1G2 Proceedings. 



the original Government House. It is said that all the other records 

 from 1803 to 18)0 were destroyed. In 1817 the Colony, then 14 

 years old, comprised 3289 inhabitants, of whom \ were convicts and 

 soldiers, and 104 ci-devant convicts originally settled at Norfolk 

 Island, whence they were removed to this Colony by Government, 

 and located upon small grants of 30 to 100 acres each. In 1817 

 the farm-stock consisted of 420 horses, 28,800 cattle, and 182,000 

 sheep; 7815 acres of laud were under cultivation in wheat, which 

 then sold for 85. per bushel. The daily wages of mechanics were 8s. 

 to 15s., with board and lodging. The Customs of the Colony amounted 

 to £5000, and the total value of the exports to £11,000 in 1817. 

 Seven years after, at the departure of Colonel Sorell , the population 

 was 8944, of whom half were free ; the revenue amounted to 

 £32,000, and the imports to £62,000, Thirty-three ships arrived and 

 35 sailed in 1824. One vessel then belonged to the Port ; and there 

 were in the Colony 9 post-ofSces and 4 churches. But bushranging 

 was life, and in that year 16 men perished by the hands of the 

 executioner. In 1825, 6 and 7, the first three years of Colonel — 

 now Sir George — Arthur's long administration, 22, 53, and 56 

 criminals were executed, respectively. An efficient system of 

 prison discipline was then established, and several important 

 colonial works undertaken, to which the New Wharves, the 

 Bridgewater Causeway, and Grass Tree Hill road bear witness. 

 In 1837, when Sir John Franklin arrived, the population was 

 42,000, of which 1 7,593 were convicts ; and 32,000 acres of land were 

 under cultivation in wheat alone. The price of wheat then was 7«. 

 the bushel. Twenty-four new churches had been built during the 

 preceding 12 years. The imports were upwards of half a million 

 sterling in value, and the exports within £20,000 of the same 

 amount: 344 vessels arrived at and 363 sailed fiom the Ports of 

 Hobart Town and Launceston ; 65 vessels belonged to these Ports. 

 There were then 33 post-offices. The revenue of the Colony was 

 £154,000, and the expenditure £137,000. Seven criminals expiated 

 their oflFences on the scaffold. Eleven* years have since elapsed. 

 * * * * *_" 



Mr. Bicheuo read an interesting paper upon the Potato, — its 

 history and culture, — the potato disease, — and the influence and 

 effects of the Tuber, used as an exclusive or principal article of diet, 



* Mr. Barnard's paper in the present number affords data for carrying down 

 the comparison to the latest date to which tables are published. 



