The sun., 1903-10-18
MAY BE AUSTRALIANS CAPITAL.
Tumut's situation In the Mountains Of
New South Wales.

The Federal House Of Representatives
at Melbourne bas selected Tumut for the
capital Of the Commonwealth of Australia.
The Senate. on the other hand, has selected
Bombala. The question is not settled yet.
and probably very few persons in our coun-
try or Europe have heard OF either place.
Tumut is only little village. and its name
appears on very few maps. Some years
ago the best foreign map Of Australia
showed whore the town is situated,
but curiously enough the latest edition
of this map. Issued early this year, 'omits
the town. The able geographer who su-
idea Of the distinction that YVES to be con-
ferred upon the little hamlet. and appar-
emily omitted the name in order to make
the topography of that region clearer
A large town or city WILL Of course. arise
at Tumut II it wins. Splendid federal build
ings will be reared. and, like Washington,
Tumut will owe its greatness to its political
prominence.
1t would not have been possible to select
centrally situated site for the federal
capital convenient to all the States Of the
have been in the middle OF the Australian
desert, Tumut, however, may be con-
veniently reached, after railroad is built
TO it, from the entire eastern and south
east coast regions of the continent. where
most Of the population and the industrial
development are centred.
The town Ii in the southeastern part
Of New South Wales, In the mountains.
At present there is no railroad within fifty
miles Of the place, The railroad from
Sydney to Melbourne passes north Of it.
The hamlet stands on the right bank
Of the Tumut River, which flows north to
the Murrumbidgee. To the east OF the
village, which Is on the western edge of
Buccleuch county, rise the mountains of
the Tumut range, northern outlyer Of
the great Australian Alps. To the west,
across the river rises another secondary
range
Tumut is therefore in valley in the west
ern part of the great mountain system of
eastern Australia. About thirty miles to
the north and seventy-five miles TO the west
begin the great plains Of inner New South
Wales, where millions OF sheep are grazing.
lueTc VIII bS iueo'iOu dLout Vic HtlltIl-
fulness of the federal district and the cap
ital The whole district stands on a high
plateau, above which rise groups and spurs
of mountains sprinklel among parallel and
lateral regions.
In many of the upland valleys. like that
in which Tumut stands, the ground is COW
cred all winter with snow the summer
temperature is bracing and the air is always
pure The slopes OF most of the noun
tains are so gentle in incline that they may
be assembled even on horseback
The situation Of the proposed capital is
most picturesque; and the political and
social interests which would centre there
would make many thousands of Australians
who might visit or settle in the place far
better acquainted with the beauties of the
mountain regions of southeastern Australia
than they have ever been before.
But the Federal Senate wants Bombala
for the capital. 1t is eighty miles south
west of Sydney, in New South Wales, on the
southern or shorter railroad between that
city and Melbourne. Neither place at pres
ent amounts TO hill Of beans May the
better one winl