The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-22 00:00:00

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam-
ship Bengal, Captain Henry Powell, arrived yester-
day at Southampton, at four o'clock, and landed
mails from the following places and dates, in charge
of Lieutenant Stevens, R.N., the Admiralty agent.
Her dates of sailing were :—Alexandria, March
6th ; Malta, 11th ; Gibraltar, 15th.
The passengers by the Bengal were :—First
cabin, 55 ; second, 11 ; children, 12 ; seamen, 22;
total, 100—amongst whom are Messrs. Pember-
ton, Sparkes, aneMercer, from New South Wales.
The former of these gentlemen has, perhaps, for the
first time on record, circumnavigated the world by
steam, having gone out in the Great Britain to
Melbourne and Sydney, and returned by the
Chusan to Singapore, and thence by the Company's
other steamers to Southampton ; Drs. Ross, Thomp-
son, and Fitzpatrick ; Majors Killoe, Phibbs, and
Norgate (Calcutta) ; Capt. Cawell, 3d Dragoons,
and Lieut. King, from Bombay ; Major Northey,
Hon. A. Legge, from Malta ; Messrs. Ehress, &c.,
from Gibraltar.

The freight of the Bengal consists of 16 packages
of specie, in value unknown, 402 bales of silk, 152
bales of flax, 46 bags of nuts, 187 bags of wool, 56
elephants' tusks, 50 boxes of oranges, 25 boxes of
dates, and 160 packages of general merchandise.
Stations of her Majesty's Ships.—At Malta,
Rear-Admiral Dundas's fleet. At Gibraltar, H.M.
steam-ship Furious, and Antelope packet.
The Peninsular and Oriental steam-ship Tagus
left Gibraltar for Cadiz on the evening of the 14th,
with the homeward Peninsular mails.
Stations of Vessels of War of Foreign States.
At Alexandria, the usual Egyptian fleet.
On 14th, 40 miles east of Cape Degatt, passed a
square-rigged ship flying a St. George's Ensign, and
distinguising pendant No. 5,480 ; supposed to be
a yacht ; she was about 400 tons, and steering E.
Ships observed on the voyage.—At noon, on the
11th, 60 miles west of Malta, exchanged colours
with the Haddington, and at 10 a.m. on the 12th
instant, the Indus, 12 miles west of Gibraltar, or
310 from Malta. The screw steamer Livonio entered
Gibraltar Bay on the 15th, whilst the Bengal was
lying there, and leave for Liverpool the same day.
When off Tariffa, same day, passed an apparently
new steamer, showing Austrian colours and steer-
ing for Gibraltar.
The Bengal, on her outward passage met with
favourable weather, and performed the distance to
Alexandria in 11 days 4 hours, going an average of
114 nearly. On her homeward passage, she has
experienced a succession of strong head winds all
the way from Alexandria, and on the 16th, coming
up the coast of Portugal, met with a severe gale,
flying round from W. to N.W., blowing in the
squalls furiously. She behaved uncommonly well,
and proved herself a first-rats sea-boat, shipping no
water, and going along smoothly. She carrAed this
strong breeze to Fimsterre, a-id after rounding
that, they met with hard N,E. and E. gales across
the Bay, with squalls of hail, snow, and very cold
weather. These head-winds, added to her deten

tion at Malta for the Corfu mails, has prolonged
her voyage at least two days. But for it she would
have been in on Saturday the 19th, corresponding
to the 16th of any other month, February having
only 28 days. The earliest previous arrival was
on the morning of the 17th April last, when the
Bentincic arrived with the earliest India mail ever
received in London.

AUSTRALIAN GOLD MINING COMPANY.—At the meet-
ng of the Australian Gold Mining Company yesterday
he report and accounts were adopted. It appeared
,hat Mr. Harding, the general superintendent, had ar-
rived at Sydney in July last, followed by the machinery
in September. He had since been occupied in seeking
an eligible spot for the commencement of operations, but
up to the date of the last advices had not been able to
select one where the quartz rock was in his opinion rich
enough to justify the heavy expense that would be in-
curred by transporting the machinery into the interior.
A district in the south had, however, been pointed out,
which he thought of visiting to ascertain its real cha-
racter and fitness. The 2,000 shares appropriated for
the colony had been speedily subscribed, and the parties
requested to form a local board had consented to act.
Of the general capital of 19,0001., 14,0001. to
15,0001. remained intact, exclusive of the ma-
chinery, stores, &c., dispatched to Sydney, which
had cost about 2,4001. A charter of incorpbra
tion has been obtained, limiting the responsibility of the
shareholders. The chairman (Mr. H. Buckle) explained
that, although the directors regretted they could not
present a more satisfactory report, they did not consider
their prospects discouraging. Mr. Harding's experience
in Brazil had probably led him to believe that the ap-
pearance of the quartz rock veins was not sufficiently
encouraging to induce him to erect their machinery ;
but it was known from assays of specimens received in
this country, particularly in the case of the Peel River
district, that very satisfactory results had been obtained,
even from those which presented the most unfavourable
indications. Instructions would be forwarded to the
local board and superintendent to put themselves in
communication with the agent of the Peel River Com-
pany, who would be empowered to negotiate with them,
if necessary, for a site to carry out the contemplated
works. Several shareholders considered that the dis-
cretion of Mr. Harding was entitled to commendation,
and the directors having pledged themselves that no
new call shall be made until they lay a further state-
ment before the general body, the usual complimentary
votes were passed.
ATTACK ON AN EMIGRANT SHlP.—lntelligence has
been received at Lloyd's, under date Stanley, Falkland
Islands, Jan. 5, of a most daring attack on the ship Por-
cupine, of Liverpool, Millinger, master, by the Patago-
nians. It seems that in passing through the Straits of
Magellan, on her way to California, the Porcupine
grounded. Early next morning she was surrounded
by numerous canoes, full of natives. The captain,
thinking they might be useful in getting the vessel
off, allowed some of the principal chiefs to come on
deck, when they offered to exchange a copy of "John-
son's Comprehensive Dictionary," signed on the fly-
leaf "John Badiam, January, 1851," a Prayer-book,
and other articles, evidently belonging to an English
ship. The captain, now observing a fleet of canoes
approaching nearer, many bearing lighted pine branches,
gave orders for the crew and passengers, most of whom
had revolvers, to arm themselves, and a terrific conflict
ensued ; the sava,gesfought deeperately, and tried to burn
the ship. After a severe struggle and great slaughter
they were beaten off, and 300 bags of oats being thrown
overboard, the ship floated. Two of the emigrants,
named Geo. Rowsell and Henry Boyle, were killed, and
several others severely wounded. The ship returned to
the Falkland Islands, terribly disabled.
SHREWSBURY AND BIRMINGHAM RAILWAY.—There is
not the remotest prospect of a dividend in this company
as it is now constituted. The balance sheet just issued
shows a gross income for the half year of 20,3141., the
working expenses being no less than 17,3361. This is
exclusive of Government duty, rates, and taxes. The
whole balance carried to dividend account is 1,6201.,
banendtuourets,of
atnhdis hd,a3s2Btol. beenp
balance on hand of 15,4681. is The old
rdiesfeltr,hseunssc4eLresadisivaicrneetsde.rels2t,o2ns3dl.e;
baeiidngbythtuhe thus upheld onalny by the Stour Valley dividend,
p
of 3,0461. North-western: to the extent

A PRIME JORE.—A capital joke occurred yesterday,
which has set all Paris laughing and talking -to-day. A,
toufe
a dt'hArief-
large crowd had assembled yesterday in the
genteml, near the Palais Royal, inconsequence
detected
reaching in thethe actro o
t o f
whererobbing
it a
was housed havingteurt was v
ous s
tou f
c eeo elldoewd
in
Nifitsh et
without
shoes, The man, who had on a blousean
shoes, was seen to move about for some time, as
ing a window through which to escape, and at last he
disappeared altogether. Meanwhile a detachment of
soldiers was sent for, and they blocked up all issues
from the house ; some firemen were also sent for, who
went on the roofs, but they arrived just as the man
vanished. The military, firemen, and crowd waited for
two hours, and then a commissionaire gave the follow-
ing letter to the sergeant in command :—" Brave Ser-
geant,—Do not fatigue your men any longer by making
them wait for me ; when you receive this letter I shall
be a long way off. In visiting the house next to that in
which your men are, you will see how I escaped—no-
thing was more simple. After havinc, passed from one
roof to the other, I opened the window of a chamber,
which I found to be nicelj, furnished. I found in a box
placed under the bed, a great coat, and a pair of varnished
leather shoes ; and after having put them on, I went
away by the porte coehere which the too curious porter
left free. I talked a few moments with you, and told
you that you would have a good deal of trouble in catch-
ing the thief. I said thief, for I confess that having
found a 100 f. note, and 100 f. in gold in the trunk with
the coat and shoes, I could not resist the temptation of
taking them." The statements of this letter having been
ascertained to be exact, the soldiers were sent home, and
the crowd dispersed. The secret police have commenced
a strict search after the man.
REPRESENTATION OF BLACKBURN.—The writ for the
election of a member for Blackburn in the room of Mr.
William Eccles (unseated at the late parliamentary in-
quiry), was received by the Mayor of Blackburn on
Thursday, who at once fixed upon Wednesday next for
the day of nomination, and the following day for the
polling. During the past week both parties have been
unremitting in their exertions to promote the return of
their candidate, and there is every prospect of the con-
test, being a close one.

and after remaining there some days he was ordered
to be released, but the fees of the clerk and ser-
geant-at-arms are so enormous that Mr. Hague has
not the means to liquidate them, and consequently
still remains in durance vile.
Kingston is healthy, but in some of the provin-
cial towns small-pox is prevailing. At Savanna-la-
Mar many of the most respectable inhabitants are
now on their beds of affliction with this fell com-
plaint ; there were four cases out of town, and one
fatal case, on the 18th instant. The prisoners in
gaol are also attacked. The paupers in the poor-
house are, indeed, in a very bad state, on account
of its having been made an hospital.
The weather during the past fortnight has been
fine and dry, no rain having fallen for some time,
which is much'wanted.