Illustration—The Brazileira on her homeward voyage.
_Departure from Buenos Ayres. Arrival at Monte Video. Guano deposits of Patagonia. Bahia Blanca. Eligibility of the district for an overland route to Chili. Chilian grant for direct steam communication with England. Accessions to steam navigation on the Brazilian coast. Opening of the Amazon. Departure from Monte Video. Rough wind and heavy sea. Aspect of Raza under various lights and shades. Hotel accommodation of Rio Janeiro. A wet day at Bahia. Consular memoranda on Venezuela, Bolivia, and Equador. Arrival at Pernambuco. Meeting with the Olinda. Arrival at Porto Grande. Seven days’ steaming against the wind. Madeira in the distance. Arrival at Belem. Miseries and absurdities of the quarantine system. Towing the pilot astern. Passage up St. George’s Channel. Arrival in the Mersey. Loss of the Olinda and the Argentina. New ocean and river steamers._ 359
_Advantages presented as a convict settlement, as place of re-fit for merchantmen, and a naval depôt. The Corporation of the Falkland Islands’ Company. Healthiness of the climate. The abundance of fresh water. Cost of transport less than that to other colonies. Geographical position and extent. Distance from the Main. The small naval force required. Causes of insecurity at other settlements not found here. Their detachment a provision against escape. Guard less required here than elsewhere. The cheapness of provisions: how supplied. Employment. The gradual supply of convicts not requisite. How first comers may be disposed of. Smallness of preliminary outlay, and its speedy return. Opinions of various servants of the Crown. Two propositions. The riddance of convicts. Relief to the mother country. Redemption of the pledge made to convicts. Facilities for reformation. Restoration of the penitent to society without risk to the innocent. Agricultural school for juvenile convicts. Complete depôt for naval re-fit near Cape Horn. Saving of port charges and of freight. Easy performance of ships’ repairs, if patent slip laid down. Secure coaling station for steamers. First-rate naval station: ‘key of the Pacific’ in time of war. Testimony of Governor Rennie and Captain Matthews of the Great Britain._ 376