in darkest england and the way out-第42章

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ia；　or　some　other　land。　　British　Columbia　has　been　strongly　urged　upon　our　notice。　　Indeed；　it　is　certain　if　this　Scheme　proves　the　success　we　anticipate；　the　first　Colony　will　be　the　forerunner　of　similar　communities　elsewhere。　　Africa；　however；　presents　to　us　great　advantages　for　the　moment。　　There　is　any　amount　of　land　suitable　for　our　purpose　which　can　be　obtained；　we　think；　without　difficulty。　　The　climate　is　healthy。　　Labour　is　in　great　demand；　so　that　if　by　any　means　work　failed　on　the　Colony；　there　would　be　abundant　opportunities　for　securing　good　wages　from　the　neighbouring　Companies。


SECTION　1。THE　COLONY　AND　THE　COLONISTS。

Before　any　decision　is　arrived　at；　however；　information　will　be　obtained　as　to　the　position　and　character　of　the　land；　the　accessibility　of　markets　for　commodities；　communication　with　Europe；　and　other　necessary　particulars。

The　next　business　would　be　to　obtain　on　grant；　or　otherwise；　a　sufficient　tract　of　suitable　country　for　the　purpose　of　a　Colony；　on　conditions　that　would　meet　its　present　and　future　character。

After　obtaining　a　title　to　the　country；　the　next　business　will　be　to　effect　a　settlement　in　it。　　This；　I　suppose；　will　be　accomplished　by　sending　a　competent　body　of　men　under　skilled　supervision　to　fix　on　a　suitable　location　for　the　first　settlement；　erecting　such　buildings　as　would　be　required；　enclosing　and　breaking　up　the　land；　putting　in　first　crops；　and　so　storing　sufficient　supplies　of　food　for　the　future。

Then　a　supply　of　Colonists　would　be　sent　out　to　join　them；　and　from　time　to　time　other　detachments；　as　the　Colony　was　prepared　to　receive　them。　　Further　locations　could　then　be　chosen；　and　more　country　broken　up；　and　before　a　very　long　period　has　passed　the　Colony　would　be　capable　of　receiving　and　absorbing　a　continuous　stream　of　emigration　of　considerable　proportions。

The　next　work　would　be　the　establishment　of　a　strong　and　efficient　government；　prepared　to　carry　out　and　enforce　the　same　laws　and　discipline　to　which　the　Colonists　had　been　accustomed　in　England；　together　with　such　alterations　and　additions　as　the　new　circumstances　would　render　necessary。

The　Colonists　would　become　responsible　for　all　that　concerned　their　own　support；　that　is　to　say；　they　would　buy　and　sell；　engage　in　trade；　hire　servants；　and　transact　all　the　ordinary　business　affairs　of　every…day　life。

Our　Headquarters　in　England　would　represent　the　Colony　in　this　country　on　their　behalf；　and　with　money　supplied　by　them；　when　once　fairly　established；　would　buy　for　their　agents　what　they　were　at　the　outset　unable　to　produce　themselves；　such　as　machinery　and　the　like；　also　selling　their　produce　to　the　best　advantage。

All　land；　timber；　minerals；　and　the　like；　would　be　rented　to　the　Colonists；　all　unearned　increments；　and　improvements　on　the　land；　would　be　held　on　behalf　of　the　entire　community；　and　utilised　for　its　general　advantages；　a　certain　percentage　being　set　apart　for　the　extension　of　its　borders；　and　the　continued　transmission　of　Colonists　from　England　in　increasing　numbers。

Arrangements　would　be　made　for　the　temporary　accommodation　of　new　arrivals；　Officers　being　maintained　for　the　purpose　of　taking　them　in　hand　on　landing　and　directing　and　controlling　them　generally。　So　far　as　possible；　they　would　be　introduced　to　work　without　any　waste　of　time；　situations　being　ready　for　them　to　enter　upon；　and　any　way；　their　wants　would　be　supplied　till　this　was　the　case。

There　would　be　friends　who　would　welcome　and　care　for　them；　not　merely　on　the　principle　of　profit　and　loss；　but　on　the　ground　of　friendship　and　religion；　many　of　whom　the　emigrants　would　probably　have　known　before　in　the　old　country；　together　with　all　the　social　influences；　restraints；　and　religious　enjoyments　to　which　the　Colonists　have　been　accustomed。　　After　dealing　with　the　preparation　of　the　Colony　for　the　Colonists；　we　now　come　to　the　preparation　of　the　COLONISTS　FOR　THE　COLONY　OVER…SEA。

They　would　be　prepared　by　an　education　in　honesty；　truth；　and　industry；　without　which　we　could　not　indulge　in　any　hope　of　their　succeeding。　While　men　and　women　would　be　received　into　the　City　Colony　without　character；　none　would　be　sent　over　the　sea　who　had　not　been　proved　worthy　of　this　trust。

They　would　be　inspired　with　an　ambition　to　do　well　for　themselves　and　their　fellow　Colonists。

They　would　be　instructed　in　all　that　concerned　their　future　career。

They　would　be　taught　those　industries　in　which　they　would　be　most　profitably　employed。

They　would　be　inured　to　the　hardships　they　would　have　to　endure。

They　would　be　accustomed　to　the　economies　they　would　have　to　practise。

They　would　be　made　acquainted　with　the　comrades　with　whom　they　would　　have　to　live　and　labour。

They　would　be　accustomed　to　the　Government；　Orders；　and　Regulations　which　they　would　have　to　obey。

They　would　be　educated；　so　far　as　the　opportunity　served；　in　those　habits　of　patience；　forbearance；　and　affection　which　would　so　largely　tend　to　their　own　welfare；　and　to　the　successful　carrying　out　of　this　part　of　our　Scheme。

TRANSPORT　TO　THE　COLONY　OVER…SEA。

We　now　come　to　the　question　of　transport。　　This　certainly　has　an　element　of　difficulty　in　it；　if　the　remedy　is　to　be　applied　on　a　very　large　scale。　　But　this　will　appear　of　less　importance　if　we　consider：　

That　the　largeness　of　the　number　will　reduce　the　individual　cost。　Emigrants　can　be　conveyed　to　such　a　location　in　South　Africa；　as　we　have　in　view；　by　ones　and　twos　at　#8　per　head；　including　land　journey；　and；　no　doubt；　were　a　large　number　carried；　this　figure　would　be　reduced　considerably。

Many　of　the　Colonists　would　have　friends　who　would　assist　them　with　the　cost　of　passage　money　and　outfit。

All　the　unmarried　will　have　earned　something　on　the　City　and　Farm　Colonies；　which　will　go　towards　meeting　their　passage　money。　　In　the　course　of　time　relatives；　who　are　comfortably　settled　in　the　Colony；　will　save　money；　and　assist　their　kindred　in　getting　out　to　them。　We　have　the　examples　before　our　eyes　in　Australia　and　the　United　States　of　how　those　countries　have　in　this　form　absorbed　from　Europe　millions　of　poor　struggling　people。

All　Colonists　and　emigrants　generally　will　bind　themselves　in　a　legal　instrument　to　repay　all　monies；　expenses　of　passage；　outfit；　or　otherwise；　which　would　in　turn　be　utilised　in　sending　out　further　contingents。

On　the　plan　named；　if　prudently　carried　out；　and　generously　assisted；　the　transfer　of　the　entire　surplus　population　of　this　country　is　not　only　possible；　but　would；　we　think；　in　process　of　time；　be　effected　with　enormous　advantage　to　the　people　themselves；　to　this　country；　and　the　country　of　their　adoption。　　The　history　of　Australia　and　the　United　States　evidences　this。　　It　is　quite　true　the　first　settlers　in　the　latter　were　people　superior　in　every　way　for　such　an　enterprise　to　the　bulk　of　those　we　propose　to　send　out。　　But　it　is　equally　true　that　large　numbers　of　the　most　ignorant　and　vicious　of　our　European　populations　have　been　pouring　into　that　country　ever　since　without　affecting　its　prosperity；　and　this　Colony　Over…Sea　would　have　the　immense　advantage　at　the　outset　which　would　come　from　a　government　and　discipline　carefully　adapted　to　its　peculiar　circumstances；　and　rigidly　enforced　in　every　particular。

I　would　guard　against　misconception　in　relation　to　this　Colony　Over…Sea　by　pointing　out　that　all　my　proposals　here　are　necessarily　tentative　and　experimental。　　There　is　no　intention　on　my　part　to　stick　to　any　of　these　suggestions　if；　on　maturer　consideration　and　consultation　with　practical　men；　they　can　be　improved　upon。　　Mr。　Arnold　White；　who　has　already　conducted　two　parties　of　Colonists　to　South　Africa；　is　one　of　the　few　men　in　this　country　who　has　had　practical　experience　of　the　actual　difficulties　of　colonisation。　　I　have；　through　a　mutual　friend；　had　the　advantage　of　comparing　notes　with　him　very　fully；　and　I　venture　to　believe　that　there　is　nothing　in　this　Scheme　that　is　not　in　harmony　with　the　result　of　his　experience。　　In　a　couple　of　months　this　book　will　be　read　all　over　the　world。　　It　will　bring　me　a　plentiful　crop　of　suggestions；　and；　I　hope；　offers　of　service　from　many　valuable　and　experienced　Colonists　in　every　country。