nes of steamships--British, American, French, Italian,
etc.--that trade with Australia, and is indeed one of the great
seaports of the world.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

South Australia (358,224 in 1897) occupies the whole central part of
the continent from north to south. But as only a very small portion
of this vast area is settled--the southeast corner--it may be
described as in characteristics resembling Victoria. Its principal
industry is WHEAT-GROWING. South Australia is indeed the great granary
of the continent, and is destined to be one of the great granaries of
the world. Like the other divisions of Australia, South Australia,
when once drought has been overcome by irrigation, is destined to
become a great fruit country, its warm, moistureless climate being
peculiarly well suited to the ripening of fruits of exquisite
flavours. Already its olives are pronounced the finest in the world.
The principal city and chief port is ADELAIDE (with suburbs 144,352).
Like other Australian ports, Adelaide possesses excellent steamboat
shipping facilities. In the north, on the Timor Sea, is PORT DARWIN,
likely to be an important trade centre.

QUEENSLAND

The most interesting of all the Australian colonies is Queensland
(population 472,179), for it is a tropical country with a climate so
salubrious that white people can live in it and be comfortable and
healthy. The heat, instead of being enervating, is stimulating and
bracing. A great portion of its soil is of unsurpassed fertility. The
only drawback is the unequal distribution throughout the year of the
rainfall. But wherever irrigation wells are sunk the climate becomes
highly suitable for SHEEP-RAISING, and also for the growing of many
kinds of FRUIT. There are already 15,000,000 sheep and 5,000,000
cattle in the colony, and wool is exported to the amount of
$15,000,000 annually. Other agricultural exports are frozen beef and
mutton, and hides and skins. WOOL is the chief export. The second
export in importance is GOLD, which reaches $10,000,000 per annum. Tin
is also exported, and coal, though little worked, is abundant.
Developing exports are sugar ($2,500,000 per annum), arrowroot,
cotton, tobacco, rice, and coffee. A difficulty, however, in the
development of these products is the labour question. White men cannot
work in the plantations. Chinese prefer to work in the mines. The
natives won't work anywhere. No negroes are obtainable. As a
consequence Polynesians have to b