The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-25 00:00:00

CITY COMMISSIONERS OF SEWERS.

The accounts of this commission for the past year to
Michaelmas have be, n published by order of the court.
The accounts are very comprehensive, and show on
the consolidated account receipts amounting to 68,9901.
11s. 10d., of which the sum of 67,2421. 18s. Bd. is raised
by the consolidated rate ; while the expenditure amounts
to 73,3721. 17s. 6d., consequently the balance on the
year is 4,3821. ss. Bd. against the account.
The expenditure is subdivided into many items, the
chief of which are as follow ;

For paving works
For lighting works • 8,687 12 6
For cleansing
.6
For improvements in widening streets 18,178 0 6
For sanitary works 1,768 10 6
The commissioners appear also to have expended,
30,7211. ls. 3d. in the purchase of land for cemetery
and 10,7361. 4s. in enclosing and draining it. This bas
been raised by loan, and forms a charge upon the rates
for years to come. To meet this the Commissioners
have directed 1,5001. a year, to be invested in Consols
to form a sinking fund. It is observable that the debt
cannot be paid off for several years, perhaps from 20
to 30.

On the sewers account the commissioners having re-
duced their rates, have received 5,706/. ss. 11d., while
they have expended 28,1281. ls. 11d., which is thus de-
tailed in the leading items :
For new sewers
For repairing the Fleet sewers 9,000 0 0
For general repairs.
The balance against the year's account is 22,4211. 165.,
which, however, is reduced to 11,5331. 15s. 11d. by the
surplus in hand on the previous year's account.
The whole of these accounts appear to have been pre-
pared with much care and judgment, and have been
audited by accountants wholly independent of the cor-
poration--a point considered to be of great importance
in matters affecting the pockets of the ratepayers.

UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.

OXFORD, JAN. 24.

The Professor of Chemistry (Dr. Daubeney) will begin
his lectures on Wednesday, the 7th of February, at 8
o'clock in the evening. Gentlemen desirous of attending
are requested to put down their names in a book kept in
the lecture-room previously to the commencement of the
Course.

I now come to the great meeting of Monday.
It was held in a large open space in front of
the Court-house. The ground descends from
the spot the speakers occupied, so that hearing
became difficult, as sound does not readily descend.
But near the hustings the speeches (some of them
very effective) were well heard. I need not dwell
on the speeches, which are reported in the Argus ;
but that which ought not to be passed over is the
extent and character of the meeting. On the out-
skirts the numbers fluctuated a good deal. At one
time I have not a doubt that 9,000 were present,
and I think perhaps even more. I doubt if there
were ever so few as 5,600, and I should state the
prevailing number as about 7,000 to 8,000. On
the subject of the meeting there was a perfect una-
nimity. It was most certainly not a rabble, for a
great number of the most respectable classes of the
community were there, especially of tho trading
classes. The professional classes were there at
least in duo proportion. As evidence of the very
decided state of opinion on the subject, the meet-
ing is complete. Of this no one who resides here
can doubt, and if Sir Charles ..Hoth.in-i. aispo.4"
assuredly he may refer
to the demonstration of Monday for his justifica-
tion and excuse. So much for this colony ; but
in Tasmania another movement is at work.
The people of that colony aro very naturally de-
sirous, to use their own words, that " the convict
element of their population should be blotted out
as speedily as possible." They therefore, in a peti-
tion to the Queen from the Legislature, pray her
Majesty "that the conditional pardons now held
by many of the former prisoners of the Crown in-
habiting these colonies be deemed and taken to bo
full and unconditional pardons." 2. That Iser
Majesty " will be pleased to grant her gracious
pardon, without any condition, to all those now
holding indulgence who may be recommended by
the local Government."
There are now about 13,000 convicts in Van
Diemen's Land ; of these 10,000 will be entitled to
conditional pardons in the course of two years.
If the prayer be granted, it would have the effect
of liberating the 10,000 at once, and of abolishing
the conditional pardons. There seems some pro-
bability that the home Government will advise the
Queen to adopt the suggestion of the Tasmanian
Legislature. But lam bound to say if that be
adopted the Council of Victoria will devise some
measure to keep out the ex-convicts of Van Die-
men's Land. As to the " old offenders "—the
" incorrigibles," as many of the worst are known
to be—wretches who have been reduced by the
cruelties of Norfolk Island to the single faculty of
endurance—perhaps the best mode of dealing with
them would be to transfer them to Western Aus-

tralia, where the people are still willing to have
convicts, though, I believe, it will be mpracticable
to send English convicts to any part of Australia
in a few years.
The riot at Ballarat is really a case of incipient
Lynch law, and if the rioters had caught the person
who was ieir object of indignation, there can be
no doubt that he would have been hanged, or
otherwise lynched. This is the first case of the kind
that has occurred. Order has prevailed at the dig-
gings more completely even than in Melbourne.
Sir Charles Hotham was quite 'right when, two
months ago, he complimented the diggers upon
their orderly conduct and general obedience to the
laws. The truth is, even those who are of a turbu-
lent and disorderly temperament are at the diggings
to make money, and when they leave off their
work " on a spree," or are " on the loose," it is
to Melbourne they come- for the purpose of spend-
ing their gains—often in reckless enjoyments.
Here they drink and get into rows and expose
themselves to aggression. A gentleman or
" swell " is not worth " sticking up." Such a
man has seldom much about him but a white
cambric handkerchief, a watch, and a few shillings
to pay his club bill. Now, watches are a glut in the
market, and the " old hand" from Van Diemen's
Laud disdains to steal anything short of sovereigns
or golddust. This, then, and the roads leading to
Melbourne are the scenes of the marauders' har-
vest, simply because it is the field of the diggers'
sprees. But to return to my subject.
A murder was committed at Ballarat, close to
the Eureka Hotel, kept by one Bentley. In the
depositions before the magistrate it was sworn by a
woman and a boy that they heard an altercation ;
that they knew Bentley's voice (he is said to have
a very remarkable voice), and that they heard him
and his barman strike the deceased. There were
some slight collateral facts to confirm this testi-
mony. This was at least ground for a remand—it
might possibly have justified a committal—but the
magistrate discharged the prisoner. It is said he
even told him that there was not a tittle of evi-
dence against him, and that he was acquitted. It
is reported that the magistrate has a share in the
Eureka Hotel ; but he is a respectable man, of
fair character, and it is more than probable that
his only error is one of judgment. However, the
" public" got excited, assembled in numbers, and
burnt the hotel. Ono of the commissioners on the
spot, Read, attempted with great presence of mind
to stem the torrent. He stood at the window and
remonstrated with the mob " from his burning
rostrum." This, though verging on the sublime,
was not effectual. Attempts were made to save
furniture; but sections of the mob fired the pile
where it lay. The obnoxious person and his wife
made their escape, but they have since been cap-
tured, and will have to submit to the ordeal of a
Tlie
Gioiremor has taken pzeper_ otos to cligmer

Convicts
There bas been another large bank robbery—that
of the Ballarat branch of the Victoria Bank.
It
wasone ef those masked " sticking up " cases that ex-
cite the Council of this country to pass
Prevention Bills, and afford the strongest argument
against the " prerogative of mercy," of which we
har so much. Some villains, with crape over
their faces, entered the bank in the daytime,
and, having secured the door against intruders,
" stuck up" the manager and his clerk. They then
got possession of 10,0001. worth of notes—mostly
of 101. each—and about 2,0001. worth ef golddust.
The papers will afford your readers further particu-
lars, but nothing has transpired to lead to the de-
tection of the culprits. I cannot avoid coming to
the conclusion that we have, in all these colonies,
been too hasty in taking off the punishment of death
s arenor
w suffering
tertinhe
g
in cases where the law has been relaxed, and very
properly
l evilsre a xtehda,t
thesei n England.n eoloie But look
dreadful
from Sir William Denison's last measure ef letting
loose the Norfolk Island incorrigibles upon these
colonies ! The man banged the other day for the
murder of one Marcus, a year ago, is known to
have been concerned in 13 detected and undetected
murders. Two other men, implicated in several,
were tried the other day and got off—to commit
more murders before they do ono so clumsily as to
let in evidence. Many of the old convicts now at
large have had sentence of death " recorded" against
them in England for murderous assaults, and other
crimes of violence. They have since been scourged
out of all humanity, sentenced to transportation
for life three times in. succession ; so that now
every punishment short of death merges in the
punishment they are under. At last, under some
freak 'of the Colonial-office, or some villanous pro-
vincial "dodge," tkey are conditionally pikraoued,
come over here, and commit numerous crimes be-
fore detection. In such cases is there any remedy
but banging ? Ido not mean to say it is a good
punishment, but what punishment is good to de-
ter the old offender ? The use of death punishment
will be to cut off from the face of the earth a class
of wretches that have lost all traces of humanity.
Thera have been a good many fires lately here
and at Geelong. The insurance-offices are on the
qui vivo, believing them, or some of them, to be not
quite accidental. It is proposed to give the co-
roners jurisdiction to inquire into the causes of
fires.

Your readers, or such of them as see a Melbourne
paper, will observe that there are several insol-
tao have llveryany small. I cannot
of consequence.
The people are about to raise a sum of money as
a testimonial to Mrs. Chisholm for her services in
learnYe n ci
es'
that w bute
aret he
ylikely
promoting family emigration. They intend to sub-
scribe 2,8001., and ask the Legislature for 5,0001.
to purchase a house. There has been a meeting
and some speech-making about it, and it seems
likely to succeed, at least as far as the voluntary
part is concerned.
Gild continues to be produced steadily, chiefly
new by the old hands, who make it a systema-
tic business. The production continues to range
from about 32,000 to 40,000 ounces per week,
worth about 41. per ounce, making an export of
nearly 8,000,0001. We seldom now hear of large
nuggets or great prizes, but the earnings generally
are remunerative.

el bs
mte
he
4; "ea statediivl
e.gooutfst ohofifs Oct.
tmh as market may
sepseason,
ben
demand
d consequenceior goo
MONEY AND TRADE.
r eo Ourt i
o reporttho (Fromroo
roads,
tdtAhs:eMpbyre
.o fbtohse ismo osvoey-
failures have taken place that there ie a ' prevalent want
summed
there
of confidence, and even the wealthy retailers will not at
present increase their stocks. There is no improvement
whatever in prices since our last summary, and stocks in
first bands remain very heavy.
The facts connected with the trade of Melbourne dur-
ing the past two years demonstrate the utter impossibi-
lity of regulating supplies from distant markets with the
present defective system of communication. Our prin-
cipal imports have been from three sources—from the
neighbouring colonies, from America (North and South),
and from the British Islands. Our trade with the Aus-
tralian colonies has been lucrative to all concerned.
Almost invariably such goods only have been ordered
and transmitted as were in demand, and a fair,
and in
many cases a splendid profit has been realised. Next,
in reference to the American trade, it
-- was at first
almost entirely in the hands of inexperienced persons.
Their first ventures were trial shipments, and many
of them, as a matter of course, were unprofitable. But
with that remarkable aptitude for business, which
is a characteristic of Americans, the branches of
houses from America established here have become tho-
roughly "posted," and now we believe that no trade in
the world is established on sounder or safer principle.
than that between Victoria and the 'Unite() States.
In reference to the trade with the United Kingdom
the contrast is so marked, the over-trading—the
mad-
ness, we may say—has been so great and so suicidal,
that, to persons who do not know the facts, the most
plain and prosaic recital will be deemed exaggeration.
At this risk, however, we shall detail a few facts.
About the middle of 1853, it became evident that sup-
plies far beyond our requirements were pouring into Mel-
bourne. Of this due notice was given, and we can vouch
that for many months nothing but. the most gloomy
odically to En
com-
mercial accounts have gone pen gland. Let
us examine what effect these have had. We shall speak
chiefly of the trade of Melbourne, but in order that our
readers may understand its relative proportion to that
of the whole colony, we may mention that in 1;53, when
the imports of Victoria were valued at 15,842,6371.,
those of Melbourne were 14,093,351/. We have stated
that' in the middle of 1853 it was discovered that ship-
ments were excessive. The climax was in the first quar-
ter of 1854, when the value of imports at Melbourne
was 5,303,1841.
But the subsequent imports were as follow :
Second quarter .................. £3,252,884
Third quarter ........................... 3,854,350
And we cannot estimate the fourth
quarter at less than ............... 3,000,000
Add for first quarter, as above ....•• 5,303,184

X 15,418,418
So that, notwithstanding this continued statements