New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-09-15

Australia as a nation has now been IN exist
sn,a for nearly seven years. On the opening
day Of the twentieth century the Federal
I-nion which came into existence under an act
2 -f7a British Parliament OF July g. 1900. was
proclaimed at Sydney, and the era OF the SIX
ORIGINAL states-rSew South Wales, Victoria,
Queensland South Australia, West Australia
and Tas1rlania-closed. and the era Of the Aus
--alian Commonwealth opened. 1t was due to
&av South Wales that her capital should be
chosen for the first proclamation Of the new
--stior. for Sydney was the first city to come
into existence on the island continent A site
rar the federal capital has been selected in
New South Wales; but al tie present time the
Commonwealth Parliament is meeting at Mel
bourne
4 IS not however with Australia OF the TWEEN
+iefh century that Mrs. Marriott is concerned in
f.r Coming Of the British to Australia, but
with Australia Of the end of the eighteenth and
f..-irrins; Of the nineteenth century. Within
the compass OF $50 pages. which include gen.
e-7as number Of very helpful illustrations. Mrs.
Marriott sketches the story Of the forty years
from 1856 when Great Britain. bereft OF her
American colonies, turned her attention to the
e--rvyard until the close OF the reign OF George
". She makes no pretence Of writing schol-
arlv history No authorities are quoted; and her
book bears no traces Of research She mere
IL erGeavors TO give in pleasant and readable
form some outline Of the work that was done
r- he early explorers and governors; the con-
s7-f--s that faced the first immigrants in Aus
--9Tfa- the scenery and natural characteristics
If -r,r co1Intry-especiaIly Of New South Wales;
-7-- flowers the forests. the fish. birds and ami
mails that were indigenous TO the country; the
.---4-a1 character and behavior OF the natives
and -ra changes that the coming Of the WhIte
mon wrought upon the face Of the land. IN
writing her history. Mrs. Marriott has evident
X had IN mind the interest Of Australians IN
,rss+r re7ealosies. and the pride in ancestry Of
\ al The modern descendants of the early Ilo-
-7za-E- FOR much of the book consists OF BIO
c-~,---f-al sketches Of early settlers, sketches
a-7fo=vsnC many little touches which are
scarcely cernane to the history Of Australia
SIC records Of one man that after his death he
mas given the honor Of public funeral; and
II another that one Of his sons. after his re
urn u England. became Bishop Of Dover. In
7aaE The continuity Of the story is often broken
Nv her desire TO do full justice 10 all the actors
~ 81 not only while they We're in Australia,
f-.r II they returned to England. in Their after
careers
In spite of these drawbacks, and in spl's Oh
.r, almost trivial sIightness Of the volume, MS
Marriott has been erninently successful in cali
in ND = picture Of the primitive Australian set
Int cba describes the low houses with
tr-=- t,-aa4 1eraudas the huts near by for the
s---arts the stockyards and fences, the sheep
r,r5 and wool shed, and all around the iuXuriailI
e.-ye-s 10th native to Australia and trans
Tinted Ike the human Inhabitants, from Great
britain but aourishing with threefold Vlgor IN
IL, land Of their adoption An excellent cfap-
- : devoted TO the exploration Of the country
hing behind the Blue Mountains, which Tor lhe
frs. twenty years Of the settlement formed an
irnrHesaf5le barrier between Sydney ana IlS
frn-a-lar6 For this chapter Mrs. MarflolI
draws largely on the diary Of George NliiIaih
AEsars- who was the first white man actually To
cross the mountain range after the three eH-
plC-ers lawson. Blaxland and Westworth, had
ldazed the way 20 its summit Evans had
keen APPRECIATION Of the beautiful, and he
showed ike so many Of the early AUSTRALIANS
a special tenderness for anything in the land
scaT,a q The new country which reminded MN
q England 4 an more pleased with the coun-
t-y every Day he wrote in his diary; II iar
surrasses IN beauty and fertility any have yet
seen The river winds through fine Hats ana
around the points Of small ridges which gradu-
ally descend toward It They are covered with
the finest grass, interTnXe1 with the white
daisy. as n England II is a most picturesque
spot with rising, hills and dales. well watered
Tie distant hills, which are about five miles
south appear as grounds laid out, divided INTO
fields by hedges There are few trees on thefn'