Tasmania
formerly Van Diemen's Land, an island in the Southern Ocean, 100 miles S. of Australia, from which it is separated by Bass Strait; greatest length, 186 miles; mean breadth, 165 Ε. Μ. Newman PORT SAID, SHOWING THE STATUE OF DE LESSEPS AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE SUEZ CANAL Enc. Vol. 9-p. 260 Ε. Μ. Newman XH CONTRASTING TYPES OF VESSELS AT PORT SAID, SUEZ CANAL Publishers' Photo Service STEAMERS PASSING THROUGH THE SUEZ CANAL Publishers, Photo Service A VESSEL PASSING THROUGH THE SUEZ CANAL, AS SEEN FROM THE DESERT Keystone View Company ENTRANCE TO SIMPLON TUNNEL, SWITZERLAND Publishers' Photo Service ST. MORITZ, FAMOUS FOR WINTER SPORTS Publishers' Photo Service THE GOTTHARD EXPRESS, SWITZERLAND Underwood & Underwood COG RAILROAD ON MT. PILATUS, SWITZERLAND miles; area, 26,215 square miles; pop. (est. 1919), 270,881. The capital is Hobart on the S. coast; pop. with suburbs (1919), 40,352.
Topography. - The island may be roughly described as heart-shaped. The coasts, which are all much broken and in- The islands belonging to Tasmania are numerous, the principal being the Fur- neaux group, on the N. E. extremity. The islands belonging to Tasmania are numerous, the principal being the Furneaux group, on the N. E. extremity. Tasmania is traversed by numerous mountain ranges, the chief summits of which are Mount Humboldt, 5,520 feet; Mount Wellington, 4,195 feet; and Ben Lomond, 5,002 feet. The prevailing rocks are crystalline, consisting of basalt, gran- ite, gneiss, quartz, etc. The chief rivers are crystalline, consisting of basalt, granite, gneiss, quartz, etc. The chief rivers are the Derwent the Huon, the Arthur, and the Tamar. The chief lake is Lake Westmoreland, which covers an area of 28,000 acres; Lake Sorell, 17,000 acres; Lake St. Clair, 10,000 acres.
Climate. The climate is very mild.
Mount Wellington is frequently cov- ered with snow in the summer months; Climate.-The climate is very mild. ered with snow in the summer months; hs, durbut at Hobart, in its immediate vicinity, snow never falls. In December, January and Februar February, the summer months , ing which there is little rain, the average and February, the summer months, dur- The mean temperature throughout the year is about 55°.4. The average rainfall is about 24.05 inches. Agriculture. Much of the soil of Tasmania is well adapted for cultivation. Wheat, oats, barley, y, po potatoes, peas, beans and hops are largely cultivated, and the Wheat, oats, barley, potatoes, peas, beans quinces, mulberries, p peaches, apricots, and hops are largely cultivated, and the preserving forms an important industry.
Zoology. Kangaroos and other herbivorous animals of the pouched kind are numerous. There are two marsupial carnivorous animals called the Tasmanian wolf and the Tasmanian devil, both of which are destructive to sheep. The natural forests are chiefly of the eucalyptus or gum tree, pine, and acacia tribe. Mineralogy. Among the minerals are gold, silver, copper, iron, tin, coal, freestone, limestone, and roofing slate. Smelting works have been erected at Ho bart for the iron which abounds in that district.
Commerce. The staple export from Tasmania is wool, and the other articles include gold, tin, timber, grain, fruit, hides and bark. In jam, hops, hides and skins, 1917-1918 the exports were valued Tasmania is wool, and the other articles duced in 1918: Gold, 10,529 ounces; silver-lead, 7,241 tons; copper, about 6,000 tons; coal, 60,163 tons. Revenue, TASMANIA Government.-The colony is divided house of assembly. The constitution is settled by the Act 18 Victoria (1854), supplemented by acts passed in 1871 and into electoral districts for returning settled by the Act 18 Victoria (1854), members to the legislative council and house of assembly. The constitution is supplemented by acts passed in 1871 and 1885, by which are constituted a legislative council and house of assembly, called the Parliament of Tasmania. The legislative council is composed of 18 members, and the house of assembly of 36 members, the latter being elected for five years. The governor is appointed by the crown, and he has a responsible cabinet of four official members, the colonial secretary, treasurer, attorney-general, and minister of land and works. vided into parishes. Another division is into electoral districts for returning members to the legislative council and 459,748.
Religion. The majority of the colonists belong to the Church of England, Roman Catholics, Methodists and Presbyterians ranking next in the order named. Education is compulsory, and grees. In 1918 there were 486 elementthe higher education is under a council, who hold examinations and grant deary and 16 high schools. History. Tasmania was discovered in named it after Van Diemen, the governamed it after Van Diemen, the governor of the Dutch East Indies. It was visited by Cook in 1769, and during the ment was made in 1803 by a guard with 1797 Bass discovered the strait which has been called after him. The first settlea body of convicts, who settled at Restment was made in 1803 by a guard with down, but afterward removed to the site now occupied by Hobart. The develop- ment of the country made slow progress now occupied by Hobart. The development of the country made slow progress till the land was divided into small ments and farming stock and government pensions reckoned as capital. Convict labor was supplied, and at a very moderate expense farms were cleared for culalways been carried on with great suctivation. Sheep, cattle, and horses were introduced, and the raising of stock has cess.
Till 1824 Tasmania was a depen- For a series of years the prosperity dency of New South Wales, but in that the colony was retarded by the hostility year it was made an independent colony.
For a series of years the prosperity of the colony was retarded by the hostility of the natives and the depredations of The aborigines have escaped convicts, known by the name of was abolished, and about the same time bush-rangers. ceased to exist, in 1853 transportation the name of Tasmania was officially adopted on the petition of the colonists.
When gold was discovered in Australia in 1851, a rapid emigration from Tasmania to Australia began to take place. TASMANIA This naturally gave a great check to its prosperity, but for years it has now been fairly prosperous and progressing with moderate rapidity.