The Westport Times. THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 1870.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 645, 14 April 1870, Page 2

The Westport Times. THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 1870.

It should scarcely bo matter for regret that the negotiations of Mr Morrison, for the construction of a railway have been hitherto unsuccessful. The project has never found favor with the people of the West Coast for the simple reason that they saw no probability of its being carried out under the present circumstances of the Province, and if executed there would be no likelihood of its receipts being sufficient to meet working expenses. Whether the project will or will not be carried out, it is very certain that there are few if any in the colony possessing sufficient confidence in the enterprise to take any pecuniary interest in its development, and we think this fact alone should serve as a sufficient index to English capitalists of the opinion which is held on the spot with respect to the matter by those who, it may be fairly assumed, are most competent to give a correct judgment. As to the commercial morality of those, who would hold out inducements to capitalists at Home to undertake a work in which they themselves possess no confidence, it is scarcely necessary to offer any opinion, but this view of the matter has doubtless struck parties who were negotiating, and Colonel Maude, doubtless, was but too happy to find, in Mr Morrison's treating with other parties, a reasonable pretext for abandoning the scheme. There is, however, one feature in connection with the matter of considerable moment to the people of Westport. Some time back preliminary arrangements were in progress for the purpose of obtaining from the Nelson Government a grant of the Mount Eochfort coal deposits. These arrangements fell through at the outset in consequence of their being included in the conditions that Mr Morrison was empowered to make in carrying out the railway scheme, and as they proved probably the most important inducement towards its development, the Government declined to entertain any offer from other quarters for the working of the mine. Under these circumstances, if the construction of the Nelson and Cobden Railway is indefinitely postponed, the opening up of the coal-mine in our immediate vicinity would bo similarly deferred. This subject is one of such

magnitude as affecting not alone Westport, but the entire Colony, that setting aside any consideration of local interests, the Government should yield to the pressure that is pretty certain to bo brought to bear upon the question during the coming session of the Council, and by immediately throwing open the Mount Rochfort mine give an opportunity to a company to develope this important resource.