JFmtworth's New South JVales. 
6.50 
per cent, the price of labour was fixed 
at the rates contained in a general or¬ 
der, dated the 7th of December, 1S1G. 
PRICE OF LAND, PROVISIONS, &C. 
The price of land is entirely regu¬ 
lated by its situation and quality. So 
long as five years back 150 acres of very 
indifferent ground, about three quar¬ 
ters of a mile from Sydney, were sold 
by virtue of an execution, in hits of 
twelve acres each, and averaged £14 
per acre. This, however, is the highest 
price that has yet been given for land 
not situated in a town. The general 
value of unimproved forest land, when 
it is not heightened by some advanta¬ 
geous locality, as proximity to a town 
or navigable river, cannot be estimated 
at more than 10s. per acre. Flooded 
land will fetch double that sum. But 
on the banks of the Hawkesbury, as 
far as that river is navigable, the value 
ot land is considerably greater ; that, 
which is in a state of nature, being 
worth from £3 to £5 per acre, and that, 
which is in a state of cultivation, from 
£S to £10. The latter description rents 
from 30s. to 60s. per acre. 
MANUFACTURES. 
The progress which this colony has 
made in manufactures has, perhaps, 
never been equalled by any community 
of such recent origin. It already con¬ 
tains extensive manufactories of coarse 
woollen cloths, hats, earthenware and 
pipes, salt, candles, and soap. There 
are also extensive breweries and tan¬ 
neries, wheel and plough-wrights, gig- 
makers, black-smiths, nail-makers, tin¬ 
men, rope-makers, saddle and harness- 
makers, cabinet-makers, and, indeed, 
all sorts of mechanics and artificers 
that could be required in an infant so¬ 
ciety, where objects of utility are na- 
turally in greater demand than articles 
of luxury. Many of these have consi¬ 
derable capitals "embarked in their se¬ 
veral departments, and manufacture to 
a great extent. Of the precise amount, 
however, of capital invested in the 
whole of the colonial manufactories I 
can give no authentic account; but I 
should imagine it cannot be far short of 
£50,000. 
VAN DIEMEN’S LAND. 
Van Diemen’s Land is situated be¬ 
tween 40° 42', and 43° 43' of south 
latitude, and between 145° 3D and 
148° 22' of east longitude. The honour 
of the discovery of this island also be¬ 
longs to the Dutch ; but the survey of 
it has been effected principally by the 
English. 
The aborigines of this country are, if 
possible, still more barbarous and un¬ 
civilized than those of New Holland. 
They subsist entirely by huuting, and 
have no knowledge whatever of the 
art of fishing. Even the rude bark ca¬ 
noe, which their neighbours possess, is 
quite unknown to them ; and whenever 
they want to pass any sheet of water, 
they are compelled to construct a 
wretched raft for the occasion. 
This island is upon the whole moun¬ 
tainous, and consequently abounds in 
streams. On the summits of many of 
tile mountains there are large lakes, 
some of which are the sources of consi¬ 
derable rivers. Of these the Derwent, 
Huon, and Tamar, rank in the first 
class. 
There is, perhaps, no island in the 
world of the same size which can boast 
of so many fine harbours. The best 
are (he Derwent, Port Davy, Macquarie 
Harbour, Port Dalrymple, and Oyster 
Bay: the first is on its southern side, 
the second and third on its western, 
the fourth on its northern, and the fifth 
on its eastern : so that it has excellent 
harbours in every direction. 
The principal mineralogical produc¬ 
tions of this island are, iron, copper, 
alum, coals, slate, limestone, asbestus, 
and basaltes; all of which, with the 
exception of copper, are to be had in 
the greatest abundance. 
HOBART TOWN. 
„ Hobart Town, which is the seat of 
the Lieutenant Governor of Van Die¬ 
men’s Land, stands nine miles up the 
river Derwent. It was founded only 
fifteen years since; and indeed the 
rudeness of its appearance sufficiently 
indicates the recency of its origin. The 
houses are in general of the meanest 
description, seldom exceeding one story 
in height, and being for the most part 
weather-hoarded without, and lathed 
and plastered within. Even the govern¬ 
ment house is of very bad construction. 
The residences, indeed, of many indi¬ 
viduals far surpass it. The population 
may be estimated at about 1000 souls. 
CLIMATE, &C. . 
The climate of this island is equally 
healthy, and much more congenial to 
the European constitution, than that 
of Port Jackson. The north-west winds, 
which are there productive of such vio¬ 
lent variations of temperature, are here 
unknown; and neither the summers 
nor winters, are subject to any great 
extremes of heat or cold. The frosts, 
indeed, me much more severe, and of 
much 
