The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-14 00:00:00

STEAMSHIP ONEIDA.

The following letter bai been addressed to the editor

of the Times :--
Sir,—As the great and uniform friend of progress, and
as having exerted so much influence in the formation of
this line of steam communication to Australia, it will not
be uninteresting to you to hear of her whereabouts, and
a few of the must prominent facts of this rather eventful

voyage.
We left the Solent, as you are aware, midday the 19th
inst., and have bad the most beautiful weather ever
since, but mainly light and unfavourable winds, which,
though insufficient to retard our course, furnish. fresh
proofs of the indisp:oesable neceseity.of steam, auxiliary
or entire, to render a quick paasage c.;rtain. A sailing
ship of the finest qualities would have done but little in
comparison. We have male, as our position will show,
a steady 270 Ar 280 miles per 'day; coneurnieg from 50 to
70 tons of coal in the 24 hours, and entered this splendid
harbour last night to replenish our fuel.
• It is greatly to be "regretted' that we shall lose from
three to five days in that operation, the coal being
brought frdm the shore to the ship in lighters, and we
he half a mile out. ,
Toe vessel, a comfortable seaboat, and admirably
ventilated, is commanded and ollicered by intelligent
and energetic men ; the provisions varied and abundant,
and the cuisine and attendance sup'-rinr to anything I
have seen in so long a' voyage, and I have made the
rassa,ge live times in first-class ships.
We have 50 passengers, about equally divided in num•
bers between noviciate adventurers and old colonists re-
turning—persons of intelligence and education, wbo
spend their time agreeably in conver/ation and reading.
Th, principal group is, of course, Sir Henry Earkly, the
new Governor of Victoria, his wife, child, and ai.l.de-
camp, whose dignified and courteous manners impart a
tone do our circle. His Excellency occasionally con-
verses with men of intelligence around him, and especi-
ally if they.have resided long in the colonies, and are
interested in their progress and institutions.. He reads
diligently and takes plenty of exorcise, and seems alto-
githtr a man of very active habits. It is impossible
not to believe that, adthd t / his valuable experience in
the West Indie7, his vigorous and well disciplined
mini, his conciliating and affable manners, will render
him truly acceptable, and even popular, in the colony
which he is about to govern.
He has indeed great advantages over his immediate
predecessor=, in that the colony is fast settling into
order and prosperity, almost every irritating topic is re-
moved between the colonies and the Crown (and the
squatting question the only, one between the colonists
themselves), while his burden in other respects will be
greatly lightened by administering a " responsible go-
vernment." His errors, too, should he make any, will
he visited with less criticarseverity than those of Sir C.
ll,,tha,r, whose death was accelerated at least by some
who were ignorant apparently that criticism and
courtesy might be combined, and who are now showing
signs of compunction. Besides, he will go with the re-
putation of an accomplished civilian, and not that of a
martinet, or fresh from the quarter-deck. Nous verrona.
It is doubted whether we shall call at the Ctpe, but
as 20 days might be required to reach its neighbourhood,
and that will involve the consumption of 1,000 tons of
coal, it appears to me absolutely certain, and especially
as the company are bound by specific, contract to steam
the entire distance.
If this little narrative is deemed eligible for your
columns it may afford information to and gratify others,
as well as,
your obedient servant, .
A PASSENGER.
St. Vincent, Cape Verd Islands, Oct. 29.

Count Fersigny has not yet had an interview with
Lord Clarendon since his return. The Count, however,
expresses himself confidently that the instructions which
be has brought over ace of a nature t) restore the accord
of the two Cabinets. The precise nature of those in•
etructions we have not been able to learn, but we are
in-lined to believe that France offers to support the Eng-
lish view of the Bolgrad question, provided Enea,nd will
acquiesce in the proposed union of the Principalities. It
is to be hoped Lord Palmerston and hie Cabinet will
agree to no such conditions, whatever may be the lean.,
ing of Lord Carendeu ; for the union of the Principali-
ties will be the first step to a declaration of their inde-
pendence, and a declaration of their independence the
assured precursor of their annexation to Ressia.—
M °mini./ Paper.
SALE OF THE SURREY AND SUSSEX TOLLR.—Yesterday
a general meeting of the trustees of the above roads was
held at the Sessions-house, Newington, Mr. Johnston in
the chair, for the purpose of letting the tolls on levee for
the term of one year—cmnencieg on the 31st of Dec.
next ---to the best bidder. The tolls realised last year
the blllll of 20,0201. over and above the expense of col-
lecting the same. The gates and bars at which the tolls
were collected extended from Camberwell-gate, in Sur-
rey, to East Grinstead, gate, in the county of Su-sex, and
included Kennington-common gate, Peckham gate,
Kingston gate, Albany-road bar, Aldington-square bar,
Southampton-street bar, Red-cap bar, with numerous
other bars. 'Lim was a crowded attendance of lessees,
but there being no offer the auction was declared at La
end. Subsequently a tender from Messrs. Levy and C.L,
for 24,5601., was accepted. On the previous day a meet-
ing of the trustees of the North Kent division was held
at the Green Man, Blackheath, when the tolls in this
division were put up to auction. The sum asked for
I was 11,7101., but there was no offer.
WESTERN GAS LIGHT COMPANY.—The annual meeting of

the proprietors in the above company washeld yesterday
the offices, Argyll-street, Regent•street ; Mr. Francis
Wm. Russell, M.P., in the chair. The secretary, Mr.
S. Barber, read the report from the directors, which
stated their regret that owing to the accident which cc-
cnrred in June, 1855, to the large gasholder, erected by
the company's former engineer, they were unable to de-
clare any dividend upon the working of the concern for
the 12 months just past. The consequences of that acci
dent were far.more serious than was at first anticipated,
nor was it until the 27th Dec. last that the gasholder was
available for regular service. 17p to that period, there•
fore, the company had to meet a constantly-increasing
demand for gas with only one-third of the gasholder
room that previor ly existed. The supply of the district
with gas was, under the circumstances, only accomplished
at a very heavy cost to the company, and accounted for
the small balance of profit remaining. The gas rental of
the last year exceeded that of the preceding year by
2 ,8291., but the increase of manufacturing items had bleu
in the aggregate upwards of 8,000/., an amount which
would have been sufficient to pay a dividend of 4.1.1 per
cent. The report added that the works had been cons!•
derably enlarged and improved, and the company's engi-
neer had expressed himself perfectly satisfied with the
new gasholder. The present storeage room was adequate
to the supply of one million cubic feet per diem. During
the current half-year the working had been more profit-
able than at any previous period. The report ygo.'
I adopted, and the retiring auditors re-elected. The services
of the directors were acknowledged by a vote of thanks.