reviously led to entertain of it. I
embarked for New South Wales, with strong prejudices against it: I left
it with strong feelings in its favour, and with a deep feeling of
interest in its prosperity. It is a pleasing task to me, therefore, to
write of it thus, and to have it in my power to contribute to the
removal of any erroneous impressions with regard to its condition at
the present moment.

COMMERCIAL IMPORTANCE OF SYDNEY.

I have already remarked, that I was not prepared for the scene that met
my view when I first saw Sydney. The fact was, I had not pictured to
myself; nor conceived from any thing that I had ever read or heard in
England, that so extensive a town could have been reared in that remote
region, in so brief a period as that which had elapsed since its
foundation. It is not, however, a distant or cursory glance that will
give the observer a just idea of the mercantile importance of this busy
capital. In order to form an accurate estimate of it, he should take a
boat and proceed from Sydney Cove to Darling Harbour. He would then be
satisfied, that it is not upon the first alone that Australian commerce
has raised its storehouse and wharfs, but that the whole extent of the
eastern shore of the last more capacious basin, is equally crowded with
warehouses, stores, dockyards, mills, and wharfs, the appearance and
solidity of which would do credit even to Liverpool. Where, thirty
years ago, the people flocked to the beach to hail an arrival, it is
not now unusual to see from thirty to forty vessels riding at anchor at
one time, collected there from every quarter of the globe. In 1832, one
hundred and fifty vessels entered the harbour of Port Jackson, from
foreign parts, the amount of their tonnage being 31,259 tons.

The increasing importance of Sydney must in some measure be attributed
to the flourishing condition of the colony itself, to the industry of
its farmers, to the successful enterprise of its merchants, and to
particular local causes. It is foreign to my purpose, however, to enter
largely into an investigation of these important points. To do so would
require more space than I can afford for the purpose, and might justly
be considered as irrelevant in a work of this kind. Without attempting
any lengthened detail, it may be considered sufficient if I endeavour
merely to point out the principal causes of the present prosperity
(and, as they may very probably prove) of the eventual progress of o