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

AUSTRALIA.

By the arrival of the Formosa we have received
files of papers from Melbonrue to the 28th of July'
with news from Sydney to the 24th of July.
(From the Melbourne Herald of 28th July.)
"The Melbourne Chamber of Commerce is still cucell•
pied with the subject of promoting immigration and jeno.
Fernal communication. They have offered a prize of da
guineas for the best essay on the latter subject; a f
have suggested plans for promoting the former, one of
which has been partially adopted by the Executive, An
is described below.'
The Melbourne Royal Exchange is rapidly approaching
to completion, and although not so large 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 remain!
in statu quo; our leading merchants and others interestetu,
appearing to rely on the efforts making by Mr. Wept,
worth and others at home, to push forward the subjec t
Indeed, letters have reached here, stating pesitivelY °ad
Post-office steam-packets were to be immediately place
on the line for Australia.
" Notwithstanding a winter of most unusual severity,
in which the lowlands have been absolutely deluged lvitl
water, and the uplands visited with frost, snow, °I.•
hail, the plough is steadily advancing, and agri.clit.
tural shows and societies are supported with great spill t
The result of three days' sale of Government lands' a
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 arrive
from Europe have been also much larger this month than
of late.
"The struggle for Legislative honours has ci°.ll,„.
menced; but as no indication has yet been made pub':
as to the time when the General Ele3tion will take p,1,8"
tho 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 e%ttLIP
sion of quartz crushing maintains a fair average suPP:JA:
Several valuable nuggets of solid gold are also met vill;
in the alluvial diggings to the value of 1,0001. ea%
and upwards. A nefarious trick of mixing gold vr:d
inferior metals has been detected, but not until sor,ce
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 wee]o
have been as under :

Oz.
For week ended July 12
IP July 19
ff July 26
" Another important mineral discovery has been made
at Taradale, near Castlemaine. The following letter
to Messrs. Clarke gold brokers, of Melbourne, 001 Y
tains some particulars :

,
" ' MELBOURNE, July 23.
" ' Gentlemen, —The mineral associated with the Tar.
'wg*
dale gold-dust is stream tin. It differs in aspect from
that of the Ovens district in being less waterworn' 1r
deed, in
iannmd many
ymoef otfhethPe
jecev'the crystalline form is
facets retain a high reflective
brilliancy.
'‘ ‘ It may be observed that the site of this deposit!
oft the
throughout
gre ateettheu importanceutr,
such J
in proximity to the granite. Should further inclol
would prevalent
prove
show that cur granites are mostly tin bearing, and tta"
to the colony.
such
a d discoveryeposi th are

"`I am, Gentlemen, yours truly,
"4 To Messrs. Wm. Clarke‘a‘n‘ Gd
sEoOnRs.GE FOORTII'
"Intelligence reached town on Friday (25th
0119.
that a coal field had been discovered on the shores,.;
the bay, a few miles from Melbourne, on a spot a.","ii
biting the usual accompaniments of an extensive 07
slietrict. Measures have been taken to set at rest tb2,
important matter, which if substantiated will suPP')
many an urgent want of the colony.
"Of the gold exports since our last the Chinese hays
,
shipped largely, over 6,000 oz. having gone to Ei°l4'; kong on their account. These
people continue to arrig..
overland in great numbers, both from South AustroP'
and nev-/ South Wales.
"The report of rich diggings at the Rocky River
i
New South Wales, bas been drawing away some bundreu,to
of our diggers within the past fortnight, all of vihaer
who are able to do FO will assuredly return with bid
disdppointment and loss.
" The price of gold has remained steady at 31. 16 • to
sellers, or 31. 13.1. 9d. per ounce standard for amalga
mated gold from the quartz reefs."