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of Providence, which is thus placed in the midst of them. The Canadian Government. with a view to encourage the‘ employment of capital in the fisheries. have constituted a free port in the district of Gaspe ; have offered liberal bounties for fishing vessels, and have started a system of emigration to the fishing districts. consisting of Norwegians in the mean time. though Scotch Highlanders. it is‘suggest- " ed, would better answer the purpose. So suitable is Gaspe for the fishery business, that one of the leading merchants of Newfoundland remarked to the present writer, not long 1‘ ago, that, if he had his business to begin over again, that was the place he would choose, and a more lovely spot than Gaspe basin it would be impossible to name. So also to Prince Edward Island. at one time fitly named the garden of North America. the Government have recently been seeking to locate on their shores some of those advantages of which they have hitherto only enjoyed a passing sight. Laws have been enacted facilitating the acquisition of land and the building of vessels on the shore by foreigners. which give promise of ere long having the desired effect of forming local establishments. But hitherto the peOple of this Island, as well as in the adjoining provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. seem to have been satisfied with the produce of the land. It is only where the soil is sterile. as in Newfoundland and on the Atlantic side of Nova Scotia, that they take naturally. and as a matter of necessity to the ploughing of the deep. If necessity alone governed men in the choice of occupations, this might be very well. Ifa man worked only that he might live on the produce of his work, he would doubtless prefer for a variety of reasons to raise wheat or potatoes rather than catch fish. But with free exchange all the world over, our best policy is to employ our labor in the way for which we have the most special facilities; and if there is one thing more plain than another, it would seem to be that the residents on the shores of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, whatever may be their advantages in the way of agriculture, lumber and minerals, all of which are great, possess very unusual facilities for the taking of those fish which are in most request as articles of commerce.

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