The Express.
London, England, 1856-07-18 00:00:00

AUSTRALIA.

trams ova own oomizsroirniort.)
SYDNEY, Aram 19.
The Royal Charter, Captain Bop*, with the
English mail of the 17th February, arrived at Mel-
bourne on the 16th inst., after an unpreeedentedly
brilliant passage of only 69 days. The Sydney por-
tion was brought on by the Telegraph steamer,
Captain Gilmore, who made the run from Melbourne
in 46 hours. The mails of the 25th of January and
6th of February are still due, occasioning serious
inconvenience to the mercantile interest. This irre-
gularity ought to be remedied by the authorities at
home, if they 000 aider the Australian colonies worthy
their attention ; if not, c'est ens autre chose, and we
must learn to care for ourselves. We are willing to
contribute a handsome sum toward' the re-establish-
ment of steam vessels to convey the mails.
Commercial affairs in Sydney are still dull, and
stocks at a low ebb. The York, which arrived last
week, brought some consignments, and we are
looking out foe larger supplies to create greater
activity in the market.. It is believed that business
operations will be effected with greater seenrity and
profit than of late to all parties, many of the un-
sound traders having been weeded out by the
Insolvent Court.

The Bank of Australia hes again declared • divi-
dend for the last half-year at the rate of 20 per cent.
per annum, the Union at the rate of 27 per cent.
We have favourable accounts from the country
districts of the state of the cereal crops, and prices
have much declined. Good samples of wheat are now
selling in Sydney at Bs. to 9s. per bushel flour at
241. to 261. per too. In the price of hay, which twelve
mouths ago fetched as high u 301. to 341. per ton,
there is a great reduction, good hay being now 41.
to 51. per ton. Live stock keeps up its price.
Mechanics' wages have declined ; good workmen io
all branches can now be obtained at 10s. to 16e.
per day.
The mail for England by the Earl of Sefton will be
despatched from Sydney to-day by the Telegraph
coasting steamer.
The workmen employed on the Sydney Railway
have just presented the contractor, Mr. William
Randle, with • splendid vase of pure Australian gold
(20 carats), weighing 80 ounces, am • testimonial of
their esteem for him as an employer. This magnifi-
cent present, which is of very chaste colonial manu-
facture, cost the workmen 700 guineas. It is 173
inches high; the pedestal is very handsome. The cop
is of elegant design, representiog an Australian plant,
the leaves worked in chased dead gold in the lower
part, which may be termed the calyx of the flower;
the vase or cup itself is of burnished gold, ornamented
with classic and characteristic figures exquisitely
wrought; the lid is surmounted by a statuette of
Victory, represented as • seraph, extending in her
right hand a laurel wreath and in her left a branch of
palm ; she stands amidst a foliage of aquatic plants
indigenous to Australis, and the vicinity of which is
the resort of the kangaroo and emu, a group of which
are tastefully introduced. The flat surface of the lid
is of grain and nuggetty gold, the whole surrounded
by a wreath of the parasitical plants of the colony.
An appropriate inscription rid Mr. Randle's arms are
engraved on the vase. This testimonial must be
highly gratifying to the gentleman so complimented,
who, in other respects as well. has reason to be satis-
fied with his sojourn here- a handsome fortune having
rewarded his exertions.

Madame Asna Bishop, who has enchanted the
people of Sydney with her delightful voice and pleas-
log demeanour, has announced a series of concluding
concerts at the Royal Hotel Music Hall. It is in-
tended, previous to her leaving ns, to present her
with a testimonial. It will be recollected that Cathe-
rine Hayes was similarly complimented.
Notwithstanding the depression in trading affairs,
the caterer" for public amusement have no reason to
complain. Wizards and nigger minstrels, acrobats
and equestrians, are all well patronised. The latest
arrivals are a Mr. and Mrs. James Stark, whose re-
turn from California was heralded by placard', with
letters as long as a walking stick.

The railway from hence to Parramatta (the corn.
meneement of an extenaive lane of iron road) isamply
remunerative, leaving no doubt that the continua.
tioo, while it tends to develop the resources of the
colony, will pay a large dividend on the outlay. Al.
ready numerous persons take advantage of the faci-
lity afforded for resid.nce at Parrematta or the inter.
mediate distances, and land in the vicinity of the line
command, good prices. Rents in 83dney have in
o3noequenco undergone con,iderable reduction; and
as the taxation of the city is becoming onerous there
is an evident disposition to migrate to the district be.
yond its operation.