The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-28 00:00:00

SPAIN.

MADRID, May 27.
The rumour that the Minister of Finance would
:ender his resignation is unfounded.

AUSTRALIAN FLOOD.—The Clarence Examiner,
describing the recent great flood, says :—" We be-
lieve the utmost point reached by the inundation may be
stated at about 24ft. above high-water mark. We need
hardly point out how immense a body of water is requisite
to occasion a rise of 24ft. in a river so large as the Clarence,
which varies from about 600 yards to half a mile at Graf-
ton, with a deep channel, and which had to inundate so
large a flat of country before attaining that height. Pro-
bably no single heavy rain would have done it, but the
continued wet weather had filled up the creeks and swamps
everywhere, and had saturated the earth so that when
heavy rains did come at last no more could be taken up, and
the whole rainfall found its way at once into the river, and
' came down with such rapidity that at Tabulam and Yates,
flats the great rise only preceded by a few hours the appear-
ance of the same water at Grafton, a distance which former
floods have taken about two days to travel. In Grafton
itself the parties injured aro principally the main store-
keepers in Princes-street, although there are few streets
in which some loss has not been sustained. In Duke-street
the mere tops of cottages peeped above the water. All the
farmers on the Southgate Creek, and on the rivers near to
it, were washed out of their houses and fled to Southgate
Station, and to Mr. Boorman's, at which place sixty people
were assembled at one time. At Copmanhurst. Smith's
Flat, the water rose very high, destroying a quantity of
wheat; and ix some parts the corn was 60 feet under
water, a large portion of which is not yet visible. All along
the river the destruction of farm produce and furniture is
pitiful to see. Some of the ripe coin may recover, but the
green crops cannot, and there are parts where all is cut away
together by timber and ty the rush of water. Tabulam ap-
pears to have suffered most severely. By a messenger who
arrived in Grafton on Friday we ascertain the melancholy
loss of four men there. The water made a sudden rush on
Saturday, which carried away eeven loaded drays with their
teams, drowning the unfortunate men and destroying the
property. Mr. D. M'Lcan swam with Graham's boy on his
back for half a mile. The post office at Tabulam and all the
letters for the Clarence were carried away. Constable Foy
had previously removed his wife and family and returned
to the Courthouse. Young Jordan afterwards made an at-
tempt to assist him, but failed. Foy appears to have perfectly
made up his mind to be lost, and to have met his fate with
much firmness. He stated that be could not swim, and he
knew nothing could save him. For half an hour before
he was swept away he was seen on his knees as if pray-
was
the
awayn fevreormthe exchangedtopo
f haiswhoroduswe.ithThtheewmb.
ing, and although within speaking distance of those on
oleHCeouwrat-s
Sunday,
house, constable's residence, end lock-up are destroyed. The
bodies of the three draymen (father, son, and brother-in-
The young Jordans and Mr. M'Lean swam to
law) were seen floating near each other past Yulgilbar on
several persons who had been 24 hours clinging to trees, and
liveswe
by
meansr saved ropes brought them to places of safety. Several
by them in this manner. We have accounts
of the loss of nine lives. Altogether, the district has suf-
fered a heavy blow, and we trust that mutual forbearance
and assistance will be the general rule of conduct, so as to
allow pat ties time to recover."