The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-01 00:00:00

DISCOVERY OF COALS IN
WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
We have great pleasure in laying the following in-
teresting narrative before our readers. By our friends
in the neighbourhood of Southwell, Farnsfield, 011erton,
and Mansfield, it will, we feel assured, be read with deep
interest and delight, when we inform them that the
Messrs. Gregory, who by their enterprising researches,
have been the fortunate discoverers of this great colonial
blessing, are the sons of the late Joshua Gregory, Eeq.,
formerly of Southwell, and nephews of W. J. Gregory,
Esq., of 011erton, and Mrs. Shipman, Mansfield. The
particulars of the expedition are obtained by us partly
from private correspondence and partly through the
medium of the Perth (Western Australian) Gazette, and
may be embodied as follows:
With a desire to peneta ate into and make further dis-
coveries relative to the terra incognito of the vast tract
of country known as Western Australia, these scientific
and enterprising young men, consisting of Messrs.
Augustus, Francis, and Henry Gregory, voluntarily
undertook an expedition into the interior, trusting to
find, if not coal, at least some extent of good country,
which might be made available for the increasing flocks
and herds of the settlement ; Government having fir
this purpose granted them the use of the four survey
horses, they obtained some meal for the animals and a
present of flour from Advocate GE neral G. Moore, and
took their departure from Perth on the 4th of August
last, hoping that by having undertaken their journey
during the winter months they should suffer less from
want of water than during any other season.
After travelling for eleven days, during which time
they repeatedly encountered groups of the natives, who
appeared far more disposed to decamp than parley, they
came in sight (on the 15th of August) of a range of
lofty hills, distant about forty miles. From the singular
appearance of these hills, which rose abrutly from the
plain, with deeply serrated aides and a peculiar tint, it
was evident that they belonged to a different geological
formation to any the party had yet seen ; steering for
these hills they passed over a beautiful grassy hill of
trap rocks, the soil a dark brown loam; from the top
they observed an extensive lake, filing up nearly the
whole of the valley for many miles to the north and
north east. Descending from this hill they pushed on
for the lake, and reached its margin at one o'clock leen
of the 161 h; it, however, proved nearly dry, and covered
with a thick crust of salt; the banks were very steep,
nearly thirty feet high, and formed almost entirely of
gypsum. They halted for the night in a thick scrub
without water.
On the 17th, having discovered some granite rocks
with water in them, they refreshed themselves and their
tired and hungry horses, and resumed their journey;
having arrived at the summit of the highest peak, which
they named "Mount Jackson," they left their horses
and ascended through thick bushes, with which the
sides were clos-ly covered, and after half an hour's
toil, they reached the summit—a mass of variegated
trap rock, singularly stratified in thin layers of red and
black; from this point the view was most extensive
and delightful. Four similar ranges to the one they
were now upon, presented themselves, bearing re-
spectively east, south-south-east, north, and north-
east, and being distant from about thirty to fifty
miles. The whole of the intermediate space was nearly
one dead level plain of brown or glaring red sandy loam,
in many parts nearly bare, the rest covered with thick
scrubs or open forest ; a few native fires were visible,
but none to the east of the line they were upon. Having
descended Mount Jackson, the party returned to their
horses, and went in pursuit of water, after searching in
vain for nearly two days they were reluctantly com-
pelled to return in disappointment and exhaustion to
their last watering place, where their thirsty horses at
once drank up nearly all the water that remained, thus
obliging the party to fall back upon the only water with
which they were acquainted, being not less than 30
miles in the rear.
From this time to the 24th the country, although of
an indifferent quality, was not devoid of the picturesque;
the lakes in the valley to the right formed a pleasing
contrast to the white cliffs which surrounded them,
broken as they were into detached masses by the rich
foliage of the wild cypress. As they mounted each sue
cessive ridge, a tall, majestic cliff, in the distance. which
they named " Mount Singleton," was ever and anon
seen rearing its dark blue summit against the clear sky,
and forming a beacon by which the now weary and tired
travellers were to keep their course.
Early in the morning of the 25th, they started full of
hope, expecting to reach Mount Singleton, distance
about twenty miles, before night; after travelling eight
miles the ground became open, and on emerging from
a forest of white gum trees they discovered a lake three
miles in width, which lay between themselves and the
high lands which skirt Mount Singleton. Although the
soil on the margin was extremely soft they entered the
lake, which was nearly dry ; with much labour the
horses got over the first two-and-a•half miles ; when
,ithin three hundred yards of the opposite shore, the
upper crust,consisting cf three or four inches of salt
and gypsum, gave way, the horses sinking to their
bellies in mud and brine ; after several attempts to extri-
cate them had proved unavailing, the horses being quite
exhausted by plunging and struggling for two hours, as a
last resource the travellers proceeded to the opposite
bank and made two hurdles of tea trees, each twelve
feet long, lashing them together with tether ropes ;
these, although so heavy that two could scarcely carry
them across the mud, the party succeeded in placing
alternately in front of the horses ; the poor animals
appeared to know the use of them, and immediately
walked from one to the other with the utmost caution.
In this manner, after fivichours' toil, they succeeded in
retracing their steps, arriving on firm ground just as it
ate grew dark. This was first day they moll utid tfieir
horses, having walked 4t, least 350,01 a,
On the 2d September they fell in with a party of four
natives, who were evidently taken by surprise; they ad
dressed theta in the dialect of the York district, trying
to make them understand that they were friends; but
after staring for about a minute without speaking they
walked off a short distance in a crouching attitude, and
then took to their heels at full speed. They were naked,
save their noolben or belt.
On the 9th the party discovered a considerable river,
and traced it for some miles, but as it tended too much to
the southward they left it, turning to the west ; in
a few miles, however, they again struck upon it.
much enlarged. On the 10th they continued the course
of the river, which, making a sudden turn, entered an
extensive valley two or three miles wide. Here the
pasture, consisting of rye grass and wild oats, was
most luxuriant, displaying large open grassy flats
of 200 or 300 acres each, game in abundance, turkeys,
cockatoos, crested pigeons, and parrots, displaying their
gorgeous plumage in wonderful and rich variety. The
country along this river (which they continued to fol-
low) is truly splendid, being the finest pieces of land
either for pasture or agriculture that they have met with
in the colony.
Having followed the course of the river until it
emptied itself into a small inlet of the sea, the party
returned by a different route, along the south east
branch of the same river, and after a variety of diffi
culties, fatigues, and adventures, and having travelled
1,100 miles, our adventurers at length ascertained the
glorious fact that extrusive coalfields did indeed exist
in this wild and comparatively unexplored country of
their adoption, and that within 180 miles north of Perth,
on the river Irwin, avkitonly 39 miles from the beach.
These are indee4lorious advantages to. the whole
population of the ,colony—and to minds so well able a,
appreciate these' deanteges as the discoverers undoubt-
edly are—the first sensations of delight must indeed
have been enthusiastic—nay, one would think almost a
sufficient reward for all the toile, fatigues, disappoint
menta, dangers, and anxieties they had undergone during
their two months' expedition in search of it. The for-
mation proved of considerable extent, consisting (as far as
they had time and means to ascertain) of two seams of from
live to six feet each in thickness, with the usual accom-
paniment, shales and sandstone, which are peculiarly
interesting as proving the exact coincidence of the gen
logy of that continent with Europe on this point. In
the cliff where the coal was found may really be
said to be an execution in nature of Buckland's map of
the coal formations. The coal is so advantageously
situate for working, that in the space of a quarter et' an
hour one of the party extracted several hundred weigh.,
with which they raised a brazing fire as a feu de joie!
The coal gave a great heat, and burnt out to a will:4.
ash.

Having supplied themselvt s with specimens both o!
the coal and shale,, the party returned, with light hear,
and joyful cr.untenances, to Perth, where there arriva'
was hailed by the good citizens with raptures of delight.
The coal caused a grand se,sation, and was displ
for some days to the &lighted public from the verandah
of the Government offices.
We shall not-omit to state that the party are entitled
by virtue of this discovery, to a grantor reward of 2,500
acres of land from the local Government.—Nottingham-
shire Guardian.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM GIBRALTAR DATED
MAY 21.—" The appearance of the Straits for the last
three days forcibly reminds me of the return froi,
Epsom on the day of the Derby. I scarcely thin!:
it an exaggeration to estimate the vessels pressing or.
at 1,000
; upwards of 200 had been long anchorer!
at Frogerols, in sight of the Rock, distressed
for provisions and water. The French steamers
were extremely active in seeking out and taking through
the Straits all vessels in which Frenchmen were inte
rested, while England, with her boasted fleet of steamers.
had only one lying here, with three leaky boilers, so
that if authorized to act she is compelled to be motion-
less. I fear a large portion of the English cargoes must
be heated, some of them arrived here having been loaded
130 days.'
GLASGOW PIG IRON TRADE.—This market during
the past week has been in a very depressed state, and
sales have been on a limited scale. To-day there was a
much better feeling, and prices may be quoted, firm, at
635. per ton, for mixed Nos. f. o. b., and for all No. 1.
645. 6(1., and 655. per ton.—Notional Advertiser.
A WINNER ON THE DERBY.—An amusing inci
,lent is rec,irded of a winner on this race. A person at
Pontefract having 5001. depending on the event, in hi-
_neat anxiety to have the earliest possible intelligence,
hired a horse and gig and proceeded t., the electric tele-
riphic office,atCastleford,a distance of three or four miles,
Cossack being announced us the winner was such a stroke
of fortune for him, that he at once lost all rec,dlection of
the manner in which he had come from Pontefract, and
proceeded home again with all possible haste on foot,
without it ever once crossing his mind that he had left
his horse and
wanted a pocket handkerchief from his top-cot in order
t., wipe off the perspiration from his fact ! —Leeds Mer-
cury. gig, until be reached his destination and
WESTPORT, MAY 22.—Ski. George and Charles, Matanzas.
Tan INDIAN MAIL.—The French Government has
received the following telegraphic dispatch, dated Marseilles,2Bth inst.:—"
o'clock. Tile Indian mail was delivered at the Post-office at
half-past seven, and the courier started for Paris at
7h. 5-om." The Spitfire arrived here this evening at six
it

INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGI-

NEERS.

PRESIDENT'S CON VERSAZ lONE.

Sir John Rennie, president of the institution, gave his
first conversazione this- season on Saturday evening,
which was both numerously and brilliantly attended by
the members of the institution, and by visiters who ap-
peared to be alike delighted with the intellectual treat
provided for them in the extensive collection of works of
science and art arranged in the suite of apartments, and
with the host's generous hospitality, as displayed in the
refreshment rooms.

It would be impossible to enumerate all the objects of
interest in works of art or models of machinery exhibited,
we must therefore restrict our notice to some of the
most prominent.
Count D'Orsay contributed some spirited statuettes
and busts of the Emperor of Russia, Daniel O'Connell,
the Duke of Wellington, &c. which were deservedly
much admired. Paintings and sketches by Oliver, Bass,
Wood, Scanlan, Digby, Wyatt, and Ward ; enamel
paintings by Bone •, chalk drawings from Mr. Fuller,
and some beautiful sketches from Mr. Ackerman's col-
lection were profusely scattered through the rooms ;
Taylor, Williams, and Jordan had some excellent speci •
mens of machine carvings, and Mr. Rogers some delicate
examples of hand carving. _ _

The collection of models was more extensive than we
ever remember to have seen it, and as the whole of the
ground floor was devoted to their reception, there was
ample space for displaying them to advantage.
A series of models from the Admiralty exhibited the
construction of a 50 gun ship at various epochs, from
the highly decorated but clumsy vessel of 1637, to the
simple but elegant and effective " Vernon" of 1840.
Other models illustrated the most approved form of bows,
sterns, and midship section, and the general lines of the
vessels composing the experimental squadron were con-
trasted by a series of uniform models. The wave-prin-
ciple was illustrated by models from Mr. Scott Russell
and Dr. Pfiipps, and the progress of the steam navy was
exemplified by beautiful models of vessels and engines
constructed by Messrs Renaies, Maudelays and others.
The screw-propeller by G. Rennie, Woodcroft, and
Maudeley, excited much attention. Models of Brunel's
block machinery, and Harewoods patent scuttle were
appropriate mingled with this part of the collection.
All the various systems of electrical telegraphs were
represented and were at work in the apartments :
Bain's electric clock, Nott and Gamble'. simplified single
wire Telegraph, the Electric Telegraph Company's com-
plete and efficient system as used at the Admiralty,
Brett and Little's apparatus, and Brett's printing tele-
graph, in which by depressing a series of keys, corres-
ponding letters are brought into contact with a continu-
ous strip of paper, and the communication is printed at
any number of miles distance.
Mr. Cowper contributed a series of models of the old
French and other telegraphs, in order to form a contrast
with the present instantaneous and certain methods of
communication.

A curious specimen of laminated granite from Dart-
moor, contributed by Mr. Freeman, appeared to excite
much interest among the geologists.
There was a series of models of bridges of all kinds,
amongst which we remarked one of corrugated cast iron,
erected by Mr. Barlow on the Tunbridge Railway.
The wrought iron- tube bridge, by Mr. R Stephenson
at Conway, beautifully shown on various scales by Sal ter'r
elegant card board models.

A cast iron girder bridge by Mr. Borthwick, of the
same construction as that over the Dee at Chester, and
which is now exciting such painful interest.
The drops for loading coal vessels, at the Date Dooles,
Cardiff, by Mr. Highton, excited much attention, and
appeared to be an ingenious modification of the system
used in the north, well adapted to the purposes of the
South-Welsh railways and shipping ports.
Stephenson's long boiler locomotive, Bessemer's axles,
Dunn's simple and elegant turn table, Stevens's efficient
railway sigoals, and Clarke and Varley's new atmos-
pheric railway tube, formed au interesting series of
railway models.

Cochrane's machines, for sawing out curved tical ers
of all forms without waste, was worked, and was uni-
venally admired: it was stated that these efficient
machines were now being introduced into the royal
dockyards.

Liitig-t's very ingenious new printing machine, by which
the number or sheets now dispatched, great as the quan-
tity seems, can be doubled, was also at work, and ex-
cited much attention.

We must reserve until the next meeting the notice of
the other models, which were so numerous and well
chosen that it is impossible to do justice to them all. •
Among the guests we noticed almost everybody of
eminence in science and art, and a number of the aris-
tocracy, whe from their Parliamentary duties have
their attention now directed to scientific matters. The
President received his guests with that distinguished
urbanity which is characteristic of him, and his obliging
and hospitable attention to his friends, in which he was
ably seconded by Mr. Manby, the secretary, was beyond
all praise. It is manifestly impossinie, in so crowded
an assembly, to point out every noticeable individual
present. We,
however, remarked, amongst the crowd
passing through the rooms in the course of the evening,
the Marquis of Quadra, Earl of Dov-n, Co..int Rosen,
Baron de Bode, Bishop of Norwich, Lords Orford, Auck-
land, J. Stuart, and Littelton; Sirs H. Ellis, R. Schom-
berg, D. Blair, Gaspar Atkinson, C. Lemon, N.
'IN illock, J. Clark. R. Westmacott, N. Delabeche, C.
D,uglas, E. Ryan, W. Newton, P. Egerton, C. Adam,
J. L. Goldsmith, R. N. Inglis, R. I. Murchison, W.
Ross, J. Copley, and D. Norris, Captain Schwabe ; M.M.
Diego E&Tappar, Hebeler, Helberer, Alexandroti. Pan-
riTratief, C. Enystrom, S. C. Cliuckerbutty. ll,lanoth
:e, Oval. Coneiter, Seal, Parsee Students or M. di-
me; the Very Reverends Deans of York and Westmin-
ster, Professors Grant, Wheatstone, Faraday, Forbes,
Prytne, Grove, and Owen; Doctors Phipps, Playfair,
Jelf, D.D., Billing, and Paris; Colonels Sykes and
Stanhope ; Major Willock, Captains Ford, Miller,
Swinny, W. Walker, Wenn, Chather, O'Brien, Couloir,
and Gordan; Messrs. Gustraff in, Fuller, Cubitt, Glynn,
Clarke, Varley, Woodcroft, Ditchbourn, Salter, Brett,
Oldmixon, Archibald, Cochrane, Little, Wild, D. Smith,
Cowie, Bergue, Leigh, Manche, Drory, Stevens,
Kemor, Mylne, Hicks, H. P. Boul, Clarke, Archer.
Applegarth, awper, Laxton, Herapath, C. Words-
worth, Whishaw, Lyall, Rivers, B. Cowper, Mclan,
Westmacott, Gamble, Webster, Horn, Merryweather,
Buchanan, Hebeler, Pickering, C. Enderby, Bohn,
Bronde. Ayrton W. Cubitt, J. Field, G. Rennie, M.
and J. Rennie, iurner, Ward, Landseer, Perigal, Baxen-
dale, Albano, Donthorn, Carpenter, Buckedon, Amyot,
Windsor, Clowes, Knight, Shaw, Bichner, Beecham,
Babbage, Scales, Codrington, Jones, Adolphus, Roper
Doyle, De Burgh, Herbert, Sharpe, C. Barry, Bartly,
Blose, Lefray, Miller, Donkin, Grissell, Donaldson,
M'Garrell, Wright, Wyatt, Scanlan, Galloway, Alex-
ander, Smee, Estcourt, M.P., M‘Gregor, Lee, Leslie,
Gravat,, Hanson, Penn, Brandon, Cooper, J. Smith,
Bain, Young, Vulliamy, Grainger, E wart, Jee,
Macready, Broderip, Murphy, E. Landseer, Leech,
Chadwick, Jordan, F. Stone, Scharf, Ure, and Meek.

TRAGEDY EXTRAORDINARY. —At the Queen's
Theatre, in Manchester, on Monday, the sock and buskin
were laid under peculiar contribution in the representa-
tion of King Richard 111. Mr. Wyndham took a
benefit, which, we trust, really proved what it was
hoped to be; and a quintet. of comic actors, including
Messrs. Sloane and Wyndham, undertook the novelty
of strutting through the crooked-backed tyrant, one
act of the tragedy being apportioned to each actor. Of
course so startling an announcement as five Richards
in the field astonished the " gods," who, as the
several tragedians • appeared, scarcely knew whether
to laugh or cry. At length the climax of the tragic
farce arrived, Mr. Sloane dashing upon the stage as King
Dick. In the midst of a very grave soliloquy the risible
muscles of the audience were disturbed, and this in-
decorous facial expression in the midst of a solemn
tragedy was quickly followed by a loud guffaw, which
Richard's philosophy could not scorn. Hastily steppieg
to the front of the stage, and, with his well-trained
tragic face, he said, " Lathes and gentlemen, pray don't
think we are playing comically, for I assure )ou that we
are playing tragedy as earnestly as we can. You'll
oblige us much if you won't laugh." The people again
::artily knew whether to laugh or cry; and in a aw
moments afterwards the curtain fell amidst peals of
laughter.
. _ _

THE ARMY. Major-General Wynyard proceeds
to New South Wales as General Officer and Commander of
the Forces. He will be accompanied by his son, Captain
Wynyard, Adjutant of the let battalion Grenadier Guards,
as .Military Secretary. By the change the Hon. Manners
Percy will be adjutant of the latter.
RELATIONS BETWEEN THE HOLY SEE AND
ENGLAND.—The following is (in substanc.,) taken from
a private letter just received from Rowe, and we believe
may be implicitly relied on. When his Holiness heard
of the defeat of Mr. Anstey's (or Mr. Watson's) Bill, he
exclaimed—" The q iestion of sendaig a Nuncio to
England is now put to rest. I will never consent to
renew my diplomatic relations with England so lon r as
a vestige of the penal laws remains in that country.".
GiAt bless Pope Pius IX.—The Tablet.
Haymaking has commenced in the neighbourhood
of Batb, and the crops promise to give a fair average
yield. The wheat plant _ also is looking strong and
healthy the genial showers of the last ten days having
,natt•rially promoted i:s growth.—Bath Gazette.
THE WEATHER AND THE CROPPcL—The late copi -
ous rains, and glorious sunny weather, have broug'“
vegetation forward with extraordinary rapidity. The
wheat, and grain, and potato crops, indicate a Ventiful,
and, we trust, an earls harvest ; the country presenting
,o far every appearance of a fine and prolific season.
['here is also a fine show of fruit, and the advanced
prriod of the year gives promise that the blossom is
secure from further frosts or chilling winds. We are
gratified to find that a similar state of things exists
throughout the country, 83 expressed in the different
local papers —Nottingham Review.
A soldier, named William Atter, of' the Royal
Artillery, has been committed for trial at the Hertford as-
sizes, for a brutal assault and highway robbery, committed in
the open day on a butcher named John Salmons: The out-
rage was committed on the road between Barkway and
Barley ; and the life of the wounded man is still considered
n danger.

A. letter
from Vienna states that as the Russians
have fortified an important point on the Vistula, the
Austrian Council of War has proposed to fortify Cracow
and a point of the Bukowine close to the Russian fron-
uer. These works are expected to be commenced next
year. A site of ground, two miles square, has been
chosen for these fortifications.
CANINE SAGACITY.—A short time since a favour-
ite dog belonging to a person residing at the Lye, near
this town (Stourbridge), had its ear severely hurt, and
was taken for two or three days to a chemist's shop, to
have it dressed. On the fourth morning, however, the
sagacious an
animal went to the shop by itself, and resting
its head on the counter, patiently awaited the usual
dressing of the ear. It continued to do this every morn-
ing till the ear was well.—Locall'oper.