The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-05 00:00:00

RAIL TVA Y TRAFFIC RETURNS.

LONDON AND SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY.—Traffio re-
turn for the week ending Dee. 2, 1854 £13,652 8 5
Corresponding week last year 12,306 18 3

Increase in 1 .;:54 £1,345 10 2
LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH COAST RAILWAY.—
Traffic return for the week ending Dec. 2,
1854 £10,527 10 11
Corresponding week last year 10,518 12 10
Total of the half-year to this date, 1854 345,293: 4 4
Total of the half-year to this date, 1853 316,289 19 11

HERTFORD AND WELWYN RAILWAY.—The ceremony
of " turning the first sad " of the above railway took
place in an upland field, known as:the Cottagers' Gar-
dens, abutting on the Hertingfordbury-road. The Hon.
W. F. Cowper, M.P., on whom devolved the task of
turning the first sod, drove his spade into the earth, filled
the barrow at his side, and wheeling it down the centre
plank, deposited its contents at the bottom of the inclined
plane, amidst the hearty cheering of those assembled.
The Mayor, following the example set him, turned the
second sod, and the ex-mayor the third, each on the per-
formance of his task being received with a round of ap-
plause,
Tin WESTERN FISHERIES.—The catches of fish on the
Cornish coast, on which so large a portion of the popu-
lation depend, have during the present season been ex-
ceedingly small. During the past week, however, the
seine at St. Ives have been tolerably successful. The
drift-beats have been taking from 1,000 to 18,000 fine
pilchards, which have found a ready sale at ls. and 2s.
per 100 of six score in the Bristol market and for home
consumption. At Pendeen a great qaantity of fish,
supposed to be pilchardß, has been seen going down
Channel. Fish have also been seen off Mullion and
Gunwalloe, but the weather has been too rough to se-
cure any.
THE MAILS.—SOUTHAMPTON, Monday, Dec. 4.—The
__
Royal mail steam-ship Parana, Captain Philip Hast ,
sailed this afternoon with the outward mails for the West
Indies, Havannah, the Gulf of Mexico, Central America,
and the Pacific, and 152 passengers, amongO _riental Steam
whom is the
Bishop of Guiana. The andPeninsula-une,
Captain H. H.
Navigation Company's steam-ship Exi
Potts, took her departure at 2 p.m. today for GidhraEliaarst,
Malta, and Alexandria, carrying the o ar
India and China mails. The Euxine has 85 passengers,
among whom are M. B.
jun.,
Willcox, M.P. for South-
ampton, Mr. Willcox, unl Captain Larkins, Captain
Logan, Captain Hitchins, and Major Lake. This steamer
has a very full cargo, and specie value 65,730/. sterling
for India and China, and 39,526/. for Malta and Alex-
andria. The United States mail steam-ship Washington,
Captain Cavendy, arrived here this morning from Bre-
men. She is taking in a very larze and valuable cargo
of continental merchandise, and will leave for New York
on Wednesday, the 6th inst., with the regular mails.
CHINAMEN AT THE DIGGINGS.—We are informed that
there aro several China men at these diggings who have
constantly in their employment from 50 to 60 of their
countrymen. These gentlemen are to be di§tinguished
from the others by their adoption of smart European
dresses, and, whether it arises from the difference of cos-
tume, a longer intercourse with Europeans, or from
natural energy, they certainly appear to possess a much
greater amount of activity and animation than is usually
observable in the Chinese we have among us.