The Contrast between Asia and Australia 323 
Fig. 188. Loading coal at Newcastle, in New South Wales. The derrick picks up the body of 
the coal car on the track, swings it over to the ship, and empties it into the hold. Sydney and 
Newcastle are the ports from which Australian coal is shipped throughout the South Pacific 
region. 
Position of Asia and Australia in production and commerce. 
The trade of the United States with Australia and Asia is increas- 
ing faster than with any other parts of the world (pages 294, 295). 
Both continents are relatively undeveloped, Australia because it is 
new and sparsely settled, Asia because its people, as a rule, have not 
made much progress in modern methods of industry, commerce, and 
government. Both continents offer enormous possibilities: Asia 
because it contains a vast number of industrious inhabitants whose ac- 
tivities in both production and consumption can be greatly stimulated ; 
Australia because it contains some of the world’s most competent and 
progressive people, who are determined that newcomers to their con- 
tinent shall be of the same kind. 
Asia and Australia stand in an intermediate group among the con- 
tinents. Europe and North America are highly developed and carry 
on much manufacturing. They are coming more and more to con- 
sume the food and the raw materials that they produce, and to call 
for more from other regions. In Africa and South America commerce 
and industry are limited because in large areas, although by no means 
everywhere. the people have the tropical inertia which hinders them