, 1874-11-14
THE WEST INDIAN IN LONDON


uUG SGeIuS I DhF0 UOcA GIiCu u SOUQ u6ul ldlo"
ly; the absence of the Colonial Secretary has
thrown considerable extra labour upon his
Exoellenoy. The duties of the Acting Coloni-
al Secretary must also be very onerous in
consequence of the department being so long
without its chief. The railway scheme seems
to be advancing into a practical stage, money
is being subscribed in the island; but as
nothing can be done until the Government
survey is made, it is hoped that this prelimi-
nary work will be undertaken without any
further delay. A long letter, by Mr.. E.G.
Barrett, appears in the Colonial Standard.
protesting against the railway project. but as
the writer seems to delight In depreolating the
colony and Its resources, and to object to every
Improvement, accomplished or proposed, his
argument Is entitled to little weight. Mr.. r.
81. Burton has issued circulars asking for sup.
port and cooperation In the formation of u
limited liability company to establish q central
factory. The want of a good hotel In King
ston has given rise to q scheme for building
one. Considering the large number of pas.
seng8rs who land at Kingston, both from
Europe and America, there can be little doubt
Of the financial success Of a good hotel. The
absence of increased accommodation deters
people from visiting the island, who would
otherwise 90 there in search of health or plea.
sure. Some dissatisfaction seems to have been
caused by the delay ocoasloned by steamers
being compelled to go into quarantine without
any necessity for their doing so. 1t Is right.
Of course. that every preoaution should be TAX
en-, and it Is. difficult to judge Of the action
Of the Government In this matter.
Notwithstanding oil the practical experience
Of Government derived in India, Sir George
Campbell, as an English politician, remains
inoorrlgibly viewy. His speech at the recent
Social GoinnO "a CODuracc ia q narfaoF Conorop7o
Of views, most of them pleasant to contemplate,
but very difficult to realise. His remarks,
however, about the future Of the population
In India are reasonable and OppOrtune. RE
cent events have created a painful interest In
the density and the rapid increase of the popu-
latlOn." He ascribes the present condition Of
the people to ignorance and prejudice. He
then touches upon one most obvious remedy
for oVer-population and its miseries-viz
emigration. To educate the masses of India
50 that they might become as self-reliant as
an European population would be a slow pro-
CESS to teach them the advantage of emigra.
ton would be an immediate relief to the neces-
stiles OF the country. Sir George Campbell
Is therefore justified In sayIng-and coming
from him the admission has considerable sig
niionnce-that =" there seems no reaoon why
our warmer colonies and possessions should
not pc fully o~olonised by an Indian population"
Sir g.. Campbell thinks that the manufactures
In India employing Indian labour will, In
course of time, be formidable competitors with
our manufactures at home, especially in the
preparation Ofiute and cotton. No doubt there
is vast room for the extension of existing In
dustrtes In India and the opening of new ones.
The encouragement of these would be far bet
ter than a continuance Of the system of whole.
sale pauperisation which has been resorted to
In past times by the Government of India, and
which Is bound to have a baneful influence
upon the Immediate future Of the population.
There Is no space to discuss Sir G.. CampbelI's
views as to the relations between the mother
country and the colonies. No one, outside a
small but self-asserting section of politicians,
would accept his theories. Canada, he says,
lS q burden and a risk to US. and the sooner we
are free OF her the better. He Is even imagi-
native enough to look forward to the day when
India may be allowed to go. This was strong
meat for even a SOCIAL Science Congress, but
At present no Ill effects have been observed.
The Calcutta correspondent of the Times
mas made another extremely valuable and