The Sun.
London, England, 1850-03-27 00:00:00

If these dismissed,and duplicate petitions, and the rental and
encumbrances stated therein, are deducted from the fore-
goiug, the result will be, •as ahon•n by the return :—Peti-
dons, 440; rental, 531,4091. 161.; encumbrances, 10,219,772/.
10s. 8,1.

Souza A USTRALTA.—The Alpha,ar;ivad yesterday
from Adelaide. She is the first wool ship.of the season from
Awstralia. Her dates are lot. co late as those per overland
mail ; they, however, supply papers 'of intermediate date,
which allude to the arrival of sevefali emigrant ships from
England. Villages and rural townships— were rapidly
springing up, which would form a eonsidtrable advantage to
future emigrants seeking to locate themselves in a less scat-
tered society than the previous settlements afforded. The
discovery of gold in tha colony is spoken of with interest,
and some lately found is stated to be of exquisitely pure
metal.

THE IItDUOTRIAL ExIIIBITION OF 185 1 .—The
Lord Mayor hae. had the high gratification to receive a com-
munication• Ptince Albert, of which the following is a
copy .

" Buckirgliam Palace March ?A
"My dear Lord, Ilie Royal Highness cannot allow the
splendid dinner given by your Lordship on Thuisday last to
have passed over without endeavouring to express the grati-
fication which be derived from it. lie commands me to thank
you very Much for the kindness of the motives which prompted
yoir to givethat entertainment, and at the same time to con-
grateinte'.) our Lordship on the comple'e success which bids
fens to attends this endeavour to unite all parties and classes
throeghout the united kingdom in the support of the Exhi-
bition of 1851.
"For himself, his Royal Ilighness desires me to add, that
he shall ever look back with true pleasure on an evening
which was to him personally one of unmixed satisfaction and
gratification. " C. GREET."
HIGHGATE SCHOOL.—The annual prizs of this
school were adjudged on the 21d inst., as follows i—Exhibi-
tion of 50/ per annum—J. Martineau Fletcher; Governors'
Gold Medal for Latin Ilexameters—Charies Griffith ; Latin
Prose—J. Martineau Fletcher; Greek lambics—W. H. Ran-
kin ; History—R. Goodhall Smith.

MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE.—An event has just
occurred in the town of Reading which has caused
a painful sensation among the inhabitants. Mr.
John Weeder, late mayor of the town, on Tuesday evening
last, after transacting the business of the day, went out to
take his usual walk. As he did not return, and no tidings
were heard if him, a diligent search *as . made, and on
Tuesday morning his body was found in the River Kennett,
about fifty yards below the Basingstoke railivay bridge. His
gold watch, purse, pencil-case, and papers were found upon
his person. Mr. Weedon practised as a solicitor for many
years, and only a few months ago retired from business.
NATIONAL GALLERY FOR SCOTLAND.—A Bill hes
been introduced into Parliament for the erection of a national
gallery for Scotland at Edinburgh. The buildings (which
are to be on the Mound) are to contain apartments " for
other purposes connected with the promotion of the fine arts."
BANK OF ENGLAND.—Yesterday a ballot, com-
menced at eleven o'clock in the morning, for the purpose of
taking the determination by vote, in print or writing, on the
resolution proposed at the court of proprietors last Thursday,
viz. :—" That a dividend be made of 4 per cent. interest and
profits for the half .year ending the 28th of February last,
without any deduction on account of the income-tax." At
four o'clock the ballot closed, and it appeared that the reso-
lution was unanimously cenfirmed.
DREADFUL COLLIERY EXPLOSION NEAR IVIGAN.-=

Between six and seven o'clock on Saturday morning-anex-
plosion of firedamp took place et Messrs. Evans and Tur-
ner's colliery, in Haydock, situated about a mile and a half
from Newton raceground. The explosion occurred in what
is called the Rock-pit," and thirteen persons were either
smothered or burnt to death, some of them being literally
burnt to a cinder. It appears that eleven of the persons
were working in a drift 1,000 yards from the pit's eye, with-
out any conducter,when this explosion took place, all of whom
were burnt to death. Two others were working about 120 yards
nearer the pit's eye, and they, on hearing the explosion, rushed
into the face of the fire, instead of making to the pit's eye.
There were five other persons in the workings at the time, but
they being employed considerably nearer the pit's eye did not
receive much injury. The pony-driver sustained, however, a
slight scorching; and one of the ponies was killed by a loaded
waggon being blown against him. The pit is about 141 yards
deep. The majority of the sufferers have left wires and
families. The men were allowed safety lamps, if they thought
proper to use them ; bat there does not appear to have been
any restriction against working with naked candles,
although the men had to run away from the fire the day
before the fatal occurrence took place. An inquest was held
upon the bodies of the sufferers on Monday, when tlis jury,
after examining several witnesses, returned the following
verdict :—" It ae happened that the foul and inflammable
air in the said coal mine, by some means unknown to the
jury, took fire accidently and casually, and by misfortune
exploded, whereby the said above-named unfortunate
men and boys were grievously scorched and burnt
upon the body and limbs, whereby they instantly died."
—llalffa.% Guardian.

THE CATTLE Ta,►ns.—Th• Apollo, screw steam
vessel, arrived at Blackwell on Monday, with acargo of oxea
from Holland. On her passage she experienced a heavy gale
from the north, which caused loss or serious injury to nearly
50 fine oxen. Of these, about 20 that were on deck were
thrown overboard; the remainder, about 80 in number, were
landed at Blackwell, many of them dead, and other'S dread-
fully mangled. It is believed that all this meat finds its way
into the London market.

ACCOUNTS OF TEM COAL WHIPPERS' OFFICI.—
From statements of the accounts of the Coal Whipper's
office for the past year, and of the branch office at Wool-
wich, which have just been ordered to be printed, it appears
that the receipts of the fund amounted, in the hnlf-year
ending June 30, 1849, to 42,893/. ; and in the half-rear end-
ing Dec. al, to 42,7411. 19s. All expenses having been paid,
there remained, at the end of each of the six months, a balance
respectively of 2,2811. and of 2,376/. The receipts at t►e
Woolwich branch office amounted in the year to 1,0261.,
and the expenses to 9851., leaving a balance in hand of
about 401.

VAN DIEMEN'S LAND.—There are accounts from
Tasmania, which report the arrival of the six Irish political
offenders—Messrs. Smith O'Brien, Meagher, O'Doghorty,
Martin, Donaghue, and M'Manus—in the brig of war Swift,
on the 27th October. His Excellency the Governor, by the
same vessel, had received instructions from tho Homo Go-
vernment to issue tickets of leave to them, on condition that,
the indulgence thus afforded them should not be made a
means of escape. They all, with the exception of the first,
accepted the offer, and were located as follows : M'Manus,
at Norfolk; Meagher, at Campbell Town ; o•Dogherty, at
Oatlands; ilartin, at Bothwell; and Donaghue, at "Hobart
Town. They are all stated to have sufficient funds for their
support, with the exception of the latter, who represented
to the Governor that he was without funds, and requested,
therefore, that he might be permitted to reside at Hobart
. .

Town, in order that he might follow his profeesion of a law-
writer. This was granted to him. Smith O'Brien obstinately
refused to accept a ticket of leave, and was therefore, on the
following Wednesday, the let of October, dispatched to
Maria Island, where he will be under strict surveillance. Ile
had, however, an opportunity of first speaking with Martin
and O'llogherty.

THE ASYLIIM POI IDIOTS.—This truly valuable
institution held its anniversary last evening, at the London
Tavern. His Roval Highness the Duke of Cambridge pre-
sided. About 150 gentlemen were present. In proposing
the tout of "The Queen," the illustrious chairman men-
tioned that her Majesty had been graciously pleased to
present a gonation of 250 guineas to the institution, and
which entitled her to a bed for one inmate during life. Mr.
C. Lushington passed a glowing eulogium apon the merits
of flee institution, and the services that the chairman had
rendered it by his patronage and munificent benefactions. It
was afterwards mentioned that the illustrious chairman had
left a party who were assembled to celebrate the birthday of
his son, the Prince George, of Cambridge, in order to be pre.
sent at the anniversary of the institution. The claims of the
society having been warmly advocated by Sir George Carroll,
Mr. Cubitt, M.P., Mr. Spring Rice, and other gentlemen, it
was announced that the subscriptions of the festival amounted
to the munificent sum of 2,6001. Ilia Royal Highness then
vacated the chair, and the company separated, highly gra-
tified with the results of the festival..

ASTURIAN MINING COUPANT.—A. special general
meeting of the proprietors of this company was held yester-
day at the offices, 9, Austinfriars, for the purpose of ausider-
ing a report and the proceedings of the board of directors
and liquidators; also the report of the committee on recon-
stitution, appointed on the 27th November last, with the
proposed deed of reconstitution, and counsel's opinion
thereon, &c. Mr. Charles Cunningham occupied the chair,
and, after the reading of the advertisement convening the
meeting, proposed an adjournment to the 16th of April, in
consequence of the illness of Mr. Moore, who had had the
preparation of the deeds of the company in hand. After some
discussion the proposition was agreed to. A few questions
were put to the chairman, which elicited the facts that the
actual amount owing at present to bankers, directors, &c.,
was 17,0111. 10s. 4d., and that they had been paying 2,0001.
a month off ever since August. 200,0001. had been spent
altogether in the concern, in which, the chairman stated, that
at present he, himself, his friends, and family, had about
15,000/. A letter from kr. Kelly, Vice-consul of Spain, was
read, who augured extremely favourably of the increasing
value attached to the property of the company. The met-
ing then adjourned.

DEATH OF Till DEAN OF SALISBUIL—The Very
Rev. Francis Lear, D.D., expired at the Deanery, in the
Close, Salisbury, at a late hour on Saturday evening list. He
was appointed to the deanery about the close of Sir R. Peel's
Ministry, through the influence of the Right Hon. Sidney
Herbert, M.P., to whom he had been tutor. Tee deceased
also held the rectory of Bishopstone, near Salisbury, worth
about 1,0001. per annum. The benefice is in the &ift of the
Pembroke family.

VAN DIEMEN'S LAND.—Tbe draft of a Bill, pre-
pared by Mr. Wyld, M.P., has been privately circulated,
having for its object the establishment of an executive coun-
cil for the management of the convicts, and for the formation
of a Legislative Assembly for the free colonists of the island
of Van Diemen's Land. It is proposed that the Legislative
Council shall consist of seven members, to be appointed by
or with the consent of her Majesty. The executive are to be
invested with the power to make laws for punishment and
discipline of convicts. It is proposed to appoint a Legisla-
tive Assembly, consisting of twenty-four members, seven of
whom shall be app inted by her Majesty. The assembly are
to be empowered to make laws, appropriate taxes, and to
impose duties, and also te make provision for the better ad
'ministration if justice.

GREAT FLOOD IN CALIFORNIA.—A letter just
from Philadelphia contains the following passage :—" Those
tremendous scourges—fire and water—have recently proved
very destructive in California. By the last arrival we were
informed of the burning of one-half of the city of San Fran-
cisco. And now we have, by the arrival of the Alabama at
New Orleans, news from San Francisco 14 days later, to
January 15—the principal item of which is, the submergence '
by a flood of the city of Sacramento. Only one house, and
that built on raised poles, was above the water, which was
three or four feet deep. Immense herds of cattle have been
drowned—the inundation extending over the entire valley
of Sacramento, and varying from 20 to 50 miles in breadth,
from the Sierra Nevado to the coast range of mountains.
Much misery, starvation, sickness, and death must be the
natural results of this great overflow. The loss of property
at Sacramento city is estimated at 1,000,000 dollars. The
sufferings of the inhabitants there are deic,ibed as dreadful.
But cne writer consoles himself by stating that this great
flood, while it destroys much property "will wash out the
gold in immense quantities." The Alabama has brought
500,000 dollars worth of gold dust on freight. ller mails
will not reach in time for the English steamer, all our
news from her being per telegraph from New Orleans.'
At Stockton the Americans at the mines had been at-
tacked by large bands of Chilians. Several were killed
on both sides, and a number of Americans, who had
been taken prisoners, were afterwards released. The excite-
ment at San Francisco even was great on this subject, and all
the accounts say that the Chilians will be attacked in their
turn, and expelled from the country. Such a course would
'probably lead also to the expulsion of other foreign (Spanish
race) gold diggers.