Evening star., 1901-04-27
The Lowermost State of the New
Australian Federation.
SWITZERLAND OF The PACIFIC
What One May See on a Visit to
Hobart.
AN ENTERPRISING PEOPLE
Copyright, 1901, by Frank G. Carpenter)

Copyright 1901, by Frank G. Carpenter)
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
HOBART Tasmania.
I write this in the lowermOst city of the
lowermost state of the new Australian fed
Grafton, and in one of the lOwermost
towns of the globe. Hobart is 2,5OO miles
south of the equator, on the edge of the
southern ocean, that mighty sea which
flows between the Pacific and the ant
arctic. 1t is now late in the fall, but the
grass Is as green as old Ireland in June,
and although Mount Wellington, back of
the city, has a coating of snow. the sheep
are everywhere feeding out doors, and the
sun is as warm as Ohio in May.
AS 1 look about me cannot realize that
this Is Tasmania, the country / studied
about years ago as Van Dfeman's Land
knew it was an island floating about some
where between the south pole and Austria
liza. / had idea that it was bleak, bare
and inhospitable and supposed it about
the jumping off place of creation / had
read of its criminals sent out from Eng
land who We're about as cruelty treated as
are those of China today. and 1t hardly
seemed that the trip here would be worth
the time and expense.
/ have changed my opinion. Tasmania Is
the Switzerland of the southern Pacific
and il is really one of the most healthful
and beautiful lands of the globe. 1t is
heart-shaped island with it's top toward
Australia. and its tail toward the pole 1t
is all mountains, valleys and glens. cover
ing an area three times as great as Mas
saChuSetts. almost as great as Ireland and
about the size of West Virginia. 1t is pop
ulated by 100000 English-speaking people,
and the tourist agencies have turned it
into a great health resort. The whole
country is spotted with boarding houses
and hotels and from December until May,
which are the summer months here. it is
ling iStC Won
most anywhere by coach. horseback or
on rail. and there is lots of good company
There are waterfalls and lakes, forests of
fern trees. brooks noted for fishing hunt
ing parks and everything that the sports
man desires. There are guide books fol-
lowing which you can go foot over the
country and. indeed. the land is a little
Norway or Switzerland away down here
below the equator.
The Tnsmaninn Capital.
Hobart is the Tasmanian capital The
colony still has a governor, although it has
already elected It's members of the federal
parliament and from now on will belong
TO the great colonial empire of Australia
1t will. however, maintain its state govern
ment, much as our states do theirs and its
parliament VIII continue to meet in the gov
ernment house here.
Hobart is the largest city the island.
II contains about 10000 people, and il is as
nice town of that size as you will find
anywhere. 1t lies on a fine harbor In
nest Of hills on the banks of the River Der
went, backed by a mountain. the rocks of
which look like the pipes of an organ. The
town is laid out a square, and it's wide
streets cross one another at right angles: ::
but 1t runs up hill and down and takes a
jump here and there out into the country
went IRON one end of the capital to the
other one day the street car line This
is run by electricity, and the people pride
themselves on having established the first
electric railroad system in their latitude |
wish L could show YOU the cars. There is
nothing Ike them in the United States.
They We're made in England and they