New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-02

Beresford. c. B. octave. pp. xix. 2'--'' Lon
don: Grant Richards
Treating rather fororn theme Ny. Nl.'S'"
has nevertheless made an amus.n% DOOR lN'F
Is this Is because ne has sifishtN '''''''
,o,,. q &c due 10 tho fact that Newfoundland is
forlrrn without being tragic The "'ii" ~ wv
busy. or too cruel to weep over woes when 40
80. o,ter ali. make utterly miserable the lives
Of those upon whom they fall, ana 'he l"'"''-
.orf~ ~ Fnclard's oldest Colony-if we ar" 20 ''-
,t.,a Mr. Vnlson--btar their economic burdens
With q, RESIGNATION that is anything bur sril'A'
yerhoDs u the world wept with them they WON"
themselves grow excited over their cIcu'l-
e,onces Living as they do in an intensely
uarochtal detachment from affairs ou'sDe III"
Immediate purview. they fall To a'us"E one
another with amazing rancor IN me" poi'''~''
life. and spend some time cursinG 'he I'e"'''
but. on the whole, they rub along IN what VIC
may even describe as state Of happiness nv
trail OF the Goldfish Is over them ALL ana cou''''
is not an incentive TO imprisoned thoush'' e'
hans this is another reason for the neglect OF inc
island by the British IT.,
rb. ei,uation in Newfoundland is, roughly
spealinr as follows: Ever since the f4e"e-
.tohushad themselves on the islands OF -
Pierre and MGuelon. OF the sou'heH' 90
,bov hove done their hest 70 acquire exclusive
rights
their big ne:ghbor. The fishing banks are OF
-, no-, ~ the high seas. and no Power
roo ,,r,sd,ction there but the shore fishing 5
,,nror,snt and the beach itself along the new
,ornd1snd coast Is valuable for the purposes o.
the fishermen when the latter are drying 'nV"
catch For some reason or other. the blI'si'
Government has never thought 1t worth "h"o
TO repulse French aggression IN this H"''''
and one treaty has followed another IN oroe' -
give the French what the natives want 'es"i
nossession of the shore rights. we heeu mo-
traverse the details Of this long dlplohlauc
Nirtation. England and France seem 10 ""'e
coouetted with one another. the FORMER ro"o
Welding IN Newfoundland waters TOT the saNe
Of peace elsewhere. Net result, the ii0"~'
have the shore rights from cape Ray "p Wv
western coast to the ncrthernmost point u NV
,s'ord and down on the cast coast TO Cape ST.
robn As a matter Of sentiment this IS eGaspc'-
at,ra enough 10 the inhabitants. Pracuca"y
also the situation Is CALLING. for II ops''u''S
nrorrass and renders the development OF the iaho
o,o,c the coast extremely difficult. Mfr Wilson
,aus NC in sober earnest that one reason az
,,,ncad hv the French for their obtecting u
,re co-structioo Of railroad with q terminus
IN The coes; was that tho screech'ng OF tie
railway locomotive would frighten away ,ne
fish" Is it surprising that region III WYNN
such a thing could be bone ot cohteh'lo" "''
not been taken seriously
Mr. Wilson terseiy shows the outcome o. t"iS
curious policy the part Of the bIiuS" WV
ernroer, Land has been selling Tor 81 ce'''7 "''
acro and grazing country has lain useless
ubi,a IRE inhabitants have imported at hlsn
rr,co tho cattle they could raise themselves II
only the country could be lifted from the Nea'S
combinations binding it hand and foot mineral
danosits are left almost untouched. IN an aP
pandix to this book an account is gwen ol ."e
experience OF Captain Cunningham' Il h''''"'
r,,,,cg exnert. who laid ont large sum OF
money on sinking shafts and on other prepAi
lions FOR the exploitation OF certain Mi"eid'
lan6s. and was compelled by French admiral
IN discontinue his operations. The unhappy
minor FASTENED on TO Paris. but unwisey pauS'd
IN Iondon on the way and consulted win th7
authorities at the Foreign Ooice. lie was 'oiu
n let the matter drop, as any fur'her ul9ouS
sion might involve England and France III
trouble II he continued his journey, saw 'he
French Minister OF Marine and obtained 'he
concession he desired. then England WouiN per-
haps feel obliged to see that Captain cunning
ham was got off the premises In some olher wa!
His money was thrown away, and II Is nov o'ii-
cult 10 imagine Newfoundland snash'hs 'S
teeth II is backward. in short, for reasons hav-
Those are large. and Mr. Wilson gives facts and
Ngpres IN support Of Ms enthusiasm for what he
an,lv calls the Cinderella OF the colonies. One
cannot help sympathizng with the neglected
and fl-used islanders nor Is 1t easy TO avoid eIl
,nonuse OF wrath toward the French emissary.
Monsieur c. Riballier des Isles. who has planted
himself IN ST. Johns and has given all hls
energies to the strengthening Of the peculiar
rights" OF France. Mr.. Wilson's sketch o.
this gentleman IS ursparng, though good
humored.
All the personalities IN the book couched
IN pleasant terms. Mr.. Wilson has observed
that the Newfoundlanders are frlghtful gossips
and that in controversy they use biting words
This has warned him. and he has taken up the
case Of Cinderella in a verS amcab.e and genial
spirit defending her with earnestness. but tax
ing great pains 10 keep false colors out of his
picture The result IS that he has written q
vivid. helpful book, one which ought to do much
10 clear UP popular ignorance on subject which
lies 30 70 speak. at our very doors The Tenth
Island he shows. IL not a land all foss ard COO
fish There are blue skies, noble prairies and
mountains and when all is said there ere
sources Of prosperity which should ultimately
Give Newfoundland high position. She has
r,ea,hered some severe crises in her financial
history and with Mr.. Reid. the contractor
moving heaven and earth to make a profit out OF
his recent bargain with the Government there
is every prospect that the island VIII emerge
from It's long condition OF economic insecurity
Possibly too the shore question Will get itsci'
settled in time. Mr.. Reid is not the k'nd o.
man TO let II stand in his way. MT WlHsor
wrote his book before the great deal was con
ANIMATED between the Montreal contractor and
the observation-disclosures. He describes him a.
seated one day In his office studying the map o.
North America. and marking Newfoundland
With q blue cross. Noting IT'S geographical stu
alton. he observed to a friend THAT is the com
ing country" and proceeded to interest himself