SYDNEY. The capital of New South Wales and the oldest city in Australia, on the southern shores of Port Jackson: latitude 33° 52' S., longi tude 151° 13' E. (Map: New South Wales, F 3). It is situated about S miles from the sea, and the whole bay round which the city is built forms a fine harbor, where the vessels can safely anchor. lts bold and rocky shores present a succession of picturesque and beautiful land scapes. The narrow entrance is called the `Heads,' and is marked by a lighthouse. The Fitzroy dry-dock, originally intended for vessels of the royal navy, can accommodate ves*els of the largest size. The city is defended by mod ern forts and batteries, and is the chief station of the Australian nary. The neighborhood of Syd ney is surrounded by park-like grounds. and gardens of orange trees, bananas, and number less semi-tropical plants. The suburbs include 41 municipalities. the chief of which are Balmain in the west; Newton, Redfern, i\Iarrielevi]le, and Waterloo in the south; Paddington. Randwick, Woolhara. and Waverley in the east.
The climate of Sydney is, upon the whole, temperate and healthful. The sandstone rock upon which the city is built affords a valuable material for building. The streets in the older parts of the town are narrow and irregular; in the newer portions they are modern. and the size and style of the buildings are not behind those of the principal towns of Europe. The Uni versity of Sydney stands on a commanding height. There are two suffragan colleges in con nection with the university—that of Saint Paul's, belonging to the Cluirch of England, and Saint John's, erected under the auspices of the Roman Catholic community. The metropolitan Cathe dral of Saint Andrew is a handsome building in the later Perpendicular style of architecture. and the Boman Catholic Cathedral of Saint Mary is also a fine structure. Noteworthy are the resi dence of the Governor, the museum. the National Art Gallery, the exchange, the custom-house, the town hall. the new post-office, the public gram
mar school, and the theatres. Sydney has sev eral mechanics' institutes.
There are fine botanieal gardens, and a number of public parks, of which Hyde Park is the chief. Water is brought from a point on the Nepean River, 63 miles distant, and stored in a large reservoir at Parramatta. The water-works. ab attoirs, and street railways are municipal prop erty. The manufactures comprise wagans, glass, pottery, boots and shoes, carriages, stoves. and tobacco, and there are car-shops, distilleries, and breweries. At various points within a radius of from 30 to 100 miles large quantities of coal are mined for colonial consumption as well as for export. Its central position makes Sydney the permanent emporium of the British dependencies in the Southern Hemisphere. It maintains its position as the exclusive outlet for the productions and commerce of extensive pastoral and mineral districts on the northwest, west, and southwest.
The first party of British settlers (convicts) that reached Australia were landed at Botany Bay on January 20, 1788. The spot which had been selected being found unsuitable, it was abandoned a few days afterwards, and the infant settlement was transferred to a point about 7 miles farther to the north, the place where Sydney now stands. The choice of the new local ity was chiefly determined by the circumstance of a stream of fresh water found there, flowing into the deep inlet known as Sydney Cove. one of the numerous bays into which the ba,,in of Port .Jack son is divided. After the abolition of convict transportation the growth of Sydney was rapid. The installation here, on January 1, 1901, of Earl Hopetoun as first Governor-General of the Aus tralian Commonwealth consummated the federa tion of Australia. The population of municipal Sydney in 1901 was 111,801; of the city with its suburbs, 4S8.968.