Colonies, and from several official personages, whose names we are not here at liberty to mention. We have endeavoured to bring more prominently into notice the requirements and interests of our numerous Colonies-to pourtray their natural resources and capabilities—and to inculcate doctrines, and recommend measures, which should add to their power, wealth, and prosperity, and in this we trust we have succeeded. Thus much for ourselves-pass we on now to a few words of comment on public affairs. Let us hope that the coming year may be productive of more useful legislation for the Colonies, and less idle discussion; that a better system of Colonial management may prevail, which shall result in a greater freedom from party spirit-a display of more talent and intelligence in Colonial policy-greater stability of purpose in our rulers-less cant, and less yielding to the pressure from without. Change, merely for the sake of change, is to be deprecated; but the change in the administration of the Colonial Office which has just taken place must necessarily be for the better. The uncertainty of the measures intended to be introduced, has been hitherto the great bane to improvement in the Colonies. Give the West Indies - give every Colony but timely notice of prospective changes, and they will be prepared for any fiscal or general alterations that may be considered necessary; but they are usually the last to be consulted on or advised of such matters. The new Colonial Secretary has ample materials to try his hand at, in New South Wales, New Zealand, the West Indies, and Hong Kong, each of which cries loudly for redress on many points of grievance. Above all, at a time of commercial difficulty-of apprehended scarcity at home-let him look to systematic Emigration as a ready means of relief and of blessing both to the mother-country and her dependencies in the East and West ;-by settling and cultivating the fertile lands of her Colonies, Great Britain will be less dependent on foreign supplies, and a tenfold impetus will be given to her manufactures, in supplying the vastly-additional Colonial demand that would thereby be created. London, Dec. 27, 1845. CONTENTS OF VOL. VI. The Nova Scotia Question and the Baronetage Imports and Exports of British Guiana .. The Progress of Wealth, Population, and Trade in Canada Colonial Trade-Shipping entered from the Colonies in 1843 A Description of the Murichi or Ita Palm of Guiana. By Sir R. Report on the Newfoundland Fisheries. By the HON. P. MORRIS Contributions towards the Geography of Africa. By JAMES M'QUEEN Reminiscences of the Island of Cuba. By C. F. ELLERMAN, Esq. 69, 199, Imports and Exports of Bermuda in 1843-44 Hong Kong and the Five Chinese Free Ports. Notes on the Sandwich, or Hawaiian Islands. By R. C. WYLLIE, Esq. 126, 316 The Missouri River, North America An Account of the Liberated African Establishment at St. Helena. Nelson, New Zealand, in 1843. By Capt. ENGLAND Consular and other Public Establishments in China The Emigrant; a Tale of Australia. By W. H. Leigh, Esq. On the Serpent of Martinique and St. Lucia The Indian Hunter. By H. W. LONGFELLOW Exports of Van Diemen's Land Comparative Production and Consumption of Coffee Page On the Vegetable Origin of Basaltic Columns. By Capt. CHARLES Comparative Statement of the Census of Singapore, from 1823 to 1845 |