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* VICTORIA. 120 VICTORIA. There is no State Church, nor State assistance to any religion. The Church of England, the largest denomination, had 432,732 adlierents in 1901. The adherents of the other denominations in the same j'ear numbered as follows: Roman Catholics, 263,712; Presbyterians, 191.471; and Wesleyans and other llethodists, 180,287. In 1891 nearly 96 per cent, of the population over 15 years of age could read and write. School attendance is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 13. The public sj-'stem is secular and the primary grades are free. In 1900 there were 243, 66f pupils enrolled in 1948 State schools. The average attendance was 147,020. Secondary education is in the hands of private and denomi- national interests. In 1900 there were 51,834 scholars in attendance at 884 private schools. The Roman Catholic schools contained over half of the total private school enrollment. The State encourages attendance at the grammar schools and universities by the awarding of scholarships. The higher educational institutions include 18 technical schools, 3 workingmen's colleges. 10 schools of mines, an agricultural and horticul- tural school, and 5 schools of art. For a com- jjarison with other Australian States, see Aus- tralia. History. The coast of Victoria was sighted by Captain Cook in 1770, and the first explora- tions were made in 1798 by George Bass, who discovered Bass Strait. In 1802 Lieutenant ^Murray took formal possession of Port Phillip Bay, and in 1803 an unsuccessful attempt was made by the English Government to establish a settlement. Exploring parties traversed the country from time to time, but the first perma- nent settlement was not made until 1834, and was then accomplished by the individvial enter- prise of one Henty. The settlement of the Henty family is usually regarded as the founding of Victoria. Henty and his seven sons were squat- ters on the shore of Portland Bay, where they set up a whale-fishing establishment, and also carried on .sheep-farming. That type of settle- ment had been a source of much vexation to the home Government, and Henty was unable for some time to obtain any legal recognition. His settlement never grew, but was absorbed in the Port Phillip Association, led by .John Batman, from Tasmania, in 183,5, and reinforced during the year by colonists under a trader named Faukner, who is jointly with Batman entitled to the credit of founding the colony. The set- tlers bought land of the natives. Such titles were not favored by Great Britain, but the colony at Port Phillip obtained such accessions of num- ber that its recognition could not be avoided. It was incorporated within the territory of Xew South Wales in 183.5, and formally opened for settlement in 1836. In 1837 the town of Mel- bourne was laid out, and in 1842 it received a city charter. The colony grew rapidly. In 1842 agitation began for separation from New South Wales. This was accomplished in 18.50, although the new colony of Victoria was not formally organized until 18.51. By this time the popula- tion bad reached 77.000. I'pon the discovery of gold Victoria had an extraordinary rush of im- migration, the pojiulation increasing from 77,4.5,5 in 18.51 to 540,322 in 18(il. Discontent with the severe mining regulations imjiosed by the Legi'*- lature led to serious miners' riots at Ballarat in 1854 and to the enactment of more liberal laws. Tlie period after 1855 witnessed the rise of a powerful democratic party, which entered into bitter conflict with the squatter or land-owning class on the question of a protective tariff for the purpose of encouraging home industries. The conservative attitude of the squatters, w'ho were in control of the Upper House of the legislature, kept back until after 1860 the full development of the agricultural resources of the colony. Like its sister colonies, Victoria during the last ten years of the nineteenth century enacted many legislative measures of a decidedly democratic and even socialistic character. Among other things these acts provided for old age pensions, and for every trade established mixed tribunals of employers and employees for the determina- tion of a minimum wage. The people of Victoria were from the beginning overwhelmingly in favor of Australian federation (q.v.), and in 1898 rati- fied the first draft of the Federal Constitution bv a vote of five to one. Bibliography. McCoy, Victoria and Its Metropolis (Melbourne, 1889) ; Coghlan, Seven Colonies of Australia (ib., annually) ; Jenks, The Government of Victoria (London, 1891); Bannow, The Colony of Victoria (ib., 1897). For ethnology-, consult Smyth ( comp. ), The Ahori (lines of Victoria (Melbourne, 1878) ; Curr, The Australian Race (ib., 1886-87) ; Hare, The Last of the Bushraufiers (London, 1894). For geology, JIurray, Victoria (reoloc/y and Physical Geography (Melbourne, 1895). For history, Labilliere, Early History of the Colony of Vic- toria (London, 1878); Turner, History of Vic- toria, (Melbourne, 1879). VICTORIA (Brazilian, Xossa Senhora da Virtoria). A seaport, the capital of the State of Espiritu Santo, Brazil, situated on the island of Espiritu Santo, 275 miles northeast of Rio de Janeiro (Map: Brazil, J 8), The former Jesuit College, now used as the Government palace, is the chief edifice, Tlie harbor is good, with a lighthouse and batteries. The chief ex- ports are sugar, cofTee, rice, and manioc. The town was founded in 1535. Population, about 10,000. VICTORIA. The capital of Hong Kong (q.v.). VICTORIA. A town of Luzon. Philippines, in the Province of Tftrlac, situated si.x miles northeast of Tflrlac, near the confines of Nueva Ecija (Jlap: Luzon, D 4). Population, 10,362. VICTORIA. A town of Venezuela, situated on the Aragua River, 45 miles southwest of Carflcas, near Lake Valencia. Its favorable po- sition gives it an extensive trade in coffee, sugar, and cacao. Population, about 12,000. VICTORIA. The capital of the Province of British Cohimbia, Canada, and of the Victoria district, at the southeast extremity of Van- couver Island, on the Strait of San .Tuan de Fuca, and the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railroad, 84 miles southwest of Vancouver (M;i]i: British Columbia, E 5). It was originally a trading post of the Hudson's Bay Comiiany, was platted for a town in 1852, incorporated as a city in lSli2, and has since become the most important Canadian city on the Pacific. It has extensive commercial interests, good harbor accommoda- tion, regular steamship communication with San