and I will therefore conclude with those heart-stirring lines of our late poet-laureate, Lord Tennyson-—

"Britain's myriad voices call,

Sons be welded each and all

Into one imperial whole;

One with Britain, heart and soul,

One life, one flag, one fleet, one throne."

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

BY THE HON. JOHN ALEXANDER COCKBURN, M.D.

(London)

Agent-General for South Australia; late Premier of South Australia

SOUTH AUSTRALIA is the middle strip of the Australian continent running north and south from the Indian to the Southern Ocean. It is next-door neighbour to all the colonies of the mainland, having Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria on the east, and Western Australia, with its flush of gold, towards the setting The country north of the 26th parallel of latitude is known as the Northern Territory, and was annexed to South Australia in 1863.

sun.

The area of South Australia comprises 903,690 square miles, considerably more than four times the size of France, and ranks third in size of the British colonies.

The climate ranges from temperate to tropical, and is eminently salubrious. Although in summer the thermometer occasionally registers considerably over 100° F. in the shade, the air is so dry and clear, and evaporation takes place so readily, that the subjective sensation of heat is not so great as is experienced in a moist atmosphere with many degrees less heat. Frost and snow are almost unknown, and even in winter many of the days resemble those of an English summer. The sky, however, reveals a depth and intensity of blue unknown to northern latitudes, and the air is crisp, sparkling, and invigorating. As a climatic resort South Australia is sought after on the one hand as a means

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of escape from the rigour of an English winter, and on the other hand as a respite from the tropical heat of India.

The mean temperature in summer is about 73°, and in winter about 50°.

Fruit of every variety grows in the utmost profusion. On the plains, grapes, peaches, and apricots exhibit a magnificent luxuriance, and, owing to the perfection of elaboration of the sap by the abundant sunshine, are of specially luscious flavour. In the hills, apples, pears, cherries, and other English fruits attain to a size which in their original habitat would be regarded as phenomenal.

The death-rate is exceptionally low-11.48 in 1000 in 1896-and some of the scourges of less-favoured lands, such as smallpox and hydrophobia, are unknown in Australia.

Adelaide, the capital city, named after the Queen of William IV., is situated in latitude 34.55° S., and longitude 138.38° E., and lies about five miles eastward from the shore of St. Vincent's Gulf.

The city is situated on rising ground, nestling in the base of an amphitheatre of lofty hills, with a gentle declivity down to the sea-shore. The heart of the city covers a square mile, and is surrounded by a belt of park lands a quarter of a mile in width, reserved for all time for the health and recreation of the inhabitants. The streets are wide and run at right angles. There are five spacious squares, arranged symmetrically like the points on a domino: the one in the centre is called Victoria Square, and round it are grouped the government offices and many other public buildings. A perfect system of deep drainage renders the city exceptionally clean and wholesome.

The site of the city of Adelaide was selected by Colonel Light, the first Surveyor-General of the colony, who, in face of much opposition in high quarters,

tenaciously adhered to his decision. At the commencement of each civic year the city fathers reverently drink in solemn silence to his memory. Mr. G. S. Kingston, Deputy Surveyor-General, was the first white man who set foot on the site of the city of Adelaide. As Sir George Kingston he for many years filled the position of Speaker of the House of Assembly. The southern coast-line of South Australia was first systematically examined in 1801 by Matthew Flinders, who accurately surveyed and gave the existing names to the most marked natural features. He was accompanied in his voyage of discovery by a midshipman named John Franklin, who afterwards became famous as an arctic explorer. There was at this time some rivalry between France and England in the investigation of the Australian littoral. On his voyage eastward Flinders fell in with a French survey ship in a bay, called from this circumstance Encounter Bay. The commanders compared notes of their discoveries, and it is a strange coincidence that shortly afterwards, calling on his return voyage to England at Mauritiusthen the "Isle of France"-Flinders was seized and detained as a prisoner for over six years. The publication of the details of his voyages and adventures was consequently delayed till 1814, in which year he died, the romance of his career being crowned by the fact that his priceless discoveries were given to the world on the day of his death. Some action would doubtless have been taken by the people of England on the strength of Flinders's announcements, but the international complications which culminated in the battle of Waterloo occluded matters of Antipodean interest, and while they delayed British, they completely checked French, exploitation in this direction.

The Government of New South Wales, however, from time to time equipped exploring parties, and in 1829 Captain Sturt traced the River Darling down to

its junction with the Murray, and followed the latter river in its course through South Australian territory to its debouchement in Lake Alexandrina. Two years later Captain Barker vainly searched for some communication between Lake Alexandrina and the sea. He penetrated inland as far as Mount Lofty, the highest point of the range of hills which forms the boundary of the Adelaide plains. From this summit he viewed a promised land of surpassing loveliness and fertility. Afterwards he discovered the channel through which the waters of the Murray find their way to the sea. In order to take some bearings from a sand-hill on the farther side of the river he boldly swam across the stream, but was assailed and speared to death by a numerous party of blacks. From the Murray flatswhere this tragedy occurred-there is a fine view of a solitary mountain peak, which stands sentinel over a vast extent of lowland. This now bears the name of Mount Barker; and at its foot, and bearing the same name, is situated one of the most beautiful inland towns of Australia.

The news of such valuable features of country filling in the outline traced by Flinders excited much attention in England. A committee was formed, under the name of the "South Australian Association," and, owing to their efforts, a bill providing for the colonisation of South Australia passed through both Houses of Parliament, and became law on the last day of the session of 1834, the Right Hon. Spring Rice being at that time Secretary of State for the Colonies.

One of the provisions of the Act, which sheds a lustre on its promoters, was that" no person or persons convicted in any court of justice in Great Britain or Ireland, or elsewhere, shall at any time, or under any circumstances, be transported as a convict to any place within the limits hereinbefore described." It was also enacted that all persons residing in the province should