INHABITANTS OF AUSTEALIA. 



387 



them gradually from their European fellow-citizens, and bringing them somewhat 

 nearer to their North American kinsmen, whom they resemble in figure, bearing, 

 and even features. 



The German settlers, although numerous, are nowhere grouped in sufficient 

 masses to enable them to live apart from the English, and, in fact, they become 

 rapidly absorbed in the surrounding Australian populations. On the other hand, the 

 Chinese, formerly introduced in large numbers by capitalists to work their planta- 

 tions and mines, had begun to form a powerful class, which threatened to drive the 

 white workmen out of the labour market. But the national antagonism aroused by 

 these conflicting interests, by the 



"yellow danger," as it is called, ^ig. 164.-Inceease of the Australian Population. 



has had the result of rendering a 



residence in Queensland and the 



other Australian colonies almost 



impossible for the " Celestials." 



Thousands have had to leave the 



country, while recent laws passed 



in contravention to the treaties 



concluded with China, prevent them 



from landing, except on payment 



of a heavy fine, besides imposing on 



them all sorts of vexatious burdens. 



As in all modern colonies of an 

 industrial character, the immigrant 

 populations have been to a large 

 extent centred in the towns, and 

 owing to this tendency the cities of 

 Sydney and Melbourne alone con- 

 tain nearly a third of the whole 

 Australian population. Yet it is 

 from the land that the settlers in 

 this new world derive their chief 

 resources. A comparative study of 

 the ample statistics now available 



for the various provinces shows what an important economical position is already 

 occupied by the Australian colonies. Although the vast domain belonging to the 

 Crown has only been utilised to a relatively small extent, considerably over 

 100,000,000 acres had already been disposed of to private individuals at the 

 end of 1886, and either brought under cultivation, or devoted to stock-breeding, 

 and especially sheep- farming. Artesian wells, sunk in many of the inland regions, 

 have tapped the underground reservoirs, and transformed extensive arid wastes 

 into good grazing grounds ; projects are also being entertained for husbanding 

 the surface waters by means of dams and other hydraulic works. 



Australia is the first wool-producing country in the world, ranking in this 



