Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850 - 1875), Wednesday 20 September 1854, page 5


FAMISHING JEWS IN PALESTINE. - We have been requested to atnie, that by the Madras, whioli loaves this day, the Committes who have the management of the above fund, forward to Sir Moses Montefiore, a draft for £-.¡000, on account, which lins been kindly issued lo them ut par by the unanimous consent of the Board of Directors of the Bunk of New South Wales.

GHEAT PEDESTRIAN MATO» -Thoma» Farrell, the Champion of Kew South Wnlos nuil Victoria, bas been backod at an odds of £300 to £200, to run n flat race of 100 yardi against William Welsh, n recent arrival from England. All tho preliminary arrangements have been completed, and a deposit of half tho stakes was made yes-terday in order to bind the agreement. The rnoe is to take pince within a mouth from tho present

date.

FIRE.-One of those, dreadful and sometimes destructive conflagrations, called Bush Fires, occurred on Sunday last in the neighbourhood 0f South Head. The day was exceedingly sultry, and about 11 o'clock in the forenoon a hot " southerly buster" began lo blow, lifting clouds of dust into the air, which, for the remainder of the day, hung like a dark pall above the city. Many pleasure seekers who had gone at an early hour down the bay were constrained from the violence of the gale to take shelter in the nearest spot, and there remain throughout the night. Soon after the hot wind began to blow, (between 11 and 12 o'clock), dark clouds of smoke were seen to ascend from the high bush ranges overlooking Double Bay. To per-sons at a distance, those clouds appeared at first to be formed of dust, but they gradually beeame heavier, and sudden bright flashes occasionally breaking through the dark wreaths, told plainly that the bush was on fire. From the moment that the fiery element gained a little ascendancy, its progress was frightfully rapid ; for some time its course appeared to be confined to the high range south, west of Rose Bay, from whence it however quickly descended into the valley, and there fed by the dry bush and long grass, its flames burst forth in broad and brilliant sheets, which gave a lurid glare to the surrounding at-mosphere. About this time the residence of Mr. Daniel Cooper, junior, Rose Bay, was in imminent danger, the flames seemed hurrying towards it, as eager for its destruction, while the wind, too, drove them forward in that direction. Luckily, however, a clear space of a couple of hundred yards, entirely bare of brushwood or grass, inter-posed aud turned aside the destruction which for

some time appeared inevitable. As the evening advanced, it became evident that the conflagration was not confined to one particular locality, for in places several miles distant, clouds of smoke ulmost simultaneously, were for ona moment, seen to curl upwards, and the next, bright flashes of light revealed the fact that the bush was on fire in every direction. Around Coogee, Bondi, and the neighbouring bays; the confla-gration swept with destructive rapidity and fury, and formed a fiery cordon for miles around. The view from Watson's Bay, as may be imagined, was exceed-ingly grand, the flames lending to the sky, which was in the commencement of the night without moon or star, a strange unnatural hue. Many persons in the city, during the evening, took up u position on spots favourable for a view of that part of the country, while some went out to Darlinghurst and other points nearer to the scene of the conflagration. Extensive as was the range that the destructive element swept over, we are happy to announce that no lives were lost or any dwelling-houses consumed.

WATER POLICE COURT, TUESHAY. (Before the Waler Police Magistrate.) - William Bishop bolunging to the Panthea, was found gu lly of being drunk.and disorderly on boord ship, and sentenced to poy a fine oT forty shillings, of in default to be impiisouod lorry eight boura. George Gonion, belonging to th« Alert, was placed In the dook charged with embezzling part of the ship's cargo ; the defendant was detected in the commission of tho offence charged, and was immediately give» into tho custody of the pillia*; having pleadel guilty, the defendant was ordered to bo imprisoned and kept to hard labour for twelve weeks.-Benjamin Cooper, a wo-d outtir at Lane Cove, was chuged with having some time in tho mouth of August last, taken into bis employment one Joseph GroJt, n desorter from the ship Rtipbuol, without having made pro-per and diligent enquiry whether he had been legally discharged trom his ship or not. It ap-peared that the uefendant and another sailor, Ins nia'e, deserted on the 7th August Inst, they went ashore on the north side of the bay, and having entered the bush, thoy proceeded in the direction of Limo Cove ; they ounpod out that night, and reached the defendant's hut on thf following morning; they represented themselves as desertor.*, notwithstanding willoh the defendant took them into his employment to cut wood, con-tracting, bon e ter, not to give them any wages until after thoir ship had left ihe barbour. Oreet and his mute retnniuod in the bush working for

defondnnt seven days, receiving not liing in return for their labour beyond the iood they eat, and l,nving°no other abettor at night than tho hollow trunk of a fallen tree. In tho meantime, defendant's' wife, when the sorviees of tho run aways wero ne longor required. Informed sorgeani Thompson, of the District 1'olioo, that two deserters from the Raphael were in tho bush ; and subs quently, when that olliocr dosirad to apprehend tbcm, sbo. under a falso pretouoo, brought thom to ber hut, aloso to which tho sergeant lav perdue, waiting to tako them into custody. Tho runaways were punished ns deserters, ntid Ilia term of their imprisonment bavins; expired, they naturally conceived a deslio to retalíalo up JU their fnlio and treacherous employer, and with that intent Greet, the informer In the present ouse, swore the informa* ¿ions against tho defendant upon which ho was now charged; Greet having positivoly sworn that the défendait was aware, at tho time ho employed him (witness) and his mme, that they wero deserters, and that defendant S'tid ho oi.uld not givo thom any wngea until after their vessel sailed, sutlloioutly substantiated tho charge, nnd In tho absence of any rebutting testimony, tho defendunt was found guilty, and sentenced to pay a fin» of £10, ono halt of which, according to tho provisions of tho Act, was ordered to go to the Queen, nnd the othor to tho informer, togotlier iiith i 2s. 8d. eosts ; or in dofault, to he imprisoned aud kept to hurd labour for two calendar months.-Charles Deacon nnd Joseph Thomas, aliaa Smith, seamen belonging to the Lalla Rookh, wero round guilty of having separately, committed a vlolont and unprovoked assault upon oonalnblo Cassidy, of tho Water I'olico, and sentonaed the förmor to pay n fino of £2, togethor with 3s. Gd. eosts, and 20s. damages, or in default to bo imprisoned ono calendar month ; and tho lattor ti pay a fino or £2, with £2 3s. Gd. costs and damages, or in dofault to bo Imprisoned a like period._