The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-13 00:00:00


AUSTRALIA.

SYDNEY, Nov. 26.

The Vimiera arrived on the 16th with the Eng-
lish mail of the 5th of August. Like her prede-
cessor, the Stratford, she has made a more than
usually slow voyage. The Chusan with the over-
land mail, bringing the letters of September, was
due before she arrived. The only consolation of
the colonists is that the special contract system is
merely temporary, and will cease if the result of
the experiment of the Panama route is successful.
The mining intelligence has for some time past
been almost devoid of interest. Whether the effects
of the winter are still felt in the gold returns, and
there are fewer accumulations in reserve at the
diggings, or'whether the late semi-political agitation
among the miners has produced the same result as
the bad season, by suspending work, is not quite
clear ; but certain it is that on three of the princi-
pal gold-fields of Victoria a diminution in the quan-
tity raised can be noted, even compared with the re-
turns of the same month last year, when the popula-
tion on them was less in number. It may be also that
as "deep sinking" becomes more general, there will be
periods of less production, to be made up when the
deposit is reached at last. It is a disputed point
which of the two systems is the more profitable,
" deep sinking" or surfacing." The last is steadier,
can be carried on more cheaply, and by smaller
parties, and those who practice it are pretty sure,
if industrious, to make what would be considered
good wages anywhere else ; but any daily gain that
may be counted by shillings is here despised, and
the temptation to " go in," as the phrase is, for
the great prizes is almost irresistible. Surfacing
is steady industry; deep sinking a kind of gambling,
in which 2001. or 3001. must be staked on the pro-
babilities of a single hole. It requires some sort
of machinery ; skilled mechanics must be employed,
as well as rough labour hired ; and few can realise
what it is to dig a hole 140 feet deep, till they
have been down one. A problem has still to be
solved in the southern gold fields,—that of the
richness or the reverse of what are called the
" second bottoms." Hitherto the miners have
generally stopped at certain strata of a kind of
white or pipe clay, which was considered the
sign that the limit of the gold deposit downward
had been reached. Lately more adventurous spirits
have gone deeper, and pierced to the granite rock
under the clay, which really appears to be the
true bottom, as in some few cases the success of
the experiment was something fabulous. The
celebrated " jewellers' shops" belong to this class ;
but here again fortune proved herself as caprici-
ous as ever ; a few feet to the right or left made
all the difference between a return of pounds, or
even hundred weights, and a total blank. There
is one person now in Sidney who sank a hole 127
feet deep, lost heart when he got to that depth,
and abandoned it • a party of Germans working in
the next claim took possession of the hole, dug
only three feet deeper, and came down on a deposit
among the largest ever discovered. The conse-
quence to the unlucky first sinker has been a ner-
vous fever, from which he is only just recovering,
and a vexation that will probably haunt him for
life. It was worse than drawing the next number
to the ticket that drew the great prize in a lottery.
Deep-sinking, however, is becoming the grand
game at Bendigo and Ballarat, and surfacing is be-
ginning to be considered a confession of inexperi-
ence or poverty—as only fit for " new chums." An
aristocracy is growing up among the diggers that
I will not condescend to wash buckets of earth in a
tin dish for a few pennyweights of dust, as in the
primitive days of the pursuit. But as the impossi-
bility of everybody getting to Corinth becomes
evident here also, surfacing is far from being aban-
doned ; many hundreds are pursuing it with fair
success, and " new chums" are strongly advised to
try it in preference to the harder work and the
greater risk of deep sinking.
The reports of " rushes' to different flats and
gulleys still continue, though they are generally
unsuccessful, as they almost deserve to be. The
next great hit on the gold-fields will probably be
made by some of the enterprising prospecting par-
ties of whom several, it is understood, are now at
work.

The fields of New South Wales will, perhaps, in
consequence of the reduction of the licence fee,
gradually regain a part of the population drawn
away from them by the more brilliant reputation
of the fields of Victoria. The number of diggers
in this province is very small. The return of the
gold from New South Wales for the month of Oc-
tober is only 5,995 ounces—a miserable figure com-
pared with the 100,000 ounces raised in the same
period at Mount Alexander.
The monthly return of the produce of the Vic-
toria gold-fields to the end of October gives the fol-
i lowing result :—

Ballarat
The Ovens
M'Ivor
Mount Alexander

35,169
9,729
6,210
105,058

156,166
The return from Ballarat, for October, as com-
pared with that of the same month last year, gives
au increase of 7,481 oz. Though the return from
Mount Alexander is still so large, yet, compared
with the yield of October, 1852, it shows a decrease
of no less than 232,426 oz. The total yield of the
Victoria fields in October last year was 365,172 oz.
For the past month, as above shown, it is 156,166
oz., being a decrease of 209,006 oz. Ballarat is the
only improving gold-field ; on all the others the
produce is diminished.
The darkest side of the reports from the gold
region is the prevalence of disease, the frequent
robberies, violent assaults, and brutal drunkenness.
The Government of Victoria, among its new re-
gulations for the gold-fields, intends to license a
certain number of publichouses on them, to check,
if possible, the many evils produced by the retail
trade in spirits having been heretofore illegal.
Business is generally stated Ito be in a sound
state, though in some articles there is a too abun-
dant supply for the market; in others the stocks
are short and prices are maintained. Complaints
are made by old established houses that young and
weak firms have entered too largely into specula-
tion in the colony, and, being compelled to realise
at any sacrifice, have forced their goods on the
market, or sold them at auction more frequently
than established houses approve. It is certain that
goods may often be purchased at auction-rooms in
quantities at prices that prove retail shops must be
making very large profits. Bat the mass of con-
sumers cannot attend such sales, and those who
make a trade of doing so often buy goods at their
own price, and sell again at a profit, though to the
importer there is a certain loss. The high charges
for storage often compel sales of this kind, and
only those houses who can command this accom-
modation can safely hold on, otherwise profits
may be devoured by warehouse rent. There is
no evidence of the power of consumption of the
colony having diminished, but the demand varies
very much according to the state of the weather
and the roads, and we have had a continuance of
unusually late rains that have rendered the com-
munications with the interior difficult and expen-
sive. The cost of carriage often doubles and triples
the price of goods iu the interior above their price
in Sydney, and to that extent acts as a check on
consumption. The roads are getting worse through-
out the colony, even round the capital, for, while
traffic has increased, less labour has been bestowed
to keep them in repair. The " wretched roads" is
the constant burden of complaint in all intelligence
from the interior, but the distances are so great
that exertion is almost paralysed by a sense of the
hopelessness of the task of connecting every point
by roads even remotely resembling Macadam's.
The evil is too gigantic for the old cure, and the
only thing that can remedy it is the construction
of railways that may supersede the present tracts
altogether.
_

On Major's Creek and Bell's Creek some few parties
have been extremely fortunate ; and two new spots
of great promise have been recently opened—one
on the Moruya, the other in the immediate vicinity of
Braid wood. Adelong Creek has been gradually working
its way in public estimation, and stands a fair chance of
becoming one of our most important diggings. Several
large parcels have lately come into town by private
hands, and we believe that nearly 1,000 licenses will be
issued at this place during the month of December. The
Ovens gold fields have some thousands of miners actively
employed in pursuit of the precious metal, and the sur-
rounding country is being prospected in every direction.
A great rush has lately taken place in the Buffalo Range,
but we are not yet in a position to pronounce on its
results.

Altogether, we have great grounds of encourage-
ment ; it is very evident that, although fluctuations in
the productiveness of our gold mines do sometimes occur
from various causes, yet we may justly conclude that
they will neither fail nor diminish in yield for many years
to come.

An important change in the gold market has taken
place, within the last few days, owing to the alteration
of the exchange on London from 2 per cent. to 1 per
cent, premium, and as the advance of the wool season,
will doubtless see a further depression, we may fully con-
clude that gold has seen its highest price for some months
to come. Our present quotations are 70s. 6d. for Vic-
toria, and 74s. for New South Wales gold.
" Export since our last :—

Ounces.
Nov. 16.—Blair for Batavia 750
Add pretioun export 1,545,422

Value at ls. per ounce 5,411,602

MELBOURNE.

( Prom the Summary of the Melbourne Argus, Nor. 28.)

For some months previous to the date of our last
Summary (Sept. 23), there had been considerable
agitation on the various gold fields, on account of a
variety of grievances, the chief of which professedly
was the high licence-fee of 30s. per month. This
agitation had taken a very dangerous form ; and,
in order to allay the excitement, the Government
agreed to reduce the fee, and, finally, fresh arrange-
ments have been made.
The reduction of the license fee satisfied the
diggers. The various gold fields have been ever
since tranquil, and the miners have continued
steadily to prosecute their search for the precious
metal.

We have very little to report in regard to the
discovery of new gold fields. Rumours have been
current of discoveries in the Pyrenees, on the
Wardy Yallock, 30 miles west of Geelong, and else-
where ; and a rush took place some time ago from
the Ovens to the Buffialo ranges, 40 miles further
east, but with as yet so decided result in any case.
The old gold-fields continue pretty well to
maintain their former reputation. The most
exciting topic among the diggers is the ques-
tion of a second bottom—that is, whether,
after penetrating the pipe-clay on which the auri-
ferous earth has hitherto been discovered, addi-
tional deposits may be found to rest on the rock
below. This question appears to have been deter-
mined in the affirmative at Ballarat, and to a cer-
tain extent also at Mount Alexander and Beudigo.
If the second deposits are uniformly distributed,
and in proportionate abundance to those at Balla-
rat, it will probably take ages to exhaust the golden
treasures of Victoria. .
The roads are now less infested with bushrangers
and other desperadoes than they were a year ago,
and the amount of gold brought down by individual
miners, therefore, bears a somewhat larger propor-
tion to that sent down by escort than it did last
year. In October last year we possessed two gold-
fields, and now we possess five—namely, 1. Mount
Alexander and Bendigo ; 2, Ballarat; 3, The Ovens;
4, WIvor ; 5, The Goulburn. But although their
number is increased, the yield will be seen to be less
than that of last year; and when viewed in connec-
tion with the greater number of diggers now em-
ployed, the individual profit will not bear compa-
rison with that of the first few months of the
gold discovery. There is still, however, plenty of
gold in the soil. The country proves itself
more and more every day to be auriferous
throughout almost its whole extent, and with
the improved means which science could afford
and a proper distribution and adaptation of labour,
there is no fear but that our gold harvest will yield
us for many years as much as will afford an ample
average to all the colonists of Victoria. With
reference to the four last-mentioned gold fields, it
is certain that they have not been fully developed,
and many of the most experienced miners are of
opinion that the Ovens especially has scarcely yet
comparatively been touched; but operations in
winter are much impeded by water, and their full
development can only take place during the months
from December to July. There are, therefore,
strong expectations of a large prodace during the
first six months of 1854.

The returns of gold exported are rather more
favourable than those of the comparative quantities
brought down by escort.
According to the statements published by Mr.
Khull, the relative quantities of gold exported up
to the present period of this and last year were as
follow :— Ounces.

1852 (eleven months) 1,843,811
1853 (eleven months, to Nov. 26) 2,175,586
With the number if fine ships likely to sail
shortly, we are not without hopes of seeing the
shipments of gold for this year amount to the round
sum total of a hundred tons.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.
ALBANY, KING GEORGE'S SOUND.
ARRIVALS FROM NOV. 6 TO DEC. 10.

Nov. 6. Chusan s.), Down. 7. Ida Kiss, Galzinoich.
8. Coila, Koinge. 10. Mozambique, Corcoran. 13. Hen-
rietta, Van Lpeun. 16. Amulet, Harwood. 24. Saxon,
Hansens. 29. American.), Cernogorcioch. 30. Rory
O'More, Church. Dec. 10. Chusan (m. s.), Down.

DEPARTURES FROM NOV. 7 TO NOV. 30.
Nov. 7. Chusan (m. s.), Down. 9. Foi, Hubert. 20.
Africa, Ournon; Amulet, Harwood ; William Stevenson,
Williams ; Gentoo, Wittleton ; Marianne, Squibb% 22.
Koinge. 29. Archeoique Affre, La Borda. 30.
Rory O'Morc, Church.
SYDNEY',
ARRIVALS FROM SEPT. 18 TO NOV. 23.

Sept. 18. Singapore, Bath, London; Calphurnia, Geere.
Melbourne ; Trent, Colette, Melbourne ; Straford, For-
rest, London ; Telegraph, Irvine, Liverpool ; Countess of
Derby, Starcich, Launceston; Julia Percy, Smith, South
Sea Islands. 19. Alster, Penneng, Melbourne • Lady
Flora, Carker, Melbourne ; Ann Mary, Harris, Melbourne.
22. Walter Morris, Morris, Plymouth ; Isabella Hyne,
Somerly, Melbourne. 23. Balkan, Wainwright, China ;
Gipsy Queen, Rarras, London ; Thames, Hadley, London.
2G. John Sugars, Doyle, London. 29. Defence, M`Martyr,
Liverpool. 30. St. Anne, Griendeau, Melbourne. Oct.
1. Mathilde, Harmony, aelbourne. 2. Abbot, Ferguson,
San Francisco. 3. Daniel Ross, Kettle, Melbourne. 4.
Jessie Byrne, Baker, San Francisco ; tar of the East,
Robertson, Liverpool ; Adele, Thomson, Poi tland Bay ;
Palembang, Hockstra, London. 6. Hugh Walker, Mac-
key, Glasgow. 8. Constitution, Trader, London ; Heather
Bell, Jones, Auckland ; Galatea, Todd, Auckland. 10.
Confience, Menezes, Lisbon. 11. Voyageur, Pirout, Mau-
ritius. 12. Ellenborough, Thornhill, London ; Eliza
Mary, Chapman, Riatea. 13. Waterhen, Verhulst, Lon-
don. 15. Admiral Greanfell, Maclellan& New Zealand.
20. Casper, Eldred, Valparaiso. 21. Ann (s. s.), Gibbs,
Now Zealand, 23. Indianoia, Cathcart, Melbourne. 24.
Jenny Lind, Lloyd, Java ; Royal Exchange, Turner,
Sourabaya ; Ida Reiner, Melbourne ; Blackfriar, Tissiman,
London ; Amelia the First, Mallao, Oporto ; Amicitia,
Hellinger, Liverpool • Isabella Remus, Robertson, Lon-
don ; Holland, Mendez,
(s. s ), Matthews, Liverpool • ' Kate, Greaves, London ;
Flevo, Vandertrey,Liverpool. 25. Great Britain
Liverpool ; Martin Luther, Batavia ;
Man, Cole, Calcutta ; Caroline, Lawson, Liverpool. Oct.
29. Lallah Rookh, Turkey, Valparaiso; Jaokin, Normann'
Valparaiso ; Calliope, Home, South Sea Islands. 30.
Volant, Vesely, San Francisco. 31. John H. Millay,
Crandel, New Caledonia. Nov. 1. Trafalgar, M`Neddor,
Glasgow ; Rajasthan, Kerr,
China. 2. Windsor, Tickell
London ; Aurora, 3I`Vicar, Loudon ; Adelaar, Bonlet'
Liverpool. 5. Damblat, Blanchard, Society Islands. 6'
Sydney, Askey, Melbourne ,• Indian Queen, Drummond'
New York ; Adolfe van Nassau, Borehur, Liverpool
Fanny Fisher, Harold, Java. 10. Henrietta, Allen'
Melbourne ; John Ormered, Swine, San Francisco. 11'
Maidstone, Escott, Plymouth ; Zeemanshoop, Drunker
Liverpool ; Willem Ernst, Doornik, Liverpool ; Alert,
Smith, Macao. 15. Victoria,Meyer, Hamburg. 16. Royal,
Stuart, Globe, Southampton ; Queen Margaret, Spence,
London; Duchess of Sutherland, Williamson, London ;
Vimeira, Neatby, Portsmouth ; Asa Thor, Culberg, Mel-
bourne. 17. Epsom, Buckland, Portsmouth ; Niger,
Wallace, London. 18. Arrogant, Dye, Newcastle • Cybele,
Schuler, Souraba.ya ; Montezuma, WIntyre, Melbourne ;
Gay Head, Davis, Melbourne. 20. Maria Catherina,
Poel, Liverpool. 22. Chusau, Down, Melbourne. 23.
Hope, Allen, Greenock ; Don Alphonse, Santa Anna,
Oporto ; Abel Tasman, Housing, London.
DEPARTURES FROJI SEPT. 16 TO OCT. 20.
SEPT. 16. Osmanli, Corbett, Melbourne. 17. Mohawk,
Little, London ; Victoria, Chapman, London. 18. Nia-
gara, Wilde, Callao ; David M`Ivor, Baillie, Bombay. 19.
Victoria, Owen Valparaiso ; Shanghai,'Farfitt, Point de
Galle. 20. Watergeus, Kramer, Batavia ; J. M. Chris-
tina, Watermans, Batavia • Doggerbank, Sansen, Batavia.
21. Flora, Acock, Callao. 23. Clara, Jarman, Moulmein.
24. Aldebaran, Heij born, Batavia ; Dankbaarheid, Post-
ma, Batavia ; F. C. Clarke, Jean, Calcutta ; Perseverance,
White, Newcastle. 27. Asie, Marohante, Batavia. 21.
Commodore, Broadfoot, Auckland ; Susan, Aldrich, Am-
panam. 30. Helen Baird, Wilson, London ; Sartelle,
Stafford, Callao. October 1. Trent, Collette, Guam ;
Louis, Ross, South Sea Islands. 2. Telegraph, Irwin,
Callao ; Ann, Fleet, Callao ; St. Gravenhage, Blok, Bata-
via. 3. Olbers, Techken, Callao ; Ann Aolzberg, Harries,
Calcutta. 5. Keihriveider, Evers, Batavia. 7. Clontarf,
Barthy, Calcutta. 8. Fanny, Smith, Newcastle; Early
Bird, Park, Hong Kong. 10. Renaissance, Pickhand,
Pondicherry ; Repeater, 'Wilson,
Callao. 11. Alster, Pen
Hong Kor.g. 12. Walter Hood, ISproat, London.
13. John Williams, Morgan, Anatam ; Earl of Elgin,
Sophie, Matzen,
Lawson, Callao. 15. John Barrow, Obedgary, Manilla;
Ashemy, Ross, Port Cooper ; Princess
Batavia; Countess of Derby, Starcich, Moreton Bay. 17.
Annette Gilbert Gage, Valparaiso. 19. Versailles, Eld-
ridge,Juno Basagnren Ma-
,
Callao; Isabelita Hyne, Somerley, Valparaiso. 20.
Royal Saxon, Johnson, Shanghai ;
nilla. 29. Julia Percy, Smith, South Seas ; Singapore,
Bath, Arracan ; Daniel Ross, Kettle, Hong Kong. 30.
Alert, Stewart, London. 31. St. Anne, Carandan, Guam;
Adele, Thomson, Melbourne. Nov. 1.Walmer Castle,
Price, Guam ; Maitland, Miller, London ; John Pachett,
Stapleton, Ceylon. 3, Thames, Hadley, Moulmein, 4..

Ann Mary, Haris, Calcutta ; Caroline, Lawson, Moreton
Bay; Plantagenet, Pollack, London; Rebecca, Jordan, Cal-
lao ; Cheshire Witch, Eldon, Mauritius ; Indianola, Cath-
cart, San Francisco ; Jackin, Norman, Guam. 5. Matilde,
Hamony, Pondicherry; Prins Mauritz, Bart, Batavia.
6. Confiance, 3Ienezes, Macao. 7. Admiral Grenfell,
M'Clelland, Port Cooper ; Walter Maurice, Maurice, Hong
Kong; Jenny Lind, Lloyd, Guam. 8. Lallah Rookh,
Twohey, Melbourne. 9. Star of the East, Robertson,
Shanghai. 10. H.M. brig Fantome, Auckland. 11. Ata-
lanta, Lemissurrier, London. 13. Empire, Streck, Bom-
bay. 14. Adonis, Dutacq, Pondicherry ; Ida, Reiner,
Guam. 16. Blair, Mordy, Guam. 18. Hugh Walker,
Mackay, Callao ; Lady Flora, Parker, Singapore. 19.
Voyageur, Piroret, Mauritius; Great Britain (st.), Mat-
thews, Melbourne. 21. Balkan, Wainwright, Mauritius ;
Calphurnia, Goere, Singapore ; Mary Nixon, Parker,
Callao. 23. John Sugars, Doyle, Amherst.

NAVAL INT ELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, FEB. 11.

Rear-Admiral Chads, C.B., shifted his flag yesterday
morning from the Princess Royal, in the harbour, to the
Edinburgh, 58, at Spithead, when that ship exchanged
salutes with the Commander-in-Chief of the Port. Soon
afterwards the Edinburgh steamed into harbour, and
ranged alongside the dockyard jetty to exchange her
crew and fit with all expedition for the accommodation
of her Admiral, who takes with him as secretary Mr.
Cargenven, Paymaster, R.N., at present employed in
the coast volunteering service.
The Commander-'n-Chief, Vice-Admiral Sir Thos. J.
Cochrane, gave a splendid entertainment to the elite of
the neighbourhood, including the officers of both servi-
ces, at his official residence, last evening, in honour of
the Queen's wedding day—nearly 300 being present on
so interesting an occasion.
The Neptune, 120, Capt. E. H. Scott, daily receives
an accession of coastguardmen from various districts, to
make up her number of 400, and is getting on very ra
pidly with her refit for service.
The Marlborough, screw, 131, building in this dock-
yard, has had all the artificers taken off her, and distri-
buted upon other ships fitting for sea.
The Princess Royal, 91, screw, Capt. Lord Clarence
Paget, has nearly made up her complement of 850, and
with a better class of men than have for some time past
been obtainable by other captains. She will leave the
harbour for Spithead, according to present orders, next
Wednesday. The Caesar, 91, screw, Capt. Robb, has
been removed to the entrance of the steam factory basin,
in readiness for going into the harbour on Monday
morning to receive her main and foremasts under the
shears. The Illustrious, 72, blockship, Captain Harris,
has received her masts and commenced rigging. She
will soon be ready to commence the training of volun-
teers on board.

The Blenheim, 60 (screw), Captain the Hon. F. T.
Pelham, has discharged her steam reserve staff to the
Neptune, 20, Commander Gardener, of the latter ship,
will relieve Captain Pelham of steam reserve duty to-
morrow, and will conduct the fitting, armament, and
stowage of all steam vessels brought forward in the
absence of the senior officer. Lieut. A. Stewart, and
one half of the Marines serving in the Blenheim, will
be discharged to the shore to-morrow. She will be paid
down immediately her books are ready, which will be
in a few days, and it is " reported" will be out of hand
of the dockyard engineer department on the 28th inst.
Every exertion is made to expedite her appearance at
Spithead ; all the officers' cabins on the main deck are
knocked down, and all the guns are clear for action on
both decks. She has been materially improved this refit
and will be a most formidable ship.
The Sirnoom, 18, screw troop-ship, Captain Smith, is
nearly complete in the boiler and machinery department.
She is being coaled by convicts, and will move from the
steam basin into the harbour to-morrow. She takes
out a battalion of Rifles, we believe, who received
orders to-day to prepare for embarkation.

The Dauntless, 33, screw, Capt. A. P. Ryder, will go
to Spithead to morrow, according to present orders.
The Dragon, 6, steam-frigate, Capt. Willcox, was un-
docked to-day and is manning fast. She will be ready
fur sea, we expect, in another week or ten days.
The Boscawen, 70, Capt. Glanville, at Spithead, was
inspected yesterday by Vice-Admiral Sir T. Cochrane,
B.C.B., the Commander in-Chief, who went out with his
staff and flag in the Fire Queen steam yacht, Mr. Paul,
Master-Commander.

Th• Bussorah, merchant freightship, arrived at Spit-
head on Friday evening from the Thames, and was
towed into harbour yesterday morning to embark troops
for the East.

We learn from Chatham that the whole of the artifi-
cers and labourers in that dockyard are now, with few
exceptions, at full swing upon the task and job system
of work, and earning from 5s. to 71. per diem. The
progress made daily in building the Orion, screw, 91, is
manifest even to an unprofessional eye, and the me-
chanics of all grades seem, under the excitement of the
change of system, quite a new class of operatives. The
sails and rigging of the Meeanee, 80, are complete, and
she is ready for commissioning.
We hear Vice-Admiral the Hon. J. Percy, command-
ing at the Note, is suffering from an attack of gout.
Rear-Admiral Martin, superintendent of this dockyard,
continues very unwell. This is most unfortunate at this
pressing moment.

Captain Fremantle, of the Juno, is also indisposed.
Captain Sir EVerard Home, Bart., C B., of the Cal-
liope, 26, senior officer on the Australian and New Zea-
land station, is reported by the mail just in from that
region to have died at Sydney on the 2d of November
last. Captain Fremantle, in the Juno, was going out
to relieve him.

The death of Mr. Chimmo, naval storekeeper at Malta
Dockyard, took place on the 29th ult. The vacant ap-
pointment is salaried at 6001. per annum.
The United Service Gazette reports Captain Fitzgerald,
of the Winchester, 50, having resigned the command of
that ship (Sir F. Pellew's flag), and being on his pas-
sage to England.
The Vulcan, screw troop.ihip, Commander Von Donop,
received her bowsprit yesterday, and will embark troops
in a day or two.
120 coastguardmen arrived by rail last night from the
Kentish coast to join the fleet.

PLYMOUTH, FRb. 12.

who104, wcearpetapilnacAed.
The steam-tender Prospero arrived from Pembroke
youngest of the Coast
oo
nn
Lowe,Fbrc iadirnadyHtwha imet ho
flag-ship
vs
ho li2up9n
oemfe rp
trhse
aeganma be
Guardsmen, recently employed in the neighbourhood of
Port Wrinkle, joined the flag-ship the same day.
The St. George, 121, Captain Kingcombe, is to be
taken into dock at Keyham to have her copper examined,
preparatory to her being got ready for sea.
The screw steam-sloop Desperate, 8, Captain William
W. Chambers, is ordered here from Lisbon, to have a
new mainmast and jibboom, which are to be fitted with
all despatch.

The screw ship Algiers, 91, having been coppered,
will be undocked on Wednesday, the 15th inst.
All plumbers and millwrights employed in the Devon-
port dockyard are to work from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., to
expedite the fitting of ships.
The last Cape papers, received per Propontis, con-
tained a very minute account of a box of clothing, tools,
letters, &c., found ashore at Mossel Bay, from which it
was concluded that a ship had been wrecked in that
vicinity. Yesterday, a letter from its owner, who is a
seaman belonging to the Simoom, states that the box
was washed off the deck of that steamer in a heavy gale
when near St. Helena. The Simoom is now in dock at
Portsmouth, and the owner of the box, George Pain, is
with his friends near Dorchester.

The Black Sea.—Captain Hedwith, of the merchant
vessel Danthwaith, which arrived in Plymouth Sound
on Thursday, states that about the 20th of November,
while lying at Kertsch, in the Sea of Azof, a British-
built steamer, in the Russian service, entered that har-
bour in a ♦ery shattered condition, She had been at
Port Nicola]. which she unexpectedly found in posses-
sion of the Turks, who fired at her with considerable
effect. The funnel had about 50 shotholes in it ; she
was completely dismasted, and her sides were well
riddled, almost down to two strakes of the water's edge.
There was a hole forward large enough to admit a boat,
and, had the Turks fired a little lower, she must have
sunk. As it was, in the hurry to escape she was run
aground ; but fortunately she backed off quickly. The
captain and 25 of the crew were killed, and 100
wounded, being nearly the entire complement of the
ship.

WOOLWICH, FEB. 11.

APPOINTMENTS.

Paymasters.—Janies S. Mountsteven (1837), from the
Boscawen, 70, flagship of Rear-Admiral Arthur Fan-
shawe, C.B., appointed to be Commander-in-Chief on the
North American and West Indies station, to the Ma-
jestic, 80, screw steamship, commissioned by Captain
James Hope, C.B., at Sheerness ; Frederick Brady
(1842), from the Euryalus, 50, screw steam-frigate, at
Chatham, to the Boscawen, 70, at Portsmouth, vice
Monntsteven ; William H. Reeves (1844), recently
serving in the Cleopatra, 26, when on the East Indies
station, to the Euryalus, 50, screw steam-frigate, at
Chatham, vice Brady ; Thomas Hockings (1843), to the
Wellington, commissioned as guardship of ordinary at
Sheerness.

Surgeons.—Charles T. S. Kevern (1846), to the
Monarch, 84, at Sheerness ; Jame4 Davidson (1848), to
the Dragon steam-frigate, at Portsmouth.

The greatest exertions are now made to man the navy
immediately and place all the ships and war steamers in
an efficient state for active service on the shortest notice.
The Vigilant revenue cruiser arrived at Woolwich to-
day from Sheerness, and took on board the whole of the
men of the Coast Guard from the station at Charlton, as
their services are required afloat, leaving only Mr.
Harrys, the chief officer, to do duty at Charlton. Mr.
Pym (Master of 1851), serving as additional master to
the Black Eagle steam-vessel, left Woolwich on Friday
evening for Gravesend to raise men for the Royal navy,
and will open a rendezvous there.
An order was received at a late hour this evening to
select 200 men of the Foot Artiilery, who are to be
medically inspected to-morrow (Sunday morning) at the
Ordnance Hospital here, and they are to proceed imme-
diately by railway to Portsmouth, for the purpose of be-
ing draughted there to serve as marine artillery on board
the ships of war or war steamers now in commission or
about to be commissioned for active service.
No captain has up to the present date bcen appointed
eVticteo -
to the Nile, 91, screw steam-ship at Devonport, and the
belief is now universal in naval circles that the Nile will
be selected
Kcted.
co
the
hflisaga-pshpiopintomn
of
the Baltic fleet, At
hdemciormalmSainrd Co
f.
Napier,

LONDON FEVER HOSPITAL.

The annual general meeting of the friends and sup-
porters of this charitable institution was held on Friday
at the Freemason's Tavern, Great Queen-street, Lin-
coln's-inn-fields ; Mr. John Ashton Yates presided.
The SECRETARY stated that the total expenditure for
the year 1853 amounted to 3,1151. lls. 6d. The total
receipts, including a donation of 50 guineas from the
Drapers' Company, amounted to 2,5041. 16s. 5d. In
reading the balance-sheet of the accounts for the year,
lie called the attention of the meeting to the fact that
the expenditure had exceeded the income by upwards
of 6001., and that unless the hospital was better sup-
ported by the public than it had lately bee❑ the com-
mittee would be obliged to restrict the number of
admissions. It appeared from the report that 1,132
patients had been under treatment during the past
year. If these persons had net been removed to the
hospital, and the spread of contagion thereby prevented,
it is impossible to say what evils might have befallen
not only the poor, but the rich also, who are not secure
from the attack of contagious diseases. He feared the
public did not rightly understand the nature of this
charity, or its funds would not be permitted to get so
low. Had it not been for the support derived from
occasional legacies the hospital must have been closed
altogether, for it was impossible to have it conducted
on a more economical plan, as could plainly be seen
when it was shown that so large an establishment was
kept in an efficient state at less than 3,0001. a year ;
and it must be borne in mind that, whether the
patients were many or few, the establishment
must be kept up, ready for all emergencies. Oi
the 1,132 :patients admitted during the year, there
were dismissed cured of continued fever 631, of scarlet
fever 101, and of other diseases 116, while the deaths
amounted to 207. The report concluded by stating that,
as there was a balance against the hospital the com-
mittee trusted that the public would liberally come for-
ward, and enable them to fully carry out the object of
its benevolent founders.

The report having been received and adopted, and
Lord Monteagle elected president far the year
en.uing, a vote of thanks eras passed to the chairman,
and the meeting separated.

RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS.

LIVERPOOL, FEB. 11.

STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market has exhibited a firm
feeeling all day, and closed steady at last night's currency :
—Caledonian, 26i ; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 65;i, 4 ;
London and North-Western, 103, ; Midland, 62i; South-
Eastern and Dover, 18 5-16.

MANCHESTER, FEB. 11.
STOCK EXCHANGE.—The business to-day has been very
small, prices have ruled higher. The sales were :—Leeds,
651j, g ; Dover's, g.

BIRMINGHAM, FEB. 11.
STOCK EXCHANGE.—To-day quotations were about sta-
tionary. London and North-Westerns were done this
morning at 1021. Among the closing quotations were Bir-
mingham, Wolverhampton, and Stour Valley, buyers 8/.
16s. 3d. ; sellers, 8/. 18s. 9d. ; Eastern Counties, sellers
13 ; East Lancashire, l.uyers 64. ; Great Western, buyers
82„ sellers 83 ; Lancashire and Yorkshire, buyers 65,
sellers 651 ; London and North-Western, buyers 1031,
sellers 1031 ; Midland, buyers 63, sellers 63.4 ; Shrewsbury
and Birmingham Preference, sellers, 94 ; Shropshire,
buyers, 3/. 18s. 9d. die. ; South Staffordshire, buyers 2,
sellers 1 dis.

BRISTOL, FEB. 11.
STOCK EXCHANGE.—The continued state of suspense
and uncertainty as to war or peace causes the market to
remain in a dull and depressed condition, with little or no
business doing. Tho only transactions during the day
were in Bristol and Exeter Stock, which was done at 93 ,
and Great Westerns at 82.