Agricultural colonies; Poor -- Great Britain; Salvation Army; Unemployed -- Great Britain
Before any decision is arrived at, however, information will be
obtained as to the position and character of the land;
the accessibility of markets for commodities; communication with
Europe, and other necessary particulars.
The next business would be to obtain on grant, or otherwise,
a sufficient tract of suitable country for the purpose of a Colony,
on conditions that would meet its present and future character.
After obtaining a title to the country, the next business will be to
effect a settlement in it. This, I suppose, will be accomplished by
sending a competent body of men under skilled supervision to fix on a
suitable location for the first settlement, erecting such buildings as
would be required, enclosing and breaking up the land, putting in first
crops, and so storing sufficient supplies of food for the future.
Then a supply of Colonists would be sent out to join them, and from
time to time other detachments, as the Colony was prepared to receive
them. Further locations could then be chosen, and more country broken
up, and before a very long period has passed the Colony would be
capable of receiving and absorbing a continuous stream of emigration of
considerable proportions.
The next work would be the establishment of a strong and efficient
government, prepared to carry out and enforce the same laws and
discipline to which the Colonists had been accustomed in England,
together with such alterations and additions as the new circumstances
would render necessary.
The Colonists would become responsible for all that concerned their own
support; that is to say, they would buy and sell, engage in trade,
hire servants, and transact all the ordinary business affairs of
every-day life.
Our Headquarters in England would represent the Colony in this country
on their behalf, and with money supplied by them, when once fairly
established, would buy for their agents what they were at the outset
unable to produce themselves, such as machinery and the like,
also selling their produce to the best advantage.
All land, timber, minerals, and the like, would be rented to the
Colonists, all unearned increments, and improvements on the land,
would be held on behalf of the entire community, and utilised for its
general advantages, a certain percentage being set apart for the
extension of its borders, and the continued transmission of Colonists
from England in increasing numbers.
Arrangements would be made for the temporary accommodation of new
arrivals, Officers being maintained for the purpose of taking them
in hand on landing and directing and controlling them generally.
So far as possible, they would be introduced to work without any waste
of time, situations being ready for them to enter upon; and any way,
their wants would be supplied till this was the case.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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