A Letter from Major Robert Carmichael-Smyth to His Friend, the Author of 'The Clockmaker' Part 5

(60) On which Line the mails could travel from Halifax to Frazer's River in six days, and the electric telegraph connect these oceans--s.p.a.ce vanishing under that magic power.

(61) See Montgomery Martin's second edition on Railways, Past, Present and Prospective.

(62) There is not an individual of the 93rd Highlanders, so long quartered in the highly flourishing city of Toronto, who would not, I feel well a.s.sured, join me in every grateful feeling to its inhabitants, and every wish for their happiness and welfare.

A great number of the men of the 93rd have settled at and in the neighbourhood of Toronto.

(63) "The British 'supremacy of the ocean,' which has been a boast and a benefit, has become a necessity. If I were Prime Minister of England, now that the Corn Laws are repealed, I should not be able to sleep if I thought that the war marine of England was not stronger than all the nations combined, which there is the least chance of ever being engaged in a conspiracy for our destruction."--_Edward Gibbon Wakefield._

(64) "Canada, which receives the greater number of emigrants, we are by all accounts only peopling and enriching for the Americans to possess ere long."--_Art of Colonization_, _Edward Gibbon Wakefield_.

I trust that the British North American Colonies will, in reply to the above remark, send forth such a voice of attachment to their mother country that will encourage her people at home and embolden them to come forward in aid of great colonial measures, resulting as they must do in universal benefit to the empire.

In page 100 of the work just above quoted we read--"The Banker's argument satisfied me; but he was not aware of a peculiarity of colonies, as distinguished from dependencies in general, which furnishes another reason for wishing that they should belong to the empire--I mean the attachment of the colonies to their mother country.... I have often been unable to help smiling at the exhibition of it. In what it originates I cannot say."

I cannot but deeply regret the use of these expressions, coming as they do from the pen of so influential an author. Has be forgotten or does he not feel that

"Coelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt?"

And surely from those who left their native land, carrying with them the literature of the day and the remembrance of her glory, it was not likely that there should spring up a generation otherwise than strongly attached to

"_That_ fortress built by Nature for herself, Against infection and the hand of War?"

Well, indeed, has Lieutenant Synge remarked, "Let it also be remembered by those who would argue the defection of Canada, or other British provinces, from the history of the past, what were the circ.u.mstances attending the last revolt (and only one) of British Colonies."

"Let the regret with which those colonies revolted be also borne in mind! Generations have succeeded, yet in the hearts of many of the best and n.o.blest that lingering regret remains; not that the revolt took place, not that it was successful, but that it was rendered necessary."

I shall only add, I agree most perfectly with the author on the Art of colonization when he says, "But whatever may be its cause, I have no doubt that the love of England is the ruling sentiment of English Colonies."

(65) "The Americans would have readily agreed with us upon this boundary question, when it was of no practical moment."--_Edward Gibbon Wakefield._

This a.s.sertion requires proof.

(66) My friend Lieutenant-Colonel Pottinger has brought to my notice, that the time of transit from London to the west coast of Ireland will be nearly as follow, vis.

To Holyhead 8 hours Holyhead to Dublin 4 "

Dublin to the west coast of Ireland 4 "

--- In all 16

It may therefore be worthy of consideration whether there could be established at one of her ports on the western coast, so often spoken of as the nearest point of embarkation for British America, an Emigration Company, which would greatly benefit Ireland by causing a large traffic through the centre of that country.

(67) Dr. Hind, in speaking of the convict Colony of New South Wales, says--"If then the question be, what can be done for this Colony?

Begin, I said, by breaking up the system--begin by removing all the unemanc.i.p.ated convicts. I do not undertake to point out the best mode of disposing of them; but let them be brought home and disposed of in any way rather than remain. There is no chance for the Colony until this preliminary step be taken. But these measures, if carried into effect at all, must be taken in hand soon. Time--no distant time, perhaps, may place this 'foul disnatured' progeny of ours out of our power for good or for harm."