The Express.
London, England, 1855-07-03 00:00:00

AUSTRALIA.

(From the Circular of Porter Brothers ankteavls.)
MELBOURNE, Aram 10.
Since the date of our last Circular the state trials
have taken place and resulted in the acquittal of all the
prisoners by sumussive jetties. The government deter.
mined to prosecute for the highest offence known to the law.
They had the advantage of having the prisoners tried at
Melbourne, rather than say place within the circuit of the
diggings ; where an undue partiality might possibly be
supposed to prevail in favour of the scousrd. But the
juries showed no hesitation in pronouncing ther verdict of
aequittal. Fell accounts of these trials will be found in the
publiojournals.
The commissioners appointed to investigate this adminis-
tration of government, in the mining di.triots, have tuned
their report. It is an elaborate statement of fool and arr.
meats, which have been for a long time put urged else-
where against the present system, and goes far to excuse
the discontent which has so long prevailed among one of
the largest and mut important classes of our colonists. It
contains also a history of mining affairs ; a description of
the condition of the miners ; and of the varioua methods
employed in raising the gold. It likewise proposes as a
remedy for existing evils, the abolitith of the license tax,
together with the removal of the present staff of gold emn-
nsissioners, and their numerous subordinates, and suggests,
as a substitute for the tax, • duty of 2s. 01. per ounce on
all gold exported from the colony, with the imposition of
small non compulsory tax of 20r. per annum, conveying
with it certain advantages to the miner, to be collected by
oilcan entitled wardens, whose duty it veil also be to settle
disputes, and adjust all claims that may arise among the
miners. _

iiiecardanee with the proposition of this communion, •
bill has already been introduced into the lAqiiilstive
Council for the export duty on gold, and there is little
doubt but that it will be pawed (41,bough the policy of such
• duty is in many quarters doubted), the license fee abo-
lishod, and the other proposed reforms carried out.
Tbs sudden cessation of steam communication between
these colonies and Europe, nes gives rise to a god deal of
discussion. It appears to be fully recognised that if we are
to enjoy an advantage of this kind, we must be content to
pay for it. The attention of the council bee been drawn to
the subject by a despatch from Sir William Denison, booked
up by a petition from the Melbourne Clamber of Com-
' memo ; and it was at once proposed to put upon the esti-
,' mates for this purpose • sum of 60,0001 The money will,
no doubt, be voted, arid it is expected that the neighbouring
colonies will contribute proportionably toward* the estab-
lishment of • line of steamers, either via Panama, or in
conjunction with the Peninsula and Oriental Company's
Overland route.

This interruption in our steam comaitinimtion has been
the more hit in consequence of the absorLing interest which
all take in the war.

We haws given tables showing the imports and ex-
perts of the whole calmly during the years 1853 end
1854, es well u for the first qu f the prthent year.
These return. are given at the declared value', acid the
values having been higher ia 1863 than in 1864, the gain-
thin are relatively greater in the latter period than in the
former.

1---Thee tables show the imports to have been at the rate of
501. per head, whilst the usual amount of imports in ordinary
tinges is not more than 121. per bead. Tags eaces-ive im-
portations will assist in accounting for the disastrous state of
commercial affairs that has prevailed here so long, and that
resulted in insolvencies to the extent of nearly two millions
sterling in 1864 alone. Since the end at last year, many
more failures bays occurred, and, in addition to thi.se that
have been publicly announced, a great number of insolvent
estates are being privately wound up.
We have on a former occasion remarked that the awe-
quince of thesis disasters has chitlly teen a complete pros-
tration of credit. This has led to a system of cash trans-
actions, which bee now been in operation for some months
past; and, although a good deal of activity has lately
existed packaging for the interior, trade has necessarily
hen matt restricted.
_ _

We cannot leek forward to the violist lesson for any
decided impruenaant, but confidently expect that the opting
will open with wowed activity in all breaches of trade and
Weary, add •oemplete restoration of confidence.
One Wog we contribute largely towards so desirable a'
Malt Is densorpenoe of an annual scarcity of water,
Mittfeltß fplialiame have been to *great extent suspended on
t:surralest ad stet productrnerdd -Ohne, ad where per-
ye in, it is frequently merely to raise the " washing
stuff," in anticipatios of the comicg relay season, until
which time the gold mast in these instances remain *-
readied. The quantity of gold sent down lately hoe there-
fore been comparatively sepal, and thus • discouraging
feature has appeared io the production of the gold fields;
on the other band, so large is the quantity of washing stuff
accumulated, and so urgently is water required to complete
the operatLas of the digger, that there will doubtless be a
great and continued increase le the quantity of gold send
down when the winter fairly sets in. Very writhe ideas
are also eatartnined u to the result of the application of
ildiant power to quarts crashing and other machinery.
fferntal stems engines barn bees sent up to the diggings
this saes, which, when fairly at work, are expected to
par erneklarable impetus to the production.
Ameba pod omen foe the future consists is the fares of
Csodium which is being brought to bear epee the
rpostion, and whisk his shandy produced some activity
tie of our government in surveying and bringing
liti sown lands for sale. Hitherto this has been ma*
Segisited. The satire wispy is computed to eustain
be-
tiem fifty ad sixty millions of ecru of lend, of which
has than one million four hundred thousand barn been
*mated Irma the crows dieing the entire twenty years of
ifteetdeuest. In the year 1854 about five hundred darn
six* urea were offered for sale, of which fur hundred and
slaty thousand Wife sold. It a expected that the govern-
ama will be a position to offer • like quantity of five hue-
dred thousand acres this year ; bat it ato be questioarn it
at this rate of propose is offering the rend tio sale, the
,resourpos of the colony will be developed in u manner etno.
uensarate with the ISOCINSitalli of the increasing pope.

the select
irthelletclaerdirnalY of Captain
earaTutlltteil9larlpeitodFartollßumlLlSolti..—to
M'Closo, of bet Majesty's ship lovestigator, as the dis-
armer of the North-West l'esubge, met at one o'clock.
wire premnt-rhir. Macitiaaeo, in the chair • Lord
r, Mistral Wean, Blr T. Herbert, Cameos licobeU,
Me, and Mr. Stepheaeon. The other members
) wax filr B. Peel, Mr. Wilma, Mr. E. Misr.
ser, Mr. Jackass, Bir T. /Wand, Mr. I. Butt,
bot. Captain Sir George Back odd Captain
the witnesses muunined dozing ;be sitting, sad
sere paid a very high caraptiapect to the courage
ranee 'et Captain MiChtre, with, the, stated.
ogee beetlear thee Sir B. Piny, and bad an-
' BOOKANtisolisht of a North-West Passage.
Ise shag adjmumed to this day, when 84 John
B. Belcher will be examined.

Mr

I - s return jilt
published, trio declared value of oar imams from 12 prim-
elpsl ports of the 'Jailed Kneed= last you was 89 808,0721.
hen the pset ef Lena= the value wee 22,180,278., sod
keis Livesisels eguont.