The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-05-05
AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION.
From an American Point Of
View.
Read Before the Honolulu SncIai
Science Association, April. "a,
1891.

IL may be considered pfeSumptu-
Gus for one to write of the politics
of a country which he has never
seen. Per contra, he may claim the
advantage of freedom from local
jealousy and party prejudice.
To an American student of politi-
cal institutions, the developments of
those great selfgoverning, English
speaking commonw ealths that are
growing up in North America, in
South Africa and in Australasia are
far more interesting and instructive
than those Of the so-called republics
of South America.
He may Justly take satisfaction in
the fact that nearly all the available
lands in both temperate zones have
been pre-empted by the Anglo-Saxon
stock, leaving only the hot and I'M
healthy regions of the torrd zone for
colonization by other races. In the
Southern hemisphere we find virgin
continent reserved for the social and
political experiments of our race,
under new and strange conditions.
There too we see group of vigorous
colonies 'yet in the gristle' about
to consolidate into one of the great
nations OF the future.
The subject is so vast that l shall
only attempt to roughly sketch the
.o,l;t;opo MADAM ,rhi,h tho nrph ON
of federation is being worked out, as
it were, before our eyes.
1t is not easy, in the first place, to
realize the vastness of that great
South land, which almost exactly
equals in extent the United States,
situated about half in the Torrid and
half in the South Temperate zone.
In round numbers it measures about
2000 miles from north to south, and
2400 miles from east to west, and
contains about three millions of
square miles. The Eastern coast
corresponds IN latitude to section
Of the American coast extending
from the Golden Gate 10 the Nicara-
qua canal. Nearly all the population,
however, is confined to belt, not
over POO miles wide along the eastern
and southeastern coast and to
another strip of habitable land
along the western coast. A mountain
range, called the Dividing Range,
runs parallel to the eastern aud
southeastern coast, Mt a distance OF
about 60 miles, which lnterccpts the
greater part of the moisture brought
by the prevailing easteriy winds.
Hence the eastern rim of the c0ntln-
ent is tolerably well watered, with
short but permanent rivers, while the
interior is dry.
In like manner the North Ameri-
can colonies were for long time
confined to the strip between the
Appalachian system Of mountains
and the Atlantic Ocean. Bui when
their hardy pioneers had fought their
way across this barrier, the magnlli-
cent Mississippi valley lay before
them, with its great navigable rivers
and fertile prairies. IN Australia,
on the contrary, after crossing the
Dividing Range, we find table land,
well adapted to pasturagc, gradually
sinking into the low arid plans, which
occupy the interior. TIE dreary,
waterless desert, the exploration of
which has cost the lives OF so many
brave adventures, is well named the
"Never-never country" The estab-
lishment in 1870, across this South
ern Sahara, of the line of telegraph,
which connects the Colonies with the
rest of the world, shows what indom-
liable perseverance can accomplish.
In the southeast, west of tue
Dividing Range, however, are seve al
rivers of great length, viz: the
Murray and its main branches, the
Darling and the Murrumbidgee, the
two former Of which are navigable,
at some seasons of the year, for over
thousand miles by small steamers.
The treeless plains between them are
known as the "Riverina. Several
other rivers dry up in the desert or
empty into salt lake and marshes.
Hence, as stated above, the bulk
of the population is settled on the
rim of the continent, and the ques-
ton of a water supply for the interior
is one Of vital Importance.
The soil of the districts adjoining
the river Murray is fertile, and gigan-
tic irrigation works are in progress
at Mildura and Remark, while
numerous arlesian wells are being
sunk in the inland plains
The imme Sc central desert, which
becomes h ated like a furnace during
The summer, has a great inilu, nee on
the climate Of the rest Of the con-
tiuent, which it tends 10 equaIize. In
South Australia the thermometer
often reaches l2Oo in the shade,
during the summer, New South
Wales Is often visited by red-lol
dust.laden blasts from the desert,
known as "brickfelders," - while Mel
bourne is noted for its cold, wet
s0uthorly "bursters from The An
tarctlc Ocean.
The risk ot drought is the greatest
GIFI.Ul.sr tl4 fUFtf4.p aud -Iaa. ma NOR