The Sun.
London, England, 1852-10-14 00:00:00

THE SUN,

MINERALS AT THE CAPE.
(From the Cape Papers.)
DISCOVERY OF COAL AT NATAL.
GOVERNMENT NOTICE.—(NO. 50, 1852
Colonial-office, Natal, J my 21.
The Lieutenant-Government directs the publication
of the following report, for general information.
By command of the Lieutenant-Governor,
S. B. GORDON, Acting Secretary to Government.
Surveyor-General's Office, July 21..
Sir,—l have the honour to state that, in
ance with the directions of his Honour the Lieute-
nant-Governor, issued in consequence of a discovery
—for the communication of which we are indebted to
Robert Dixon, Esq., agent for Messrs. Chiappaniand
Co., of Cape Town--I have inspected the indications
of coal on the coast, near Compensation, the property
of E. Morewood, EV:11 about forty miles from
D'Urban.
In this inspection, I have availed myself of the
valuable assistance of Messrs. Madigan and Turner.
The vein of coal shows itself on the side of the
cliffs overhanging the sea ; it is a distinct and very
remarkable feature.
The outer crust of the coal, exposed as it has been
for ages to the action of the air, is very difficult to
kindle ; at the depth of a few inches this disadvantage
sensibly diminishes. I have seen the coal used in a
smithy at Compensation, where every process of
heating and welding iron is performed with the
greatest facility.
The stratum of coal and the cliff is not more than
about two feet in breadth, and under several super-
incumbent strata of clay, slate, sandstone, &c. Tnis
at once forbids the hope of working it with advantage
in the immediate neighbourhood of the coast.
At the entrance of a small cave, however, the
stratum of coal is seen to dip inland, and with a sen-
sible increase in its breadth. It is, therefore, pro-
bable that at some distance inland the vein may
be of sufficient breadth to be profitably worked—
and it is still more probable that below the first
vein, a second more copious and of superior quality,
may be found. But this favourable conjecture re-
quires corroboration by boring, before the discovery
of coal near the coast can be pronounced important.
I have made arrangements for the conveyance of
six waggon-loads of coal to the Custom House at
D'Urban, in order that the officers of the steamer,
now daily expected, may have it in their power to
test its quality and value for steam navigation.—l have
the honour, &c.
Joins BIRD, Acting Surveyor-General.
The Honourable the Acting Secretary to
Government, Pietermaritzburg.
Fine samples of coal from this newly-discovered
bed have bean exhibited in Pietermaritzburg, during
the past week. Certainly the thing, to all appear-
ance, augurs something real, and the coal we have
seen is as pure as any we have seen from Europe.
A quantity is to be shipped for trial on board the
steamer.
A fine vein of coal, equal to any from Newcastle,
has been discovered upon the farm of Mr. J. C.
Boshof, at the Mooi river, about forty miles from
Pietermaritzburg. Several other mineral productions
of value, as saltpetre, &c., have been found in the
same vicinity. These, with other indisputable signs
of wealth in the Natal territory, stamp the country
with an importance that can scarcely be overrated.
GOLD AT NATAL.—TaIk about gold, copper, and
the other valuable minerals of Natal ! How can
they be found to avail if they are not sought for ?
That the country is rich in all the useful minerals
is already demonstrated ; but what of this knowledge
unless it be turned to practical use? Mr. Herschel
Babbage was sent out to Australia to undertake a
minearological and geological survey of the colony,
and a reward of 1,0001. was offered for the discovery
of gold. Let such encouragement be held out to
Natal, and we will not limit the result. The coal of
Mr. Morewood's is infinitely better than the big
lumps of gold. We find nothing in the papers to
confirm the discovery of gold in the Water Kloof.

SALE OF THE MANORS AND ESTATES
OF GOSFORTH.
BY MR, ALDERMAN FARERROTHER, AT NEWCASTLE.
The sale by auction, under decrees of the digh Court
of Chancery, of the important, extensive, and valuable
estates and manors of North and South Gosforth, with
the capital mansions called Gosforth House and Low
Gosforth House, the Seaton Burn and Coxlodge Estates,
with a number of valuable farms, comprising upwards of
4,500 acres of land, also Gosforth Colliery and part of
Coxlodge Colliery, with mines, way leaves, and other
rents, took place on Wednesday and Thursday, 6th
and 7th October, at the Queen's Head Hotel at
Newcastle. This domain, one of the most important
in the county of Northumberland, was the property of
the Rev. Ralph Henry Brandling, who inherited it on
the death of his brother, Charles John Brandling, Esq,
M.P. for the county of Northumberland, which took
place in 1826.
Lot 1. Comprising %the manors of North and South
Gosforth, capital mansion called Gosforth House, with
the park, gardens, lake, woods, seven hundred and
ninety acres of valuable land, of which three hundred
and sixty-two are in wood, and forty-nine in lakes, &c.,
&c., were pat up at 22,0001. The biddings were spirited
till the sum of 25,100/. was reached, when Thomas
Smith, Esq., tenant of the mansion, was declared the
purchaser.
Lot 2. A desirable and highly valuable freehold
estate and mansion called Low Gosforth, with forty
acres of park-like land, gardens, extensive out-offices,
&c., together with two hundred and eighty-seven acres
of rich land, of which forty-nine are in wood, &c., were
put up at 15,0001., and it was finally knocked down to
Jos ph Lsycock, Esq, of Winlaton, for 20,1001.)
The purchase money of each of these lots will be
greatly increased in consequence of the timbor grow-
ing upon them, which is both extensive and valuable,
and which, 'according to the conditions of sale, is to
be taken at a valuation. Lots 5 to 39 realised sums
amounting in the aggregate to 149,8901.
Lots 3 and 4 were put up.together. The former com-
prised tl,p freehold estate and residence called Seaton
Burn Muse, with pleasure grounds, garden, &c., and
one hundred and thirty-three acres of rich land; the
latter the freehold estate called the Six Mile Bridge
Farm, containing one hundred and ninety-nine acres of
land, a number of cottages, houses, three parcels of
land containing seven acres, &c., was put up:at 10,0001.,
and knocked down, after spirited competition, to -Riddell
Robson, Esq., of Whoriton, for 15,000/.
Lot 40. Gosforth Colliery, reserved at 22,5001.
Lot 41. Gosforth Colliery Royalty, reserved at 21,5001
Lot 42. 4-9 ths-of Coxlodge Colliery, reserved at 5,4001.
Lot 43. Royalty of Seaton Barn, reserved at 4,5001.
The amount altogether produced by the sale was
184,920/., exclusive of the value of the timber, realised
by absolute sales; whilst the value of the reserved pro-
perty on the biddings in the aggregate amounts to
79,0701. It would thus appear that the market value
of this fine property in its entirety cannot be far short
of 300,0001.

Scowmu CENTRAL RAlLWAY.—Traffic for the Week
ending Oct. 10, 1852 :
Passengers (10,826), parcels, horses,
and carriages ... £1,162 16 44
Goods, cattle, &c. „.. ... 902 12 1 ,

".• Total •• 2,065; 8 5i
•• •••
Corresponding week in last year...]
.1,864 12
Perth, Oct. 13, 1852.

FEROCITY or A CAT.—A fine child about ten years
of age, the daughter of Mr. Cornwall, a superannuated
Methodist preacher, residing at Nun's Island in this town,
came by her death this week, as we are informed, in a
very unusual manner. It seems that, among the domestic
animals of the house, this gentleman had a cat, which was
in the habit of lying upon his children when asleep, and
on a recent occasion scratched one of them severely. The
animal was, in consequence, ordered to be drowned,: and
the servant accordingly tied a stone to its neck, and flung
it into the river. It was, of course, supposedAto be dead,
but after a week it re-appeared at the house in a very
famished and wild-looking condition. Having got into one
of the upper rooms, it was shut in there by the family,
who were terrified by its ferocious appearance, and wished
to starve it to death. In a short time, however, it got out
of its prison while the family were at prayers, with the
exception of the deceased child, who happened to be
asleep in the kitchen. The cat instantly attacked her
in the most furious manner, and, before any assistance
could be rendered, had torn her face and throat so dread-
fully as to cause her death in a few days. Galway Mercury.
The mercantile advices from the continent present
no new feature. From Paris the accounts continue to de-
scribe an increase of the speculative mania, and the high
rates paid for carrying on transactions from month to month
show the unsoundness of its basis. New operators, it is said,
schemes
hand,
come in from the provinces every day, and a large number
r
market, investmentston
thein tohtehe
of persons are led to sell land and other fixed property to
nitoackke
oefxhthibeithsoruern.
ewTehdedVisiternusnta,
and the rate of exchange on London is again as high as
11.26. At Amsterdam there has been no important altera-
tion, except in Spanish, which has experienced a decided
impulse from the recent decree. The plan for the conversion
of the Dutch Four per Cents. had not yet been promulgated,
but it is understood that the Minister contemplates bringing
about at the time of its introduction some desirable reforms
in the existing system for the administration of the debt.
TUE MILITIA PAY ACT.—It is provided by the
Militia Pay Act, which is to continue in force until the let of
September next, that the officers and non-commissioned
officers, drummers, and private
men of the regular militia
shall, for the period or periods during which they shall be
called out for the purpose of exercise or training, be entitled
to the same pay and allowances as the officers, non-commis-
sinned officers, drummers, and private men. of the militia
when embodied.
"110 FOR AUSTRALIA I"—The new clipper Dolphin,
owned by Butler Brothers, sailed from New York with a
large number of passengers bound for the gold diggings in
Australia. Many of them are of the better class, if we can
judge from their appearance, and the amount of specie they
carried with them, which varied from 1,000 dollars to 50,000
dollars each. They were all supplied with shovels and picks
to commence finding the root of all evil. They went out
uith a fair wind, having the studding sails all set, and all
appeared in good spirits
at the prospect of their long voyage.
—.New York Paper.

„ i
SCARCITY OF SILVER COlNAGE.—Considerable n-
ct ,nvenience in minor commercial transactions arises daily
fr 3111 the extreme scarcity of silver. It has become next to
it fpossible to procure change even for small notes. For some
eeks past persons wanting the change even of a pound
nc.te have been obliged to search from twelve to twenty
ah ops before they could be accommodated. If silver cannot
bE! had in sufficient abundance for coinage, a gold coinage
of five shilling and two shilling pieces will. be essential.
Mere at least some effort should be made to procure a supply
of small coinage, otherwise the shop trade will be in a dead
-lock.,7Galecay Packet.