in darkest england and the way out-第37部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

nds；　will　further　tend　to　lessen　the　sense　of　distance。

The　constant　travelling　of　the　Colonists　backwards　and　forwards　to　England　makes　it　absurd　to　speak　of　the　Colonies　as　if　they　were　a　foreign　land。　　They　are　simply　pieces　of　Britain　distributed　about　the　world；　enabling　the　Britisher　to　have　access　to　the　richest　parts　of　the　earth。

Another　objection　which　will　be　taken　to　this　Scheme　is　that　colonists　already　over　sea　will　see　with　infinite　alarm　the　prospect　of　the　transfer　of　our　waste　labour　to　their　country。　　It　is　easy　to　understand　how　this　misconception　will　arise；　but　there　is　not　much　danger　of　opposition　on　this　score。　　The　working…men　who　rule　the　roost　at　Melbourne　object　to　the　introduction　of　fresh　workmen　into　their　labour　market；　for　the　same　reason　that　the　new　Dockers'　Union　objects　to　the　appearance　of　new　hands　at　the　dock　gates；　that　is　for　fear　the　newcomers　will　enter　into　unfriendly　competition　with　them。　　But　no　Colony；　not　even　the　Protectionist　and　Trade　Unionists　who　govern　Victoria；　could　rationally　object　to　the　introduction　of　trained　Colonists　planted　out　upon　the　land。　　They　would　see　that　these　men　would　become　a　source　of　wealth；　simply　because　they　would　at　once　become　producers　as　well　as　consumers；　and　instead　of　cutting　down　wages　they　would　tend　directly　to　improve　trade　and　so　increase　the　employment　of　the　workmen　now　in　the　Colony。　　Emigration　as　hitherto　conducted　has　been　carried　out　on　directly　opposite　principles　to　these。　　Men　and　women　have　simply　been　shot　down　into　countries　without　any　regard　to　their　possession　of　ability　to　earn　a　livelihood；　and　have　consequently　become　an　incubus　upon　the　energies　of　the　community；　and　a　discredit；　expense；　and　burden。　　The　result　is　that　they　gravitate　to　the　towns　and　compete　with　the　colonial　workmen；　and　thereby　drive　down　wages。　　We　shall　avoid　that　mistake。　　We　need　not　wonder　that　Australians　and　other　Colonists　should　object　to　their　countries　being　converted　into　a　sort　of　dumping　ground；　on　which　to　deposit　men　and　women　totally　unsuited　for　the　new　circumstances　in　which　they　find　themselves。

Moreover；　looking　at　it　from　the　aspect　of　the　class　itself；　would　such　emigration　be　of　any　enduring　value？　　It　is　not　merely　more　favourable　circumstances　that　are　required　by　these　crowds；　but　those　habits　of　industry；　truthfulness；　and　self…restraint；　which　will　enable　them　to　profit　by　better　conditions　if　they　could　only　come　to　possess　them。　According　to　the　most　reliable　information　there　are　already　sadly　too　many　of　the　same　classes　we　want　to　help　in　countries　supposed　to　be　the　paradise　of　the　working…man。

What　could　be　done　with　a　people　whose　first　enquiry　on　reaching　a　foreign　land　would　be　for　a　whisky　shop；　and　who　were　utterly　ignorant　of　those　forms　of　labour　and　habits　of　industry　absolutely　indispensable　to　the　earning　of　a　subsistence　amid　the　hardships　of　an　Emigrant's　life？　　Such　would　naturally　shrink　from　the　self…denial　the　new　circumstances　inevitably　called　for；　and　rather　than　suffer　the　inconveniences　connected　with　a　settler's　life；　would　probably　sink　down　into　helpless　despair；　or　settle　in　the　slums　of　the　first　city　they　came　to。

These　difficulties；　in　my　estimation；　bar　the　way　to　the　emigration　on　any　considerable　scale　of　the　〃submerged　tenth；〃　and　yet　I　am　strongly　of　opinion；　with　the　majority　of　those　who　have　thought　and　written　on　political　economy；　that　emigration　is　the　only　remedy　for　this　mighty　evil。　　Now；　the　Over…Sea　Colony　plan；　I　think；　meets　these　difficulties：　

　（1）　In　the　preparation　of　the　Colony　for　the　people。　　（2）　In　the　preparation　of　the　people　for　the　Colony。　　（3）　In　the　arrangements　that　are　rendered　possible　for　the　transport　　　　　　of　the　people　when　prepared。

It　is　proposed　to　secure　a　large　tract　of　land　in　some　country　suitable　to　our　purpose。　　We　have　thought　of　South　Africa；　to　begin　with。　We　are　in　no　way　pledged　to　this　part　of　the　world；　or　to　it　alone。　There　is　nothing　to　prevent　our　establishing　similar　settlements　in　Canada；　Australia；　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