Included among the 138,075 natives of Victoria are 1,694 aborigines. Their numbers have been declining at about the same ratio as the increase of the European population. The number of persons of each religious denomination was as follows, according to the census of the year 1861 :— The progress of population of the colony was greatly aided by the encouragement of immigration on the part of the State. From 1838 to 1860, above 120,000 immigrants received assistance from the public funds for defraying their passage to the colony. The cost for each adult amounted to about 14l. Trade and Commerce. Previous to the discovery of the large gold fields, in 1851, the chief wealth of the country consisted in agricultural produce, and wool formed the staple of the exports. The quantity and value of the articles exported in the year 1850 was as follows: Articles Quantity Value Wool Oil bales 15,512 197,588 tons 903 3,612 Sheep to Van Dieman's Potatoes to Cattle. Salted beef, sent The principal articles imported into the colony in the years 1858, 1859, and 1860 were: The total value of the exports of Victoria amounted to 13,989,2097. in the year 1858; to 13,867,8591. in the year 1859; and to 12,962,7047. in the year 1860. The quantities and value of the principal articles exported in each of the years 1859 and 1860 are shown in the subjoined table: Gold (exclusive of specie) oz. 2,280,950 2,156,661 9,122,037 8,624,860 The number and tonnage of vessels, of each nation, which entered and cleared from and to various countries in each of the The subjoined table gives the total value of the imports and In 1856 Victoria produced 2,985,606 ounces of gold; in 1857 the The following was the estimated population, distinguishing the |