The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-17 00:00:00

EGYPT.

Advice* from Alexandria of the 3rd state that
vessels are still loading at that port with the grain
which had accumulated there before the prohibition
became operative. No fresh cargoes, however, had
been brought down. Wheat was 39,. the quarter (on
board), and freights had fallen to 11s. 6d.

AUSTRALIA.

__•._
TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION OF THE GOLD

ROBBERS.

MELBOURNE. SIM 23.

The ringleaders of the daring gang of mounted
highwaymen who stopped the Winn gold escort and
plundered it of nearly 10,0001. of treasure, is July last,
have at length been brought to justice. They turn out to be
notorious London thieves, who had been transported to the
colony, and were known by the names of George M,l
idle, George Wilson, and William Atkins. The
trial, which excited very great interest at Melbourne, took
place on the .18th instant, at the Criminal Superior Court,
before Mr. Justice Williams, the Attorney-General of the
colony prosecuting, and occupied two days. They were
severally indicted for attempting to murder, by shooting,
and robbery on the highway. The guilt of the prisoners
was mainly established through one of the gang turning
approver. His name is John Francis—a ticket-of-leave
convict, transported from Sheffield in 1847, and the
substance of his evidence was as follows: "Oa the
26th of July lost, he, with the three prisoners
and two others, left the Al'lvor gold-fields for a
place celled Littleton, where they proposed to at-
tack the gold escort on its way from the diggings to
Melbourne. The plans were arranged some days previous.
They all of them had horses, each man being well armed
with revolvers. They succeeded in reaching Kigneten at
about nine o'clock at tight ; having seen to the loading of
their revolvers with bullets and duck shot, they cut large
boughs off the trees mad stuck them in the road, upright, so
as to screen those stationed behind. While this was being
dome, the prisoners Wilson and Melville rode of to meet
the escort, sad retuned in about half an hour with the
news, " It's caning." They then concealed themselves,
mania, the moment the escort came to ire upon the
troopers and shoot the hones. Oa the advance troopers
teaching the spirt they espied the prisoners behind the
boughs I. the rued, and instantly fined at them. Witness
sad the rest of the pas immediately rushed leeward, and
a volley was poured upon the eseirt, they rotunda( the fire.
Tire slum troopers then turned their hones' bomb and
gallopped away. The prisoner Wilson and WKS'S/ &l-
owed, but were unable to overtake them. The fight with
the meat became general till these in charge of it were
wouadad.abie bones of geld were then seised sad takes from
the eart,and the prisoners sad the rest of them made off through
the bash toe a distance of seven miles, to a plea called
Tens Remy, where they encamped and divided the gold
equally among the six ; it was measured out in a powder
lash. They then sepesated, taking various roads for Mel-
bourne, where the +lutes had a house. Ile reached home
on the Susday night following, the prisoner Wilson and
Atkins meeting him there by appointment. They evaded
the vigilance of the police till the 11th of August, when be,
with the prisoners, was apprehended. One of the other
men was a brother-in law ; his name was Francis ;he had
slam committed suicide. The sixth was named Gray; he
bad not been taken. The last time ha saw the primer
Melville was on board the ship Colloonery ; he said he was
going to the Mauritius; be was subsequently apprehended
on board the Madero:ex, bound for London. Witness and
his brother-ia-law, with Wilson, bad else arranged to leave

In the same ship. The boles of gold on board was the
Indus of the robbery. Francis added that be knew
nothing of the 4001. reward which the government
bed offered to the man who woald tuns approver, sad had
set seen say of the bills that had been posted to this effect
In Melbourne. He made the confession for the love of
kitties, sad set to allow an innocent am to sager. The
escort stated that the gang consisted of mean sun than bad
bees described by Francis ; they were not, however, positive,
bet thought they asseented to twelve and not dn. Then
who remained were shot down by the gang and were
wounded. Some of their horses were shot dead. Two of
the escort picked oat the prisoners, Melville and the I
approver Francis, out of silty men, u two of the gang.
Several of the witnesses identified lumps of gold" jound '
in the prisoners' bone*, as being their property,—the pro-
duce of the digging on Wine goldfield. The amount
of gold found on Wilson was 5401. In Melville's boxes, &c.,
gold and bank drafts for 1,2001., and in those belonging to
Atkins, 8001. At the close of the evidence Mr. Justice
Williams proceeded to sum up, and the jury, after forty
minutes deliberation, returned a verdict of Ouihy sgainst
the whole of the prisoners. Sentence of death was then
recorded, the judge holding out not the least hopes of
mercy.

The following report on the Australian markets
is issued by Mown. Tootal and Browne:
December 16, 1833.—1 n handing our report on the
state of the Australian markets, we have to congratulate
our friends on the most adverse season of the year being
past, and that, notwithstanding a heavily-stocked mar•
kit, the opening of the spring season, and of traffic to the
mines, has confirmed our anticipations of • marked im-
provement, both in price and demand ; nor is this limited
to one colony only, though those nearest the gold fields are
the greatest participators. The gold fields continue to
yield unexampled amounts, sod reports of astounding suc-
cess are daily brought into Melbourne and Sydney ; the
former yet being the gold-digger's favourite town. At
Melbourne, much excitement hod been created in reference
to the taxing of the precious metal, and on the side of each
party interested—gold-diggers and the merchants who
export it. Strong meetings had been held to vindicate their
several claims. The probability is, however, that all tax on
gold will be abolisht doted a revision of the tariff take pleas to
supply the deficit the abolition of the gold-digger's tax
would canes to the revenue of the colony. At all the colo-
nies local improvements, the state of society, and the wel-
fare and prosperity of all claws, were being steadily carried
forward in a most healthy and sati,factory manner. Com-
mercial prosperity had received a shuck during the that few
months, which will do much good and cheek the almost
heedless shipments of speculators entirely ignorant of the
requirements of the market, and who send goods totally
out of season, or of such descriptions as to entail certain
loss. The markets have been considerably over-supplied ;
and we, therefore, hail the present improved advice, with
more than ordinary satisfaction, as the bad expectations of
many, not excluding the press, have not been realised to
their anticipated extent. As rewards future shipments, to
be profitable they must be made with care and judgment,
backed by sound 'deices from the spot; and when so con-
ducted, we have every expectation to belave that Australia
will soon be the greatest and most profitable market in the
southern hemisphere.
P.S. Dee. 16, 1833. By the way of Trieste we have re-
ceived a letter dated Melbourne, Sept. 28, 1853, brought by
the overland mail. It announces the arrival of the Strat-
ford, Pat- ofdce sailing packet, as follows :—" The Strat-
ford mail of the 3rd June is down from Sydney, by the
Shanghai, being deltvered a fortnight later than the English
mail of Bth July, and the English letters, per Victoria, of
15th July. This speaks creditably for the postal arrange-
ments on your aide. Respecting our market, it is still
looking up, and all kinds of goods are more saleable, at
better prices. brandy may be quoted 61. per gallon dearer,
and very firm."—Tourah and Dauvrs•.
The fact of the safe arrival of the Stratford was given in
She Dolly Sews of Tuesday.

THE MELBOURNE AND HOBSON'S BAT RAILWAY.
—This nilway is now i■ actual progress. Moeh daring
the last Nor or Bee maths has bad to be dote is the way