The Sun.
London, England, 1842-06-10 00:00:00

SOUTH AFRICAN WOOL.
The Cape Town papers of the 22d March, which
have been recently received, furnish some extraordi-
nary but encouraging statements respecting the pro-
gress of sheep cultivation in the colony of the Cape
of Good Hope. -We therefore gladly avail ourselves
of this source to lay before our readers some facts
which will show the benefits conferred on the mother
country by the exertions of the colonists. At Cape
Town there is an Agricultural Society, which held
its annual meeting a few days previously to the paper
of the 22d of March going to press, and at which a
larger quantity of samples of wool was produced than
on any former occasion, The year 1841 had in all
respects been favourable to the wool-growers, and
the advanced prices which Cape wools fetched in the
London market afford sufficient proof of the
fact, that wool is becoming the staple commodity of
the colony. 'We will illustrate this by the followin g
statistical return :—Thus, in November 1841, there
were sold in London 3,492 bales of Australian wool,
varying in price from 7d. to 2s. a pound weight ;
225 Van Diemen's Land wool, varying from 7fd. to
2s. per lb. ; 2,769 Port Phillip wool, averaging from
7d. to ls. 11d. per lb.; 1,619 Cape of Good Hope
wool, varying from 7d. to Is. 9d. per lb.; and of
other wools, from Turkey, Buenos Ayres, Germany,
Spain, the East Indies, Odessa, &c., about 1,555
hales—making in all 11,693 bales, and showing that
more wool is imported from the Cape, than from other
countries not colonies of Britain. At that sale the
buyers were numerous, and though it is a well-
known fact that they pay for their purchases in four-
, teen days, and the period of the year might be con-
sidered inauspicious, the prices obtained by the mer-
chants were fully equal to those paid in the pre-
vious sales ; the combing wools a shade lower,
the clothing, in ninny instances, higher than before,
and the Cape wools were- in great demand, particu-
larly the fine and cleaner kinds. At the agricultural
meeting at the Cape, no fewer than eleven samples
*ere produced to compete for a prize cup in March
last, and realised the best hopes of Britain that this
colony, on its capture, some forty years ago, should
be converted into a wool-growing country- Though
the Dutch had been trying for a century before to
-cultivate wool, the colony, in the beginning of the
present century, had still been deprive of this inex-
haustible source of prosperity. It .was British skill,
and the importation of sheep from Britain, that created
the great success which now attends this branch of
farniing. Self-interest prompted the industrious,
example compelled the old colonists to rival the new,
and, lured by the advantage of gain, the walk became
a race, and men of d fferent professions, officers of the
army and navy, and civilians, flocked' to the Cape to
enjoy the happy, quiet, and profitable pursuit
or the South African wool-growing farmer. The
competition now evinces the great prosperity 'of the
colony, which is overcoming its difficulties, and with
the indomitable perseverance of British habits, rearing-
that produce which is so congenial to the Cape popu-
lation, and which will make the Caroo fields pasture
flocks whose fleeces shall warm and clothe the inhabi-
tants of Britain, and swell the commerce"of her manu-
factures to an amaunt it has not yet reached.
In the April wool sales in London, when 3,622
hales Went off, there were 667 of Sydney, 1,30x3 of
Van Diemen's Land, 36 of Port Philip, 839 Cape,
and 772 East Indian. The Van Diemen's Land lamb
realised 2s. per lb., and the Cape rivalled the Aus-
tralian flocks in fetching Is. 100. as its maxiintan
price. Indeed, we learn from Messrs. Sirnes's Cir-
cular that " the improved quality and condition of
some of the flocks deserve great cemmendation and
the continued improvement, as exhibited in the flacksi
of the new clip„ sold in the April sales, give
an assurance that the buyers will not be .dis-
appointed in the ultimate proofs of these TlE4scriptions."
During 1841, the quantity of wool produced and
exported from the Cape was 1,059,4481hva1ne to
the grower, 51,656/., and this quantity will' be an-
nually increasing; but fifty-one thousanasix hundred
and fifty-six pounds sterling was received for wool
alone. • There are 140,000 inhabitants in Cape Town
and the colony, consuming five sheep a year ; 700,000
sheep will b:; annually slaughtered, yielding- to the
fitriner about six shilling's a head, or about
210,000/. Thus, then, the sheep-walks of this inte-
resting colony I:ring in to the wool-growers a total
of 261,6061. ; and this, too, in a colony which it has
been the fashion to call stagnant or even declining.
But let us look at this in another point of vie*. The
wool produce is but the growth of the last 15 year;
and the number of sheep exceed three millions ; but
of these only about 400,000 bear wool for the
market ; and all this is the work, not of Joint Stock
Companies, but of individual industrial labour, esta-
blishinga staple commodity for which in all ages the
mother country has been celebrated.
Having noticed in the'beginning-of this article that
the Agricultural Society of the Cape had held its an-
nual naissting to decide on the qualities of the eleven
samples of wool submitted to its arbiters, whose duty.
it was to assign to the successful grower the honour
of the " Wool Prize Cup," the judges declared Wit-
liam Dickson, Esq., of the House of William Bur-
nie and Co.; London, to be entitled to hold the cup,
for the ensuing year. This celebrated cup has -beers
in the hands ultimately of Reitz, Breda, Joubert, ana
the present victor, William Dickson.
" Ferat palmam qui meruit."

EXTINCTION OF SLAVERY 3N

MALACCA.

When we reminded the Malacca slaveholders a few
months ago, by republishing the resolutions passed at
a public meeting in 1829, that the term appointed by
themselves for the manumission of their slaves was fast
approaChing, we were not aware. whether there ex-
isted any occasion for us to administer that gentle
flapper, but although the term has since expired,
we do not know that they have taken any means
to signify their intention of redeeming their
pledge. iVe hope, however, that the publication
of the following modification by the Honourable the
Governor, which we copy from a late Malacca
paper, will induce them not only to resign all claims
of further servitude, but by some solemn act to pro-
claim to the world at large their renouncement for
ever of the system of slavery. It is true, as remarked
by the Governor in his Notification, that the slaves
at Malacca, for the most part born under the
domestic roof, were on the whole kindly and consi-
derately treated, particularly of late years ; and.
we are well aware that nothing resembling tb6
system of slavery formerly extant in the West.
Indies, or even the agrestic servitude of India,,
ever characterised the system at Malacca. But wien
there, only a few weeks before our flag was last
hoisted, we have ourselves seen human beings treated
as mere goods and chattels, as respositte in commtercio,
and knocked down at public sales, with horses and
cattle, to the highest bidder ; and, although this state
of things no longer exists, we think the Malacca pro-
prietors should adopt some striking and public means
of testifying the sincerity of their intentions (although
no doubt the fulfilment of their pledge can be exacted)
and making the slaves fully aware of the change at-
tendant on the proceedings of 1829 :
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.

The period having arrived for carrying into execu-
tion the humane, disinterested, and noble pledge of
the slave-holders at Malacca, the Governor deems
it right to republish for general information, and in
order to remove from the minds of the few slaves who
Inv yet be in existence, all apprehension or doubt of
their right henceforth to be considered as free, and no
longer subject to be treated as slaves, under any de-
nomination, colour, or pretence whatever. An au-
thentic copy is subjoined of the resolutions passed at
the public meeting of the inhabitants of Malacca, held
on the 28th of November, 1829, and at their request
conveyed to the Governor through Mr. W. T. Lewis,
who presided on the occasion.

The Governor takes this opportunity of congrratu-
lating the European and other inhabitants of Malacca
on the completion of their generous purpose, and the
satisfaction which they cannot but feel in having thr,us,
of their own free will, come 'forward and emanci-
pated their fellow-men from the degraded condition of
slavery. He is aware that tire slaves in question were,
generally speaking, born ant'. bred up under 'their mas-
ter's roof, and have for tt series of years. been sup-
ported with kind and ecmsiderate treatment, and that
they came into the possession of their ovi-ners at a pe-
riod, and under a Government, when slavery was
tolerated by law. The spontaneoutl emancipation,
therefore, of their slaves by the inhabitants of Malacca,
under such circumstances, cannot • fail to be highly
gratifying to, and warmly appreciated by the British
Authorities, as well as the Supreme Government of
British Piidia, to which latter aTithority the Governor
will hr,ve great satisfaction in reporting that the last
rt'lr .nant of slavery which existed m the British set-
O' ,?ments in the Straits of Ms.lacca has been for ever
' abolished by the unanimous accord of the inhabitants
themselves. (Signed) S. G. BONHAM.
Governor of E. W. Isiand, Singapore, and Malacca.
I P. W. Island, Jan. 5, 184-2.—Singapore Free Press.

- -
ATMOSPHERIC RAILWAY.-1-1 further trial of the
Atmospheric Railway took place at 'Wormwood Scrubbs.
There gentlemen, Mr. George
it.inie.
Lord Bruce, Bon. Thomas Vesey, Dr. Buck-
land. Dr. Arnott, Dr. Conquest, Mr. Cotton), Mr. Hallam,
wce.re E. pre; sent, among other
Profeoor Wheatstone, Sir John Croft. Air. Vernon, Baron
de Steinburg, Mr. George Palmer, Mr. Doull. C.E. ; Mr. C.
Vignoles, C.E. ; Mt. Guthoven, C. E. ; Mr. James Pim,
jun., of the Dublin and Kingstown Railway ; and a very
large number of the first City capitalists. The experiments
were highly satisfactory. The speed attained was-considerably
above 40 miles per hour. and the vacuum varying from 24 to
25 inches of mercury._Railway Times. .
Hay making has commenced in good earnest in our
neighbourhood. The swathe is excellent, and we hear of not
complaints in any quarter. It is hardly poisible that there
should be better weather for this branch of rural economy than
that. which has prevailed during the past week. Bath
Chronicle.
Our French neighbours have paid the artists of this
country a compliment in inviting Mr. Woodward, ak gentleman
well known to many of our readers in this .city, to
paint the
likeness of Plover, the winner of the Freiich.Derby of' 7,000 f;
at Chantilly, ou Sunday, the 22d ult.— Worcestershire Chrun.