Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 1.djvu/554

 430 SIR GEORGE YOUNG»S 1785 Commercial position. Variety of climate and productions. FaciUties for tradti. Tropical prodncta. Flax. Commercial centre. Metals of every kind. Settlers from tlie islands and China. The Ameri- can loyalists From the coast of China it lies not more than about one thousand leagues, and nearly the same distance from the East Indies, from the Spice Islands about seven hundred leagues^ and near a month's run from the Cape of Good Hope. The variety of climates included between the 44th and the 10th degrees of latitude gives us an opportunity for uniting in one territory almost all the productions of the known world. To explain this more fully, I will point out some of the countries which are situated within the same extent of latitude, on either side of the Equator : they are China, Japan, Siam, India, Persia, Arabia Felix, Egypt, Greece, all Turkey, the Mediterranean Sea, Italy, Spain, South of France and Portugal, with Mexico, Lima, Baldivia, and the greatest part of the Pacific Ocean, to which may be added the Cape of Good Hope, &a From this review it will, I think, be acknowledged that a terri- tory 80 happily situated must be superior to all others for estab- lishing a very extensive commerce, and of consequence greatly increase our shipping and number of seamen. Nor is it mere pre- sumption to say the country is everywhere capable of producing all kinds of spice, likewise the fine Oriental cotton, indigo, coflTee, tobacco, with every species of the sugar-cane ; also tea, silk, and madder. That very remarkable plant known by the name of the New Zealand flax plant may be cultivated in every part, and in any quantity our demand^ may require. Its uses are more exten- sive than any vegetable hitherto known, for in its gross state it far exceeds anything of the kind for cordage and canvas, and may be obtained at a so much cheaper rate than those materials we at present get from Russia, who may, perhaps, at some future period, think it her interest to prohibit our trade for such articles, and the difficulties that must arise in such a case are too obvious to mention, but are everywhere provided against in this proposal. With but a trifling expense and a little industry we may, in the course of a few years, establish a commercial mart on one island comprehending all the articles of trade in itself, and every neces- sary for shipping, not to mention the great probability of finding in such an immense country metals of every kind. At a time when men are alarmed at every idea of emigration, I wish not to add to their fears by any attempt to depopulate the parent State ;' the settlers of New South Wales are principally to be collected from the Friendly Islands and China ; all the people required from England are only a few that are possessed of the useful arts, and those comprised among the crews of the ships sent out on that service. The American loyalists would here find a fertile, healthy soil, far preferable to their own, and well worthy their industry, where, with a very small part of the expense the Crown must necessarily Digitized by Google