Tasmania, formerly Van Diemen's Land, is a considerable island in the South Pacific Ocean, lying between 40° 40' and 43- 40' south lat. and 144° 30'" and 148- 30' east long., at the south of, and separated from
Australia by Bass's Strait. Its greatest length from Cape (Jrim on the north-west to Cape Pillar on the south-east is 240 miles, and its greatest breadtli from east to west 200 miles. Its area, including the adjacent islands, is about 26,000 square miles. Its cajiital is Ho- bart-Town, with a iiopulation of 19,000. In 1870 the total population of Tasmania was 99,328.
I. History. — Tasmania was first discovered by Tas- inan, Dec. 1, 1642, and named by him Van Diemen's Land in honor of ids patron, the then governor of the Dutcli West IiKlies. In 1803 Lieut. Bowen was de- s])atched from Sydney with a few soldiers and convicts to form a settlement in the south of the island, which was finally fixed upon the spot where Hobart-Town now stands. From 1817 commenced a rapid increase in the number of free settlers; and in 1825 Tasmania was de- clared independent of New South Wales. The trans- portation of convicts ceased in 1853, and on Jan. 4, 1856, on petition of the Legislative Council to the home gov- ernment, the name of the colony was officially changed to Tasmania. Of the 3000 aborigines found in the country the number rapidly decreased, until now not one remains.
II. Climate, Soil, etc. — The climate of Tasmania is fine and salubrious; the mean temperature of the hot- test month (Januarj') is 03° 57', of the coldest (July) 45° 82', and of tlie whole year 64° 92'. The agricult- ural lands may be divided into tiiree classes — alluvial deposits, Tertiary clays, and loamy soils. In their vir- gin state some of the lands are marvelloush' productive; but in many cases, through improvident management, the soil has deteriorated.
III. Administration. — Since the passing of the Con- stitutional Act in 1854, the governing authority has been vested in a Parliament, consisting of the governor, as the queen's representative, and two elective Houses — the Legislative Comicil of fifteen, and the Assembly of thirty, members. The (pialification of voters is, for the former, a freehold of the annual value of fifty pounds, and, for the latter, a freehold valued at one hundred pounds or a ten pounds rental.
IV. Relifjion and Education. — By the Constitutional Act, fifteen thousand pounds is amuially reserved for the support of religion, and is at present divided among the various religious denominations according to their respective numbers at the census. They were, in 1870 : Church of England, 53,047 ; Roman Catholic, 22,091 ; Presbyterians, 9064; Wesleyans, 7187; Independents, 3931 ; Baptists, 931 ; Jews, 232. For the support of el- ementary education twelve thousand pounds a year is appropriated by Parliament, the disbursement of which is intrusted to a Central Board holding its sittings at; Hobart-Town. The teachers are appointed by the board, and are under the supervision of the inspector of the schools. There were, in 1873, 141 public schools; 10,803 pupils, with an average attendance of 7047; 105 male teachers, 108 female teachers, and 32 pupil teach- ers. There are four superior schools — Horton C<illege, High-school, Hutchins's School, and the Church Gram- mar-school.
The efforts of the Wesleyan missionaries in Tasma- nia have been directed mainly to the English po])ula- tion. The mission was begun in 1820 by the Rev. Mr. Horton, who was on his way to New South Wales. The mission was approved by the governor of the colo- ny, and another missionary was soon sent out, who was followed by two more in 1827, and by a fifth in 1832. The following is the report of tlie mission for 1876: Cliapels and other preaching places, 95; missionaries and assistants, 16; local preachers, 70; full members, 1286; persons on trial, 202 ; Sunday-schools, 47 ; teach- ers, 401; scholars, 3076; attendants on worship, 9176.
The Primitive Methodist mission reported in 1873: Principal stations, 4; ministers, 4; members, 223.
The United Methodist Free Churches had, in the same year, 3 lay agents and 38 members.
Tasschemacher (Dutch, Tesschenmaeker),
TASSEL
223
tatia:n"
Petrus, one of the earliest, ministers of the Reformed (Dutch) Church in the United States, was born in Hol- land, and educated at the University of Utrecht. He was settled in the United States first at Kingston, N. Y., in l()7t;-77, then went to Dutch Guiana, S. A., 1G77-78, and in 1G79-80 we tind him at New Amstel, now New Castle, Del. Here difficulties arose which induced hitn to leave that people. He supplied the Church on Staten Island occasionally, lG82-8o. In l(i<Si he took charge of the Cliurch at Schenectady, N. Y., which he retained until his death. Meantime, in 1084, as tlie records show, he organized the Church at Ilackensack, N. J., with tliirty-three communicants. He was never their pastor, but seems to have made them occasional visits, to preach and receive members and dispense the Lord's supper, until 1789. This service must have cost him then much time and labor; but in this apostolic method of journeyings and visitations many of the old churches were planted and sustained in their prim- itive worship. At Schenectady Mr. Tasschemacher was the tirst pastor, although the Church was jjrobably or- ganized before he went to them. He was the most prominent victim of the Indian massacre and burning of that city. Feb. 8, 1G90. " The French, in order to control the Indian trade, had planned the capture of Albany and New York the year before. The plan was not wholly carried out; but a party of French and In- dians left Jloutreal, and, proceeding by way of Lake Cliam])lain, intended attacking Albany. But, the Indi- an chiefs not consenting, they turned off towards Sche- nectady. They gave orders that Tasschemacher's life should be saved on accoinit of the information they could obtain from him ; but his house was not known, and before he could be personally recognised he was slain and his house and papers burned. His head was cloven open and his body burned to the shoulder- blades." Sixty persons lost their lives on that fatal Sat- nrday midnight before they could escape or defend themselves from their stealthy and cruel foes. The remnant that escaped kept the Church of Schenectady alive. ^Vithout a pastor to instruct them, they met for worship amid the ruins of the city, chose their elders and deacons from year to year, who were ordained by the Rev. Godfriedus Dellius, of All)any, and his succes- sor, Rev. Petrus Van Dressen, until, in 1702, the little flock thus kept alive, and having gainetl in numbers and strength, called the Rev. Bernardus Freeman and received him as their pastor. Little more is known of ]Mr. Tasschemacher's history. He tiled a martyr among his flock, and his ministry and death illustrate the per- ils amid which the Gospel was preached and church- es were established in their early days upon the fron- tier. See Corwin, Manual of the lief. Church, p. 486. (\V. .J. R. T.)