The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-02 00:00:00

AUSTRALIA.

SOUTHAMPTON, JAN. 1.
The- General Screw Steam-shipping Company's
steam-ship Lady Jocelyn, Captain Bird, arrived
here this evening from Australia, after a protracted
passage, arising from adverse weather.
This steamer sailed from Sydney on the 23d of
September, from Port Philip October 1, the Falk-
land Islands November 5, and Bahia on the 2d of
December. During the passage from Port Philip
to Cape Horn the winds prevailing were easterly ;
throughout the regions of the south-east trades the
winds were from -N. to N.E., which rendered it
necessary for the ship to put into Bahia for coals.
At this port she was detained in all six days, owing
to quarantine being imposed, although no sickness
existed on board. Sinee leaving the Brazil coast
the Lady Jocelyn has experienced N.E. trade
winds, with favourable weather. She fell in with
icebergs on the passage to Cape Horn, and at tne
Falkland Islands, where she touched for supplies,
the existence of great quantities of ice in lower
latitudes than usual was affirmed. The supplies
received at the Falkland Islands consisted of live
stock, most of that supplied at Melbourne having
been lost in the bad weather.
The Lady Jocelyn brings about 100 passengers
and a large freight of gold and specie, including
2,011 ounces of gold and 54,960/. Bs. 6h. for Syd-
ney, and 80,385 ounces of gold and 75,8091. ss. 6d.
from Melbourne—total, 82,396 ounces, value
329,5841., and 130,7691. 14s. in specie, equal in all
to 4q9353/. 14s. sterling. The freight list also
Mai %Ikon 73 •baba wool, 5 caskii

-
) _

auriferous earth, 6 casks firearms, 29 cases silk
goods, 686 cakes copper, and a general cargo ; also
1,532 bags coffee from Bahia.

- - On-the3d December the Lady Jocelyn passed a
large steamer standing to the westward, supposed
to be the Royal mail steam-ship Severn ; on the 4th
exchanged signals with an English bark, showing
third distinguishing pendant, No. 106 ; on the Sth
spoke the English bark Reuben, from Bahia, bound
to Liverpool ; and on the 9th, the English brig
Amelia Hill.

The news brought by this steamer from Sydney
has been anticipated via Panama.
From Port Philip we have accounts to October
the Ist, but beyond the usual commercial and
mercantile intelligence the papers are quite desti-
tute of interest.

From the interior and mining districts there was
nothing new.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

MELBOURNE, OCT. 1.
The price of gold remains without alteration—viz.,
at 4/. per ounce to diggers.
In banking or monetary affairs there has been no
change this week.

NV; regret that we cannot verify the rumours of an
improved state of trade this week. The principal houses
concur i❑ stating that the markets are still very languid,
and that sales are effected with difficulty at the low quo-
tations which rule. There does not appear to be a single
branch of trade which is exempt from this depression,
while in some cases -there is a further downward ten-
(l,:ncy. This is particularly the case in regard to Van
Diemen's Land produce and in some portions of the gro-
cery trade.

The flour trade remains steady at last week's quota-
tions. A further lot of Chilian wheat was sold yester-
day ; it was not so much damaged by weevil as the pre-
vious arriva:, and reached 9.3. 9d. per bushel.
The arrivals of the week, independent of the inter-
colonial traffic, have included seven ships from
Great Britain, three from Eastern ports, and one from
Spain, the whole being of the aggregate burden of 5,072
tons. , These vessels have added about 1,250 to our po-
pulation, including 200 Chinese.
The following is the weekly return of the number of
vessels and passengers arrived, and of the number of
vessels cleared at the port of Melbourne, from Sept. 22
to Sept. 28 inclusive

Number of vessels arrived, 23—viz., 12 from Austra-
lian colonies, 7 from Great Britain, 1 from Hong Kong,
2 from Calcutta, and 1 from Cadiz.

Tonnage of the above :—lntercolonial, 5,455 tons ;
British, 3,820 tons ; ditto (coloni31), 1,110 tons ;
Spanish,. 142 tons. Aggregate, 10,528 tons.
Passengers by the above, 1,647—viz., 196 cabin and
1,451 intermediate and steerage, of whom were—front
neighbouring colonies 147 cabin and 242 intermediate,
&c. ; from Great Britain and Calcutta 42 cabin, 962 in-
termediate, &c. ; from Ilong Kong seven cabin and 247
intermediate, &c.

Number of vessels cleared out in the same period, 42
—viz., 31 for Australian ports, 1 for Ceylon, and 10 for
foreign ports.
Tonnage of the above.—lntercolonial, 6,788 tons ;
British colonial, 1,200 tons; foreign, 530 tons. Aggre-
gate,ll,333 tons.
The escorts from Mount Alexander and Ballarat ar-
rived at the Gold-office Department of the Chief Com-
missioner of Goldfields yesterday, at the appointed hour,
and brought the fol'owing returns, viz..—

Qtimttity.

Name of Gold-field. Gold. Cash. No. of last
oz. dwts. £ s. d. receipt.
Castlemaine
S-andhurst ,... .. 10,145 10 551 5 2 27,729*
Ballaßat
Avoca
Creswick's Creek'
Fryer's Creek l2 0 1,514*
Mount FrAnklyn.
Tarrengower
Maryborongh 5,1'4 10 603 0 0 318*
Avoca, for Geelong 520 0 . 127*
Ditte;Adelaide lB 10 19*
Sandhurst, do.
B dla,rat
Creswick's Creek

Total 36,602 0 2,393 3 2
* These returns include all gold and cash deposited up to
the 26th of September, 1851.
The official return of the estimated value of imports
and exports for the past week again shows a high figure
for the first-nained item. The exports consist wholly of
withdrawals from this market, principally for foreign
ports. It is instructive to mark the large amount of
these exports, consisting of articles which might be easily
produced in the colony, and which, if a commencement
were male in good earnest to supply our wants with
colonial ,produce, would obviate that lack of employ-
ment which is now so loudly complained of in this part
of the colony. For example, we select the following
articles from the present list—viz., butter and cheese,
fish, flour and bread, fruits (dried and green), confec-
tionery, grain, hops, beer and cider, hays, live stock, po-
tatoes, oatmeal, salted and preserved provisions, and
vegetables,—and we find their value stated at 86,9821.,
nearly 87,0001. for one week. Surely here is an ample
field for the absorption of all our present spare labour
and all the additions that are likely to be made to it for
a long tine to come. What do the members of the new
Fishing Company think of their prospects if room is
found to import fish to the value of over 3,0001. in one
week to this colony ? Let our readers scrutinize the list
of articles we have adduced, and convince themselves by
the evidence of practical men how capable this soil and
climate is of producing the whole of them in abundance.
BA.LLARAT, SEPT. 22.
_ _ _

Since my last I am happy to say that the languid
state of business which Ballarat has been labouring under
for the last few months has now nearly disappeared, and
I hope is now on the eve of resuming its former healthy
tone.

Goods of all descriptions are now asked for, especially
groceries and provisions. The following prices were
realised at auction during the week :

Flour, Adelaide, 551. to 53/. ; seconds, 501. to 531.,
no demand ; hay, 501., market full ; oats, 20s. to 245.
per 401 b. ; bran, 10s. to 12s. per 201 b. ; tea, congon, 81.
to 81. 10s. per chest ; first-class sugars much wanted.
In rice large arrivals, but dull sales. English hams,
is. 6d. to 1e.,8d. ; American hams, is. to ls. 2d. Ba-
con, really good, in great demand ; inferior, plenty.
Preserved meats are now asked for. Wines and spirits
no change in price, but stocks heavy. In boots and
shoes there is no change. Drapery, with the exception
of summer clothing and double-width calico, is never
asked for. At the Clarendon livery stables' auction sales
the prices realised during the week have been rather
higher.
Draught horses, 701. to 90/. ; inferior, 301. to 501. ;
good useful hacks, 351. to 551. ; inferior ditto, 181. to
251. ; bullocks, from 81. to 101. ; sheep, 20s. to 235.

VAN DIEMEN'S LAND MARKETS.

LAUNCESTON, SEPT. 27.

There is really nothing doing in the export-market.
It is almost impossible to give quotations. Wheat is
variously mentioned at 13s. to 13s. 6d., and 14s. ; but
we believe few are inclined to buy. Flour and oats, no
transactions.'
Provisions—Since our last fresh butter has been re-
ceived in town in oonsiderable quantities. Retailers
have reduced their price 3d. in the pound for this ar-
ticle, and potted is a drag in the market. There are
numbers of sellers of the latter, but no buyers. Fresh
butter, 2s. per lb. to the trade ; pork, is. to 18. 2d.
per lb.
Timber—Broad paling from 255. to 265. ; dull of sale.
Sawn timber, 20s. per 100 feet; no demand.