No small surprise has been excited by the appointment of
Mr. Henry Barkly to be Governor of British Guiana in the room of Sir Henry Light. It is the Anti-Colonial Office appointing a re- presentative of real Colonial interests ! Besides the change of policy implied towards the colony in question, the appointment involves another change of principle—it is the first elevation of a Colonial landed proprietor to a West Indian Governorship. What- ever the consequences of the step, one thing is obvious enough— it is a concession to agitation : British Guiana has obtained Mr. Barkly in lieu of Sir Henry Light—a distinguished and true co- lonist instead of an old major of infantry—by a determined agita- tion, which went to the extent of "stopping, the supplies." Other colonies are likely to take the hint, and to conceive the idea that the way to obtain better consideration will be to re- fuse payment of taxes. That would be an awkward fashion. The Colonial Office had better prevent the growth of any such prac- tice by anticipating occasions on which it is likely to be exer- cised, and voluntarily selecting ;proper Governors, or making other desired improvements.
