The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-06 00:00:00

COMMUNICATION WITH .THE BRITISH FLEET

IN THE MEDITERRANEAN.

MAusaLLEs, April 30.—The arrangements, or rather
want of arrangements, of the British Government
for communicating with the Mediterranean fleet, has
excited the surprise of most British travellers who
have recently visited Malta and this
,place. If the
Government had a steamer stationed here, they would
have, by means of the electric telegraph, the admiral
commandinf the fleet stationed at Malta within
three days communication from the Admiralty at
Charing-cross,— an arrangement surely of no little
importance at the present time,- when political
affairs in the Levant are wearing such a critical appear-
ance, and the expectation of sailing orders for the fleet
was the general subject of conversation at Malta. Yet,
strange to say, while four or five steamers have been for
months lying idle at Malta, and might just as well have
been doing nothing here, or at least one of them, there
is no means of conveying a telegraphic or other dispatch
to Malta except by waiting, perhaps a fortnight, for the
packet conveying the outward India mail, or of hiring
that packet at a heavy expense, and interrupting the
course of that important mail. Surely such a neglect of
ordinary precaution requires some public notice.—Daily
iVewa.

POLTIMORE COPPER AND GOLD MINING COMPANY.—
A general meeting of this company was held yester-
day. A very favourable report, showing a balance of
20,0001. in the bankers' hands, was presented and Una-
nimously adopted. Mr. Wilson, of the firm of Raw-
lins, Watson, and Co., smelters, of Liverpool, attended,
and engaged to take 300 tons of ore per week, and to
pay the company 41. 4s. per ton for it. It was shown
that, after paying the, freight to Liverpool, a cent.
per cent. profit • would remain, while, if smelted at
the works, as contemplated, much more might be rea-
lised. A specimen of the .gold, weighing 264 oz. 23
carats fine, taken from 20 tons of gossan, was produced,
and, after some discussion as to the propriety of imme-
diately erecting machinery for reducing the ore on the
premises, it was agreed to postpone that question until
the next meeting, when the results of Captain Moorsom's
experiments in smelting at the Britannia Mines, adjoin-
ing, would be known.
THE ADELAIDE STEAMER.—The St. Helena Herald, of
the 10th March, 'alludes as follows to the departure,
from St. Helena, of the Adelaide steamer :—" The Ade-
laide steamer is away at last, after a stay in our roads
of 13 days, and after having taken on board about 330
tons of wood and 90 tons of coal. The stir produced by
bringing the wood into town is over ; the driving of
carts, the cavalcades of timber-laden donkeys, and the
constant presence of the farmers with their firewood, had
Made among us a considerable amount of bustle ; and
when to this is, added the fact that about 150 passengers
were constantly parading our streets, it will be evident
this little town had all the appearance of a place of con-
sequence. The arrival here of the Adelaide forms ano-
ther argument for making St. Helena a regular coaling
station for steamers outward bound. In looking at a
map we cannot avoid' the conviction
,that there is not
one spot more fitted between the Land's-end and Table
Bay, and it can only be owing to some mistake in the
information received by the directors of steam companies
that it has not been made a calling place long since.
The energy and expedithn displayed in supplying the
different steamers that have touched here is remarkable,
considering the sudden and unexpected demands that
have been made by these Vessels. Our different mer-
chants have been found united_ together to afford each
other every assistance. The men have frequently been
keg at work almost the whole of the night, and 200 or
300 tons of coal have been put on board in an incredibly
ho rt period."