The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-06 00:00:00

NOVA SCOTIA.

The occupation of the valuable harbour and military post
of Halifax by a band of settlers in 1719, was conducted by
the English Government under a full sense of the import-
ance of the operation. It was, indeed, the most decisive
step which could then be taken towards the establishment
of English power in North America. Money was freely
spent in fostering the early growth of Halifay, and the in-
crease of its population was sought to be secured by the ap-
pointment of an cfficial midwife. When the older colonies
revolted, Nova Scotia remembered that she had been protec-
ted by the arms and nurtured by the purse of England,and she
remained faithful to her allegiance. The only circumstance
that might have tended to influence her destiny the other way
was that a body of the most energetic of the early settlers
came from NewEngland.But these settlers were outnumbered
by English, Scotch, and Germans, and the 7entimenti
which would naturally possess them were not powerfu
enough to change the direction of the aggregate of colonial
feeling. 'We cannot help suspecting, too, that there must
have been profitable contracts to be got at Halifax during the
war of American independence; and colonists, even of Bos-
tonian origin, would not be wholly insensible to the advant-
ages of remaining loyal,and supplying the King's troops with
beef. The colony, however, owed to the American war one
of the best elements of its population. The most valuable
emigrants were the Loyalists, a large proportion of whom
were gentlemen of the first position in the old colonies, who
preferred sacrificing their property, and wandering away to
Nova Scotia, to seek amid an unbroken forest a home and a
grave under the English flag. The town of Shelburne,
founded by these Loyalists, is now deserted and almost
swallowed up in that forest which has reappropriated the
conquest made from it by ardent but ill-sustained exertions.
If many of these Loyalists sank, as is stated, into poverty,
it is open to question whether the colony gained much by
their advent. Nevertheless, the spirit in which they
emigrated will always command respect in England ;
and wherever a colony reckons their descendants among
its people, that colony, although perhaps it may be poor
and unprogressive, will be counted by discerning Eng-
lishmen among the ehoicest jewels of their Sovereign's
crown. If the sacrifices made by these Loyalists
have been forgotten by Englishmen, and almost
by ourselves, it is a sufficient apology, if any were
needed, that it commemorates them. The loyalists
were joined after the war by other settlers, who were some-
thing more than loyal. The disbanded soldiers of the Eng-
lish king would be likely to transmit to their descendants
some portion of the hostile spirit which they had imbibed in
their years of conflict with revolutionists. Veterans of the
American, and also of the German, wars brought their tra-
ditions of military obedience to the Crown to swell the force
of that sentiment which is still strong enough to provoke
the contemptuous pity of Republicans by the pleasure which
it takes in the title of " the loyal colony of Nova Scotia."
The pedigree of Nova Scotia might well be called, by
comparison with some other colonies, aristocratic. But, as
sometimes happens to individuals, nobility of birth is here
found united with scantiness of means. The loyal colony is
neither populous nor wealthy. The rate of increase of its
inhabitants is diminishing, and the state of agriculture is
not such as to do justice to the great capabilities of the soil.
In the midst of the finest fisheries in the world, its fisher-
men are ignorant helpless paupers. Looking to education,
ti appears that a third of the population cannot write,
although the whole of it possesses votes. An address
which admits these shortcomings stands in advantageous
contrast to the monotonous self-laudation of the 4th of
July orations of the neighbouring Republic. The Nova
Scotians have to confess to many deficiencies .in
themselves, but the natural advantages of the country
in which they dwell may claim from their spokesman un-
reserved praise. The agricu tural capabilities of the pro-
vince are unsurpassed. Nova Scotia, hitherto supposed to
be only able to rear fir trees, sent the best oats to the Inter-
national Exhibition. Her apples and potatoes also were al-
most unrivalled. Unhappily, the mention of potatoes re-
calls to the mind a fable under which the author of Sam
Slick reproved the laziness of the Nova Scotians. A native
of that country was represented as saying that he liked hoe-
ing potatoes better than any other sort of work, and be
would rather die than do that. Allowing for the difference
ut
between a lively satire and a serious add• ess, our two autho-
ritiesnard agree pretty closely as to what is wanting to make
Nova
Scotia prosperous.
t
wgetie is shown by the example of Sir Samuel Cu-
cctcd to country ry
go
thaten ouho established the existing line of Transatlantic
on as their fath there
ers
didare That
others who some
natives
appear
of
nte
conception of what is me
before them, having not even a dim
any persuasion of its utt by social progress, and still less
know not worth learning, any, thinking what they do not
rage immigration as tending strongly disposed to discou-
ultxmately to create such a
competition for land as will oblige
them or their descen-
dants to cultivate it in a less thriftless and lazy manner.
—Saturday Review.

_
LIVERPOOL, JAN. I.—The By George schooner
has been captured and sent into Key West. The Herald
from Nassau, ran the blockade en the 17th Deo.