The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-01-06 00:00:00

BOrA.vr BAY.

The following extract from a letter, dated Sid-
ney, Feb. 21, 1819. from a convict who was some
time slice sent out from Ipswich, to his wife, is in-
serted without any other alteration than that which
arises from punctuation, and a correction of the
orthography:—
" 1 tlud, to take the weather in general, it is not much
Netter than 1 have known it in England ; but just at the
time we landed was very warm. Ne do not feel the heat
of the sun here, where I am, so much as the people up
the country, where they du not get the sea breezes. Sid-
ney is the capital of New South Vales, where I am em-
ployed under tieverament, at my own trade, at a mill on
the rocks. 1 have a very good place, and a very good
master; we never work on Sundays, or in the night. I
expect soon to be foreman iu the mill, as I flatter my-
self to say I sin the best hand in the country ; therefore I
could I have the opportunity of getting off the stores, I ,
could have any wages I like to ask ; but that I cannot
do under four years, unless on conic over to take me off.'
la my present situation I get no wages,' but draw ten
:bounds and a half of flour, and ten pounds and a
half of beef weekly, and a suit of clothes, such as they
are, every six months; so part of my meat I sell to buy
me tea and sugar, and to pay my lodgings, where I am
very condonable for one shilling per week. The ship
that is now coining. to England has got an order to the
Secretary of State, in England, to send out a number of
women to their husbands, by the next ship. I made
application for you, but was told I had been so little
while in the country, that it could not he granted, un-
less I had brought a certificate of my general charac-
ter from borne : but if I conducted myself properly,
by the next order I surely would be, which will he
eight or ten months from the present date. I
! think, nay dear, by their desiring a character from
'home, fur new comers, that if your friends and pa-
-1 rich officers made application with a petition directly,
you and the dear children might be got out directly,
I and stating that I am arrived safe, and have got em-
ployment at my own trade, where I should he able to
support you. If you do not succeed in your application,
I shall be sure to have an order for you by the next, as
above stated. I can assure you, this is a fir better roam-
' toy for a working man than England. A man that will
eke
himself useful, and is off the stores. may earn two
pusils per week ; even a. man at farmin Jay-labour
g
will have six shillings per day. I wish it had been paw
Able for you to have come over with me: 1 could have
rot into business directly. Here are two mills now
I ellaading still for want of tenants : it takes but a small
capital to get into business here, as the bakers all go to
market and buy their wheat, and pay the miller Is. per
bushel for grinding; if dressed Is. fid. All grain is
sold in the market, by the bushel, off the carts that
bring it, the same as fruit at your market. Peaches here
are one penny per dozen, and lemons three a penny.—
This is a very woody country, where a great many
Blacks resort, as they are the natives here. I see some-
times thirty in a gang come into town, of all ages, as
naked as ever they were born, for they have nut the
sense of shame ; and if a white man goes far into the
wood alone, he is sure to be killed and roasted, and eat
by them."

FRENCH INDUSTRY.
-dr-

Taking a view of the state of French inou,
now and formerly, it is certainly impossible to dont.
that it has received a very powerful stimulus, from the
destruction of old prejudice.; and • proportionate in-
crease, since the obstacles which once impeded its pro-
gress have been removed. We are far, however, from
&owing that it can bear a comparison with English in-
destry ; nor do we think it will ever be in a state to do
so. At no time were the French a truly manufacturing
and commercial people, like the English ; and that for
a reason which acts most powerfully upon all human
beheld—they can better do without manufactures and
trade dm we m. The charter they received from na-
ture was delivered in this Sybaritic aphorism—" lie
thoughtless and enjoy"—while we wercordained to strug-