Detail of Cost.—Railway £19,308; branch line and turntables, £380; bridge over the Yarra at Melbourne, £8000; engine house, offices, and sheds at Melbourne. £1100; swing balance bridge near mouth of river, £22,000; offices and sheds at Williamstown, £1000; wharf at Williamstown for twenty-two ships, £26,000; branch roadways from wharf to land, £7900. No.3. —The forming of a new channel for the river, from Humbug Reach, estimated expense, £28,062. No.4. —The deepening the present course of the river, and forming a cut through the bar near Williamstown. The same, and forming a cut through the mud bank at its mouth. Estimated expense through bar, £34,333; estimated expense through mud bank, £81,568. No.5. —A canal from Melbourne to Hobson's Bay. Estimated expense, £56,109. And fender wharves at the Bay and Melbourne, £45,000.
This last scheme was the one which he recommended for adoption, not only on account of its cost being less than the others, but what was of more importance, the great accommodation it would provide for the shipping of the port, and the formation of docks and warehouses, which must eventually enhance the value of the adjacent land by more than the cost of the entire scheme.
Nothing definite was done until after the gold discoveries, when the changing conditions of everything applied the necessary stimulus to private enterprise and the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company was formed. Their line from Melbourne to Sandridge commenced in January, 1853, was opened in September, 1854, with a result which will form an interesting item in the modern history of Melbourne, and doubtless, before the lapse of many more years, Melbourne will behold the realization of the three river dreams, over which her inhabitants talked and ranted and raved in the days that are passed.
Addendum.
Whilst the Yarra chapter was quietly flowing through the Herald, the writer has been honoured with half-a-dozen communications, three of which raise some questions, and one of them notably supplies a few facts so interesting (though in no way impugning the general accuracy of my narrative) that I am induced to append this postscript, as a means of making special reference to them.
One correspondent, whilst expressing admiration of the sketch in general, confesses himself sceptical as to the veracity of the assertion that porpoises not only travelled up the river, but even ventured to show their noses at Richmond. He was in the settlement in 1836, and he never beheld or heard of such an excursion. In reply, I may say that the first intimation I had about the Yarra porpoising was from the late Mr. W. F. Rucker, who died in 1882. He assured me that he saw porpoises more than once popping about in the Yarra basin at the wharf, and when I ventured to express doubt, he declared positively there could be none. Two other old colonists confirmed this statement, and there is still alive at Kew a gentleman (whom I am authorized, if necessary, to name), who with his brother (recently dead) carried on a lucrative wood-cutting business some miles up the river, and not only once or twice but a score of times, were porpoises, not in shoals, but twos and threes, passed and repassed between Melbourne and the present bridge at Richmond, the connecting link between a Church and a Chapel Street. The "Falls" in its primitive state, presented no obstacle to their advance, for, as already stated, there was in the centre of the ledge of rocks a rift sufficient in width for a small laden boat to pass through; and whatever a vehicle of this class could accomplish in water, it is not assuming too much that a porpoise could do the same. As to the rift or fissure, its existence is questioned; but against this I place the averment of Mr. Thomas Halfpenny, of Studley Park, that he not only saw it but saw the boats pass through it. I have also in m y possession a copy of thefirstsketch m a d e of the "Falls" in 1836, and the rent is marked on it plainly enough.
But there is one of my correspondents who cannot be dealt with so summarily, for there is no man in the colony so competent to treat of any olden topic which he takes in hand. This is Mr. Robert Russell who has laid me under many obligations for rare and valuable information placed at my disposal. Mr. Russell from the day he landed in Port Phillip in 1836, kept a voluminous diary, and is able thereby to give chapter and verse to sustain every allegation he puts forth. As his letter refers
