The Sun.
London, England, 1856-04-05 00:00:00

F. DONE AT DONCASTER.

That " dres,,ing" which the fielders received at Don•
caster :is not likely to be soon forgotten. They had a
preci on s hot time of it, and were right glad when the
meet:4l.g was brought to an ending post. The sport
was, t sith only two exc,ptions, utterly unimportant..
The .13 "opeful Stakes, however, excited some interest,
and wr,as won by Saunterer, as smart a 2-year old as
ever lo 3ked through a bridle. Siunterer followed up
his atm ecess by carrying off the Two-Year-Old Stakes
at This sk. The Doncaster Handicap occasioned acme
brisk batting at the post. Squire Watt, a large, lum-
bering, but not an ill looking animal withal, was a
tremeatious favourite ; he, however, proved totally un-
worthy of the support which he received. He rm.y
figura :more respectably with a man on his back, fur
certai boy the little torn-tit of a child that rode him was
incap aible of " getting him out." Be this as it may, I
am inclined to fancy Squire Watt's boasted racing pre-
tensiosns are merely a delusion and a snare. Mr.
Morris gave the ring a good turn with Coseey, and
right glad was I to see his success, for there is not a
more !straightforward man on the turf, pick them where
you vAll.

Gr temlus Eiuriens, whom the " Wizard of the North"
pronownced to be the best two-year old he ever tried, is
now siegraded to the rank of a common plater. lie
achieved his first victory at Doncaster. His opponents,
however, scarcely possessed a leather flapping medio-
crity. How are the mighty fallen
This Starters and the Jockeys again fell out at Don-
caster, and I have no hesitation in saying that I never
behel dso disgraceful a disobedience of orders as that
dispirlyed by certain riders for the Hopeful Stakes. The
startsir could not get the horses fairly together, and h:s
patier ice and temper were sorely tried. I am informed
that the subject will be brought before the Jockey Club,
and doubtless some very severe measure will be adopted
to prevent the frequent occurrence of false starts.
I did not get so far north as Thirsk, and cannot there-
fore discourse upon the sport celebrated in that locality.
Attention is now directed to the approaching meeting
at Epsom. I shall not state my opinion on the proba-
bilities; until Monday, when I shall have received my
letters of advice from the country.
Apiil 5. A FRESH MAN.

TUE AUSTRALIAN MAILS.

MAURITIUS v. DIEGO GARCIA.

Some of the newspapers Lave been advocating the dif-
ferent routes for the conveyance of the mails to Aus-
tralia, e,pe6ally that by Sut z, and direct from thence to
Melbourne, stopping to coal at Diego Garcia.

This route via Suez is no doubt by far the shortest
and mokt desirable ; but why coal at Diego Garcia and
not at. Mauritius ?

Diego Garcia is a small island in lat. 7 deg. south,
and long. 72 deg. east, only tan feet above the level of
the sea, producing nothing but cocoanut trees. Water,
which is brackish, can only be obtained by digging wells.
There are no inhabitants except a few fishermen. Toe
sea for several hundred miles to the westward of it
abounds in coral shoals, making the approach to it in
that direction most dangerous. There is, of course, no
establishment there for the purpose of coaling a steamer,
and no lighthouse to enable a vessel to make the island
and enter the harbour during the night ; and for two
months in the year the weather is generally so thick that
Oe island can scarcely be seen at daylight.
The distance from Diego Garcia in direct line to King
George's Sound is 3,113 miles; but in consequence of the
south•east trade wind, which blows very strong, with a
high sea, being directly against the course to King
George's Sound, the steamer would have to steer to Use
southward under fore and aft sails, and steam till she
got to the southward of lat. 30 deg. south. She would
then be able to proceed direct to Melbourne, but by this
deviation she would increase the distance to about 3,350
miles. In steering south from Diego Garcia she would
pass through the locality most liable to hurricanes, and,
in case of need, no repairs could be effected at such an
island, nor any vessel found to carry on her nails and
passengers. _

Mauritius, on the other band, has everything to
recommend it as a coaling station. lt is in lat. 20 deg.
south, long. 57 deg. east ; is only 240 miles further from
Aden than is Diego Garcia. On the Ist of December
last four lights were exhibited on the island. The
highest is a revolving light, 866 feet above the level of
the sea, visible about 25 miles. There are two lights at
the entrance of the harbour. A steamer can go in at
any hour alongside the coal hulk and begin to coal.
Fresh water is brought alongside in tanks. Provisions,
fruit, and vegetables of all kinds are in great abundance.
All damage sustained at sea can be repaired; pas--engers
can have excellent accommodation on shore while the
ship is coaling, an% the harbour is perfectly safe at all
times. Hurricane■ seldom extend so far west as Mau-
ritius ; and steam-ships would in three days after leavir g
the island be to the southward of 30 deg. of south 'au-
tryle, making rapid progress towards Melbourne.
The mails are now brought from London to Days. hrs.
Sup zin
Suez to Mauritius is 3,472 miles, at,lo knots 14 12
Mauritius to Melbourne is 4,680 miles, at 10

19 12
1 0

knots
Coaling at Mauritius

London to Melbourne 45 0
And to Mauritius in

The Cape of Good Hope is only 2,300 miles from
Mauritius, and a branch steamer could carry the mails
there in 9 days 12 hours from Mauritius ; say from
London to Cape Town in 34 days, or to Algoa Bay in
81 days.
If such an arrangement were carried out by Govern-
ment it ought surely to satisfy all parties concerned, as
it would combine speed and economy in the transmission
of the mails to all our eastern colonies.—Correspondent
010:4 Morning Herald.

MARKET NEWS.—(This Day.)

COVENT GARDEN.

We were but moderately supplied ' with fruit and vege-
tables, and the trade ruled steady, as follows :
FRUIT.—Pine apples, English, 8s to 12s per lb; colonial
do., Os to Os each ; hot-house grapes, 203 to 303 Od per lb ;
foreign ditto, Od to Os ; meluns, 2s 0,1 to 3s Gd each;
peaches, 2s Od to 63; nectarines, is Gil to 4s per dozen ;
apples, 2s 0,1 to 3s Od per half sieve ; pears, 38 Od
to
Gs per dozen ; plums, Os to Os per sieve ; green gages, Os
per punnet; apricots, is Gd to ssod per doz.; common plums,
Os 01 to Os Oil per sieve; cherries, (id. to 04 per pound ;
lemons, 8d to is 6d per doz ; oranges, 6s to 12s per 100 ; fil-
berts, Os to Os per doz. lbs ; cobnuts, 12s to 15s ; almonds,
Os to Os per lb. ; walnuts, 01 to Od per 100 ; figs, Os 9d
to is 6:I per doz.; strawberries, Od to Ott per pottle; goose-
berries, Os Od to Os Od per half sieve ; currants, Os Od to
Os Od per half sieve ; raspberries, Od to Od per pottle.
VEGETABLES.—Greens, is Oct to 3s 011 per doz. bunches;
cabbages, is to 2s 0 1 per dozen ; Savoy ditto, is to
286 d per do. ; brocoli, is Gd to 2s per bundle ; potatoes, 60s
to 90s per ton ; vegetable marrow, Od to Os per doz. ; peas,
Os to Os Od per bushel ; French beans, 2s Od to 3s Od per
100 ; turnips, 3d to Id per bunch ; carrots, stl to 6d per
bunch ; cucumbers, 2s Od to 4s Od each ; garlic, 6d t)
Os 8d per pcund ; spinach, 3s Od to 4s Od per sieve ;
old onions, 2s Gil to 4s per bushel ; new ditto, 3d to 4d
per bunch ; leeks, 2d to 3d per bunch ; shallots,
8d to 10d ; horse-raddish, 2s Od to 4s per bundle ; parsley,
3d to 4d per bunch ; celery, Os 9d to is 6d per
bunch ; endive, is Gd to 480 d per score ; beet, is Od to 2s
per doz. ; parsnips, Os 6d to is Od per dozen ; small
salad, 2d to 3d per punnet ; mushrooms, is Oil to is 6d per
pdttle; artichokes, is 3d to 186 d per half sieve; cabbage let-
tuces, 6d to is 0,1 per score ; sorrel, Od to Os per half sieve ,
radishes, Os to Os Olt per dozen hands ; tomatoes, 3s to 4s
per half sieve ; chillies, is to is 6d per 100; Brussels
sprouts, 2s Od to 3s Od per half sieve ; capsicums, is to 2s
per 100 ; walnuts pickling, Od to Os per 100 ; cauliflowers,
is to 4s Od per doz. ; rhubarb, 6d to is Od per bundle ;
asparagus, 3s to 10s per 100 ; sea kail, is to 2s 6d per punnet.
NEWGATE AND LEADENHALL.

Turkeys, 4s Gd to 8s ; Goslings, 6i 6d to 8s Oil each;
Ducks, 350 d to 45 Od ; wild do., Os Od to Os to Od ; rab-
bits, 10d to is Gd each ; Pigeons, 6d to &I each ; large
Surrey Fowls, Os Od to Os Od ; middling, 2s to 3s Od ;
Chickens, is 6rl to 2s Otl ; Capons, 3e 6d to 4s 6d ; Hares,
2s 61 to 4s Od ; Grouse, Os Od to I s to Od each ; Pheasants,
Os 0,1 to Os ; Partridges' Os Od to Os to Od ; Guinea
Fowls, 2s 9d to 3s 6d ; Roasting pigs, Os Od to Os 01 each.
Ostend fresh butter, 12s Oil to 13s Od, and English 12s Od
to 16s Od per dozen lbs. English eggs, 9s to 10s Od ; French
do., 5s Od to 7s Od per 120.
NEWPORT.
Beef, from 3s 2d to 4s 4d ; mutton, 3s 2d to 4s 4d ; lamb,
5s 6d to 6s Gil ; veal, 4s 4d to 5s 2d; pork, 3s 6d to 4s 8d
per Blbs , by the carcase.
WHITECHAPEL.
Beef from 3s Od to 4s 11. ' • mutton, 3s Oil to 4s 4d ;
lamb, Zs 4il to 6s 4d; veal, 4s Od to 5s 2d; pork, 3s 4cl to
4s 8d per 81bs.