The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-31 00:00:00

OPIUM.

CANTON, 13th Feb.—Patna, 3581 dols.--Benares, 35'31
dols.—Malwa, 440 dole.—Turkey, 3SO dais. -
SHANGHAI, 23:4 Jan.—Malwa, 345- (1431.84-4410tesit 210
, FREIGHTS AND TONNAGE:.
CANTON.—To London nominal 51. ss. for tea.
SHANGHAI.--To Loudon 61. to 61. 103. for tea.
EGYPT.

ALEXANDRIA, MARCH 23

The festivities at the barrage of the Nile on the occa-
sion of the laying of the foundation stone of a citadel and
town to be called Saideeyeh. after Said Pasha, took
place on the 12th inst., the, annivvr.:,ary of the Viceroy's
birthday.
Lord Eladdo, eldest son' of the Earl of Aberdeen, is
still-in the Upper Country. His health has improved.
Mons. Lo.ssepF, the projector of the canal. aCIOS3 the
Isthmus of Suez, has returned from Constantinople, and
it appears that the Sultan refuses to give his sanction to
the plan.
This mail will convey to the Bank of England bills to
the extent of about 20,0001. sterling, on account of the
tribute due by the Pacba of Egypt to the Sultan, and
which is to be appropriated to the Turkish Loan, in
virtue of the Imperial firman of October, 1854. One-
half of the yearly tribute, or 142,5001. sterling, was to
have been deposited in the Bank of England by the 10th
of April, but it will require some months before this sum
be remitted.

The Hindostan, from Caleutta,.arrived at Suez on the
19th of March.

AUSTRALIA.

SYDNEY, JAN. 27.

In even ordinary times I should say that an antipo-
dean correspondent has a difficult task before him, so to
write of colonial matters) that mere local events should
not be protruded upon the English public as of rational
importance, nor that affairs which have a world-wide in-
fluence should be over:ooked. 'ln the dear old country
warlike news now engross all attention, and it is a query
with me if two or three columns of Australian intelligence
would receive-Viet notice the a riter thereof might desire.
Our Legislative Council is prorogued— the Squattee mem-
bers are busy up country tending their shearing—the phi-
losophical members are pondering upon the Reports of
Committees on Education, Intemperance, and, the Con-
dition of the "Working Classes—the practical members
aro gauging the water question, the sewerage, the pav-
ing, and the lighting of this neglected city ; whilst the
Government sit with folded arms waiting the advent of
a new order of things when Sir William Denison arrives.
Thus, nothing is stirring of any great interest ; rumours
are heard about the candidates offering for Sydney (a
seat being vacant by the retirement of Mr. Thurlow,
who goes to England). There is a slight expression of
feeling about a testimonial to Sir Charles Fitzroy,
which is adverse to him ; and as far as the public are
concerned, they seem prostrated by the overwhelming
hot weather—thermometer at 90 degrees in the shade.
This summer has been rather a disastrous one, so great
a draught not having occurred since 1839, bush fires
extending for miles around have been numerous, and
much property has been destroyed. The town of Para-
matte; with 7,000. inhabitants was exposed to immi-
nent danger for some days, and as the spiritless people
there have no fire-engine, and no authorities of any
kind, they may thank Heaven for their escape from
total destruction. The palings surrounding the
church-yard were burnt, and as the church is in the
centre of the town,, Paramatta narrowly escaped
a frightful conflagration. Owing to the want of
rain the various teamsters, who conduct the inte-
rior traffic, have lost many cattle. The cost of car-
riage has increased very much, and everybody has
suffered. We of the city feel the drought in the gradually
ascending price of vegetables and meat. Cabbages of
moderate solidity easily fetch ls. 6d. each ; and carrots
that may properly be termed " limpy," 2d. and 3d. each.
Meat is not very dear yet, but as the stock have no-
water and no food the butchers predicate increased
prices. , With all this wages are also corning down, but
rents maintain high rates ; building is going on very
vigorously, but landlords are as stiff-necked as ever they
were.. The results will be that numbers who cannot afford
high rents will go into the rural diStricts—houses will
become tenantless, and then the household Pharaohs
have their choice—empty tenements, or moderate rents.
The return of the revenue for the concluding quarter of
1854 hasj ust been published, and in the words of the Empire
" it has a very decided tendency to confirm public con-
fidence in the stability of our commercial and industrial
interests, and we cannot help congratulating the colony
upon it?' The revenue exceeds that of the correspond-
ing quarter of the preceding year by 175,8241. The land
sales exceed those of the same quarter of the former year
by 107,8711.
In the gold revenue there is a decrease of not less than
25,3981., the actual receipts for licenses, &c.,- being
24,5021. The expenses of the syateen, and the collections
being balanced, no profit seems to arise from gold com-
missioners, camps, troopers, aed man-hunters—the gold
fields should be thrown open to all comers, when proba-
bly some new diggings might be found, and the revenue
would benefit by the consumption of goods subject to
the tariff. There is a likelihood Victoria will abolish the
hateful and vexatious licence fee before us.
The Great Nugget Vein Gold Mining Company held
their half-yearly meeting Jan. 15—a dividend of 21 per
cent. for the half year was declared, but dissatisfaction
was einrc,sed at the manner in which work wag carfied

Oil. iv WaS'::;VE:.) _
tls c:nuot be allowed to the shareholderz of th© United
Kingdom, but that the,interest accruing on the amount
of the unpaid dividends, which him been inTested by

the Lendon agents, should be paid them. There vtm
also some lengthy discussion about the manner
in
which the claims of the company were at present
worked by the Colonial Gold Company. It appears
that, where the claims yield only a small proportion
of gold to the ton, the gold company are allowed by
their contract to take four-fifths of the receipts, allowing
the Great Nugget Company the remaining fifth. Where
the yield is more prolific a large proportion is given to
the company, in order to equalise profits. But it was
contended that by this arrangement the interests of the
Colonial Gold Company would induce them to work he
poor soils only because from them they would get the
largest proportion of profit. Ultimately a resolution
was adopted that the sliding scale should be changed. to
a fixed one. The Australian, Joint Stock Bank have
also held their usual meeting, and declared a dividend of
10 per cent. per annum. The net profits of the six
months ending December 31, were 12,841/. Mr. T. W.
Smart, the inspecting director, goes home in the Madras.
The Bank gave him 5001. as a testimonial : gifts to the
the wealthy—the old plan !
Great dissatisfaction has been felt here at the an-
nouncement that the Generia Screw Steam Shipping
Company would send no ship with the mails of Dec. 4.
We are tending to the old course of things, and seem
likely to have to trust to such mail packets as the Strat-
ford, the Vimeira, and the Matilda Wattenbach. Despite
this, however, there is not the remotest probability that
the various colonies will unite and subsidise a mail com-
pany themselves—Melbourne is jealous of Sydney, SY&
ney of Melbourne, Adelaide of botb, and New Zealand
wishes to be the first port of arrival. Amidst all the
conflicting claims for priority action is lost sight of,
and at the most exciting period of the century,
we are dependent upon mere sailing ships. The
route vice Panama would give us the quickest news,
but the Golden Age (s) lost by her trips, and is now sold
for the passenger traffic between Panama and California.
We are the slow coaches of the South Pacific.
The Sydney railway company have acquiesced in the
views of the Government respecting the transfer of their
property. On January 22d-the shareholders met, and
atuongst others passed the following resolution—" That
the directors of-the company be authorised to make and
complete such sale, and to transfer the whole of the
said p imrorty to the Government, for such price (not
bring le s than the full amount of capital actually paid
up, with the addition of 7 per cent. thereon), as shall
be agreed upon between the Government and the
directors with the guaranteed int.rest up tohe day of
payment." Thus the affair is settled, and the railw
AllStra•
ay cf
the colon will be in Government hands. The
lien Steamy Navigation Company met Jan. 24, and de-
clared a dividend of 31 per cent. for the half-year ending
Dee. 31, 1354. Their last, was at the rate of 10 per
cent. per annum, bdt the new steamers they have lately.
purchased account for the smaller sum. Australian
General Assurance Company have declared a dividend of
7 per cent. fir the past half-year ; the balance remaining
at the credit of profit and loss account: is 10,4621. The
affairs of the company are iv a satisfactory state.
The following is a review nf the prospects of .tea har-
ve. t of 1854 :
The harvest season in the Australian colonies is now ap-
proaching, and prices at this period vary
reports respecting the crops. From Van Diemen's Land
the accounts , are decidedly favourable, and there is the
prospect of a fair crop in New South Wales and .itt
colony. In South Australia. there is a failure on tilee
according to the
Adelaide plains, where a large proportion of the grain (7
that country is grown. As, however, the produce °
that colony, even in bad t ten
seasons has for the l
years been greatly in. excess of the' requirements of the.:
population, and as a great additional breadth was t
year sown, we still lock for a considerable supply
Adelaide. Then the wheat crop in Europe is far bcy?..
an average, and there is a fair crop in the
Statas. Filially, California is now, it is said, supplied by
her own agriculturists, and the whole of the large Childe
surplus is available for the- Australian colonies. On the
whole, we find that-those best acquainted with tees,htract!
here do riot expect any material advance this y antd
they anticipate a lower average price of flour, possibly
the extent of 101. per tonedurinee the year 1655.

--,
Tract?, is slightly reviving, and the country has been
favoured by plentiful rain. There is some iniprovement
j'n the bra•idy market, but it does not realise borne
prices. Several parcels have been reshipped per s
fully
Maid
of Judah for London. In soft goods tha market i
stocked for the next two years. The wool of the present
clip is not s,-) well got up a 3 that of last year. 4,000 bales
are to be exported direct to France, by which 20 per
cent. is saved to the French market.
The Ellenborough, which sails Jan. 28, has 1;874
bales of wool for London, 139 of which were shipped
at Newcastle. I am sorry to say that the Dry of
is not yet open, owing to the capsizing of the caiso -
Damage
when the first. P
vessel was reparing to enter.
wails of
done; about 1001., and delay a month. The
Nov. 9, by Mdras (0.), were six days over due.
AMOUNT OFa GOLD DUST AND SPECIE SEIIPPED.---D391-
stone, 195 on. 12 dwts-3 040/. Hannah, 1,600 055.
—2610,2(2.1.
CAhirngao, (2.5t.9) 40,z1..„0.
_31,0376,0401.d w ts. Oliver Lang,
13 dwts.-5001. Vimeirs, 17.8 or.