268 
Manufactures.—Hitherto the great drawback upon agricultural pros- 
perity in the colony has been the want of a home market. Foreign 
markets are so distant that the cost of transportation more than ab- 
sorbs all profits on most agricultural products, to say nothing about 
the impossibility of transporting to a distant market many varieties of 
vegetables and fruits, (among the most remunerative of farm and garden 
products when there is a near market,) because of their speedily depre- 
ciating or decaying nature. With aview to advance the interests of 
agriculture by creating a home market, a protective policy was adopted 
in 1866, the principle of which has recently been extended by an increase 
of duties on manufactured articles. What the ultimate effect is to be 
on the prosperity of the colony as a whole is yet to be determined; but, 
in connection with it, several new industries are springing up, and home 
manufactures are on the increase. There is now one large woolen- 
factory in full operation, and two others are likely to be started soon. 
The principal woolen goods produced thus far are blankets and tweeds. 
Clothing is manufactured on an extensive scale. Among other nascent 
manufacturing industries may be mentioned several boot and shoe 
factories, one paper-mill, and a number of small establishments for 
manufacturing casks, furniture, coaches, harnesses, whips, leather, &c. 
The bark of the “* whattle tree ” is found to be very valuable for tanning 
leather, and for that purpose hundreds of tons are annually exported. 
Among the most important and extensive agencies for opening new 
channels to market for agricultural products are meat-preserving com- 
panies. Some idea of the extent of this business may be gained from 
the fact that one company, within the space of six months, put up the 
meat of over 9,000 oxen, and about 1,000,000 sheep. The cheapness of 
live-stock affords special encouragement to this business. 
Mining.—The mining of gold is now principally carried on by compa- 
nies, and from quartz mines, the alluvials having been nearly exhausted. 
In tavorably located mines three pennyweights of gold per ton of quartz 
pays all expenses, and six pennyweights per ton yields a fortune. The 
amount of gold mined in Victoria and exported, from January. 1 to No- 
vember 11, 1871, was 1,287,702 ounces, being 169,331 ounces in excess of 
theamount exported during the corresponding periodin 1870. Silver, tin, 
and antimony are found in the colony in paying quantities. Coal beds 
have been discovered, but their extent is not yet determined, and, owing 
to a lack of transporting facilities, they have keen worked, as yet, only 
on a limited scale. 
Commerce.—From January 1 to October 28, 1871, the total value of 
exports was $50,421,276; of imports, $47, 382,385. This, compared with 
the corresponding period in 1870, waS an increase in the value of ex- 
ports of $6,609,068, and a decrease i in the value of imports of $2,860,556. 
These opposite results are thought to be in accordance with the future 
tendencies of trade in the colony ; that is, by a steady increase in the 
variety and amount of its agricultural and manufactured products, it is 
to supply more and more its home market, and produce more and more 
for foreign markets. But there are some important articles for which, 
if the population increases, there must be an increasing demand, and 
which must be mainly imported, at least for years to come. Besides 
various kinds of finer goods, which the colony has now no skilled arti- 
sans, and no facilities for manufacturing, there are several articles, ne- 
cessarily imported, in which the commerce of the United States is 
