Sydney
the capital of New South Wales and the parent city of Australia, picturesquely situated on the S. shore of Port Jackson, the shore line being deeply indented by capacious bays or inlets which form harbors in themselves, and are lined with wharves, quays, and warehouses. Some of the older streets are narrow and crooked, bearing a striking resemblance to those of an English town; but the more modern streets, such as George street, Pitt street, Market street, King street, and Hunter street, rank high in order of architectural merit. The steam tramway system is extended to all parts of the suburbs, and water communication between the city and its transmarine suburbs, Balmain, North Shore, Manly Beach, etc., is maintained by numerous steam ferries. Among the most important public buildings are the new government offices, magnificent white freestone structures in the Italian style; the town hall, with a tower 200 feet high, and a very capacious great hall; the postoffice, an Italian building with a tower 250 feet SYENITE high; the government house; the university, a Gothic building with a frontage of nearly 400 feet, situated in a fine park; the free public library; school of art; public museum; grammar school; St. Andrew's (Episcopal) Cathedral; St.
Mary's (R. C.) Cathedral; the Jewish synagogue; exchange; custom house; mint, parliament houses; hospitals, asylums, and numerous other ecclesiastical, scholastic, and business buildings.
The city is well lighted with gas, and the electric light is used at the leading quay, the postoffice, the railway terminus, and other places. The places of open-air recreation include the Domain, a beautiful park covering about 140 acres; Hyde Park, 40 acres, near the center of the city; the Botanical Gardens, the finest in the colonies, 38 acres; Moore Park, 600 acres; the Centennial Park, designed to commemorate the colony's centenary (1888), 768 acres; and the race course, 202 acres. The entrance from the Pacific Ocean to Port Jackson, about 4 miles N. E. of Sydney, is 1 mile in width, and is strongly fortified; the bay itself is about 10 miles in length and 3 in average breadth; it is well sheltered, and has a depth of water sufficient to float the largest vessels. Besides wharves and quays there are dry docks and other accommodation for shipping, and the trade of the port is very large. The principal exports are wool, tallow, hides, preserved meat, tin, copper, etc.; the imports, grain, tea, coffee, sugar, wine and spirits, ironware and machinery, cotton and woolen goods, wearing apparel, furniture, etc. Sydney was founded in 1788, and was named in honor of Viscount Sydney, the colonial secretary. It was incorporated in 1842. The discovery of gold in the colony in 1851 gave an immense impetus to its progress. (1918) 792,300.
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