TASMANIA or Van Diemen’s Land, as it was called by Abel Janz Tasman, a Dutch navigator, on Nov. 24th, 1642, during an E. voyage from the Mauritius, is a large island forming one of the Australasian Group, and one of the Australian Colonies. When discovered, Tasmania was not known to be an island, and in fact was not until 1798 that Bass' Strait, so called after the discoverer Dr. Bass, was known to run between it and the Australian Continent. As now known Tasmania lies, excluding its islands, between 40° 40' (at Harbour Island Point, the N.W. extremity) and 43° 39' 50" (at S.E. Cape, the S. extremity) S. lat., and between 144° 39' (at West Cape), and 148° 23' 50" (at Cape Forestier, Freycinet’s Peninsula) E. lon., being about 170 miles from N. to S., and 160 miles from E. to W. It is calculated to have an area of about 25,000 square miles, or 15,571,500 acres, whilst the islands belonging to it have an aggregate area of about 1,040,000 acres. Tasmania was, as has been said, discovered by Tasman, and was named by him Van Diemen’s Land, after Anthony Van Diemen, then Governor of Dutch India. Nothing, however, beyond its mere existence was known until it was visited by Captain Cook, and by Captain Furneaux, who visited it in 1773, and again in 1777. It was not, however, until 1803 that any settlement took place, and in that year a small detachment from Sydney under Lieutenant Bowen took formal possession under the English Government, with a view of forming a penal settlement upon its shores. The place they landed at was a spot on the E. bank of the Derwent River, now known as Risdon or Restdown, a few miles distant from where Hobart Town now stands. In Feb., 1804, a number of convicts from England under Colonel Collins arrived and landed at Sullivan's Cove, where the site of Hobart Town was decided on, Colonel Collins taking possession as Lieutenant-Governor, and appointing a number of gentlemen, who accompanied him, to fill the various offices of his infant Government. In the same year York Town, on the Tamar, was settled under Colonel Paterson from Sydney, but was afterwards abandoned. About 3 years after this cattle and sheep were first imported, and it was discovered that that the colony itself would, if the land were cultivated, preclude the necessity of seeking elsewhere for food. In 1810 Governor Collins died and was succeeded by Lieut. Edward Lord, Captain Murray, and Lieut. Colonel Geifs, until the arrival of Lieut.-Colonel Davey in 1813, who was lieut.-Governor. About this time commerce was first permitted and bushr anging first showed itself. In 1816 the first com was exported to Port Phillip, and whales were caught in the Derwent. In short, about this period in the history of the colony, she began first to straggle out of her difficulties into which shortness of provisions, dangers from savages and bushrangers, floods and fires, and the fact of her being a penal settlement, almost exclusively had held her. Since then she has, with some reverses, gone on prospering, and owing to the cessation of transportation to her shores, to free immigration, liberal land laws, and especially, of late, to the discovery of rich deposits of mineral treasure almost all over the island, she has risen to prosperity, and has, by perseverance, energy, and enterprise, a brilliant future before her. Tasmania is governed under a constitution formed in 1856, by a Governor, Frederick Aloysius Weld., Esq., C. M. G., aided by a Cabinet, who have the Executive power, and a Legislative Council of 16 and a House of Assembly of 32 members, both elective and, forming the Parliament, who have the Legislative power. The population of the colony (as estimated on the 31st December, 1875, was 103,663, consisting of 54,643 males, and 49,020 females, although during the year 1876, and the beginning of the present year, there has been, due to the increase in the tin mining industry, and the revival of gold-mining, a steady increase in the male population. For the information of persons residing out of the colony, it may be useful to mention that in 1867 an Act (31 Vic. No. 26) was passed for the encouragement of immigration to Tasmania. As amended by Act 38 Vict. No. 16, it provides that each immigrant who shall have been approved by an agent to be appointed by the Immigration Board for the purposes of the Act, who shall have arrived direct from Europe, and have paid the full cost of the passage of himself and family, shall receive a “Land Order Warrant” entitling him to one “Land Older,” available in payments pro tanto for land purchased at auction sale or selected for purchase under the Waste Lands Act, to the value of £18 for each person of 15 years and upwards, and of £9 for each child between 12 months and 15 years, whom he may so introduce. Another clause provides that any cabin or intermediate passenger from Europe, India, or any other country except Australia or New Zealand, arriving here with the intention of settling, and paying his own passage, if he has not already obtained a “Land Order, may, within 12 months after arrival, claim a “Certificate,” available instead of payment, authorising him to select 30 acres of land for himself, 20 for his wife, and 10 for each child. In both the cases provided for by this Act the land to become the absolute property of the immigrant only after five years continuous residence from the date of the land order or certificate, as the case may be. If a person so entitled to land die before the expiration of the five years a “Grant” may, after such five years, be issued to his heirs or devisee, S £1 per acre has been spent in permanent improvements. The “Land Order” to be applied for within 12 months after the arrival of the immigrant himself, or his wife and each child. The value of goods imported during 1875 amounted to £1,185,942, showing a decrease against the previous year of £71,842, or 5. 57 per cent., while the value of exports for 1875 was £1,085,976, an increase over 1874 of £160,651, or 17. 36 per cent. In 1876 the imports were £1,132,998, and the exports £1,128,042. The increases in the quantities and values of the principal articles of export in 1875 over those in 1874 are shown below:

For the first two months of the present year (1877), the total returns show: Imports, £180,711; and exports, £386,845; a large increase over the corresponding two months of that year. The total shipping for the last two years was as follows:

There were cm the register on the 31st December, 1876,187 vessels, of 18,317 tons, On the corresponding day of the previous year there were 180 vessels, of 17,744 tons. Of these in 1874,10 of 3,135 tons, and in 1875,9 of 2,773 tons, were steamers. In the whale fisheries, in 1875, were employed 13 vessels, with a tonnage of 3,525, manned by 315 persons. Of these vessels, 6 returned to port, during the year, bringing 138 tuns of sperm oil, valued at £12,465. In 1866 the number of vessels employed was 9. It increased in the 3 following years to 10,16, and 17 respectively; declined to 15 in 1870; rose to 19 in the next year; again declined to 18 in 1873; and fell to 16 in 1874. The value of produce brought into port in 1875 was smaller than in any other year of the decennium, the next lowest having been £22,800 in 1867; and the greatest, £52,546 in 1868. The local industries, manufactories and trades carried on in the colony, number altogether 3,300, the principal ones being, besides the usual avocations of bakers, butchers, cazponters, hotel keepers (of which latter there are 387), iron smelting works, 2, tin smelting works, 1, the Mount Bischoff Company’s works in Launceston, and another now being built in Hobart Town, jam manufactories 7,5 in Hobart Town, and 2 on the Huon. There are also 3 woollen manufactories, 51 boat and ship builders, 2 potteries, 20 breweries, 65 flour mills, 5 candle, etc., manufactories, 46 agricultural implement manufactories, and 2 hat factories. One of these, that of Mr. Bidencope, in Hobart Town, for the manufacture of felt, fur, and silk hats, deserves special mention as being the largest in the colonies. Hats are manufactured here from the Taw wool and fur, the several processes being carried on from carding the material to finishing the hats, under the same roof, and valuable and intricate machinery being used in the various processes. The number of hands employed in this establishment is 56. The following report of Mr. E. C. Nowell, Government Statistician, up to December 31st, 1875, will show the state of the mining industries. Although, it is only fair to state that since that time there has been a large development of the stanniferous country on the N.E. coast, on the Ringarooma River, Gould’s Country, and George’s Bay, of which no account is taken. The rich deposits, both of tin and gold, known to exist, and being rapidly developed there, will therefore make a material difference to the present (1877) and future of the colony. “Alluvial operations will probably never be-carried on to any extent in this colony, and it is therefore not a matter of surprise that they should have declined. As to quartz-mining, however, there is no reason to doubt that it may yet become a steady and profitable pursuit. I therefore give below the principal facts connected with it, as shown in the returns for five years; also the total yield from both sources.

The yield in the last year was less than in the three previous years; but there is reason to believe that the very promising results which have been obtained at the Nine Mile Springs since the beginning of the present year will recall attention to mines which have been abandoned or left unworked. I find from the report of the directors that the quantity of gold obtained from the New Native Youth Company’s claims at the Nine Mile Springs during the last half-year was 31,333 ozs., valued at £12,745, from 1790 tons of quartz—the average yield per ton of quartz being about 1 oz. 15 dwts. The City of Hobart Mine at Mangana has produced an ounce and a quarter to the ton from 202 tons of stone. Among other noticeable yields at Nine Mile Springs which have been reported from time to time during the current year was one of 1470 ozs., valued at £6060, from 516 tons of quartz, which gives an average of nearly 2 ozs. 17 dwts. per ton. (The returns of gold exported during the six months ending March 31st, 1877, show a value of £28,870, as compared with £6,156 exported during the corresponding six months of the previous year, proving that the mining industry, after a season of dullness, is again looking up). The produce of the mines and quarries in 1875 differed very largely from that of the previous year. On coal there was a decrease of 1557 tons, or nearly 17 per cent. Port Sorell was the only district in which the quantity raised was greater, but that was only to the extent of a few tons. On stone there was a large decrease; also on slate, in consequence of the companies having broken down—whether from mismanagement or want of capital I know not. That the failure was due to one or both of these causes is evident, the slates having been reported as of excellent quality, abundant in quantity, and the demand in the colonies being quite sufficient to make the manufacture a profitable one. Of iron-ore, 3200 tons were raised, as against 1400 in the previous year. On the 17th June in the present year the extensive works of the “Tasmanian Charcoal Iron Company” were formally inaugurated by His Excellency the Governor: and since the Company has secured the aid of English skill and capital, the question whether iron can be profitably manufactured in this Colony will soon be solved. During the year, 510 tons of manufactured, iron and 6 tons of ore were exported. The increased production of iron necessarily involved, an increase in that of lime, from 7612 to 10,698 bushels; and of limestone, from 445 to 1000 tons. Of tin-ore, the quantity, raised at Mount Bischoff was returned as 490 tons in the two last years; but as to the northern or northeastern district it has not been possible to obtain any corresponding particulars, the miners being scattered over a large extent of country, and no machinery being available for the purpose of collecting such information. The quantity of ore and metal will, according to all appearance, be greatly augmented during the present year. I learn from a report on the tin mines at Mount Bischoff with which the visiting magistrate for that district was kind enough to furnish me in March last, that the tramway to connect the mines with a shipping-place at Emu Bay, which is in course of construction by the Van Diemen’s Land Company, was then so far advanced that some seven or eight miles were ready for the laying down of the sleepers and rails; that the horse-track between Wynyard and Mount Bischoff had been opened, partly by private subscription and partly at the expense of the Government, the only impediment to horse traffic being the crossing of the River Hellyer, over which, however, it was in contemplation to construct a temporary bridge; and that the works had been delayed by the difficulty experienced in obtaining labour, about 220 men being employed on them. Smelting furnaces had been erected by one company on the spot, and the results are stated to have been “most satisfactory.” The fuel used was wood, of which there is an “almost inexhaustible supply covering every section.” It is also stated that, on 31st December, 1875, there were 183 men at these mines, besides several women and children. The quantity of ore raised during the year, as returned by the various companies; was 607 tons; of ore smelted in Launceston, 534 tons, producing nearly 323 tons—60 per cent. of ingot tin. The value of the buildings and plant at Mount Bischoff was set down at £6400; about £5000 had been spent in construction of tramways at the Mount, beside £4334 on repairs to the road from thence to Emu Bay. The cost of cartage is reported to have been £8 up and £6 down, as much as £20 having been paid during the bad weather for conveying rations by pack horses.” To show the rapid advance made in this industry it may be mentioned that the value of the ore exported during the 6 months ending March 31st, 1877, is estimated at £107,546 as compared with £29,210 for the corresponding half year in 1876. The postal and telegraphic departments of Tasmania are well carried out. There are now (1877) no fewer than 178 post offices, a large number of new ones having been opened in the N.W., and N.E. parts of the territory since the development of the stanniferous country of Ringarooma, George's Bay, and Mount Bischoff. Of these 37 are money order, and 34 telegraphic offices, besides 8 telegraph stations on the Launceston and Western railway, and 12 on the Main Line railway. It may not be uninteresting to remark as a proof of the rapid progress of the colony, that, from information kindly afforded by the Secretary of the Post office department, it appears that the number of postage stamps sold, over and above the natural increase, has during the past year, taken a large and sudden rise, and further, that new post offices are continually being opened. information is also given by the Superintendent of Telegraphs, who states that the number of telegrams sent during the last few months is greatly in excess of what was ever anticipated, and, also, that new offices are shortly to be opened. There are two railways in the colony; one, the line Railway, from Hobart Town to Launceston, 133 miles, with intermediate stations at O'Brien's Bridge, 6½m.; New Norfolk Road, 12½m.; North Bridgewater, 13½m.; Brighton, 17m.; Tea Tree, 21m.; Campania, 27½m.; Jerusalem, 39m.; Flat Top, 46½m.; Jencho, 61½m.; Oatlands, 55½m.; Eastern Marshes, 57½m.; York Plains, 62½m.; Antill Ponds, 68m.; Tunbridge, 74m.; Ross, 83½m.; Campbell Town, 91m.; Comers, 98m.; Cleveland, 101m.; Epping Forest, 105m.; Snake Banks, 112m.; Evandale, 120m.; Evandale Junction, 122m.; Breadalbane, 126m.; St. Leonards, 129m. This railway, which is on the narrow gauge principle (3ft. 6in. ), has been constructed by a private company under contract with the Government to construct, maintain, and work the line, the Government guaranteeing the company interest at 5 per cent, on money expended on construction up to £650,000 for 34 yrs., from March 15,1871, the other the Launceston and Western line runs at present from Launceston to Deloraine, 45m., with intermediate stations at St. Leonards, 4m.; Breadalbane, 7¼m.; Evandale Road, 11½m.; Perth, 14¾m.; Longford, 17¾m.; Wilmore’s Lane, 21½m.; Little Hampton, 22¾m.; Bishops bourne, 24¾m.; Oaks, 26½m.; Glenore, 28½m.; Hagley, 31½m.; Westbury, 35m.; Exton 41½m. This railway is a Government line under the control of the Lands and Works Department. It is on the medium gauge principle (4ft. 8in. ) The entire land of the colony comprises 16,778,000 acres, of which 4,024,804 acres had been alienated at the end of 1875, leaving 12,753,192 acres as the public estate. Of this 162 acres were taken up as gold mining leases in force at the end of 1875. and 31 acres as prospecting areas, whilst 9,730 acres were taken up under lease for tin, iron, coal, bismuth, slate, and lime; of this 6,936 acres were taken up for tin.

The returns of the same date show the live stock to have been: 23,473 horses, 118,698 homed cattle, 1,719,768 sheep and lambs, 2,242 goats, 8 mules, 13 asses, and 47,664 pigs, exclusive of between 11,000 and 12,000 sheep on the islands in Bass’ Strait During 1875 there were 154 schools under the Board of Education open, with 263 teachers, and 39 pupil teachers and paid monitors. The number or scholars on the rolls was 12,271, and the average daily attendance 5,703. Besides the public, there are several excellent private schools and colleges, among which may be specially noticed the Horton College, at Ross, and the Hutchins, High, and Collegiate schools in Hobart Town, and the Church of England Grammar School in Launceston. The Council of Education confers annually 2 Tasmanian Scholarships of £200 per annum each, an A. A. Degree, a Dry Scholarship, and 2 Exhibitions of £20 each, also a triennial Gilchrist Scholarship of £100 per annum. The religious element in the colony is well represented. The places of worship are as follows: Church of England, 118; Roman Catholic, 44; Church of Scotland, 18; Free Church of Scotland, 7; Independents, 31; Baptists, 9; Wesleyan Methodists, 61; Society of Friends, 1; Jews, 2; Mahometans, Pagans, and other sects, 25. Total, 316. The population as classified according to their religious persuasions, are as follows: Church of England, 53,047; Church of Rome, 22,091; Church of Scotland, 6,644; Free Church of Scotland, 2,420; Independents, 3,931; Baptists, 931; Wesleyan Methodists, 7,187; Society of Friends, 82; Jews, 532; Mahommedans or Pagans, ___gother sects, 2,759; total, 99,328. The Friendly Societies registered under the Friendly Societies Act, including 12 Oddfellows’ lodges, and 8 Rechabites’ tents, had 1,902 members, with a total receipt of £6,081 17s. 6½d.; expenditure, £5,385 15s. 9d; and capital of £12,133 6s. 1½d. The main roads of the colony are generally in good repair, the great N. road being without exception the finest in Australia. It runs from Hobart Town to Launceston, was made by prison labour, and is a marvel of road construction, being perfectly good throughout. Page’s stage coaches still run over this road, but there is a report that they will shortly be taken off between the termini, although they will continue to run to other parts of the colony. In fact, all available parts of Tasmania are easily reached by coach over generally excellent roads. The capital of the colony is Hobart Town, where are the parliament houses, Government departments, and the Governor’s residence, although Launceston may fairly claim to be considered the capital of the northern portion. Both places are well represented by daily and weekly newspapers. Tasmania is divided into 18 counties, and also into 19 rural municipalities, and 8 police districts, which have control over all local matters. Tasmania is connected to Victoria by an electric cable and land lines are laid down thence to the other colonies of Australia, and cables to New Zealand, and to England by way of Java. There is regular mail communication with Great Britain every 4 weeks by way of Melbourne, from which colony the T. S. N. Co. ’s steamers run twice a week to Launceston, and twice a month to Hobart Town, one additional steamer (McMeckan and Blackwood’s) from Melbourne to New Zealand also calls once a month, and a T. S. N. Co. ’s steamer plies twice a month from Sydney to Hobart Town. A number of sailing vessels are also continually trading to and from the other colonies. The salubrity of Tasmania is so well known that it has long been the refuge of invalids from all the other colonies, who overcome by the heat and the variable weather of the main land, come over to the island to recuperate. Its mild and equable climate, its pure atmosphere, its health giving breezes, tempered from the extremes of heat and cold by the bracing sea air render it a place in which not only to live, but to enjoy the luxury of living. The temperature of Hobart Town has been found for 30 years, to average 54° 72', the summer heat being 62°, winter 47°, spring 54°, and autumn 55°. But not only is Tasmania celebrated for the salubrity of its climate. It is equally celebrated for the magnificence of its scenery. It(...) is,(...) indeed, a land of mountain and valley, of placid lake, and winding river. The tranquil beauty of its lowlands, dotted with flourishing homesteads, and fragrant meadows contrast with the grandeur of of its lofty peaks and its wild and barren plateaus, and the poet and the painter may wander at will along its green lanes and calm beaches, or may scale the terrible fastnesses of its craggy peaks, finding a new beauty at every turn, a new charm in every view. It produces all the fruits of Europe in luxuriant abundance, as well as many of those of semi-tropical climates. The cereals and root crops of Europe, the maize of America, and the grain and millet of India grow to perfection, and no were of all kinds grow in its gardens. Its trees furnish timber highly prized in other colonies, the name of one, the Huon pine, being well known all over the world. Game birds are plentiful, oysters abound, and fish of excellent quality are found in its rivers and on its coasts. Kangaroos innumerable inhabit its plains and forests, and, of late, English fish, birds, and animals have been successfully acclimatised. The lakes and mountains are of gigantic proportions, the principal of the latter being the Cradle Mountain 5,069ft. high, and of the former the Great Lake, which has an area of 50,000 acres, is 42 miles round, and lies at an elevation of 3,822ft. above sea level. The principal rivers are the Derwent, Tamar, Huon, Gordon, Pieman, Arthur, Mersey, North and South Esk, Meander, Macquarie, Clyde, Ouse, and Jordan. The geological formation of the N. side of the island as compared with that of the S. seem to be in the absence of the fossiliferous limestone, and associated coal measures, the small proportion of greenstone or secondary trap, the abundance of granite, and the extension northward of rocks partly identical with the silurian schists of Fingal. In the N.E. granite and metamorphic rocks exist in extensive masses, and in still greater force in the S.W. The remainder of the island appears to consist of great intersecting ridges of greenstone, enclosing valleys of palæozoic formation. Mount Wellington, which overhangs Hobart Town, is composed of massive greenstone. At its base are white and yellow sandstones nearly horizontal, then shales and limestone, also horizontal, and lastly, the capping of greenstone, 1,700ft. thick. Excellent freestone abounds at Spring Bay, Bellerive, and many other places, and dark blue limestone at Glenorchy, and white limestone is very prevalent. Fossil wood is found at New Norfolk, and opalised wood, jasper, obsidian, and igneous rocks indicating volcanic action, at Macquarie Plains. Iron ore is found in large quanties on the Tamar River, roofing slate on the Piper’s River, and coal almost everywhere, whilst the late discoveries of gold, tin, silver ore, lead, copper, antimony, bismuth, plumbago, and other minerals, point out that Tasmania is destined, at no remote time, to take a high position, not only as a com and wool producing country, but as a home for thousands of industrious miners, bent on wresting the hidden treasure from the yielding soil.