The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-02 00:00:00

LETTER FROM AUSTRALIA.

Mr. P. H. Howard, of Corby Castle, has received the
following letter from an emigrant from the neighbour-
hood of Carlisle, which contains interesting particular'
concerning Sydney :

_
" Sydney, March 26, 1853.
" Sir, -I take the liberty of addressing these few lines
to you, sincerely hoping you will not be offended at my
freedom, but when I think of the many acts of kind-
ness I have received at your hand, and particularly
the time I called upon you in London a few days
previous to my leaving England, I thought it but
my duty to let you know of my safe arrival and pro-
spects in this colony. lam happy to inform you that I
have not been disappointed in my expectations, neither
in regard to climate nor wages ; the climate, I am
confident, is suitable for English subjects. I have
been here the whole of the summer, and with the ex-
ception of four days (which were certainly very hot, the
thermometer ranging from 90 to 112), it has been much
the same as a summer at home. It is now autumn ;
the weather is very favourable to vegetation, getting at
intervals fine refreshing showers. Sydney is a large
stirring town, with a great many excellent buildings,
but as there is a great many new buildings in
course of erection in nearly all the principal streets,
they give it an unfinished appearance ; but I
should say in a few years it will be second to no
port town in England. There is a very fine park
and botanic gardens, which are very extensive, and
always open to the public. The harbour on which the
town is built is one of the finest, I should say, in the world.
They are making a large dry dock, which was very much
wanted, as there is great inconvenience in repairing
vessels without one. Shipping is very much on the
increase to this colony, and no doubt will continue to do
so. There has been a great many arrivals this week from
all parts, amongst them the Chusan steamer, with the Eng-
lish mails, and two ships from Plymouth, one the Bussorah
Merchant,l36pas
with
sege3oonr;
amongst emigrants,thm
etheisotteorrdtHheenßreysoslcuotett,
with
and Lord Schomberg Kerr ; also a ship with 280 Ger-
man emigrants-in all, from different parts, upwards of
1,200 were landed in Sydney daring the last four days.
But population is what is most wanted here ; there is
plenty of employment and good wages for workmen of
all descriptions. Labouring men's wages are ranging in
Sydney at this time from ss. to 10s. per day ; stone-
masons' 10s. to 14s. ; carpenters' and blacksmiths' much
the same ; in fact all kinds of tradesmen will meet with
constant employment at from 3/. to 3/ 10s. per week.
Domestic servants are also very much wanted, both
male and female, and wages are very high. lam sure
if it was onlyknown in England what a beautiful
country this is, the demand there is for labour, and
the remuneration they receive for it, a great many
more would come to this land of plenty than does,
for there is no want here. I have not seen a beggar
since I landed. For a man that has a young family and
nothing but his labour to depend upon in England, he
would be doing them a greater service by bringing them
to New South Wales, than leaving them at home with
1001. each, for their wages will be more in three
months here than in twelve in England ; and I know
unless it is altered since I , left, there is many a good
hard-working man begging to get work to do, with a
wife and family of children half-starved at home. Now
such as them I would advise by all means to try to get
out here, where they will find plenty of employers glad
to engage them, and where, if they choose to be very
industrious, poverty will trouble them no more. But I
have made a long digression from the description of Syd-
ney which I was attempting to give you. There is a
very good market-house, well-built, and pretty well
supplied with all the commodities of life, both colonial
and exported produce. The following is the present price
of the articles named, retail :-Beef and mutton, 2d. to
3d. per lb. ; bread 7d. per 21b. loaf ; cheese, colonial,
6d. to 7d. ; English, is. to ls. 3d. ; bacon, ls. ; eggs,
' 2s. per dozen • potatoes, 12s. per cwt. ; butter, ls. 4d.
per lb. ; tea, 2s. ; coffee, is. ; sugar, 3d. ; all kinds
of vegetables are very dear. Cabbages, 9d. to ls.
each ; carrots, turnips, and parsnips, 2s. to 3s. per
dozen ; peas, 10s. per bushel ; beans, 6s. ; and all
other vegetables in proportion. Fruit is more reason-
able. Grapes, 6d. per lb. ; apples and pears, 2d. per
basket ; melons, 10s. per dozen ; peaches, 2d. per dozen ;
but the fruit season is nearly over. Fruit is very
cheap in the summer, and the market well sup-
plied. This climate suits a great many sorts of fruit that
are not grown in England, such as the loquet, orange,
lemon, guata,-pommegranate, fig, peach, nectarine, and
apricot, which grow very fine ; and the grape, I have no
doubt, in time, will form a great branch of our exports,
as it may be cultivated to great perfection, at little ex-
pense, the climate is so suitable. The olive grows to a
great perfection, and begins to claim no small share of
attention. Several plantations have already been laid
out, and no doubt, in time, will be very remunerative to
the originators. The cotton is also beginning to be
largely cultivated, particularly in Morton Bay district ;
and the tobacco plant is likewise cultivated to some ex-
tent. But all these things are only in their infancy yet;
what they may eventually become is difficult to say at pre-
sent. The inhabitants of Sydney are composed of nearly
every nation and colour; but the English and Irish are
certainly more numerous than all the rest put together.
Of course we have places of worship to suit all parties.
There are four churches of Rome, six of England, six
Scotch, and thirteen chapels of various Dissenters.
There is a museum, which is open to the public two days
in the week ; also a public library, a mechanics' school
of arts, and a botanic and horticultural society ; also a
benevolent asylum, infirmary and dispensary, and female
refuge society, the Australian society for the encourage-
ment of arts, science, commerce, and agriculture in Aus-
tralia, and a society for promoting the culture of the
vine ; also several minor associations, &c. The compa-
nies are almost out of number. There is the Railway
Company, Steam Navigation Company, Gas Company,
Copper Mining Company, Great Nugget Gold Company,
Australian Gold Mining Company, Quartz Crushing Gold
Company, Gold Escort Company, Sugar Company, Trust
Company, banking companies, and thirteen insurance
companies, &c. In the neighbourhood of Sidney the
land is very uncultivated yet, it being very expensive to
break up, the bush is so very rough, and full of stones
and craigs ; but there are several gentlemen's houses and
huts stragging up and down, with small clearings round
them. But bad as the land is it sells at a very high
rate. At a sale of crown lands, last week, some lots
brought as much as 150/. per acre, and some was sold
for less than 1001. This ground is on the north shore,
about a mile from Sydney ; it is only suitable for build-
ing upon and gardens ; there is no land suitable for
agricultural purposes within several miles of Sid-
ney. House rent is very high ; a small two-roomed
cottage is 10s. per week, and large houses are very hasd
to get at 1001. to 2001. per year ; the population has in-
creased so fast lately that builders have not been able to
tkoeeeprepcatcbeawrkithhutthse.m' Theyso that
are msoaonnypfuatmuilipe.s are obliged
bark,obliged
which is about 2 inches thick, is taken from the tree 6
feet long and 3 feet broad, and answers for both wall
and roof, and will last for a long time. A great many
of the stone buildings are roofed with bark, although
shingle is mostly used. I have only seen one slated
house since I have been here. Firing is also very dear
in Sydney ; wood is 17s. per load, and coal 31. 10s. per
ton. Horse provender is also very high : hay 20/ per
ton, and Indian corn 13s, per bushel. The gold diggings
are still as prolific, or, in fact, more so than ever • the
arrivals by the gold escort are quite surprising. There
have been several new diggings discovered lately, both
in Victoria and New South Wales, and many hundreds
have made their fortunes already ; but the new corners
need not despair, there is plenty of gold undug as yet.
I sincerely hope both yourself, Mrs. Howard, and family
are all in good health, and will continue to enjoy that
greatest of blessings. lam happy to say I have not had
one hour's sickness since I left England. I must now
conclude by remaining your obedient and humble
servant, " ROBERT ELLIOT,
" Gardener to Wm. Carr, Esq.,
" 229, Elizabeth-street, Sydney, N.S.W."

THE ACCIDENT ON THE GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY.--
The report that the Lord Mayor escaped injury is a
mistake. His lordship's face was much bruised, his
nose and mouth were much cut, and he speaks and
swallows with much pain. It was considered very for-
tunate for him that he bled most profusely. He passed
a restless night, and is still confined to his bed.
LIVERPOOL DOCK EXTENSION.--The Committee of
Works recommended, at the last Dock Committee, that
the trustees should avail themselves of the opportunity
to purchase three parcels of freehold land Ire" tae canal,
containing 28,836 square yards. The Prig waBii*T2hge
Hid. per yard, and the total cost 33,1131. 15s.
purchase was considered desirable, in reference to any
increased accommodation that might be required in con-
nection with the docks.—Liverpool
VALUE OF A DAY'S FISHING AT WICK.—On Tuesday
week the value of green fish delivered in the Wick dis-
ltarbicetaraninioeuanrtieedg
areto ald2d,Oedo,olt.h;e waghgernegbaaterraelms,eusnaltt,weaunldd
be fully 20,0001.
a S'. /
miller,a 1 L A
ant DEATH.—ADueiair, w
arse stp,:cetadble y
em
ago
enamedp
eadr
pouring wheat into the hopper of his men the end
of his cravat caught in a part of the machinery awl he
was instantaneously strangled.
ELECTRIC WEAVING MACHINE.
.The Chevalier
Bonelli, of Turin, director of the Sardinian telegraphs,
has invented electric weaving machines destined to re-
place with advantage the frames a la Jacquart, for
weaving figured stuffs.. Details are as yet wanting re-
specting this invention,
in
n, which appears destined to pro-
duce a great change industrial matters.—Galignani.
THE LIVERPOOL BOROUGH BEGISTRATION.--There
will be a very abundant crop of litigation in the Liver-
pool Registration Court, if all the objections and claims
made by the two parties are persisted in. They form,
together, a grand total of five thousand one hundred and
fifty
-6one
bjecactisoens's and 7t2hBecsleainithse;
aßnedfotrmheecr so n
sh
ear;
se
ti madeo
who are not far behind thejn, have made 1,754 objlc
tions and 703 claims.