Το

weeks, from Madras and Bombay 19 weeks. To the Natal 12 and 10 weeks, respectively. Mauritius, from 5 to 10 weeks, according to the time of the year and the Presidency from which the is made.-Sect. 8, Act No. 6 of 1869, fixes voyage the length of voyage from Madras to Mauritius, Seychelles, or Réunion, at six weeks, between the months of November and March inclusive.

9. Shipping arrangements.-The vessels must obtain a licence from the Presidency Government (sec. 46), and must have a height of not less than five and a half feet between decks. If fitted with any water distilling apparatus approved by the Protector of Emigrants is to be allowed a reduction of one-third of the quantity of water (seven gallons for every emigrant for each week of the computed voyage) required by the Act to be shipped in tanks or casks (sec. 48). Vessels sailing from Calcutta are to be towed to sea by steamers (sec. 60), under a penalty not exceeding 1,000 rupees.-Sect. 78. The number of emigrants to be carried is regulated by Act No 6 of 1869, which enacts (clause 5) that no compartment of an emigrant ship shall take more than one adult emigrant for every 12 superficial feet on deck, and for every cubic space of 72 feet, or more than one child who shall have completed two, and shall not have completed ten years of age, for every eight superficial feet on deck.

10. Governor-General may make Rules.-The Governor-General is empowered to make, from time to time, Rules (which must be published in the Gazette of India) not inconsistent with the Act, on the following subjects, viz. :-(1), the proportion of women to be taken, and the age at which children are not to be taken; (2), the dietary and clothing of emigrants on the voyage; (3), the medical care, medicines, and medical journals, &c., of the emigrants; (4), ventilation and cleanliness, and boats for the voyage; and (5), the security, well-being, and protection generally of the emigrants. But in cases of emergency the Governor-General may allow any vessel to leave Calcutta without the required proportion of women (sec. 7, Act No. 6, 1869.)

11. Exemption of French Colonies.-With the exception of sections 19 to 41, both inclusive, which relate to the recruitment of native labourers, the Act is not to apply to emigration to the French Colonies. Sect. 83.

Emigration to the French Colonies is regulated by sections 19 to 41 of the Act of 1864, and by Act No. 46 of 1860, which Act was passed to give effect to two conventions entered into between the English and the French governments, dated Paris, 25th of July 1860 as regards Re-union, and 1st of July 1861 as regards the West India Colonies of France.

The Passenger Trade between India and Ceylon is regulated by sections 19 to 41, both inclusive, of the Indian Act, No. 13 of 1864, and by the Acts No. 25 of 1859, No. 7 of 1862, and by the Ceylon Ordinances, No. 1 of 1860, and No. 10 of 1862.

ABSTRACT OF ORDER IN COUNCIL (7 Jan. 1864) for promoting ORDER and HEALTH, &c. in PASSENGER SHIPS to any of HER MAJESTY'S POSSESSIONS abroad. (59 Sec. Pass. Act.)

1. Every passenger to rise at 7 A.M., unless otherwise permitted by the surgeon; or, if no surgeon, by the master.

2. Breakfast from 8 to 9 A.M., dinner at 1 P.M., supper at 6 P.M.

3. The passengers to be in their beds at 10P. M., except under permission of the surgeon, or, if no surgeon, of the master.

4. Fires to be lighted by the passengers' cook at 7 A.M., and kept alight by him till 7 P.M.; then to be extinguished, unless otherwise directed by the master, or required for the use of the sick.

5. The master to determine the order in which each passenger or family of passengers shall be entitled to the use of the fires. The cook to take care that this order is preserved.

6. On each passenger deck three safety lamps to be lit at dusk, and kept burning all night, and such further number as shall allow one to be placed at each of the hatchways used by the passengers.

7. No naked light between deck or in the hold to be allowed at any time, or on any account.

8. The passengers, when dressed, to roll up their beds, to sweep the decks (including the space under the bottom of the berths), and to throw the dirt overboard.

9. Breakfast not to commence till this is done.

10. The sweepers for the day to be taken in rotation from the males above 14, in the proportion of 5 for every 100 passengers.

11. Duties of the sweepers to be to clean the ladders, hospitals, round houses, and waterclosets, to pump water into the cisterns or tanks for the supply of the waterclosets, to sweep the decks after every meal, and to dry holy-stone and scrape them after breakfast.

12. But the occupant of each berth to see that his or her own berth is well brushed out; and single women are to keep their own compartment clean in ships where a separate compartment is allotted to them.

13. The beds to be well shaken and aired on deck, and the bottom boards, if not fixtures, to be removed, and dry-scrubbed and taken on deck, at least twice a week.

14. Two days in the week to be appointed by the master as washing days, but no clothes on any account to be washed or dried between decks.

15. The coppers and cooking vessels to be cleaned every day, and the cisterns kept filled with water.

16. The scuttles and stern ports, if any, to be kept open (weather permitting) from 7 A.M. to 10 P.M., and the hatches at all hours.

17. On Sunday the passengers to be mustered at 10A.M., when they will be expected to appear in clean and decent apparel. The day to be observed as religiously as circumstances will admit.

18. No spirits or gunpowder to be taken on board by any passenger. Any that may be discovered to be taken into the custody of the master till the expiration of the voyage.

19. No loose hay or straw to be allowed below.

20. No smoking to be allowed between decks.

21. All immoral or indecent acts or conduct, improper liberties or familiarities with the female passengers, blasphemous, obscene, or indecent language, or language tending to a breach of the peace,swearing, gambling, drunkenness, fighting, disorderly, riotous, quarrelsome, or insubordinate conduct, and also all deposits of filth or offensive acts of uncleanliness in the between decks, are strictly prohibited.

22. Fire-arms, swords, and other offensive weapons, as soon as the passengers embark, to be placed in the custody of the master.

23. No sailors to remain on the passenger deck among the passengers except on duty.

24. No passenger to go to the ship's cookhouse without special permission from the master, nor to remain in the forecastle among the sailors on any account.

ABSTRACT OF ORDER IN COUNCIL (3rd February 1863) for preserving order in private passenger ships conveying to VICTORIA in Australia as many as ten " unprotected female passengers."

1. The term "unprotected female passengers" signifies every female passenger between the ages of 12 and 35 proceeding to Victoria by virtue of a passage warrant issued by the Government of that Colony, who, if married, shall not be accompanied by her husband, or, if unmarried, shall not be accompanied by her father or stepfather, or by a married brother with his wife, or a married sister with her husband, or by an unmarried brother over the age of

25.

2. All unprotected female passengers are to be berthed in open berths, in a compartment in the aftermost part of the upper passenger deck of the ship, effectually divided off by substantial bulkheads from the other portions of such deck; and no single men, or men without their wives, are to be berthed next to the bulkhead dividing off such compartment.

3. The children under 12 years of age of married female passengers, unaccompanied by their husbands, are to be berthed with their mothers.

4. An entrance to such compartment from the upper deck or poop must be exclusively appropriated to the use of such female passengers.

5. There must be a matron on board appointed by the owner or master of the ship, and charged with the maintenance of discipline among such female passengers.

6. No unprotected female passenger is on any account to be allowed to act as servant or attendant on the surgeon, master, or any of the officers of the ship, or on any male cabin passenger.

7. All intercourse between unprotected female passengers and any of the officers or crew of the ship, or between such females and any of the male passengers (except brothers or brothers-in-law, and in case of unprotected married women, their children), is strictly prohibited.

8. The master of the ship, before sailing, is, with the approval of the Emigration Officer at the port of clearance, to mark out the portion of the poop or main deck to be assigned for the purpose of

exercise to such unprotected female passengers, who, during the voyage, must keep within the limits so marked out.

9. Before dark, all such female passengers as aforesaid are to go below to their own compartment, and as soon as they are there collected, the master is to lock the entrance, and on no account is any man to enter the compartment during the night, except the surgeon in case of illness, or the officers and crew in case danger to the ship renders their entrance necessary.

10. If the surgeon is required to attend professionally any of such unprotected female passengers at night, the matron must accompany and remain with him while he discharges his duties.

11. The master of the ship is to afford to the matron and to the surgeon all the assistance in his power in carrying the regulations into effect.

12. Any person who refuses or neglects to obey any of the above rules, or who obstructs the surgeon or master of the ship in the execution of any duty imposed on them respectively by the Order, or who is guilty of insubordinate conduct, shall, on conviction, be liable for each offence to the penalties of fine and imprisonment imposed by the Passengers Act, 1855.

13. The Order in Council is not to apply to ships chartered by Her Majesty's Emigration Commis

sioners.

ABSTRACT OF THE UNITED STATES PASSENGER ACT of 1855.

Sect. 1.- Tonnage Check. Computation of Children. No greater number of passengers is to be carried than 1 to 2 tons. In the computation of passengers, infants under 1 year old are to be excluded, and two children between 1 and 8 years are to count as one passenger.

Space Check.Where the height between decks is not less than 74 feet, 14 superficial feet are to be allowed to each passenger; where less than 7 feet, but not less than 6 feet, 16 superficial feet are to be allowed to each passenger on the main and poop decks, and in deck houses, and 18 superficial feet on the lower deck, not being an orlop deck.

Space to Passengers on different Decks.-No passengers are to be carried on a deck less than 6 feet high. Any master carrying more passengers than here allowed will be guilty of a misdemeanor, and be liable to a fine of 50 dollars and six months' imprisonment for each passenger in excess.

Hospitals.-A hospital is to be provided, not exceeding 100 superficial feet, and to be included in the computation of the space for passengers.

Sect. 2. Berths.--No vessel is to have more than 2 tiers of berths. The berths are to be 6 feet long and 2 feet wide; the bottom berth is to be not less than 9 inches from the deck; each berth is to be occupied by a single passenger, but double berths may be constructed to be occupied by two women, or by husband and wife, or by a woman and two children under 8 years, or by a man and two of his own children under 8 years, or by two men, members of the same family. For violation of this section the

master and owners severally are to forfeit 5 dollars for each passenger on board.

Sect. 3. Booby Hatches.-Vessels capable of carrying 50 passengers are to have one house or booby hatch, and those capable of carrying 150 passengers are to have two houses or booby hatches, over the hatches. Penalty on master and owners 200 dollars.

Sect. 4. Ventilating Tubes.-Every vessel capable of carrying 100 passengers is to have at least two ventilating tubes, one fore and the other aft, proportioned to the size of the compartment to be ventilated, unless other equally efficient mode of ventilation be adopted. Penalty on master and owner, 200 dollars.

Sect. 5. Caboose.-Every vesselcarrying more than 50 passengers, to have a caboose or cooking range, the dimensions of which are to be after the rate of 4 feet in length by 18 inches in width, for every 200 passengers. Penalty on master and owner, 200 dollars.

Sect. 6. Diet Scale.-Every vessel to carry provisions for each passenger, after the following scale, for the voyage, viz. :—

20 lbs. good navy bread,

15

rice, oatmeal,

10 wheat flour,

15

20 lbs. potatoes.

10 salt pork free of beef bone,

10

99

1 pint vinegar, peas or beans, 60 gallons water. Substitutions.-But increased quantities of bread or potatoes may be substituted for rice, oatmeal, wheat flour, and peas or beans, where these cannot be procured, and vice versâ.

Weekly Issues.-One tenth of the above provisions is to be issued to each passenger weekly, and 3 quarts of water daily.

Provisions to be cooked.-The master is to cause the provisions to be cooked, and issued at fixed hours to messes or otherwise.

Fine for short Issues.-If passengers are, at any time, put on short allowance, they shall be entitled to recover 3 dollars a day for the period of such short allowance; and if the master shall fail to furnish such provisions in a cooked state, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and be liable to a fine of 1,000 dollars, and one year's imprisonment.

Sect. 7. Discipline. Privies.-The master is to establish and post up regulations for discipline and cleanliness, and to provide a safe and convenient privy for every 100 passengers; and when the beds cannot be brought on deck, to cause the decks to be cleansed with chloride of lime, or some other disinfecting agent. Penalty on master and owners, 50 dollars.

Sect. 8. Penalties for breaches in Sections 3, 4, 5, and 7 (already given in each of those sections). Sect. 9. Collectors of Customs to appoint inspectors to report on vessels arriving or departing. Sect. 10. Act to apply to steerage passengers by steam vessels.

Sect. 11. Vessels to and from the Pacific to be subject to the Act, except as relates to provisions, but to furnish a sufficient supply of good and wholesome food, properly cooked, under the same penalties as in Sect.6.

Sect. 12. List of Passengers.-Master to deliver manifest of his passengers, showing whether any, and who, have died on the passage, subject to the same penalties as are provided for default in the case of manifests of cargo.

Sect. 13. Manifest.-Manifests to be transmitted quarterly to the Secretary of State, by whom the statements of their contents are to be laid before Congress.

Sect. 14. Payments for Deaths.-The master to pay to the Collector of Customs 10 dollars for the death, by natural disease, of every passenger above 8 years old (other than cabin passengers) occurring on board his ship, to be applied as the Secretary to the Treasury shall direct to any Board established for the care and protection of emigrants generally.

Sect. 15. Penalties, &c., to be liens on the vessel. Sect. 16. Act to apply to vessels carrying coloured emigrants to coast of Africa.

Sect. 17. Collectors of Customs to examine emi. grant ships on arrival, and report to Secretary to the Treasury.

Sect. 18. Act to take effect for vessels sailing from United States in 30 days, for vessels sailing from Europe in 60 days, for other vessels in 6 months from approval.

Sect. 19. Previous laws repealed.

OFFENCES AT SEA PUNISHABLE IN THE COLONIES.

Formerly offences at sea might, under the Act 11 & 12 Will. 3rd, cap. 7, be tried in any colony, and were to be dealt with according to the Civil Law, and the method and rules of the Admiralty, and subsequently (under the 46 Geo. 3rd, cap. 54), according to the common course of the laws of this realm, applicable to like offences committed on land. But now by the 12 & 13 Vict. cap. 96 (1849), these offences, when dealt with in a colony, are to be tried according to the law of the colony, but punished according to the law of England.

66

The Act of Victoria which was passed in August 1849 for the prosecution and trial in the colonies of offences committed within the jurisdiction of the Admiralty, provides that all persons charged in any ! colony with piracy, felony, murder, or other "offence of what nature or kind soever," committed on the sea, or within the Admiral's jurisdiction, may be brought to trial in the same manner, according to the laws of the colony, as if the offence had been committed on waters within the local jurisdiction of the criminal courts of the colony, and upon conviction shall suffer the same punishments as they would have been liable to had the offence been committed, tried, and adjudged in England.

Where death ensues in a colony from an injury inflicted at sea, the offence, whether murder, manslaughter, or accessory before or after the fact, may be dealt with in the colony as if it had been wholly committed there; but in the converse case, of the death ensuing at sea from an injury inflicted in the colony, the offence shall be held to have been wholly committed upon the sea.

The jurisdiction of the Supreme Courts of New South Wales and Tasmania, as established by 9 Geo. 4. cap. 83. is left intact.

NOTICES.

NOTICE RESPECTING THE FALKLANDS. From a Report made by Capt. Maxwell of the ship "Dido," to the Admiralty, it appears that the Falklands offer advantages to homeward-bound ships from the Pacific not possessed by the ports in Brazil generally resorted to. The "Dido" left East Falkland on the 5th December 1848, and arrived at Spithead in 49 days, and as the average passage from Rio Janeiro at that period of the year is 50 days, the time required for the passage from the Falklands to Rio (about three weeks) may be

considered as saved.

The

Capt. Maxwell states that in the voyage direct from the Falklands, a ship proceeding to the northward is enabled to cross the southern tropic about the meridian of 25 degrees west, with the full advantage of the S.E. trades; whereas, in sailing from Rio, a vessel is 20 degrees to the westward, on the same parallel, and is often compelled to proceed 6 or 8 degrees to the south, before making sufficient easting to weather the Brazil coast. Falklands furnish a cheap and abundant supply of cattle, which can be obtained at Port Stanley, and at Port Louis, in Berkeley Sound, with facilities for watering at both places.-Vegetables were then scarce, but were likely to become more plentiful.— Capt. Maxwell also states, that spirits, salt meat, and other sea provisions, are supplied from the Government stores at Stanley.

The following is an extract of a letter to the Governor from Rear Admiral Hastings. "Having called at the Falkland Islands in Her Majesty's Ship 'Zealous' on my way to the Pacific, it affords me great pleasure to inform your Excellency that "Messrs. supplied this ship with 408 tons of good coal in less than 16 working hours, and that I have found every facility at Port Stanley in obtaining all supplies and provisions. I consider that any ship bound to the Pacific would find it advantageous to call at the Falkland Islands to obtain any supplies which may be required."

The following is taken from a despatch of the 3rd July 1867: "European vegetables thrive exceedingly well. The Falkland Islands Improvement Society (a society recently formed for the encouragement of market gardening) held its firstmeeting in April last. I never saw, in any part of the world, finer potatoes, turnips, cauliflowers, &c., than were then exhibited. Every house in Stanley has its plot of garden ground attached, and, owing to the number of vessels that call here during the year, the cottagers find a ready and profitable sale for their surplus produce. Rabbits abound in various parts of the Islands, and wild geese and waterfowl are everywhere plentiful. The harbours swarm with excellent fish, and trout are found in the rivers of the interior. With high wages and food in abundance, the settlers, it is almost superfluous to say, are prosperous and contented. Poverty and distress are unknown, sickness rarely visits the Colony, the

people are loyal, the laws are respected, and harmony and good feeling prevail amongst all classes of society.'

QUEENSLAND.

Queensland comprises the entire north-eastern portion of the Australian continent. On the 10th December 1859 it was formally proclaimed a separate colony under Letters Patent from the Crown, dated 6th June, 1859. It extends from Point Danger in south latitude 28° 8' to Cape York, the north-eastern extremity of Australia, and from the Pacific to the 138th meridian of longitude in the Gulf of Carpentaria; an area of about 678,000 square miles, more than five times larger than that of the United Kingdom, and three times larger than that of France. The colony possesses numerous harbours, of which Moreton Bay is the principal. Anchorage may be found in almost any part of it, under shelter of the numerous shoals. It is about 40 miles long north and south by 17 miles wide, and receives the waters of five navigable rivers, viz.: the Arrowsmith, the Logan, the Brisbane, the Pine, and the Cabulture. Most of these rivers have, however, a bar entrance. Besides Moreton Bay, there are Keppel Bay, Hervey's Bay, Port Curtis, Port Bowen, Port Denison, Cleveland Bay, Rockingham Bay, Port Albany (near Cape York), and several other smaller harbours on the eastern sea-board of Queensland. The principal harbour at the head of the Gulf of Carpentaria is at Investigator Road. There are already settlements at or near all the above-named ports.

The upland plains and downs of the interior afford excellent cattle and sheep pasturage throughout the year. The agricultural capabilities of Queensland are also great. Wheat, maize, and other cereals, potatoes, cotton, the sugar cane, tobacco, indigo, coffee, rice, and almost all the English and Tropical fruits are successfully cultivated in suitable situations. In the uplands beyond the mountain range the wheat is of the finest quality, sometimes weighing above 60 lbs. to the bushel, and yielding about 30 bushels to the acre. The average yield of maize is 40 bushels, and of potatoes about three tons to the acre.

East of the main range of mountains the climate and soil are reported to be peculiarly adapted to the growth of the finest kinds of cotton; and owing to the absence of frosts the plant is perennial, and not an annual, as it is in America. It is estimated that some millions of acres are well suited to the production of cotton.

are

To encourage immigration land orders granted to the value of 30l. to each adult emigrant direct from Europe who may pay his own passage, or the passage of any member of his family. A land order of the value of 15l. is granted on account of a child between 1 and 12 years old.

Besides its agricultural and pastoral resources the colony is stated to possess much mineral wealth. Gold has been found in several localities, also copper and tin in a very pure state. Coal of good quality is abundant, and is accompanied as usual with iron ores.

E

Provision has also been made by the Legislature for promoting education by means of primary and grammar schools, and in the towns ample means exist for public worship for all denominations.

Information respecting the climate, mode of disposing of the public lands, demand for labour, rates of wages, and prices of agricultural produce, &c. in Queensland, will be found under their several heads in this publication.

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

That part of British territory on the north-west coast of North America, previously known as New Caledonia, has, by an Act passed on the 2nd of August, 1858 (21 & 22 Vict. cap. 99.) been erected into a colony, under the name of "British Columbia."

It is bounded on the south by the frontier of the United States (i.e., the 49th degree of north latitude), on the east by the main chain of the Rocky Mountains, on the north by the Russian American territory, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. It includes Queen Charlotte's Island and all other adjacent islands, including Vancouver Island and the islands adjacent thereto.-29 & 30 Vict. c. 67. Until the year 1858, British Columbia formed part of the territory over which the Hudson's Bay Company possessed, by licence from the Crown, the exclusive right of trading; but in that year the discovery of gold caused a large influx of gold diggers from California, and rendered it necessary for Her Majesty's Government to take measures to maintain order and protect life and property. The Hudson's Bay Company's trading licence was therefore revoked, and the country erected into a colony by the Act above mentioned. It is now included in the Dominion of Canada.

Extent of Colony.-The average breadth of the territory is about 250 miles; the length of its coast line about 600 miles, stretching from the point where the 49th parallel of latitude first strikes the sea coast, to the line of the late Russian possessions in Portland Canal; and its area (including Queen Charlotte's Island) is computed by Mr. Arrowsmith to contain about 250,000 square miles.

Laws. The colony is governed by the Governor, aided by an Executive Council of the five heads of superior departments, and two unofficial members,and by a Legislative Council, consisting of 15 members, 6 of whom are selected by the Governor and 9 by the colonists. The laws are passed in the form of Ordinances, which are submitted to the Queen. The civil and criminal laws of England, so far as they are not inapplicable from local cir cumstances, prevail throughout the colony, subject of course to be modified by the Queen in Council or by local legislation.

Population.-The population of the country is chiefly migratory, consisting of mining adventurers from California, and other parts of the world, and including considerable numbers of Chinese. The settled white population may be estimated at about 10,000. Settlement is however rapidly in progress, and farms are being taken up and cultivated throughout the colony.

Resources. In addition to its gold mines, which are as yet the principal source of wealth to the colony, the natural resources of the country have thus been summed up in evidence given before the House of Commons: "Its minerals are most valuable; its timber the finest in the world for marine purposes; it abounds with bituminous coal well fitted for the generation of steam; from Thomson's River and Colville districts to Rocky Mountains, and from the 49th parallel some 350 miles north, a more beautiful country does not exist. It is in every way suitable for colonization."

the

The soil has proved extremely fertile, and cereals have been everywhere raised to great advantage. Grazing and dairy farming, though carried on to a limited extent, have been highly profitable and

successful.

Sturgeon and salmon, and a small fish called oulackhon, are caught and used in vast quantities. Vast quantities have been dried and salted. The small fish are so numerous for about one month that they are taken in buckets, or are raked out of the Fraser. The sturgeon too is a much esteemed article of food in the colony, and is sold about 2s. a lb.; they are caught weighing as much as 700 lbs. Excellent caviare is manufactured at New Westminster.

Game, such as grouse, deer, ducks, and geese, abound and form a common article of consumption throughout the Colony.

During the year 1865 a valuable silver lead mine was discovered in the Shuswap District at a place called Cherry Creek. The ore on assay has been found to yield as much as 2,000 ounces of silver to the ton. Preparations are being made to mine here on an extensive scale, and it is generally supposed that the silver mines of the country will prove one of its most valuable sources of wealth and prosperity. Silver has been found in various other parts of the country.

Excellent anthracite coal has also been discovered on Queen Charlotte's Island, and great expectations have been formed of the result of the labours of the company who have undertaken to work the mine. Capital. The capital town is Victoria, situated on the Island of Vancouver. New Westminster, situated on Fraser's River, was formerly the capital.

Secondary Towns.- Hope; Yale; Douglas; Lilloett; Lytton; Derby; Princetown; Alexandria, Richfield, Cameron town, Barkerville in Cariboo east ; Vanwinkle in Cariboo west; Quesnelmouth, and Quesnel forks.

Two separate lines of carriage road terminate at Clinton, and intersect the best farming districts of the country.

An Assay Office is established at New Westminster and also at Cariboo, under the sanction of the Home Government.

For notices respecting demand for labour-legal and medical practitioners-the rights of aliensland regulations-gold fields and gold regulationshints to miners-and climate-see under their respective heads.