South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Tuesday 2 September 1851, page 2


OffROVEMENT&AT PORT ELLIOT,|TflE, -G00LWA, AND NAVIGATION OE^HE MURRAY. -: ;

Ordered by the Lieutenant-Governor to be printed and laid upon the table of the Legislative Council August 25th, 1851 in compliance with a request addressed to His ewiImimt hv the said Council, on the 22nd of that

Extract despatch, No. 56, dated April Gth, 1 8oO, from Lieutehaht-Governor Sir Henry Young to The Earl Grey. 'Encounter Bay— so named by Flinders, as a memorial of the. meeting, in sight of the Bay, of his ship tho Inves tigator with the French man-of-war Le Gcographc, m Ap U, 1802— had also been previously visited by me by land, but was now entered from the sea, to get information on one of the important subjects which had recently been referred to the Harbour Commission of Inquiry, of which Captain Lipson, R.N., then with me, was a member. I allude to the question of what sheltered part of Encounter Bay could 'be most conveniently, and at the least cost, con nected by canal or rail with the Murray River, so as to open up the navigation of that river to the sea. ' Accompanying this despatch is a chart of that part of Encounter Bay, which, for affection and respect for my gallant friend, the present Governor of Bermuda, I have named Port Elliot. 'I concur fully- in the opinion of Captain Lipson, R.N (of great nautical experience and cautious judg ment), whose report I annex, that Port Elliot will most satisfactorily supply this long felt and most important desideratum of a safe sea-port to the River Murray. ' From Port Elliot to the River Goolwa (where there is deep water into and through Lake Alexandrina, and up the Uiver Murray, at least as far as the Wellington Ferry, and probably' much higher) the distance is seven

mnes. 'The country is so level that the ruling gradient is 1 m 100 ; and the space intervening between Port Elliot and the Goolwa, to the extent just mentioned, is all Crown hind, with the exception of about 13 acres, which would be required for a terminus, and for one portion of a line of rail to pass through. The extent of cultivable land stdl belonging to the Crown close to the proposed railway, and which would in all probability boeome immediately saleable, is 8,000 acres. The cultivable lands of Encounter Bay, the valleys of the Inman, the Hindmarsh, the Finniss, and Currency Creek, would bs stimulated to increase their agri cultural and grazing pro-luce by obtaining a greater demand for it, and by this facility of water transport; and the ore of the Reedy Creek Mine, and the wool of 300,000 sheep would descend the River Murray, to be shipped at Port Elliot, instead of being sent, as at present, by a tedious overland route in waggons to Adelaide, Sydney, Port Phillip, and Portland Bay. The cost of laying down moorings at Port Elliot, constructing a jetty there, and another at the Goolwa, and establishing a line of rail for horse-power, would not exceed £20,000- -a sum which I hope to satisfy your Lordship, in a separate despatch, can well be spared from the Crown moiety of the Land Fund in the years 1851 and 1852. 'Copies of the survey charts, plans, and estimates of this work, by Mr. Richard T. Hill, Civil Engineer, are annexed to this despatch. I beg to commend the project to your Lordship's favourable and early consideration and support, as one not merely of local importance to this province, but of general interest to all Australia.' [The first enclosure referred to is the ' Harbour-Master's report on Rosetta Head and Port Elliot as placos of an chorage,' which has already appeared in the South Aus tralian Hegister.] ? [The'second enclosure is a ' Report on the River Murray and Encounter Bay Railway, and Port Elliot, by Richard T. Hill, C.E.,' dated March 25tli, 1850, and which ap ni-riTP:H in the South Australian Remster .soon after.]

Extract of an Address l»j Lteut-nant-Oovernor Sir Htnry Yuung to the Legislative Council, May 25, 1850. ' The difficulty of a direct communication from tlie sea mouth of the Murray River, which has hitherto baffled and disappointed the hopes and enterprise of the friends of South Australia, both European and colonial, remains insuperable. It is, however, an ample consolation to learn from the report of that very valuable and indefatigable public sen-ant, Captain Lipson, R.N., on a sheltered part of Encounter Kay, to which I have given the name of Tort Elliot, and from the full and satis factory survey by Mr. Richard T. Hill, C.E., of the land between Port Elliot and the Goolwa River, seven miles in length, and an equal dis tance from the sea mouth of the Murray, that this loiig-coretud deside ratum is easily and cheaply practicable by a railway connection of the Iiivcr Murray, at the Goolwa, with Tort Elliot. The course of the pro jected railway is entirely over Crown land, alonij the seaboard of En counter Bay, except to the extent of IS acres, and would render immediately saleable S.000 acres of usgRmtud land in its neighbour hood: affording transit by the River Murray to the agricultural, grazing, and mining country, northward, at least, as far as the Reedy Creek, and along the eastern slopes of the hills, and to the produce of 300003 sheep, on the plains adjacent to the banks of the river. This noble project, if carried out, would not only immediately and directly benefit this province, but also, eventually, be of impurtance to the whole of Australia. 1 have already sought the sanction of the Lords of the Treasury to £20,000 of the Crown moiety of the Laud Fund, the esti mated cost, being applied to this work.'

Fii'ANCLVi- — (Land Fcnd.) ; Adelaide, oth June, 1350. My Lord — In' ray despatch, No. 50, of the Gth April, I had' the honour of representing to your Lordship the great importance of opening up the communication of the River Murray from the Goolwa to the sea, at Encounter Bay ; and expressed , my intention, in a separate despatch, to report the probable sufficiency of the Cro-.vn moiety of the Land Fund to defray the cost of gradually, but, as I trust, speedily effecting this work, not difficult in itself, and great in its expected results to the public. 2. Annexed is .an abstract statement of the probable ex penditure on acconnt of the services chargeable against the I. anil Pnnrl. for the vcar endincr 31st Decembor. 1S51. The

revenue is estimated to realize an cr[uai amount. It will be seen1 from this statement of the Probable Expen diture, that — after providing for the Departments of the Survey, Crown Lands, Aborigines, and increasing tho vote for immigration (which/was in 1351 £15,000) to £25,000 for 1851, and alsofor providing for tlij fourth instalment of £15,000 iii' 1851 towards the liquidation of the Colonial Bonded Debt; thereby reducing it in 1851 by £00,000 from its original, amount of £M5,000, and leaving a balance, which from the smallness of its amount will probably re ceive total extinction in 1852— there will still be left avail able in 1851a sum of £10,000, or about one-half of the total estimated cost of the important project which I have commended to the favourable notice of your Lordship and of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury. 3. My impression is, that the total estimate, amounting to £21,109, rather exceeds than falls short of the requisite out lay.'' No more of the work will, of course, be proceeded with, than can be' defrayed from time to time by tlie cur rent proceeds of the Crown moiety of the Land Fund after Ana niwo-Jsinn shall have been made for the ordinary ser

ices chargeable on the L-and tuna. 4. The Land Fund Appropriation of 1851, when laid eforc the Legislative Council, at the same time as the Es imates of Appropriation of the General Revenue of 1851, --ave rise to. the expression of conflicting views among tho aembers, as to the expediency of the proposed expenditure. The policy of promoting the navigation of the river, as a -referable and antecedent measure to the formation, either »f a railroad, or even of the construction of additional secu ? ities and facilities at Port Elliot, became a subject of dis cussion. The non-official members recorded their opinions ;hat the item should be omitted from the Estimates ; the bur. other members, of whom one only was a non-official, were in favour of the' item as proposed by me. The last nentioned members naturally considered the fact of the river being navigable to be so undoubted, that its naviga tion had only hitherto not been practically and generally iffected by trading;. vessels, because of the absence of a jonvenient shipping place on the sea : a convenience which i railroad to Port Elliot and improvements there and at the Groolwa would supply. 5. Independently, however, of the majority of the Le gislative Council being thus in favour of the Expenditure proposed by me, the expenditure being contemplated from the Crown moiety of the Land Fund, not applicable to emigration, could not be subjected, and is not now sub jected, to any other disposition than that whicli your Lord ship may recommend to the Lords of the Treasury. 6. Unless applied to the purpose recommended by me — of affording a safe and convenient access to Port Elliot from the River Murray* effecting, at .the same time, the lesser, but very legitimate object of hastening the sale oi Crown land in that neighbourhood — the item will of course be applicable to the redemption of the bonded debt, which can thus tie liquidated in 1851, to the extent of £25,000, instead of only by the usual instalment of £15,000. 7. The enclosures show that £2,200, or rather more than one-tenth of the total estimate of £21,109, is to be appliec to the erection of the jetty at the Goolwa, and to the moorings and jetty. atiPort Elliot. I propose to proceed with this outlay first ; and thereafter, as the state of the Crown moietv.of the Land Fund, in reference to the othci claims upon 'it shall permit, I contemplate expending th( remainder of the estimate in. laying down a permanent rail or tramway, for horse power, as being in the end fai cheaper -than the making and repairing frequently of i common road. '..?.--? 8. Although the pUn3, survey charts, and estimates oi the work, by the Civil Engineer, Mr. R. T. Hill, and th report of: CaptLipspnj.B.N., have already been forwarded in duplicate, with my;. despatch, No. 56, of the 6th Apri .last, ,1 annex additional. copies of the printed report for th convenience of your ;Lordship!s reference to them, in con neotion with this despatch. ?*-;!'. ' ?: ; ? 9« It is relevant to the general subject of this despatel

ilthbugli unconnected with Land Fond expenditure^ ^to - add that, out of the geneMrevenue, a sum of four thousand pounds has been voted for the nurpose of granting a bonus £ £2,000 each, for the first and second iron steamers of not less than 40-horse power, and not exceeding twofept draught of water when loaded, that shairsuccessfully na JSate tho waters of the River Murray, from the Goolwa to at least the junction of the Darling Rtver-a distance ^of 490 miles; within which, it has already been ascertained, th-U there are no difficultiea in tlie way of such a voyage. ? 10 Hup^sc that your Lordship, ™* J? Vlrffif rt,i* vote of the Local Legislature out of the Goneral Co on al tvenutinfiSheraL of tlie project of ^ingthe waters of the Murray to be navigated as an ad kUtaonal motive to effecting a safe and convenient place of ah pment on the sea; without which port of shipment the navigation of the river would be comparatively abortive. narrnvr 11 I re-ret, however, to say that there is a narrow fading prevailing, to restrict th? shipments from E^nter Bay to a mere coasting trade with Port Adelaide The like feeling has occasioned a jealousy of PoH jWikeflaM, at the head of Gulf St. Vincent; and of tho Port at the North Arm of the Creek in which the present Port Adelaido is 51 ?2.6it must, however, be superfluous to observe, that tho increase of trade and shipping at anyplace in the colony destined by nature or art to be convenient for such pur poses, cannot but react favourably on all other partB of the colony; and, consequently, promoto tho general prosperity. 13 Port Wakofield, Port Elliot, Port Lincoln, and pro bably at some future day, Port Germaine, in Spencers Gulf, may all bo used ns shipping places without super seding the present Port Adelaide, or the North Arm of Port Adelaide Creek, bu.t with an increased traffic to each ^4 I trust your Lordship will approve of tho courso which I have herein proposed, for gradually rendering

lot applicable to emigration, to the opening up of the luver Murray to the sea. I have, &c, &c. H. E. F. YOUNG. The Right Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Financial,— (Land Fund). Adelaide, 17th June, 1850. My Lord— I have the honour of forwarding to your Lord ship a memorial, which has been addressed and presented to me this day, against the appropriation of any part of tho Crown moiety of the Land Fund, in 1851 and 1852, to tho improvements suggested by me at Port Elliot and tho Goolwa, in order to open up the navigation of tho River Murray to the sea. 2. My despatches No. 56 of the 6th April, and No. 90 Of the 4th June, so fully enter into this subject, that it only remains for me to request your Lordship's further reference to the copy herewith forwarded, of the reply which I gave to the memorialists, and of which I trust your Lordship will approve. ; 3. The real explanation of the opposition to the project, is the fear that shipments made direct from Port Elliot, in Encounter Bay, would injure the trade of Port Adelaide; and I have reason to believe that the wish on tho part of the memorialists is to direct the traffic from the River Murray, over the Murray Plains, across tho mountain ranges aback of Adelaide, and thence to Port Adelaide, a route evidently circuitous and costly, as compared with tho advantage of the river navigation to the Goolwa, and the shipment by sea at Port Elliot. 4. The assertion in the memorial, that the Local Govern ment, by proposing to undcrtako such improvements,, is interfering with the labour market, is— under the explana tion I have already given, of the amount of the proposed outlay, and the period over which it is to extcnu, in tho documents referred to — a mere adroit pretext for masking ^o n--ii nnnrnlmnsinn. which is a narrow iealousv of tho

traffic of one port interfering with that of another. I trust your Lordship's decision as to whether the im provements are to bo proceeded with, or tho sum Bet apart for them in 1851 may be applied to the further and earlier liquidation of the colonial bonded debt, whicli will bo signi fied to me at your Lordship's early convenience. I have, &c, &c, II. E. F. YOUNG. The Right ITon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies. [The enclosures referred to are, a memorial against tho Goolwa Railway (146 signatures), and the Governor's reply, dated June 17*th, 1850, and which appeared in the South A ustralian Register immediately after.] Financial — (Land Fund). Adelaide, 4th July, 1850. My Lord — In tlie event of your Lordship sanctioning tho improvements at Port Elliot, to render it a sea-port for tliu River Murray, as recommended in my despatches, No. 56, of the 6th April, and No. 90, of the 5th June (regard being had to the memorial against tho project, forwarded with ray despatch No. 93, of the 17th June), 1 request your Lord ship to instruct the Colonial Agent-General to procure, and to forward -it his earliest convenience, with a letter ad vising me of their shipment, two sets of moorings, com prising in all four chains and four anchors, the chains to Imj each 90 fathoms in length, of If iron ; each anchor to bo 40 cwt., and to hayo iron stocks. This description of the moorings required is furnished to me by the Ilarlxnir Master, Captain Lipson, R.N. ; and I imagine they could bo supplied best and most economically from the Admiralty Dock Yards. I hove,'&c, &c, H. E. P. YOUNG. The Right lion, the Secretary of State for tho Colonies.

Adelaide. 7th August, 1850. My Lord — Tn pursuance of a vote of the Legislative Council, duly provided for in the Estimates of 1851, and payable put of the General Colonial Revenue, a premium for the successful Steam Navigation of the River Murray has been directed to be offered in the terms and conditions Bet forth in the enclosed notice, which it is requested the Colonial Agent-General, Mr. Barnard, may be instructed to cause to lie inserted, without delay, in tho London Gazette, and other principal newspapers of London. I have, &c, &c, .:' II. E. F. YOUNG. The Right lion, the Secretary of State for the Colonies. . [Enclosed referred to.] Extract Minute of the J'ruceetUagii of tlte I*-/ixlativt Council, at ill Sestion on the Gth June, 1851. ' Moved by Captain Bagot, seconded by the Colonial Beeretary, and carried— That His Excellency be requested to place tho sum of £4,000 upon the Estimates of 1831, for the purpose of granting a I»onu8 of £2,000 each for the first and second Iron Steamer, of not loss than 40 horse power, and not exceeding two feot draught of water when loaded, that shall successfully navigate the waters of the llivcr Murray from the Goolwa to (at least) the junction of the IJarlini?.'

True Extract, , W. L. O'lIALLOKAN, Clerk of Council. Notice;.— Tlie Governor and Legislative Council of South Australia having offered a bonus of £4,000, t-- be equally divided between the two first Iron Steamers of not less ? .an 40-horse power, and not exceeding two feet draught of water wheu loaded, aB shall successfully navigate the waters of the Hlver Murray from the Gnolwii to (at least) tho junc tion of the Darlins, computed to be about 551 miles ; 'and provision for the said sum of £1,000 having been made in the Ordinance, No. 9, of 1850, entitled 'An Ordinance for the Further Appropriation of tho Kevuniie for the year 1850, and for the General Appropriation of tho Revenue of the year 1851 :' ' } ' Notice is hereby given, that the above awards will be sevrtally claimable in respect of the Two First Vessels whicli shall, at any time, from and after the 1st day of October, 1851, huccessfully navigate tho Murray under the prescribed conditions.'

LAND FUND Adelaide, 5th September, 1850. My Lord— I have the honour of forwarding to your Lordship a copy of a memorial this day presented to me, and signed by about 230 respectable colonists. They urge the immediate execution of my project to construct jetties at the Goolwa and Port Elliot, connecting those places by a train way for animal power over a level country seven miles in length ; and laying down moorings at Port Elliot, so as to render Port Elliot and the Goolwa safe and con venient shipping places on the river and sea, respectively for the traffic of the River Murray and the adjacent dis trict. 2. In reply, I stated to the memorialists that my opinion already reported to your Lordship coincided with their own as to the great general utility of effecting these local im provements with all practical expedition; but that as their cost had been proposed by me to be defrayed from the Crown moiety of the Land Fund, the ultimate decision rested with your Lordphip and the Lords Comrhisioners of the Treasury, and their memorial, like its antagonist prede cessor, forwarded with my despatch No. 93, of the 17th June, would be transmitted to Downing-street. 3. The deputation of subscribers by whom the memorial was presented to me, stated that the several colonists on the banks and lakes of the River Murray declined signing tho memorial only from the apprehension that the contemplated improvements, by attracting capital and population to the district, would endanger the continued possession of their present licensed sheep and; cattle runs. ' ' 4. As previous despatches have exhausted all that I^can ;urg_e in favour of the contemplated improvements, and that they have now become appropriate anu necessary adjuncts to tho practical utility of navigating the Iiivcr Murray by steamers, for which object the Local Legislature, voted a large premium of .£4,000, I will only add, that an early in struction; tame from your Lordship is very desirable. , -;,'?'.'?:'? '??'.{}',?? ??'? ''.?-... I have, ftc.,,&c, ?/;,?'? ? .'r .'??.....;:-., '.. . ;-', ??„-»', /„',?. H.E.F. YOUNG. Tho Right Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies. [Tho enclosure referred to is the Momorial to HU Ex*

coHency, presented 6n the 5th ^ptember,-1856,rin favour of the Goolwa JBauWjr (229' signatures), which appeared in the South' Australian Register immediately after its presentation.] ?.??'?? .??'?? ? Laud Fost-. -?'_'.? Adelaide, 27th October, 1850. My Lord — I have the honour of forwarding to your Lordship, at the request of the subscribers, colonists of 8outh- Australia, the enclosed humble Petition to Her Majesty. ? Jft prays that Her Majesty will be graciously pleased to withold the Royal Sanction from the execution of certain local improvements at the expense of the Crown moiety of the Land Fund. These improvements were commended to yova Lordship's favourable notice in despatches noted on ihe margin. ? They provided for convenient shipping places for the 'River Murray at the Goolwa, and at Port Elliot in En?counter Bay ; and for a tramway of 7 mile3 in length, for ?animal power, connecting these shipping places, and thus ?compensating for the long felt want of a practical sea mouth tto the River Murray. 2. Your Lordship will perceive that the enclosed appeal to Her Majesty has been resorted to because a previous memorial on the subject was not disposed of by me in a manner satisfactory to the memorialists. The present petition sets forth at length the previous memorial and my. reply. I trust your Lordship will find my reply to give an explanation which ought to have satisfied the memorialists. I believe, however, the ostensible ground of the remonstrance is very far subordinate in importance to the genuine views of the memorialists; which seem to me to be an erroneous apprehension that Encounter Bay may, by 'beeomin-r a Dlace of direct cxDort, lessen the shipping trade

of Port Adelaide. The ostensible ground, however, is that any part of the Land Fund, although it be a part not by law appropriated to immigration, should be employed in the hiring of labour In the colony instead of being exclusively applied to defray the cost of introducing fresh labour into the colony. My reply is, that the moorings to be placed at Port Elliot are to be imported from England, and that therefore, beyond the temporary and trifling work of securely laying them down at Port Elliot, they can occasion no employment of labour in the colony; that £2,S00 expended in the construction of boat jetties at Port Elliot and the -3oolwa, cannot by any possibility cause a prejudicial abstraction of labour from private employers, or be any undue interference with the local labour market. The connexion ?of the Goolwa with Port Elliot by a tramway for animal power, over 7 miles of level country, for the most part waste unsaleable land of the Crown, can be deemed a useless and costly railway, only from its being erroneously, associated in the minds of the petitioner.-; with visions. «of expensive termini, buildings, and locomotive engines; -whilst in reality it is but an economical substitution of an inexpensive, plain, permanent tramway, in lieu of the constantly recurring and unsatisfactory cost of a common road. Supposing every part of the projected work to be effected by local labour, which, however, is not the case j — for the rails and moorings, at least, must be imported j — it is utterly preposterous to conclude, that with the present population, and its constant increase by immigration, £20,000 gradually expended could injuriously affect the labour market. 3. It Lj superfluous to add, that provision baing made for the Colonial Bonded Debt, and the ordinary charges on the Crown moiety of the Land Fund, the available balance may be applied by the Lords of the Treasury to local improvements. 4. I annex a memorandum of the soundings of the ftiver Murray in September and October of this year, Iwtween the Goolwa and the Darling Kiver, as showing 3t» adaptation to steam navigation. Independently of the wool and tallow from this and the neighbouring colonies which would descend the Murray to Port Elliot, the principal minerals of this province could ba shipped there by a water route on the Murray easier than by -the present land route to Port Adelaide, and the ports of the other colonies. I The jealousy on the part of the citizens of Adelaide, and its port, of the establishment of any new place of export, is the only solution I can give of a popular vote for the navigation of the Murray and a popular opposition to the ?connection of the Goolwa with Port Elliot by tramway. The popular project of promoting the navigation of the River Mnrray, as evinced by the unanimity of the vote of the legislature «.f a premium for that purpose, would be frustrated, were the narrow and mistaken policy adopted of forcing a concentration of the shipping and exports of the -»lony at Port Adelaide, and obstructing the execution of 1rw»*l tTrmmvi»m«nt-« at tho. Clanlwa. anil Port Elliot : the

natural outlets to the sea for much of the produce ot the pastoral lands of New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. From the connection of the River Murray with the sea, by the means I have pioposed, there must eventually result a great extension of the commerce, and an augmentation of the Land Fund of the colony. These objects will be cheaply purchased for the present and future inhabitants of South Australia by the amount of expenditure from the Crown moiety of the Laud Fund, which I have felt it my imperative duty to recommend to your Lordship's sanction, and against the expenditure of which the enclosed petition to Her Majesty is directed. I have, &c, &c, H. E. F. YOUNG. The Right Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies. [The enclosures referred to are, a petition to Her Majesty the Queen, against the Goolwa Railway, and a memorandum by Sir Henry Young of soundings In the River Murray, made during His Excellency's boat voyage up and down the river in September and October, 1850, both which documents were published in this paper, immediately after the Governor's return.] Adelaide, February 27, 1851. My Lord— I have the honour to forward to your Lordship the reports received on the 2 1st, of a Commission, which I appointed in 1S49, to inquire and report on certain shipping places on the coasts and rivers of South Australia. These places have all received my personal inspection. 2. Under the titles ' Rivor Murray and Encounter Bay Railway and Port Elliot, Port Wakefield in Gulf St. Vincent, and Port Germain in Spencer's Gulf/' the information is identical with that which was imparted in my Blue Book report, and enclosures, for 1849.. : - 3. In my despatch No. 156, of 27th October, 1850, I forwarded a memorandum of the soundings taken about that time, under my inspection, on an expedition up the Murray to its junction with the Darling. 1 would now, however, beg to invite your Lordship's attention to a very interesting letter, dated the 4th December, 1850, from Captain Freeling, R.E., and Mr. Torrens, Collector of Customs, addressed by them to the Harbour Commission, and to be found at page eight of the enclosed reports. 4. These gentlemen accompanied me on my excursion to the Darlinsr. and thence to the Goolwa. near En

counter Way. Tneir estimate ot me total annual freights, at 8,000 tons, on this length of internal water communication, computing the freights from and after the time when secure accommodation shall have been afforded to vessels at Port Elliot to load direct for Europe, is very encouraging, and,' I Imagine, not excessive. 5. Their opinion, in which I fully coineide, is, that aettincr aside all that can be considered contingent or pro

v 3. The Assistant' Commissary-General has been advised of my readiness to pay him £5,000 as a remittance on the foregoing amount, and his certificate of the receipt of it wiU be forwarded as soon as received. I have, &c, &c, H. E. F. YOUNG. The Right Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Adelaide, June 26, 1851. My Lord — As I believe that it will be interesting to your Lordship to peruse a recently published statement on the Navigation of the River Murray, by a traveller who left the village of Albury, on the River Hume (or Murray) on the 5th May last, I enclose an account of his journey which was published in the South Australian lleyister newspaper of this morning's date. 2. Alhury is distant from Sydney about 400 miles, and is situate at the base of the last range of hills aback of Sydney. 3. The Hume River, as far as its junction with the Murrimbidgee is obstructed with snag3, or fallen timber, requiring removal, to adapt its waters to the navigation of even the smallest steamers, but except in an extraordinary dry season, such as that prevailing in May last, the upper part of the Hume River, as far as Albury, is navigable for steamers, as Mr. Gerstacker was informed, during eight months of the year, for boats drawing four to five feet water. Below the junction of the Hume with the Murrimbidgee, the Murray, with some exceptions, is free from dangerous obstacles, and below the junction of the Darlincr Rivp.r fi».w r-hst.ir-.li-s fixist. and none nresentincr

4. I am gratified to find that my personal observation of the capabilities for steam navigation of the River Murray, from the Darling, as communicated in my despatch No. 156, of the 27th October, 1850, is not only thus corroborated by Mr. Gerstacker, but that they extend without difficulty to the Murrimbidgee, and are capable, at some expense and lalwur, of being carried on as far as the Hume at Albury. 5. I take this opportunity of expressing regret that Mr. Bamanlt the Colonial Agent-General, docs not appear to have complied with the request coutaincd in my despatch No. 123, of the 7th August, 1350, that the premium offered by the Local Legislature for the successful navigation of the Murray by steamers, on and after October, 1851, should be published in the London Gazette, and other principal newspapers of London. I liave, &c, &c, II. E. F. YOUNG, The Right Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies. [The enclosure referred to is Mr. Gerstacker's interesting paper on the Navigation of the River Murray, which appeared originally in our columns.J Loed Grey to Lieutexaxt-Goverxor Sir IIexrt Youxo. Downing -street, 3rd December, 1850.. Sir — I have received your despatches of the numbers and dates noted in the margin. Nos. 56 aud 90, urging the importance of opening the communication of the Murray River from the Goolwa to the sea at Encounter Bay, and proposing to devote the sum of £21,109 from the Land Revenue to that purpose, and No. 100, submitting a requisition for moorings, chains, &c, to b3 used at Port Elliot in connection with that object. Having communicated copies of these despatches to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, I have now to acquaint you that, in pursuance of my recommendation, their Lordships have expressed their assent to the proposed appropriation of a portion of the Land Fund to the expense of the undertaking to the extent suggested in your despatch of 5th June last, and have further intimated tlieir approval of the purchase of the sets of mooring chains and anchors for the new harbour of Port Elliot, which the Colonial Agent will accordingly be instructed to procure and forward to South Australia Avithout delay. In connection with this subject, I have also to acknow ledge the receipt of your despatch No. 93, of the 17th June, 1850, enclosing the copy of a memorial which had been addressed to you against the appropriation of any part of the Crown Land Fund to the improvements suggested by you at Port Elliot and Goolwa, together with a copy of the reply whi-sh you returned to the memorialists. I have to express my approval of the answer which you returned, and I would further observe, with reference to the alleged interference with the supply of labour, that the execution of this work cannot fail to promote the sale, at an enhanced price, of the land benefited by the improved communication which will thus bo afforded, and thereby increase the funds applicable to emigration; and also that labour will be economized by providing for a more expeditious and less costly mode of conveying- produce to a plnce of shipment from an extensive and important district. I am. &c. &c.

GREY. Lieutenant- Governor Sir Henry Young, &c, &c. Downingstreet, 16th January, 1851. Sir — I have received your despatch No. 41, of the 5th of September last, enclosing a copy of a memorial which had been presented to you, signed by various colonists, urging the adoption of immediate measures fo» the execution of your project for opening a communication between the Murray River and Enconnter Bay. In my despatch, No. 87, of the 3rd ultimo, I intimated to you the approval of her Majesty's Government of that undertaking, and I trust that the expectations of the memorialists will be fully realized. I am, &c, &c, GREY. Lieutenant-Governor Sir Henry Young, &c, &c.

Downing-strect, 15th February, 1851. Sir — I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 156, of the 27th of October last', enclosing a memorial addressed to the Queen by various colonists in South Australia, who pray that the Royal Sanction may be withheld from the execution of certain local improvements. You will inform the memorialists that I have laid their petition before the Queen ; but that I could not advise Her i Majesty to comply with its prayer, and that Her Majesty had already been pleased to signify her approval of the appropriation recommended by the Colonial Govcrnrae.it i for the construction of the proposed improvements. I have, &c, &c, GREY. Lieutenant-Governor Sir II. E. F. Young, &c., &c. An Appendix comprises a ' Scheme for Steam Navigation on the River Murray,' by George E. Hamilton, C.E., which lately appeared, originally, in our columns. The following addendum is the latest public document connected with this important subject : — ' PORT ELLIOT. ' Colonial Engineer's Otnee, 27th August, 1S51'Sir— I have the honour to acquaint you that, in a report (sent by tlie Superintendent) of the progress of the works at Port Elliot, I huve been informed that, altbunirh .-i very heavy se:i rolled into the bay, and broke quite over Lipson's Breakwater daring the last week, yet that the . temporary scaffold erectcl the whole intended length of the jetty remained uninjured. I think this affords a strong proof that the position of the jetty is well chosen for effecting a safe lauding in bad weather, as a temporary scaffold could scarcely have stood, had the seas been very heavy at the spot. 'I have, &a, &c, 'A. II. FREE LING, Capt. K.E., Colonial Engineer. 'The Hon. the Colonial Secretary.' A chart of Port Elliot, and a map of the River Murray and Encounter Bay Railway, give a remarkable completeness to the official publication so promptly laid before the Legislative Council.

blematical, a secure sea-port to be formed at Port Elliot, and steam navigation on the Murray once established, the districts of the Lachlan, the Murrimbidgee, and the Lower Darling, in New South Wales, together with* those portions of South Australia bordering on the Murray, would avail themselves of this great highway to the seann preference to the tedious and expensive land-carriage now in use. I have, &c., &c, H. E. F. YOUNG. The Right Hon. the Secretary of State for the Golonies. [The enclosures referred to are letters addressed to the Chairman of the Harbour Commission in favour of the Murray navigation, by Mr. William Wishart and Mr. E. B. Scott, respecting a conjoint report to the said Chairman, by the Surveyor-General and the Collector of Customs ; and a letter from Messrs. A. L. Elder and Co., to the Chairman, all -which have already appeared in this paper.] ? Adelaide, June 5, 1851. My Lord — Having received in your Lordship's despatch, No. 87,. of the 3rd .December last, authority to expend from the Crown moiety of the Land Fund £21,109, to 1 open up the communication of the River Murray with the. sea, by/a railway from Port. Elliot to the Goolwa, I have now to, request that Mr. Barnard, the Colonial Agent? General, may be instructed to procure and transmit the rails and screws set forth in the enclosed requisition. 2. The charter party should stipulate for the delivery and landing of the rails and screws, &c., at Port Elliot, in Encounter Bay j but the ship or ships should anchor, off the lightship, at Port Adelaide, where they would be ? furnished with., a pilot to Port Elliot. ',. I have respectfully to request that Mr. Barnard may be 'moved to use all possible diligence in obtaining the tonnage necessary for this requisition, which I estimate to comprise about 500 tons of rail3, 'screws, &c.,; and will 1 probably require more than ono vessel to be engaged for its economical transport. ; .

The Theatre. — Mr. Lazar has put forth a most attractive programme of the entertainments which he means to present on the occasion of his benefit, fixed for this 3venin«jt. Sheridan's comedy of 'The Rivals' will indeed be a treat which might make a Maworm forego Fanaticism and revel for one night in the enjoyment of wit of the first water, and humour nnalloyed with coarseness. While wanting the exquisite satire and inimitable finish of ' The School for Scandal!' ' The Rivals ' is of all others the play likely to make a deep and not unimportant impression on the youthful and even the mature miml. How many Malanrops of either sex might be induced ' to improve their cacology' by observing the playful picture it presents of the absurdity that distinguish them. Fathers might learn a lesson of moderation from the dogmatic Sir Anthony, and lovers be warned by the wayward Falkland from the self- tormenting, love-oppressing exactions of jealous frctfulncss, while the most romantic youn«* lady would be reconciled to a tame matter-of-fact accept^ ancc of a suitable offer, by witnessing the absurd disappointment of Lydia Languish at finding the man of her choice a gentleman, and the chance of an elopement destroyed by the general consent of guardians to her marriage. As His Excellency and Lady Young have signified their intention to be present, we doubt not the house will be most fashionably, as it would under any circumstances be fully attended. Accident.— On Saturday last, Mr. George James of the Norfolk Arms, while proceeding up Grenfell-street was thrown from his horse, and, falling on his head was severely cut on the forehead. He was picked up 'in a senseless state and conveyed to his home, where three medical men attended on the sufferer, who, we are happy to say, is now in a fair way of recovery. ? 'More Jews,' says Professor Tholuck, 'have been converted to Christianity during the last twanty-firo years than daring the seventeen preceding centuries.'