BRISBANE, the capital of the colony of Queensland, Australia, on the Brisbane River, about 25 miles by water from its mouth in Moreton Bay, and about 500 miles north of Sydney. It was named in honor of Sir Thomas Brisbane (q.v.). Of the four parts into which the town is divided, North Brisbane is situated in the heart of the city, on the north bank of the river, and South Brisbane faces it on the south. Fortitude Valley is a large division on the north bank, to the east and northeast of North Brisbane, mostly situated on a peninsula formed by the winding of the river. The fourth division, Kangaroo Point, is on the south bank, comprising a point of land projecting between North Brisbane and the above peninsula. The streets are laid out as regularly as the tortuous course of the river will permit. The chief buildings are situated in North Brisbane, among them being Parliament House, where the legis lature sits; Government House, in the Botanic Gardens; the government offices; the Supreme Court; the post-office; the technical college; the treasury buildings, a large structure of great architectural beauty; the old and the new town hall; and the customs-house. Many of the banks have fine edifices, particularly the Queens land National Bank. The chief educational in stitutions are the Normal School, the boys' and girl's grammar schools and the school of the Christian Brothers. Other buildings and insti tutions are the masonic and temperance halls; the School of Arts, with a good library; the museum; the Queensland Club; the large gen eral hospital, and several special hospitals; an orphanage and a large jail in South Brisbane; the opera house, one of the best theatres in Australia. The Victoria Bridge connects South
with North Brisbane. It cost upward of $555,000, and rePlaces an older one destroyed by a flood in 1893. It consists of six steel spans supported on five cast-iron cylinders filled with concrete, the abutments being of masonry and concrete; and the total length is about 1,041 feet. Much of the cross-river traffic is carried on by the ferries. The leading parks and gar dens are the Botanic Gardens, with the Queen's Park, in North Brisbane, at the river-side, finely laid out; Victoria Park, to the north of North Brisbane; Albert Park, Mount Coot-tha, Bowen Park and the gardens of the Acclimati zation Society in Fortitude Valley; and Mus grave, Dutton and Woolloongabba parks in South Brisbane. There is extensive wharf ac commodation, and South Brisbane has a dry dock. There is regular steamer connection with Sydney, London and elsewhere, and adequate railway communication with Sydney and other chief towns in Australia. The climate is dry and healthy, but the temperature is often very high during the summer. Among the industrial establishments are a sugar-refinery, tobacco fac tories, flour-mills, boot factories, breweries, tanneries. The trade is important, among the exports being gold, wool, sugar, etc. Originally founded as a penal settlement in 1825, and abandoned in 1839, its growth began in 1842 with the arrival of free settlers, and in 1859 it became the capital of Queensland. South Bris bane became a separate municipality in 1888 and a city in 1903. A United States consul is stationed here. Pop. about 145,000.