South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Saturday 22 January 1853, page 3


VICTORIA. :

By the Queen of Sheba we are in receipt of Mel-bourne papers to the 14th inst. The Cleopatra steamer arrived at Sydney on the 5th inst., having been only 59 hours on her passage,

including a stoppage of the engines for two nours, during a heavy fog off Wilson's Promontory. The Sydney Herald says : — "There is one point in con- nection with the Cleopatra's arrival here, to which it will be our duty to refer more in detail when the arrangement of which we are about to speak is more fully matured. We understand that already it is contemplated by certain of our merchants to make an offer to her owners (a representative of whom has arrived by her), with the view of placing her immediately on the line between Sydney and Pa-nama, and so to be first in that field which America has, in the honourable spirit of maritime and commercial rivalry, announced her intention to enter ; and which has also attracted the attention of a wealthy London company, whose arrangements were promised to be complete in the early part of the present year. There is every prospect now of Sydney being the first in the field.' Amongst the passengers by the Warata from Sydney was the Honourable Sir Charles Nicholson, the Speaker of the Legislative Council of New South Wales, who has come for a visit to Victoria during the recess. The indefatigable Capt. F. Cadell is likewise a passenger by the above vessel. ' From him we learn (says the Argus) that he fully expects that his steamer, intended for the navigation of the Murray, ?', will-, be launched in Sydney during the ensuing month, and entertains but trifling doubts of his ultimate success

in this enterprising undertaking.' A letter from one of the passengers by the Austra-lian steamer, Mr. Kenny, of the firm of Sands and Kenny, dated from Port Louis, November 12th, says, ' After leaving Adelaide, Captain Hoseason expected, as did e rery one, to catch the S.E. trades, in latitude 26 to 28 degrees, but we had to run down as low as 20 degrees, and we ran down that parallel to this place.' The old cause — want of coals — forced the Australian into Port Louis, and, by a fortunate chance, she obtained sufficient fuel to enable her to steam to the Cape. She had experienced very unfavourable winds, with the intermission of some two or three days, during the whole voyage. ' From Sydney to London, vid Mauritius, by steam,' says Mr. Kenny with a quaint effort at composure, for which he deserves to be complimented, ' rather rich, certainly 1' He adds, ' For my part, I little expect to make the passage in fewer than 105 days.' The Australian was announced to leave at 5 o'clock p.m. on the 12th. One of the passengers was robbed at the Mauritius of i-300 worth of gold. — Empire, January i-th. The Port Louis Commercial Gazette, of Govern

' The Blue Bell, wbish sails to-morrow, is lull ot passengers. The John Hallett, advertised in our first page to leave for Port Adelaide and Melbourne in all this month, has nearly all her cabins taken. A company regularly formed, composed of 20 young men with an elected chief, will leave for the diggings in the course of next month. The Princess Victoria, 1 itely refitted, will also leave by the 15th December with another company of diggers. The 'glittering attraction offered in all parts of Australia has roused our youth from their proverbial apathy, and besides the passengers already alluded to, we are informed that many others are making their preparation for leaving this island for the diggings as soon as possible. We are glad to see a field opened in a country within a month's sail from Mauritius for the intelligence and activity and enterprise of j our Creoles, who generally distinguish themselves wherever j they go.' . . I The Jamaica correspondent of the Times writes as follows:— 14 The English brig John Robinson hid arrived at KingDtnn *n on-nvav a nnmVlfir of rmrHOnH to Anstr&lia. AmOntT

he adventurers are several planters, some oi wnom were )roprietors of estates. The brig Gotland had arrived at Falmouth, on the north side, fitted up for the same service. Fhe major part of the Gotland's passengers will be those who were formerly engaged in agricultural affairs.' It is stated that there is a probability of the Governor of Hongkong visiting Victoria shortly in H.M.S. Serpent. ?' The first semi-weekly Gold Escort from Bendigo and Mount Alexander arrived in town in.;the afternoon of the 12th inst. with 5,870 ounces. The Ia3t receipt number from Bendigo is 10,634, and from Forest Creek 6,972. The total amount of Gold conveyed by the Bal- 1 larat Escort was 3,967 ounces, 2,415 ounces of: which were left at Geelong, and the remainder, l,5i-2 j ounces, brought to Melbourne. . ' ? ' ' i Chief Justice A'Becket was about to leave fur England on a two years' furlough. William Henry Fancourt Mitchell, Esq., is gazetted as Chief Commissioner of Police for the colony of Victoria. The following Gold licence regulations are published: — 1. On and after the 24th day of each month, persons applying at the various Gold-fields can obtain licences for the ensuing month. 2. Persons arriving on the Gold-fields on and after the 24th of each month will, on providing themselves with such licence, be protected from proceedings for unauthorized mining during the subsequent period of the month. 3. All persons on the Gold-fields will be required to be iii possession of a licence on and after the 1st day of each month. Miraculous Preservation of the Dean op Melbourne. — On Sunday morning an accident, that might have been attended with most serious consequences, happened to the Dean of Melbourne and the members of his family. ; TJm reverend: gentleman was driving h four-wheeled vehicle from Heidelburg into Melbourne for the purpose of per

forming divine service at St. James's, when the j liOTse, descending the hill at the foot of which runs I the Merri Creek, broke into a gallop, and proceeded , frith such rapidity as in turning a bend in the road to overturn the vehicle — throwing it down a steep embankment. The Dean jumped from the carriage before it turned over, and received no injury whatever ; its other occupants most providentially escaped with a few bruises only. Neither the horse nor carriage was seriously injured. — Herald, 11th January. We regret to notice the following paragraph in the Herald of the 14th. Dr. Duncan will need to j exercise redoubled vigilance in examining the passenger vessels now arriving from Melbourne : — ' A Dangerous Epidemic. — A complaint bearing, a most unpleasant resemblance to Asiatic cholera is rather prevalent just now in Melbourne, but a speedy cure may gene- ' rally bo effected by the following diet :— Flour and water boile 1 rather thicker than cream, and brandy and water hot and strong, with twenty drops of laudanum and twen'y drops of essence of peppermint in each glass. We are enabled to bear personal testimony of the efficacy of this recipe, which was given to us by a gentleman now deceased, who resided thirty years in India, during a portion of which period the cholera made such dreadful ravages in that country.' Victoria bids fair to reap the honour of con-structing the first railway in Australia, if we may judge from the following, which appeared in the Melbourne Herald of the 14th inst :— Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway. — The Committee appointed to investigate the Bill now before the Council concluded its sittings on Saturday last. No report will be rendered to the Council by this Committee, but merely the Bill with some trifling amendments, as the preamble of the same meets with its full concurrence. - -nj thing, however, they wish, that before the third reading pnmna Mi in tVip Hnna.i tlio nnininn nf tfin aVinrnhnlriora

ihould be taken relative to these alterations, to which end he proprietors will immediately be called together, and it s more than probable that this company will receive the ianction of the Legislature before the end of the week, already we hear contracts are entered into for timber from he neighbouring colonies to the amount of £20,000, and at i most reasonable rate compared with the present price of he article. The whole line is computed to cost £100,000, ind from the vast extent and many purposes to which this ?ailway will be applicable, this is really a most moderate mm. The terminus is determined upon to be on the south side of Flinders-street, abutting on the river's edge, and ex-tending from the end of Queen- street to the end of Swanston- street, or the foot of the Prince's-bridge. The entrance for passengers will be immediately at the end of Elizabethstreet, and on either side of that place will be warehouses for goods. That lying in the direction of the bridge is proposed to be for the reception of imported goods, and will be 300 feet long, while that on the opposite or side reaching towards Queen street, will be 350 feet long, and be used for the warehousing and reception of goods for exportation. The whole range of building will be roofed with the patent galvanized tined iron. On leaving the terminus, the line will proceed over the river Yarra by means of a wooden or American lattice bridge, of a wide span, crossing in an oblique direction, and thence in an almost direct line to the north-western side of Sandridge, where it is proposed to run the railway out into the bay upon a pier extending into the water 1,800 feet. At the extremity of this pier will be a transept or cross-pier, of 680 feet length, which will be completely roofed in; thus affording ample shelter to goods being landed or shipped. Alongside this pier, it is computed that at least forty vessels, lying two abreast, and of the largest tonnage, will be able to moor, as the draught of water will not be less than 22 feet. The permanent way of this line will be composed of the usual iron rails laid upon wooden sleepers, as suggested by Mr. Brunell some years since, and adopted on the Great Western. The guage of the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway is to be 5 feet 3 inches, thus being of a medium* width between the Great Western and other English lines, the former being, as is pretty well known, the extreme width of 7 feet, whilst those of the latter are only 4 feet 8£ inches. It is expected operations will commence in about four weeks' time, and the whole will be completed, it is hoped, in fifteen months. The timber is shortly expected to arrive, and several orders have already been forwarded to England to expedite the under taking. When in full working order, and from the shortness of the line, trains are likely to be run every quarter of an hour, as there will be a double line of rails.' The latest news from the Ovens is communicated, from Spring Creek, under date 11th January. Wt make the following extracts : — 'The Escort from Melbourne came in yesterday after noon, bringing up cash remittances to the amount o Thirty Thousand Pounds. The quantity of Gold depositec for Escort to Melbourne, up to 12 o'clock yesterday amounted to upwards of ten th /usand ounces, and it is ex pected that when the storekeepers and Gold-buyers briiij in their contributions this evening, the total amount wil exceed that despatched by any previous Escort. Consider ing the numbers out prospecting, as well as those who hav-been keeping up Christmas festivities, this large despatel of Gold speaks well for the Ovens. 'The price of Gold here has been £3 5s., up to th arrival of the Escort, but I believe that £3 5s. 6d. ha since been given. The effect of the intended establish mpnt- nf a mpj-l-]-i paonrt to Mp.lhnnrnrt hv *(«- nnvommon

fter next week, will probably be to raise the price of gold n the ground considerably. ' On Saturday last four bushrangers were most gallantly aptured by one of the troopers of the gold mounted police, tear the Ovens, who had been sent in pursuit of them from he Broken River by Mr. Commissioner Smyth, and who i it only captured them, bat also conveyed them back prisoners to the Broken River. One of the men has been dentified by a party who was robbed and illtreated near ienalla last Friday. It is to be hoped th it this witness will not ' slope' before the prisoner is tried by the Supreme Dourt. The trooper ought certainly to receive speedy pronotion for his conduct in the affair.' The latest Commercial Intelligence from Victoria jomprises the following, published on the 14th instant : — ; . 'Gold, is upon the. advance in price: £3 10s 9d was riven yesterday, and in some instances as much as £3 11s, per ounce. 'Stubbs and Sons sold yesterday land in Brunswickstreet friim £3 7s 9d to £4, per foot; sugar 33s per cwt; butter Is 2d perlb; bacon Is; hams Is 3d per lb; candles 7d per lb. . ' At Messrs Bear and Son's wool Kale, held at Goldsbrough'8 Stores on Wednesday last, 116 bales were disposed of at the foil wing prices — fleece wool (washed) from 15fd t- 16d; ditto greasy from 7|i to8Jd, and .»iiped wool at 14jd per lb. ?' B. H. Martin and Co. sold yesterday, at their Mart, No. 11,, Bourke-street, Oxonian shoes 6s 6d per pair; Blucber boots 9s 6d per pair; hams Is 4d per lb. . ' At the 'victoria Mart, yesterday, Gilbert and Co. sold tar taric acid 7s 9d perlb; carbonate of soda Is 7d; salt butter Is 5d to Is 7d.'