836 M E L B O U II N E of the Yarra, and, as the district is lov and flat, and covered with factories, the prospect is not nviting. But the city itself has a very different aspect : its situation is relieved by numerous gentle hills, which show off to great advantage its fine public buildings; its streets are wide and well kept ; and the universal appearance of prosperity, activity, and comfort under its usually clear blue sky impresses the visitor favourably. That part specially known as the " city " had a popula tion in 1881 of 65,800. It occupies the two hills of East Melbourne and West Melbourne ; the valley that separates them, once occupied by a densely wooded little stream, is now partly filled in, and forms the busy thoroughfare of Elizabeth Street ; parallel to this runs Swanston Street, and at right angles to these, and parallel to the river, are Bourke Street, Collins Street, and Flinders Street, the first being the busiest in Melbourne, the second containing the most fashionable shops, and the third, which faces the river, being given over to maritime pursuits. These streets are the eighth of a mile apart ; between them are narrower streets occupied by warehouses and business premises. Round the " city " lies a circle of populous suburbs. North-east is Fitzroy with 23,000 inhabitants ; farther east, Collingwood, 24,000 ; east of Melbourne, Richmond, 23,400; south-east, Prahran, 21,000; south. Emerald Hill, 25,300; south-west, Sandridge, 8700; north-west, Hotham, 17,800. These all lie within three miles of the general V I C T O R I A P AJR AD E. pOT J^kr 1^ r~"! r ~j r 1 rJames500 (talk) , -L^M efcfcf^pcB^^f^pj ES^-T-^i pnp E Plan of Melbourne. 1. Houses of Parliament. 2. Treasury. 8. Government Offices. 4. St Patrick s Cathedral. 5. St Patrick s College. 6. Scotch Church. 7. Scotch College. 8. Opera House- 9. Academy of Music. 10. Theatre Royal. 11. Pi inces Theatre. 12. Post-Office. post-office in Elizabeth Street ; but outside of them, and within a radius of 5 miles, there is a circle of less populous suburbs: to the north, Brunswick, 6200; east, Kew, 4200, and Hawthorn, 6000; south-east, St Kilda, 11,600, and Brighton, 4700 ; south-west, Williamstown, 9000, and Footscray, 6000 ; north-west, Essenden and Flemington, 5000. Numerous smaller suburbs fill up the spaces be tween these, the principal being Northcote, Preston, Camberwell, Toorak, Caulfield, Elsternwick, and Coburg, with a united population of 19,000. Fifteen of these suburbs rank as independent muni cipalities, and many of them have streets which for importance rival the main streets of the city. The following table shows the growth of the population since 1851 : 18 1 ( LB 16 Town -Hall. Hospital. Public Library, Jail. <fec. Melbourne Total 17. University. IS. Mint. 19. Law Courts. 20. Custom House. 21. Anglican Cathedral. 22. Governor s House. 23. Observatory. The land on which the city now stands was sold in allotments of half an acre, the prices realized being in June 1837 about 34 each, in November 1837 about 42, and in September 1838 about 120 each. These allotments are now (1882) sold at prices ranging from 20,000 to 40,000. But, though land has thus increased in value, Melbourne is by no means a crowded city;
the streets are all 99 feet wide, and the parks, squares,