2^ Observations on Tasinanian Statistics. 



due to the fact, that many of the vessels which would have 

 come hither were attracted to Victoria; but in 1863 a re- 

 action had taken place to a certain extent, and the trade to 

 Victoria had been overdone, and exporters had found out 

 that consignments, which had ceased to yield profitable 

 returns in Melbourne, might still meet with an advantageous 

 market in Tasmania, — and hence the comparatively large 

 increase in 1853, It would also appear, from the increase 

 in tonnage as compared with the nvimber of vessels em- 

 ployed, that they must have been of a larger calibre than 

 had previously visited our ports. 



Of the vessels outwards the total number in 1850 was 702, 

 and the tonnage 104,848; and in 1853, 999 vessels and 

 188,279 tons : the progressive rates of increase being 1851, 

 12 per cent. ; 1852,5 per cent. ; and 1853, 31 per cent. : the 

 increase of tonnage being respectively 13 per cent, in 185 J, 

 14 per cent, in 1852, and 38 per cent, in 1853. Upon the 

 average of the three years, the proportion of shipping 

 annually to Great Britain was 31 vessels, 8749 tons; to 

 British Colonies 804 vessels, 124,239 tons; to the United 

 States 20 vessels, 5964 tons ; and to foreign states 25 vessels, 

 8801 tons. Of the whole tonnage inwards the proportion 

 from Great Britain is 15"8 per cent., from British Colonies 

 81 per cent., from the United States 1*2 per cent., and from 

 foreign states 1"7 per cent. ; and of the whole tonnage out- 

 wards the proportion to Great Britain is 4*7 per cent., to 

 British Colonies 88*3 per cent., to the United States 0*5 

 per cent., and to foreign states 6'3 per cent. 



Ship -building was rapidly advancing in importance as an 

 industrial pursuit at the time of the gold discoveries, from 

 which it received a severe check that it has not yet recovered 

 from ; but, like other branches of trade, it appears to have 

 reached the lowest point of depression, brought about by the 



