The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-10 00:00:00

AUSTRALIA.

By the arrival of the Mermaid we have received
files of papers from Melbourne to the 16th of De-
cember inclusive.

The Royal Charter had arrived out in 66 days.
We take the following from the Melbourne herald
of the 15th of December :

" MELBOURNE GOLD CIRCULAR.

" SATURDAY, Dec. 13.

" The prica of gold has kept firm, with a rather up-
ward tendency. On the gold &Ps the competition
among the bankers is such that they are paying at pre-
sent prices close on 2 per cent., while their selling rate
for drafts is only 1 per cent. prem. Gold is now 76s ad
to 76s 9d.
"Our report for the week from the various gold fields
is condensed into the following :

"T hat deserted and deprived —of sub-treasury—
Avoca has been resuscitated by parties having struck
payin g ground, and an old favourable lead has been
again hit upon. At Ballarat they were succeeding
as w ell as could be desired. At Dunolly new life
had been imparted by fresh alluvial ground and
paying reefs having been discovered. The report
front the Ovens is favourable, both in regard to the
production of alluvial and rich quartz reef gold. At
most of the fields the digging community while attend.
ing to their individual interests s.re not forgetful of
their social and political condition—the local court,
sanitary, and other public measures being agitated at
different settled diggings.

" The escort for the week is slightly under the ave-

rage.

Number of persons arrived
Number that have left

Additions this week
And year
" The escorts have brought from—

1,605
370

Mount Alexander and Bendigo
Ballarat
Maryborough
Daisy Hill
Avoca

1,235
18,211

41,644
.... 2,503,833
Oz.

21,152
16,308
6,564
369
251

Amount this week
And year

Gold shipped in 1856
Per Havilah to Adelaide
Steamers to Sydney
Judge Sha A to Calcutta
Derwent from Geelong to London
Coringa to Calcutta

. 2,793,696
S
2,029
15
40,889
4,418

2,857,109
Or 119 tons 3qrs. 71b. 50z., at 803.-11,428,4361.
" Exchange ou London—Drafts against gold pur-
chased at par.
" Freight 41d. per ounce, delivered at the bullion-
office, Bank of England, London.
" Insurance, lid. per cent.
" Edward Khull, bullion broker, 69, Collins-street
west."

" Our prices for gold during the week have been

Castlemaine
Bendigo 76s. 6d. to 762. 93.
Maryborough .........
Korong
Dunolly
Chinaman's Flat .

Avoca
Fiery Creek
Ovens
Ballarat

775. 6,1.

775. CJ.
78s.

" The supply has been good, and a good demand has
existed as the opportunities for shipment have been vary
eligible.
"The escorts have furnished us with a very fair amount
of gold this week, and a larger amount than usual has
been forwarded from Castlemaine. By the way, we may
notice that two more nuggets from Korong have been
sold at that field, and have arrived by this escort. They
are not so large as those previously found, and weigh
respectively 99 ounces and 122 ounces. It is singular to
remark that these were found in the same claim as the
large ones now at our office.
" We have frequently adverted to the want of escort
accommodation from Korong, which entails consider-
able hardship and risk to the lucky digger, who has to
carry his ad] a distance of 40 miles to market it, and
then probably to Castlemaine or Bendigo, where its
superior quality is not appreciated. We hope that this
will not be the ease long, as a fortnightly escort from
that place, through Dunolly and Ciainatnan's Flat to
Maryborough, would be found to be deserved by the
yield of those fields.
" We have reason to believe that a large emigration
will take place from California to our fields immediately,
as the prospects are anything but encouraging to miners
in that country. 'Upwards of 50 persons arrived from
there last week.

____ ___.
RECEIPTS PER ESCORT.
Gold Field. oz. dwt.
Cmtlemaine
Sandhurst
Ballarat
Creswick Creek
Avoca 251 0
Amherst 369 0
Maryborough 6,564 10

Total 44,644 0
GOLD EXPORTED DURING. THE WEEK.

Loudon, per Admiral 40,689
Calcutta, per Coriuga
Sydney, per Telegraph 2,00)

Total , 47,106
SPECIE.

London, per Admiral -----
£40,000
Mauritius, per Pauline and Victoria 16,690

Total

£56,000

" \Vm. Clarke and Sons, gold brokers and bullion
merchants, 86, Elizabeth-street."
The Melbottrne Herald of the 13th of December
says :
"Entries of gold for shipment were passed at the Cus-
toms to-day for 7,991 oz. for London by the Admiral,
which vessel cleared out with 40,689 oz., of which the
following amounts' were shipped by the banks :
Oz.
Victoria ................................ 14,097
Australasia ................................. 10,000
Uni0n........................... ......... 7,991
English, Scottish, and Australian ... 5,750
Oriental .............. .................. ... 1,361

39,302
"Entries of Gold for ship export were passed at the
Customs for 500 ounces, for London, by the Mermaid."
The Melbourne .Araus of the 16th December has
to th
th© foll • ••
owing :
bourne are
Ballarat line of electric telegrap
and We are glad to learn that the Melbourne; Geelong,
send private h will ue opened
Headsotorepcubbrliisctuithaiss.,, morning.. All shipping arrivals at the
now known in Ballarat as soon as in Mel-
from this date the public will be enabled to
e- ate messages. The Bendigo line will be opened

"TASMANIA.
we have received Hobart Town papers to the 12th,
and Launceston to the 11th Deo. Inc the Legislative

A.svmhly, on the 9th, tue Colonial Treaiurer brought
forward. the E,tinlatos. It appears, from the hon. melt-
ber's statement, that tho revenue for 1356, which was
estimated to produce 368,542/ , will not realise more than
260,0001. The expenditure of the colony was set down at
310,9371. ; and the Colonial Treasurer, in the coarse
of his stl:etnent, as,erted that the finances of Tasmania
were never in so bad a state. Mr. Maxwell Miller has
given notice that he will introduce a bill prohibiting
any person engaged in mercantile affairs from holding
the office of Colonial Treasurer."