POKTRV. FOSSIL CHERRY TREE. 



189 



some profit on the sales to forei'jners. Tliat 

 procoediiijjs so arbitrary shnuUl check tlie 

 maiiutkcliii-e is iho natural consequence; and 

 Siam, thm'efore, will not, For the present, 

 lend a helping hand in replcnishuig the ware- 

 houses oi' the West with sugar. 



I Jiave gls-cn yon a rapid and, I believe, a 

 coiTcct survey of the caiJabilities of the prin- 

 cipal sugar lands in the East, to meet the new 

 wants expected to arise irom a less biu-deu- 

 some Uix upon the consumer. 



The time, however, will come — must como 

 — when the world will be am[)ly sui)plicd 

 with this article. IJritish India, ajid the Brit- 

 ish possessions in the Straits of Malacca, are 

 in a better condition to become jnoducers on 

 a larger scale than any other region. I have 

 already said, in the first part of this letter, 

 that there is abundance of soil and of labor- 

 ers, but that ca])ital and adventurers were 

 w^aiiting. This is true at present ; but will 

 it be so long, after the stability of this branch 

 of industry shall be well esUiblished ? For 

 many years past, vacillating policies and Tar- 

 itfs have given anything but security to those 

 eugaged m the business of growing sugar; 

 and the consecjuence has been that capitalists 

 have been unwilling to lend money to carry 

 on or estiiblish an industry universally con- 

 sidered hazardous, except on such onerous 

 conditions as made the unfortunate borrower 

 a bonded slave for life. 



The new policy of Governments, which, by 

 the imposition of moderate duties, encour- 

 ages consumption, gives that stability and se- 

 curity so much wanted, and will lead capital 

 to flow in that channel. Tliat great ob.stacle 

 removed. ;idventurers from the West will not 

 be wanting in the plains of over-jiopulated 

 India. Money, oljtiiined at a moderate rate 

 of interest, will enable them to fomi planta- 

 tions, and raise and export sugar cheaper 

 than from any other quarter of the globe, un^ 

 less these shores (the Straits of Alalacca), 

 jutting out from India and China, whose pop- 

 ulation is the densest in the world, should 

 prove an exception. 



The shores of the Malaya Peninsula, along 

 the Straits of Malacca, have far greater ad- 

 vantages for the growth of sugar-catie than 

 any portion of Biitish India. The whole ex- 

 tent of country is perfectly healthful to Eu- 

 ropean, Chinese, Indians or aboriginal Ma- 

 lays. In its whole e.xtont it is exempt from 

 any of those teiritic and destructive atmo- 

 spheric convulsions, such at hurricanes, ty- 

 phoons, or even gales ; squalls, only, are oc- 

 casionally experienced. Its surface is diversi- 

 fied by higli mountains aud rich valleys, and 

 ]>lains almost intenniunble, all indicating, by 

 the luxuriant fruit which overspreads them, 

 the fertility of the soil. Lar^e navigable liv- 

 ers and other water-courses nident the coast, 

 by whicli die gieatest facility would be had 

 in communicating with the interior. Its min- 

 eral wealth, in gold, iron, lead, and piu-ticu- 

 larly in tin, is great. | 



This peninsula, with upward of 500 miles ; 

 (1159) 



of sea-coast, with the exception of the three 

 small settlements, viz : Singapore, Malacca 

 and Penang, or Prince of ^Vales Island, is a 

 wjiste. 



Possessing such eminent advantages, what 

 is not that waatc capable of becoming, with 

 capital at counnand and cheap labor from In- 

 dia and China close at hand ? Nothing i.s 

 wanting but confidence in the business of 

 raising sugar, to give such an impulse to it 

 within the posssessions of the East India 

 Comj)any, as shall fully meet the probable 

 increased wants of the European and Amer- 

 ican populations. 



Receive, then, my frie)idly congratidations 

 on what ap[)ear to me just-founded prospects 

 of good prices for some years to come ; but 

 at the saine time make the most of that warn- 

 ing which the untold millions of vacant cane 

 lands, and the untold millions of the free and 

 etlicient hands of India — at an average of two 

 Spmiish dollars per month, endiuing every- 

 thing — give you. Will yon be ready to com- 

 pete wiUi good sugar, the cost of which, to 

 the manufkctm-ers, shall not exceed one pen- 

 ny sterling, or two cents per pound ? There 

 are not tliose wandng — experienced men in 

 the business — who are ready to prove that, 

 with the i)low and steam for helpmates — that 

 is, with improved implements and skill — su- 

 gar, ue;u-ly white, can be turned out at two 

 cents per pound. 



GOD SAVE THE PLOW, 



See, how the shining' share 

 Maketh Earth's bosom fair. 



Crowning her brow. 

 Bread in its fun-ow springs, 

 Health and repose it brings. 

 Treasures unknown to kings — 



God save the plow ! 



Look to the warrior's blade, 

 While o'er die tented glade 

 Hate brcatlios his vow ; 

 Strife its un.shcathiug wakes, 

 Love at its lightning (juake.s, 

 Weeping and woe it makes- 

 God save the plow ! 



Ships o'er the deep may ride, 

 Storms wreck dieir bannered pride. 



Waves whelm tiieir prow ; 

 But the well-loaded wain 

 Garnereth the golden grain, 

 Gladdening the household train — 

 , God save the plow ! 



Who are the truly great ? 

 Minions of pomp and state. 



Where the crowd bow f 

 Give us hard hands and free, 

 Cnlturers of field and tree. 

 Best friends of Liberty — 



God save the plow ! 



^-^W A fossil cherrv' tree was lately discov- 

 ered in a bed of .sandstone, in the Isle of Wight, 

 200 feet below die level of the earth. 



