skill and experience in developing the resources of a new country. Besides, the French people are too strongly attached to their own soil and climate, and to their social enjoyments, to dream of colonizing a distant region. Vague rumours were in circulation respecting the alleged intention of the French government to establish a footing in New Zealand ; but these had no other foundation than the circumstance of a French whaling captain having made the purchase of the remarkable promontory of the Southern Island, named Banks’ Peninsula. On his return to France, this gentleman found a small number of families, in all seventy individuals, willing to accompany him to New Zealand. Two obstacles present themselves to the estab lishment of a French colony in this locality:—in the first place, the sovereignty of England over the whole island was proclaimed seventy years ago, by the illustrious Cook; secondly, the identical land was claimed by British subjects, in right of prior purchases from the natives. It happened strangely that, two days before the arrival of the French emigrants, the Britomart had dis embarked Mr. Murphy and another officer, who immedi ately hoisted the British ensign, and proclaimed the sovereignty of Her Majesty over the Middle Island by right of discovery. The French settlers, however, pro ceeded to build their houses, and to make arrangements for cultivating the soil; but it appears that Akaroa now contains more English than French inhabitants, and that, as a French colony, it is virtually at an end. One of my chief objects in again visiting New Zealand was to examine and report concerning a tract of land near the estuary of the Thames which had been purchased a year previously, on account of an esteemed friend in New