The Sun.
London, England, 1857-11-19 00:00:00

NAPLES.

NAPLES, Nov. 10.--The following is a trausl ,tion
of a legal opinion as to the prohibition by this Go-
verament to permit the English engiueers now in
prison to see their Consul, it will add to its autho-
rity if it is known that it is the united decision of
several of the first advocates of Naples after a long
and laborious discussion.
" According to the law, an iniputato cannot
speak with his advocate until the process has been
made public ; that is to say, until the instruzione
of the case is completed, and it has been handed
into the Chancery of the court previous to trial. In
Euglish phraseology we should say until a true bill
has been found. The trial may then be proceeded
with immediately ; but usually an interval of
a few days elapses, when tne prisoner is per-
mitted to communicate with his counsel." Now,
mark, this the only prohibition set up by the
Neapolitan law ; and even this has ceased to
exist, as the instruzione with retard to these
m. en is completed, and they have been tent down to
Salerno to stand their trial. The law, however,
throws not the slightest impediment in the way o. f
a prisoner's
having fr.* centurunication with his
'datives, friends, or rePreseutativer, and it is an
established maxim that silexci sanctions. Such
being the law of Naples, what is the position of the
two British subjects now in prison at Saleruos
The circumstances of their arrest are well known.
This is the fifth month of their confinement without
trial. Not a friend has been permitted to visit
them Our energetic Acting-Consul, Mr. Barbar,
has made repeated applications for permission to do
so, without effect. Lard Clarendon has directed a
formal demand for such a permission, still the doors
move nob. The Neapolitan law is grossly violated
in the ease of two British subjects, and the name of
Englishman ceases to be a protection in the world,
Is lien, in the Two Sicilies above all other countries.
men who bear the honoured name can be treated
with such indignity with impunity. Are the social
amenities, and a desire to couciliato the dear Ma-
jesty of the Two Sicilies, again and again to be
urged as a reason for not maiutaining our national
dignity'? Wuy, his Majesty laughs at us, and sots
us at defiance, and we have become a byword
throughout Italy !

SPAIN.
The Madrid journals of the 141 h give details re-
specting the new conspiracy discovered in Barcelona,
from which it appears that it was got up by Carlists
and Republicans, and that some members of the
former party, residing in France, were concerned
in it. They add that a notorious Carlist, named
.Montserrat, who was at the bead of the affair, bad
been arrested and condemned to death ; but that
his execution had been postponed in consequence
of his having offered to make disclosures. The
Queen has ordered court mourning for a fort-
night, fur the late Duchess de Nemours. Tho
Clamor Public° states that it is not likely that the

The Royal Mail Company's steamer Aus-
tralasian, Captain Jaffray Sceales, arrived at
Southampton yesterday afternoon, with the heavy
portion of the mails from Australia and Bombay,
comprising in all 513 boxes. She left Alexandria
on the 6th inst., at 8 a.m. and Malta on the 10th,

at 7 a.m.; had fine weather, with fresh breezes and
smooth sea, during the voyage.
The Australasian brings in all 55 passengers,
among whom are Captain Bird and Captain Ellison
(Aide-le-Camp to General Pennefakher), invalided
from Malta. On freight she had 149 packages of
golddust, value 525,9161. sterling; and her cargo
consists of 283 casks of dates, 73 cases of gum, 31
bales of wool, 139 trusses and 10 cases of elephants'
teeth, and 61 packages of sundries.
At Alexandria were her Majesty's surveying
steamship Tartarus, the Peninsula and Oriental
Company's steamships Indus and Valetta, and a
Russian frigate and brig (names unknown).
At Malta were her Majesty's ships Royal Albert
1 (flag of Admiral LordiLyons), Conqueror, Princess
Royal, Centurion, Vulture, Vigilant, Coquette,
Boxer, Wanderer, Harpy, Hibernian gaardship,
and Supply storeship. I
The Australasian did not speak any chips on the
passage.
The Emeu, which brought the Australian mail to
Suez, ran ashore, as has already been stated, on a
coral reef in the Red Sea, about 700 miles from
Suez. She was going at full speed, and ran about
30 feet on the reef. After being stuck fast for 53
hours, she was got off by cutting away the rock and
backing her out. She was torn very much forward,
and made water fast. She was then driven on a
favourable beach, and the water pumped out
of her by the crow and passengers, and patched up
so that she was enabled to reach Suez. If it had
not been for her watertight compartments and the
exertions of the passengers she would never have
got off the rocks. She was ashore eight days re-
pairing. The Admiralty agent, wi, h two passengers
and the purser, left the Emeu, and went on board a
native sailing boat, carrying with them about 150
boxes of mails, containing chiefly letters. This was
three weeks ago, and it is not expected that they
can reach Suez oefore the latter end of this week.
They are in an open boat, with a head wind, and
their sufferingsmust be dreadful. The Emeu's going
ashore was the fault of the native pilot. She will
be unable to proceed to Australia with the mail
which left England on the 12th ult. and will have
to go to Calcutta, or some other Indian port, in
company with another ship to be repaired. The
outward Australian mail of the 12th ult. must wait
at Suez for the Simla, which is expected at that port
on the 22d inst. The Australasian will prove a fast
steamer ; she, however, consumes a large quantity
of coals. _

In addition to the intelligence from New South
Wales to the 10th Sept., which we published on
Monday, and that from Melbourne to the 17th,
which we gave on Tuesday, as received via Mar-
seillee, the following information about the affairs of
the province of Victoria is supplied by the completer
files of the Melbourne Age and Argus which have
now corns to hand.
In the Legislative Assembly the Government has
succeeded, notwithetanding great opposition, in
passing the Laud Bill, the effect of which will be
to give all the squatters a legal tenure and priority
of purchase of the extensive tracts of public land
occupied by them as sheep-runs. It is expected,
however, that in the Upper House, or Legislative
Council, the bill will undergo same modification.
The Argus says :
That tanners, as well as squatters, have a right to
enjoy the use of a portion of the unsold crown lands for
depasturing purposes, has been admitted by the bill
lately pasael by the assembly. Whether this ever
becomes law or not is still very doubtful ; but as
the bill now stands, it is proposed that, on petition
from the occupiers of cultivated land, the Governor in
Council shall have poser to set apart as agricul-
tural pasturage an extent of waste land in their immedi-
Lire neighbourhood equal to that held by the petitioners.
This recognition of the right of agriculturists to a share
of the natural pasturage is of more value as a matter of
principle than for the actual benefit that will be conferred
on the present tillers of the soil by the bill, if it is finally
passed in its present shape. This privilege is to be
granted on terms which will prevent many of the farmers
from obtaining any portion of the so-ealled agricultural
pasturage at all, and will not allow of its being turned
to the beet account by those who do. All lands taken
from the licensed squatting occupiers for this purpose,
are to be exposed to public auction in lots of such extent
as may seem best to the Land Board, and let for one
year to the highest bidder. Under this system of com-
petition it is not probable that the grass-land set apart
for their use and benefit will be divided among the
farmers in proportion to the quantity of purchased land
held by each. Even though it may be put up in small
lots, it is almost certain to fall into the hands of a few
persons who will be able to pay a higher rent per acre
for a number of these small allotments than each would
be worth by itself. As these are only to be let for ens
year certain, it will not be worth the holders' while
to
feeice them in, and but little use can be made of 50 or
100 acres of unfenced land. Of far more benefit will be
the power proposed to be given to future purchasers of
special country lots, of not more than 160 acres each, to
occupy an adjoining allotment of the same size for pas.
toral purpoSev,- for which he will have to pay a yearly
rent at the rate of 6 per cent, on the va'ne, with a right
to complete the purchase at any tinie within three years
if be shall have brought into cultivation two-thirds of his
own allottueet. This provision will be beneficial to the
settler, not only in giving him the use of a portion of
grass-land for a. time at a moderate rent, but it will, in
psllllt of fact enable him to purchase a farm of 320 acres,
or less, and retain half the purchase-money for three
years, for the purposes of improvement. To small eapi•
talists this will be a very great boon.
We also find the following :
A bill for amending the law relating to the management
of the gold fields is passing through the Assembly. One
of its principal provisions consists of the abolition of the
present local courte, and the substitution for them of
two courts, one of a judicial and the other of a legislative
character—the former to be held under the presidency of
judges to be appointed by the Governor. The Legisla-
tive Court will be elective. The two courts will wake
all rules for the local management of the gold fields on
which they are situated, will determine disputes, settle
claims, and will severally fulfil the functions of county
courts and municipal council".
After eoioiderable delay, Mr. Daffy has brought up
the report of a select committee appointed many months
ago to consider the question of a federal union between
the Australian colonies, and the following are its princi-
pal recommendation. :-
1, That the legislatures of New South Wales, South
Australia and Tasmania, be requested to select three
delegates each, two of whom might be members of as
sembly, and one a member of council, to meet three dele-
gates trom this colony.
2. That these delegates assembled in conference be
empowered to frame a plan of federation, to be after-
wards submitted, for approval, either to the colonial
legislatures, or directly to the people, or to both, as may
be determined ; and to receive such further legislative
sanction as may appear necessary.
3. That the expenditure incident to the Conference
shall be borne by the respective colonies, in whatever
propori ins may be fixed by the Conference itself
4. Teat the Conference shall ha I its meeting in what-
ever place the majority of the delegates may determine ;
their decisions being interchanged in writing within a
month of their elections being completed.
No little interest was excited by a movement on the
part of the Attorrey-general for the abolition of State
Ail. When tie third reading of the bill was called for,
in the Lower House, it was announced that an " ar-
rangement" had been made by a compromise of conflict-
ing opinions, the result of which would be that of " ex-
tending the period of State aid being granted to clergy.
men to 1860 instead of 1859, and limit the granting of
state aid for building purpsees to 1860 instead of 1861,
as pr )%i led in the bill as it at present stands." So it
resulted.
The report of the railway committee has been issued,
They recommend that the con,tructiou of railwa:s zocld
be committed to the state, and not to private companies,
that the structure of the works and permanent way
should be strong, durable, and substantial ; and 2 trunk
lines should be first formed—one from Geelong to Bal.
larat, the other from Melbourne to Sandhurst—with a
view to further extension to the Murray ; that they
should be commenced at the same period ; that each of
these should have a double, not single line of rails, that
contracts far the execution of•the works are to be taken
by tender, either for the whole of the lines or for sections
of them ; that the contractors, before engaging in the
works, must deposits sufficient sum with the government
Its security for the proper performance of the contract ,

For the last two months the import markets have been
characterised by an almost unrelieved stagnancy. The
specu!aticn which was so rife previously bad transferred
large stocks of all our staple articles of consumption
into second hands, and as no opening for speculative
operations have offered for many weeks, importers have
not been able to quit at a rate commensurate with
the constant arrivals, and stocks have again accumn-
latt don first hands. The stores, bonded and free, are
overcrowded with goods, a large amount of capi'sl is
kept idle, and importers generally are complaining
of the impossibility of realising from the absence of a
de nand pr-portionate to the supply. This state of things
must continue, unless on the one band, the reckless
shippers at home can be induced to withhold consign-
ments, er on the other, the consuming power of t he coun try
can be increased three or four fold. While over-produc
tion is maintained at the present rate, the former will be
utterly impracticable. The excessive stocks must be forced
into market somewhere and shipments on speculation
will continue as extensive as we now find them. Unfor-
tunately, while the public funds are expended freely in
encouraging immigration, but little care is taken to find
ecoployment for the crowds of new arrivals constantly
pouring into our ports. The average consumption of
goods of all kinds is net sustained, because hardly a
tithe of the 10,000 who have entered the colony during
the last two months have found occupation er adequate
means of support. Hence, while the population numeri-
cally increases at a rapid rate, the scale of consumption
is declining, for with increase in numbers comes more
general impoverishment.
One reason of the non-fulfilment of the hopes which
were entertained at the commencement n the winter, has
been the luag continuance of dry weatit -13usiness on
the diggings has been greatly depressed;:: `%is cause.
The men have been compelled to work fora any months
without realising—there being no sufficient supply of
water to enable them to " wash up." Hence they have
lived very largely on credit, thus drawing upon the re-
sources of the storekeeper, whose limited cash means
have prevented him from recruiting his stock by acces-
sion from tows. Up-country trade bas accordingly been
confined for the most part to absolute necessaries, and
restricted to the available means of the retailers and con-
sumers, There is, however, some prospec'c, of improve-
ment in this direction. Abundance of rain has latterly

fallen on the older diggings, and the process •f " washing
up," which will probably put all parties in funds, has
commenced.
GOLD —The new gold-field at Mount Ararat is likely
t• fulfil the expectations which have been formed respect-
ing it. The population is estimated at from 40,000 to
50,000, and the second fortnightly escort, which arrived
in town on Monday last, is reported at 17,370 oz. The
heavy rains which have fallen on most of the older dig-
gings have enabled the men more generally to realise on
the stuff which has been accumulating around the
puddling machines, the quartz crushers, and elsewhere,
for many months past. And as they wash off it is
expected that the regular returns will show a steady
and continuous increase. As illustrating the permanent
value of our digging., we give the following comparative
statement of the escorts for the last six weeks of the
current year, and the six corresponding weeks of 1856.
Week • Kling 1857. 1850.
August 7
f) 14
„ 21
» 28
Sept. 4
„ 11
The gold ships which have left this port since the date
of our last summary are the following :—July 16,

Columbian for SuPz, 46,171 oz. ; July 25,-King Phillip,
for London, 30,835 do. ; July 25, Jason, hor Calcutta,
2,307 do. ; July 25, Scotia, for Calcutta, 1,603 do ;
August 5, Avon, for London, 61,653 do ; August 7,
Heather Ball, for London, 19,647 do ; August 7, Ocean
Chief, for Calcutta, 4.088 do ' • August 7. Daniel Ross,
for Hong Kong, 10,472 do ; Aug. 12, Royal Charter,
for Liverpool, 83.593 do ; August 15, Seringapatarn,
for Liverpool, 12,180 do ; Augu.t 20, Eranee, for
Calcutta, ' 1,696 do • August 22, Kitty Simpson. for
Hong K
ona. 8,458 do ; August 22, Texas, for Hong
Kong. 5,857 do. ; Sept. 2, Essex, for London,
105,255 do ; Sept. 5, Eleanor, for Hong Kong,
4,000 do.
The total amount of gold shipped since the com-
mencement of 1857, including the shipments to the
neighbouring colonies, has been 79 tons 1 c sq. 3 qrs.
20 lI:Ft., 11 oz., which at 803. per uz , gives the value of
7,636,602/.

At the last sitting M. Babinot read a paper on
the figures of the earth, in which he remarked on
the uncertainty which still existed on that subject.
He observed that at the Marquesas Islands the
globe appears to be considerably flattened, and
that it would be highly advantageous to science to
measure a degree there. In the Isle of Wight, Mr.
Colby had found that, notwithstanding its flatness,
there was a discrepancy of nearly 1-20th between
the real profile and the measured arc. Hence M.
Babinet concludes that the globe must be consider-
ed an ellipsoid, in which the difference between the
equatorial and polar radii is less than 1-300th, and
that a commission ought to be named to study the
question more thoroughly than has been done. M.
Leverrier presented diagrams of Jupiter, as seen
on the Ist of Oct. last, and of Saturn with its rings,
as observed on the 7th of Feb. last. He also gave
an account of a meteor observed by himself on the
20th ult., about 6 p.m., while looking at the moon.
Its brilliancy was equal to that of Jupiter, it moved
eastwards parallel to the horizon, and disappeared
in the course of about six or seven seconds, leaving
three reddish points behind, which likewise disap-
peared shortly after. Marshal Vaillant observed
the same phenomenon from the Bastille. M. Le-
verrier also presented fresh observations of the 50th
planet taken at Bilk by the discoverer, M. Luther.
and ephemerides of the planet calculated by M.
Bruhns, of Berdn. M. Guerin-Meneville sent in
a letter on the Citonia aurata, or rose-beetle, which
for some time past has engrossed the attention of
naturalists as a remedy for hydrophobia. M. Mene-
ville stated from personal experience that in the go-
vernments of Voroneje and Koursk, in Russia, it is
customary to give dogs half a beetle in powder from
time to time mixed with bread crumbs, as apreserva-
tive against that disease; and that the Russians affirm
that there are persons vf ho cure hydrophobia radically
by means of the fresh juice of a certain plant. He
further suggested that the want of freshness may be
the reason why these juices preserved in chemists'
shops do not produce the desired effect. Marshal
Vaillant announced that M.- Hardy, director of the
Experimental Garden at Algiers, had sent him
127,000 cocoons of the silkworm that live upon the
castor-plant (Ricinus communis), to be experi-
mented on wi►h a view to test the quality of their
silk. M. de Paravey wrote to remind the Academy
that the two satellites belonging to the planet Ju-
piter had been noticed by him in the Japanese En-
cyclopcedia, and that he had also mentioned four
small globes surrounding a larger one placed over
the head of Jupiter Ammon in the Egyptian bas-
reliefs. His letter concluded with establishing an
intimate relation between the science of the Egyp-
tians and Japanese. " A discovery of great interest
to the artistical world," says the Presse, " was latey
made by M. E. About, the writer, while going throtsgh
the shop of a collector of curiosities in the Rue du
Bac. After examining different articles, the mas-
ter of the place informed his visitor that he
had in his possession 12 pictures by Titian ; and
taking him into an inner room showed them as they
hung against the wall. These pictures are four feet
long by nine inches high, and represent the history
of Joseph, according to Biblical tradition. In sup-
port of his assertion that the pictures were genuine
the dealer produced letters from M. Flandrin and
M Delacroix stating that the pictures were very
valuable. In a short time M. About and the dealer
came to terms, and the pictures were placed in the
hands of a cleaner, who, after a first operation re-
marked that in all the pictures Joseph bore a resem-
blance to Charles V., which was considered in
favour of their authenticity. The clearer, in follow-
ing up his operations, soon afterwards discovered
in a corner the signature of Titian thus worded,—
' Tizianus Vorcilius da Cadore pinxit.' "