The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-08 00:00:00

AUSTRALIA.

We have received files of papers from Melbourne
to the 18th of August, and from Sydney to the 13th
of August.
The dissolution of the old Parliament was pro-
claimed on the 10th instant, and the writs for the
new elections were issued immediately afterwards.
We are now, therefore in the very midst of the ex-
citement of a general election. The entire num-
ber of memlers in the reformed Assembly will be
seventy-eight; and although it was made a serious
charge against the present Ministry that they did
not extend the number to upwards of 90, so as to
allow of an ample representation of the " masses,"
yet it is already evident that the smaller number
will pretty nearly exhaust the legislatorial capabi-
lities of the colony at the present time. The
masses, that is to say, the entire body of the colo-
nists—will be as fully represented in the new
house as they need to be, if there be any virtue in
an unrestricted franchise and the ballot.

(From the Melbourne Herald, Aug 17.)
Some of the Ministers have delivered their
electionering addresses They speak in the tone
of men who are deply conscious they they lie under
the heavy weight of a well-deserved unpopularity,
and that their tenure of office is rapidly drawing to
a close. There can be little doubt that the result
of the elections will show a large majority of men
prepared to support a vote of want of confidence
in the Government, or that a vote of that kind will
be amongst the very first resolutions moved in the
new house. The new house will therefore pro-
bably assemble early in October.
The long-pending differences between the Go-
vernment and the Geelong Railway Company are
now, we are glad to say, in a fair way towards
a speedy and satisfactory adjustement. A meeting
of the colonial shareholders, held some weeks ago,
agreed to a proposition ratifying the decision of
the English shareholders, that the line should be
sold to the Government without reserve. Nothing
remains but the determination of the exact terms
of purchase.

--:----

THE WRECK OF THE ADMELLA.

One of the most frightful shipwrecks which ever
occurred on the Australian coast, has taken place
within the last few days, near Cape Northumber-
land, about 30 miles to the west of the imaginary
line separating Victoria from South Australia.
The sacrifice of life, although large, upwards of
50 persons having been lost, is not the most horri-
ble part of the catastrophe. The sufferings of the
unfortunate survivors exceed anything we ever read
of in the history of shipwreck and disaster at sea.
For seven days they were on the wreck, during five
of which they were without food of any description.
The Admella was a fine steamer of about 600 tons
burthen, and 300 htirse power, and has been regu-
larly trading between Adelaide and Melbourne for
the last tw) years. She left the former port on the
sth August, and at about half-past four the follow-
ing morning, while running at full speed, struck on
Carpenters's Reef.
The following is the statement of one of the sur-
vivors :

James Hutchison, chief mate of the Admella,
states—Saturday morning; Aug. 6, relieved the
captain at 4 a m., steering her usual course by com-
pass; morning very thick, with much lightning ; a
look-out on the bridge. Ship struck at 4.30 a.m.,
and in less than ten minutes she was in three
pieces ; about 40 people continued clinging to the
bow portion for two days, when they were nearly
all washed off and lost, with the exception of about
fifteen, who were brought to the after part of the
vessel by means of a rope. Some very harrowing
scenes of separation among the families of the fore
cabin passengers occurred at this time. All the
provisions that were saved in the first instance was
one filter full of water, a small bag of almonds,
about 201 b of cheese, half a ham, 101 b beef, 8 bottles
of porter, and one bottle of whisky. Might have saved
some brandy, but no one desired to risk the drink-
ing it. Put one case on one side, but this and all the
small stock of provisions were washed away dur-
ing Sunday night, so that they tasted nothing
since Monday morning; the surf breaking over them
night and day, yet all appeared composed and col-
lected. Each night carried off its victims—about
twenty died on Tuesday night from the cold—it
was a bitter night ; deaths were so frequent as to
lose all terrors to the survivors, who looked cal-
lously on. Captain Harrison, of the Waitemata, did
all mein could do, diving for provisions ; he suffered
so much from the exertion, that he died from ex-
haustion on board, close to Rochfort. Margarey
was the most anxious of all to venture going on
shore. He was continually wishing to make at-
tempts, but on Wednesday fell overboard by acci-
dent. He was kept floating by a life-buoy for a
time, and finally sank about three hundred yards
from the wreck. Three days before, Margarey.
generously gave a large warm coat to Rochfort,
which was the means of saving his and Fishei.'s
life. The people had no shelter whatever. They
sat on the top rail, with their feet resting on a
moulding fore and aft the ship. They contrived to
place three cabin seats from rail to maen rigging,
which gave resting room for about twenty. When
the boat from the Lady Bird was necessitated to
return the first time they all despaired of being
saved ; their anxiety was brought to an extremity
when they saw their deliverers only about a boat's
length from a large rock, which had they struck,
must have launched all into eternity.
The country near where the wreck took place is
very thinly populated, and it was not till Monday
morning that the two sailors who had got ashore
on a raft reported the calamitous accident to the
lighthouse-keepers at Cape Northumberland. In-
formation was immediately sent to the nearest tele-
graph station at Mount Gambier, whence it was
communicated to Melbourne and Adelaide. It was
at first supposed that there were no more survivors",
and the S. A. Government contented themselves
with sending the Corio, the Havilah being out of
order at the time. The Victorian Government did
nothing. On Tuesday a number of people from
Mount Gambier visited the scene of the wreck, and
discovered that a number of people were still alive,
but this fact was not known in Melbourne till
Wednesday morning. The Messrs. Henty imme-
diately ordered the Lady Bird, then lying at Bel-
fast, to proceed at once to the wreck, and made ap-
plication to the chief secretary to guarantee the
increased insurance, which was refused.
The Corio did not reach the wreck until Wednes-
day night. On the following morning she launched
her lifeboat, but the sea was too heavy to permit
her to approach the wreck. One of the boats of
the Admella, which had been washed on shore, was
also unable to cope with the sea.
The Lady Bird was unable to find the wreck, and
had to return to Portland for information, so that
it was Friday at mid-day before she reached the
spot. Equally unavailing were the efforts of her
crew, augmented by a number of experienced
whalers from Portland, to effect a communication
with the wreck. The seventh night closed upon
the wretched survivors, now reduced to 27, their
hopes of relief almost utterly extinguished. Four
men died during the night. Another little steamer
from Guiehen Bay, the Ant, but unprovided with
effective means for rendering assistance, now reached
the wreck.

On Saturday morning the sea was calmer than
it had been at any previous time, and the various
boats' crews resumed their attempts. Success at
last rewarded their efforts. Nineteen were safely
conveyed on board the Lady Bird, and four reached
the shore. No life was lost in the final operations.
The state of all the survivors was something be-
tween death and life, but we are happy to add that
they are all progressing favourably, although not
quite beyond danger.
The excitement which prevailed in Melbourne
and Geelong from the Wednesday when it was first
generally kown that there were a number of per-
sons still alive on the wreck up to the Saturday
night, when it became known that the Lady Bii d
had succeeded in rescuing 19 lives, and that three
had been taken on shore by the Corio, beggars
description. Telegrams arrived almost hourly from
Mount Gambier, and the most intense feeling per-
vaded every class of society. H.M.S. Niger, which
arrived from Ceylon on Wednesday, was sent to the
scene of the wreek on the Friday evening, with a
number of experienced boatmen selected from
among the Sandridge watermen, A great deal o
feeling has been manifested against the Govern-
ment for the apathy they evinced, and a liberal
subscription is being raised to remunerate the crew
of the Lady Bird and the boatmen employed in
rescuing the sufferers.
The following is a list of the passengers and
crew, but we are not quite sure of its correctness.
It will be seen that upwards of 50 persons have lost
their lives :—Mr. J. Magarey, Mr. 'Whittaker, Mr.
IT. Fisher, saved ; Mr. 0. Fisher, Mr. Holbrook,
Mr. James Miller, saved ; Dr. Vaux, of ship Nor-
folk ; Miss Ledruth, saved ; Capt. Harrison, Mr.
Woods, Mr. J. Rochfort, saved ; David Peters,
Robert Wright, saved; Charles Locke, saved; Mr.
Thomas O'Halloran, saved: Mr. Michael Forester.
saved ; Mrs. Goold ; Airs. Cockson, Mr. and Mrs.
Patrick Glyn., Mr. John Batt' ick, Mr. Hugl.
APlnnes, saved ; Mr. and Mrs. John Watson, Mrs.
Bowie, Mrs. Beith and three children ; Mrs. Ram-
say, Mr. Fernando Bade, Mr. Edwin Cnambcrs,
Mr. Thomas Richardson, saved ; Mr. and Mrs.
George Forster, George and Hester Watkins ;
Eliza Paul, Charlotte Shott and four ehildren ;
Miss Nugent, John Tregeagle, Patrick Arthur,
John Carmichael. Allan Webb, Underwood,
jun. ; I'. Mensforth, B. Baker, George Warn.
saved ; John Webb, saved ; J. M'Dermott, saved ;
Patrick Carrig, saved; Andrew Follar, saved ;
Thomas Davis, saved; Captain AVEwen, saved;

James Hutchison, chief officer, saved ; G. B. M'Nair,
purser, saved ; Simon Munro, first engineer ; J.
Johnson, second mate ; Walter Brown, second en-
gineer ; Miss C. Glendinning, stewardess ; Mary
Meagher, assistant; James Hare, first steward; J.
Ors, first cook; four firemen, names unknown.
THE GOLD FIELDS.

Since our last summary was compiled the Govern-
ment Escorts have brought to Melbourne 170,560
ounces of gold ; the quantity for the month show-
ing a decrease on that of the corresponding periods
of 1858 and 1857, of 17,637 oz. and 38,689 respec-
tively.
The shipments during the month show an in-
crease on the amounts exported daring the same
wteks of the two previous years, viz., of 13,523 oz.
over 1858, and 30,520 oz. over 1857.

The following statement exhibits the quantity of
gold transmitted by escort and shipped during the
several periods referred to :