governor, be afterwards sold by private contract, at not less than the upset price of such land. The ordinary size of the tots in the Bahamas is to be 20 acres, but lots of 5 acres may, if thought expedient, be disposed of.

Cape of Grand Hope. 1. The unappropriated Crown lands in this colony will be sold in freehold, and by public auction only.

2. Unless it is otherwise notified, the upset price for such sates will be two shillings (28.) per acre, (one acre is about half a morgen,) but the governor, for the time being, will have the power to fix such higher upset price as the locality, or other circumstances, may render expedient, of which due notice will always be publicly given.

་

Persons desirous of becoming purchasers will apply, in writing, to the secretary to government respecting the land they wish to have put up for sale; stating in what division it is situated, and as far as practicable, its position, boundaries, and probable extent.

These applications, after being recorded in the colonial office, will be transmitted to the surveyor general, who, he see no objection to the land being disposed of, will call upon the applicant to deposit with him the probable expense of the survey; which expense will be calcalated upon the following tariff, and be borne by the eventual purchaser.

4. Should the applicant not become the purchaser, the amount deposited by him will be refunded when paid by the eventual purchaser; but should no sale take place, no refund can be made.

5. Lands offered for sale will be advertised for two months in the Government Gazette, at the expiration of which time they will be sold by public auction.

6. Ten per cent, of the purchase money must be paid at the time of sale, and the balance, (with the expenses of the survey, if the purchaser did not make the deposit,) within one calendar month from the day of sale; in default of which, the 10 per cent. so paid will be forfeited to the Colonial Treasury.

Ceylon. In this colony the Crown lands are sold by auction, at an upset price, which is to be fixed by the governor, but which is not to be le than 11. per acre. Before being exposed to auction, the lands are surveyed by the government, and duly advertised.

Hong Kong. - The Crown lands will not be alienated in perpetuity, but let on leases, which are to be offered for sale at public auction. The duration of the leases will not exceed 21 years for country lands, intended for purposes of cultivation, It country lands required for erecting residences, and all lands for building purposes, will be let on leases for 75 years, not renewable of right, but at the option of the government, and on the holder's paying an increased rent.

Summary of Modes of Sale, and Prices, in the principal Land-selling Colonies, in 1850.

Price per Acre.

84. Currency.

63. and 4. do. according to situation.
18. 9d. sterling.

38. currency upset price.
10. to 20. ditto.

Lowest upset price 11. sterling.

Lowest upset price 8s. sterling.
Ditto 68.

Ditto 11.

Lowest upset price 2s. sterling.
Ditto 11. sterling.

Rent to be ascertained by anction.

of free grants, and the sale by auction of all crown lands, were first promulgated in the colony.

1839. In this year the minimum price was raised from 5. to 124. an acre, but did not extend to lands previously adver tised at the former rate, of which there was a very large quantity at the time.

1841. In this year, the system of sale at a fixed price of 14 per acre was introduced into the district of Port Phillip.

1842. In this year, the system of sale by auction was resumed throughout the colony, at a minimum upset price of 128. e acre for country lands, with liberty to select portions not bid for at the upset price.

1843. In this year, the minimum price was raised to 11. per acre, by the Act of the Imperial Parliament, 5 & 6 Vict. c. 36, with liberty to select, at the upset price, country portions put up to auction and not bid for, or on which the deposit had been forfeited.

Considering that it may, speaking generally, be laid down that in New South Wales from 3 to 4 acres are required to depasture a single sheep, it is plain that the plan of selling land at a minimum price of 12s, or 20s, an acre, is, in the majority of cases, as impracticable as it is palpably mischievous and absurd. And, in point of fact, incomparably the greater number of the sheep belonging to the colony, are depastured on what has been called the squatting system. A capitalist intending to become a wool-grower formerly took out an annual licence, for which he paid 10., authorising him to depasture a run, or tract of land, of no definite magnitude, but usually varying in size from 3000 or 4000 to perhaps 25,000 or 30.000 acres, under the important proviso that he should pay in addition an annual rent of Id. for every head of sheep and of 3d. for every head of cattle depastured on the run. This system having been acted upon for a lengthened period the runs began to be regarded as a sort of quasi property; and those in preferable situations were disposed of by one holder to another for considerable sums. Recently, however, government has interfered with this system; and the act 9 & 10 Vict. c. 104. empowers the authorities to eject persons unlawfully occupying waste lands, provided they have not held them, without interruption, for 21 years previously to the passing of the act. If they have done this, their title is secured. From the passing of the act waste lands, when let, are to be leased for 14 years only, at such rents and under such conditions as may be agreed on. But the better plan would be, at least for the interests of the colony and the colonists, to let the waste lands in moderate-sized tracts, at redeemable quit-rents of 2d. or at most 24d. an acre. Instead of throwing difficulties in the way of the squatting or wool-growing system, it should receive every fair encouragement. But the only encouragement it has met with has grown out of the plan that was intended to effect its suppression. The oppressive price of 20s, an acre demanded for land, instead of concentrating the population and hindering squatting, as it was affirmed it would do, has had a precisely opposite effect, and has contributed to the dispersion of the population. For it has tempted people with capital to squat and become the lessees of large tracts of pasture land, rather than become the purchasers (at a ruinous cost) and cultivators of smaller freehold properties. The truth is that in every point of view the present system of land sales is a nuisance; and it is not easy to decide whether its impolicy or the tenacity with which it is supported

be the more remarkable.

The table in the next page embodies, within a brief space, a good deal of important information respecting our colonies in all parts of the world.

IV. REGULATIONS UNDER WHICH COLONY TRADE 18 CONDUCTED.

These are embodied in the act 8 & 9 Victoria c. 93., which came into operation on the 4th of August, We subjoin a copious abstract of this act: -

845.

Importation and Exportation confined to free Ports.- No goods shall be imported into, nor shall any goods, except the produce of the fisheries in British ships, be exported from any of the British possessions in America by sea from or to any place other than the U. Kingdom, or some other of such possessions, except into or from the several ports in such possessions, called "Free Ports," enumerated or described in the table following; viz., Table of Free Ports.

Kingston

Grand Key

Nassau

Pitt's Town

New Providence]
Turk's is and
Crooked Island

Bahamas

• -Bermudas.

Quebec

Canada.

Halifax

Anguilla.

Monterrat.

Basseterre

St. Kitt's.

Anguila

Charlestown

Roal Harbour

Nevis.
Tortola.

St. Lucia.

Dominica.

St. Vincent.

Grenada.

Trinidad.

Tobago.
Demerara
Berbice

British Guiana.

Cumberland

New Edinburgh

And if any goods be imported into any port or place in any of the said possessions contrary hereto, such goods shall be forfeited: provided always, that if H. Majesty deem it expedient to extend the provisions of this act to any port or ports not enumerated in the said table, it shall be lawful for H. Majesty, by order in council, to extend the provisions of this act to such port or ports; and from and after the day mentioned in such order in council all the privileges and advantages of this act, and all its provisions, penalties, and forfeitures, (subject to the limitations and restrictions herein-after provided) shall be deemed and construed to extend, to any such port or ports respectively, as fully as if the same had been inserted and enumerated in the said table at the time of passing this act: provided also, that nothing herein contained shall extend to prohibit the importation or exportation of goods, into or from any ports or places in Newfoundland or Labrador in British ships: provided also, that it shall be lawful to import from the Islands of Guernsey and Jersey in British ships, into any port or place in the British possessions in N. America, at or from whence the British fisheries in N. America are carried on, any sort of craft, food, victuals (except spirits), and all sorts of clothing, and implements and materials fit and necessary for said fisheries, though such port or place be not a free port. —§ 2.

Her Majesty may appoint Ports for limited Purposes. And whereas there are in the said possessions many places situated in rivers and in bays at which it may be necessary to establish ports for particular and limited purposes only; be it enacted, that it shall be lawful for H. Majesty, in any order in council made for the appointment of any free port, to limit and confine such appointinents respectively to such purposes only as shall be expressed in such order. - § 3.

Limitation of the Privileges of Foreign Ships. — And whereas by the law of navigation foreign ships are permitted to import into any of the British possessions in Asia, Africa, or America, from the countries to which they belong, good, the produce of those countries, and to export goods from such possessions to be carried to any foreign country whatever; and whereas it is expedient that such permission should be subject to certain conditions; be it therefore enacted, that the privileges thereby granted to foreign ships shall be limited to the ships of those countries which, having colonial possessions, shall grant the like privileges of trading with those possessions to British ships, or which, not having colonial possessions, shall place the commerce and navigation of this country, and of its possessions abroad, upon the footing of the most favoured nation, unless H. Majesty, by order in council, shall in any case deem it expedient to grant the whole or any of such privileges to the ships of any foreign country, although the conditions aforesaid be not in all respects fulfilled by such foreign country: provided always, that no foreign country shall be deemed to have fulfilled the before-mentioned conditions, or to be entitled to the privileges aforesaid, until H. Majesty shall, by some order or orders, have declared that such foreign country hath so fulfilled the said conditions, and is entitled to the said privileges. — § 4.

This Act not to affect certain Acts. Nothing contained in this act, or any other act passed in the present session of parliament, shall repeal or in any way alter or affect the act 4 Geo. 4. c. 77., intituled "An Act to authorize his Majesty, under certain Circumstances, to regulate the Duties and Drawbacks on Goods imported or exported in foreign Vessels, and to exempt certain foreign Vessels from Pilotage," nor to repeal or in any way alter or affect the act 5 Geo. 4. c. 50, ameuding the last-mentioned act; and that all trade and intercourse between the British possessions and foreign countries shall be subject to the powers granted to his late Majesty by those acts. — § 5.

Goods prohibited. The several sorts of goods enumerated in the table following, denominated "A Table of Prohibitions and Restrictions," are hereby prohibited to be imported or brought, either by sea or inland carriage or navigation, into the British possessions in America or the Mauritius, or shall be so imported or brought only under the restrictions mentioned in such table, according as the several sorts of such goods are set forth therein; viz.

A Table of Prohibitions and Restrictions.

Gunpowder, ammunition, arms, or utensils of war, prohibited to be imported, except from the U. Kingdom, or from some other British possession.

imported into any of the British possessions on the continent of S. America or in the West Indies (th Bahama and Bermuda Islands not included), or into the Mauritius, except to be warehoused for exportation only, and may also be prohib ted to be imported into the Bahama or Bern.uda Islands by H. Majesty's order in council.

Base or counterfeit coin, prohibited to be imported.

Coffee, sugar not being refined, in bond in the U. Kingdom, molasses, rum, being the produce or manufacture of any British possessions within the lints of the E. 1. Company's charter, except and zubject as hereinafter is provided, or being of foreign produce or manufacture, prohibited to be And if any goods be imported or brought into any of the British possessions in America or the Mauritius contrary to the prohibitions or restrictions mentioned in the above table in respect of such goods, the same shall be forfeited; and if the ship or vessel in which such goods shall be imported be of less burden than 60 tons, such ship or vessel shall be forfeited. § 6.

Coffee, Sugar, and Rum may be imported in certain Cases. It shall be lawful to import into any British possession in the West Indies and S. America, and into the Mauritius, any coffee the produce of any British possession within the limits of the East India Company's charter, and also any sugar the

produce of any British possession within the limits of the East India Company's charter, into which the importation of sugar the produce of any foreign country, or of any British possession into which foreign sugar may be legally imported has been prohibited, and also any rum the produce of any British possession within the limits of the East India Company's charter, into which the importation of rum the produce of any foreign country, or of any British possession into which foreign sugar or rum may be legally imported has been prohibited: provided nevertheless, that no such coffee, sugar, or rum shaft be entered in any British possession in the West Indies or S. America, or in the island of Mauritius, as being the produce of any British possession within he limits of the East India Company's charter from which the same may be so legally imported, unless the master of the ship importing the same shall have delivered to the collector or principal officer of the customs at the port of importation such certificate of origin as is herein-after mentioned, under the hand and seal of the proper officer at the place where the same shall have been taken on board; and such master shall also make and subscribe a declaration before the proper officer of the customs that such certificate was received by him at the place where such coffee, sugar, or ruin was taken on board, and that the coffee, sugar, or rum so imported is the same as is mentioned therein; and such certificate of origin shall, as regards coffee, certify that a declaration in writing had been made and signed before the officer giving such certificate, the contents of which he believed to be true, by the shipper of such coffee, that the same was really and bonâ fide the produce of some British possession; and such certificate of origin shall, as respects sugar, state the name of the district in which such sugar was produced, the quantity and quality thereof, the number and denomination of the packages containing the same, and the name of the ship in which they were laden, and of the master thereof, and the officer giving the same; the shipper of such sugar shall likewise certify that there had been produced a certificate under the hand and seal of the collector or assistant collector of the land or customs revenue of the district within which such sugar was produced, that such sugar was of the produce of such district, and that the importation into such district of foreign sugar, or sugar the growth of any British possession into which foreign sugar can be legally imported is prohibited; and such certificate of origin shall, as respects rum, state the name of the district in which such rum was produced, the quantity and strength thereof, the number and denomination of the packages containing the same, and the name of the ship in which they were laden, and of the master thereof, and shall also testify that there had been produced to the party giving such certificate, by the shipper of such rum, a certificate under the hand and seal of the collector or assistant collector of the land or customs revenue of the district within which such rum was produced, that the same was the production of such district.—§ 7.

Coffee, &c., though British, deemed Foreign in certain Cases. - All coffee, sugar, molasses, and rum (although the same may be of British plantations) exported from any of the British possessions in America, into which the like goods of foreign production can be legally imported, shall upon subsequent importation from thence into any of the British possessions in America or the Mauritius into which such goods, being of foreign production, cannot be legally imported, or into the U. Kingdom, be deemed to be of foreign production, and shall be liable, on such importation respectively, to the same duties or the same forfeitures as articles of the like description, being of foreign production, would be liable to, unless the same have been warehoused under the provisions of this act, and exported from the warehouse direct to such other British possession, or to the U. Kingdom, as the case may be. - § 8.

Foreign Reprints of Books under Copyright prohibited. Any books whereof the copyright shall be subsisting, first composed or written or printed in the U. Kingdom, and printed or re-printed in any other country, are hereby absolutely prohibited to be imported into the British possessions abroad: provided always, that no such books shall be prohibited to be imported as aforesaid unless the proprietor of such copyright, or his agent, shall have given notice in writing to the commissioners of customs that such copyright subsists, and have stated in such notice when the copyright will expire; and the said commissioners shall make and publicly expose at the several ports in the British possessions abroad, from time to time, printed lists of books respecting which such notice has been duly given, and all books imported contrary thereto shall be forfeited. - § 9.

Foreign Manufactures with British Marks. If any articles of foreign manufacture, or packages of such articles bearing any names, brands, or marks of manufacturers resident in the U. Kingdom, be imported into any British possession abroad, the same shall be forfeited. - 10.

Import Duties.-There shall be raised, levied, collected, and paid unto H. Majesty the several duties of customs, respectively set forth in the following Table of Duties, upon goods, wares, and merchandize not being the growth, production, or manufacture of the U. Kingdom, or of any British possession in America, or of the Mauritius, or of any British possession within the limits of the East India Company's charter, or the produce of any of the British fisheries imported or brought into any Pritish possession in America or the Mauritius by sea or inland carriage or navigation, viz.:

Molasses,

Cork-wood,
Cordage,

Fishing craft, utensils, instruments, and balt,

as shall be imported for the use of the British fisheries in America into any place at or from whence any such fishery is carried on. - § 11.

Commissioners of Customs may make necessary Regulations. The commissioners of customs, or the principal officer of customs at the place of importation, shall nake and establish such regulations as may be necessary for the purpose of ascertaining that such articles as last aforesaid are bonâ fide intended to be applied to the use of such fisheries, or that such provisions and stores as aforesaid are bonâ fide imported or supplied for the use of H. Majesty's land and sea forces.-§ 12.

Import Duty on Sugar refined in Bond. There shall be levied, collected, and paid unto H. Majesty a duty of 101. for every 100%. of the value upon sugar refined in bond in the U. Kingdom, not being of the growth of any British possession in America or of the Mauritius, or of any British possession within the limits of the E. I. Company's charter, imported into any British possession in America or into the Mauritius.§ 13.

Crown Goods sold after Importation to be charged with Duty. - All goods, wares, and merchandize, the property of the Crown, shall, in case of the sale thereof after importation into any British possession abroad, be liable to and be charged with the same duties of customs as may by law be payable or charged on the like goods, wares, and merchandize, not being the property of the Crown. - § 14.

Duties to be increased in certain Cases. If in any British possession in America or in the Mauritius any duty be chargeable by any colonial law upon any articles being the growth, produce, or manufacture of the U. Kingdom, or of the British possessions in America or the Mauritius, or of the British possessions within the limits of the E. I. Company's charter, or the produce of the British fisheries, beyond the duty (if any) chargeable by such colonial law upon sim lar foreign articles, a duty equal to such excess or amount (as the case may be) of the duties so chargeable by such colonial law upon such British articles shall be charged under this act upon such foreign articles, in addition to the imperial duties (if any) hereby imposed thereon; and if in any British possession in America or in the Mauritius any duty be chargeable by any colonial law upon tea imported direct from China, or imported from the U. Kingdom or any British possession, beyond the duty (if any) chargeable by such colonial law upon tea not so imported, the imperial duty hereby imposed upon tea not so imported shall be increased by such excess or amount (as the case may be) of the duties so chargeable by such colonial law upon tea imported direct from China, or imported from the U. Kingdom, or from any British possession. - § 15.

H. Majesty may by Order in Council exempt certain Articles from Duty.-H. Majesty may, by and with the advice of H. privy council, by any order or orders in council, direct that any article described in such order, being an article chargeable under this act as an unenumerated article, with a duty of 4 per cent. ad valorem, shall be added to the list of exemptions herein-before set forth, and shall be free from such duty; and from and after the time mentioned in such order for the commencement of such exemption, not being less than 6 months from the date thereof, such exemption shall take effect, and such article shall thenceforth, whilst such order continues in force, be free from such duty; and any such order may at any time be suspended or revoked by H. Majesty, with the advice of her privy council, by any other order in council.-16.

Monics, Weights, &c.-All sums of money granted or payable under this act as duties, penalties, or forfeitures in the British possessions in America or the Mauritius are hereby declared to be sterling money of Great Britain, and shall be collected, recovered, and paid to the amount of the value which such nominal sums bear in Great Britain, and such money may be received and taken in sterling money of Great Britain, or in foreign coins at such rates as shall be equivalent to such sterling money, and shall have been fixed by proclamation issued by H. Majesty; and all duties under this act shall be paid and received in the British possessions in America and in the Mauritius according to the imperial weights and measures now by law established; and in all cases where such duties are imposed according to any specific quantity or any specific value, the same shall be deemed to apply in the same proportion to any greater or less quantity or value; and all such duties shall be under the management of the commissioners of H. M. customs. - § 17.

Ne: Produce of Duties how to be applied. The net produce of the duties received under this act shall be paid by the collector of the customs into the hands of the treasurer or receiver-general of the colony, or other proper officer authorized to receive the same in the colony in which the same shall be levied, to be applied to such uses as shall be directed by the local legislatures of such colonies respectively; and the produce of such duties so received in the colonies which have no local legislature shall be applied in such manner as shall be directed by the commissioners of H. M. treasury. - 18.

Goods from the Channel Islands Goods the produce or manufacture of the islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, or Sark, when imported from such islands into the British possessions in America or the Mauritius, shall be admitted to entry upon payment of the same duties as are payable upon the like goods the produce or manufacture of the U. Kingdom or of any of the said possessions, upon production to the principal officer of customs at the port of importation of the proofs now required by law that such goods are the production or manufacture of the islands aforesaid.§ 19.

All British Vessels shall be subject to equal Duties in the Colonies, except Coasting Vessels. — Whereas in some of H. M. possessions abroad certain duties of tonnage are by acts of the local legislatures of such possessions made payable upon British vessels, to which duties the like vessels built within such possessions, or owned by persons resident there, are not subject; be it enacted, that there shall be levied and paid at the several British possessions abroad upon all vessels built in any such possessions, or owned by any person or persons there resident, other than coasting or drogueing vessels employed in coasting or drogueing, all and the like duties of tonnage and shipping as are or shall be payable in such possessions upon the like British vessels built in other parts of H. M. dominions, or owned by persons not resident in such possessions. - § 20.

Ship and Cargo to be reported on Arrival. The master of every ship arriving in British possessions in America or in the Mauritius, or the islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, or Sark, whether laden or in ballast, shall come directly, and before bulk be broken, to the custom house for the port or district where he arrives, and there make a report in writing to the collector or comptroller, or other proper officer, of the arrival and voyage of such ship, stating her name, country, and tonnage, and, if British, the port of registry, the name and country of the master, the country of the owners, the number of the crew and how many are of the country of such ship, and whether she be laden or in ballast, and, if laden, the marks, numbers, and contents of every package and parcel of goods on board, and where the same was laden, and where and to whom consigned, and where any and what goods, if any, had been unladen during the voyage, as far as any such particulars can be known to him; and the master shall further answer all such questions concerning the ship and cargo, and the crew and the voyage, as shall be demanded of him by such officer; and if any goods be unladen from any ship before such report be made, or if the master fail to make such report, or make an untrue report, or do not truly answer the questions demanded of him, he shall forfeit the sum of 1007., and if any goods be not reported, such goods shall be forfeited.-§ 21. Entry Outwards. The master of every ship bound from any British possession abroad, except the territories subject to the government of the presidencies of Fort William in Bengal, Fort Saint George, 2 A 4