The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-03-18
Newfoundland: Cornerstone O
The British Empire

Of the United States TO the north or
the desirability Of Ncwfoundfand's
becoming part Of the Dominion of
Canada raises Il point upon which
probably many Americans are Ea-
fZy-that there are two distinct
British realms. not one, in the
portion of North America above
the Canadian border. Newfound-
land and its relations to Canada are
brought out in the following bull
letin from the Washington, D. c.,
/ headnuarters Of the National Geo
graphic Society:
Sentiment plays its part in his
| tory and historic geography" says
/ the bulletin. and the fact thar
Newfoundland has insisted on
standing alone while all the other
! British possessions Of North Amer
ica have united 10 form the Donain-
ion Of Canada is probably partly
due 10 the pride that Newfbund
| landerS have always had IN be-
! ing able to boast that theirs is
the senior British colony-the first
Of the children Of the motherland
TO make its home beyond the seas.
+; Newfoundland had its settle
ments as carly as the 18th century
and was a full-fledged British
colony with governor when Can
ada was New France, South Africa
was in the hands of the Dutch, and
! not single white settler had land
ed in Australia
Across Canad;,'S Front Door.
Newfoundland has a geograpi1i-
cal position of great importance,
for it largely blocks the bread gulf
I into which the ST. Lawrence River
widcns, and which forms Canada's
front door from Europe. More
, over Newfoundland is the closest
part oc North America to the Brit
ish Isles, being only 1,640 miles
from ireland 1t is natural that
the first transatlantic cable should
! have been laid to the shores OF
Newfoundland in 1858 and that out
Of Il cables now crossing the north
Atlantic II first touch American
soil either on Newfoundland or It's
neighboring iSlets. And when in
1919 aeroplanes finally conquered
the Atlantic it was from Newfound.-
land that both the American and
the British machines took Off.
Newfoundland has an area OF
more than $4,000 square miles, and
is therefore practically half the size
Of Great Britain. Excepting only
| Cuba. which barely exceeds it IN
size, it is the largest island Of sthe
Western Hemisphere outside polar
waters. With its cliffs of brown
stone rising 200 TO 800 feet, Brok-
| en- here and there by deep fjoyds
and bays. Newfoundland has
bleak and barren appearance which
bellies conditions in many parts of
the rolling, tiinbered interior.
Along a number of the streams
are fertile valleys in which agri-
culture and stockraisins flourish.
The Story in One Word: Fish.
In late years mining, stock
raising. the manufacture of wood
pulp and news print paper. and q
number Of other industries have
been developed in Newfoundland,
but throughout its mere than 400
years OF history the central story
| OF the island might be told in one
word: fish. Boston and MaSsachu- y
sets have felt deeply indebted to
their sacred cod but after all
that important creature came frcn
the Newfoundland bank; and how.
ever valuable it has been to New
England, it has meant much more
to Newfoundland and through
! Newfoundland to Great Britain.
"A good case could even be
made for the cod as claimant fog
place on the British coat-of-arms:
for that lowly fish in a way laid
the foundation of the worldwide
British Empire Before the dis
covery of Newfoundland Britishers
were Of little importar = rs seafar.
erS. The great wealth Of cod fish
which John Cabot's finding of the
island disclosed Immediately drew
the men Of the British Isles out Of
their insularity.
The next year after the dis
covery-149S-a feet Of Devon
fishermen crossed the Atlantic and
returned loaded down with fish
and from that time on for centuries
the annual crossing and recross-
| ing of the Atlantic took place.
The British kings looked upon the
voyages Of thousands OF men TO
and from Newfoundland as the
best Kind Of training for seamen
and deliberately discouraged the
settlement Of the island IN order to
perpetuate the fishing from a Brit
iSl base Great Britain quickly
became 4 seafaring nation; the
navy grew; and with its growth sfe
british Empire spread around the
world.
The Newfoundland of today has
Il government in general somewhat
like that CT Canada. 1t IS not
crown colony but self-soverning
responsible colony with q govern
or-genc,al appointed by the British
king. a premier, and parliament
of TWO houses.
Its educational system is uniQue.
Neither the central government
nor political divisions maintain
public schools. Instead, religious
denominations haze charge OF