The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-04 00:00:00

THE PUBLIC LANDS.

The following is a statement of the extent of public lands
sold by the Crown during the period from the Ist January
to the 31st May (five months) with the amount realised :
A. R. P. £ 8. (7.
311 2 6 .. 19,976 14 9

Town

Suburban and country 55,960 311 .. 136.,929 16 5

Total auction 56,272 1 17 .. 156,906 11 2
„ Selections 40,393 117 .. 47,495 4 0

Grand Total 96,665 231 .. 204,401 15 2

POPULATION AND LABOUR.

According to the statement of the Registrar-General,
the population of the colony on the 31st of March of the
present year, was 469,637 souls. The arrivals and depar-
tures since that date have been as follow:
Arrived. Departed.
April
May .. .. 2,317 .. 1,338
June . *3,115 8M
July, to 14th *1,208 t 260

10,384 4,211
4,211

Net immigration........ 6,173
* At the port of Melbourne only.
t An approximate return.
Adding this balance to the ascertained• population at the
end oeMarch, wo have an aggregate of 475,810 souls.

NEW SOUTH WALES.

(From the Sydney inpire:of July 10.)

The month which has elapsed since the departure
of the mail steamer Australasian, on June 11, has
not been marked by any unusual activity, and
scarcely, by any change in the course of business.
Generally the markets have been labouring under
a pretty equal depression. Stocks are heavy, with
a very cautious demand. Transactions, however,
are mostly negotiated on a secure basis, and, con-
sidering that we are in the depth of our dullest
season, we may reasonably expect improvement as
the spring. advances.
Money is by no means scarce, where legitimate
and safe employment offers, though the condition
pf the money market may be reported stringent.
Colonial securities are fairly maintained, and the
brokers report a good amount of capital seeking in-
vestment.
There is in all operations, as a rule, a remarkable
absence of speculation, but a disposition to do a safe
business within a moderate margin.
The wool season, which may now be considered
over, has been brought to a close at an earlier period
than for many years past. It is estimated that
there is not more than 1,000 bales of the season
1857 to arrive in Sydney. To the north arrange-
ments have been made for an early shearing this
year ; on some stations it is understood the 20th of
August is fixed for a commencment. Should the
coming clip begin thus early, and the roads not be
cut up before the end of the winter, Moreton-Bay
wools may be expected to waive here in better time
than usual. Up to the present time the flocks are
reported healthy, and the staple of the wools sound,
there having been no excessive rains to produce
disease.

The new railway estimates will be shortly before
the Assembly. On this subject there have been
several meetings, and we understand that a gentle-
man (Mr. Gabrieli) who tendered for the Mel-
bourne contract, is now waiting for the result of the
motion, in connexion with which several public
meetings have been held. We are given to under-
stand that Mr. Gabrieli is connected with large
English contractors. The line to Maitland will be
opened on the 27th inst., and we are glad to notice
a considerable augmentation in the Campbelltown
traffic.
Exchange and interest remain unaltered. We
have to notice the appointment of a Committee of
the Chamber of Commerce on the subject of the
re-adjustment of re-exchanges ; and certainly, con-
sidering the rapidity of our present postal course,
the charge of 20 per cent. from England is too
heavy ; but the matter must rest entirely with the
banks.

-------
We regret to have to notice another wreck at
the Heads of an outward-bound vessel. We are not
aware if any investigation is being pursued, but we
cannot help thinking there was some neglect, for
the vessel was laden and not in ballast ; her name
was the Annie, of Belfast, bound to Galle with a
cargo of coals.
The arrivals have been a full average during the
month, but several ships are yet overdue.
The gold dust received in Sydney by escort since
the departure of last mail has been reported as
follows :

June 11 ..
'June 18 ..
June 25 ..
July 2 ..
July 9 ..

ozs. dwts. gra.
.. 6,275 15 23
.. 2,517 6 12
.. 6,121 16 22
.. 3,446 4 17
.. 6,609 14 8

It has ever been the case in this colony that the
actual yield of gold could not be estimated by the
amount brought down by the escort. This has been
owing to several causes, more especially to the cir-
cumstances that a larger proportion of permanent
residents have engaged in gold digging with us
than in Victoria. We are therefore inclined to
think that the . yield at the present time is much
greater than is represented by the foregoing
figures.

SYDNEY, JULY 10, EVENING.
An accident took place this morning on the rail-
way, about 10 miles from Sydney. Three carriages
and a horse-box fell over the embankment at Has-
lam's-creek-bridge Station, and three others were
thrown off the line. Two persons were killed, and
five or six wounded.

SCHA MYL AND THE RUSSIANS IN
CIR CASSIA.

In a letter, dated St. Petersburg, Aug. 24, we
read :

General Eudokimoff, commanding the left wing
of the Russian army of the Caucasus, in his last
report mentions several affairs with the moun-
taineers during the month of July. The most con-
siderable was one which occurred on July 20, near
the village of Varanda, between the corps com-
manded by Colonel Bageanoff and numerous bands
of Circassians. The Russian troops were in a field
surrounded by wooded heights, in which the enemy
was lying in ambush. Notwithstanding the diffi-
culty of this position, the Russians forced their way
through the thick wood, and repulsed several des-
perate charges made by the mountaineers. The
firing lasted all day. The loss on the Russian side
was one captain and four men killed, and 35 men
wounded. It appears from this report that when
Schamyl learned that Varanda was occupied by the
Russian troops he at once came into the neigh-
bourhood with 150 of his guards, and he sent
orders to all the naibs of the locality to bring in
their contingents. While waiting for these rein-
forcements he convened a public meeting, and made
the people who attended it swear fidelity. Ho en-
deavoured to persuade them that the movement of
the Russians in the Chatoz country was an inva-
sion ; he entreated the populations to give battle
once more to the Russians, and expressed his will-
ingness that they should afterwards yield to the
fortune of war whatever might be the result. His
appeal was very generally responded to, and, in
consequence, his army, now amounts to nine thou-
sand men. Schamyl 's two sons—Kazi-Magoma
and Schedi-Mahomet—as well as most of the naibs
' bs
their
or chiefs of tribes, are at this moment with
leader, who occupies a strong entrenched position
in the open ground near Varanda, and three versts
from Colonel Bageanoff's column' General Eudo-
kimoff confesses that it was impossible for him to
prevent the enemy, with its numerous force, from
fortifying himself in this manner. His first anxiety
was to secure communication with his rear. He
nevertheless hopes to be able to attack Schamyl
and expel him from his position.

The volunteers from the depots of the 10th Regt.,
2d Light Infantry, and Bth (York and Lancaster)
Regiment, who have been permitted to enter other
corps, have left their respective depots at Chatham
for the purpose of joining their new regiments. The
above depots have given nearly 100 volunteers,
chiefly to those corps the service companies of which
are in India.

The 2d Battalion of the Coldstream Guards ar-
rived at Liverpool from Dublin on Thursday after-
noon, and proceeded by rail to London. In the
evening the 2d Battalion and band of the Scots
Fusilier Guards, commanded by Col. F. Seymour,
C. 8., arrived at Liverpool from London, and cm-
beaked in the City of Dublin teoat packet, for
DODue