236

476

a mistake to approve that "these
"figures show a balance of trade
"against the Colony. The difference
"between the two sums arises
"from the exports being valued
"before they have paid freight,
"shipping charges, merchant's
"commissions, profit &c; and the
"imports being valued after all
"these charges, profit &c. have
"been added to the cost price."

7. It is worthy of note
that 93 per cent of our exports in
1860 were derived from the pastoral
interest, i.e. from wool, hides,
tallow &c. It is confidently hoped
that future years will exhibit
also a large and growing
exportation of Cotton. Queensland
possesses millions of acres along
its sea-board and on the banks
of its navigable rivers, admirably
adapted for the most valuable
descriptions of that plant; and
the recent tidings from America
have given fresh impulse to
several companies already
formed for its cultivation. Mr.
Bazley (M.P. for Manchester) recently
wrote to me as follows:- I
"believe in all sincerity that
"Queensland can grow the best
"quality of Cotton in the whole
"world, and in quantity beyond
"the present consumption of every
"country. The premium offered
"by your Legislature will, I hope,
extend the cultivation." He proceeds
to show that, with a sufficient
supply

477

See Despatches
No.11 of 6 Jany. 1860.
No.20 of 16 April, 1861

Enclosure No.1
See also Despatch No.80
of 1st October, 1860

supply of labour, Queensland would
be able "in a very few years to raise
"two or three millions of bales of Cotton
"per annum, of the yearly value of
"more than twenty-five millions Pounds
"Sterling." I have already twice reported
on this subject, of so high Imperial
as well as Colonial interest.

8. From the figures given
in the Registrar-General's Report (Enclosure
No.2 pages XVII and XVIII) it will be seen
that the consumption of British
Manufactures in Queensland exceeds
£23 per head of the existing
population, – a far larger average
than in any other British Colony,
or foreign country. Next in order
to Queensland in this respect,
come Victoria, which takes about
£17 per head; and New South
Wales, which takes about £10
per head. It appears that the
Cape Colony takes little more than
£6; and British North America
little more than £1 per head.—

9. I annex to this
despatch the speech which I
delivered at the Prorogation of
Parliament in 1860; It contains
a careful summary of the large
amount of practical legislation,
and other useful business, achieved
during the first session; also a
statement of the ample provision
then made for the construction
of roads, bridges, public offices,
electric telegraphs, the improvement
of our harbours, and other
undertaking calculated to
advance