Name of colony. RAILWAYS AND ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS. The following table shows the number of miles of railway and electric telegraph, either open or in course of construction, in Australasia on the 31st of December, 1880: According to the returns of the last census, taken April 3, 1881, the population of Victoria was 862,346; of New South Wales, 748,882; of South Australia, 286,211; of Queensland, 218,159; of Western Australia, 31,000; of Tasmania, 115,705; and of New Zealand, excluding the Maoris, 490,151; total population for Australasia, 2,752,454. AUSTRALIAN EXHIBITIONS. Although the Sydney and Melbourne international exhibitions now belong to the past, the question may now be asked, what are the substantial results that still remain? Sir Patrick Jennings, president of the New South Wales commission, replying to this question in his introduction to the official record of the Sydney exhibition, justly remarks: That it has opened up new channels of trade and provided a greater choice of markets; that it has been the means of disseminating throughout Europe and America a knowledge of the wealth, of the resources, products, and extent of the Australian colonies; that it has done good educational service to the masses of the people by placing Open. In course of Total. Wire open. All debts due to the banks. Total. before them works of art of the highest character, and in this way propagating sound principles of taste, and awakening a love for the beautiful; and that it has led to the establishment of a technological musuem, formed in great part of gifts and purchases procured from exhibitors. The same remarks apply, for the most part, to the Melbourne exhibition. Although it is perhaps too soon to realize, to any great extent, its beneficial results, still it cannot be doubted that it has done much to further promote commercial relations with foreign countries. Not to speak of less prominent competitors, France and Germany bid high for a share of the Australian trade, and are following it up by subsidizing direct lines of steamers to carry it on. The United States, although competing at a great disadvantage, more than maintained her own, while Great Britain stoutly resisted any attempt to invade the field of her old commercial supremacy. It is, however, unnecessary to say anything further on this point, as I am preparing a full and detailed report on the subject, as United States commissioner to both the Sydney and Melbourne exhibitions. UNITED STATES CONSULATE GENERAL, O. M. SPENCER, Melbourne, December 23, 1881. NEW SOUTH WALES. Statement showing the imports and exports between New South Wales and the United States for the year 1880. NEWCASTLE. Report by George Mitchell, United States consular agent at Newcastle. Newcastle, New South Wales, is the greatest coal port in the southern hemisphere, and is 60 miles north of Sydney, the capital of the colony. The principal business carried on is the exporting of coal, which amounts to about 25,000 tons per week. Vessels, after discharging their inward cargoes at the adjacent colonial ports, visit this to load our sta ple exports for the various intercolonial and foreign ports. Shipments are made by both steam and hydraulic cranes, the latter being used only in this port. Nearly the whole of the cargoes that are carried to the United States ports are taken in British vessels, the charters being generally effected in England and a wheat charter combined from California to the United Kingdom. Colonial vessels have recently been engaged in the timber trade from Puget Sound to these colonies, and they find payable business carrying coal from this to Japan, and proceeding thence in ballast to the timber ports. This trade was previously done by vessels of the United States. Mines. We have eleven mines, the principal being within 10 miles of the port. They employ, in the aggregate, 3,800 men, and can, when required, send 8,000 tons of coal daily to the surface. The two principal industries of this district, outside the collieries, are the copper smelting works of Waratah, 4 miles from the port, and at New Lambton, 5 miles. The ore is brought from South Australia, from New Caledonia, a French penal colony A very large number of men are employed at the works. Manufactured goods.-The principal wholesale establishments are at the capital. We have four steamship companies between the ports, the passage occupying about six hours. Nearly all imports for this colony are through Sydney, except in occasional direct shipment of general cargo from England to this port. The following articles of United States manufacture are a good deal used, and are steadily gaining popularity, viz, agricultural implements, stoves, and kitchen ranges, hardware, edge tools, cutlery, sewing machines, house furnishing goods, plated wares, watches, and clocks. GEORGE MITCHELL, UNITED STATES CONSULAR AGENCY, NEW ZEALAND. Annual report by Consul Griffin, of Auckland. UNITED STATES CONSULATE, Auckland, August 15, 1882. AREA AND POPULATION. The colony of New Zealand consists of two large and several small islands lying between the parallels of 3430 and 47° of south latitude. The total area is a little over 100,000 square miles. The area of the |