THE AUSTRALIAN TRADE.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 109, 2 November 1863, Page 2

THE AUSTRALIAN TRADE.

(From the European Times, August 126.) It is gratifying to obsei«ve 'thttt the export of British goods to the Australian colonies reached lastyear a higher point than in any preceding twelve months, with the exception of 1853 and 1851. In 1844. the declared real value of the British and Irish produce was £735,441; and in 1815, the • total arose to £1.201.076 ; in 1846. to £1,441 460; and in 1847, £1,644,170- In 1848 came a check, and the figures declined to £1,4(53.837. In 1849, however, there was a recovery to £2,080.469, and in 1850 a further stride was made to £2,602,253. In 1851 came the gold, but it did not exert any very great influence upon the total in that year, which Only rose to £2.807,356 In 1852, however, there was a decided expansion, the total recorded being£4,222,205; and 1803. there was a wild bound to £14,513 700. Such a fungus kind of commerce could not endure, the markets became glutted, and in 1851 the total declined to £11,931,352, anS in 1855 to £6,278,960. The basis, however, of an enduring prosperity had been laid, and 1856 witi nested a revival to £9.912,595. while in 1857 there I was a 'further progress to ££1,632,524. In 1858, the still -glutted markets again reflected & check' and'the total deotinod to £L0,469,032 ; but in the following year goods to the value of £11,229,448 were imported fro-n the mother country. In 1860 tko fluctuations of trade again caused a falling off to £9,707,2tf1, but in 1861 some of the lost ground ivas recovered, a total of £10,692,771 being recorded. In 1862 a solid progress appears, the j "g»regate being carried to £11,930,0. >2. To show the increase in the consuming powers of Australia during the last ten years, wo append the following comparative figures, illustrating the imports of British goods into the various colonies in 1852 and 18G2 :— Colony. 1852. 1862. Western Australia ... £55,647 „. £=106,042 Smth Australia ... 276.5*5 „. 895,6i9 Victoria . „. ... 1.615,-135 ... 5 f 700,043 New S'luth Wales ... 1,632,137 ... 3,518,047 j Queensland ... — ... 20,5,086 Tasmania .., „... 403,<77f ... 257.229 New Zealand '•?; ... 148,969 ... 1,127,968' With the exception of Tasmania, there has thus been a marked progress observable at every colony, and even Queensland, which is oftly in the fourth year of its existence as an independent colony, is becoming a respectable customer. A,s the Australians increase in wealth and resources, they become, in many respects, wore independent of the mother - country j but nevertheless, there appears a strong probability tltat our products will find more and more extended Outlets as the work df antipodean co'onisatioa proceeds