84 HALIBURTON — ON COAL TRAI>E OF THE NEW DOMINION. 



New England are dependent for their existence on obtaining 

 cheap coal, either from England or Nova Scotia. The former 

 is a supply contingent on the other branches of trade, for 

 English coal unless sent as ballast could not possibly compete 

 with Nova Scotian coal on the Atlantic seaboard. The imposi- 

 tion of a heavy duty on imported coal is as clearly fatal to 

 manufactures in Massachusetts as draining the life blood is 

 fatal to vitality. This might not be so if there were no coal 

 mines in the interior ; but with the vast coal and iron regions of 

 Pennsylvania to invite manufacturers to their vicinity, it is clear 

 that every cent paid by the New England manufacturer for 

 railway freight on his coal brought from Pennsylvania is a tax 

 on his industry and a protection to the Pennsylvania manufac- 

 turer. But if the heavy freight on coal from Pennsylvania 

 prevents its coming into competition with Nova Scotian coal on 

 the sea board, unless protected by a prohibitory tariff, if the 

 Americans cannot place their coal on the wharves at Boston and 

 New York as cheaply as we can, it is manifest that American 

 coal can never fulfil one of the main ends to which the export 

 of coal has so eminently conduced in Great Britain. Mr. 

 Jevons has shown in his very interesting and valuable work that 

 the commerce of England is immensely benefited by one 

 branch, and that the smallest department of the coal trade — the 

 export as ballast to foreign countries. By this means the out- 

 ward voyage, if it brings no profit, though this it often does, is 

 not a dead loss to the shipper, to be made up by increased 

 freight of the raw materials brought back on the return voyage, 

 and by the enhanced cost of the article imported to be paid by 

 the manufacturer, and ultimately by the consumer. 



If Nova Scotia were part of the United States, the manufac- 

 factures of Massachusetts would be compelled to emigrate to 

 this province, for it would be impossible for them to compete 

 with the productions of Nova Scotian industry, protected as 

 they would be by that tariff which no legislature can repeal, 

 which nature itself has favoured us with, and which consists in 

 having our coal and iron near good harbours, and in our pos- 

 sessing what tradesmen so well appreciate the value of, " a good 

 stand for business." If the day should ever come when the two 



