The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-31 00:00:00

*AUSTRALIAN AFFAIRS.

SYDNEY, Aug. 11.—The official returns of the
agricultural produce of the province of New South
Wales for 1852 show a considerable decrease in the
quantity of land in cultivation, compared with the
previous year 1851. The immediate effect of the
discovery of gold was to throw out of tillage 21,414
acres, about a seventh of the whole area cultivated.
The high price of all kinds of produce and the un-
certainty of the profits of gold-seeking will gra-
dually restore things to a healthier state, but not
so rapidly as could be wished. The population
increases in a much greater ratio than the home-
grown supply of provision, and, with a super-
abundance of land, the colony depends for bread
mainly on the importation of flour from America.
In wheat, barley, maize, oats, hay, in every kind
of rural produce, there is a decrease from the
quantities raised in 1851, though, under ordinary
circumstances, the increasing population would
have led to an opposite result. On the other hand,
there has been an increase in live stock during
the same period ; but, from the difficulty of
bringing it to the distant markets, the practice of
slaughtering cattle to boil down to tallow still
continues. This waste of human food on one point.
while it commands comparatively a high price at
another, will probably longremain one of the anoma-
lies of this riverless and roadless land. In one direc-
tion only has there been a slight progress; 36 acres
have been added in the past year to the quantity of
land cultivated with the vine; there are now nearly
2,000 acres of vineyard in tho province, which
produced last year about 93,000 gallons of wine.
Nothing but the want of labour prevents the
rapid development of this branch of colonial
industry. Some of the varieties of wine pro-
duced are very good, especially those from the red
grape ; but even in the colony they are scarcely
known to commerce. The native wines aro only
to be seen at the tables of the growers, or a few
amateurs, and to procure them some inquiry and
private negotiation are necessary. There is no es-
tablishment in Sydney through which samples of
colonial wine could be procured easily by the mass
of the public, who appear, indeed, ignorant of the
very existence of an article that grows almost at its
doors. No attempt has been made to create a taste
for it, though the most inferior qualities are pre-
ferable in every
respect to the filthy colonial ale,
which is absolute poison, or to the fiery compounds
sold for brandy and rum, which are very little
better. The establishment of a "colonial wine
store" has sometimes been faintly talked of, but
nothing has been done to open a trade. Our real
vineyards are still on the other side of the world.
Meetings have been held at all the southern gold-
fields, to petition for a reduction of the present
license-fee from 30s. to 10s. a month. The agita-
tion against the tax has arisen exactly in proportion
with the number of competitors for the prizes of
the pursuit. It appears that the gold produced by
the Mount Alexander diggings, in the month of
July, was scarcely one-half the quantity raised
from them in the same month of 1852, though
from all the fields the diminution in the present
year is not greater than might be expected, consi-
dering the interruption of work lately by the
weather. But the population on the fields has so
increased that a much larger yield than that of last
year would not give an equal individual profit.
The diggers are addressing the Government in
forma pauperis, and assert, in the first paragraph
of their petition, that "in the present impoverished
condition of the goldfields, the impost of 30s. a
month is more than they can pay, as the fruit of
their labour scarcely affords them the common
necessaries of life." This is quite possible, and is, no
doubt, the experience of thousands, for the cost of
the necessaries of life in the goldfields of Victoria
would command most of its luxuries anywhere else.
But the assertion that the fields are impoverished
is not quite correct, and n3Nr mislead ; it is only
true of particular localities.;rthe gold region has
not yet been explored, mail iess worked, to a frac-
tion of its eitent, arid the diggers' real resource is
in the limy Bendigos and Rallarats that are yet to
be discoveited. The mere reduction of the amount
of the license-fee, or, as'it has been well-named,
the price of the ticket for the golden lottery," will
not help them much or for any length of time. A
further increase of the population on the old area will
make it as difficult to pay 10s. a month as it is now
to pay 30s. That so many men should cling to an
occupation they evidently feel is on the whole un-
profitable, while manual labour commands such
high wages in all parts of the colony, is a strong
proof of the peculiar fascination of the pursuit. At
the Castlemaine meeting it was stated by one of
the speakers that the population of the goldfields
is now four times as great as at this time last year,
and that the proportionate yield of gold is less than
at that period by 33 per cent. ; the chance of an
individual digger has therefore sunk in value from
about 1/. to 7s. This, as it is a digger's calculation,
will be worth the consideration of new arrivals.

There is no intelligence of any interest from the
northern (or Sydney) fields. Complaints of the
floods, the roads, and the delay of the mails, make
up the bulk of the news. A correspondent of the
Sydney Empire gives an account of the discovery,
working, and loss of a very rich vein called the
" Golden Gulley," on a portion of the M'lvor field.
It disappeared suddenly in a plain, and all efforts
to hit it again were unsuccessful. The social effects
of this caprice of nature were soon apparent. The
party, having "prospected" on all sides of the
golden thread without result, returned to the sta-
tion at M'lvor, and found a considerable change
"From a bustling place of 50,000 inhabitants it had
dwindled to one-half that number, and, with the de-
crease of gold, its glory had departed. Crowds of idle,
listless men were walking about, seeking excitement in
auction-marts, and watching the drilling of cadets.
Storekeepers stood at their doors with arms akimbo,
and looked weary ; doctors were fain to add to their
earnings by keeping little petty stores, and dealing in
onions and puddling tubs. Refreshment shops were
deserted, and the effervescing lemonade lost its fizzing
by mere inanition. Dealers in old tools and cradles
were overwhelmed with stock, and yet, with all these
signs of a general decay, some infatuated people were
putting up fresh stores. As the gold of, M'lvor de-
creased, so did its rascality increase. I have never heard
of any diggings where so much petty larceny was car-
ried on as at M'lvor ; for the first time, I believe,
washing dirt was stolen away from the bottom of holes
nine and fourteen feet deep, and from alongside the creek
where it had been carted to be rocked. Tools and even
windlasses were taken away, and nothing, from a frying-
pan to a cradle was safe. Saddles, pistols, cattle, and
tubs were lost every night, and some ingenious scoun-
drels, fertile in rascally expedients, used to prowl about
the tents nightly, get up a sham fight among themselves,
and, when the diggers came out of their tents to view
the row, some of their outside comrades would steal into
the huts and take whatever was most valuable. A little
Lynch law, mildly administered, would doubtless have
had an excellent effect in deterring some of these gen-
tlemen from prosecuting their nocturnal freaks. Police
protection was merely nominal—the force was insuffi-
cient to keep so large a population in order. Bushranging
was very common, and this class of offenders when
caught experienced very rough usage from their captors,
a condemnable practice, and one too common in this
country, where officials of a certain class are apt to con-
found crime with the criminal. Gagging violently, and
striking offenders heavily on the head, are not gentle
appliances to make a reckless man compunctious. Cer-
tainly, M'lvor had a scurrilous population, and kept
the commissioner and his men pretty busy."
The robbery of Castlemaine and Melbourne
gold escort has created a deep sensation through-
out the colony, as no similar deed of violence,
so daringly planned and executed, has occurred
since the worst period 9f the old days of the " bush-
rangers." It has shaken public confidence in the
security of this mode of conveying such amounts
of treasure. The Sydney Gold Escort Company
has thought it prudent to increase its force on
the road ; and, as this involves expense, it has
raised its charge for carriage, and being compelled
to make another call on the shareholders.
The Government of Victoria has offered a re-
ward of 5001. for the apprehension of each of the
robbers, or 1,000/. per head, if the whole of
them are captured. To any accomplice giving
the required information a free pardon will be
granted, a free passage from the colony, and a
guarantee of protection while in it. None of
the gang have yet been taken.
From the 23d of July- to the 11th of Aug.,
escorts have brought down to Sydney, from the
New South Wales goldfields, 8,3300 z., value
about 30,0001.

The effect of the winter season in diminishing
the quantity of gold raised by the miners is
very perceptible in the last returns from Victoria.
,1
The produce of the month for all the
fields is little more than haloffjthualty'of the same
airlculation the
month last year. On a rough
population in the goldfields s
a great increase on the numbers°lloo,tldint°l'a—st
18o5btained
season. The largest amount of
was raised in the month of Octobger,
since that period the yield has gradually 2;
a(nled-
creased not-withstanding the augmented popula-
tion and the greater amount of labour expended
by it.
The price of gold at Melbourne for shipment is
775. 6d. an oz., with a short supply. In Sydney,
for very fine samples, 78s. 3d. an oz. has been ob-
tained.
The delegates appointed by the gold diggers to
present their petition have had an interview with
Mr. Latrobe. His Excellency, in reply to their
address, stated that he could not consent to any
alteration in the amount" of the license fee, but
that he was disposed to consider favourably their
representations on the other points referred to in
the memorial. On the northern goldfields the fee
is paid without difficulty, the diggings being in
their infancy.
The first electric telegraph on the Australian con-

tinent will be laid down by the Government of Vic-
toria, which has just called for tenders for con-
structing a line from Melbourne to William's town,
on the shore of the bay.
The lost box containing 10,0001. in sovereigns
has been recovered from the bed of the Yarra, by
means of a diving-bell, and safely conveyed to the
Union Bank.
An American vessel having arrived from one of
the South Sea Islands with the smallpox among the
passengers, some of whom managed to land, war-
rants were issued for their apprehension, and they
were again placed in quarantine. The disease is
yet unknown to the colony, but from the large
number of immigrants and foreign ships arriving,
it is feared it may at some time be introduced with
fatal results, as comparatively few of the whole
population have been vaccinated. A bill is about
to be introduced making vaccination compulsory.
Mr. Thurlow's bill, remodelling the corporation
of Sydney, has been rejected by a large majority of
the Council. The municipal body has fallen into
such contempt by its jobbery, squabbling, and
neglect of all its duties, that the public would. see it
superseded by a Government commission with per-
fect indifference.—Times Sydney Correspondent.

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 31, 1853.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

NEWMARKET 110'UGHTON MEETING.
BETTING.--FRIDAY NIGHT.
ERBY.
14 to 1 agst Dervish (t to 1251.)
20 to 1 agst Wild Huntsman (25 to 1 t f)
No betting on the Seccsnd Nursery ; the first had been
evidenly a dose ad nause u m.
SATURDAY'S RACES.
HANDICAP SWEEPSTAKES. of 15 sovs. each, 10 ft, for
2-yr-olds. R.M, (7 subs.)
Mr. Osborne's Bridesmaid, Bst 41b (J. Osborne) 1
Lord Wilton's sis to Aphrodite, 7st 81b (Flatman) 2
Mr. Hutchinson's Jujub.s„ 9st llb (Aldcroft) 3
The following also ran :---Folly of the Day, Applause,
Lincoln's Inn, and Switch.
Betting-3 to 1 agst Bridesmaid, 4to 1 agst sis to
Aphrodite, 5 to 1 agst Applause, 6 to 1 agst Folly of
the Day.
A fine race. Won by a length. A head each between
second, third, and fourth.
SWEEPSTAKES of 10 sou s. each ; 3 yr olds, 7st 91b; four,
Bst 71b ; five, Bst 1.21 b ; six and aged, 9st. The
winner to besold for 120 sovs. if demanded, &c.
Ab. M. (3 subs.)
Mr. J. M. Stanley's Nicotine, 3 yrs (Charlton) 1
Count Batthyany's Capt. Flash, 4 yrs ...(W. Abdale) 2
Mr. Dawson's Georgy, 3 yrs (Aldcroft) 3
Betting-3 to lon Nicotine. Capt. Flash led to half
way in the cords, when Nicontine went in advance,
and won by three-quarters of a length ; head between
second and third. Pace only moderate.
The winner was claimed by Count Batthyany.
MATCH, 300, h ft. Ab. M.
Mr. Baker's Cineas, Bst. 91b
Lord Glasgow's Barbatus, Bst (Flatman) 2
Betting-6 to son Cineas. Barbatus led to half way
down the hill, where Cineas went up, and, after a good
set-to, won by a neck. Pace very strong.
HOUGHTON HANDICAP of 15 sovs. each, and only 5 ft if
declared, &c., to go to the owner of the second horse ;
for 3-yr-olds and upwards. T.Y.C. (26 subs, 9of
whom pay 5 sovs. ft.)
Count Hahn's Seahorse, 3 yrs, Bst 101 b (Bartholomew) 1
Capt. Lane's Ephesus, 5 yrs, Bst 101 b., (Flatman) 2
Mr. Fenning's Tonic, 5 yrs 7st 41b (Charlton) 3
The following also ran : Mountain Deer, Lady
Evelyn, Now or Never, Filbert, Koh-i-noor, Grey
Tommy, lanthe, The General, Miss Sarah, Maria Bell,
Old Rowley, and Battery.
Betting-5 to 4 agst Grey Tommy, sto 1 agst Ephe-
sus, 10 to 1 agst Seahorse, Old Rowley, and Lady Eve-
lyn. The running was made by Old Rowley and Grey
Tommy alternately, Ephesus, Tonic, Filbert, Lady Eve-
lyn, and Seahorse in good places, and the rest of the
ruck well together. A good race in with Lady Evelyn,
Old Rowley, and the three placed ended in favour of
Seahorse by a head ; a neck between second and third ;
Lady Evelyn and Old Rowley, fourth and fifth, were
well up ; the favourite beaten off a long way.
MATCH, 100, h ft. T.Y.C.
Mr. Newland's Grimalkin, 8s 71b (E. Butler) 1
Mr. W. Stebbing's Heedless, Bst 41b (Basham) 2
Betting-3 to lon Grimalkin. The ran together at
a very moderate pace until they entered the cords, when
the steam was put on, and Grimalkin won by a length.
SWEEPSTAKES of 200 eovs. each, h ft, for foals of 1851.
T.Y.C. (3 subs.)
Lord Glasgow's ch cby Pantaloon, Bst 41b (A. Day) 1
Mr. Greville's br c Kaffir, Bst 71b (Flatman) 2
Betting —7 to 4on Physalis colt. A fine race. The
favourite made the running to the cords, where he was
challenged, and his competitor had the best of him, but
only for a stride or two ; he then " came again," and
won by a head.
MATCH, 100, h ft. T.Y.C.
Lord Glasgow's Flutter, 7t 111 b (Flatman) 1
Duke of Bedford's Petrel, Bst 71b ...... (F. Butler) 2
Betting-2 to lon Petrel. Flutter made all the run-
ning, and won by a neck.
SWEEPSTAKES of 10 sovs. each ; for 2-yr-olds, Est 71b ;
three, Bst 71b ; four 9st ; five and upwards, 9st 41b.
The winner to be sold for 200 sovs. if demanded, &c.
T.Y.C. (8 subs.)
Mr. J. M. Stanley's Rosaline, 2 yrs (Ashmall) 1
Lord A. G. Lennox's Lizzie, 2 yrs (Wells) 2
Mr. Fenning's Tonic, 5 yrs (Charlton) 3
Betting-6 to 4 agst Rosaline, sto 2 agst Lizzie, 6to
1 agst Tonic. A good race with the three placed. Won
by three-quarters of a length ; half a length between
second and third. The winner was claimed by Lord A.
G. Lennox.
SECOND NURSERY STAKES of 20 sovs. each. D.M. (8
subs.)
Count Batthyany's Star of Surrey 7st 131 b (Flatman) 1
Mr. E. R. Clark's Punch-box, Bst llb (Wakefield) 2
Duke of Bedford's Student, Bst 71b (Butler) 3
Mr. Newton's Eldorado, Bst 41b (A Day) 4
Lord Exeter's Delia, Bst llb . (Norman) 5
Mr. Harvey's Pillion, Bst 41b (Kendall) 6
Mr. Mare's Switch, Bst 71b
Mr. E. R. Clark's Brother to Little Swift, 7st 11b dr.
Betting-2 to 1 agst Star of Surrey, 3to 1 agst Stu-
dent, 4to 1 agst Punch-box, sto 1 agst Delia. Eldo-
rado, followed by Star of Surrey, Punch-box and Stu-
dent, made the running to the dip, where Punchbox
took the lead, with Star of Surrey and Student in close
attendance. In the last 50 yards the Star shone in front,
and the race ended in his favour by three-quarters of a
length. A length between second and third. Bad
fourth.
F. Marson, jun., weighed for Brother to Little Swift,
but it was again "nogo " The horso was struck out at
1.52, 23 minutes before the race was run.
SWEEPSTAKES of 10 sous. each ; for 2-yr-olds ' colts,
Bst 71b ; and fillies Sst 41b. The winner to be sold
for 40 sovs., if demanded, &e. First half of Al). M.
(5 subs.)
Mr. Pettit's The Assayer Bst 71b (Knott) 1
Mr. J. Dawson's b f Bourra Tomacha, Bst 41b,
(G. E. Sharpe) 2
Mr. Greville's ch fby Red Deer, Bst 41b ....(Flatman) 3
Mr. Etches's Red Rose, Bst 41b (Kendall) 4
Betting-5 to 4 agst The Assayer, sto 2 agst Bourra
Tomacha filly, Assayer made play, followed by Bourra
Tomacha filly, who made a good effort, but was beaten
by a head. Bad third. The winner was claimed by
Mr. Dawson,
SWEEPSTAKES of 5 sovs. each ; for 2-yr-olds, Est 71b ;
three, Bst 51b ; four Bst 101 b ; five and upwards, Bst
121 b. The winner to be sold for 25 sovs. if de-
manded, &c. First half of Ab. M. (14 subs.)
Mr. Merry's Mysterious Lady, 2 yrs (Wells) 1
Mr. Jones's Lady Audrey, 2 yrs (Kendall) 2
Mr. Tomlinson's f by Sesostris—Anvil's dam, 2 yrs,
(Ashmall) 3
The following also ran :—Madame Landeau, Maria
Bell, b f Nelly, by lon—Velure, Sister to Finns, Clio,
f by Robert de Gorham— Bourra Tomacha, Richard
Primmer, Rally, f Nestling (late Mary), by Woodpigeon,
Sabra.
Betting-5 to 2 agst Mysterious Lady, sto 1 each
agst Rally and Sesostris filly. Lady Audrey made the
running until they were within a few strides of the chair, i
when she was caught by Mysterious Lady, and beaten
by a length. A neck between the second and third.
The winner was claimed by Mr. Jones.
MATCH, 200, h ft. A.F.

Mr. Mare's Ariosto, Bst 121 b (F. Butler) 1
Lord Glasgow's Caracara, Bst
Betting-6 to 4on Ariosto. Caracara made the run-
ning ; at the cords Ariosto reached his shoulder, and at
last bat him cleverly by three-quarters of a length.
MATCH, 200 h ft. A.F.
Mr. Payne's Speed the Plough, Bst 71b ...(Flatman) 1
Lord Glasgow's Coalition, Bst llb (A. Day) 2
Betting-6 to 4on Speed the Plough. Won by three
lengths.
SELLING HANDICAP SWEEPSTAKES of 15 sovs. each, 5
ft., if declared, &c., for 2 yr-olds and upwards. The
winner to be sold for 1201. if demanded, &c. A.E.C.
(5 subs.)
Mr. J. M. Stanley's Hybla, 3 yrs Bst (A. Day) 1
Mr. Williams's St. Spiro, 2 yrs, Est 81b...(J. Goater) 2
Lord Derby's Hobby Horse, 3 yrs, Bst 121 b
(F. Butler) 3
Captain Little's Battery, 3 yrs, 7st 121 b (Crouch) 4
Mr. Hutchinson's Jujube, 2 yrs, 6st 101b...(Aldcroft) 5
Betting-6 to 4 agst Hybla, 2to 1 agst St. Spiro, 4
to 1 agst Hobby Horse. Won by four lengths. The
winner was claimed by Mr. William Day.
MATCH, 100, h ft. T.Y.C. Lord Chesterfield's Omoo,
by Orlando, 2 yrs, Bst 71b, agst Lord Glasgow's Flutter,
3 yrs, Bst.—Off.
MATCH, 200, h ft, Bst 71b each. A.F. Duke of Bed-
ford's Weathercock received forfeit from Mr. Newland's
Cranbourne Chase.
PRODUCE MATCH, 200, h ft, Bst 7st, each. T.Y.C.
Lord Glasgow's ch c by Pantaloon, out of Physalis, re-
ceived forfeit from Lord Clifden's b c Cardinal, by
Touchstone, out of Crucifix.
Weather very favourable, attendance good, and sport
abundant ; in short, a better Houghton Meeting we
never remember to have seen. Seahorse's performance
proved him to possess first-rate racing ability. Lord
Glasgow achieved good success, a circumstance which
was evidently a source of great gratification to all
present.
The paucity of acceptances for the Second Nursery
was a sufficient indication of the opinion which was en-
tertained of the handicap. With both First and Second
Nursery, in fact, some very discreditable proceedings
were connected.
The first race today was at 11.10 ; the last, at 4.15.
At half-past 5 a special train left for London, and the
town quickly resumed its ordinary quietude.
Amongst the company who attended the meeting were
the Duke of Rutland, Marquis and Marchioness of
Exeter, Lady Cecil, Earl of Wilton, Earl and Countess
of Chesterfield, Earl of Lichfield, Earl Stradbroke, Earl
of Glasgow, Earl of Strathmore, Lord and Lady Maid-
stone, Lords W. Powlett, Anson, Villiers, S. Osborne,
de Lisle, A. Vane, E. Bruce, C. Manners, Clifden, A.
G. Lennox, Exmouth, G. Manners ; Honourables, Ad-
mirals Rous, G. Fitzroy, H. Fitzroy, F. Villiers, F.
Baring, H. Forester, Count Batthyany, Sir Geo, Ar-
mytage, Sir R. Clifton, Sir Joseph Hawley, Sir R. and
Lady Pigot ; Colonels, Peel, Newton, Meyrick ; Cap-
tains, Lowther, D. Lane, Holmes, Cookson, Little,
Croker, Bailey, Hogg, Rowley, Lumley, Grey, Suck-
ling ; Messrs. W. S. Stanley, J. M. Stanley, Greville,
Payne, Magenis, Drinkald, W. E. Hughes, Whieldon,
W. Wigram, H. L. Wigram, Rudston Read, Jaques,
W. H. Gregory, Batson, E. satson, S. Batson, King,
Portman, Blake, Barn, White, Mure, Elwes, Goddard,
Thelluson.