coal seam was struck in boring under Sydney Harbour, and a project (not yet brought to completion) is to drive beneath the harbour; when the ships could be loaded, it is contended, from the dump. There have also been important discoveries of. diamonds and opals, the former being chiefly found on the concession of a lucky British company, which has so far shown no desire to come into collision with the De Beers ring; while the latter, like the Queensland opals, though mined in great quantities, and sometimes surpassing in fire and colour the opals of Hungary itself, do not appear to find much favour with the trade. The case of Australian sapphires and emeralds is much the same. But it is whispered that some consignments of antipodean stones, otherwise unsaleable, have been shipped home by astute dealers viâ Rangoon or elsewhere; and have then been accepted in Bond Street without question, on their supposed Asiatic merits.
To close finally with figures, the population of New South Wales at the last census of 1891 was 1,132,234. But it has gained largely since then, its manhood not having been drained to the same extent as that of the other two colonies by the gold discoveries in West Australia. Its population is now estimated to be 1,323,460.
The colony has a large and ever increasing system of State-owned railways. About 2700 miles are in existence, the total capital cost of which is 40 millions. The railways are under the management of Commissioners, who are able to pay working expenses and interest and show a small profit; which is the ideal condition for State-owned railways. A system of cheap pioneer lines, communicating with the remote pastoral districts of the colony, has been commenced, but it has yet to be ascertained whether these light lines will not eventually
