South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Monday 8 August 1853, page 2


SUMMARY FOR THE 'CHUSAN' STEAMER TO SINGAPORE AND ' OVERLAND.

Adelaide, Sth Ammst, 1853.

Uur last summary was published on the 13 th June, and transmitted by the Shanghai steamer to Singapore and overland. The Central Board of Education has fur

nisnea tne ionowing report ior tne quarter ended 30th June, 1853 : — ' During the past quarter tho number of town schools has remained unchanged. In the suburbs, three, and in the country districts, six new schools have been licensed. ' The number of children in attendance has been fluctuating in comparison with the previous quarter. This is owing partly to the unfavourable season of the year, partly to the past quarter being seed-lime in the country districts, and in some measure also to a degree of sickness which ha9 been prevalent amongst children, as referred to by the Inspector in Ins report. ' There were, in March, 4,579 ; April, 4,516 ; May, 4,368 ; June, 4,485 children in these schools. ' Fifty-three destitute children, or orphans, were educated, at a charge to the public of £2 1 15s. 9d. ' The amount contributed by the public revenue during the past quarter for educational purposes was — From ti e funds at the disposal of the Board ? £1,141 16 9 From Colonial Treasury, Inspector's, and Secretary's Salaries, &c. ... 148 18 0 £1,290 14 9 The parents of children contributed, during May and June, as per return of fees received by teachers and furnished to the Board, £952 19s. 9d., which would give an approximate average for the quarter of ? 1,424 5 9 Makine a total of ? £2,665 0 6

From which it appears that the education of an average number of 4,450 children, during the quarter under review, cost 11s. lljd. per head; of which the State* has contributed 5s. 7d., and the parents of children Gs. 4id.' There are at present 98 schools in the colony receiving aid from the Government. Of these the Inspector, who has visited 59 of them during the past quarter, reports in generally favourable terms. Few, if any, have retrograded, and even some of the inferior ones show indications of improvement ; whilst in most of those which may be considered permanent, the progress of the children and the general management of the establishments reflect much credit on the masters and mistresses. The want of suitable school-rooms is greatly felt, most of the educational establishments being private houses very ill-adapted for the purpose to which they are applied. The Destitute Board report that, during the half-year ending June 30th, 291 persons have been relieved by them, and that, at the time of making their report, 130 persons were in receipt of relief. Some timely assistance has been given to newly-arrived emigrants, who, from sickness or other accidental circumstances, had become destitute shortly after their arrival ; and also to some families reduced to want by the absence of the fathers at the gold-diggings. Although the Board notified publicly that they would not relieve the families of those men who went to the diggings, yet there were some cases, and a few amongst newly -arrived immigrants, so thoroughly distressing, that the Board did not feel justified in refusing aid altogether. From a report furnished by the Central Road Board we find that the amount expended by them during the quarter ending June 30th, including the charges of the establishment, was £6,G16 0s. 7d. ; aud there was a balance in hand at the end of £14,412 12s. 4d. On the 13th of July, the amount in hand was reduced to £13,(51 1 13s.; and the liabilities were £9,949 Is., leaving only in the hands of the Board a balance of £3,GG2 12s., available for immediate purposes. From the last quarterly report of the Pro-tector of Aborigines, we learn that in the Port Lincoln district the natives are still somewhat troublesome to the settlers. In the other districts they are kept tolerably quiet, either by keeping them employed or by giving them food. On the banks of the Murray they have chopped and stacked several cart-loads of firewood ready for Capt. Cadell's steamer. At Port Lincoln, under the training of Archdeacon Hale, they appear to be making favourable progress in the art of husbandry. Upon divers occasions, the ploughmen have gone on with their work, marking off their lands, and going through the whole process of the ploughing without even the presence of a European in the field for days together. In the case of one small paddock, of about four acres, they were left to complete the sowing and harrowing by themselves without any assistance. The last report of the Immigration Agent, for the quarter ending June 30th, records the arrival of four Government emigrant ships ; the Caucasian, Marshall Bennett, Ramilies, and Mary Green, bringing 1,116 emigrants. The Hercules has since arrived with 190 emigrants for this port ; and also the Calabar, with above 200 Government emigrants. In answer to queries put to him, the Immi-gration Agent states that the expense of erecting a country dwelling, suitable to an agricultural labourer, is from £20 to £60 ; that the rent of a town lodging, suitable to a mechanic and his family, is from 8s. to 10s. per week ; that every description of labour is in request in the colony ; that the colony could absorb any number of immigrants that could possibly arrive ; that there is abundance of food ; and that domestic servants are par-ticularly wanted. In confirmation of the latter statement we may mention that all the females by the Hercules, though speaking an almost unintelligible language, have been eagerly hired, and that the females by the Calabar, since arrived, have as quickly found occupation. The details of the labour market will be found in another column. The South Australian Chamber of Commerce held their third annual general meeting on August 1st. Messrs. A. Scott and G. Elder were elected respectively to the offices of Chairman and Deputy Chairman for the en-suing year. The following extract from the report furnished by the Committee to the meeting will afford satisfactory evidence of our commercial prosperity during the past year :— " Notwithstanding the great attractions of the gold-fields in the province of Victoria, the returns of immigration and emigration, officially prepared, show a steady increase in our population, and the present inhabitants of the province exceed by 9,000 the number stated in the census of 1851, and may be calculated at 72,000 souls. " The amount derived from the general revenue for the year ending 30th June, 1853, is £149,000, and

from the territorial revenue £245,000; whilst the amounts of the previous years were only £87,000 and £107,000 respectively, showing an aggregate increase of revenue for the year 1853 of £200,000, or more than double the revenue of the preceding year. ' Comparative Statement of Exports from South Australia, for the year ending 25th June, 1852. I. Produce of the Colony — £ s. d. Wool, 12,608 bales (3,566,994 lbs.) 148,443 0 0 Copper, 43,704 cwt. ... .... 179,632 0 0 Regulus, 533 tons ... ... 17,690 0 0 [Antimony] Copper Ore, 1 0,074 J tons ... 164,346 0 0 Lead Ore, 49 tons ? 520 0 0 Grain, 10,338 qrs. ... ... 18,152 12 0 Flour, 5,100 tons ? 89,34710 0 Bran and Pollard, S80£ tons ... 5,527 10 0 Hay, 232 tons ... ? 701 0 0 Other Farm Produce ? 6,591 18 0 Tallow, 1,462 cwt. ... ... 2,075 0 0 Hides, Horns, Bones, &c. ... 1,113 0 0 Animals ? 4)n80 0 0 Sundries ? ... 8,844 0 0 Total Exports, produce of the colony £647,063 10 0 II. Imi'okts Kk-exi'Outed ... 174,064 0 0 Total Export of Merchandise ...£821,127 10 0 III. Gold Dust and Bullion, manifested ? 123,175 3 7 Grand total ? £944,302 13. 7 Besides Gold Duat and Bullion not manifested, the quantities of which cannot bo ascertained. '? Comparative Statement of Exports from South Ausralia,for tiie year ending 'loth June, 1853. I. Pkouucb op the Colon v — £ h. d. Wool, 11,360 bales (3,702,952 lbs.) 189,657 15 0 Copper, 28,144Jcwt ? 113,893 8 0 liegulus, 34 tons ? 1,360 0 0 Copper Ore, 4,793£ tons ? 95,147 0 0 Lead Ore, 20£ tons ? 291 0 0 Grain, 9,018 qrs ? 3.0,993 3 0 Flour, 6,233* tons ? 166.881 0 0

Bran and Pollard, 1,549.} tons ... 16,399 5 0 Hay, l,309i tons ? 13,278 0 0 Other Farm Produce ? 13,629 10 0 Tallow, 180 cwt ? 250 0 0 Hides, Horns, Boneg, &c. ... 316 0 n Animals ? 4,170 0 0 Sundries ? 5,704 0 0 Total exports, produce of the colony £651,970 1 0 II. Imi'outs Re-expokted ? 101,104 18 0 Total export of Merchandise ...£753,074 19 0 ? III. Gold Dust and Bullion, manifested ... ? 1,487,283 6 0 Grand Total £2,240,358 5 0 Besides goll- dust and bullion not manifested, tha quantities of which cannot bo ascertained. ' For full particulars of tho exports of the colony, your Committee would refer to tho accompanying tabular statement which has boon very carefully compiled, and which, whilst exhibiting a small increase iu the value of the oxport of staplo articles of South Australian industry over the previous year, shows an increase in tho export of gold of not less than £1,364,108, making tho aggregate amount of exports for tho year ending 25th Juno, 1853, equal to the large sum of £2,240,353, and exceeding tho oxport of tho previous year by £1,296,056. 'Of this Iar^o quantity of gold 263,782 ounces have been brought from the Victoria diggings by tho Overland Escort, and may bo considered as tho gains of those South Australian diggers who, loaving their homesteads for a season, pursued tho search for gold as a temporary avocation, and who have now for the most part finally returned to their families, and resumed their usual industrial occupations. ' The total amount of imports, exclusive of coin and bullion, for the year ending 25th Juno, 1853, ia £1,007,383, against £61)3,850. of tho previous year, and tho amount of imported articles that have been re-exported is £101 , 104, against £1 74,064. Although the increase of imports for 1853 over those of 1852 may appear, at first sight, immoderately largo whou compared with the incroudo of population ; yet when the groat amount of exports, and tho consequently enhanced moans of the bulk of tho community to supply themselves not only with tho necessaries but .. witli the luxuries of life, aro considered, it cinnot bo doomed excessive. ' Tho state of tho Banking interests of tho colony exhibits the following satisfactory antl improved condition, as compared with t!io previous year : — Comparatire Banking Statistics of South Australia In tho months of J uly, 1832, ami .July, 185:), respectively. Notes in '1Jillrt ul'ler Deposits. Oirciiln- ^^ountun.l Coin and ♦:,-., [Other Sucu- Bullion. ? tlon' | ritiea. 1852. £ s. d.l £ s. C s. d. £ h. , S. Australia - 28(3,13) 7 8 15 ',709 lo 222,685 13 0 314,8'J1 O 'Australasia 80,00:$ 4 0 5,191 0 »7,52($ 1 4 97,«.'i» 8 Union liauk 7!-,75l 15 7 C8,VJ5 ? 00,937 2 10 112,323 3 451,'JU 7 9233,025 10 387,018 17 2 521,701 8 S.Australia 889.6H O o'l.'JA.OGl 0 190,030 0 O 851,8!)7 0 Australasia 32 .,5 X) 0 0 45,010 0 (Sp,800 0 0 8tfi,500 O Union Dank 22i,:-41 1(3 10 45,b72 ° «a,0.?3 0 0 293,124 19 1,43;),45.- 1G l-22i;,(»33 O331/.U3 0 0!l,532,52l 19 ' The number of licences issued by the Gold Commissioner for the Echunga diggings since July, 1852, has been 1,457, and p;rli;ips it would not bo an overestimate to state the produce of these diggings up to tho present tune at the sum of £20,000, which, although in itself a trifling amount, compared with that of the neighbouring colonies, is not unimportaut, as showing tho certain existence of the precious metal in 8011th Australia, and tho possibility at some future day of its more extensive development. ' The number of gold tokens for circulation, coined under the authority of tho Ordinance No. 14, 1852, was 24,648, when the necessity for continuing the operations of the Mint ceased ; the rise in the price of gold dust having relieved tho Banks from the apprehensions. whicl£ they entertained of being overwhelmed with bullion. The operation of that Ordinance, therefore, together with Ordinance No. 1, 1852, of the Local Legislature (generally known as the Bullion Act), which it superseded, has now bo- . come matter of history, and will remain on our colonial records as a lasting proof of the practical ability of this community in grappling with and overcoming the difficulties of a crisis, which threatened the dissolution of our whole social fabric, and will at the same time demonstrate to the mother-country our perfoqt fitness for the entire control and management of our own local affairs.' The territorial revenue of South Australia for the twelve months ended 30th June last (£245,000) exceeded by £6,498 the territorial revenue of New South Wales for the year 1852 ; and the proceeds of Crown lands sold in South Australia during the period above mentioned, in excess of the upset, price, would be found more than equivalent to the Gold revenue of New South Wales, amounting to £62,307 9s. od. The public sales of Crown land* since the 13th June have been as follows : — On June 16th, 2,571 acres, realizing £4, 144 5 0(a) ' ' 23rd, 2,194 ' ' 4,081 10 0(6) ' ?? 30th, 'l,203| ' ' 2,042 3 0(c) ' July 7th, 4,1 13| ' ' 6»154 5 °W 14 ' 14th, 4,177 ' ' 5,973 0 0 (e) ' ' 21st, 2,074 » ' 3.61G 10 Off) ' ' 28th, 787 ' '. 854 15 0(o) ' Aug.. 4th, 2,508J ' ' 3,989 15 0v/t) 19.628J ' ' £30,806 5 0' (a) This sale consisted entirely of country and suburban sections. The average price . realized was £1 12s. 3fd. per acre. (6) This sale also consisted entirely of country and suburban sections. Twenty sections suburban to Port Elliot averaged the unusually high price of £2 7s. 4Jd. per acre. The general average of the sale was £1 17s. 2Jd. per acre. (c) This sale included nineteen quarter-acre allotments in the township of the Goplwa, which were disposed of at the rate of £99 14s, 8d. per acre. The suburban and country sections averaged £1 6s. Id. per acre. (d) This sale included three allotments in the.

township of Port Elliot, which averaged £81 per asre. The country sections averaged £1 9s 7jd. per acre. («) This Bale consisted entirely of suburban sec tions. The average price was a fraction over £1 8s. Id. per acre. (f) This sale included only suburban and country lands. The prices averaged £1 Us. 10 Jd per acre. (g) This was the smallest sale tbat has taken place for several months. Only three of the sections excited any competition. The land was all either country or suburban, and tho pries averaged was only a fraction over £1 Is. 8.J1. per acre. (A) This sale contained ten allotments m the township of the Goolwa, which averaged £114 13s_3d. per acre. The country lands realized £1 8s. 5Jd. per acre. The above, added to the amount particularised in previous summaries, viz. : — 56,787¾ acres, realising £89,090 4s. Gives a total of 76,416½ acres realising £119,896 9s. by public auction, from the commencement of the present year. The quantity of land not purchased when put up at public auction, but subsequently selected by private contract, has been — In May, 7,854 acres, realising £7,912 In June, 5,097 ' ' £5,097 This, added to the selection by private contract from January 1st last, as given in previous summaries, viz. : — 31,571 acres, realising £31,725 Gives a total of 44,522 ' ' £44,734 This, together with the above-mentioned sales by public auction, gives a grand total of 120,938½ acres of Crown land sold from the commencement of the present year, and realising an aggregate amount of £164,630 9s. The amount of land selected by private contract during the month of July has not been officially published, and is therefore not included in the foregoing calculation, to which it would make an addition of about 8,000 acres. The total quantity of gold deposited in the Assay Office, since its reopening on April 7th, has been 32,584: ozs. 14: dwts. 19 grs. There have been two arrivals of the Overland Escort from the Victoria gold-fields since our last summary, viz. : — Ozs. dwts. On 25th June, bringing ... 7,348 13 On 2nd August, ' ... 7,037 10 Total 14,336 3 The shipment of gold from Port Adelaide since our last summary has been as follows : — Oh the 1st July, per Charlotte Jane, to London, 34,484 ozs. dwts. 12 grs. On the 20th July, per Mayflower, to London, 5,500 ozs. In consequence of the very general feeling that the important subject of the new consti tution should be discussed in a full Council, the resignations of the two absent members, Messrs, Hall and Hart, which had been de posited with friends to be used or not at dis cretion^ were forwarded to the Governor. Capt. Bagot also, who left in the Charlotte Jane for England, prior to his embarkation resigned his seat. Three writs were accordingly issued for new elections. The representation of the Port was contested by Mr. Paxton and Capt. Scott, the result being in favour of the latter by a majority of 166 votes. Mr. J. B. Hughes and Mr. J. T. Bagot appeared as can didates for the district of Light, the latter gaining the election by a majority of three votes. Owing to some inattention to the regis tration, the district of Victoria has been almost disfranchised, there being only three electors entitled to vote, but though a writ was issued as usual for the return of a new member for that district, no one was proposed on the day of nomination, and accordingly the district remains unrepresented. Q. Stephens, Esq., the local manager of the Bank of South Australia, has been appointed Crown nominee in the room of F. II. Dutton, Esq., who left for England in the Shanghai. The fourth session of the Legislative Council was opened by the Governor on Thursday, July 21st. After referring to the general prosperity of the colony, His Excellency said: — "The remittances for the introduction of labour from October, 1852, to May, 1853, with a balance in England, amount together to £172,480 ; all of which is available for the supply of labour in 1853. The number of immigrants at the expense of the land fund who have arrived from the beginning of the year to the end of June last, is 1,994; and the labour fund is equal to the cost of the introduction in 1853 of 6,630 more labourers, even at the high rate of £20 each for passage-money. "After providing for the introduction of labour in 1853 to the extent previously mentioned, and after providing for the completion of works already contracted for, as well as for the survey and management of the waste lands and aborigines, I have directed part of the balance of the land fund of 1853, amounting to £45,000, to be applied as follows: — £5,000 in aid of city improvements; £20,000 (in addition to £20,000 in 1853 from the Colonial Revenue) to the Central Road Board; £20,000 in aid of local assessments of the District Councils; and the rest in aid of immigration in 1854. I have also placed a balance of about £114,000 of the Crown moiety of the land fund in 1854 on the general estimates of the year." From this statement it will be seen that there is not only plenty of money available for the introduction of labour from Great Britain, but also a large sum to be spent on public works, which will give employment to that labour on its arrival. The Governor proposes, at the end of the year, to discontinue the overland escort from the Victoria gold-fields, since the receipts now fall considerably below the expenditure. This escort, coupled with the Bullion Act, has introduced into the colony gold to the value of a million and a half sterling; of which not less than £230,000 has been invested in the purchase of Crown lands. It is proposed to increase the numbers and rates of pay of the Police Force, and also to make an addition to the salaries of Government Officers. A Bill has been introduced to amend the Postal system in conformity with the recom mendations on that suoject from the Uom-Government. It is proposed to make a uni form charge of sixpence for all foreign letters and to adopt the method of prepayment b1 stamps. A Bill has been introduced to simplify pro ceedings ia the Supreme Court of the province It promises to be a very acceptable instalmen of law reform. The greater part of it i founded on a recent Imperial Act, but it als contains provisions for enabling equitabl claims and defences to be made in the court of common law. A Bill to increase the siim voted for th Adelaide City and Port Railway, and to en able the Undertakers to vary the course of th line, is in preparation.

A Bill to improve the existing system of ihe Registration of Deeds is to be shortly laid before the Council. The Governor has also recommended to the Council the consideration of the existing law )f partnership, with a view to ascertain whe ;her the principle of pai tnership with limited labilities may not safely bo introduced. A measure for improving the Local Courts ,s also under consideration. But tho subject of absorbing interest has )een the proposed alteration of the constitution )f the Legislature. The despatches received ay Sir Henry Young on this subject were not j made public prior to the meeting of the Legis- j lative Council, but it was known that such lespatches had been received, and that the local Executive were preparing a new consti tution founded thereon. When the details of the Bill became known, they met with very gene ral approval, with, however, one great excep tion, viz., the proposal to constitute tho Upper House entirely of Crown nominees appointed for life. Tho public opinion of the colony was expressed so decidedly on this point, as to leave no doubt that four-fifths of the colonists were opposed to such a method of constituting the Upper Chamber. His Excellency, in his opening speech to the Council, stated that the despatches he laid on the table announced Her Majesty's gracious readiness, on certain conditions, to grant to the colonists responsible government and the control of the land fund. When the contents of these despatches became generally known, there was a wide-spread feeling that the Government had narrowed their interpretation — that the offer was not conditional, but that the colonists were free to choose what form of

constitution best pleased them. And as the great bulk of the colonists were decidedly against the establishment of a nominated Upper Chamber, it was resolved to attempt the introduction of the elective principle into the proposed measure. Accordingly, in pur suance of an arrangement agreed upon amongst several of the elected members, Mr. Dutton moved, prior to the second reading of tho Bill— ' That, in the proposed Bill for constituting a Par liament for South Australia, this Council is of opinion that the Upper House should be elective.' A debate of three days ensued on this mo tion, in the course of which the Colonial Secretary stated that, if it were carried, the Government would not proceed with the Bill. This declaration induced several members who were adverse to the nominee principle to op pose the motion, as they preferred to take the measure as it was rather than run the risk of losing or postponingthe solid advantages ! that would accompany it. Even then, however, the Government would only have been able to defeat the motion by the casting vote of the Speaker. On the other hand, the popular party, though strong enough to throw out the measure, could not have carried one of their own, since they could not agree on details. Under these circumstances a compromise was agreed to. Several members consented to oppose the motion, on the understanding that a clause should be introduced into the Bill giving the Lower House the power to alter the constitution of the Upper. Mr. Dutton's motion was accordingly lost, the Government having a majority of eight. The particulars of the compromise, as far as they have yet transpired, are, that a nominated Upper Cham ber should be accepted by the House, on the condition that the constitution should be amended after a period of nine years, should such be deemed expedient by two-thirds of the members of the Lower House, and whose wishes to that effect should be expressed in two consecutive Sessions, with a dissolution of the Assembly between. From various financial papers laid on the table of the Legislative Council, we abstract the following particulars : — The cemparative- statement of the Revenue for 1851 and 1852 shows a net decrease in

the latter year of £24,741 14s. Od., the total ordinary receipts for the former vear being £127,046 18s. Id., and for the latter £102,3 25 4s. Id. Nearly the whole of this deficit oc curs in connection with the Customs Revenue, which in 1851 was £93,321 11s. lid., and in 1852 only £72,514 9s. Od. ; the consequence, doubtless, of the extensive diversion of the import traffic to Melbourne during that period. The total ordinary expenditure for 1851 was £143,981 10s. 5d., and for 1852 £88,238 7s. 3d., being a net decrease of £55,743 3s. 2d. The comparative statement of the Revenue and Expenditure of the Colonial Govern ment, arising from the discovery of the gold mines in Victoria, shows that the re ceipts of the Assay Office in 1852 were £7,587 17s. 7d., and the proceeds of Escort charges £12,123 4s. lOd. ; the expenditure during the year being, in connection with the Assay Office, £9,828 4s. 7d., or £2,240 7s. in excess of receipts ; and in connection with the Escort £5,939 13s. 9d., or £6,183 Us. Id. less than the receipts. The net balance in favour of this department at the end of the year being £3,943 4s. Id. The comparative statement of the Land Fund revenue for 1851 and 1852 shows that during the former year, £95,511 16s. lid. had been received for the sale of Waste Lands of the Crown, and during the latter £121,137 19s. 5d., being a net increase of £25,625 19s. 6d. The expenditure for 1851 was£41,524 10s. od., and for 1852 £36,041 11s. 3d. ; being a het decrease of £5,482 19s. 2d. In 1851 £20,000 was paid towards the Bonded Debt, and in 1852, £15,300. The sums advanced for Roads, Street}, and Bridges, in those years, were respectively £1,603 15s. 6d. and £7,933 12s. lid. 'The expenditure in 1852 out of the sums appropriated under the Imperial Act 13 & 14 Viet., cap. 59, and the Local Act No. 3 of 1851, was, for Schedule D, Part 1, £7,242 19s. 6d., and for Schedule D, Part 2, £4,443 18s. Id. The expenses of emigrant ships were, in 1851 £42,454 14s. 8½d., and in 1852 £63,090 18s. 8d. The total number of vessels which arrived in the colony in 1852 was 366, of the united burthen of 101,666 tons;- these

were manned by 4,900 men. The total number of passengers arrived during the same period was 20,800. The departures were 16,044, leaving a balance in favour of population of 4,256. The total decrease in the actual, as compared with the estimated, expenditure of the Government for 1852 was £60,315 6s. 3d. We extract from the Government Gazette the following summary of the colonial revenue

and expenditure, for the quarter ending June 30th : — REVENUE. Ordinary ? 42,812 12 4 Gold ? 10,091 10 2 Land ? 87,462 1 1 £140,366 3 7 EXPENDITUBB. Ordinary ? 27,620 10 9 Gold ? 3,140 12 2 Land ? 43,585 18 4 £74,347 1 3 The gold revenue mentioned above is not the amount received for licences to dig, which was only £193 10s., and which falls into the land fund, but the profits on the Escort and the Assay Office, and forms an integral part of the ordinary revenue, and is separately noted only on account of its special interest. Captain Cadell's steamer, the Lady Augusta, is hourly expected at Port Elliot, to commence the navigation of the River Murray. She left Melbourne on the 18th July, but having met with heavy weather, is reported to have put into Portland Bay. A rather novel addition to our imports was lately made by the Malacca, which brought a cargo of mules from South America for the use of tho Patent Copper Company. The number put on board was 180, but owing to a boisterous passage only 70 arrived. They are intended to carry the smelted copper from the Burra Mine to Port Wakefield. Considerable interest attaches to the experiment as to how far these animals will prove useful for this purpose. Finding it stated in the Liverpool Albion that Mr. C. D. Logan had given it in evidence before Lord Jocelvn's Parliamentary Commit

tee ot lbol, upon steam communication with Adelaide, that no such convenience as a patent slip existed at Port Adelaide, we take this opportunity of informing shipowners and mas ters of vessels that among the earliest impor tations into South Australia was a patent slip, sent out by the South Australian Company, and we subjoin a list of vessels repaired on it at Port Adelaide, from March, 1851, to July, 1853 :— Name. Belong to. ^ | J-. £n Panama ... Glasgow ... ship Mar. 5, 1851 672 Koyal Shepherdess ' ... barque June 2, ' 405 Louisa ... Sydney ... brig July 15, ' 1S1 Lightship ... Col. Gov. S. A. do. August 7, ' 150 Venus ...Port Adelaide schuoner ' 11,' 60 Phantom ... Sydney ... brig ' 25, ' 158 Steam Tug ... Port Adelaide Sept. 29, ' 60 Selma ... Hartford ... barque ' 24, ' 407 Louisa ... Capo Town ... schooner ' 30, ' 84 Steam Dredgo ... S. A. Company Oct. 25, ' 100 Bandicoot ... Port Adelaide schooner Mar. 24, 1852 64 Joseph Lee Archer ' cutter ' 30, ' 35 Washington ... Glasgow ... ship Aug. 13, ' 1098 Eleanora ... S. Kiver Gov. schooner Nov. 3, ' 180 Hero ... Port Adelaide brig ' 3;), ' 1&3 Sea Witch ... Melbourne ... schooner Jan. 29, 1853 216 Sylph ... Kincardine ... barque Feb. v5, ' 244 Selma ... Adelaide ... do. Mar. 26, ' 4'7 Onkaparingfi . Port Adelaide brig April 28, ' 180 Marshall llenneti London ... barque May 24, ' 353 Queen of Sheba ... Leith ...ship July 9, ' 307 Amount of register tonnage ... 5414 The Antelope steamer, long expected from England, has not yet arrived, but information has been received that after detentions at Madeira, St. Vincent, and Rio de Janeiro, alip. hn-] -finnllv lp.fr. flip, lnfrp.r r»nrr. for thp.

Cape. The vexatious delays in the delivery of the mails by the A.R.M.S.N. Company's vessels have been productive of so much annoyance that the news that the Government had an nulled the contract with that company has been received with very general satisfaction, and it is hoped that, under any new arrange ments which may bo made, letters from Great Britain will be brought here with more speed and regularity. In conformity with an ad dress to that effect from the Legislative Coun cil, the Governor has agreed to place on the estimates a sum of .£6,000, for three years, to be given as a premium in sums of £500 per month, to any company or private indivi dual who, being under contract with the Home Government, shall deliver mails, via the Cane of Good Hope, at Port Adelaide

vithin 68 days ot the date ot departure trom ireat Britain, provided that one- sixth of the ?eward shall be deducted as a fine if the ength of the voyage exceeds the prescribed ;ime. The following are the particulars of the irrival and departure of passengers to and ?roin Port Adelaide, since June 13th, as pub lished in the Govermment Gazette : — Inwards. Outwards. For the week ending 11th June ... 81 81 ' ' 18th ' ... 536 31 ' ' 25th ' ... 466 83 ' ' 2nd July ... 202 63 ' ' 9th ' ... Ill 133 ' ' 16th ' ... 494 141 ' ' 23rd ' ... 25 8 ' ' 30th ' ... 435 98 Totals ? 2,350 648 Showing an excess of Immigration over Emigration of ? 1,702 souls Which added to the number given in our last Summary, viz., ? 1,961 ' Shows a total balance in favour of Immi gration during the present year of ... 3/63 u Subjoined will be found a correct statement af the vessels arrived at and departed from Port Adelaide since June 13th, and particulars of the cargoes of vessels sailed for England.