comfort their vacated places in the "Retreats" to be allotted to such other women, similarly situated, as should succeed them at the station. The number of domiciles composing such "Retreats," would, of course, be only proportionate to the population allotted to each station; but as the labourers professing necessary and distinct trades, incorporated with each corps, would have their respective callings pressed into constant and immediate application to the works and wants in urgent requisition within the precincts of these infant towns, the handicraft members attached to the different corps would necessarily be retained at the head-quarters of each section, which consequently would enable them, at once, to establish permanent homes therein with their families; and thus the number for whom such separate habitations might be required would be necessarily reduced. Considering, also, that many of the labourers would be unmarried, while the wives of others might, perchance, engage in private service with free settlers at the stations, whilst many of the women would probably be of an age requiring no such precautions as those we would provide for the safeguard of their characters; the amount of habitations composing these "Retreats" need not be of any very considerable number: however, the better to assist the reader's comprehension on the subject of this plan of female retreats, we beg to refer to the subjoined sketch.

Supposing that these various corps of emigrants should arrive in Canada in the month of April, after allowing two months for the performance of their march to the various divisions and sections of their destination, and for their recovery from the first fatigue of their journey, we conceive that their public out-door labours might commence in June, and continue as long as they

could possibly brave the months of October and November.

We must recall to mind, that the number of free labourers, composing each corps of "Civil Fencibles," would amount to 4,800 men, including husbandmen, handicraftsmen, superintendents, and guards, incorporated with them; while the "Force Labourers," or convicts, appointed to assist in each division, would amount, as before specified, to 2,000; in all, 6,800 effectives on each division of 400 miles. These, with the further aid of as many farm labourers as might occasionally be spared from the work of tillage, could erect log huts, and other buildings assigned to the different stations, in number proportioned to its class and population. Now, one thousand men, in addition to the due performance of the labour necessary for their support, viz., to clear five acres of land, and throw up sufficient habitations in the course of the spring and summer season, are proved to be capable, by calculations founded upon Canadian practice, of also constructing log-hut accommodation for 10,000 persons.

Rough and simple as these temporary fabrics constructed for new settlers generally are, still with more time and pains bestowed by such an expedition, as we have depicted, upon buildings erected under scientific direction and approved plans, they would amount to a very considerable number of extra habitations, beyond the actual number required by the forces first introduced into the occupancy of each sectional station of a division; so that ample shelter would be provided, in the very first season, for the supplementary increase of fresh arrivals

in the next.

Supposing, likewise, by the end of autumn, that all the various implements, machinery, and materials for

winter work, which these "Force Labourers," or convicts, would have to perform-in preparation for the actual execution of the railroad itself, intended to commence the ensuing spring-should all have been conveyed by this time to the four log forts, No. 1, E.; No. 2, E.: and to No. 1, W.; and No. 2, W.; then the convicts, on each division, should be divided into separate bodies of about 60 each, to be distributed over 32 sections, into which the 400 miles are divided; and marched under their respective guards to their specific quarters; and there be securely housed in the order already submitted during the winter season.

With similar provision against these winter months, we propose that the artizans, attached to each corps of "Civil Fencibles," being likewise supplied with material and proper buildings for the prosecution of their separate and various callings, should devote themselves to in-door industry, until restored to the open labours of spring; while the agricultural body in each division, having cleared their five acres of land each, according as we before observed to the average computed for each individual during a season in Canada, should likewise retire for the winter to the head-quarters of their respective sections: there to rejoin their wives in the log-huts prepared for them, according to the general plan. The husbandmen, like the artizans and force-labourers, should be provided, under proper instruction, with necessary implements and materials for the execution of useful labours connected with the public works, during the season of agricultural suspension. But, as soon as spring would permit, the whole of them, throughout the seven divisions, might resume their general avocations abroad; and their numbers being materially augmented by fresh