There is excellent land, and plenty of it to be obtained from the British American Land Company in Lower Canada, in that portion called "The Townships," which adjoin the states of Vermont and New York; and, excepting that the winters are longer, the climate more severe, it is as desirable as any other part of the province, and, in point of health, perhaps more so, as it is sufficiently far from the great river and lakes to make it less subject to ague; which, however, more or less, all new countries in the temperate zone, well forested and watered, are invariably the seat of, and which is increased in power and frequency in proportion to the neighbourhood of fresh water in large bodies, and the use of whiskey as a preventive.
From a statement of the number of emigrants to this colony for the last sixteen years, compiled by A.C. Buchanan, Esq., chief emigrant agent, it appears that, in the five years subsequently to 1829, the emigration from the British Isles was 165,793. From other sources, in the three years, from 1829 to 1832, the emigration exceeded that of the previous ten years—the numbers being respectively, 125,063 and 121,170. In 1832, the emigrants arrived reached the high number of 51,746; but the cholera of that year was of so fatal a character on the St. Lawrence, that the numbers in 1833 fell 22,062. This epidemic, coupled with the rebellions of '37 and '38, materially checked the increased emigration commenced in 1836. In 1838, the number was only 3,266, and in 1839, 7,500. But, since 1840, emigration has again recovered, and, during the period of navigation of 1845, it amounted to 27,354, of whom 2,612 arrived via the United States.
The United States, however, received by far the largest proportion of the emigration from Britain. At the port of New York alone, from 1st November, 1844, to 31st October, 1845, there arrived—
| From England and Scotland | 10,653 |
| From Ireland | 38,300 |
| Total at New York | 48,953 |
The number of emigrants landed at the port of Quebec, in 1845, was 25,375.
NUMBER OF EMIGRANTS SINCE 1829.
| '29 to '33 | '34 to '38 | '39 to '43 | '44 to '45 | Total. | |
| ——— | ——— | ——— | ——— | ——— | |
| England. | 43,386 | 28,624 | 30,318 | 16,531 | 119,354 |
| Ireland. | 102,264 | 54,898 | 74,981 | 24,201 | 256,344 |
| Scotland. | 20,143 | 10,998 | 16,289 | 4,408 | 51,838 |
| British American Prov. &c. | 1,904 | 1,831 | 1,777 | 377 | 5,589 |
| ——— | ——— | ——— | ——— | ——— | |
| 167,697 | 96,351 | 123,860 | 45,517 | 433,425 | |
| ——— | ——— | ——— | ——— | ——— |
Upper Canada would seem to have received the largest share of the influx of population. The increase in the number of its inhabitants, between 1827 and 1843, is stated at 230,000.
The local government has for some few years past encouraged, although rather scantily, as Mr. Logan can, I dare say, testify, an exploration of the natural resources of the Canadas, as far as geology and mineralogy are concerned. Its medical statistics, its botany and zoology, will follow; and agriculture, that primary and most noble of all applications of the mind to matter, is making rapid strides, by the formation of district and local societies, which will do infinitely more good than any system of government patronage for the advancement of the welfare of the people could devise.
The public works have also, for the first time, been placed under the control of the executive and legislative bodies by the formation of a board, which is itself also subject to the supervision of the government.