Marble of high quality is found in many parts of Australia, while the finest opal known is obtained in the Upper Cretaceous formation near Wilcannia, New South Wales. The out put of opals from Australia up to 1913 amounts to £1,534,895. Other gemstones, including emeralds, sapphires, rubies, etc., are found in various parts, while diamonds are found in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia, though only in the first named are the diamond drifts worked commercially.
Commerce.— The external trade of Aus tralia is increasing rapidly as the following table shows: Year Imports Exports Total trade 1861 £17,562,960 £17,399,656 £34,962,616 1881 29,031,131 27,528,583 56,559,714 1901 42,433,811 49,696,172 92.129,983 1905 38,407,579 56,750,347 95,157,926 1908 49,786,798 64,311,058 114,097,856 1913 79,749,000 78,572,000 58,321.000 1914 70,693,200 62,855,200 133,548,400 1915 67,640,000 61,280,000 128,920,000 1916 79,740.000 81,720,000 161,480,000 The external trade of the Commonwealth amounts to £32.19 per head of population, which is nearly four times that of the United States and considerably greater than that of the United Kingdom.
Of the total trade 52 per cent in 1913 was with Great Britain, 12 per cent with other parts of the British empire and 36 per cent with foreign countries. The trade of Australia shows a considerable diversion in recent years from Britain to foreign countries. In fact nearly one-third of imported goods are now of non-British origin as compared to one-fourth a few years ago, and of the exports over two fifths are sent to non-British countries compared with one-tenth in 1885. The chief cause of this is the establishment of direct and rapid com munication between Germany, France, Belgium, Japan and the United States with Australia.
In the exports the same tendency is notice able, in 20 years the percentage to Great Britain having fallen from 74.91 per cent to 44.30 while exports to foreign countries have increased to 43.67 per cent.
Shipping.— In 1913 the total number of ves sels in the oversea trade entering and clearing Commonwealth ports was 3,985, of 10,601,948 tons.
Since 1904 Australian shipping has increased considerably, both in the total tonnage entered and cleared and the number of vessels engaged in oversea commerce. This progress has not been so great, however, as to materially alter the balance of trade. Australia being chiefly an agricultural country, no great or sudden rise in its exports is to be expected. Yet, were it not for this fact, the general rise in shipping— and especially the increase in the number of vessels clearing and entering in recent years — would be but normal and in keeping with the country's general advance.
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