The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-25 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

Queensland, Australia. By John Dunmore Lang,

D:D., A.M. Eth-vard Stanford.

The convulsions in America, however much they
are to be lamented, will ultimately prove of great
advantage to the British colonies. Theoretically
we are opposed to slavery, and we are expending
large sums of money and sacrificing human life an-
nually to check the importation of negroes into
America; but while the Southern States were able
to furnish our cotton spinners with the raw material
at as cheap a rate as they could expect to obtain it
from any other quarter, humanity was quietly
put on the shelf, and our Manchester capitalists
were satisfied with the existing state of affairs, and
did not care to speculate money in endeavouring to
produce in our own colonies an article which they
could obtain without trouble from our transatlantic
slaveholding neighbours: The climate of the
Southern States of America is well suited for the
cultivation of cotton, but there are many countries
which are possessed of equal advantages, although
it has been the interest of certain individuals to
ignore the fact. Some time ago an endeavour
was made by certain parties to form a company for
the purpose of cultivating cotton in Australia, but
the Government of New South Wales (the oldest
and the least energetic of all the Australian colonies)
refused all assistance, and the attempt fell to the
ground. Now, however, our manufacturers are on
the qui vine, the American supply is likely to be
stopped, and they are anxious to find other markets.
Queensland, Australia, is in every way suited for
the production of cotton, and Dr. Lang's work is
published at a most appropriate time. Having long
resided in Australia, and traversed most of the ex-
plored regions, his opinions are worthy of atten-
tion. As in his previous writing, Dr. Lang goes
heart and soul into his subject; his object being to
show that Queensland presents a highly eligible
field for emigration, and possesses every capability
to be the future cotton field of Great Britain. Some
very fine samples of cotton have been sent to Eng-
land as an earnest of what the colony can produce ;
but we must bear in mind that the author gives us
only one side of the question, or at least throws the
weight of his argument on the favourable side. His
topographic details are carefully written. The colony
extends between the 30th and the 11th paral-
lels of south latitude, and from the sea to the 129th
east longitude. The boundaries are not correctly
fixed as yet, bat the above dimensions are pretty
near the mark. There is little doubt that in a few
years the squatters will extend their runs to the
Gulf of Carpentaria, for those pioneers of civiliza-
tion, where the country presents any attractions, are
sure to pave the way for agriculture and general
colonisation. A considerable portion of the work
is devoted to the history of the aborigines, whose
habits and customs in various parts, the authorl has
had opportunities of studying. The conversion and
education of the natives is very desirable, but all
the efforts that we make are in talk, not action.
A short time ago, when the aborigines were nearly
exterminated in Victoria, some pious individuals
called meetings, and endeavoured to excite public
sympathy in favour of the destitute and neglected
aborigines; but this movement did not take place
until there were next to none left. It is a painful,
but, nevertheless, an established fact, that the mis-
sionaries do not take any pains with the inhabi-
tants of Australia; but few missionary posts have
been established, and these have soon fallen into
decay ; the alleged reason being the ignorance and
inability of the natives to understand the Scrip-
tures ; but they all, more or less, believe in a
future state, however indefinite. Are they worse
than the Sandwich Islanders ? No, the fact is there
are no native productions in which the aborigines can
trade, no ivory or skins to encourage the ministers
of Christianity to persevere in their pious labours.
The day of poisoning and shooting down the blacks
have passed away, and common sense and humanity
is beginning to effect what coercion was unable to
accomplish. Emigrants to Queensland must ex-
pect to be severely tried by the climate, and the
tropical plagues, in the shape of flies and reptiles
of all shapes and sizes ; but after a little time they
will get used to them, and none need be discouraged
by the desponding letters of " New Chums" on their
first arrival. On this disagreeable subject the
author observes a discreet silence. Dr.
Lang has given a very fair account of
the country, and to those of the labouring
classes who desire permanent employment,
Queensland offers a far better field than the other
colonies, where, if wages are high, the individual
who obtains eightl or nine months' work during the
year may consider himself fortunate. Many squat-
ters have left Victoria where their runs are being
curtailed, and the rent increased, for the extensive
and fertile plains of the North, and there can be
little doubt that before long Queensland will be-
come great, both from her pastoral and vegetable
productions. The timber of Qaeensland will
form a remunerative export, one of the most
valuable samples of which is the Moreton
Bay Pine (Araucaria Cunninghanii), An
author informs us that it resembles in its
character the swamp oak of New South Wales (the
only wood in that colony, we believe, that will
float), but grows to a much greater height, viz.,
from a hundred to a hundred and fifty feet. it
resembles the Baltic or North Carolina pine, and
appears to be of much more valuable quality than
the Canadian timber. It is used for the same pur-
poses and is cut into boards for exportation. The
Iron Bark, Red Cedar, Blue Gum, Box, and other
Australian woods are to be found in great abun-
dance throughout the colony. The great drawback
hitherto experienced to the exportation of Austra-
lian timber has been the expense of transportation.
The introduction of rai ways will, however, over-
come this difficulty. And we trust, ere long, to be
independent of foreign states for the requirements
of our manufactures, and that our colonies, when
their resources are fully developed, will be able to
supply the home market and other nations with
the products of their soil which hitherto we have
been obliged to import.

THE UNITED STATES • LEGATION.—The United
States Legation is temporarily located at No. 7, Duke-
street, Portland-place.

STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH VANCOUVER
ISLAND.-By advices from Vancouver Island to the 23d
March last, we learn, on unquestionable authority, that the
mercantile community in that colony have become so angry
at the frequent interruption of the communication with
Europe and New York, in consequence of the American
steamers running from San Francisco so irregularly, and
particularly of their having established a low rate of fares
to Portland, which enables the miners to pass into British
Columbia by way of the Columbia River, instead of going
in the first instance to Victoria as heretofore, that they held
a public meeting at Victoria (the capital of Vancouver
Island), when it was unanimously carried that a British
steamer should at once be put on for the conveyance of the
mails, passengers, and specie; and the Hudson Bay Com-
pany offered the Labouchere for the purpose, provided a
subsidy of £5,000 a year was granted Subscription lists
were at. once opened to raise a moiety of that sum ; the re-
mainder it was anticipated would be voted by the legisla-
ture, as the majority of members concurred in the necessity.
There is but little doubt that the Hudson Bay Company's
offer will be acceptcd,but as the Labouchere, the steamer
employed in the fur trade, is ill calculated for the passen-
ger trade, a steam vessel will be purchased in England,
and thus form the nucleus of a British steam-packet com-
pany in the North Pacific. What an opening this would
be for the Cunard line, or for either of our great ship com-
panies; the Cunard Company, perhaps, would ul.imately
derive the greatest advantage, and, by combining with the
Pacific Steam Navigation Company, engross the whole of
our trade on the Western Coast of America. Liverpool
interests are paramount in the South Pacific, and why
ohould it not bofio in the North ?