Australian (Sydney, NSW : 1824 - 1848), Wednesday 10 October 1827, page 2


Extraordinary exertion it seems, has produced '5 an abstract' of the Colonial Revenue for the year 1825! On the eighth 'of October, 1827', we are indulged with the sight of this piece of' Offi

cial inlormation, which' half a sheet of paper would contain, and which it has taken two years to 'makeup.' 'And Avhen we are put in possession of this ' brief history.' of our ordinary and extraordinary resources, and of our ordinary and extraordinary disbursements,'- we are just as wise as ever, and let into the Revenue secrets as effectually as if the ''..abstract' had never made its. appearance.'- What can we learn of the application of the public, funds from tho condensed statement which has been at the end of two years submitted to public inspection and which we have annexed? What is . there of detail to let us . understand whether we ought to be satisfied with the stewardship of the public Trustees? So much money is disposed of , through one office, and so much more through another, ten or twelve

thousand dollars have disappeared in this, am double'.the number, in that department— but fo what have they been distributed? '? The siim ex pendedis put down, '? but the why and tho where fore appear not ! ' ? We have enough, notwithstanding, to convince u; that we shall have cause for lively discontents if, the Colonial Revenue^ from and after the year 1825 have been, and continue to be appropriated to purpose; to which it seems to have been applied during that year, and if,now,.that we,' support ourselves,' \v« are also to support 'various services.'.' When the Governor drew upon England for money as it was required, it was none of our business to' complain of the use of money to '.public works,'; 'Colo-nial agents,' ' Government vessels,' &c, but things are altered, and we must not quietly allow ourselves to be called upon for the support of 'medical departments' for prisoners of the Crown, of ' penal settlements,?' and of ' Government vessels and boats' which are employed in forming new settlements, nor must we bo expected to pay for keeping up establishments with which the Colony ought to have no concern. Besides, we must not expect to see an item without a name tacked to the end of four or five specified articles of expenditure, or, be required to content ourselves with such instances of special accounting . as ' Miscellaneous' affords. We inust have nothing in the shape of ?'secret service' money, or 'loans'' which mean f gifts'— no huddling together of item's —no furnishing of results 'where details are wanted. .When it was immaterial to the Colonists wh'cther'the taxes imposed upon them were.sufficient or not to meet the expenditure of the Colony, most .-of the information respecting the revenue was matter more particularly for Home consideration, because, by the Home Authorities all deficiences must then be supplied; but as Ware called upon to take care of ounelvies,( we must' take care of the dumps. ' ? These hints will dd very well we hope by way of apprisal, as we must have. more than ? a meagre statement— more than a mere ' abstract' for the year 1826 and 1827. Now, let the Reader indulge his optics in a survey of the beautiful and circumstantial *? abstract!'' Abstract of the Receipt and Appropriation of the Colonial Revenue of New South Wales, for the Year 1025. RECEIPTS. OHUIJVARY. ? , COLLECTED BT THE NAVAL OFFICER.. Duties on Imported spirits - r Sp. D. 1 78,434 73, Spirits distilled in the Colony - 1,988 — J 80,422 73 Tobacco - -,' - , . - V ? Sl.817 47.' Ad valorem- duty on gopcU of .- ? -' I foreign prntitirc - ?-??-'? ?' 23/30? Gp Wkarfocr chitia* - - - '? ?' ' '4/J2? ? B6

fl~'- ? . ?:??? Fees ??«!? the ' ? Entry of vessels . - .- ? . -tss 93 ,. Clearance of ditto - .-' - x lag 40 — 80i ro - Charges for the use of the Go- .- °8 *. vernment heaving down place ? .' r . Proceeds of the sale of coals at .. . ? ,? _ Newcastle - - . or) Light-house duties - - ? '. ''?.}/, 2 Auction duto. . .- . , .2^,77. . 237,(127 AT COLLECTED BY THE SURVEYOR CENERat - (brown Lands. Arrears to the end bflast year - ' '.N o'tnfi'nii '?' Sale of town grants, Sydney - £41 9 6- ?**? ' '- , Deposit of 10 percent, on the ' , ,..',.. sale of ltil,0l0aeres - -.4,052 2 G Instalments ' on account of the . purchase money of 33,000 ? -x ? ' ' ? '? acres .?-?? - -? _ l,mz 8 10 : ?' 5,493 0.10 27vJ5r77. Licenses. For the distillation ofspirits - i00 . ' -To retail wine, and malt and ' . -, spirituous liquors - ' - 13,700 To retail beer - - - 7^0 For hawking -- - - . 100 ? ? ? For carls - - , . -11 ' '??-.,'-Duty on spirits distilled in the ~T~' ? 14-6Ti ,.:- ' Colony, received from the sur- ? '? ..' - veyprs of distilleries, and Mr. - ,' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' Robert Cooper -.'-?- ' ' 3,602' S8V-' s Rents.of ? '? '-? ? . ', ? Tolls and, ferries - - - 8,164 ' ' , - ' Market duties _ s,008 ' Government mills '- - - a,co6 17 ? ' '*??'. Ditto gardens' - - -Jr,551-70 '''/?''.'? Military canteen - - . - 910 ' ? ' ?'.'' Otficers' quarters - - - 133 8 ' Pews in churches - - _ - 1,332 ' ' Slaughtering duties ?.,'_' ? '.^ aJcfto''' _., Fees of public offices. ?Colonial Secretary's Ollice - y,aO8 70 - ... .'.. Registrar, of Supreme Court -2,95147 * ' --' '-''-?;-, Master of the Supreme Court ' .''.'' ... ' '-.' ?* -'X* Otlice - ' « 199 it' ? .'-?-:.' «.-j.-s*1;. Sheriff's Office . - - G29 60 ' ' ? ? ? ''''^ ?' Collected' by the clerks to the .? . ? several benches of magistrates 539 21 Ditto the Attorney-General - 77 14 —7 '55 30 Fines collected by the principal ' ' ? '?'' clerk of the Police-office, Syd- ' ' ' ' ney -??-_-: 663' 0 ?? Total amount of revenue for tiie - ' S; ' ? ' ' yearla25. - - - - '. 309,328; C9 ' v EXTRAORDINARY RESOUaCES.- ' ' '- . Proceeds of the sale of govern- ' .?-'-.???' .-. ment property - -9,119 54 . ,M Hire of convict mechanics - 8,503 52 Repayments and sums refunded 3,837- 08 ... Borrowed from the Deputy Com- , , missary General 126,000 *

? : 147,510 04 BALANCES. v- ? -Amount of balance, as per the statement of receipts and ex- : .. '.' pendilure, for- the year' ended .? -, '-i 3 1st December, 1824, in Spa- ? ' ' / nish dollars ? . 53,384 65 .' \ . '. Ditto, in sterling, £238 6s. 6d. ...... at'4s.4d. . - .. 1,099 96 ? ' '' ' '— : ? ' 54,484 61- ; ?? Gdneral total - .. Sp. Dollara .511,321 u~ DISBURSEMENTS. Fstabishment of his Excellency, ' - ? .'? ; the Governor - _' ' 12,724 '66f ' Colonial Secretary's Department '13*061 20 Surveyor General's Department . - Il,i's'i6 -'. Commissioners for apportioning the Colony - . . ' ~ o ^q^ ^ '«; Collection of Revenue '(Naval - '' ? Officer, &c.) .... l8f92, or' .Legislative Council - _ ? 4,715.49 Colonial Treasurer's Department 9,'«73 69 ? Colonial Audit Office - - 817 69 Ecclesiastical Establishment - N ' 27,925 164 ? Public Schools and Charitable ' Institutions - . 49,390 !- -JUDICIAL. 'V Supreme Court (exclusively. of ' . ???; salary of Chief Jut^ice) . 2s,69S 46$ Court of Requests ' -. *_ 5,3n 99 ? ''/''? Quarter Sessions - , _ 3,383 93 ?-,-..?:: SheriB''s Dejiartment - 8,4.10 7-t . ' ' Phtenix Hulk Prison - . l,S09 ss* ^ Corohera - . i,y2s 92 ./ ?- -?-?-??'?' C31erk of the Peace - . - ?? 1,208' 18 '' ? '?''?? D '. ? — 50,896 8i- { iri°ei^ ' '' - ? .4If«86 4H ' Medical Department - ' 11,393, l3i' Florticultural . , and Botanical . * '' Establishments - ? \f\^ 81+1* r government Clocks ? . '332 38 -. Public 'VVorks and Establish- . ;'. ments therewith connected ' - 58,807 20 ' ? ' NAVAL. -''',' Master Attendant _ 2,068 77J ' ?'- '' 3o vernment Vessels and Boats,- - - ?? ;. &c. . .4 - ?_ 6,265 96J . .;--:? Telegraphs - - - 103 36 . .. Light house - . - - 24O S8£ '

MILITARY. ''-? Brigade Major , ' - -? ? 101 60' v ,. '??' Commissariat Supplies and Con- - * '-??-?? tingencie» ? .' - 2,915 73| Barrack Department - . ? - 3,4Ofi 30 ' ' ? Ordnance Department ? - 32 61 ' ' ''' Miscellaneous - , 2,709 .« _- '?— -.-?-; New-Zealand Flax, and Presents' ?' ' ? ''?''-' I to Chiefs T . . 5,058 34 * '' Supplies for ? various ' Services, , ' . .'.--'?. purchased in the Colony - ' 1 3,423 4o\ ??-Pensions - -* - J',974 97' ? ?'-Loans' - ? j,700 ' Colonial Agent - ^, - 4,197 9? ' ?' Miscellaneous - . - 2,C9l. 5a Total Amount of Disbursement* ? ' ' ' . , for the year 1825 '' ? - ' fl5r-t'ji2 73* ? Balance on the 3 1st December. . '- --r' l.'-25, chargeable to- Wm. ? . Balcombe, Esquire, Colonial - . v Treasurer . ' - . - ' 40,957,50 -Ditto to Captain Piper, Naral .. ' ' Otiiccr, Arrears of Duties to ' _ 31st Dec. 1825 - - 11-1,723 2r ' „ ?. Sundry PersonB - - . «- 130 ti-1^ , ? ? :— 155,811 501 . i-f General Total , - Spanish Dollara 511,324 24.. , ? 'Audit Office, September 2-1, 1827.' ^ \,,. ' 1'An Address was preBenfcd..tol-0(;tor Harri? oa- Satjurdajr „** laSt, ox his re^ir'ct»iVit from the duties of Acting P.-J}-ce^'4*

gistfltto at ^Parrameitfa.' The ?? ~i&&ir&zs, together v^ith fh Answer of the Doctor; will be found in aijoihePpatt of thi day's paper',' It is highly and deservedly complimentaryro the public conduct of Doctor Harris, and serves at once t-.shew the merits of the people and of the 'individual.' Tin people of this Colony at* all times evince, great respect fo persons in authority, and are never wanting in gratitude when these prove' themselves worthy of it. A man of hones , principle is sure to be dqly regarded; but the people her( have penetration enough to see who consult- 'their interest-, and who are .instigated by personal motives alone. Thej can readily distinguish between the conscientious man and the being who, reckless of others* good, considers only how he shall best administer to his individual advantage.^ Nothing can more strongly demonstrate the respect the people have for the laws, than a just acknowledgment of the integrity of tha administrators of the laws'. . . It is a satisfaction which npne'but the just can ever hope to feel — for a public man to retire from his post amid the ear nest congratulations of those who have '.witnessed his1 career; and many there are who, when their turn comes to retire, ?would be glad to stand in- tHe-^en viable situation of Doctor Harris; but retributive justice will take her course; and while she awards thanks .to the meritorious, will not fail to. visit the urideserving' with proper reproof !? ... ; .... ' .''?. We have seen nothing emanate from Head-qusrteri, which is better, entitled to praise, than the following' acknowledg-ment.' It accords with public feeling, and is creditable to the author of it ,:~,/ ... . . -r - ', ? ? ? '-' His-Exceliency cannot permit this Veteran Magistrate (Doctor Harris) to retire from the Police Establishment, without expressing the sense he entertains of the zeal with which he has discharged his duty during a long course of service, embracing a period little short of 34 years.' * — ? — .

The remarks 01 Mr. Atkinson on baxon sheep farming, aTe,- not very much in favor of the Saxon sheep, and if at tended to, would rather lead to a hesitation .among sheep holders to give their anxious attention to the extension of Saxon flocks among us. Mr. Atkinson, it is understood, derives his information from personal observation, he having travelled lately .in Saxony, in company with the late Mr. Charles M'Arthup. A large Merino sheep-holder, it is evi dent, would have a direct interest in deteriorating the value of Saxon sheep, especially if it were thought. that the latter threatened to* outrival the former ; from the specimen -we have had of Mr. Atkinson, as an author, we should regard him too. much in^the light of a candid writer, to suspect him of being biassed by any consideration ; and indeed we should rather think truth to be his object, than' believe him to be desirous of forwarding any one's views at the expense of his veiaeity. It is, nevertheless, ..very certain, that some of his descriptions differ from- the accounts' which' have been given (at least, so we have been informed, we do not speak of our own knowledge), of Saxon sheep farming. Mr. Riley, we learn, isabout to publish a detail of facts relating to the same subject, and put the Colony in possession of the results of his own experience; when people will be' able to. decide . between the two 'authors, and encourage or discountenance the bieed of' Saxon sheep according to the opinions . which they may thus form. It is an interesting topic, and all who can contribute. information upon it ought to give the Colo nists the benefit of it; . Mr. Atkinson ' begged' it to be stated to the Agricultural Society, that' he penned his remarks while' on board, ship during his passage to the Colony, and ,that he was' in the habit of reading over to his fellow passenger, Mr. Charles M'Arthur,' the result of his occasional, labours, and that he has therefore submitted* nothing to public notice but what has receiyed. corroboration as above.

I We have received several letters from our' Corres-pondents at-Hobart Town, complaining1 most bitterly and most justly of the local Government, inburthening the people with taxes to pay large salaries, and with imposing1 the duty on Newspapers, evidently with no other purpose than to shut upthe only effectual medium of making known the grievances of a people. An .extract from one of the letters we Kerb suhj in ;— - ?'??''. ' Hobart Town, September 22, 1827. ' We are all in the most dreadful state of ajarm at the taxes which Governor Arthur. has. imposed on the Colony; which, if not. set aside at Home, bid fair to'annihilate all com mercial ehterpiize and imports from the Mother Country; The fact'' is simply this;# Governor Arthur has made a civil establishment upon a grand scale, and is taxing the people . to pay for it. The Secretary's Department alone, which in Sorell's time, cost only eight hundred per annum, is now four thousand! !.!!,_ If the people are to pay for the enor mous salaries, surely they ought to have' a voice j- and if they had a voice, the salaries would be reduced to one-half. As long as the Government paid these salaries we had no right to complain; but, as the case is different now, we must petition Home to relieve us from burthens which we cannot bear. The enormous duty on spirits ought, if econo. viically managed, to protect us from any 'other impost, s we are by this article of taxation, made to pay niore in pro portion than any , other British Colony. L You will, I.hope, raiaa your voice against the stamp duty on papers. - This Act u.one of the most barefaced transactions-.I have ever known, .after the attempt to carry it iu the Sister Colony. I consider emigration is entirely checked by thess taxes; Surely the quit rent on Ja.nd and the spirit duty, ought to have ? satisfied any, but Cormorants. I sincerely hope . that ' you will «ucceed in having a House of Assembly. I fear' we shall not be so fortunate ; but I am glad we petitioned for it; it will 8hew our. feelings on the .occasion of taxation without re presentation. . _? , 'In letters. to Mr. Hume,rit is jcecommended, that if this Wand is to be a penal settlement, the Governor's salary should be reduced to 1500/. per annuni, and no other salary ^hould exceed 500/. a year. If these salaries are to be paid by the people, we have nothing now to expectr' Last week we received- a file of Singapore Newspa pers. We, have not '.been able to extract any article of loral intelligence of interest to our Renders. The [ foilowing-, relating to the Press, we take from a number puhlis'hpd in June* It is a. paragraph which a ts^ps t,o;B%t»«w, tliat in all 'parj'a bf the \vprld« Free 1

Prossh-loakedUpcinias ef »bc Rvst con»i«lerark-n;Tind forms % permanent ami '.'universal 'ohjocf of desire ?;— ' Java,— 'It aippear3. .that the. Coin missioner GiSnerai has granted, what he calls a free Press to Java which commenced from the lst_of April^frdm. which date the Cburant has been published three times a week. .In noiie however of the numbers which have yet appeared is' there, we understand, tin} slightest appearance of .that freedom of discussion which would inevitably and instantaneously follow the grant of such a privilege by theSupreme Authority of British India. We are assured however that this silence does not proceed from any want either of talent or inclination on the pnrt of the Dutch Colonists to reprobate the measures of their Colo nial Administration, which have of late thrown so much odium on their national .character and credit; it is therefore no unfair conclusion to. believe that this Press is, what our correspondents describe' it to be, a Press for which every one is free to write what he pleases, the Editor free to reject* ;whathe p. eases, and the Government ./}?«; to 'punish whom and how it pleases— that the profession of the Commissioner in short, is hollow— vor et prcctcrea nihil' The arrival of '-The -Alacrity,' last night, has put us in possession of complete files of Newspapers up to tha day of her sailing. The naws -she brings, is not very .recent. Such st!ec!ion3, however, as may prove worthy of notice, we. Shall Dresent to Olir 'RparWs nn ?prirJntr -

The young stock of blood horses which were shown' at Parramatta last Thursday, has, excited a good deal of specu lation among the turf amateurs. .The- produce of. Baron, .SteeHjap, and.Camerton, it is expected will come into. com. petition at the ensuing Sydney races, andi numerous small ventures have, been already. made according to the various epinions which are entertained of the stock. It would be difficult to say which of the produce are the favorite?. Ben nelong, the prize colt, by Stee'.tiap, lias created some little betting. .There are two .promising fillies, one by Baron, and the other by Camerton.and it is supposed' there will be a hard struggle, between these and Benelong, when they meet in the produce stakes, as bets have been made at evens that Benelonp will neither be first.-second, nor third. Two and three to one have also been bet against the produce of Baron. There will be some lively races in March over the Sydney course.- - ? . , „ ' The value. put upon the Saxon sheep in the Colony, is wonderful. Mr. Riley has refused fifty pounds a piece for~ Ins ewes! Mr. Lowe, of' Bringelly, offered the above sum for each of the five ewes shewn at the Parramatta fair on rhursday last. He was unsuccessful iri his efforts to strike i bargain. , , ? Mr. Riley was also offered for five ? rains and five ewes, 'our hundred and fifty pounds sterling !f!w- :???.-??

A sample of Mr. Marsden's wool was an object' of great attention, and excited a good deal of interest among the members of the Agricultural Society, Nat their meeting on Thursday ast. The length of the wool, combined- with a tolerable degree of firmness of texture, renders it fit for very useful purposes, and probably will be the occasion of establishing it m the English market,, as a wool of some character^ It is thought by many, t6^be well adapted for the Norwich manufacturers, and capable of bein'-- used for material m the. manufacturing of Norwich shawls. The fleece of the sheep is thick, and weighs uncommonly heavy: and therejs no doubt of its proving to the owner a source of great profit. Mr. Marsden, we understand, has never taken the pains to make a separation. of this wool from the rest of lm_ fleeces, until the last season, when he forwarded it to England in distinct bales ; and he expects shortly to hear of the reputation' it majybe'thought deserving of in iLngland. ?? -' - - ?,' v ? ; ? ?wA fmtT shew of horses was never exhibited in New South Wales than what was displayed last Thursday at Parramatta'. ? *i !S ^Rected that a township will be formed near Pa trick s Plains, and be christened Godcricli, -in honor of the new Secretary of State for the. Colonies. ? ?' - : -\ Again we hear that Emu Plains is to be formed in to a township^which will be a great convenience to' the settlers near the Mountains. . ' '.'-,'? -' The gentlemen at -Bathurst are expecting a visit from the Governor before, the clese of the year! ? ?? ''?-' The Manning River, between Port Stephens and Por1 Macquane, ruus through a pleasant fertile country for up wards of a hundred miles, and is described in every respect as equal to the Humer. ' ?.- . ? ): -, r

' The Banks have continued discounting as usual. ' Mr. Morrison, a very wealthy M^mbBi of Parliament, oi the firm of Todd, Morrison, and Co. of London, i3 reported to be about establishing a private Bank in Sydney. A House Tax, a Dog Tax, a Horse Tax, and a Window lax, it is expected, are by this time established in Van Die men's Land! JPauvres Diables ! We already . know about ten rivers to the north of Port Jackson, all of considerable ? magnitude, and rising a long way in the interior — whileio, the south there is hardly one river worth speaking of,.except the Shoal Haven River. Colonel Morriset and Captain Crottyare gazetted as Ma gistrates of, the Colony.. . ???? . . The Qolonial sloop Amelia, which we reported to Iiave been seized at Newcastle last week, in consequence of her being unprovided with a port clearance, or other necessary papers from Sydney, has been ..liberated, Rnd. her cargo al lowed to be landed at that settlement. Has it been consi dered that permits and port clearances ought not be required for coasting vessels ? , i The overseer of the coal mines at Newcastle,' and six miners, have recently come from thence to Sydney, to be employed under the direction of Mr. Busby. A publican at Newcastle, of the name of Reilly, was brought to the Police Office there on Wednesday last, and fined twenty-five dollars, for having harboured a prisoner of the crown, named William Stephenson, who had absconded from Sydney. A grazing and dairy farm in Wiltshire, containing about one thousand nine hundred acres, was sold at the Auction Martin May for66,80ul. sterling, and considered very cheap. I Several of the farmers in the district of Airds are cutting I their green wheat for fodder. ° We are sorry to hear of some outratres having been com- J nutted at Parramatta in the course of Ia3t week, particularly m the evening of Thursday, after the dinner parly of the Agricultural Society broke up. The pickpockets collected ogother.m a. group, and assailed two or' three gentlemen, .vhom they contrived to rob. Mr. Savage had his watch inatched from him, but the thief being.piusued, was appro lended, and the -watch recovered. Mr. Keith was actually tripped of his clothes, and left in' tluTstreet — though the -luuderers had. the modesty 'to favor him with the benefit of i tattered blanket, which they rolled 'round him when-th-v eft -him. , . - I The Layton, prison ship, may be expected immediately, as she sailed ten days before the Prince Regent. St. James's new organ pealed its notes of praise for the first time at noon service on Sunday, to an overflowing congre-gation, more numerous perhaps than any congregation St. James's had ever before witnessed. The organ was not in perfect harmony, owing, in a great measure, to its yet incom-plete state. Its intonations, however, in many instances, was full, rich, and harmonious, and those of the congrega-tion were not a few who felt its tones swell on the ear like the welcome voice of a long parted friend! A few days since a man residing on Mr. Atkinson's farm, r at Oldbury, being in want of some fire wood went to a dead ;ee lying near his house, and cut off' a fine piece with his f no, ..aad. on his.- return to the hpuse sent bh little boy to v

bring away a few .pio;ca5.;'r.now.f. Tha.child .^canaevruviuiiig back, saying there were some snake? crawling about the tree., Thefaiiier returned to the spot, and' found several creeping out of a hole in tuii end.bf thejree, which was hollow. .He immediately cleft it open with his axe, when a -number*, truly astonishing came out. He killed -fifteen, and distinctly counted thirfy-u've, and thinks there might have been more, which escaped while lie was killing the others. The snakes were all of the brown species, and of all sizes, from a few inches to. upwards of five feet in length. ? .v';j . The Sydney Bench have communicated with the lessee of the market-place, at Sydney, relative to the long talked of regulation, of establishing two market days in Sydney. The Bencli has suggested the propriety pf a memorial being sub scribed by the inhabitants and settlers attending the marker, that this regulation may be speedily carried into effect; The. subject was canvassed by the members of the Agricultural Society,, at their late meeting at Parramatta., A charge oi' robbing Government stores has been brought against 'a person holding one of the subordinate posts in Hie Colonial Customs. . The charge has not yet. been fully investigated.- ; - ? ' '. A man for soine time employed by the landlord of the Manchester Arm's public house, in George-street, resolved a few days ago,' upon' putting1 an end to his existence, and with a view to carry his resolution into' effect, provided himself with a stout cord, which was fastened to a beam in one end of; the' room in the house. The fatal noose was pre-. pared, when the rash act was put a stop to by. some .person coming to the spot just as' the infatuated 'man (had got the rope round his neck, and. was about .tucking himself up, He had been for some tinic diirancred. ?'.'? L '* ''?--?

The General Quarter .Sessions' for Windsor were- holden yesterday. . ' - .. . ; ' ?'. * ' ', '. ?. The Quarter Sessions for Sydney commence on Tuesday next. ' The Calendar is considerably swelled. Whilst the cutter, Lord Liverpool, was beating out of the harbour of Newcastle' last week, with a smart breeze, on her passage to Sydney, she was unluckily suffered to drive upon a sand bank, and it , required the most active' and skilful exertions of her commander and others concerned, to preserve her from imminent destruction. At the time of her taking the ground a pilot was on board, and hit boat which was a wlialeboat lay towing a-stern. Into this -jumped 'the. master of the Lord Liverpool, and with several-hands was actively engaged in' endeavouring tojielp oft' the fine ? .little' craft from her perilous situation, when a^urge took the boat, swamped and swallowed her.' One of the pilot's crew' un happily sunk to a briny grave. Mr. LVvingstone, the master, got under the boat for some moments, and was .nearly, suiib cated before he could again float to the surface. 'By dint oi hard swimming and considerable exertions, however, Mr. L. and his companions managed to escape fropa the devour ing element; arid after grinding on the bank for iome minutes, the little vessel was again floated off into- deep water, her bottom being somewhat damaged, and her ludder sprung, two. of the pintles being gene. -This accident, which on the whole may be said 'rather . than otherwise to have ended fortunately, inasmuch as the cutter was providentially preserved from going to the bottom, will, for ten or a do en days, interrupt theiregiilarity of her' trips to and from Newcastle; which1 she has continued to perform in every vicissitude of weather,.. with comfort and safety to her passengers for full three years past. She now lays in Sydney Cove, and -though the hull still may, we be-' lieve; be considered staunch, to give her a thorough 'repair, it will b'e necessary to have her hove down. The teak built China ship the Ephemina, it is thought' will have to unload her present cargo, the better part of which is intended for Hobart Town, in order that she may be hove down. Custom-house dues, wharfage, storeage, de lays, -5|-c. will not contribute to enlarge the profits of this cargo, should it be. re- shipped, for, and arrive at -Hobart Town. ?'' . \ - '?'??'- .

We had understood that one of the rooms lately added to the government house would be set aside as a Museum, of the natural productions of this island. We have not, how-ever, had the pleasure to see any thing in progress of so de-sirable a measure. Scarce a settler in the island but has picked up more than one specimen of fossil, shell or other curiosity, and many have made their remarks upon them.— Were these all collected into one focus, and arranged accord-ing to system by a scientific man, they would not only be a credit to us in Van Diemen's Land; but might be useful to the world generally. It is undoubtedly a matter well wor-thy of the attention of the executive. Meantime we shall be happy to take care of any mineral or other production for public inspection, which any of our readers may favour us with, and we will undertake to assay the ore of any spe-cimen sent us, so as to ascertain its value for the satisfaction of the owner.— ( Hobart Town Gazette.) We are happy to see, that some of our more respectable settlers in the country are turning their attention, to the mak-ing of malt for the use of the brewers in Hobart Town. -(Idem.) The Sydney Papers notice a new export from the Colony, A great phrenologist having sent to England twenty heads of the Aborigines, who had lately fallen in a skirmish with the settlers in the interior(!) — (English Paper.)