The Sun.
London, England, 1849-08-24 00:00:00

CIIEERING

ACCOUNTS FROM

AUSTRALIA.
(From the Caledonian Mercury.)
We elsewhere insert some remarks from the Sydney
Morning Herald, the most influential journal in that
quarter, written under date of 6th April last, and an-
nouncing the cheering tidings of a revival of the com-
merce of this important colony. It will be seen that the
depression at home, aggravated, as it seems to be, by the
political convulsions in France, Germany, and Italy, in
due season reached the Australian colonies, the commerce
of which depends so much on the state of affairs at home.
The mistrust created by the storm that was raging over
Europe, and following close on the commercial crisis of
autumn 1848, soon caused a suspension in the demand for i
the wool and other ample produce of the flocks of Austra-
lia, which became depreciated in the hands of the colo-
nists to a ruinous extent. In short, the enterprising colo-
nists, like their fellow subjects at home, found themselves
caught in the ebb tido, and have!hada hard struggle to
sustain their credit. Happily the intelligence from Europe
so far back as December 1848, the period to which the
writer in the Sydney Herald refers, had produced a fa-
vourable change in the colony. The prospect of a de-
mand in the European markets for the produce of Aus-
tralia had restored the confidence and quickened the
energies of the colonists. Their hopes were further
elevated by the arrival of four vessels with emigrants to
the number of one thousand, while six other vessels
were reported on their passage fur Sydney, exclusive of
~he vessels destined for Southern Australia. To a colony
which, according to the evidence of Mr. B. Boyd, one of
the most intelligent and influential of the colonial mer-
chants and proprietors, can annually absorb the labour
of 10,000 men in tending the natural accession to the
sheep and cattle, the importance of this emigration need
not be enlarged upon. But in addition to the pastoral
labour, which affords such a ready outlet to the emi-
grants, there are vast mineral resources which have been
discovered in South Australia, and which only require
time to be properly developed. But, in the meantime,
it is satisfactory to learn that the commerce of the colony
was, at the last accounts, steadily recovering from the
shock of the political convulsion in the old world, and,
ere this, we trust that the prospects have still further
brightened.

COURT CIRCULAR.
BALMORAL, Aua. 21.
Her Majesty and the Prince walked out in the grounds
of Balmoral this morning.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, attended
by Mr. Birch, rode out on horseback.
Sir James Clark has returned to Balmoral from Birk
Hall.
Dr. Robertson will join the Royal dinner party this
evening.

Sir George Grey has arrived at his seat, Falloden,
Alnwick, Northumberland, from Balmoral.
The Countess of Minto arrived in town on Wednes-
day night.
Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-
office from the Governors of Hong-Kong, Co)lon, West
Australia, and South Australia.

ROYAL ORTIIOP2EDIC 110SPITAL.—A half-yearly
general meeting of the governors and patrons of this
charity was held yesterday afternoon at the hospital.
Bloomsbury-square. The report of the committee an-
nounced that a gratifying increase had taken place in
the funds of the institution during the last year, but still
the institution was quite inadequate to meet the nume-
rous applications for relief daily made to it. The out-
patients alone were increasing at the rate of 40 per
week ; that was, that 40 fresh applications were made
weekly, and the in-door accommodation had been greatly
extended. The total number of patients admitted during
the past half-year, up to the 22d instant, amounted to
765, being an increase of 24 over the previous half-year,
and making a total admitted since the opening of the
charity of 8,585. The report was received and adopted
and the court separated.