The Moreton Bay Courier (Brisbane, Qld. : 1846 - 1861)(about) |
Previous issue
Saturday 9 May 1857
Next issue
Send to:
|
1 correction by anonymous - Show corrections
NEW SOUTH WALES.
MEGATHON AT ANNANDALE.-An experiment was publicly made yesterday with the Megathon, on the estate of Mr. Johnson, at Annandile, for the purpose of testing the adaptabiliiy of the ma- chine as a motive power in the operation of ploughing. His Excellency the Governor-Gen- eral, the honorable E. Deas Thomson, Captain Ward, R.E, and a number of gentlemen con- nected with the agricultural interest were present. The ploughing experiment came off in a paddock fronting the Parramatta-road ; the length of the piece of grcund was 45 rods. At about one o'clock four ploughs were fastened to the tail of the machine, and it was immediately put into mo- tion ; but from some cause or other, the stoppages were numerous, and the result was that only two ploughs were ultimately used. 'The paddock has a decided inclination towards one end ; when, therefore, the machine was fairly in motion it went down the slope at the rate of something like four miles an hour ; arrived at the bottom it per- formed a circuit, and proceeded slowly up the rise at the opposite side of the paddock ; either through lack of steam, or from the stiffness of the machinery, Megrethon stopped several times, and was with great difficulty coaxed to the top of the hill. Shortly afterward» it was guided in the direction of the furrow, and was taken down hill at a brisk pace and without any stoppages. On its return a pressure of 70 lbs. was got on the boil- ers, and it went up the rise with the grastest ease and at nearly as brisk a pace as it came down. A third experiment was then tried, and proved the most successful of the three. It is almost needles» to state that no two persons on the ground en- tertained the same opinion about the experiment ; all, however, were unanimous in acknowledging the principle of the construction of the Megathon to be good. That it can be used as a motive power in ploughing was clearly proved yesterday, but tlie ordinary plough will probably have to be replaced by apparatus specially made to work be- hind Megathon. At the conclusion of the ex- periment Megathon started for Sydney.-Empire, April 28."
THE GIFT ENTBRPRISB.-The legal proceedings lately Initialed at the Police Office in respect to this matter by the projectors themselves, with the vie» of having it judicially determined whether the opinion of the Crown law officers, as to the " Eu- terprise " being a " lottery," is correct or other- wise, will not be brought before the Supremo Court. WP hivo co rccontly* oitprcaacd our own
opinion, tint the scheme was an illegal óricTíhat It is unnecessary to re-open that part of the ques- tion ; but we are able to state that the proposed drawing for the prizes will not take place. The purchasers of the tickets, who have not availed themselves of the admission to the Victoria Theatre, (which was part nf the Enterprise) have in^every case, where application has been made, had their money returned to them. Very many of the purchasers who have availed themselves of the said admission have signified that they do not wish the drawing of the prizes to take place in de- fiance of the expressed opinion of the Crown Law Officers ; and we believe that, as regards this part of the adair, the following arrangement will be cordially agreed to. After deducting the amount paid for advertising, printing, agencies, and other expenses, the balance in the hand of th* management will be given to the various charitable institutions of Sydney, Under these circumstances the question may, i»c presume, be regarded as decided, and legal proceedings on the part of the Crown considered unnecessary.-S. Al. Herali, April 25.
TUB "EMPIRB."-The following notice has been published by the Committee of the Empire fund ; -" The central committee of the Empire fund have much pleasure in informing the many warm and kind friends of Henry Parkes, Esq., and the Empire newspaper, that the sum of eleven thou* sand pounds, proposed to be raised by promissory notes at two years' date, for the purpose of paying off the claim of Mr. D. Cooper, has heen fully re- alized ; but at the same time they regret to state, that the efforts made to realise the sum of fifteen hundred pounds, proposed to be raised at the same time, in cash subscriptions, as n gift to pay off claims of an equally pressing and urgent cha- racter as that of Mr. Cooper's, have not been at- tended with the same successful result. Nearly nine hundred pounds are now required in cash, to makeup the proposed sum, which the Committee earnestly trust will (with the renewed and active assistance of the friends of the Empire newspaper in Sydney and the country districts) be very soon subscribed. Subscriptions can be sent to the Treasurer, Robert Campbell, Esq., of the Wharf; or to the London Chartered Bank. Parties in the country having funds, will oblige by remitt- ing the same as early as possible. C. J. REID, Secretary. 25th April, 1857.
SELF-IMPEACHMENT.-A man was on Satur- day evening taken into custody by Constable Dwyer, for drunkenness and disorderly conduct, who at the lock-up gave his name as Alfred Lane man, and afterwards gave himself into the cus- tody of inspector Brown, for having at Geelong in June, 1855, caused the death of ono William Smith. Though repeatedly wai ned by Mr. Brown -as (o the probable consequence of such a crimina-
tory statement, he persisted in his course, inas- much as lie could no longer endure the misery of the reminiscence. He alleges that Smith and he had been some time acquainted, and were gener- ally on good terms, but a quarrel arose, to which ensued a fight ; that he gave Smith a blow on or near the ear which felled him, and whereof lie almost instantly expired ; they vere quite alone ; and he made his escape ; he says that he arrived at Melbourne as carpenter of a v«ssel named tb» Ann-the date of his arrival being the celebrated " Black Thursday ;" that he afterwards erected a store at the Glenelg for Mr. Stawell ; thence pro- ceeded as a seaman to Feejce, from which cruise he has just returned to this port. He has been drinking of late, and it is just possible that be i» labouring under a delusion, but his Worship, Capt. Scott, very properly ordered his detentiun until enquiry shall have bren mado of the autho- rities in Victoria -S. M. Herald, April 28.
NARROW ESCAPE. - A man named William Kirkpatrick had a near escape yesterday from sudden death. Ho was lying on the grass at Dawes* Battery, watching a boat taco, when a hone and cart carno galloping along, ran right over him, and the horse then fell upon him. He received a severe injury in tho skull and in the chest, and was for some time insensible. He was nt once taken to the Harbour View Hotel, and was »atended by Mr. Robertson until Dr. M'K»y arrived. When we saw the man last night he wa» perfectly sensible, and was able to describe the accident. He had no pain in the head, but suffered severely from the injury dune to his chest. This mishap probably saved i he life of a woman and child who were quite close to bim, ond who would otherwise have inevitably been run OTtr. Empire, April 28.
-"? -'" CB.TGK.ET MATCH.-The roturn matoli between
the Parramatta and Maitland (Marrlobono) flayers onw.8 off on Monday and Tuesday, the 27tb. and 28th utt., at thô Cricket Ground, Mait- land.' The match was an exceedingly well con , tested'one, resulting in a tie, the scores obtained
on each side being 93 ; and the excitement towards tlie close of the game Í3 said'to havo risen to the ' highest pitch.
TITLE OF MAY/OR AND Cotfsdtr. or SYDNEY.
The following notice appeared in tho Government Gazette of tho 2Sth ult. :-"HU Excellency the ,» . Governor-General directs it to bo notified, that
antil the pleasure of her Majesty shall bo known, the Mayor and Council of tho city of Sydney shall, in all official documents, bo sty led nnd nd i , dressed 8.3 tho Right Worshipful the Mayor, or
the Right Worshipful tho Mayor and Council."
Tus SOUTHERN R III,WAY.-Ia consequence of the number of carriages requiring to be brought np yesterday morning and of the moisture of the rails from thedew, the traction was much impeded,
and the first train did not reach the terminus until balf-an-hour after the advertised time. The ' result was, a considerable delay in the delivery of tile morning's letters-Empire, April 28.
WANTON MISCHIEF.-Some evil-illsposed per- son yesterday morning cut, with a chisel, the pole of the Camden mail-coach. On arriving at a short distance from Kenney's Hill the pole snapped, providentially no one was hurt; had tlie pole broke as the coach was going down the hill, all the passengers might hâve lost their lives. The mischief is supposed to have been done while tile coach was waiting for the mails opposite the Post Office at Camden. It is hoped that the of- fender will be found out and punished.-Ibid.
EXTRAORDINARY PRESENCE OF MIND.-One ~ 'Ùay last week, Mr. Hawthorne, junior, of Single-
ton, was out riding in the bush, when seeing a .kangaroo rat, be chased it until at last the animal
took refuge in the hollow limb of a tree. He ¡m rhediately thrust his hand into the hole to catch it, but as quickly pulled it out as something had bit * his finger. Upon looking at his hand he saw a ' death adder clinging to his finger ; no time was
to he Jost, and Mr. Hawthorne, with the utmost coolness and fortitude, immedi-itcly tunk his pen- knife and cut his finger off! We leam that no serious consequence beyond the loss of the finger . has resulted from the bite ; whereas if it hud not
been for the extraordinary presence of mind dis jhyedby Mr. Hawthorne, ho would probably . have lost his \\k.-Maitland Mercury, April 28.
ÏÏEVT SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL-Oa various occa* - sions since the establishment of the late Australian
Society, which was established in 1850 under the patronage of Sir Charles Fitz Roy, for the en- couragement of art?, science, commerce, and agri- culture in Australia, wo have exproised our sur- prise at steps not bein;» taken by that and re- cently established societies having similar objoels in view, for the publication (in a form suitable Tor reference) of their transactions, in accordance with the practice of almost every learned society in Europe, America, and India. At tho suggestion of Sir William Denison, F.R.S., the papers and proceedings of the Royal Society oí Tasmania ' wera published in a like form during his adminis-
tration Jof the Government of that colony ; and now, by tho advice of his Excellency, the members .of the Philosophical and the Australian Horticul- tural and Agricultural Societies aro preparing for immediate publication the first number of a month- ly journal, whose object will be to aid in the de- velopment of the vast advantages of Australia, ?whether as regards her horticultural, agricultural, pastoral, mineral, or commercial resources. The chief features of tho journal will bo tho publica- tion in its columns of the papers read before the two societies wo havo named, together with re- ports of their proceedings. But the design also includes the publication of lectures on subjects of science and art, publicly delivered in any other . institutions, either in Sydney or the distant towns
of the colony ; together with original essays by writers, whether by members or not of the two leading societies. The want of such a journal has long been urged here, but until now, no sub- stantial arrangement« havo been -made for its publication. The "only instance, as far as our memory serves us, to collect papers of the kind that we are adverting to, was in Cox and Co.'s Almanac for tho present year, in whioh the nc 'eoptable features wero Mr. T. S. Mort'« paper on the "Álpica or Peruvian Sheep," read before the late' Australian Society in 1850 ; Mr. T. W. Shepherd's paper on tho "Pastoral Resources ol' tho Colony," read before the Horticultural Im- provement Society of Neiv South Wales ;-original contributions by Mr. Blake, of Irrawang, on Australian wine ; by Dr. Hobbs, of Moreton ,Bay, on tho cultivation of cotton in that district ; hy Mr. John Macgillivray, F.R.G.S. author of " Voyage of H. M. S". Rattle- snake," upon the " Preservation of Specimens of Natural History," together with papers on the " Use nnd Abiwe of Manures ;" and the " China Sugar Cane," hy ablo waiters, with whoso names wo are unacquainted. Of the value of practical papers like these, it is imposiihle to «peak too highly, and under the auspices of tho Governor General, and tho members of the various societies for the promotion of science and art, which are already established, or on the eve of establishment in Sydney, and in various country towns of the colony, the dissemination of useful knowledge, by the m».ins we havo described, must bo regarded m» a most valuable boon by ovoryone, whatever may be his peculiar avocation, who is engaged in de- veloping the resources of the colony, whether they bo wool, tallow, wine, gold, iron, copper, coal, or the products of our wheat fields, our gardens, our fisheries, and other inexhaustiblo sources of wealth. & Al. Herald, April 29.
_ MARRIAGR IN Hiaii LIFE.-In the list of mar- riages published in to-day's Herald thero is one possessing peculiar interest. Tho bridegroom is a peer of England-the bride, wo believe, a native-born Australian. The former is the Right Honorable George Edward, Lord Audley-the latter Emily, second daughter of tho late Sur. veyor-Gencral of the colony of Now South Wales, Sir Thomas Livingstone 'Mitchell, Knt. Tho creation of the barony of Audley dates as far baok M tho year 1297. The prosent baron is George Edward Thicknesse-Touehet, son of the nineteenth .baron, hy the oldest daughter of Sir Ross Donelly, lately deceased. He was bom in 1817, and succeeded his father in 1837. Sir John Touchet, a distinguished soldior in the time of Edward III., married the hoiresi of tho barony of Audley ; and Captain Phillip Thicknesso mar- ried, in 1749, the heiress of the Touohots. The ancient family of Audley wore barons by tenure before tho reign of Henry III., but tho existing peornge dates from the earliest writ of summons. His lordship's seat is Sandridge Park, Wilts.
S. Al. Herald.
SoBGiiDM SACCHARATOM.- The Manning River Correspondent of the Empire says :-Several parlies here have been very successful in the" growth of this valuable millet, indeed there ap- pears to be no difficulty at all in the matter, our rich alluvial soil and genial climate seem exactly suited to it ; for it has attained a height of eigh- teen feet, is full of saccharine sap, and bears a large crop of nutritious seed much approved of by our pigs and poultry ; it is also found capable, at least, in a moist season like the past, of yielding a second crop as prolific as the first. Some of our experimental farmers and amateur chemists have been trying to convert the sap into sugar, they have expressed the juice from the stalks and have been enabled to make most excellent treacle, but the attempt at crystalization, by the ordinary method pursued in the manufacture of the juice of the sugar cane has failed. It was stated by the parties who introduced the Sorghum to the colony that lhere was a peculiarity in this respect, and a promise was made ina future communica- tion to detail the process-it is a pity that it has not been kept, for it may tempt the producers to use a process which is well understood-I mean the conversion of it into alcohol.
Mn. COWPER AND nts CONSTITUENTS. - Mr.
Cowper, in accordance with his ndv^rtised inten- tion, attended on Wednesday night at tho Prince of Wales' Theatroto address his constituents on tho political events of last session. Notwith taiiding tho lnrgo moctjng being hold olaowhei'o, at the »arno time, Mr. Oovrpor obtained & very largo niiiliencc, filling the Theatre, and com- prising many of tho goiitlcmon who had taken the most activo part in returning the sitting niombers for tho metropolis. Mr. Norton was voted to tho ohair. Mr. Cowper ontered nt con- siderable longth into tho circumstnucos connected with his acceptance of, and retiremont from, office, and was received throughout with vory onthusiastio appliiuso. Tho meeting was after- wards addressed by Mr. Martin, Mr. Dalloy, Mr. Lutwyoho, Mr. Itobort Campbell, and Mr. Pid- dington. A voto ol' confidence, iii Mr, Cowper
was carried by acclamation. ' j
SOPUBME COURT, SVDVEY.-Monday,'27th lilt. -Forbes v. Ross,-Mr. Wise nnved, upon notice to change the venue of this cause from Sydney to Brisbane, upon affidavit, showing the csusf of ictiort was a dispute as to cattle in fie Moreton Biy District, and tint the witnesses were resi- dent there. Mr. Stephen opposed the motion, upon the ground that (because shown for chang- ing the venue was insufficient, because it might be the expense and difliculty of travelling by land to Brisbane might bp as great as tint of coming by water to Sydney; and at all events, this cb inge Would render necessary a journey to BrUbine by the Sydney attorney. The Court granted the application, hut directed that the costs of the same should be costs in the cause.-Herald.
From the latest papers wo loam that the pub- lic nieetiag, convened to consider the question of affording protection to Colonial Industry, was held on the evening of the 28th ult., at the Lyceum Theatre. The honse was completely filled ; and the Mayor of Sydney occupied the chair. The meeting was of a rather boisterous description. The following resolutions were car-
ried :-1. " That the circumstance of Now South
Wales eminently fit her to beeoms a manufactur- ing cnuntrj'. 2. That while foreign countries, with their great facilities of mechanical production and cheap labour, can at any time swamp our market with their manufactures, under the pre- sent system of Free Trade, this meeting considers it necessary that a system of duties should be de- vised to protect the manufactures of New South Wales in the home market. 3. That in order to establish New South Wales as a manufacturing country, it will be desirable to follow, as closely as possible, rho examples sot by England and America in their Protection Policy. 4. That this meeting pledge themselves to oarry out the prin- ciples of the foregoing resolutions to the utmost ot their ability."
Tho public meeting convened for the purpose of taking into consideration the subject of steam communication via Panama, as proposed by Mr. Wotton, the ngont of the Royal Mail Company, was -held at tho Lyceum Theatre, on the evening of Wednesday, the 29th ult. Although a crowded political meeting, was simultaneously held, at tho Prince of Wales' Theatre, the house was moderately filled. Amore important meeting in respect to the wealth and social position of those who attended was probably never before held in Sydney, the audienco representing all the mer eantilo firms of respectability in the citj-, as well as all the commercial interests of the colony. The expression of opinion in favour of the pro- posed system of steam communication was thoroughly unanimous. Thefollo»ingresolutions were passed :-1. That this' meeting being con- vinced of the importance to this colony of the es- tablishment of steam communication with England via Panama, has learned with gratification that a representative of the Royal Mail Company has arrived in Sydney, empowered to enter into a provisional contract for such service. That, in order that this colony may derive the utmost ad- vantage fiom the proposed service from Panama, this meeting is of opinion that the Government of New South Wales should be the sole con- tractor for the said service, even at the cost of
the full sum required of £65,000 per annum, re- (
serving the absolute right to enter into sub- contracts with tho neighbouring colonies to tho exclusion of any private arrangements between them and tho Royal Mail Company. -3. That this meeting is firmly persuaded that tho advantages to New South Wales from such connection with the Wostern World will, eventu- ally, more than repay tho contemplafed outlay. -4. That this meeting, having recognised in the preceding resolutions the infinito importance to tho colony of New South Wales of Steam Commu- nication with England via Panama, while pledging itself to support that sorvice, is further of opinion "that the Australasian colonies will, in their rapid progress, oro long require a semi- monthly communication with England, and that it is obviously desirable that such communication should be alternately by way of Suez and
Panama."