560 ORIENTAL COMMERCE. [New South Wales, 



the seat of Government ; except that much of the currency here consists of 

 notes of hand, or what are termed I. O. U. n s, payable at sight; these are 

 issued by any individual, and are negotiable in proportion to the credit of 

 the issuer. Much business is also transacted by barter : sheep being ex- 

 changed for sugar, rum, or tobacco. Both practices, however, are now 

 less common than formerly, owing to the issuing of notes by the bank at 

 Sydney. 



With the exception of Oyster Bay, in latitude 42° 42 S., longitude 

 148° 8' E., formed on the W. side of an island separated from Van Diem en's 

 Land by a strait, there seems to be no harbour of consequence known on 

 the E. coast. 



The N. coast contains only one harbour, which is 

 PORT DALRYMPLE, situated in latitude 41° S., longitude 

 147° 11' E. The harbour is difficult of access, and its entrance is not easily 

 discerned. The shoals which beset the passage are dangerous, and mostly 

 covered at half-tide. 



A considerable intercourse subsists between this port and New South 

 Wales. It is a very large corn district ; and there is a communication 

 betwixt Port Dalryraple and Hobart's Town by land ; the distance is about 

 160 miles. 



Trade. — The trade by sea is almost wholly confined to Port Jackson ; 

 consequently manufactured and other goods are charged here with double 

 freight and charges. At the period of Mr. Bigge's Report, the difference 

 in prices of common articles between Sydney and Launceston, (a town 

 situated at some distance from Port Dairy mple), was nearly 100 per cent. 



Among the merchantable products of the county of Cornwall, is iron. 

 A few miles from Port Dalrymple, considerable quantities of iron ore 

 have been discovered upon the surface, which proves to be pure protoxide 

 of iron, (similar to the black iron ore of Sweden), and furnishing a very 

 pure and malleable metal. 



GEORGE TOWN. — This is a new settlement within a very few miles 

 of the N. coast and Bass's Straits. It is yet in its infancy ; but being 

 favourably situated for trade, and roads being already mushed, communi- 

 cating with the interior, it is making rapid progress. 



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