The Sun.
London, England, 1822-01-21 00:00:00

NEW SOUTH WALES.

We have received Sydney Gazettes to the 11th
of August, inclusive. Govefnor MACQUAILRIE
had returned to Sydney about the middle of
July, from a visit of inspection to Van Dieman's

Land, and an official account of the present state
of that Colony was published in the 4th-icy Ga-
zette' soon after his arrival. We believe it has
already been made public in this country, but a
brief sketch of its contents may not be uninte-
resting. The Governor notices, in appropriate
terms of commendation, the numerous most essen-
tial improvements which had taken place at Ho-
.bart's_Town, and other parts, since his previous
visit in 1811. The number of well-built houses
in Hobart's Town are stated at .121, and the po-
pulation at 2,700 souls. He particularly notices
the •erection of a Government House, hand-
some Church, a commodious military barrack,
a strong gaol; a well-constructed hospital, and
a roomy barrack for convicts. There was
also considerable progress made in the building
of a substantial pier at Sullivan's Cove, which,
combined with the natural facilities of the place,
will, it is alleged, render it one of the best and
safest anc!iorage,s in the world. He passes an
apparently %veil merited encomium on the indus-
try and spirit of enterprize manifested by the in-
habitants
of Hobart's Town, and gives due share
of praise to Lieut. Governor Sobel!, for his wise
regulations and judicious arrangements, as hav-
ing excited and fostered that disposition, on the
part of the inhabitants, from which all the im-

provements enumerated have resulted. The Go-
vernor makes an equally favourable report with
regard to the advancing state of • the • settle-

ments at Port Dalrymple, Launceston, George
Town, &c. Three lines of roads are in the
course of formation from the capital to various
parts of the island, one of them extending to the
distance of I'2o miles. The geheral population
of Van Dieman's Land is stated at 6372 souls,
exclusive of the civil and military officers; and it
contains 28,838 head of horned cattle, 182,468
sheep, 421 horses, and 10,633 acres of land in
cultivation. By the introduction of \the Merino
breed of sheep the quality of wool grown in the
colony was rapidly improving, and it was ex-
pected that it would soon obtain such a degree
of perfection as to render it a most valuable ex,
port to the mother country. The detachments of
the Ist Royal Scots, the 24th, 30th, 34th, 45th
53d, 82d, and 89th regiments, stationed for some
time in New South'Wales, had embarked at Syd-
ney, and were to sail on the 16th of August to
join their respective regiments in India. It
ap-
pears from these papers, that the crime of forg-
ing upon the New South Vales Bank had al-
ready made its appearance in this colony.—
On the 6th of August no less than six men
had been tried before the Supreme Court for
forging, and uttering knowing to be forged, 101.
notes. Four of them were found guilty.—The
Gazette of the 11th of Augast'says—" About 2.5
minutes past six, on Wednesday evening, a gale
of wind set. in from the southward, which in a
few seconds becatn'e a complete hurricane; it,
was attended with a fall of rain and a slight
shower of hail. The buildings of this town, par-
ticularly those in exposed situations, were fairly
made to totter, and the windows threatened to
fall in en masse. We have never, at least tor
a number of years, witnessed such a furious gale;
which was not, we are happy to say, attended
with any disastrous consequence, either on shore
or afloat."