The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-30 00:00:00

MALTA.

MARSEILLES, WEDNESDAY MORNING.
We have just received advices from Malta to
the 28th.

The Harbinger steamer arrived at Malta on the
25th, and left the next day for the seat of war in
the East. She brought General Cathcart, General
Torrens, Admiral Stopford, Colonel Wyndham,
and several other officers, both naval and military.
The Harbinger also brought a considerable
amount of specie for the payment of the troops,
dr.c.

The Ripon, with the heavy portion of the Indian
mail, was to leave Malta for England on the 27th.
The cholera is not extending at Malta.
There is no other news.

WEST INDIA PINES. --- Although the importations of
pine-apples from the West Indies were later than usual,
and are not followed so quickly as in former seasons,
yet it is remarked that the supplies this year are of
gre -uperior quality. The most recent arrivals are
surprisingly large, and in first-rate condition, and will
bear comparison with much of this luscious and esteemed
fruit of English growth. Prices have been asked for
them and obtained, which would never have been thought
of on former occapi9po,

FT ,77) I 1r
.

We have received papers from Melbourne of
date one day later than those previously come to
hand. We extract the following from. the gel'
bourne .Argus, of May 26 : _

THE COLONY OF VICTORIA.
W of
e are enabled again to report favourably the.
condition and prospects of the country. The present
season hitherto has been a remarkable and pleasing
contrast to that of last year. The country has been
blessed with early and copious rains, which not cull'
have produced a luxuriant growth of grass, before the
winter frosts sets in but an unusual period has been
afforded for agricultural labours. There are wall
indications of great progress in settlement. Large
quantities of agricultural lands have been purchased,
and fencing operations are in full vigour on most of the
lines of road. Agricultural labourers and agricultnirs
implements, seed wheat, and seed oats have been I
great demand ; and it is certain that a very large 4.
ditional breadth of land will this year be put under
crop. Another good symptom has lately been exhibit et
a
in spirited ploughicg matches, and shows of stock al?r.
produce by the farmers in the neighbourhood of 3°
bourne and of other principal markets.
TDB GOLD. 'Wed,

Since our last no new gold fields have been disco_ 4,
and the lull value of the new diggings at TarrengnWer,
and Omeo, of which we have prevusly spoken, has 13°1'
been ascertained. It appears that the climate and
dig,o
try at Tarrengower are naturaliy very dry, and the
gers have not, at the date of our last intelligence, hi
able to make much progress with their accumulate
washing-stuff. At Orneo, in Gipps' Land, on the other
hand, the country is so extremely wet, that coal Pare,:
tively little can be done till the height of summer. •°"'_'
a favourable circumstance, we may mention, hewev:lrt;
that a nugget sseigbing 191- ounces has been roe° .7
discovered at this new locality, affording another instalic!
of the great diffusion of the precious metal throuertle"
the colony. All the old-established gold fields co bib
their supplies with considerable regularity. We 6/11...pLe1
ely
below, at a glance, a comparison of the amounts
tively received by escort, and shipped in similar
in 1853 and 1854 :
Gold received by Escort, Gold perina°,
10 Shipped,
4' •
1853. 1854. 1853. DZ.n,
OZ. OZ. OZ.
January 186,615 154.149 266,868 166,45
February, 172,329 136,579 189,675 ?QlVoil
March 169,654 153,431 166,423
April 170,427 182,807 101,683 141)72
et 230
699,025 626,966 724,649 ' ues
It will be observed that in the first period the acleties
brought by escort is very little less than the 1103°Joi
shipped, while in the latter period the difference 19 DC' 101
than 86,000 ounces. The increased amount which in
have been conveyed privately, doubtless arises fronir
rr
greater comparative security of the roads. ituo,theed
markable fact is the nearly equal amount pronuectiee
each year, as shown by the shents in the rele
periods. Like those of California,i, it now seems aPPl'rith•
that the gold-fields of Australia will bear svorking °ita
out exhaustion for a long period of years ; and we vio
remind our distant readers that up to this very time
Ito
nodes of extracting the precious metal from the Pertediet
of the rudest character, and that it is difficult to Pr or
what may be the results when such rich deposit's, °reti
tered upon with all the aids of scientific knovvle age pd
mechanical ingenuity.

TRADE. t Of
The import trade for some tune past has been in rs-bro,
an anomalous state. We have for months bees Piss
claiming a glutted market, but all on a sudden it f $
been discovered that in many articles, instead e
be
glut,. there is an actual scarcity. The truth seen" to
that a great number of very inexperienced and these
less people have rushed into trade with the new, gold
country, and in making their purchases have oe'' f the
sufficiently careful in reference to the quality e'beea
goods, and the mode of packing ; the result has
have
that the accumulated old stocks of the old worldre.
!)eeli sent to Melbourne. This did not operate 131 Poo
g
judicially in reference to dry nods. They renio.;,.
hand. But a large proportion of the goods were
able. Provisions, preserves, oilmen's stores, tte•
were rotting,
and bills against shipment were conalogd
maturity. The only reource was the auction, 13. I'4
sacrifice. Soft goods of course have also been sacs
at auction ; but we believe the most serious losses tist,,
have been sustained have been caused by the Putreoes
Lion of perishable articles, originally unsound. 4130
consequence is that at this moment, after shipin7sti9Lbir
would have glutted for years any country with a re'
population, this market is now bare of provisions/ Pr,
serves, and other perishable goods in sound conditi?o,l
and at this moment, and for many months past, Vrid p
butter, ham, bacon, and similar articles have realise
handsome profit.
•