On certain Modern projects of Inter-communication, and their 



RELATION TO New ZEALAND. By F. WAKEFIELD, F.L.S. 



[Lecture delivered at the Colonial Museum, Wellington, September 4, 1869.] 



There never was a time in the history of the world when such vast schemes 

 were in progress or projected for the extension of rapid and easy communica- 

 tion between different parts of the earth ; indeed, it appears to be the feature 

 of the age, that nations, in whatever else they should differ, would cordially 

 agree in forwarding every plan having for its object the shortening of time and 

 space, and lowering the cost of transit between the most distant points of the 

 globe ; and from what has taken place, it may be safely affirmed that the results 

 will far exceed even the dreams of the first inventors of the means employed. 



Electricity and steam communication appear as the appointed agents of 

 an All-wise Providence for building up the comity of nations ; — for obliterating 

 prejudices and antipathies ; — for throwing down restrictions upon free inter- 

 course in trade, science, literature, and all the generous amenities that should 

 bind man to man. 



As the liquid fire flies along the metal carrying with it the thoughts of 

 men ; or as travellers stretch across whole continents in a few days, one lan- 

 guage will have to be adopted ; the gibberish of the savage will die out before 

 a flexible and more polished form of expression ; money must bear one sove- 

 reign effigy ; bad forms of government will be so keenly felt and discussed that 

 they must give way to better ; and the result will be a state of freedom and 

 healthy progress unknown in the history of mankind. Nor is it too much to 

 suppose that as the future of America will see one language spoken from 

 Canada to Cape Horn ; and our government of India and England's other 

 dependencies will be made so attractive that our fellow-subjects will be num- 

 bered by hundreds of millions, " the well of English undefiled " will be the 

 source from whence the common language of the line and rail will be drawn. 

 The magnificent store of literature, which is the noble heritage and common 

 property of all who speak the English language, will keep the peace, whilst 

 the extended comfort and well-being of mankind are our common object ; for 

 should discord arise between us, the pioneers of the world's civilization, the 

 historians, geogr-aphers, men of science, poets and orators, on each side of the 

 Atlantic, cherishing a common idiom as their mother tongue, with Shakespeare 

 as Marshal of the Lists, would forbid so unnatural a contention. No better 

 instance could be adduced of the influence I fondly hope to see prevail than 

 the appointment of a genial man of letters, like Motley, as American Minister 

 at the Court of St. James', who is more likely to settle the Alabama claims 

 than the most practised diplomatist, for all England enjoys his writings. 



Taking England as one centi-e, and our Southern England, New Zealand, 

 as the other, upon the earth's surface, the projects in progress or under con- 

 sideration may be classed as follows : — 



I. West of England. 



The Ocean Steam Navigation Companies connecting England with 

 America. 



The Atlantic Cable connecting Ireland with Boston, and other cables 

 being laid. 



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