in darkest england and the way out-第43章

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ions；　and；　I　hope；　offers　of　service　from　many　valuable　and　experienced　Colonists　in　every　country。　　In　the　due　order　of　things　the　Colony　Over…Sea　is　the　last　to　be　started。　　Long　before　our　first　batch　of　Colonists　is　ready　to　cross　the　ocean　I　shall　be　in　a　position　to　correct　and　revise　the　proposals　of　this　chapter　by　the　best　wisdom　and　matured　experience　of　the　practical　men　of　every　Colony　in　the　Empire。


SECTION　2。UNIVERSAL　EMIGRATION。

We　have　in　our　remarks　on　the　Over…Sea　Colony　referred　to　the　general　concensus　of　opinion　on　the　part　of　those　who　have　studied　the　Social　Question　as　to　Emigration　being　the　only　remedy　for　the　overcrowded　population　of　this　country；　at　the　same　time　showing　some　of　the　difficulties　which　lie　in　the　way　of　the　adoption　of　the　remedy；　the　dislike　of　the　people　to　so　great　a　change　as　is　involved　in　going　from　one　country　to　another；　the　cost　of　their　transfer；　and　their　general　unfitness　for　an　emigrant's　life。　　These　difficulties；　as　I　think　we　have　seen；　are　fully　met　by　the　Over…Sea　Colony　Scheme。　　But；　apart　from　those　who；　driven　by　their　abject　poverty；　will　avail　themselves　of　our　Scheme；　there　are　multitudes　of　people　all　over　the　country　who　would　be　likely　to　emigrate　could　they　be　assisted　in　so　doing。　Those　we　propose　to　help　in　the　following　manner：　

　1。　By　opening　a　Bureau　in　London；　and　appointing　Officers　whose　　　　　business　it　will　be　to　acquire　every　kind　of　information　as　to　　　　　suitable　countries；　their　adaptation　to；　and　the　openings　they　　　　　present　for　different　trades　and　callings；　the　possibility　of　　　　　obtaining　land　and　employment；　the　rates　of　remuneration；　and　the　　　　　like。　　These　enquiries　will　include　the　cost　of　passage…money；　　　　　railway　fares；　outfit；　together　with　every　kind　of　information　　　　　required　by　an　emigrant。

　2。　From　this　Bureau　any　one　may　obtain　all　necessary　information。

　3。　Special　terms　will　be　arranged　with　steamships；　railway　companies；　　　　　and　land　agents；　of　which　emigrants　using　the　Bureau　will　have　the　　　　　advantage。

　4。　Introductions　will　be　supplied；　as　far　as　possible；　to　agents　and　　　　　friends　in　the　localities　to　which　the　emigrant　may　be　proceeding。

　5。　Intending　emigrants；　desirous　of　saving　money；　can　deposit　it　　　　　through　this　Bureau　in　the　Army　Bank　for　that　purpose。

　6。　It　is　expected　that　government　contractors　and　other　employers　of　　　　　labour　requiring　Colonists　of　reliable　character　will　apply　to　this　　　　　Bureau　for　such；　offering　favourable　terms　with　respect　to　　　　　passage…money；　employment；　and　other　advantages。

　7。　No　emigrant　will　be　sent　out　in　response　to　any　application　from　　　　　abroad　where　the　emigrant's　expenses　are　defrayed；　without　　　　　references　as　to　character；　industry；　and　fitness。

This　Bureau；　we　think；　will　be　especially　useful　to　women　and　young　girls。　　There　must　be　a　large　number　of　such　in　this　country　living　in　semi…starvation；　anyway；　with　very　poor　prospects；　who　would　be　very　welcome　abroad；　the　expense　of　whose　transfer　governments；　and　masters　and　mistresses　alike　would　be　very　glad　to　defray；　or　assist　in　defraying；　if　they　could　only　be　assured　on　both　sides　of　the　beneficial　character　of　the　arrangements　when　made。

So　widespread　now　are　the　operations　of　the　Army；　and　so　extensively　will　this　Bureau　multiply　its　agencies　that　it　will　speedily　be　able　to　make　personal　enquiries　on　both　sides；　that　is　in　the　interest　alike　of　the　emigrant　and　the　intended　employer　in　any　part　of　the　world。


SECTION　3。THE　SALVATION　SHIP。

When　we　have　selected　a　party　of　emigrants　whom　we　believe　to　be　sufficiently　prepared　to　settle　on　the　land　which　has　been　got　ready　for　them　in　the　Colony　over　Sea；　it　will　be　no　dismal　expatriation　which　will　await　them。　　No　one　who　has　ever　been　on　the　West　Coast　of　Ireland　when　the　emigrants　were　departing；　and　has　heard　the　dismal　wails　which　arise　from　those　who　are　taking　leave　of　each　other　for　the　last　time　on　earth；　can　fail　to　sympathise　with　the　horror　excited　in　many　minds　by　the　very　word　emigration。　　But　when　our　party　sets　out；　there　will　be　no　violent　wrenching　of　home　ties。　　In　our　ship　we　shall　export　them　allfather；　mother；　and　children。　　The　individuals　will　be　grouped　in　families；　and　the　families　will；　on　the　Farm　Colony；　have　been　for　some　months　past　more　or　less　near　neighbours；　meeting　each　other　in　the　field；　in　the　workshops；　and　in　the　Religious　Services。　It　will　resemble　nothing　so　much　as　the　unmooring　of　a　little　piece　of　England；　and　towing　it　across　the　sea　to　find　a　safe　anchorage　in　a　sunnier　clime。　　The　ship　which　takes　out　emigrants　will　bring　back　the　produce　of　the　farms；　and　constant　travelling　to　and　fro　will　lead　more　than　ever　to　the　feeling　that　we　and　our　ocean…sundered　brethren　are　members　of　one　family。

No　one　who　has　ever　crossed　the　ocean　can　have　failed　to　be　impressed　with　the　mischief　that　comes　to　emigrants　when　they　are　on　their　way　to　their　destination。　　Many　and　many　a　girl　has　dated　her　downfall　from　the　temptations　which　beset　her　while　journeying　to　a　land　where　she　had　hoped　to　find　a　happier　future

〃Satan　finds　some　mischief　still　for　idle　hands　to　do；〃　and　he　must　have　his　hands　full　on　board　an　emigrant　ship。　　Look　into　the　steerage　at　any　time；　and　you　will　find　boredom　inexpressible　on　every　face。　The　men　have　nothing　to　do；　and　an　incident　of　no　more　importance　than　the　appearance　of　a　sail　upon　the　distant　horizon　is　an　event　which　makes　the　whole　ship　talk。　　I　do　not　see　why　this　should　be　so。　Of　course；　in　the　case　of　conveying　passengers　and　freight；　with　the　utmost　possible　expedition；　for　short　distances；　it　would　be　idle　to　expect　that　either　time　or　energies　could　be　spared　for　the　employment　or　instruction　of　the　passengers。　　But　the　case　is　different　when；　instead　of　going　to　America；　the　emigrant　turns　his　face　to　South　Africa　or　remote　Australia。　　Then；　even　with　the　fastest　steamers；　they　must　remain　some　weeks　or　months　upon　the　high　seas。　　The　result　is　that　habits　of　idleness　are　contracted；　bad　acquaintances　are　formed；　and　very　often　the　moral　and　religious　work　of　a　lifetime　is　undone。

To　avoid　these　evil　consequences；　I　think　we　should　be　compelled　to　have　a　ship　of　our　own　as　soon　as　possible。　　A　sailing　vessel　might　be　found　the　best　adapted　for　the　work。　　Leaving　out　the　question　of　time；　which　would　be　of　very　secondary　importance　with　us；　the　construction　of　a　sailing　ship　would　afford　more　space　for　the　accommodation　of　emigrants　and　for　industrial　occupation；　and　would　involve　considerably　less　working　expenses；　besides　costing　very　much　less　at　the　onset；　even　if　we　did　not　have　one　given　to　us；　which　I　should　think　would　be　very　probable。

All　the　emigrants　would　be　under　the　charge　of　Army　Officers；　and　instead　of　the　voyage　being　demoralising；　it　would　be　made　instructive　and　profitable。　　From　leaving　London　to　landing　at　their　destination；　every　colonist　would　be　under　watchful　oversight；　could　receive　instruction　in　those　particulars　where　they　were　still　needing　it；　and　be　subjected　to　influences　that　would　be　beneficial　everyway。

Then　we　have　seen　that　one　of　the　great　difficulties　in　the　direction　of　emigration　is　the　cost　of　transport。　　The　expense　of　conveying　a　man　from　England　to　Australia；　occupying　as　it　does　some　seven　or　eight　weeks；　arises　not　so　much　from　the　expense　connected　with　the　working　of　the　vessel　which　carries　him；　as　the　amount　of　provisions　he　consumes　during　the　passage。　　Now；　with　this　plan　I　think　that　the　emigrants　might　be　made　to　earn　at　least　a　portion　of　this　outlay。　There　is　no　reason　why　a　man　should　not　work　on　board　ship　any　more　than　on　land。　　Of　course；　nothing　much　could　be　done　when　the　weather　was　very　rough；　but　the　average　number　of　days　during　which　it　would　be　impossible　for　passengers　to　employ　themselves　profitably　in　the　time　spent　between　the　Channel　and　Cape　Town　or　Australia　would　be　comparatively　few。

When　the　ship　was　pitching　or　rolling；　work　would　be　difficult；　but　even　then；　when　the　Colonists　get　their　sea…legs；　and　are　free　from　the　qualmishness　which　overtakes　landsmen　when　first　getting　afloat；　I　cannot　see　why　they　should　not　engage　in　some　form　of　industrial