NEW SOUTH WALES. 79 



stage is now forgotten as a dream. To-day New South Wales contains 

 almost a third of the population of all the colonies, has an annual import 

 and export trade of nearly ^50,000,000, and raises annually ^9,000,000 of 

 revenue. The colony has already constructed 1727 miles of railway, and 

 is constructing 416 miles, and Parliament has authorised the construction of 

 1282 miles, and there are 19,000 miles of telegraph wires open. The value 

 of its annual export of wool is, in normal seasons, worth ^10,000,000; its 

 sheep number 35,000,000; its horses, 350,000; its horned cattle, 1,500,000; 

 and its swine, 220,000. The land under crop is 1,000,000 acres; the annual 

 out-put of coal is 3,000,000 tons, of which nearly two-thirds are exported. 

 The mines of gold, silver, tin, copper, and manganese, are also very rich, 

 and their export is great. The city of Sydney and its suburbs have a 

 population of 270,000. 



The following general description of Sydney and the colony is contributed 

 by Mr. F. H. Myers :— 



* Naturally any notice of the colony of New South Wales begins with 

 Sydney and its harbour — 



" Like some dark beauteous bird whose plumes 

 Are sparkling with unnumbered eyes," 



wrote Moore, as he looked up aloft at the sky by night, and found com- 

 panionship in the soul of beauty there. Often has the image occurred to 

 me when entering, on a summer's night, the harbour gates of Beautiful 

 Sydney, or looking down upon the stillness of the sleeping coves from any 

 of the surrounding hills. Lights are spread upon the blackness of the hills 

 — straight lines, crescents, squares, and marvellous configurations — lights rise 

 up from the harbour depths, straight shafts and twisted columns, pillars and 

 spires and trees of light, wherever from ship's mast, or yard, or port, rays 

 of white or blue or red strike the waters, and straightway seem to grow as 

 plants of fire. Along the shores may be seen the blue gleams of electric 

 fire, the duller green and red of the oil lamps on the ships, still and 

 bright in the quiet water ; alternating, mingling, shifting, blending, as the 

 surface is only slightly stirred. Every calm night brings such illumination. 



1 A traveller entering Sydney Harbour upon any still night sees this 

 panorama opening to him ; and if he have the good fortune to be detained 

 in quarantine till morning, he may see a far more beautiful picture by rising 

 with the rising sun. The city and the harbour lie spread out before him, 

 the spires and towers standing out in the distance, clear and shining in the 

 morning sunlight. The long land arms run out on either hand, while the 

 blue sea, unruffled and smooth, forms a fine contrast to rock and foliage 

 and sky. 



' To see Sydney well in the clear broad daylight, it is needful to travel 

 by the cable tram to the heights of North Shore, and walk thence by the 



