88 HALIBURTGN — ON COAL TRADE OF THE NEW DOMINION. 



have a common interest, will very soon come to be understood. 

 And in the meantime I have no doubt that the other sections 

 will join it with the same determination as Canadians do, to 

 respect the views and experience of their new friends, a senti- 

 ment well expressed in the old lines : 



" Who seeks a friend must come disposed, 

 T' exhibit, in full bloom disclosed, 



The graces and the beauties 

 That form the character he seeks. 

 For 'lis a union that bespeaks 

 Reciprocated duties " 



While Nova Scotia, which shipped coal and fish to the 

 United States and received flour in return, had every reason 

 to hesitate in taxing American flour for the purpose of 

 buying it from Canadians who wanted none of our produc- 

 tions, the people of Ontario and Quebec now stand in a 

 very different position from what we then did. Our trade 

 is theirs ; our resources add to the general revenue. Every 

 ton of coal sent back to the lakes is so much freight saved ou 

 the* flour exported. Hence the grain grower, by a peculiar 

 feature in the coal trade, consisting in its being the feeder and 

 the complement of other branches of commerce, is jointly inter- 

 ested with the Nova Scotian coal owner in the return cargo of 

 coal. Nor should the market be regarded as a limited one. 

 Every barrel of flour used in the West Indies should come from 

 western Canada to Nova Scotia, the Canadian ship returning 

 from this province with a cargo of coal and West Indian produce, 

 while the flour could be forwarded from Halifax with other 

 articles to its destination, the Halifax merchant procuring West 

 Indian produce in return. This is a natural and profitable 

 channel of trade, which if developed and opened up, must be- 

 come an important outlet for our respective staples. 



Nor would the exports from Nova Scotia to the western 

 portions of the Dominion be limited to coal. Salt and pottery, 

 being bulky in their nature, in some British ports supply 

 outward freights from England, and occupy the place which is 

 generally assigned to coal. Salt works have been already 

 commenced here with every prospect of success, and the 

 existence in Pictou county (for my own personal experience of 



