The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-15 00:00:00

AUSTRALIAN MAILS.

The following memorial was presented this day to the
Premier :
To the Right Hon. Lord Viscount Palmerston, K.G.,
First Lord of the Treasury, &c. The memorial of the
undersigned bankers, merchants, and others of
Showeth, that your memorialists,
being deeply interested in the Australian colonies,
view with alarm and regret the reply given by the
Chancellor of the Exchequer in his place in Parliament to
the question put to him in reference to the tenders for the
proposed postal route to Australia vie Panama.
That your memorialists have been looking forward with
much satisfaction to the establishment of this line of com-
munication, inasmuch as, if other reasons were wanting, the
irregularities of the present mail service, even under the
contract with the Peninsular and Oriental Company, clearly
prove that a second and independent line is absolutely ne-
cessary to satisfy the requirements of the commercial com-
munities of both the colonies and the mother country.
But it is not solely upon this ground that the organisation
of the second service has been viewed with favour. Your
memorialists cannot overlook the fact that by its establish-
ment the postal communication would be less liable to inter-
ruption from European complications ; the risks and chances
of a single service would be avoided ; a direct intercourse
would be established between Australia, the mother country,
and both aides of the vast continent of America, the im-
portance of which cannot be too highly estimated.
That, while every allowance is made for the difficulties
necessarily attending the commencement of a new service,
the inconveniences resulting from its irregularity are not
the less severely felt.
That the expediency of establishing the second service
having been recognised by the late Government, and a
promise to co-operate in the scheme if certain conditions were
complied with having been made, any delay in carrying out
that arrangement would be trifling with the colonists, and
occasion grievous disappointment to all connected with
them.
That the proposed reference of the question to a select
committee of the House of Commons must necessarily create
delay, and may result in the withdrawal of the tenders now
before the Government, some of which your memorialists
are informed are eligible, and afford an opportunity of car-
rying out the service on advantageous terms.
That your memorialists respectfully submit that, if the
statement made in the public journals with respect to the
amount of the tenders be correct, a sum of about £30,000
will, with the postage, suffice to cover the claims upon the
Imperial Treasury for the service.
That this amount is insignificant when compared with the
immense advantages which the outlay will confer upon the
important countries embraced by the route, which include
not only her Majesty's possessions in North America, the
West India Islands, and the newly-discovered gold colony
in Columbia, but also the United and other independent
States of America.
That for these reasons your memorialists earnestly hope
that her Majesty's Government will take this petition into
favourable consideration, and at once deal with the tenders
now before them.

HAYMARKET THEATRE. Mr. Buckstone, the
inimitable comic actor and lessee of this theatre, takes his
benefit to-morrow evening. The proo-ramme is very attrac-
tive, and the respect in which Mr. Buckstone is held should
ensure a crammed house.

ADELPIII THEATRE.—The Grand Duchess of
Mecklinburg-Strelitz, Lady Somerset, &c., &c., honoured
the performance last evening with their presence.
THE GREAT BELL.—The great bell at West-
minster was distinctly heard striking the hour of midnight
last night by persons at Campden-hill, Kensington.
A MAN STRUCK BLIND BY LIGHTNING.—Last
week as a blacksmith, named Ralph, was returning home
across Southborough-common, Sussex, during the heavy
storm of thunder and 4htning, he was struck by the elec-
tric fluid, and on arrTng at his.house a few minutes after-
wards his faculty of sight left him, and he has not since
recovered it,— Xeres.,