Intended Colony at the Cape of  Good Hope

The following letters explains, in detail, the degree of co-operation which Government proposes to afford to those persons who may wish to emigrate from this country. It will be read with peculiar interest, and it enables us to answer, in the most satisfactory manner, the many inquiries which have been addressed to us, upon the nature and extent of the plan of which the Chancellor of the Exchequer submitted an outline to Parliament just before its prorogation.

( Official Circular.

"Downing Street, London, 1819. I have to acquaint you in reply to your letter of the --, that the following are the conditions under which it is proposed to give encouragement to emigration to the Cape of Good Hope.

The sufferings to which many individuals have been exposed, who have emigrated to his Majesty's foreign possessions, unconnected and unprovided with any capiral, or even the means of support, having been very afflicting to themselves, and equally burdensome to the colonies to which they have proceeded, the Government have determined to confine the application of the money recently voted by address in the House of Commons, to those persons, who possessing the means, will engage to carry out, at the least, ten able bodied individuals above 18 years of age, with or without families, the Government always reserving to itself the right of selecting from the several offers made to them those which may prove, upon examination, to be most eligible.

In order to give some security to the Government, that the persons undertaking to make these establishments have the means of doing so, every person engaging to take out the above mentioned number of persons or families shall deposit at the rate of L.10 (to be repaid as hereinafter mentioned) for every famly so taken out, provided that the family does not consist of more than one man, one woman, and two children under 14 years of age. All children above the number of two will have to be paid for, in addition to the deposit above mentioned, in the proportion of L.5 for every two children under 14 years of age and L.5 for every person between the ages of 14 and 18.

In consideration of this deposit, a passage shall be provided at the expence of Government for the settlers, who shall also be victualled from the time of their embarkation until the time of their landing in the colony.

A grant of land, under the conditions hereafter specified, be made to him at the rate of 100 acres for every such person or family whom he shall so take out ; one-third of the sum advanced to Government on the outset shall be repaid on landing, when the victualling at the expence

of Government shall cease. A further proportion of onethird shall be repaid, as soon as it shall be certified to the Governor of the colony that the settlers under the direction of the person taking them out are actually located upon the land assigned to them ; and the remainer at the expiration of three months from the date of their location.

If any parishes in which there may be a redundancy of population shall unite in selecting an intelligent individual to proceed to the Cape, with settlers under his direction, not less in number and of the description abovementioned, and shall advance money in the proportion above-mentioned, the Government will grant land to such an individual at the rate of 100 acres for every head of a family, leaving the parish at liberty to make such conditions with the individual, or the settlers, as may be calculated to prevent the parish becoming again chargeable with the maintenance of such settlers, in the event of their return to this country.

But no offers of this kind will be accepted, unless it shall be clear that the persons proposing to become settlers shall have distinctly given their consent, and the head of each family is not infirm or incapable of work.

It is further proposed, that in any case in which one hundred families proceed together, and apply for leave to carry out with them a minister of their own persuasion, Government will, upon their being actually located, assign a salary to the minister who they have may have selected to accompany them, if he shall be approved by the Secretary of State.

The lands will be granted at a quit rent to be fixed, which rent, however, will be remitted for the first ten years ; and at the expiration of three years (during which the party and a number of families, in the proportion of one for every 100 acres, must have resided on the estate), the land shall be measured at the expence of Government, and the holder shall obtain, without fee, his title thereto, on a perpetual quit rent, not exceeding in any case L. 2 sterling for every 100 acres ; subject, however to this clause beyond the usual reservations"--that the land shall become forefited to Government, in case the party shall abandon the estate, or not bring it into cultivation within a given number of years. I am Your most obedient humble servant. * The usual reservations are the right of the Crown to mines of precious stones, of gold and silver, and to make such roads as may be necessary for the convenience of the colony.

