Page:Statistics of Australia (Haughton, 1853).pdf/3



—The material improvement in our Australian colonies, since the discovery of gold in that region of the earth, being, I believe, unexampled in the history of our race, I have thought that a few statistics, drawn from reliable sources, marking the wondrous progress in wealth in these dependencies of the British crown, might not prove uninteresting to this society. The interest in these lands, created in the mother country because of this prosperity, and of the demand for high-priced labour which is the result of it, is so great, that it would not be an easy matter to express it in words. Thousands of our countrymen are flocking to that land, wherein they hope to realize, in a brief period of time, fortunes sufficiently large to place them in comfortable circumstances during the remainder of their lives. In this expectation a few are so fortunate as to have their hopes realized, but very man are doomed to disappointment. On the whole, however, the general result produced is an extraordinary progress in wealth; and so enormous is the amount of commercial activity, that the trade of Melbourne has reached such a degree of importance, that its port is now said to rank fourth in the British dominions.

The first paper to which I shall direct your attention, is the second anniversary address of the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce of Melbourne, (William Westgarth), read on the 1st of April last. It is a voluminous and highly interesting document, and it indicates an increasing amount of trade in the colony, which is almost beyond the bounds of credibility. I extract from it the following statistics:—

"The population of the colony has been more than doubled within the interval of one year; namely, from 95,000, the estimated number at the end of 1851, to 200,000 at the end of the following year. The shipping inwards has risen during the same space, from 669 vessels in 1851, with a tonnage of 126,000; to 1,657 vessels in 1852, with a tonnage of 408,000.

"The Increase of the public revenue is still more striking. In 1851, the amount was £380,000; in 1852, it had increased to no less than £1,577,000.

"I believe I shall not exaggerate the commercial position of this colony, when I state that its present customs value, under tarrifs