The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-21 00:00:00

AUSTRALIA.

[A. summary of the following appeared in our impres-
siou of yesterday :—]

LIVERPOOL, Nov. 20.
By the arrival this morning of the Royal mail
packet Lightning, Enright, commander, of the
Black Ball line, wo are in the receipt of advices
from Melbourne to the 28th of August. She has
brought 140,000 ounces of gold on freight.
The packet ship James Baines has also arrived,
bringing 174,000 ounces of gold, being the second
largest import of gold by one vessel ; 1,000 tons of
copper and tin ore ; 570 casks of tallow ; and 600
bales of wool.
The Lightning left Hobson's Bay on the morning
of the 27th of August, and the Heads the following
morning, with a fair wind and gradually increasing
fine strong breeze. On the Ist of September, at 5
p.m., the weather being thick, the vessel ran close
to Enderley's Island, off the Aucklands, hauled on
the wind on the port tack, but, not being likely to
weather the bluff, tacked the ship to the westward,
and cleverly luffing round the Bristow Rocks went
round to the southward of Auckland Island. The
ship continued to make good distances and a fair
average speed until the Bth, when the wind became
foul for 24 hours, after which it was fair and strong
until the 14th. On the 10th an iceberg, the only
one seen during the voyage, was sighted ; on the
15th there was a calm for a few hours, followed by
fair wind, with plenty of snow, which continued
until the 19th, when the Horn was rounded, the
wind being light, in 21 days 16 hours from the
Heads. Signals were exchanged with the Patriot
King, beating to the westward. For seven days,
the winds being light and variable with calms,
very slow progress was made. From the 27th to
the 31st the wind was strong and fair, but becom-
ing scant headed the vessel off her course. At
noon, on the latter day, the vessel was ou the pa-
rallel of Rio Janeiro, the island of Trinidad,
bearing north-east by north half north, distant
191 miles, and at 1 p.m. the tropic of Cancer was
entered. October commenced with winds from the
north, and calms ; from the 4th to the 10th, with
light favourable breezes, the ship doing well. Dur-
ing the night of the Bth the ship crossed the line.
On the 11th boarded the Proserpine from Boston.
On the 14th signalled the American clipper Tor-
nado, had a race with her, and came off victorious.
Until the 10th very little progress was made, the
wind being light and variable, with calms, until
the north-east trades commenced, blew freshly
three days only, and were followed for nine conse-
cutive days with light airs and calms. On the 21st
the Marie Leocadie, hence, was boarded, and, on
the 26th, the Meteor hence, two ladies, who were
anxious to return, being taken from on board of
her. On the 29th a light northerly breeze sprung
up, and the ship stood to the eastward, three or
four ships being in sight. On the 30th, with the I
wind from the eastward, tacked the ship to the
north-northwest, when the James Baines was
sighted ahead, and on the following morning, with
the wind again light, come up with. On the Ist
of November with the wind changeable from N.E.
to N.W., the James Baines, the Cid, and another
Hamburg vessel, were all left behind before sun-
down, when the wind became light and variable,
end continued so for throe days. On the sth the
breeze was strong ;from the N.E., and then fen
almost calm. On the 11th the islands of Pico,
j Fayal, it:;c., were sighted, and a seaman named John
Robinson died, and was buried the same day. At
noon, with the winds light from the S.W., the
ship's course was steered to pass the Island of Ter-
ceira, where she became becalmed, and afterwards
experienced for two days a strong gale from the
E.N. E., and made very little progress. On the 11th
and 12th the wind was rather lighter and shifted a
point or two, but mostly prevailed from the N. to
the E., heading the ship too much to the N.,
but not preventing her from making her north-
ing. On the 13th, wind southerly, but light ;
on the 15th, a breeze from the S.W., the ship
making good progress for 48 hours. The night of
16th, squally and changeable, with a strong wind
from north-north-east in the morning. On the 18th
the vessel was abreast of Cork and heading up for
the arrakl Rocks, with the wind from the northward.
After a few hours of light winds in the evening a
breeze sprung up from the north-north-west, when
in sight of the Smalls light, and next morning
Bardsey Island was sighted, and at 2 p.m., with a
fair wind, Holyhead rounded. At 4.30 p.m., off
Point Lynas, 'took a pilot ; and about 7.30 next
morning arrived in the Mersey.
The run from Melbourne to Cape Horn occupied
24 days 16 hours ; Cape Horn to the Equator, 1.0
days 8 hours ; Equator to Pico, Western Islands,
21 days ; Western Islands to Liverpool, 11 days—
total, 84 days. 11er longest run in 21- hours, by
observation, was 371 miles, and the shortest 36
miles. On the lst, 10th, and I.Bth of September
she ran respectively 366, 355, and 377 miles.
The winds throughout the voyage were fair for
32 days, light for 23 days, calm for 4 days, and
a-head for 24 days, thus being most unfavourable
for the progress of those vessels requiring their
sails to be well filled, and accounting for the pro-
longed absence of the James Baines, which vessel
comes under this category, but which, under ordi-
nary circumstances, is equal iu speed to almost any
vessel afloat.
An address and testimonial wore presented by
ho cabin passengers to Captain Enright and his

officers.
The cause of the lengthened passage of the James
Baines arises, it may be presumed, from her heavy
cargo, which consist of copper and tin ores.
The elections for the two Houses of Parliament
having cuminemood there was much political ex-
citement. Ninety members were wanted for both
Houses-30 for the Upper House, and 60 for the
Lower. Owing principally to the high property
qualification demanded of the members, the Mel-
bourne Age states that there was a dearth rather
than a superabundance of candidates, and that
there would be little or no competition for the
Upper House ; and even for the Lower House
there wore several constituencies for which no can-
didates had presented themselves. The nomina
tions of the Upper House had taken place, and the
polling was fixed for the 27th of August. The
writs for the Lower House would not be issued
until the beginning of October.
Though the weather was exceedingly fine the
season hid not commenced, but the cartage to the
interior had become cheaper, and some improve-
ment in business had manifested itself. Stocks at
the diggings were believed to be light, and the
spring trade with the interior was expected to as-
sume an activity and importance almost unknown
in the provions history of the gold fields. The
heavy imports had not affected prices.
The question cf railways and telegraphs was
occupying the attention of the Victorian and South
Australian public, and a line from Victoria to the
Murray was likely to be immediately commenced.
The Victorian and South Australian Govern-
ments had contracted to construct a telegraphic
lino between the two capitals, and to boar the
charge up to their respective frontiers. Surveyors
aro already engaged in plotting out a portion of
the line, which will ultimately be carried on to
Sydney. The Tasmanian Government have also
decided upon carrying wires from Hobart Town
to Launceston, and the Chamber of Commerce of
the former place are urging the Chamber of Mel-
bourne to join with them in soliciting their respec-
tive Governments jointly to bear the charge of
laying down a submarine cable across Bass's
Straits to Launceston, and thus connecting the
capitals of all the Australian colonies. Meanwhile
the line between Melbourne and Bendigo is in
active progress, and is expected to be ready for
use by the beginning of November.
The four colonies of Victoria, Now South Wales,
South Australia, and Tasmania have decided upoU
lighting and buoying the coast at their joint
expense.
The summary of the Me/bourne 11 id
era of Aug.
20 says :---
"Happily for themselves, and for those who are
v
inte-
rested in their welfare, the people of Melbourne have
little news to send borne by this mail, at the same time
that they are waiting in eager expectation for the solu-
tion of certain questions which are now pending in
distant quarters of the globe. The possibility of a rupture
with America is the first topic of world • wide interest that
concerns us ; and next in importance to it in our own
sphere is that relating to the appointment and the arrival t
of our now Governor. These wo questions depend not
upon ourselves, but upon the proceedings of great powers
over which we have nu influence—altliongh the day will
certainly arrive when we shall have to be consulted on
such nia!tars ; but there is a third source of interest to
us, wholly domestic and entirely colonial, and one which.
for the raiment, bids fair to absorb nearly the whole of
that p,rtion of zeal which we are willing to devote to
political affairs--the first election of representatives
under the new constitution
"At the time of writing. this summary we aro suf-
fering under a disappointment which has an air of the
ludicrous about it ; although the circumstances may,
io some respects, justify a feeling of indignation and
disgust. A vessel, named the Marion, arrived a few
days ap frArt Ceylon vi the Mauritius, news
from England, as the
captain
captain announced, of 18 days'
later dates than the later: previous advises. He was
ordered into quarantine, in consequence of the supposed
prevalence of the cholera at Port St. Louis, where he
last touched. This gentleman accordingly goes into the
state of tribulation assigned to him by law, and he
takes his revenge on the innocent public by withholding
the 18 days' news which he has in his po,session.
"Great exertions were subsequently made to over-
come the sullen diplomatic obstinacy of the segregated
captain, but to no 'purpose. He looked on with in-
difference, or a melancholy grim disdain, whilst the Vic-
torian public were gasping and sighing for the news,
and he ungraciously permitted a world of speculation to