The Monmouth inquirer., 1925-09-10

ciety. Washington. D. c.
TASMANIA, one of the most
pleasant spots touched by any
part of the American fleet in its
course in Pacific waters, is the
only point visited which gave the
sailors a taste Of the southern win
ter while their friends back home
were in midsummer. The island ex-
tends more than 300 miles closer to
the South pole than Melbourne and
reaches 200 miles farther south than
Wellington, New Zealand. Its south
ern tip is in a latitude that CORE
spends with that of Portland, Maine.
Tasmania is a small island COM
pared to Australia, and Australians
sometimes facetiously refer to 1t as
'The Speck.' But for all that it has
an area of 10000 square miles, which
makes it larger han the state of West
Virginia, It's northern shore lies
nearly 200 miles south of Australia
across Bass strait.
When the Australian commonwealth
was formed in 1901, the people Of the
mainland seemed to feel that Tas-
mania would be merely a hanger-on.
It's real role, however, appears to be
to furnish what Australia lacks. 1t is
q veritable fruit garden for the prod
ucts of the temperate zone, producing
to perfection apples, pears, plums.
peaches, apricots, cherries and all
sorts Of berries. Australia's climate
is a little warm to produce some Of
these fruits at their best.
While Australia is deficient in
water-power possibilities, Tasmania
has much Of such potential power.
There is heavy precipitation on the
central plateau Of the island, which
has an average height of 5000 feet,
and from this numerous streams
plunge over short courses to the sea.
One big power plant has already been
completed 81 miles from Hobart, cap
ital of Tasmania, and the energy at
high voltage is sent into the city. AS
a result of this development Hobart
has one of the cheapest supplies of
electricity Of any city in the world.
AS might be inferred from Tasmania's
abundant water power, the island Is
well watered and, unlike parts of
Australia, never knows a drought.
Al third field in which Tasmania sup
plies factors lacking elsewhere in the
commonwealth is in mining. Australia
has it's own gold mines and certain
other metals and minerals, but some
metals that are lacking or INSULT
of1v%lr -v4nnIfoI sc INV nNnd forftrnn
furnished by Tasmania. In this list
are included tin, copper, lead, coal
and wolfram, an ore Of tungsten.
Variety Its Keynote.
The keynote Of Tasmania is variety.
Although the island is only 1870 miles
wide and 200 long, 1t has a consider
able range of climate, so much so
that when crops in certain places
are ready to harvest, plants of the
same kind in other sections may be
just starting their growth. Such CON
trasts are due to differences In height
above sea level. Along the northern
coast is a belt Of low plains from ten
to forty miles wide. Along the other
coasts the strip of lowland is narrow
err. and in some places the hills meet
the sea. Hills over a large part Of
the next zone inland, and In the cen
ter of the island is an extensive
plateau topped by mountains rising
nearly 1000 feet.
A good part Of the inland country
is devoted to sheep r~anching. The
mild but bracing climate is admirable
for stock breeding, and some very fine
strains of sheep have been developed.
Australian ranches are constantly
drawing upon Tasmania for new blood.
Tasmania's propensity for variety
shows itself by the fact that there is
40 dominant industry or crop. 1t is
about equally important as a grain
country, a frnit country, a wool coun-
try and a mining country; and the
products of these industries are APP
proximately eQualed by hay. vege-
table and dairy products. In the sec
ond rank of Industries such diverse ac-
.ivities as numbering, hops growing,
fruit preserving and smelling are on
q level In Importance. In the near
future Tasmania may export power,
for the project Of running an electric
cable under Bass strait to southern
Australia Is being seriously consid-
sred. The development of power, too,