Tag: British Australasian

Royal Colonial Institute: ROYAL COLONIAL INSTITUTE. AT a meeting of the above-named institute on Tuesday last, held under the presidency of the Marquis of Lorne, K.T., G.C.M.G., Vice-President, at the Westminster Palace Hotel, a paper entitled “Newfoundland—our Oldest Colony,” was read by the Hon. Mr. Justice Pinsent, D.C.L. Amongst those present were the following:–The Hon. J. C. Bray (late Premier South Australia), the Hon. Mr. Strutt, Lady Rayleigh, Admiral Sir Erasmus Ommanney, K.C.B., Sir Saul Samuel, K.C.M.G. (Agent-General for New South Wales), Lady Samuel and Miss Samuel, and Miss Pinsent. Before the reading of the paper the Honorary Secretary announced that since the last meeting 36 Fellows had been elected. Mr. PINSENT remarked that Newfoundland rejoices in the appellation of the “most ancient and loyal Colony.” That this island is the oldest colonial dependency of the British Crown is unquestionably true; that it is and has been a loyal Colony attached to the Throne and Sovereign of these realms, and to direct Imperial connection, is borne out by its political history. In the present day the position and condition of Newfoundland are little known or regarded by the mother country, but this has not always been the case. Holding a prominent and scarcely to be overlooked place on any map of the New World, the English ignorance of the most ancient American possession of the Crown is as remarkable as it is unpardonable. He had heard stories of surprise being expressed that visitors from that country to England should converse in English. As a fact, the aborigines have long ago disappeared and with the exception of a few camps of Mic-Macs from Canada seeking fur, not an Indian is to be found in the island. After giving a full historical record of the island he reverted to trade. He was in possession of the latest available statistics to the extent and value of the Newfoundland fisheries:

Average annual value: $: Cod fishery– 6,934,242: Seal fishery – 1,026,896: Herring fishery – 581,543: Salmon fishery – 114,505: Lobster fishery – 104,184: All other fish 40,000: Total average value annually of the fisheries: $7,901,370 or L. 1,646,118 sterling: In the face of the many difficulties which are seen in her history to have beset Newfoundland which have placed her at a great disadvantage as compared with others, and cruelly retarded her progress, she has, since any chance been allowed her, steadily advanced and increased in population, internal wealth, and the blessings of civilization generally. Hers has not been the marvelous progress which has attended the great Australasian Colonies, which teem with various and boundless wealth; nor could she be compared as a centre of population with some of the richer fields of settlement which their’ superior soil offers to the Canadian immigrant; but Newfoundland with her incomparable fisheries combine a soil which nearly everywhere in the island can be made a valuable auxiliary to them for the support of the people; which in other parts (in the more fertile belts and tracts) may be made self-supporting and independent of the fisheries, and is especially adapted for sheep raising. That as a mineral-bearing country the rich metalliferous character of the island as attested by the common consent of scientific men, only requires to be developed to place that Colony in the foremost rank of British possessions abroad; that at the heads of the great bays, in the tracts surrounding the great lakes, in the valleys of many of the rivers, there are reported to be contained nearly 3,000,000 acres adapted for settlement and cultivation, and that there are large areas of fine timber land. The deposit of gypsum is enormous, and building slate, granite, limestone, and marble abound. A discussion followed, and the Marquis of LORNE, in proposing a vote of thanks to Mr. Justice Pinsent, remarked that it was most mischievous and intolerable that any rights beyond the right of merely landing and using the shores for the purpose of repairing their nets should be allowed to any foreign power. It was a right which could not possibly be retained, as it was at present retained by the French Government. Sir Saul Samuel proposed a vote of thanks to the Marquis of Lorne for presiding, and the meeting then terminated.

Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.

Referenced

GRO0747 Hennock: Robert John Pinsent: 1834 – 1893
GROxxxx Hennock