The New Orleans crescent., 1868-12-06
THE POSSIBILITIES OF EMIGRATION.
THE MEETING OF EASTERN AND WESTERN TIDE

| against sluggish and degenerate plenty and
most of the peaceful migrations which have
been known maybe ascribed to the impulse Of
over-dense and under-fed populations to ex-
psnd into wider spaces, where individual
vitality and development would be more, and
the pressure of social exigencies would be
less. Hence, the course of conquest has been
more often southwark than northward while
the course of migration, as far back as it may
be traced in the annals and traditions of
Europe, has been for the most part from
East to West.
In ancient times migratory movement was
slower than at present in proportion as the
means of travel and transportation were in
ferior then to what they are now. 1t may be
inferred that, owing to the same deficiency,
populations, once established in given area,
tended to an over-density, amenable only to
the terrible remedy of defamation by war.
pestilence and famine. No such catastro-
phes are at this day necessarily incident to
the growth and concentration ofpopulations-
| at least among the Western nations, where
improved methods of passing between coun-
| try and country, and between continent and
continent, constitute one of the most remark
able features of their civilization. Yet, it is
hardly too much to say, that existing facilities
for, international and inter-continental COM
munication fall as short of future attainments
in that sphere OF improvement as the old
stage coach falls short of the railway locomo-
tive and if the progress already made in this
direction has operated to correct or prevent,
in some measure, the evils Of over-density by
promoting an equable diffusion of the worlds
inhabitants, it is perfectly reasonable to sup
pose that still further progress in the same
direction will proportionately enlarge the
measure of this amelioration. Especially
may we look, hereafter, for great advance
and great change in oceanic navigation-an
art, which, as thoughtful observers are pre-
pared to say, with all respect for the fame
of Fulton and Stephenson, is at present
scarcely beyond its infancy. And, after what
has been said, it is needless to say how i'm
portant is the relation between the possibili-
ties of navigation and the possibilities of mi
grafton. In regard to this relation, the Lon
don Spectator offers the speculative illus
trations which are subjoined
Suppose, il true, as SO many men of mark in
science believe, that the next great step may be
in sea-gOiDg vessels, that international communi-
cation may be accelerated, as International CON-
munication has been, that we may yet see New
York within two days journey of Liverpool, the
probability is that in ten years every social condi-
tion row existing in Europe would have ceased to
exist that the millions who toll for Others and
on whose toll modern society is built would
choose to toll for themselves, would precipitate
thameQlVpa a n q ants
OF mankind have been trifes upon the New World.
Suppose the population of Britain and Germany
reduced 10 10 900 600 e8ch-a change less in mag
nitude than that which has occurred in many
countries-and these 10 600 900 only retained by
advantages as great as the New World can offer,
what would all the changes Of the past half cen.
tury be to that!
This may happen. even without any application
oil Stephenson's great idea. the idea he never
worked out, thatif engineers instead of trying to
increase the power applicable to driving ships,
were 10 reduce the friction which retards ships
the world woad speedily be one great parish.
This writer, who has seen many countries, aud
lived among many races, seriously believes that of
all the dangers to which Europe and European
society are exposed, none is formidable as the
passion for emigration, seriously doubts whether, |
If education spreads in Europe, it will be pos |
sbe to retain its population cooped up in their |
narrow and halfexhausted corner of the world. |
We think, We English, that we know what emi- |
grafton is, but We know nothing about 1t; have |
no 1Oed OF lne cnhDgeS involved II aided by the 4
whole force of the masses then in possession of |
tie supreme political power. Suppose those five. |
sixths OF EDglishmen who now work for others |
choose to go elsewhere and work for themselves |
The change between Waterloo and Sadowa
would be very slight compared with the change |
between ls6s and 1878, and there is not sensible
man in England who will declare that alteration
beyond the reach of thought. Why should not
emigration in England and Germany attain the
height it has attained in Ireland, and the masses
insist on aiding ii through the national fleets
he Irish would If they had the power and the
British have this year the power confer on them.
We say nothing of discovery which, if II is ever
made, will remold all human society, slowly pull
veTizlng all differences among nations, fusng the
werld into one people, and Immediately destroy
all existing political arrangements-the discovery |
of o means of maintaining and guiding raft ten /
ieet or 30 In the air, for we can not resist to-
tally unreasonable impression that the discovery
will not in our time make that astounding leap |
a Apart altogether from that there are physical
forces now at work strong enough TO change the /
force Of the whole world by shifting its population
Much of the above is doubtless more fanci-
full than logical, but the line of speculation is
in high degree interesting and suggestive,
and In no point is it more so than where it
touches the question, how diffusive forces
and facilities will affect the Chinese. This
population, according to Mr.. Caleb Cushing,
who is regarded by his admirers as walking
encyclopedia of Chinese statistics and politi-
cal economy, is not less than five hundred
larger number than is contained in
the whole of Europe. And, according to the
same authority, China possesses wealth,
civilization and education, of their peculiar
kind, in proportion to its populousness. Its
methods of industry are also peculiar, being
almost exclusively manual, though marvel
ously skillful. It is thought that only by this
system a syrte..a vhieh air11ost ever ybe<5y
IS producer of the necessaries of life-could
so vast a population be maintained upon
territory comparatively so small. But all this
is to be changed in the course of coming
years. Chinese statesmen have long resisted
the introduction of steam and labor-saying
believing, not without reason, that,
should such an innovation be abruptly made,
every cotton mill would cause thousand of
the Chinese people to perish, every steamer
million, and every railway many millions
But at length they recognize the necessity of