T A S 



T A S 



immense die. From on* of its specie* ft manna U ob- 

 tained, which taates like some kind of sugar-plum : it form* 



.(ions on the leaves and smaller branches : lint in 

 found in fin ch triflinir quantities that it would never repay 

 1 he trouble of oollccting it. The most i; it the 



stringy bark, which i* used for building anil fern-ing; and 

 the lifue gum. of which moot of the boat* in the colony 

 nre built. The smaller trees are used for matt* for small 

 VM*el*. The ]ii'])|iermint, so called from the taste of the 

 leaves, is a Inrtre tree, but of very little MM. Tho Huoli 

 pine is the most beautiful wood In the island : it is very 



i or both in colour and substance to the Norway deal, 

 but is scarce and difficult to be had. The Adventure pine, 

 so called from the bay <>r that name, is a species of pine 

 adapted for house-work and furniture : but it i* not com- 

 mon. The black and silver wattle mimosa are used in 

 houe-work and furniture, but they nre of diminutive size. 

 The bark of the black wattle is exported to Knglnnd in 

 large quantities. The tea-tree is a shrub which grows in 

 wet situations : an infusion of its leaves makes n pleasant 

 and, with a little sugar, forms an excellent sub- 

 stitute for tea. 



(Hindere's Voyage to Terra Auttralit ; Hovel's Voyagt 

 fStirteattfOUX, &c. ; Evans's OtogfffMioal, llixturinil, 

 and Topograjikicat Description of I 'tin .' 

 Widowson's Present State <>f Agriculture. <V-. in I 'tut 

 Diemea' Land; Bischoft"s Sketch of the History iff I'mt 

 Difinen'tt Land, <f-e. ; and Breton's Excursions in Ntw 

 South H 



llntory. In 1803 Lieutenant Bowen, commissioned by 

 the government of New South Wales, landed on the east 

 bank of the Derwent, and 1'oniially took possession of Van 

 Piemen's Land as a place of settlement. In the following 

 year Colonel Collins, the first lieutenant-governor, arrived, 

 and established the seat of government on the west bank 

 of the Derwent: he gave to the spot the name of Hobart 

 Town, in compliment to Lord Hobart, then secretary of 

 state for the colonies. Colonel Patterson arrived in the 

 tame year in the Tamar, and formed an establishment on 

 its west bank. Colonel Pavcy succeeded to the govern- 

 ment in 1x13, and under his administration the ports of 

 the colony were first opened to commerce, only transport 

 vessels from New South Wales having previously been ad- 

 mitted. Colonel Sorellwas appointed litmtenant-LTovcrnor 

 in 1X17, and in 1S19 the immigration of free settlers from 

 England commenced, the colony having been previously 



lively formed of criminals sent from New South 

 Wales for crimes repeated there, and of the civil and mili- 

 tary officers charged with their superintendence. Till the 

 year 1H24 the government was subject to that of New 

 South Wales, and the chief civil and criminal questions 

 an-ing 111 Van Dicnien's Land were decided in Sydney. 

 The only courts in the island were those of police magis- 

 trate*, who had cognizance of petty crimes, air.l a court 

 for the settlement of questions of value not exceeding ."HI/.. 

 in which a military officer presided. Great inconvenience 

 and mischief resulted from this state of things. 

 eases were mostly settled by compromise ; and in criminal 

 cases, the most dangerous offenders were allowed to 

 weapc. 



The most important steps in the progress of the colony 

 were made between the years 1M24 and 1K30, (luring the 

 administration of Colonel' Arthur : 



In lw.Il, the population w;i> U,r.|:i : in IKTi it waa 40,283 

 Number of vessels 



which arrived . .'U ; ill 



Sailed outwards . :!.">; 



Acres in crop :il.(Ki3; 

 Pounds of wool 



exported . l.l,(KK); 1,042,800 

 Number of nianu- 



factoiic- . 2; 133 



Hanks . . 1 ; 



Kevcmic . ' ]< 



;ienditnrc . 1 f 



Value of Imports -T(,j.< N N i : 

 l-Aports I'll. :>()(); 



l Return* of Vnn Dtentfn't l^m.l. ,-,,n,j,il,:l 

 hy the Colonial fetMtMjr, Hobart T ' HV/i Oct.. 



AM 



Huadi were formed and bridge* constructed in different 

 part* of the island ; wholesome laws wre introduced ; the 



tone of public opinion wra* improved, and the fnii' 

 enterprise and industry were secured by an improved police 



system. 



" That which chiefly contribut, progress of the 



nent was extraordiiK!' t to 



emigrants. Grants of hind" wei 

 tinned in extent to the capital which 

 pared to invest in stock and in agricultural 

 The labour of convicts was not only liberal' 



lonist was rewarded for employing it by n 

 of rations for himself and the convict* in hi* employ for 

 some time after hi* arrival : and ut a later period, when 

 this remuneration, or, to speak more correctly, thin addi- 

 tional bonus, was withdrawn altogether, labour was ob- 

 tained on the . lion* ol the settler providing 



clothes, food, and KM! -signed I" 



Thert were other advantagi incident t< 



purposes for which the colony was founded, which a- 

 its progress. The character and condition of 1h 

 of the population required that a civil and mi 

 should be established on the island, which. I" 

 tained by the British government, introduced MI much 

 capital annually. From the magnitude of their crimes or 

 their dangerous character, it was not deemed 

 move from under the immediate coercion of government 

 a large number, amounting latterh housands, 



of the convicts, and their punishment was made to 

 consist of hard labour at works of public, utility, Mich us 

 the making and repairing of roads and bridges. While 

 the expense of maintaining these convicts was dcfravi 

 the British government, the settlers contracted to supply 

 the vaiiou.s articles which made up that expense. 



thus in a twofold manner benefited: they hail 

 labourers employed for their advantage at the cost of a 

 third party, and they were enabled to derive a profit from 

 the payment of that labour. With such circumstai-. 

 its favour, with a healthy climate, and a soil of a\> 

 capabilities, it was impossible that Tasmania should n 

 vance. Its progress has accordingly been steady, scarcely 

 subject to any of those variations to which young colonies 

 are exposed ; to none indeed but such as may be strictly 

 referred to that gambling spirit of speculation which the 

 occasional great protits of an imperfectly established 

 market are. apt to engender. 



In 1831 the system of colonization by free grants of land 

 was abolished, and since then land has been sol, I 1 

 tion, first at the unset price of five shillings per 

 scqueiitly at twelve shillings; and latterly at twen: 

 which it remains. The system of assignment of eoiivict. 

 labour is at present only partially in force, and it is in- 

 tended to discontinue it. The colony has prohab: 

 \anced to that state in which the advantages (advantages 

 not without some drawbacks e\ en in the In it .-om- 



pulsory labour have ceased, and in which the. iniuuti 

 the good will, the steady subordination of the servant are 

 to the' success of industrial operations. 



. 



Trade an The staple article of production 



in Tasmania is wool, the amount of which cxpoitcd m the 

 year ending December, Is: is. cu-ccded 2.4!KI.!I.H) 1 1 is. < /'<;/- 

 / in mi .'! i>n lym I innl II ootten Ma 



April -J!. IXI'l. i The value nf this wool in tl,, 

 market has, according to tb Report ol the * 



tary to the government ol V;n Diemens Land, quoted 

 above, ranged from Iv. (it/, to Uv. li</. per Ib. A con 

 able trade has during the last live year-, been earned on 

 with the new colonies of Australia, South and 



'hillip, in sheep, the prices of which have varied in 

 that time so much its from seven shilling.-, to si\! 

 ad. 



Owing to the smallncssof the demand for grain, am! tin- 

 great outlay required in the clearing of laud, a 

 operations have been slow in Tasmania. This ha- hi* 

 been accounted for by the circumstance that tc 

 farmers emigrated to the colony. ' The earlier settlers 

 hiefly artuaus of intem]K'rate habits, unacquainted 

 with hu.sbamhv . and disinclined to attain a knowledge of it. 

 liter from whose account we quote, him- 

 self for ten years a colonist of Van Dieinen's I. and i they 

 obtained and located themselves on grants of land : turned 

 up the soil, and threw grain into it : and it being grateful, 

 repaid their rude essays with bountiful harvests. This was 

 sufficient. When one piece ol land was exhausted, another 

 was broken up, and so on in constant succession. Fresh 



