The Sun.
London, England, 1858-04-02 00:00:00

AUSTRALIA.

We have this morning received papers from
Melbourne to Feb. 15, and from Sydney to Feb.
10. On the former date the Victoria, with the
English mails of the 16th of December, was twelve
days overdue. So far, however, as the dates are
concerned, these mails had been anticipated by the
arrival from Point de Galle of the colonial steamer
City of Sydney, but private advices were anxiously
looked for.

With regard to the gold-fields the recent stop-
page in those branches of industry which depend
upon the supply of water had been of so serious a
nature to the mining population that attention had
become fairly aroused to the necessity of providing
against future inconvenience and loss from drought.
An aqueduct from the Coliban to the centre of
Forest Creek has been projected, the country sur-
veyed, and the practicability of the undertAking
ascertained. The inhabitants of Bendigo are turn-
ing their eyes towards the extent of mountainous
country which surrounds that district with the like
object. The Bendigo Advertiser says

A very considerable extent of mountainous country
exists in the •icinity of this gold-field—most of it, too,
at a high elevation. The chief portion of the range con-
sists of granite formation, abounds in springs, and fur-
nishes the source of a number of creeks of greater or
less importance. Are we quite satisfied that in this
country there does not exit any area of watershed or
place capable of being formed by artificial means
into an extensive gathering ground. If we are not,
why do we not take means of satisfying ourselves
on a subject of such interest ? These are practical
movements, and such as are best calculated to
put an end to the cry that the gold-fields of Victoria are
declining. With associated enterprise in labour and
capital, the older gold-fields will keep up their yield for
a long time to c,me, while these th>• ;re w:11 be
ready for similar uee,takings when! the first miners
shall have taken out all they can by their individual
exertions.

Of political matters, Mr. Mitchie's bill for pro-
viding public instruction was engrossing the
greatest share both of public and private atten-
tion. The principle that the State, as a state,
should only provide secular education for chil-
dren has received distinct expression in a motion
of Mr. Ireland's which was carried on the 22(1
of January by a majority of 27 to 10.
This motion, as finally carried was—" That
secular instruction only, in the ordinary sense
of the term, shall be admitted in the schools
to be established under this act, or in
any of the buildings thereunto belonging." This
clause has provoked very violent opposition on
the part of various religious bodies, more particu-
larly on that of the Church of England. "Unless,
however," says the Argus, "the Upper House
should reject Mr. Mitchie's bill, there seems now
at all events little reason to doubt that hencefor-
ward the State will not interfere to provide other
than secular instruction. It will insist neverthe-
less that all children shall receive either private
or public, training of this kind."
The Reform Bills were making progress through
the Lower House. Mr. Haines announced that the
Ministry would resign if the assembly declared
itself unfavourable to the representation of mino-
rities, and by 24 votes to 17, a scheme had
been sanctioned, by which each voter is to be
endowed with the right to record as many votes as
there may be candidates t.) be elected for his dis-
trict, but according to which he is to be at liberty
to distribute them how he pleases, or to conceu-

trate them all in favour of one candidate. Hither-
to the elector, although at liberty to record only
one vote or plumper if he pleased, has not been
permitted to give more than one vote for any one
candidate.
The Argus reports of the mines :
At Pleasant Creek the eyes of the miners are still
turned towards the advanced parties prospecting r}und
the Grampians av,d the Victoria ranges, in which
directions this field appears to be spreading. Ararat
his been dull. The works are steadily progressing
on the several deep leads at Ballarat. Carngham is
almost deserted, but at the deep lead at Preston's there is
more activity. At Bendigo, the most noticeable feature
is the small quantity of quartz gold that is now being
produced—a tact that calls for explanation. The Mary-
borough district has bad the usual number of smail
rushes. At Tarrengower the ground about Hunter's
sa,wpit, recently opened, is still attracting and retaining
a numerous populaq,m. The Goulaurn miner.. are now
wanking our, after having been at a sta,nd4ll for
watt of water, We have heard of little doing in the
Ovens district. The Bucklatid quartz-reefs are pr.)ved
to be extensive, but hot very rich, and it is thought that
they will not repay at present for the expense of the
transport of macula iry so long a distance ev4r a rough
country.
The following shipments of gold had been made
since the commencement of the year
Date of
Sailing.
1858.
Jan. 2 Copenhagen
4 Loudon
7 Wouga Wouga Sydney 5,221
11 Telegraph
„ 12 Anglesey
„ 13 Istanboul
„ 11 London
„ il6 Anna Lange
„ 16 Columbian Suez 46,539
„ 18 Wonga Wouga
„ 19 Albion Liverpool
„ 22 CJllaroy
25 London
28 Wonga Wonga.
, 30 Coleroon Loudon
Feb. 5 London
„ 6 Roxburgh Caste _ London
„ 8 Morning Star Bristol
~ 8 Sydenham • London
In the -Upper House the government had been
defeated upon the second reading of a bill entitled
" A Bill to Secure the Independenei of Parlia-

Ship.

Destination.

Ozs.

meet." This bill was rejected on the 3d of Feb., in
consequence of its involving a change in the con-
st tution, and thus requiring the alsent of an abso-
lute majority of the council, although the second
reading was carried by 11 to 4 votes. The bill, if it
had passed, would have disqualified all persons in
the receipt of public pay, and not being members of
the ministry, from sitting in Parliament.
The atrocities committed by the revolted sepoys
in India have awakened in the colony a very dee p
feeling of horror and of commiseration. A move-
ment has been set on foot for the promotion of th,
fund for the relief of the surviving victims of the
mutiny. "It is impossible," says the Argus, "to
form even an approximate estimate of the amount
that will be realised by private subscriptions, but
from the general approval of the object of the
fund, we have little doubt that it will be such as
to constitute a substantial token of sympathy. In
the meantime, the sum of 25,0001. has been appro-
priated in aid of this object by a unanimous vote of
the Lower House of Parliament."
In most of the agricultural districts the farmers
had secured the bulk of their crops; and the har-
vest is much the largest ever gathered in Victoria.
During the previous two or three weeks men of
the labouring class had been in less demand. In
many districts the greater part of the crops were
secured, and the farmers had been paying off their
extra hands. " There is at present no work for
these supernumeraries, nor will there be until the
expenditure of the sums voted by Parliament for
buildings and improvements this year commences.

Idle men are accumulating iu town, where they

ask higher wages than are accepted willingly by
those in the country seeking employment. By

all accounts the latter are already rather nume-
rous, and their ',lumber is daily inoreased by men
driven from the gold fields in consequence of a
want of water."

From the " commercial intelligence" of the Argus
we extract the following :
The gold market has been remarkably dull. The
change made in the rate of freight from 4 per cant. to 1
per cent. by the European and Australian Royal Mail
Company has been the chief cause of this. At the former
rate the company competed successfully with the clipper
ships sailing about the same time, but at 1 per cent, the
advantages are in favour of the clipper ships. The re-
ducion in the prices of gold established at the beginning
of the year has become permanent. The Melbourne
bullion brolture are LuyLrs C. Lk; f
14s. 61. to U. 143. 9d. for Castlemaine and Sandhurst ;
3/. 143. 6d. to 3/. 153. for Mount Korong ; 3/. 15s. 61.
for Dunolly, Maryborougb, Fiery Cresk, and Avoca ;
Si. 155. to 3/. 153. 9J. fur Ararat and Pleasant Cieek
3/. 16'. to 31. 178. for the Ovens ; and 3/. 17s. 6d. to
3/. 17s. 9d. for Ballarat.
In onr recent summaries we have had to speak of a
gradually tightening motley market. Since January,
1857, the banks have been operating with extreme cau-
tion, in consequence of the glutted state of the import
market, and of the heavy additions made to stocks of
imported uoods every week, by their arrival in quantities
in excess of the wants of Australian colonies. The it.-
telligence recently received from England of the alarm-
ing monetary_ crisis that bad commenced in the latter

part of October, and prevailed throughout November,
has not produced any considerable movement here.
The first effect was to check the shipment of specie
and gold, but these articles are now coming forward
more freely. The suspension of Messrs. Dennistoun and
Co., of Glasgow,produced a great impression, in conse-
quence of the intimate connexion of the house with the
trade and commerce of the colony, and of the large trans-
actions in which the corresponding house in this colony
was involved. The firm of Dennistoun Brothers and
Co., of Melbourne, has met all its engagements, and the
local partners are confident in their positiun.

A new financial feature has been introduced into
banking operations, the first fruits of which do not
appear to have excited any marked expreFsions of
approval or of discontent. Interest is granted
by all the banks on the deposits of their custo-
mers ; by the Bank of Australasia, the Bank of
Victoria, the Union Bank of Australia, the Benk of
New South Wales, and the London Chartered Bank in
the monthly minimum of tie daily balances, and the
Oriental Bank, the Gilonial Bank, the Colonial Bank of
Australasia, and the English, Scottish, and Australian
Chartered Bank on the actual daily balances. Tne rates
of discount remain unchanged, at—on bills under 95
dayc' currency, 8 per cent. ; from 95 to 125 days, 9 per
c,nt. ; and over 125 days, 10 per cent. ; and on over-
drawn accounts, 10 per cent.
Exchange on England is, at all the banks, at par for
60 days' eight ; for accounts under 501. at 4 per cent. pre-
mium for 30 days' sight. Freight on gold, by direct
steamers or sailing vessels, 3J. per ounce, deliverable in
London ; insurance 14 per cent, by the•overland route,
1 per cent.—that is 9d. per ounce as nearly as possible ;
insurance 1i to la per cent.
With reference to the condition of the markets, we
can do nothing more than repeat the warnings of our
previous monthly issues. The stocks on hand are fast
approaching to something like sufficient for 18 months'
consumption. Many kinds of goods, of a more or less
perishable character, are being sacrificed at auctions to
an extent which would scarcely fail of producing some
effect, except that even unfavourable account sales do
not appear to have any infiuencs on shipments to
Australia.

BERNE, APRIL 1.

According to the verbal report made by M.
Kern to the Federal Council, the French Govern-
ment has declared that, if Switzerland should re-
fuse to acknowledge the new Consuls, France
would reserve to itself the right of withdrawing
the exequatur from the Swiss Consuls at present
residing in France.
CONSTANTINOPLE, MARCH 27.

The Porte has rejected the demand made by
the French Ambassador, M. Thouvenel, for the
authorisation of the cutting of the oanal through
the Isthmus of Suez.

TURIN, MARCH 30.

'The Opinions says that the King of Naples has
addressed a final note to the Piedmontese govern-
ment, touching the capture of • the steamboat