The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-18 00:00:00

AUSTRALIA.

By the arrival of the Formosa we have received
files of papers from Melbourne to the 28th of July,
with news from Sydney to the 24th of July.
(Prone the Melbourne Herald of 28th, July.)
"The Melbourne Chamber of Commerce is still occu•
pied with the subject of promoting immigration and in-
ternal communication. They have offered a prize of 50
guineas for the best essay on the latter subject; and
have suggested plans for promoting the former, one of
which has been partially adopted by the Executive, and
is described below.

The Melbourne Royal Exchange is rapidly approaching
to completion, and although not so largo as the edifice
originally proposed, will be an ornament to the city,
and a credit to the mercantile body here.
" The subject of steam postal communication remaing
in state quo; our leading merchants and others interested
appearing to rely on the efforts making by Mr. Went-
worth and others at home, to push forward the subject.
Indeed, letters have reached here, stating positively that
Post-office steam-packets were to be immediately planed
on the line for Australia.

"Notwithstanding a winter of most unusual severity,
in which the lowlands have been absolutely deluged with
water, and the uplands visited with frost, snow, and
hail, the plough is steadily advancing, and agricul-
tural shows and societies are supported with great spirit.
The result of three days' sale of Government lands at
Melbourne last week shows a decided upward tendency
in the value of land.

"The increase of our population by arrivals from the
neighbouring colonies is Still going on. The arrivals
from Europe have been also much larger this month than
of late.

"The struggle for Legislative honours has cotu•
menced; but as no indication has yet been made public,
as to the time when the General Eleztion will take place,
the field is only partially occupied with candidates."

THE GOLD PRODUCE.
" The heavy rains and storms have materially affected
the diggers' operations this month ; but the rapid exten-
sion of quartz crushing maintains a fair average supply.
Several valuable nuggets of solid gold are also met with
in the (alluvial diggings to the value of 1,0001. each
and upwards. A nefarious trick of mixing gold with
inferior metals has been detected, but not until some
purchasers had suffered considerable loss thereby. The
extent of the adulteration was to the amount of 255. per
ounce. The receipts per escort for the past three weeks
have bleu as under :

For Oz.
week ended July 12
~ July 19
f important July 26
" Another mineral discovery has been made
at Taradaie, near Castlemaine. The following letter
to Messrs. Clarke gold brokers, of Melbourne, con-
tains some particulars :

MELBOURNE, July 23.
" ' Gentlemen, —The mineral associated with the Tara-
cilewaterwornin aspect
from
r
that g
oofld-hdeus ois stream
in-
deed, in many of the pieces, the crystalline form is tt
vense districtea m tio.
in -
being
o differsg less
dis-
tinct, and some of the facets retain a high reflective
a
brilliancy.
g" It may be observed that the site of this deposit is
in proximity to the granite. Should further inquiry
show that our granites are mostly tin bearing, and that
such deposits are prevalent throughout the country,
such
to the a.di
colon scovery would prove of the greatest importance
y.
I am, Gentlemen, yours truly,
" To Messrs. W GEORGE FOORD.
"Intelligencem. Clarke and
on Sons.'
reached town Friday (25th Jul y) that a coal field had been discovered on the shores of
the bay, a few miles from Melbourne, on a spot exhi'
hithla „ the usual accompaniments of an extensive coal
tistriet. Measures have been taken to set at rest this
important matter, which if substantiated will supply
many an urgent want of the colony.
"Of the gold exports since our last the Chinese have
shipped largely, over 6,000 oz. having gone to Hong'
kong on their account. These people continue to arrive
over:and in great numbers, both from South Australia
and new South Wales.
"The report of rich diggings at the Rocky River, in
New South Wales, has been drawing away some hundreds
of our diggers within the past fortnight, all of whom
who are able to do so will assuredly return with bitter
disappointment and loss.
" The price of gold has remained steady at 31. 161. to
sellers, or 31. 13s. 9d. per ounce standard for amalga-
mated gold froln the quartz reefs."