The Press.
London, England, 1855-10-06 00:00:00

AUSTRALIA.

By the Magdalena, dates from Sydney have been
received up to the 2nd of July. There was no news
of any political importance. The goldfields of New
South Wales were becoming rapidly depopulated,
owing to the superior attractions of the Port Philip
fields, the abolition of the license fee in that colony,
and the high price of gold-dust. The subject was to
be brought under the notice of the Legislative
Council. The mint at Sydney had issued its new
sovereign, which appeared to be finely executed.
The subject of steam communication with England
via Panama, was engaging the serious attention of
the authorities.

From Melbourne, advices via Ceylon reach to the
13th July. The Governor, Sir Charles Hotham, was
in Ibad odour with the inhabitants. Disturbances
were rife among the diggers on the gold field. The
Dish appeared to be the principal rioters, and pro-
tection societies of English and Scotch, on the mutual
principle, had arisen, self-organised, and authorised
by the Colonial Government, a proceeding highly
illegal, and at any time a very questionable policy.
The subscriptions to the Patriotic Fund front Mel-
bourne were exceedingly mean compared to those
of Sydney. In the latter town, 50,0001. had been
raised in a few weeks, while Melbourne could barely
get together 23,0001., 20,0001. of which had been
voted by the Legislative Assembly after a sharp
contest, in which the Government tried to reduce
the sum to 10,0001. and then to 3,0001.! Such con-
duct in the face of the liberality of Sydney does no
credit to Melbourne or its Government.

The half-yearly accounts of the gold-fields had
been made up, and were found satisfactory. The
three last months of April and June of 1851 and 1855
compared, show an increase of 73,750 ounces on
this year's quarter.

Advices from Mexico to the Bth left affairs still
very unsettled. A correspondent of a Washington
paper stated that Santa Anna had, during the last
period of ,his dictatorship, amassed a fortune of
700,000 dollars.
A letter in the Constitutionnel gives the honour of
planting the French standard on the walls of the
Malakoff to Corporal Eugene Libaut, of the Ist
Zouaves, under General M'Mahon. What adds to
the triumph achieved is, that this brave man had
previously been struck by a stone that caused him
much pain, but notwithstanding which, determined
on his purpose, he succeeded in fixing his national
colours upon the enemy's fort, though a storm of
projectiles of various kinds fell thick around him.
TENDERS FOR TRANSPORTS were advertised for this
week by the Admiralty, for the conveyance of troops
from Liverpool and Cork to Malta. The tenders were
to be at a rate per head, to include officers from each
port, victualling for six weeks, medical comforts, all
necessaries, freight of baggage, and fittings, accord-
ing to the Government regulation. The fittings and
provisions to be subject to the approval of the Go-
vernment surveyor. The vessels to be ready for sea
on the 15th of October. No ship having discharged
guano would be accepted.
A RUSSIAN VESSEL under Swedish colours, the
barque Westor Noorland, Lundholm, has been seized
in the West India Docks. She arrived last week, and
delivered her cargo of timber at the Commercial
Dock, but suspicious circumstances coming to the
knowledge of the revenue authorities she has been
seized, and detained for investigation.
MAJOR-GENERAL LORD CARDIGAN, Inspector• Gen-
eral of Cavalry, arrived in Dublin on Saturday even-
ing. On Monday he inspected the 2nd Dragoon
Guards at the Royal Barracks, and on Tuesday the
16th Lancers at Portobello Barracks. The gallant
general rode the horse which bore him at the cele-
brated charge at Balaklava. Lord Cardigan ex-
pressed his entire satisfaction at the admirable con-
dition of these two fine cavalry regiments.
THE ARMY IN IRELAND has received orders to pre-
pare detachments from every depot whose corps are
stationed in the Crimea, in immediate readiness to
proceed to the seat of war and Malta. The strength
of the several detachments will amount to about
fifty officers and seventeen hundred non-commis-
sioned officers, drummers, and privates—a very strong
force to leave Erin's green isle.
LIEUTENANT. COLONEL FRANCIS SEYMOUR, SCOLS
Fusilier Guards, who was severely wounded in the
trenches on the night of the 24th of August has re-
turned from the Crimea. This officer has served
throughout the whole of the campaign with his
regiment, has been presentin every action, and was
wounded at the battle of Inkermann.

SATURDAY,

PIRATES IN THE CHINESE SEAS.

ON of the most gallant attacks upon pirates is re-
corded in the papers by the last mail from Hong-
Kong. For some time past it has been known that
a strong force of pirates was gradually collecting
near Kulan, in the Chinese seas ; and several depre-
dations having been committed, vessels captured, and
crews murdered, Captain Fellowes, of H.M.S. Rattler,
determined to go in search of the depredators.
Having discovered a strong force of piratical junks
off Kulan, and reconnoitred their position, Captain
Fellowes returned to Hong-Kong and invited the
cooperation of the United States steam-frigate
Powhatan, which was immediately granted. A force
of three boats and one hundred officers and men
was placed under Captain Fallowes' orders, and on
the 27th of July the Rattler, with the Eaglet in tow,
and the Powhatan's boats astern of her again, left the
harbour.

On arriving off Kulan only one junk was to
be seen, but at the head of the bay the pirate
fleet with their prizes, numbering iu all some
thirty-six sail, were observed at anchor in a narrow
and shallow passage. The boats bore up for and
rounded the point, and then from the deck of the
steamer was witnessed as bold an attack as ever was
made. The pirate fleet formed a dense mass, the
larger and heavier armed junks bringing up the rear,
every now and then yawing round and firing their
broadsides at the boats, which replied boldly with
their small howitzers discharging shrapnel-shell, which
burst over their junks, making frightful havoc among
their crews. The boats soon neared the pirates. Lieitis.
Pegram and Rolando, with the launches of the
Powhatan, first cleared the decks of the two largest
by volleys of musketry, and then boarding drove the
pirates overboard at the point of the bayonet. This
however was not done without a hard struggle, for the
miscreants fought with the fury of despair, and con-
tested bravely against the marines and blue-jackets.
Meanwhile the other boats were far from being idle,
and though small in comparison with the launches,
performed their share of the work with the utmost
gallantry, officers and men vieing with each other
for the point of danger and of honour, so that five
or six more junks were soon secured. The pirates'
chief junk, after being shelled by the first launch,
was boarded almost simultaneously by her crew and
that of the Rattler's gig, and Captain Fellowes was
fortunate enough to secure the chief's flag. The
chief himself—Lee Afye, a principal leader of the
Whampoa "patriots"—was shot by an English
marine, who had jumped on deck from the Powhatan's
launch, and four women threw themselves overboard
and were drowned. The ammunition on board the
pirate fleet may be judged of from the fact, that this
junk alone is believed to have had nearly one hundred
kegs of English gunpowder, besides stink-pots, cart-
ridges, and loose powder.
One junk was blown up, and Lieutenant Rolando
and Captain Fellowes much injured and burnt by the
falling spars. In this junk was a large treasure,
said to amount to two hundred thousand dollars ; and
the desperation with which her crew fought may be
judged of from the fact, that even after the Ameri-
cans had gained the deck they were encountered hand
to hand for some time. One man made himself par-
ticularly conspicuous, and, notwithstanding several
wounds, continued to throw stink-pots; but ulti-
mately he ran below, and is believed to have fired the
train which blew up the vessel.
Ten junks out of the thirty-six were destroyed, five
of which more than ordinarily deserves notice. They
were built of the more substantial materials, evidently
for war purposes, as they differed in many respects
from the common trading-junk. They carried very
large guns-32, 24, and 12 pounders. A 68-pounder
was found in one of them; another had no less than
twenty -one guns mounted. Two lorchas and seven
junks that had been detained by the pirates were rt.-
leased ; two of which, however, had to be burnt, to
prevent their falling again into the hands of the
piratical junks that escaped, time and an adverse
wind and tide not allowing them to be brought away.
The officers employed estimate the number of gun*
taken at two hundred, large and small, and the
pirates at one thousand, five hundred of whom were
killed.

The following are the names of the officers engaged,
with a list of the killed :

British : Commander W. A. Fellowes; Lieutenants
C. J. Wrey, and T. H. Greer; Paymaster R. Browns-
don ; Assistant-Surgeon T. Wilson ; Mate G. G.
Lomax.

American: Lieutenants R. P. Pegrarn, H. Rolando,
and J. H. Jones, U.S.M.; Assistant Surgeon A.
Schriver ; Master E. Y. M'Cauley; Assistant• Eng-
ineer Killogg; Master's Mate S. R. Craig ; Boatswain
U. Bailey. _ .

KlLLED—British : John Massay, gunner, R.M.A. ;
James Silvet, carpenter's crew, George Mitchell, A.B.
William Oliff, private, R.M. (missing).
American : Joseph A. Hulsey, landsman ; Immo
Coe, ditto.
Seven British and twelve Americans were i►ounded►

OCTOBER 6, 1855.

&al an fashion.

Her Majesty and the Royal Family still continue
at Balmoral, and it is understood that the Court will
not leave the Highlands until the middle of this
month. The Royal Family have indulged in their
usual drives and rides in the neighbourhood, and
Prince Albert has enjoyed the sport of deer•stalking
on several occasions. On the 28th ult. her Majesty
gave a dinner to the tenants of the Balmoral property,
her Majesty and suite entering the ball-room shortly
after ten and remaining till twelve. On Sunday, the
Queen and Prince Albert, accompanied by Prince
Frederic William of Prussia, attended Divine service
at the parish church of Crathie. The service was
performed by the Rev. Dr. Barr.
Prince Frederic William of Prussia arrived in town
on Tuesday, from visiting her Majesty and the Prince
Consort at Balmoral. His Royal Highness proceeded
direct from the railway-station to Claridge's Hotel
(late Mivart's), in Brook•st.reet, where apartments
had been engaged for his accommodation. The
Baron de Moltke was in attendance on the prince.
The Duke of Cambridge, who has been staying on
a visit to Sir George Wombell at Newburgh-park,
Yorkshire, since Tuesday last, returns to town early
in the week.

The Duchess of Gloucester, travelling in her own
carnage, and attended by Lady Caroline Murray and
the Hon. Colonel Liddell, arrived at Brighton on
Tuesday.
The Duke and Duchess of Beaufort have arrived
at Gopsall-hall, on a visit to the Earl and Countess
of Howe, from Troy-house, Monmouthshire. Lieut..
Colonel the Hon. Liecester Curzon has also arrived
at Gopsall, from a visit to her Majesty at Balmoral.
The Duke of Rutland has been unwell at his resi-
dence at Newmarket during the week. Dr. Williams
left for Newmarket on Saturday, and since then his
grace has been gradually improving. The Marquis
of Granby and Lord John Manners were both called
to Newmarket by the illness of their father. The
Marquis of Granby, M.P., returned to town on
Wednesday.
The Earl and Countess of Derby have returned to
Knowsley from Eglinton-castle.
The Earl of Minto and family have arrived in
Eaton-square, to make preparations for the marriage
of the Lady Charlotte Elliot with Mr. Portal, M.P.,
which is to take place at St. Georges, Hanover-
square, on Tuesday next.
Viscount and Viscountess,Maidstone have arrived in
town, from a tour of visits.
The Earl of Hardwicke and the Ladies Yorke, who
have been visitiug the Duke and Duchess of Rich-
mond at Gordon Castle, and the Earl and Countess of
Malmesbury at Anachmary-lodge, left the latter seirt
early in the past week, to pay a series of visits
on their way south.
Sir George Grey arrived in Edinburgh on Wednes-
day morning, and visited during the day Holyrood
Palace, Donaldson's Hospital, the courts of law, dx.
Sir George proceeded on Thursday morning to Bal-
moral, to relieve the Duke of Argyll in attendance on
the Queen.
General Sir G. Brown and Lady Brown have
arrived in town from Scotland, where the gallant
general has been cordially received.
Viscount and Viscountess Ingestre have joined the
circle assembled at Eglinton Castle, the seat of the
Earl of Eglinton, from visiting the Earl and
Countess of Malmesbury,
,at their sporting lodge in
the Highlands.
Lady Adeliza Howard was married on Thursday,
at St. James's, Westminster, to Lord George Manners,
youngest son of the Duke of Rutland. A select circle
of the friends of both families assembled on the
occasion. The bride came from Norfolk-home, ac-
companied by her grace the duchess, at half-past
eleven o'clock. Her ladyship wore a bridal costume,
oomposed of a robe of white glace silk, trimmed with
rich flounces of Brussels lace ; a Brussels veil of the
most exquisite design and manufacture. A wreath
of orange flowers, diamond necklace with bracelets
en suite, and a bouquet of rare beauty, completed a
toilette of matchless taste and magnificence. The
service was read by the Rev. Frederick Norman, son-
in-law of the Duke of Rutland, the bride being given
away by his grace the Duke of Norfolk. After the
ceremony,the happy pair drove direct to Norfolk-house,
whence, at two o'clock, they proceeded, via the Great
Northern Railway, to Belvior Castle, the baronial
seat of the Duke of Rutland, in Lecestershire, where
the first few days of the honeymoon will be passed.
The Duke and Duchess of Norfolk left town imme-
diately after the ceremony. The presents received
by the bride have been exceedingly numerous and
valuable. The Earl of Arundel presented her lady-
ship with a valuable service of plate. The Duke of
Rutland sent a diamond necklace, and a beautiful
suite of the same jewels was presented by the
Duchess of Norfolk. The presents of the bride-
groom included a diamond necklace and a bracelet of
great beauty ; and the Duke of Norfolk gave a mag-
#tucent dressing-ease, fitted in gold.