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

RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS.

LONDON AND SOUTII-EASTERN RAlLWAY.—Traffie re
turn for the week ending Die. 2, 1854 £13,652 8 5
Corresponding week last year 12,336 18 3

Increase in 1.7'.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 315,293 '4 4
Total of the half-year to this date, 1553 316,289 19 11

. .
HERTFORD AND WELWYN RAILWAY.—The ceremony
of " turning the first sod " of the above railway took.
place in an upland field, kaown aethe Cottagers' Gar-
dens, abutting on the Hertingfordbury road. The Hon.
\V. F. Cowper, M.P., on whom devolved the task of
turninz 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.
THE WESTERN FISHERIES.—The catches of fish on the
Cornish coast, on which so largo a portion of the popu-
lation depend, have during the present season been ex-
ceedingly small. During the past week, however, the
seins at St. Ives have been tolerably sucoessful. The
drift-boats have been taking from 1,000 to 18,000 fine
pilchards, which have found a ready sale at ls. and 2..
per 100 of six score in the Bristol market and for home
consumption. At Pendeen a great quantity of fish,
supposed to be pilchard., 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.
TEIE MATLS.—SOUTHAMPTON, Monday, Dec. 4.—The
Royal Ulan . steam-ship. Parana, Captain Philip Hast,
sailed this afternoon with the outward mails for the West
IndieS, Havarinah, the Gulf of Mexico, Central America,
and the Pacific, and 152 passengers, among whorSteam
is
the
Bishop of Guiana. The Peninsular and Orienta
Navigation Company's steam-ship Euxine, Captain
Potts, took her departure at 2 p.m. to-day for Gibraltar,
Malta, and Alexandria, carrying the outward East
India and China mails. The Euxine has 85 passengers,
among whom are Mr. B. M. Willcox, M.P. for South-
ampton, Mr. Willcox, jun., ptain Larkins, Captain
Logan, Captain Hitching, and Majore3 Lake. This steamer
-has a very full cargo, and specie value 65,730/. sterling
for India and China, and 39,5261. 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 lane and valuable cargo
fco-ntinental merchandise, and will leave for New York
on Wednesday, the 6th hist:, with the regular mails.
CHINAMEN AT TFIE DIGGINGS.—We are informed that
there are several China men at these diggings who have
constantly in their employment from 50 to GO of their
countrymen. These gentlemen are to be distinguished
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.