238 HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY OF NEWFOUNDLAND 



its towns What distinguishes Newfoundland from other countries is 

 sea that after four centuries of history it has no town or settle- 



ment of any importance — if Grand Falls is excepted — so far 

 from the sea as Athens, Rome, or London, and all its coves 

 are occupied by what once were, and in many cases still are 

 family settlements. Moreover, although fresh-water influences 

 have been present in its history for at least two centuries, not 

 one of its seaside towns or important seaside settlements is 

 situated on a river of any importance except the Bay of 

 Islands, where some day hence a river-city may arise. 

 and all its The following table, which only relates to a period after 

 ^are^export "^ii^es and railways and lumbering began, and after the 

 industries. Treaty shore was endowed with political institutions — not so 

 much in order to promote, as in consequence of its having 

 attained manhood — illustrates the geographical factors, the 

 fauna, and the flora, and the minerals, which are the present 

 Fates and Norns of Newfoundland. It will be remembered 

 that exports gauge and comprise almost all the industrial life 

 of the community, and it will be observed that some six or 

 seven exports are almost synonymous with all the exports, 

 and all the exports are almost synonymous with all the 

 industries of the community. Newfoundland is one of those 

 communities where the web of life consists even in these latter 

 days of six or seven threads and no more, and is an instance 

 of a State absolutely dependent on World-Trade, yet abso- 

 lutely simple. 



