25S SUBORDINATE COLONIES. [1839 



victualled for six months, at the expense of government, — 

 all points, said Sydney Smith, worthy of serious attention, 

 to those who were " shedding their country." 



In 1839 and 1840, there was a great deal of speculation 

 in the government lands in Australia, and the sales in New 

 South Wales exceeded, for the two years, three hundred and 

 forty thousand acres. When the reaction took place, a gen- 

 eral depression of business followed ; the sales for 1841 were 

 less than sixteen thousand acres ; and a check was therefore 

 given to emigration. The whole number of immigrants that 

 arrived in the Australian colonies in 1841, was 28,721 ; and 

 in 1842 there were only 5,740. Since that time, however, 

 business has revived ; and every year witnesses the arrival 

 of great numbers of immigrants, who locate themselves on 

 the unoccupied lands, of which there are still immense tracts, 

 in the interior. 



A penal colony was established on Van Diemen's Land in 

 1803, which is subordinate to that of New South Wales, 

 and is under the charge of a lieutenant governor. Until 

 1813, it continued to be merely a place of transportation 

 from the mother colony, but since that time it has gradually 

 taken the place of the latter as a penal settlement, and con- 

 victs are now sent thither direct from England. This settle- 

 ment, though requiring an enormous outlay for its establish- 

 ment, has advanced more rapidly in prosperity than New 

 South Wales, and is destined to become of great importance. 



The other settlements on the main continent, besides New 

 South Wales, were formed by voluntary immigrants, and 

 not by convicts. The proximity of northern, or tropical 

 Australia, to China and the Indian Archipelago, pointed it out 

 as a proper site for a colony many years ago ; and attempts 

 were made, with that object in view, as early as 1824. But 

 tin; difficulties encountered led to the abandonment of the 

 project, and in 1829 the foundation of a colony on the Swan 

 river, at the foot of the Darling range, now known as West 

 Australia, was laid, by commencing the construction of three 

 towns — Guilford, Freeman lie, ami Perth — the last of which 



