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 fur the paymept of the troops,
&c.

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

WEST INDIA PINES.- Although the importations of
pine-ripples 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
greatly superior 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 Wen thought
of on former nceaflione.

AUSTRALIA.

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

THE COLONY OF VICTORIA.
We are enabled again to report favourably of the
condition and prospects of the country. The present
season hitherto has been a remarkable and pleasieg
contrast to that of last year. The country has been
blessed with early and copious rains, which not 019
have produced a luxuriant growth of grass, before the
winter frosts sets in but an unusual period has bee:
afforded for agricultural labours. There are mom'
indications of great progress in settlemEnt•
aquantities of agricultural lands have been purchast
n d fencing operations are in full vigour on roost of t
Le',
lines of road. Agricultural labourers and agriculturit
implements, seed wheat, and seed oats have beenid,
great demand ; and it is certain that a very large_A,r
ditional breadth of land will this year be put Ilan
crop. Another good symptom has lately been exhibitsl
in spirited ploughing matches, and shows of stock se3,u.
produce by the farmers in the neighbourhood of 20'
bourne and of other principal markets.
TER GOLD.
Since our last no new gold fields have been disco
and the full value of the new diggings at Tarrengetlft
and Omeo, of which we have previously spoken, has
been ascertained. It appears that the climate and odli.
try at Tarrengower are naturally very dry, and thebeea
gers have nut, at the date of our last intelligenee,..hditi
able to make much progress with their eoura7 her
washing-stuff. At Omeo, in Gipps' Land, on the t
hand, the country is so extremely wet, that coml.;
tively little can be done till the height of summer. or,
a favourable circumstance, we may mention, 1W /24y
that a nugget weighing 19 ounces has been re7..e.
discovered at this new locality, affording another ills
of the great diffusion of the precious metal throng- ee
the colony. All the old-established gold fields eenlliairbil
their supplies with considerable regularity. We e,pee•
below, at a glance, a comparison of the amounts r ;pas,
tively received by escort, and shipped in similar Per'
in 1853 and 1854 :
Gold received by Escort, Gold Shippe
10'
1853. 1854. 1853. oz•
oz. oz. oz. i,6 420
January 186,615 154.149 266,868 „.'-8 ;,71949
February, 172,329 136,579. 189,675 `'.1.'031
March 169,654 153,431 166,423 '141'724
April 170,427 182,807 101,683
713 23°
699,025 626,966 724,649 a/A
It will be observed that in the first period the an:eot
brought by escort is very little less than the flejese
shipped, while in the latter period the differeno!sb mast
than 86,000 ounces. The increased amount ah the
have Leen conveyed privately, doubtless arises flow
greater comparative security of the roads. An," eej is
markable fact is the nearly equal amount preeu
each year, as shown by the shipments in the re,root
periods. Like those of California, it now seems aPPwitly
that the gold-fields of Australia will bear werl"_ngwola
out exhaustion fora long period of years ; and W".„, the
remind our distant readers that up to this very t'-'",h
modes of extracting the precious metal from the "11;0A
of the rudest character, and that it is difficult to pate or
what may be the results when such rich deposits e aed
tered upon with all the aids of scientific knowledg
mechanical ingenuity.

TRAIjE. napes
The import trade for some time past has been Olt nro•
ani anomalous state. We have for months bee; roe
citiming a glutted market, but all on a sad°. of •
been discovered that in many articles, insteii be
glut, there is an actual scarcity. The truth scans t°'
that a great number of very inexperienced eed tb°lls7l
less people have rushed into trade with the new gold
country,u and in making their purchases have, nO of the
goods, and
tcbaereifuuuldeinufrefe4rence to the giTitittiV be::
• ckin - the result
that the accumulated old stocks of the old world bate'
hueden sent to Melbourne. This did not operate 0.011•00
j iciaily in reference to dry goods. They reuji°,..,rish•
lhand. But a large proportion of the goods werel)--grkt
We. Provisions, preserves, oilmen's stores, e' c' to
were rotting, and bills against shipment were coral
maturity. The only resource was the auction, ti.riacei
sacrifice. Soft goods of course have also been sacri
at motion ; but we believe the mo:4 serious losse9„„tfle•
have been sustained have been caused by the Pu"-Tbe
tion of perishable articles, originally unsound• tot
consequence is that at this moment, after shipments iiitr
would have glutted for years any country with a situ re.
population, this market is now bare of provisions, ?a
serves, and other perishable goods in sound eeuditol° e
nod at this moment, and for many months past,
butter, ham, bacon, and similar articles have reel'
handsome profit.