The Express.
London, England, 1864-09-15 00:00:00

AUSTRALIA.

The Melbourne Herald of July 25 gives the fol-
lowing summary of news :
The period which bee elapeed since the departure of last
mail has been an extremely dull oat in political circles, and
the announcement th►t the general election will not take
place before October hoe caused even the speculations as to
the coming men to be lees active than they were a month
ago. So far as is at present known, very little fresh blood
is likely to be infused into the new parliament, and the eau-
&dates at the general election will probably be confined to
the members of the present arid past parliaments, and a
few gentlemen who on previous occasions hive been un-
sneces.ful in their endeavours to obtain a seat.

The transportation question has nein been brought pro-
minently before the public through a proposition made by
Mr. Edward Wilson that the worst of our eeriness should
be shipped to England at the expense of private individuals,
sad that in fact a system of reprisals should be commenced.
The suggestion has met with the most determined opposi•
tion, tied is looked upon as a silly piece of bluster on the
part of a well-meaning but germs-beaded zealot.
The returns of the consolidated revenue for the year and
quarter ending 30th June last, have lately been published.
The total revenue for the year was 2,816,7061., as
against 3,005,6091. for the preeeding twelve months,
the decrees amounting to 188,903/. The revenue
for the quarter was iirei,7&l/., being an increase of 80,4(151.
over the corresponding quarter of last year. The increase
on the Customs was t 3,907/.. and 644161. under the head
territorial ; public works, 13,4931. ; railways, 12,7361.; post
office, 1,701.; fees, 6,372/. The principal decrease was ex-
cise, 24 9221. The treasurer's estimate of the revenue of
the past six mostlis of the current year was 1,486.3001.; the
net receipts were 1,273,6411., so that he will receive
212.856/. less than he expected. This was principally occa-
sioned by the falling off in the territorial revenue to the
amount of 175,336/., owing to the difficulties which have
oorured in the alienation of the public lands.
The experimental dinner of the Acciimatisetios Society '
took place on the tith of July, at Scott's Hotel. About 80
persons, including his Excellency the Governor, were pre-
sent. The bill of fare embraced a great variety of novel
aid eccentric dishes, and every description of fish, Seib,
and fowl indigenous to the colony, as well as such dainties
as venison, phaseant, and hare graced the table, and were
duly operated on by the assembled acclimatising, who, at
any rate, had ample opportunity to judge as to the success
of their experiment.
On the sth instant Governor Sir Charles Darling paid a
visit to Dandenoog for the purpose of laying the foundation
stone of a new church of England in that locality. As
this was the first time that a governor had ever been to
Dandenong. great preparations were made by the inhaid-
tants to give his excellency a fittiog reception.
A number of the friends of cholera Mr. Heal's, president
of the board of land and works, desirous of perpetuating
his memory, have resolved to erect a monument over his
grave iu the new cemetery. Subscriptions towards this
object have already been received to a large amount.
The let of July, the thirteenth anniversary of the foun-
dation of the colony, and its separation from New South
Wales, was observed as a general holiday. A parade of the
metropolitan and suburban volunteer companies was held
in the forenoon, at which the governor was present and dis-
tributed the prises woo by the successful competitors at the
late rifle association matches.

Melbourne and suburbs have again been viaited with a
flood, but fortunately, the waters did not attain to that
height which marked the flood in the month of December
last, dill • vast amount of property has been iajared. Is
the neighbourhood of Prince's
-bridge the inundation was
very great, and for several days the portion of the St.
HilJa-road on the south side of the bridge was completely
cloud for traffic. All the residences on the left bank of the
river were. orrounded by the waters, w hkb stretched in abroad
sheet u far as Emerald-hill, completely submerging the &Dd.
ridge-road. At Richmond the effecte of the flood were scarcely
Lea disastrous. The houses in the Punt-road, in the neigh.
honchoed of the river, were swamped, and for three day, the
residents in that locality were mortised to their homes, or
obliged to resort to conveyance to and fro by boat. The rain
commenced on the afternoon of the 16th Met, and continued
without intermission until late on Monday night. Had the
rain pot held up when it did, the oonsequei,cee might have
been most disastrous. It is to be hoped that immediate
attention will be given now to the question as to the best
menu of averting a similar calamity in future. It will be
absolutely necessary that something should be does, and that
speedily.