75 
in Australia, in Canada, at the Cape of Good Hope and in Tas- 
mania; and science hand in hand with practice for the purpose 
of exploring and bringing to light the mineral treasures of those 
countries. 
New Zealand alone, the youngest of the colonies, was made 
an exception. While its remarkable animal and vegetable products 
were made known long ago through the elaborate treaties of cele- 
brated naturalists, its soil, in a geological point of view, remained 
a terra incognita. It is only within the last few years that a geo- 
logical and mineral ogical survey, conducted under the auspices of 
the Government , has been established. The first impulse to this pro- 
ceeded from a practical want, — the want of coal. 
Although this question has been for the present cast, into the 
shade by the dazzling discoveries of gold in the southern provinces; 
yet it will arise anew and gain in importance, in proportion to 
the rising swell of immigration, to the rapid increase of the popu- 
lation, and to the speedy development of navigation. The coal 
question in its turn will supplant the gold question, and the coal 
fields of New Zealand will at any rate long survive its goldfields. 
The demand for coal upon the Southern Hemisphere in the Pa- 
cific Ocean, although almost exclusively for navigation purposes, 
is already a colossal one. How much greater will this become, 
when once in the various countries of that hemisphere manufactur- 
ing is fully developed! The whole immense coast extent bordering 
Ihe Pacific Ocean from the Cape of Good Hope to the Behrings 
Strait, and from Cape Horn to the Aleutian Islands is likewise in 
want of coal. The supplies are furnished from England and North 
America, — millions of tons, and millions in value! As yet, there 
is but one point in the whole immense territory of the Pacific, 
which lias begun a very modest competition with the American 
and English coal trade; I am speaking of the Australian New- 
castle. 1 
As in Newcastle, England, so also here the vessels can 
1 Newcastle on Hunter River, North of Sydney, in the Colony of New South 
Wales. 
