on. It is my gratifying duty, however, to announce to
you that I am empowered to hold out prospects of far
more extended relief to the productive industry of
Jamaica than could arise from any possible reduction of
official salaries, in the shape of a guarantee by the
imperial parliament of the entire island debt not already
so secured. The benefit of such a guarantee would not
be confined to a mere temporary alleviation of the
enormous annual burden which that debt entails, since
the reduction of the charge for interest would be so
large as to enable you out of a portion of the saving to
provide for the gradual liquidation of the principal at
no very remote period. Nor would her Majesty's
ministers, I am confident, hesitate to propose to
Parliament, provided only the mode of regulating the
revenue and expenditure of Jamaica be assimilated to
that which has so long maintained the financial credit
of Great Britain at the highest pitch, to advance further
loans to an extent sufficient for the introduction of a
continuous stream of immigrants, to supply the void in
the labour market created by the sad ravages of cholera
and small-pox, and to aid in developing the vast
natural resources of this beautiful island more rapidly
and effectually than its present limited population
permits. The details of pecuniary operations of such
magnitude will, of course, require deliberate consideration,
and I shall be ready, at the proper time, to
communicate to you what further information I possess of
the views of government as to the securities required.
Meanwhile, I may briefly state the generous proposals
to which I have alluded, sanctioned as they have been
with surprising unanimity by the leading statesmen in
both houses of parliament, are founded upon no design
of fettering, in the slightest degree, that legislative
independence which, for nearly two centuries, the
people of Jamaica have so proudly cherished—are
coupled with no conditions derogatory to the freest
representative constitution that ever yet existed, but
emanate solely from the sincere sympathy felt by the
British nation at large for the misfortunes of one of
its most ancient and important colonies. It is in a
similar spirit that you are urged by all parties at home
no longer to delay the introduction of such political
reforms as the experience of the mother country has
demonstrated to be most conducive to efficient and
economical government, and best calculated to avert
the recurrence of ruinous struggles between the various
powers of the state." The legislature had been in
session since the 18th of October, and preliminary steps
had been taken for the introduction of the import duty
and other revenue bills; but the bills had to be laid
before the house, and the opinion of members ascertained
on their political bearing. Business matters, in the
expectation of legislative changes, were almost
stationary.

At Georgetown, Demerara, fever had broken out in
a malignant form, but confined its ravages to new
arrivals, the shipping, and the indifferently seasoned.
Commander Dupuoy, of the Marceau French steamship-
of-war had fallen a victim. The Governor had addressed
the Board of Health on the subject. The sultry
weather had broken up, and the population was greatly
relieved by a supply of water, while the rain had done
no harm to the estates.

The weather at Antigua was all that could be desired
for agricultural purposes. Experienced planters state
that they cannot recollect a season so favourable to the
growth of canes. There was scarcely a day without
rain, and the heat of the atmosphere was oppressive.
The intelligence from the other islands is unimportant.

It appears from the Canadian papers that a project of
a Federal Union of the British North American Colonies
is exciting much interest at present. It is said that
such a step is contemplated, and that measures for
completing the union will be submitted to the several
colonies at no distant day. It is added that Lord Elgin's
visit to England is connected with the contemplated
movement. Quebec, it is said, will be proposed as the
seat of general government. Each colony will retain its
local legislature, and manage its own affairs, very much
as at present, but a colonial parliament composed of
members from each province will meet at Quebec, to
pass such laws as may be required for the general
guidance of the confederation. On this subject the
Toronto correspondent of the Daily News makes the
following important observations;—"A topic of great
importance to all the British North American provinces
has been much discussed since my last letter: it is the
question of the union of the whole. "Very little difference
prevails as to the abstract question of union, but
there is as to whether it should be federal or legislative.
I think it is not too much to say that the great majority
of the people of all these provinces desire the union; and
certainly there is much to induce them to do so. Nor is
the question of less importance to England than the
colonies. As these increase in population and power
their yearnings will be in the direction of independence;
and it were madness to conceal that this is the case at
present with the British North American colonies. All
the nationality they at present desire might be found in
a union of the whole, which, while acknowledging the
dominion of England, should still possess full powers of
self-government. If upon this principle England shapes
her policy towards these colonies she will preserve them
from annexation to the United States; but it is doubtful
if she can by any other means. The policy of England
in former times was to split the colonies up into small
communities, and prevent communication as much as
possible with the States after their successful revolt, and
it was most ill-judged. Its bad effects, in repressing
their energies and retarding their prosperity, are
accurately described in the famous report of Lord Durham.
I do not expect, however, that England at the present
day would make any objections to the union. The
opinions of several of her modern statesmen are on
record in favour of it; and Mr. Jackson the railway
contractor, recently stated in a speech that he had found
both the Secretary of State for the Colonies and Mr.
Gladstone favourably disposed towards the project. The
speech of Mr. Jackson that I have referred to was
delivered in New Brunswick on the occasion of the
turning of the first sod of the European and North
American Railroad, which, when completed, will do
much towards bringing about the union. I may add
that the Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick, Sir
E. Head, and a number of the leading men from all the
colonies then assembled, all pronounced themselves
strongly in favour of union; which is expected to be a
corollary of the intercolonial railroads, and can hardly
be carried into effect before they are completed. The
population of Canada is now two millions, and it is
increasing with unexampled rapidity; much faster than
that of the United States—with two or three exceptions
in the extreme West—as I have in former letters proved
to you by a comparison of official census returns. The
population of all the maritime provinces is now about a
million. So you see they are as powerful as the old
thirteen colonies were when they became independent.
They possess an immense territory, rich in the treasures
of the forest, the mine, and the field; besides magnificent
lakes and rivers, and the unrivalled fisheries of the
Gulf of St. Lawrence. I mention these things in
connection with the union, because I think it is desirable
that England should appreciate how powerful her
colonies in North America have become, and how vast a
nation they promise to be the seat of. I will add one
fact with respect to the rate of increase of population:
Upper Canada increased 34 per cent, during the four
years preceding the last census! The others have not
increased so fast, but they will do, with the introduction
of the railways now undertaken."

PROGRESS OF EMIGRATION AND CIVILISATION.

A Return by the Immigration Agent for the Colony
of Victoria, for 1852, just printed, contains interesting
and important facts. The addition to the population
of the colony in 1852, by immigration was in all 94,664;
the diminution by emigration was 31,038; the balance
of immigration in excess was 63,626. Of the immigrants
74,872 were males, and 19,792 females; of the emigrants
28,620 were males—2418 females. In other words, the
proportion of males to females leaving the colony was
as fourteen to one, while the proportion of males to
females entering the colony was only as four to one.