The Three Colonies Of Australia: New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia - Their Pastures, Copper Mines & Gold Fields
By Samuel Sidney
With Numerous Engravings (lacks 1 illustration out of 45 & folding map)
Published by Ingram, Cooke & Co: London 1853 2nd (and best) Edition (Revised by The Author)
"Samuel Sidney's The Three Colonies of Australia offers an illuminating account of mid-nineteenth-century New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, written during the height of British interest in colonial expansion and emigration. First published in 1852 and revised for this 1853 edition, the book presents a meticulously researched overview of each colony's geography, settlement history, and economic foundations, especially in relation to pastoralism, copper mining, and the newly discovered goldfields. Sidney combines statistical data with vivid descriptive writing, aiming to inform British readers and potential emigrants about the opportunities and realities of life in the Antipodes. Numerous engravings enrich the text, illustrating landscapes, mining operations, and early colonial towns in a style both instructive and promotional.
The revised edition refines Sidney's earlier assessments in light of the explosive changes brought by the Australian gold rushes, offering updated commentary on migration trends, land policy, and the social transformation sweeping through the colonies. He contrasts the economic dynamism of Victoria and South Australia with the older, more established pastoral society of New South Wales, while highlighting the immense mineral wealth and agricultural potential that promised prosperity for settlers and investors alike. Blending travel narrative, economic analysis, and social observation, Sidney's work remains a key historical source on early Australian development and British colonial ambitions. It would appeal strongly to collectors of early Australian history, those interested in the gold rush era, and readers drawn to 19th-century colonial exploration and settlement literature."
Light wear to original cloth bindings. 44 Illustrations + Frontis are called for with 43 + Frontis being present - lacks Map Of Sydney and alrgwe foldout map otherwise complete. Inside hinges split with wobbly but secure covers. There are no loose pages. No inscriptions. Pages are clean with no foxing, just pleasant age toning. An excellent copy with significant historical references to early colonial gold mining history. Good condition overall. Please study photos to further understand condition.
Size 23cm x 15cm x 3cm - 412 Pages + Publishers Advertising
