  you  ask  us  to  forego  the  superior  advantages 
which  it  has  pleased  Providence  to  bestow  on  Australia  beyond 
almost  any  other  country,  and  instead  of  the  rich,  generous,  full- 
bodied  wines  which  we  can  produce  naturally,  to  reduce  the  quality 
to  a  low  inferior  standard.  This  must  be  done  in  either  of  two 
ways,  viz.  by  pulling  the  grapes  before  they  are  properly  ripe,  or 
by  adding  water  to  the  must,  either  before  or  after  pressing. 
Of  the  two,  I  should  prefer  the  latter  alternative,  for  although  you 
manifestly  reduce  the  quality  of  the  wine,  still  the  component  parts 
are  more  evenly  balanced,  and  a  better  article  can  be  produced  than 
from  unripe  fruit ;  as,  in  the  latter  instance,  you  invariably 
have  a  superabundance  of  acid  in  proportion  to  the  quantity 
of  saccharine  produced,  or,  in  other  words,  you  introduce  an  adulte- 
rated article." 

In  putting  my  case  forward,  it  is  necessary  to  point  out  that  the 
Australian  Colonies  form  a  very  considerable  portion  of  Her  Majesty's 
dependencies,  and  afford  a  profitable  field  for  the  surplus  labour  and 
capital  of  this  country.  Also  that  the  trade,  both  in  imports  and 
exports,  is  expanding  daily,  and  at  present  is  only  exceeded  by  India 
with  her  millions  of  population.  We  furnish  this  country  with  much 
raw  material,  in  wool,  tallow,  gold,  copper,  tin,  wheat,  meat,  &c., 
and  as  a  rule  take  as  payment  various  manufactured  articles, 
thereby  to  a  large  extent  supporting  the  artisans  and  manufacturers 
of  this  country,  and  proving  how  much  it  would  be  to  the  interest  of 
this  country  to  encourage  every  new  industry  which  has  for  its 
object  the  advancement  of  Her  Majesty's  Colonial  possessions. 
Under  these  circumstances,  I  consider  the  Australian  colonists  may 
fairly  ask  the  Government  to  amend  the  present  Customs  law,  so  far 
as  to  alter  the  maximum  strength  from  26  to  30,  thereby  admitting 
our  wines  at  the  minimum  duty;  or,  if  this  cannot  be  granted, 
that  they  may  be  admitted  on  such  a  scale  as  will  allow  of  a  pro 
rata  advance  upon  the  extra  strength. 

I  trust  I  have  in  the  preceding  remarks  sufficiently  made  it  clear 


The  Wines  of  Australia.  309 

that  the  alcoholic  strength  of  our  Australian  wines,  in  their  pure 
and  unfortified  condition,  really  places  them  at  a  serious  com- 
mercial disadvantage  in  the  markets  of  this  country,  and  I  hope 
that  I  may  rely  upon  any  assistance  that  this  valuable  society  can 
render,  in  giving  shape  and  effect  to  some  practical  movement  hav- 
ing for  its  object  the  readjustment  of  the  Customs  duty,  which,  as 
I  have  shown,  bears  with  such  peculiar  hardship  upon  our  Aus- 
tralian wine  industry.  I  feel  sure  that  the  Government  and  the 
Legislature  only  require  to  be  put  in  possession  of  reliable  infor- 
mation on  the  subject,  to  give  their  serious  attention  to  this  matter; 
and  with  a  view  of  supplying  such  information  in  the  most  influ- 
ential quarters,  I  would  suggest,  in  conclusion,  that  some  of  the 
gentlemen  now  present  be  requested  to  act  as  a  committee  for  the 
purpose  of  bringing  the  subject  under  the  notice  of  the  Chancellor 
of  the  Exchequer,  by  deputation  or  otherwise,  and  solicit  his 
assistance  in  getting  a  suitable  alteration  made  in  the  Customs' 
tariff.  I  feel  that  a  practical  step  of  this  kind  is  essential  in  order 
to  give  effect  to  the  arguments  I  have  brought  forward  in  this 
paper,  and  I  earnestly  invite  your  co-operation  in  the  matter. 

Since  writing  the  above,  I  have  received  a  copy  of  the  Melbourne 
Argus,  of  the  18th  of  April,  in  which  appears  an  ably-written  article 
fully  bearing  out  the  views  I  have  stated,  from  which  I  quote 
the  following : — 

"  Mr.  Moody  is  aware  of  the  objection  of  the  Imperial  Customs, 
that  no  differential  duty  in  favour  of  Australian  wine  is  possible  ; 
and  that  if  the  standard  is  raised  to  34  per  cent.,  the  result  will  be 
that  other  countries  will  be  importing  brandy  in  wine  casks  ;  and 
he  proposes  nothing  revolutionary.  All  difficulties,  he  submits, 
would  be  met  by  a  sliding  scale,  according  to  the  strength  of  the 
wine.  For  instance,  assuming  26  per  cent,  of  proof  as  the  maxi- 
mum for  Is.  per  gallon  duty,  allow  wines  of  the  strength  above  26 
and  under  30  per  cent,  to  be  introduced  at  Is.  3d.  per  gallon ; 
above  30  and  under  36  per  cent,  to  be  introduced  at  Is.  9d.  per 
gallon  ;  above  36  per  cent,  and  under  42  per  cent,  to  be  introduced 
at  2s.  6d.  per  gallon.'  As  the  Imperial  law  now  stands,  Mr.  Moody 
shows  that  it  is  capable  of  evasion,  for  a  wine-merchant  can  take 
a  gallon  of  wine  of  26  per  cent,  strength,  on  which  Is.  per  gallon 
has  been  paid,  and  a  gallon  of  wine  of  42  per  cent.,  on  which 
2s.  6d.  per  gallon  has  been  paid,  and  by  blending  the  two  together 
he  has  a  34  per  cent,  wine,  on  which  he  will  have  paid  a  duty  of 
Is.  9d.  per  gallon.  Thus  a  manufactured  wine  can  be  put  upon 
the  English  market  at  a  comparatively  low  duty,  but  the  natural 
wine  of  Australia — because  it  is  a  natural  wine — must  pay  at  a 


310  The  Wines  of  Australia. 

rate  which,  if  not  prohibitive,  is  at  least  a  serious  impediment  in 
the  way  of  an  increased  demand.  And  all  that  is  now  asked  is, 
that  the  same  facility  should  be  afforded  the  honest  vigneron  in 
putting  a  84  per  cent,  wine  on  the  market  as  is  enjoyed  by  the 
judicious  blender.  This  end  will  be  attained  by  the  sliding  scale 
proposed  by  Mr.  Moody,  which  would  leave  26  per  cent,  as  the 
ordinary  maximum,  and  make  stronger  and  better  wines  pay  in 
proportion  to  their  superiority,  but  would  free  them  from  a  crushing 
and  undiscriminating  burden,  and  from  an  unmerited  stigma.  The 
plan  commends  itself  at  once  as  equitable  to  the  revenue  and  to  the 
producer ;  it  would  appear  to  shut  the  door  upon  the  tricks  and 
stratagems  of  which  the  Imperial  Customs  have  been  apprehensive, 
and  we  have  Mr.  Moody's  assurance,  first,  that  it  is  practicable, 
and,  secondly,  that  the  Australian  vigneron  asks  for  no  further 
concession.  We  hope  to  hear  that  this  report  has  been  brought 
under  the  notice  of  the  select  committee  (moved  for  in  the  House 
of  Commons  by  Mr.  Cartwright),  if  it  be  appointed  and  if  the  docu- 
ment can  arrive  in  England  in  time,  and  that  under  any  circum- 
stances it  has  been  pressed  upon  the  attention  of  a  Government 
which,  we  are  sure,  would  not  willingly  and  knowingly  do  the 
Colonies  a  manifest  injustice." 


DISCUSSION. 

Mr.  ALEXANDEK  McAfiTHUB,  M.P.,  remarked  that  he  had  no  inten- 
tion of  taking  part  in  the  discussion  had  he  not  been  asked  to  do  so. 
He  fully  corroborated  the  statements  made  in  the  paper  with  refer- 
ence to  the  natural  strength  of  the  Australian  wines.  Australia 
was  placed  at  a  disadvantage  with  respect  to  Continental  wines, 
having  to  pay  a  higher  duty  in  consequence  of  their  superior 
strength.  Australian  wines  had  also  suffered  in  this  country  in  con- 
sequence of  inferior  samples  being  sent  from  different  parts  of 
Australia  by  parties  knowing  nothing  whatever  about  wine.  Some 
of  the  wines  he  had  tried  tasted  very  much  like  sugar,  vinegar,  and 
water,  and  were  not  likely  to  commend  themselves  to  the  palates  of 
the  English  people.  On  the  other  hand,  there  were  some  excellent 
samples  ;  and  were  persons  making  wines  to  thoroughly  understand 
how  to  do  so,  they  would  really  have  a  very  sound  and  an  excellent 
article.  Many  persons  in  this  country  regarded  the  superior  strength 
of  wines  as  objectionable ;  but,  inasmuch  as  the  strength  of  the 
Australian  wines  is  a  natural  one,  and  did  not  arise  from  their  being 
fortified  by  brandy  and  other  spirits,  he  thought  the  objection,  to  a 
great  extent,  was  lessened.  If  they  were  to  have  wines,  it  was  much 


The   Wines  of  Australia.  311 

better  to  have  them  of  natural  strength  than  to  have  them  supple- 
mented by  ingredients  injurious  to  health.  He  had  no  doubt  that  the 
Government  were  desirous  of  doing  what  was  fair  and  right  towards 
the  Colonies.  He  believed  they  never  had  a  more  honourable  or  fairer 
Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer  than  Sir  Stafford  Northcote ;  and  it 
was  certain  that  if  the  Government  could  meet  the  views  of  the 
colonists  they  would  do  so.  He  thought  the  proposal  for  a 
Committee  to  be  appointed  to  consider  the  matter,  and,  if  necessary, 
to  wait  upon  the  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer,  a  desirable  step  to 
take.  If  he  could  render  any  service  in  the  matter  he  would  be 
happy  to  do  so.  It  was  of  importance  that  our  Colonies  should  have 
fair  play.  It  was  not  at  all  right  that  we  could  receive  Continental 
wines,  sometimes  of  a  very  inferior  quality,  which  were  able  to 
supplant  Australian  wines  because  of  the  extra  duty  which  the 
latter  were  compelled  to  pay.  So  far  as  his  experience  went  when  in 
Australia,  there  really  was  not  much  room  for  exportation  of  wines, 
owing  to  the  consumption  of  them  by  the  colonists  themselves.  He 
had  no  doubt  that  in  the  course  of  a  few  years,  however,  by  proper 
skill  and  management,  that  Australia  would  become  an  extensive 
wine-producing  country.  With  regard  to  the  wine  question,  many 
medical  men  of  the  present  day  disapproved  of  wines  altogether ; 
but  he  thought  sound  wholesome  wines  were  very  much  better  than 
adulterated  wines.  Those  who  have  visited  the  Continent  must  have 
been  struck  with  the  fact  that  in  wine -producing  countries  there 
was  very  little  intemperance.  The  author  of  this  paper  (Mr.  Fallon) 
had  informed  him  there  was  a  similar  result  in  Australia  ;  that  in 
the  locality  where  he  resided  there  had  been  a  great  deal  of  intem- 
perance, but  that  since  wine  had  become  a  common  beverage  there 
was  little  or  no  drunkenness,  and  it  was  a  rare  thing  to  see  a  man 
the  worse  for  liquor.  Looking  at  the  matter  also  in  this  light,  he 
thought  it  would  be  very  desirable  to  encourage  the  introduction  of 
good  sound  Australian  wines  into  this  country,  and  he  hoped  they 
would  be  able  to  do  something  to  promote  the  object  they  had 
in  view. 

Mr.  J.  B.  KEENE  (of  Her  Majesty's  Customs)  said:  The  ques- 
tion of  Australian  wines  had  been  one  of  great  interest  to  him 
for  many  years.  He  had  had  many  opportunities  of  testing  wines 
of  various  kinds,  and  from  the  very  first  time  he  saw  these  wines, 
under  circumstances  very  much  against  them,  in  1862,  in  the 
Exhibition,  thought  they  possessed  properties  of  a  very  high  cha- 
racter. The  difficulty  of  the  question  of  duty  lay  in  drawing  a 
line  anywhere.  If  the  duties  chargeable  on  wines  could  be 
charged  in  the  manner  that  would  press  equally  upon  them  all,  they 


312  The  Wines  oj  Australia. 

would  not  be  charged  upon  strength,  but  theoretically  upon 
value.  The  main  question  at  issue  was  that  relating  to  the  actual 
strength  of  the  wine,  and  the  question  of  raising  the  degree  at 
which  the  duties  change,  from  20°  to  a  higher  point.  They  could 
not  make  a  change  in  the  duties  on  natural  wines  of  a  high  strength 
without  at  the  same  time  admitting  with  equal  freedom  wines  that 
had  been  fortified,  and  although  he  felt  sure  the  Australian  vineyards 
produced  wines  of  a  far  higher  natural  strength  than  most  other 
countries,  yet  the  latter  were  in  greater  demand.  If  a  line  is  to  be 
drawn,  marking  the  point  at  which  the  wine  should  be  produced  by 
the  imposition  of  a  certain  duty,  it  struck  him  the  point  at  which  it 
should  be  drawn  would  be  one  that  would  include  the  bulk  of  the 
very  best  natural  wines,  but  not  stretched  so  as  to  include  those 
which  were  rare,  and  not  even  always  best,  or  so  suitable  for  general 
drinking.  So  far  as  the  report  of  Messrs.  Lumsdaine  and  Moody 
went,  he  did  not  doubt  the  bond  fides  of  their  operations ;  but  he 
could  not  help  remarking  that  there  must  be  a  great  difference 
between  a  wine  manufactured  on  the  large  scale  in  which  it  is  pro- 
duced in  the  vineyards,  and  the  smaller  scale  in  which  it  would  be 
produced  in  the  chemical  laboratory.  In  the  most  careful  chemical 
operations  it  was  often  difficult  to  produce  actually  the  special 
balances  of  the  changes  that  take  place  from  one  organic  substance 
to  another.  At  the  same  time  the  change  was  such  that  if  a  grape 
had  a  large  quantity  of  sugar  in  it,  it  naturally  would  produce  a 
larger  quantity  of  alcohol.  But  there  were  very  many  instances  in 
which,  though  the  grapes  produced  large  quantities  of  sugar,  the 
sugar  would  not  complete  its  conversion  into  alcohol.  That  was 
the  case  with  some  Constantia  wines  from  the  Cape,  which  had,  in 
many  cases,  not  more  than  18  per  cent,  of  spirit  in  them,  and 
yet  the  wines  were  permanent,  though  still  sweet.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  grape  that  produced  the  largest  amount  of  sugar  would, 
if  its  conversion  were  complete,  be  perfectly  dry,  with  more  alcohol, 
and  free  from  the  taste  of  sugar.  There  was  another  element  in 
the  Australian  wine  question  in  this  way.  So  far  as  he  could 
judge,  not  merely  from  examination  of  the  wines,  but  from  reports 
from  residents  in  Australia  and  from  manufacturers  themselves, 
there  was  a  strong  tendency  to  fortify.  He  did  not  impute  any  such 
thing  to  Mr.  Fallon,  some  of  whose  wines  were  of  excellent 
character  ;  but  he  remembered  a  Mr.  Bear,  from  Melbourne,  who 
brought  over  some  wines  to  this  country.  One  of  these  had  been 
fortified  in  order  to  try  the  experiment  of  how  it  would  bear  the 
voyage  ;  but  the  samples  that  were  left  natural  were  better  in  every 
way.  Some  time  ago  he  had  his  attention  called  by  the  Eev.  Dr. 


The  Wines  of  Australia.  313 

Bleasdale,  of  Melbourne,  to  discrepancies  between  the  strengths  in 
his  report  to  the  Commissioners  of  Customs,  and  those  on  the  same 
wines  as  tried  by  Dr.  Bleasdale  before  they  were  sent  for  exhibition. 
It  was  found  that  where  the  Victorian  Commissioners  had  selected 
certain  wines  submitted  to  them,  and  left  the  manufacturers  to  make 
up  and  forward  the  samples  to  England,  spirit  had  been  largely 
added  in  the  interim ;  while,  where  the  Commissioners  themselves 
forwarded  the  samples,  there  was  no  difference  between  the  two  tests 
beyond  what  might  be  expected  between  two  operators.  The  change 
produced  by  the  voyage  here  was  somewhat  over-rated  in  its  action 
upon  the  wine.  It  was  possible  in  some  wines,  where  the  sugar 
had  not  been  entirely  converted,  and  which  were  sent  to  England 
before  they  had  been  fully  ripened — say  under  two  years  old — that 
the  rolling  and  shaking  of  the  ship  produced  an  effect  upon  the  wine 
which  continued  the  fermentation,  and  in  the  case  of  a  good  sound 
wine  would  improve  it,  and  although  it  would  arrive  here  in  such  a 
thick  and  muddy  condition  that  it  would  be  denominated  as  simply 
rubbish,  yet  after  a  few  weeks  or  months  it  would  become  fined  and 
settled,  and  be  more  ripened  than  it  would  in  the  same  time  had  it 
remained  in  the  Colonies.  With  reference  to  the  question  of  the 
duty :  to  take  the  separate  degrees,  after  the  26th,  would  be  very 
difficult  to  carry  out,  and,  perhaps,  would  not  have  as  good  an  effect 
as  some  might  anticipate.  At  the  same  time,  he  had  often  thought 
that  the  difference  between  26  and  40  might  be  met  with 
an  immediate  duty ;  but  he  should  not  consider  it  proper  in  his 
position  to  offer  any  opinion  upon  the  question  of  duties,  as  it  was 
outside  his  province.  He  had  only  to  examine  the  wines  for  their 
alcoholic  strength  and  qualities,  and  his  belief  was  that  the 
Australian  wines  had  a  great  future  before  them.  He  would  bear 
out  Mr.  Burton's  remark  as  to  the  great  benefit  it  would  be  if  the 
bad  wines  were  left  out  of  the  market,  and  a  still  greater  benefit  if 
those  who  made  the  wines  could  be  convinced  of  the  bad  way  in 
which  they  made  them.  He  believed  the  great  difficulty  arose  in 
the  selection  of  the  grape,  and  in  the  want  of  proper  judgment  in 
the  admixture  of  spirits.  The  vines  from  the  continent  of  Europe 
transplanted  to  Australia  would  produce  a  different  wine.  With 
reference  to  the  question  of  the  names  of  wines,  it  had  often  struck 
him  that  it  was  a  great  mistake  on  the  part  of  Australian  wine 
makers  that  they  should  call  their  wines  after  the  names  of  known 
wines.  Everybody  tasting  a  wine  so  named  judges  it  from  the  wines 
he  has  been  accustomed  to.  English  taste  was  so  formed  on  port 
and  sherry  that  there  was  scarcely  another  wine  to  which  they  could 
make  comparison,  and  they  would  ask  if  it  was  not  like  one  of  them, 


314  The  Wines  of  Australia. 

or  perhaps  sometimes  it  was  like  Claret  or  Burgundy.  But  Australian 
wines  had  an  individuality  of  character  of  their  own,  which,  if  pro- 
perly cultivated  and  developed,  was  of  great  value.  Spanish  or 
German  wines  were  valuable  for  their  own  special  characters,  and 
people  would  not  admire  a  French  wine  the  more  if  it  had  the 
same  character.  He  therefore  urged  that  they  should  stop  the  use 
of  names  that  could  create  comparison  between  known  and  high 
quality  vintages.  The  Australian  names,  or  some  of  them,  were 
highly  musical  and  characteristic,  and  he  liked  to  see  wines  named 
after  the  vineyards  from  which  they  were  made.  He  should  also 
like  to  see  the  design  carried  out  of  cultivating  a  knowledge  of  the 
vines  and  of  the  grape  best  suited  to  the  various  localities.  Some 
of  the  best  wines  he  had  met  with  in  this  country  were  those  made 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Hunter  Eiver  and  in  the  Adelaide 
district,  and  he  had  noticed  that  in  some  of  the  finest  and  most 
delicate  wines,  the  average  degree  of  spirit  scarcely  ever  went 
beyond  24°,  and  many  of  the  finest  had  not  exceeded  21°.  The 
question  of  the  strength  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  quality  of  the 
wine,  nor  with  the  permanent  retention  of  its  qualities.  He  had 
tested  a  French  wine  111  years  old,  and  though  containing  only 
18-9  degrees  of  proof  spirit,  it  was  sound  as  possible,  though  not 
in  the  finest  drinking  order  for  flavour.  This  showed  that  the 
endurance  of  wine  did  not  depend  upon  the  strength.  Some  years 
ago  he  had  tasted  a  sample  of  wine  made  from  Portuguese  grapes 
by  Mr.  Forrester  without  added  spirit.  It  was  made  in  1830,  bottled 
in  the  April  following  the  vintage,  and  tested  in  1862.  It  was 
simply  undrinkable,  being  coarse  and  astringent,  and  with  a  strength 
of  about  28°.  It  was  deep  and  intense  in  colour,  and  anything  but 
like  ordinary  port  wine,  which  becomes  discoloured  by  age — a  sign 
of  the  action  of  added  spirit  on  the  colouring  matter  of  the  wine. 
There  was  a  kind  of  marriage  in  the  case  between  the  spirit  which 
was  naturally  in  the  wine  and  the  wine  itself.  But  in  the  other  case, 
there  was  a  connection  which  was  not  so  permanent,  and  which 
tended  rather  to  its  deterioration  than  to  its  advantage. 

Mr.  MICHIE  said  that  although  he  was  prepared  to  sympathise 
with  the  enthusiasm  of  Mr.  Fallon,  he  could  not  be  blind  to  the 
practical  difficulties  of  his  case.  As  a  drinker  of  Australian  wines 
for  the  last  twenty  years  he  could  speak  as  to  their  merits,  but  in 
dealing  with  the  matter  in  a  financial  shape  he  was  confronted 
with  many  obstacles.  Mr.  Moody  had  dealt  with  that  portion  of 
the  subject  by  suggesting  a  graduated  scale  of  duties,  by  which 
they  might  to  some  extent  be  enabled  to  escape  from  the  difficulty 
in  which  they  were  placed.  He  had  discussed  this  matter  some 


The  Wines  of  Australia.  815 

years  ago  with  the  then  Secretary  of  State,  and  had  very  soon  dis- 
covered, as  he  thought,  that  to  a  considerable  extent  in  questions 
of  this  kind  the  Government  must  be  guided  by  experts.  These 
experts  in  England  differed  altogether  with  the  Colonial  growers  as 
to  the  natural  strength  of  our  Australian  wines.  "We  were  met  by 
the  assurance  of  competent,  practical  men  that  the  Colonial 
representations  were  inconsistent  with  the  facts,  and  that  the  pro- 
ducers apparently  laboured  under  a  misconception  as  to  the  inherent 
strength  of  these  wines.  It  was  suggested  by  the  growers  that 
the  duty  of  2s.  6d.  upon  wines  above  26  (being  a  hard  and  fast 
line)  should  be  relaxed  by  the  introduction  and  adoption  of  some 
such  suggestion  as  that  of  Mr.  Moody.  But,  on  the  other  hand, 
it  was  put  by  those  who  opposed  a  change,  that  even  if  what  they 
were  contending  for  were  conceded,  the  effect  of  the  concession 
would  only  be,  unless  we  were  to  have  differential  duties  (in  this 
free  trade  country  not  to  bethought  of),  to  involve  us  in,  possibly,  a 
still  greater  difficulty.  In  the  proposal  to  remove  the  obstacle  to 
the  introduction  of  Australian  wines,  by  raising  the  maximum  of 
26  up  to  30,  they  would  (it  is  said)  necessarily  bring  in  under  that 
higher  standard  a  number  of  competing  wines  from  the  Continent, 
which  at  the  present  time  pay  the  higher  duty  of  2s.  6d.  Thus  in 
the  very  act  of  attempting  to  remove  the  disability  under  which 
the  Colonies  labour,  they  would,  it  was  alleged,  expose  them  to  the 
further  and  more  effectual  competition  of  foreign  growers,  whose 
wines,  ranging  up  to  30,  would  come  in  under  the  same  duty  as  that 
payable  by  the  Australian  wines.  Mr.  Moody  was  evidently  alive 
to  this,  and  thus  had  proposed  to  meet  this  aspect  of  the  case  by 
the  suggestion  of  the  graduated  scale.  Secretaries  of  State  could 
not  be  expected  to  possess  more  practical  knowledge  on  such  a 
subject  than  the  meeting.  They  must  be  guided,  as  all  Ministers 
were  in  matters  outside  the  range  of  their  personal  experience,  by 
those  who  were  practically  engaged  in  the  business ;  and  if  Mr. 
Keene  could  not  report  in  favour  of  the  suggestions  of  Mr.  Moody, 
the  committee  or  deputation,  he  feared,  would  be  found  of  very 
little  use.  Some  twelve  months  ago  he  had  read  a  very  able  and 
exhaustive  report  by  Mr.  Keene,  which,  he  must  admit,  almost  com- 
pelled him  to  the  conclusion  that  there  was  either  a  mistake  or  a 
want  of  candour  on  the  part  of  those  gentlemen  who  had  sent  pro- 
testations from  the  Colony,  to  the  effect  that  they  were  not  arti- 
ficially fortifying  their  wines.  Mr.  Keene,  however,  was  not  in  the 
position  of  Messrs.  Lumsdaine  and  Moody,  nor  disposed  to  ignore 
their  experience  and  conclusions,  and  therefore  assuming  the  facts 
to  be  as  stated  by  those  two  gentlemen,  a  deputation  might  possibly 


316  The  Wines  of  Australia. 

succeed  in  carrying  conviction  to  the  mind  even  of  the  Chancellor 
of  the  Exchequer.  But  supposing  this  end  gained,  there  was  still 
another  phase  of  the  case,  not  altogether  agreeable  to  those  who 
were  proposing  largely  to  import  these  wines.  It  was  notorious  to 
consumers  that  they  could  get  a  respectable  wine  at  a  far  lower  price 
than  Mr.  Fallon  apparently  was  prepared  to  accept.  The  cheap 
clarets  coming  to  the  English  market  had  no  prejudices  to  contend 
with.  They  were  recommended  by  long  usage,  amounting  almost 
to  a  superstition,  which  gave  them  an  immense  advantage  to  start 
with  over  the  Colonial  product.  There  was  a  great  prejudice 
against  the  latter,  as  they  all  knew.  Only  that  afternoon  he 
had  met  a  gentleman,  who  had  spent  many  years  in  the  Colonies, 
who  expressed  himself  in  unmistakably  unflattering  terms  about 
Australian  wines.  This,  doubtless,  was  an  unjustifiable  prejudice, 
but  still  he  must  be  recognised  as  a  very  fair  "  foolometer."  Pre- 
judiced as  he  was  against  the  Colonial  article,  such  prejudice  was 
shared  by  tens  of  thousands  of  people  here.  Only  five  minutes 
ago  the  hon.  member  for  Leicester  had  stated  in  that  very  room 
that  much  of  this  wine  tasted  like  "  sugar  and  water."  Two  or 
three  years  ago  a  sample  of  the  wine  was  sent  to  a  gentleman 
holding  such  a  position  in  this  country  which  would  have  enabled 
him  to  advance  the  interest  in  the  wines,  and  from  whom  he  had 
hoped  to  receive  a  favourable  report.  Whether  the  wine  had 
suffered  in  transit,  or  whatever  the  cause,  his  friend  rather  took 
him  aback  by  reporting  that,  although  he  was  averse  from  looking 
at  his  (Mr.  Michie's)  gift  in  the  mouth,  he  was  equally  averse  after 
the  first  taste  from  taking  it  into  his  own.  Unless  Mr.  Fallon 
could  see  his  way  to  putting  these  wines  on  the  market  at  a  price 
which  would  effectually  compete  with  the  cheaper  Continental 
products,  he  would  not  be  likely  to  find  a  larger  additional  con- 
sumption of  his  wines  than  he  had  at  present. 

Dr.  THUDICHUM  said  he  had  listened  to  Mr.  Fallon's  paper  with 
mixed  feelings  of  pleasure  and  dissatisfaction — pleasure  at  finding 
that  the  experimental  way  of  solving  the  question  at  issue  had,  by 
his  advice,  been  entered  upon;  dissatisfaction  at  the  manner  in 
which  the  experiments  relied  upon  had  been  performed.  Without 
entering  into  details,  he  would  criticise  the  experiments  at  their 
vital  points.  Thus  it  was  stated  that  the  specific  quantities  of  the 
distillates  had  been  obtained  with  the  aid  of  a  balance  which 
enabled  the  operator  to  weigh  to  the  tenth  of  a  grain.  Specific 
gravities  of  alcoholic  liquids,  however,  could  not  be  determined  with 
such  a  rough  balance,  but  required  a  balance  which  could  draw  at 
least  a  thousand  grains  in  each  span  and  turn  with  the  one  thou- 


The  Wines  of  Australia.  817 

sandth  part  of  a  grain  on  either  side.  The  reports  given  by  Mr. 
Fallon  were,  therefore,  not  bulletins  of  a  new  science,  but  records 
of  blunderings  in  matters  of  detail,  and  were  not  worth  the  paper 
on  which  they  were  printed.  As  regarded  the  report  of  the  Eoyal 
Commission  at  Sydney,  alluded  to  by  Mr.  Fallon,  he  (Dr.  Thudi- 
chum)  must  animadvert  strongly  on  the  fact  that  the  details  of 
that  report  had  been  suppressed  by  the  author  of  the  paper.  The 
chemists  appointed  by  the  Commission  had  all  three  analysed  por- 
tions of  the  same  selection  of  grapes,  and  yet  had  come  to  widely 
differing  results.  If  he  (Dr.  Thudichum)  had  been  a  Commissioner, 
or  the  Governor,  in  this  case,  he  would  have  declined  to  receive  such 
a  report,  which  must  discredit  the  chemists  who  made  it,  the  Com- 
mission which  published  it,  and  stultify  the  very  object  for  which  the 
inquiry  was  undertaken.  These  chemists  must  at  least  have  agreed 
amongst  each  other,  though  they  might  have  been  uniformly  wrong, 
as  were  the  employers  of  the  balance  which  could  weigh  the  tenth 
of  a  grain.  But  as  their  differences  amounted  to  several  per  cents. 
in  so  simple  a  matter  as  a  sugar  determination,  one  or  other,  or  all, 
must  be  wrong.  But  they  were  wrong  not  only  in  their  facts  so 
called,  but  equally  so  in  their  arguments.  For  they  assumed  that 
all  the  sugar  contained  in  a  grape-must  would,  by  fermentation,  be 
transformed  into  alcohol.  This  was  a  great  mistake,  an  erroneous 
assumption,  which  they  had  not  supported  by  a  single  experiment ; 
and  it  was,  in  fact,  begging  the  question,  as  the  amount  of  alcohol 
obtainable  in  Australian  grape-must  was  the  question  to  be  deter- 
mined. Two  years  ago  he  (Dr.  Thudichum)  had  made  many  ex- 
periments on  must  from  Spanish  grapes,  with  a  view  of  ascertain- 
ing the  maximum  of  alcohol  obtainable  by  fermentation.  All  arts 
were  tried  that  could  raise  the  alcohol,  such  as  exclusion  of  air  from 
the  must,  fanning  of  air  through  the  must,  addition  of  active  yeast, 
addition  of  sugar  fermentation  with  the  husks  and  without  the 
husks,  maintaining  of  the  fermentation  vessels  day  and  night  at  the 
best  temperature  for  fermentation,  and  so  on ;  no  artifice  was  left  un- 
tried to  produce  the  strongest  wine ;  and  what  was  the  result  ?  In 
no  case  out  of  more  than  thirty  was  a  wine  obtained  which  con- 
tained more  than  22  per  cent,  of  proof  spirit.  These  experiments, 
therefore,  supported  fully  the  teaching  of  science  as  maintained  by 
him  hitherto.  Thus  he  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  new 
matter  contained  in  Mr.  Fallon' s  paper  was  rather  an  exposure 
than  a  scientific  achievement,  and  contained  nothing  with  which  to 
go  before  the  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer  or  a  Parliamentary 
Committee  without  the  risk  of  damaging  the  cause  to  be  advocated. 
He  took  great  interest  in  Australian  wines,  and  believed  many  to 


318  The  Wines  of  Australia. 

have  excellent  qualities,  amongst  them,  first,  that  they  were  not  over- 
alcoholic.*  He  had  records  of  more  than  200  Victorian  wines,  pub- 
lished by  the  Victorian  Government,  in  none  of  which  the  alcohol 
was  above  26  per  cent,  of  proof  spirit.  The  move  which  brought 
forth  the  present  discussion  seemed,  therefore,  to  have  at  least  a  very 
narrow  area  even  in  Australia,  and  could  be  controverted  easily  by 
Australian  data  exclusively.  He  hoped  Mr.  Fallen  would  have  the 
experiments  repeated  by  persons  who  could  analyse  sugar  without 
differing  too  widely,  who  could  weigh  specific  gravities  with  more 
accuracy  than  the  limitation  of  a  tenth  of  a  grain ;  in  short,  repeated 
by  competent  persons,  as  the  term  was  understood  in  this  country, 
and  then  they  might  again  discuss  this  matter  at  a  future  oppor- 
tunity. By  that  time,  also,  Mr.  Fallon  might  perhaps  see  that 
"facts"  could  not  be  exploded  by  "experiments,"  inasmuch  as 
there  were  many  facts,  ascertained  by  observation,  requiring  no 
experiments,  while  "  experiments,"  if  properly  made,  would  yield 
"  facts,"  and  could  not  upset  any.  But  what  they  would  always 
upset  were  fallacies  and  preconceived  opinions.* 

Mr.  MICHIE,  whilst  disclaiming  any  desire  to  dispute  Dr. 
Thudichum's  pretensions  in  connection  with  chemistry,  must  never- 
theless take  leave  to  say  that  he  could  not  defer  to  him  as  a 
reasoner.  His  argument  was  only  paralleled  by  those  persons  of 
whom  they  had  read,  who  doubted  the  existence  of  ice  because  it 
had  never  come  within  their  experience  to  see  water  take  that  form. 
The  Doctor  charged  the  reader  with  an  attempt  to  upset  all  previous 
reasonings,  and  "was  not  going  to  have  his  science  upset  by  any- 
thing coming  from  the  Antipodes."  If  Dr.  Thudichum  had  any 
respect  for  inductive  reasoning,  he  must  be  prepared  to  keep  his 
mind  open  to  all  experience,  whether  coming  from  the  Antipodes  or 
elsewhere.  Nor  could  he  or  his  "  minute  balances  "  be  admitted  to 
the  privilege  of  putting  a  limitation  upon  the  functions  of  nature. 
The  salient  facts  put  forward  by  Messrs.  Lumsdaine  and  Moody 
had  not  been  contradicted,  nor  were  they  to  be  disposed  of  by  any 

*  The  statement  made  in  a  footnote  by  Mr.  Fallon,  that  there  was  no 
Australian  Mercury  is  liable  to  be  looked  upon  as  an  imputing  insinuation 
against  me.  I  therefore  beg  to  state  that  I  have  not  spoken  of  an  Australian 
Mercury  anywhere  in  my  writings.  The  publication  containing  the  statement 
concerning  the  densities  of  Australian  must  obtained  at  Dalwood,  on  the  estate 
of  the  "  Hunter  River  Vineyard  Association  " — a  statement,  let  it  be  remembered, 
given  in  a  speech  by  Mr.  Wyndham,  at  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Association — 
is  reported  in  the  Maitland  (Australian)  Mercury,  of  May  6,  1865.  This  full 
quotation  is  given  in  Thudichum  and  Dnpre,  "  On  the  Origin,  Nature,  and 
Varieties  of  Wines,"  p.  642.  From  his  ignoring  these  and  the  Victorian  obser- 
vations, it  appears  that  Mr.  Fallon  is  but  imperfectly  acquainted  with  the 
Australian  as  wellasEuropean  literature  concerning  his  subject. — (Note  by 
Dr.  Thudichum.) 


The  Wines  of  Australia.  319 

such  process  as  that  proposed  to  them  from  the  laboratory  of  Dr. 
Thudichum,  or  anyone  else. 

Mr.  W.  H.  BURTON,  having  had  great  experience  in  the  Customs' 
Department  of  London,  and  being  at  present  deeply  interested  in 
Colonial  wine,  ventured  to  make  a  few  remarks  on  the  subject. 
He  tendered  his  sincere  thanks  to  Mr.  Fallon  for  his  untiring  zeal 
in  advocating  the  cause  of  Australian  wine.  He  thought,  however, 
he  had  directed  his  energies  in  a  wrong  direction  when  he  attempted 
to  get  the  Government  of  this  country  to  favour  the  Australian 
wines  by  any  sort  of  special  legislation.  His  conviction  was  that 
the  wines  required  no  such  nursing,  they  had  sufficient  merit  to 
make  their  way  in  this  country,  let  the  alcoholic  test  be  what  it 
might.  Indeed,  if  the  proposed  change  were  made,  he  could  only 
anticipate  a  like  fate  to  the  wines  of  Australia  which  happened  to 
the  wines  of  the  Cape  Colony,  when  the  concession  of  duty  in 
their  favour  was  removed  in  1860.  Instead  of  the  colonists  asking 
for  a  special  reduction  in  the  duty  on  wine  which  would  favour 
their  produce,  it  would  tend  more  to  the  permanent  benefit  of  the 
Colonies,  and  to  the  speedy  development  of  the  wine  interest,  if  each 
Colony  could  appoint  an  export  committee,  whose  duty  it  would  be 
to  prevent  the  sending  of  wines  to  this  country  and  elsewhere 
which  would  bring  discredit  on  the  name  of  Australian  wine.  It 
would  in  the  end  be  cheaper  to  let  the  wine  run  into  the  sea  than 
allow  it  to  come  over  here  to  increase  the  prejudice  which  was  already 
too  prevalent.  With  regard  to  the  question  of  duties,  it  ought  not 
to  be  overlooked  that  wine  is  now  greatly  favoured  as  compared  to 
any  other  liquid  which  contains  spirit.  Wine  containing  25  per 
cent,  of  proof  spirit  can  now  be  admitted  at  a  duty  of  Is.  per 
gallon,  and  wine  of  41  per  cent,  of  proof  spirit  can  be  admitted  at 
a  duty  of  2s.  6d.  per  gallon.  The  duty  on  British  spirit  being  10s. 
r>er  proof  gallon,  it  follows  that  if  25  degrees  of  spirit  are  admitted 
it  Is.,  15  of  such  degrees  pass  duty  free  ;  or  if  wine  containing  40 
degrees  of  spirit  be  passed  at  2s.  6d.  per  gallon,  it  is  clear  that  if 
the  spirit  in  wine  were  taxed  according  to  its  alcoholic  strength,  as 
all  other  spirituous  liquids  are,  the  duty  charged  should  be  4s., 
instead  of  2s.  6d.,  to  place  it  on  a  level  with  British  spirit,  which  is 
charged  at  the  rate  of  Is.  for  every  10  degrees.  Speaking  generally, 
it  might  be  affirmed  that  were  the  alcoholic  test  strictly  applied, 
wine  would  have  to  pay  Is.  per  gallon  more  than  the  duty  now 
charged.  In  the  face  of  such  facts,  how  could  the  wine  importer 
ask  for  further  remissions  ?  His  fear  was  that  if  the  Chancellor  of 
the  Exchequer  came  to  look  into  the  matter,  and  that  more  revenue 
were  required,  the  wine  duties  would  be  increased  instead  of 


320  The  Wines  of  Australia. 

loweredi  If  all  articles  coming  into  this  country,  whether  contain- 
ing spirit  or  that  spirit  were  used  in  the  manufacture,  pay  duty  to  the 
uttermost  tenth  of  such  spirit,  why  should  wine  be  an  exception  ? 
If  chloroform,  ethers,  lotions,  and  all  kinds  of  medicines  intended 
for  the  alleviation  of  suffering  were  so  charged  ;  if,  for  instance,  an 
article  known  as  "  Pain  Killer"  were  charged  a  duty  of  14s.  per 
gallon,  why  should  the  pain  producer — the  vile  decoctions  coming 
in  under  the  guise  of  wine — be  admitted,  because  they  assume  that 
name,  at  a  duty  of  2s.  6d.  per  gallon  ?  He  felt  sure  that  the  agita- 
tion of  this  question  would  not  benefit  the  producer  or  importer  of 
good  honest  wine. 

Mr.  STKANGWAYS  said  that  the  question  of  Colonial  wines  had 
presented  itself  in  different  aspects :  the  producers'  view,  the  official, 
and  the  scientific,  which  latter,  he  confessed,  he  could  not  under- 
stand. He  would  say  a  view  words  on  the  most  important  view  of 
all,  i.e.  the  consumers'.  Mr.  Fallon  asked  to  be  allowed  to  import 
Australian  wines  into  this  country  at  80  degrees  strength  at  Is. 
per  gallon  duty.  That  was  too  strong.  With  regard  to  the  Conti- 
nental wines  we  are  drinking,  he  referred  to  a  book  on  the  "  Adul- 
teration of  Food,"  in  which  he  found  this  passage  on  wine  : — 
"  Probable  adulterations  :  extracts  of  the  rhatany,  logwood,  brazil- 
wood, elderberry,  the  berries  of  the  Virginian  poke,  purple  holyoak, 
&c. ;  colum,  glucose,  cyder,  plain  spirit,  caramel,  catechu,  and 
water."  In  another  place  he  found  "  beetroot,  litumus  or  orchil, 
petals  of  red  poppy,  privet  berries,  and  myrtle  "  alluded  to.  As  to  the 
strength  of  wines,  he  found  the  actual  strength  of  the  Continental 
wines  as  made,  not  as  imported  here,  from  6  to  28  per  cent,  by 
volume,  that  is,  wines  as  they  are  made  in  the  country.  He  was 
not  a  wine-maker,  though  he  had  often  drunk  Colonial  wine  in 
Australia  and  at  the  Cape ;  but  he  must  say  that  the  Australian 
wine-makers  had  nobody  to  thank  but  themselves  for  the  bad 
character  the  wines  got  in  this  country.  When  he  came  home  he 
brought  some  wine  with  him.  When  he  got  to  the  docks  he  asked 
the  Customs'  officer  how  much  of  it  would  get  through,  when 
he  confidentially  assured  him  that  it  was  quite  safe,  adding  that  the 
officers  had  been  too  often  done  with  such  stuff,  and  he  might 
depend  upon  it  none  of  them  would  touch  it.  He  knew  from 
experience  that  Australian  wines  had  increased  in  production 
largely  within  the  past  few  years,  and  he  was  sure  that  nearly  all 
the  best  wines  made  there  would  do  well  to  send  over  to  this 
country ;  but  they,  until  latterly,  consumed  it  all  themselves,  and  it 
was  only  the  inferior  material  that  had  been  forwarded  to  this 
country.  The  effect  of  this  he  took  leave  to  call  attention  to.  In 


The  Wines  of  Australia.  821 

a  paragraph  of  a  London  newspaper,  published  on  the  12th  June 
instant,  which  professed  to  be  a  review  of  the  statistics  of  South 
Australia,  the  following  was  the  opinion  of  the  reviewer  on  the 
wines  :  "  Much  as  we  sympathise  with  Australian  energy  and  pro- 
gress, we  must  put  in  a  mild  protest  against  Mr.  Boothby's  state- 
ment that  '  the  wines  of  South  Australia  are,  as  a  rule,  of  a  high 
character.'  Viler  and  more  acrid  compounds  we  have  never  tasted." 
He  had  not  seen  that  any  person  connected  with  the  Australian 
wine  interest  had  the  public  spirit  to  contradict  it.  To  go  to  the 
question  of  fortification  of  wines,  perhaps  Mr.  Michie  and  himself 
had  had  something  to  do  with  the  framing  of  some  of  the  Austra- 
lian laws  as  to  distillation  and  customs,  and  to  hear  and  receive  a 
great  deal  of  information  on  the  subject  of  the  strength  of  wine. 
Every  South  Australian  wine-grower  had  a  still — not  a  common, 
old-fashioned  still,  but  generally  one  with  the  latest  improvements 
— wherein  they  put  all  the  old  wines  and  wine  refuse  at  one  end, 
and  run  the  spirit  out  at  the  other  60  degrees  or  more  over  proof. 
In  making  the  wine,  the  wine-makers  had  told  him  that  they  were 
obliged  to  keep  in  their  cellars  spirits  ready  for  use,  in  order,  if  they 
had  a  second  fermentation  of  the  wine,  that  they  might  have  the 
power  to  check  it,  and  they  might  consider  how  much  of  that  added 
to  the  natural  strength  of  the  wine ;  and  they  rinse  the  cask  with 
spirit,  which,  owing  to  the  nature  of  the  climate  there,  became 
perfectly  dry,  and  not  a  drop  of  moisture  in  it.  The  casks  were 
frequently  rinsed  out  with  a  strong  spirit,  60  over  proof.  The  dry 
casks  absorb  large  quantities  of  the  spirit,  and  when  the  wine  was 
put  in,  all  the  spirit  was  absorbed  into  the  wine,  and  of  course 
increased  its  strength.  With  regard  to  the  difficulty  of  getting  the 
wine  to  England,  he  had  over  and  over  again  seen  the  Australian 
wines  carted  along  the  roads  without  any  protection,  exposed  to  the 
heat  of  an  almost  vertical  sun ;  and  he  had  seen  the  wines  lying  on 
the  wharves  hours  at  the  time  exposed  to  the  sun.  The  wines  were 
generally  not  bottled  before  being  shipped  on  board,  and  were  liable 
in  cask  to  a  further  fermentation ;  they  were  frequently  sent  home 
in  a  wool  ship,  and  were  stowed  away  in  places  of  93  degrees  and 
94  degrees  of  heat.  A  delicate  wine  kept  in  such  a  temperature  for 
weeks  at  a  time  was  likely  to  get  spoilt,unless  very  strongly  braiidied. 
Many  of  the  Australian  and  Cape  wines  were  exceedingly  good,  and 
some  no  good  at  all.  With  respect  to  the  scientific  point,  his  own 
impression  was  that  the  experience  of  Dr.  Thudichum,  with  regard 
to  fermentation  carried  on  by  means  of  bottles  in  a  laboratory,  was 
utterly  valueless  in  respect  of  the  effect  that  might  be  produced 
upon  the  large  quantities  of  wine  in  a  wine-maker's  cellar. 


822  The  Wines  of  Australia. 

Mr.  FRED.  YOUNG  :  It  is  my  agreeable  duty  to  propose  a  vote  of 
thanks  to  Mr.  Pallon  for  the  interesting  paper  he  has  read.  In  the 
discussion  which  succeeded  it,  I  observe  that  Mr.  MacArthur  con- 
fined his  remarks  principally  to  the  doubt  he  considered  there  was, 
whether  the  Australians  had  done  sufficient  justice  to  that  important 
industry  by  exporting  inferior  classes  of  wine.  He  also  stated  that 
he  considered  it  was  an  important  thing  that  the  good  natural  wines 
of  Australia  should  be  encouraged  to  be  drank  in  this  country  instead 
of  the  artificial  and  impure  wines  of  other  countries,  because  he 
thought  it  would  produce  temperance  among  the  people,  and  be 
productive  of  other  great  benefits.  Mr.  Michie,  who  followed, 
indulged  us  with  one  of  his  interesting  and  characteristic  speeches, 
and  he  called  our  attention,  among  other  things,  to  the  prejudice 
which  undoubtedly  exists  in  this  country,  to  a  large  extent  probably 
on  every  subject,  and  he  very  properly  alluded  to  that  important 
personage  who  occupies  such  a  large  amount  of  attention  in  this 
country,  the  "  foolometer,"  before  whom  so  many  of  us  are  too  apt 
to  bow.  I  must  confess  I  felt  with  him  on  the  subject  of  Australian 
wines,  as  on  other  subjects,  that  there  is  a  great  deal  of  undue  and 
unfair  prejudice  with  regard  to  them.  There  are  Australian  wines 
and  Australian  wines,  no  doubt ;  but  there  are  some  which  Mr. 
Fallon  can  produce  in  the  English  market  which  are  very  fine 
wines,  and  merit  much  greater  appreciation  than  they  have  hitherto 
attained  in  this  country.  We  have  had  an  important  importation 
into  this  discussion  of  two  gentlemen  having  official  experience — 
Mr.  Burton  and  Mr.  Keene — and  I  am  sure  we  are  much  indebted  to 
them  for  the  testimony  they  have  given,  and  to  the  way  in  which 
they  have  treated  this  subject  from  a  professional  and  scientific 
point  of  view.  Dr.  Thudichum  followed,  and  it  was  very  natural, 
as  he  had  been  somewhat  severely  attacked,  that  he  should  maintain 
his  side  of  the  question  with  vigour  and  confidence.  We  all  know 
the  danger  we  incur,  particularly  when  we  do  not  happen  to  be 
scientific  people,  if  we  attempt  to  upset  any  of  the  doctrines  of 
science  ;  and  it  was  quite  clear,  at  all  events  as  far  as  he  was  con- 
cerned, that  there  could  be  no  question  whatever  in  his  own  mind 
of  the  truth  of  his  experiments,  and  that  anything  militating 
against  them  must  be,  in  his  opinion,  utterly  valueless  and  worth- 
less. I  am  not  here  to  take  one  side  or  the  other  on  such  an 
abstruse  question  as  this ;  but  I  must  leave  it  in  the  hands  of 
those  better  able  to  judge  than  myself.  Mr.  Strangways  fol- 
lowed, and  gave  some  exceedingly  interesting  information  ;  and 
I  must  confess  that  I  have  gathered  from  the  whole  of  this  discus- 
sion this  impression,  that  we  have  all  talked  about  the  occasional 


The  Wines  of  Australia.  323 

inferiority  of  the  Australian  wines  produced  in  this  country,  but 
we  have  not  exactly  grappled  with  the  particular  point  which  Mr. 
Fallen  wished  to  bring  'Jbefore  pur  attention,  viz.  that  there  is  a 
natural  value  in  |the  Australian  wines  which  our  national  taste 
prevents  our  being  able  to  appreciate,  and  the  mode  of  levying 
our  Customs'  duties  in  this  country  places  them  at  a  disadvantage 
with  respect  to  other  fortified  wines.  It  seems  to  me  that  al- 
though science  has  not  yet  discovered  a  remedy,  still  any  injustice, 
if  injustice  it  is,  should  be  removed  by  some  additional  means 
being  adopted  of  levying  the  duties  in  a  proper  way,  so  as  to  give 
the  justice  and  fair  play  to  the  Australian  wines  which  their  natural 
merits  demand.  I  cannot  see  that  there  is  any  difficulty  as  far  as 
the  Customs  are  concerned,  or  as  far  as  any  scientific  points  which 
have  been  brought  before  us  this  evening  go.  Because  these  wines 
are  only  natural  wines,  and  happen  to  be  of  a  superior  quality,  that 
they  should  be  compelled  to  pay  the  duties  which  are  levied  upon 
other  fortified  wines,  seems  to  be  unjust.  I  propose  that  you  should 
give  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  to  Mr.  Fallon  for  his  excellent  paper 
of  this  evening,  which  is  an  important  one  as  connected  with  a 
valuable  industry  of  the  great  Colonies  of  Australia.  I  will  mention 
that  it  is  quite  understood  on  these  occasions  that,  while  we  are 
glad  to  give  a  platform  to  the  discussion  of  any  important  questions 
of  this  kind,  we  do  not  promise  to  take  up  deputations,  or  pledge 
ourselves  to  any  subsequent  action.  We  simply  desire  at  these 
meetings  to  give  opportunities  for  gentlemen  to  ventilate  their 
opinions  and  views  on  questions  of  importance  to  Colonial  interests. 
But  as  to  whether  we  shall  take  any  special  or  particular  action 
afterwards,  must  be  left  entirely  to  those  who  direct  the  policy  of 
the  Koyal  Colonial  Institute. 

Mr.  FALLON,  in  reply  :  As  time  is  late  I  will  just  note  the  remarks 
of  the  different  speakers.  Mr.  Michie,  Mr.  Keene,  and  Mr.  Burton 
appeared  to  be  under  the  impression  that  we  wished  to  have  dif- 
ferential duties  with  regard  to  Australia.  In  my  paper  I  wished  for 
nothing  of  the  kind.  We  simply  wish  to  have  the  tariff  altered 
from  26  to  30.  The  principle  on  which  we  seek  to  have  this  altera- 
tion made  is  quite  clear.  There  can  be  no  question  that  it  was  the 
intention  of  the  franier  of  the  present  Customs'  Act  in  1861  to  em- 
brace within  the  low  rate  of  duty  all  wines  produced  from  pressure 
and  fermentation  alone,  in  the  usual  way  from  the  grape  in  its 
natural  state,  as  it  is  gathered  from  the  vine.  For  that  purpose  a 
special  Royal  Commission  was  appointed,  and  upon  their  report 
this  Customs'  Act  of  the  Government  of  the  day  was  framed  and 
the  limit  fixed.  At  that  time  Australian  wines  were  scarcely 
Y  2 


824  The  Wines  of  Australia. 

known ;  in  fact,  it  is  since  that  period  the  Australian  wine  has 
come  into  existence ;  and  I  simply  say  now,  that  as  it  was  then  the 
intention  of  the  Government  to  include  all  natural  wines  within  the 
shilling  duty,  the  Government  will  merely  be  carrying  out  its 
original  resolve  by  acceding  to  our  wishes.  But  if  this  cannot  be 
done,  we  are  willing  to  accept  and  pay  a  pro  rata  advance  up  to  30 
per  cent.,  but  I  think  it  is  unfair  to  the  Australian  growers,  simply 
because  the  Australian  product  naturally  gives  beyond  the  26  per 
cent.,  that  it  should  be  surcharged  150  per  cent,  beyond  the  regular 
amount  of  duty.  It  is  too  bad  that  the  Australian  producer  of 
pure  wines  should  be  placed  on  a  level  with  those  who  send  their 
brandied  compounds  measuring  up  to  42  per  cent,  of  proof  spirit. 
Indeed,  it  seems  to  me  very  hard  that  because  nature  has  favoured 
us.  with  soil  and  climate  to  produce  unusual  results,  the  British 
Customs  should  intervene,  and  practically  force  us  out  of  the 
market.  As  to  the  alterations  of  the  Customs,  we  do  not  want  any- 
thing of  the  kind.  Differential  duties  have  long  been  expunged 
from  the  British  tariff,  and  it  is  not  our  wish  that  the  Government 
should  reintroduce  any  such  measure  by  adopting  a  principle 
applicable  to  Australia  alone.  All  we  ask  for  is  a  fair  field  and  no 
favour.  As  to  the  Continental  wines,  I  would  not  interfere  in  any 
way  with  the  Customs,  because  all  the  French  and  German  wines 
are  below  26  per  cent.,  and  the  Spanish  and  Portuguese  wines  are 
far  beyond  it.  With  reference  to  Dr.  Thudichum's  remarks  in 
reference  to  the  instruments  used  by  the  officer  who  conducted  the 
investigations  in  Victoria,  I  maintain  that  a  balance  that  will 
measure  to  the  one-tenth  part  of  a  grain  is  quite  sufficient  for  our 
purpose.  Even  Dr.  Thudichum's  balance,  that  could  measure 
to  one-hundredth  part  of  a  grain,  could  produce  no  perceptible 
results  as  to  spirit  strength,  and,  if  at  all  definable,  would  most 
undoubtedly  tell  in  favour  of  the  arguments  I  have  endeavoured  to 
lay  before  the  meeting.  The  gentlemen  who  conducted  those 
experiments  are  very  well  known  in  Australia,  at  all  events,  for  their 
ability  and  integrity.  They  went,  and,  instead — as  Dr  .Thudicum 
would  lead  the  meeting  to  believe — of  handing  the  must  or  the  juice 
to  chemists — they  did  nothing  of  the  kind :  they  went  into  the  vine- 
yard, and  took  their  men  with  them,  and  had  the  grapes  pressed 
out,  carried  the  juice  away  with  them,  and  placed  in  charge  of  an 
officer  of  their  department ;  so  that  the  must  had  never  gone  out  of 
their  possession  until  they  gave  their  report ;  and  you  have  here 
Mr.  Heath's  certificate  to  show  that  the  samples  he  collected  never 
departed  from  his  possession  until  he  gave  his  return. 


The   Whim  of  Austnditi.  325 

Mr.  MICHIE  :  Are  some  of  the  Spanish  and  Portuguese  wines 
unfortified  under  26  ? 

Mr.  FALLON  :  I  presume  they  are.  The  principle  on  which  I  ask 
for  the  change  is  this — that  because  our  wines  are  pure  and  natural, 
that  I  think  we  have  a  right  to  ask  that  the  change  should  he 
made  ;  but  if  the  Government  will  not  alter  the  maximum  from  26 
to  30,  we  are  then  willing  to  pay  a  proportionate  advance  on  the 
extra  strength.  It  would  be  highly  satisfactory  to  us  if  the  Govern- 
ment adopted  a  sliding  scale  such  as  that  recommended  by  Mr. 
Moody.  If  it  is  possible  to  carry  on  a  sliding  scale  from  42  and 
upwards,  then  I  cannot  see  why  it  cannot  be  carried  from  26  up- 
wards. With  reference  to  Dr.  Thudichum's  invitation  to  carry  on 
the  investigations,  I  do  not  think  it  will  be  necessary  to  follow  his 
advice,  inasmuch  as  the  scientific  men  who  have  considered  this 
subject,  the  general  public,  and  all  the  vignerons  interested,  are 
fully  satisfied  that  pure  natural  wines  can  be  produced  from  grapes 
grown  in  Australian  vineyards,  which,  by  fermentation,  will  yield 
a  wine  possessing  up  to  80  per  cent,  and  upwards  of  proof  spirit, 
notwithstanding  Dr.  Thudichum's  opinion  to  the  contrary.  And 
although  Dr.  Thudichum  may  still  remain  a  sceptic,  I  think  I  shall 
be  perfectly  satisfied,  and  my  friends  too,  to  allow  him  to  enjoy  his 
opinions,  and  I  do  not  think  we  shall  suffer  from  it.  I  thank  you 
all  very  much  for  your  kind  vote. 

The  CHAIRMAN  announced  it  was  the  concluding  meeting. 

Mr.  BUKTON  proposed  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the  Chairman,  which 
was  seconded  and  carried  unanimously,  for  which  the  CHAIRMAN 
returned  his  thanks. 

The  meeting  then  concluded. 


(  326 


CONVERSAZIONE. 

THE  third  Annual  Conversazione  of  the  Institute  took  place  at  the 
South  Kensington  Museum,  on  Wednesday,  the  28th  June,  and 
was  a  most  successful  gathering,  every  portion  of  the  British 
Empire  being  influentially  represented. 

The  receptions  took  place  in  the  ground  floor  of  the  Museum, 
which  was  handsomely  decorated  with  choice  plants  and  flowers, 
and  which  was,  as  usual,  brilliantly  and  effectively  lighted  up. 

The  band  of  the  Grenadier  Guards,  under  the  direction  of  Mr. 
Dan  Godfrey,  played  a  choice  selection  of  music  during  the  evening. 

Refreshments  were  served  in  the  corridors. 

In  the  Roman  Court  were  exhibited  the  valuable  collection  of 
maps  belonging  to  the  Institute,  and  many  objects  of  interest  and 
value,  kindly  lent  for  this  purpose  by  the  following  gentlemen, 
viz. :  Messrs.  N.  Chevalier,  William  Fox,  Quintin  Hogg,  A.  Michie, 
F.  J.  D.  Dore,  Frederick  Young,  Thos.  Watson,  N.  Darnell  Davis, 
J.  B.  Montefiorie,  A.  Buchanan,  M.D.,  Thomas  Hamilton,  &c. 

The  company  were  received  by  His  Grace  the  Duke  of  Man- 
chester and  the  Council  at  9  o'clock. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  those  present : — 

Sir  George  Arney  and  lady  (late  Chief  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  A.  Bloxham 

Justice  of  New  Zealand)  Mr.  and  Miss  Bramwell 

The    Kev.    Bruce    Austin    and    lady  Mr.  T.  B.  H.  Berkeley  (St.  Kitts) 

(Barbados)  Mr.  James  Brogden  and  lady 

Mr.  Raees  Udden  Ahmed  Mr.  E.  G.  Barr  and  lady 

Mr.  A.  B.  Abraham  and  lady  (New  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  W.  Bourne  and  Miss 

Zealand)  Bourne 

Mr.  C.  E.  Atkinson  and  lady  (Cape)  Mr.  E.  J.  Burgess  and  lady 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Alexander  Mr.  W.  A.  Brodribb  and  lady  (South 
Mr.  William  Annand  and  lady  (Nova  Africa) 

Scotia)  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harley  Bacon 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  Aitken  Mr.  J.  A.  Bam  and  lady  (South  Africa) 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lennox  Browne 

Sir  David  W.  Barclay,  Bart.,  and  lady  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Boyd  Browning 

(Mauritius)  Mrs.  Browning 

Colonel   Sir    Thomas    Gore    Browne,  Dr.  Buchanan  and  lady  (New  Zealand) 

C.B.  and  K.C.M.G.,  and  lady  Mr.  S.  A.  Braithwaite 

Major  W.  F.  Butler,  C.B.,  and  lady  Mr.  Gamaliel  Butler 

Captain  Burgess  and  lady  Mr.  P.  Leicester  Butler 

Dr.  Brace  Miss  Briggs 

Mr.    and    Mrs.     Buckler,    and    Miss  Miss  Brind 

Buckler  Miss  Bisdee 

Mr.  Henry  Elaine.  Miss  Sarah  Bisdee 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beaumont  Miss  Constance  Bisdee 


Conversazione, 


327 


tviiss  Bennett 

Miss  Brimcker 

Miss  Burleigh 

Miss  Louisa  Burleigh 

Mr.  P.  G.  Vander  Byl  and  lady  (South 

Africa) 

Mr.  F.  W.  Chesson  and  Mrs.  Chesson 
Mr.   A.   H.   Barber  and  Misa  Bessie 

Barber 

Mr.  Henry  M.  A.  Black 
Mr.  A.  D.  Bryce 
Mr.  W.  F.  Barry 
Mr.  Thomas  Baynes  (West  Indies) 

Sir  Charles  Clifford,  Lady  Clifford,  and 
Miss  Clifford  (New  Zealand) 

Mr.  W.  Clifford 

Rt.  Hon.  Hugh  E.  Childers,  M.P.,  and 
Miss  Childers 

Archdeacon  Cooper 

Sir  John  Coode  and  Miss  Coode 

Mr.  N.  Chevalier  and  Mrs.  Chevalier 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cama 

Mr.  Hyde  Clarke  and  lady 

Mr.  Donald  Currie  and  lady 

Miss  Currie 

Mr.  F.  W.  Carr 

Mr.  Henry  Cloete  (South  Africa) 

Mr.  J.  A.  Carfrae 

Mr.  Clifford  and  lady 

Mr.  T.  C.  Chown  and  lady 

Miss  Cay 

Miss  Cowley 

Hon.  F.  B.  T.  Carter  (Premier  of 
Newfoundland) 

Miss  Clark 

Miss  F.  Croft 

Miss  Croft 

Mrs.  "W".  F.  Cronin 

Miss  Cocks 

Miss  Mary  Cocks 

Mr.  P.  G.  Carvill  and  lady 

Mr.  William  Clarson 

Mr.  W.  A.  Clarson 

Mr.  H.  Corrodi 

Miss  Cumberland 

Miss  Cnmming 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  David  Crombie 

The  Earl  and  Countess  of  Denbigh 
Mr.  F.  J.  S.  Dore  (Emigration  Agent 

for  Canada) 

Mr.  W.  T.  Deverell  and  lady 
Mr.  Stewart  Douglas  and  lady 
Mr.  F.    S.    Dutton,  C.M.G.  and  lady 

(Agent       General       for      South 

Australia) 

Mr.  Fred.  Dutton,  jun. 
Mr.  W.  L.  Docker  and  lady 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dormett 


Mr.  Alfred  Dormett 

Mr.  aud  Miss  Daniel 

Mr.  N.  Darnell  Davis  (British  Guiana) 

Miss  Dowell 

Mrs.  Deane 

Sir  Barrow  Elles  and  lady 

Major  Elles 

Captain  Evans  and  lady 

Mr.  Passmore  Edwards  and  lady 

Mrs.  Eddy 

Mr.  Herbert  Edwards 

Mr.  Stanley  Edwards 

Mr.  G.  S.  Edwards 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coningsby  Erskine 

Miss  Evans 

The  Right  Hon.  W.  E.  Forster,  M.P., 
Mrs.  and  Miss  Forster 

The  Hon.  Dudley  Fortescue  and  lady 

The  Eight  Hon.  Sir  Seymour  Fitz- 
gerald and  Lady  Fitzgerald 

Dr.  Fortescue  and  lady 

Hon.  William  Fox  and  MrB.  Fox  (New 
Zealand) 

Mr.  H.  W.  Freeland  and  lady 

Mr.  Anthony  Forster  and  lady  (South 
Australia) 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Vesey  Fitzgerald  (Vic- 
toria) 

Miss  Vesey  Fitzgerald 

Miss  H.  Vesey  Fitzgerald 

Mr.  C.  E.  French 

Mr.  Fraser 

Mr.  J.  T.  Fallen  and  lady  (New  South 
Wales) 

Miss  Foxton 

Misses  Flint  (two) 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fenn 

Mr.  E.  G.  Fitzgibbon  and  lady  (Mel- 
bourne) 

Mr.  Nicholas  Fitzgerald  and  lady 

Mrs.  Fraeer 

Miss  Fnllerton 

Lord  and  Lady  Fermoy 

Colonel  Gibb.,  E.A.,  and  lady 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gueson 

Mr.  C.  H.  Gregory,  C.M.G. ,  and  lady 

Mr.  T.  B.   Glanville  and  lady   (South 

Africa) 

Mr.  Edward  Godsal 
Miss  Gray 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Greene 
Mr.  W.  D.    Griffith  and  lady  (South 

Africa) 

Mr.  G.  E.  Godson  and  lady 
Mr.  Augustus  Gibbes 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henderson  Gibb 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  F.  Gahan 


328 


Conversazione. 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Guy 

Mr.  and  Miss  James  Grierson 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  W.  Gill 

Mr.  F.  A.  Gwynne  and  lady  (N.  S. 
Wales) 

Mr.  Edward  Greaves  and  lady 

Mr.  Frank  Giles 

Sir  Stephen  and  Lady  Hill  (Newfound- 
land) 

The  Eev.  A.  Styleman  Herring  and 
lady 

Miss  Hammond 

Mr.  J.  S.  Hill  and  lady 

Mr.  H.  De  B.  Hollings 

Miss  Hislop 

Mr.  R.  E.  Harris 

Miss  Henderson 

Mr.  Charles  Harper  and  ladies 

Mr.  Sidney  Hillior  and  Miss  Hillior 

Mrs.  Hutton 

Mr.  Quintin  Hogg  and  lady  (West 
Indies) 

Mr.  C.  W.  Holden 

Mrs.  Pearson  Hill 

Miss  Harrison 

Mr.  Hamilton 

Mr.  W.  Hall  and  Mrs.  Hall 

Mr.  W.  Henty  and  lady  (Tasmania) 

Mrs.  Hamilton 

Mrs.  Hirst  and  Miss  Hirst 

Miss  E.  Hirst 

Miss  R.  Hirst 

Miss  Hawes 

Mr.  Hartwell  Henslowe 

Miss  Hyoe 

Miss  Hamilton 

Mr.  Henry  Hall  and  Miss  Hall  and 
Miss  F.  Hall  (South  Africa) 

Mr.  F.  W.  Hill 

Mr.  John  L.  Hendy 

Mr.  J.  V.  H.  Irwin  and  Mrs.  Miller 

Sir  Henry  M.  Jackson  and  lady 
Admiral  and  Mrs.  Oliver  Jones 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  E.  Campbell-John- 

stone 

Mr.  T.  B.  Jamieson  and  lady  (Victoria) 
Mr.  Hugh  Jamieson  and  lady  (Victoria) 
Mr.  W.B.Jones 
Miss  Johnstone 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  W.  James 
Mr.  Johnson 
Mr.  E.  S.  Johnson 
Mr.  P.  A.  Jennings. 

Mr.  Henry  Kimber  and  lady 
Mr.  Frank  Karuth  and  lady 
Mr.   and  Mrs.   Alfred   Kingston    and 
Miss  Kingston 


Mr.  William  Knight  and  lady  (Tas- 
mania) 

Mr.  A.  H.  Knight  and  lady  (Tasmania) 
Mr.  Eichard  Kidner  and  lady 
Mrs.  and  Miss  King  (Tasmania) 
Mr.  Arthur  C.  M.  Keell 
Miss  Keith 

Mr.  W.  E.  Lawson  and  lady 

Mr.  George  Lee  Lord  and  lady  (Tas- 
mania) 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  P.  Labilliere 

Lient.  E.  A.  Liardet,  E.N.,  and  lady 
(British  Consul,  Samoa) 

Miss  Lamb 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ludlam 

Mr.  L'Estrange 

Mr.  W.  Anderson  Low  and  lady 

Mr.  Nathaniel  Levin  and  lady 

Eobert  Landale  and  lady 

His  Grace  the  Duke  of  Manchester 
Sir  J.  W.  Clinton  Murdoch,  K.C.M.G., 

and  Lady  Murdoch 
Sir     Eichard      Graves     MacDonnell, 

K.C.M.G.   and  C.B.,    and    Lady 

MacDonnell 

Colonel  McDonnell  and  Mrs.  Mc- 
Donnell 

Surgeon-General  MacKinnon,  C.B. 
Mr.  Justin  and  Mrs.  MacCarthy 
Mr.  J.  H.  MacCarthy  and  Miss  E.  C. 

MacCarthy 
Mr.     Gisborne     Molineux    and     lady 

(Canada) 
Mr.   and    Mrs.    H.    E.    Montgomerie 

(Canada) 

Miss  Edmonstone  Montgomerie 
Mr.  Ernald  Mosely 
Miss  Mackinnon 
Mr.  W.  J.  Mackean 
Mr.  Sidney  Montefiore  (Victoria) 
Mr.  Herbert  Montefiore 
Mr.  J.  J.  Miles 

Mr.  J.  M.  P.  Montagu  and  lady 
Sir  George  MacLeay  K.C.M.G.  (N.  S. 

Wales) 

Mr.  Oswell  MacLeay 
Mr.  Jacob  Montefiore 
Mr.  G.  B.  Montefiore 
Miss  Muir 
Miss  Martin 
Dr.  Mackenna 
Miss  E.  Meier 
Dr.  Eichard  MacDonnell 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mewburn 
Mr.  Miller  (Canada) 
Mrs.  and  Miss  Miller 
Miss  Florence  Mandnet 


Conversazione, 


Sir  Charles  Nicholson,  Bar  .,  and  Lady 
Nicholson  (N.  S.  Wale-;) 

Mr.  Frederick  Nelson  and  lady  (New- 
Zealand 

Mr.  Kerry  Nicholls  (Queensland) 

Mrs.  Bladen  Neill  and  a  lady  (Victoria) 

Mr.  T.  Nugent 

Mr.  Philip  Henry  Nind  and  lady 
(Queensland) 

Mr.  E.  W.  Nutt  and  lady 

Mr.   and  Mrs.  Edward    L.   O'Malley, 

(Attorney-General,  Jamaica) 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Ord 
Mr.  John  H.  O'Neill  and  lady  (Canada) 

Sir  Julian  and  Lady  Pauncefote 

Captain  Pallaser 

Sir  William  Tyrone  Power,  K.C.B.,  and 

lady   (Acting  Agent-General  for 

New  Zealand) 
The    Eight    Eev.   Bishop   Perry   and 

Mrs.  Perry  (Victoria) 
Captain  Bedford  Pirn,  E.N.,  M.P.,  and 

lady 

Mr.  C.  J.  Poole  (Victoria) 
Professor    Bonamy    Price    and    Mrs. 

Price 

Mr.  J.  Plummer  and  lady 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  Porter 
Captain  Petrie  and  lady 
Dr.  Pearson 

Mr.  Richard  Philpott  and  lady 
Mr.  John  C.  Paget  and  lady 
Mr.  J.  Sampson  Prince  and  lady  (Cape) 
Dr.  W.  E.  Pugh  and  lady  (Victoria) 
Mr.  J.   H.   Phillips  and  Mrs.  Phillips 

(Barbados) 
Mr.  Myles  Patterson  and  lady  (N.  S. 

Wales) 
Mrs.  Parsons 
Miss  Prentice 

Mr.  T.  F.  Quin  and  lady  (West  Africa) 

Sir  Eawson  Eawson  and  lady 

Sir  John  Eose,  Bart.,  K.C.M.G.,  and 

lady  (Canada) 
The  Hon.  J.  B.  Eoche 
The  Hon.  Misses  Eoche  (2) 
Captain  Henry  Eobinson,  E.N. 
Hon.  J.  Eobertson  and  lady  (Canada) 
Miss  M.  S.  Eobertson 
The  Eight  Eev.  Bishop  Eyan  and  lady 

(Mauritius) 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  Eose 
Dr.   J.   Eae   and   Mrs.    Eae    (Arctic 

traveller) 

Mr.  James  Eae  and  lady 
Mr.  John  Eae  and  lady 


Miss  Eae 

Mr.  E.  Eyall  and  lady  (South  Africa) 

Mr.  F.  E.  Round 

Mr.  E.  H.  Eussell  and  Mrs.  Eussell 
(New  Zealand) 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Purvis  Russell  (New 
Zealand) 

Mrs.  and  Miss  Rudston  Read 

Mr.  Hamilton  Ross  and  lady  (South 
Africa) 

Miss  Eye 

Mr.  C.  Bolleston  and  lady  (New  South 
Wales) 

Mr.  and  Miss  Eayne 

Miss  Eusden 

Mr.  Heaton  Robinson  and  Miss  Robin- 
son 

Sir  Charles  Stirling,  Bart.,  and  Lady 

Stirling 
Captain    Strahan,    C.M.G.  (Governor, 

Gold  Coast) 
Hon.    Graham   Manners    Sutton   and 

Mrs.  Sutton. 

Mr.  William  Saunders  and  lady 
Mr.  F.  Villeneuve  Smith 
Mr.  John  Studholme  and  lady  (New 

Zealand) 

Major  and  Mrs.  Seddon 
Mr.  William   Smith   and  Miss  Smith 

(Canada) 

Mr.  Allan  Spowers  and  lady  (Victoria) 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  J.  Symons 
Mr.    and    Mrs.     Henry    F.    Shipster 

(South  Australia) 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Andrew    Stein   (South 

Africa) 

Mr.  Cecil  Stein  and  Mrs.  Stein 
Miss  Stein  and  Miss  Lily  Stein 
Mr.  Charles  Stein 
Miss  E.  Summer 
Mr.  R.  H.  Scott  and  lady 
Miss  Scott 
Miss  Sturt 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  B.  Spence 
Miss  Spence 
Miss  Solater 

Surgeon-Major  F.  P.  Staples 
Lady    Stawell      and     Misa      Stawell 

(Victoria) 

Mr.  Oscar  Schmidt 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  S.  W.  Silver 
Mr.  S.  W.  Silver,  jun. 
Mr.  J.  Spiers 
Mr.  P.  L.  Simmonds 
Mr.  Abraham  Scott  and  lady   (South 

Australia) 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  Scott 
M.  le  Viscomte  Ernest  de  Satze  St. 

Jean  and  lady 


330 


Conversazione. 


Mrs.  Swan 

Mr.  Harry  K.  Smith 

Mr.  W.  C.  Sargeaunt,  C.M.G.  (Crown 

Agent  for  the  Colonies) 
Mr.  Helmuth  Schwartze  and  lady(Cape) 
Mr.  Rudolf  Schwartze  and  Miss  Lou;se 

Schwartze 
Mr.  J.  W.  Smith 
Miss  Smith 
Miss  Sepping 
Mr.  Edward  Stanford  and  lady 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Anthony  Trollope 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  H.  Teschemaker 
Sir  Kobert  R.  Torrens,  K.C.M.G.,  and 

Lady  Torrens  (South  Australia) 
Mr.  W.  J.  Williams  and  lady 
Mr.  J.  D.  Thomson  and  lady  (South 

Africa) 
Miss  Thomson 
Miss  Tempest 
Mr.  Edmund  Trimmer  and  lady  (South 

Australia) 
Miss  Tinning 
Hon.  C.  J.  Taylorand  Mrs.  Taylor  (New 

Zealand) 
Mr.  J.  W.  Taylor 
Mr.  Higden  Thorwell  and  lady 
Captain  Wyatt 
Miss  Thompson 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Taylor 

Mr.  A.  M.   Uniacke  and  lady  (Nova 
Scotia) 

Miss  desVceux 

Admiral  Wellesley  and  lady 
Mr.  H.  Whalley  and  Miss  Whalley 
Mr.  Charles  K.  Western  and  lady 
Mr.  E.  W.  Wingrove  and  lady 


Mr.    and     Mrs.    William    Westgarth 

(Victoria) 
Miss  Westgarth 
Mr.  Edward  Wilson  and  Miss  Wilson 

(Victoria) 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Wilson 
Miss  Annie  Wilson 
Miss  Wilson 
Miss  Rosa  Wilson 
Miss  Mary  Wilson 
Mr.  Henry  Wilson 
Mr.  Cracrof  t  Wilson 
Dr.  Forbes  Watson 

Mr.  Henry  Wellings  and  lady  (China) 
Mr.  Leonard  Wray  and  lady  (Straits 

Settlements) 
Mr.  Thomas  Watson  and  lady  (Cape  of 

Good  Hope) 
Miss  Mary  Watson 
Mr.  Augustus  Wolfen  and  lady 
Mr.  Edward  Walker  and  lady 
Mr.  Wallace  and  lady 
Mr.    and    Mrs.   J.   Dennistoun    Wood 

(Victoria) 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Theodore  Watson 
Mr.  William  Watson 
Mrs.  Hampden  Wilkieson 
Captain  Wickham,  R.N. 

Mr.  James  A.  Youl,  C.M.G.  (Tasmania 

Misses  Yonl  (2) 

Mr.  Frederick  Young  and  Miss  Young 

Mr.  Arthur  Lyttelton  Young 

Miss  A.  M.  Young 

Mr.  A.  W.  C.  Fox  Young 

Mr.  J.  C.  Young 

Miss  Young 

Mr.  S.  Yardley  and  lady 

Mr.  Yeomans 

&c.  &c.  Ac. 


(331) 


ANNUAL  GENERAL  MEETING. 

THE  eighth  Annual  Meeting  took  place  at  the  rooms  of  the  Insti- 
tute, 15,  Strand,  on  Friday,  the  30th  of  June,  1876.  The  chair 
was  taken  at  3  o'clock  by  the  PRESIDENT,  His  Grace  the  Duke  of 
Manchester. 

The  following  Fellows  attended  :— 

Major-GeneralSirH.  C.  B.Daubeney,K.C.B.;  Sir  Charles  Clifford; 
Sir  John  Coode;  Sir  Eichard  Graves  MacDonnell,  K.C.M.G.  and 
C.B. ;  Sir  Eobert  Torrens,  K.C.M.G. ;  Gisborne  Molineux,  Esq. ;  Dr. 
Buchanan  ;  Edmund  Trimmer,  Esq. ;  J.  V.  Irwin,  Esq. ;  Henry 
Elaine,  Esq. ;  J.  Duncan  Thomson,  Esq. ;  Eev.  H.  J.  Swale,  J.P.; 
Myles  Patterson,  Esq. ;  F.  P.  Labilliere,  Esq. ;  N.  Darnell  Davis, 
Esq.;  Thomas  Watson,  Esq.;  W.  C.  Sargeaunt.Esq.,  C.M.G.;  J.  B. 
Brown,  Esq. ;  H.  B.  T.  Strangways,  Esq. ;  Leonard  Wray,  Esq. ; 
H.  W.  Freeland,  Esq.;  Kerry-Nichols, Esq.;  Jacob  Montefiore, Esq. ; 
Henry  Wellings,  Esq.;  J.  Dennistoun  Wood,  Esq.;  James  A.  Youl, 
Esq.;  and  the  Honorary  Secretary. 

Mr.  FRED.  YOUNG,  Hon.  Secretary,  read  the  notice  announcing 
the  meeting,  which  had  appeared  in  two  of  the  daily  papers. 

The  PRESIDENT  then  nominated  Mr.  Henry  Blaine  and  Dr. 
Buchanan,  Scrutineers  of  the  ballot  for  the  Members  of  Council 
to  be  elected  at  the  meeting. 

The  Minutes  of  the  last  Annual  Meeting  were  read  by  the  HON. 
SECRETARY,  and  confirmed. 

The  PRESIDENT  then  read  the  following  Eeport,  which  had  been 
previously  circulated  among  the  Fellows : — 

EEPORT  OF  THE  COUNCIL. 

The  Council  have  the  pleasure  to  present  to  the  Fellows  of  the 
Eoyal  Colonial  Institute  their  Eighth  Annual  Eeport,  which  in  the 
number  and  variety  of  subjects  of  unusual  interest  and  importance 
has  not  been  surpassed  during  the  existence  of  the  Society. 

Before  mentioning  them,  however,  the  Council  desire  to  refer  to 
the  satisfactory  financial  condition  of  the  Institute,  as  exhibited  in 
the  statement  of  the  Honorary  Treasurer  ;  and  this  notwithstanding 
the  increased  demand  upon  the  funds  of  the  Society  occasioned  by 
the  growth  and  extension  of  its  operations. 


'332  A  initial   General  Mfduiy, 

Since  the  last  Annual  Meeting  the  number  of  Members  elected 
has  been  101,  of  whom  40  are  Kesident  and  61  Non-Eesident. 

Of  the  questions  which,  apart  from  those  discussed  at  the  Ordinary 
Monthly  Meetings,  have  occupied  the  consideration  and  called  forth 
the  action  of  the  Council,  the  three  following  are  of  conspicuous 
importance,  viz.  the  Fisheries  of  Newfoundland,  the  Cession  of 
Gambia,  and  the  Colonial  Museum. 

With  regard  to  the  first,  the  Committee,  the  nomination  of  which 
was  announced  at  the  last  Annual  Meeting,  duly  presented  a  report, 
which  was  adopted  and  published  by  the  Council. 

That  report  contains  a  complete  sketch  of  the  history  of  the 
question,  and  presents  its  leading  features  in  a  clear  and  concise 
form  ;  and  the  Council  feel  assured  that,  whilst  it  has  had  the  effect 
of  making  the  merits  of  the  long-standing  dispute  with  France  much 
more  generally  understood,  the  knowledge  thus  imparted  ought  to 
further  rather  than  retard  negotiations  on  the  subject,  and  to  lead 
to  a  more  satisfactory  settlement  of  the  question  than  if  the  public 
had  not  been  so  fully  informed  respecting  it. 

With  regard  to  the  Gambia,  the  Council  has  acted  with  a  similar 
desire  to  disseminate  such  Colonial  information  and  opinion  as  it 
was  able  to  collect  and  impart.  With  that  view  it  appointed  a 
Committee,  consisting  of  some  of  its  own  body  and  several  Fellows 
of  the  Institute,  possessing  an  intimate  acquaintance  with  the 
Gambia.  These  gentlemen  produced  a  report,  which  was  adopted 
and  published  by  the  Council,  expressing  conclusions  decidedly 
adverse  to  the  cession  of  one  of  the  oldest  British  possessions.  The 
Council  also  presented  a  memorial  on  the  subject  to  the  Eight  Hon. 
the  Secretary  of  State  for  the  Colonies ;  and  they  have  little  doubt 
that  these  frank  expressions  of  opinion  had  a  most  material  in- 
fluence in  leading  to  the  abandonment  of  the  proposed  cession. 

Acting  upon  the  suggestion  made  at  the  last  Annual  Meeting, 
to  consider  the  best  means  of  forming  a  Colonial  Museum,  the 
Council  on  the  7th  August  last  waited  upon  the  Eight  Hon.  the 
Secretary  of  State  for  the  Colonies  to  ask  him  to  use  his  influence 
to  procure  a  central  site  for  the  proposed  Colonial  Museum.  His 
lordship  expressed  a  warm  interest  in  the  subject,  and  promised  to 
do  all  in  his  power  to  promote  it. 

A  favourable  site,  in  a  most  central  position  for  a  Museum  which 
is  intended  for  the  benefit  and  convenience  of  all  classes,  being  'at 
present  available  on  the  Thames  Embankment,  on  the  old  Fife 
House  Estate,  the  Council,  in  conjunction  with  the  Council  of  the 
Eoyal  Asiatic  Society,  have  recently  applied  to  the  Government  to 
give  the  site  in  question  for  the  purpose,  and  are  at  present  engaged 


Annual  General  Meeting.  333 

in  actively  endeavouring  to  accomplish  this  most  important  and 
desirable  object. 

The  Council  feel  bound  to  recognise  the  great  ability  and  energy 
displayed  by  Dr.  Forbes  Watson  in  promoting  this  movement. 

With  regard  to  the  Royal  Titles  Bill,  the  Council  memorialised 
Her  Majesty,  suggesting  that,  as  it  was  proposed  to  alter  Her 
Royal  Title  in  compliment  to  India,  the  Colonies,  being  equally 
important,  should  be  similarly  recognised.  The  Council,  however, 
carefully  abstained  from  suggesting  any  particular  form  of  title, 
and  especially  avoided  expressing  any  opinion  with  respect  to  the 
title  of  "  Empress." 

The  Council  regret  that  as  yet  no  steps  have  been  taken  by  the 
Government  to  annex  the  Island  of  New  Guinea ;  but  notwith- 
standing the  fact  that  they  are  more  than  ever  convinced  of  the 
importance,  expressed  in  their  memorial  to  the  Colonial  Secretary 
last  year — of  making  "good  by  actual  possession  the  British  claim 
to  the  whole  of  the  coast  line  of  the  eastern  moiety  of  the  island," 
— they  have  not  done  anything  further  to  press  the  subject ;  feeling 
that  the  facts  and  arguments  which  they  urged  last  Session  remain 
on  record  as  a  warning  against  the  danger  to  the  interests  of  the 
Empire,  of  leaving  a  position  of  such  commanding  importance  open 
to  any  foreign  nation  or  to  adventurers  who  may  compromise  and 
embarrass  the  future  relations  of  Great  Britain  with  the  natives. 
i  The  Ordinary  Meetings  of  the  Session  have  invariably  been  at- 
tended by  large  audiences  of  ladies  and  gentlemen,  and  the  papers 
read  gave  rise  to  interesting  and  animated  discussions.  The  sub- 
jects have  been  introduced  by  gentlemen  of  distinguished  position 
and  ability,  and  occurred  in  the  following  order  : — 

1.  Acclimatisation.     By  Edward  Wilson,  Esq. 

2.  South  Africa  and  her  Colonies.     By  Lieut.-General  J.  Bisset, 

C.B. 

3.  The  Civilisation  of  the  Pacific.     By  Colernan  Phillips,  Esq. 

4.  The  Progress  of  Victoria.     By  the  Right   Rev.   Dr.  Perry, 

Lord  Bishop  of  Melbourne. 

5.  New  Zealand.     Address  by  William  Fox,  Esq.,  late  Premier 

of  that  Colony. 

6.  The  Colonisation  of  Central  Africa.     Address  by  Lieut.  V. 

Lovett  Cameron,  R.N.,  C.B. 

7.  The  Wines  of  Australia.     By  J.  T.  FaUon,  Esq. 

These  and  other  transactions  of  the  year  will  appear  in  the 
Volume  of  Proceedings,  which  will  be  immediately  published  and 
circulated  among  the  Fellows. 


334 


Annual  General  Meeting. 


The  Council  desire  to  thank  the  donors  of  various  gifts  which  have 
been  kindly  presented  to  the  Institute. 

Wishing  to  increase  as  much  as  possible  the  Library,  the  Council 
invite  donations  of  money,  as  well  as  books,  from  all  those  who 
may  take  a  kindly  interest  in  the  promotion  of  this  object. 

Many  gratifying  and  encouraging  proofs  of  the  appreciation  of 
the  efforts  of  the  Institute  to  promote  the  great  objects  for  which 
it  was  founded  have  been  frequently  manifested  both  in  England 
and  the  Colonies,  where  also  the  Council  rejoice  to  observe  abun- 
dant indications  of  the  growth  of  the  strongest  feelings  of  affection 
for  the  unity  of  the  Empire. 

By  Order, 

FREDERICK  YOUNG, 

June,  1876.  Hon.  Sec. 

LIST  OF  DONORS. 


The  Duke  of  Manchester. 

The  Right  Hon.  the  Secretary  of  State 

for  the  Colonies. 
Lord  Alfred  S.  Churchill. 
Lord  Stanley  of  Alderley. 
Hon.  T.  D.  Chapman,  Colonial  Secre- 

tary,  Tasmania. 

Chief  Justice  Parker,  British  Honduras. 
Sir     Richard     Graves     MacDonnell, 

K.C.M.G.  andC.B. 
Hon.  C.  M.  Eldridge  (President  of  Do- 

minica). 

J.  Roland  Hett,  Esq.,  British  Columbia. 
Hon.  Charles  Barter,  M.L.C.,  Natal. 
Dr.  R.  Schombnrgk,  Adelaide,  South 

Australia. 

James  A.  Youl,  Esq.,  C.M.G. 
Hugh  Munro  Hull,  Esq.,  Tasmania. 
William  Walker,  Esq. 
Major  White,  Ottawa. 
Right  Hon.  W.  E.  Forster,  M.P. 
Thomas  Watson,  Esq. ,  Cape  Town. 
W.  H.  Campbell,  Esq.,  British  Guiana. 
P.  H.  Kind,  Esq.,  Queensland. 
Dr.  J.  A.  Ross,   Grahamstown,  Cape 

of  Good  Hope. 

John  Langton,  Esq.,  Ottawa. 
S.  R.  Townsend  Mayer,  Esq. 
P.  Russell,  Esq. 
C.  FitzGerald,  Esq. 
N.  Darnell  Davis,  Esq.  (West  Africa). 
W.  E.  Stark,  Esq. 
A.  R.  Campbell- Johnston,  Esq. 
Alexander  Heatherington,  Esq.,  Nova 

Scotia. 

Abraham  Hyams,  Esq.,  Jamaica. 
Captain  Burgess. 
E.  G.  FitzGibbon,  Esq.,  Melbourne. 


Hon.  Adam  Crookes,  Q.C.,  Toronto. 

John  Sands,  Esq.,  Sydney. 

Dr.  Atherstone,  Grahamstown,  Cape 
of  Good  Hope. 

Felix  Bedmgfeld,  Esq.,  C.M.G. 

J.  V.  H.  Irwin,  Esq. 

James  Whitman,  Esq. 

Alexander  Rivington,  Esq. 

Messrs.  Adam  Stevenson  &  Co.,  To- 
ronto. 

Goorge  Street,  Esq. 

Messrs.  Gordon  &  Gotch. 

Lieutenant  R.  H.  Armit,  R.N. 

Dr.  Joseph  Milligan. 

F.  W.  Chesson,  Esq. 
A.  G.  Perceval,  Esq. 

R.  J.  Pinsent,  Esq.,  Q.C.,  Newfound- 
land. 

W.  B.  Thorburn,  Esq. 
Miss  Boucher. 

S.  Constantino  Burke,  Esq.,  Jamaica. 
Messrs.  Lawrence,  Clark,  &  Co. 
Philip  Russell,  Esq. 

G.  M.  Dawson,  Esq.,  Canada, 
M.  S.  Fife,  Esq. 

Charles  Cowen,  Esq.,  Port  Elizabeth, 
Cape  of  Good  Hope. 

Captain  Charles  Mills,  Cape  Town. 

Julien  de  Mosenthal,  Esq. 

T.  C.  Just,  Esq.,  Launceston,  Tasmania. 

James  F.  Montgomery,  Esq. 

Alexander  Murray,  Esq.,  Newfound- 
land. 

H.  W.  Freeland,  Esq. 

William  Smith,  Esq.,  Deputy  Minister 
of  Marine  and  Fisheries,  Canada. 

Colonel  T.  St.  L.  Alcock. 

Frederick  Young,  Esq. 


Annual  General  Meeting. 


335 


Hugh  Jamieson,  Esq. 

R.  A.  Macfie,  Esq. 

H.  E.  Montgomerie,  Esq. 

John  C.  Paget,  Esq. 

E.  0.  Booth,  Esq. 

J.  H.  Charnock,  Esq.,  Quebec. 

Thomas  White,  Esq.  Orange  Free  State. 

E.  Eathorne  Gill,  Esq. 

F.  P.  Labilliere,  Esq. 

The  Editor  of  the  "Diplomatic  Re- 

view." 

„    McGill  University,  Montreal. 
„   Royal  Geographical  Society. 
„   Royal  United  Service  Institution. 
„    Smithsonian  Institution,  Washing. 

ton,  U.S. 

„   Anthropological  Institute. 
„   Victoria  Institute. 
East  India  Association. 
Melbourne  Chamber  of  Commerce. 
Cape  Town  Chamber  of  Commerce. 
Canadian  Institute,  Toronto. 
Aborigines   Friends'  Association, 

Adelaide. 
Tasmanian  Club. 
Melbourne  Club. 
Royal  Society  of  Tasmania. 
Freedmen's  Mission  Aid  Society. 


The  Governments  of — 
The  Dominion  of  Canada. 
Ontario. 
South  Australia. 
New  Zealand. 
Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
Tasmania. 
British  Guiana. 

The  Library  Committee  of  the  Parlia- 
ment of  Victoria. 


The  Agent. General  for  Victoria. 

„  „  New  South  Wales. 

„  „  New  Zealand. 

„•  „  South  Australia. 

The  Crown  Agents  for  the  Colonies. 
Also   Files  of  Papers  from  the  Pro- 
prietors of  the — 

Colonies. 

Timber  Trades  Journal. 

Argus  and  Australian. 

Sydney  Morning  Herald. 

Border  Post  Colonies. 

Kapunda  Herald. 

Illustrated  Sydney  News. 

Darling  Down's  Gazette. 

Hobart  Town  Mercury. 

Otago  Guardian. 

Southern  Mercury. 

Toronto  Mail. 
„          Nation. 

Montreal  Daily  Witness. 

Manitoba  Standard. 

Weekly  British  Colonist,  British 
Columbia. 

Newfoundland  North  Star. 

Cape  Times. 

South  African  Dominion  Budget, 
Port  Elizabeth. 

Beaufort  Courier. 

Fort  Beaufort  Advocate. 

Cape  Mercury,  King  Williamstown 

Transvaal  Argus. 

Friend  of  the  Free  State,  Oiange 
Free  State. 

Natal  Mercury. 
„      Witness. 

Royal  Gazette,  Demerara. 

Colonist,  Demerara. 

Demerara  Times. 

Nassau  Times. 

Malta  Public  Opinion.     &c.     &c. 


The  PRESIDENT  moved  the  adoption  of  the  Eeport,  which  was 
seconded  by  Mr.  TRIMMER,  and  carried  unanimously. 

The  HON.  TREASURER,  in  presenting  his  Eeport,  stated  that 
he  had  much  pleasure  in  again  congratulating  the  Fellows  on  the 
satisfactory  financial  condition  of  the  Institute  ;  the  income  last 
year  still  showed  a  steady  progress,  and  was  larger  than  that  of  any 
year  since  the  foundation  of  the  Institute  in  1868  :  it  amounted  for 
the  year  ending  llth  June,  1876,  to  £1,250  13s.  3d.  On  the  other 
hand  the  gross  expenditure  was  £1,100  2s.  7d.,  or  taking  into 
account  the  sum  of  £189  10s.  which  had  been  invested,  it  amounted 
to  £910  12s.  7d.,  or  about  the  same  as  last  year.  Forty-four  new 
Members  had  been  elected  between  1st  January  and  llth  June, 
1876  ;  421  had  paid  their  subcriptions  since  the  1st  January ;  and 


336  Annual  General  Meeting. 

only  eleven  had  retired  by  death  or  resignation.  The  Rest  Fund 
of  the  Institute  had  been  invested  in  Colonial  Government  Deben- 
tures of  the  nominal  value  of  £1,200 — actual  value  at  current 
market  rates  about  £1,260.  He  laid  before  the  Fellows  various 
statistical  returns  showing  the  progress  of  the  Institute  from  its 
commencement  to  the  present  date. 

Mr.  Strangways,  the  Hon.  Secretary,  and  some  other  Fellows 
drew  particular  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  financial  position  of 
the  Institute  had  decidedly  improved  since  last  year. 

The  following  alterations  in  the  Rules,  in  conformity  with  the 
requirements  of  Chapter  XL  cl.  1,  were  then  submitted  to  the 
Meeting : — 

The  HON.  SECBETARY  proposed,  and  Dr.  BUCHANAN  seconded,  the 
following  new  Rule  to  be  called  "No.  4  in  Chapter  III.  of  the  regu- 
lations :"  "That  all  subscriptions  shall  be  due  and  payable  on 
the  1st  January  in  each  year." 

Messrs.  STRANGWAYS,  YOUL,  BROWN,  FREELAND,  Sir  CHARLES  DAU- 
BENEY,  DARNELL  DAVis.and  Sir  CHARLES  CLIFFORD  having  spoken  on 
the  subject,  the  motion  was  carried  unanimously. 

It  was  also  moved  by  the  HON.  SECRETARY,  seconded  by  Sir  JOHN 
COODE,  and  carried  unanimously,  that  the  following  words  be  added 
to  Rule  3,  Chapter  I.  :  "  Such  ad  interim  appointments  or  other- 
wise to  be  subject  to  confirmation  at  the  next  succeeding  Annual 
Meeting." 

The  foUowing  new  Rule,  in  substitution  for  Rule  2,  Chapter  IV., 
moved  by  Mr.  MOLINEUX,  and  seconded  by  Sir  JOHN  COODE,  was 
atao  carried  unanimously,  after  a  brief  discussion  :  "Whensoever 
there  shall  appear  to  be  cause  for  the  expulsion  of  any  Fellow  of 
the  Institute,  the  subject  shall  be  laid  before  the  Council ;  and  if 
a  majority  of  the  Council  shall,  after  due  deliberation,  determine 
by  ballot  to  propose  to  the  Institute  the  expulsion  of  such  Fellow, 
the  President  shall  in  that  case,  at  a  Special  Meeting  of  the  Insti- 
tute summoned  for  that  purpose,  announce  from  the  chair  such 
determination  of  the  Council.  The  Meeting  shall  thereupon  pro- 
ceed to  determine  the  question  by  ballot ;  and  on  its  appearing 
that  two-thirds  of  the  Fellows  present  have  voted  for  the  expulsion 
of  the  said  Fellow,  the  President  shall  proceed  to  cancel  his  name 
in  the  register." 

Mr.  STRANGWAYS  raised  the  question  of  the  power  of  the  Annual 
Meeting  to  recommend  to  the  Council  alterations  in  the  Rules  and 
to  pass  Resolutions  .  After  some  discussion,  in  which  Sir  CHARLES 
DAUBENEY,  Messrs.  YOUL,  FREELAND,  LABILLIERE,  and  DENNISTOUN 


Annual  General   Meeting.  337 

WOOD  took  part,  the  PRESIDENT  ruled  that  no  resolution  on  the 
subject  could  be  submitted  to  the  Meeting. 

The  Ballot  having  remained  open  for  an  hour,  the  Scrutineers 
reported  that  the  following  noblemen  and  gentlemen  had  been 
unanimously  elected  as  Vice-Presidents  and  Members  of  Council 
for  the  ensuing  year  : — 

PRESIDENT. 
His  Grace  the  Duke  of  Manchester. 

VlCE-PEESI  DENTS. 

His  Royal  Highness  the  Prince  Chris-  The  Right  Hon.  Lord  Lisgar,  G.C.B. 

tian,  K.G.  G.C.M.G. 

His  Grace  the  Dnke  of  Argyll,  K.T.  The    Eight    Hon.    Viscount    Monck, 
The  Bight  Hon.  the  Earl  of  Carnarvon.  G.C.M.G. 

The  Right  Hon. the  Earl  Granville.K.G.  Edward  Wilson,  Esq. 

The    Right     Hon.     Viscount     Bury,  The  Earl  of  Dufferin,  K.P.,  K.C.B., 

K.C.M.G.  G.C.M.G. 

The  Right  Hon.  Lord  Carlingford.  His  Grace  the  Duke  of  Buckingham 
The    Right    Hon.    Sir     Stafford     H.  and  Chandos,  G.C.S.I. 

Northcote,  Bt.,  C.B.,  M.P.  The  Most  Noble  the  Marquis  of  Nor- 
The  Right  Hon.  Gathorne  Hardy,  M.P.  manby,  K.C.M.G. 

The  Right  Hon.  Steven  Cave,  M.P. 

MEMBERS  OF  COUNCIL. 

Henry  Blaine,  Esq.  Jacob  Montefiorie,  Esq. 

Sir  Charles  Clifford.  H.  E.  Montgomerie,  Esq. 

Major-General  Sir  H.  C.  B.  Daubeney,       Sir  Charles  Nicholson,  Bart. 

K.C.B.  Alexander  Rivington,  Esq. 

F.  S.  Dutton,  Esq.,  C.M.G.  S.  W.  Silver,  Esq. 

H.  W.  Freeland,  Esq.  Sir  Charles  E.  F.  Stirling,  Bart. 

A.  R.  Campbell-Johnston,  Esq.  H.  B.  T.  Strangways,  Esq. 

H.  J.  Jourdain,  Esq.  J.  Duncan  Thomson,  Esq. 

F.  P.  Labilliere,  Esq.  Sir  R.  R.  Torrens,  Esq. 

Sir     Richard     Graves     MacDonnell,       William  Walker,  Esq. 

K.C.M.G.  and  C.B.  Sir  C.  Wingfield,  K.C.S.L,  C.B. 

Sir  George  MacLeay,  K.C.M.G.  Leonard  Wray,  Esq. 

Gisborne  Molineux,  Esq.  James  A.  Youl,  Esq.,  C.M.G. 

TRUSTEES. 

Sir  John  Rose,  Bart.,  K.C.M.G.  Hon.  Arthur  Kinnaird. 

James  Searight,  Esq. 

HON.  TREASURER.  ,      HON.  SECRETARY. 

W.  C.  Sargeaunt,  Esq.,  C.M.G.  Frederick  Young,  Esq. 

A  vote  of  thanks  to  His  Grace  the  President,  proposed  by  Sir 
CHARLES  DAUBENEY,  and  seconded  by  Sir  JOHN  COODE,  was  cordially 
adopted. 

Mr.  LEONARD  WRAY  proposed,  and  Dr.  BUCHANAN  seconded,  a 
vote  of  thanks  to  the  Hon.  Secretary,  Mr.  Fred.  Young,  including 
one  to  Mr.  Labilliere.  On  the  suggestion  of  Mr.  STRANGWAYS,  the 
name  of  the  Hon.  Treasurer,  Mr.  Sargeaunt,  was  also  included  in 
the  motion,  which  was  unanimously  adopted. 

The  Meeting  then  terminated. 


(338) 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


Acclimatisation,  36 
Adam,  Stevenson  &  Co.,  Messrs.,  334 
Alcock,  Colonel  T.  St.  L.,  334 
Armit,  Lieut.  R.  H.,  B.N.,  334 
Argyll,  His  Grace  the  Doke  of,  K.T.,  a 

Vice-President,  337 
Atherston,  Dr.  Guybon,  117,  146,  282, 

285,  334 

Bam,  J.  A.,  143 

Barter,  Hon.  Charles,  334 

Bedingfeld,  Felix,  334 

Berkeley,  T.  B.  H.,  291 

Bisset,  Lieut.-Gen.   J.  J.,    C.B.,    86, 

125, 148 
Elaine,  Henry,  331 

Member  of  Council,  337 

Booth,  E.  C.,  335 
Boucher,  Miss,  334 
Brown,  J.  B.,  57,  331,  336 
Buchanan,  Dr.,  326,  331,  336,  337 
Buckingham  and  Chandos,  His  Grace 

the  Duke    of,     a     Vice -President, 

G.C.S.L,  337 
Burgess,  Captain,  334 
Burke,  S.  Constantino,  334 
Burton,  W.  H.,  319,  325 
Bury,  Et.  Hon.  Viscount,  K.C.M.G., 

a  Vice-President,  337 

Cameron,  Lieut.  V.  Lovett,  E.N.C.B., 
274,  285 

Campbell,  W.  H,  334 

Carlingford,  Rt.  Hon.  Lord,  a  Vice- 
President,  337 

Carnarvon,  Earl  of,  4,  334,  337 

Vice-President,  337 


Cave,  Rt.  Hon.  Stephen,  M.P.,  a  Vice- 
President,  337 

Charnock,  J.  H.,  335 

Chase,  Rev.  Pahtaquahong,  261 

Chevalier,  1ST.,  326 

Christian,  H.  R.  H.  the  Prince,  K.G., 
a  Vice-President,  337 

Chapman,  Hon.  T.  D.,  337 

Chesson,  F.  W.,  334 

Churchill,  Lord  A.  S.,  334 

Civilisation  of  the  Pacific,  The,  149 

Clifford,  Sir  Charles,  4,  260,  331,  336 

Member  of  Council,  337 

Cloete,  Henry,  127 

Colonisation  of  Central  Africa,  The,  274 

Coode,  Sir  John,  331,  336,  337 

Cowen,  Charles,  334 

Creswick,  Henry,  234 

Crookes,  Hon.  Adam,  334 

Currie,  Donald,  144 

Daubeney,  Major-General  Sir  H.  C.  B., 

K.C.B.,  66,  331,  336,  337 

Member  of  Council,  3  37 

Davis,  N.  Darnell,  326,  331,  334,  336 

Dawson,  G.  M.,  334 

Dore,  F.  J.  S.,  326 

Dnfferin,  Rt.  Hon.  the  Earl  of,  K.P., 

K.  C.  B. ,  G.  C.M.  G.,  a  Vice-President, 

337 
Dutton,    F.   S.,  C.M.G.,    Member    of 

Council,  337 

Eldridge,  Hon.  C.  M.,  334 

Fallon,  J.  T.,  297,  323,  325 
Fife,  M.  S.,  334 
FitzGerald,  C.,  334 


General  Index. 


339 


FitzGerald,  Poster,  239 
FitzGibbon,  B.  G.,  268,  293,  334 
Forster,  Kt.  Hon.  W.  E.,  M.P.,  334 
Fox,  Hon.  William,  247,  263,  272,  326 
Freeland,    H.  W.,   2,   235,  236,  331, 

334,  336 
Member  of  Council,  337 

Gambia,  Memorial  on  the  Cession  of 

the,  122 

Gambia  Report,  68 
GDI,  E.  Eathorne,  335 
Gordon  &  Gotch,  Messrs.,  334 
Granville,  Et.  Hon.  the  Earl  of,  K.G., 

a  Vice-President,  337 

Hamilton,  Thomas,  326 

Hardy,   Et.  Hon.  Gathorne,   M.P.,  a 

Vice- President,  337 
Heatherington,  Alexander,  334 
Henty,  William,  240 
Hett,  J.,  Eoland,  334 
Hogg,  Quintin,  326 
Hall,  Hugh  Munro,  334 
Hyams,  Abraham,  334 

Irwin,  J.  V.,  331,  334 

Jamieson,  Hugh,  335 

Johnston,  A.  E.  Campbell,  113,  334 

—  Member  of  Council,  337 
Jourdain,  H.  J.,  Member  of  Council, 

337 
Just,  T.  C.,  334 

Keene,  J.  B.,  311 

Kinnaird,  Hon.  Arthur,  M.P.,  1 

—  a  Trustee,  337 
Knight,  William,  287 

Labilliere,  F.   P.,  140,  211,   237,  247, 

292,  331,  335,  336 

, Member  of  Council,  337 

Langton,  John,  334 
Lawrence,  Clark,  &  Co.,  Messrs.,  334 
Lewis,  Mrs.,  64 
Lisgar,  Et.  Hon.,  G.C.B.,  G.C.M.G.,  a 

Vice-President,  337 

McArthur,  Alexander,  M.P.,  207,  232, 
285,  310 


MacDonnell,  Sir  Eichard  Graves, 
K.C.M.G.  and  C.B.,  4,  263,  331, 
334 

Member  of  Council,  337 

MacLeay,  Sir  George,  K.C.M.G.,  Mem- 
ber of  Council,  337 

Manchester,  His  Grace  the  Duke  of, 
121,  146,  213,  243,  271,  295,  331, 
334,  335,  337 

President,  337 

Mayer,  S.  E.  Townsend,  334 

Michie,  Archibald,  59,  287,  314,  318, 
325,  326 

Milligan,  Dr.  Joseph,  334 

Mills,  Captain  Charles,  334 

Molineux,  Gisborne,  331,  336, 

Member  of  Council,  337 

Monck,  Et.  Hon.  Viscount,  G.C.M.G., 
a  Vice-President,  337 

Montefiorie,  Jacob,  331 

Member  of  Council,  337 

Montefiorie,  J.  B.,  326 

Montgomerie,  H.  E.,  138,  210,  292, 
335 

Member  of  Council,  337 

Montgomery,  James  F.,  334 

Mosenthal,  Julius  de,  334 

Mullens,  Eev.  Dr.,  205 

Murray,  Alexander,  334 

Museum  Deputation,  1 

Newfoundland  Fishery  Eeport,  6 

New  Zealand,  247 

Nicholls,  Kerry,  57,  134,  211,  240,  331 

Nicholson,  Sir  Charles,  Bart.,  Member 
of  Council,  337 

Nind,  P.  H.,  334 

Normanby,  the  Most  Noble  the  Mar- 
quis of,  K.C.M.G.,  a  Vice-President, 
337 

Northoote,  the  Et.  Hon.  Sir  Stafford  H., 
Bart.,  C.B.,  M.P.,  a  Vice-President, 
337 

Ord,  Dr.,  65 

Paget,  John  C.,  335 
Parker,  Chief  Justice,  334 
Patterson,  Miles,  331 
Perceval,  A.  G.,  334 


340 


General  Index. 


Perry,  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop,  214,  245, 287 
Phillips,  Coleman,  149 
Pinsent,  R.  J.,  334 
Progress  of  Victoria,  214 

Rivingtou,  Alexander,  334 

Member  of  Council,  337 

Rose,   Sir   John,   Bart.,    K.C.M.G.,   a 

Trustee,  337 

Royal  Title  Memorial,  124 
Ross,  Dr.  J.  A.,  334 
Russell,  P.,  334 
Russell,  Philip,  334 

Sands,  John,  334 

Sargeannt,  W.  C.,  C.M.G.,  331,  335 

Honorary  Treasurer,  337 

Schomburgk,  Dr.  R.,  334 

Searight,  James,  a  Trustee,  337 

Silver,  S.  W.,  Member  of  Council,  337 

Smith,  William,  334 

South  Africa  and  her  Colonies,  86,  125 

Stanley  of  Alderley,  Lord,  334 

Stark,  W.  E.,  334 

Stirling,   Sir    Charles    E.    F.,    Bart., 

Member  of  Council,  337 
Strangways,  H.   B.  T.,  61,  62,    138, 

288,  320,  331,  336,  337 

. Member  of  Council,  337 

Street,  George,  334 
Swale,  Rev.  H.  J.,  331 

Thompson,  Colonel,  266 

Thomson,  J.  D.,  331 

Member  of  Council,  337 


Thorburn,  W.  B.,  334 

Thudichum,  Dr.,  316 

Tomkinson,  Mr.,  57 

Torrens,  Sir  Robert  R.,K.C.M.G.,  331 

Member  of  Council,  337 

Trimmer,  Edmund,  331 


Walker,  William,  334 

Member  of  Council,  337 

Watson,  Thomas,  120,  146,   326,  331, 

334 

Wellings,  Henry,  331 
White,  Major,  334 
White,  Thomas,  335 
Whitman,  James,  334 
Wingfield,  Sir  Charles,  K.C.S.I.,  C.B. 

Member  of  Council,  337 
Wilson,   Edward,  3,  36,   62,   66,  209, 

267,  271 

Vice-President,  337 

Wines  of  Australia,  The,  297 
Wood,  J.  Dennistonn,  269,  331,  336 
Wray,  Leonard,  331 

—  Member  of  Council,  337 

Youl,  James  A.,  C.M.G.,  63,  238,  331, 

334,  336 
Member  of  Council,  337 


Young,  Frederick,  1,2,36,67,86,121, 
125,  149,  213,  214,  236,  247,  322, 
325,  326,  331,  334,  336 

Honorary  Secretary,  337 

Young,  Sir  William,  208 


(341) 


INDEX  OF  DONORS. 


Adam,  Stephenson  &  Co.,  334 
Alcock,  Colonel  T.  St.  L.,  334 
Armit,  Lieut.  E.  H.,  334 
Atherstone,  Dr.  Guybon,  334 

Barter,  Hon.  Charles,  334 
Bedingfeld,  Felix,  C.M.G.,  334 
Booth,  E.  C.,  335 
Boucher,  Miss,  334 
Burgess,  Captain,  334 
Burke,  S.  Constantino,  334 

Campbell,  W.  H.,  334 
Chapman,  Hon.  T.  P.,  334 
Charnock,  J.  H.,  335 
Chesson,  F.  W.,  334 
Churchill,  Lord  A.  S.,  334 
Cowen,  Charles,  334 
Crookes,  Hon.  Adam,  334 

Davis,  N.  Darnell,  334 
Dawson,  G.  M.,  334 

Eldridge,  Hon.  C.  M.,  334 

Fife,  M.  S.,  334 
Fitz  Gerald,  Charles,  334 
FitzGibbon,  F.  G.,  334 
Forster,  Eight  Hon.  W.  G.,  334 
Freeland,  H.  W.,  334 

Gill,  E.  Eathorne,  335 
Gordon  &  Gotch,  Messrs.,  334 

Heatherington,  Alexander,  334 
Hett,  J.  Eoland,  334 
Hull,  Hugh  Munro,  334 
Hyams,  Abraham,  334' 

Irwin,  J.  V.  H.,  334 

Jamieson,  Hugh,  335 
Johnston,  A.  E.  Campbell,  334 
Just,  T.  C.,  334 

Labilliere,  F.  P.,  335 
Langton,  John,  334 
Lawrence,  Clarke  &  Co.,  334 


MacDonnell,     Sir      Richard     Graves, 

K.C.M.G.  and  C.B.,  334 
Macfie,  R.  A.,  335 
Manchester,  Duke  of,  334 
Mayer,  S.  R.  Townsend,  334 
Milligan,  Dr.  Joseph,  334 
Mills,  Captain  Charles,  334 
Montgomerie,  H.  E.,  335 
Montgomery,  James  F.,  334 
Mosenthal,  Julius  de,  334 
Murray,  Alexander,334 

Nind,  P.  H.,  334 

Paget,  John  C.,  335 
Parker,  Chief  Justice,  334 
Perceval,  A.  G.,  334 
Pinsent,  R.  J.,  334 

Rivington,  Alexander,  334 
Roes,  Dr.  J.  A,,  334 
Russell,  P.,  334 
Russell,  Philip,  334 

Sands,  John,  334 

Schomburgk,  Dr.  R.,  334 

Secretary  of  State  for  the  Colonies,  334 

Smith,  William,  334 

Stanley  of  Alderley,  Lord,  334 

Stark,  W.  E.,  334 

Street,  George,  334 

The  Editor  of  the  "Diplomatic  Re- 
view," 335 

The  McGill  University,  Montreal,  335 
„  Royal  Geographical  Society,  335 
J}  Royal  United  Service  Institution, 

335 

„    Smithsonian  Institution,  Washing- 
ton, U.S.,  335 

Anthropological  Institute,  335 
Victoria  Institute,  335 
East  India  Association,  335 
Melbourne  Chamber  of  Commerce, 

335 

Cape  Town  Chamber  of  Commerce,, 

335 

Canadian  Institute,  Toronto,  335 


342 


Index  of  Speakers. 


The  Aborigines   Friends'    Association, 

Adelaide,  335 
„   Tasmanian  Club,  335 
„   Melbourne  Club,  335 
„   Royal  Society  of  Tasmania,  335 
„    Freedmen's  Mission  Aid    Society 

335 
The  Governments  of — 

The  Dominion  of  Canada,  335 
Ontario,  335 
South  Australia,  335 
New  Zealand,  335 
Cape  of  Good  Hope,  335 
Tasmania,  335 
British  Guiana,  335 
The  Library  Committee  of  the  Govern- 
ment  of  Victoria,  335 


The  Agent  -  General  for  New  South 

Wales,  335 

The  Agent-General  for  Victoria,  335 
„  „  New    Zealand, 

335 
„  „  SouthAustralia, 

335 

The  Crown  Agents  for  the  Colonies,  335 
Thorburn,  W.  B.,  334 

Walker,  William,  334 
Watson,  Thomas,  334 
White,  Major,  334 
White,  Thomas,  335 
Whitman,  James,  334 

Youl,  James  A.,  C.M.G.,  334 
Young,  Frederick,  334 


INDEX  OF  SPEAKEES. 
(a)  Authors  and  Eeaders  of  Papers. 


Bisset,  Lieut.- General  J.  J.,  C.B.,  86          Fox,  Hon.  William,  247 
Cameron,  Lieut.  V.  Lovett,  R.N.,  C.B.,       Perry,  Right  Rev.  Bishop,  214 

Phillips,  Coleman,  149 


274 
Fallen,  James  T.,  297 


Wilson,  Edward,  36 


(5)  Discussors. 


Atherstone,  Dr.  Guybon,  117, 146,282, 

285 

Baw,  J.  A.,  143 
Berkeley,  T.  B.  H.,  291 
Bisset,  Lieut-General  J.  J.,  C.B.,  148 
Brown,  J.  B.,  57,  336 
Buchanan,  Dr.,  336 
Burton,  W.  H.,  319 
Cameron,  Lieut.  V.  Lovett,  R.N.,  C.B., 

285 

Chas,  Rev.  Pahtaquahong,  261 
Clifford,  Sir  Charles,  260,  336 
Cloete,  Henry,  127 
Coode,  Sir  John,  336 
Creswick,  Henry,  234 
Currie,  Donald,  144 


Daubeney,  Major-General  Sir  H.  C.  B., 

K.C.B.,  66,  336 
Davis,  N.  Darnell,  336 
Fallen,  J.  T.,  322,  325 
FitzGerald,  Foster,  239 
FitzGibbon,  E.  G.,  268,  293 
Fox,  Hon.  William,  263,  272 
Freeland,  H.  W.,  235,  236,  336 
Henty,  William,  240 
Johnston,  A.  R.  Campbell,  113 
Keene,  J.  B.,  311 
Knight,  William,  287 
Labilliere,  F.  P.,  140, 217,  237, 247,  292 
Lewis,  Mrs.,  64 
McArthur,  Alexander,  M.P.,  207,  232, 

285,  310 


Index  of  Speakers.                                343 

MacDonnell,     Sir     Richard     Graves,  Thompson,  Colonel,  266 

K.C.M.G.  and  C.B.,  263  Thudichum,  Dr.,  316 

Manchester,  Duke  of,  121,  146,  213,  Tomkinson,  Mr.,  57 

243,  271,  295  Watson,  Thomas,  120,  146 

Michie,  Archibald,  59,  287,  314,  225  Wilson,  Edward,  3,  62,  66,  209,  267, 

Molineux,  Gisborne,  336  271 

Montgomerie,  H.  B.,  138,  210,  292  Wood,  J.  Dennistoun,  269 

Mnllens,  Eev.  Dr.,  205  Youl,  James  A.,  C.M.G.,  63,  238,  336, 

Nicholls,  Kerry,  57,  134,  211,  240  Young,  Frederick,  121,  125,  236,  322, 

Ord,  Dr.,  65  336 

Perry,  Eight  Rev.  Bishop,  245,  287  Young,  Sir  William,  208 
Strangways,  H.  B.  T.,  61,  62,  138,  288, 
320,  336 


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