The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-10 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 10, 1858.

sion ! The Valorous and the Ae•amertmon interchanged
rockets, and constant signalling was kept up with the Nia-
gara, then in Trinity Bay, Newfoundland. Until dawn on
the all the Agatnemnon ran on very slowly. At full day-
light, accompanied by the Valorous, she arrived at Doulus
Bay, so quietly, as I have already stated, that she was at
anchor b-fore the people at Valentia were aware of her pre-
sence. Tne process of unshipping the cable was commenced
without delay; the boats of the Valorous brought the end
to shore, and at four o'clock p.m. the completion of the great
work at this side of the At latvic was achieved by attaching
the end of the cable to the Electrical instruments which have
been erected in the company's temporary office. At this time
a number of people had assembled, and the landing of the
cable was bailed by the most enthusiastic demonstrations of
delight.
" It was most fortunate that the weather did not prove
more severe, as in that case the quantity of cable would not.
have been sufficient for the purpose. The surplus remaining
on board the Agamemnon was Only 3.5 miles, and the
Niagara had but a similar length to spare. It is very re-
markable that the quantity paid out by each ship is almost
identical—that by the Agamemnon being 1,012 miles—hy
the Niagara, 1,010. The average spee4 of the Agamemnon
during the homeward passage was five knots an hour, never
exceeding six and a half ; and the speed at which the cable
was paid out was variable, according to the stale of the coil,
from five to eight knots. The greatest angle which the cable
had been observed to make with the water was 26 deg., and
the least 14 deg. 30 min.; and the s.rain on the cable never
exceeded 2,3301b5. or was leis than I,ooolbs.
" The squadron engaged its the expedition consisted of
four British and one American ves.el. The British
were—the Agamemnon, Captain Preedy ; the Valor-
ous, Captain Aldham ; the Gorgon, Captain Hudson;
and the Porcupine, sent to Newfonneltand to aid the
American frigate Niagera. The engineers on board the
Agamemnon were—Mr. Charles Bright, and Merv. Can-
ning and Clifford. On board the Niagara, Mes,rs. Wood-
house, Everett, and Kell. Mr. Bright•of course had charge
on board the Agamemnon, and Professor Thompson attended
to the electrical instruments. The former gentleman ex-
presses himself in the vrarnust terms with respect to the
courtesy exhibited by the commander and the officers of the
shim and the very zealous and effective aid given during
the whole of the voyage by.those gentlemen, as well as the
crews, both of the Agamemnon mid the Valorous.—The
Knight of Kerry, who takes a WRial interest In the under-
taking, is! dispensing the hospitelities of his island to Mr.
Bright and the other gentlemen connected with the project.
" SUNDAY MORNING.

" I have nothing further to communicate. The signals
still continue to be perfectly made. Should any event
of importance take place I will immediately telegraph the
fact to you."

AUSTRALIA.

MELBOURNE" JUNE 15.
Some important political events have taken place
in the colony of Victoria. '
.fhe Reform Bill intro-
duced by the O'Shanassy Ministry had been thrown
out by the Legislative Council. The rejection of the
bill subjected the Government to interpellations in
the Assembly as to the course they intended to
pursue in consequence of that vote, and Mr.
O'Shanassy made the following remarkable state-
ment :

We intend to advise a prorogation, with a view, upon
the re-assembling of Parliament, of re-introducing to this
house the same bill in all its character and features, so that
that calm, fair, sad deliberate opportunity may be afforded
to the two branches of the legislature of deliberating upon
and reconsidering the decision which has been arrived at ' •
and if, after that calm and deliberate opportunity has been
afforded to the country and the legislature, it should be
found that the measure cannot pass the other branch of the
legislature, I have the, authority of my hon. colleagues for
stating to this house—and I state it unhesitatingly for my
own part—that we are unanimously of opinion that its ob-
structil e character will be so clearly evident that we shall
be justified, not only in asking for the passing of that bill,
but in asking for an alteration of thecons!itipion.
In accordance with this intimation, Parliament
was prorogued on the 4th of June, for a month. On
its re-assembling on the Bth of July the Reform Bill
will be reintroduced.
" Outside the walls of Parliament," says the
Argus, " the effects of the ministerial declaration
have operated diversely—all
.moderate men have
resented it as a species of incipient dictatorship, whilst
the more violent section of our politicians have felt
encouraged by it to carry political agitation to the
very verge of sedition. A demonstration against the
upper house has taken place in Melbourne, which
assumed the shape of a torchlight meeting and pro-
cession. The latter, after parading the principal
streets of the town, invaded the Parliament reserve,
where various extravagances were committed in the
shape of oratory, the display of banners bearing
strong sentiments, &c. Large numbers of persons
assembled to witness the unwonted spectacle, but that
the mass consisted of curious and amused spectators
merely was evident from the fact that an attempt to
repeat the demonstration the following week was a
miserable failure."

The following is the address delivered by his Ex-
cellency the Governor on the occasion of proroguing
Parliament on the 4th June :
Mr. President and lion. Gentlemen of the Legislative
Council—Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the Legislative
Assembly,—l rejoice that I am at length enabled to release
you from your attendance in Parliament. Owing to the short
duration of recess, and after a very protracted session, you
have been called upon to attend to your Parliamentary duties,
with very little intermission, for upwards of 19 months.
Upon the inauguration of a new constitution, and with the
ministerial changes that have taken place, this was un-
avoidable.
Moreover, the great and continued increase
of the population of this country, and the rapid
development of its resources, under circumstances almost
unpr-cedented, necessarily gave birth to a large amount
of legislation of a new and expetimental character. It will
be within your recollection that the principal object which
I had in view is calling you together in December last,
was that of laying before you certain measures for the
amendment of the constitution. 1 then announced that it
was not the intention of my advisers to submit for your con-
sideration any subjects in respect of which Legislation was.
not immediately required. My present advisers upon taking
office concurred in that view, the more especially es the
recent extension of the franchise rendered it both just and
necessary that. measnr, of imp Ince rfr.ctin g• the interests
and w Late of the whole community should be considered by
a Parliament elected upon the broader basis of the extended
franchise. This view has been as far as practicable observed.
The bill for altering the electoral districts of the country
and for increasing the number of members of the Assembly,
p
assed by the house into which it was introduced, and the
constitution of which it exclusively aff cted, has not se-
cured the concurrence of the Legislative Council. I have no
desire to interfere with the deliberations of either Douse of
Parliament on the subject. It must, however, be obvious to
you that in the present state of the constitution repre•cota-
don is very unequally distributed, whilst the present Legis-
lative Assembly i!.l too limited in point of numbers for the
ule-
proper conduct of the legislative business of the country ; it
will therefore he the duty of my responsible advisers, in
diately upon there-assembling cf Parliament, again to intro-
duce the bill in question for your onsideradon. The bill for
shortening the duration of Parliament was passed by the
Assembly without the concurrence of a majority of the whole
house. I have been advised that such a majorit,, was neces-
sary under the tonsil- ution Act, and that it was also requi-
site that it should be reserved for the sicnification of her
Majesty's pleasure. To have transmitted tt the Secretary
of State n bill whi▪
ch had been irregularly passed would hat c
been to incur the risk of having it retuned to me for re-
introduction. As a !trans of avoiding this delay 1 bare
disallowed it, with a view to its early introduction in the
present session. As it could not take effect, even with
the present Parli▪
ament, until the end of next year, this
delay will be of no consequence, And it can be re-
enacted, reserved, and received back from England
long before the artiest possible period for its opera-
tion can arise. The other bills which hare been passed
during the present session, and to which I have gives her
Majesty's assent, though not involving questions of consti-
tutional importance, are nevertheless of a valuable character.
The bill for the simplification of the oaths of office
places persons of all religious denominations on a foot-
ing of equality, and its enactment will, I have no
doubt, promote, as intended, the barmomy and welfare
of her Majesty's subjects in this colony. The bill to facilitate
the format ion of mining associations has been framed with
espeul.l r.f....nra in iheorceivreteents of the ruining commu-
nity, and will, I trust, be TOUnn“! Promote that co-operation
of capital and labour without which no productive industry
can flourish. The bill to enable me to appoint a vice-presi-
dent of the Board of Land and
.Works has been rendered
necessary by the great increase which has taken place in the
pa
business of the departments under the control of that board,
consequent upon the commencement of the great. trunk lines
of railway. I trust that it will be found to relieve the re-
'aPrrusolubsilela head of
The
of that ()ermeot from a portion of h's
bills to which bare assented,
other
in her Majesty's name, though of a highly useful character,
need no particular observation from we. They bear wit-
ness, however, to the care with which you have considered
the public welfare. Since the parsing of the acts of time
last session for the construction end maintenance of rail-
ways, active measures have been adopted for carrying their
provisions into immediate operation- A contract has
been taken for the construction of the main trunk line
from Melbourne to Sandhurst, and the works will he
commenced and prosecuted without delay. The tenders f
the line from Geelong to Ballarat were, is the first instance,
such as it was net deemed advisable to accept, and the line
and sections were re-advertised, New tenders have been
opened, and there seems no reason to doubt that the
Government will be enabled to carry on this important
line concurrently with that from Melbourne to Sandhurst.
Negotiations have been for some time pending for the dis-
posal of the debentures, which you have authorised to be
issued ; a communication was eldressed in. December last
to the eminent house of Baring Brothers, inviting them to
state the terms on which they tidebt be disposed to nego-
tiate the whole of the loan. A toreinuntcation was received
from them in reply, which reached time in April last, to the
effect that they would send a confidential agent to this
country with full powers to treit with the Government on
the subject. In consequence oi this communication my ad-
visers suspended all action in.ihe matter until the arrival
of the agent, which took race al /tray,
.when he immediately
placed himself in communicroon with the Government.
The terms lie was enabled to serer were, however, deemed
by my advisers to be of a tot sufficiently advantageous
character to justify them in recommending their acceptance.
In the meantime certain propoida were made by our principal
banking institutions, and after tame negotiations an arrange-
ment has been finally concluded, upon a basis which will, I
hope, prove very satisfactory. I bate directed that the whole
of the correspondence on the subject should be laid before
both houses of Parliament. ytn, will find that precautions
have been taken to secure maple means for the purpose of
carrying on the great works rs have authorised, without in-
terruption or delay, and to efleet this witb as little disturbance
as possible to the ordinary relations of commerce. The im-
portance of these measures cannot be over-estimated ; they
will receive the unremitting Ittentionof myself and my ad-
vino
during thc recess, and tee foliset information as to their

progress will be from time to time.communicated to parliament,
The line of electric telegraph haw been completed from Mel-
bourne to Adelaide, and would ha re berm opened to the public
but for an accident to a portion of the line on the Adelaide
side, the exact particulars of which have not yet reached this
government. The line to Sydney is nearly completed, and
both will be opened to the public in a few weeks. Negotia-
tions have also been brought to a a uccessful issue for the
telegraphic connection of Victoria with Tasmania, but from
the difficulties in the way of determining the most safe line
of deposit for the submarine cable, ome time must neces-
sarily elapse before the work itself can be brought to a suc-
cessful termination. No labour will be spared by my ad-
visers in carrying forward those great public improvements
so essential to our material and social progress. During the
recess I shall otherwise avail myself of the powers which I
possess to effect all such improvements r,-s lam competent
to carry out without further legislative aid from you. It
will be my earnest endeavour to urge upon the imperial
government the necessity of enforcing a more faithful per-
formance of the contract for the mail service between Eng-
land and Australia.

" Gentlemen of the Legislative Assernbly,—f thank you
for the readiness and liberality with which you have voted
the supplies necessary for the public SetTiCi!. It will be my
duty to administer the expenditure with due regard to eco-
nomy and the efficte!scy of the public departments. lam
happy to be able to isfurm you that the revenue and public
credit are in a most satisfactory condition. The large propor-
tion of the consolidated revenue which you have felt your-
selves justified in devoting to public works of a beneficial
nature, bears witness to the extent _of the available sur-
plus over and above the ordinary expenditure of the
government. It is gratifying to find that the temporary
check to our cornmetctal prosperity, caused by the embar-
rassment which recently prevailed in England, has passed
rapidly away, and there seems every reason to hope that
our present satisfactory financial condition will be long
maintained."