The Sun.
London, England, 1850-09-02 00:00:00

Morgan, medical establishment, at Naineo Tal, on tho
21st of June; Lieutenant T. S. Irwin, Engineers, at
liazarcebaugh, on thelGth of June; Captain 11. Beaty,
62d Native In:at;try, at zca, on board the Bueephalus, on
the 2d of February."

AUSTRALIA.

Melbourne papers to the 16th of May have been
received in India. They bring intelligence of the
commencement of an open and determined agitation
of the question of the severance of the Australian
colonies from the mother country. The agitation has
been originated by the Rev. Dr. Lang, a Presbyte-
rian minister and old'colonist, who, it will be remem-
bered, published lately in the English papers a
strongly-written letter to the Colonial Secretary re-
garding the misusage of their colonies by the Colo-
nial office. Dr. Lang has delivered a long lecture on
the subject at Melbourne, breathing respect for the
Queen, and general good-will to England, yet
strongly advocating separation and independence.
He recapitulates the leading instances of alleged
mis-usage under which the colonies have
buffered, and likewise puts forward other reasons
of a cogent description for the adoption of that
step, to which he believes Great Britain will
assent, "on a proper representation of the case."
While in England he had consulted men of emi-
nence in the political world, and received from them
assurances to that effect. His idea of forming a great
political league, in order to bring about the desired
release, was cordially approved by the colonists, and
they informed him that England was now fully pre-
pared for such a movement on the part of her colo-
nies generally, those cf them especially that were
able and willing to govern themselves, and to offer
proper terms for the future, and the ay for sending
forth British troops to put down insurgent colonies,
and to hold them against their will, was past for ever.
Dr. Lang goes on to recommend the immediate for-
mation of an "Australian League," to consist of all
colonists who pay an entrance fee of 5.9., with a
yearly subscription of not less than 10s. The exe-
cutive powers of this body, he proposes, shall be in-
trusted to a president; a vice-president, one or more
secretaries, and a council of. fifteen, who will pursue
the objects set forth in the four following resolu-
tions :
" Ist. To unite in one grand political league for mu-
tual protection and defence, and for- general advance-
ment, the five Australian colonies of New South Wales,
Van Diemen's Land, South Australia, Port Philip, and
Cooksland, or the Moreton Bay country; that the inha-
bitants of these colonies may henceforth feel and know
that they are no longer isolated and detached communi-
ties—to be governed and oppressed separately and inde-
pendently by ukases from Downing-street, with none to
interfere for them from without—but one people, having
common interests and common objects, the nucleus and
elements of one great Australian nation. -
" 2. To prevent the degradation of any one of these
colonies into a mere receptacle for the convicted felons of
Great Britain and Ireland; and to remedy, as far as may
be practicable, the enormous evils that have already re-
sulted from the prevalence and abuse of the transporta-
tion system in certain of these colonies.
" 3. To encourage and promote, by every legitimate
means, the influx of an industrious, virtuous, and
thoroughly British population into these colonies, that
their vast and inexhaustible resources may be duly arid
fully developed, and that they may be fitted as speedily
as possible fur taking the high and influential place
which they are evidently destined to hold in the ci-
vilized world, as the great leading power of the southern
hemisphere.
"4. To achieve, by moral means exclusively, and with
the fall approbation and concurrence of Great Britain,
the entire freedom and independence of those colonies,
and their erection into sovereign and independent states;
to be incorp orated into one great political federation,
like the Swiss cantons of .Europe or the United States of
America, under the style and title of The United Pro-
vinces of Australia."
Assuming that England will agree to the erection
of the proposed republic, Dr. Lang's scheme descends
to the minor arrangements for its government, which
be would commit to the hands of a president, with a
salary of 3,000/. per annum. A general Legislature
would assist and control the president, with functions
it is designed to assimilate to those of the American
chief magistrate.
On all matters of internal legislation, education; re-
ligion, police, public works, and so forth, Dr. Jiang
recommends that the respective states of the `federation
should be left perfectly free. Dr. Lang entered into
the details of the scheme at great length, and every
word was applauded to the echo.
Dr. Lang appears to have been subsequently'cast
into prison arbitrarily for some matter of debt, to the
great displeasure of the Melbourne public, who were
raising a subscription to procure his releases The
particulars of the affeir are not given in any of the
papers that have reached India.
The mining interest at Adelaide is in a flourishing
state, and the total proceeds of copper-mines during
the last 4i years are estimated at 592,252/. Gold-
washing has commenced with sufficient prospect of
success to stop emigration to California. Experi-
ments have been made on the sand, from the bed of
the Unkaparinga, a stream south of Adelaide, with a
newly-invented machine, capable of washing from 25
to 30 tuns per day. Two ounces of gold were ob-
tained from 160Ib. of sand. Very promising indica-
tions of coal have been met with on the south side of
Kangaroo Island. A newspaper in the German lan-
guage, called the Sued-Australische Zeitung, has been
established in Adelaide, and appears to he conducted
with great ability. I; circulates chiefly among the
German immigrants, whose numbers are increasing
fast.

CHINA.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Achilles arrived at Bombay on the 19th of July,with
the China mails of the 23d of June. Considerable
sickness prevailed at Hong-Kong, upwards of 100 of
her Majesty's 59th Regiment being in hospital at one
time. On the 13th of June the barque Elizabeth
Ainslie, from Calcutta, was destroyed by fire, with
300 chests of opium and 1,200 bags of saltpetre on
board. Governor Bonham had arrived at Shanghai,
but nothing more has transpired relative to the mis-
sion of her Majesty's sloop Reynard to Pekin, or
rather to the Peiho. A report was current in Shanghai
at the departure of the mail that the Reynard had
grounded on the bar at Tien-tsin and been fired into
by the Chinese; fears are entertained for her safety,
but apparently on insufficient grounds. The Chinese
are in considerable excitement regarding this mission,
and some foolish foreigners have been doing what they
could to increase their apprehensions.
The new Governor of Macao, Senhor Da Cunha,
has arrived in China, together with three small ships
of war and about 1,000 troops. Communications
have passed between him and the Imperial Commis-
sioner, but their precise nature has not transpired. It
is rumoured that he is instructed to demand the abso-
lute session of the peninsula of Ilacao to the Portu-
guese, and the withdrawal of all Chinese posts within
a certain distance, together with the expense of the
present expedition. His force is, however, considered
insufficient for energetic coercive measures should
his demands be refused.