Mr. Chamberlain is carrying his idea of spending some money
in developing the Colonies into practice. The Government has agreed to allow E75,000 a year as a subsidy to assist in the establishment of a fast line of packets! between Great Britain and Canada,—a sum which the Premier of the Dominion, Sir Mackenzie Bowell, considers sufficient, and which has greatly delighted the Colonists. They think the line will greatly assist emigration by making Canada more known, and will besides attract travellers who are inclined to try this alternative route to the Far East. The second idea is undoubtedly correct, and we can see no objection to the experiment ; but the difficulty of Canada is not want of immigrants. It is the drift of Cana- dians towards the Union, and the larger chances it offers. If the population would but stay at home, the "natural increment" would speedily raise Canada to the position of a powerful State. Still, swift and regular intercommunication will bring them larger supplies both of British surplus labour and British surplus capital.
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