The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-20 00:00:00

£24 12 6

The Great Britain steamer,which arrived in Port-
Philip on the 17th of August, has had only five
cases of smallpox, one of which proved fatal, and
no fresh cases had appeared during the previous
three weeks. This ship left Liverpool on the 13th
of June, crossed the line in 20 days, passed Rio
Janeiro on the 27th day, and the longitude of the
Cape of Good Hope on the 42d day. She was 240
miles from Cape Otway in 61 days, reached Mel-
bourne in a few days, and was to leave for England
in September.
The steam-ship Crcesus, Captain Hall, belonging
to the General Screw Company, was appointed to
leave Sydney September 9, but she was not likely
to be ready by that date, and would come homeby the Horn. The Lady Jocelyn left Port-Philip
August 19, for Sydney, and would return to Port-
Philip before final departure for England.
Her Majesty's sloop Fantome, 12, Comman-
der A. G. Fitzroy, fired on the Lightning the
morning of her departure. It is stated that the
Lightning had, contrary to regulation, hoisted the
St. George's ensign, and when rebuked from the
Fantome, the officer in charge of the clipper had
exhibited incivility of conduct. Six men belong-
ing to the Lightning joined the Fantome, which
appears to have given umbrage to her commander.
The Melliourne Argus gives the following account
of the affair :

"Yep Majesty's ship Fantome has been completely
successful is her late gallant attack on the Light-
ning, that celebrated clipper having surrendered with-
out firing a gun. It appears that shortly after four
o'clock on Sunday morning the crew of the Light-
ning were turned out to get everything ready for
proceeding to sea, and about six o'clock they com-
menced ' heaving short' the anchor when every one en
board was suddenly startled by the booming of a gun,
and then a second, and on loiking towards her Majesty's
ship Vantome it was perceived that the shots proceeded
from her. A. splash was seen within a few feet of the
ship, on the port bow, and then another, and it was then
made apparent that the officers of her Majesty's ship
Faiitome had actually fired a couple of cannon shot be-
fore the merchant-ship. Captain Forbes was on deck at
the time, and anxiously looked for a boat from 11( r Ma-
jesty's ship Fantorne to explain the meaning of such
warlike attitu'le. The boat was not long in making its
appearance, when the officer in charge demanded that
the wages of the six men who had volunteered from the
L'ghtning into her Majesty's service should be imme•
(lately paid. Capl,ain Forbes replied that he had made
frrrangeraents -with the consignees to settle this and
every other claim against the ship ; but this explanation
not being sufficiently explanatory to the man-of-war,
Captain Forbes signed bills en his owners for the
am,unt, and was then allowed to proceed in peace."
The screw-steamer Titania, Captain Brown, ar-
rived at Port-Philip, from Dumbarton, August 20;
the bark Pons 2Eli, Captain Ecclestone, from Lon-
don ; the ship Planet, Buckham, from London ;
the ship Morning Star, Allen, from Liverpool ; the
ship William Money, Skeen, from Liverpool ; the
bark Caledonia, M'Dowell, from Glasgow ; the ship
Stamboul, Reed, from Liverpool ; the ship Torrent,
Trundy, from London ; and the screw steam-ship
Glasgow Citizen, Wise, from Greenock, arrived in
Port-Philip on the 21st of August.
The railroad from Sandridge, Hobson's Bay, to
Melbourne (19 miles) is finished, but the traffic waa
not opened.
The police being more effective, robberies and
violence are less frequent than formerly at Mel-
bourne.

The general trade of Melbourne appears to be
greatly depressed ; the Ballarat brought home a
quantity of trans-shipped pepper, and heavy ship-
ments of re-exports are taking place. The law
affecting colonial local acceptances is to be revised,
and the resistance by sham pleas is to be cured.
The rate of gold is given at 41. to 41. 2s. 6d. per
oz. ; flour, 351. for best, 331. for seconds ; bran,
4s. ¶Jd. per bushel. The price of sheep and cattle
was rising in consequence of the increased popula-
tion, and the order in council against the sale of
infected sheep, which were numerous. Freights
to England were low. The trade of Adelaide was
suffeling saver e 1 y ,
from Port-Philip merchants.
The Australian Marine Insurance Company is
to be wound up ; the losses had amounted to
something like 23,0001. .
Most of the gold-working companies are closed.
The Quarts Company is doing well.
Large quantities of gold are constantly coming
to market, but not in proportion to the increase of
Chinese ii
hnsuae
srsa
eewbpaekoer
rneGt
ewudololrryt
opened
ni
an nbe
age
catvllteioerßsye
ertulocheh. population.
Devonshire
Tw 0 hteh rNee Nearly ieu•
abandoned hole has been sunk to a depth of 120
feet without meeting rock. The bottom of the
shaft consists of quartz boulders. There is every
indication of gold. At New Chum Gully they are
down from 15 to 24 feet with varied success. Many
holes are said to pay in Milkmaid's Flat locality,
have
been the number of blanks that
been sunk.
12, state that the
Advices dated Avoca, Aug.
in the gold fields.d W
Simson's Rangers had regularly
arrival
by was established
scarce. them-
selvessomeparties have in a few clearedlaatrelry
by the ship Red
jaceclaiins,land in the danger-
ous" fossicking," among. old. Some was
a adventurers ennetwu r
11 rs have lost their lives.
task of removing pillars 1,000/ per man. Among these
nearer Portland
.than Mount Williami diggings.
It is reported that golda hasbeenfound 12. miles
Frequent robberies occur at allarat. Mining
operations are more favourable than by last report.
Gravel-pit
Numbers continue to work at Warrenheap. Eureka
is slowly recovering its character.
T
line
many
is
suicidesdeolintil have g . A
occurrednumberat B
of
ahtfatalarhe
accidentsa-
.GaNe

FREIE TRADE PROGRESS IN HOLLAND.—Letters from
hadthe votedHagu by a lameestatet hatlite Second Chamber of the States
majority the taking into considera-
tion of the proposition of M. Thorbecke and other depu.
ties for abolishing the excise duty on fuel. The Govern-
ment had declared that, as soon as circumstances would
permit, it would propose the abolition of the duty on
corn, beginning with rye.
FIRE 1N RED LION-STREET, HOLBORN.—Last night,
between the hours of 7 and 8 o'clock, a fire broke out in
a spacious pile of premises, belonging to Messrs. Arnold,
Scott, Wing, and Co., watch, clock, and chronometer
makers, forming three houses, in Red Lion-street, Hol-
born' the laei being numbered 60. The upper portion
of the premises was occupied by several lodgers, who
had a most miraculous escape from being burnt to death.
An alarm was riven, and in the course of a few mi-
nutes several police officers arrived, who despatched the
necessary intelligence to the engine stations, when the
Brigade engines from the Hiv,ll Holborn depot promptly.
attended, followed by several others of the London
eieesta-
blishment from Farringdon-street, Chandos-streeet,_Wes 10
street, and Crown-street, as well as that of theyNeVyant
0:
however,England ItreufirarenzeonC
anatphaen
part of the premises was destiroy
apparel, and ot ier
half managed to get the fire extinguished,
tura wearing
origin of the misfortune is unknown.
se of two hours d a
but not until
d and the whole furni.
effects consumed. The
By great pers
an c
Company.