The Express.
London, England, 1853-01-12 00:00:00

AUSTRALIA

THE CAPE MAILS.

ARRIVAL OF THE AUSTRALIAN.
This line and richly freighted vessel, so long and
anxiously expected, arrived at Plymouth on Tuesday
forenoon at about 11 o'clock.
The Australian left Adelaide, Oct. 5; St. George's
Sound, Oct. 19; Cape of Good Hope, Nov. 30;
arrived at Plymouth, Jan. 11. Sho brings 24 pas-
sengers, and 222,293 ounces of gold from Australia.
The Calcutta arrived at the Cape, Nov. 23.
The following interesting account of her departure
from Australia and voyage home, is from the pen of
a correspondent, who came home a passenger in the
Australian :
" The Royal Australian Mail steamer Australian
arrived at Plymouth on Tuesday, January 11. She
has made a long passage from Australia, and has
been much delayed by the want of hands during the
voyage. Her departure from Sydney was retarded
from this cause from the 13th to the 20th September.
Sho was started from Sydney by means of a party
of volunteers from the crew of her Majesty's ship
Fantome, who were placed on board of her to enable
her to get away, all her outward crew having ab-
sconded. _ _ _ _ . .

" On the 23rd Sept. she reached Melbourne, having
steamed from Sydney against strong head winds, in
55 hours. Sho was delayed hero by the shipment of
a large quantity of gold; about 1,30,000 oz. having
been put on board. A much larger quantity was
ready for shipment, but the rules of the Insurance
Companies limiting risks in one bottom, prevented
the shipment of the further quantities that were
awaiting the vesseL It is understood that arrange-
meats will be completed with the underwriters in
I England, which will prevent disappointment
from this cause in future. A detachment
of police was stationed at the gangway of the ship
during her stay at Melbourne, and the constables
were relieved so as to keep watch day and night to
prevent desertion. In this way the ship was pro-
tected from further loss of hands at Melbourne, and
no desertion took place during her stay there. From
Melbourne she sailed on 2Sth September, reaching
Adelaide on Ist October, having experienced heavy
westerly gales all the way. These winds prevail
along the Australian coast during the greater part
of the year. At Adelaide she received a further
shipment of about seventfairusand ounces of gold
bars and gold dust. A e portion of the gold
skipped here consisted of ingots assayed at the
Adelaide bullion office. These ingots are assayed, their
weight in pure gold is stamped upon them, end their
standard fineness is also stamped upon each ingot, in
carats and Errains; the value of the gold at the
standard price of 31. 178. 9d. per oz., can thus be
accurately ascertained. A further quantity of gold
would also have been shipped at Adelaide, but for the
interposition of the same difficulty.in reference to the
insurance which was experienced in Melbourne. The
total quantity of gold onboard the ship in freight, is
about 230,000 ounces, which, exclusive of large
quantities suspected to be in possession of passengers,
gives a total value of about one million sterling. It
is expected that the Sydney—the next boat due from
Australia—will bring a much larger sum. Among
the many splendid specimens of gold on board this
ship, the finest is a magnificent mass of pure ore,
weighing 310 oz., christened in the colony the "Royal
Victoria Nugget of Australia," which has been for-
warded by gentlemen in Victoria, under charge of
the Admiralty agent, as a present to her Majesty the
Queen.
" This splendid specimen of virgin gold was found
at the Bcudigo diggings in the beginning of Sep-
tember, and was forwarded to Melbourne for sale by
a person who is said to have purchased it of the lucky
finder for 1,1001. It was advertised for sale by auction,
but, before the day of sale, was sold privately to a gen-
tleman connected with the local government for
the sum of 1,5001.

" At Adelaide, a detachment of police kept watch
night and day, to prevent desertion, and on the 4th
of October, the vessel sailed for Albany, King
George's Sound. She arrived hero in seven days,
having had a continuation of westerly gales all the
way, with a heavy head swell. At Albany, a most
annoying detention of seven days and a half took
place, and the delay thus caused, and the further
loss of time arising from the insufficient supply of
coals at this port completely destroyed the prospects
of the voyage, and led to the protraction of the pas-
sage to the length which it subsequently reached. '
" There were upwards of 1,000 tons of coal belong-
ing to the company at this port, one-half being on
board a ship in the harbour, and the other half in a
depot on shore ; but notwithstanding this ample
supply was on the spot, it was difficult to coal the

steamer.
" Tho wholo of the crew of the receiving
ship, who should hare been engaged in
coaling the steamer, mote :n prison ha aisub.