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VICTORIA.

We have our papers to the 4th inst.

The exhibition vyas opened on the 1st, Oct. We condense the following report from the Argus :

Tho Victorian Exhibition of 1861 was opened yesterday by His Excellency the Governor, and, despite tho drawback of unfavourable weather,

the event was a success,

From the appearaueo whioh the Exhibition Building presented on Monday, it was supposed by many that tho proceedings attending tho in- auguration could not be performed at the time originally appointed, under anything like satis- factory circurastauces ; but this was a mistake. By careful management and a proper division of labour, order was evoked from chaos, und at noon . yesterday there was no trace of the confusion

which prevailed the day before. True, there vere several instances of space unoccupied, through the fault, not of the commissioners, but of intending exhibitors. Complaint on this head, however, will not endure long. Just asthe cere- mony of yesterday was being performed, the contributions from the Ballarat district arrived ; and articles will be coming in daily until tho whole of the available room is taken up.

The arrangements of the commissioners fcr the display of the articles sent for exhibition have evidently been made with duo regard both to the comfort of visitors, and the securing of au imposing ensemble. The nave, or, at all events, that portion of it immed- iately beneath the dome, is appropriated to some of tho most striking features iu the catalogue - tho fountains ; the polygonal stand, on which will be placed the case containing tho gold specimens (not yet com fileted) ; a block of kaolin from Bulla Bulla ; a uiup of quartz from tho Columbian Reef, Inglewood ; two forn troes from Dandenong ; a couple of largo cement vases ; a horizontal steeple clock, for one or four dials ; a glass-case fall of plate ; and a lurge frame, in which the statistics of tlio several municipalities of the colony, in the form of illuminated manuscripts are exposed. On cither side of the nave runs a 'double row of diamond-shaped tables, or rather nests of tables, arranged whatnot fashion, and the spaces between these tables arc filled in with the contributions of those exhibitors who have gone to the expenso of glass cases and pedestals.

The ceremony of the inauguration took piece at one o'clock, and was witnessed by about 30& Eersons. His Excellency the Governor and

iady Barkly arrived punctually at the hour

named, escorted by a detachment of the

Melbourne Mounted Rifles, under the command of Captain J. R. Scott. A volunteer guard of honour, composed of picked men from the metropolitan and sub- urban rifle corps, was drawn up, under tho commnnd of Captain Mair, of the Brighton Rifles. Some mounted policemen were also in attendance. As tfie vice-regal party drove up, the Collingwood Rifle Band performed the Na- tional Anthem, and the people who had assem- bled on the occasion gave a cheer. His Kx _, cellenoy, on alighting, was received by Sir

Redmond Barry, president of the Exhibition Commission, and by bim Sir Henry and Lady Barkly were conducted to the seats beneath the canopy of crimson velvet, which had been erected at the end of the nave Major-General ¡Sir T. S. and Lady Pratt arrived in about a quarter of an hour. The Commissioners § resent, beside Sir Redmond Barry, were

ir Francis Murphy, Mr. J. H. Brooke, Mr. John O'shanassy, Mr. J. B. Humffray, Dr. Macadam, Professor M'Coy, Mr. A. R. C. Selwyn, Dr. Mueller, and Mr. C. E. Bright. Tho officers in attendance on Sir Henry Barkly and Sir Thomas Pratt were Colonel Pitt, Captain Bancroft, Captain Scratchley, Lieut. Forster, and Dr. Mowatt.

As soon «s His Excellency arrived on tho »Jais, tho mombers of the Philharmonic Society stationed in the organ gallery sang " God savo (jie .Queen."

His Excellency and Lady Barkly then made a tour of the building, and carefully inspected the leading objects in the Exhibition. On re- turning to their seats,

TJie President read the inaugural address, which was responded to hy Sir Redmond Barry.

Sir Thoino3 Pratt then stepped forward, and called for " Three cheers for tho Queen," which call was promptly responded to.

Three cheers having boon given for His Ek »ejleucy, the viee-regal party took their de-

parture.

_ To tim ceremony of inauguration, only season ticket-holders and lady friends were admitted. The doors were thrown open for the geueral public at throe p.m., and remained open until six p.m., and again from seven p.m. lo ten p.m.

The number of season-tickets already sold is

251.

The Governor has replied to an addrsss of the Legislativo Council, condemning the issue of the occupation license», by message, as follows :

"Henry Barkly, Governor.

'* In acknowledging receipt of an address from the Legislative Council respecting the opinion already expressed by them with refer- ence to the issue by tho Board of Land and Works of occupation licenses under tho 68th section of the Crown Lands'Sules Act, the Go- vernor must refer to the reply which he guvo on

the former occasion.

" As regards the imputation on his Ministers of threatening a violation of the law, it is only necessary to state that they aro thoroughly satis- fied as"well of the legality as of the poíicy of ¡ho course they have adopted. That course has boen P.iiictioiied bj' the country and by the pther Ifouie of Parliament, and the Governor iduwpt, without violating tho principles of ro «ponsibíe government, interfere in tlu manner ¿hat the Legislative Council request.

EXECUTION OF MARTIN RICE.—At the Central Gaol, Melbourne, yesterday morning, the ex- treme sentence of the law was carried out on Martin Rice, convicted at the September Criminal Sittings of the Supreme Court of the wilful murder of Mr. Anthony Green. The wretched man conducted himself with propriety, and his manner evinced a sense of penitence. He has been attended by the Rev. Fathers Moore and Lordan, and the Catholic Bishop also visited him on Saturday. The Rev. Dr. Bleasdale, with the two first named clergymen,   were with the condemned man early on Monday morning, and the rites of the Catholic Church, as administered to the dying, were performed by the Rev. Dr. Bleasdale. who also attended him to the scaffold. Rice begged to be allowed to say a few words on the platform, when he stated that he had borne no malice towards Mr. Green, and had not intended to cause his death. The final arrangements having been concluded, the drop fell, and the criminal died after little more than a momentary struggle. The usual legal formal- ities following an execution were observed. Mar- tin Rice arrived in this colony in 1854, by the ship Hill, being then eighteen years of age ; he was, consequently, only twenty-five years old   when he suffered. He was a native of Water- ford, Ireland, a Catholic by religion, by occupa- tion a groom. He was quite illiterate, being

unable to read or write.

Pmuko.Pmi:uuonU.-A very M < paso of pleuro-piicumonia in a milk now Ima just p,o ourred at Pentridge The animal was cou domned, mid dogtroyod lnst night, by Mr. Miscamble, one of tho commissioners. She had «alved ten days ago, got ill, thon improvod a iitUe, when her sidos were blistered, und other remedies applied, but the symptomo soon de- veloped themsolves to such an alarming estent

¿hat the neighbors rode in to town to bring out j Mr. Miscamble, who at once had her destroyed, I and lectured the owner and neighbors on the dangor of allow iug siioh-cuscs to live, as he said "that in tho stngo she prescntpd beforo and after death the increase of the " spread" was as about ten to one of thoso in a milder form. $ho was supposed to havo been depasturing in an ao eomiuodution paddock, when she lind caught the

disease.

Tbrriiile Boiler Explosion.-Ono of thoso frightful calamities that occasionally startle tho publia and cast a gloom ovor Ballaarat occurred on Tuesday morning, about half-past 7 o'clock, at the claim of the East, India Cement Company, Specimen Hill, by the bursting of tho boiler, which resulted in tho death of thrco mon, and injury to four others, one of whom has but little «hauoo of recovory. Tho engino nt the time was in charge of a man named David Campbell,who J 'was by trade a stonc-outtor.which occupation he

los followed on tho Ballaarat and Geelong Rftilr way for the last twelvo or eighteen month . Formerly he had been taught tlio duties of an

engine driver in the claim of the Old Gravel Pits Company on the township, where, it has been stated, he acted in this capacity for

eighteen months or two years, The mon had resumed their day's labours, and the time had nearly elapsed for which Campbell was on his shift as engine driver. The stuff which they had been crushing was exhausted, and he blew off the steam, put moro firewood on, and in a few minutes after- wards the explosion occurred, when Campbell, who wus last seen alive near the boiler, wau blown a distance of 275 feet, and was propelled through the air like a shuttlecock. The boiler was carried away a distance of 162 feet, and turned a complete somersault when one of the ends of it touched the ground. A man named John Collins and a boy about nineteeu years of age, named Arthur Henry Stammers, were also blown à considerable distance, and ki'led instantaneously. A fourth man, named George Gaisford, was frightfully injured, and was taken to the hospital j Alexander Camp- bell, William Thomas, and a man named Killoon, also received such injuries as necessi- tated the removal of the two former to the hospital. All the men who have been killed, as well as those who have been injured, were either wages men or were engaged on con- tract work for the company. The boiler, as we have said, was thrown a distance of 162 feet to tht> south, while a portion of the tubo which was nearly all torn out by tho expío« sion, was carried about fifty yards in the oppo- site direction. The engine has boen rendered all but useless by the explosion, and the engine house, and indeed nearly the whole of the works, have been destroyed, with the exception, of the baccery of stamps, which was in capital working order. Timber, bricks, shingles, and firewood, were thrown about in all directions, and the ground adjacent to the company's olaim pre- sented as complete a wreck as we have ever seen. A stone or pieco of brick was hurled some three hundred yards to a Chinaman's claim, where it struck tho horse in the puddling machine arid knocked out one of its eyes. A man who had been at work in a cutting about 150 .yards from the explosion, on hear- ing the noise, sought immediate shelter be- neath an embankment, and in a moment the ground where he had boon at work was covered with pieces of timber and debris Of every description. David Campbell, the ' engine

driver, we are informod leaves a wife and six children, and Collins a wife and three children. The former was represented to bo a sober, steady man, and tho prevailing opinion re- specting tho accident is that it was occasioned by a want of water in the boiler.' Some of tho wearing apparel, such as hats, caps, and the boots of the unfortunate sufferers, were blown, in all directions. Such was the force with which Campbell was hurled through the air, that when he fell his skull was smashed, and a portion of his brains was picked up

near the dam where ho was found dead. Tlio

company very recently got into working order, and possessed a snug plant, with a battery of 16 stamps, and they had an oxcellent protpoot before them. Their engineer ' seems to have been a careful, intelligent man, and his opinion, as expressed to tho coroner's jury, is that tho explosion was caused by the want of wuter in the boiler. He thought Campbell well qualified to drive the engine after having a fair trial of him, but he was but little more than a week in tho

company's employment, and it seems that some

of the shareholders had oceasion to complain of the way in which ho was in the habit of blow- ing off the steam. The matter was mentioned at a committee meeting of the company, held on Monday night last, and the attention of tho,en- gineer directed to the subject.Thc engineerstates that Campbell was recommended to bim by the manager of the Old Gravel Pits Company ; but the lattor, in his examination before the Coroner, stated that he never recommended him to any person as an engine driver, but if applied to, he would have had no hesitation in so doing, from this manner in which he had driven tho engine of tho Gravel Pits Company two years ago. Some persons assert that the flue of the boiler wus too small, and others that the tubin g was too thin ; but several competent engineers aud managers of companies declare the contrary. The evidence of the engineer and mauager of the company would favour the last conclusion, ns they assert that the pressure on the boiler was never more than 30 or 331b, while it could bern- as much as 501b. The bodies of Campbell and Collins wero removed to tho Eureka hotel, while that of the boy Stammers was taken to his father's house, not far from the scene of tho catastrophe. Thoy presented a horrifying spectacle, und were scarcely recognisable.-Bal-

larat Star, 2nd Oct.

THE CAREER OF TWO BUSHRANGERS.—The bushrangers Sanders and Johnson were brought up for further examination at the City Court yesterday, in the presence of an unusual num- ber of the public. Both prisoners, Sanders especially, appeared perfectly cool and collected but when brought into court, the former occa- sionally exhibited the strongest interest in the proceedings, and gave way to his feelings in expressions of subdued passion. The evidence against them, on two separate charges of rob- bery underarms, and attended with violence, was remarkably full and conclusive ; but the gravest charge of all, thal of a brutal out- rage on two helpless women, at the Ingle- wood road, near Maldon, on the 9th September—was postponed in consequence of

the death of the child and serious illness of Mrs. Copley, the principal witness. The brief career of crime through which these men have passed since their arrival in this colony a few weeks ago, is probably unparalleled in daring and atrocity. It is supposed that they landed in

Victoria, from Van Diemen's Land about the first week in July, on the 18th of which month they, in company with a third man, who has hitherto eluded the vigilance of the police, commenced operations by " sticking up" an hotel at Bulla, and tying up the inmates. From this house they carried off about £42. On the 28th July they entered the store of Alexander Spence, at Bulla, and robbed it of a small sum in money, and an immense quantity of provisions, the latter being apparently their principal object at the time. They were next heard of at the Union Hotel, Keilor Plains, which they plundered on the 9th August, and robbed of £14. This was one of the cases on which a committal has already been secured. The McIvor Inn, Heathcote, they attacked on the 30th August, taking away between £30 and £40 in cash, and tying up no fewer than fourteen persons. The next place selected was the Ram's Horn, at Sutton Grange, near Sandhurst, which on the 5th September, they robbed of £30, treating the inmates in the same manner as before. On this charge they are also committed. On the 9th of September, they proeecded to the store of a Mr. Copley, on the Inglewood-road, near Maldon, where their most horrible of the out- rages was committed. Sanders appears to have been the principal offender throughout, and to have used the others more as his tools than as companions. The robbery and violence at Copley's store would have formed the subject of a third charge yesterday, but a message was received by the Superintendent of detectives, from Mr. John Wilkins, a surgeon, to the effect that Mrs. Copley was seriously ill from the effects of the violence of the prisoners, and that a child of about fifteen months old, who had been much frightened by the miscreants while at the house, was since dead. Under these circumstances, the charge waa postponed for a week. Some idea of the character of the men may be gathered from the fact, that at nearly every place assaults of a felonious nature, attended with the most bar- barous violence, were made upon the females. After the robbery at Copley's, they proceeded ¡n the direction of Ballaarat, and about this time, the third man, who had always exhibited great caution to avoid the chance of identification, deserted them, carrying off with him nearly £140 in money. This circum- stance is supposed to have led Sanders and Johnson to turn their steps towards town, where they arrived on the night of the 22nd September. The following evening (Monday), they were ar- rested by Detectives Black, Eaaon, Powell, and Seabridge, in the concert-room of the Royal Charter Hotel, Bourke-street. On being taken to the Detective office, Sanders remained per- fectly quiet, but Johnson was greatly excited, and was with difficulty secured. Several brace   of pistols, with flasks and boxes of caps, &c., were found at the Pembroke Hotel, Elizabeth-street, where they had been left by Sanders in the custody of the cook, a man named James Freeman. The latter was a witness against them yesterday, and appeared to excite the rage of the prisoner Sanders beyond endurance. He several times broke in upon the man's evidence by impatient

expressions, and once gave way to a furious threat that he would jump at him over the dock though a regiment of soldiers were in the way. A strong party of police surrounded the dock, for the look of the prisoner fully warranted the  

belief that he would not be unlikely to carry his threat into execution. The prisoners were removed from the dock under a strong guard.

Acclimatisation.-It is intended shortly, we understand, to have a grand acclimatisation dinner in Melbourne, on the busis of the far famed eland dinner held some years ago in London. The present entertainment is got up under tho auspices of the Acclimatisation Society, and is designed to bring under general notice many indigenous articles of diet no5 at present much known. The dinner will take placo about the middle of the month, at Meu ziea' Hotel, and several country gentlemen have kindly consented to interest themselves in send- ing in supplies in the form of kanguroo, wom- bat, black swan, native companion, wild turkey, &c, Mr. M. Haflie, of Philip Islnnd, having promised a fat buck, any number of wallaby, and, if possible, one of the gigantic wild boars still running over the island. Wo look forward with some interest to further details of this novel and somewhat unique entertainment. Argus.

The Corporation.-As was expected, the City Council had a long sitting yesterday. Street tramways, and whether the projectors of thom should be at all encouraged, was a matter doubted by many of tho councillors ; but a mo- tion favorable to Messrs. Loader, Williams, Rändle, and Co. was agreed to eventually, and we may soon expect to see this public accommo- dation established. Other business occupied the council until five o'clock, but nothitig of any importance transpired.

The Mayor.-The Mayor having, in the City Council, yesterday, thought fit to make a " per- sonal explanation" as to his conduot on the bench on Wednesday, and having assorted tliuf " the circumstances had beon most grossly exagger- ated," wo feel bound to state that'we "have tho assurance of our reporter that tho report which appeared in The Argua was verbatim. Argus.

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