Judge Chapman on the Commerce of America.

Cromwell Argus, Volume 2, Issue 81, 30 May 1871, Page 7

Judge Chapman on the Commerce of America.

The Captain and officers of tho Nevada (the pioneer steamer of the new San Francisco and New Zealand mail service) have been well received in Otago. The Danedin Chamber of Commerce entertained them at the Club Hotel; Mr E. B. Cargill, President of the Chamber, occupied the chair.

The speeches on the occasion were up to the average ; but that df His Honor Judge Chapman was so peculiarly excellent, that we give the following condensed report from the Bully Timzs; —His Honor Judge Chapman said the Committee had entrusted to him a toast of very large dimensions, not less than "The Commerce of the United States." When ha spoke of the commerce of the United States, and asked tho company to drink success to that commerce, it would be impossible in their thoughts not to include the commerce of the whole world, and more especially the commerce of Great Britain and of these colonies ; for, owing to the great spread of navigation, of railways, and of electric telegraphs, the intercourse of nations had become so great that in drinking the commerce of the United States they must drink the commerce of the world. He then referred to the state of things fifty years age, and compared it with the state of things now, in order to show the great effects American commerce had produced in the whole world. He pointed out that although America had been peupled mainly from Europe, she was herself tbd greatest colonising nation in the world ; that Ame rica did not send her people to distant parts, beciuse she had plenty of rich land, and that practically the eastern parts of America were eolouisiug the Far West, as it used to be called. His Honor then called attention to some of the great changes that have been effected in the commerce of America during the last fifty years. He also referred, amongst other I things, to the great increase in the population, the improvements that have taken place in connection with steam navigation, arid to other and no lea's important matters. He stood there as an Englishman, pYifud of his own country, and proild of being an Englishman ; but of all things, next to the ptide of being an Englishman, was the pride of belonging to that country which was the progenitor Of the American race. (Applause.) After having addressed ! the company in a long and very able speech, His Honor proposed "The Commerce of the United States of America," coupled with the name of Mr Driver.— Mr Driver responded, and stated in answer to groundless rumours that the visit of the Nevada must only be regarded as a trial trip, that the contractors would carry out their contract fairly and honestly, and that, in return, they merely asked a fair amount of public support. —(Applause.)