Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Wednesday 25 July 1860, page 1


FOR

EUROPE

INTRODUCTION.

The Peninsular and Oriental Com-pany's steamship Salsette, Captain Methven, arrived off Kangaroo Island on the morning of the 4th inst., and anchored in Hobson's Bay at an early hour on the 6th, with the English mail of the 18th of May. The Salsette brought no later intelligence by telegram to Alexandria, and the Red Sea cable is still out of working order. The new arrangements for our mails coming into operation at once on this end of the line,

the Ottawa has been detained from the 17th, and sails to-morrow, the 26th instant, with tho mails from Victoria, New South Wales, New Zealand, and Tasmania. The Adelaide Govern-ment have chartered the Oscar, a coasting steamer, to meet the Ottawa with the South Austra-lian mail at King George's Sound. No arrangement has as yet been made hy South Australia with the Govern-ment of this colony, as to the propor-tion of the subsidy to be paid by that Government j and though it is not pro table that the Ottawa will carry instruc-tions to refuse the South Australian Bail on this occasion, it cannot be expected by that Government that ihoy will be permitted to receive and flespatoh their mails at and from

King's George's Sound, without an understanding having been previously arrived at with tho G-overamont of this colony. To make King George's JSound the depot for their mails will cost the South Australian Go-vernment £24,000 a year (at the rate of 'the tender for the first month's

service), independently of their i share

of the cost of the main lino service*

loo large a sum to pay for any benefit to be flerived from a station at King Georgo's Sound in place of Hobson's Bay.' The chango of the mail arrangements has "been well received in this colony and ia Tasmania, whilo New South Wales, in iho mortification to which she is ex-

posed, reaps the fruit of her recenfc hasty, petty, and unwise courso in her relations with this colony, as to the mail route and otherwise. The next change loped for is a fortnightly service between Melbourne and Galle, whioh this colony will encourago by every means in its power. _

Tho advices from Europe, warning us of impending troubles, were followed by disastrous intelligence from New Zea-land-the particulars of which aro given elsewhere. The evil tidings, liowever, has had the effeot of drawing out the most loyal senti-ments from every district of Victoria-a sufficient answer to the unfounded state-ments that havo lately received our ïenoy in England as to the feelings of this colony towards the mother country. Immediate helpfor New Zealand was re-solved upon, and on the 18 th inst. the fast steamship City of Hobart was despatched for New Plymouth, carrying Lieutenant Colonel Leslie and 210 officers and men of the 40th Begimont. Major-Goneral Pratt, Commander-in-Chief of Her Ma-jesty's Forces in Australasia, communi-cated to theGovernorhis intention of pro-ceeding to the seat of war, with his staff, and the head-quarters of the 40th. Tho announcement gave groat satisfaction to tho colony, and the colonial armed steamer Victoria, which had been placed

at the service of the New Zealand Go-vernment, and whioh had brought over iho despatches, was again placed at tho Major-General's service, and sailed on Tuesday last, the 24th inst./with Ge-neral Pratt, the staff, and about 50 mea of the 40th. Only a fow sick men and boys of the regiment aro loft in Melbourne ; and the Volunteer Bifles bavo responded in tho most loyal man-ner to the call to take upJ the gar-rison duty hitherto performed by tho military. This duty they undertook; a fortnight ago, and their only complaint is tho non-arrival of the arms bo long expeoted from England. The

i-BsemDiy tooir. up tno sudjccc, simulta-

neously with the airival of the despatches, and, on tho motion of Mr. Wilson Gray,

-one of tho ultra-democratic members 1-voted an additional sum of X5,000, to provide prizes for tho best maiksincn amongst the volunteers, tho erection of butts, the formation of bands, &<¡ ; whilo the Ministry brought in a bill to in-

crease the number of tho volunteer force from 2,000 to 10,000, and announced ihat, should an emergency arise during tho recess, they would bo prepared to meet any cxpendituro that might be called for, trusting to tho loyal fooling of tho Houso for a bill of indemnity next session. Victoria, thercforo, at this moment is without a singlo military representative of Her Majosty, and is engaged in her own defences, in the most loyal spirit to tho Crown.

Tho Land question approaches a set-tlement. At the dato of our last sum-mary the bill was under consideration by tho Council, after a Ministerial crisis, brought about by tho opposition of the

fç_cmtterfl ja the XTpper^Hougo to tho

measure. The bill was altered

many of its essential features-es-pecially in tho substitution of a sys-tem of limited auotion for that of lot, in deoiding between applicants for any particular section whose claims were equal; and on the return of the bill a fierce faotion fight was got up by the extremo party in tho Assembly, headed on this occasion by Mr. Duffy. Ministers, while indi-cating the amendments thoy would agreo to, and those they would not assent to, proposed to consider the amendments seriatim. Mr. Duffy proposed the" rejection of the amendments in glolo. A fierce debate followed, lasting" over two sittings j and although the O'sha-nassy party combined with the few Duflyites and " the Corner," Ministers triumphed by the unexpectedly large majority of 37 to 23. The amendments were then taken up in detail. A num-ber of them, of small importance, were agreed to, and the bill, restored almost to the shape in whioh it had ori-ginally been sent up, was returned to the Counoil. There the battle was

again fought, mainly on the question of lot or limited auotion. The Council has taken its stand on three points-limited auction, the limitation of the land to be surveyed and open for selec-tion in ono year to 2,000,000 acres, and tho Bubdivision of allotments into 'two in placo of four. They

desire that the purchaser of one subdivi- ,

sion shall have the privilege of leasing j

the remaining half, for pastoral pur-poses only, with a pre-emptivo right, in place of three-fourths of the lot; as originally proposed by the Assem-bly. The practical differenco between the two propositions, as regards the subdivisions, is, that by the Assembly's amendment the price of the land would be 5s. per acre ; by tho Council's, 10s. per acre, with seven years given to buy, in tho one caso, the three-fourths, and in the other, the half of the lot, leased. On Tuesday night last, the ques-tion was again 'before the Assembly, and the state of matters, at the latest date, will bo found in another column.

Some important measures havo been under discussion during tho month. The Divorce Bill (originally sent down by tho Counoil) has passed the Assembly. This bill assimilates the law to that of England, excepting in ono provision, considered very desi-rable in the oiroumstances of this colony, namely, absolute divorce in cases of de-sertion for four years. It is probable that the addition of this proviso may

occasion the reservation of the measure for the sanction of Her Majesty, in terms of a despatch, dated in 1858. from

Lord Stanley, then Colonial Secretary ; but with this warning before it, and not-withstanding the remonstrances of tho law officers of the Crown, the Assembly, in repeated divisions, insisted on the retention of the proviso; and as the social state of the colony demands a change of law, in the interests of morality

and humanity, such as tho bill prpvides, we trust the measure as it has left the

Assembly may receive the Boyal assent. The bill to abolish imprisonment for debt has also passed through tho As-sembly, and that abolishing Ministerial pensions, and legalizing limited partner-ships in mining enterprises, will shortly pass into law. A Law of Property Amendment Bill, intended to remedy a Tery great variety of legal anomalies and difficulties, has almost reached its last stage.

Ministers have announced for an early day, next session, a bill for the institution cf district councils and tho management

of commons, with a view to the trans-ference of the care of roads, &c, to these looal parliaments. The subject of pas-toral licences, with a viow to the final settlement of the squatting question, will also be then dealt with.

The railways are still a souroo of difficulty. The recent investigations, and the remcasurement of the works by the new engineer-in-ohief, havo led to a resolution on the part of the Govern-ment to abandon the system of pay-ments on what aro known as " progress"

measurements. It is understood that these quantities havo been found to bo, in many instances, largely in ex-cess of the work actually performed. In regard to the excoution of the work ifc Eelf, the report of the engineer-in-chiof is favourable. Tho latest phase of the railway question is a strike of tho la-bourers, who havo resisted, for some four or five weeks, an attempt to introduce monthly in placo of fortnightly settle-ments. The strike ia likely to termi-nate in the yielding of the men.

The Border Customs question is still unsettled, and engaging the attention of the two Governments. Public feeling against tho oourse taken by the Govern-ment of New South Wales has been ex-pressed unmistakably in the border dis-

tricts.

Tho dredging operations on the bar of the Yarra havo teen sueoessful, Vessels drawing 14ft. of water can now enter at any time of the tide. Within tho last few days, additional interest has been given to the subject of tho internal navigation of Australia by the faot of two steamers-one drawing two feetj and the other three feet and a half, of water-having made their way from the Murray up the River Edward, as far as Deniliquin, carrying largo car-

goes.

The leaders of the Exploring Expedi-tion have been chosen. Mr. Richard O'HaraBurke,long superintendent of the police of Castlemaine district, is first in command, and his second is Mr. Lan-ders, who recently brought the camels from India. Mr. Wills, from the Mel-bourne Observatory, is appointed astro-nomer to the expedition ; and Dr. Becker accompanies it as naturalist. The expedition will start in the course of next month, making Cooper's Creek their point of departure.

The difficulties placed in the way c£ the transference of the Melbourne and Geelong Railway to tho Government, by

f ,

some of the directors, have now been re-moved, and the purchase will be forth-with completed.

The port of Sandridge is about to be separated from Melbourne, and consti-tuted an independent municipality.

The prospecting parties in Gipps Land have found traces of gold in many places, but as yet no new pay-able gold-field haSj been reported from that district. We are still, however, without reports, private or official, from two of the parties-M'Crae's and Mac-

donalds-sent out to examine the

likely ground on the head-waters of the Tarra. A new and important gold-field has been officially reported as existing on the Goulburn, and numerous parties of miners from Inglewood and other gold-fields, who wero preparing to try the Snowy Elver, have turned aside to the Goulburn. The Yandoit district, near Castlemaine, is attracting some atten-tion-seven large nuggets having been found within a limited area in as many weeks. Tho last of these nuggets, weighing 384oz., was discovered on the 17th instant. Another diamond, weigh-ing nearly threo oarats, has been found in the Ovens district, near Yackan-

dandah.

The telegraphic cable across Bass' Straits is still out of order. It has been ascertained that the injuries to the cable occurred on KiDg's Island, during one of the violent storms which are so frequently experienced in the Straits. The repairs j havo been considerably delayed by the

tempestuous character of the weather

I for some time past, but they are now in

progress.

One of the most interesting events oí the month has been the marriage of His Excellonoy the Governor, Sir Henry Barkly, K.C.B., and Miss Pratt, the only daughter of Major-General Pratt, Commander of the Forces in Australasia. The ceremony was performed in the most privato manner, at Christ Church, South Yarra, on Saturday last.

It is anticipated that Parliament will be prorogued in about 10 days.

The " unemployed " made their usual demonstration boforo the departure of the mail, yesterday, in the Eastern Market. The "United Masons" still ad hero to their demand for IGa. a day, but a new society has been~~formcd of men who are willing to work for 14s. per day. In the present state of the colony, the high terms insisted on by the masons; praotically suspend building operations, and produce muoh of the misery periodically complained of in the

Eastern Market.

THE C1 OLD-FIELDS.

We aro still looking forwaid to tbo oponing up of now fields as the result of tbo very general prospecting of tho country in all directions. Be rorts of important discoveries there aro from timo to »time, but nono of tbese bos boon con-firmed as yet by the only sure test of their^alue, iho woVK"of many bands. "^Numbers of people ave now proceeding towards that point of tbo groat mountain chain from which the Goulburn and

its tributaries flow, in search of tho diggings Jntety announced to have been found thoro ; ihre oí tuesu nttio is Known as yet, oxoept that - a small numbor of men have boon for somo' timo profitably employed on tho now ground, such having been tho caso occasionally for years past oh ono or othor of the creeks flow-ing northward from these ranges. Farther to the eastward, and moro towards Ornoo, or tho now famous Kiandra, a now gold-field of groat extent is reported to have_ boen discovered ; but of this nothing authentic is yet known, tho bearers of tho intelligence having merely heard that the plnco is within our territory, that gold' is plenti-ful, but that tbo auriferous ground, said to cover 20 square miles, is now covered w ith snow. On tho other side of these ranges, or rather on tho spurs runningout therefrom, and by the rivors'lloiving to the sea through Oipps Land, the two prospecting parties fitted out by Government havo boon ex-ploring for some weoks, finding gold in small quantities, but tho country is so hilly and so densely timbered in most parts, that their pro-gress is very slow, and it is scarcely probable that much will bo dono by them through tho winter, except in the way of obtaining such a knowledge of tho localities ns will bo cnloulatcd to facilitate the search for gold in summer, when tho rivers will bo less subiect to sudden Hoods, tho ground will not bo so thoroughly saturated with water, and tho horses will bo botter ablo

to perform their part of tho work. And harell work it is, for, after leaving tho station anell settled parts of tho country, everything has to bo carried on packs, over steep mountain rangoi, covered for tho most part with dense forests nn¿l scrub, and across deep ravines and watercourses, with almost perpendicular sides. Since public at-tention has been so prominently directed to Gipps I Land, and all motivo for concealment is at an

end, it has transpired that good diggings for a moderate number of men have been worked for some time at tho Boggy Creek, and that dotacliod parties havo for somo years past boon in tho habit of spending their Bummers at dlflbrent spots among tho hills, known but to thcmßolves. On almost ovory river and creek flowing from tho Alps, or great dividing rango, to tho southward, or parallel to tho genoral course of tho Snowy Rivor, gold is to bo found in larger or smaller quantity, and bearing the appearance of haning been washed from a distancoj and as such is tho caso in tho Btreams flowing to tho north-ward, also from a similar source, it is reasonable ' to suppose that largo deposits will bo found high I up theso mountains at many other places besides Kiandra. However that may bo, certain it is they will bo well explored during Jtho coming summer, although the progress from tbo Gipps

Lai d side must needB bo slow.

Binco tho exciting intelligence from Kiandra, at tho closo of last summer, disturbed tho publia mind onco moro with visions of speedy fortnnos to be realized by digging, nothing 'but tho dis-covery of an entirely now and extensive field, .»»¡th room and to sparo for thousands, will satisfy tho general desire, so moro limited dis-coveries aro scarcely deemed worthy of notice. Wo havo had, however, to chronicle not a fotv of these, and somo of no littlo importance in pro-portion to the number of minors finding scope for exertion thereon. Inglewood, tho sito of tho last great rush, now some months since, has fallen sadly into disroputo of late ; for although it is an extensivo field, and somo of the

rurw ot gold and portions of reefs within its limits aro vory rich, besides there being a great extent of surfaeing ground, which will bo worked to good advantago as soon as ever enough water is to bo had, it was altogether over-crowded, and is now being deserted as rapidly as it was peopled at first. But at Lamplough, tho sito ? of tho groat rush beforo that again, and almost desertod at ono timo for Inglewood, numbers aro now dom» very well, and one of the best leads opened of late is now worked within four miles, and is givin» cmploymont to several hundreds of mon, and a competency to a fair proportion of these, Tho samo thing has happened at Back Creek, a placol onco in as great estimation as tho-two named,, and afterwards almost depopulated for them

where tho courso of ono of tho rich leads, for i scrao timo lost, has been recovered, and tho^o diggings aro in as high favour as over, but only with a comparatively small number, after tho ox peiienco obtained thoro onco beforo of tho folly I of overcrowding oven tbo richest spot. Onsovor.il ' others of tho older gold-fields fresh loads, or con-

tinuations or branches of thoso supposed to havo been worked out, or olso good patchei, havo been found, but still insufficient to nbsoib tho number of minors unsettled, and half or totally unemployed, and for these wo want now iiolds Yet the old ground is far from boing worked out, and in prooî of this wo need only refer to tho threo nuggets found within a fow weeks at Yan doit, in a spot little tried before; but now that it has been ascertained to contain such prizes, suro to bo pretty w11 turned over, Tho first of those,

?neighing ßOlb., has been described in a former summary ; and tho second, woighing 2J0oz., was found a few days after. Sinco then, the third, and last as yet, weighing 38-loz., was found by nnol her party, at a depth of 16ft. from tho surface. About the time of the finding the second, a nugget ot 171b. loz., and measuring 18.Jin. in length by 5'Jn. breath, with an average thickness of about 2m., i»as obtained at Kingower, within a foot of the surface Several smaller nuggets havo also been found within the last few weeks, and

amongst the number one of 19oz., at the Boggy Creek diggings in Gipps Land, which is only re-markable as coming from n district where the gold is mostly very fine, at least on tho lower portions of the rivers »»hore tho workings now are, but not, wo should imagine, higher up and nearer to the reefs or other sources of supply. Kew reefs have been opened up in different directions though the country, and the reefing interest generally is in a prosperous condition. The largest cake of amalgamated gold produced lately was one of l,158oz. lOdwt., the yield of 40 tons of stone, taken out of a claim on the Eastern Victoria reef in the Bendigo district.

LA.BOUE.

We have no better intelligence to convey as to tbo state or prospects of the labour market throughout tho colony than wo had last month, when it was announced that many men of all classes, both skilled and unskilled workmen, and labourers, wero without employment or any like-

lihood of getting it for some months. The,

demand for tradesmen and artisans cannot im- . proio in the present unsettled state of things here, one-half tho people in business in tho towns and on the gold-fiolds not knowing whera they may bo a fow months heneo; and tho strikes on the railway, and uncer-tainty as to tho number of men that will bo employed on this through the remainder of tho wintor, have increased tho applicants for work elsewhere. It is said, and we believe with truth, that many of tho tradesmen and mccna nies' families aro much pinched, and havo diffi-culty in procuring oven tho bare necessaries of life ; but this is only the natural consequence of a foolish attempt to koop wages abovo what em-ployers could afford to pay. Such attempts al-ways react on the class least able to brook delay, bv making trade moro dull{ thus adding to the

difficulty of meeting business engagements, ; and, by lessening credit and destroying ' confidence, actually depriving employers of the '. means as well as the desiro to continue their

operations. This truth has been over and over ! again impressed on the minds of men taking part i in combinations for such a purpose, or trade societies with this object in view, but they will

not see until too lato that it is beyond their, power to regulate the rate of wages except under' very peculiar circumstances quite the opposite of what wo have now to contend with, and that a few men, working oven at the highest rates they can with any reason demand, aro not able to support tho »vhole as well as could tho greater numbor in receipt of a much lower scale of payment. Farm servants and men suitable for stations or other country work are to be had in numbers in town, and most of thoso who proceed to the inteiior in search of employ-ment where their services are likely to be most needed return after a few days, saying that, numerous as are thoso »vaiting in town for »vork, their chances hero aro better, the competition being actually less than on the farms and stations they called at. From all parts of the country we receive through othor sources the same re-port, bo must beuevo it to bo truo. It occa-sionally happens that for a day or two country sen ants nnd married couples without families are in request, as was the oase last week, but difficulty m finding employment is tho rule, and the dullness is likely to continue for a month or two lorger at the least. Household sorvants are still in excess of the domand, and even females with the best recommendations have often to wait some time for n place. Mon servants and women, without testimonials as to character and ability have scarcely a chance of employment at all.

,"-AGmCULT17BHí«í'' s

After a period ^of' rather better times, the farmers aro beginning to grumble again at their prospeots, prices having now a most unmis takeablo tendency downward. In consequence" of the shortness of tho stocks of broadstufis on hand at tho timo of last harvest, wheat kept up

«m-"V l*-crn- flin« -m« n^*»ntpot-^ Vtiif now -hin

xnents from California aro arriving, and tho margin between tho prices thoro and hero is wide enough to justify tho supposition that importa-tions from thoro may be looked for until tho surplus in that country is pretty well disposed'of. This probability, coupled with the knowledge o_ the fact, as disclosed by tho statistical roturas, that the quantity of wheat produced here last j ear was much above tho yiold of tho previous harvest, of courso prevents anything bordering on speculation ; and in such a state of the "market grain comes in for immediato salo, so that prices aro gradually but stondily 'declin-ing, and without any prospect of a,speedy recovery. Then, tho improvement in oats was but transient, notico of tho resumption of exportation from Europe having arriveel in a very few weoks after tbo receipt of information that shipments had ceased. It was thought that an opportunity was to have been afforded us of working off tho largo stocks of imported grain ia store, but this it appears wo are not to havo. The adherents to the old system of farming near the towns aro also finding that tho price of their staple crop, hay, cannot be kept up to what they consider tno paying standard, so we are beginning to hear them talk once moro of tho ruin staring them in the face if they continuo to till their land. Potatoes aro, however, a most profitable crop to thoso who have any, as the price this year is high. Last year the price was low, »great extent of land having been so cropped and tho produce good, while this soason the breadth of land planted with this root was consequently small, and owing to the dryncss of

a part of the summer, failure ensued in many in-stances, either entire or partial. These fluctu-ations aro constantly occurring, and although one year a certain crop may not bo remunerative, yet over an average of several soasons fair profits may be safely calculated on. But the eiuostion of what a farmer's profits ought to be will never bo settled among those most immediately interested,

some men of this class having been quito spoiled by I the unexampled prosperity of a few years since, \

and rendered quite unreasonable on this point for the remainder of their lives. Notwithstanding the frequently-recurring throat of inevitable ruin, this does not come, and agriculture is extending each year. And it is desirable for all classes that it should, for we still import articles of one sort or other to the value of upwards of two millions all of which should be the produce of our own land, and, whatever the farmers may Bay to tho contrary, might bo profitably raised by the labour of the now superfluous hands doomed

for a great part of their time to com puUory idleness. Up the country prices ,are gradually settling down to the town rates, but we seldom hear of agriculture not paying there. In all parts of the colony it pays well enough, where farmers nro enabled to enjoy the advan-tages as well ns tho disadvantages of a new country, are within moderate distance of a market, and are satisfied to wait a few years for their returns, living mcanwhilo in the midst of plenty.

The Board of Agriculture has just held its second annual meeting, and »ve aro sorry to have it to say that littlo or no good is to be expected from its establishment. During tho first year of its existence the memborB wero ne»v to their work, and unacquainted with each other's views and intentions, so.that a few hours' meeting onco or twice in the year wero not likely to oventuato in much ; but most of the members havo been re-elected, and it was hoped that this year a decided effort would bo mado to carry out tho legitimate objects of tho board, and do something worthy of a body supposed to consist of tho most enlightened folio»» ers of this pursuit, toge-

ther with the representatives of thoso branches of scienco most closely connected therewith. It appears, however, that the majority of members only care for the loaves and fishes, and do not como to aid in thogeneralpromotion of agriculture by the procuring and dissemination of information, but to obtain as much of tho public money foe their own societies as thoy can. Thoy oven grudge the small portion of the grant set apart for the Experimental Farm, and aro totally unable to seo any advantage that would accrue from tho formation of a museum and library, or tho impor-tation of foreign seeds or plants, especially as tho cost of theso would leave a fe»v pounds less to bo thrown away in prizes on the worthless stock and implements, too frequently thus distinguished at the country shows. The excuse is, that the joung societies require all the assistance that can bo obtained during their early days, but many o£ them aro so managed as to discourage competi-tion, and aro calculated to spread and confirm erroneous ideas of excellence among tho local > isitors, who have not the opportunity by travel of le arning what prize animals and implementsshould

bo, So disgusted are tbo few members who really -

hoped that tho board would bo productivo of much benefit to tbo colony, and tried their best last year to get some work done in spite of the difficulties encountered at every step, that they are little inclined to act on the council again, so we presume nothing more will bo dono this year, and before the commencement of another it will baie been seriously discussed in Parliament whether money ought to be granted again for the service of the board or not. Hitherto it ha-teen productive of nothing but mischief. Three months' delay has been caused in the collection of the statistics, and the meddling of somo of the societies with these is likely to be otherwise injurious. And to mention but one more instance, the steam plough would have been imported long since by private enterprize had not this body undertaken to procure one, and give the farmers an opportunity of fairly testing its merits, without individuals having to incur the heavy expenso and, risk of failure After two seasonB havo been thus lost, wo are told that tho funds are not sufficient to allow of such an out-lay. Tho common plough has been kept busily at work through the winter, and the ploughing matches for tho year are nearly over. Already the prize-lists for the spring shows are being ré-visée!, and but little breathing time will bo allowed before these commence. The weather has been rather cold of late, sharp frosts being fréquent at night, but the succeeding days are usually vory fine, and as too much rain has not fallen, the country is looking well, feed being abundant for the time- of year, and the winter oropsl well forward. *" 'Unfortunately plouro-pneumonia has broken out again, and as these fresh cases can be traced toïinfectïon from a herd formerly belong-ing to the'oecupant of the adjoining farm to Mr. Beadle's, to whose cattle the mitchiefwas sup-posed to havo been confined, it is difficult to say how widely the seeds of this insidious disease may

now be'scattored.

AMUSEMENTS.

Tho prevailing dullness and the lately prevail-ing epidemio, the influenza, have combined to exorcise a very depressing influence on the thea-trical world. A few weeks since the influenza had prostrated nearly all the more prominent members of the corps dramatiques at the various theatres, and a largo proportion of the lesser lights fell also victimo to its relentless course. Benefits were omitted or postponed in conse-quence of it, and popular comic singers composed "local" verses upon it. Beforo the curtain an Tinintermitted chorus of coughing and sneezing took the place of applause, and completely extin-guished the less potential voice and wail of the " inevitable baby"-hero, as'olsewhero, a regular attendant on places of public amusement. At length, however, the influenza wore itself out, but still the audiences improved but slightly, and it became manifest that one of thoso periodical depressions for which our social state is so re-markable had fallen upon the arena of the sock and buskin. It is to be hoped it will not bo of long continuance. Of the throo nouses at present open in Molbourno, the Prin-cess's has been doing the best average business. Occasionally there has been a " good" night afc the Boyal or the Prince of Wales, and there has been one "great" night at the former house-on Friday last--when "La SonnambuIa"was pei formed for tho benefit of Mrs. Edward Hancook, an old-establiBhed musical f avourito in Melbourne» With such occasional exceptions, however, wo havo to record a considerable falling-off in the audiences. Whether this bo owing to tho ttvo causes we have named entirely, or partly also to faults of management, or to want of icBtars," may be matter of opinion ; but the fact cannot bo questioned, Nothing very worthy of note has been produced at the Theatre Boyal during the last month, but thoro havo been a few novelties, -as, for instance, ;'Tho Tale of Two Cities," ancl " The Duel in the Snow," recent importations from England ; tho latter of »vhich has beon brought out also at the Prince of Wales. Both pieces »vero pretty generally regarded as, moro or loss, failures. V The Death of Marlowe," Mr. B. H. Homo's iragie dramoj in ono act, has been performed at the Boyal, with perfect success, notwithstanding that its condensed and elaborato stylo as n com

position, and its classical allusions," removed it somewhat from the apprehension of the gal-leries. Its author has been for some timo engaged on an entirely now and peculiar piece, of some length, and of"local interest, in which Chinese characters aro introduced, and.which is to bo produced immediately. Roport spoaks favourably of its merit, and, to judgo from what Mr. Horne has already done, not without reason.

Min ?fl£0JUi. Èuiiic53uSo '/"ífePÜííS10!.an(l his

has been moderate, and owing entirely to the exertions of somo two or threo of the actors. Tho Princess's Theatre has been occupied with equestrian spectacle, supported by Mr. Henry Burton's troupe. As wo havo remarked, tbo audiences-havo been very good, oxcept in the dress circle, and tho house is generally re-garded as a paying one. The ball was opened, of course, with " Mazeppa," which has been followed by a, mutilated edition of " Dick Turpin" and the drama of "Ali Baba, or tho Forty Thieves." Tho principal characters have been played by Mesdames F. Young and Green, and by Messrs, Stewart, T. Fawcett, Byan, and others, with much ability in some instances, anti in others with just that kind of merit which is congrous to such entertainments, " Timour tho Tartar" and " Lady Godiva," now playing, will

probably conclude tho season. The equestrian I Beason at tho Prince of Wales has terminated, j and Mr. Worrell and his clever family and tho I iravpc generally bavo gone into the country. The legitimate drama has taken their place, under tho experienced management of Mr. B. Younge. Tho company embraces some well known names, such as Mr. and Mrs. F. Younge, Miss Kate Wnrdo, a pleasing and versatile nctrcss, Mr. Yinson, Miss Boso Edouin,

and others. Somo excellent pieces, among thom , the " Courier of Lyons" and " Married Lifo," have already been produced, and havo reflected credit on a houso whoso resources havo been somewhat Buddenly putto the test. This theatre, previously to the.close of tho equestrian season, was tho ohosen scone of two benefits-one for Sayers and the other for Heenan-both of which were crammed to overflowing. Events of indi

vidual interest in the theatrical »vorld are few, I but those few/ comparatively speaking, of some "argument." Mr. M'KeanBuchanan, an artist known to the Australian public some few years since, and who has sinco been performing -with, much success in England and America, lins re-turned, and appears at the Prince of Wales. His daughter, Miss Virginia Buchanan, is also a debutante seeking the favours of a Molbourno audience. We shall bo able to speak of their success, whatever it may be, in our next. The Italian opera company is at present rather disor-ganized. Signor and Signora Binnehi havo been very successful at Sydney, and havo returned

to Melbourne : what they intend to do is at pre« | sent doubtful. Míbs Octavia Hamilton is at S»dnoy, »vhero she nppeared in the various operas, and was favourably received. She is much missed from the concerts hero. Mr. Far-quharson has boon suffering from a severe illness, but is now nearly recovered, so that wo may soon hopo to haye his great talents onco more at dis-posal. M. Coulon is at Sydnoy, and has got into disputes with his manager, a Mr. Colville Miss Avonia JoneB, after a brief but brilliant season nfc Bendigo, bos returned to town. - The Phil hnrmenio Society has produced a ne»v sacred cantata by Herr Elsasser, entitled " Praise tho Lord." It was »rery successfully performed at the last concert, and favourably received by tho

local critics.

RAILWAYS.

Differences botween the employers and tho employod havo again to somo trifling extent retarded the progress of tho Government railway works. These will be found moro paiticularly referred to elsewhere. It is satisfactory to bo enabled to Btato that they havo been arranged, and that the present position of tho works is moro advanced than tho Government aro on titled to look for undor tho terms of tho contract. The railway plant contracts and the negotiation of tho railway loan in tho English money mar-ket havo afforded food for much conversation. The construction of tho two main lines havo pro-gressed, notwithstanding, with steady approach towards completion. Tho traffio on tho portions of the lines which aro open steadily inci oases, and tho Commissioner of Public Works has proved to tho satisfaction of the Assembly that tho cost of this traffic is not greater on the public than it is on privato lines, Sevci al largo ships have boen discharged at tho Railway Pier, Williamstown, and tho prospects of a paying revenue from this soureo uro looking up.

The Geelong and Melbourne Railway Com-pany's property has not yet been transferred to the Government. Since tho passing of the act for tho purchaso of this line, differences havo arisen, which tho Commissioner of Public Works thus explained to tho Assembly, in replying to a question as to the delay:-"Tho reason why the negotiations for tho purchaso had not been brought to a close was, that tho directors of that company had receded from their agreemont made

in March lost. He had reason, however, to be b'eiejfroma statement made by Dr. Thomson, that the directors were now disposed to treat with the Government on that basis. If so, the Go-vernment had no disinclination to bring the matter to a termination. Tho Government ob-

jected to undertake an unlimited liability. The correspondence would be laid upon the tablo of the Houso upon Tuesday, so that hon. members wculd be in possession of the facts beforo the departure of the mail." For further, par-ticulars we must refer to our Parliamentary re-tort in other columns. Great disappointment is felt that this mail w ill not bo the bearer of tho news of the absolute transfer of the line.

The Melbourne and Suburban Bail»» ay Com-pany haye now pushed their works to Hn»vthorno o*n one side of the Yarro, and nearly to a junction with the Brighton Ballway on the other side. Both of those branches will open up tracts of country admirably suited for suburban residences, nnd will thus contribute greatly to the comfort of Melbourne life. ;

The Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Ballway Com-pany's Traffio Beturns from May 1 to July 19, inclusive, give the following results :- ' Fassongcrs, parcels, Sie., from May 1

toJune7.£5,510 l8 2 Passengers, parcels, &a, from Juno 11

toJulylO.4,007 li 8

Total .£10,644 12 5 Merchandise from May 1 to Juno 7- i

17,807 tonB.£3,381 0 1 Merchandise from June 14 to July 19-.

18,781 tons.3,583 4 10

Total .£0 004 4 11 Total tonnogo from May 1 .. .. 30,14s ton/. Total rovenue .£17,608 17 4

The following is a list of the ships discharged (or now discharging) at Sandridge Bail«.ty Pier Bince last mail, exclusive of 16 colonial steamers : -Lew Chew, Persian, Neptune, Hope, Ljra, Winfield Scott, Sussex, YoungAmerican, Angle-sey, Bapid, Venus, Britannia, Ella E. Badgor.

The following is a statement of tho traffic re-turns of all the railway lines in operation for the month of June:

_

Pas

songers.

Mer-

chandise.

rTotal. £ B. el

£ s. el.

£ .). d.

Government Linos..

318* 1 C

2(183 17 0

5S17 l8 C1

Melbourno and Hob-

2202 - 8 5728 3 0 son's Bay

3105 IS 10

Geelong and Mel-

bourno ..

2585 l8 7

842 15 8

3428 14 3 Molbourno and Sub-

urban

018 13 5

-**

01S 13 5

St. Kilda and Brigh

790 2 C

5 2 C

705 15 0

POPULATION.

The returns of the Immigration Board have teen published for tho month of May. Thoso refer to all ports of the colony. The arrivals numbered 2,280, and tho departures 2,002, tho balance of immigration over emigration being only .18. Of the arrivals, 1,330 were adult males, 733 adult females, 113 mate and 101 female children; cf the departures 1,557 wero adult males, 311 adult females, 101 malo and 93 female children. The j orts of arrival were-Melbourne 2,221, Geelong 4, other ports 55 ; and of departure-Melbourne 2,058, Geelong 2, other ports 2. The following digest of the return affords an insight into the movements of the population :

New South Wales. South Australia . Tasmania .. Kew Zealand

Total neighbouring colo-

nies

United Kingdom . foreign ports

Totals

Deduct docreaso

Net immigration

'S

1.

CV-Í

ft

§

S

Vi

601

480

15

4S0

870

133 487

14S

2S0 58

1,485

168

-

1,178

417

680

500

123 106

318

-

2,280

2,002

510

2,002

322 218

218

In the following table the arrivals and depar-tures ore given monthly for this year and the corresponding period of 1859 :

1859.

' 1800.

__

Arrived.

De-

parted,

Arrived.

De-

parted.

-l.Vaar>.. - ..

March .. April May Juno

-,408 8,402 1,457 2,224 2,867

1j8Z 1,608 1,610 1,194 1,601

3,JS3 2,040 2,825 2,280 «1,700

2,645 1,640 2,002 1,000

Deduct departed..

16,474 9,771

0,771

14,507 11,205

11,205

Net immigration..

6,703

3,362

»Estimated only.

We repeat, for the purposeof affording a start-ing-point for the consideration of the statistics and details given in other columns, that the popu-lation of the colony now numbers 53-,00O.

SPOBTING.

Turf matters, ordinarily dull during tho winter season, have been more so than ever for the past four or five months. Even the second Australian Champion Sweepstakes, to be run in a littlo more than five weeks hence at Sydney, has not succeeded in waking sporting men from their brumal lethargy. The spring meetings of the Victorian racing clubs might be in the far distant future for all the attention paid them ; and in Collins-street ono would as soon think of naming a racehorse as announcing the death of Queen Anno. The horsiest of the horsy from time to time mysteriously intimate that Flying Buck is " all wrong" in his feet, or " doing good work;" that Sister to Zoe is a clipping filly, and with 5st. 41b. on her back, and a boy she has been brought up with to ride, cannot fail to repeat the three-year-old dose of lost year ; that all the aged horses have " gone amiss," or that their publie running at the last meeting was not to bo relied on. This, and Bimilar conversation, may be heard every now and then in and about tho sale-yards ; but the general public appear to caro little about the result of the great race. They had never thrown up their hats at the triumph of Flying Buck last year, nor groaned when he was beaten by an interior animal for the subsequent Derby. Tho novelty of horse racing on alargo scale has worn off: disguBtat the conduct of would-be magnates of the turf set in early last season, and the reaction has not yet commenced. That the inherent love of the sport, common to all Anglo-Saxons, will suffer a permanent blight in Victoria we are by no means dispoBed to think, but we are certainly of opinion that more than one spring and autumn will pass over our heads before racing re-sumes its normal position amongst our na-tional pastimes. A little band or enthusiastic turfites, gentlemen sans peur, et sans reproche, have lately put their shoulders to the lagging wheel with a will, and if the erection of a hand-some grand stand, and all the appurtenances thereof, upon the best position on the Molbourno course, in the face of deep commercial depression and great apathy on the part of thoso who should bo fellow-labourers, can help to raise racing out of the mire, their labour will have been freely and happily expended. Another step in the right direction is the establishment of a ne»v subscrip-tion betting-room, membership to be by ballot, in lieu of the broken-up " Union," in many ways so

objectionable.

Great was the rush here for the fullest and latest particulars of the great international Prize Fight, Sayers and Heenan wero alternately ¡a every one's mouth for a week or two after the news of the battle arrived, and nothing that your Punch drew was moro ridiculous than tho excite-

ment which pervaded all classes and attacked both sexes. So general was the sympathy for the little bricklayer, who so gallantly main-tained his own and his country'slionour against the American Goliath, that it became no sin to talk openly, oven in pious óbreles, of tbo number of rounds fought-to say in which of these Sayers's right hand (the auctioneer) became crippled, or to discuss in how many more minutes " the rapidly-closing light" of the New York Eagle would have been completely dimmed. A benefit for Tom Sayers at ono of our metropolitan theatres was shortly after-wards set on foot. The nett proceeds of this wero upwards of £60, ana subscrip-tions, making a total of more than £100. have Binco been received by ' tho editor of Bell's Life. Moro ¡b promised, and several of tho country theatres nave followed tho ox ample of the Princo of Wales. The Sydney tes-timonial has already reached £200 ; so that no Australians may fairly bo complimented upon retaining undetoriorated the old British lo\o of boxing. Considerable indignation, not unmixed with contempt, has been ex-pressed at tho proceedings of the Ameri * an champion subsequent to the battle, His

c1 allenge to jump off a house-top with his pigmy antagonist, and the caustic reply¿ were highly relished as' a good joke, which culminated n the modest request that the belt might cross, the Atlantic. So thoroughly satisfied, however, were all that Heenan displayed in the ring cou-rage not inferior to that of the Sussex hero, that a benefit in his behalf, given at the Prince of Wales Theatre about three weeks ago, drew a house but little less crowded than that which previously greeted the indomitable

Tom. The Champion fight has caused n. , greot " revival" amongst the corps pugilistique ; and occasion being at once taken by the forelock, a Victorian champion's belt has beon subscribed for. This, like tho English trophy, is to be held 'against all comers for three years, before becom-

ing finally the properly of any individual.

The announcement that Chambers, the cham-pion sculler in England, is nothing loth to como out and measure strength and Bliill With Green, of Sydney, who now bears the aquatic laurels o£ Australia, has been received with much pleasure, which is now greatly enhanced by the declaration that there wal be no difficulty on this side tha equator in supplying half the sinews of war to the north-countryman.

A great foot-race was run the other day no Bendigo for £100 a-sido, between two well-known pedestrians, named Joshua1* and Moran. The distance was 150 yards, and-the contest ended ia a dead heat-a result unprecedented .in the

colonies.

The foxhounds per Venus, for the Ballarat Hunt Club, arrived at their destination in safety and good order. Beyond being a little foot-sore, the "spottedbeauties" were pronounced to bo in perfect condition, and exactly the kind required.

AUSTRALIAN DIAMONDS.

One of the scientific lectures delivered iii London in connexion with the Great Industrial Exhibition of 1851 was devoted to jjrecious stones j and the attention of travellers in Aus-tralia was called by tho lecturer to tho proba liiity of diamonds being found on tho gold-fields. It is true that vast numbers of people havo sinco found their way to thoso attractive fields, and that immense quantities of gold have been dug; from the soil, and that till of lato little has beea heard of native diamonds or other precious stones. Malachite has boen found in considerable) masses, but malachite is easily noticeable. Sin-

gularly beautiful pebbles have found their waj ',

in large numbers into the possession of "tho jewellers, to be turned into " landscape) brooches," but pebbles in their rough Btate, though altogether unlike the polished stone, aro not unfamiliar to the eye. Small rubies havo often been met in the black sand, and have beea p'eked out, their colour attracting notice-but iho diamond in its rough state bears so great a, resemblance in tho eyes of the uninitiated to a, ^ alueless fracture of a quartz crystal that it is now considered probable that vory many valuable stones have been thrown away by the miners as Eo many valueless and troublesome bits of quartz. We know that in the Omeo district, years ago, the miners often found in the slide with the gold email sparkling stones, some coloured, some un coloured, which they considered merely troublesome and throw away with the dirt. From what has since transpired wo entertain no doubt that many an unfortunate .miner, ignorant altogether of tho forms and disguises ot precious stones in thoir natural state, has thrown away diamonds, rubies, and sapphires; that would have been a small fortune to him. Ofi late, however, more attention has been given to the subject. Some six or eight weeks ago a miner in the Ovens district, curious as to tha character of a slightly coloured crystal he found when washing out gola, sent it to tho best-knowa analyst in Melbourne-Dr. Macadam-for exa-mination. Tho" learned doctor entertained somo doubts as to tho character of the stono, but prac-tical jewellers pronounced the stono a diamond.1 The fact was noted in this journal, and within a few days afterwards several other diamonds wero sent in from various districts. OB four of these we quota the following; technical description, supplied to us by an experienced practical jeweller-Mr, Crisp, ofi Queen-street, and formerly of London :-" No, 1, a diamond weighing 3 grains, lesB 1-.32, an irre-gular octahedron j it is off colour, or brownish tingo. Found in the Ovens district.! No. 2. A diamond weighing half a carat, of a more perfect octahedron ¿hape ; colour, rather a dirty groen.

Found in the Bathurst district, N.S.W. No. 3. A remarkably fine specimen of the diamond-very superior to the others-weighing 2 carats, \, i,

5, sifgbt iîflgtr ôh^efoJ-edraer, 'öth "tei>dW_üi_§_ which would most probably be removed in cutting. Found at Yackandandah. No. 4. A diamond ofi rather a yellowiBh tinge, perfect shape, weighing half a carat. Found at Sandy Creek, near Jin Crow Diggings." These four dis^bnds establish the fact that Australia may yet Wfound a con-tributor to that market which Golconda and Brazil have hitherto possessed exclusively.

KELIGIOUS MATTEKS. - SUNDAY SER-

VICES AT THE THEATBE BOYAL.

In Melbourne, as in London and the largo provincial towns of the mother-country, there aro masses of population who aro never seen within a place of publio worship on Sunday, to whom the church bell vainly sends forth its invitation to proyer, and with whom there is no opportunity whatever for communicating on tho subject of re-ligion save through the instrumentality of city missionaries and district visitors. A number of? Christian laymen resident in this city recently determined upon making an effort to provide a, remedy. They put themselves in communication; with tho pastors of various denominations, anti the result of a conference on the subject was « resolve to take pattern by proceedings adopted in England during the last fe»v years, and to hold * religious service open free to all who might;

choose to attend, in some public building, evorg

Sunday afternoon.

No edifico appeared so convenient, either for ccntrality of situation or extent of internal ao commodation,nsthe Theatro Boyal, Bourke-street east. The uso of that building »vas accordingly secured, and there for tho space of two hours every Sunday, for the lost six weeks, have croivds of people listcped attentively to tho addresses o£ the gentlemen whose services were secured.

The arrangements attending each service aro marked by great simplicity. The green curtain is down, and on that portion of the stage between it and the footlights aro a table ana a chair. Precisely at the hour appointed tho minister appears, After prayer, ho gives out a hymn ; this is sung »vith a fervour that compensates foe all ohoral deficiencies, Noxt a portion of scrip-ture is read, and this is followeóT by the offering of a prayer for tho Divine blessing on the pro-ceedings. Then comes tho sermon, which is usually founded on some familiar narrative iu the New Testament. The sermon concluded, another; hjmn is sung, the benediction is pronounced,

and the service is at an end.

Already six of theso services have been held. They have been presided over in turn by the Bev. James Taylor, of Melbourne ; the Bev. 0. T. Perks, of Itichmond ; tho Bevs. A. J. Campbell Joseph Dare, and J. C. M'Michael, of Geelong ; and tho Bov. J. L. Poore. It will thus be seen that Episcopalian, Baptist, Presbyterian, Con grcgationalist, and Wosleyan ministers have united in contributing personal help to the good work,-a pleasing instance this of tho sinking all sectarian differences for the furtherance of a com-mon object.

Whether the ostensible design of tho services is likely to bo secured is as yet doubtful. Tha congregations at present would appear to bo mado up chiefly of regular attendants at ordinary places of »»'orship. Perhaps, however, the chango m the hour of service.from 3 in the afternoon to 7 in tho evening, which was mado on Sunday last, and tho invitations offered by the city mis-sionaries and tract distiibutors to the clasäos amongwhom tb ey labour to take advantage of tho services, may have tho effect of altering the com-

plexion of the auditory.

While on the subject-philanthropical we may call attention to the effort now making by the Sisters of Mercy to establish a House of Refuge in this city. The building selected for this pur-pose is in Nicholson-street, and adjoins the Con-vent of Mercy, with which it has communication. The house was erected some years back for Messrs. Watson and Wight, merchants, and is substantially built of bluestone. We are in-formed that as soon as the Sisters of Mercy are enabled to open this much-needed refuge the arrangements will be as follows :-The lower por-tion of the house will be divided into sewing apartments, where young women will bo taught and practiced in this most important branch of female instruction. Other rooms on the same floor will be devoted to the purpose of qualifying the inmates to be-come useful domestic servants. The back por-tion of the ground-floor will consist of refectories or diningrooms. There will also be attached to the building culinary apparatus and extensive lavatories, together with store-rooms, &c. The

second-floor is formed into dormitories, where

the inmates will sleep. These dormitories are spacious and well ventilated. There are also

rooms on this floor set apart for the sisters, who will have charge of the establishment. The refuge will be only open to those young women whose characters are unimpeachable, and who are out of employment. By this means many young women will be rescued from the temptations of

this city, and will in all probability become useful and respectable members of society. Should this effort of the Sisters of Mercy be crowned with success, by the co-operation of the citizens of Melbourne, they will at some future time extend

their charitable efforts by erecting a penitentiary, where those of a class who too often cross the citizens' path may be received and reclaimed.

LABOURERS' STRIKE ON THE MURRAY

RIVER RAILWAY.

, .'Eke current month has been ßignalized by a ^ strike among the labourors employed by Messrs.

Cornish and Bruce under their contract for making the Got'ernment line of railway from Melbourne , tcSandhurst. Some weeks previously a diffioulty

iroso »vith respect to the payment of wages on the |

, . i ino, fevre being Jontortainod by the mon|that

. when pay-day>came lound no money would ha I ' ' ¡-örtheoming. Those, howevor, Tproved ground '' 'less', or were at least partially allayed by a

'. ''jrattlcmentj .tof tho demands made. Since

J '? thou an uneasy feeling seems to havo crept I

into the minds of the workmen, and at various

points of the line it has shown itself in temporary ! .suspensions of labour, or strikes, though not of a serious character. Ou the section immediately

north of Sunbury, and including tho heavy ! T-iaduots at Sunbury Creek and Jackson's Crook, aud the great cutting beyond tho last-mentioned work -a section on »vkick a large body of masons and labourers are employed-this uneasiness of

JE eelhig eventually assumed a graver form, load- I iug, in the first instanco, to a striko by tho

labourers and to acts oi resistance and violones , by the men on strike towards the agents of tho contractors and tho few mon disposed to continue

to woik.

This difficulty originated in tho resolution lately arrived at by the contractors to pay their labourers monthly for the future, in place of .fortnightly. If this Mere acceded to, tue mon would bo unpaid for tho first flvo weeks, and would then bo paid for four weeks' labour, the contractors retaining one week's pay in hand, as usual. To this course the labourors, who \ieroj earning 83, per day, declined to aecodo,

-> "though promised by Mr. Bruco that during the i

. fiisffiiûilth thoy should bo allowed a "draw," !

within." certain limits. It was explained franklv

5j to the mon, wo behovo, that tho courso proposed ; was off somo eonsequouce to tho contractors (ia

?whoso hands it would havo pluoed the use of a considerable capital); but a suspicion entering the minds of tho labourers that, if they yielded on i. tho point of monthly pays, tho noxt effort would

be to reduce tho wages to 7s. per day, thoy de ' dined the proposal, and struck work on Thursday,

July 5. The same arrangement was not pro Íiosed to the masons, whoso "pays" remain as bo-

oro, and thoy continued at work until Saturday, ."July 7, when tho supply of stone failing, from ( tho aititudo of the labourers and their resistance

'to the overseers and others in an attempt to un-load a train of ' stono waggons, tho contractors ' -were compelled to Buspend thom. The sottle ' ^Tueiits with the whole of tho mon employed wero

made in the usual course, and therefore the un-fortunate state of mutters arose, not from the pays having fallen into arrears, but from tho dislike of the labourers (and we may add, tho stoiekeopers also) to » system of monthly pay3, and tbo tear of an ulterior design on tho part ot* the employers to lowor tho rate of wages.

Tho roports that roached town on the afternoon, of Saturday, July 7, were of a grave charaoter. A police force of 10 men wero at onco despatched to Sunbury to aid the two or threo constables ordinarily stationed there, and it appeared that the events which had occurred ronderod thoir preseneo necessary. These wera as follows :

Ono of the first works required after the strike was the unloading of somo trucks of .heavy timber, and for this purpose a number of men were taken up from Melbourne. These men had no sooner got upon the trucks, to commence their labours, than the turn-outs made their appearance in the neighbourhood, and their aspect was Bufficiontly threatening at onco to induce the strangersto abandon thoir work and fly. She next step ot the mon was to place an embargo «pon the employment of the contractors' horses, by intimidating the keepers, and for some days ao uso could be niado of the animals. One by .ono, however, a number of them were got up by .tho personal exertions of the general manager of the works, and drivon by himself and a fow assistants tromtho Btables to the Mount Alex

them to a distant section of the'line, where "ttíey ' oould be employed. By this time tho quantity of

Footscray bluestone on the ground for the masons , was all but exhausted, and a stono train having

.como up, an attempt to unload it, so as to.roturn ?W& train, waa mado on Saturday, in tho grey ,Uj1 ortlíe early morning, by the manager and

some three or four willing men-all he oould muster to assist lum. White thus engaged, the turn-outs, to tho number of over 200, assembled

?around-tho, train, hustled the manager and hjs f party, whom they threatened ivi¡h violénoô; and, {

while ho was thoa surrounded by one party, others stole the pin of tho crane, which, of course, . -was rendered useless, A second crane of tho

same character being on the line, at some littlo distance, part of it was brought'up, and the crane ndjusted ; but tho same scene waa ag-in - enacted, aud both pin and chain wero o\r

lied off. This was done in broad daylight, but so dexterously that at the moment it was uuob sorved, and the persons who were tho immediato actors could not be detected. The struggle had now assumed such a character that the manager drew a six-barrelled revolver (which wo aro as-sured was unloaded), and threatened to shoot the .r&'Sfc man who touched him. Tho crane having by this timo been disabled, and tho chain and . pin hidden, ami tho threat probably haviag

somo effect, the crowd dispersed^ but 0:10 I man, who was identified by tho manager, ' was given into custody by him. A con

siderablo sum by way of bail was instantly .raised by his follows, but through a formajity n! trio law not having been complied, with the

man was not looked up; aud lu tho hope, pei- ' haps, that the peace »»ould all the sooner bj restored, the charge »vas not pressed. .The mob of turn-outs next proceeded to make a special .visitation to ono ot the labourers who had re-mained longer employed about the sheds than tho ' others considered right, and who wob suspected

of a desire to accept the terniB offered by tke employers. Thoy marched in regular order past -his tent, each man carrying a singlo stone, b.it

of some sizo, in his hand, and as he passed ho chucked the btoue into the air, so that, without being thrown at the tent, it should fall on th3 ?frail roof. Tho poor fellow, whoso name h J Charles Jordan, suspecting tho purpose of this

visitation, hud mado his escape, and speedily found his way to Melbourne, with tho loss of his tent, his blankets, &c, and, he alleges, a sum of £16. though this last-montioned loss is doubted. On tho samo evening, still fuither to soeuro the /entire cessation of labour, the safety-valve and other essential parts of the small engine by which tho mortnr-mill is driven, »vere removed.

Thus stood matters between the contractor and the labourers, tho latter resolved not to work themselves or allow others to take their plaooi. Mr. Lea, the manager of the works, sent a mea satte to tho moxons, asking them to assist in un-loading tho stone train, but thoy refused, on tho giound that it was the work ot tho labourers. The consequence was, that the contractors, having no stono on the ground for the masons, at onça issued an order tor an entire suspension of work. ?Mr Bruce was himself on the spot during part of

tho day.'and wasfollowed to the train by a orowd, and well hooted. To hasten a solution of the difficulty the local storekeepers met, and passed resolutions, by which they bound themsolves not lo sell their goods without cash down, and ah j expressed their, disapproval of the system of monthly payments. All tho moneys due to the turn-outs and discharged men wero poid up hy-the, con tractors, iiho, according to custom, still held a week's earnings of the suspended masoni,

-She strike thus commenced at Sunbury .Bpeeâily extended further along the line; and, though no violence was attempted, very consi-derable excitement, existed at Riddell's Creek, ""Woodend, and especially at Malmesbury. Still -1Sunbury was looked upon as the head-quarters of

"the discontent, the largest number of employees "being in that neighbourhood. Nearly 1,000 nun ?ave computed to be out of employ on that Bootis.i

alono-viz. about ICO masons, 200 quarrymon, and COO laboureis. Tho nuival of tho police at tho Viaduct at Jackson's Creek put an omi ta any violence, although the least attempt to di any labourers' work »vas at onco cheeked by the turn-outs, A threatening notice, containing sti-mulating allusions to " wives and children" au I *' land and liberty," and a oall to arms, was poste I up in Sunbury tor an-hour or so, but on tha approach of n police-constable it was tom down, .OP- tU? 13lb hist, about 400 men marched, oijht ^abreast, from the Viaduot to the Sunbury ou-tturn, boaring aloft an effigy of Mr. Bruce, which .was burnt in the evening with tho coremonioj usually observed on such occasions. The m3», however, continued everywhere to bo sober, and as orderly as was consistent with the oarryin r out of their intention to stop all labourers' war* on the section. This may bo accounted for in a great measure by the passive policy of the csa tractors, who mado no effort to carry on tho work-e, apparently waiting till tho labourers had spent their money, and »vero forced by the pressure of their physical wants to resumo work on sua'i terms as they could get. At Malmesbury, indes 1, stn attempt was made, at ö a,m, on. Monday, thî

16th inst., to remove some horses and drays to the Black Forest section, but the turn-outs wero> Bummoned by boat of drum, and the draymen wore not allowed to proceed. Since that data nothing of importance has occurred. The store-keepers havo pretty generally expressed much sympathy with the men, but the railway works on most of the sections remain in a _state of

Buspension.

The matter, of course, has formed the subject of consideration elsewhere. On Wed-nesday, July 11, the attention of the Govern-ment was colled to the strike by Mr. Riddell, one of tho representatives for West Bourke, in his place in tho Legislativo Assembly. Mr. Francis, the Commissioner of Public Works and a member of tho Ministry, said that for the present the disputo and tho proposed mode of payments interfered only with the relations of the employers and employed. No clause in the contract dictated the mode of payment by the contractors to the ?workmen, although tho payment by the Govern-ment to the contractors was fixed to take place at fortnightly intervals. Ho continued to sa7 that the works were in such a state of forward-ness as to prevent tho Government from bo'mg able to take part ia the matter, and until tho _2ngineer-in-Chiof declared them to bo so seriously impeded that in his opinion thoy would not be completed in tho time specified in the con-tract, the Government could not interfere. On subsequent occasions Mr. Francis stated in answer to questions that the Government was" not in arrear with its payments to the contractors, and that the time which usually elapsed between the taking of the measurement and the receipt of the money by contractors was about ten days. On July IS Mr. Don, a member for Colling-wood, and a working stonemason, presented a petition from 350 men-on the Malmesbury ac-tion, praying tho Houso to interfere and sooure them their fortnightly pays. This was received, and its consideration was mode an ordor of tha day for Thursday, tho 26th inst.

The last stop taken in the aflair was by the men on strike, who appointed a deputation to ?wait on Mr. Francis, who received them on the 18th inst. In reply to the complaints made, Mr. Francis said ho had carefully reviewed every nor

tion of the contract, and did not soo ho'w'the Govemmont could interfere, unless the disaffec-tion became so great as to stop the works en-tirely, or the contractors adopted the truck Bystem, or refused to pay the wages that were due. Tho contract, ho regretted to state, was altogether silent as to tho nature of the engagements the contractors wero to make with their workmen. Ho considered this to be an un-fortunate omission, as he believed that the object of making fortnightly payments to the contrac-tors by tho Government was to enable men of small means to undertake the work ; and it was undoubtedly intended, although not expressod, that the contractors should in turn pay thoir men at the same intervals. All he could do was to direct the Engineer-in-Chief to impress upon tho contractors the views of tho Government on the subject. With this answer tho deputation with

dto»»-.

Some two days after tho interview detailed above, the Sunbury men returned to thoir work on the contractors' terms, and though tho inter-ference of the turn-outs at Malmesbury was an-ticipated, none has as yet been offered. The men still remaining on strike can hardly hold out much longer.

EXPLORATION.

To explore the interior of the Australian con-tinent is a work which necessarily devolves on the colonies which are settled upon its borders, and the task has at intervals occupied the atten-tion of the colonies of New South Wales and South Australia. It has always been a matter of reproach to this colony that it had taken no part in this work. At various periods proposi tions have been made, and plans proposed, but it was not until lately that the matter seriously fixed itself on public attention. The object assumed a definite shape in Victoria about two years ago, in consequence of the munificent offer made by a private citizen to contribute £1,000 towards an exploration fund, on condition that the sum of £2,000 was raised by public subscrip-tion. The offer was made through Sir Wm. F. Stawell, the chief justice, who was the president of the Philosophical Institute. A public meet-ing was called, an exploration committee was formed, and the control of the scheme was handed over to the Philosophical Institute. The Government of the day professed its readi-ness to co-operate; a promise was made of a grant of public money ; and it undertook to pur-chase in India, for the purpose of the expedition, a number of camels. The experience of former explorers having proved that these animals, by their ???and endurance were better adapted than horses to cross the arid deserts of the inte rior, Mr. Landells, a gentleman who previously had had some experience in India, was de-spatched by Mr. O'Shanassy, the then Chief Secretary, to the East, as the accredited agent of the colonial Government, for the purchase of 24 camels. For about a year, the project appa-rently languished, and the subscriptions necessary to secure the promised donation came in but slowly. Towards its close, however, a special effort was made, above £2,000 was collected, and the £1,000 was duly handed over to the commit-tee, the donor still retaining his incognito. To the commencement of the winter of the present year expectation assigned the departure of the expedition, and the Legislature signified its hearty approval of the design and faith in its projectors, by voting the sum of £5,000, thus placing £8,000 to the credit of the exploration fund. The matter having now assumed a tangible aspect, the points next to be elucidated were the appointment of the leaders of the expedition, and the route to be taken, the success of the scheme rested in a great degree on the issue of the attempt to intro duce camels. Concerning the movements of Mr. Landells nothing was heard for many months, but at last, as we announced in our summary for June, the camels were safely landed here on the

8th ultimo.

So far the preliminaries had satisfactorily

proceeded. The next question, and the most im-portant, was the choice of the leaders. For this position there were many candidates. Attention was, in the first instance, directed to Major War-burton, chief commissioner of police in South Australia. His claims to be leader of the expedi-tion rested on his military experience in India, and his having been sent out from South Aus-tralia to pursue the tracks and recall the ex ploring party of Mr. Babbage. It was ultimately

determined that applications should be invited from gentlemen willing to undertake the position, and about 20 responded. Major Warburton declined to volunteer his services from prudential considera-tions; and eventually Mr. Burke, inspector of police at Castlemaine, was chosen leader of the expedition; Mr. Landells, te importer of the camels, second in command ; Dr. Becker, natura-list and artist; and Mr. Wills, of the Observatory, meteorologist and astronomer. As regards the first two gentlemen, their special qualifications for the position awarded them have yet to be ascertained. Dr. Becker is well known as a scien-tific man and a skilful artist: and Mr. Wills comes with the recommendation of Professor Neumayer, with whom he has hitherto been en-gaged in conducting astronomical observations.

The next question to be determined was the route. The point to be reached by the expedi

tion, and which all previous expeditions have failed to reach, is the head of the Gulf of Carpen-taria. There are obviously two methods of cross-ing the continent in this direction, either to start from the furthest northern point of the inte-rior reached by previous explorers, or to embark the expedition, and make a sea voyage to the Gulf of Carpentaria, making the overland journey from north to south. The place of de-parture, if the expedition proceeded to traverse the continent from south to north, is fixed be-yond dispute by the experience of all previous explorers, their researches having all terminated at points not far distant from the final halting place of Captain Sturt, Cooper's Creek lying about 140 long, and 27 lat.

This central region has been gained by ex-plorers from the east and western sides of the continent, and beyond it none have gone who have safely returned. In 1845 Sir Thomas Mitchell headed an expedition from New South Wales into the interior in a westerly direction. He came upon and followed in its course for a considerable distance a large river flow-ing in a north-westerly direction into the in

terior. He described it as capable of navigation, and bordered with large tracts of fertile country. Satisfied with this important discovery, he re-turned to Sydney, and the announcement was prematurely made to the world that there ex-isted in the interior of the Australian continent a broad and navigable stream. On the track of Mitchell, the unfortunate Leichhardt followed. It was his intention to trace the course of this stream as long as it continued to head to the north, and then leaving it, to push directly across the continent to the Gulf of Carpentaria. The fate of his companions and himself, to this day remains a mystery. The discovery of Mitchell was followed up by that of his second in com mand, Kennedy, who ascertained that the river - the Victoria - after receiving a tributary as im-posing as itself, which he called the Thomson, instead of proceeding to the north, almost at the point at which Mitchell halted, turned to the south-west, and was lost in long. 142 lat 26, The seasons, and also, probably, the changes in the physical conformation of the interior of the continent so affected this apparently mag-nificent stream, that it is thus described by Gregory, who visited this region in the summer of 1857 : - " The drought had been of such long continuance, that the whole of the vegetation had been destroyed and swept away by the wind, leaving the country, to all appearance, an absolute desert. The bed of the Victoria was

scarcely ten yards wide, and perfectly dry, so that it was only after a prolonged search along its course that a small puddle of water was found in a hollow of the clay flat, and near it, fortunately for our horses, a little grass growing in widely

scattered tufts." There terminated the researches of the explorers from the eastern portion of the

continent. In 1844, Captain Sturt left South Australia to explore the interior. He proceeded up the Murray and the Darling, and from thence struck to the north. In this direction he came upon an immense desert, stretching on all sides to the horizon, its surface sand heaped up into an interminable succession of sharply defined hillocks. Having for 150 miles traversed this arid region, he came upon a vast plain, covered with closely packed quartz pebbles, and bearing every evidence of having at no distant period been the bed of a water channel. Across this he journeyed for 30 miles, and then followed a region of sun-dried mud, full of cracks and fissures. He halted at a spot marked on the maps as Eyre's Creek. This region is known as Sturt's Stony Desert, and the theory is, that at no very far gone period it was the bottom of an inland sea, which, flowing between the head of the Gulf of Carpentaria and Spencer's Gulf, di-vided the Australian continent in two, thus ac-counting for the phenomenon of the course of large rivers being directed into the interior. Sturt, who had now reached longitude 138 and latitude 24, returned to his depot, and again attempted to cross the desert further to the east. Here he unexpectedly came upon a tract of well watered fertile country, through which flowed a small stream, which he designated Cooper's Creek. This he traced as far east as long. 142, lat. 27.56, or far towards the region of the Vic-toria and the Thomson. Little doubt, therefore, remains that the Victoria of Mitchell and Ken nedy, and the Cooper's Creek of Sturt, are the vestiges of a stream which flowed into the sea, covering the Stony Desert. This theory is confirmed by the fact, that Gregory, in a subsequent exploration, in which he started from Blunder Bay, at the head of Cam-bridge Gulf, on the north-west coast of Australia, came upon and was stopped by this same Stony Desert in long. 128, and lat. 20. Cooper's Creek has therefore generally been considered as the fittest starting-point of an exploring expedi-tion for the interior, whether it should proceed from thence directly across to the Gulf of Carpen-taria, or in a north-westerly direction, and join the track of Gregory in that direction. It conse

quently occasioned some surprise when the ques

tion of route came before the Exploration Com-mittee, to find that, instead of an overland depar ture to Cooper's Creek, it was agreed that the camels should be reshipped on board the Chin sura, and, together with the party and their etui page, conveyed round Cape Lewin to Cambridge Gulf, the expedition to make its way from thence to Cooper's Creek. The announcement created very general dissatisfaction, and anothor meeting having been called early in the present week, the subject was again brought under consideration, and three starting points were proposed -namely, from Cambridge Gulf, from Cooper's Creek, and a new one from the head of Spencer's Gulf. This latter was objected to, on the ground that the expedition would to all intents become South Australian, and would be following on the track of Stuart, who is now out endeavouring to cross the continent in that direction. The north-west route - Cambridge Gulf - was negatived by a large majority, and Cooper's Creek finally determined upon. Here, then, matters rest. Mr. Burke is pushing forward his arrangements, the camels are browsing in the environs of Melbourne, horses are being selected, in the course of a week an en-campment will be formed, and probably by the date of our next summary, the cavalcade will have commenced its journey to the interior.

COLONIAL SALMON.

A correspondent of one of the country jour-nals has mado »"notable discovery. He says it is consistent with his own kuowledgo, and that of some scores of persons besides-whoso testi-mony wo havo no doubt is of equal value-tint

salmon " are to bo found in the rivers of " soma parts of Australia," and ho expressos great sur-prise that, in lamentable ignoranco of what our own waters can supply, money Bhould be spant iu endeavouring to bring over living ova of the salmon from English streams. Has the writer of the paragraph referred to, who, according to tho Bendigo Advertiser, is " entitled to credence," over seen a veritable British salmon? Would ho know a salmon if it wore shown him, fresh and sparkling from thostroam? Wo venture to say tnat ho knows nothing about tho noble fish that every man who has over had one for half-an-hour at the end of his line, or has seen one smoking hot on the dinner-table, desires to see intro-duced into Australian waters. We need'baldly

jsenaigo Advertiser, by saying that tho true salmon doos not at presont exist in tho Southern Seas, nor in the streams of^anyxountry south of

tho line. Tho Victorian sportsman has as much? chance of finding a capeicailzio on Keilor ¡Plain*, or a ptarmigan on the sides of our Gipps Land Bon Cruachan, as the patient angler has of finding a fresh run grilso in the Saltwater or the Barwon. Thero is no doubt n natU'o fish known to sea-side Waltonians as tho "salmon," and at ¡i distance, it,

looks not unliko the British fish. It has a head very like the true salmon. Its shape is that of a well-fed Tay salmon ; its tail and 'lins boar a

strong resemblance to those of its natnesako, and I its action, when taken from tho »vater, helps tho ,'

novice to tho delusion that ho has^baskcttod'a veritable salmon. But thero ends' tho resom blance. Tho scalos aro not those of tho British

£sh, and when placed on tho tablo, tho düToronoo ! is something remarkable. The colonial salmon is a poor eating fellow-worse than the worst kelt -and poisonous at times, even boyond the othor fish of theso seas. Ile bears as much resemblance

when on tho table to thetruo salmon asa flathead j does to a John Dory, or a bream to a fresh-caught Lochfine herring ! Let us once got tho true sal-

mon naturalizad in Gipps Lana rivers, nnd the |

bolievers in the salmon of theso seas will soon acknowledge tho inuneasurablo.infcrioiity of tho latter as a table fish.

SOMETHING LIKE A BOOK SHOP !

Put a Saturday Bevieuicr or a Times writer into a clairvoyant state, and set him down mon. tally in the middlo of Mr. George Robortson's new book store iu Elizabeth-street, Melbourne, tell him that a building, which cost £8,000, and contains a clock worth £20,000, was erected in Molbourno, Australia Felix, for the requirements of an esta-blished trade, and not upon speculation ; inform him that tho pilos upon piles of roading ou hand will be cleared out in six months' time, to make way for an equal or groator quantity ; hand him tho catalogue, itself a goodly volume, in which appear "tho names, weight«, and colours," or rather the titlo, size, and prico of all the rondablo, and a vast number of the unreadable, books published in England and elsewhere during the last five lustres-^-do all this, and one of two things must happen. Our spiri-tually antipodised littérateur will either think the entire apparition a mere trick of tho. fancy, the "baselessfabrioof avision"resultlngjiromdis ordered peptics or an ovenvorked brain, or ho would, in future lucubrations upon tilings colo-nial, materially modify, if nob quite meta-morphose, his previous views upon- Australian manners and society. Puffing, eithor the pre-liminary, tho direct, or tho collusivo articlo, it is pretty well known h}- not one of our weaknesses, but wo conceive wo should bo omitting an obvious duty were wo to pass over vithout notice an cntcrprizo whioh formarmitude.

land tho admirable manner in which it fias beoá

¡brought to completion, has no rival in its special : department on this side the equator. But to tho ' point. Upon a piece of ground lately oneumbered I by two tumble-down shanties Mr, Robertson has ¡

in a few montlis erected this noble three-storied building, which for commodiousncsB and workman-ship may bear favourable comparison with many structures of greater pretension. While every ! foot of room is, or will be, fully appropriated t» the large stock and requirements ot the establish-

ment, there is no appearance of crowding, and I each' floor is admirably lighted. On each side run 11 airy-looking yet substantial 'iron columns, of colonial manufacture, ending in ornamental capitals. These give a particularly elegant and

graceful appearance to the two main Business I icoms (the second floor ¡b occupied by unopened cases), which aro each 115 feet in length, whilo the general effect is greatly heightened, particularly in tho lower room, by tho unexcep-tionable furniture and fittings, upon which great tasto has been bestowed. Tho ceilings-a wise precaution in this country of bad plaster-aro

nancllcd throughout. A handsome staircase, the

width of whioü at once strikes tho oyo accus-tomed to the break-neck and ladder-like contri-vances so common in Molbourno shops and stores, leads us to tho top of tho buildinj, where, although erected upon almost tho lowest part of the oity, a fino view is obtain-able. While we aro up thoro let us seo how the book trado is managod, first of all presuming over» thing to bo in npple-pio order, which is hardly ..tbo case at present. Hero aro stowed away the vast cases of light and heavy litoratura. A box from Murray's, or Boutlodgo's, is wanted. Duly labelled, and placed so as to bo easily acces-sible, it is at once seized upon mid mado to dis gorgo its multifarious contents upon a large table situated conveniently in the centre of tho room. Tho manager of the country trade mokes his se-lection, then the superintendent of the town supply, and each bear off' their shares of tit j 3..oils downstairs, whero they are rc-paskod aud

despatched to their various destinations. Tha restjire put in stock on the second or ground floor, as occasion requires, a sample being re-served for the inspection of ~ tho proprietor, y ho has a little room devoted to tha purpose. Thus all confusion is avoided, end a fow moments will at any time suffico for ascertaining the quantity on hand of any particular description of stock. Every pub-lisher of noto in England has one or moro cam partments appropriated to the emanations from Lis establishment, so that what at first appoars

to bo a chaos of cloth and boards, ia really as per- I f ectly ordered au array of books as that in tho Public Library. The department we aro now al-luding to is or course tho wholesale one. For tho retail trade, which is kept quite distinct, the works are regularly classified, so that a medical man walking into the shop con at once put his hand upon tho modest Vade Mocum or the ela-borate Copland, as his appetite for knowledge is more or less ravenous. So, too, the divine, if he be polemically given, can pounce in a mo-ment upon Dwight of Yale College ; if apo-calyptically, upon Dr. Cumming, who has a whole pago to himself in tho catalogue ; if argu mentatively. upon Butler and Pearson ; 'and, if trustfully and piously, upon Doddridge and Wilberforce. Tho historical student here finds his Hallam or Mahon without diffi-culty, tho scholar his Liddell and Scott, or his Yonge, tho mathematician his Hymer or Whe well, the artist his Ruskin, tho musician his Cameron or Novello, tho .theatrical critic his Schlaget, the poet in posse almost any Pierian spring he may wish to take a draught from, the idle man the last new novel or magazine, and little boys and girls an inexhaustible mine of highly illuminated stories of every degree of inte-rest and improbability. Books of reference abound, so, that " answers to correspondents" become the simplest task in the world ; and tho weekly essay writer, rather " shy" in his latin-your hebdo medal scribblers seldom venture upon Greek-gets his quotations as pat and handy as if he had really been in tho habit of reading its ruthlessly plundered and frequently - mutilated author. Cheap light literature is stowed away here literally by the ton, and school-books of every description by tho hundredweight, but all in such man-ner that five minutes need not elapse be tween an order and its completion. Parlour, railway, standard, popular, run-and-read, and a dozen other libraries are stored in the ample shelves, or wasting their sweetness in vast un-opened cases, but all regularly ticketed and easily get-at-able. But while the prevailing ap-petite for light reading must bo ministered to, there are here bulky tomes enough to satisfy even tho veriest bookworm. At on hours notice a university library could be packed up, or tho materials selected for stocking a Kiandra cheap novel shop ; nor would such an agreeable order cause a hiatus in tho catalogue, for as in Shelley's world, " Nothing in the store is single." But we have already extended this notice some what beyond bounds, and will therefore conclude by wishing Mr. Robertson God-speed in his spirited undertaking, and Victorians a thirst for knowledge commensurate with tho wishes of such an enterprizing literary vintner.

DEPARTURE OP HER MAJESTY'S TROOPS

FOR NEW ZEALAND, AND CALLING ; OUT OF THE VOLUNTEERS FOR GAR

,' BISON DUTY.

One of the chief events during the past month bas been the departure from our shores of the remaining portion of tho 40th Regiment that was left in tho colony at the date of our last sum-mary, and tho consequent colling out of tho Volunteors to do garrison duty. Tho breaking j; pt of hostilities in New Zealand, and the neces "sït-y tho authorities' were under of roinforçinj Her Majesty's forces there, had boon tho ocoa,« sion of two of tho companies of tho 40th that I wero then stationed in Melbourne, as woll as ono

from Hobart Town, being sent to Taranaki somo weeks previously to tho sailing of tho Molt», on the 18th Juno, and it was the general opinion that these reinforcements, and somo that wero sent fiom Sydney, together with two vessels of tho Royal navy that wero also despatched thero, would be sufficient to enable the officer in com-mand of tho military to tako such steps as would ciush the insurrection in its bud, neforo any - largo body of tho natives had joined tho smvX

section that had arrayed itsolf in arms against the British Government. Tho public, however, . was doomed to disappointment. Although.

Lieutenant-Colonel Gold, commanding the 65th Regiment, and who was at the head of the troops in Se»v Zealand, had under him a forco of 2,0J0 men, sufficient it was deemed to bring mattors to a speedy and successful issuo, tho wholo ccminunity of this colony was thro»vn into a

ítate of tbo greatest excitement and anxiety by

tli8 afrfvRf Sí V»le^Í?fi:oÍ5.S^°arÍ??,n^n.0ia{T

tbo mott disastrous intelligence, and giving par-ticulars of an attack made by the British on "Pnketakauoro Pa on the 27th June, and whioh had resulted in a loss on our side of 62 killed

and wounded. Tho Government tho same day '' announced, »vith a praiseworthy readiness, their I intention of taking such steps as would allow

Major-General Pratt to withdraw the whole of I the remainder of the 40th from tho colony. It

-was at the samo time stated that, the Major Goneral and staff wonld proceed in the Victoria to Ne»v Zealand,-a statement that gave tho gi eatest satisfaction to the whole of the colony. Tho projected dopnrture of the 40th, of course, necessitated tho performance of garrison duty by others, and Lieutenant-Colonel Pitt, com-manding the volunteers, at once offered thoir services, and a review of tho force having boen > some time previously announced for the day fol-

lowing the arrival of tho news, ho took tho oppor-tunity of tolling them thero of what he had done, observing that he felt convinced that thoro »vas no occasion for him to ask thoir permission beforo offering their sorvicos to the Government, as ho »ios quito sure thoy would be only too glad to commonco some really practical work after the rudimental -knowledge thoy had acquired. Tivo days after - viz, on tho 10th in-

stant-the 40th wero all relioved from guard- ,

mountings by a dotachmont of tho Volunteer '

Rifles. By tho present arrangement each private of the force will navo a day's duty about every 21 days ; but it falls far heavier than that upon tho

' «lncors and sergeants, who havo now to devoto I

one day in the week to their garrison duty, and during that timo aro of course compelled to neglect thoir own business, and the remuneration theyrecei\o is. of courso, no compensation for * tho injury, which »vo must do thom tho crédit to

ray they have the patriotism to submit to with

lliG trroatcst willingness, for tho public good. Tho

j ay¡is at tho rato of 83. a day for the sergeants, and C's. for tho privates. The officers receivo no remu-neration, it is felt that tho Government would only bo pursuing a just and proper courso in doing what thoy can. to mitigate the incon-venience by" increasing the number of the com-missioned and non-commissioned officers. At

present cadi company has only ono officer, however numerous it may bo, and thoro are eeveral with moro than a hundrod members, and there is ono sergeant, tho only grado of non-com missioned officer, to about every 21 men. In addition to calling out the volunteers on activo duty, it is proposed to mako a large increase to their numbers. The force for somo time past los beon about 2,000 strong, that being tho amount to which it was limited by Act of Parlia-ment. A bill was introduced into the Assembly a week ago for raising it to 10,000, and tlÚB will , ho carried unanimously, although for tho presont ' it is probable tho authorities will bo quite content

' if thoy increoso tho number of volunteers to 4,000. '

A resolution has also beon carried in tho Assem-bly for tho purposo of appropriating tho sum of . £ô,000 towards rewards and prizes to bo diatri

; butcd amongst the force.' I ' Tho actual departure of tho troops went off

with the greatest éclat. The general feeling that , prevailed, that the enemies they wero going to . combat wero no despicable ones, but wore mon 1 who, as had been Btoted by soldiers who had i fought on tho banks of the Sutlej, and in the

Crimea, wore fully as bravo and determined as ?ei'hor tho Soikhs or the Russians, caused tho greatest excitement on tho morning thoy loft, tho moro particularly as it was rumoured that they wero quitting the colony for good. Tho » _Gth has now beon residont in Victoria for nearly

i eight years, and during that timo both officers and ) men nave earned iho best characters amongst

tis, and, indeed, we had begun to look upon them V as colonists just the samo as ourselves. Their ? departure, therefore, has caused a void amongst '. us whioh it will take some timo to fill up. Da

the morning of tho 18;h inst. tho regiment-at least that portion of it leaving (about 210 in number, with 12 offioers)-were paraded at tho liar/acks, and commenced their march down to the railway pier, whore they wore to embark on board the City of Hobart, for Taranaki. Almost

immediately after leaving the grounds in »vtucn the barracks aro situatod tho troops tvoro mot by the band of tho Volunteer Rifles, who preceded tluin down to tho steamer. On thoir march tho so'diers wero followed by a large number of their ?relatives and friends, and many wore the affecting 1 avo-takinga that took place. The pier itself vas thiongcd by several thousands, and as the ? vessel cast off thoy rent the air with continued ".cheers. Tho volunteer musicians struck up an appropriato tune, and the splendid band of tho -'.4utb, which ivill bo sadly missed by us, rospondod 'with Auld Lang-syno, the last strains of which

c^mo murmuring over tho »rator as the stoatner was lost to viow amid tho crowd of shipping. As the City of Hobart passed tho' Young America, a, magnificent clipper, belonging to our trans Atlantio brethren, the "citizen crow" cheered the troops most heartily, and they further manifested their good wishes for our country's success by kwcring their stars and stripes. Tho aoldior.i. «ho were «11 on tbo deck of tho steamer, cheero! tho Americans in return, and tbo band played

" Yankee Doodle." The whole was a display of that right good fooling that we truBt will over nnimate the Anglo-Saxon raco throughout tha world, «bother thoy hail from tho States or from

Old England.

Tho Rifles are tho only volunteers who havo yet performod garrison duty, but the artillery aro also quite wflims; to undertake thoir share, and will probably soon bo called upon. On tho whole, the alacrity and zoal which the volunteers of Vic-toria havo displayed in coming forward to uudor tako such duty as would placo a forco of several hundred mon at the disposal of the general for active sorvioo, has boen most gratifying, and acts as an assurance that, should still greater and still

moro important services be required of them,, that thoy will not bo found wanting) but vill support the honour, of the British arms whenovor necessity may require thom. Wo may montion, as an instance of their zeal, that many liavo sent in their names as willing to proceed to NowZoaland,and, sido by side withthoir comrades, emulate the deeds of that gallant band of British volunteors who,5Qrstof their kind in tho southern hemisphevo to meet a foe, carno out of tho con-test at Waraika with honour and glory. Nor havo tho general publio beon behindhand in testifying thoir foohugs for those who aro en-gaged in fighting tho battles of their country. A movement is in progress for oreating a fund for tho benefit of tho wives nnd children of the killol or wounded, on the samo principio os the Crímoau fund, and there is no doubt but that it will ba liborolly supported. The doparture of Lieut. Col. Leslio, and tho main body of tho 40th on tho 18th inst. was followod yostorday by the depar-ture of a farther detachment of about 40 of the regiment, and Major-Geuoral Pratt, withDoputy Adjutant Qenoral Carey and other members of tho Staff, in tho Viotoria._ In addition to the ciowds who were on the pier to soo the military off, the Mayor and others went officially to bid thom farewell. Tho only porsons now roniain ing of tho regiment aro some 40 or 50 invalids, &o., the officer in charge, Capt. Baddeloy, and tho wives and childron of the soldiers.

As yot the volunteers havo tot been furnished with suitable arms. In Oetobor last the sum of £10,000 »vns forwardod to England for the purchase of rifles, Capt. Clarke, of tholtoynl Engineers, being requested to seloct the weapons. Somo dissatis-faction has been oxpresaeu at thoir not having yet arrived, and the Govovnment have exprossoa their intention of sending instructions by this mail, taking the matter out of tho hands of tho captain. We havo asked for a good son'icoablo weapon, and it is thought that tho amount »va had fonvarded to England ought to havo boon suflieiont to obtain it »vithout delay. As regards our other dofonces, particularly fortifications, we liavo not much to Bay. But littlo appears to havo been dono, tho present Government having not deemed it expediont to appropriate any portion of the £00,000 which tho late Administration pur-posed expending upon our fortifications, to that purpose ; and this notwithstanding the fact tint Captain Scratchley, of the Royal Engineers, and a strong party of Sappers and Miners, arrived in the colony a few weeks back for the express purpose of superintending them.

THE WAR IN NEW ZEALAND.

Tho correspondent of tho Nelson Examiner writes:

" About daybreak on Wednesday, 27th June, a force of 200 men in all, from the 40th and Naval Brigade, set out from the camp with the big guns, and took up position on the side of the pa next the camp. These men had with them Major Noeson, Captain Richards of the 40th, Captain Seymour and first Lieutenant Baddiscombe of the Pelorus, and Lieut. McNaughton of the artillery.

Another party of 150 men was sent round be tween the pa and the river, and, leaving a de-tachment in the flat, came up in the rear of the pa, on the inland side The pa was thus sur-rounded, so that none coming out could escape from one force or another.

" The main force in front opened fire with artillery at 7 a.m., and, after some firing, effected a small breach. But the ground was known to be furrowed with old entrenchments, and a gully intervened between the artillery and left wing and the pa. The natives came boldly out on the opposite side of the gully, sometimes within 100 yards, and a steady and busy firing went on. On the right wing, however, which consisted of the grenadier company of the 40th and part of the Naval Brigade, and which overlapped the head of the gully, a distressing fire was maintained from a broad ditch, and the order was given to fix bayonets and charge. The natives, lying down

with loaded guns, started up when the line was

within a few yards ; their numbers were great, their guns double barrels, and they fairly shook the advancing party. They closed, however, and a hand to hand fight followed, in which many fell. One big fellow of the 40th is said to have bayoneted six of the enemy, and was then shot down. Some white-skinned scoundrel was among the enemy, directing them, and, I fear, escaped hanging by getting shot. The grenadier company lost 33 men killed and wounded, chiefly in this struggle.

" Whilst this was going on the Maories came pouring in from the back country, and outflanked our men ; and after holding out as long as he thought fair to the men, no reinforcement arriv-ing, Major Nelson ordered a retreat. An attempt was made to follow by a perfect crowd of natives, when the artillery, which had been run off diago-nally to cover the retreat, threw in a few rounds of grape, and one discharge made, it is said, ' a lane through them,' and they gave up the at-tempt to pursue.

" The parties in the rear had meanwhile been engaged with the natives on the ridge on which stands the pa, and had cut off some who were endeavouring to escape on that side ; they were part of them stationed in high fern and tutu, and the crowd from inland had nearly surprised them. When the bugle sounded the retreat,

they were separated from the main body by

swarms of natives, and were obliged to make the best of their way back by the low ground over

which they had advanced. They had been taken to their position by the celebrated chief Ihai. He is still suffering from some scor-butic complaint contracted in the long siego of the Karaka pa, and being half lame and knocked up, had to crawl back to the camp, where he arrived at 11 o'clock, covered with mud, thorns, and thistle-seed. He did his duty, and it is fair to mention him here, as he might be forgotten, and his whole fierce and energetic mind is bent on aiding our cause. His absence, however, left the rear party without a guide. Lieutenant Brook was killed in a swamp, fight-ing several natives with his sword, till a cut on the wrist disabled him, and he fell by the blows of their tomahawks. The rearward party left 13 men on the ground. Only one wounded man escaped ; the whole retreat having to be hardly fought against great odds. The wholo loss on our

side was -

49th Regiment . ..46 Naval Brigade .10

Artillery ...5

61

Of these, 20 were killed and 32 wounded ; one of the latter has since died. Among the killed was Lieutenant Brooke; and among the wounded was Captain Seymour, of the Pelorus ; but I am glad to say his wound is not likely to deprive us long of his invaluable services.

" It is worth recording that the natives were ob-served to dispense with the ramrod in loading ; their balls going easily down their guns, the butts of which they struck two or three times on the

ground.

" From the spectators of this fight, and the

few who joined it of their own choice, we hear but one tale. Every one fought with steady, active courage ; no one skulked ; officers and men alike did their duty ; under great odds, and a fire at times of a fierceness that astonished veterans of the Indian service. The natives, it is said, are warriors equal to the Sikhs. I hear the names Ferozeshah, Sobraon, the Redan, used to describe the sort of conflict. It was no disgrace, then, to be repelled. We may be proud of the 27th of June at Puketakauere. One man there was who could have made this affair a decisive victory. It was an enlarged re-petition of Waireka. Succour was needed, and it was at hand, but it was withheld. Not only are the rebels unconquered, but the bodies of our dead lie unburied, or are indebted to the enemy for burial. Here was no divided responsibility, no orders to hamper ; it lay in the power of the Commander of the Forces to co-operate, to suc-cour, or promptly to retrieve. One after another he neglected or declined these opportunities as

they passed. He did not create a diversion ; he

delayed when he should have hurried to relieve ; and he marched his eager men back to quarters when he should have gone forward to renew the strife. If is true that all was quiet when he left Mahoetahi ; but for aught he knew, it might be the quiet of death, I know something will be said about the town ; but the town was not un protected. Here is, roughly, the state of the

force we had on Wednesday, the 27th :

At Waitara ... 500 With Colonel Gold ... 300 At Bell Block .. .. ... .. 50 At Omata .. .. .. 70 At Tataraimaka .. .. ... ... 200 In town .... 800

1,920

Reducing the number here stated by 109 for invalids, we have a force surely able to main

tain itself and protect the barracks, in which, on an emergency, we should secure the help-less. Nor has war yet made us so selfish that any one interested in the town can look on the brave soldiers at the outposts as strangers, or grudge some risk to ourselves that succour should be afforded them in their need. I see no justification of the course of Colonel Gold on Wednesday. I will not try to give it its proper name, for there is no pleasure in using harsh words, and mild ones will not ex-press my opinions. It is fitter for me to be a mere annalist, and easier to leave the facts with-out further remark to yourself and the public. In the nature of things, it must surely be that some way exists of removing a person so unfit as Colonel Gold from a station of such great trust as he now occupies. I desire no more. And the emergency is too grave for mo to hesitate about saying that this is absolutely necessary."

FURTHER PARTICULARS. The officers engaged were -

Naval Brigade - 1st Lieutenant Battiscombe, Midshipman Wadlow, Midshipman Garnett, Lieutenant Morris, Royal Marine Artillery.

Royal Engineers - Lieutenant Mould.

Royal Artillery - Lieutenant McNaughten.

40th Regiment - Major Nelson, Lieutenant Brooke (killed), Lieutenants Dowman, Jackson,

and Rees, Ensign and Adjutant Whelan.

The following is an authentic list of the killed and wounded among the 40th Regiment: - Killed Lieutenant Brooke, Sergeant O'Callaghan, Cor-porals D. Vahey, S. McBurney, J. Ryan; Privates

Abrey, Allen, Broderick, Cliff, Douglas, Dumphy, Fegan, Fillingham, Harris, Hayes, McCabe,

Marcom, Perry, Scott, Gallagher, Downes, Byrne, Gore, Hickey, McCann, Marsden, Gill, Webber, Robinson. Wounded - Privates Bryan, Chan nings, Lynch, Lucas, MxCarthy, McGuire (since dead), Murphy, Newman, Plunkett, Smith, Molton, Burke, O'Brien, Burgess, Tedder, Head, Hogan, Louge, Smith, Tomney.

The Sydney Morning Herald of the 13th. under the head " Reinforcements for Taranaki," says - " We learn from a reliable source that on

the news reaching Auckland of the repulse of our troops at Taranaki, measures were at once taken for forwarding to the seat of war, with the

utmost celerity, all the available force at the dis posal of the authorities. This, it is understood, would number about 300, and consists of military and blue jackets. They were to start from Auck-land on the morning of the 7th inst., marching

to Manakau, and embarking there, on board the Cordeha, for their destination. The force was to be made up as under :-A detachment of the 65th Infantry ; 50

marines, under the command of Lieutenant Butt; 75 men of H.M.S. Iris, under Lieutenant Hume ; 30 men of H.M.S. Cordelia, under the

first lieutenant; 30 men of H.M.S. Victoria,

under Lieutenant Wood ; Commodore Loring and

Mr. Hume, first lieutenant of the Iris ; Com-mander Vernon, of the Cordelia ; two 68-pounders

from the Iris, and two light pieces for firing from ships' boats. To the above, we understand, there

will be an addition of from 50 to 100 soldiers sent on by H.M.S. Fawn, from Sydney, with all pos-sible despatch."

DEATH OF TE WHERO WHERO, THE

MAORI KING.

The New Zealandcr of the 4th inst. announces the sudden death of To Whoro Whero (or " Potatau," as ho has boon of lato callod, in con-nexion with the Maori King movement), " an historical name, and ono that enabled tho pro-moters of the anti-land soiling leaguo to mako political capital of."

It appears that thora had just boen publishod, at Auckland, a history of the King movement in

Potatau's death, a postscript has boon added, from which wo quote a few sentences. The writer says:

"This event will cause important changes. Whether the advocates of tho scheme will pro-ceed at onco to elect a successor to Potatau, or whether thoy will allow the matter to drop, it is difficult to say. It is possiblq that tho death of the new made monarch immediately after the late completo and full recognition of his sovereignty by tho Waikato tribes may bo regarded as an atina (an evil omen). It is quito incliaractor with Maori superstition to look on such coincidences InHhis light. Nor havo such superstitions on tiroly diod out. Many of tho old mon will probably regard tho event as being intended to admonish thom of a wrong stop taken, and as ominous of future ovil if persisted in. Should tho zeal of tho leaders still hear them forward ia their determination to carry out thoir scheme, the futuro will greatly dopend on the person on whom "their choice may fall. Should it fall ou any of the war party, tho difficulties of our posi-tion will necessarily bo increased, Tho influ-ença of tho Kimr movement unon all the best

interests of the country, mid of its people, indicatos tho imperativo necessity of adopting tno moue- i/iuiuj/f> and onorgetia measure«! to

arrest its progress at this point; for, should it bo permitted to take root and grow, it must seriously affect all interests-religious, social, political, and commercial. It will imperil tbo vory oxistenco of tho nativo raco, disturb the peaco of tho country, and ruin tho prospects of a colony that was promising to become a home for thousands of tho surplus population of other lands, and presenting an attractive field for the profitable employment of both capital and labour. It will also destloy tbo hopes that havo been so long and so fondly chorished of amalgamating tho races, and of placing on the futuio pago of history at least one proof that tho Christian Mis-sionary ia not necessarily the pioneer of the heathen's destruction, and that the colonization of a barbarous country is possiblo without tho extermination of its aboriginal raco. It be-comes, then, moro than over tho duty of those entrusted Milli nativo interests no longer to hesitate, but to enter promptly into negotiations with the King party, with a view to provent their taking any further action. It is not improbable that many of tho party may be disposed to look on the death of Potatau as piescnting a good opportunity for an honourable withdrawal from thomovomont, and bo found ready to fall in at onco with such measures as might be proposed for their acceptance No timo, thoroforo, should bo lost in seeming a conference between His Excol leucy tho Govornor and tho loading mon of the party-at which it might easily bo shown to thom that all that is really good in tho movemont, and all that is essential to thoir happiness and free-dom as a pooplo, could bo bettor secured under tho Queen s Govoinment than under any system that thoy could deviso. A frank and candid dis-cussion of their supposed grievances, and a dispo-sition to meet their views, so far as thoy can be mot consistently with tho supremacy of British rulo, might bring tho whole affair to an end, and placo tho country in a much bettor position as regards tho 'native question' than it has ever hitherto obtained."

The New Zcalander adds :-" With respect to tho question of Potatau's successor, tho utmost uncertainty still prevails, and ho would bo a bold man who would presumo to prognostioato the issuo of that decision. Potatau's son, a vory intelli-gent man, and.wo hoar, possessed of docision of

character ; Ta Kerei of AYaikatoj anothor very in- ' 'telligcnt chiof, possessed of largo property, but when wo last saw him in a very dolicato stato of ¡health j and William Thomson, who is probably tho most thoughtful man in the whole movement,

place,' i" v- -.----. --would any ono of tho throe take the position ? or, if they-wero so disposed, would tho Maories as a raoo support any one of that triad as their 'kingr" Wi Tako is also spoken of as the coming man to hoad the lung movoment. To Whero Whero's was an historical naine-one that enabled tho promotora of the. anti-land-selling league to mako political capital of ; while he himself »vas, wo boliovo, in a great measure in-duced to accept a position so onerous and per-plexing-bo peculiarly trying to a mau of his advaucod years and enfeebled constitution mainly in the hopo of being able to preservo peaco between the two races. This cannot bo said of his son or of Ta Korei ; while Wil-liam Thomson, Uko moro than one of the leading patriots of Continental Europo of the present aay, seems rathor fitted for tho Oabinot . than the camp. Will any of thoso mon bo likely

to meet the approval of fiery spirits Uko To Hou Hcu-whoso bark, after aU, is said to be worse than his hito-or the Ratgiawhia natives, or tho Taranaki tribes ? Then, again, tho doath of Te Whoro Whero brings our old and trusty ally "William Naylor still moro prominently beforo his f eUoiv-couutrymon. We havo already shorn how

freut waa tho respect paid to JNoylor, oven wnon

o was in a docidcd minority at tho lato mooting at Ngamawahia-whon tho more announce-ment of his intention to roturn to his own dis-trict, rather than bo any longer witness of the folly of attempting to set up a distinct nationality or submit himself to porsonal indignity, causea so great a sonsation that William Thomson per-sonally solicited him to rOYoko his intention for at least a day, and to remain and mako known his views. This Naylor did, and ho was Ustonod to with tho utmost respoot, though wo beliovo not one of his following carried oven a fowling piece. Will ho bo likely to possess less influence now that Potatau is gone: Then thoro aro To Ori Ori, a far-sightod man, and Katipa. ono of the shrowdost of chiefs; who) though said to have diod of tho prevailing epidemic,1 is, wo loam from a suro sourco, recovering and likely to re-cover. Will not'these men domand to havo a voice both in tho choice of tho person and policy of tho noxt ' Father of his people '-supposing ono to bo elected? Whiohover way wo viow the matter, wo shall find it open-to opposing ques-tions like these wo havo just indicated. Wo may well feel it difficult to speak with anything like positivclicss vhon wo find ono who knows tho natives so wcU as Mr. Buddlo does speaking thus carefully, yet thus thoughtfully.''

COMMERCIAL. ~~!-,

In our summaries for the months of May Mi Juno largo portions of the space allotted to oom moroial intelligence were devoted to enlargin. 7 tho depression prevalent in,mercantile circl« Since then the first half of the current yoar h« como to a oloso, and we aro onabled to draw 1 comparison between that period and the corre spondiug half of 1859. The statistics givo evidcaj. of the existence of the depression wo havo barn compelled to notice, and in part explain tin causes of it. The number of the population h» been almost stationary ; tho yield of gold hu bceu below tho average ; imports havo inoreasd exports have decreased, and capital has been tu-lip in works not immediately reproductivo ___ unsettled state of tko^Land question, and tia continued attempts to maintain the ratea of »a»> at fictitious but altogether nominal .figures, __r

acted as checks on tho investment of money ¡_ improvements. And whilo tho minor, thon,,. ohanic and the labourer havo had habits of eci nomy in some measure forced on "thom tia numbor of the population employed as Jm8M traders, betwoon the first handpnd the consumar has been maintained without roforonco to tha ia croaking self-reliance of tho groat masa of coa" Burners, and the individually decreasing roquirj. mont for imported goods. With''a revival of immigration, a revival of commerco .woull naturally follow. Colonial resoinW.aro; ko*. ever, moro than suffioiont to'keep'pacS wit. tho demands at present likely to ariso froh ü¿¡

source. * r...

In the caso of .Messrs. 'Raleiglis, Dqu3¡¡,\, and Co. versus Messrs.-Holmcs,'Wiiite/dnd Où

a nonsuit has been aceordod to tho ' defe'niaatî on tho points reserved at tho lato trial, referral to m our issuo of the 8th- ultimo.. The du* cisión of tho judges is,-that the plaintiffs wero not justified m claiming tho »hole of the rica which was tho subject of the action. ThoeffjVt of this is, unquestionably, to give a new oliaractar 10 the case of -Messrs. Holmes, White, and Co a firm »vhich has held au honourable position ia our commercial community. ' , ,

Tho quantity of gold produced during tile halt year amounted, according to. the escort return»

to 093,77öoz.,'or 118.072oz. loss than theil1I of. the first hale of 1859. 'The weekly weÄ,

been 37,914oz. against'43,199oz, for tho first half of last year. The total shipments amounted ti

],C03,851oz., or 41 tons lW 2gr7Tb 3«

troy, of the valuo at £-1 per ounce of M'fiW 40)' Up to tho corresponding'weok of last year tha" fchipmcnls wero l,197,0G2oz., or 49 tori lfawt.

2eir. 51b. 2oz,, of tho valuo, at the Bamotat« ot £4,788,24S. The shipments for tho first hal/ of, tho curront year have been 193,2Hoz." less than. those of the first half of its predecessor, :

Wo learn from the returns of tho Immigration Board, a digest of »vhioh is given olsewliero, lust the net addition to tho population by the sei board this year has been only 3,302persons. Th» additions during the first half of 1859 namboral C.703. In former yoars, it will bo reinomborol flint bet»»-een 3,000 and 4,000 persons woro added to tho population ovory month. This falling-olf, taken into consideration in connexion -with tha increaso in the imports, is quite sufficient to account for much of the heaviness vhioh'hu furnished so constant a theme of conversation among business men. Tho declared- valuo ol tia imports for the first half of the year amounted to £7,379,271 against £0,955,163 for the first half ot iSO'J, tho inórense being ¡6424,108, whilo the ex-ports amounted to only £5,588,258 against £0,041,427 for tho first half of 1859, tlvedecreju being no less a sum than £1,053,169, Durmij iho enrlier of the two periods tho account stojl

1htis: -

Imports .£0,933,183 Exports .0,011,42/

i Balanco of imports over exports... £313,735

During tho later poriod tho relative values ot imports and exports »vero as follow:-'

Imports .i ...£7,379,271 Exports .5,588,235

Balance of imports over exports.'. £1,791,013

In other columns will be found a detailed state-ment of iho separate values of the imports nul oxports for both poiiods, and of the quantities, m far as they can be gathered from the Oustoan books. Tho stocks of all dutiablo articles ia bum! aro also given. With so great an over-supply ot goods of all kinds as is indicated by these otBsiat returns, (for the stocks of freo merchandise aw equally hoavy with thoso in bondel it is not to be wondered at that general complaints exist of dull

times. Wo havo had occasion frequently to refer

to tho circumstance that the stocks of imparted goods in the interior aro muoh lighter than ¡3 usually the case at this season of the year, .Mi may be takon as a favourablo sign for tho spriu; trade. For somo time tho fears of a greiV mo\emont to tako place in the spring amou! ilia mining population bavo exorcised an

influence fur bojond their duo on the country

storekeepers, who havo preferred keopiaj their warchoiiso-rooiu empty to being lett with stores crowded with merchandise torilla supply of a decimated neighbourhood. Althoija recent advices from the Snowy Rivor havo doai much to put an end to tho prospects of any p¡r

mènent shifting of the population to that looitty, the confidence of the trading public in tueiaUii townships has not yet boen sufficiently estv bushed to causo thom to como forward as specu-

lative purchasers. The roods aro good, and trate ¡ rely entiroly on tho Melbourne market for tis supply of tho wants or consumers, as thoyarii!, Tho cargoes of goods aB thoy arrive aro stored by the importers, because sales cannot bo pullut

< jwcept at ruinous prices. 4

In tho monoy market there has not beea nj movement of importance. The banlts havo m1 yet issued their averago statements for tho put quarter, but it is understood that they ril show nu increnso in deposits and in gold tal bullion. Unemployed capital appears tobes;. cumulating, and safo investments are in consult

?demand. The many exposures which havo tata placo in mining joint-stock companies biri ílightened all but tho boldest spoculatorsna dabbling in this description of security. Otto CO or CO companies quotod in the daily lists, bat few have, as yot, yielded any return for the cvji inl invested. It is questionable whotker ia mi singlo instance tho promises of the prospectus on bo proved by the results to havo boen rensoaablî

or honest. Tho aggregate capital absorbed bjs | these companies during tho half-year lias been largo, nnd for tbo timo being wholly unprodus live. Tho extensivo maohinory orcctod on alf »des has produced no results hitherto. Borneo!, tho most promising companies of January a» now forgotten in July. Bolinda, Bank Vals, Chewton, Gordon Parker's, Old Spooimea Hill, nie names that havo altogether disappeared froa Iho lists, and many othors threaten to follow.

This dreary cataloguo of causes to account for the depression which exists prcoonts noüuojwhiea íh not only remediable, but of a temporary or ex-traneous character. If the gold mines haw yielded loss it is because fowor miners have ben employed in tho process of "producing" gola, and because a longor period than usual has olapsei

without any important extent of now ground boiaj T opened up to miuing enterprise. In tbo otter circumstnnces wo havo enumerated the remedies aro ns ovidont as the foots aro clearly set forth « tho figures. . .

Tho rovenuo returns of tho oolony for tue yeir,

and quarter ended the 30th Juno uro, on ti« whole, satisfactory. Thoro »vos a nott toon»" on tho quatter of £28,302, and on thoywrtf £254,715, Under the hoad of Custom« there»h x an ineroaso in the year of £17,229 in tog 'ton beor; of £15,050 on tobacco ; of £4,918^ l'opium; of £10,578 on tea; of £688 on.coffee,

and £7,760 on sugar and molasses; »Mottw was a deoreaso of £77,768 on spirits; of W» on wino; and£947 on cigars. ^«Ä? tho gold export duty amounted to W ; There was a nott decrease under «If «J» (Customs) of £75,396. Tho <My«Vp -arm. Ulled in the colony amounted to M

Under tho head of gold there m»» n,,i ineroaso of £1.476, »nd under that ot ports and harbours a nett deere« «

ment, a,J-L,itJu ; »met» v*. wu*»!-' , 'ii.-..-*

and forfoituro«, £3,783; and ra n««M£ items, including raUwny traffic, £».?** i

another column wo havo gwen the returns -

tho years and the quarters in tabulâtJtorm.i* thopurposoof affording a readior means ot w»

Thoro has been very little ww .

export of gold, not any entries taro« passed at tho Customs sinoo thocleanng

the Red Jacket. The. banks havo beon l*-. freely all parcels offering on tho «eiai,»i prices based on tho valuation of *%T%I from £314s. Gd. to £314s. 9d. per «j» »g1

with tho export duty of 2s. Cd. per ounce. »w I tho cost on board sWp to from « y to £3 17s. 3d., o-clusiyo of char»», j

brokers quote :-For Mvin|stone. »7«. tfl"¿j Omeo, Ok to 71s. 6d. j Pleasant W» Goulburn, 74s. to 75s.; Bogey Creek, t»

hurst. Castlemaine, and Jim Crow, 7w.% '

hurst. Castlemaine, and Jim vrow> .£.-p j«

Maryborough, Dunolly, Avoca, Amherst, «J Creek, and Ararat. 7<&. Cd. ti 77s. 04,, w ,| and Yackandandah, 70s. 6d. to 78s. IM., » p lnrat, 77s. Od. to 78s 6d. per ounce.

The escorts for tho past week wç

up to tho average of tho first h"'1' ,.",""_

the total amounting to «Ä°5'XÄ*I

for tho corresponding week of M»». A "¿A avorago of the year 1859 w»s 4/^'0n'¿b¡A

that of the first half of ^«f^ffXaM 37,01401!, l£ the subjoined W*> »e 1u» J

for the weeks and for the years up to dato] aro I given side by side:- I

and

Naroo of Gold-Hold.

? castlemaine «Maldon .. Sandhurst

Maryborough Amherst

Creek.. Dunolly

Ballarat..

«Creswick ,. .

«Clunes ..

.Inglewood.

?Beechworth . ?ßuclilaud . »yackandandah «Heathcote «jUisInvorth Kllnioro

Totals

previous oseorts

«Totals for tho yeara

1800.

oz. dwt.

8,407 0

900 0 '6,851 0

1,030 10 1,430 10 4,251 0 £,233 0 2,070 0 1,603 10 4,307 10 4,061 0

870 0 1,430 0 6,018 0

039 10 627 0 11 10

43,260 1,200,130

¡1,240,380 0

oz. dwt. 8,624 0

7,633 0 ' 1.608 0 4.609 10 6,633 0 5,010 0 8,009 0 1,439 10

7,000 10

1,692 4,038 2,155

018

0 IO 0 0

48,901 1,078,822

0 0

1,127,720 0

ffho escort «¡turns marked " iaro fortnightly, tho

¿thors vrookly. _ |

In the following tablo the quantities brought into Melbourne by tho escorts from all the gold-fields are given for throo months ending on Satur-day. Io the last column »vill bo found the total for the corresponding period of 1859. It will be seen from this that tho escortB aro gradually

earning on thoso of last year, thoBO for the la3t I turco months amounting to 530,385oz., against 549,430 for the corresponding period of 1859 :

i

o

i

«4

" 2

it

la

n

Og

co 3

?3 5 Ö

A? Ö

a a ta

o

1

.a

g .

Ii Ia

w

S

1

es >

to 3 O O

.a

&

a

1

o o

1

c5

-d es

l'a 4°

ñ4

.2S 3°

i I?

»

c3

?

3

n

J

I

I

o

3 a

c3

|

4,786 42S3 3,490

2289 1006 1428

624 8199

2490

9,521 376 1224 718 40,353 35,504 10,763

398 8,633 6791

5223 1860

402 3208 4265

41,486 47,458

_

4,102 8719

-.

0,287 3222 1245 2292

-

396 5421

-

1C60

_

10,987

401 1240 915 41,835 42,614 0,123

302 6,667 3596

5101 1014

334 2041 2721

31,525 4S.8SS 94S6

4,853

2979

-

5,953

3164 1388 1250

-

054 6133

-

1133

-

11,446 364 1338 670 51,037 43,706 11,008

427 6,270 4322

44-10 1010

410 160S 3080

32,670 41,203 0909

4,997

3S9S

-.

5,065 4893 704 3427

-

729 6221

-

1S26

-

10,390 385 993 413

50,875 44,442 11,694

602 7,274

1043

41G9 1553

445 2557 1674

31,610 47,474 S470 6,043 3860

-

7,101 6790 1157 004

-

1016 7700

-

1451

-

0,081 340 15SS 465

54,623 63,342 10,703

402 7,285 4013

592 \4S2 1805 3623

34,032 4S.055 7116 4,034 3202

" -

1,203 4597 1190 3097

-

1233 5315

-

821

-T

9,989 5C6 1701 821 40,195 62,174 10,168

502 12,760

3063

33S3 678

Ö23 2354 3224

S0,S53 40,108 4307 6,233

4211 6.S51 3197 951 990 1030 1254

"T

1430

-

0,069 370 1430 527

1 1 1

43,256 530,385

48,904 1 i L

§19,130

Tho shipments of lost week wero'as follow :

oz.

ïy tho Rangotira for Sydney. 8,010 By tho Eod Jacket tor Llvorpool .. .. 88,029 Previous shipments, corroded by comparison

with entries passed at the Customs .. 1,052,033

Total

. 1,003,730

Or, 45 tons llowt. lqr. 191b. 2oz. troy, of the value, at £4 per ounco, of £4,374.920. Up to the corresponding dato of last year the shipments amounted to l,347,084oz., or 56 tons 3cwt. 71b., of tho value, at the same rate, of £5,390,736.

Tho following is a list of the gold-ships whioh havo sailed from this port since the 1st of

Juno :

Bato

of

Ship.

Destination.

Ounces.

Sailing.

Juno 0 Mnldstono..

London ..

43,781

" lliBoatrlco ..

Hong Kong ..

0,45i

" U Rangatlra ..

Sydney ..

72)

" 17 Bluo Jacket

Llvorpool

81,B7i " l8 Malta

Suez

22,70)

" 19 City of Sydney ..

3ydnoy ..

i,70r " 24 Dover Castle

London ..

67,03 j

" 25 Rangatlra ..

Sydnoy ..

0,051 July 6 Rangatlra ..

" 101 London

Sydnoy ..

G.0S3 Syduoy ..

S,30j

" lO'Orwoll

London..

87,877

" 10 Raiirratira ..

Sydnoy ..

3,010 .> 17

Rod Jaekot

Liverpool ..

83,023

Wo repeat, for tho purposes of comparison, tho inblo compiled by Messrs. Clarko and Sons, piviug the shipments of the metal monthly from -the opening up of tho gold-fields to the oloso of last year. Previously to 1852, only 145,146o_. had 1)een exported ;

1852.

1853.

1854.

1855. Oz.

Oz.

Oz.

Oz.

January

100,470

205,002

178,148

180,917 Fobruary ..

.152,602

189,078

200,280

187,274

Match

107,400

160,450

232,011

130,053 Api il

92,612

147,041

110,077

820,906 Way

94,975

109,041

237,145

132,716

Juno

152,242

170,200

140,760

235,213 July

170,411

185,730

200,609

199,933 August

172,090

223,129

114,183

291,628 Scptemhor ..

101,188

318,974

173,289

253.03G

Octobor

248,390

175,269

82,217

232,707

ITovembor ..

322,650

150,021

130,248

202,037

Dcooinhor ..

131,162

834,904

288,673

142,172

Totals ,.

1,974,075

2,407,723

2,144,009

2,670,715

1850.

1857.

186S.

1859. Oz.

Oz.

Oz.

Oz.

January

810,550

806,001

200,700

181,403

Fohruary ..

210,637

188,605

220,766

182.502

March ..

820,740

212,057

224,717

200,654

April

882,600

260,080

171,891

188,307

May

238,824

164,671

240,814

100,971

Juna

190,603

101,853

176,002

240,631

July ..

127,820

247,880

236,287

182,909

August

320,020

107,452

238,633

213,872

September .,

242,029

249,920

187,102

223,414

October

207,683

829,825

221,010

102,835

2To»'emhor .,

163,722

223,922

236,893

186,895

December ..

859,650

107,061

170,015

204,014

Totals ..

3,003,811

2,729,055

2,630,933

2,280,625

It will bo gathered from our preliminary re-marks, that no important change has taken placo in tho money market. Thero has been, porhaps,

less of tightness and pressure during tho month i 1 in all branchos of commerce, excepting that of

mining speculation. But the stagnation in ' trade, if of much longer continuance, must even-tually lead to tho realization of that cessation of confidence which has been threatening more or less for some time, Capitalists outside tho banks linvo been for some time holding back from com-mercial speculations, and money_ has been, and continues to bo, abundantly offering for advance on properties in improving neighbourhoods nt from S to 10 per cent, per annum. Hie rates of dis-counts at tho banks remain at-For bills under , $5 dayB' currency, 8 per cont. ; for 95 days' to 12S plays', 0 per cent. ; over 125 days', 10 per cent. : and for overdrawn accounts and cash credits, 10 ?per cent.

Tho selling rates of exchange on England are quoted by the banks at par for 60 days sight for largo amounts, and 1 per cont. premium for 30 days' Bight for bills under £50. Freight on gold by Boning-vessels is from 2Jd. to 3d. per ounce, deliverable in London ; insuranco, l.j por cent. By the overland routo tho froight to tho Bank of England, including insuranco and transit duty, is 2 per cont., exclusive of insuranco 1 por cont. ; to India and China, freight, 1 per cent.-in-suranco according to tho character of tho port to which tho shipment is made.

Tho general weekly averago of the Bank of

. 'Australasia during tho soeond quarter of tho cur- j . rent year has boon published in the Gazette, . in accordanco with the act of Council, 4th Vic-

toria, No. 13. The assets aro thus stated: -Coined gold and silver, and other coined metals, £425,094 3s. Od, ; gold and silver in bullion or , tars, £93,135 3s. lid. ; landed property, £87,015

'.7b. 8d. ; notes and billB of other hankB, £23,113 33b. 7d. ; amount of all dobts duo to the bank, .including notes, bills of exchange, and all stock nnd funded debts of ovory description, excepting notes, bills and balances duo to tho said bank from other banks, £1,337,479 Is. 5d. : total amount of assets, £l,96u,437 15s. 7d. The liabi-lities aro given as followB :-Notes in circulation, not bearing interest, £341,40118s. Od.; bills in circulation, not bearing interest, £14,543 lös. 5d. ; , .deposits, not bearing interest,£257,48910s, 10d.,

bearing interest, £1,150,830 13a. 3d.-£1,414,326 4s, Id, i total amount of liabilities. £1,770,271 19s. The capital account Btands thus : -j Amount of tho capital stock paid up at this date,

£900,000 s rate of tbo last dividend declared to tho shareholders, 0 per cent, and bonus of 30i. per sharo, being equal to 15 per cont. ; amount of the last dividend doclared, £07-)500; amount of tho reserved profits after declaring such dividend, »316,043 3s. 3d.

i ' .Tho heaviness in the slook and sharo market .. lias Increased rathor, than dunrtiishcd, especially

trith regard to mining shares. Tho latest report - flf this markot, together with tho quotations Qf

this afternoon, will bo found under our ordinary i commercial heading. , |

Tho opinions of the Melbourno Chamber of , Commerco on the stato ' of tho colony are of nî i

inconsiderable interest in times Uko the present, j

At tho usual quarterly meeting of that body, held ' on the 10th inst., tho following report of the stops i recently taken by the chamber was brought up i and adopted :- |

" The special gonoral meeting convene J to rocelva i the roport of tho special committee appointed to cm- j sider tbo doprossod state of tho colony, having roforraJ j tho samo to your commlttoo, to take euch stops m , might be dooinod deairablo for carrying out tho vIowj , of tho ohambor on tbo subjoct, a sub committoe, cou- ; eisting ot tho president, vlco-presldent, D. S. Campbell, ¡ and Jamos Lorimer, Esqs, was appointed to draw up

a memorial embodying thoso viows. Tho following ] momorlal was prepared, numerously sir/nod, and pre-sented by tho abovo sub-oommlttoo to tho hon, tin Chief Socrotary on tho 20th of Juno last :-,

" ' This memorial of merchant?, bankers, ond taldora,

being members of tho Molbourno Ohambor of Commerce, respectfully showell),

" ' That your memorialists aro deoply interested ia tho commercial prosperity of this colorry, and th« thoir attontlon has boon forcibly directed of lato to a consideration of the causes which havo arrostod Its progress, and produced the presont depression.

« < That thoir inquiry has led your memorialists to the conclusion that, though the derangement in mer-cantile aifairs must partly bo attributed to that spirit of overtrading from which no conunorcial community is oxompt, yoi other and moro permanent Influence? oro operating to rotard that vigorous progross willoh was anticipated from tbo possession of suoh extraordi-nary resources; and further, that tho remedies for those evils oro not beyond tho control of the Govern-ment and Legislature of W10 colony.

" « Your memorialists bog, thorcfore, to submit tho ' following considerations touching the causos of tho presont deprossion, and to suggest sueli romodies for the same as havo occurred to them during thoir deli-berations. Tho ohlof of theso onuses appear to bo

" ' 1st. Tho falling oh*of immigration.

" « 2nd. Tho decrease in tho yield of gold.

"' Your memorialists caanot contemplate tho doolino of Immigration vlthout deep ooucorn. Thoy cousidortliat, not only do03 tbo progress of this, as of overy now country, dopend upon tho amount of sur-plus Industry willoh it can attract from tho old world, but that, at tho prosont junoturo, the rovival of Immi-gration is essential to tho stability of all its interests, and to the maintouanco of its public crodit. Tho vast undertakings of tho Government, as woll as tho oommerdaiondhnlustrial onturprizos of thepooplowore cased upon tho anticipations of a constant and rapid accession to tho population. Your memorialists havo, thcroforo, ronson to foar that, if immigration oejsos, tho dovoloperuent of our natural wonlth will not keep paco with tho pressure of our liabilities, and that tho consoquoncos may be disastrous.

" ' Entertaining thoso vlows, your memorialists inva beon anxious to ascertain why tho supply of Immi-grants to Victoria is not lu proportion to tho un-rivalled advantages which it olfors to intending omigiants, and this appears to arlao from two causos :

" '(1.) Tho want of'correct and roliablo inforinitlon In Britain as to tho condition and resources of th j

oolonv.

'"(2.) Tho CDBt or tho »'oyago hühor, comparo 1 with that to the Atlantic States and colonies. >Vhoa tho goneril condition of intonding omlgrantg is eontidercd, thoro can bono doubt that tho oxponsoof a passago hither must In nuuiborless Instances clotormino tho choleo of loaj favourable hut moro accessible fields of labour. Indeed, it is certain that myriads of thoso whOBO industry has enriched tho United Statos and British. America must havo remained to onoumbar tho labour market at homo If tholr immigration lui deponded on their o»vn resources.

«" Your memorialists, -thoroforo, behoving that tin capabilitioa of the colony aro adequnto to tho employ-ment of a vn9t population-that It is essential Hut Victoria should competo on equal terms with othor countries for that Ineroaso of population, which i¿ ciBontiol to the dovolopomont of its »voalth; and, jcoroovor, that any expenditure applied for the pro-motion of this object must nocoísarlly bo rctnrnotl t7 lho Government In tho shape of Increased roveuuo, d ) earnestly pray that an nRont or ngontB may bo ap-pointed to ditfuBO lu all p.-irta of Grout Britain and on tho continent of Europe correct Information as to tho condition and capabilities of this Hud; and tinta bj stem of assisted Immigration ho at once adopted.

" ' Your memorialists aro further of opinion that Immigration In Injuriously checkod by the tax on th3 admission of the Ohhioso, and by tho capitation-tax levied on all arrivals in the colony. Itogarding tha former, your memorialists, titter an experience of aoveral years, boo' no roason to alter tho opinion for-merly oxprosscd by this ohaniber-vb., thut the said tax is contrary to tho spirit of tho trovty botwoon Great Britalu and Ohlna, and that ita exaction ia uajuit and Impolitic toivardsa iwrmlossand industrloui ruco, whoso resldonco conducos to tho various inter-ests of tho oolony. In regard to tho lattor, your mimorlallsts hopo that tho Government will at once ooa> sont to tho repeal of a tax which adds to tho cost of an oxponslvo passarro, and Is not in any way approprlatod for thobonoat of lho immigrant on his arrival.

" ' 2. Tho docroaso in tho yield of gold. Aud with reference to this subject, your lnovuoriallstB »vould observe, that as long sfneo as January, 1S69, à deputa-tion from tho Ohambor of Oommorco waited upon tho GwVornmont of tho day, and recommended "Tin1, cr.couraijomont bo offered to prospootors for noiv gold-fields, by rewards and otherwise ; also, that a large promium bo offered by Government to stlrnuUto in Ulla and other couutrloa tho invontloii of tho mois

efficient machinery for crushing and amalgamating. . ? 'Xhoy also urged tho necessity for Governmont aid fa

With roforeiico to this vital question, your numoriallsts would obsorve that tho docroaso lu thoylold of gold has contiuuod since their appeal to tho Govern-ment, bolng little short of a million dur'.ng tho last yoir ; and that tho yield of gold, wliieh averaged about £35 per hoad of tho population in 1850, only amountoi to £17 por hoad In 1850.

" ' Your memorialists aro happy to observe that tho necessity for such measures as thoy suggestod is n v.v recognized, and that prospecting parlic-i are alreijy appointed. Tho possession of unlimited wealth uonoilh tho surfaco ia unavailing, unions sustained aid systematic efforts aro mido to discover tho aron which eau bo profitably worked as the old Golds aro

exhausted. ,

."Tho importinco of an ampio supply of wator to tho mining as w oil as tho agricultural interosts oin liaidly bo exaggerated; the dry soaBons and the sctrclty of rivers aro exceptions to our natural advan-tages. Your memorialists aro, thcioforo, pors-adol that no expondituro would bo moro immodlatoly ramuneratlro than that employed in oxocution of worti for oi-IIccting and distributing tho wator which, thoujh bountifully supplied in tho wintor, is allowed to run wasto in tho Bummer.

" ' Tho introduction of inoro eflluicnt maohinory on our gold-Holds your memorialists consldor ai asulijont wliieh desorves tho oarnoat attention of tho Govoraínont. Tho improvomontH alrosdy olfoctod havo so roducod tho cost of o>.traellon of gold us to moko large tracts of ground remunerativo which weio formerly consldoi-cd woi thiess ; hut this lias beon dono at an immenso sacrifico by tho mining interest. Yoar mamoriallits therefore pray that an oxhibitlon of minin¡r machinery bo hold in Melbourno in the year 1SÛ2, aul that such a premium bo oiftred to inventais S3 will command tbo competition of tho highest talout in th ) world, in tho attempt to bring tho apparatus for ab. Etraotlng gold to the grcnlost perfection.

" ' Lastly, yaur memorialists considor tho operation of tho insolvency law to bo unravourab'.o to trade and commerce. It neither punishes tho reckless or frau-dulent debtor, nor secures his assets for i ho benefit of his creditors. Your memorialists would tlioroforo pray that no time may bo lost in ofTectlng a roform, tho necossily for which has beon keonly fuit by the commercial clvnos for many years.

" Tho Prosidont introduced the subjeot by observing that, though somo timo hid elapsed nineo tho subjoct bad been first considered, tho doproisiuu epinplalnol of had increasod, and that It vas Imporativo thit ECiuo stops iliould bo taken to restore prosperity t3

tho colonv.

" lu reply tho lion, tho Chief Secretary staled tint, I

to como extent tho wlshos of tho chamber had boan oultclpatcd by tho Government, Tho Legislature h ii voted sums of money both for prospecting and watjr

supply. Ho took no credit for thoso voto?, but at '

prim iiH tho votes woro passed tho Government toni tbo first opportunity of oxpondlng tho money to tin best advantage; preparatory stops lind bcon taken fir

tho supply of »»'aterto tho gold-fields. Two strong

prrtioi »vero prospecting lu Gipps Land; ono lui Btatlod for tho purposo of prospecting tho country 1} log betwoou InglOH-ood and tho Murray, and a mini . her of smaller partios had beim aespatehed to prospoct

ccuutiy lying within easy distance ol existing gold- I holds. r

.' An oxhlbltlon of mining machinery la 1302 hil boen suggostod by the ohombor, and should havo tho

consideration ot tho Government ; but tho deputation I wero reminded that no action In such a matter could

bo talion without a Parliamentary grant for tin I purposo. ' . j

" With regard to the Insolvency law, tho lion, tho , Chlof Secrotary observed that Mr. Kbdou's bill, ho un- I dcrstood, had rocoh'cd the approval, to a great extont, I of tho mcrcantilo body, and ho thought, with Bonn alterations, It might ho adopted, Tho action of Gjvorninont would ho regulated hy tho Intention of Mr. Ebdou to go on or not with lil« bill. With roforjimo to immigration and tho abolition of tho tax on th j Chlucso, both of theso subjects would recclvo tho at-tention of tho Government, particularly the Ohlnoia

tax. Tho law on this matter ho found clofective. i

" Tho doputatlon thon urged tho noccsslty for ronowed immigration as Indlsponsablo to tho prosperity of tho community, and tho expediency of adoptln' a ajstoni for assisting suitable porsons to omi grato, on whjch the hon. tho Chief Secretary ob

sorvod. in considering this question tho Oovaramfit

could not overlook the fact that It would involve an expenditure of something like £200,003, and thoroton) must bo considered in connoxion with tho quojtiou of colonial finance. Ho could not plcdgo hiin jolf to any particular course ; bo could oiilypromlso to bring tli_ subjeot beforo his colioaguea. Tho attention of thi bon. the Chief Secretary was then directed to the cinttatlon tax of 6s, lovlod on the arrival of evory pas-senger-Ship, which it was urged was not now appllod to tho purposo for which it was originally imposed ; an 1 in reply to his statement that tho grants to tha chilltable institutions of the city had beon much increased afior the imposition of the tax, It was btated that not-withstanding theso grants, evory vessel had to piy a certain charge for oich of its soamon who had ocjiîIoi to outer tho hospital ; evory ship captain had to give _ b nd that nolthor his seamen nor passongors aiioul 1 b;como a burden on tho colony, and it was objectionttblo that, In addition to this, u capitation tax shouU bo lovied on such persons."

Tho following is a statement of tho stoak ot all dutiable goods in bonded warohouui Oi the 23rd inst. i - Brandy, 8,7G3A hhd?. 97,904 cases ; rum, 3,085_ hhds. 311 oases ; fenova, 124 hhds. 31,924 cases ; whiskey,

,107.. hhds. 02,465 casca ; old tom, 1.225J htuK 17,920 cases : cordials, 4,501 cases ; spinti of wino. 1D3_ hhds. ; other spirits, 993 hlidi. 6,403 cases ; wine, 3,98j_ lilias. 35,000 cnei ; beer, 4,510 hhds. 2,674 cases and ôaila; tabacco, OSShhds., 1,847 bales, 411 tiorces, 8,45!) three-quarter boxes, 0,809 cases and boxes ; chtaw 1.120 cases ; snuff, 117 packages ; to», 8,557a chests ; coffee, 4ÜÜ mats nnd bags 96 barral« ; sugar (raw), 02,330 bags 883 packages ; molasmi', 40 hhds. ; chicory, Oil packages; opium, 4-5 chests 106 packages. The following goolî wero bonded from the 11th of Juno to tho .3rd of .July:-Brandy, C50A hhd«. 7531 cases; rum, 100 hhds.'; ¿oneva", 10,500 awiwbitkey, 114A Uhtl, DO cases j old tom, _5,J U_i'

2,279 cases ; cordials, 1,001 cases : other spirits, 180 hhd. 200 cases : wine, 1,136J bids. 858caso3 ; b.er,2,820 hhds. 950 cases and casks; tobacco, 200 biles 43¿ tierces 175 threo-quarter boxes 56 casoä and boxes; cigars,317cascs;8nuff,2packages; tea, 708 oheBts j ooiTee, 2 mats and bags ; sugar (raw), 15.128 bags 11 packages ; molasses, 4 bids, ; chicory, 100 packages; opium, 12 chests 11 packages. Tho deliveries for home consumption were:-Brandy, 645A hhds, 0,876 cases; rum, 311 hhds. 50 casos; geneva, 1 hhd. 8,251 cases: whiskey, 152 hhds. 3,436 cases; old tom, t50j lihds. 2,251 cases ; cordials, 148 cases ; spirit} or. wine, 103 hhds.; other spirits, l8 hhds. 253 casos ; wine, 581 hhds. 623 cases; beer, 564 hhds. OS cases and casks ; tobacco, 100 bales 32 tierces 317 tb-ee-quartor boxes, 484 coses and boxes; cigars, 70 cases ; snuff, 4 packages ; tea, 2,975j chests: coffee, 84 mats and bags 306 barrols ; sugar (raw). 16,037 bags ; chicory, 71 packages ; opium, 5 chests 57 packages. The deliveries for exportation were :-Brandy, 128 hhds. 1,303 cases ; rum, 234 hhds. 2 cases ; geneva, 1,291 cases ; whiskey, 49 hhds. 275 cases ; old tom, 32 hhds. 491 cases ; cordials, 158 casos ; othor spirits, 1 hhd. 2 oases ; wine, 32J hhds. 226 cases; beor, 1,600 hhds. 16 cases and casks; tobacco, 112 bales 89 tierces 281 thrco-quarter boxes 204 cases and boxes ; cigars, 12 oases : snuff, 20 packages ; tea, 49ÚJ chests ; coffee, 9 mats and bags ; sugar (raw), 1,165 bags ; chicory, 3 packages.

Tho Bill of Entry for tho week ending the 14th inst. gives the imports at tho Port of Mol-bourno at the declared value of £248,861, and the exports at £275,122, tho balance being in favour of the latter to the sum of £27,261. This reduces tho balance of imports over exports for the yoar to £1,901,312 :

Week ending

Imports.

Exports.

1859.

1800.

1859.

I860.

£

£

£

£

Jon, 7

227,607

111,798

88,481

186,822 » «

206,810

872,342

426,323

167,183

" 21

208,899

222,831

287,623

402,061 ,, 28 Fob. 4

239,210

589,180

893,965

872,839

449,205

475,016

260,212

116,127

>, H

174,848

404,644

878,720

247,198 » l8

878,187

156,888

128,084

174,618

" 25

265,415

434,905

280,470

489,192

March S

420,917

102,614

238,245

99,236

" 10

211,853

834,814

209,118

269,793 « 17

211,478

287,927

195,235

205,533 » 24

182,754

891,801

201,817

178,271

., 81

032,010

201,930

165,583

133,626

April 7

475,658

105,071

262,625

226,089 " 14

209,895

421,484

274,418

184,09t

" 21

174,088

821,224

120,605

180,053 " 28

180,138

100,179

899,009

818,939

Hay 6

237,000

479,015

61,501

40,633

" 12

212,859

459,491

878,397

251,781

" I"

818,640

177,780

258,241

437,933

" 20

193,731

242,010

242,010

190,191

Juno 2

800,118

153,281

172,835

83,715

,. 0

850,849

83,482

180,597

259,151

» 10

228,208

206,821

5G0,720

201,864

" 23

115,715

216,692

812,218

284,216

" 80 July 7

221,654

805,177

104,480

71,492

282,871

280,030

879,445

134,870

» 14

454,824 7,092,865

248,801

230,959

275,122

7,899,102

7,261,831

6,007^850

In the first period the account stood thus :

Imports.£7,692,855 Exports.7,201,831 Balanco of Imports ever exports .. £481,024 In tho Bocond period :

Imports.£7,899,162 Exports.6,097,850 Balance of imports ovor exports .. £1,901,312

Tho following is tho comparativo Btatoment of tho revenues of Victoria received into tho Treasury. Melbourne, during the quarters and years ending 30th of Juno, 1859 and 1860, re-spectively, to »vhich »vo havo roforrod otsowhere :

Heads op Havsstra.

lijuarter onding

Year onding

80th Juno. 1859.

80th Juno. 1800.

30th Juno. 1859.

80th June. 1860. I.-Customs. Import Dutloa

OnSplrlta

Wine Boor

Tobacco .. Cigars , Opium ' Toa

Coffoo

Sugar ami

molasses.. Export Duty

On gold..

£

195,776

18,511 22,214 36,955 7,034 8,099 22,510 4,401 23,836 76,316

£

100,422

0,031 24,175 87,640 6,714 5,840 20,404 6,011 22,968 07,305

&

753,819 55,030 73,018 142,988 26,780 0,726 111,922 18,912 110,761 807,057

£

076,050 44,09a 99,842 153,615 25,833 1-1,048 122,590

19,001 127,618 265,073

Total Customs ..

409,761

870,955

1,622,102

1,515,700

II.-DüTV on Vic-

torian Spirits .

-

-

-

2,072

III.-Gold,

Minore' rights .. Business licences..

Lenses of aurifer-

ous lands, ¿se... Escort and cus-

tody foes

10,315 5,000

84

10,090 4,156 1,528

43

47,035 1S.710

1307

40,803 19,033

2,069

217 Total gold..

16,099

10,410

60,170

07,055

IV.-Ports and

Harbours. Tonnngo ..

rilotago (at out

ports)

4,250

8,008

23,994

1,012

22,801

720

Total ports and

harbours

4,269

8,098

25,000

23,021

V.- IiANDB

180,878

209,186

002,904

903,742

VI.-Licences. AsscsBinont Dopaaturo

Other occupation Publicans'

Spirit inorchants' Auctioneers' Bnrwors' ..

All other licences

98,915 0,741 8,085 38,950

1,778

800 186 928

79,743 8,500 4,207 89,326 2,646

800 103

1,105

\ 235097

18,290 55,900 12,810

5,825

051

11,281

242,402 18,834 48,350 12,438 6,875

774, 12,741

Total liconcoB ..

140,736

127,068

388,371

439,410

VII.-Postage..

24,065

1 26,846

95,485

100,717

VIII.-Fees.

Supremo Court .. Goneral Sessions a.

CountyCourts.. Courts of Minos .. Courts of Pottj

Sessions

All other foos

7,589

1,225

200

2,090 3,052

7,981

1,433

323

2,991 4,058

80,413

5,10S

869

0,111 13,698

31,145

6,268 1,221 11,018 10,462

Total foos

14,168

10,787

60,191

05,100

X. - MlSOBLuAH

0US.

Passenger ratos .. Chinese- ratos

Unclaimed pound-ages

Bents, oxcluslvool

lands ..

Oo\ onunont Prin-

ter

Labourofprisonors Electric Tolograph .Storage of pow

1 der

I Hallway Income.. Balo of Govern-ment property.. All other rocoipts

Kot Incroaso on

tho quarter

Not incroaso on

tho y oar

1,343 1,222 2,601

1,200 14,077

2,981 2,200

1,220

018

6,742

141

21,874

472 8,406

60,620

1,070

807 8,114

1,712 0,407 2,426

1,200 8,006 7,801

127 20,802

717 8,760

60,083 886,216 853,853

20,862

2,403 8,052

8,230 41,358

13,220 8,010

0,640 0,020 18,435 1,233 28,216 2,083 25,128

164,897 .032,700

254,715

ar-BCIAL FUNDS.

Hoad of Bocolpt.i I I

Pollcorowardfund 1,828 1,307 8,152

Penal ostabllsb

mont fund .. 181 10 001 Toll rund.. .. 170,103 88,050 351,376 Trust fund .. 80,810 14,037 210,300

Polico hospital

fund .. .. Oil 1041 172

7,100

101 102,652

08,114

Oil

Messrs, J. II. Clough and Co. report of wool, tallow, and hides :

"Wool.-Slnco our last, per Malta, wo aro In pos-session of advices by the Salsotto, of tbo commence-ment and progress of tho May salei, from which wo leam that prices wore moro ilrmlyEmalntahiod than was anticipated, a roduetion of about Id, to lid. por lb. on tho aaloB of Fobruary having beon established. I Wo havo no alteration to roport in this market, stockt

j being vory light, and principally of Bcourod descrip-

tion», m hlch aro readily bought up at tho under, mentioned prices :-Scoured wool at from 22d. to 23d.

per lb. ; handwashed, 18d. to 21d. per lb.

"The following aro tho vessels which hare sallo! Binco our last with wool ¡-Juno 10, Blue Jacket, 07 bales; Juno 23, Dover Cutio, 807 bales; July 10, lOrwelfc 200 bales ; July 10, Hod Jacket, 131 balos| total, 1,141 bales.

"Tlio Oustoniieloiraneosliavoboonasuuilor!-From October 10 to Juno 2, 1860, 10,470,5041b.; value, ¡Cl,320",310. From Juno 2,1800, to July 14, «2,0231b ; Saluo, £34,753. Total, 10,010,2221b. ; do. value,

1 £1,365,072.

i " Tallow - This artiolo has considerably chang.d

ihirin r tho month. Tho supply having sot in advance of tho demand for local use, tho price doctined, more f/pcclally for boef and mlxod, which einnot now be 'quoted Higher than £43 per ton, Mutlon Is nat I much ohtiiiced, our eandlomakors being largo e n. evmera ofJtlil» dosoriptioir ; prices consequently romiln 'al about £55 per ton. , *

. " Hides -There bas boon very littlo doing for B_ip

mont since our last, and »ve cannot no»v quoto prices higtior than 15s. oi:h, tho rates for small naroola ruling

from 12s. Gd. to IDs. each, tho latter pnce bolng fir ; liea»-y, well cured hides. Tho quantity shipped during , the month has been over 12,000 hides." I

The first annual general meeting of the shave- j holders of the Victorian life and General Iusur- j ance Company and Savings' Institute was held ; on Friday afternoon, Mr. Henry Miller in the chah-. The balance-sheet gavo evidence of a

largo amount of business. The capitul stock on i the 30th of June amounted to £40,000 ; de-posits and interest to £130,228 ; bills payable to £63,000. The cash on hand amounted to £20,14S ; mortgages and other securities, to £179,005. Of tho deposits, the sum of £56,504 had been repaid to depositors. Tii3 profits, after deducting £8,993 for losses and

claims, amounted to £25,590. The report of the j directors »»'as unanimously adopted, aud Messrs. Edward Byam Wight and Alexandor Downey wero elected to the vacancies in the board causod by the resignation of Messrs. W. J. T. Clarke and George Harker. Messrs. William Hull and C. M. Mackinnon were elected auditors for tho

ensuing year. j

The 10th annual mooting of tho Melbourne Gas and Coko Company was held at the offices of tho company in Collins-streot, Sir. ltobert Kerr ia the chair. The report of the directors was unani-mously adopted. A di»>idend of 0 per cent, for the half year »vas declared, and the retiring direc-tors, Messrs. Robert Kerr, A. Sutherland, and J. Sutherland, were unanimously ro-oloctcd. The net result of tho half-year's »vorking showod a profit of £9,250, which, added to tho balance of profit standing over from tho last half-yearly ac-counts-£5,038-brought tho total up to £14,283.

Out of this sum £0,000 »vas appropriated for tho , payment of tho dividend.

The Insolvency Circular for tho past month < contains a list of no less than l63 sche-dules filed by insolvents, the majority of which refer to estates with liabilities under £300 in amount. The trades and callings of the insolvents may be thus stated:-1 auc-tioneer, 2 agents, 1 accountant, 1 bootmaker, G bakers, 4 builders, 10 butchers, 1 bricklayer, 1

broker, 1 brewer, 1 blacksmith, 1 barman, 5 i boarding-houso keepers, 6 contractors, 3 clerks, I 2 cab proprietors, 1 cab-driver, 9 carpenters, 1 carter, 1 drayman, 3 drapers, 2 dairymen, 1 dancing-saloon keeper, 8 farmers, 1 grocer, 1 gardener, 4 gontlemen, 2 greengrocers, 1 horsodealer, 1 hairdresser, 1 ironmongor, 8 labourers, 16 minéis, 1 miller, 2 machinists, 17 publicans, 2 iirinters, 2 plumbers, 1 miairyman, 7 restaurant

teeners, 16 storekeepers, 2 ship»rrights, 2 sa»vyors, 2 shipchandlerp, 1 slaughtornian, 1 tobacconist, 1 theatrical proprietor, 1 tailor, 1 »vatchmakor. Ten assignments »vere registered during the month. Forty certificates wero granted, and four suspended.

IMPORTS

At the Port of Melbourno for the first six months

of the current year, compared with tho cor-responding period of 1859 :

_

Values.

. Quantities.

1850.

1800.

1859.

1830.

Agricultural luv

£

&

plomonts

10,331

11,15!

.

-

Alkali-Soda, tons

0,871

17,520

408

1,133

Apparel and slops

800,621

803,074

-

-

Ammunition

Powder, lb. ..

7,504

62,045

121,500

1,202,133

Shot, toni

1,214

2,516

40

SO

Fuse and Aro

works

-.

5,800

-

-

Arms

Guus and pistols

2,818

4,000

-

~.

Arrowroot, tons..

2,503

3.34S

30

49

Asphalte, tons ..

1,010

306

412

31

Bags and sack- ..

37,210

35,023

-

»>

Hark, tons

266

,1,142

49

GO

Boor

Battled

CS.700

110,211

-

-

Draught

1-10,-173

163,030

-

-_

Biscuit, tons

.1,032

4,404

52

51

Blankets andwool

lons

150,082

135,200

--

-

Boats

1.420

100

-.

-_

Books

32,672

48,700

--

-

Boots and shoes..

270,000

310,177

-

-

Bran, bushels .. Bricks, No.

Building

81,500

17,027

800,178

100,485

707

1,952

302,201

320,018

Bath ..

89

107

Brushwaro

8.852

14,102

.

-.

Building materials

20,072

20,143

.

-.

Butter, tons

205,180

222,486

1,589

1,001

Cabbogo-treo ..

00

272

Candiel, tons ..

92,508

110,021

709

915

Cundlewick

470

1,451

-

-.

Canvas

3,318

P.503

-

-

Curpoting..

4,731

3,011

?-.

-~

Carrlagoe, carls,

&c.

33,010

21,000

-

-

Casks,' ompty

77

8b

-

-a

Cement, lons

G.100

14,131

-

1,832

Cheese, tons

51,088

52.8CU

415

515

Chicory ..

3,78b

10,180

-

-

Ohiiuwaro

1,13'

5,872

Cider

220

2,03b

Coals, tons

81,421

02,387

41,717

34,131

Cocoa and choco-

late, lb.

3,001

0,017

-

-

Cocoanut libro ..

80»

1,106

Coffee

39,034

28,003

-

-

Coko audfuol, tons

4,335

14,202

701

2,150

Confeetioiioty ..

7,020

8,015

Copper, toii3

38,070

33,780

398

3D9

Copper oro, do. ..

14,816

63,310

1,101

2,407

Copjiorivaro and

brasswavo

3,010

2,852

Cordago, tons ..

23,713

1S.0S5

C25

5)0

Corks

4,311

6,420

Cottons

113,881

05,021

-

-,

Cotton waste

507

1,631

-

-.

Cutlery ..

7,832

12,201.

-

.

Drapery

519,052

832,037

, -

-

Drugs

42,921

43,333

-.

-

Diufrgists'waro .. Enrthouivaro

4,774

5,015

-

«

10,076

20,045

Eggs

3,777

0,101

-

-

Fancy goods

15,312

10,519

-

-

Felt

531

257

Fish

Diicd ..

4,458

2,433

-,

__

Ficsl.

822

304

_

_

Picscrvod

33,884

30,155

-

-

Saltod, tons ..

33,671

18,318

715

S52

Flax, do.

140

369

0

12

Flour, lona

255,212

215,030

12,074

9,959

Fiuit

Bottled

Diiod, tons

Orcon, bush. .. Furnituro Furs

Class

Bottles .. Plato .. Windotv Olasswaro Ohio Gola

Gold-leaf Grain

Barloy, bush. .. Beaii3&pea,!,do. Ci am, tons

Itlnizo, íiitsli. .. Halt, do. Oats, do.

Bico, tons

Wheat, bush... Undeacrlbodjdo, Grhidory .. Grindstones 1 Guano, tons

Gum, do. Habordashory .. Hair, tons

Hard»»'aro and

iroiimongory .. Hats and caps .. Bay, tons.. Hides, No.. Hollowaro

Honoy, o»vt.

Hops, lb. Hosiery

Houses-wood .. Indiarubbor goods

Instrumonts-.

Musical.. Scloutlflo Iren, tons

Jotvollory., fjoad, tons

Iicathor, do. loathorwaro Linen

Llvo stock

Alpacas..

Hornod cattle,

No. ..

Horses, do. Figs, do.

Toultry..

Sheep, No.

0,82 53,688 100,106 41,583

1,300 10,553 8,?3S 9,850 1,431

S 163

0,810 9,318 10,149 24,806 33,029 202,919 161,107 71,740

108

1,814

170

23.0J5

121.E7S

42,081 0,311

321

4,360

220

12.017Í 41,531

5,832 16,621 C.723 113,876 10,036 19,001 4,879 8,701 22,378

1,000 2,701 25,230 2,857

529 1,'

5 589!

60,012 1,235 70,020 105,858 65,281

435

1,850'

9,7131 6,1161 22,401

995

COO

1,017

427 2,314 81,095 62,785 03,930 80,201 C3,63S

167

1,415 111,610

Hares ..

Birds (singing)

Zebra ..

Machinery ..] »larblo .. ..I ^lutcha) and

vestas ..

Mats and rugs .J

Meal

Corn, tons Oat, do.. Metal

Yelloiv, tons .. Milllnory..

Molasses, tons .. Nails, do. Naphtha, gala, -..

Nota

Nuts .. Oars ., Oil

BBlack, gals, .'. w Colza, do.

gLinsood, do. ..

Olivo, do.

Sporin, do.

TJndoscribod,do. Oilcloth ..

Ollmon's stores .. Onions, tons Opium ..

rolntlngs and en-

gravings

Taints aud varnish Papci hangings

rorfumery .. ! riiotogrophio

goolhi .. .. ¡ Pipos-Tobacco .. Pitch, tar, ¿to.

, Plants and soods.. I Plato and platodi

war« ., '- ..'

13,80 2,809 206,736

32,251

856 S67 7.2C9

603 11,701 46,472

ISO

9,658 15,440 6,824 208,838 40,949 12,057

4,363

2,810 87,841 2,074

S6S

1,007

106,200

0,647 8,665 6,031

l,18l|

7,870)

4,182 28,270 3,140 88,433 2/

15,803

220

539 1,819 8,688

165 4.895 28,281 4,676 116,205

2,809 30,629

2,000 14,930 14,105 2,500

3,736

037 10,031 W.86S

30,730 28,390

1,707 95,865 05.547 S13,b31

0,169 1S1.056

277

1,477

3D

296,819

7,016

[420

097

5,331 1,217

203

147,539 91,761 111,370

4,911 152,005

113

272,188

14,310

26 126,068

S.876

25,827 3,936

72 7,472

1,607 21.9SS

699 40,231 4,062

190 0,107 2,766

360 12,623 6,478 2,395 2,586 82,827 2,062 101,105

2,071 82,947 7/

10,091 21,710 2,427 2,953 8,073 4,471 11,374

W.861

20 7Î2 759

7,695

8,177 4,410 39,615

611 18,018 105,050

27 1,292 13,773

2,691 46,743 82,990 0,131 7,934 135,993

2191

-

Values.

Quantities.

1850.

1800.

1860.

1S0O. £

£

Plura-ora' wara ..

8,41i

8,209

-

-m

Potatoes, tons ..

8,015

20,103

-1,503

2,107.

Froservea

20,780

15,006 Printing materials

7,992

7,451

«

-*

Provisions

Prosorvod

38,£90

0,010

-

w

Saltod, tons ..

87,020

111,870

793

1,219

Quicksilver

1,316

14,437

-

-.

Hallway materials

11,026

125,780

-

-.

Ecsin

s,8ie

8,100 Saddlery ..

88,432

32,844

-

-

Sago, tons

769

6,634

29

185

Salt, tons..

15,075

17,723

2,725

8,515 Ship-chandlery ..

6,235

4,930

-«.

-

Silks - ..

61,725

30,040 Skins

219

376

Slates, Ko.

17,163

13,140

2,110,910

1,201,115

Slabs

43C

025 Snuff

291

174

--

_.

Soap,tons..

5,851

7,031

181

101

Specie

241,223

185,401

«

-~

Specimens of Na-

tural hiBtoiy ,.

456

1,587

-

mm

Spices

13,001

1,926

-

--

Spirits

Brandy

100,685

135,419

-

mm

Cordials

6,307

2,695

Gin

44,141

53,080

-.

-.

Foi fumed

6,214

4,760

Hum

123,500

23,005

--

mm

Ofwino

1,008

22S

<-*

_

Whiskoy

80,013

26,485

-

~

Undewibod ..

7.83S

10,608

-

M

Sponge .. .. Starch and bluo ..

870 0,401

814

6,507

__

_3

Stationery

78,165

111,750

-,

-?

Stool, tons

4,004

13,101

275 Stono

Building, tons..

2,085

2,020

451

433

Mill ..

246

455

Paving

0,411

4,620

mm

mm

Stonoware

2,415

1,789

Sugar A.. Tallow ..

897,245

317,720

-*

-

1,210

133

Tapioca

887

1,095

-

-

Tea

[214,481

201,800

.??

.M

Tents and tarpau

line

105

050

Télégraphie mate-

rials .,

,

1,878

mm

mm

Tiinbor

Deals, No.

75,035

03,210

240,958

185,433

Laths, bundles..

2,310

001

23,170

9,712

Logs and pilos,

No.

12,109

8,478

8,500

1,002

Miscellaneous..

34,184

6,533 Palings, No. ..

10,0-4

18,620

2,114,335

2,609,850

Posts and rails,

do.

4,550

1,869

104,240

83,723

Sawn, foot

135,801

188,030

19107908

14281747

Shingles, No. ..

687

10

254,000

26,000

Spars, do.

1,028

183

231

163

18,002

7,882

mm

M

Tinware .. .,

2,543

742

Tobacco

07,772

134,090

M

_

Cigars ..

02,885

34,794

«

mm

Tobaeoonlsts' ware

1,227

2,029

Toola and utansllB

12,740

21,044

mm

k_.

Tojs

2,810

8,878

N-»

--

Turuory ..

104

-urponttne, gals.

4,009

7,481

9,001

23,539

Twlno and thread,

tons

8,800

2,820

84

27

Togotablos, do. ..

416

012

08

60

Vinegar, gals. ..

Watches andcloeks

2,045

4,802

24,957

43,030

10,141

20,002

-

-"._

?fVlittingandclialk,

tons

805

. 1,801

sa Wlckorwaro

646

1,050

Wine

161,136

118,810

-

mm

Woodonwaro

8,813

18,705

mm

Wool, lb.

19,293

20,255

240,020

840,230

Zinc, tons.. ..

8,624/ 0,122

206

180

Miscellaneous ..

10,4651 17,707

.

-

ESPOBTS.

Agricultural Im

plomonts

Alkali-Soda, tond Apparel and slopt Anns and anunu

ultlou ..

Arro»vroot, tons.. Bark, do ..

Sags and sacks .. Boor

Bottled, gah. .. Drauprlit, do. .. Biscuit, toii3

Black sand, do .. Blankets and »vool

lons Boats

Bonos, tons

Books

Boots and shoes .. Bran, bushols .. Bricks, No. Brush»vare

Building materials Butter, tons Oamphlno

Candles, tona

Canvas .. Carpeting

Carriages, carts,

&.C. ..

Casks, ompty Cement .. Choose, tons Chicory .. Ohlnawaro Cider

Cocoa and choco-|

lato

Coal, tons

Coireo

Coir fibre..

Confectionery Copper, tons

Coppor oro, do, Copnor»» aro

Cordago, tons

Corks

Cottons .. Cutlory .. Drapory .. Drugs

Barthonwaro Fancy goods

Felt

Fish

Prosorved

Salted, tons Flax

Flour, tons Fiuit

Di led, tons

Groon, bush. Furnituro

Glassiraro.. Glass

Bottles .. Plato .. Window

Quantities.

1,012

880 397 848 106! 850,

I.!

1,505 O,600i

600 2,7801 16,174 16,2001

147 2,824

11S| 1,041

597 47,656 2,473 1,422 4,646

15

3,250 1,281

S.S3S 0,887 1,033 2,000 1,612

2,075

426

1,7881 2,000 1,868

8B0|

50

8401 010

10,882

1.002

220| S2.79S,

47.107J 2~340

221, 1.

400

05,006!

2,088,

412'

8,780l

e

1,594'

1,197!

70

10,826

2,747

OS

fi,311 2,041

1859.

1860.

_

173

"~00

"~

"~

_

_

0

1

7

867

-

~

4,168

10,634

8,109

17,205

l8

2

75

37

-

-

325

~"ao

2,440

7,393

1,150

1,000

_

_

1

c

12

a

-

-

-

-

_

__

10

22

-.

-~

~

-*

_

"m

1,045

£38

-

-

161

307

1,001

2,801

66

43

.

-~

-

~

-

.-i

-*

«

-

-

-'

_

_

83

175

817

181

60

788

107

-

-

_

_

~

~

Gold, ounces , .4

Grain

Barley, bush. .. Beans and poas,

do. .

Gram, tona

Maize, bush, .. Malt, do. Oats, do.

Itleo, tons

Wheat, busb. .. Grindery... Grindstones Guano, tons

Gum, do. Haberdashery ..

Hair

Hardwaro and

ironmongery Hats and caps Hay, tons.. Hides, No. Hobowaro

Hops, lb. ..

Horns and hoofs.. Hosiery ''.. leo, lb, ..

Instruments

Musical.. Seientifio ,

Indiarubbor goods Ironandsteeljtons Jewellery.. ; .. Lead and load ore,

tons

Iioathor, do. Loathenyaro

Lime .. ,

Linen

Llvo stock

,433,360 4,009,039

l,15S,768|l,003,7S3

67 412

13

1,470

153

CO

822

3181

-

81

70

820

301

856

001

1,815

8,734

5,742

6,987

4,804

871

701

8,728

1,782

C1

20

8

16

,_

2,085

902

141

920

25

51

1,705

1,087

80

"""

-

13,387

i 0,154

_

1,304

2,000

040

1,110

07 40,103

01,059

03,013

219

1,216

1,232

77I2OO

2,140

8,710

4,787

861

791

< 835

44,670

777

1,209

817

741

125

-

__

0,086

6,105

082 1,881

- 724 772

821

0

2,870

3,183

45

627

, 80

-

41

' 7S

-

200

«t

-

Horned cattle,

No. ..

Horses, do. Sheep, do. Maohinory

Mats and rugs Marbia

Matches and vostas Meal-Oat, tons. Motal-Yollo»v,do MilUuory .. ,.. Miscellaneous .. Molasse«

Nails & aero WB.tons Nuts Oars

Oilcloth .. Oils, gala.

Ollmon's stores .. Onions

Opium, lb.

Taints and var-

nish

Paintings and en

gravuigs

Paporlianglncja ., Pmfutnory

Pipes-Tobacco .. Pitch and tar ., Plants and socls., Plato and plated

ware

Potatoes, tons .. Piesorves ..

Printing materials Provisions

Prçsorvcd

Sailed, tom Quicksilver Q »artz '..

togs, tons *

Ballway materials

Bosln

Saddlery .. Sago, tous

Salt, do. ..

Shlp-chandlory Silks

Skins .,' I

Slates .. . Soap, tom <

L.J3pSclcjTGold ,,.

1,820

1,120

221

88,776

S,020

1,632

8.76S

0,424

9,210

2,007

086

634

7

180

86

H

1,603

C6

_,

407

27

16

530

700

0

2,240

8,275

5,044

-

r -

420

128

4,007

2,003

147 437 010!

OS

-

305

126

2,091

6,200

13,896

0,666

8,272

-

170

10

-

8,356

-

335

213

-

,'607

112

_

740

450

_,

227

76

_

216

259

_

823

75

._.

463

147

-

1,428

205

_

429

867

80

833

40

».

,251

812

-

' 4,03£

S05

_

O,80S

11,487

212 00 o:

-

_.

2,811

2,893

£00

«

1,713

; It

S25

80

075

81f

241

~10

75!

4,885

104

i 4K

446

1,715

8,615

14,88l

14,678

j, so.

103

4,314

8,026

180

551,950

217,720,

-

Specimens Natu-

ral History S,H"C3

S,)ii its

Brandy, gals. Coi dials, do. Gin, do...

Of wino, do. Perfiimod

Hum, gal».

Whiskey, do.

Uudoscubed, do Slirch and bluo Stationers''

Stonowaie Sugar

Tallow, tons Tapioca .

Tonts and ti

paulina Tea, lb

Timber .. Tin

Tinwaro .. Tobacco .,

Cigars .. Snuff ..

Tobacconists' ware Toys and turnery Toolsand utou'lls

Turpontlno, gals.

Twlno and thread,

tons

Vinegar, gals. ,

Watches A, clocks Wine, gals.

Woodonwaro Wool, lb... Zinc, tons

Values.

Quantities.

1SC0.

1SG0.

I860.

1300.

£,

£

270

179

_

__

1,772

3,017

-

' -

52,081

87,217

115,210

73,032

1,391

493

1,010

82}

8,071

8,410

31,802

30,803

4U

158

101

1,170

160

78 0,141

4,347

21,106

20,035

5,026

4,300

11,612

15,502

1,084

037

2,011

2,803 1,003

211

-

?-W

4,867

8,073

-

-

87

102

98,402

22,369

-

--

0,024

0,042

13S

140

20

-

-

-

C90

101

_

_

78,950

28,204

833,012

335,081

10,711

8,435

-

«-»

14

827

245

0

H

-M

£9,001

48,420

-

-

0,479

1,019

-

-

85

49 25

142

76

_

-.

2,457

4,676

-

-

-

3bB

-

830

70

81

1

1

921

151

0.37Í

1,533 2,789

3,704

-

-.

11,407

0,953

13,911

22,144

D67

1,471

020,400

709,140

7,959,490

3,973,023

067

679

20

21

DELIVERIES FOR. HOME CONSUMPTION, AT

MELBOURNE, FOR 12 MONTHS.

¿J

g

.9

i

PI o C3

gals. gol?. gala.

1859. July 38,415 22,213 19,259 August .. 37,720 25,105 18,369 September 35,933 22,496 16,198 October.. 34,003 20,828 13,289

November 30,596 20,207 11,838 December 36,657 23,098 17,484 January.. 37,278 22,393 14,992 February 37,714 20,291 11,895 March .. 37,630 23,217 11,558 April .. 36,019 20,848 12,985 May .. 40,642 ¡23.6S5 14,131 Juno .. 33,672 20,669 15,752

¿

.a

rA

g

U

'S

Jj

S

It

Ô â 5

3 C co

&

ë

a ra D

gals. gals gals

lb. lb. lb. lb. lb.

gals. gals. gals 11,561

727 3692

_

114,746 15,616

124 318,154 205,085 35,899 500,453 30 12,175

743 4517

-

134,341 14,016

.

229,789 190,661 40,140 419,905 160 10,227

736 3770

-.

115,838 12,681

-

287,712 177,243 20,862 205,261 C93 11,569 846 2733

-.

117,189 12,675 6-17 176,723 174,672 38,755 199,131 1591 8,238 634 3137

-

115,071 11,071

23

S2S.094

126,411 34,443 192,755 667 9,328 494 3161 4524

118,643 17,329

219 652.S91 182,631 35,524 163,676

324 9,580 504 2741

_

108,552 11,759 240

464,610 2I4,C16 48,238 163,972 1346

7,330 670 2242 2206 108.692 18,395

689

Cll.SSl 239,975 31,069 217,368 847 10,479

833 3497

-

91,053 14,640

-

622,489 154,144 24,913 275,622

-

6,806

414 3550

-

103,440 13,325

-

285,478 19S.595 30.07P 234,222

-

10,742

651 2504

-.

96,850 14,627 691 516,772 226,905 41,030 342,SC7

-

0,804 670 3401

~

103,202

8,007

-'

202,858 151,069 21,910 §317,363

MELBOURNE WHOLESALE PRICES

CUlUtENT.

Our report by tho last mall roprosonted our mar-kets for all descriptions of goods as bolng laigoly ovorsupphed and buslnosB as being in an uncertain and Inactivo condition, and so little chango has sluoe occurred that our monthly report Is, we regret to say, n mere repetition of the provious ono. Thcro can bo ne doubt bat tint, from tho fear of a number of our dig-ging populutiou leaving tho colony for tho Snowy River Gold-fields as Boon as tho weather will permit of their \\ orlilng there, buyers, country, doalora moro especially, havo been for somo timo deterrod from pur-chasing to any extent. Tho number of failures which aio constantly occurring, although individually of tnconsldornblo amount, bavo had the ofTect of disturbing confidence, and many holders aro indisposed to effect crodit eales, unloES with parties of woll-ascortalnod position Gooda ara consequently quitted in almost i e tall quantities, and the trado of second houses mateilally i educed In tho moantlmo stocka aro accu-mulating to a formidable extent, and buyers, fool-ing their position, strjvo for lower rates, which for most «i Helos must, in all probability, bo ultimately sub-mitted to. With the exceptions of toa and coffeo, thoro i» scarcely an articlo of any Importaneo in willoh there is a prospuet of steady trado at paying pricM. Iiideod, so fow and unimportant .have been the transactions of tho past month, ' thit quotations aro in most casos in reality nominal.

Ale and beer, both draught and bottled, havo, from ovti supplie?, gtvou way m priée, and for Bass's No. 3 ule (tho most prefonod in this market) not above £3 10». per hhd. can be procured. Draught porter Is bcar.oly m inquiri, and bottled beers ure dull of Balo, flora 9s. to 03. Od. per do/., being tho highest <il)i«inablo prico for evon best brands of porter. Y I ¡'porters' quotations, howovcr, ai o as follow :

Ale (duty paid).-Bass's (new browing), hhd., £7 ; Allsopp'», hhd., £0 15s. to £7; other Uurtou, Mid., £0 10s. ; Ohorrington'B or Goding's, hhd., £0 ; Tonb neufs, hhd., £0 ; Eyass's, quarts, dozen, Ds. 3d. ;

Bj ass's, pints, dozon, Os. to Os. Cd. ; other bottlers', dozen, 8s. toOs. Porter-Barclay's, Truman's, or Whitbread's, hhd , £0 ; other bro« ora', hhd., £110s. to £5 10s. ; Bjass'sund Frioud'o, quarts, dozon, 9s. Od. ; Guinness's (bottled by Burke), dozen, 10s. ; other bottlers', dozen, 9s. Od.

Bags and Bagging.-Stocks are heavy, and as, at this season ot tho year, tho demand lor both wool-packs and corn sacks is trilling, so littlo ia doing as to render prices quito nominal. Throe-bushel bags ora quoted at 10s. (Id. por dobell, imd full weight packs,

at 8s. lo 8s. 3d. each.

Candles continuo in stoidy demand, and' move 'off w ith tolorablo readiness. Bolmont sperms bring from 10 jd. to 17d. ; light « oights, 16d, ; Mid No\ a steariuo, lrom 174(1. to 18d. por lb. r

Confoutlonory is dull of sale, and- no alteration in prico* caubeioportod. Wotherspooii's mixed U quo tod ¡it lid., which may bo comildoied tho outside price.

Coals.-As is usual lu our uUd-winter, demand isgood; the maillot is bon ovor woll supplleu with both Englilli and colonial sorts-prices ruling for tho former, at from 353. to 40s. por ton on board ehip, and Nowcuello (N.S.W.), at from 87s. Od. to 40s. on the wharf.

Cordago and twin o arc in limited demand, and sup¡iHos belüg ampio, no chango in prices has occurred.

Prices aro quoted as follows :-Russian, £50 per ton ; \ li (milla, assorted, £55 do ; coir, £35 do. ; Europe, £35 do. ; oakum, £26 do. ; spun-yarn, £35 do ; twine, soanilng, and roping, lljd. per lb, ; do., shop, Is, to

Is. Id. do.

uruga, eso.-ino aojo or articles undirthtshoadhur havo boon of unlit amount. Soda crystals aro quotod at £10 per ton ; soda ash, at £14 per ton ; carbonate of toda aud tartoric acid aro in no Inquiry. Opium is nea»Hy supplied and dull of salo; prepared is quoted at about 30s. per canister, and Patna at from £270 to £280 per chest. Quotations of other articles aro ai fello»v :-Acids, sulphuric, 8d. per lb ; do., tartarlc, 2s. 3d. do. ; alum, 17s. per cwt. ; arsenic, 0s. do. ; bluestone, Cjd. per lb. ; castor oil, in pints, 10s. 0d. to lis. por dozon; do., half-pints, Sa. DJ. do.; cream tartar, Is. 4d. to Is Cd. per lb. ; hlnglasg, 4s. Od. to 9s. do. ; liquorice, Is. to Is. 2d. do ; opium, prepared (duty paid), £110s. per canister ; do. Fatua do., £270 to £280 por cheat ; saltpetre, refined, Oíd. per lb, ; soda ash, £14 per ton ; do., carbonate, 17s. per cwt. ; do. crystals, £10 por ton ; sulphur, flour, 17s. por

Fish, dried and salted, oro alike in but little iniulry, and Eales to any extent difllcult to effect, even regardloss ot price. Red horrhigs, la tiro dozsn tins, have bcou placed during tho lost nook at Is. 5d. por tin; hut other descriptions aro so dull of sale that correct prices can scarcoly bo given. Stoolis aro largo, and no improvement in valuo looked for.

Flour and Grain.-Tho flour market has boon, and continuos, In a voty unsettled condition. ' Tao difficulty of correcUy asoortainlng the stoo'xs In tho neighbouring producing colonies rendors prices unsettled, prevents speculation, and in-duces tho trado to purchase only to tho cxtont of their actual requirements. Tho country districts ara mostly supplied by the local millers, mid tho uncer-tainty as to coming supplies from California farthor tend to koop tho inaikotlnnn unectttedstate. Ameri-can barrel nour Is very scarce, but arrivals, if to lund, would hardly realizo above 43s. per barrel. In tha absoncoof llaxall anl Gallego, Magarey and Hart's Adelaide superfine brings £21 nor ton ; other South Australian £20 to £20 10s. ; and Tasmanian £1810s. to £19 10a. por ton. Tha arrival of two cargoes ot wheat from Ban Francisco has depressed the denim 1 for this grain, and having passed into millers' hands at about 7s. öd. to 8s. per bushel (tho exact prico not having transplred),liasllr£d tho ra to of colonial grownat about b3, to 8s 8d. por bushel. Oats arowithoutlmprovo. »ent. Supplleä continue toorrlvorreely.anddomandlj almost Hiñlted to colonial grown and Californian. Fot whoat, for consumption, there is a tolerably ready ddmaiid All othor descriptions aro, however, totally neglcotcd ; and, with tho accumulated supplies on h nd, no amendment In prices can bo looked for. Markot prices-Irish and Scotch, 3b. 6d. to 3s. ltd. ; Butch and RuebIíui, 3:. 4d. to 3s. 10d.; Californian, 4s. to 4s. 3d ; colonial, 4P. 3d. to 4s. 4d. Barley suited for malling purposes Is In demand, at from 0s. Od. to 7s. per bushel; hut other tori», for feeding, aro In no Ineitifrj. Malm Is of tolerably ready salo, good samples of New South Wales 'groirtb bringing from 4s. SU. to

.i^lil per builjoj, Groin ia yery test co,' will,' qrfiog,

lo want of supply, tho prico is nominal. The manu-facture of oatmeal has boen oommencod in Melboura» on an extensive scalo, and a very superior ortlclo pro-duced, which finds a ready salo at the rate of £25 pic

ton.

Fruits, Dried.-Notwithstanding tho season for the Fupply of fresh fruit has passed, domand is very limited. Deaort fruits and pudding raisins oro scarosiy inquired for. Currants aro in Bllghtly bottor requo», butnotovor4}d.porlb. for best samplos can bo pro-cured, Quotations aro-Almonds, Jordan, Is. 8d. pic lb.; almonds, soft-shell, Id. to id.do. ; apples, Amorioa dried, "Od. do. ; currants, Patros, 4jd, do. ; dateä, ta mats, ljd do. ; figs, Turkey, pullod, 6d. do. ; French, plums, hi bottles, Is. to Is. 2d. do ; nuts, Barcolon». 4d. do.; walnuts, 4d. do. ; prunes, öd. to Od. do.; raisins, Muscatel, 5d. to 5Jd. do. ; Smyrna, red, 4_d, t» fid. do. ; rabone, Cape, 5d. to 6Jd. do.

Glassware-Supplies of all descriptions aro ampie«! and sales dull, prices dopondlng ontiroly on tha

assortment,

Grooorios.-The stock of cofTeo Is fast reducing, oin« sumption at this season of tho year being large; holders aro consequently firm, and prices well sup« ported. Toas aro in steady domand, and bolder* lory linn, more particularly for tho bettor sort*

of congou. Stocks in dealers' hands aro estimated at small amount, and there seems no presont prospeit; of a declino in rates. Sugar continues dull ; Boveral parcels havo been offered by auction, but the tracts seem indisposed to purchaso to any extent. Fluo grocery sorts maintain thoir prico, but for low to goa* browns thcro is but littlo demand. Rice has been very dull, inquiry having been light and spéculative, purchasers keeping out of the market. Best sampler of Fatua of tho now crop are quoted at from 19i. ta .Os. per cwt. Tho cargo per Fairlight, from Calcutta» was placed on Monday, but tho prico has not tr*aspircd. Quotations of groceries aro as subjoined:-« Coifccs-Ceylon,native,nono; do,do , plantation, Ud-, perlb ; Manilla, 8Jd. do. Toa(dutypa!d).-Congou, goa* to uno, £10 to £12 per chest; do., inferior, £8 to £9 pee chest; do., 10-catty box, £1 7fl. to £1 10s. oaoh; orango pekoe, 10-catty box, 2s. Od. por lb. ; souchong, pood, £10 to £11 10s. per chest ; gunpowder, fine« 2s. Od. to 3s. Od. per lb. ; hysonskin, £7 to £710s. psc chest; hyson, 8s. to Ss. 3d. por lb. Sugar (duty paid).1 -Cosslporo, No. 1, and Bally Khali, £64 to £50; Billy j chow, £-10 to £41; Mauritius, crystalli-ed,£48 to «6ÏÎ low to fine yellow, £37 to £43 ; low to Uno brown. Hil to £30 ; Pampanga, £29 ; English refined, 7d. to 7}dt.

Ironmongery and Hardware.-Tho market is amply supplied with all descriptions of both English »ni American manufacturo, and sales aro difficult tar effect ovon at prlcoa baroly paying cost. Importer»' quotations aro :-Axos (Hart's and Collimi's), £2 8ï_ to £2 10s. per dozen ; do, do, handled, £3 15>. to £4 do.; axe-handles, 10s. Od. to 11s. do.; build-ing Ironmongery, 20 por cont. adv. ; camp ovanj^ £14 per ton; cooking-stoves, dull, invoice; cutlery» superior and common, 15, to 20 por cont. adv.; file-arms-fowllng-pleoos, singlo and doublo, pistols, revolvers, Colt's or Deane and Co.'s, nornbial ; fen-ders, 25 per oont. adv. ; grates, 26 per cent. a.v. ; hollow aro, 23 por cent, off list. Nails-Atnorlo»ucut, assorted, 17s. to 19s. per lieg; Araorlo»ir tacks, 2d. por papor ; clout, 0}d. to Od. por lb. ; Ewbank's patont, 20 por cont. off mt. Picks-Oollins's lieavy-welghtod, £3 5s. to £310s. per dozen ; do., di.llcht, £2 10s. to £3 por dozon. Saws, cross-cut «ni pit, very dull. Sholf hardware, assorted, 6 to 10 pjr cont. advance Shovols-American LH, £2 14s. t» £2 10s. per dozon ; do. do,, DH., £2 to £2 6s. psr dozen ; do , English best, £1 10s. to £2 por dozaa.1 Spades-American, £2 6s., English best, £2; do, long; .strappod, £2 6s. per dozon. Tinware, goodjapanned 80 to 40 por cont.advauco. Tools, English, best nuke*

25 por cont.

Motáis.-Arrivals of noarly all descriptions h»va been heavy, and, although for some foiv sorts of iroa there Is a tolorably brisk demand, the oxtont of aupplies koopa prices down. Sheet load and tin platai continuo dull of salo. Quotations aro:-Iron, Morawood'fl patont corrugated galvanized tlnnod, 24 anl 20 gauges, £37 to £33 por ton ; Morowood's oorrug&tcd galvanized, No. 2, or unturned, £33 to £84 do. ; Tuppor's do., £84 do. ; Hamilton'« oc other English makor's, £32 do. ; Scotch, £28 do. ; Morowood's galvanizod tinned plain, 20 and 28 gauges, £40 do. ; Tuppor'a or othor English maker's, £88 d». ; Scotch, do., £26 do. ; rod and bar, best Staffordshire« brands, BBH, £1210a. do. ; do., Scotch, £1010a. do. ; plato, £15 do. ; shoot assorted, £17 do. ; angle and T" £11 do. ; hoop, £1210a. do. ; pig, £010a. do. ; Swodlsh, i 1,0 salo. Load-Pipo, assortedslzes, £28 to £29 di. ; shoot, milled, assorted, £27 to £23 do. ; shot, assorted, £29 to £30 do. Quicksilver, 2b. to 2s. Od. per lb. Stool-Bllstor, £2 6s. por cwt. ; cost, £2 16s. doTin-Block, is. 6d. to l8. 9d. per lb. ; platos, char« coal, IO, plates, charcoal, IX, 16 per cent, advrtnoe« IVire-Fencing, black,£14 10s. per ton: galvanizad. Nob. 1 to 5, £20 do. Ztno-Rolled, light, £32 do.; no. nails, £2 8a. to £210a. per cwt.

Oilmen's Storoa continuo over-Bupplicd, and nearly all descriptions dull of salo, prices showing na tondouey toivards improvement; Indeed, until snipm cn ti) become moro limited ¡n extent, no amend-ment in pricos can bo looked for. Prloos ara quoted as follows :-Blue, thumb, lOJd. por lb. ; currlo powder, quarts, 13s. to 14s. nor dozen ; fruits,botllod, quarts, 12s. do. ; Jams and jellies, lib. tins,1 11s. 9d. do. ; lobsters, lib. tina, American, Ol. to 9a. 0d. do ; macearon! and vermicelli, whito, Naples and Genoa, 7d. per lb. ; mustard, in bulk, No. 2, 8d" do. ; do.. In lib. bottles, 12s. to 12s. Od. per dozen ; do., in iib. bottles, Ss. do. ; oatmeal, £23 por ton ; o»Bters, preserved, lib. tins, 14s. per dozon ; do,, 21b« tins, 17s.to £1 do. ; pickles, quarts, 10s. to 11s. de. ; do,, pints, 8s. do. ; preserved moats, 21b. tina, .wanted : salad oil, pints, 11s. Od. to 12s. por dozen; do., half-pints, 10s. do. ; salmon, preserved, lib. tins, 16s. do. ; Bird toes, halves, 9s. Cd. to 10s. do. ; do., quarters, 5s. Od. to Us. 3d. do, ; sauces, assorted,, half-pints, 8s. do.; do., Worcestershire (Lea anti Berlin's), 12a. to 12s. Od. do.; starch (Column's), 6Jd. per lb. ; vinegar, brown(Ohampion'S 24), Is. lOd. pac gallon ; do., concentrated, quarts,1 0s. to 10s. par. dozon ; white »vino, 1b. lOd. to 2s. per gallon.

Provisions.-Tho hoavy arrivals of buttor hvra caused a declino In pricoB ; tho demandfor frosh-laudol parcols In good condition, however, Is brisk, hut wa hear of no isalos over 13d. per lb. ; whilst Inferior parcols, with which tho markot Ib largoly over. burdened, sell at pricos varying from 8d. to lOd. par lb.

Bacon, orbost sorts, is in somo little inquiry at abjut Cd. per Ib., but for second ela-» there is no doman!.; Hams aro also in limited inquiry ; the arrivals luv» been considerable, and it is dtlncult to effect Bales ta any oxtont ol other than primo sorts. Sinclair's ara quoted at from Is. to Is. Id. por lb,, and at ahovo thoso ratos »Ve havo hoard of no sales. Ohcoso is in but; little inquiry, and hut for that in flrst-rato condition and of best quality there fa no demand. For those descrlptiona from lOd. to Is. is procurable, but unsound and inferior kinds afford no quotation. In other. Boris of provisions thoro ia scarcely anytliing dolur. Quotations ' are ¡-Bacon.-English, primo, 9Jd. pac lb. ; do., Irish, 'Sinclair's, lOd. do. ; beef, Ameri-can, £3 16s. to £4 por barrel ; do., Ilambro*, none ; do., Irish, £6 por tloroo ; butter, double-roaa Cork, first, now, Is. Ojd. to 1b. Id. per lb. ; cheese, American; 4d. to 6d. por lb. ; do., Dutch, 3d. to 101. do. ; do., English, Cheshire, primo, lid. do. ; do., Dunlop, lOd. do. ; do., Gloucester, dcublo do,, lOd. do. ; <lo, North 'Wilts, do., lOid. do. ; do., Swíbs Gruyera, lOd. do. ; do., Parmesan, ls.4d. do. Hams.-Anierlo»n, Cid. to 7d. do. ; do., English, York, primo, Is. to Ii. Id. do/; do., Irish, Sinclairs, Is. to Is. Id. do. ; pork, îriBh (prime mess), £4103. to £5 per barrel.

Paints, &c.-All dosorlptionsarolargcly overstocked, and prices low, Inquiry being very light. Quotation» aro :-Redload, SOs. por cwt. ; Cbincso oil, 4s. fli. ; colza, best, In drums, 49. 9d. ; turpentine, 4s. 3d. por gallon ; whiting, In small casks, brings from £4 par, ton ; white load, best, 88s, per cwt.

Salt continues in fair inquiry and of ready aile.1 Prices of fine stoved aro glvon at from £9 to £9 lOi. ; coarse, £4 10s. to £5 per ton.

Spirits.-Tbo market for spirits of all deseriptiom li in a state of utter inactivity, case br"ndlo3 of bes. brands being tho only sort for which thoro Is any In« q iry. Prices aro scarcely so firm, but in tho absanos of transactions of any Importance, quotations must ba considered nominal, as offersf orparcols of olthor brandy, rum, gin, or whiskey, to any oxtont, would probably bo accepted at rates under tboso quoted. Importers* prices aro i-Sp bits (in bond) -Brandy, Martolii, dark, 11s 6d. per gallon ; Hennessy'« do.,lls. 3d. do. ; Otard'a, 10s Od. do. ; U.V. Proprietors' do, 10s. do. ; Cham-pagne Vineyard Proprietors' Company's do., Vinegrowers', Os. Od. to 7s. do. ; othor brands do., S3.' to 8s. do. ; pale, Martoll's, 12s. do. ; do,, do,, or. Hennossys, ¿2s. por dozen caso; do., U. V. Pro. prietorB', 25s. do. ; Vmogrowora', 21s do. ; Cham-pagne vineyard Proprietors' Company's, £18s. do ; Clouzeau's, £1 do. Geneva, JDRZ or hey brand, 14a. ed. per 4-gallon case; do. do, Os. Od. pee hab!-ea8e;> do., .other brands, 10s. to 13s. por easeGin-London old tom, boat brands, 2s. to 2s. Gd. per gallon; do., do., 14s. to Ils, Od. per doten. Rum-Eatt India, 20 to 80 o.p., Is. Od. to 2s. 8d. pee gallon ; West India, 10 to 12 o.p., 8s. do. ; do., 20 tor 80 o.p., 8s. Od. do. Whiskey, .Irish, Mohan's, 4s. 91« do. ; Scotch, best, 4s. Od. do. ; do., best brands, 10jper dozon case.

Slates.-Salea of bluo Bangor havo been effected to Borne extent within tho last few dajs at £10 7s. 0d»' per 1,000 for duchoss, and £1110s. for countess.

" Tlmbor.-Tho markot for all descriptions continue.' very inactivo. Deals move off slowly at about quotes, rates. ' Scotch flooring Is dull of sale at lja. pee foot, and for American lumber there is vary little Inquiry. The following aro about the current; ratot¡-American doors, 6s. (k1, to 16s. each; do., sashes, 5s. Od; to 14s. per pahr ; do., hard-pine flooring, £8 to £9 ; do, laths, sawn, 4 feet, 12s, Gd. to £1 par 1,000 ; do,, clear pine, 1_ to 2 inch, £9 19s. per 1,0011 feet ; do., whlto ,pino, tongued and grooved, 1-inoh, £810«. to £9 do. ; do., spruce scantling, £4 to £5; do., shelving, 1-inch, £9 to £9 19s. Baltic-deals, red, 0x8, 3}d. told. por;foot; do,red, 11x3, 6i. do, ; do.', whlto, 9x3, 3d.' do. ; do, do., 11 x 3, 4Jd. do.;' flooring, tonguod and grooiod, 0. x 1J, lfd, do. J log, l8, fid. do. Cedar-Inch boards, 4Jd. to 5oU do: ; log, £12s. Od. to £16B. por 100 super. Laths-< Van Dlomen'a Land, 8B. to 4s. per 1,000. Oars.-Ash, overstocked. Palings.-Van Dlomon's Land, 6ft., 7s.' to 7fl. 3d. per 100. Pine.-Now Zealand, 10s. to llj. per 100. Posts and Rails.-Stringy buk, £2 6s. ta £2 17b. Od. Shingles.-Van Dlemon's Land, 12s. to 14s. por 1,000 ; do., cargo, 'full cut, fe. 0d. to 03. pee 1C0 foot ; do,, market cut, 4s. Od. to 5s. do.

Tobacco-Tho market is amply suppllod with all descriptions, with tbo exception of twist. Further supplies are looked for, and prices show noappoarauao of early improvement ; half-lbs. aro in fair request, as woUns twist; 10's aro Bcarcoly Inquired for, Con-siderable »aloa of sheepwash have boon effected within the past week, holdors having given way in price. Quotations aro a3 follow :-Tobacco (In bond )-» Cigars-Havannah, real, per 1,000, £12; imitation, do., do., £8 to £10 ; Manilla choioots, No. 2, da,, £210s. to £2 16b ; No. 2, Havannah shape, do , £2 8s. to £2 10s. Tobacco-Borratt's anchor brand, pac lb, 2a ; do , crown do., do., 2s. ; O H. 8. and Oo. do., do., nono; Eagle, do., do, Is lid to 2s do.; honeydew, 291b. boxes, half-lb. lumps, lOJd. to lljddo-. ., honoydow. 8'b and 10's, lOd. to la. ; Korr'a binna, 1b 10d to la,lid. do; £ storlitig do.,none ; Êhellord'a do., nono ; sheepwash, 4d per lb.

Wines.-Demand has boon as dull as »vhen last re-ported Tho fow sales effected aro limited to Bunll ' cxtont. * PorlB of good medium quality havo boon tha

most saleable Borts Sherries aro in vory little Inquiry» < end owing to tho season, thero is of course us I demand for lightsummor,wines Quotations aro:-«

Burgundy, £1 10a. to £2 per dozon; champagaa, superior, £2 do. ; champagne, ordinary, £1 103, do. ; claret, first quality, £1 10s, to £3 do, : claret, common, 14s. to 18s, do, ; hoc- le, ln a,

¥?AT&?F?~" ~° lOS do.î"port?'bOttlâS

£1 68 to £1 12s. do. ; singlo diamond, £13 to £5» per pipe ¡.double diamond, £64 to £56 do. ; trabte cllauioud, £61 to £02 do ; quadruplo diamond, £701 do. ; sherry, bottled, £1 la. to bl 15s. per dozon; , ordinary, ¿40 to £4t>porbutt ; moilun), £50 to £34 r do. ; superior, «70 lo £100 do. *

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