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1851, in the following terms: "We solemnly fore. Parl. Paper. April 1852, p. 52. warn Her Majesty's Ministers, that the further continuance of transportation, in opposition to the united voice of the Australian Colonies now leagued together against it, will inevitably sever their con- nexion with Great Britain, a connexion which the colonists themselves are yet most desirous to main- tain inviolable." Sir William Denison stated in a confidential despatch dated the 14th of July, 1851, that no fewer than 224 male and female pass-holder convicts were then in the employment of membere of the League.

Here may be closed the retrospect of the pro- ceedings in the colonies connected with trans- portation. To New South Wales it has been discontinued for twelve years, with the exception of the brief period for which it was renewed in 1849. In Van Diemen's Land both the settlers and the service itself suffered from the excessive accumu- lation of the numbers of convicts about 1846; but this evil has been remedied; the discipline has been restored and much improved; and it must be added, that the supply of convicts, however much it may

conflict with the sentiments of men whose feelings are entitled to every respect, does not outrun the practical demands of the settlers. In New South Wales much of the more violent opposition was expressed at large meetings in the open air, and has been ascribed to the free labourers, who were jealous of the introduction of any competitors for the high wages which they earned; a feeling which there were obvious temptations for others of a higher class

to turn to political account. That there was much division of opinion is sufficiently evident, both from the frequent changes in the resolutions of the Legis- lature on the subject, and from the fact that up to the present moment one large and flourishing district claims to be separated from New South Wales rather than be deprived of the resource of convict labour. In Van Diemen's Land the repugnance to transport- ation appears to have been much more serious and earnest, and more spread amongst good and consci- entious members of the superior classes of society. To the writer of the present paper, however, it ap- pears that it was called forth by the miserable and revolting, but transitory, outbreak of one particular crime amongst convicts who became crowded together

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with no due preparation for their custody, in the

first year or two after all other colonies were shut against their reception, and that it may be doubted whether the feeling is not very dispro- portioned to any amount of evil that may at the present moment arise from the presence of convicts in Van Diemen's Land. In all great popular move ments, however, there must be both mixed motives, and also motives which will survive the occasion by which they were legitimately called into existence. Whilst, therefore, noting the foregoing considera- tions on the nature and origin of the opposition to transportation in the two colonies principally con- cerned, the writer of the present paper by no means wishes to suggest the inference that this feeling on the part of the inhabitants, which has now ripened almost into a passion, is therefore to be disregarded. On the contrary, it appears to him a most grave and significant fact, that the question of convicts, and that of the management of the Crown lands, are the only two upon which the several Australian Colonies have any bond of union in opposing the mother- country; and this fact, so far as regards convicts, appears to him the more deserving of serious con- sideration when it is remembered that the recent discoveries of gold have at once disarmed removal to the Australian Colonies of all terror, and even reu- dered it an object of ambition, and have at the same time furnished the opponents of transportation with

a weapon which must powerfully add to their strength

in debating the subject both in Parliament aud in the country.

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS.

After this review of the Colonial part of the sub- ject, it may be permissible to offer a few remarks of

a more general nature upon Transportation. The questions which naturally suggest themselves are:

1st. Is transportation in itself a good punishment

so long as colonies are available which are well fitted for the purpose?

2ndly. Have the Australian Colonies ceased to bear that character ?

3rdly. If so, what is the best alternative open to adoption?

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