The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-21 00:00:00

THE SUN,

of the whole of his money and effects, barely saving
his journals and instruments. He resolved, however,
to proceed with his operations, and was happily as-
sisted therein and encouraged by his European friends
at Beirout. After having traced the course of the
wild and romantic Leontes, be thoroughly explored
the whole of Galilee —the northern portion of which,
Belad Besharab, has hitherto been almost unknown
owing to the savage character of the inhabitants, who
do not allow Europeans to pass through their country,
or make travelling very hazardous when they do. M.
Van de Velde owed his success mainly to his being so
fortunate as to meet with the Seikhs of Belad Be-
sharah, who were assembled at Tibnin when he
arrived there, and whose favour he secured. They
enabled him to travel unmolested, and gave him an
amount of information which be could not otherwise
have obtained. He also discovered the sites and ruins
of important ancient places ; among which may be
mentioned Hazor and several Pixenician towns. The
Waly of Korrain, with the castle of the same name,
south of Tibnin and the surrounding parts, were
found to be the most beautiful region of Galilee ;
abounding in perennial streams, luxuriant
vegetation, noble forests, and romantic scenery—
yet possessing scarcely any inhabitants. M. Van de
Velde went thence to Aces, surveying the surround-
ing country ; and proceeding to Mount Carmel,
which interesting but little known region he tho-
roughly explored. Continuing his survey tow, rds
the south, through Samaria, he discovered the cities
of Dothan, Ai, and other important places. From Jeru-
salem be visited the region along the western region of
the Dead Sea—a dreadful desert of weary mountains
and without water. The shores of the Dead Sea itself
were not omitted; and careful investigations were
made, in order to verify the discoveries of certain re-
cent expeditions in that quarter—the correctness of
many of which, however, M. Van de Velde found
serious grounds for doubting. He then extended his
journey on the western side as far as Beersheba_
crossing in various directions the country between
that place and the ancient thence and
returning once
more to Jerusalem. From thence he continued his
explorations of the northern portions of Judaea, as
far as Jordan and the Dead Sea, and thence he pro-
ceeded northwards—making the eastern portion of
Samaria (chiefly from Sichem to the Jordan) his
field of observation, ascertaining and identify-
ing the sites and ruins of Akrabi, Daumeh,
Fasailus, the oasis of Kurrawa, Wady el Feryab,
and other interesting points. He then crossed the
Jordan about where, according to ancient writers,
Pella should he situated; and ho had the satisfaction
of finding the ruins as first discovered by Irby and
Mangles, whose statement and description—hitherto
looked on as rather doubtful, he entirely corroborates.
The. region round Beizan. Mount Tabor, Nazareth,
Nam and Endor, Snnen, Jezreel, and the Lake of
of Tiberias, next claimed his attention. His design
to extend his survey to the east of that lake was un-
happily frustrated by the wars then going on in those
parts between the Druses and the Bedouins. He
therefore followed the valley of the Jordan to the
Hulsh Lake and the sources of that river, after hav-
ing previously made another tour into Samaria. Again
reaching Mount Lebanon, he ascended the peak
Tomat-Niha, which affords a very magnificent view
and a most valuable point for observation—the range
of vision extending over the whole of Samaria. He
then went across Lebanon and anti-Lebanon to Da-
mascus—returned from that place to Ccele-Syria—
explored there the sources of the Orontes, and mi-
nutely investigated the wonderful monuments in that
region—and after surveying various other parts of
Mount Lebanon, he made his way to Beirout on his
return to Europe.
During the whole of this extensive and laborious
survey, Lieut. Van de Velde had withstood the
dangers of the climate ; but on reaching the coast of
Sidon he was attacked by fever, and would probably
have fallen its victim, had he not at once determined
on being carried into a boat and conveyed by sea to
Beirout, where be went on board the steamer, which
soon after bore him in health and safety to Trieste.
The results of this undertaking are said to be of the
utmost importance to the geography of the Holy
Land. In addition to his surveys and scientific ob-
servations, M. Van de Velde has, we are informed,
made no less than one hundred sketches of the most
interesting points visited by him, of which very few
have been seen before by any European. It is to be
hoped that his labours will soon be laid before the
public.—Atheneum.

THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE
BRISTOL AND EXETER RAILWAY.

- --
TAUNTON, SEPT. 18.—This morning, at ten o'clock,
the adjourned inquest on the body of Lambert Eaton,
the engineer who was killed on the Bth inst. on the Bris-
tol and Exeter Railway at Creech, near Taunton, was
resumed at the Taunton and Somerset County Hos-
pital, when, after hearing the additional evidence, the
jury delivered the following verdict :
" That Lambert Eaton, the driver of engine No. 20,
working the express train down, on Wednesday, the Bth
day of September, 1852, died on Monday, the 13th day
September, 1852, from injuries received by reason of
the said engine, No. 20, getting off the line of the Bristol
and Exeter Railway, near the invert, in the pariah of
Creech St. Michael, near Taunton, and that there has
not been any direct or satisfactory evidence to prove
by what means such engine, No. 20, was thrown off the
said line or occasioned the accident and death of the
said Lsmbert Eaton. The jury unanimously recom-
mend the attention of the engineers of the Bristol and
Exeter Railway to the state of the substratum and
packing of that portion of the said railway leading
from the western terminus of the invert at Creech St.
Michael.

DISFIGUREMENT OF THE NEW ROYAL
EXCHANGE._ . _ _

The Gresham committee met on Wednesday last on
the subject of the objection taken to the alteration par-
tially made in this fine building by bringing forward the
shops in its external walls. The committee was called
at the instance of the Lord Mayor, who is chairman ex
officio, and who had very properly suggested that the
works should be suspended until the matter could be
discussed in the Court of Common Council, under
the notice of motion given by Mr. Norris for Thursday
next.
We have not been able to learn any of the particulars
of the discussion in the committee, but we have ascer-
tained the result, which is, that the Gresham committee
have declined either to suspend the works or alter the
avowed determination. The report of this result has
been received with disappointment and regret by those
who feel an interest in the character of our national
buildings. To them it appears that the irregularity and
want of uniformity (presuming that every sacrifice is to
be made to pecuniary considerations) will do great dis-
honour to the city of London in the very centre of its
place of moat conspicuous improvement ; and it
is believed that a powerful effort will be
made by the Corporation to prevent the more
than contemplated mischief. It is reported that the
contract for the alterations projected has been taken at
about 1,4001., but there is every reason to believe that
this sum will be much exceeded. It is also said that the
money has been borrowed from the Bank of England at
a very low rate of interest, and that the tenants who re-
quire the alterations are to pay rents at the rate of 5 per
cent. on the building. From this circumstance of the
increased,rents the great irregularity complained of ap-
parently arises. Some of the tenants wish that their
shops should be brought forward, and are willing to pay
the expenses which must attend the alterations. Others
of the tenants object to such a proposition. The conse-
quence of this disagreement is, that out of twelve spaces
on the south side of the Royal Exchange, eight are al-
r.lairti:satnioia.
d four remain in their original condition. At
the SOlatil•eitit corner two out of three have undergone
and one is
take place it.
and the whole of
list the east end two are now being altered,
inpainted and finished as if no change were to
We understand that
have been loud
effort made to derives
inAththteetihre east side only two are altered,
the Gresham committee to "
that all argumentatirneogrthro
opi-
nions of the public. si:cle..frrmains untouched.
several distinguished foreigners
condemnation of the despicable
such a source, and
be adopted to induce
respect the feelings and

Z.E LD S .
The letters received from the .
AUSTRALIAN GOLD
tralia n colonies
extend to the 19th of Jun
Rain had been
inclusive.the parties at
very abundant, which had greatly impeded the gold
diggers, but these were again resuming operations
with general success. len some cases n
work were realising very large sums. An instance
is mentioned of one man alone obtaining 72 Ounces
of gold in one day, and a party of four men had ob-
tained several splendid specimens at the Louisa Creek,
one nugget alone weighed 157 ounces, and the rest
were also very valuable. The Meroo and its tribu-
taries had received a large accession to its popula-
tion, while large numbers of persons have flocked to
the Stock Yards, Tamboroora Creek, Golden Gully,
and Bald Hill, being attracted thither by the
reports of their extraordinary richness. The water
is the Turon was too high to admit of any reasonable
prospect of successful operations in the bed claims of
that river, and the diggers had left for other localities.
A new field of great promise had been discovered about
50 miles west of Molong. The Braidwood diggings
I were flooded. The gold licences issued to the 31st of
March last, for Sydney and Melbourne, amounted to
120,2501. Owing to the arrival of large remittances
of specie from England the price of gold at Sydney
had advanced considerably, and the latest price was
665. to 665. 6d. per ounce at Sydney, and 645. per
ounce at Melbourne, with the prospect of a further
itt_dvance. A very large amount of business had
"en transacted at these rates. The Money Market
1
at both places was easier, and the banks had resumed
advances o
the deposit of gold. The shipments of
gold from
Sydneye up tr; the sth June, amounted, at
' the rate of Ss
whilst from Melbourne
ez , to the sum of 1,464,6851.,
the exports to the 22d of May
only, had been tohe extent of 32 tons 4 cwts. 2 qrs.
tlu9rlnbsed. 8actz.2,328)
which,
9081. The
at 655. per ounce, is re-
The value of the shipments
from both places in the London market may be esti-
mated at 4,500,0001 The excitement in the trade