The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-01-03 00:00:00

pulation of some millions, and give employment to a
large proportion of our shipping. We make use of the
terms if properly governed advisedly; because, unfor-
tunately, our colonies have hitherto been atroc;ously
misgoverned. We do not exempt Tory administrations
from this charge ; but we confidently assert that the
colonial policy of the Whigs has been infinitely more
ruinous in its consequences.
The Mauritius is also a highly important colonial
possession, the trade of which is capable of great ex-
tension. We are glad to perceive a considerable in-
crease in its exports during the last year. The em-
ployment of the Hill Coolies seems to have answered
remarkably well in that colony. Their adaptation to
the performance of field-work has been there tri-
umphantly proved. All the accounts received from
the Mauritius represent the Coolies as perfectly satis-
fied with their treatment and condition ; so much so,
indeed, as to express a general wish to have all their

iends and relations removed from India to the same

locality.
The East Indies, again, present a boundless field
for commercial enterprise. The teeming soil of this
vast empire is capable of furnishing an amount of
produce, many times over, equal in value to the whole
of our manufactured exports. There is not a cotton
or woollen factory in this country that might not be
fully and most profitably occupied in producing ma-
nufactured fabrics for the East Indian market alone,

if the resources of that magnificent appendage to the
British Crown were adequately developed, and its af-
fairs prudently administered. Look, for instance, to
the recent experiments in the growth of tea in Assam.
Why should not this country be rendered independent
of China in the supply of this article ? Nay, why
should not England supply other countries with a pro-
duct of such general consumption ?

Australia and New Zealand, again, are destined,
under good government, to become populous and flou-
rishing colonies, and recipients of a very large propor-
tion of our exports. Already the shipping employed
in the trade to our Australian possessions has attained
an unexampled degree of prosperity ; and it is in-
creasing in a ratio which justifies us in asserting that
it will, in a very few years, far exceed in tonnage the
whole of our European trade.

With the cast resources of the Canadas most of our
readers are, we presume, acquainted. These colonies,
if properly governed (for without this proviso our spe-
culations are without any foundation), might be ren-
dered of far greater value to this country than they are
at present.

We repeat our cordial wishes for the prosperity of
all these colonies, and we shall hereafter embrace every
opportunity we can to point out their resources, and
to promote their interests. Our present object, how-
ever, is to bring before our readers the peculiar claims
'of the West India Islands and British Guiana upon
the sympathies and protection of the people of this
country. In our former articles on this subject, we
have animadverted in strong terms on the inattention
of the home Government to these colonies, and to the
general mal-administration of their affairs. We are
glad to find, from the tone of the Ministerial papers,
that a more favourable impression has begun to ope-
rate upon the minds of those who have the direction
of our colonial affairs. 'We trust the day is not far
distant when justice to the West Indies will become a
rallying cry throughout the country, and that this cry
will meet with a ready echo from the Imperial Legis-
lature.

On the resources and capabilities of the West Indies
and British Guiana it is not our intention to enlarge
at present. It is sufficient for us to say that they are
capable of furnishing this country with all the staple
products of tropical regions required for the consump-
tion of the entire population of Great Britain. All
that is now wanted, to increase in a tenfold degree the
exports of Sugar, Coffee, Cotton, &c. from the West
Indies and British Guiana, is an adequate supply of
manual labour, combined with a proportionate additional
outlay of British capital. Even without the latter, an
increased supply of labourers would immediately pro-
duce a favourable re-action on our colonial trade.
Owing to the want of these the planters are cramped in
their operations—their capital is being frittered away—
their estates are going to ruin—our shipping and our
seamen are lying idle—colonial produce is becoming
dearer and dearer—and thousands of our manufactur-
ing population are thrown out of employment. These
are evils which loudly and imperatively call for a
remedy—a remedy at once prompt, adequate, and
effective.

Where are fresh labourers for our West India colo-
nies 10-bC found? This question we have answered
over and over again. It is useless to calculate, at least
for some time to come, upon the increased disposition
of the emancipated Negroes to perform field-work.
They must be allowed time to settle down to habits of
industry. The intoxicating influence of their newly-
acquired freedom has not yet subsided. But, even
supposing that the whole of the present Negro popu-
lation of the West Indies were as diligent as they were
under their for Mer system of coerced labour, there is
still room for the employment of countless thousands
in addition to their numbers ; and it is no exaggeration
to say, that there are countless thousands who would
be glad of having an opportunity of obtaining employ-
ment in the West Indies. Hindostan alone could
spare a million of labourers, and would benefit by
their removal. Africa, again, could spare its hundreds
of thousands, to whom a removal to the West Indies
would be a blessing. The extensive emigration of the
African tribes to the West Indies, under the protection
of the British flag, and under regulations strictly con-
sonant with the principles of British freedom, would
strike a heavier blow at that foul traffic in human flesh,
the Slave Trade, than it has ever yet experienced. For
thirty years this country has been endeavouring to lAA
an end to this abominable trade. This interference on
behalf of the poor Africans has been dictated by the
purest motives of humanity, but it has resulted in a
system of cruelty, bondage, and torture, of which the
people of this country have been, until very recently,
utterly unconscious. We have already expended
twenty millions of money and upwards in endeavour-
ing to put a stop to the slave trade ; the lives of hun-

dreds of our brave and hardy seamen have been sacri-
ficed in this philanthropic enterprise; and it is true
that we have rescued many thousands—yes, hundreds

of thousands----from the numerous slavers that have
been captured through the vigilance of our cruisers.
But what has been the result of all this expenditure of

le and money ? Where are the poor Africans that

we have rescued from the crowded and pestilence-
creating holds of the slavers ? What has become of
them ? Our readers will, no doubt, be astonished
when we inform them that the greater proportion of
these rescued Africans are now enduring all the horrors
of SLAVERY in its most aggravated form! They are
now quailing under the lash in the Brazils, Cuba, &c.,
in a hopeless state of bondage. Is it possible ! This
is a very natural exclamation. These were the words
to which Dr. Lushington involuntarily gave utterance
when the subject was mentioned to him a few days
ago. We shall shortly lay before our readers some
more explicit information on this topic.
Before we conclude these remarks we beg to direct
the attention of our readers to an extract from the
Morning Chronicle, which appears in another column.
In the language of the extract we fully coincide. May
we not augur from it the prospect of a cordial union
of all parties in prosecuting an object of such incalcu-
lable importance ?

The merchants of this town, connected in trade with
the river Plate, have just addressed a highly compli-
mentary letter to our worthy representative, Cresswell
Cresswell, Esq., conveying a vote of thanks for the
valuable assistance which he rendered to their deputa-
tion in their conference with the Right Honorable Vis-
count Palmerston, on the subject of the blockade of
Buenos Ayres, and other subjects set forth in their me-
morial, and also for the support which Mr. Cresswell
subsequently gave to the further representations made
on the subject of obtaining permission to bring away
their property from Buenos Ayres, as well as for the
lively interest which he manifested on their behalf, and
the zealous manner in which he has co-operated with
the deputation. We mention this to shoW the manner
in which the mercantile interests of the town appreci-
ate Mr. Cresswell's attention.

The Morning Chronicle seems to be so thoroughly the
servant of O'Connell as to act bully for him upon all occa-
sions. It has lately furiously attacked the Earl of Bute, for
refusing to give part of his estate to build a. popish chapel
upon