Excerpt from The Central State: South Australia, Its History, Progress and Resources

History fails to supply a parallel to the peaceful occupation of the Australian Continent. Not one British soldier or sailor has been called upon to sacrifice his life in order to secure or to hold Australia for the Empire. The "Flag of England" has never been challenged from the day in April, 1770, when Captain Cook sailed the "Endeavor" into Botany Bay, or since Captain Matthew Flinders cruised along the Southern Coast from the Leuwin, and cleared decks in order, if necessary, to prevent any display of the tricolour on land by the French explorer Baudin. whom he met in Encounter Bay. Warships of every nation have visited our shores at frequent intervals, but their emblems of nationality have been dipped to the Union Jack flying above the harbours.

The bloodless conquest of the "Great South Land" was followed by the trial of various systems of colonization. That employed in the founding of South Australia was unique because of its ideal principles and the new theory of political economy which they represented. The colonization and expansion of the Australian group represent the most glorious triumphs of the Nineteenth century. A continent had to be explored, rivers bridged, forests cleared, and a never-ending- war waged against unknown natural conditions. Fire, flood, and famine confronted the early settler as he sought to make a home in the bush. These and other foes continued to cross the path of the pioneer as he pushed his way into the heart of Australia, undismayed by the failure of others, confident in his own strength, unconquerable in patience and determination.


Progress in other directions has been no less substantial and significant. In no other country is there to be found greater political freedom or social equality, better facilities for education in all its branches - more certainty that each "shall reap where he has sown" - than in that Commonwealth representing the union of once divided States. At the beginning of the Nineteenth century Australia was practically unknown. A handful of white people were located on the Eastern shore within sound of the Pacific Ocean. To-day there are few blanks in the map. There is a population of nearly four millions. The flow of trade outwards and inwards in 1902 represented a total annual value of £138, 231, 000, production in 1901 represented a sterling value of £112, 704, 000.The public revenue for 1902 aggregated £28, 000, 000. Excluding unsold lands and public works the value of private property in Australasia in 1813 was, £1, 000, 000, twenty-five years later it was 26, 000, 000, in the next quarter of a century it rose to, £1, 015, 000, 000, in 1888 it amounted to £1, 015, 000, 000, and in 1901 the total was, £1, 083, 838, 000. "Although Australasia, says Mr. Coghlan, the leading statistician in the Commonwealth, has but the population of a province of some of the great European powers, in the wealth and earnings of its people it stands before most of the secondary states, and as regards wealth and income per head of population it compares very favourably with any country."

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