From Melbourne, the ships would plow east across the Pacific Ocean until they passed the Cape Horn, that spike of land at the southern end of South America. It's not hard to see how that cape got its name. From the Cape Horn, the ships finally would turn a nearly due northerly course, taking them through the Southern Atlantic into the North Atlantic, finally turning slightly east, parking their ships into the English ports. In England, their cargo of spices, fabrics, and gold would were pulled ashore into English lands and banks.

Once offloaded, the ships would take aboard military units, their weapons, supplies, and personnel, then head back south to repeat the journey. Military assets from previous voyages worked the land in China and India to deliver treasure to the ports where the English ships would bring the reinforcements and supplies, then pick up the booty, and start the long trip home under Australia. When passing by Australia, the ships were massively loaded with the booty. That is how Melbourne and the others got to be such big cities.

By this means, England became the richest nation.