and the whole line of coast of the Bay of Fundy, the north-eastern coast above Miramichi, and the Bay of Chaleurs, afford abundant produce of this kind, which is cured, furnishing a plentiful supply to the home market, and a large fund of exportation to America, the mother country, and the West Indies.

Under the head of manufactures little can be said in a province so imperfectly populated, cultivated, and improved as is New Brunswick. The grindstones, formerly cut in large quantities from quarries near the Bay of Fundy, the cured fish last noticed, the squared timber and sawn boards furnished in large quantities by all its most flourishing districts, comprise all the produce that can in any way be termed manufactured. The quantity of timber shipped from the various ports of this province in 1824 was 321,211 tons.

Comparing the exports and imports of New Brunswick with the population, they will tend to furnish a very favourable view of the activity, comfort, and wealth of the inhabitants, and of the productiveness of the country.

We shall take the year 1824, confessedly a prosperous one, but sufficiently remote to afford a fair average. The imports in that year were, including the port of St. Andrew's, in 1,070 vessels, of 240,054 tons, navigated by 11,357 men; the cargoes valued at 514,5571.; the exports at the same period were, in 1,265 vessels, measuring 274,173 tons, navigated by 12,234 seamen, the value of their cargoes amounting to 462,0437. sterling, to which may be added the price of sixty new vessels sent to Great Britain, as payments, and which, estimated at 107. per ton, the whole measuring 16,488 tons, may be reckoned as 164,880., making the whole amount of exports 626,9237.—no contemptible produce for a population of from 70,000 to 80,000 souls. The tables of exports and imports state these matters more particularly, and bring them down to a later date; showing how inevitably a tract of country possessed of so great natural advantages must advance in prosperity, increasing its own wealth and that of the mother country.

The revenue of the province in the same year amounted to 44,6707. 2s. 6d. currency of the province, and in 1830 to 49,0707. Os. 51d., the whole of which is applied to local improvements and provincial purposes.

The militia of the province consists of twenty-three battalions, each comprising from six to eight companies; a company consisting of one captain, two subalterns, three serjeants, and sixty rank and file. The enrolling of the militia is effected in districts, into which the province is divided as respects this purpose only, and each district furnishes two companies, but in some of those more remotely situated and thinly settled, which cannot provide two companies, but exceed the number of sixty-five, they are allowed to enrol eighty men in one company. The entire effective force usually amounts to about 12,000, which are under the orders of the commander-in-chief, who appoints an inspecting fieldofficer, before whom they are assembled by companies, two days in each year, for drill, and in battalions or divisions whenever the commanderin-chief thinks proper to appoint. The regulations for this force, however, are frequently varied by the provincial legislature.

The constitution and government of New Brunswick are assimilated, as nearly as circumstances will allow, to those of the other British American provinces and of the mother country. The executive power is vested in the lieutenant-governor, who is assisted in his administration by a council of twelve members, which council has also a legislative capacity, resembling that of the house of peers in Great Britain. There is likewise a representative assembly, consisting of twenty-six members, elected by the different counties, as follows:-for St. John, Westmoreland, Charlotte, and York, four each; for King's, Queen's, Sunbury, and Northumberland counties, two each; besides two for the city of St. John. To all local and financial laws the consent of this assembly is requisite. Those interfering with acts of the British legislature cannot be in force till they have received the sanction of his Majesty. The assembly sits for a period of about two months, during the winter, at Frederickton, whither it is summoned by proclamation of the lieutenant-governor.

The other tribunals of the province are, the court of chancery, of which the lieutenant-governor is chancellor, and the judges of the supreme court, assignees, and which adds to its equitable jurisdiction that of a prerogative court, as respects the regulation of wills, &c. The governor and council likewise constitute a court for determining all cases of divorce. The supreme court of judicature consists of the chief-justice

and three puisne justices, and holds its sittings at Frederickton; its jurisdiction combines that of the courts of king's-bench, common-pleas, and exchequer in England, and determines all causes of importance whether civil or criminal. The judges of this court likewise hold circuits through the different counties; their salaries are 500l. each per annum, that of the chief-justice 750l. per annum. There is likewise an inferior court of common-pleas, consisting of two, three, or more justices, assisted by the county magistrates, and which holds its sittings occasionally; its jurisdiction extending to all manner of civil causes, where the property contested is not of large amount, and also to criminal matters not punishable with death. To this court the county grand juries present all bills of indictment, and if found to be beyond the jurisdiction of the court they are sent to the court above. This court has also the control of the police throughout the counties and parishes, and usually holds two or more sittings annually in each, for the regulation of such matters. At these sittings all differences respecting taxes are decided, parish accounts audited, parish officers appointed, licenses to innkeepers and dealers issued, and, in short, much the same routine of business takes place at the quarterly-sessions in Middlesex. There are, moreover, inferior local courts, under the presidency of a magistrate, for the recovery of small debts under five pounds.

From the view which we have given of this vast province, it will be found not to be an unimportant part of the British American Dominions. In resources it presents a field of riches almost incalculable; they wait but the acceptance of man, at the price of that reasonable industry, without which nothing truly valuable can be obtained. Our opinions upon emigration will be found at length in another part of this work, and we would not wish here to anticipate them; but if there be a redundant population in the mother country, which it is advisable to remove to another, here is indeed a tempting arena for settlement ;—a valuable stock on hand awaiting but the axe of the woodman, and capabilities of producing every species of comfort and even luxury almost beyond calculation. Fortunes are not to be rapidly made in new countries, but if the certainty of providing for a family, and placing them all in independent circumstances, at least so far as to be beyond the reach

of want, is desirable, then is the temptation to colonization in this part of America considerable, as the accomplishment of such an object is certainly attainable. There is a severe but not an oppressive or unhealthy climate, there are lands that ask the hand of culture only, and timber and fish to afford a preliminary supply. If we were to contemplate this large tract of territory adequately peopled, and its resources employed to their utmost extent, we should behold an empire, for wealth and power, excelled perhaps by few in the world. With regard to the location of emigrants, or any other means of advancing colonization in this province, we may be permitted to remark, that its adjacency to the United States, and that on a disputed line of boundary, is one strong inducement to reinforce the settlements near the border; no defence is so sure and efficacious as an attached and loyal population: and were the line of the Madawaska thickly settled, and that of the St. John, as far as Mars Hill, they would afford a better security against the encroachments of American cupidity than any chain of military posts can ever furnish. Thus it will appear, that no portion of our trans-atlantic possessions better merits the attention of the British government, or of purposed colonists, than New Brunswick.

CHAPTER XI.

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.-Geographical Position-History-Divisions and Subdivisions-General Surface-Harbours-Rivers- Settlements - Climate - Soil

Produce Agriculture-Population-Trade-Society-Religion-Government.

THIS island is situated in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, in a kind of bay or recess, lying between Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. It ranges in somewhat of a crescent form, between 46° and 47° 7′ north latitude, and 62° and 64° 27′ longitude west, from Greenwich. Its length, traced in this direction, is 135 miles; and its breadth in the widest part, which is from Beacon Point to East Point, towards its eastern extremity, thirty-four miles. Its form, however, is exceedingly irregular, being in some places indented with deep harbours on both sides, making its width insignificant, and at others stretching boldly into the sea in projecting promontories and spacious headlands, swelling its breadth to the extent we have mentioned. It lies conveniently near to the provinces before named, the distance from West Cape to Richibuctoo being eleven miles, from Cape Traverse to Nova Scotia, across the Strait of Northumberland, nine miles, and from East Point to Cape Breton twenty-seven miles. From the nearest point of Newfoundland it is 125 miles.

This island was amongst the early discoveries of Cabot; but no claim was ever made by the English on that account. The French afterwards assumed it, as part of the discoveries of Verazani; and in 1663 a grant of it was made by the company of New France; but the anxiety of the government of France to foster the colony of Cape Breton induced them to afford little countenance or encouragement to that of the island of St. John. The natural advantages of the island, in respect of soil and its situation for fishing, however, induced many families both from Cape Breton and Acadia to settle here after the peace of Utrecht. The surrender of Louisburg to Great Britain in 1758 was followed by the cession of this island: from several appearances observed on the