The Sun.
London, England, 1856-06-11 00:00:00

AUSTRALIA.

ARRIVAL OF THE MERMAID.
LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY.
The. Royal Maiiship Mermaid, Capt. Edward
Davy, belonging to the White Star line of Austra-
lian packets, arrived in the Mersey last night, from
Melbourne, after a voyage of 88 days, having left
Port Philip Heads on the'l3th March. She brought
120 passengers, 40,000 oz. of gold (of the value of
190,00010,1,000 bales of wool, and other merchan-
dise. The Mermaid has performed the voyage out
and home in the short space of six months and 19
days, including a detention of 30 days in Mel-
bourne..

The news per the Mermaid, though not so late as
received by telegraph by the overland mail; are 10
days later than those to hand by the Roxburgh
Castle.

The Mermaid reports the arrival at Melbourne,
March 6, of the Chimaera, from Liverpool ; on th©
7th of the Ocean Eagle' from Boston, and the Man-
darin, from New York.

The dates of the Mermaid are—Sydney, March
5 ; Adelaide, March 5; Hobart Town, March 6 ;
Launceston, March 5 ; Perth, W.A., Feb. 2 ; and
New Zealand, Feb. 20:
The George Marshall was to sail from Melbourne
March 15, and ViscOunt Canning, 21, for London ;
the Marco Polo, for Liverpool, March 25, and the
Morning Star, for Bristol, March 12.
The Lord Raglan arrived at Adelaide, from
Plymouth, Feb.. 7 ; Albemarle and Investigator,
from London, ar.d,Athlone, from Liverpool, 18th ;
Navarino, from goiithampton, 21st ' • Ferozepore,
from London, 28th ; and Duchess of Northumber-
land, from Southampton, 29th.
The Norma Sailed from Adelaide, for London,
Feb. 14, and the Vi6toria Regia on March 1.
The Legislative CounCil was occupied for three
nights last week, in addition to one in the previous
week, in debating the very important question of
the mode of dealing with the gold which may hap-
pen to lie hidden under the surface of lands already
alienated by the Crown. Four nights' debate !
But this reminds me of the necessity of explaining
what constitutes a "night's debate" here. The
Council meets at 3 p.m. The first hour is either
wholly or nearly consumed by petitions, notices of
motion, notices of questions to be put to official
persons, and any other preliminary matter ; so that
it is usually 4 o'clock before pre-appointed business
of the house, such as the " orders of the day," is
entered upon. The Council generally adjourns at
7, sometimes a little earlier, and sometimes, but
rarely, extends its sitting to 8 or half-past. On
this occasion the four nights' debate occupied a
trifle under 11 hours—no more than a single night's
work for the House or Commons, or, perhaps, a
night and a-half with Mr. Brotherton's aid. Dur-
ing these 11 hours 33 members spoke out of a
house of 45 members, exclusive of the Speaker.
In the debate three sets of resolutions were pre-
sented to the house. The first set, Mr. Pyre's,
affirmed the propriety of mining on private lands
" under suitable regulations," and the inexpedi-
ency of giving to the owner of purchased lands a
right to the gold beneath. The second set, Dr.
Owen's, upheld the same principles, but they were
obscure, complicated, and very ill-worded. The
third, Mr. Snodgra s's were the converse of the
first, deprecating the right of the diggers to mine
on purchased lands, and .asserting the expediency
of conveying the gold with the land sold ; but Mr.
Snodgrass With-thew reiolutions in favour of
those of the Government, 'which were as follows
(abridged) -
" L That all gold'is the property of the State,"

&c.
".2. Gold in waste lands can only be mined for
by permission of the State.
443. The duty of 2s. Gd. per ounce is the con-
sideration.now accepted by the State for the right
to acquire' gold.
"4.. The consideration for permission to mine is
the
miners' right'=:i. e., 1/. per annum."
The sth and 6th .1 gave at length :
,4 5. The owner of lands purchased from . the
State should be permitted to mine therein for gold,
or to grant the privilege of mining therein for gold
to such persons and on such conditions as he may
think fit.
"G. Gold so acquired is subject to the export
duty or to any consideration for the acquisition of
gold which the State may substitute therefor."
There was no objection to the first four resolu-
tions of the Government.- They might well stand,
whether the house agreed. to establish a right in
the miner, to dig upon private lands, or agreed to
let the gold go with the land in past and future
land sales. The fifth resolution was intended to
pave the way for the latter rule, though it was
vaguely and covertly worded. There were six di-
visions on these
~ several resolutions, and certain
amendments subsequently proposed. Mr. Pyke's
first resolution, framed to establish the right
"under suitable rognlations" to mine on private
lands, was negatived by a majority of 11, the num-

hers being 28 to 17. Dr. Owen's resolutions were
then negatived by a majority of 31—numbers 38
to 7. Then came the Government resolutions.
The fifth and sixth were rejected by a majority of
3—numbers, 24 to 21. An amendment of Mr.
O'Shanassy's in the following words was then
put :
"1. That this Council is of opinion that to
transfer the gold, now the property of the public,
to the present owners of private lands without any
equivalent, or to confer upon such- owners the ex-
clusive right to mine for such gold, would be op-
posed to sound policy, injurious to the general
welfare, and may be regarded as a violation of a
public trust.

" 2. That this Council is of opinion that in future
sales of public lands the exclusive right to the
gold which they may contain should not be sold
to the purchaser."
These were rejected by a majority of 7—num-
bers, 26 to 19. Then Mr. Pyke moved his third
resolution, namely :
" That this house refuses to sanction any mea-
sure having for its object the sale of the gold with
the land, inasmuch acs such a course would cause
the alienation of an incalculable portion of the na•
tional wealth—a proceeding unjust in principle
and mischievous in tendency." This passed with-
out a divisi( n.

By these several divisions the Surveyor-General'
(Government) first four resolutions stood, with the
last resolutions, cited above, of Mr. Pyke. Then,
when the Speaker put the five resolutions together,
"That this house is of opinion," &c., one of the
city members moved the previous question, and
the formal question "That this question be now
put," was negatived by a majority of 1, the num-
bers being 23 to 22. But of the majority 12 were
Government officers and non-official nominees,
whereas of the minority of 22 21 were represen-
tatives.

The question involved in this discussion is no
doubt one of very great difficulty. The Crown
grants are silent as to any mineral reserve on the
one hand or concession on the other. Hence the
grantee takes with his land all minerals except
gold and silver. The precious metals remain in .
the Crown. The owner of the soil cannot take
them because they are not expressly conveyed to
him. The miner cannot take them—first, because
his " miner's right " only gives him power to mine
on waste lands of the Crown, and, secondly, be-
cause he cannot trespass on the land of another.
The Crown, by its representatives, does not take
them, because the Crown does not embark in any
productive enterprise. Hence the gold under pri-
vate lands is practically " no man's gold."
The bill for regulating the manner of conducting
elections, and the bill to prevent bribery and re- •
duce the expenses of elections—the latter based on
the English act, the former introducing vote by
ballot, will pass into law this week.
The supply of gold during last week was 60,370
ozs. without the Ovens, or about 67,000 with the
same.
A few days before the sailing of the Mermaid one
of the Government surveyors, while on duty on the
Werribee, six miles south of Mount Blackwood,
and near the Pentland Hills, found a nugget of ,
gold weighing 83 ounces, on the surface. This in-41.1
formation is from a source that can be thoroughly
depended on.
" The Hard Hills contiguous to Buningong are
at present quite the rage. There is a large popu-
lation now round and about, and a report says
generally successful.
"In the Castlemaine and Bendigo districts, in
addition to their alluvial workings, rich quartz
reefs are being wrought, and a good deal of atten-
tion is directed thereto. A great deal of mechanical
and scientific skill is now brought to bear on the
matter, and it must prove an important interest.
4i The Ovens quarter is going ahead ; the popu-
lation is increasing on the various fields, and their
success is so general as to insure its being a fa-
vourite district for the season."

MELBOURNE GOLD CIRCULAR, SATURDAY,
MARCH 8, 1816.
"Another rise in the rate of exchange has taken place
this week of 1 per cent., as was surmised, showing that not
even the strongest•backed bank is capable of carrying on le
trade in the face of such a loss. The price of gold has
gone up to 775. 3d.

" The quantity of gold from the different fields is stea-
dily on the increase, Ballarat taking the lead this weeki
showing an amount of nearly 2,000 oz. over Mount Alex-
ander and Bendigo.
Number of persons arrived 409
Number that have left

/
r,
,i
i

Addition this week 192 and year 3,631
" The escorts have brought from—
Ballarat, including Geelong 28,473 oz. oz.
Mount Alexander and Bendigo 26,624
Mary borough
Avoca
Daisy-hill 1,178

Amount this week
Gold shipped in 1856
Per steamer to Launceston
Per steamer to Sydney 2,131
Per Roxburg Castle to London 39,771
Per Medway to London.

611,521 '

Or 26 tons 9 cwt. 2 qrs. 10 lb. 1 oz. at 82,5.... £2,346,034
" Exchange on London.—Draughts against gold pnr•
chased, at par.
" Freight.-44 per oz., delivered at the Bullion•office,
Bank of England. London. Insurance 2 per cent.
"EDWARD KO HLL, Bullion•broker.
" 69, Collins-sfreet west."

CONEY MARKET

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCi.

CITY, Two o'CLOOK.
The Liverpool Cotton Market yesterday closed
;e 4'6lY, at a decline of is. Bd. per lb. The sales
ere estimated at 4,000 bales-500 taken for export
I°Euprising 200 Pernam and Maranham, Gid. to
; 800 Surat, 4id. to 49d. ; and 80 Rea Islands,
tols. 91b. per lb. The Railway Share Market
'''3ed dull, without any material change.
he Continental accounts, received this morning,
that the Vienna Bourse, on the 9th inst.,
Inanimate, and the speculators were operating
~111 cautiously. The exchange on London had
441,„
'"Y declined. The Berlin Bourse, at the latest

"`e) ruled dull.
'%ounts from the French spirit market continue
l'ePort firmness in prices. At Marseilles the mer-
,4lts refuse to give the increased prices demanded
vile producers, consequently the stores on hand
it
quest
The 3s. ad. marked brandies are
ah
°quest at 140 to 1551. per hectolitre, according
(111ality• Beetroot spirit from tha North com-

‘4(18 125 f., and Tafias for the colonies 6 to Of.
i
for the colonies are iu demand at 95 to 100 f.
fol* India 125 to 130 c. At Bordeaux, the wino
t'et is in an unsettled state until the effects of
t Tit ecent inundations is known.
be Societ6 Generale des Clippers Francais is
kb:

let llg arrangements for the eaiployment of its
' t and notice has been given that the Lady
'ltqa will soon be despatched to Rio de Janeiro
havre. She will call at Southampton, and
i expected that a regular communication will
i4speedily established between France and the
accounts brought by the Mermaid state that
%141 Ports of merchandise into Melbourne, during
,;'teek ending March 1, were worth 325,8071.,
the exports 407,1021., showing an excess of
.latter of 81,2951. The customs' receipts,
kilg the same period, were 26,3591.
he 9ontinental Exchanges, yesterday afternoon,
orally
ruled firm, but there was a slight decline
it, rie•

50
16
16
St.

consequence of a more favourable feeling with
rcl to the Central American dispute and the
state of the Money-market, notwithstanding
5 2A
per cent. instalment payable to-morrow
41,
New Loan, the Funds have again become
'it,t444l and an improvement in prices of per
Atilliltts occurred. There has been very little
lkitl,g) but it is remarked that parties who a
4 Rht since were large sellers are now actively
44t
long in an opposite direction. Consols opened
It
4 fi and have since been done at 943 This
,~lettling day in the New Scrip, and no
have yet taken place. The New
.t,
j% aro /, and the Reduced 94 to 94g.
,t7ll7cuer Bills are ss. to Bs. premium, and the
KIN I. Bank Stock, for account, is 219.
~ii,reign Stocks continue to attract a fair share of
attention, and the rise in the Funds has
';tl:l,ced a corresponding movement in their value.
11111 6 per Cents. have improved per cent.,
99i and 100, while the 4 per Cents. have
1031. Russian 41 per Cents. are 981.
ll'an Bonds have been dealt in at 911 to 924.
t,ao Stock is 22/, and Peruvian 41 per Cents.
Buenos Ayres have risen 11., viz., to
,;11(-1 78. Chilian 6 per Cents. are 104.
Railway Shares are all firmer ; and the
descriptions, such as Lancashire and York-
i)01; 4idland, and South-Eastern, are most in
The French and Belgian lines are quiet,
the4dy. A call of IL per share has been made
Great Luxembourg Company. The Cana-
liles are firm.

25
25
St.
1112'
108
St.

9t.
50
t.
fah

'144 FUNDS THIS DAY.—CLOSING PRICES.
( Prom the Orwial Liat.)
toe linstn,.. done.
:ItA",4
' 14. tedaced Annuities 24i 4
Cent. Annuities
expiro sth Jan. 1560
'3O Years, expire sth April, 1885 l7
ht;"d, £lOOO
;1: Iltaer .ElOOO
'osk

219
94. i i i
2i p

5i,,,,,
~;(1.
rip for Account
4,1 t ser Account
ktf'ter Bills, 24d.
qtt(lo
to t 3 p
Q)l4 onds, 1858, 3i per Cent. 991 i
1.
°ES OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY.
iltittri,,,Ennds. 5 per Cent. —
,e
0o: A 'Fr, 1852, 4. per Cent.
VAL, 'AYrekt Bonds, 6 per Cent.
~"'lk4b'eceunt
~ik h-uonds 6 per Cent lO4
Aloitlii.i.onds ' 3 per Cent 1825
liii.(l ' 5 per Cet.
or\
te,l,ew Consolidated l4
r'ltt 3 Per Cent —
,11,4 t,
hA.,,eeount
k'lll4Zz",tionds 4i per Ceut
, ~k,econnt
'itto 'lends, 1822, £ St., 5 per Cent —
'll6, 4i per Cent.
t• .18.11
itt, Benqs 5 per Cont. . .........
"Ili Account 9'f 13 a d
4 'ttoßonds, 3 per Cent —
lit Ace 4
Ditto
to Ollll,, 47i f i
Newr Deferred, 3 per Cent.

5
5
20
10

ilti,,ti`iO4.ecount .. - 25. i
)ttlie Assive
ti , .
ith 1, rnmittee Cort. of Coup. int fun 7h } p c
Oto A 4)11(1s, 6 per cent —
nt '.ceount
tit °
tt„_ Guaranteed, 4 per Cent,
I'''Coulat
Ito, tthrtdonds on the above ,a;....b1e In London.
tlit4t leltange, 2i per Cent., 12 Guilders
':' 4 Per Cont. Certificates
THREE O'CLOCK.

Cot
b,t,_solg
Account (July 10) -)41 x d
- -

t LQUREN'S VISIT TO CANTERBITRY.—We received
hour last evening intelligence from reliable
that it is in every respect probable that her
i'N-tls will visit Canterbury, but that it will not take
lthb4lB week, as some had supposed, in consequence
Lltjcitkacot Races attracting Royal attention. Her
do visit, it is stated, is for the purpose of distri-
-1:111q. medals to the troops just returned from the
ON"' We trust our citizens will be up and stirring
\''ca,,,Nte her Majesty's gracious visit, acd still further
Ctf;3' out the suggestion—for which the time is short
ktiv,4itertaining the troops on their safe return to their
!,,It,l-,'and.—Kentish Gazette of yesterday.
NTILIS COMMUNICATION WITIE AMIRICA.—Ac
1;.% 'rota Cork state that the screw steamer Propon-
Ook-iPtkin Goodwin, is now at Qneenstown, where she
61, t'ing, having on board the sub-marine electric en-
Qo laid down between Cape Ray, Newfoundland,
'll4 e North, Cape Breton Island. The length of
ki'le is g 5 miles, and its weight 170 tons. She
‘llti° on board the cable to be laid down between
Otit. raverae, Prince Edward's Island, and Cape For-
, New Brunswick ; length 13 miles and weight
'l* The cables are manufactured and are to be
Itlttil
tWilbY W. Kuper and Co., of London, under the
4 04
of 3,1 r. Canning, who, with his assistants, is
t:iiij`i• The former failure in laying down the oa-
le from the fact that it was on board of a vessel
u3' a steamer ; now it is on board the steam-ship
S I.411(1 there is no doubt it will be effectually laid
~°tl,..tTlt TREATY of PlllOll.—A. considerable seller).-
produced in the month of April last in the
world by the publication in two of the Brussels
13,,tit! of the text of the treaty of peace signed by the
ti;'o4`,ll,! of Paris. Four persons on Saturday appeared
41.k.‘ae Court of A.ssiges of the Seine to answer the
::dope of having improperly contributed to such publi-
i.;,, Theee persons were—Julien Brossard, aged 35,
ir,"1:44.11 at the Imperial Printing-office ; Charles Le-
-014, '42, director of the Office of Political Correa-
ihmkrie3 in the Rue Notre Dame des Victoires ; and
:4 tmard 27 and Louis Moner, 39, both employed
t, !et, s office. The indictment charged Brossard
,k4eptt/:ing, at the instigation of the prisoner. A.lou ,
ell
41tIously taken away from the Imperial Printing-
-0q11,,, copy of the treaty in question, and given it to
)40 „et, who in his turn, transmitted it to M. Capel-
,44qbitor of the Belgian journal the Nord. Evidence
f Looteao given, the jury returned a verdict of Guilty
tiejoliiet and Brossard, acquitting the other
tth,'l,4e Court sentenced Lejoli .et to two years' and
iiirlitrbo to 15 months' imprisonment.
1111:alt,' 4. AVE ILLUMINATION IN THE lIIGHLANDS.—The
01 )al 4;ticin at Mr. Macdougall's shop--the celebrated
t,,Rtak, artan Warehouse at Inverness—was an object
01, 'attraction on the occasion of the peace rejoicings,
ti/
lit eo I,uing to the following account, would have done
I,lleik -call-mall or the Haymarket. There was no-
-1,4,7 correspondent states) in the town to rival it.
t PBl arranged according to the harmony of their
, were hung around the windows and along the
Qtit()o°l the house, and grouped in elegant clusters
1y,41 abe door. In the centre, immediately above the
tl;e etas, were the letters, in gas-jets, " V.R.," and a
Oct Cr of great brilliancy, also in gas. Behind the
9tr4 gas was exhibited the motto, " Enterprise, In-
ev and Perseverance, overcome every difficulty."
eqrsens, which formed a background to the
tlithe t4t44 get off the subdued light of the wax-candles
till presided lamps, seemed to cover the whole front of
off44l.liseg, except the windows, which were Judi-
vihinh ling with tartan shawls and ribbons, the colours
1t!,1,1,y accorded exceedingly well with the rest of the
Qhait, Tile whole town seemed to have centred in
tahar-de," to witness the illumination. For hours, it
'4O oteerP ossible to pass from one end of the street

SHARE MARKETS.

(THIS DAY.)

RAILWAYS.

!
Paid ( RALL WAYB.
I •

Amhg. Nottag. Bost
and Eastn. Juno:
i 3 'fast Ballymen,
kirming. Wolve rh
Stour Valley
Birkeand.. L2.ncsh.
Cheshire Juliet__
Do. Chesty. 'A; Birk.
£5O and £25 Cow
Do., £2)..... .......
IBlyth & Tyne origins
£25 (ia3d. at
!Bristol and Ex3ter
!Caledonian.
!Chester Holyhead
Cork and Bandon
Cork, Black, &Fmk
Cornwall
Do. A
Do. B
Dub:in&BelfastJunt
Dun. P. & Aber. Jnc
East Anglian
Eastern Counties
w.stst. rTninn. A Stt
',De., B. Stock
I Do., Now
East Kent
East Lancashire
Edinburgh & Glass()
Edinb. and Peebles
Edin. Prth & Dun,'
Forth & Clyde Jun ,
Furness.
Do. Extension
Glasgow &S. West r
Great N. of Scotind.
Great Northern
Do., A. Stock
Do., B. Stock
Gt. Sth . &West. (Ire
great Western
Do. Stour Val. Ra
Gua. Stk

lo .
94

Irish South-Eastern
Lancaster & Corns]
Do., Thirds
Do. New Thirds__
Lancash.audYorksi
Do. Wet. Riding Ur
Liv:Orsby.&Southpi
London & Blackmon'
Lond. Bright & S. OS'
Lend. and N. Westi
Do. Fifths
D0.101.5h.,M&8 (
Do. Eighths,.
London and S. WA.t
Len. Tilby. & South.
Barking Sh
Lndndrry& Coleraii
Lnandrry. & Ennis)
Hanch.Shcf.h Line I
Do., Man. & Lin. 171
Metropolitan
Midland
Do. Birmng. &Dori
Midld. G. West. (In,
Do. Half Shares
Newcastle k Carlisl,
Nwpt.Aberg. &llrt
Newry & EnniskillP
Newry Warrenpo'nl
and Rostrevor
Norfolk
Northn.Counties
Worth British
Nth 1),,v,,n Rail &
Dock Stock
So., A Stock