Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-12
ITS RAPID GROWTH
Important Facts and Figures About
the Australian Commonwealth,
how The UNION CAME TO Be MADE
Part It viii Play in the Future Of
the World.
|ON DEN RATIO LIN E S

Written he Evening Star by Percy r. Msggy,
Manager International Press Bureau, Sydney,
Australia.
With the birth of the new commonwealth
of Australia into the family of nations it
will be interesting to glance for moment
at some of the leading facts connected
with her history and environment. to note
some of the principal steps in the process
of her development and to form some idea
of the part she is likely to play in the
twentieth century. In the first place, 1t is
well to remember that the area of the six
federating colonies and of the United
States, minus Alaska, Is almost exactly
the same. namely, 2,972,OOO and 100000
square miles, respectively, so that from
merely territorial point of view Australia
occupies very prominent place among the
nations of the world.
Over her vast area-divided in two nearly
equal zones by the Tropic of Capricorn,
part of Its western sides by mountain
ranges-a most varied climate necessarily
exists, but the two principal colonies all
the capitals and the bulk of the population
are in the temperate region, free from try
ing extremes of heat and cold, blessed with
plenty of sunshine and fresh sea air and
perfectly adapted to the development of
the highest physical and intellectual facul-
ton, to be sure, is under 5000, 600, or less
than that of Canada, but of that number
fully 30 per cent are Of British or Irish
descent, and therefore come of a lineage
whose wonderful admixture of diverse ele-
ments has made 4 the finest for colonizing
purposes the world has ever seen. No
greater proof Of what that splendidly en-
dowed race is capable of achieving could
be afforded than what 1t has already done
IN this far-away southern land.
The Original Settlement.
The Declaration of Independence by the
United States Of America had a marked
influence on the future of the great land
continent, the southern and attractive por-
ton Of which Capt. Cook had discovered
only few years before. The English con-
victs, who had previously been sent to Vir-
ginia, we're thenceforth sent to Botany
bay, and 1t was not till 1s40-or just fifty
two years after Capt. Arthur Phillip for
mally took possession of the whole CONT
nent, founded Sydney and proclaimed the
colony New South Wales-that the system
OF transportation was finally abandoned,
and the convicts temporarily transferred
to MOreton bay.
The first half Of the present century was
mainly occupied ip exploring the physical
features of the new continent, In discover
Ing her vast agricultural and mineral re-
sources, In establishing sheep farming as
the principal industry. in forming series
OF settlements in the most promising local
AZ "a , ihS, ucep DTOdu, the
foundations Of 9 number of independent
communities, each of which aspired to a
constitution modelled on that of the parent
land. consulting council had already
oeen granted to New South Wales in 1924
with power to make laws. but it was not
until 1s43 that the first representative leg
lslauve council. partially elected by the
die of TIE century the population scarcely
amounted to 10000 souls, and owing to the
remoteness of the country from any other
and the difficulty and consequent expense
Of access, there was little prospect Of f. he
Ing Largely increased.
System of Government.
But the second half of the century, b,d
no sooner dawned than several startling
events occurred which so completely revo-
lutionized the future Of Australia that her
political and social history may almost he
said to date from 1851 In that memorable
year the colony of Victoria was added To
the five already formed all were now al
lowed the privilege Of partly electing their
leglsiauve councils, and these were in
structed to frame constitutions suitable to
their respective requirements with the re-
suit that before the end Of a decade the
olcameral system of parliamentary govern
by Great Britain. was. with the cordial as
sent OF the imperial authorities, establish
ed, with one temporary exception through
out the length and breadth of the common
wealth.
Discovery of Gold.
But even constitutional freedom. great
and highly priced as was the boon, would
not have made Australia what 1t now Is
had 1t not been for the fact that the yery
same year which was memorable for the
granting OF political power was even more
memorable for the simultaneous discovery
in New South Wales and Victoria Of untold
treasures Of gold. This well-timed discov-
$0- A,,st 10 ,1,-A
covery at about the same time did for
California. Adventures poured in from all
parts Of the world, ordinary employments
were temporarily deserted. in six years the
population jumped from 10000 to 100000
the public revenue made an equally pro.
digious bound. and Australia entered on a
career Of restless activity which gradually
spread to every sphere OF employment, and.
though modified and concentrated as the
years have rolled on has never ceased to
make its influence felt
The growing Importance of the colonies
was shown by the establishment in 1859
Of direct line Of steamers between Great
Britain and Australia which replaced the
old-fashioned sailing vessels and in conse-
quence for manw years almost the whole
Of our commerce was transacted with the
united kingdom.
What the First Census Showed.
BY the end of thr decade the new condi-
lions had wrought a wonderful change, the
first census since the advent of response
BILE government was taken, and from the
year 1861 accordingly the statistical his
tory of Australasia begins. In that year
the population of the commonwealth lex
Guiding New Zealand and exclusive Of alb
originally already amounted to 1,153,973;
the revenue and expenditures exclusive of
loan expenditure to five and one-half mil
lion sterling and five and three-Quarters
million sterling, respectively or about Is
los per head for each; the total trade had
swollen to over forty-eight and one-quar-
ter million sterling, or nearly f42 per head,
while 10000 vessels Of nearly two and one
half million tons visited our shores. In