mber in America. The death-rate
of the New England cities is perhaps safely put at twenty-one per
thousand, while that of Australia is shown to be seventeen per
thousand,--a statement equally applicable to New Zealand and Tasmania.
So far as we could learn by careful inquiry, malarial fevers are there
quite unknown.

While in Sydney, we heard much relative to the proposed federation of
the several colonies; that is, the adoption of one parliament for and a
recognized union of all the provinces, following as a model the general
idea of the Canadian organization. At present each section of the
country--namely, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia,
West Australia, and Tasmania--is under a separate government, carried on
without any unity of interest as regards the whole. Indeed the bitterest
rivalry seemed to exist between them, a petty jealousy being fostered
which is entirely unworthy of an intelligent and liberal people.
Doubtless the world at large can see that the best interests of
Australia would be served by a consummation of this purpose of
federation, but it is not universally popular among the colonists. New
South Wales, we were told, decidedly holds back from such a plan, her
individual interest inclining her to maintain isolation; but, so far as
one might judge, the other colonies favor it. It has been said that New
South Wales is more loyal to the Queen than are her own English subjects
at home; and as shrewd judges surmise that a complete federation of
these colonies would ultimately lead to a declaration of independence of
the mother country, they partly oppose the idea upon this ground.
Undoubtedly it would be a step in that direction.

Many nationalities are represented in Australia and New Zealand, but the
majority are English, Scotch, and Irish. The officials of New South
Wales, especially, look to England for many favors which a separation
would cut them off from; among these are honorary titles and
appointments under the Crown. The constitution under which these
colonies are living is such as to entitle them to be called democracies.
In many respects they are more liberal and advanced than is England
herself. Church and State, for instance, are kept quite distinct from
each other. As to the legislative powers of the colonies, the home
government has not even a veto which can be said to be of any real
account. When such dissent on the part of the Queen is expressed (which
is rare), t