Trade and Commerce.—The efforts of the local government are rapidly extending improvements over the inland. Among the greatest i works is a bridge over the Denvent, on the high road from Hobart Town to Launceston; it is of wood, and has 20 bays, or arches, of 32 feet span each.
The exports to Great Britain in 1853 included 5,514,756 lbs. of wool (the average quantity for four years, 1849-52, had been upwards of 5,000,0001bs.); 9599 hides (the average number for the previous four years had been about 300,000); 773 cwt. tallow ; 4762 cwt. bark ; and 405 tuns epermaceti-oil. The declared value of the imports of British produce and manufactures from Great Britain in 1853 was 1,408,9274 the average for the preceding four years being only about 420,0001. Of foreign and colonial produce, chiefly spirits, wine, and tobacco, imported from Great Britain, the declared value for 1853 was 694,7901. The number of sailing vessels entered as belonging to Van Diemen's Land on December 31st, 1854, was, Hobart Town 219, tonnage 21,473; Launceston 62, tonnage 63S9. Of steam-vessels 6, of 510 tons aggregate burden, were entered at Hobart Town, and 2 of 356 tons at Launceston.
Hobart Town, the capital of the colony, is built upon an undulating surface, on the left bank of the river Derwent. The streets are of good width, and laid out on a regular plan, and contain many good dwelling-houses and shops. Some improvements hare been made of late years, particularly in the construction of a new market-place in the town, and of docks and wharves at the river-side. Several of the public buildings are handsome. A small rivulet which runs through the town, affords a supply of fresh-water. The population on December 31st, 1347, was 21,467, of whom 38 wero aborigines.
',anneal" the second town of the colony, is situated at the con fluence of the North Esk and South Esk, which there form the Tamar, 45 miles from its outfall In &see Strait. It is 124 miles N.
by W. from Hobart Town. Launceston contains a government house, a court house, jail, barracks, and other public buildings, and several places of public worship. Convenient wharfs have been constructed. The population in 1847 was 10,100. The shipping trade is import ant, A good highway extends from Hobart Town to Launceston, and there are inns along it at short distances from each other.
Richmond is situated on the Coal River, about 12 miles N.E. from Hobart Town, and contains a population of 8300. Longford has a population of 3,690. Avoca is a small town in the rural deanery of with a population of 968.
Van Diemen's Land is divided into 19 police districts, and each of the districts generally contains a town or village of the same name. Lincoln, Perth, and George Town at Port Dalrymple, are places of some importance. They are seated on the Tamar, or the 3Iacquarrio, as it is called in the upper part of its course.
Gorernment.—Van Diemen's Land is administered, under the 13 & 14 Viet., cap. 59, by a Lieutenant-Governor, who is assisted by an Executive Council and a Legislative Council, of whom two-thirds are elected and one-third nominated. The judicature consists of a supreme court, courts of quarter sessions, and courts of requests.
A bishop of Tasmania was appointed in 1812, whose dioceso includes the whole island and its dependencies, and is divided into the arch deaconry of Hobert Town, containing 34 places of worship, and the rural deanery of Longford, containing 19 places of worship. There are also 13 places of worship of the Church of Scotland, 3 for Roman Catholics, 21 for Wesleyan Methodists, 15 for Independents, 3 for Baptists, and 2 for Jews. Of these bodies all except the Independ ents and Jews receive government aid. There are numerous private schools in Hobart Town and Launceston, besides schools supported by the Government.