The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-22 00:00:00

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The advices from South Australia received by the last
mail describe an extraordinary proposal which has been
transmitted to the Home Government for the construc-
tion of a railway, 1,000 miles in length, to connect the
three colonies of South Australia, Victoria, and Syd-
ney. The plan, as detailed by Sir Henry Young, the
Governor of South Australia, is, that the necessary capi-
tal, which is estimated at 10,000,0001., should be raised
by a loan, the interest of which should be provided for
by votes of the three colonies, and guaranteed at the
same time by the Imperial Government, and that the
lands for 10 miles on both sides of the line, amounting to
12,800,000 acres, should be placed under the administra-
tion of commissioners, with the view of being gradually
realised, one-half of their proceeds to be applied to
redeem the loan, _and the other half for introducing
labour. The route to be followed would be chiefly
along the valley of the Murray, with a branch from
Swan Hill to Melbourne ; and the work, it is thought,
could be carried on at the rate of 200 miles per annum,
and thus be completed in five years. But even this pro-
posal is moderate, compared with another for the same
purpose which Sir Henry Young also forwards as having
been submitted to him by Mr. Justice Boothby. In
addition to the railway, the judge would construct enor-
mous docks at each great terminus, Sydney, Melbourne,
and Adelaide, capable of accommodating the largest
ocean steamers, and, instead of 10,000,0001., he pro-
poses a capital of 21,000,0001., as, with the guarantee
of the Imperial Government, the larger sum can, of
course, be as easily raised as the smaller. Looking
at either proposition, the whole affair furnishes a
new instance of the delusions of communities who
expect to be forced into greatness by extra-
neous help, instead of being satisfied with a steady
growth. It also realises the predictions of those who
objected to imperial aid being afforded in the shape of
guarantees of interest for public works in Canada, since
one of the most prominent arguments in the present
case is founded on the willingness expressed some few
years back by various members of the home Govern-
ment to adopt that system for the advantage of the
North American provinces. It is admitted that the
imperial guarantee would enable the money to be raised
on terms at least two per cent. below those which
would otherwise be practicable, and that even on
the 10,000,0001. it would therefore "be equivalent
to a grant from the home Government of 200,0001.
per annum ;" but, instead of seeing that this would
be an unanswerable objection, the colonists appear
to think it an especial recommendation, and it is
urged upon the Colonial-office accordingly, the
expression obviously being that the credit of the mother
country is something that can be universally diffused
without loss of any kind. Whenever the time is ripe for
such an undertaking as the railroad in question private
enterprise will be ready to carry it out, and the greatest
injury that could fall upon Australia would be inflicted
by teaching her to rely for advancement on other means.
Sir Henry Young, by the untiring zeal with which he
for years promoted every attempt to open up the Mur-
ray, as well as by his constant desire to identify himself
with the practical welfare of the people, can only have
deen dazzled temporarily into a recommendation of the
present scheme, since, even apart from its intrinsic
soundness, nothing could for a moment be taken into
consideration while all the energies of the nation are ab.
sorbed in war.