The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-20 00:00:00

AUSTRA:II.4 AND THE PARIS EXHIBITION.

As yon are aware, the Executive Government here
has consented to advance 3,000/. to defray the expense
of 'Collecting specimens of the natural productions of
New South Wales, to be sent to the Great Exhibition
at Paris in,1855. There is a general impression that
this colony was not adequately represented in the Lon-,
don Exhibition of 1851. As the discovery of gold was
only made here about the time the Exhibition opened,
Australia sent nothing so striking and brilliant as the
fine specimens of the precious metal, in solid " nuggets,"
dust, an. scales, it could now furnish. But these are not
the only forms in which it is found ; many of the aurifer-
ous rocks, through which the gold is scattered in threads
or grains, are more beautiful to the eye than the solid
metal itself. Parts of the gold region have also produced
gems and stones, which have yet to be confirmed in.a full
right to the name of " precious ;" and the opinion of Pari-
sian lapidaries on thediamonds and rubies of ,Australia
will be worth taking. There is also a great variety of .
other minerals, quite enough to fit up a splendid cabinet
of specimens, The ores of copper are very rich ; stream-
tin has been found among the black dust of the gold fields,
and more recently a mine of pure'steel is said to have
been discgered near
.Bathurst. A block of Sydney
sandstone will be sent to show that we have excellent-
materials for building, and some of the pure white sand
of the coast, in hopes of tempting over a few_glassmakers
for whom thercis a capital opening. Specimens of all
the cereals -at .present cultivated will be sent, and per-
haps a few cases of colonial wine, though the cons-
parisons
challenged by' submitting it to French criti-
cism may be slightly hazardous. It is proposed also to
give European eyes a better idea of some of the Austra-
lian scenery by means of models than can be derived from
pictures or descriptio. The harbour and shores of
Port Jackson, from the Heads to Pararnatta, including
the .city of Sydney and its suburbs, with ail the
coves and creeks of the bay, have been suggested as,
furnishing a fine subjectfor this, the best kind of illus-
tration, if it ,is well executed. Specimens of the-colonial
flora could not be sent in their finest condition, but
close imitations of the best native varieties-may, it is be-
lieved, be prepared in wax. Our fruits are all introduc-
tions, and the European sorts would have no direct no-
velty, but some degree of interest might attach to them
AS familiar friends returning from their distant home, in
appearance nothing the worse for the climate. The na-,
_tive woods did not attract so much attention as they de.,
-served in London, as ,the specimens sent were in planks
and blocks for the Paris Exhibition it is proposed to.
work them- up into articles of furniture, that the French
manufacturers may the better appreciate their merits.'
We should send some colonial silk if we had any, but
we have got no further towards producing it than grow-
ing a few muilv..rey tines. In the production of cptton we
are further advanced, 18 bales having been recentry Shipped
for Liverpool from the Moreton Bay district. Skives
have been grown in the Botanical-garden- at Sydney,
to the extent of two tons in a season, hut,wo do not
know how to preserve them, or press theinrfor the oil,
so the commercial value of this capability, like that of so
many others, is nil. . Two experiments with coffee- hay.e
latelybeen announced, as failures at Moreton Bay;
n
lately:
been
the plant, withered, in the other the seed would not
grow. It is a safe rule to assume that anya kind of cul-
tivation that requires special knowledge
oe ns
not and d close atten-
will
tion, cheap labour and many hands,
,
not exist in Australia for very many years. Cattle
breeding and agriculture, according tothemost ordinary..
English methods, are the only productive inelustries
.to which may be added hor-
ticulturepr.
lctised on a large scale,
enough to furnish a meagre , supply of the
commonest English kitchen vegetables :and fruits.--
Timm correspondent.-

•
THUNDER-STORM IN LIVERPOOL.—Oft Tuesday night,
and early yesterday morning, Liverpool was Visited by
a very severe thunder-storm,- which lasted several hours,
accompanied by very heavy showers of rain, and a great
deal of lightning. We are glad, however; to add, that
there were no injuries to the shipping or property in the
town or neighbourhood reported.
THE NEW RECORDER OF 13HIBTOL.—Tbe Attorney-
General, Sir A...E. Cockburn, took his seat on Tuesday
at the Guildhall, BriStol, as successor to Mr. Crowder,
Q,C., elevated to the bench. The court was filled to
hear the learned gentlyman's first charge to the grand
jury, which was of the ordinary character.
MR. SCOTT, THE LATE CANDIDATE FOR THE CITY
CHAMBERLAINSHIP.—Mr. Scott, so 'well known and
respected among the citizens of London, ceased his long
connection with the corporation in January last. Having
Withdrawn for a short period from public notice, that gen-
tleman his re-appeared in the new character of manager
or presiding genius of an establishment in which an-ex.
periment is being tried to supply the people with
entertainment combined with solid instruction. The
extensive premises in King William-street, •Strand,
which were lately occupied as the Oratory of Saint
Neri, 'have been taken and converted into a
commodious depot and show-moms for the sale of dia-.
grams and other aids for popular lectures, while the
chapel.of the Oratoriane has been transformed into one
of the most elegant halls of entertainment in the metro-
polls. -
polls. Dioramas are daily exhibited, acconi bo Y
lectures, at three o'clock and at eight o'clo
ockitt him-
those at
three'o'clock arc generally delivered by Mr. c
self to audiences from the•higher classes, and those in
the evening,* "-the million" are delivered
by various
lecturers illustated by dieramas varYing m• " e in.the:
week,. and a' t charge of 'admission so low that the
poorest class may avail themselves of an evenin▪
g's bene-
ficial entertainment.