The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-01-24 00:00:00

ENCOURAGING REFLECTIONS.

It is one of the wonders of history, that from the
creation a great continent has existed almost unpeopled,
though containing more treasure than all the searches for
gold set on foot by the covetousness of man have brought
to light in any other part of the globe ; a continent
blessed with the variety of temperate and tropical climate,
apt to nurse a great population, and lying within reach of
the two most populous countries in the world—of China,
long overcrowded—of India, whose shores teemed with
poor. Just men enough reach it to increase the marvel,
by showing that its forests had been found, though its
riches were kept under a veil. Had things taken their
natural course, China would have overflowed into it, and
so would India, and at this day it would have been re-
plenished with a hundred millions or more of Budhists
and Brahmins. By an unnatural law against emigration,
China holds in her swarms; by an unnatural prejudice
against the sea, India seals up her castes ; and the conse-
quence is, that through the long lapse of ages that south
continent lies awaiting its inhabitants, till, in the fulness
of time, a people are brought from the most distant part
of the earth's surface, with a light in their hands, which
the nearer and more numerous nations of Asia had not
received, and with a physical frame nursed under hardy
skies, to which the Asiatic continent would be unfriendly,
but which flourishes anew in the genial suns of
Australia.

Time is given for this people to take such a hold of the
country that nothing can sweep them off; there is lifted
up a veil which had since the creation hidden from man's
eyes the rarest treasure they ever gazed on ; and Australia
draws towards her torrents of population. More swiftly
than ever nation rose before, will this new nation rise—
numerous, powerful, and free—offering to the wretched
tribes of the isles which throng the southern and eastern
seas an example of what, under the elevating influence of
a true religion, an island race may become, and extending
to the great continent of Asia powerful influences in favour
of Christianity.

After briefly adverting to the vast accumulation
of colonial territory acquired by Great Britain in
North America, India, and South Africa, within
the last century,—to which he properly adds the
whole of Australia,—the review writer proceeds
with a consideration of the

PROSPECTIVE EFFECTS OF AUSTRALIAN ENTERPRISE ON

BRITISH EXERTION.

Nor is the reaction of Australia on the history of Europe
likely to be without the highest importance. At the time
the news of the gold discovery reached us, all the world
was basking in the rays of genial amity, under the dome
of the Crystal Palace. But as things were then running,
only one powerful European nation had great gold re-
sources,—Russia, which, annually drawing millions from
her mines, would'thereby have been gradually fortifying
her one weak point, and preparing herself for European
ascendency. Australia, however, brings to light a store
of gold, compared with which her's is insignificant ; and
that is poured into the lap of England, giving new vigour
to every branch of her industry, new elasticity to every
source of her revenue, and an incomparable stimulus
to the energy of her people—a stimulus which carries hope
to the bosom of the lowliest, and sets prizes in view which
move even the idle to be up, and quit themselves like
men. Perhaps this last is the most important contribu-
tion to our strength of all. The hardy spirit which war
has too often been the only instrument for breathing into
a population, and which can never be lost without danger
to national independence, will be well served by the dis-
cipline which thousands upon thousands of England's
youth will cheerfully take on ship-board, in the bush, and
at the mines ; while the letters of these men, and their
frequent return, full of colonial energy, will constantly
act upon those who stay at home, and call out that strong
English ambition which, though well pleased and proud
at the spirit of our children, is not content to be out-done
by them. Thus, while the old country ministers to the
comforts of the new, the new will minister to the vigour
of the old—an effect which we have already seen in the
case of America, if we specify nothing but the one cardinal
article of shipbuilding, for all can see to how great an
extent we owe the splendid vessels, such as the Francis
Henry, and the Marco Polo, which now astonish us with
their swift tidings from distant shores, to the resolution
of our craftsmen " not to be beaten by the Yankees."
Another item of political strength for England, discernible
in the rise of Australia, is this : that should Providence
only grant our statesmen wisdom to make the connexion
with England, instead of a restraint, an impediment, and
a humiliation to the new country, a pride, a facility, and
a defence,—as is the connexion of each new American
State with the parent union,—then the wealth and power
of our countrymen in the far south-east will give an ad-
ditional consolidation to our Indian and African posses-
sions ; the Cape, India, Australia, and New Zealand,
being each a depot of British power re-acting upon the
other, gradually acquiring common interests, and con-
tributing, in case of need, mutual aid and defence.

To many, the anticipations thrown out in the
preceding paragraph, will, no doubt, appear as the
over-drawn air-pictures of an enthusiastic dreamer ;
to others, and we confess ourselves of the number,
they will present a picture, too highly coloured, it
may be, but still a picture for the realization of
which, in a great degree, the course of events give
warrant of expectation. The question of who
should emigrate is taken up with spirit, and
answered with a degree of lively freedom conferring
on it all the raciness of friendly and intelligent
converse ; such being the case, we repeat the
question