17 NOVEMBER 1849, Page 1

Still we are forced to note, that not a week

passes without some sign of trouble from different parts of our Colonial empire. The mischief is really more widely spread and more pregnant with danger than the English public can well be led to believe. The letter which Dr. Lang, of New South Wales, leaves for Earl Grey on quitting the shores of England, cannot but be disagreeable to his Lordship. Although rough in its language, and sec- tarian in some of its views, its main statements make a for- midable bill of impeachment—alarming because those statements cannot be pronounced false. Of the future, Dr. Lang takes the gloomiest view; looking, as many in Australia do, and a few perhaps in Downing Street, to nothing short of separation. We do not share his fears, but only because we believe it impossible that England can permit a continuance of the administration which would unquestionably lead to that result in the end. Labuan is a "British dependency" so recent and so small that Englishmen forget to reckon it among our possessions: if we may trust the accounts received through Singapore, only too strongly confirmed indeed, official neglect is suffering the energetic Rajah Brooke to mingle the office of governor with the patt of knight- errant, tsking a savage lead in the warfare of savages, and reck- lessly pursuing his own advantage and glory. From Canada we learn the disappointment of our anticipations that the question respecting the seat of Government would be set at rest: the government is transferred to Toronto, which is to alternate with Quebec in the official favour. The colonists say that Lord Elgin is afraid, and the gossip of the papers makes him say that it is Lady Elgin who will not face Montreal again. If not dictated by personal feelings of that kind, the move is an act of spite so paltry as to bring the Government into contempt as much as sheer cowardice could do. As an act of policy it is bad, because it favours the Annexationists in Montreal, by giving them better grounds for their disaffection. Surely Ministers at home must begin to perceive the utter unfitness of their colleague in the colony for any post of command, and the troublous ten- dency of his foibles ?