The Sun.
London, England, 1860-09-08 00:00:00

particular claim to priority; what he deprecates is,
what he considers the ungrateful neglect he has
experienced at the hands of Mr. Hargraves, who,
he states, has taken credit to himself for the infor-
mation and discoveries communicated to him by
Mr. Davison ; and the present work is published
with a view to clear himself with the public, and
to lay claim to his just share of glory. If this pro-
ceeding gives satisfaction to the author—we are con-
tent; only,when we look for information from a trust-
worthy source, we had much rather be excused from
reading the prosy correspondence of Brown, Jones,
and Robinson. In the appendix we find a short
sketch of the gold-fields in California, at which the
author resided for some time, as also those of Russia
and India. Many matters connected with mining
incidents are very fairly related ; the licence riots,
for instance, at the Turon and the revolt at Ballarat
are described with great truth and attention to
the cause of the outbreak, and it is stated that " The
threatened outbreak on the Turon was fortunately
averted by the temporising conduct of the Local
Gold Commissioners." This is quite true, but the
author might also state that the outbreak at Ballarat
was fomented and brought to a sanguinary con-
clusion by the incapacity and arrogance of the
Victorian Commissioners, aided by a ruffianly and
brutal police force; the prime agents in the affair
however, contrived to avoid the final catastrophe
which befell the drunken miners in the stockade,
whom it is said their leaders deserted in order
to bring the affair to a conclusion, their object
being gained, and not wishing the revolt to go
too far. The Government we hope acted from a
prudent motive when they charged certain of the
brawlers when brought up for trial with HIGH
TREASON, by which preposterous charge they in-
sured their acquittal. The work is illustrated with
a chromo-tinted map, 'which is, however, but a
rough affair, and by no means accurate.

Facts and Figures relating to Vancouver Island
and British Columbia ; with illustrative maps.
By T. Despard Pemberton, Surveyor-General,
V. I. Longman.
This is a work conveying in a condensed form
much information of a plain and practical character
concerning our new colony of British Columbia.
The writer tells us that, in his official capacity, he
is continually receiving communications from
residents in Great Britain or the Canadas, who,
as intending emigrants, merchants, or capitalists,
require authentic and detailed information about,
the localities in question. He has found it impos-
sible to refer these querists to any existing work,
since the information he finds to be generally
scanty, and more suited, in its general style, to
the historian or antiquarian than to the seeker for
practical knowledge. To remedy this deficiency
he has written, or rather compiled, the volume
before us, since he has aimed rather at collecting
all reliable intelligence, than at producing an en-
tirely original work. The same reason has induced
him to make his volume as concise as possible.
"No advantage," he says in his introduction, "can
be gained by diluting the little reliable information
we possess." As the work of a man of business,
who has had good opportunity of knowing the sort
of information most needed, it goes at once to the
point, and discusses the proportion of open and
waste lands; the profits of cultivation, the terms of
sale of lands, the timber, coal, iron, &c., as well as
the gold which has become so prominent a feature
in the colony. A chapter of advice to intending
emigrants is also likely to be serviceable. All who
are thinking of establishing relations with the
colony will do well to consult this plain and prac-
tical manual.

The Fpanish Campaign in Morocco. By Frede•
rick Hardman, Special Correspondent of the
Times, author of "Peninsular Scenes," 81c. black-
wood.

This volume contains the letters to the Times,
written during during the late war in Morocco.
They have been condensed and revised by the
author—a necessary process for letters dated from
the head-quarters of an invading army, and
penned amid the disturbance and excitement natu-
rally belonging to such a scene. They now form
a very readable volume, and though the interest of
the campaign referred to has died away, still a
faithful and unprejudiced sketch of its operations
will be useful as a work of reference, while a correct
account of the state of the Spanish forces, given by
an eye-witness, and a description of Morocco and its
inhabitants at the present time, are not without
value.

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, FRIDAY MORNING.

THE HARVEST.

The floodgates seem at length to be fairly closed,
and for the last three days there is every appear-
ance of a run of summer weather. Since Tuesday
the mercury has been rapidly rising, and there is
at present every prospect of at least an average,
though an unusually late, harvest. This morning
opened with a dense fog—a pretty certain forerun-
ner at this season of a hot day, and by 6 o'clock it
cleared away, and the sun shone out for the first
time this week. There are good accounts to-day
from the country, and it is probable that they will
have their effect in checking further speculation in
the corn trade. A decline is looked for at the
market to be held this afternoon. A letter from
Roscommon says :

" Undoubtedly :this has been, until within the
last few days, a most untoward seasog. Since May
there have not been four successive dry days up to
last Friday. Since that there has been a most pro-
pitious change. The heat and sunshine which we
are now favoured with have dissipated our fears,
and we expect to see not only the cereals soon fit
for the sickle, but the turf dry enough to make a
comfortable fire in winter. The wheat is good in
most localities, and will be all cut by the end nf
next week. The oats in poor soils are the sorriest
crop I ever saw ; but in general the crop looks well,
and should September be dry and sunny the yield
will be remunerative. There is a great breadth of
oats, and this will make up for any deficiency in
the potatoes. As to these, they are small, owing
to want of sun, but the blight is only partial in
these districts. On the whole, I think people, with
care and watchfulness, combined with thankfulness,
will have, if not an abundance, at least a sufficiency
for another twelvemonths. The hay, though par-
tially injured in some low and shaded localities, is
abundant, and nearly saved."
A report from Cavan is even more favourable
than the foregoing, and, turning to the south, one
of the reports remarks :
In Tipperary and the adjoining counties the
providential change in the weather which set in
last week has proved permanent up to the present.
The heavy, dark, and wet days have given way to
bright and genial ones. The effect of this improved
state of things on the crops has been extraordinary,
and whole fields of wheat and oats, which a few
weeks since were looked upon as beyond all hope,
have recovered, and exhibit the process of ripening.
With regard to wheat, I think, taking all circum-
stances into account, and remembering the heavy
bulk of the present crop, that it will yield an aver-
age return. Much of it had necessarily to be cut
green and intrusted to the stock for ripening. But
this year's crop is extremely heavy, and will prove
after all, generally remunetative. Oats are worse
off, I am afraid, but farmers have begun to speak
hopefully of those fields which were totally levelled
a few weeks ago ; and they say that, in the event of
the present weather continuing for three weeks
more there is every prospect of their giv-
ing a fair return; Green crops are splendid.
Hay will be scarce this year, and every
effort should be made to economize its
consumption against the approaching spring. The
reports of the condition of the potato crop are very
disheartening. The tuber is universally attacked,
and there is no doubt that it is rapidly degenera-
ting as an article of human food. Bacon is going
up, and there is a brisk demand in all our markets
for prime beef, at 60s. per cwt."

IMPORTANT TO VOLUNTEERS.—At the Birken-
head police court on Thursday Wm. Tunstall, an omnibus
driver, was summoned by the keeper of the Bidstone toll-
bar for refusing to pay toll, and forcing open the gate. It
appears that on the evening of the 23d ult. a party of the
Ist Cheshire Volunteers were being conveyed in the defen-
dant's omnibus to Leasowe for the purpose of rifle practice.
On reaching the Bidstone toll-bar the usual toll was de-
manded, which the defendant refused to pay, on the ground
that volunteers proceeding to drill were exempt by Act of
Parliament from all tolls. The plaintiff would not recognise
the principle, and shut the gate, which was afterwards
forced open by the defendant and some of the volunteers.
The defendant claimed exemption under 3d George IV., c.
126, which stated that " any carriage or other conveyance
conveying volunteer infantry, or any horses furnished by
or for any person belonging corpsto any
to o
of yeomanry
inotmeatuntroyogr
volunteer artillery or infantry, sc
from any place of exercise, inspection, or review, shall be
free from toll." The bench, however, put a different con-
struction on the meaning of the act, and inflicted a fine of
41s. and costs. Notice of appeal was given.
SEPTEMBER THE .FIRST.--Now for sport in ear-
nest. I know where we are, and so do the does. I wonder
whether it is true that the son of the great Etirl of North
umberland, in Queen Elizabeth's time, wa, the first person
who made a dog set for partridges. If so, he was the in-
ventor of a very pretty spectacle. If it is also true that no
birds were ever shot flying till the last century, sportsmen
must have had a poor chance unless partridges abounded
as we now see them in the Holy Land. There they run
out from the artichokes or the corn under your horse's feet,
till you grudge their numbers. We may bo very well satis-
fied to-day, however. We become silent, and watch our
dogs, and in a minute or two are deep in the biteizess of the
day,—Once a Wok.