The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-06-25
is AusTRALlAAHoT COUNTRY?
One May Suit Himself There in the NJ after
of Climate.
(From John Plummer's Australian Cor
resemblance

(From John Plummers Australian Cor
respondence.)
Although the geographical position of
New South Wales is one where most en-
joyable climate might naturally be ex-
pected, by reason of it's being outside the
limits of tropical heat, yet within the in
duenoe of offsets from the trade winds.
which during the summer months make
the temperature much lower than is ex-
perienced in corresponding ATTITUDES in
Europe, it is fact that in many works
Of. everyday reference, the colony, and, in
deed, Australia generally, is credited
with degree Of heat to which it is, prac.
tically, stranger. The origin of this
mischieyous misrepresentation has not
been traced with any degree of certainty,
but it is supposed to have arisen from a
habit of one of the early Australian ex-
plorers, who carried thermometer. and
carefully published all the high, but none
of the low. readings he obtained, until,
fortunately for the colony, the instru-
ment was broken, and the unfair readings
stopped. Even in standard works of ref
erence Sydney is frequently found credit
ed with q considerably higher mean tenn
perature than it actually possesses
Again, it is too commonly assumed
that the temperature in Australian lati-
tudes is the same as in corresponding
European or American attitudes, the nat
ural inference being that the climate of
New South Wales and other portions of
Australia Is more warm than enj oyable.
| Ih0 SDTnmAr tamnpTatlrQ SvdnQv 10
| only four degrees warmer than that of
Paris; that OF Kiandra, in the Snowy
| mountain country, corresponds with that
OF Edinburg; the Manaro plains with the
English midland counties; that of Quean-
began with Swansea, in Wales Bombala,
with London; Cooma, with Ventnor. in
the Isle OF Wight; portion of the Manaro
plains, with Normandy; Bathurst plains,
with central France; Faulconbridge, on
| the Blue mountains, with Lyons; Orange
and Goulburn, with Toulouse, Montpelier
and Lombardy !. bathurst, with Bordeaux;
Muswe!lbrook and Nudge, with Nice;
inyerell with Florence and Montpelier;
Iona and Naples; Tenterfeld, with
Madrid; Cassilis, with Lisbon; Dubbo,
with Rome; and Bourke, with Messina,
in Sicily.
Many other comparisons might be given
but those adduced will suffice to show
uudb bHo uloSb utllSublul CllHdu6S IN west
ern Europe are to be found in New South
Wales, largely explaining the general
healthiness of the population. They GER
| tainly prove the erroneous nature of the
details SO frequently found in works of
reference, by showing that New South
Wales, instead of being the unendurably
hot country described, possesses cooler
coastal climate than is to be found in the
corresponding slatiUudes in Europe and
America; while in that of the elevated
districts, which include considerable
portion Of the colony, and much of its
best land, the climate Is no warmer than
that OF the best and most enjoyable parts
OF Europe in considerably higher lati-
tudes.
where population Is sparse and the whole
country given up to the pastoral industry
the heat Is greater. a result Of the suns
intense. poweraon treeless, waterless plains,
and the almost total absence of cooling
winds; yet, owing to the cold at night
and during the winter months, the mean
temperatures are not greater than in cor
responding latitudes in the northern
hemisphere. At the same time, by reason
of the remarkable dryness of the western
country, the heat is found less enervating
than in much lower temperature in a
moist climate, and, what is of still more
Importance. does not produce those ter
rlble diseases which are usually the off
spring of hot countries Stock of all
kinds thrives remarkably we'll, the in
crease in numbers during favorable seas
ons, when feed is abundant, being almost
phenomenal. Hence it is that persons,
suffering the inoipient stages of pulmo-
nary disease, are found acquiring strong
and healthy constitutions in New South
Wales. which is virtually one of the great
sanitoriums of the world, and rapidly ac-
quiring reputation as beautiful and
enjoyable health resort.