SYDNEY, the capital of the British settlements in New South Wales, situated about seven miles from the mouth of Port Jackson, in a cove of the same name, which is a most capacious natural basin, having a depth of water to allow the approach of the largest ships to the very sides of the rocks, and being perfectly secure against any wind. Sydney Cove is formed by two ridges running out into the harbour; the one to the left terminating in Bennilong’s Point, on the low extremity of which stands Fort Macquarrie, with its castellated martello towers; and that to the right in Dawe’s Point, with a fort bearing that name, which in like manner occupies its extremity. Down the hollow between these ridges a small rill trickles slowly into the head of the cove, in the rocky sandstone bed of which tanks have been cut to retain the water during the summer droughts, which insures a supply during that dry season. Along this hollow, for upwards of a mile, in a westerly direction, extends the main thoroughfare, George Street, which all the other streets either run parallel to or intersect; the town thus occupying the whole of the hollow, and creeping up the gradual ascents on each side. Near the harbour, where the ground is valuable, the houses are usually contiguous; but, generally speaking, the better houses in Sydney are built in the cottage style, of white freestone, or of brick plastered and whitewashed, one or two stories high, with verandahs in front, and enclosed by a neat wooden paling lined occasionally with geranium hedges, and having generally a commodious garden behind. The streets are wide and well lighted. Until the administration of Governor Macquarrie, little or no attention had been paid to the laying out of the streets. He succeeded however, in establishing a more perfect regularity; and the town is now on the whole regularly built, and has a light and airy appearance. It contains the parish churches of St Philip and St George; also a Presbyterian kirk, a Methodist and a Catholic chapel, a male orphan school endowed by the government, and a benevolent asylum supported by individuals. It has two steam flour-mills, three water-mills, and four wind-mills in the immediate vicinity; while numerous breweries are scattered through the town. There are several hotels, which are elegant and well kept

The ridge on the left is successively crowned by the lofty-looking buildings of the horse-barracks, the colonial hospital, the convict-barracks, and a fine Gothic Catholic chapel; beyond which lies the promenade of Hyde Park, flanked towards the town by a row of pretty cottages, and towards the country by a high brick-walled garden appertaining to the government. On the ridge to the right of the cove, rows rising above rows of neat white cottages arc seen, overlooked by Fort Philip with its signal-post and telegraphic appendages; also in the same line the military hospital and wind-mill, St James’s Church, the Gothic Presbyterian kirk; and beyond these the military barracks, forming three fourths of a large square, and opening to George Street with an extensive green plot in the centre for the purposes of parade. The convict-hospital, with the officers’ apartments and store-rooms, perched upon the most prominent ridge to the left of the cove, consists of three two-story buildings of freestone ranged in a line, and surrounded by a high wall. At the colonial dock-yard on the right of the cove, all the government-vessels load and unload, and are repaired. The timber-yard is a range of workshops forming a square to the left of George Street, near the guardhouse, where are employed the government carpenters, blacksmiths, and other mechanics. A few hundred yards from the head of the cove, towards the left, stands the gover nor’s house, with its beautiful domain in front ornamented by large trees of the finest foliage, with a fine shrubbery in the back-ground; the whole occupying a space from beyond the head of the cove to near Bennilong’s Point. Between the domain and the cove an agreeable walk has been formed, chiefly in the solid rock, which has become a favourite Sunday walk. A commodious market-house stands upon the right of George Street, beyond the military barracks, which is abundantly supplied with provisions of every description, with butcher-meat and poultry, besides maize, wheat, potatoes, pease, carrots, turnips, cabbages, and fruit. Fish are also abundant, being caught with hooks and lines by the natives, and disposed of to retailers. Oysters abound on all the tide-rocks, and are sold at a shilling a quart. Crayfish, lobsters, and prawns are commonly found, while the little bays swarm with crabs. The whole is placed under the charge of the clerk of the market, under whose authority good order is maintained. On the market-days all kinds of showy wares are displayed for sale.

Sydney is divided into six police districts, with a lock-uphouse, and a nightly watch, by whose vigilance great quietness is maintained. There arc delightful promenades and drives in the vicinity of the town, and abundance of gigs and riding-horses may be hired at 15s. and 10s. a day. A four-horse coach runs twice a day, and a caravan once, between Sydney and Paramatta, a distance of fifteen miles; and another thrice a week to Liverpool, twenty-one miles; while a third proceeds from Paramatta to Windsor, twenty-three miles, three times a week. Sydney contains several good public schools for the youth of both sexes, and other seminaries for those more advanced, which are well attended to, and in which education may be obtained on reasonable terms. The population is rapidly increasing with the progress of the colony. About the year 1810 it amounted to 7000. The following is the census in 1836, as laid before parliament:—Males 9179, convicts 2932; females 7032, convicts 586; total, 19,729. Long. 151. 25. E. Lat. 33. 15. S. (F .)