The Sun.
London, England, 1823-12-31 00:00:00

AUSTK A ANI) THE PO wr

ENN A, DEG. 4. By latest Conventions
lAitween our Government and the Ottoman
Porte, various advantages have been obtainad'for
our commerce.

L The visitation of the Austrian ships on their arrival in
th:: Dardanelles, is indeed to be continued, a the Ottoman
Government, particularly on account of the Greek insurrection,
6.intiot neglect any precaution; but this visitation is not to be
avvoided with any inconvenience or expense.
:?. The vessels to visited in the Dardanelles are exempt from
any farther examination.
3. The practice of visiting the ships at the ,moment of sailing
Out of t* harbour of Constantinople is wholly abolished : it is
to take place only when the vessels go from the Dardanelles
.into this Black Sea, and then, as above•-mentioned, without in.
convenience or expcnce.
4. The custom, which has gradually been introduced for
the Captains to pay two hard
whenever they change their station,
arc himiNheit.

6.. The duty of two or three hard piasters which the ships,
after taking in their cargo, had to pay the custum-house °ni-
cety, &e., 14 also abolished,
G. Likewise all duties which, under various pretexts, were.
dnriended from the ships from Consuintiouple to the Black

7. Also the duty of eleven Turkish piasters for
wind) precedes die delivery of the firmans permitting the train,
sit of goods.
it These &mans' shall be delivered without delay, and
not be withheld for fifteen or twenty or days, as has been done
hitherto.

la. The practice of putting oflicers ( 7'schavkcia) on board the
ul►ipa am so .m SIS they arrived, who remained ou board till they
sailed again, iu totally abolished.

SCOTLAND-COURT OF SESSION.

siiio BO NOlttikt.'*•-•Oit TilUtiday, IACt wreak,
a. young man, who had been under the necessity of pursuing
ps4cesa cacao lionorurn, in order to obtain his liberation from
'orison, was granted the benefit which be anticipated, under cir-
cumstances which rendered the decision ofcansiderable impart-
:ince to all merchants, and particularly to those of our own city,
who arc often too indulgent to young Gentlemen in the way of
/tiring there credit. The young man had conic to attend our
U niversity, at the age of 17 years, upon a Very fair allowance
front his relations for his education and maintenance.. II is habits,
however; were rather extravagant, and in about three years he
bad contracted debts to the amount of 350/. or, 4001., of which
about 45/. was to a jeweller, and at least four times that
amount to different merchant tailors, some of whom had also
taken cautionary obligationa from him for the bills of his ju.
senile companions. A tier an ineffectual attempt towards a
compromiae, the jeweller 'put him in gaol, and lied kept him
there slice February last ; end there being still no vigils of re-
lentinent on the; part of his incarcerators, he way advised to
bring a procesS of eerqo hoyurrorn. •
%Viten the caw came before the Court, appearance was made
for the j4tv,ller and one of leis tailors, who maintained, that,
as the purauer had contracted debts to a 111044 t :unwarrantable
amount, rend for articles which he ought tab aldo to ewe some
account of, he should be reflised the benefit of the emit); and
partiaularly until he Filiould say what he had done With the
jewcilery.
'1 punitier'a Counsel tooted the circumstance em his client's
behalf, and argued, that, however gay and imprudent the, pur-
outer might have been, yet the conduct of the defenders tvas
much more blameable, in having given creilit to hitch an amount
to a minor student, and for articles too of is description, and to
an extent, which they ought to have been aware lip could not
require, and .ouglit not to have been indulged with. The
articles could not he satisfactorily accounted far, and all the
pursuer could now do was to grant a disposition onstrium bonl .
rain, in trial he was willing, lithe Court should think proper,
to grant a apecial conveyance to a right of succession to some
popetty, which, it is probable, would verrii son be his.
The .101.11 LT, however, Smolt' nut ItAtilinti this special con.
vayance, but unanimously granted thecae: o, at the same time
signifying the strongest distipvtOhatior ! to whole conduct at
the defeniera.

EMIGRATION to VAN DIEM AN'S LAND

The following extracts from a letter received
by a Merchant,- of Portsmoutli, from a Gentle-
man at Van Diernen'b Land, contain many tweful
hints and much information to persons 14 ha may
intend torsettle there, as well as convey to our
readers generally an interesting view of that
country

"-VAN DIEMAN'II LAND, MAY 23, 1823.
" The first question that arises in the mind of the Emigrant
is—" Shall Igo to Sydney or to Van-Dieman's Land 9" 1 can-
not enter into all the reasons for preferring the one to the other,
but lam decidedly in favour of Van Diernan's Land. Those
who come hither are not obliged to remain, they can proceed to
Sydney—survey the country, and make their choice accordingly;
but, the preference for Van Dieman's Land may be summed up
shortly: Ist, In the superiority of climate, more congenial with
an English constitution. 2d, Superior fertility of soil. 'neat
cannot be grown to advantage near Sydney ; the eon is too poor,
and the climate too warm. At present, Sydney is supplied
with much Corn front Van Diemen% Land, and there can be
little doubt that it will for ever be the granary of New South
Wales; 3d, It is the first port at which outward-bound ships
touch. dth, The Society of Van Dieman's Land is better than
at Sydney,—here the free persons predominate ; at Sydney the
convicts.—(llere I must beg you to observe, that by Sydney,
I mean not only the town, but the whole inhabited part of the
larger island of New South Wales).—The present population
of Van Dieman's Land is—
Came free, or born in the Colony and their children 2,106
Free by pardon or expiration of.sentence - - 354
Conditionally Emancipated 486

Total Free - 3,526
Convicts and their Children . - 4,096

Dec. 1822 Total population . - 8,422
" Add to this the free population which will be imported with-
in the next twelve months.
" We will now look at the soil, and regard its fitness for the
growth of exportable production ; and you must allow me the
liberty of digression, ad in ityinitatn.
" It is remarkable that there is no root fit for the sustenance
of man, Fruit, Plant, nor alimentary substance worthy of men-
tion, indigenous to the soil. The natives subsist chiefly on the
Kangaroo and opuseum. Their daily food =shut also of rather
a large proportion of Ouni,which exudes at all seasons front a slen.
tier tree of the Mimosa ord er,comni only calledhlank Wattle. The
Gum they roast in the fire and eat it hot, a singular food, in
use, I believe, in no other country, excepting Arabia, where
the travelling Arabs carry small quantities of gum in crossing;
the deserts, on account of its admirable quality of abating hun-
ger. There is to be found rarely, a small root, larger than
radish, sweet, resembling a parsnip, but in quantities so small
as not to be counted on as an article of subsistence.—The na-
tives, in cOnsequeure of the difficulty of obtaining food, and
the shyness of the Kangaroo requiring them constantly to shift
their quarters, are weak and 'emaciated, though tall, and more
deficient in intellect than any savage yet known. They have
not the art of converting the skin of the Kangaroo to the.pur.
pose of clothing • they do not even strip it from the animal,
but throw the ande carcase on the fire, and devour it when
just warmed through I Although the weather in the winter sett-
ee!' requires warm clothing, they have not arrived at the art of
Constructing any thing in the shape of a hut ; *hen they rest
for the night, they make a break-wind of leafy bough', under
the lee of which they sleep. This apparent deficiency of in-
tellect, however, and total ignorance of all domestic comfort,
may. be ascribed pertly,`lf not wholly, to the difficulty of ob-
taining food ; their time being incessantly occupied in seeking
fer the first article of subsistence, their principal food being
difficult to catch, and requiring them *lntent daily, to a change
of place,' leaving them no opportunity Or sheaving what a fixed
residence, and the leisure which accompanies it, would effect
in their mental 'capacities. Indeed, from observation I have
had of those who can understand and speak English tolerably,
I am inclined to think they are by no means deficient in capa-
city ; and. I do not despair of seeing the natives, whose num.
berm on t:-‘e Island are few, much civilized, and working or
making themselves in some way useful to the settlers. They
are mild and harMless in dieposition—have no weapons—no
wars anion" themselves : although, on account of the impossi-•
bility of a large body together finding subsistence, they are di-
vided into small mobs of ten to thirty. The total number on
the Island, I should guess to be, between two anti three thou.
sand ; but they are rapidly diminishing.
" The soil.of the Island is of a most surprising (oddity, so
much Ito, that, to use the expressiorvof an :old Colonist, lihat_
ever is put into the ground will grow. the Gardener is lair,.
prised to see apparently dry sticks, to which has ,affixed labels,
to mark his seed,. themselves sprouting into luxuriant vegeta-
tion. I do not know how to describe to you the luxuriance of
growth which .the garden exhibits. All which grows in Eng...
land, grows here; added to which Tobacco thrives well. All
English fruits and vegetation much finer than in England—the
Apple, Pear, Gooseberry, Raspberry, Currant, Green Gage.
We are deficient in the Peach and Plum, not having a good
stock ; nor do 1 think they will succeed as standards—the only
mode in which they have been yet tried. Grape: gam luxu-
riantly, but they are not of a good sort--Nectarine, remark-
ably fine.--We have not the- Apricot—the White Cur-
rant is rare—we have no Nuts—the birth of a hazel
Nut Tree I witnessed a 4ve days ago, anti in the same
garden was a Walnut Tree, whose rapidity of growth
can be hardly believed.—lt may be proper to remark
here, that the garden has been little attended to, excepte
ing by one or two individuals, and that only lately ; so that we
do not well know what the soil and climate are capable of pro-
ducing in a matured and well-cultivated garden. With respect
to the prod ections of the field, all kinds of English grain sue-
ceeded here, admirably well. %%rhea; which has been our first
source of prosperity, is grown without the • labour or difficulty
attendant on that operation in England. You turn up the
ground—.you put in your seed—you sleep, and it grows • and
this has been the practice for seventeen years, 'without fallow.
ing— without manure ; and the whole operation conducted in
the most slovenly manner. From ground fresh broken up, once
ploughed, immediately sown and harrowed, the average pro.
duce is twenty bushels per acre; from land the second- year,
once ploughed, &c. thirty to forty ; and were the same land in
an English state of cultivation, without manure. I have no
doubt that the average produce would be fifty bushels per acre.
Barley and Oats in a more extravagant proportion. The Wheat
is not subject to blight, init smut is common, which I ascribe
to the seed not being cleaned or steeped. I.ut little attention
ha; been paid to Barley and Oats, their not having been an
Export Market for Barley, and the seed of the latter having
keen scarce. The Distilleries now established, will cause
an attention to, and create a Market for Barley, not hither-
to felt.

" With respect to the natural grasses of this Island, I shall
merely remark here, that our sheep are fattened more by the
range of country which we command, than by the peculiar nu.
Wove pmperties of the grasses. They arc far inferior to those
of England, but sufficient care has not yet been taken to bring
them to the. perfection of which.- they \are capable. Most
of the grass in the country is annually burnt ; not bythe
desire of the proprietor,
and stock-keepers, wandering through the country, make
a fire, which, in the dry season, instantly spreads, and the
whole country to leeward is soon in a blaze. The effect of this
is, that the seeds of the grasses are for the moat part consumed ;
and the roots of many injured and destroyed. This occasions
the sward to assume* tutted appearance, unlike the close green
sod of an English Meadow; and inducing the beholder to
imagine, that the grows is of a-scanty nature, and the soil poor.
" Having said thus much of the natural fertility of the soil,
and of its capability for artificial production, I will consider
what are our present exports, and on what exports we may
reasonably calculate shortly to arise; under whip!) head, as the
future staple Exports of the Colony, we shall have principally
to consider. Wool.

First of Wheat r:—The price obtained for 'Wheat, until the
present year, has been from eight to ten shillings per Winchester
bushel (the bushel, of Wheat of Van Dieman's Land, weighs
from NI to 1121b5.) an extravagant price ; and far beyond what
the grower has in this stage of the Colony, a right to expect.
This year it has been from 7s. thl. to Bs.--a price amply suf.
fickmt to compensate the Fanner. I am Sorry that I cannot, at
tlits moment, state the actual number of bushels of Wheat
grown, consumed, and exported. Last year from twelve to
fifteen thousand bushels were, shipped to the Cape, but that
Market had been previously supplied from England. ft was
sold, however at ti fill; price. .A t least, thirty thousand bushels
were exported to Sydney, which place has been hitherto our
principal ;Market, and on which we may still continue to de.
Pend. The population of Sydney is now rapidly increasing ;
sod it will always be cheaper for them to buy our Wheat,
ported by water conveyance, than their own, drawn from the
totericr of the country, by land carriage. Besides, our Wheat
is RO'superior In weight, antl.yields so Much more flower and
of better quality, that it would always command a preference.
In fact, our wheat is worth more for its flour, in the proportion
of one-seventh, than the Svdney grain. The Isle of France
and South America would take much of our wheat in the
shape of flour, which we shall soon be able to supply. We
want mills. A large quantity of wheat will be consumed in
distillation, now, about to be carried on, to some extent. This
will operate indirectly as an export; inasmuch as it will.prs-
vent that money from going out of the Colony, which is at
present paid for spirits. The same with respect to Witte,.-.

At the Cape we may always barter our Wheat advantageously
for their Wines, and often for European goods.
"All theßarley grown within the next five years will be
wanted for home consumption. There are at present several
Breweries, one on a considerable scale. Hitherto Wheat has
been used for 11614 Barley not having been grown in sufficient
quantity. - The distilleries also will prefer it to wheat, when-
ever it becomes sufficiently abundant to be cheaper for the
purpose of Ilistillation. Sydney also, whose climate is tno
warm for its profitable production, will always deniand a 'cer-
tain quantity, either in the shape of grain, or malt liquors.
" But it is not on the profits of a tillage Farm that a capi-
talist rhould calculate ; the growth of grain will always be con-
ducted by practical labouring fanners, who have little personal
expence, who can carry on a farm most economically by their
personal superintendence, and by themselves leading their ani.
mated machines to their daily work. The most profitable in-
vestment of capital is in Sheep.
" There is no breed of Sheep England to which the com-
mon sheep of this country can be compared. They were ori-
ginally brought from the Cape, and crossed by the Spanish
Rain. The result of this has been, an animal resembling a
South-down more than any other Sheep, with long legs, and
rather spare fore-quarters, and the wool of very inferior qua-
lity. So great has been the demand for meat the last three
years, that little attention has been paid, by most people, to
the wool. That article, now so valuable, was usually allowed
to remain in the yard where it was cut off, until the accumu-
halal] of wool, from repeated shearings, rendered it necessary
to clear it out ; whence it was transferred to the...land imme-
diately adjacent, and there lying scattered about, was con-
sidered a nuisance.

" The average price, or rather the lowest price of Sheep,
taking a lot of ewes and'wethers, not less than a year old, is
twenty shillings per head. Some wethers the Settler wants for
present consumption; their coat, therefore, is not to be includ-
ed among the per contras of the profits on Sheep. That ex-
pence will be considered when I come to speak of the expences
of first establishments let us suppose, then, a Settler, on ar-
riving in December, 1823, purchases
.1,000 ewes, for which,
taking so large a number, he will not pay more than 20s. per
head.—The account in June, 1825, will stand thus :
January, 1024.
1000 Ewes
common' Rams

- - - - £l,OOO

Total expence of fink Shepherds the first year,
each 351. - - 140
June 30th, 1825.
1000 Ewes -
1000 Yearling Lambs
Wool from 2000 Sheep, at Is. per head -

1000
1000
100

Deduct -

2100
• - 1148

First Year's Profit . - £952
" Supposing eight rams, of the Spanish breed, from Sydney,
which would cost, at ISL per head, 1201. that expence would be
amply repaid by the superior quality of the wool, which, in the
above calculation, I have placed on the lowest scale. With
respect to losses and casualties, of the former, if proper care
be taken, there are none; of the latter, very few.—Extensive
robberies ate daily committed on Sheep, but they are on flocks
roaming almost unheeded over large tracts of land, and afford-
ing a temptation to those who have pursued similar practices at
home, hardly to be resisted. I have not lost a single Sheep
since I have been in the Colony they are yarded, with me, re-
gularly every night, and counted once a week. As for casual-
ties, old ewes will die, and a young lamb is sometimes snapped
up by an Eagle-hawk. In this manner, I think I have lost
about one per cent. There is no scab, except where there is
extreme neglect, and it is easily cured with tobacco-water, no
foot rot, no fly, nothing to lessen their natural increase. Ewes,
on an Average, will certainly produce not less than one lamb
per yek.—lt will be some time before Pier are brought to
market, to compete with Sheep. Pigs are not profitably kept
until vegetable food is produced in abundance, and the farm
well fenced. 1 look forward to the time when Hams will be a
considerable article of export to the East Indies.—By the time
that the flesh of the Sheep becomes of less value, the wool will
be of greater value. Three years' crossing has produced toler.
ably hne wool, worth Is. Cc:. per lb. in the English market;
and three pounds bring annually obtained per head, the value
of the wool alone would be 4s. (Id. and this would be increasing
every year.—The value of wool will always be kept up as
Remittance to England.
" Tobacco succeeds well in Van Dieman's Land ; small
quantities only have been yet grown, more in the way of ex-
periment than otherwise; for this article, though so valuable,
has been strangely neglected. The whole attention of the Farmer
has been devoted almost exclusively to Wheat. From the To-
bacco, which has been grown, dried, anti prepared for use,
there is no reason to doubt that very good Tobacco may be
raised in 90r Climate, so as to supersede the necessity ot' its
importation.--The new duty of four thillings, instead of six.
pence perpound, now imposed on foreign Tobacco, will force
the attention of the Colonists to the production of this plant—
an article of the first necessity in this luxuriant Country.
" Very little attention his been paid to the Hop..lsom the
experiments made, there is little reason to doubt that the culti-
vation would amply repay the grower. Fine Hops are now
growing on the banks of the Clyde, which is not warmer than
other parts of the Island,
" I will just casually mention, that the Ores of are very
abundant. anti of an astonishing richness; hut it will be cheaper
for hundreds of years to import iron from England than to
make it here. There are Copper Ores, but not abundant. I
think that I have diseovered a Tin Mine, lying near the stir.
face, and of great richness ; but 1 have not time to attend to
these uncertainties—my sheep, cattle, and farm, occupy, at
present, the whole of my attention. The Metallic productions
of the Island have not been sufficiently explored; indeed, I do
not know that any one qualified for the task, has yet attempted
it. I look forward to this examination, as a mine of delightful
occupation, and, perhaps, of considerable profit.
" The general aspect of the Southern part of the island of
Van Diemen is a succession of abrupt hills, thickly covered
with trees, and rising higher and higher, or continuing till they
meet with ranges of very high hills, which intersect the country
in various parts. These long ranges of hills, not easily to be
passed, and almost too high and too Steep to be called by that
name, divide this part of the conntry into plains of greater or
less extent. It is on these plains that Emigrants on the Der.
went side are settled • the plains serving them for tillage and
the hills for sheep-walks.
" The hills have a sombre appearance,. suggesting the idea
of perpetual autumn • most of the trees being evergreens, there
is little other annual change than that of tints anti colours ;
the vivid green of an Engliih prospect is not often to be seen,
but this brown appearance of the country is not dull; the va-
riegated forms of the hills, the continual diversity of scene, the
congregated preSence of water, wood, hill, and valley, form a
richness of scene delightful to vell on. If I. were to compare
it to any part of England, it would he to the country lying he.
tween Cheltenham and Bath, but there the absence of water
makes a material difference.

"fie Northern, or Port Dalrymple side of the island, in-
cluding Launceston, le composed of a country more flat than
the Southern, excepting in the immediate vicinity of the town.
The interior of•the island, the middle part between Launces.
ton and Hobart Town, consists of large undulating plains,
watered by small rapid rivers. On the banks of one of these,
the 'Macquarie River, a large body of Scotch Settlers have
lately pitched their tents, with their wives and families ; re-
-4'l)a:table body, and much above the common class.
" The whole country is well-watered ; either by rivers, rivu-
lets, or natural springs. Complaints have been made in parti-
cular places, that there -is no water to be found & but in such in-
stances I have invariably, found that the complainant had not
taken the trouble lo tug six feet in search of it. In some parts,
the running stream is strongly impregnated with alum, but
generally the water is pleasant, cleisr, and wholesome.
" Of all parts of the Island which I have visited, Hobart
Town has the most uninviting' appearance. Strangers on first
arriving, are sometimes nnich disappointed, and regard with
sonic sadness, its gloomy aspect ; and with no less dread, ob-
serve the thickly wooded hills adjacent, but a more general sur-
vey of the country', soon removes these hasty apprehensions.
Land, In good situations, is now becoming so rapidly lo-
cated, that in three or four years, we shall have to explore new
parts of the island for the establishment of emigrants. It is for
this reason, among many others, that I would earnestly urge
all thosedwho have an intention to remove to this Colony, to
loose no time in making up their minds, and in carrying. their
intentions into effect. The locality of land is daily increasing in
value. Land in the interior, which five years ago would hardly
have been accepted as a gift, is now become valuable property.
There arc still tfacts of land sufficient tor hundreds of thousands
emigrants, of beautiful fertile country; but these are out.of the
, common roads, and at a greater distance from Marken'. Mar-
kets for grain, however, is not an object with men of capital
who can command the breeding of Sheep, and the improvement
of Wool, on a large scale. Sheep carry themselves to market.
There are numerous parts of the coast with sufficient harbour,
yet unappropriated ; but settlement on these require a larger
capital than emigrants in general possess. The. Eastern part
of the coast I should recommend to the attention of the }.mi-
grants; situated midway between the Derwent and Port Dal-
rymple, and more convenient to Sidney. People in general
have not stretched their views beyond the beaten track; where
one settles, another sits down by kis side, too anxious to be
settled to allow himself time to choose; and indeed settlers for
the most part,' having only small means, are obliged immedi-
ately to put them in action.
'Of the capital requisite for different classes-of emigrants i
—These classes we will divide into three—the mere labourer

• .. ______
and the artificer--the ordinary emigrant--and those with &mi._
lies in England, whose property is daily diminishing from the

change of times, 'and the different channels in which trade is
confined in time of peace, from those in which it was used in
time of war. Under this head will be comprehended, particu-
larly, those who have followed the pursuit of commerce in
rnaratime towns...

"With respect to ,the emigrant Labourer and Artificer, no
other capital is requisite, beyond the cost of transportation,
than his willingness and ability to work. Of the last class we
will speak presently. The second resolves itself into the ques-
tion, " With how small a capital can a family remove to Van
Diemen's Land, and there settle with decency ?"—for being
once [fettled, independence follows of course. A family, with
two thoniand pounds of money in England would have amply
sufficient to settle comfortably and respectably at Van Dieman's
Land. If several families were to unite in emigrating, the cost
of their individual passage would be comparatively small.
This mode of emigration I should strongly recommend; and if
the principle were to be continued in this country, by taking
their grants of land together, their means of settling would be
found to go fitrther than in separate establishments. The
economies of such an establishment, in one large, instead of
many smaller families, are too obvious, and Robert Owen has
made them too well known, to render it necessary for the to ex-
patiate on them here.
" The cost of their passage-mOney being set aside, I would
advise a family so circumstanced, to buy all those articles of
which, they would stand in need here, and which they would
otherwise have to purchase at an entnanous price; but on no
account to speculate, however flattering it may appear, in any
description of Goods, but to bring out all. their surplus capital
in Spanish dollars. Their mode of operation in settling can be
explained only on the Spot.
"As there arc many labourers and artificers in England
scarcely able to obtain subsistence, who would be glad to find
the opportunity of coming to this colony, it would be advise-
able that a rough house-carpenter be engaged, and bound for
a certain term of years, at moderate wages. These Emigrants
who can command sufficient capital, should bring out Farming
men, and mechanics of all descriptiOns. Should the Emigrant
not have been used to farming operations, a nrap competent to
undertake the direction of a farm should be engaged, on the
same terms; and the expenses of their passage will be amply
repaid by their service in this country,' where farming men are
'scarce, as well as artificers and mechanics.
" Of the last class of Emigrants, I should .advise them to
proceed precisely on the principles of the former. They would,
of course, be able to purchase articles which would enable them
to carryon their settling operations with greater facility and
rapidity, and to greater extent.. They should bring with them
two carpenters, a smith, two brick-Makers, a atone-mason,
farming labourers as many as they can, afford, and domestic
male and female servants.
" Id° not think it worth 'while, in any case, to bring out
Lire Stock for the sake of the breed. Sheep, whose wool is
nearly as fine as can be imported, are to be obtained in these
colonies cheaper than they can be brought from home. Our
cattle are, at least, as fine ; anti were proper care taken to pre-
vent their breeding at too early an an, I think, would soon be
superior. At present you see a calf sucking her mother, with
her own calf (the calf's calf) by her aide. If there were an
a opportunitysax on o rlvfoi
err
it rnaon
ram,spo ioned,
icheaply,finest
wsonoyi
be procured." Animals,
an reditpostibldlebtoe