SOME FACTS ABOUT ENGLAND AND THESE COLONIES.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1828, 21 April 1885, Page 4

SOME FACTS ABOUT ENGLAND AND THESE COLONIES.

Ts the course of the debate on the . Address-in-Reply to His Excellency's ; speech, on the opening of the New South Wales Parliament, the Hon. . W. A. Brobribb gave the following interesting statistics (he was speaking in favour of the action of the Govern- . ment in the despatching of the Soudan contingent, and rebutting the . argument used by the opponents of the Goyernment( : " They little think what these Australian colonies lave cost, and are costing old England. Her squadron at this moment in these seas costs £100,000 per annum. The squadron is composed of the following' vessels: — Nelson: 12 guns, double screw, iron armourplated, ship, 7630 tons, 6640 horse power ; complement of men 256 ; cost of maintenance, £35,000 per annum ; cost of ship itself and engines, . £341,482. Diamond : 12 guns, screw corvette, 1970 tons, 2140 horse power ; cost of maintenance, £20,000 per annum ; complement of men, 233 ; cost of ship itself and engines, £48,770. Espiegle : 6 guns, composite screw Bloop, 1130 tons, 1140 horse power ; . complement of men, 141 ; cost of maintenance, £12,000 ; per annum ; cost of ship and engines, £48,700. ' Miranda: 6 guns, composite crew sloop, 1130 tons, 1020 horse power ; complement of men, 139 ; cost of maintenance £l2,ooo. Dart: 2 guns, composite screw yacht, 470 tons, 200 horse power ; complement of men, 54; cost of maintenance, £4500 per annum. Raven ; 4 guns, screw composite gunboat, 465 tons, 360 horse power ; complement of men, 60 ; cost of maintenance £4,500. Swinger : 4 guns, screw composite gunboat, 430 tons, 520 horse power ; complement of men 60; cost of maintenance, £4500. Lark: Surveying schooner, sailing vessel ; 35 men ; cost of lnaintenence, £2500. Harrier: Sailing 152 tons ; 28 men ; cost of HJnaintefcfrace, £25000. Undine; SailWing schdpner ; 267 tons ; 34 men ; W cost of maintenance, £2500. Total W number of men, 1340 ; original cost "of three Bhips £438,952 ; annual cost of 10 vessels of war £100,000. With ■ these figures before us, we are bound in honor to assist the Mother Country in her hour of trial ! The population in these Australian colonies numbers over 3,000,000, besides containing an area of 300,075,030 square miles, or a total in area of 1,635,708,652 acres as follows : — New South Wales 309,175 square miles ; 1,000,000 population. Victoria 87.884 square miles ; 1,000,000 population. Queensland 668,224 square miles ; 30' 000 population. South Australia, 91^,425 square miles ; 350,000 population. "Western Australia 975,920 square miles ; 50,000 population. Tasmania 26,375 square miles ; 120,000 population. New Zealand, 104,627 square miles; 600,000 population. Total: 3,075,030 square miles; 3,420,000 population. The Mother Country has handed over to us without any charge this magnificent estate, with responsible Government, to do as we like with this valuable property. Surely under all the circumstances, we are bound in honor to assist old England out of her troubles. Suppose it could cost ene million of money we have only to sell 1,000,000 acres of what we call the waste lands of the Crown — m reality her own property.