The Express.
London, England, 1853-05-21 00:00:00

HUNGARY.

M. Jiggelmessy, who held an Important charge in
the Hungarian army during the campaign of 1849,
and afterwards took refuge with M. Kossuth in
Turkey, has been captured by the Austrian gen-
darmes at Hatvan, near GyCogos, in Hungary.

DENMARK.

The primary electors of have chosen
the secondary electors entirely from the ranks of tho
opposition.

AUSTRALIA.
NEWS FROM THE GOLD REGIONS.

By the Southampton overland mail news
Melbourne up to the 7th of February last has
reached us, from which wo glean the following par-
ticulars:

Gold bad an upward tendency. On the 2nd of February
it advanced 3d. an ounce, the price then being 31. 13s. 9d.
An invoice of watches and jewellery had realised 100 per
cent. on London prices.
Landed property in Launceston, Van Diemen's Land, bad
sold at 400 per cent. advance on prices a few weeks pre-
viously.
Schools were being established at the diggings.
Five auctioneers bad commenced busineu at Forest
Creek.

The prices of some articles at this place we quote :—Flour,
31. 105. to 41. 10s. ; butter, 2s. Gd. to 35.; sugar, 41 to Gil. ;
salt, 6d. to 6d. ; tea, 2s. to 2s. 6d.; soap, Bd. to 9d. ; coffer,
25. to 2s. 3d. ; cheese, 2s. to 2s. Gd.; bacon, is. 9d. to 25. 61 ;
tobacco, .ss. ; gold, 70s. to 70s. Gd. ; freight from Melbourne,
91. to 141.

Government were taking evidence u to new gold regu-
lations.

Under the heading" Largest Mass of Gold in the World,"
the Geelong Advertiser announces the discovery of a mass
of gold weighing at least 1201 b., and almost pure, being
slightly veined with quartz. The fortunate finders were a
party of four. It was their intention to proceed to Eng-
land with the gold. After finding the mass, glutted with
gold fortune, they offered to sell the hole for 3001., but
there was some hesitation, and they went down and got a
nugget weighing 78 oz. A purchaser stepped forward, and
the men retired with their fortunes made. The
editor remarks :—" The value of such a mass of gold is
incalculable—for it is unique—the last and greatest
wonder of the world. The news from the western diggings
' generally is exceedingly favourable. A new life seems to
have been infused into operations, and at the time when
our informant left the commissioner's tent was crowded
with persons depositing gold—too late, however' for the
present week's escort. The mam•noth mass will be brought
down it is supposed by next Tuesday's escort, end already
there is a talk of getting up a triumphal arch, or something
of that sort, to celebrate the event. Canadian Gully,
where the gold was found, is situate about four miles north
west from Buninyong, and about two miles on this side of
Ballarat."

The Mount Alexander semi-weekly escort had brought
down 10,803 ounces. The previous numbers were 11,189
from Bendigo, and 7,430 from the Mount ; Ballarat 3,126.
The Mebounse Argus has taken a step which we believe
its proprietors are correct in supposing to be unexampled
in the history of newspapers. With all the appliances that
could be mustered in the colony, no more than 10,000 copies
per day could be struck off; and as the demand exceeded
this number, and was constantly increasing, it was deemed
necessary to announce that for the present, and until the
arrival of new steam presses, no new subscribers were
wanted. To the subscribers already on the list the piper
would be supplied at the old price of 21. per annum ; to all
°then the price was to be 41., and this was to continue until
the fast-printing engines were received.
The exact we.ght of the monster nugget had been ascer-
tained, and it was no lees than 134 lbs. Boz. The fortunate
enders were to take their departure for England in the
Sarah Sands steamer, which was to start, loaded with gold
and passengers, on the 10th of February. Gold was still
rising in price. On the 4th of February the price at Mel-
bourne was 31. 13s. 9d, while 31. 14s. was given for large
parcels. At Sidney it will be seen the price was driven up
by the competition of two banks whose agents were in the
market as purchasers. As Australian gold is far above the
standard fineness, those who purchased originally at
31.65. per oz. must have made large fortunes. At Sydney
' trade was exceedingly brisk, discount was favourable, the
prices of colonial produce high, and the out-turn large.
Amongst the articles urgently wanted in the Sydney mar-
ket was coffee.

The steamer Melbourne under her new commander had
had en excellent voyage, reaching Melbourne on the 4th of
February. On the same day the 'hip Northumberland had
cleared out taking home, on leave, Chief Justice A'Beckett
of Victoria, a brother we believe of the celebrated contri-
butor to Punch, for which he wrote "The Comic Black•
stone," de. Previous to his departure the Chief Justice
received an address from the bar.

The panne in the Queen's speech on transportation to
the Australian colonies was correctly regarded as a virtual
abolition of the system, and was hailed at Melbourne as
" glorious new.."
On the 4th of February, in the Legislative Council of
Victoria, Dr. Thomson gave notice that tomorrow he would
move that an address be presented to his Excellency the
Lieut.-Governor praying that his Excellency would guaran-
tee to the Melbourne and Geelong Railway the amount of
6 per cent. interest on the paid up capital of 300,0001.
From, a return of immigration which we shall quote, it
appears that the arrivals at Port Phillip were, in December,
1852, vessels, 152; tonnage, 60,335; statute adults, 11,699.
In January, 1863, vessels, 139; tons, 43,054; statute adults,
8,1014. The return is given to show what may be expected
from a capitation tax of 61. which is already in operation as
regards arrivals from the neighbouring colonic'' and which
after a few months will be levied from all arrivals indiscri-
minately. We do not understand the object of such a tax.
A large and influential meeting of the independents had
taken *es, repudiating in the strongest possible term. the
doctzla broached by a Mr. Morrison that it was no infrac-
Mee ag Ibair principles to receive grants of I and for chapels
sot simmis. All true congregationalist& refuse state aid ta.
Imp dep. We notice that a son of the lion. and Itev.
Baptist Noel had arrived in the colony, and had been ap-
pointed a magistrate of Victoria. Several cases of death
ham destitution and exhaustion are recorded as having
occurred at Melbourne.
At the end of 1862 it is calculated that the value of the
precious metal exported from Victoria was no leas than
16,000,0001., from Sydney 3,500,0001. ; total, 19,500,0001.—
or, in round numbers, 20 millions sterling. The yield in
the beginning of 1853 was quite in proportion, if not larger.
The population of the Australian colonies is now probably
close on 700,000, and from them it is anticipated that in
1853 will be collected the enormous revenue of three mil-
lions sterling. That of Victoria will reach two millions;
that of Sydney 600,0001; that of Van Diemen's Land about
200,0001; that of New Zealand, now that large gold fields
have been discovered, will doubtless make up the differ-
ence. Here we may say, almost without a metaphor, that a
nation is born in a day.
We have notices of Horns the poet, and Swainson the
naturalist, as denizens of the Golden Land ; while the Tas-
manian papers announce the escape of O'Donoghue " the
last of the State prisoners." We have seen no account of
the escape of Smith O'Brien.
Western Australia does not seem to have benefitted to
the extent that wu expected from being made a convict