The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-05-30 00:00:00

CANADA.

The progress of the British North American colonies
has again been illustrated by returns just issued of the
immigration of the past year, and.the continuous demand
.for labour. It appears that, notwithstanding the current
to Australia, the total arrivals in Canada from Europe in
1853 were only 61 per cent. below those of the preceding
year, the numbers having been 36,699, against 39,176.
Of this number, 18,927, or rather more than one-half,
were natives of Ireland, 4,913 of Scotland, 3,928 of Eng-
land, 3,135 of Germany, and 3,123 of Norway ; while the
remaining 628 were from Holland, Sweden, and other.
places. In the Irish emigration the number of females
preponderated in a remarkable degree over that of males,
the difference being more than 18 per cent. • This fact is
attributed to the shipment of young women from the poor
unions, coupled with the extent of remittances from
settlers already prosperous, to enable their wives and sisters
to join them. Of the entire number of 36,699 immigrants,
the proportion that remained in. Canada was 25,195, while
11,504 passed through to the United States, nearly the
whole of the Norwegian arrivals having been among the
latter, owing to the difficulties they experienced from igno-
rance of the language, which would be. obviated in the
United States by their availing themselves of some exten-
sive settlements already opened by their own countrymen
in Wisconsin. Their habits of industry and general suit-
ableness to the Canadian climate caused their departure to
be regretted. About 200, however, were induced to accept
railroad employment in Hamilton, and it is hoped that
these may form a nucleus to induce others for the future
to become settlers. 'With regard to the general health of
the emigrants of the past season, the accounts are satisfac-
tory. The total mortality was only 0.81 per cent., and the
slight excess which this shows over the previous year is
attributed entirely to the unusually protracted passages to
which several vessels were subjected, the average number
of days occupied by the various emigrant ships from all
the ports of Europe having been 48, against 39 in the
previous year. The number of ships wrecked was four,
involving a loss of 317 lives, and the instances in which
risk and discomfort were found to prevail were mostly
those in which iron formed the chief part of the cargo---a
fact that has led to the suggestion of some regulation
being made to prevent vessels conveying passengers from
carrying more than a certain proportion of dead weight.
On the question as to the success of the several 'immi-
grants in finding employment, nothing could be more
decisive than the accounts presented. In most cases they
at once proceeded up the country, and on reaching their
destination were seldom more than a few hours unem-
ployed. During the present season the demand for labour
at high wages is greatly increasing, owing to.the vast rail-
' way undertakings in progress, and with regard to women
qualified to act as servants, it is said the scarcity is such
that several thousands could be annually absorbed. The
immigration described in the present report refers only to
that which takes place by sea. A large number of settlers
arrive via' the United States, the total during the past
season being estimated at 5,000, irrespective of a great
number of railway labourers temporarily attracted from
the Western States, owing to the cessation of work in
those regions, consequent upon the long-continued pressure
in the New York money-inarket.