principally in subordinate
capacities, who are not borne on the parliamentary estimate of
the civil establishment. These two funds amounted in the year
1817 to the sum of L20,272 6s. 21/2d. which was
derived from the following sources:

*Duties collected by the naval officer, 17,240 0 71/4
Market, toll, and slaughtering duties, 872 5 71/4
67 Spirit Licences, 2,010 0 0
10 Beer ditto, 50 0 0
4 Brewing ditto, 100 0 0

Total L20,272 6 21/2

[* For a list of these Duties, see the
Appendix.]

If we add to this L907 6s. 91/4d. which is the
amount of the naval officer's commission on the duties collected
by him, we have a grand total of L21,179 12s. 113/4d.;
or, in other words, about one-sixth of the whole income of the
colony, absorbed by an illegal taxation. This is an enormous sum
to be levied in such an infant community; and it will appear the
more so if it be recollected that nineteen-twentieths of it are
collected from the duty which has been imposed on spirituous
liquors, and from licences to keep public-houses for the retail
of them.

STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF THE SETTLEMENTS IN VAN DIEMEN'S
LAND.

Van Diemen's Land is situated between 40 degrees 42', and 43
degrees 43' of south latitude, and between 145 degrees 31' and
148 degrees 22' of east longitude. The honour of the discovery of
this island also belongs to the Dutch; but the survey of it has
been principally effected by the English.

The aborigines of this country are, if possible, still more
barbarous and uncivilised than those of New Holland. They subsist
entirely by hunting, and have no knowledge whatever of the art of
fishing. Even the rude bark canoe 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 rude raft for
the occasion. Their arms and hunting implements also indicate an
inferior degree of civilization. The womera, or throwing stick,
which enables the natives of Port Jackson to cast their spears
with such amazing force and precision, is not used by them. Their
spears, too, instead of being made with the bulrush, and only
pointed with hard wood, are composed entirely of it, and are
consequently more ponderous. In using them they grasp the center;
but they neither throw them so far nor so dexterously as the
natives of the