The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-13 00:00:00

IMPORTANT FROM SAVANNAH.

miralty, that her ship es
Intelligence was yesterday received at
Majesty's26t,hecaApdt-
.
Cospatrick Baillie Hamilton, serving on the
Nrtl
America and West Indies station, was at
_,
Havan-
nah on the 10th of December last, all
well,
that a squadron of steam-ships under ordershis and
anol
were cruising in the neighbourhood. Considerable
excitement prevailed at Havannah owing to a
British subject, Plassy Lawrance, who had been
kidnapped from the Island of Vevis, and sold into
slavery, at Havannah, having contrived to make
her escape and take refuge on board the Vestal.
Application had been made by the British Govern-
ment for the release of the poor woman, but in
vain. Her sad case will, without doubt, be made
public, and prove a fitting sequel to "Uncle Tom's
Cabin," and will probably have the effect of in-
ducing the Government of this country to make
which,ab le
tiot
be wouldsubi
further inuiries into the horrors of slavery, to
beeped
even British subjects are
The poor woman Plassy
Lawrence was compelled to prostitute herself, and
her children were sold into slavery. The marks of
the most savage flogging were evident on her
back when she went on board the ship. The
Vestal was under the guns of the batteries and
not. listen_ to any proposal for giv-
surrounded by the Spanish fleet, but her gallant
captain would
ing her back to her inhuman masters, and she re-
mains safe under thnetpra humbleofoteotionis
theah
jßecrittisofh flag,that
althoughcountry. she is but

IMPUDENT STREET ROBBERY AT STOCKPORT, ___Oll
Sunday evening two gentlemen were walking'
Wellington-road, Stockport, when they overtook, nearalong
Heaton Chapel, a respectably dressed female, who ap
peared to be in great distress, and suffering severe pain,
They kindly offered to assist her home ; and after some
little delay their offer was accepted with seeming 'grati-
tude, and the lady took the proffered arm of each. gen-
tleman. But they had not gone many yards when their
sympathy with the lady's distress was entirely destroyed
by one of them discovering the hand of the invalid in
his pocket, from which she contrived to abstract sixteen
shillings. Whilst he was threatening to give her into
custody, four ruffianly looking fellows, in the garb of
excavators, made their appearance, and as they seemed
inclined to he rather rough, and took the lady's part, the
gentleman thought it prudent to make their escape with
all convenient speed, leaving the sixteen shillings behind
them,

Geelong, by Messrs. J. B. Hutton and Co., near St.
Paul's, Little Scotland, brought 81. and 11/. 5. The
whole sale realised nearly 6,0001. There was a Govern-
ment land sale at Belfast on the Ist and 2d instant, and
the sum of 10,381/. was realised,
PAY OF THE MILITARY IN AUSTRALIA.-With
.respect
to the contemplated increase in the military here, the
British Government is advised to raise the pay of the
soldiers, to mitigate temptation to the gold fields. With
respect to the officers, it is stated that in India an ensign
receives 201. per ninth ; in Ceylon and Hong Kong,
15/. ; but in Australia, only 81.-Geelong Paper.
PRICES OF WHEAT AND WAGES IN AUSTRALIA.-
Adelaide.-Wheat, is. 3d. per bushel, imp. ; flour,
fine, 221. 10s. per ton of 2,000 lbs. ; bread, best, ls. 2d.
per 4 lb. loaf ; wages, 75., daily labourers. Melbourne.-
Wheat, Bs. per bushel, imp. ; flour, fine, 261. 10s. per
ton of 2,000 lbs. ; bread, best, Is. 4d. per 4 lb. loaf;
wages, 155., daily labourers. Sydney.-Wheat, Bs.
per bushel, imp. ; flour, fine, 231. per ton of 2,000 lbs. ;
bread, best, 11d. per 4 lb. loaf; wages, 75., daily
labourers. Hobart Town.-Wheat 9s. per bushel, imp.;
flour, fine, 241. per ton of 2,000 lbs. ; bread, best, lid.
per 4 lb. loaf ; wages, no recent information.
PRICES OF BEER AND SPIRITS IN AUSTRALIA.-
Adelaide.-Beer, bottled, 11. s. to 12s. per doz.; Brandy,
Martell's, 12s. per gallon in bond ; Wine, Port 481. to
to 551. per pipe, Sherry 251: to 40/. per ditto ; Sugar,
Java, 201. 12s. 6d. to 211. 10s. per ton ; Tea, Congou
6/. 17s. 6d. to 81. per chest, Hysonskin 41. 17s. 6d.;
Coffee Java, sd. to Bd. per lb.; Tobacco, Barrett's
Negrohead, 2s. 6d. to 3s. per lb. Melbourne.-Beer,
bottled, lls. to 12s. per doz. ; Brandy, Martell's, 17s.
6d.; Wine, Port 201. to 501. For pipe, Sherry 301. to
501.; Sugar, Java, 161. to 201. per ton ; Tea, Congou
4/. 10s. to 51. 105. per chest, Hysonskin 31. 10s. to 41.;
Coffee, Java, 6d. to 7d. per lb.; Tobacco, Barrett's Ne-
grohead, is. 9d. to 2s. per lb. Sydney.--Beer, bottled,
10s. to 12s. per doz.; Brandy, Martell's, 135.; Tea,
Congou 4/. 10s. to 51. per chest, Hysonskin 41. to 4/.
7s. 6d.; Coffee, Java, 6d. to 7d. per lb.; Tobacco,
Barrett's Negrohead, ls. 10d. to 2s. per lb.
THE DOGS OF AUSTRALIA.-A local act, to abate
the nuisance of dogs, has been passed. The streets of
Adelaide are infested by swarms of wretched mongrels,
individually contemptible enough, but sometimes the
cause of serious accidents by yelping at the heels of
spirited horses, and causing them to bolt in affright.
In the country districts (the bush) clogs, that have been
left by their owners when
.theyl went tho diggings,
have crossed with the native wild dog, and produced a
bteed of ferocious animals, very destructive to the flocks
of sheep now remaining half tended, and sometimes
dAngerous even to mankind. The bill just passed is in-
tended to meet these evils, by authorising the summary
destruction of every dog that is not registered by his
master, and duly collared and numbered.
DEATH OF THE COLONIAL TREASURER OF VICTORIA.
-The Hon. the Colonial Treasurer of Victoria, Alastair
Mackenzie, Esq., who has been for some time past la-
bouring under severe indisposition, expired yesterday
evening, at nine o'clock, at his residence, Collingwood,
at the age of 48. He was the only son of General
Mackenzie, of Inverness (Scotland).-MelbourneAkgus.
THE CROPS.-At no period in the history of the colony
was there ever such a prospect of a large and abundant
harvest. The land under cultivation in 1850 was 64,728
acres, or at the rate of upwards of an acre for every man,
woman, and child in the province. Since then, no re-
turns have been published by the Government, but the
quantity of land under cultivation may be safely assumed
on the two years at 331 per cent. increase. This would
give between 80,000 and 90,000 acres at present under
cultivation, and of this the proportion of wheat, and
barley, and oats, would be fully two-thirds.
THE COINAGE.-The Assay-office is issuing gold tokens,
each containing 5 dwt. 15 grs. of gold, and valued at
20s. The tokens are, in fact, coins ; they are circular in
form, and stamped on both sides. On the obverse they
have a Royal crown and the date of the year ; on the
reverse-the weight, the fineness, and the value of the
piece are specified. The execution is very good ; and it
is creditable to the colony that the dies were engraved,
and the Machinery for striking the coins made, in Ade-
laide. Similar coins, of the value of 51. and Ss., respec-
tively, are in preparation. The latter will be of great
service here, silver having almost altogether disappeared
from circulation.

MONEY MARKET.—The money market has scarcely
varied since the last accounts. The increase of avail-
able capital, and the scarcity of openings for its invest-
ment, owing to the exorbitant price of labour, have pro-
duced no perceptible effect upon the value of money,
excepting by raising the price of raw gold, which now
brings 71s. per ounce. This is partly owing, however,
to the prevalence of the conviction that a branch of the
Royal Mint will soon be established either here or in
one of the other Australian capitals. The quotations
are :—Burras : last sales at 1231. cash, and continue
buyers. Gold : 31. 11s. cash, firm ; buyers. Sovereigns :
Bd. to 9d. each premium, buyers. Melbourne Bank
notes Bd. to 9d. premium, buyers. Money : 10 per
cent. on freeholds. 124 per cent, on other securities.
Rates of freight : Adelaide to London or Liverpool,
wool, id. to lid. per lb. ; copper, 50s. per ton ; copper
ore, 50s. per ton ; bullion, per cent. ; Swansea, copper
ore, 525. 6d. per ton ; India, copper, 20s. per ton ; Mel-
bourne, landed on wharf, 30s. to 355. ; Sydney, landed
on wharf, 355. to 435. ; Swan River, nominal, subject
to agreement. Port Wakefield to Swansea, copper ore,
525. 6d. per ton ; London or Liverpool, copper ore, 50s.
per ton, with 5 per cent. primage. The rates for wool
are merely nominal, no quantity of this season's clip
being ready for shipment.

NEws.----The desertion of seamen still con-
tinues, and is likely to continue. Of all classes in the
community, the sailor is the most easily led away by
excitement, and it is not wonderful to find that on their
arrival here there is an almost immediate desire on their
part to escape from their engagements. When the only
inducement was a difference of 21. a month between Eng-
lish and colonial wages, it was with difficulty English
ships kept their crews ; but now that the ordinary rate
of seamen's wages in Sydney is 101. a month, it would
be impossible, irrespective of the attraction of the gold
fields, to keep sailors at work at 21. 10s., which is the
usual English rate. It appears that at Sydney. the
vessels lying in the harbour, quite deserted by their crews,
comprised a tonnage of 31,735. In Hobson's Bay, Port
Philip, there were vessels amounting to 45,305 tons ; at
Adelaide, 8,422 tons ; and at Ring George's Sound, 800
tons--amounting in all to 86,262 tons, exclusive of
coasting vessels.
LABOUR.—The demand for labour is increasing, and
employers are sadly put to their shifts. Shipwrights
are getting 15s. a day, and as a natural consequence do
not do two-thirds of a -day's work for their money.
Labourers on wharves are paid Us. a day, and three
glasses of grog. Printers have 12s. a day, and is. 6d.
.an hour overtime. All descriptions of building me-
chanics in demand, but the great expense of building at
present is from the price of materials. Quarrymen,
brickmakers, sawyers, and rough hands of that class,
are just the men who do well at the diggings : they can
stand the bush privation, and handling a pick or shovel
is
TseHeEond Tunitatp to them
lA.—The love of racing seems
to be as great in Australia as it is in the mother country,
and most of the papers contain long sporting programmes
of some sort or other. The entries for the chief stakes,
however,-appeared to be restricted to horses bred in the
colony.

THEATRICALS.—Theatricals of every description ap-
pear to be in a most flourishing condition. Every town
or district has its theatre ; while the capitals of the three
colonies, in addition to the theatres, boast of several
musical societies, besides a troupe
of equestrian per-
formers.

DENS OF INFAMY.—Representations have been made
to us that gambling and other dens of the worst charac-
ter have latterly sprung up in neighbourhoods hitherto
free from such nuisances. We have no doubt this inti-
mation will be sufficient to put the police on the alert,
and act up to the instructions of the Mayor, which are
not merely to arrest the proprietors of the establishments,
b
Royalwhom Mail
they l may
find on the premises.
THE AUSTRALIAN'S MAIL.—STiItIII Packet Australian,
e mail from London,
brought vgh etr
the
consisted of nineteen leathern bags of the largest size,
being just as much as Mr. Liardet's horses could pull
y
up from the beach on the two drags. This was probably
rue person
the largest mail that has ever been delivered at the Post-
office ; although mails twice that size have frequently
been dispatched thence for London.—Melbourne Argus.
BUILDING SOCIETIES.—The system of building so-
cieties is making rapid way in Australia. We learn
from the Melbourne Argus that at one meeting of the
Melbourne Building Society, the receipts of the evening
amounted to 2151. 19s. 4d. Eleven shares were also
sold, at the following premiums, six at 161. ls. 6d., and
five at 151. 10s. 6d.

Baas
sue
sasbmsterante t
on
the
of this province for
expenditure z t t
ABSTRACT OF RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURE.
Thrsldicayrec puubC:pvtesrn
andn ent Gct
the quarter ended 30th June last, from Which we present
the following compendium :
The ordinary revenue for the quarter derived from
import duties, rents of Government wharf and bonded
stock,store, licences,postage, dfiepnaess,turinforfgcertificates,eitures,c
in f
fees of court, and
fees of office, together with sundry reimbursements, mis-
cellaneous receipts, and interest, &c., amounted to
24,9581. 13s. 10d. ; and the total of ordinary expendi-
ture being 11,9341. 19s. id., there remains a surplus of
13,0231. 14s. 9d. • But upon this is chargeable the cost
of the following establishments :
The Lieutenant-Governor, '5OOl. ; Supreme Court,
6871. 12s. ; law offices, 2391. 10s. ; colonial secretary,
4241. is. 6d. ; colonial treasurer, 2351. Bs. id. ; audi-
tor-general, 2501. 4s. ; total, 2,3361. 15s. 7d., leaving
a nett available surplus of 10,6861. 19s. 2d.
The land fund revenue for the quarter amounted to
13,2201. 11s. Id. ; and the total expenditure being
3,6181. 7s. Bd., there is a nett surplus of 9,602/. 38. sd.
available for immigration expenditure.
The quarterly abstract of revenue and expenditure of
the Colonial Government of South Australia, arising out
of the discovery of the gold fields of Victoria, is also
satisfactory. The charges at the Gold Assay and
Smelting-office, and the gold escort dues, amounted to
4,305/. 115..1d. ; and the total expenditure for the Assay-
office establishment, escort, and bullion departments,
and that of the Assistant Gold Commissioner, resident
in the colony of Victoria, being 3,2321. 14s. 5d., there
was a surplus of 1,071/. 16s. Bd. available to the subse-
quent extension of this self-supporting branch of the
public service.
We cannot close our notice of this very satisfactory
financial condition without expressing our regret that we
have not the opportunity upon this occasion of review-
ing the accounts of the quarter lately ended, which are
likely to present materials for a still more satisfactory
statement. The customs receipts are known to have
been very large ; and judging from the land sales already
.published, and statements as to the private contract sales
of land by the Government during the past month, our
impression is that the total amount realised by sales of
public lands during the quarter ended September 80,
will not be short of 30x000/.

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVEN INIG, JANUARY 13, 1853.