Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-08-04

| plunged into war with foreign powers by
| a Government in the election of which
| they have no share, on account perhaps OF
matters appertaining to distant parts oi
! the empire, in which they have no direct
concern, Is more than equivalent to the
security they derive from the British fleet
A position of independence, like that Of
| America, with liberty 20 hold aloof from
other peoples quarrels, affords, it may be
said, better protection than any number
of fleets and armies.
But it must be remembered that in these
days the eyes of all the European powers
are widely opened to the value of colonial
possession, and it is doubtful whether, until
Australia Is strong enough to protect her
extensive seaboard against aggression, she
would be at all safe in relying upon ab-
stinence from quarrels to prevent her be-
ing attacked by those stronger than her.
self. The days of chivalry, in which
weakness was sufficient defence against
attack, are unfortunately gone by, and un-
til Australia feels herself able to stand
alone, her interests, even apart from her
affections, may well dispose her to shelter
herself under the British flag
Such, at any rate, seems to be the view
taken by the colonies themselves, who may
be assumed to be the best Judges of their
own interests, for although up TO the pres
ent day the protection of the Australian
| coasts and commerce has been undertaken
| by Great Britain at her own cost, in
future the colonies intend TO pay share
of the expense incurred in such protection
amounting to an annual expenditure fol
the next ten years of not less than $780,
| 900.
| This engagement on the part of the
Australian colonies, which was volunta-
rily entered into by delegates from them
at conference held in London at the be.
ginning of 1887, in order to insure the
amount of protection afforded them being
such as they considered sufficient, has been
already ratified by nearly all the Colonial
Parliaments, and there can be very little
doubt but that eventually il will be rati-
fed by all.
This is the first and only step that has
been taken in the direction Of that fedora
tion Of the different parts OF the Queen of
| England's dominions which is now looked
forward to by many eminent English colo
NAL statesmen as the great object towards
which they should work.
In addition to this, an effort, which has
already heea referred to, has been made
within the last few years to bind in a
more practical confederation the Aus
tralian colonies, New Zealand and Fiji
among themselves. This has no direct
connection with the scheme for general
confederation Of the Empire, but ii has al
| ways received encouragement from the
home Government, as tending to simplify
| its relations with Australasia, and it is
| looked upon by many who favor the larger
project as a necessary preliminary.
To this scheme, which has gone rs far
as the creation of a body called the Fed
eral Council of Australasia, consisting of
two delegates from any of the colonies
who chose to join it, the important colo
nies of New South Wales, South Australia
and New Zealand have hitherto declined
to give in their adhesion. Its efforts
have thus far been limited TO the proposal
for the approval of the other colonies of a
few small but practical and useful measures.
1t seems probable that before long both
the abstaining Australian colonies will
join the council, which will then be in a
position to do much good work though
whether any substantial progress in the
direction of federation can be made so
long as the different colonies levy duties
on the import Of one another's productions
Is an open question.
So far no disposition to adopt system
of inter-colonial free trade is apparent.
Having now taken general view of the
political status of the Australian colonies,
| and their relations to the mother country
and to one another, it remains TO try to
form some estimate, by means of few
figures, of the financial and commercial
position of Australia, tlken rs a whole
The population is rather over three
millions. Her public debt is over S571,-
| 00O,000 which gives an average debt per
head OF population Of rather over $3.50.
Yet the credit of these colonies is so good
that they can, without difficulty, borrow
money in London at per cent, and their
bonds are quoted to-day at a premium of
| from S to II per cent. Indeed, New South
Wales has raised within the last few years
some S4S 100000 at 8! per cent, and these
loans ere now quoted at par. 1t should be
clearly understood that Great Britain does
not guarantee these loans. which are
raised entirely upon the credit of the in
diyidual colony applying for them.
Two-thirds Of this debt have been con-
tracted for the construction of railways,
which, with few unimportant exceptions,
are the property of the Governments of
the respective colonies. The remainder
OF the debt has been expended on tele-
graphs, water supply, harbors, irrigation
and other public works. Almost the
whole have been devoted to reproductive
undertakings of one kind or another.
There were 6,39l miles of railway in opera
tion in Australia on the first of June, 1886,
and many more were in course of construc-
ton.
The combined revenues of theAustralian
colonies for the year 1885 were nearer
ninety six than ninety-five millions of
dollars; the whole public debt being un-
der SIX times the annual revenue Rather
more than one-third of the revenue comes
from taxation, principally customs duties :;
another third comes from the railways :;
about one-sixth from the proceeds of the
sale and renting of crown lands, and the
remainder from posts, telegraphs and other
sources. The average taxation, apart from
local rates, which are not large, per head
of population, is rather over Sl3 year.
This appears considerable, but it does not
bered that it is levied by Parliaments
which are entirely democratic in their
Constitution, manhood suffrage being gen.
eral in Australia.
With regard to imports and exports,
Australia imported from the rest of the
world during the year 1885 goods to the
value of over one hundred aud seven and a
half millions of dollars, and exported goods
to the value Of nearly one hundred and
twenty-three and half millions of dollars.
Far the larger part of this trade is carried
on with England. The exports included
over sixty-ive and half million dollars
worth Of wool, over twenty-five million
dollars worth of gold, nearly ten
million dollars worth of wheat, -four and
breadstuffs, and six million dollars worth
of tin and tinware; the principal remain
ing articles of export being meat, hides,
tailow, copper and coal. l..
Tanning sheepskins With the Wool On.
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